my timesThe Korea Times
gyulee

Lee Gyu-lee

Korea Times Business Reporter

Lee Gyu-lee is a business writer at The Korea Times, focusing primarily on IT & telecommunications, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and KOTRA. Prior to this, she has covered a wide range of cultural news, from film, television and K-pop to lifestyle and fashion.

Go to Email

Read more

Shows & Dramas

Popular short films get adapted for cinema, streaming series

Posters for Tving's new series “Bargain,” left, and film “Daemuga” / Courtesy of Tving, Cookie PicturesBy Lee Gyu-leeA string of well-received short films are getting picked up and adapted for film and streaming series. Tving's upcoming original series “Bargain,” scheduled to hit its streaming service in October, is based on the short film of the same name which came out in 2015.The 14-minute short film, led by filmmaker Lee Chung-hyeon, who is known for helming the thriller “The Call,” is about a school girl and a man meeting to engage in sexual conduct for a fee. The man then tries to negotiate the price but it turns out that the girl lured him to the motel to steal and sell his organs.The film garnered acclaim, notching several awards at film festivals including the Busan International Short Film Festival and Korean Film Festival in Paris. The new adaptation, starring Jin Seon-kyu and Jun Jong-seo, will pick up on the original short film's plot and develop it into what happened after the original short film's ending. Amid the negotia

Sep 27, 2022By Lee Gyu-lee
Popular short films get adapted for cinema, streaming series
Shows & Dramas

Namkoong Min takes lead role in comedy series 'One Dollar Lawyer'

Actor Namkoong Min plays the role of lawyer Cheon Ji-hun in SBS' new comedy series “One Dollar Lawyer.” Courtesy of SBSBy Lee Gyu-leeActor Namkoong Min, who made his debut in 2001, had his major breakthrough with KBS' 2017 hit comedy series, “Good Manager,” which earned him the second-highest honor at the network's year-end award.About five years later, the actor has returned to comedy with SBS' new series “One Dollar Lawyer,” taking the lead role as a peculiar lawyer, Cheon Ji-hun. The new comedy series revolves around the stylish lawyer who only charges his client 1,000 won ($0.7) for his fee, despite being one of the best attorneys around. A soon-to-be graduate of the Judicial Research and Training Institute, Baek Ma-ri (Kim Ji-eun), who comes from a family with a legal background, comes to finish her training at Ji-hun's office. Joining hands, they fight against the privileged and their high-priced, fancy lawyers from getting away with crimes. The series kicked off on Friday with an 8.1 percent viewership rating, and had 8.5 percent on Saturday

Sep 26, 2022By Lee Gyu-lee
Namkoong Min takes lead role in comedy series 'One Dollar Lawyer'
Shows & Dramas

Kim Sun-a returns to small screen as prosecutor in 'The Empire'

Actors Kim Sun-a, left, and Ahn Jae-wook pose during an online press conference for JTBC's new series “The Empire,” Thursday. Courtesy of JTBCBy Lee Gyu-leeActress Kim Sun-a is returning to the small screen as a privileged, high-class prosecutor in JTBC's new legal crime series, “The Empire,” set to air on Saturday. Her last appearance in a TV drama was in the 2019 SBS drama series, “Secret Boutique.”“The series' script is written by actual lawyers. So when I first got the script, I found it was very realistic and had the details only people in the legal world would know. I learned that (the script) came after years of development and effort,” Kim said during an online press conference for the series, Thursday. Led by director Yoo Hyun-ki, who helmed the 2018 rom-com “Matrimonial Chaos” and the 2011 medical series “Brain,” the new series follows the scandal and dark secrets of a wealthy, privileged family with a deep law background. Kim plays the daughter of the family, Han Hye-ryool, who leads a special investig

Sep 23, 2022By Lee Gyu-lee
Kim Sun-a returns to small screen as prosecutor in 'The Empire'
K-pop

