Coin fraud scandal rocks Korean entertainment industry

Allegations of cryptocurrency fraud are growing against multiple South Korean celebrities and popular YouTubers, with some denying their involvement and some admitting to having invested in the cryptocurrency. Winnerz -- a Korean blockchain sports platform that operates several businesses including issuing cryptocurrency -- has been accused of running a coin scam after anonymous investors alleged that the company was issuing fake cryptocurrency, gathering investments and forbidding investors t

Feb. 13, 2024

[Herald Interview] 'A Shop for Killers' an action drama with stories to tell

“A Shop for Killers” might appear to be an action drama, but the 8-part series is about the story of a lonely girl growing up, the choices various characters make and their consequences, which should give strength to the audience in enduring hardships, according to director Lee Kwon and the actor who portrayed the girl, Kim Hye-jun. Disney+ original "A Shop for Killers" narrates the story of Jung Ji-an (played by Kim Hye-jun), who is targeted by a slew of killers after her

Feb. 12, 2024

More CJ ENM series coming to Prime Video

South Korean series have been topping the charts on global streaming platforms amid the soaring popularity of K-content, according to entertainment giant CJ ENM on Wednesday. According to the US-based streaming analytics firm FlixPatrol, "Marry My Husband," a 16-part romantic drama series that aired its first episode on Jan. 1, topped the daily rankings for TV shows worldwide on Jan. 31 on Prime Video, the streaming service from Amazon. This marked the first time for a Korean series to

Feb. 7, 2024

[Herald Review] 'A Killer Paradox' faithfully reproduces legendary webtoon

Director Lee Chang-hee -- a K-thriller master who has produced a slew of hit series such as "Hell Is Other People" and the film "The Vanished" -- has successfully breathed life into the award-winning webtoon "A Killer Paradox" through strict adherence to the plot of the original webtoon series. “A Killer Paradox” follows the story of Yi Tang (played by Choi Woo-shik), a college student who commits a series of murders by accident. After he commits the mur

Feb. 7, 2024

Netflix announces major Korean originals for 2024

Netflix on Tuesday unveiled a lineup of South Korean series and films that are scheduled to be released on Netflix in 2024. Among the Korean drama series that will hit the platform in the first half of this year is "A Killer Paradox," a webtoon-based thriller series that stars Choi Woo-shik and Son Suk-ku. The first episode of "A Killer Paradox" will stream on Netflix Friday. "Chicken Nugget," which follows the story of a father whose daughter turns into a chicken n

Feb. 6, 2024

[Herald Interview] 'LTNS' draws portrait of modern Koreans via infidelity, broken marriages

Directors Lim Dae-hyung and Jeon Go-woon said they wanted to draw a portrait of modern people by portraying broken marriages in their six-part black comedy "LTNS." Short for "Long Time No Sex," the drama series follows the story of Woo-jin (played by Esom) and Samuel (played by Ahn Jae-hong), a sexless couple who have been married for five years, who chase down unfaithful couples to extort money from them. The drama series delivers sexually explicit scenes and dialogue -- s

Feb. 6, 2024

[Herald Interview] Ahn Jae-hong, Esom capture realism in modern romance via 'LTNS'

South Korean actors Ahn Jae-hong and Lee So-young, better known as Esom, said they attempted to capture realism, portraying romance of the modern couples living through the contemporary age, in their latest work "LTNS." Korean streaming platform Tving's six-part comedy drama series "LTNS," which is short for "Long Time No Sex," centers around the story of Woo-jin (played by Esom) and Samuel (played by Ahn) -- a sexless, married couple -- as they chase unfaithfu

Feb. 2, 2024

[Photo News] 'Squid Game' to return with second season in 2024

"Squid Game," the South Korean Netflix original drama series which took the world by storm upon its release in 2021, will return with a second season in 2024, according to Netflix. The new season of the thriller will follow the story of Sung Ki-hun (played by Lee Jung-jae), who gives up his flight to the United States after discovering that the organizers of the death game are continuing to recruiting participants. The drama series will also follow the stories of various contestants wh

Feb. 2, 2024

Son Suk-ku, Choi Woo-shik explore ethics of eye for an eye in ‘A Killer Paradox'

South Korean actors Son Suk-ku and Choi Woo-shik will raise a philosophical question -- whether it is just to condemn evil through murder -- in "A Killer Paradox," a new Netflix original drama series. The eight-part drama series revolves around Yi Tang, (played by Choi Woo-shik) a college student who, under extreme stress, murders those who antagonize him. After discovering that all his victims were serious evildoers "worth killing," Yi comes to believe that he has a supernat

Feb. 1, 2024

Lee Young-ae to star in sequel to legendary K-drama 'Jewel in the Palace'

South Korean veteran actor Lee Young-ae will star in the sequel to the legendary Korean drama series "Jewel in the Palace," reprising the role which shot the actor to international fame 20 years ago, said Korean entertainment company Fantagio. According to Fantagio, Lee Young-ae has been cast as the lead actress for the sequel series which is expected to begin filming in October and air in early 2025. The working title for the drama series is "Medic Dae Jang Geum" and the ser

