'The Scandal' director questions future in erotic cinema

Director Jung Ji-woo has been behind some of Korean cinema’s most acclaimed erotic dramas — including "Eungyo," the 2012 feature that catapulted Hallyu megastar Kim Go-eun to stardom in her breakthrough role as a sexually precocious high school student. Naturally, expectations were high for Jung’s latest project: an erotic K-drama adaptation of the seminal 18th-century French novel "Dangerous Liaisons" for Netflix Korea. The pressure only intensified with the A-list cast — including Ji Chang-woo

2026-09-30 15:00:08:00

Joseon rules you need to know to understand 'The Scandal'

In Netflix Korea’s "The Scandal," early 19th-century Joseon’s neo-Confucian social norms function as more than a historical backdrop, they serve as the primary engine driving the plot. Yet these strict historical codes — such as barring women from the gwageo (elite civil service exams) or pressuring widows into extreme acts of chastity — can feel alien to contemporary audiences, both globally and in South Korea. Without grasping this cultural subtext, audiences risk missing the true gravity of t

2026-09-29 14:46:20:00

Nana apologizes over lip filler controversy in Netflix's 'The Scandal'

Lim Jin-a, better known by her stage name Nana, apologized for the controversy sparked by her appearance in Netflix's "The Scandal." Viewers criticized her apparent lip filler for disrupting immersion in the series and her character, a chaste Joseon-era widow. Nana addressed the controversy on Bubble, a monthly subscription-based private messaging service that lets fans and artists communicate through one-on-one chat rooms, on Tuesday. "If my lips made viewers uncomfortable, then that was my fau

2026-09-23 16:12:30:00

Why Ji Chang-wook said yes to his first sex scene in 'The Scandal'

Ji Chang-wook — the A-lister behind hit K-dramas such as "Welcome to Samdal-ri" and "The Worst of Evil" — had often wondered what his first sex scene would be like, and whether he could even do one. That pivotal career juncture finally arrived with Netflix’s steamy period drama "The Scandal." "I thought several times about whether I could do a sex scene. If I were to do one, what kind of project would it have to be? And what would be my reason for doing it? I actually spent quite a lot of time t

2026-09-23 11:57:25:00

No more blind Netflix price hikes? Korean bill seeks to make streamers show their math

Streaming giants in South Korea may soon face stricter oversight on subscription rate hikes under a proposed amendment to the Telecommunications Business Act. Introduced Sept. 16 by Rep. Lee Hoon-ki of the Democratic Party of Korea, the bill --currently open for public comment through Sunday -- would require streaming platforms to disclose the basis for their pricing when raising subscription fees. The legislative proposal highlights the growing difficulty consumers face in understanding why str

2026-09-22 14:14:39:00

Three dramas for a very Korean Chuseok

Chuseok, one of South Korea's most important national holidays, is right around the corner. Often called Korean Thanksgiving, this four-day celebration is traditionally spent celebrating abundance and honoring ancestors. Yet behind the idyllic images of warm family reunions and delicious shared meals lies a more complex reality often marked by underlying family tensions and heavy domestic burdens placed on women. For those unfamiliar with these cultural layers, here are some K-dramas that captur

2026-09-21 15:31:49:00

'Killing Eve' set for Korean adaptation with Asia-based setting

The massively popular British spy dramedy “Killing Eve” is slated to be remade for Korean TV. Korean film and series production company Anthology Studio has secured the remake rights to the hit series. The company previously co-produced the 2023 film “Cobweb,” starring Song Kang-ho and Lim Soo-jung, as well as the recent Korean remake of Hollywood's “The Intern,” co-produced with Warner Bros. Korea and starring Han So-hee and Choi Min-sik. Unlike the European backdrop of the original show, the u

2026-09-21 11:44:17:00

Woman booked over alleged eavesdropping on Cha Eun-woo

Police have booked a woman in her 50s for allegedly eavesdropping on actor Cha Eun-woo’s private conversations. Yongsan Police Station in Seoul is investigating the woman on suspicion of violating the Protection of Communications Secrets Act. The woman is accused of secretly listening to Cha’s conversations on two occasions in August by attaching a listening device under a table at a cafe in Yongsan-gu, Seoul. According to reports, the woman visited the cafe twice, on Aug. 23 and 29, to install

2026-09-20 16:50:01:00

[Herald Design Lounge 2026] AI lets us do anything. Kim Gryun asks what we should do now

We live in an era when high-quality video no longer surprises anyone. With a single prompt sent to a free AI video generator, almost anyone can become a content creator and churn out content in seconds. In such an age, then, what is left for motion graphic designers to do? According to award-winning motion graphic designer Kim Gryun, today's practitioners have a responsibility to build truly original content — such as a video that audiences can actively influence, almost like living, interactive

2026-09-20 15:42:17:00

'True Beauty' duo Cha Eun-woo, Mun Ka-young in talks for 'Bon Appetit, Your Majesty' spin-off

Will Cha Eun-woo and Mun Ka-young — the legendary couple who built a massive global following as Soo-ho and Joo-kyung in the 2020 hit "True Beauty" — share the screen once again? Fantagio, the agency representing Cha Eun-woo and Mun Ka-young, confirmed to The Korea Herald on Thursday that both stars are currently reviewing offers for "Seorabeol Knife" — a new series set in the same fictional universe as the 2025's global phenomenon “Bon Appetit, Your Majesty." The culinary romance centers on a p

2026-09-17 16:41:11:00