Why do sequels flop?

Korean series traditionally did not produce sequels, primarily due to Korea's production structure. Unlike other countries, a series' intellectual property rights are distributed among production staff in a complex manner, which makes creating sequels challenging. However, the landscape is changing. International streaming platforms, especially Netflix, have begun introducing seasonal formats for Korean series. Following this trend, local cable channels such as tvN have also started ad

Aug. 1, 2024

'Squid Game Season 2' to be released in December, with final season coming in 2025

The second season of "Squid Game," the South Korean Netflix original series that captivated the world upon its 2021 release, will return on Dec. 26, with its third and final season set for release in 2025, according to Netflix, Thursday. "The real game will begin," said Hwang Dong-hyuk, the director of "Squid Game" who also helms the remaining two seasons, via a press release. "I am genuinely excited to bring to fruition the idea I developed by brainstorming th

Aug. 1, 2024

International EBS festival to feature selection of well-crafted documentaries

The 21st EBS International Documentary Festival, the country's oldest documentary festival, takes place Aug. 19 to Aug. 25, when it will introduce a slew of well-made documentaries from around the world. Featuring 53 documentaries from 32 countries, this year's festival is being held under its slogan: "Bridge the Times." The slogan embodies the hope that humanity can bridge diverse values and cultures to strive for coexistence, said Kim Dong-gwan, director of EIDF, at a press

July 30, 2024

'Planet B' to shed light on recruitment process for K-pop survival show

CJ ENM announced on Monday that it will launch a new Mnet program called "Planet B," which will, for the first time, show how K-pop survival program participants are recruited. The producers behind Mnet K-pop idol survival programs such as the "I-LAND" series, which led to the creation of K-pop groups Enhypen and Izna; "Girls Planet 999: The Girls Saga," which resulted in Kep1er; and "Boys Planet," which created Zerobaseone, will be responsible for produci

July 29, 2024

'My Name Is Gabriel' losing viewership battle with 'Jinny's Kitchen'

"My Name Is Gabriel," one of the most highly anticipated entertainment shows of this year, going head-to-head with the second season of star producer Na Young-seok's "Jinny's Kitchen," has continued to suffer low viewership, with experts noting the show has failed to leverage Kim's strengths. "My Name Is Gabriel" stars top celebrities such as actor Park Bo-gum and TV personality Kim Jin-young, otherwise known as Dex, who adopt different identities for

July 29, 2024

Disney+'s 'Moving' wins grand prize for 3rd Blue Dragon Series Awards

Disney+ series "Moving" won the grand prize at the 3rd Blue Dragon Series Awards held on Friday, clinching its second grand prize after securing the top honors at the 60th Baeksang Arts Awards just two months ago. The Blue Dragon Series Awards honors excellence in Korean series and entertainment shows distributed on streaming services, including Netflix, Disney+, Apple TV+, Watcha, Wavve, Kakao TV, Coupang Play and Tving. The nominees for this year's Blue Dragon Series Awards incl

July 19, 2024

[Herald Interview] Tving's 'Shaman: Whispers from the Dead' explores why Koreans still consult shamans

The producers of the popular Tving original documentary series "Shaman: Whispers from the Dead" stated that their goal was to investigate why South Koreans, regardless of their belief in shamanism, continue to discuss and engage in shamanistic practices. The 8-part series explores Korean shamanism and its impact on contemporary Korean society. It features guests who report being tormented by spirits, shamans who help alleviate these experiences, and experts in religious studies and a

July 19, 2024

Robert Downey Jr. nominated for Emmy for Park Chan-wook's 'The Sympathizer'

"Iron Man" star Robert Downey Jr. has been nominated for an Emmy for his performance in South Korean auteur Park Chan-wook's HBO miniseries "The Sympathizer," as the 76th Emmy nominations were announced Thursday. Downey portrays four characters in the seven-part black comedy miniseries: a CIA agent, film director, congressman and professor. For his performance as multiple antagonists in the series, the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences said that Downey has been

July 18, 2024

Director of 'Sweet Home 3' hopes fun will return in series finale

The director of "Sweet Home 3" shared that he listened attentively to all feedback given to "Sweet Home 2" and hoped the final season would, once again, be fun. Netflix's monster horror series "Sweet Home," was a huge success in 2020, becoming the first Korean series to enter Netflix's top 10 list in the US. However, "Sweet Home 2" flopped, criticized for its expansive setting and limited screen time for fan-favorites such as Hyun-soo (played by

July 18, 2024

Byeon Woo-seok embroiled in controversy for overzealous security team

South Korean actor Byeon Woo-seok has become embroiled in controversy over excessive measures taken by his security team against fans and other travelers at Incheon Airport. Police have said they are considering an investigation into whether the measures undertaken by the actor’s private security were violent or constituted obstruction of business. The incident surfaced online following Byeon’s departure for Hong Kong on Friday for his final Asian fan meeting slated for Sunday. A lar

