Most Popular
-
1
1 in 3 Koreans live alone, family types becoming diverse
-
2
Korea, Japan finance chiefs vow to tame rampant FX market volatility
-
3
K-pop group's manager dismissed for setting up spycam in theater dressing room
-
4
Contentious grain bill put directly to plenary meeting for vote
-
5
Korean Muslim YouTuber's plan to build mosque in Incheon goes viral
-
6
Why is Apple Pay struggling to get purchase in Korea?
-
7
Yoon's office denies considering liberal figures for key posts
-
8
Trilateral talks acknowledge ‘serious’ slumps of won, yen
-
9
[Today’s K-pop] BTS pop-up event to come to Seoul
-
10
Will tug-of-war between doctors, government end soon?
-
'Bad and Crazy’ teaser shows Lee Dong-wook, Wi Ha-jun as detectives
TvN’s new Friday-Saturday drama “Bad and Crazy” is scheduled to kick off on Dec. 17, after “Happiness” comes to an end Dec. 11. Directed by You Sun-dong who produced OCN’s hit drama “The Uncanny Counter,” the cable network presented a 15-second teaser Friday showing its lead characters. Top actor Lee Dong-wook takes the role of “bad” detective Ryu Su-yeol, who is willing to do anything and everything to accomplish his objectives. Co
Nov. 19, 2021
-
'Squid Game' becomes most-watched Netflix show with record 1.65b hours
The South Korean sensation "Squid Game" has posted a total of 1.65 billion hours of streaming in the first four weeks of release, becoming the most-watched Netflix content of all time. Netflix on Tuesday (US time) released the global top 10 lists of films and TV shows based on hours viewed in their respective first 28 days on its platform. "Squid Game" topped the non-English popular TV show list with an aggregate 1.65 billion hours of viewing over the first four weeks follo
Nov. 17, 2021
-
‘The Blue House Family’ hopes to revive Korean sitcom
While made-for-television political satires have had little success in Korea, “The Blue House Family” is ready to take a jab at the genre early next year. It so happens that 2022 is a presidential election year in Korea, and Astory, the production company behind the 10-episode sitcom, is betting that content related to politics will grab viewers’ attention. “Politics and comedy go well together. Many comedians and content creators view the political scenes as a treasu
Nov. 15, 2021
-
Song Hye-kyo makes triumphant return with first episode of ‘Now We Are Breaking Up’
Actor Song Hye-kyo made a triumphant return to the small screen Friday with her first TV drama in two years, SBS’ “Now We Are Breaking Up.” The first episode recorded the highest viewership rating of all Friday-Saturday dramas that aired over those two days. The first showing on Friday marked an average nationwide rating of 6.4 and a peak of 8.4 percent. The ratings improved the following day, with the second episode scoring nationwide viewership ratings of 8.0 percent and
Nov. 14, 2021
-
'Squid Game' emerges as big contender in upcoming year-end awards season in US
The South Korean breakout hit "Squid Game" has emerged as a big contender in the US year-end awards season, possibly to become the first Korean-made TV series winning a trophy at prestigious awards ceremonies. Starting in late fall, the highly competitive race for great TV shows and movies of the year is the biggest celebration for the US entertainment industry eying for the Emmys and Oscars next year. In the past two years, the American awards season unprecedentedly caught the eyes
Nov. 12, 2021
-
Golf, soccer rise in ranks on Korean TV
Sports entertainment programs have emerged as a major trend on television, with famed sports legends and celebrities presenting the sports on the small screen. Golf has become a recognizable force, dominating airtime for several months with big-name golf stars and television celebrities taking to the links. Cable channel TV Chosun’s “Golf King” sparked public interest in golf-related variety shows in May. The program caught viewers’ attention with former LPGA champion
Nov. 11, 2021
-
'Squid Game' becomes Netflix's top ranking show for longest 47 days
The South Korean sensation "Squid Game" has reclaimed the No. 1 position on Netflix's most popular TV show rankings to become the streamer's top-ranking original series for the most days ever. According to streaming analytics firm FlixPatrol on Wednesday (US time), the Korean-language survival drama regained the No. 1 spot on the list of the world's most watched TV shows on Netflix, replacing the previous leader "Arcane," an animated series based on the online battle game &q
Nov. 11, 2021
-
YouTube content of 'Squid Game' outnumbers 'Game of Thrones'
The South Korean phenomenon "Squid Game" has outnumbered the longtime TV powerhouse "Game of Thrones" in terms of combined YouTube views of its derivative video content, a US media outlet has reported. A total of 129,000 videos of the survival drama, including official trailers, fan-made reaction clips and video games, have earned a total of 17 billion views on the platform since the show's release on Sept. 17, Variety said Wednesday (US time), citing a report by content ana
Nov. 11, 2021
-
‘Yumi’s Cells’: Versatile multimedia content that keeps on taking new forms
The Naver webtoon series “Yumi’s Cells” may be the perfect example of versatile multimedia content, with plans for it to be adapted as an animation and a musical. The animation version of the webtoon for cinematic release will be co-produced by a Naver subsidiary, Studio N, and by local animation production company Locus, which created the 2019 hit “Red Shoes and the Seven Dwarfs. The company is aiming to release the animation in cinemas in the first half of 2023, acco
Nov. 11, 2021
-
Song Hye-kyo returns with heartwarming drama ‘Now We Are Breaking Up’