Heo Chan of K-pop group Victon halts activities after DUI

Singer Heo Chan of Victon was caught drunk driving, Tuesday. Korea Times fileBy Lee Gyu-leeSinger Heo Chan, a member of K-pop boy band Victon, has temporarily been removed from the group's future activities after being investigated for drunk driving, the group's agency IST Entertainment said, Thursday.“Heo Chan was caught drunk driving by police while he was returning home on Tuesday morning after meeting his friend,” it said.The agency added that the 27-year-old singer is currently under investigation and is expected to face punishment, including his license getting revoked.“Heo is deeply regretting his action which should never have happened. He will halt both the group's and his solo activities from today on,” it said. The seven-piece group ― which consists of Han Seung-woo, Kang Seung-sik, Lim Se-jun, Do Han-se, Choi Byung-chan, Jung Su-bin and Heo ― will pick up their activities, including a fan concert scheduled next month, with five members. Han is currently on hiatus to serve his mandatory military service. Heo also apologized on social media Thursday

Sep 23, 2022By Lee Gyu-lee
Heo Chan of K-pop group Victon halts activities after DUI
Shows & Dramas

Star creator Kim Eun-hee's new series to star Kim Tae-ri, Oh Jung-se

Actors Kim Tae-ri, left, and Oh Jung-se will star in scriptwriter Kim Eun-hee's new series on SBS. Courtesy of Management mmm, PrainTPCBy Lee Gyu-leeFamous scriptwriter Kim Eun-hee, who is known for creating and writing Netflix series “Kingdom” and tvN series “Signal,” will be rolling out a new series, “Demon,” (literal translation) starring actors Kim Tae-ri and Oh Jung-se. The series' network, SBS, announced Wednesday that the two actors have been confirmed to play the leads in the series. The occult mystery thriller series will follow the story of a woman who is possessed by a demon and a man who chases after the truth behind deaths that are related to five sacred objects. Kim Tae-ri will play the woman, Ku San-young, who has been studying for a national exam to become a public servant for years. After she receives a belonging from her late father, she gets entangled in the mysterious deaths around her and finds herself turning into a different person. Oh will play Yeom Hae-sang, a professor of folklore who has the ability to see spirits and god

Sep 22, 2022By Lee Gyu-lee
Star creator Kim Eun-hee's new series to star Kim Tae-ri, Oh Jung-se
Shows & Dramas

INTERVIEW Park Hae-soo on creating his character in 'Narco-Saints,' 'Squid Game' success

Park Hae-soo plays the role of Choi Chang-ho in Netflix's new crime thriller series "Narco-Saints." Courtesy of NetflixPark plays undercover NIS agent in new Netflix seriesBy Lee Gyu-leeActor Park Hae-soo, who rose to prominence in Korea through the 2017 tvN series “Prison Playbook,” found global stardom last year with his role in Netflix's biggest hit series “Squid Game.” Taking on several of the platform's original series and films since then, the actor has recently played a National Intelligence Service (NIS) agent named Choi Chang-ho, who goes undercover as a businessman in the new crime thriller series “Narco-Saints.”“When I first got the script, it felt like a movie with a long saga. I got curious how they would bring it to life, and how they would depict (the story),” Park told The Korea Times in an interview held at a cafe in central Seoul, Tuesday. “Choi is a character that can show two different sides, which drew my interest.”Park Hae-soo / Courtesy of NetflixLed by filmmaker Yoon Jong-bin, who is known for the 201

Sep 21, 2022By Lee Gyu-lee
[INTERVIEW] Park Hae-soo on creating his character in 'Narco-Saints,' 'Squid Game' success
Shows & Dramas

Park Min-young to offer another rom-com with 'Love in Contract'

From left, actor Go Kyung-pyo, director Nam Sung-woo, actors Park Min-young and Kim Jae-young pose during an online press conference of tvN's new series, “Love in Contract,” Monday. Courtesy of tvNNew tvN series to show love triangle between contract marriage master, clientsBy Lee Gyu-lee Actress Park Min-young is set to present her second romantic comedy series this year since “Forecasting Love and Weather” in February, taking the lead in tvN's new series, “Love in Contract.”“My previous series, 'Forecasting Love and Weather,' was a workplace genre so I had very long lines and was under stress. That's when I came across this series' script and felt, 'I want to have fun and just enjoy filming.' I'm happy to be back on the set with such an environment,” the actress said during an online press conference for the series, Monday. “The concept (of the series) was really unique and I kept thinking about (the character) even when I was reviewing other projects. So I took it, feeling, 'I need to do this. It's mine,'” she said.Led by

Sep 20, 2022By Lee Gyu-lee
Park Min-young to offer another rom-com with 'Love in Contract'
Shows & Dramas

Lee Jong-suk, Lim Yoon-a attract viewers with thriller series 'Big Mouth'

