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Park Jin-hai

Korea Times K-Culture Reporter

Park Jin-hai primarily focuses on K-dramas, entertainment shows and actor interviews. Beyond that, she also pens articles covering the broader arts scene, with a particular emphasis on classical music, dance and various aspects of lifestyle. Since joining The Korea Times in 2013, she has made significant contributions in the realms of hallyu (Korean wave), industry news and international affairs.

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Shows & Dramas

Park Min-young plays con artist in K-caper series 'Confidence Man KR'

Park Min-young, who proved her popularity overseas with last year's "Marry My Husband," is now setting her sights on the global stage, taking on the caper genre with a Korean twist in "Confidence Man KR," Amazon Prime Video’s first original series produced here. Premiering Saturday, the series is a Korean remake of the popular Japanese drama "Confidence Man JP." It casts Park in one of her most dynamic roles yet — Yoon Yi-rang, a brilliant con artist with an IQ of 165, placing her in the top 1 percent of the population. Armed with charisma and wit, Yi-rang leads audiences into a riveting tale of heists and clever trickery. "It's Amazon Prime's first original work in Korea, so I thought this is an opportunity I can't miss," she said during a press conference at Stanford Hotel in Sangam-dong, Mapo District, Seoul, Monday. "As an actor, I’ve always yearned for roles that are lively, vibrant and dynamic, with plenty of physical action. This role finally allowed me to lead and showcase even more energetic acting than before." Reflecting on her previous works, the 39-year-old contrasted

Sep 1, 2025By Park Jin-hai
Park Min-young plays con artist in K-caper series 'Confidence Man KR'
Shows & Dramas

Netflix’s ‘The Echoes of Survivors’ spurs global outrage over Korean tragedies

The Netflix documentary series "The Echoes of Survivors: Inside Korea's Tragedies," released on Aug. 15, continues to generate strong reactions from global audiences. While the first season "In the Name of God: A Holy Betrayal" released in 2023 focused on Jesus Morning Star (JMS) leader Jeong Myeong-seok and how JMS was able to exert influence across various parts of society, the second season provides a look "behind the scenes" of JMS. The documentary also covers some of the worst human rights abuses in modern Korean history, including the Brothers' Home in Busan, the Jijon gang serial murder case — a killing spree sparked by hatred of the wealthy — and the Sampoong Department Store collapse caused by poor construction, corruption and the negligence of supervisory agencies. The Brothers' Home scandal, highlighted in the opening episodes, has sparked intense public outrage. Once thought to be a government-run welfare center for the homeless in Busan from 1975 to 1987 under former military dictator Chun Doo-hwan, it was later revealed that innocent children were abducted, falsely lab

Sep 1, 2025By Park Jin-hai
Netflix’s ‘The Echoes of Survivors’ spurs global outrage over Korean tragedies
People & Events

Cho Chung-il redefines tradition with Korea’s largest hanok resort

Cho Chung-il, CEO of fintech company KONA I and founder of The Hanok Heritage, took an unconventional path from studying physics and building a tech empire to establishing one of Korea’s most ambitious luxury hanok resorts to showcase the country's traditional architecture. Driven by an appreciation for the architectural heritage he encountered during his travels across the globe, Cho turned his decades-long fascination with hanok into a real-world project. The result is a high-end resort in Yeongwol, Gangwon Province, that harmonizes timeless Korean aesthetics with modern spatial innovation. Reflecting on Korea’s urban landscape, where hanok are increasingly rare, Cho said he launched the project 13 years ago with the goal of building a “proper hanok.” “I made a living in digital technology all my life. But I believe digital is ultimately a copy of analog. Since human senses are analog, the more advanced the digital world becomes, the more people feel nostalgic for analog. That’s why I believed such analog cultural spaces would become important," Cho said during a Corea Ima

Aug 27, 2025By Park Jin-hai
Cho Chung-il redefines tradition with Korea’s largest hanok resort
Shows & Dramas

Lee Ha-nee depicts Korean actresses’ harsh reality in 1980s-set ‘Aema’

