Lee Young-ae returns with 'Maestra: Strings of Truth'

South Korean actor Lee Young-ae will be making her comeback to television after a near two-year hiatus via cable TV channel tvN's 12-episode drama series, "Maestra: Strings of Truth." Based on French television series "Philharmonia," the series narrates the story of a globally renowned female violinist-turned-conductor with a secret past. After returning to Korea, Cha Se-eum, played by Lee Young-ae, becomes the conductor of a Korean orchestra where mysterious incidents h

Dec. 7, 2023

Four Korean drama series nominated for Critics Choice Awards

Four South Korean dramas have been nominated at the 29th Annual Critics Choice Awards, which is slated to be held in Los Angeles on Jan. 14. Of the seven nominations for the best foreign language series, four are Korean dramas -- Korean streaming service Tving's original series “Bargain,” Netflix's original series "The Glory" and "Mask Girl" and Disney+'s original series "Moving" -- according to the Critics Choice Association on Tuesday.

Dec. 6, 2023

[Herald Interview] Lee Eung-bok expresses 'Korean spirit' of monster horror in 'Sweet Home'

The star director of hit Korean TV dramas "Guardian: The Lonely and Great God" (2016) and "Mr. Sunshine" (2018), Lee Eung-bok is back with the much-awaited second season of Netflix's "Sweet Home." Lee's first season of "Sweet Home," a 10-part Netflix original series, gained a global following in 2020, making it to the Netflix US top 10 list as the first Korean TV drama to do so. "When I decided to direct 'Sweet Home', I didn't

Dec. 5, 2023

Can 'Singles Inferno' boost basketball's popularity?

With the third season of Netflix dating reality show "Singles Inferno" ready to release next week, one participant grabbing the eyes of local basketball fans is Lee Gwan-hee, a brash, outspoken and somewhat-controversial guard playing for the Changwon LG Sakers of the Korea Basketball League. Lee’s appearance will mark the first time an active professional athlete will appear in the wildly popular show, and fans of the mildly liked KBL are wondering if the publicity will help boo

Dec. 5, 2023

'Single’s Inferno Season 3' returns with no-holds-barred romance

Netflix Korea's popular dating reality show "Single's Inferno" has returned with its third season, with a brand new group of young, attractive singles and a plot that moves faster than ever. “Single’s Inferno,” the first season of which debuted in December 2021, has garnered worldwide attention, with the series becoming the first Korean reality show to be listed on Netflix's global top 10 chart. Building on this success, Netflix extended the series wi

Dec. 4, 2023

'Sweet Home 2' returns with new characters, sophisticated monsters

Netflix's monster horror franchise "Sweet Home" is back with new characters and more sophisticated visual effects. "Sweet Home 2" is directed by Lee Eung-bok, who helmed the series' first season three years ago and a slew of other megahits such as "Descendants of the Sun" (2016), "Guardian: The Lonely and Great God" (2016) and "Mr. Sunshine" (2018). The first season of "Sweet Home" followed people living in Green Home, a dilap

Nov. 30, 2023

Merger of Korean OTT platforms Tving and Wavve imminent: sources

Popular South Korean over-the-top streaming services Tving and Wavve are reportedly seeking a merger, according to the media reports on Wednesday. Currently, entertainment giant CJ ENM owns Tving, while conglomerate SK Square runs Wavve. The two OTT brands are seeking a merger to increase their share of the local OTT market, aiming to clinch the deal in December, according to a local media outlet, citing industry sources. According to the report, CJ ENM will become the largest shareholder of t

Nov. 29, 2023

As streaming services raise fees, some turn to illegal streaming sites

Subscription rates for streaming services are rising amid already high inflation, and such price hikes are stoking a boom in Koreans' use of illegal streaming sites. Local streaming service Tving is the latest to jump on the bandwagon, raising its subscription price some 20 percent starting in December. The subscription price for Tving's basic plan -- which allows content viewing at a resolution of 720p and is limited to one viewer at a time -- will rise by 20.3 percent from 7,900 won

Nov. 29, 2023

Disney+ brings romance to year's end

Winter is here, and that means prime time for heartwarming love stories. While Disney+, the flagship streaming service of US media giant Walt Disney Co., caught many viewers’ eyes with exciting superhero action flick “Moving” and spy thriller “Vigilante,” the streamer is set to wrap up the year with two romantic love stories in “Tell Me That You Love Me” and “Soundtrack #2.” Adapted from a 1995 Japanese drama series of the same title, “

Nov. 22, 2023

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