Rise of empowered women on Korean variety shows

Korean audiences have been thrilled by wrestling athlete Jang Eun-sil pushing a massive boat with burly men in "Physical: 100," female Korean police officers, firefighters and soldiers competing in the reality competition series "Siren: Survive the Island," as well as female celebrities passionately participating in soccer matches in "Kick a Goal," in recent years. These shows are among the popular women-led Korean variety shows -- including "Unpretty Rapstar,&

Aug. 24, 2024

Busan International Comedy Festival kicks off 10-day run with captivating opening ceremony

The 12th Busan International Comedy Festival, one of the largest comedy events in Asia, kicked off on Friday evening in the port city of Haeundae. The festival's opening ceremony, held at the Busan Cinema Center, attracted some 3,000 attendees. Among the attendees were popular comedians such as Danny Choi, Hong Yoon-hwa, and Kim Won-hyo, members of the BICF Organizing Committee, as well as Busan Mayor Park Heung-joon. Hosted by popular comedians Yoo Se-yoon and Jang Dong-min, the opening ce

Aug. 23, 2024

YouTube account of former singer convicted of raping minors shut down

The YouTube account of Go Young-wook, a former member of the popular '90s band Roo'Ra who served 30 months in prison for raping and sexually harassing minors, was shut down Friday, 17 days after its creation. "It seems my YouTube channel was shut down overnight. I didn't upload any harmful content, yet it seems YouTube applied a rule (to shut down accounts) solely to me just because of my criminal record. I've already served my legal punishment, so why is it that some pe

Aug. 23, 2024

‘Pachinko’ season 2 about characters’ growth, emotions

Apple TV+’s Korean original series “Pachinko” has returned with the new second season narrating the internal growth of the characters and their portrayal of a range of emotions, the show’s main actors said Friday. Based on Korean American author Min Jin Lee’s bestselling novel of the same name, the period drama chronicles the life of a Korean family spanning four generations, who moved to Japan in the early 1900s. The second season continues to depict the life of Su

Aug. 23, 2024

'Influencer' winner disqualified from W300m prize for leaking outcome

Korean YouTuber Oh Byeong-min, better known as Oking, the winner of Netflix TV competition "The Influencer," will not be eligible to claim the 300 million won ($225,000) prize after leaking information about being the final winner, according to Netflix on Thursday. "Maintaining confidentiality before a title's release is essential in order to ensure that the efforts of everyone involved in the production are rewarded and that the intended enjoyment is fully delivered to the a

Aug. 22, 2024

Newest Netflix Korea thriller to depict 'frogs' coping with sudden calamities

Inspired by the Korean saying "A carelessly thrown stone can kill a frog," the newest Netflix Korea series unfolds the stories of "frogs," or ordinary individuals, who are suddenly faced with terrible misfortune, the director said Wednesday. "The Frog" is an 8-part mystery thriller featuring Young-ha (Kim Yun-seok), who runs a bed and breakfast in the woods. Young-ha seeks a peaceful life in isolation, but his tranquility is disrupted by a mysterious guest, Sung-ah

Aug. 21, 2024

They went for the gold, They're now ads' golden ticket

This year's Olympics may be over, but star players continue to appear on TV -- through advertisements. Convenience store chain GS25 launched "Shin Yu-bin's Snack Time" on Wednesday in collaboration with the table tennis player. Shin's viral on-camera moments at the Paris Games famously showed her snacking. OB Beer, an official sponsor of the Paris Olympics, has selected fencing champion Oh Sang-uk, who won gold in both the individual and team saber events, to promote its

Aug. 21, 2024

Season 2 of 'The Acolyte' reportedly cancelled, following low ratings

Disney+'s original "Star Wars" series "The Acolyte," starring Lee Jung-jae from "Squid Game," will not be renewed for a second season, said US media outlets Wednesday. According to Deadline, a Hollywood entertainment news outlet, Lucasfilm has recently decided to cancel further production of "The Acolyte." Lucasfilm is a subsidiary of Walt Disney Studios and the producer of the "Star Wars" series. "The Acolyte" had the biggest debu

Aug. 21, 2024

[Herald Interview] Kim Seon-ho says he was scared to take on entirely different character in 'The Tyrant'

Actor Kim Seon-ho described taking on the role of a cold-hearted elite agent in "The Tyrant" as a "scary" experience, but said he is eager to face more challenges that will help him become a versatile actor across genres. "The Tyrant" follows the story of individuals vying to secure the last sample vial of the Tyrant Project, which endows living organisms with immense powers. Kim portrays Director Choi, the hard-hearted head of the National Intelligence Service, w

Aug. 20, 2024

KBS apologize for airing opera set in Japan on Liberation Day

State-broadcaster Korean Broadcasting System issued an apology after sparking controversy by airing the opera "Madama Butterfly" on National Liberation Day. Aug. 15 is celebrated as National Liberation Day in Korea, commemorating the nation's liberation from Japan in 1945. Early Thursday, KBS aired "Madama Butterfly," a Giacomo Puccini opera set in Japan, as part of its liberal arts program, "KBS Relay Seat." The opera, set in Japan's Nagasaki shortly afte

