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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.

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Shows & Dramas

Star filmmaker Yeon Sang-ho to bring occult melodrama 'Monstrous' to small screen

From left, director Jang Kun-jae, scriptwriters Ryu Yong-jae and Yeon Sang-ho and actors Koo Gyo-hwan, Shin Hyun-bin, Kim Ji-young and Kwak Dong-yeon pose during an online press conference for the Tving original series “Monstrous,” Friday. Courtesy of TvingBy Lee Gyu-leeFilmmaker Yeon Sang-ho, who is known for the hit apocalypse series “Train To Busan” (2016) and Netflix's dystopian fantasy series “Hellbound,” is set to offer up his new project as a creator and scriptwriter of the new occult, romance series “Monstrous.”“When I started to develop 'Monstrous,' I wanted to write something in the genre of melodrama. I thought I didn't want to write anything with horror and said (the series) is going to be about a melodramatic story of a married couple,” Yeon said during an online press conference for the series, Friday. “Then, I started to add in occult-genre elements to make the story more interesting and added some crows. So it came out not so much different from my previous works. However, it still has a melodramatic st

Apr 23, 2022By Lee Gyu-lee
Star filmmaker Yeon Sang-ho to bring occult melodrama 'Monstrous' to small screen
Shows & Dramas

Rom-com series 'Shooting Star' to portray life of celebrity PR agent

Actors Lee Sung-kyung, left, and Kim Young-dae pose during a press conference for tvN's new series “Shooting Star,” Wednesday. Courtesy of tvN By Lee Gyu-leeActress Lee Sung-kyung has made a comeback to the small screen for the first time in two years with the new tvN romantic comedy series “Shooting Star,” portraying the life of a celebrity PR agent.“When I first read the script for 'Shooting Star,' I felt that it was exploring the real stories of the entertainment industry,” she said during a press conference for the series, Wednesday. “(The story) had realistic struggles and events of the industry that I could empathize with.”The series, which started on Friday, revolves around a romance between Oh Han-byul (Lee) who leads the PR team at an entertainment agency, and the company's top-tier actor Gong Tae-sung (Kim Young-dae). Han-byul is a talented agent with excellent PR skills, who knows her way around words. Her job is to make the agency's stars shine, includin

Apr 22, 2022By Lee Gyu-lee
Rom-com series 'Shooting Star' to portray life of celebrity PR agent
Shows & Dramas

'Extracurricular' star turns into badminton player in new series 'Love All Play'

From left, director Cho Woong and actors Park Ju-hyun and Chae Jong-hyeop pose during a press conference for KBS' new series, “Love All Play,” Seoul, Wednesday. Courtesy of KBSBy Lee Gyu-leeActress Park Ju-hyun, who became known to overseas audiences through Netflix's crime series, “Extracurricular,” has taken the role of a badminton player, Park Tae-yang, in KBS' new sports series, “Love All Play,” which premiered on Wednesday. “Sports is everything for Park Tae-yang. She lives for badminton like her world revolves around it,” the actress said during an online press conference for the series on the day. Led by director Cho Woong, whose previous work includes the 2017 family drama, “My Father Is Strange,” and the 2019 legal series, “Justice,” the series follows the romance and life of two badminton players ― Park Tae-yang (Park) and Park Tae-joon (Chae Jong-hyeop) ― who are complete opposites. Tae-yang is a passionate athlete who used to be one of the most sought-after badminton players. After taking a break from

Apr 21, 2022By Lee Gyu-lee
'Extracurricular' star turns into badminton player in new series 'Love All Play'
Trends

INTERVIEW Equal Table CEO strives to create bridge for refugees settling in Korea

Mun Jun-suk, left, poses with one of the barista trainees at Naeil Coffee cafe in Seoul in this 2015 photo. Courtesy of Equal TableSocial startup head seeks to support refugees and fight climate change through low-carbon coffeeBy Lee Gyu-leeLiving in a foreign country can be tough, especially when one has been forced out of their own country amidst difficult circumstances, and must find a new place to call home as a refugee. To help refugees put down roots in Korea, Mun Jun-suk, the founder and CEO of social startup Equal Table, has been striving to step in and create bridges for refugees to integrate into Korean society. The CEO used to run a cafe called Naeil Coffee to help refugees from Africa pursue careers as baristas here. After running it for about six years, he is set to carry on his purpose under a new startup, Equal Table, while adding on another goal of sustainable coffee consumption.“Our goal is to make a sustainable culture. Refugees are living here with us and if we exclude them from our communities and discriminate against them, it's not going to have a positive

Apr 20, 2022By Lee Gyu-lee
[INTERVIEW] Equal Table CEO strives to create bridge for refugees settling in Korea
K-pop

BTS' Jimin, Ha Sung-woon collaborate on song for tvN's 'Our Blues'

BTS' Jimin, left, and singer Ha Sung-woon will release a new song to be featured in the soundtrack for the tvN series "Our Blues." Courtesy of HYBE, BPM EntertainmentBy Lee Gyu-leeJimin of BTS and singer Ha Sung-woon have collaborated on a song to be featured in the soundtrack of the star-studded new tvN series “Our Blues.” Nyam Nyam Entertainment, the label responsible for producing the series' soundtrack, announced Tuesday that the two have joined hands to release a new song, although its title has yet to be revealed.“Jimin's soft vocal tone and Ha's attractive, engaging tone are weaved together in this song and their harmony made it even more beautiful,” the label said in a release. The song is produced by Song Dong-woon who previously composed music for hit series such as Ailee's “I Will Go to You Like the First Snow” and Crush's “Beautiful” from the 2016 fantasy series “Goblin: The Lonely and Great God.”“I've gone through countless songs to find the one that suits Jimin and Ha Sung-woon's voices and 'Our Blues,' a

