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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

Spirits, survival shows and saju: Korea's unlikely shamanism entertainment boom

Kim Ji-eun, 35, starts her morning with a ritual — asking ChatGPT for her daily fortune. “I used to visit a fortune teller for the New Year or when I had worries, but now I just ask ChatGPT,” she told The Korea Times. “I tried it once for fun and the result was surprisingly similar to what I’d heard at a fortune teller’s, so now I ask about things like money problems or whether my boyfriend and I are a good match. It’s not like I trust it completely, but I don’t think it hurts to be a bit more careful.” She also watches the Disney+ show "Battle of Fates," a shamanism-themed competition show that has left her with goose bumps. "Watching these so-called Gen MZ (Millennials and Gen Z) shamans casually deliver ‘messages from the gods’ was actually fun and all the different ways they tried to read people’s fates were fascinating. I didn’t even know foot reading was a thing, and seeing them pick out a homeless person just by looking at someone’s feet was really shocking," she said. Kim is far from alone. Shamanism-themed content is surging in popularity among younge

Mar 4, 2026By Park Jin-hai
Spirits, survival shows and saju: Korea's unlikely shamanism entertainment boom
Shows & Dramas

Kim Soo‑hyun’s return on horizon? Disney+ reconsiders fate of 'Knock-Off'

Signs are emerging that actor Kim Soo-hyun may be gearing up for a return to the spotlight after a hiatus prompted by controversy over his private life. Discussions have reportedly resumed about scheduling “Knock-Off,” a Disney+ original series that has been shelved for nearly a year, raising speculation about the actor’s potential comeback. Kim’s legal representative Kho Sang-rock shared a news report on Feb. 28 on Instagram noting that Disney+ is reconsidering the release schedule for “Knock-Off” as part of its lineup restructuring for the first half of 2026. “The report is likely to be true,” Kho commented, adopting a cautious stance. The statement followed a report from The Fair News, which claimed that Disney+ is coordinating a first-half release for “Knock-Off” as part of its content revamp. The series had been indefinitely postponed after allegations emerged last year that Kim had been romantically involved with the late actress Kim Sae-ron while she was still a minor. Kim’s side strongly denied the claim, stating the relationship began only after both were

Mar 2, 2026By Park Jin-hai
Kim Soo‑hyun’s return on horizon? Disney+ reconsiders fate of 'Knock-Off'
Travel & Food

Korea to launch ‘half‑price travel’ scheme to revitalize rural tourism

The Korean government is launching a “half-price travel” initiative that reimburses half of travelers’ expenses when they visit designated rural regions facing population decline. Starting in April, visitors to 16 selected localities will receive 50 percent of their travel costs back in the form of mobile regional gift certificates. The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism recently announced that, together with the Korea Tourism Organization, it has chosen 16 local governments to participate in a pilot travel project, running from April to June. The selected areas are PyeongChang, Yeongwol and Hoengseong in Gangwon Province; Jecheon in North Chungcheong; Gochang in North Jeolla; Gangjin, Yeonggwang, Haenam, Goheung, Wando and Yeongam in South Jeolla; and Miryang, Hadong, Hapcheon, Geochang and Namhae in South Gyeongsang. Any Korean citizen aged 18 or older can apply in advance by submitting a travel plan to a participating municipality. After completing the trip, travelers may claim reimbursement by providing receipts and proof of expenditure. Upon approval, half of the verified

Mar 1, 2026By Park Jin-hai
Korea to launch ‘half‑price travel’ scheme to revitalize rural tourism
Shows & Dramas

K-drama classic 'Winter Sonata' returns to Japan 24 years after debut

"Winter Sonata," the Korean drama that first sparked the Korean wave in Japan, is returning to the big screen Friday. According to Japanese media outlets including Sports Hochi, the production team has reedited the 1,400‑minute TV series into a two‑hour 4K remastered film. Originally aired on KBS in 2002, the drama, starring Bae Yong‑joon and Choi Ji‑woo, captivated audiences with its wistful tale of first love, recording an average viewership rating of 23.1 percent. When NHK broadcast the series in Japan the following year, it swept the nation and came to symbolize the beginning of Japan’s fervor for Korean pop culture. Its lead actor Bae — affectionately called “Yonsama” by Japanese fans — became an icon of that era and a defining face of the early Korean wave boom. At a special preview event in Tokyo, director Yoon Seok‑ho described "Winter Sonata" as “a story about reclaiming the memory of one’s first love,” adding, “Just as viewers were able to rediscover those emotions twenty years ago, I hope the film once again evokes that feeling.” Misato Tanaka, the

Mar 1, 2026By Park Jin-hai
K-drama classic 'Winter Sonata' returns to Japan 24 years after debut
Shows & Dramas

BLACKPINK’s Jisoo explores virtual dating in 'Boyfriend on Demand'