“Every project holds a special place in my heart, but with ‘Aema’ I felt a thrill — almost a sense of arrival — that such a work could finally emerge in our era,” actor Lee Ha-nee shared in a video interview with The Korea Times on Aug. 19. Netflix’s “Aema,” released on Aug. 22, is a drama set against the birth of the erotic film “Madame Aema,” which took Korea by storm in the 1980s. In the series, Lee plays top star Jung Hee-ran, who allies with a rookie actress to boldly confront the dark realities hidden beneath the dazzling spotlight. “It’s genuinely refreshing to live in a time where stories like this can be told with health, humor and even a touch of comedy, rather than simply confronting violence head-on. That joy is what drew me to the project,” she said. After Hee-ran boldly declared she would no longer appear in nude scenes, the studio sought to tighten its grip by relegating her to a supporting role in the film. Meanwhile, they launched an open audition to discover fresh talent, casting an ambitious newcomer Shin Ju-ae (Bang Hyo-rin) as the film’

Aug 27, 2025By Park Jin-hai
Lee Ha-nee depicts Korean actresses’ harsh reality in 1980s-set ‘Aema’
  • Intrigued by Netflix K-drama 'Aema'? 13 best 1980s Korean erotic films ranked
Shows & Dramas

What makes courtroom dramas so popular?

It is no exaggeration to say that television is flooded with courtroom dramas recently. JTBC’s drama "Beyond the Bar" is currently airing to strong popularity, following the recently concluded tvN drama "Law and the City" and SBS drama "Good Partner." In addition, "Pro Bono (tentative title)," written by a former judge, is scheduled to premiere on tvN later this year. But what makes them so popular? One common factor is that they were written by real-life legal professionals. Experts point out that the involvement of lawyers and judges lends courtroom dramas a level of authenticity that raises both their quality and credibility. "Beyond the Bar" is a work that embodies the authenticity of its writer, Park Mi-hyun, who herself is a former lawyer. The drama tells the story of junior attorney Kang Hyo-min (Jung Chae-yeon) and her growth into a full-fledged lawyer under the mentorship of partner lawyer Yoon Seok-hoon (Lee Jin-uk). Rather than focusing solely on victory or defeat, the characters look into the broken hearts of their clients, defend others from their wounds and ultimately con

Aug 23, 2025By Park Jin-hai
What makes courtroom dramas so popular?
Shows & Dramas

Daniel Dae Kim brings Korean heart to Amazon Prime spy series 'Butterfly'

American drama "Butterfly," from Amazon MGM Studios, was filmed entirely in Korea with a Korean production team, and stars Kim Tae-hee, Kim Ji-hoon and other veteran Korean actors alongside Hollywood talents. The series, poised for its Korean television premiere Friday after a successful Amazon Prime Video debut on Aug. 13, aims to showcase cultural harmony between the two countries. Executive producer and lead actor Daniel Dae Kim, who built his career and life in the U.S., said he always wanted to return to Korea to "put his own life experience into the show." "I wanted to talk about a lot of different things about what it felt like to be Asian American and, in Reina [Hardesty]'s case, half-Asian. I felt like the way to do that was to talk about an American character coming back to a place where he looks the same but isn't quite the same as everybody else," he said during a press conference for the show at Yongsan IPark Mall in Seoul Thursday. The narrative follows David Jung (Daniel Dae Kim), once a U.S. intelligence officer, who disappeared from the world by faking his death. Now, ye

Aug 21, 2025By Park Jin-hai
Daniel Dae Kim brings Korean heart to Amazon Prime spy series 'Butterfly'
Shows & Dramas

Disney+ bets big on 'Tempest' starring Jun Ji-hyun, Gang Dong-won

Top stars Jun Ji-hyun and Gang Dong-won teamed up with Korea’s most celebrated creators for Disney+’s most anticipated drama of the year, "Tempest." This blockbuster K-drama follows Mun-ju (Jun), a distinguished diplomat serving as Korean ambassador to the United Nations who sets out to uncover the truth behind an assassination attempt on a presidential candidate. By her side is San-ho (Gang), an enigmatic special agent without a nationality, assigned to protect her at all cost. Together, they are drawn into a sprawling conspiracy that threatens the Korean Peninsula. Adding further weight to the cast are Hollywood star John Cho and a lineup of veteran Korean actors including Kim Hae-sook and Park Hae-joon. Ahead of its highly awaited premiere on Sept. 10, Disney+ hosted a press event featuring the all-star creators for the original series. Carol Choi, executive vice president at Walt Disney Company APAC, described the project as “a high-stakes romance, a cross-genre series blending espionage, romance and action.” “'Tempest' is centered on a gripping storyline combined with a wor

