'Squid Game 2' main trailer shows unseen footage, new game venue

With just a month to go until the highly anticipated release of Netflix's "Squid Game 2," a stunning new game venue has been revealed -- an unexpected yet striking addition to the show’s roster of deadly arenas: a Ferris wheel. On Wednesday, Netflix unveiled the main trailer for "Squid Game 2" on its official YouTube channel. The 108-second video showcases never-before-seen footage, including a haunting glimpse of the Ferris wheel, which is seen bloodstained, as co

Nov. 27, 2024

Dark thriller ‘Family Matters’ explores unique family with extraordinary abilities

Actors Bae Doo-na and Ryoo Seung-bum return in Coupang Play’s “Family Matters,” in the roles of a mom with a special ability to edit memories and a dad who supports her in defeating evildoers. The six-part thriller drama revolves around this unique family, each of whom has unusual traits and secret abilities, embarking on a mission to confront and take down villains. Bae, whose latest Korean work was the 2023 film “Next Sohee,” takes on the role of Han Young-soo,

Nov. 26, 2024

Gong Yoo returns to Netflix with mystery melodrama ‘The Trunk’

Actor Gong Yoo returns to the Netflix original series with a mystery melodrama “The Trunk,” set for release Friday. His last Netflix series was the 2021 thriller “The Silent Sea.” Gong Yoo plays Jung-won, a music producer who marries In-ji (Seo Hyun-jin), an employee at a wedding company called NM, on a fixed-term contract basis. The drama is helmed by Kim Kyu-tae behind the hit series “It’s Okay, That’s Love” (2014) and “Our Blues” (20

Nov. 26, 2024

[Herald Review] 'Gangnam B-Side' combines social realism with masterful suspense, performance

Disney+ may have delivered one of its most gripping new Korean originals with the crime thriller “Gangnam B-side” -- which offers a compelling blend of suspense, character depth, and sharp social commentary on South Korea’s growing drug problem. Bringing affluent Gangnam district’s extravagant club culture to screen with a neon-lit, visually dazzling mise-en-scene that highlights its duality of glamour and grit, “Gangnam B-side” explores the intertwined lives

Nov. 25, 2024

Disney+ offers sneak peek at 2025 lineup of Korean originals

SINGAPORE — Disney+ offered a sneak peek at its highly anticipated lineup of Korean originals for 2025 during a series of press conferences, giving fans of Korean content an early look at next year’s star-studded releases. As part of the Disney Contents Showcase Asia Pacific 2024 event held at the Sands Expo & Convention Center on Thursday, the platform unveiled details about several upcoming titles, with the slate including "Unmasked," "Hyper Knife," "Kn

Nov. 21, 2024

Disney+ unveils Asia-Pacific lineup for 2025, confirms season 2 of 'Moving'

SINGAPORE -- News that a second season of the Korean megahit series "Moving" is currently in development was among the slew of announcements made by The Walt Disney Company Asia Pacific Thursday regarding the upcoming slate of Disney+ Asia Pacific content. "Moving" is an action-fantasy series, but at its core, it is a coming-of-age story about friendship, family and human relationships told in a brand new way," said Carol Choi, executive vice president of original conten

Nov. 21, 2024

Actor Song Joong-ki welcomes second child in Rome

South Korean actor Song Joong-ki has announced the birth of his second child, a daughter, in Rome. "A beautiful princess was born very healthy," Song wrote on his official fan cafe Wednesday, sharing a black-and-white photo of his newborn daughter's hand. "I will take good care of my family here before returning to the filming set." The 39-year-old actor married former British actress Katy Louise Saunders in January 2023 and welcomed a son in Rome in June of the same yea

Nov. 21, 2024

Disney+'s megahit 'Moving' creator returns with 'Light Shop'

SINGAPORE -- After the global success of "Moving," Disney+ has bet big on its next project with Kang Full, one of South Korea’s most acclaimed cartoonists and the creator of the "Moving" webtoon series. Upcoming horror mystery series "Light Shop," set to premiere on Disney+ Dec. 4, follows a group of mysterious figures who find their way to an enigmatic lighting shop. The star-studded cast includes Ju Ji-hoon, famous for his leading roles in hits like "Al

Nov. 20, 2024

Reality show 'I Live Alone' disciplined for 'glorifying' alcohol consumption

Popular reality TV show “I Live Alone” has received a disciplinary measure from South Korea’s broadcasting watchdog for repeatedly depicting cast members drinking alcohol, it was revealed Wednesday. The decision to issue a "caution" to the show’s broadcaster MBC was made at a general meeting of the Korea Communications Standards Commission on Monday in Seoul, where 15 cases, including of “I Live Alone,” were reviewed for potential violations of broad

Nov. 20, 2024

[Herald Interview] Woo Do-hwan on portraying complex character in rom-com 'Mr. Plankton'

For Woo Do-hwan, portraying the main character in Netflix's new romantic comedy series "Mr. Plankton" was far from purely romantic or comedic. The life of Woo's character Hae-jo, who was born through in vitro fertilization, spirals into turmoil from the age of 8 when it is discovered he was an unintended product of a sperm mix-up, and that the man he believes to be his father is not actually his biological father. The discovery tears the family apart as the mother dies and

