Though “Alienoid” is not Choi’s first movie to combine science fiction with Korean folklore, the director found writing a story that moves through space and time challenging. “The script alone took two and a half years. Some of the lines were changed 50 or 60 times,” the creator said. Choi has faced pushback for his attempts to fuse science fiction with folklore, with some arguing that it could...

Actor Lee Jung-jae, who plays debt-ridden divorcee Seong Gi-hun, has been nominated for outstanding lead actor in a drama series, along with actors Jason Bateman of “Ozark,” Brian Cox and Jeremy Strong of “Succession,” Adam Scott of “Severance” and Bob Odenkirk of “Better Call Saul.” “I am sincerely grateful and honored to be nominated along with other splendid actors,” the actor’s agency Artist...

Divorced men and women spend time together to find love again on cable channel MBN’s “Love After Divorce.” The show caught the viewers’ attention as the program continues after the participants choose to pair up, following the couples and their everyday lives for an extended period of time. Local broadcaster iHQ’s “Eden, Descendants of Instinct,” a Korean version of the American dating game show...

Culture critic Hwang Jin-mi believes that the novelty of LGBTQ content may have positively impacted viewers’ reception of it, especially given the overabundance of programs featuring heterosexual couples. “From dating shows to marriage, divorce and remarriage, viewers have seen enough of celebrity love stories in both reality shows and dramas. There's simply nothing new about these programs,” Hw...

The 20th edition of NYAFF is scheduled to present Korean period film “Hansan: Rising Dragon” as its centerpiece film. Korean director Choi Dong-hoon’s sci-fi epic “Alienoid,” starring NYAFF 2019 Screen International Rising Star Asia recipient Ryu alongside Kim Tae-ri and So Ji-sub will close the festival Both films will be released in the US later this year by distributor Well Go USA. Jang, Ryu...

Suwon Culture Night Suwon Culture Night will take place in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province, Aug. 12-14. Held at Suwon Hwaseong Fortress and Hwaseong Temporary Palace, the areas are decorated with media art installations, titled “Eight Nights.” Every corner of the fortress offers a historical and cultural experience to visitors. Admission fees vary by program, including the docent-led tour, augmented...

“The Roundup,” a Korean action comedy that topped 10 million admissions in local theaters, will not be screened in Vietnam, officially because the film is considered “too violent.” Looking to distribute the film in the Southeast Asian country, Korea’s leading entertainment company Lotte Entertainment had applied for film certification for “The Roundup” from the Vietnamese Film Department, an org...

Actor Nam Joo-hyuk has denied another round of bullying allegations raised against him. Management Soop, Nam’s agency, said Wednesday that they had sought to verify the facts through various channels after the rumors were raised and found that such allegations were “not true.” The controversy erupted on Tuesday last week when a local media outlet ran a report alleging that Nam had bullied a cla...

Since its premiere on June 29, the 16-part legal drama soared to the No. 2 slot on the Korean Netflix chart as of Wednesday. The series ranked at Netflix’s top 10 chart in Japan, Taiwan, Singapore, Thailand and more. New episodes of “Extraordinary Attorney Woo” air every Wednesday and Thursday at 9 p.m. on ENA. The series is also available on streaming platforms Seezn and Netflix. By Lee Si-ji...

Dr. Oh Eun-young, a child psychiatrist who helped consulting programs to become a mainstream TV offering, seems to be everywhere. Flicking through the TV channels, whether a talk show, variety show or commercial, there is Oh with her signature beauty pageant hairdo. Oh has been giving parenting advice on SBS’ consulting program “Our Children Have Changed” since 2006, occasionally making media ap...

Kakao Entertainment announced the animated adaptation of its popular webtoon series “Solo Leveling” on Monday. According to the company, the action-fantasy will be co-produced by Kakao Entertainment and Japan’s renowned animation studio A-1 Pictures, the company behind many successful animated adaptations such as “Sword Art Online,” “The Seven Deadly Sins,” “Anohana: The Flower We Saw That Day, ...

“I have worked in some films where I lead the entire storyline in the series. But our series focused more on how the gang is presented as a whole. It’s a little early to talk about the complete series in detail as more interesting events will develop in part two of the series,” the actor said, encouraging viewers to look forward to the series’ second part. After performing charismatic, eccentric...

Tongyeong Hansan Battle Festival The Tongyeong Hansan Battle Festival is set to take place at Donam Tourist Complex in Tongyeong, South Gyeongsang Province, Aug. 5-14. The festival commemorates the Great Battle of Hansan of 1592, the best-known naval battle in Korean history. Visitors can observe a reenactment of the battle and experience hands-on programs at Yi Sun-sin Waterpark, organized by...

“Unlike many existing legal dramas that present conspiracies, violent action scenes and tense confrontation with villains, our series deals with many interesting subjects that may seem insignificant, like a revolving door at a building entrance,” Yoo said, mentioning Young-woo‘s difficulties passing through the fast-spinning door in an early episode. “Woo Young-woo is a person, who has taken her...

When asked about his role in narrating the crew’s plan, the actor said it was an exciting experience. “I focused a lot on my diction and pronunciation, hoping to deliver the plan in a calm tone. I studied voice acting a lot,” the actor told The Korea Herald. While praising his co-stars’ performances, Yoo emphasized that there is still room to grow with the series. “I think many in the entertai...