Netflix Korea to bring Western flavor with ‘Song of the Bandits’

Global streamer Netflix is scheduled to present a Korean interpretation of popular Westerns with its upcoming period action drama “Song of the Bandits.” With about 70 percent of land covered by mountainous regions, not many Korean films and dramas are in the Western genre, which are typically set in dusty towns and desert-like wilderness. “The series will present a new style of Korean period drama. ‘Song of the Bandits’ adds Asia’s cultural and historical el

Sept. 20, 2023

TvN's ‘My Lovely Liar’ sweeps international viewing charts

Despite its muted performance in Korea, "My Lovely Liar" has swept viewing charts overseas. Cable channel tvN's latest fantasy, romantic comedy series has topped multiple video streamers’ charts for TV series in more than 140 countries, according to the broadcaster, which is run by entertainment giant CJ ENM. The 16-part series soared to the No. 1 slot on Rakuten Viki’s viewership chart for two consecutive weeks after its premiere on July 31 in more than 130 countri

Sept. 19, 2023

[Herald Interview] Actor Kang Hoon sets new goals, aims high

Up until a few years ago, playing a lead character in a TV series had been something highly unexpected for actor Kang Hoon, 32. Though Kang began his acting career with the 2014 short film “Picnic,” he had little public recognition, taking on minor roles in various projects. It has only been a year that Kang began getting attention -- from both the public and industry insiders -- after playing a supporting role in MBC’s hit period drama, “The Red Sleeve” (2021-22).

Sept. 17, 2023

[Herald Interview] 'A Time Called You' star not fazed by success of original

While remakes can bring a fresh perspective to classic TV shows, new interpretations of projects are often met with ruthless criticism by fans loyal to the original work. The pressure that comes with working on such a project can cause a lot of stress for actors and directors, who want to take care to respect the original work while also creating something new and exciting. Actor Jeon Yeo-been, 34, however, was unfazed by the popularity of the original series and seized the opportunity to star i

Sept. 13, 2023

KBS board dismisses CEO Kim Eui-chul

The board of directors at South Korea's public broadcaster KBS passed a motion Tuesday to dismiss CEO Kim Eui-chul with the end of his term still more than a year away. Six out of 11 board members, who are considered aligning with the ruling bloc, voted for Kim's dismissal during a meeting at the company headquarters in Seoul, according to sources familiar with the matter. The five others, who stand with the opposition bloc, abstained from the vote in protest. President Yoon Suk Yeol a

Sept. 12, 2023

Han River sets the stage for crimes, heroic rescues in 'Han River Police'

Veteran actors Kwon Sang-woo and Kim Hee-won, and rising stars Bae Da-bin and Shin Hyeon-seung band together against Gi-seok (played by Lee Sang-yi), a malicious villain, in “Han River Police,” a new action comedy series premiering on Disney+ on Wednesday. The six-part series tells the stories of police officers who seek to ensure peace at the Han River, the main river which runs through the city. Director Kim Sang-cheol, who makes his streaming service debut with “Han River Po

Sept. 12, 2023

First episode of ‘The Sword of Aramun’ quashes fans’ concerns over new lead actors

Cable channel tvN’s fantasy period series “Arthdal Chronicles” (2019) has returned for a second season -- “The Sword of Aramun” -- with new lead actors, garnering plenty of interest from viewers with its first two episodes. Prior to the premiere of “The Sword of Aramun” on Sept. 9, drama fans -- especially those who enjoyed “Arthdal Chronicles” -- were concerned over whether the new leads, Lee Joon-gi and Shin Sae-kyeong, would be a natural f

Sept. 11, 2023

Netflix’s ‘The Devil’s Plan’ to premiere in September

Global streaming platform Netflix confirmed the release of a new mind game survival show titled “The Devil’s Plan” in September. Starring 12 South Korean TV celebrities -- including Seungkwan of K-pop boy band Seventeen, renowned host Park Kyeong-rim, actor Ha Seok-jin, Canadian professional gamer Guillaume Patry and more -- “The Devil’s Plan” awards the final winner 500 million won ($375,000) prize money. Brought together for a week, the participants compete

Sept. 8, 2023

‘Moving’ screenwriter Kang Full presents special posters

Webtoon creator Kang Full has expressed his gratitude to fans of “Moving” in special cartoon illustration posters, which have been released on all Disney+ social media accounts. “Moving” started as a webtoon project on Daum Webtoon, garnering more than 200 million accumulated reads in Korea. Global streamer Disney+ adapted the webtoon, releasing 20-part action fantasy series “Moving” on Aug. 9. According to the streamer, “Moving” made history by be

Sept. 8, 2023

Musical 'Frida' continues as actor faces school bullying allegations

Amid allegations of school bullying made against her, Kim Hieora, best known for her role in Netflix series "The Glory," will continue to play her part in "Frida" as scheduled, according to the stage musical's production company EMK Musical on Friday. Kim, who has been accused of bullying in her middle school years, has denied all such allegations. Kim plays the titular role of Mexican artist Frida Kahlo, as one of three cast in the role in "Frida," which start