Aug 20, 2025By Park Jin-hai
Disney+ bets big on 'Tempest' starring Jun Ji-hyun, Gang Dong-won
Trends

Asia Model Festival chair reflects on 20 years uniting Asia through fashion

Yang Eui-sig, a popular TV commercial model in the 1990s, became president of the Korea Model Association in 2006. Observing that actors, singers and comedians enjoyed the spotlight of annual awards shows while models had none, he set out to change that. After launching the Korea Model Awards that year, his vision went on to cross borders. With Japan and China involved, the award ceremony transformed into the Asia Model Festival. Today, it has become one of the world’s largest fashion and cultural platforms, with 27 Asian countries represented under one spotlight. “Asian models who came to Korea 20 years ago have become leaders in their own countries and are now leading Asia. I can proudly say that such a huge platform was built,” Yang said during an interview with The Korea Times at his headquarters in southern Seoul, Aug. 11. Not limited to just an awards ceremony, the event first kicked off with an opening fashion show by the late Andre Kim, then Korea’s most famous fashion designer, and has since grown into a launching pad for top designers, emerging talents and aspiring mod

Aug 20, 2025By Park Jin-hai
Asia Model Festival chair reflects on 20 years uniting Asia through fashion
Shows & Dramas

Yoona time-travels from Michelin kitchen to Joseon royal court in new tvN drama

A modern French chef is suddenly whisked back in time to the royal court of Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910), where she has to work in the kitchen of a very demanding king. That’s the premise of tvN’s new historical fantasy drama “Bon Appetit, Your Majesty.” In the series, Lim Yoon-a, also known as Yoona of Girls’ Generation, takes on the role of the French chef who, on the verge of becoming the head chef of a three-star Michelin restaurant, finds herself transported to a bygone era. “I didn’t hesitate for a moment to join, knowing I’d work with director Jang Tae-yoo. The world of cooking captivated me deeply, but what truly resonated was the character’s spirit — undaunted and hopeful, she bravely forges new paths and relentlessly pursues her dreams, even as she’s thrust into an unfamiliar era after traveling back in time," Lim said during a press conference for the drama at D-Cube City in Guro District, Seoul, Tuesday. There, she combines sophisticated modern cooking techniques with the traditions of royal Korean cuisine, crafting fusion dishes that no one has ever seen

Aug 19, 2025By Park Jin-hai
Yoona time-travels from Michelin kitchen to Joseon royal court in new tvN drama
Shows & Dramas

Netflix series 'Aema' revisits Korea's legendary erotic film of 1980s

“Madame Aema,” the 1982 film widely regarded as the beginning of Korea’s erotic cinema boom in the 1980s, has been reimagined for the 21st century. During the military regime of Chun Doo-hwan, the government implemented the so-called “3S Policy” — screen, sports and sex — aimed at pacifying the public and diverting attention away from politics, which created the conditions for a rapid boom in the erotic film industry. The Netflix drama “Aema,” to be released Friday, tells the fraught journey of top star Hee-ran (Lee Ha-nee) and rookie actor Joo-ae (Bang Hyo-rin), who bravely confront the dark realities hidden behind the dazzling spotlight of that time in the process of bringing “Madame Aema” to life. “In the early 1980s, erotic films were actively encouraged and produced as a matter of policy. Ironically, there was also strict censorship and rampant cuts, meaning there was virtually no freedom of expression. By revisiting this irony from today’s perspective, I thought I could reinterpret it in 2025 and explore its meaning in a way that delivers a new message,

Aug 18, 2025By Park Jin-hai
Netflix series 'Aema' revisits Korea's legendary erotic film of 1980s
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