BTS’ V, actor Yoo Seung-ho to star in ‘Running Man’

Terrestrial broadcaster SBS on Monday confirmed that V of K-pop sensation BTS and actor Yoo Seung-ho will star in its hit variety show, “Running Man,” in an episode set to air on Dec. 3. V, who was a guest on episode 671 (Sept. 10) was praised by the hosts, production staff and viewers after showcasing his skills in the psychological battle round and his ability to lead the show in various missions. He was admired for his poker face and using his acting to gain an advantage in the ga

Nov. 21, 2023

Wavve’s ‘The Deal’ to reach wider audience

Mystery thriller series “The Deal” is set to be released on a global streaming service and screened at an upcoming international film festival. The eight-part series, which premiered locally Oct. 6, spurred a rise in the number of paid subscribers and unique visitors to domestic streamer Wavve in the four days following its release. The series also secured the top spot on Taiwanese streaming platform FriDay. “‘The Deal’ is set to be released globally via Rakuten Vik

Nov. 16, 2023

Production teams called out for carelessness

The local production teams behind hit drama series “Castaway Diva” and the third season of reality show “Unexpected Business" recently issued official apologies for lack of caution while shooting their projects. Controversy erupted Monday afternoon when a resident of Jeju Island shared that the production team of “Castaway Diva” had left a pile of stones near Hwanguji Coast in Seogwipo, in the south of the island. The props were used to shoot a scene in which t

Nov. 15, 2023

[Herald Interview] ‘Daily Dose of Sunshine’ director, actor say drama consoled them

Netflix original series “Daily Dose of Sunshine,” set in a psychiatric ward, has quickly spread by word of mouth since its Nov. 3 release, with many viewers praising the 12-episode series. As of Wednesday, the TV drama ranked fourth on the non-English top 10 TV chart for Netflix. It was listed among the top 10 shows in 28 regions, according to Netflix. Unlike other successful medical dramas like “Behind the White Tower” (2007), “Dr. Romantic” (2016) and &ldquo

Nov. 15, 2023

KBS determined to regain public trust

KBS’ new President Park Min has promised a major reform of the country’s largest public broadcaster, announcing a structural overhaul, the relocation of employees, and measures to deal with worsening financial conditions and ever-declining public trust. “Today, I am standing in front of you to publicly apologize for disappointing the public and viewers with the broadcaster’s inability to deliver accurate, objective news and quality content,” Park said in a press con

Nov. 14, 2023

KBS ‘Goryeo-Khitan War’ off to rough start

Terrestrial broadcaster KBS premiered its new epic historical drama “Goryeo-Khitan War” on Saturday with much anticipation, but the first two episodes of the series fell short of the expectations of many TV drama fans who felt nostalgic for the spectacular Korean period dramas that dominated the creative content industry for many years in the early 2000s. “Goryeo-Khitan War,” the broadcast’s 34th period drama, unfolds the stories of King Hyeongjong (Kim Dong-jun) of

Nov. 13, 2023

‘Gyeongseong Creature’ to lead year-end, New Year drama releases

Netflix Korea on Sunday confirmed the premiere of the highly anticipated horror thriller, “Gyeongseong Creature,” in December. The series will be split into two different parts, with the first seven episodes being presented as “Gyeongseong Creature Part 1,” and the remaining three episodes scheduled to be released Jan. 5. With a star-studded lineup in terms of both its creators and cast, the thriller-action series is regarded as one of the year's must-see projects.

Nov. 12, 2023

Park Hae-soo, Shin Min-a join Netflix’s new crime thriller series, ‘Karma’

Park Hae-soo from “Squid Game” and “Narco-Saints,” and Shin Min-a from “Hometown Cha Cha Cha” and “Our Blues” will meet for Netflix’s new crime thriller series, “Karma” (working title). The Korean original title roughly translates to “ill-fated relationship.” Based on the Kakao webtoon of the same title by Hwang Joon-ho, the series follows characters who are tightly entangled in doomed relationships. “Karma&rdquo

Nov. 10, 2023

South Korea’s biggest comedy TV show returns after 3 years

National broadcaster KBS's flagship comedy TV show, "Gag Concert," is set to return after a hiatus of over three years. "Gag Concert," which first aired in September 1999, ended its first season after 1,050 episodes in June 2020. It garnered much more popularity compared to its competitors such as cable channel tvN's "Comedy Big League" and "Saturday Night Live Korea." The second season of "Gag Concert" will reportedly focus on "

Nov. 10, 2023

‘A Business Proposal’ to be made into Hong Kong drama

Kakao Entertainment blockbuster webtoon “A Business Proposal” is being adapted into Viu’s new TV drama in Hong Kong. The Hong Kong-based streaming service Viu has cast sought-after local actors, including model and actor Hanna Chan, and singers Anson Lo and Edan Lui, Kakao Entertainment said. While Chan will play female lead Shin Ha-ri -- a young office worker originally played by Kim Se-jong, Lo and Lui star the series as CEO Kang Tae-moo and his secretary Cha Sung-hoon, r

