Travel reality show starring Jimin, Jungkook of BTS to stream on Disney+

A new Disney+ original series featuring Jimin and Jungkook of BTS on a trip will begin streaming in August, filling the void for fans as they wait for the bandmates to fulfill their mandatory military service. The eight-part series titled "Are You Sure?!" will feature the travel logs of the duo from the megahit boy band as they journeyed in the United States, Jeju Island and Japan's Sapporo in 2023. According to Disney+, the series will feature the duo's spontaneous journey a

July 3, 2024

[Herald Interview] Star producer Jung Jong-yeon wants to create different genres, IPs

With a string of hit shows such as tvN's "The Genius" and "Great Escape" series, as well as Netflix's "Devil's Plan," producer Jung Jong-yeon is seen as having popularized reality shows centered on solving puzzles and intellectual challenges. Jung has now returned with a new Netflix original reality show, "Agents of Mystery," a six-part series where celebrities, including Karina of aespa, singer John Park, actor Kim Do-hoon, comedians Lee Eu

July 1, 2024

[Herald Interview] Song Kang-ho says acting still a challenge

"Parasite" star Song Kang-ho, who made his drama series debut with Disney+'s 16-part historical drama "Uncle Samsik," said acting remained a challenging process for him, despite his 35-year career as one of Korea's leading actors. "Uncle Samsik" is set in turbulent 1960s South Korea, highlighted by "The April Revolution," a political uprising in April 1960, challenging the autocratic rule of the nation's first president, Syngman Rhee. The mo

June 30, 2024

'The Whirlwind' embraces timeless appeal of well-made classics

Netflix's "The Whirlwind" will honor classic storytelling by remaining faithful to the script of a seasoned screenwriter, said the director, Tuesday. "The Whirlwind" is a 12-part series that tells the story of Park Dong-ho (played by Sul Kyung-gu), the prime minister of South Korea who, believing the president to be unfit to lead the country, kills him. Finance Minister Jung Soo-jin (played by Kim Hee-ae) tries to stop Park as he seeks to grab power after the president&#

June 25, 2024

Final season of "Sweet Home" to hit Netflix on July

The third and final season of "Sweet Home" is set to premiere on Netflix on July 19, bringing the popular monster horror series to a conclusion. The first season of "Sweet Home," (2020) directed by Lee Eung-bok, who helmed megahits such as "Guardian: The Lonely and Great God" (2016) and "Mr. Sunshine" (2018), narrated the stories of residents in a rundown apartment complex named Green Home who struggled to survive as people around them transformed into m

June 22, 2024

Streaming services gradually dominate sports broadcasts amid mixed reactions from fans

Korean streaming services are increasingly securing exclusive rights to sports broadcasts to expand their viewer base. While fans acknowledge that this enhances the quality of the viewing experience, the shift from free to paid access is generating widespread criticism. Starting in May, Tving, which secured exclusive online broadcasting rights for the Korea Baseball Organization, began offering KBO-related broadcasts exclusively to its subscribers. Tving is also set to exclusively live-broadcast

June 22, 2024

'My name is Gabriel' to showcase top celebs switching lives with individuals abroad

"My Name is Gabriel," a new variety show, will feature top celebrities swapping lives with real people living abroad, and will provide compelling and authentic storytelling, according to the producer on Thursday. The show features comedians Park Myung-soo and Hong Jin-kyung, actors Yeom Hye-ran, Park Bo-gum and Ji Chang-wook, dancer Shin Ga-bee (Gabee), and TV personality Kim Jin-young (Dex). The seven cast members embark on quests to live under different identities from various countr

June 20, 2024

Billie Eilish to make Korean TV debut with 'The Seasons - Zico's Artist'

Global pop sensation Billie Eilish is set to make her debut appearance on Korean television this Friday by appearing as a guest on KBS music talk show "The Seasons - Zico's Artist." According to KBS, Eilish's segment was recorded at KBS headquarters in Yeouido, Seoul, on Tuesday. "The Seasons," a successor to the popular music talk show "Yoo Hee-yeol's Sketchbook," invites popular musicians and celebrities for talks and performances. The show is now i

June 19, 2024

Netflix's 'Agents of Mystery' promises realistic mystery-solving with star-studded casts

Netflix's new mystery reality show "Agents of Mystery," featuring a star-studded cast, ranging from popular Korean comedians to top K-pop idols such as Karina of aespa, will emphasize a high level of realism in its approach to mystery-solving quests, said the producer Tuesday. "Agents of Mystery" stars singer John Park, actor Kim Do-hoon, comedians Lee Eun-ji, Lee Yong-jin and K-pop idols Lee Hye-ri of Girl's Day and Yu Ji-min, more popularly known as Karina of aesp

June 18, 2024

Popular TV series, movies cross borders in remakes

Popular intellectual properties transcend borders, as seen in widely beloved content in Korea remade to cater to global audiences -- as well as the reverse. JTBC hit series "Sky Castle" will be remade into a Japanese series of the same name to be telecast by TV Asahi Corp., one of Japan's largest private broadcasters. The Korean drama series narrates the story of ambitious women who resort to extraordinary measures for their children be accepted into prestigious universities. Acco

