Constitutional Court dismisses petition against separating collection of public broadcaster fees

The Constitutional Court on Thursday dismissed a petition against a government revision separating the collection of public broadcasters' license fees, citing it does not violate their broadcasting rights. Last July, the Korean Broadcasting System filed the petition against a revised enforcement ordinance to the Broadcasting Act requiring it to collect license fees separately from electricity bills. KBS argued it would threaten the financial stability of public broadcasters. Since 1994,

May 30, 2024

Singer Kim Ho-joong temporarily banned on KBS

Popera singer Kim Ho-joong, who was recently issued an arrest warrant under charges of committing a hit-and-run while driving under the influence, will temporarily be banned from appearing on the Korean Broadcasting System. "Although the court has not yet made its ruling, Kim Ho-joong caused serious public controversy by making up repeated lies about a hit-and-run accident that occured while drunk driving. As a result, we received numerous petitions from viewers requesting a ban on his appe

May 30, 2024

Popular Korean webtoons to be remade into international TV series

Popular Korean webtoons are set to be adapted into international drama series, riding high on the webtoons' appeal to global audiences and the widespread perception that webtoon-based content is entertaining. The Naver romance webtoon series "Take Me, I'm Yours" will be remade as a Japanese drama series and broadcast on Nippon Television Network starting July 5, according to Naver Webtoon. Titled "With Me," (translated) the series, which was produced by Nippon Telev

May 29, 2024

'The Player' hopes to continue tvN's success streak

"The Player 2: Master of Swindlers" will be larger in scale than its first season, is set to hit screens with the goal of continuing tvN's successful track record. The cable channel appears to be on a winning streak with hit series such as "Queen of Tears" and "Marry My Husband" capturing audiences worldwide. "The Player" series, which aired in 2018 on cable movie channel OCN, is making its comeback on tvN. Actors Song Seung-heon, Lee Si-eon and Tae W

May 28, 2024

Korean shows most-viewed of Netflix's non-English titles: report

Among non-English content streamed on Netflix during the second half of 2023, Korean shows were watched the most, according to a Netflix report. "What We Watched: A Netflix Engagement Report" released Friday, showed that non-English content accounted for some 30 percent of all viewing on Netflix. Titles in Korean (9 percent), Spanish (7 percent) and Japanese (5 percent) captured the largest shares of viewership outside of English, respectively. Among Korean series, JTBC's romance

May 28, 2024

[Music in drama] Delve into destined love story with touching melodies

Romance with a divine being is always intriguing, yet never simple or safe -- at least in Korean dramas. "Guardian: The Lonely and Great God," aired through tvN from December 2016 to January 2017, is a series that reinterprets beings from Korean folklore into a modern, touching love story. The male protagonist, Kim Shin (Gong Yoo), an immortal being that can be roughly translated as a goblin, is a general wrongfully killed a thousand years ago, who now longs for rest. He meets Ji Eun-t

May 27, 2024

[Herald Interview] 'The 8 Show' questions capitalism's class system

The director and one of the actors of Netflix's original series, "The 8 Show," sought to criticize capitalism today while asking how far creators should go in the pursuit of entertainment. Based on popular webtoons "Money Game" and "Pie Game," "The 8 Show" follows the stories of eight contestants in dire financial straits as they strive to earn money in a mysterious reality variety show. The participants are trapped on separate floors in an eight-st

May 27, 2024

SBS' thriller series 'Connection' deals with society's rising pain: drugs

SBS's new thriller drama series "Connection" will aim to raise awareness about drug use in Korean society by dealing with destructive effects of drugs -- a sensitive subject for terrestrial television. "Connection" is a 16-part series that narrates the story of Jang Jae-kyung (played by Ji Sung), a detective specialized in catching drug criminals, who becomes forcibly addicted to drugs by an unidentified person. The series' director, Kim Mun-kyo, said he aimed to sh

May 24, 2024

'High School Mystery Club 3' producer aimed to address societal issues

The director of "High School Mystery Club 3," a popular Korean mystery reality show series, aimed to address current societal issues by incorporating such themes into a mystery reality show. "Considering the genre of 'High School Mystery Club,' the show must deal with subject matter related to crimes and I did not want to create a program which lightly and humorously dealt with the matter," said Im Soo-jung, the producer of "High School Mystery Club 3," du

May 21, 2024

'The Glory' screenwriter Kim Eun-sook returns with new Netflix series

Top Korean screenwriter Kim Eun-sook will return with a new romance series featuring Kim Woo-bin and Bae Suzy. Netflix will stream the 12-part fantasy romantic comedy series "All The Love You Wish For," (working title) starring Kim Woo-bin, Bae Suzy, Ahn Eun-jin and Noh Sang-Hyun, according to the global streaming service Monday. The series is helmed by Lee Byoung-heon, who directed the Netflix comedy series "Chicken Nugget" (2024), "Extreme Job" (2019) and JTBC rom