Nov. 18, 2024

Stalker fans, or 'sasaeng' continue to plague entertainment landscape

The darker side of fame continues to haunt stars as the South Korean entertainment scene has recently been rocked by a series of incidents involving "sasaeng" fans -- meaning obsessive fans who engage in behaviors that invade the privacy of celebrities, including stalking. IST Entertainment, home to the popular K-pop group The Boyz, revealed on its fan cafe site Thursday that member Sunwoo was ambushed by a sasaeng fan hiding in the emergency stairwell where the group members live as h

Nov. 17, 2024

‘FC Shooting Star’ brings legends Park Ji-sung, Seol Ki-hyeon back to field

Legendary South Korean soccer stars including Park Ji-sung and Seol Ki-hyeon are lacing up their cleats to lead a new team: FC Shooting Star. Local streaming platform Coupang Play’s new “FC Shooting Star” features Park as the head of the sports club with Seol as its executive coach. Former soccer player and coach Choi Yong-su joins as a manager. Other former soccer players forming the team include former national team goalkeeper Kim Yeong-gwang, assistant coach of the Indonesia

Nov. 15, 2024

'Squid Game 2' to explore whether individuals have power to change world: director

"Squid Game," a critique of social and economic inequality as well as widespread mistreatment of the disadvantaged, returns with a new season and a new theme: do individuals have power to change the world? "When Season 1 came out, many journalists asked why it became so popular, and I replied, ‘Maybe it’s because life has become as difficult as the world in 'Squid Game,''" said Hwang Dong-hyuk, director of the first and second seasons of "Squid

Nov. 13, 2024

Actor Song Jae-rim dies at 39

Actor Song Jae-rim died on Tuesday at the age of 39, with the cause of death still unclear as of Tuesday evening. According to Seoul Seongdong Police Station, Song was found dead at his home in Seoul in the afternoon Tuesday. “Currently, there is no evidence of foul play,” according to an official from the police station. Song's funeral is being held at the Yeouido St. Mary's Funeral Hall in Seoul. The actor had recently changed his Instagram profile message to “A lon

Nov. 12, 2024

[From the Scene] Step inside the world of 'Squid Game 2'

The countdown to "Squid Game 2" has begun as the global hit series is set to return this December. Last December, the press was given a tour of the "Squid Game 2" filming location for an exclusive sneak peek at the new season. Located in Daejeon Expo Science Park, the filming studio for "Squid Game 2" offered reporters a view of the show's iconic "maze corridors" and the massive dormitory for the fictional game’s participants. For the upcoming s

Nov. 11, 2024

[Herald Interview] 'Hellbound Season 2' director, actor discuss unanswered questions, cast change

The first season of Netflix's dark fantasy thriller "Hellbound" was an explosive success, racking up 110 million viewing hours just 10 days after its release with its distinctive narrative in which Koreans are unexpectedly warned by "angels" that they are destined to go to hell. Now, the series is back with a gripping second season and an unexpected twist -- people who were once condemned and cast to hell are now being brought back to life. According to the show's c

Nov. 5, 2024

Netflix's 'Mr. Plankton' to offer solace to 'plankton' of society

Known for his work exploring the lives of isolated individuals in modern society, director Hong Jong-chan returns with a new, feel-good romantic comedy series with a touching message. Netflix original “Mr. Plankton,” with its first episode to be released Friday, follows the story of Hae-jo (Woo Do-hwan), who was raised in an orphanage and suddenly discovers that he has limited time due to a brain tumor. Symbolically likened to plankton — tiny microorganisms that drift without s

Nov. 4, 2024

Looking for love, and drama? 'I am Solo' now casting foreign residents

"I am Solo," one of Korea’s most popular dating-themed reality shows, is accepting applications from foreign nationals interested in joining its matchmaking program. According to the program, the show is seeking "single foreign nationals living in Korea who are fluent in Korean," as well as "Korean national men who are interested in marrying foreign national women." Applicants should send a self-introduction email to lovematch911@naver.com. Selected candidates

Oct. 31, 2024

[Herald Interview] Park Sang-young aims to break taboos through his works

Novelist Park Sang-young is now a screenwriter, following the release of the television adaptation of his 2019 novel, “Love in the Big City.“ Park wrote the script for all eight episodes of the drama which explores the romantic and personal life of a young gay man in Seoul. The series was released in full on the local streaming platform Tving on Oct. 21. “As you may have guessed, it took some time to cast the actors and confirm the platform on which it will air due to the uni

Oct. 30, 2024

Has ‘SNL Korea’ satire devolved into mere insults?

Treading precariously on the fault line of socially accepted norms, satire often becomes a source of controversy. “Saturday Night Live Korea” -- running since 2011 with a three-year break before it was rebooted in 2021 -- enjoys the distinction of being the longest-running international adaptation of the iconic US show, and is appreciated by fans for its weekly satirical commentary on current affairs. However, not everyone approves of how its subjects are satirized. In a recent case,

Oct. 30, 2024