S. Korean celebrities call for action from major social media platforms against online phishing scams

A group of South Korean TV celebrities and media personalities on Friday called on major social media platforms, including YouTube, to take action against increasing online phishing scams exploiting their identities. "Since last year, phishing scam organizations have been targeting famous or influential figures, such as former presidents, the leader of a conglomerate, entertainers and YouTubers, on Facebook and Instagram," a joint statement released by a coalition of more than 130 peop

March 22, 2024

Im Soo-hyang, Ji Hyun-woo ready to play romance between celeb and producer in 'Beauty and Romantic'

South Korean actors Im Soo-hyang and Ji Hyun-woo said with the help of veteran director and screenwriter, they are ready to embody their intriguing roles in the new KBS weekend drama series, "Beauty and Romantic," set to premiere Saturday. "Beauty and Romantic" is a 50-part series that tells the story of a top celebrity (played by Im Soo-hyang), who experiences a decline in popularity and a drama series producer (played by Ji Hyun-woo), who falls in love with her. The drama s

March 21, 2024

'Queen of Tears' garners popularity on global, domestic stage

As South Korean romance drama series "Queen of Tears" continues to receive critical acclaim, the show has recorded high viewership ratings and ranked high on the charts of global streaming platforms, according to entertainment giant CJ ENM, Thursday. Written by star screenwriter Park Ji-eun, who wrote the scripts for a slew of hit Korean romance dramas such as "My Love from the Star" and "Crash Landing on You," "Queen of Tears" stars Kim Ji-won and Kim Su-

March 21, 2024

[Herald Interview] Like cilantro, some will love Netflix's 'Chicken Nugget', others won't: actor, director

While Netflixes new mystery-comedy-drama series "Chicken Nugget" has elicited mixed responses from viewers, the show has a distinct, never-before-seen comedic style, said actor Ryu Seung-ryong and director Lee Byeong-heon. "Chicken Nugget" is a 10-part Netflix original series about the adventures of Choi Seon-man (Ryu Seung-ryong) and Go Baek-joong (Ahn Jae-hong), as they try to turn Choi's daughter, Choi Min-ah (Kim Yoo-jeong), back into a human after a mysterious mac

March 20, 2024

Intricate plot compelled Lee Bo-young to join 'Hide'

Korean veteran actor Lee Bo-young, known for her roles in hit titles such as "I Can Hear Your Voice," said her new mystery series showcases an intricately crafted storyline. The 12-part drama series narrates the story of Na Mun-yeong (played by Lee), a prosecutor-turned-lawyer who faces a series of ominous events after her husband goes missing. The drama series is based on the Welsh thriller television series "Keeping Faith," which was broadcast on BBC One Wales in 2018. &q

March 19, 2024

New 'Star Wars' franchise 'The Acolyte' starring Lee Jung-jae to stream on Disney+

Disney+ on Tuesday announced that the new “Star Wars" series, "The Acolyte," will be released exclusively on the streaming platform service on June 5. "The Acolyte" is an eight-part live-action series set in the High Republic era, a century preceding the events of "Star Wars: Episode I -- The Phantom Menace." The series follows the story that unfolds as Jedi, or the users of the energies of the Force, are faced with a slew of mysterious events. South Kore

March 19, 2024

'Nothing Uncovered' reinterprets legendary web novel, marks return of Kim Ha-neul

KBS is eyeing a ratings turnaround with its new crime mystery drama series "Nothing Uncovered," with veteran actor Kim Ha-neul returning to the broadcaster for the reinterpretation of the legendary web novel. "Nothing Uncovered" is a 16-part drama series based on a popular web novel of the same name, which was serialized on Naver Webnovel in 2021. The original web novel won the grand prize in the web novel category during the web portal's annual “The Greatest Webto

March 18, 2024

Park Chan-wook’s HBO original, 'The Sympathizer,' to release in April via Coupang Play

HBO original series “The Sympathizer,” marking auteur director Park Chan-wook’s return to the small screen, will be available in Korea via the local streaming platform Coupang Play in April. The exact date of the Korean release has not been confirmed, but the series will hit HBO and its streaming platform, Max, in the US on April 14. The small-screen adaption of the 2016 Pulitzer Prize-winning novel of the same title by Vietnamese American author Viet Thanh Nguyen boasts a stel

March 17, 2024

Ryu Jun-yeol, Han So-hee spotted together in Hawaii; agencies decline to confirm dating rumors

South Korean actors Ryu Jun-yeol and Han So-hee have been spotted on vacation at the same hotel in Hawaii, but both the actors' agencies on Friday declined to confirm rumors that the two are dating. According to posts on social media, Han and Ryu were reportedly seen vacationing together at a luxury hotel swimming pool in Hawaii. Amid the circling dating rumors, Ryu's agency released an official announcement. "It is true that Ryu is staying in Hawaii for photography work. We kindl

March 15, 2024

[Herald Interview] Kim Dong-jun challenges himself in 'Korea-Khitan War'