For global star Song Hye-kyo, the decision to come back with another melodrama after just two years brought with it a bag of mixed emotions. “After tvN’s ‘Encounter’ (2019), many fans have been waiting for my return to the small screen with another beautiful romance story, but I am certain that there are some viewers who already feel tired of watching another melodrama by Song Hye-kyo,” said Song in an online press conference recorded in mid-August that was releas
Nov. 9, 2021
-
Korean animation ‘Catch! Teenieping’ gaining global popularity
Joining the ranks of Korean dramas and K-pop in gaining popularity worldwide is Korean animation series “Catch! Teenieping,” which has caught on with kids around the globe. “Catch! Teenieping” topped Netflix Korea’s trending kids category four days after the launch of its first season. YouTube channel Teenieping TV, meanwhile, has over 208,000 followers. The series has been widely watched in Australia and North America, where it has ranked No. 5 and No. 9, respect
Nov. 9, 2021
-
‘The War of Chefs’ hopes to mesmerize viewers with amazing Korean dishes
Television director Hyun Don hopes to bring back the heyday of cooking shows with “The War of Chefs.” “After producing multiple seasons of ‘Hansik Battle,’ I worked on other food programs. But it is when I am presenting outstanding Korean dishes that I feel most comfortable,” Hyun said in an online press conference Monday. Unlike “Hansik Battle,” which took on a tournament format, the director’s latest show has adopted a team competition fo
Nov. 9, 2021
-
‘Yumi’s Cells’ production team looks back on first season
Lee Sang-youb, who directed the webtoon-based tvN drama “Yumi’s cells,” did not expect to receive many compliments about the show after the first season ended, knowing his adaption of the well-beloved original web comics might disappoint some fans. “Because the original webtoon, written and drawn by author Lee Dong-gun, was such a popular work and loved by many readers, I worried a lot and had many things to consider. But I was happy to hear that the first season of &ls
Nov. 8, 2021
-
AppleTV+ presents sci-fi thriller ‘Dr. Brain’ as its first Korean original content
Veteran director Kim Jee-woon, debuting as a TV series producer after a 23-year film career, is feeling a mixed bag of emotions. “I am very nervous and excited about ‘Dr. Brain’ being the first Korean-language original of Apple TV+. I feel like I am here to showcase my debut project as a rookie director,” the director said in an online press conference on Wednesday. “Dr. Brain,” the streaming service’s first original series from South Korea, is an adap
Nov. 5, 2021
-
S. Korean broadcasters to resume shows with studio audience
With South Korea on its way to returning to normal from COVID-19, local broadcasters are set to resume the recording of their programs with a studio audience for the first time in nearly two years. Cable channel tvN said Friday that its long-running skit show "Comedy Big League" will be filmed in front of an audience next Tuesday for the first time in about 20 months. Due to COVID-19 restrictions on gatherings, the prime nighttime program on Sundays has been forced to conduct tapings
Nov. 5, 2021
-
[Newsmaker] Netflix promises to invest more into Korean content, doubles down on network fee issue
Netflix Vice President of Public Policy Dean Garfield, decked in a green tracksuit costume from the hit Netflix show “Squid Game,” entered the press conference room at JW Marriott Dongdaemun Square Seoul on Thursday, accompanied by the theme song from the drama series. Garfield began his speech by talking about how Netflix is willing to invest more into creating Korean content. However, when addressing the most heated issue on paying internet service providers bandwidth usage fees,
Nov. 4, 2021
-
‘Running Man’ spinoff to be first original Korean content on Disney+
A spinoff of the popular SBS variety show “Running Man” will be the first original content from South Korea on Disney+, the streaming platform said Thursday. The Walt Disney Company announced that “Outrun by Running Man” will star three members of the original cast -- Jee Seok-jin, Kim Jong-kook and Haha. While the original show’s main producer, director Im Hyung-taek, is behind the spinoff, its main star, Yoo Jae-suk, is not part of the upcoming series. “
Nov. 4, 2021
-
Director hopes viewers see ‘Melancholia’ as beautiful story about math
The upcoming tvN romance drama “Melancholia,” directed by Kim Sang-hyub, revolves around a math teacher and a gifted pupil at a private school, where corruption and favoritism runs rampant. “A drama involving mathematical formulas may sound odd and strange at first, but I am certain that the viewers will be drawn by how the two characters communicate through math,” Kim said in an online press conference Tuesday. The director, who is known for the hit series “True
Nov. 3, 2021
-
Han Hyo-joo, Park Hyung-sik make highly anticipated return with tvN’s ‘Happiness’
For director Ahn Gil-ho, a desire to portray the life of ordinary people was the reason to film “Happiness.” “When I read the script, the scenario was really interesting and had the power to draw a viewer‘s attention. But the biggest reason for me to choose this drama was my plan to make a series that focuses on the stories and feelings of common individuals,” the director said in an online press conference on Monday. The upcoming tvN Friday-Saturday series revolv
Nov. 2, 2021
-
TV series about K-pop singers set to premier next week
Two TV series about the lives and struggles of K-pop singers will hit small screens in South Korea next week, their broadcasters said Tuesday. "Let Me Be Your Knight" will premier this Sunday on SBS, depicting a romance between a popular idol singer suffering from sleepwalking and a live-in doctor who has to cure his condition secretly. Former and active K-pop singers take part in the 12-episode drama, with Lee Jun-young, a former member of boy band U-Kiss, playing Yoon Tae-in who is
Nov. 2, 2021