Actor Lee Jong-suk plays lawyer Park Chang-ho in MBC's crime thriller series “Big Mouth,” which ended Saturday. Courtesy of MBCBy Lee Gyu-leeActor Lee Jong-suk has made a successful return to the small screen after over three years with the MBC crime thriller series “Big Mouth,” teaming up with actress Lim Yoon-a and reuniting with director Oh Choong-hwan, who directed him in the 2017 romance series "While You Were Sleeping." The 16-part series, which ended Saturday, follows struggling lawyer Park Chang-ho (Lee), who has a 10 percent win rate for cases. Known for his nickname “Big Mouth,” he gets caught up in a murder case and mistaken for a notorious mastermind and con artist known as Big Mouse. Caught in a dark, corrupt world, he tries to reveal the truth behind a huge conspiracy to save his family and his wife, Go Mi-ho (Lim).The series, which kicked off on July 29 with a 6.2 percent viewership rating, garnered popularity soon after its premiere with unexpected twists and the mystery of who Big Mouse really is. The ratings soon climbed, peaking

Sep 19, 2022By Lee Gyu-lee
Lee Jong-suk, Lim Yoon-a attract viewers with thriller series 'Big Mouth'
Shows & Dramas

'Squid Game' director shares Emmy win, drops hints for season 2

Netflix's “Squid Game” team poses during a press conference to celebrate the series' Emmy wins, held at a hotel in central Seoul, Friday. They are, from left, VFX supervisor Cheong Jai-hoon, production designer Chae Kyung-sun, actress Lee You-mi, director Hwang Dong-Hyuk, production company Siren Pictures CEO Kim Ji-Yeon, and stunt performers Lee Tae-young, Kim Cha-i and Shim Sang-min. YonhapBy Lee Gyu-leeNetflix's biggest hit series “Squid Game” may not have been the biggest winner of this year's Primetime Emmy Awards, yet it comes as a major milestone in the awards' history, clinching wins as a non-English series for the first time.“Saturday marks exactly one year since 'Squid Game' was released to the world. And I feel pleased and honored to have such a meaningful opportunity with these trophies, staff and actors. I will remember the journey of this past year for the rest of my life,” series creator and director Hwang Dong-hyuk said during a press conference to celebrate the series' Emmy wins, held at a hotel in central Seoul, Friday.During the

Sep 16, 2022By Lee Gyu-lee
'Squid Game' director shares Emmy win, drops hints for season 2
Shows & Dramas

INTERVIEW 'Narco-Saints' lead actor and director boast years-long friendship

Actor Ha Jung-woo plays the role of a businessman involved in a drug crime investigation in the Netflix new original series, “Narco-Saints.” Courtesy of NetflixYoon makes directorial debut for series with longtime friend HaBy Lee Gyu-leeActor Ha Jung-woo and director Yoon Jong-bin, who went to the same school, have had quite a long-term relationship both professionally and personally, getting their careers off the ground together with the film “The Unforgiven.” Director Yoon Jong-bin of the series “Narco-Saints” / Courtesy of NetflixPicking up their partnership as actor and director since the period film “Kundo: Age of the Rampant” (2014), the two have reunited for Netflix's new original series “Narco-Saints.”“There's no other director who had filmed me more than director Yoon. He knows my strengths and weaknesses. So he knows what would come out as convincing (in acting) and what wouldn't. It's like he has a user's manual of me,” Ha said in an interview with The Korea Times, held at a cafe in Jongno-gu, Seoul, T

Sep 16, 2022By Lee Gyu-lee
[INTERVIEW] 'Narco-Saints' lead actor and director boast years-long friendship
  • 'Narco-Saints' tests Korea's diplomatic ties with Suriname
previous page
124125126127128
next page

Top 5 stories

Korea Times
About Us
Introduction
History
Contact Us
Products & Services
Subscribe
E-paper
RSS Service
Content Sales
Site Map
Policy
Code of Ethics
Ombudsman
Privacy Policy
Youth Protection Policy
Terms of Service
Copyright Policy
Family Site
Hankookilbo
Dongwha Group
FacebookXYoutubeInstagram
CEO & Publisher: Oh Young-jinDigital News Email: webmaster@koreatimes.co.krTel: 02-724-2114Online newspaper registration No: 서울,아52844Date of registration: 2020.02.05Masthead: The Korea TimesCopyright © koreatimes.co.kr. All rights reserved.