Most Popular
-
1
40 flights canceled on Jeju Island due to bad weather
-
2
Korean labor force to shrink by 10 million by 2044: report
-
3
Pandemic left Korea more depressed than before: report
-
4
[AtoZ Korean Mind] Does your job define who you are? Should it?
-
5
Allegations surrounding BTS resurface, enraged fans demand apology
-
6
Students with history of violence will be barred from becoming teachers
-
7
Medical feud leaves hospitals in financial crisis
-
8
Samsung mocks Apple over iPhone alarm glitch
-
9
Chip up cycle won’t stay long: SK chief
-
10
Govt. asks hospitals to mitigate impact of medical professors' absence
-
Revelations by alleged school bullying victims shake Korean TV industry
Postings on online communities by alleged victims who claim they were bullied by TV celebrities in their school years are rattling the show business industry. Freelance TV producer Kim Yoo-jin, who appeared on the MBC reality show “Don’t Be Jealous” with her husband-to-be, star chef Lee Won-il, was reportedly hospitalized Monday after posting a message that said she had been falsely accused and that hinted at a suicide. On Monday afternoon, Kim’s sister posted on soc
May 4, 2020
-
'The World of the Married' sets ratings record for cable drama
The smash-hit series "The World of the Married" has become the most-watched drama on Korean cable TV, data showed Sunday. The 12th episode of the JTBC series, which airs every Friday and Saturday, logged a record viewership of 24.3 percent on Saturday, outrunning the previous record of 23.8 percent set by another JTBC hit, "SKY Castle," according to Nielsen Korea. This marks the highest viewership by a drama episode aired on local cable networks and the second-highest for
May 3, 2020
-
Disney Plus service in Korea likely to face delay
Walt Disney’s plans to launch its over-the-top video streaming service Disney Plus in service outside of the US have been disrupted by the global COVID-19 pandemic. Industry watchers expected Disney Plus to enter the Korean market toward the end of this year, but the outlook seems rather bleak. Earlier this month, it was reported that the US entertainment giant has furloughed more than 100,000 employees, nearly half of the company’s workforce. Production of Disney Plus origina
May 3, 2020
-
‘Extracurricular’ raises questions about teenage crimes
Are teenagers responsible for their deliquency and are adults free of culpability for the teenagers’ crimes? Upcoming Netflix original series “Extracurricular” deviates from most Korean TV dramas about teenagers in exploring the dark reality of juvenile crimes. Yoon Sin-ae, CEO of the series’ production company Studio 329, said that when she received the script from budding writer Jin Han-sae, she knew she had to do it. “The series tells the story of teenagers w
April 29, 2020
-
More revenge coming in second part of ‘The World of the Married’
While a divorce usually signals the end of a relationship between a married couple, in the case of Ji Sun-woo and her cheating husband Lee Tae-oh in JTBC’s drama “The World of the Married,” it is only the beginning to the real revenge. Halfway through the 16-episode set, JTBC’s sensational drama “The World of the Married” is gaining more popularity with each episode as the relationship between the divorced couple intensifies. The series marked its highest vi
April 24, 2020
-
Former K-pop star Park Yoo-chun in hot water, again
Only a day after being cleared of punishment for unpaid damages by a local court, singer-turned-actor Park Yoo-chun is in hot water again, this time for his untimely meeting with a local governor. Park on Thursday issued an official explanation about his private appointment with Mayor Ahn Byung-yong of Uijeongbu City, Gyeonggi Province, earlier that day, stating the meeting was a courtesy call. “Today’s meeting with the mayor was arranged thanks to the connection between the mayo
April 24, 2020
-
Netflix partners with ‘Train to Busan’ director on new series
Global entertainment giant Netflix is teaming up with star film director Yeon Sang-ho for the serial adaptation of the webtoon “Hellbound” (working title). Netflix on Thursday announced that the upcoming series, based on an eponymous South Korean webcomic, will be helmed by Yeon, who directed the megahit zombie flick “Train to Busan” in 2016 and its sequel “Peninsula,” due out this summer. The webcomic, which currently runs on portal site Naver, is the resu
April 23, 2020
-
Pengsoo takes No.1 spot on local music charts
Pengsoo, the popular costumed penguin character from educational TV channel EBS, took the top place on local music charts with the recently released song “This is Pengsoo.” The song, released at 9 a.m. Tuesday for local streaming charts such as Melon, Genie and Bugs, is part of Pengsoo’s first digital single album, titled “Billboard Project Vol. 1.” Pengsoo collaborated with rapper Tiger JK for the release. Hip-hop artists Bizzy, Bibi and Tiger JK all participated
April 22, 2020
-
Remakes of S. Korean TV shows gain popularity in US, Europe
In a reality singing competition television series on Fox, celebrities in extravagant costumes and face masks perform a cover of a famous song, while the audience and panelists who don't know the identity of the singers vote for their favorite. This is the basic format of "The Masked Singer," a US adaptation of the Korean show "King of Mask Singer" by MBC. It has gained huge popularity since its first season made its US debut in January last year. Its third season premiere
April 22, 2020
-
[News Focus] Conservative cable TV channels get renewed licenses – and a warning