Aug. 15, 2024

Keep Olympic spirit alive with K-dramas, films

Though the 2024 Paris Olympics have drawn to a close, the excitement of the Summer Games may have left you craving more athleticism and sports drama. Not to worry, sports enthusiasts: Enter the world of Korean drama series and films, where Olympic athletes and sports themes take center stage in stories that blend competition, romance and heartfelt drama. Here’s a lineup of six -- three TV series and three films -- to keep your competitive spirit alive. 1. Twenty-Five Twenty-One (Drama) &

Aug. 13, 2024

Disney unveils sequels for hit franchises

Disney unveiled an exciting slate of sequels for its popular franchises -- "Avatar," "Zootopia," "Moana," "Toy Story" and "Tron: Legacy” at the eighth D23, the official Disney fan club event held Friday night at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California, where some 12,000 fans gathered for the biannual convention. Among the announcements, the third installment of the global blockbuster "Avatar" series is set to hit theaters on Dec. 19,

Aug. 11, 2024

[Herald Interview] K-drama remakes aim to cater to streaming viewers

Masterpiece K-dramas from the early 2000s are soon to make a return this time as reimagined by their original creators. Korean streaming platform Wavve is currently undertaking a "New Classic" project, which will bring popular K-dramas from the past such as "My Lovely Sam Soon" and "I'm Sorry, I Love You," in a new format. The original 70-minute, 16-episode series will be condensed into 40-50 minute episodes with 6-8 episodes per series, and will feature new so

Aug. 8, 2024

Actress Han Ji-min, Jannabi's Choi Jung-hoon confirm relationship

Actress Han Ji-min and Jannabi front man Choi Jung-hoon are dating, Choi's agency confirmed Thursday. The couple reportedly developed feelings for each other after Han's appearance on the KBS music show "The Seasons," hosted by Choi, in August last year. During the show, they performed Jannabi's "A Thought on an Autumn Night" together. The 41-year-old actress debuted as an advertisement model in 1998 and has since built a successful acting career. She has starr

Aug. 8, 2024

Japanese SF film 'The Human Vapor' to be remade as Netflix series

The legendary Japanese science fiction film "The Human Vapor" (1960) will be remade into a Netflix series helmed by Yeon Sang-ho, the producer behind hits such as "Hellbound" and "Train to Busan," according to Netflix, Thursday. "The Human Vapor" (1960) follows the aftermath of a failed scientific experiment that turns its subject into a gaseous mutant, who then uses his abilities to carry out crimes. By exploring the darker facets of society's struct

Aug. 8, 2024

'The Influencer' producers say influencers may be their rivals in future

Producers of Netflix Korea's new survival entertainment show said working on "The Influencer" helped them break their preconceptions about influencers and prompted them to rethink who their true competitors might be in the evolving content creation landscape. "The Influencer" brings together 77 of the most popular Korean content creators from various platforms, including YouTube, Afreeca TV and TikTok. The show follows the events that unfold as participants tackle variou

Aug. 6, 2024

Not just K-dramas anymore

Classic K-drama hits "Crash Landing on You" and "Vincenzo" are making comebacks as US remakes. Amidst the flurry of international remakes of hit Korean shows, these two series stand apart in a league of their own. Remaking a series typically involves selling the remake rights to an overseas studio, which then recreates the series without the involvement of the original creators. However, in the case of "Crash Landing on You" and "Vincenzo," Studio Dragon,

Aug. 6, 2024

Hollywood superstars spotted enjoying summer in Korea

This summer has been punctuated by the arrival of several Hollywood superstars in South Korea, adding a touch of glamour to the season. English actor Simon Pegg, known for his roles in the "Mission Impossible" series, "Star Trek" and British sitcom "Spaced," has been seen touring around Korea recently. Pegg shared a video of himself on a train that seemed like the KTX on Friday on his Instagram account while featuring a montage of scenes from the film, "Train t

Aug. 5, 2024

International soccer superstars appear on 'SNL Korea'

World-class soccer players from Tottenham Hotspur and Bayern Munich appeared as surprise guests on an episode of "SNL Korea," hours ahead of their friendly match held on Saturday evening. Tottenham Hotspur players Richarlison de Andrade and Jamie Donley, along with the club's captain, Son Heung-min, appeared in a comedy sketch of "SNL Korea" on Coupang Play Saturday, acting as new recruits for a fictional soccer club named the Sindorim Morning Soccer Club. The episode fe

Aug. 5, 2024

Top contestants of 'Magic Star' to begin national tour

SBS series "The Magic Star" kicks off its national tour Friday, featuring performances by the six contestants. "The Magic Star" is a reality competition where magicians from around the world showcase their magical prowess. The show is hosted by TV personality Jun Hyun-moo and star magician Lee Eun-gyeol, with a panel of judges that includes film director Jang Hang-jun, actor Jin Sun-kyu, Portuguese magician Luis de Matos, actor Han Hye-jin, TV personality Kim Jong-min and ann

Aug. 2, 2024