For director Yeon Sang-ho, 43, producing new Netflix series “Hellbound” felt like creating his own playground. “When I was creating ‘Hellbound’ as a web comic, I was expecting to reproduce the series as a video. The project shows different sides of humans in a desperate situation surrounded by extreme social chaos. I want to keep presenting my views about humanity via ‘Hellbound.’ I will continue to play around by creating unique characters and stories

Film Nov. 17, 2021

DAEGU - Come November, parents who have children taking the Suneung, or college scholastic aptitude test, flock to Palgongsan. While the mountain in Daegu attracts many hikers year-round for its splendid views -- carpeted with azaleas in the spring, vibrant green leaves in the summer, colorful fall foliage and the delicate winter snowscape -- Palgongsan draws pilgrims to its Gatbawi, a seated stone Buddha at one of the mountain peaks that is believed to have the power to make wishes and prayers

Culture Nov. 16, 2021

While made-for-television political satires have had little success in Korea, “The Blue House Family” is ready to take a jab at the genre early next year. It so happens that 2022 is a presidential election year in Korea, and Astory, the production company behind the 10-episode sitcom, is betting that content related to politics will grab viewers’ attention. 　 “Politics and comedy go well together. Many comedians and content creators view the political scenes as a treasu

Television Nov. 15, 2021

Actor Song Hye-kyo made a triumphant return to the small screen Friday with her first TV drama in two years, SBS’ “Now We Are Breaking Up.” The first episode recorded the highest viewership rating of all Friday-Saturday dramas that aired over those two days. The first showing on Friday marked an average nationwide rating of 6.4 and a peak of 8.4 percent. The ratings improved the following day, with the second episode scoring nationwide viewership ratings of 8.0 percent and

Television Nov. 14, 2021

Seoul Lantern Festival The Seoul Lantern Festival is scheduled to kick off Nov. 26 and run through Dec. 12 at various sites in Jongno, central Seoul. The representative festival of Seoul features a number of large paper lanterns and illuminated sculptures along the Cheonggye Stream. The event will be an online-offline hybrid event, where people can enjoy an augmented reality exhibition and join the festival via social media channels like Facebook and Instagram. The offline venues offer visitors

Travel Nov. 12, 2021

Sports entertainment programs have emerged as a major trend on television, with famed sports legends and celebrities presenting the sports on the small screen. Golf has become a recognizable force, dominating airtime for several months with big-name golf stars and television celebrities taking to the links. Cable channel TV Chosun’s “Golf King” sparked public interest in golf-related variety shows in May. The program caught viewers’ attention with former LPGA champion

Television Nov. 11, 2021

British rock band Coldplay will meet Korean fans in a virtual concert on Dec. 4 via video streaming service Coupang Play. Coldplay’s online concert will be hosted exclusively and broadcast live by Coupang Play, according to the local streamer. “As Coldplay is widely recognized for its explosive singing, spectacular playing of instruments and amazing stage manners in interacting with fans, we look forward to seeing what will happen at this year’s concert,” Coupang Play

Performance Nov. 11, 2021

Netflix hit series “Squid Game” will return with a second season. “Discussion about a second season is indeed in progress, but nothing has been confirmed yet,” a Netflix official told The Korea Herald on Wednesday morning. Earlier, Hwang Dong-hyuk, the director and writer “Squid Game,” had said that there would be a second season of the dystopian drama during a special screening and Q&A with reporters in Los Angeles on Tuesday. The creator told the rep

Film Nov. 10, 2021

For global star Song Hye-kyo, the decision to come back with another melodrama after just two years brought with it a bag of mixed emotions. “After tvN’s ‘Encounter’ (2019), many fans have been waiting for my return to the small screen with another beautiful romance story, but I am certain that there are some viewers who already feel tired of watching another melodrama by Song Hye-kyo,” said Song in an online press conference recorded in mid-August that was releas

Television Nov. 9, 2021

Television director Hyun Don hopes to bring back the heyday of cooking shows with “The War of Chefs.” “After producing multiple seasons of ‘Hansik Battle,’ I worked on other food programs. But it is when I am presenting outstanding Korean dishes that I feel most comfortable,” Hyun said in an online press conference Monday. Unlike “Hansik Battle,” which took on a tournament format, the director’s latest show has adopted a team competition fo

Television Nov. 9, 2021

When a song by an unfamiliar artist tops music charts, beating out top bands with megasized fandoms, rather than herald a new star people now often wonder if “sajaegi,” or manipulation of music charts and streaming counts, is at work. Such suspicion seems justified in light of recent developments. On Thursday, Trot singer Young Tak’s agency Milagro said in an official press statement that the company was involved in sajaegi, becoming the first agency to admit to the long-ru

Performance Nov. 8, 2021

Global streaming service Netflix has announced a star-studded lineup for its new original series “Bloodhounds.” Actors Woo Do-hwan, Lee Sang-yi and Kim Sae-ron will star in the action-noir series, according to Netflix. Veteran actors Park Sung-woong and Huh Joon-ho have also confirmed they will join the cast of “Bloodhounds.” “Bloodhounds,” an adaptation of a webtoon of the same title by Jung Chan, centers on three young people who become unintentionally i

Film Nov. 8, 2021

Lee Sang-youb, who directed the webtoon-based tvN drama “Yumi’s cells,” did not expect to receive many compliments about the show after the first season ended, knowing his adaption of the well-beloved original web comics might disappoint some fans. “Because the original webtoon, written and drawn by author Lee Dong-gun, was such a popular work and loved by many readers, I worried a lot and had many things to consider. But I was happy to hear that the first season of &ls

Television Nov. 8, 2021

Singer and entertainer Kim Jong-kook, who has gained more than 2 million subscribers just months after launching his YouTube channel “GYM JONG KOOK,” has responded to a suspicion of steroid use. Greg Doucette, a renowned Canadian bodybuilder and fitness YouTuber, recently raised suspicion that the Korean singer and well-known body builder could be using steroids. In a video posted on Oct. 31, titled “Kim Jung Kook || Natty or Not,” the trainer accused Kim of abusing st

People Nov. 5, 2021

Veteran director Kim Jee-woon, debuting as a TV series producer after a 23-year film career, is feeling a mixed bag of emotions. “I am very nervous and excited about ‘Dr. Brain’ being the first Korean-language original of Apple TV+. I feel like I am here to showcase my debut project as a rookie director,” the director said in an online press conference on Wednesday. “Dr. Brain,” the streaming service’s first original series from South Korea, is an adap

Television Nov. 5, 2021