[Herald Interview] After 'Good Partner,' Jang Na-ra sees marriage as miracle

Jang Na-ra, who portrayed Cha Eun-kyung, the skilled divorce lawyer cheated on by her husband in the popular series "Good Partner," expressed that the show prompted her to reflect deeply on marriage and divorce -- and that the series led her to consider all marriages as "miracles." "Good Partner" follows the stories of divorce lawyers as they tackle a range of clients and their legal challenges. While depicting various divorces faced by modern Koreans, the series al

Sept. 26, 2024

Global drama stars gather for 2024 Seoul International Drama Awards

Top stars, producers, and writers from the global drama industry gathered Wednesday afternoon for the 2024 Seoul International Drama Awards. The event, which honors excellence in drama series worldwide, saw a record 346 entries from 48 countries this year, featuring shows that aired between June 1, 2023, and June 30, 2024. This year, the spotlight was on film figures winning major awards, with renowned South Korean director Park Chan-wook taking home the Golden Bird Prize -- the highest honor in

Sept. 25, 2024

'Gyeongseong Creature Season 2': faster and ready to confront past

The second season of "Gyeongseong Creature," one of Netflix Korea's largest projects, promises a faster pace as well as an exciting new plot and characters to address viewer comments about the slow pace of the first season, director Jung Dong-yoon said Wednesday. The first season of "Gyeongseong Creature" is set in 1945 Gyeongseong, where Chae-ok (Han So-hee) and Tae-sang (Park Seo-jun) uncover secret experiments intended to transform humans into monsters. The series dra

Sept. 25, 2024

'Stage Fighter' to showcase Korea's top dancers

The new dance survival program "Stage Fighter" is set to dazzle viewers not only with performances from some of Korea's most celebrated dancers, but also with appearances by auteur Park Chan-wook, the program’s producer said Tuesday. "Stage Fighter" is the latest installment in Mnet's successful dance survival series, following the hit shows "Street Woman Fighter" and "Street Man Fighter." The new series will feature 64 male dancers special

Sept. 24, 2024

[Herald Review] 'Culinary Class Wars': fresh, creative survival show minus the drama

“Culinary Class Wars,” one of the hottest entertainment shows trending in Korea right now, offers a refreshing take on the survival show format, while highlighting the ingenious recipes created by some of Korea's most acclaimed cooks and chefs. The competition features 100 contestants divided into two teams: the white team, consisting of the nation’s top star chefs, and the black team, made up of lesser-known cooks and local restaurant owners. Contestants participate in a

Sept. 23, 2024

[Herald Interview] Kentaro Sakaguchi says cultural differences shape 'What Comes After Love'

Japanese heartthrob Kentaro Sakaguchi said he thought the cultural distinctions in how people express affection, played a crucial role in his Korean debut series "What Comes After Love." The six-part Coupang Play original series portrays the romance between Choi Hong (Lee Se-young) and Aoki Jungo (Sakaguchi), who unexpectedly reunite five years after their breakup. The series is based on the novel of the same name, co-authored by Korean novelist Gong Ji-yeong and Japanese writer Tsuji

Sept. 22, 2024

‘Squid Game 2’ teaser hints at where next games take place

The brutal games will continue in the second season of Netflix's mega-hit Korean original series "Squid Game" in one of the most familiar childhood places – a schoolyard. In a 56-second-long teaser video unveiled Friday on Netflix’s official YouTube, the main protagonist Sung Ki-hun (Lee Jung-jae) is seen waking up to a morning call. Soon, he points the gun toward the door, on guard, and as the door opens, he faces the Frontman (Lee Byung-hun) who devised the bloody ga

Sept. 20, 2024

Underdog boy bands take on ambitious survival journey

Seven ambitious boy bands are off to a fierce battle. The New Six, 8Turn, Oneus, Younite, Cravity, Tempest and the project team The Crew One, which consists of the boy groups ATBO and Just B., are competing on Mnet's survival program "Road to Kingdom: Ace of Ace," starting Thursday night. Taemin of SHINee will host the show. “We felt the pressure to surpass our performances in Season 1, but we overcame it with even greater passion. Since we believe it’s a K-pop idol&#

Sept. 19, 2024

YouTuber under fire for consoling former singer accused of bullying

One of Korea's most beloved YouTubers Kwak Joon-bin is facing uncertain career prospects following a controversy sparked by his words of comfort to Lee Na-eun -- a member of former K-pop group April who has failed to dispel suspicions she bullied a fellow bandmate. As the winner of "World Dice Tour 2," Kwak is scheduled to appear in a spin-off series as he travels around Ulleung Island, with the premiere set for Oct. 19. Cable channel ENA, which is scheduled to broadcast the spin-

Sept. 19, 2024

Japanese-Korean romances surge to leverage audiences and funds

Dramas depicting intercultural romances between Japanese and Korean characters are all the rage right now, amid efforts to draw in a broader audience and leverage larger production budgets, according to industry officials, Friday. In Japan, hit romance fantasy series "Eye Love You" lit up the schedules in the early part of the year. The drama depicted the love story of Yoon Tae-oh (Chae Jong-hyeop), a Korean graduate student in Japan, and Yuri (Fumi Nikaido), a CEO with the ability to