Jan. 31, 2024

Kim Tae-hee, Park Hae-soo to make Hollywood debut with 'Butterfly'

South Korean actors Kim Tae-hee and Park Hae-soo are set to make their Hollywood debuts via Amazon Prime Video's new spy thriller series, "Butterfly," according to the agencies representing the two actors, Tuesday. The six-part series about former Central Intelligence Agency agent David Jung (played by Daniel Dae Kim) and a sociopathic CIA agent named Rebecca (played by Reina Hardesty), is adapted from the graphic novel of the same title authored by Marguerite Bennett. Kim Tae-hee

Jan. 30, 2024

'Gyeongseong Creature' inadvertently raises historical awareness among viewers around the world

While the show's writer and director clearly said that their intention for "Gyeongseong Creature," a Netflix original drama series, was to show how the people of the time lived, the show inadvertently raised awareness about the harrowing history of the Japanese colonization of Korea among viewers around the world. "Gyeongseong Creature," which ended Jan. 5, has enjoyed global success, securing its position on Netflix's global top 10 list in the TV (Non-English) ca

Jan. 30, 2024

'SNL Korea' lawsuit sheds light on streaming shows' working conditions

The legal disputes surrounding the popular Korean entertainment show "SNL Korea" is shedding light on the poor working conditions experienced by staff working at production companies that supply content to streaming services, according to experts, Monday. South Korean production company Astory, which produces content for various streaming services, said on Thursday the company has filed a lawsuit claiming 7 billion won ($5.2 million) in damages for restraint of trade against CP Enter

Jan. 29, 2024

[Herald Interview] Kim Hyun-joo, Park Hee-soon explore paradoxical nature of family in 'The Bequeathed'

South Korean veteran actors Kim Hyun-joo and Park Hee-soon said, through their latest work "The Bequeathed," they wanted to ask their audience about the meaning of family. Netflix's six-part mystery thriller "The Bequeathed" tells the story of Yoon Seo-ha, who becomes mired in a series of ominous events including the murder of her husband, after inheriting a family grave site from her deceased uncle. The series explores the concept of family in depth, while incorporating

Jan. 28, 2024

How ‘Sing Again’ stays a hit brand in a sea of audition shows

A 27-year-old office worker Choi Ji-yeon recently bought a ticket for a concert of the Top 10 participants of the audition program “Sing Again 3.” Tickets for the concert sold out within 10 minutes of opening, showing the popularity of the program. “I have been a big fan of the program since its first season. In the recent season, I’m obsessed with the voice of So Soo-bin, the runner-up of the show,” said Choi. “Audition program is one of the most common theme

Jan. 25, 2024

Korean TV programs show former couples together amid cultural shift

South Korean entertainment shows which invite past lovers on the program are gaining popularity. Following a shift in Korean culture towards more openly discussing past relationships, there is an increase in audience demand for shows to more directly fulfill innate desires, according to experts. Korean streaming service Tving said the reality dating show "Transit Love 3" ranked first among the platform's original titles in contributing to the rising number of paid subscribers on

Jan. 23, 2024

Korean dramas depicting countryside youth enjoy bump in popularity

The end of 2023 and start of 2024 have been flooded with South Korean dramas depicting the lives of youth who lead their lives in countryside, amid the increase in demand from the audience for stress relief, according to experts, Monday. "Welcome to Samdal-ri," a popular 16-part JTBC romantic comedy drama, which released its first episode on Dec. 2, 2023, wrapped up with its last episode on Sunday. The drama series narrates the story of Cho Sam-dal (played by Shin Hye-sun), who lived i

Jan. 22, 2024

Kakao Entertainment names new CEOs amid continued controversy

Kakao Entertainment said Friday it has designated the company's Chief Operating Officer Kweon Ki-su and Global Strategy Officer Joseph Chang as the company's co-chief executive officers, in a bid to push for reform amid public criticisms surrounding the company's alleged stock manipulations. According to Kakao Entertainment, before Kweon and Chang are officially appointed, which will take place after Kakao's board meetings and shareholders' meetings, the two co-CEO nomin

Jan. 19, 2024

[Herald Interview] 'The Bequeathed' merges concepts of horror and family

Yeon Sang-ho, star director of mega-hits such as the 2016 zombie film "Train to Busan" and the 2021 Netflix original fantasy drama series "Hellbound," is back with "The Bequeathed," a new Netflix original thriller drama series. "The Bequeathed" is a 6-part series that focuses on a series of ominous events which occur after Yoon Seo-ha (Kim Hyun-joo) receives a family grave site as inheritance following the death of her uncle. Conflict heightens as her half

Jan. 18, 2024

'LTNS' satirizes realities of today's sexless, adulterous couples

The life of a married couple who have lost interest in each other will be examined in "LTNS," Tving's new original series, offering a no-holds-barred depiction of the realities of couples today, promised actors Ahn Jae-hong and Lee So-young, also known as Esom, during a press conference in Seoul on Monday. "LTNS," short for "Long Time No Sex," is a 6-part drama series that uses black comedy to tell the story of Woo-jin (played by Esom) and Samuel (played by Ahn

Jan. 18, 2024