May 20, 2024

[Music in drama] Timeless songs central to success of 'Hospital Playlist'

Stories about family love, friendship and humanity never grow old and there is no better place to witness them than in hospitals. The tvN series “Hospital Playlist” takes place in a university teaching hospital where fierce battles of life and death take place, depicting the lives of five doctors who have been friends for 20 years and the stories of their patients. The series is renowned for its depiction of the heartwarming struggles of the doctors and its excellent reinterpretation

May 20, 2024

Actors involved in past controversies return first via streaming service originals

South Korean actors who have been involved in controversies or facing charges are returning to the screen via streaming services, where they face less scrutiny and regulations. These comebacks can serve as tests to gauge the timing of their official comebacks, according to critics, Sunday. Actor Bae Sung-woo, who has been suspended from appearing on broadcast channels such as KBS and MBC for driving under the influence in November 2020, appears on the Netflix original series "The 8 Show,&qu

May 19, 2024

[Herald Review] 'Uncle Samsik' features tightly woven plot, allusions to Korean history

Disney+ original series "Uncle Samsik," which marks "Parasite" star Song Kang-ho's debut in a drama series, features a tightly constructed plot and superb acting by veteran actors. It also deals with themes and metaphors that may prove challenging for international audiences to fully appreciate. Set in the late 1950s in a war-torn South Korea, the 16-part series tells the story of Kim San (played by Byun Yo-han), a young government official who dreams of transforming the

May 18, 2024

Netflix Korea launches ‘Grow Creative’ education program for creators

Netflix Korea announced Friday an expanded education program for creators aimed at establishing a high-quality content production ecosystem and discovering and nurturing local talents. Titled “Grow Creative,” the program will run throughout the year to teach the latest production technologies and offer insights into market trends to aspiring content creators and VFX technicians. Netflix Korea has run workshops targeting local industry insiders since 2022 but it is the first time that

May 17, 2024

Netflix's 'The 8 Show' will navigate power structures within small society

Director Han Jae-rim, who helmed numerous hit Korean flicks such as "The Face Reader" and "The King," said he aimed to depict the power dynamics that arise when people group together in his latest Netflix original series "The 8 Show" -- which re-imagines the popular Korean webtoon "Money Game" and its sequel "Pie Game." The eight-part thriller series narrates the story of eight financially struggling individuals who take part in a mysterious sh

May 10, 2024

CJ ENM aims to maintain success by maximizing synergy between tvN, streaming platforms

CJ ENM aims to uphold its top position in prime-time viewership ratings by maximizing synergy between streaming platforms and its cable channel tvN, amid the declining use of linear TVs, the company said Wednesday. Announcing the outcomes of tvN content's performance in 2024 During a media event held at the headquarters of CJ ENM located in Sangam-dong, Seoul, on Wednesday, the company said tvN is currently taking the lead in nationwide viewership ratings logged during prime time. TvN is

May 9, 2024

Disney+'s 'Uncle Samsik' explores how S. Korea was shaped: producer

Led by veteran actor Song Kang-ho, who has starred in numerous hit flicks, such as "Parasite" (2019) and "Cobweb" (2023), Disney+ original "Uncle Samsik" will aim to explore how Korea came to be what it is by exploring the fictional stories of those that lived through the 1950s and 1960s. Set in 1960s South Korea, the 16-part period drama series narrates the story of Kim San, (played by Byun Yo-han) a young government official with ambitions to put his self-devised

May 8, 2024

‘Moving,’ ‘12.12: The Day’ win top prizes at 60th Baeksang Arts Awards

“12.12: The Day,” also known as “Seoul’s Spring” in Korean, and Disney+ sci-fi fantasy series “Moving” won the top honors at the 60th Baeksang Arts Awards on Tuesday. Prolific actor Hwang Jung-min, who played the head of the Defense Security Command Chun Doo-gwang in “12.12: The Day,” also snatched the best actor award in the film category. He had been likened to the “Leonardo DiCaprio of Baeksang” for a long streak of missing out

May 7, 2024

'Super Rich in Korea' will leave viewers appreciating Korea more: producers

Netflix's original series "Super Rich in Korea" will allow viewers to appreciate South Korea more by showcasing the lifestyles of ultra-wealthy individuals who chose to relocate to Korea out of their love for the country, the show's producers said Tuesday. "Super Rich in Korea" is a six-part reality show that explores the extravagant lives of super-rich foreign nationals living in Korea. The show stars five cast members -- Kim Anna, a member of the Pakistani nobil

May 7, 2024

'Queen of Tears' riding high on Netflix chart

South Korean hit romance drama series "Queen of Tears," riding high on the strong reception from its international fanbase, is continuing its strong streaming performance, according to entertainment giant CJ ENM on Thursday. "Queen of Tears" claimed the second spot in Netflix's non-English-language TV list during the last week of April, rising one position from the previous week. The rankings are calculated by dividing the total hours viewed by the total runtime. It wa

May 6, 2024