July 17, 2024

[Herald Review] 'The Whirlwind' is heavy watch, yet fast-paced, cathartic

Netflix's original political drama series "The Whirlwind" starts strong with the sitting prime minister, Park Dong-ho (played by Sul Kyung-gu), killing the president by lacing the president's e-cigarette with poison. The plot quickly accelerates as Park, aiming to consolidate power in the president's absence, encounters opposition from Finance Minister Jung Soo-jin (played by Kim Hee-ae), who endeavors to dismantle his authority and ascend to the presidency herself. As

July 15, 2024

[What to Stream] Short animated films will captivate you this weekend

Tune in this weekend to witness some of the most imaginative pieces of content available — short animated films. Utilizing the creative liberty afforded by fewer restrictions compared to feature-length films, these series of short animations will not only captivate you with its artistic innovation but also deeply impact you with profound, heartfelt and thought-provoking messages. “Love, Death & Robots” on Netflix Since its debut in 2019, "Love, Death & Robots,&qu

July 13, 2024

Song Joong-ki, Katy Louise Saunders expect 2nd child

Actor Song Joong-ki is expecting his second child, following the birth of his first child a year ago, according to his agency. According to Song's agency, HighZium Studio, on Monday afternoon, Song's wife, British model and actor Katy Louise Saunders, is expecting their second child. The agency did not disclose specific details about the second child, including the gender or the due date. The news of Saunders expecting their second child arrives a year after the couple announced the bi

July 9, 2024

[Herald Interview] Director of SBS hit series 'Connection' says portraying drugs on TV was difficult

The director of SBS' hit series "Connection" said although he felt burdened to shoulder the responsibilities that came with broadcasting a TV series dealing with drugs, he wanted to explore a new territory with the series. "Connection" is a 14-episode crime thriller series that centers on Jang Jae-kyung (played by Ji Sung), a detective specializing in apprehending drug criminals, who becomes a drug addict, ensnared by an unknown perpetrator. "Connection" became

July 9, 2024

[Herald Interview] Kim Hee-ae says she can take on 'relaxed' acting

Veteran actor Kim Hee-ae expressed her desire to pursue more "relaxed and comfortable roles," despite her widespread acclaim for portraying charismatic women in popular works such as "The World of the Married" (2020) and "Queenmaker" (2023). "The Whirlwind" is a 12-episode series that follows the story of Park Dong-ho (played by Sul Kyung-gu), a prime minister who kills the president, believing him to be corrupt. As Park seeks to ascend to power after the

July 5, 2024

Korean-Taiwanese K-pop audition TV program searches for applicants

A Korean-Taiwanese collaborative K-pop audition TV program is searching for ambitious boys who wish to be a next-generation K-pop star. According to SBS M, applications for the global boy group debut show "Scool," will be open until July 14. Any male applicant born before 2000 who loves K-pop can apply. Applicants wishing to apply must fill out an application form on the official website and send a photo taken within the last three months, a dance and singing video for the audition, an

July 5, 2024

Travel reality show starring Jimin, Jungkook of BTS to stream on Disney+

A new Disney+ original series featuring Jimin and Jungkook of BTS on a trip will begin streaming in August, filling the void for fans as they wait for the bandmates to fulfill their mandatory military service. The eight-part series titled "Are You Sure?!" will feature the travel logs of the duo from the megahit boy band as they journeyed in the United States, Jeju Island and Japan's Sapporo in 2023. According to Disney+, the series will feature the duo's spontaneous journey a

July 3, 2024

[Herald Interview] Star producer Jung Jong-yeon wants to create different genres, IPs

With a string of hit shows such as tvN's "The Genius" and "Great Escape" series, as well as Netflix's "Devil's Plan," producer Jung Jong-yeon is seen as having popularized reality shows centered on solving puzzles and intellectual challenges. Jung has now returned with a new Netflix original reality show, "Agents of Mystery," a six-part series where celebrities, including Karina of aespa, singer John Park, actor Kim Do-hoon, comedians Lee Eu

July 1, 2024

[Herald Interview] Song Kang-ho says acting still a challenge

"Parasite" star Song Kang-ho, who made his drama series debut with Disney+'s 16-part historical drama "Uncle Samsik," said acting remained a challenging process for him, despite his 35-year career as one of Korea's leading actors. "Uncle Samsik" is set in turbulent 1960s South Korea, highlighted by "The April Revolution," a political uprising in April 1960, challenging the autocratic rule of the nation's first president, Syngman Rhee. The mo

June 30, 2024

'The Whirlwind' embraces timeless appeal of well-made classics

Netflix's "The Whirlwind" will honor classic storytelling by remaining faithful to the script of a seasoned screenwriter, said the director, Tuesday. "The Whirlwind" is a 12-part series that tells the story of Park Dong-ho (played by Sul Kyung-gu), the prime minister of South Korea who, believing the president to be unfit to lead the country, kills him. Finance Minister Jung Soo-jin (played by Kim Hee-ae) tries to stop Park as he seeks to grab power after the president&#

June 25, 2024