Mnet’s ‘Show Me the Money’ aims to have positive effect on hip-hop scene

The 11th season of “Show Me the Money,” the longest-running hip-hop competition on Mnet, is set to premiere at 11 p.m. on Friday. As it is about to kick-start a new season, the program hopes to contribute positively to the local hip-hop scene. “‘Show Me the Money’ has long been associated with hip-hop. Beyond creating a virtuous circle, the two have coexisted with each other,” Choi Hyo-jin, the program’s chief producer, said during an online conference

Oct. 21, 2022

Korean documentary series to receive global distribution

Two Korean documentaries, “Guardians of Tundra” and “The Era of Library,” have signed agreements with overseas content distributors during the 38th International Co-Production and Entertainment Content Market (MIPCOM), the Ministry of Science and ICT said Thursday. According to the ministry, terrestrial broadcaster SBS’ documentary series “Guardians of Tundra” signed a letter of intent with the European production company Off the Fence. Supported by the

Oct. 21, 2022

Tving’s new ‘Bargain’ takes original film further

Tving, local entertainment powerhouse CJ ENM’s subscription-based streaming platform, seeks to put a new spin on a story loved by movie stars, fans and filmmakers alike, with a natural disaster. Adapted from the short film of the same title by filmmaker Lee Chung-hyun, Tving’s upcoming series “Bargain” revolves around people who gather at a remote motel with ulterior motives -- seeking to bargain for sex. Unlike the original project, the series follows the characters afte

Oct. 18, 2022

'The Zone: Survival Mission' wraps up with bittersweet ending

While Disney+’s star-studded unscripted show “The Zone: Survival Mission” caught local viewers’ attention, its lackluster performance elsewhere around the world cast doubt on the possibility of repeated success of Korean reality shows on global streaming platforms. With its final episode released last Wednesday, the reality show became the second most popular show on Disney+’s Korean top 10 chart, data released by streaming analytics firm FlixPatrol showed. &ldquo

Oct. 17, 2022

Designer death on offer in 'Beyond the Memory'

“Beyond the Memory,” an upcoming sci-fi series on local streaming service Tving, seeks to impress viewers with an unprecedented setting named “Yonder.” “I began learning new expressions, thanks to scientific and technological developments. Terms like metaverse and virtual reality are some examples. ‘Yonder’ is a concept that exists in the metaverse, lying between the virtual world and reality,” renowned filmmaker Lee Joon-ik said during an online p

Oct. 12, 2022

Korean drama ‘Little Women' banned in Vietnam

Cable channel tvN’s mystery thriller “Little Women,” a Korean drama series which is ranked sixth on the global Netflix chart, has been pulled from the service in Vietnam. According to Vietnam online publication VnExpress, Vietnam’s Department of Broadcasting, Television and Electronic Information removed the series from Netflix in Vietnam for presenting misleading information about Vietnam and the Vietnam War. “We recognize the ongoing situation with ‘Little W

Oct. 7, 2022

Namkoong Min to wed longtime girlfriend next month

Namkoong Min is to wed his longtime girlfriend, model and actor Jin Ah-reum, next month, according to Namkoong's agency. “Actor Namkoong Min and his longtime partner Jin Ah-reum will be tying the knot,” 935 Entertainment announced Wednesday. “The private wedding will be held Oct. 7 in Seoul with close friends and families in attendance,” the agency said. The couple met in Namkoong’s directorial debut short film “Light My Fire” (2016), in which Jin starre

Sept. 28, 2022

‘Glitch’ presents friendship with dash of sci-fi

Global streaming service Netflix is set to unveil its new alien comedy thriller “Glitch,” notable for an absence of bloody fights, thundering gunfire or life-threatening actions, which have been essential elements behind previous Netflix Korean originals like “Squid Game,” “All of Us Are Dead” and “Hellbound.” Though the most eye-catching role in “Glitch” may be its green hat-wearing alien, series creator Roh Deok shared that the chem

Sept. 27, 2022

Yet more legal series to hit Korean TV screens

Hot on the heels of the “Extraordinary Attorney Woo” craze, drama fans have yet many more options when it comes to Korean courtroom series. Disney+, the flagship streaming service of US media giant Walt Disney, premiered its new Korean original “May It Please The Court” on Wednesday. Starring actors Jung Ryeo-won, Lee Kyu-hyung and Jung Jin-young, the 12-part legal series centers around two lawyers who work together to reveal the truth behind a serial murder case. Followi

Sept. 23, 2022

[Herald Interview] Park Hae-soo wants ‘Narco-Saints’ prequel

Actor Park Hae-soo has been on a roll since playing Cho Sang-woo, the best friend of Seong Gi-hun (played by Lee Jung-jae) and one of the finalists of the bloody competition in “Squid Game.” "Money Heist Korea -- Joint Economic Area” soon followed in which he played a gang member who goes by the code name "Berlin." And now "Narco-Saints," in which Park plays Choi Chang-ho, a National Intelligence Service agent, is on top of Netflix's non-English

Sept. 23, 2022

[Newsmaker] Has Korean reality TV crossed a line on children's rights?