Sept. 13, 2024

What comes after love? Ex-lovers cross paths in new Coupang Play series

Featuring Japanese heartthrob Kentaro Sakaguchi and Korean actor Lee Se-young, the upcoming Coupang Play's romance series "What Comes After Love" explores a timeless question: What happens when former lovers unexpectedly cross paths once again. "What Comes After Love" narrates the story of Choi Hong (Lee Se-young) and Aoki Jungo (Kentaro Sakaguchi), who meet again by chance five years after splitting up. The series is adapted from the novel of the same name, co-authored

Sept. 12, 2024

Netflix's 'Culinary Class Wars' billed as largest K-cooking survival show yet

Netflix's "Culinary Class Wars" will be the biggest cooking survival show in Korean entertainment show history, according to the show's producers, Wednesday. "Culinary Class Wars" features cook-offs featuring 100 contestants split into two teams: the white team, composed of Korea's top chefs, and the black team, made up of little-known chefs and cooks such as local restaurant owners. The contestants will face off in multiple elimination rounds with a panel of j

Sept. 11, 2024

K-content industry should focus on diverse monetization opportunities: industry expert

The Korean content industry should seek out ways to diverse monetizing opportunities, experts told a global conference on streaming industries in Asia. Speaking at the conference titled "Korea in View" held Aug. 29, Marianne Lee, chief of content acquisition and development at streaming platform Viu, said the content industry in Korea is going through a "correction period," in which the industry is now struggling to keep up with soaring production costs, which have risen four

Sept. 10, 2024

Park Chan-wook receives Golden Bird Prize at Seoul International Drama Awards 2024

Auteur Park Chan-wook clinched the Golden Bird Prize at this year's Seoul International Drama Awards for his significant impact on the drama industry with "The Sympathizer," according to the awards organizing committee on Monday. Seoul International Drama Awards, hosted annually by the SDA organizing committee and the Korean Broadcasters Association since 2006, celebrates outstanding achievements in drama series from around the world. This year’s awards ceremony logged a rec

Sept. 9, 2024

[Herald Interview] Kim Myung-min takes cue from 'The Godfather' for 'Your Honor'

Veteran actor Kim Myung-min said he drew inspiration from the iconic American gangster film "The Godfather" while portraying the crime lord in the hit series "Your Honor." "Your Honor," an adaptation of the Israeli series "Kvodo," follows Judge Pan-ho (played by Son Hyun-joo), who seeks to cover up a murder committed by his son, and Gang-heon (played by Kim), a merciless crime lord who is determined to uncover the truth behind his son's murder. The se

Sept. 9, 2024

'The Devil's Plan Season 2' to return bigger with games devised by fans

Jung Jong-yeon, producer of the hit Netflix survival game series "The Devil's Plan," said the series' second season has been upgraded to showcase an intricately designed filming set, alongside games created by some of his most dedicated fans. In its first season, "The Devil's Plan" brought together 12 contestants, including actors, doctors and YouTubers, to compete in a battle of wit and strategy. Upon its release in September 2023, the show quickly gained glob

Sept. 4, 2024

Yoo Ah-in sentenced to one year in prison for drug abuse

Actor Yoo Ah-in was sentenced to one year in prison by the Seoul Central District Court on Tuesday for repeated drug use. The court ordered Yoo's immediate detention after handing down the sentence, which included a one-year prison term, a 2 million won fine ($1,489) and a surcharge of 1.54 million won. Yoo was ordered to pay a surcharge for the value of items obtained illegally. "Prescription narcotics, like propofol, are tightly controlled because of their potential for dependence an

Sept. 3, 2024

[Herald Interview] An unwanted guest, chaos and solace in 'The Frog'

The director of Netflix's original thriller "The Frog" said he aimed to offer solace to viewers by sharing the stories of those who encounter sudden calamities and suffer deep isolation, their plight ignored by those around them. "The Frog" is an 8-part mystery thriller centered on Young-ha (Kim Yun-seok), who operates a pension in the woods. Seeking a quiet life away from the world, Young-ha's peace is shattered by the arrival of a mysterious guest, Sung-ah (Go Min

Sept. 3, 2024

Experts call for innovation in content retail, seasons format for K-dramas

The K-drama industry must improve its overseas retail strategies and adopt seasonal formats to become an IP powerhouse, according to media experts. During "Korea In View," a series of talk sessions held Thursday as a part of Broadcast Worldwide (BCWW) 2024, the chief researcher at Export-Import Bank of Korea remarked that Korea currently suffers from its content being stockpiled. Broadcast Worldwide (BCWW) 2024 is an annual gathering of global broadcasters. "It's true that K-

Sept. 2, 2024

Dark side of AfreecaTV, livestreamers in Korea

With the recent news of numerous AfreecaTV livestreamers -- commonly known here as "BJs" -- being arrested for drug use and accused of engaging in group sexual activities making waves, a spotlight has been shone on their conduct. As livestreamers become increasingly successful in the entertainment market, pop-culture experts call to attention the circumstances that make livestreamers on AfreecaTV, the country’s largest one-person streaming platform, vulnerable to crime. Explosi

Aug. 28, 2024