June 16, 2024

Yunmin of Touched makes history with 9 wins on ‘King of Masked Singers’

Yunmin, the lead vocalist of the prominent South Korean band Touched, has made a significant mark on “King of Masked Singers” by achieving nine consecutive wins, a milestone not seen in nine years. “King of Masked Singers,” which has been airing on MBC since 2015, is a singing competition where singers and celebrities wear masks, leaving behind their careers and fame to compete solely based on their voice and singing ability. Yunmin maintained her top position from mid-Ja

June 13, 2024

More TV producers appear in front of camera, star in own shows

More TV producers are appearing in front of the camera and gaining popularity as they take a more active role, rather than remaining behind the scenes. From star producer Na Young-seok, who runs his show on Channel Fullmoon on YouTube, to the latest EBS show "PD Log," TV producers are embracing new roles as emcees or guests to add to the entertainment value. In "Earth Arcade's Vroom Vroom" on tvN, Na entertains viewers by teasing the cast when they fail to win a game in

June 11, 2024

[Herald Interview] ‘World Dice Tour’ applies YouTube formula to reality TV: producer

“World Dice Tour,” one of ENA's most successful shows to date, ended the seventh and last episode of its second season Saturday. In addition to airing every Saturday on the airwaves, each episode of “World Dice Tour” has been released in an edited version via YouTube every Thursday. It has recorded a cumulative 24 million views on the video-sharing platform, reaching new highs in viewer count with each new episode released. The show has also been sold to 115 countrie

June 10, 2024

'Squid Game' star Lee Jung-jae accused of unfairly trying to take over management rights

Actor Lee Jung-jae has been accused of attempting to unfairly seize management rights over RaemongRaein, the Korean drama production company responsible for producing series such as "Maestra" (2023) and "Reborn Rich" (2022). Kim Dong-rae, the head of RaemongRaein, said via a press release on Monday that Artist United, a company in which Lee stands as the largest stakeholder, has been unjustly pushing RaemongRaein to convene an extraordinary general meeting in a bid to replace

June 10, 2024

[Herald Review] Lee shines as warmhearted Jedi in action-packed 'The Acolyte'

The latest series in the "Star Wars" universe, "The Acolyte" boasts convincing acting by "Squid Game" star Lee Jung-jae, who portrays an unconventionally emotional and warmhearted Jedi. The series is also rife with meticulously choreographed action sequences that dynamically blends martial arts with the use of the Force. The eight-part series, set a century before "Star Wars: Episode I -- The Phantom Menace," follows the story of Osha (Amandla Stenberg), w

June 7, 2024

Lee Jung-jae says criticism of casting in 'The Acolyte' is 'natural'

"Squid Game" star Lee Jung-jae said any criticism regarding the casting of actors from diverse backgrounds in the latest "Star Wars" series "The Acolyte" is "natural," considering the immense popularity of the franchise. The 8-part series tells the story of Osha (played by Amandla Stenberg), who is accused of a string of murders targeting Jedi -- the practitioners of the Force's energies. The series is set a century before the events of "Star War

June 5, 2024

[Herald Interview] Actor Byeon Woo-seok says he loved Seon-je in 'Lovely Runner'

The tvN romance series "Lovely Runner," which aired its last episode May 28, has taken not only Korea but also the world by storm. The show, topping the charts in 130 countries on the global streaming platform Rakuten Viki, also made history in the Korean streaming services sector. On the day of the series finale, Tving, the exclusive domestic streaming platform for "Lovely Runner," surpassed Netflix in daily viewing hours for the first time. According to Mobile Index, Tving&

June 4, 2024

Richly detailed teen romance will explore 'Hierarchy' at elite school

The Netflix teen romance series "Hierarchy," rife with luxurious mise-en-scenes, will chronicle the tales of youths attempting to break free from an established hierarchical structure based on wealth, according to producers, Monday. The 7-part series follows the story of Kang Ha (played by Lee Chae-min), who, after receiving a scholarship, transfers to Jushin High School, where the wealth and social status of students' families are pivotal in assessing the students' value.

June 3, 2024

[Music in drama] Legendary ballads fan alien romance

“My Love from the Star” was one of the most successful drama series 2013 -- as was its soundtrack. The series features a magical romance between Do Min-joon (Kim Soo-hyun), an alien pretending to be a human for hundreds of years after accidentally falling on Earth, and Chun Song-yi (Jun Ji-hyun, also known as Gianna Jun), a top actress who is spirited yet lonely. With its touching romance and well-timed comic scenes, the series garnered die-hard fans beyond Korea, reaching China, Jap

June 3, 2024

Controversy ignites over regulation of online entertainment shows

A rash of complaints about offensive remarks on online variety shows have stirred up controversy over the relatively light regulation given to online-only content. Some experts argue that while the freedom given to digital platforms helps enrich Korea's content landscape, there is also a need for new regulations to guard against the potentially damaging effects of some shows. YouTube channel Psick Univ, featuring comedians Lee Yong-ju, Kim Min-su and Jung Jae-hyung, recently caused controve

June 2, 2024