Nov. 9, 2023

Enhypen to make MBC show debut, ending yearslong performance dispute

K-pop boy band Enhypen is scheduled to perform on MBC’s “Show! Music Core” for the first time since its debut in 2020, signaling an end to a yearslong dispute between the group's agency Hybe and the broadcaster. Though the group has starred in various local music shows, including KBS’ “Music Bank,” SBS’ “Inkigayo” and more, Enhypen -- along with other Hybe artists -- have not been able to perform on MBC programs since a disagreement ov

Nov. 7, 2023

[Herald Review] ‘Vigilante,’ a reflection of public outrage against criminals

“Vigilante,” director Choi Jeong-yeol’s crime/action thriller based on a webtoon of the same title by Kim Kyu-sam, offers a reflection of growing public frustration and fury over what some view as the justice system's failure to adequately punish those who commit the most heinous crimes. Accidents caused by drunk drivers, drugs, domestic violence, attempted murders and insurance fraud are all crimes we read about in the news on a near-daily basis. For Kim Ji-yong (Nam

Nov. 6, 2023

Tving’s ‘High School Mystery Club’ to return with season 3

Korean streaming service Tving recently confirmed the return of its franchise entertainment show “High School Mystery Club” with a third season. “High School Mystery Club” (2021-22), the service's first-ever original show, revolves around five high school girls -- who are not in fact actual students, transferring to a suspicious school where a mysterious murder case and strange phenomenon occur. The same cast -- TV personality Park Ji-yoon, Jaejae, comedian Jang Do-y

Nov. 3, 2023

Director touts Netflix’s ‘Daily Dose of Sunshine’ as warm tale for adults

Director Lee Jae-gyu, most recently known for “All of Us Are Dead,” has returned with comedy series “Daily Dose of Sunshine,” a Netflix original series set in a psychiatric ward. Park Bo-young stars as a kind-hearted nurse working at a psychiatric ward, dealing with a variety of patients and colleagues. Lee Jung-eun (“Parasite,” “Our Blues”) appears as a head nurse who supports Da-eun. Yeon Woo-jin stars as Go-yoon, a doctor in charge of proctologi

Nov. 1, 2023

Women’s stories continue to resonate with Korean viewers

More drama series with diverse women in the lead are expected to dominate South Korean TV screens over the remainder of the year. Several new shows last year, including “Juvenile Justice,” “Extraordinary Attorney Woo,” “Under the Queen’s Umbrella” and “Twenty-Five Twenty-One,” garnered greater-than-expected attention from viewers with their strong, independent women. This year, TV dramas with bold, no-nonsense women have proved a strong trend

Nov. 1, 2023

[Herald Interview] Pleasantly surprised

Having recently made her Netflix debut in nine-part romance series “Doona!” singer and actor Suzy shared how she was blown away upon learning that the show ranked No. 6 globally among the streaming service’s TV shows. Suzy had not anticipated such global interest, feeling the show was largely based on Korean culture and so would be familiar mostly to Koreans. “I personally thought that Korean viewers would be the only ones who could easily empathize with most of the scene

Oct. 30, 2023

South Korean celebrities grilled over drug use

After yet another Korean star came under investigation for suspected drug use, the South Korean entertainment industry is feeling increasingly anxious over the possible fallout from multiple entertainment personalities being investigated for suspected drug use. Rapper G-Dragon, the leader of Big Bang whose real name is Kwon Ji-yong, was booked without detention Wednesday for suspected violation of the Narcotics Control Act, making him the latest celebrity to be investigated for illegal drug us

Oct. 26, 2023

Coupang Play seeks turnaround with exclusive content

With plans to release BTS’ Busan concert film -- “BTS: Yet to Come” -- and a survival show titled “University War” (unofficial translation) in November, local video streaming service Coupang Play seeks to cement its position in Korea's streaming market. While the streamer garnered viewers’ interest with the mystery thriller “Anna” (2022) -- starring K-pop star and actor Suzy -- and multiple seasons of comedy variety show “Saturday Night

Oct. 18, 2023

[Herald Interview] Netflix's ‘Devil’s Plan’ expands realm of survival game shows

“Devil’s Plan,” a Netflix Korea survival game show that premiered on Sept. 26, became a global hit soon after its release. The 12-episode show became the most-watched show in Korea as well as ranked third in the global top 10 non-English TV show list on Netflix. Twelve contestants with different occupations, including a lawyer, actor, doctor, YouTube creators, Go player and university student, face off in games of intelligence, wit and strategy. “It was kind of stressful

Oct. 17, 2023

CGV, tvN Sports to screen Bundesliga’s first ‘Korean derby’

Cable channel tvN Sports and South Korean cinema operator CJ CGV announced the livestreaming of an upcoming Bundesliga match between FSV Mainz 05 and FC Bayern Munchen at CGV Gangnam in southern Seoul on Sunday. The game is dubbed a “Korean derby” here as Korean midfielder Lee Jae-sung of Mainz plays against defender Kim Min-jae of Bayern Munchen for the first time this year. While Bayern Munchen vies for the top slot with Bayer Leverkusen, Borussia Dortmund and VfB Sttuttgart with a

Oct. 17, 2023