Kim Dong-jun, an actor and member of the K-pop group ZE:A, said he felt a lot of pressure in his role in "Korea-Khitan War," not only because it was such a large-scale project, but also when it came to portraying King Hyun-jong of the Goyreo Kingdom. Kim said he used the pressure he felt as an opportunity to challenge himself and tried to reflect the pressure in his acting. "Korea-Khitan War" is a 32-part historical drama produced by KBS, which narrates the story of the eig

March 15, 2024

Two Korean drama series invited to Canneseries

Two Korean dramas "Tarot" and "Pleasant Outcast" are set to appear at Canneseries, held from April 5 to April 10 in France. "Tarot," produced by Studio X+U, a mid-form content production studio under telecommunications provider LG Uplus, was invited to compete in the short film competition section of the Cannes International Series Festival. With this, "Tarot" became the first Korean title to compete in the short film section. "Tarot" revolves ar

March 14, 2024

'Physical:100 Underground' to feature skilled participants, quests of increased difficulty

The second season of Netflix Korea's flagship survival competition show "Physical: 100" will feature formidable participants, including renowned national athletes, taking part in quests of increased difficulty, the show's producers said Thursday. "Physical: 100" series features 100 contestants competing in survival matches to see who is the most physically fit. The winner gets prize money of 300 million won ($228,000). Its first season unveiled last year became a gl

March 14, 2024

Netflix original 'Chicken Nugget' brings creativity of Korean storytellers to life

Netflix mystery comedy original "Chicken Nugget," set to premiere Friday, will bring to life the creativity and ingenuity of Korean storytellers via its surprising plot. "Chicken Nugget" narrates the story of Go Baek-joong (played by Ahn Jae-hong) and Choi Seon-man (played by Ryu Seung-ryong), who endeavor to turn Choi Min-ah (played by Kim You-jung) back into a human. In the story, Min-ah, the daughter of Seon-man, is accidentally turned into a chicken nugget by a mysterious

March 13, 2024

Disney+ unveils lineup, strategy for Korean market

Emphasizing the importance of the Korean market, Disney+ said Tuesday that it will focus on quality over quantity going forward. "Disney Korea is evolving from playing the role of a distributor of global stories and content to producing content here and bringing it outside of Korea. The quality and the storytelling of Korean content is so attractive to audiences not only in APAC, but beyond," said Carol Choi, executive vice president of original content strategy at The Walt Disney Comp

March 13, 2024

Korean veteran actors to make streaming service debuts in 2024

A slew of South Korean veteran actors will be making their debuts on streaming services this year, amid a widespread shift of viewership toward online video platforms. According to Disney+, veteran actor Song Kang-ho, who starred in a slew of hit films such as "The Host," "Snowpiercer," and "Parasite," will be making his first streaming service, as well as drama series debut, via Disney+ original "Uncle Samsik." Set in the 1960s, Korea, "Uncle Samsi

March 10, 2024

Celebrity monk returns to TV after uproar over his wealth, lifestyle

A star Buddhist monk, who saw his following plunge amid an uproar over what critics said was self-indulgence that betrayed the monk’s preaching, has returned as a TV show host after some three years out of the public eye. In the first episode of the weekly show “A Cafe Where Mind Finds Rest,” which aired Monday, the Ven. Haemin began the 42-minute episode by saying he “repents for not living up to the standards expected of a monk.” “Your words will be my teach

March 8, 2024

'Queen of Tears' marks Kim Su-hyun's return to screen, explores woes of married life

South Korean actors Kim Ji-won and Kim Su-hyun will be depicting the woes of a married couple coming from vastly different backgrounds in tvN's latest drama series "Queen of Tears," set to air Saturday. Scripted by star screenwriter Park Ji-eun, who wrote the scripts for hit Korean romance dramas such as "My Love from the Star" and "Crash Landing on You," the 16-part drama series follows Baek Hyun-woo (played by Kim Su-hyun), a son of a supermarket owner from t

March 7, 2024

Change of 'National Singing Contest' host garners mixed reactions

The news that KBS has changed the emcee of "National Singing Contest," one of the longest-running variety shows in Korea, has been met with mixed reactions from the public. First aired in 1980, "National Singing Contest" is a weekly singing competition show that takes place in cities, towns and villages around the country, featuring contestants from those areas. The contestants compete in various rounds and Korea's popular songwriters participate as judges to select the

March 6, 2024

Legendary K-dramas to return to TV amid exodus of viewers to streaming services

A slew of legendary Korean dramas are set to return to the screen as broadcasters attempt to increase viewership ratings by attracting middle-aged and older audiences, while younger viewers increasingly turn to streaming services for content consumption. "Chief Detective 1958" will air its first episode on April 19, according to MBC. The new series is a prequel to MBC's 880-episode hit crime detective series "Chief Inspector," which aired from 1971 to 1989. Starring acto

March 5, 2024

[Herald Interview] 'Mary & George' will resonate with global audience: actors

Julianne Moore, Nicholas Galitzine and Tony Curran said their latest period drama "Mary & George" will connect with global audiences by exploring social constraints and the theme of human greed in 17th-century England. The 7-part historical drama series narrates the story of Mary Villiers, an ambitious, minor member of the gentry who is determined to rise to power by grooming her second son George Villiers to become the favorite of King James I. Set during the Jacobean era in Engla

March 1, 2024