In a controversial TV moment, KBS2 aired a scene last week that showed a group of minors getting surgical circumcisions. On an episode of the reality show “Mr. House Husband,” which centers on young married couples and their everyday lives, five teenage children of cast members underwent the surgery one by one, with multiple cameras capturing every slight change in their facial expressions. Meanwhile, a surgeon performed the procedure on their lower bodies, which was covered by a sur

Sept. 22, 2022

Unscripted shows move focus away from comedy

While many terrestrial broadcasters and cable channels have stuck with airing the latest trend -- dating reality shows -- some creators are trying to offer fresh entertainment programs. But many seem to be veering away from the traditional route of presenting hilarious performances and comic moments in unscripted shows. In public broadcaster KBS' 21-part reality show “The Money School” in April, it shines the spotlight on scions of famous South Korean television celebrities an

Sept. 22, 2022

[Herald Interview] Kim Ju-hun shares his journey to create ‘Big Mouth’ villain

Walking through the door at a cafe in Nonhyeon-dong, southern Seoul, a slight smile on Kim Ju-hun’s face was more than enough to recall the self-satisfied smirk of his latest character Choi Do-ha, a middle-aged mayor in MBC’s crime thriller “Big Mouth.” Expressing gratitude toward the viewers for enjoying his character, Kim promised that he is not a bad person and shared how fortunate he was to star in the 16-part series. The evil character aside, the memory of workin

Sept. 22, 2022

[Herald Interview] From music to acting, Yoona sees no boundaries

Starting with JTBC reality show “Soshi Tam Tam” in July, Im Yoona is on a roll with MBC crime thriller “Big Mouth,” a K-pop comeback and the recent release of action film “Confidential Assignment 2.” The 32-year-old actor widely known as Yoona of K-pop girl group Girls’ Generation, did not hide her excitement over the latest success. “I forget how tired I am when the fans’ show their love and support for my works. Many people commented and

Sept. 20, 2022

KBS’ ‘National Singing Contest’ opens next chapter with comedian Kim Shin-young as new host

After the passing of veteran emcee Song Hae in June, those who grew up watching KBS’ music show “National Singing Contest” has been mired in sorrow. At the same time, all eyes were on who will continue the legacy of the 42-year-old program. Many veteran emcees with careers spanning over 30 years were mentioned as Song’s possible successor, but the Korean broadcaster announced last month that comedian Kim Shin-young, 38, was chosen as the longest-running program’s

Sept. 20, 2022

[Herald Review] ‘Narco-Saints’ enthralls world with gripping story, cast

Korean dramas have long had a thing for making viewers chuckle while drawing them into a vortex of suspense, mystery and drama. Be it romance, legal drama or crime thriller, a good share of K-shows never lose their touch when it comes to humor and bringing out the charming side of its main characters, often banking on brilliant actors to deliver light relief while driving a serious plot. The latest hit Netflix series “Narco-Saints” (Korean title "Suriname") is no exceptio

Sept. 19, 2022

[Herald Interview] True story ‘Narco-Saints’ is based on almost unreal, director says

Hit movie director Yoon Jong-bin, who made his drama debut with Netflix’s thriller crime series “Narco-Saints,” felt that the real-life story of a businessman on whom the series' protagnist, Kang In-gu (played by Ha Jung-woo), is based, was too dramatic and seemed almost made up. “At first, I personally found it difficult to believe the three-year experience of an ordinary man working with the National Intelligence Service. It’s like a story from a movie,&rdq

Sept. 18, 2022

[Newsmaker] Emmy-winning director Hwang says that ‘Squid Game 2’ is his next project

His Emmy trophy for outstanding directing for a drama series in hand, director Hwang Dong-hyuk, the mastermind behind global phenomenon “Squid Game,” on Friday confidently entered a celebratory press conference following the Emmys win at the Westin Josun Seoul. At this stage, Hwang confirmed that his next project will be nothing other than a second season of “Squid Game.” “We will film the sequel next year and the series will likely be released in 2024. I am workin

Sept. 16, 2022

[Herald Interview] Ha Jung-woo breaks silence after two-year break with ‘Narco-Saints’

After meeting with a group of local reporters at a cafe in Samcheong-dong, central Seoul, actor Ha Jung-woo, 44, wished to deliver an apology for violating the Narcotics Control Act and his illegal use of propofol in 2019. Though the court decided Ha does not seem to have a dependence on the drug or have visited the local hospital only to receive propofol injections, it said in a ruling in September 2021 that the actor colluded with his doctor to fabricate his medical records to cover up illicit

Sept. 15, 2022

Lee Jung-jae, Hwang Dong-hyuk make history at Emmys

The lead actor and director of the global hit series "Squid Game" each brought home an Emmy on Tuesday. Actor Lee Jung-jae won the Emmy Award for outstanding lead actor in a drama series for his role in "Squid Game," while the series' creator, Hwang Dong-hyuk, won the Emmy Award for outstanding directing for a drama series. Lee, 49, who rose to international stardom as the character Seong Gi-hun, a down-on-his-luck middle-aged man, in Netflix’s global phenomenon &l

Sept. 13, 2022