Sept. 8, 2023

tvN's ‘The Sword of Aramun’ to revamp original series

"The Sword of Aramun," a fantasy series on tvN, aspires to achieve success as a sequel, featuring numerous changes compared to its original project, "Arthdal Chronicles" (2019). “I think it is safe to say that everything -- apart from Kim Ok-bin and myself, has changed,” said Jang Dong-gun, who played one of main characters and kingpin Tagon in “Arthdal Chronicles,” during a press conference on Tuesday. “I was concerned about feeling unfamiliar w

Sept. 7, 2023

‘A Time Called You’ to recreate iconic series in its own way

“A Time Called You” director Kim Jin-won and actors Jeon Yeo-been, Ahn Hyo-seop and Kang Hoon are confident that the series' remake will be worth watching in its own right. Kim, who was a fan of the original Taiwanese series, “Someday or One Day,” said that balancing new changes in the remake with the original elements was his greatest challenge. “After hearing that a remake of ‘Someday or One Day’ would be made in Korea, I actually didn't wa

Sept. 5, 2023

[Herald Interview] Kang Ki-young feels his acting career has entered new chapter

Many drama fans were closely watching Kang Ki-young -- especially what his next work would be -- after he made a name for himself and won countless drama fans’ hearts in the hit legal drama, “Extraordinary Attorney Woo” (2022). Some people thought Kang would have a hard time choosing his next project, but the 39-year-old actor said it wasn't difficult. “‘Extraordinary Attorney Woo’ was certainly a turning point in my 14-year acting career. I always had a

Sept. 4, 2023

Popular webtoon-based TV series drive more readers to original works

Kakao Entertainment webtoons are enjoying a renewed bump in popularity from TV drama adaptations by broadcasters and video streaming platforms that have become major hits this year. Disney+’s superhero action series “Moving” became the most watched Korean original project on Disney+ and Hulu, topping Disney+'s TV series charts in several countries, including Korea, Japan, Hong Kong and other Southeast Asian countries. Proving its growing popularity, the original webtoon “

Sept. 2, 2023

Gumiho becomes new symbol of beauty in Korean drama series

The “gumiho,” a shape-shifting nine-tailed fox, has solidified its position as a character that symbolizes captivating beauty, replacing one of the best-known royal concubines of the Joseon era, Jang Ok-jung , more widely known as Jang Hui-bin. Born to a middle-class family, Jang worked as a lady attendant in the palace and eventually became a consort of King Sukjong, the 19th king of Joseon. The tales of Jang, with a love triangle between the king and Queen Inhyeon, the palace intri

Aug. 30, 2023

'Revenant' a ghost story about lost generation

SBS' "Revenant," an occult thriller series crafted by star screenwriter Kim Eun-hee, ended with an 11.2 percent viewership rating last month. The positive response for a terrestrial broadcaster whose ratings have plummeted in recent years is thought to be a result of the use of folklore to shed light on today's social issues. "Revenant" takes familiar characters from folklore and puts them in a modern setting, dealing with day-to-day life problems. While the story r

Aug. 29, 2023

[Herald Interview] Kang Full says popularity of ‘Moving’ still feels unreal

While the superhero action series “Moving” has made history by becoming the most watched Korean original series on Disney+ and Hulu, topping TV series charts in various countries, including Korea, Japan, Hong Kong and other Southeast Asian nations, screenwriter Kang Full confessed that the series' success doesn't yet feel real. Instead of relishing in the show's positive reviews, Kang said he spends more time worrying about viewers' reactions after new episodes ar

Aug. 29, 2023

Two global streamers to release shows for Chuseok

Global streamers Netflix and Disney+ will each release a new action series in time for the upcoming Korean Thanksgiving holiday, known as Chuseok, which runs from Sept. 28 to Oct. 1. Netflix recently confirmed that its period action drama, “Song of the Bandits,” will premiere on Sept. 22, a week before the Chuseok holidays. Set during the Japanese colonial period in 1920, the series revolves around a group of bandits, who are fighting to survive in the lawless Gando region during tur

Aug. 28, 2023

[Herald Interview] Go Youn-jung finds familiarity in playing Hui-soo

It can take a lot of analysis and effort for an actor to transform into a character. But for rising star Go Youn-jung, playing Hui-soo -- a high school girl with a superhuman healing ability in Disney+’s latest action fantasy series “Moving" -- came naturally. She was auditioning for "Moving" not for a particular role, but when she read Hui-soo’s lines, she felt comfortable. “Playing a character or reading lines without knowing the background story is alway

Aug. 26, 2023

EBS lecture series ‘Great Minds’ to return with season 3

Public education broadcaster EBS confirmed the return of its lecture series, “Great Minds,” with a third season, featuring world-renowned academics. “Great Minds Season 3” will offer insights on major challenges faced by South Korean society, including artificial intelligence-based education, the country’s record-low fertility rate, nature, trade and more. According to the broadcaster, he series is scheduled to feature a total of six Nobel laureates -- American scho

Aug. 25, 2023