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

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