Apr 19, 2022By Lee Gyu-lee
BTS' Jimin, Ha Sung-woon collaborate on song for tvN's 'Our Blues'
Entertainment

Networks, film distributors enter NFT market

A poster, left, and pictures of generative NFT artwork for the action movie, “Special Cargo” / Courtesy of NEWBy Lee Gyu-leeTV networks and film companies are dipping their feet into the non-fungible token (NFT) market, offering blockchain-based digital assets of their content. Broadcaster MBC is holding NFT exhibitions of its hit variety show, “Infinite Challenge.” Courtesy of MBCBroadcaster MBC signed a memorandum of understanding with a local digital entertainment company, Sandbox Network, on April 12 to join hands to expand their NFT and metaverse businesses. The broadcaster said that it will work with the entertainment company to develop a new business model using blockchain technology for audiences around the world to enjoy MBC's original content. “This year, using MBC's high-quality content and Sandbox Network's technology, we will be presenting a new global business model that combines the metaverse and NFTs,” said Park Jae-hoon, the head of the business strategy division at MBC. MBC is one of the first broadcasters to enter the NFT market,

Apr 19, 2022By Lee Gyu-lee
Networks, film distributors enter NFT market
Books

'Pachinko' becomes local best-selling book

The novel “Pachinko" topped the best-selling list of Kyobo Book Center. Korea Times fileBy Lee Gyu-leeThe novel “Pachinko” has become the best-selling book in Korea about four years after its release in the country, as its live-action adaptation on Apple TV+ has been gaining popularity.The book, written by Korean American novelist Min Jin Lee, has topped the weekly bestsellers list for its second week in April. It soared to the top from the fifth spot on the list last week. The Korean-translated version of the book, which came out in March 2018, regained attention following the release of Apple TV+'s original series of the same name. Sales for the two-part book surged drastically by about 15 times last month compared to the same period last year, according to the local online bookstore Aladdin.Despite its growing sale, the book's publisher, Munhak Sasangsa, halted the sales of both volumes of the books Tuesday, saying it may not keep up with the demand for the book in time for publishing contract renewal with the author. It said that the current publishing contract

Apr 18, 2022By Lee Gyu-lee
'Pachinko' becomes local best-selling book
Shows & Dramas

President-elect's 'You Quiz' appearance divides viewers

President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol will star in the upcoming episode of tvN's talk show, “You Quiz on the Block.” Joint Press CorpsBy Lee Gyu-lee President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol's scheduled appearance on the popular TV talk show, “You Quiz on the Block,” has divided its viewers, irking many for inviting the powerful politician onto the show. A poster for the show, “You Quiz on the Block" / Courtesy of tvNThe show's network, tvN, announced recently that Yoon filmed the show with its hosts, Yoo Jae-suk and Jo Se-ho, on Wednesday and will feature in the upcoming episode to air on April 20. The talk show started off with a format where the hosts walk around different neighborhoods to invite random people on the streets for a casual conversation. But that format changed to feature guests from different backgrounds to share their stories after such random meetings with citizens became difficult due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Various guests have been on the show, ranging from big-name stars, like Youn Yuh-jung and Lee Jung-jae, to those who have unique professions, lik

Apr 17, 2022By Lee Gyu-lee
President-elect's 'You Quiz' appearance divides viewers
Shows & Dramas

Seolhyun offers glimpse of her character in 'The Killer's Shopping List'

Kim Seol-hyun plays the role of Do Ah-hee in tvN's upcoming series “The Killer's Shopping List.” Courtesy of tvN By Lee Gyu-leeActor and singer Kim Seol-hyun, who is also known as Seolhyun from K-pop girl group AOA, spoke about her role as police officer Do Ah-hee in tvN's upcoming series, “The Killer's Shopping List.”“I was drawn to the character of Do Ah-hee as she is a professional at her job and has the admirable objective of watching over the town and protecting her boyfriend Ahn Dae-seong,” Kim said.Based on the mystery novel of the same name by writer Kang Ji-young, the whodunit comedy series follows a mysterious murder case that occurs near a store called MS Mart. Ahn Dae-sung (Lee Kwang-soo), the son of the market's owner, works as a part-time cashier. He excels at his job as he has an excellent memory and is good with numbers. When one of the store's receipts shows up at the crime scene of the murder, he teams up with his mom and his girlfriend, Do Ah-hee

Apr 14, 2022By Lee Gyu-lee
Seolhyun offers glimpse of her character in 'The Killer's Shopping List'
Shows & Dramas

EXO's D.O., Lee Se-hee to co-star in new series

Actors Do Kyung-soo, left, and Lee Se-hee will star in KBS' upcoming series, “Prosecutor Jin's Victory” (literal translation). Courtesy of SM Entertainment, Family EntertainmentBy Lee Gyu-leeActors Do Kyung-soo, who is also known as D.O. of K-pop boy group EXO, and Lee Se-hee, will be taking the lead in KBS' upcoming series, “Prosecutor Jin's Victory” (literal translation from Korean). The new series, set to go on the air in the latter half of this year, will revolve around bad-mannered, rowdy prosecutor Jin Jung (Do) using unorthodox and illegitimate ways to put corrupted powers to justice. It will be led by director Kim Sung-ho, who directed Netflix's heartfelt series, “Move To Heaven” (2021), and will be scripted by Im Young-bin, who co-scripted JTBC's action series, “Sketch” (2018).Lee will play the character of a prosecutor, Shin Ah-ra, who is cool-headed and has a strong reputation for being professional. Although Ah-ra is completely the opposite of Jung, she takes great care and looks out for him. This series will be Do's first T

Apr 14, 2022By Lee Gyu-lee
EXO's D.O., Lee Se-hee to co-star in new series
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