Korea’s communications watchdog renewed the licenses for TV Chosun and Channel A, but attached the condition they maintain fairness and objectivity standards in broadcasting. The Korea Communications Commission on Monday renewed the licenses for the two general-programming cable TV channels just a day ahead of their due expiration. With the renewed licenses, Channel A, run by Dong-A Ilbo, a daily newspaper, can operate for four more years, while TV Chosun, run by Chosun Ilbo, can operat
April 21, 2020
-
Broadcasting watchdog re-approves licenses of 2 TV channels
South Korea's telecommunications watchdog on Monday conditionally approved licenses for two comprehensive programming channels, advising them to maintain impartiality and adhere to public responsibility guidelines. The Korea Communications Commission announced it approved a motion to re-approve the license of TV Chosun till April 21, 2023. It also approved an extension for Channel A until April 21, 2024. It said while the licenses have been passed, failure by eithe
April 20, 2020
-
[Newsmaker] Viewers allege sexual objectification of women in KBS drama
The producers of KBS2’s weekend drama series “Once Again” apologized following criticisms that Saturday’s episodes sexually objectified women. In the two consecutive episodes that aired Saturday, three female characters who opened a kimbab eatery appear in skimpy dresses wearing heavy make-up. The women flirt with the men outside the store to lure them inside, while the male customers stare at the women and comment on the women’s appearance. The controversial epis
April 20, 2020
-
Photo album-like drama ‘When My Love Blooms’ to air
Though we often tend to yearn for the best moments of our life, the upcoming drama series “When My Love Blooms” suggests there is no time like the present. The new tvN series, featuring veteran actors Yoo Ji-tae and Lee Bo-young, will portray the love between a man and woman who reunite 26 years after first falling in love. “I personally believe romance is the most fundamental genre of television drama. Though love might be a really common theme, I wanted to portray a warm a
April 19, 2020
-
Lee Min-ho, Kim Go-eun partner in romance fantasy ‘The King: Eternal Monarch’
Lee Min-ho is returning to the small screen for the first time in three years through SBS’ “The King: Eternal Monarch,” which starts airing Friday night. Lee, in his first role since completing his military service in April 2019, partners with Kim Go-eun, who is also returning to the screen three years after the hugely popular “Guardian: The Lonely and Great God.” Kim Eun-sook, the scriptwriter behind several major hit Korean TV dramas, including tvN’s &ldqu
April 16, 2020
-
[Newsmaker] MBC apologizes for sexist comment during election coverage
Network broadcaster MBC apologized Wednesday night for a demeaning comment about two female candidates during its general election coverage, which drew public outrage. The incident took place as MBC was delivering poll results in real time for a constituency in Dongjak, Seoul, where two female candidates -- Lee Soo-jin of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea and Na Kyung-won of the United Future Party -- were leading the pack. While covering the match between the two judges-turned-politicia
April 16, 2020
-
From AR shows to short films: The wonders of election coverage
It is not just politicians who will be battling for voters on Wednesday -- local television broadcasters are waging a battle of their own armed with new technology and high-profile experts to attract viewers to their election night coverage Wednesday. Under the slogan “A Choice to Change My Life,” state-owned broadcaster KBS will focus on providing coverage with perspectives with in-depth discussions among political pundits. Rhyu Si-min, a liberal pundit and the chairman of the Ro
April 13, 2020
-
[Herald Review] How ‘World of Married’ escaped being cliche love affair story
At first sight, JTBC’s new Friday-Saturday series “The World of the Married” seems like just another average Korean love affair TV drama, but this one seems to be taking a different path. Ji Sun-woo, played by 53-year-old veteran actress Kim Hee-ae, is simply perfect: an established doctor at work, an ideal wife and a doting mother. She faces a personal crisis in life when she finds out her husband Tae-oh is having an affair. The series does not drag on with the cliche story
April 10, 2020
-
‘Snowpiercer’ to come to small screen sooner
The serial adaptation of Korean film “Snowpiercer” is moving up its premiere date to mid-May, two weeks ahead of the original schedule. According to news reports from several US entertainment media outlets Thursday, US cable network TNT has decided to advance the release date of “Snowpiercer” to May 17. The move comes in response to a growing thirst for more content on the small screen by viewers as the COVID-19 outbreak pushes back new releases elsewhere. “Snow
April 5, 2020
-
Film and drama crossover for sci-fi anthology series
A project aimed at creating and original science-fiction series has set off in South Korea, jointly led by filmmakers, television networks and an OTT service provider. Soo Film on Wednesday announced that it has started production of “SF8” an eight-episode sci-fi anthology, in conjunction with the Directors Guild of Korea. The series will be released on OTT platform Wavve and network broadcaster MBC in the summer. With each of the eight episodes helmed by a popular director, the s
April 2, 2020
-
New hobbies #TogetherAtHome with YouTube
Jin Ho-young and Yoon Jung-lin, the creators of YouTube channel “Sewing TV” said the number of subscribers to their channel has surged after they posted a video on making fabric masks with reusable filters at home in February. “Our channel is fairly new and small. After the mask-making video became popular among both Korean and foreign viewers, we saw the daily number of new subscribers jump almost a hundredfold,” Jin, the channel’s editor said during an online pr
April 2, 2020