Undeterred by criticism of her previous acting, BLACKPINK’s Jisoo now has her eyes set on rom-com queen status in the upcoming Netflix series “Boyfriend on Demand.” The singer-actress will portray Mi-rae, an exhausted webtoon producer who finds escape in a mysterious app that delivers a custom-fit heartthrob boyfriend each month to tend to her emotional needs. “Virtual reality didn’t feel like a distant future, and my character, Mi-rae, is about my age too. I chose this project because I could really relate myself to the way Mi-rae wrestles with her worries and works through them,” the actor saud during a press conference for the show at JW Marriott Dongdaemun Square Seoul, Thursday. The virtual dating subscription in the show delivers 900 themed dates at the slip of a simple device, letting anyone dive into risk-free romance, hitting home for today’s burned-out people, where even dating feels like just another grind. “As a total homebody, when I saw the device, I immediately thought, ‘You could travel through all kinds of worlds without ever leaving your house,’ and

Feb 26, 2026By Park Jin-hai
BLACKPINK’s Jisoo explores virtual dating in 'Boyfriend on Demand'
Shows & Dramas

'The Art of Sarah' exposes Korea's luxury obsession

"The Art of Sarah" cuts through Korea's luxury obsession with the precision of a scalpel. The Netflix mystery thriller, starring Shin Hye-sun, follows a woman who transforms her personal ruin into an audacious counterfeit empire — and in doing so, holds a mirror up to a society that willingly conflates desire with identity. From the first episode, Sarah Kim (Shin) signals her ambitions visually. She carries a crocodile leather Hermes Birkin bag valued between 90 and 120 million won ($63,000 to $84,000) — one of the rarest bags on the market — alongside a Dior limited-edition piece, one of only 150 released worldwide in 2017. The visual language vividly sets luxury as armor, argument and identity. The drama then rewinds to Mok Ga-hui, another of Kim's identities, who toils endlessly at a department store luxury counter without even time for bathroom breaks until a theft leaves her saddled with 50 million won in debt. She spirals into illegal reselling, loan shark traps and hostess gigs. Unable to change reality, she instead changes her identity to the fictional "Sarah Kim" and lau

Feb 26, 2026By Park Jin-hai
'The Art of Sarah' exposes Korea's luxury obsession
Shows & Dramas

Kim Tae-ri leads rural drama club in heartfelt new reality show

In tvN’s upcoming variety show “Curtain Up, Class!,” actor Kim Tae-ri, best known for her roles in “The Handmaiden” (2016) and “Jeongnyeon: The Star Is Born” (2024), takes on a new challenge as she leads a drama club at an elementary school on the brink of closure. Reflecting on her first fixed role in a variety program, Kim admitted with a laugh, “It was tougher than filming any drama I’ve done,” during an online press conference for the program on Friday. “What drew me in were the keywords: theater, elementary school and a small rural village. They just spoke to me,” she recalled. “At first, I felt this small flutter of excitement, wondering what kind of joys and discoveries I might find there. But midway through filming, the Korean title was suddenly changed from ‘After-school Theater Club’ to ‘Teacher Tae-ri’, and I trembled as I protested, ‘No, you can’t!’” she said, laughing. “Of course there was personal pressure, but honestly, I couldn’t have endured without the other teachers. So while having my name in the title felt overwhelming,

Feb 20, 2026By Park Jin-hai
Kim Tae-ri leads rural drama club in heartfelt new reality show
Shows & Dramas

Yoo Jae-suk's travel show returns with 'no apps' experiment in Europe

What happens when Korea’s most seasoned variety star is stripped of Google Maps, booking apps and online searches for traveling? In “Punghyanggo” Season 2, Yoo Jae-suk and his cast are allowed to use only their phones’ call and camera functions — everything else is disabled. That single rule turns the travel series into an unexpectedly fresh experiment in analog adventure in an increasingly digital era. True to its title, which loosely means “going wherever the wind takes you” in Korean, the show embraces spontaneity over strategy. After heading to Vietnam in 2024 for its first season, the team now travels to Austria and Hungary, once again without reservations or pre-planned itineraries. Instead of relying on search engines, they carry printed booklets and navigate by instinct. Their unplanned, reservation-free journey brings viewers a rare sense of spontaneity and rediscovery in travel as “Punghyanggo” offers something in contrast to today’s hyper-organized trips — the messy, uncertain joy of getting lost and finding your way again. The four members — Yoo, Lee

Feb 20, 2026By Park Jin-hai
Yoo Jae-suk's travel show returns with 'no apps' experiment in Europe
Travel & Food

Jilli SF turns makgeolli into Bay Area’s trendiest drink

SAN FRANCISCO — Jeong Hwang-hah, the young owner of Jilli SF, is bringing makgeolli — Korea’s centuries-old rice alcohol — to the heart of the Bay Area, bridging her background in tech with the rising popularity of Korean drinking culture in the United States. After spending years in the tech industry as a user interaction designer for Airbnb and several artificial intelligence (AI) companies, the 28-year-old made a shift to hospitality this year to launch Jilli SF, a San Francisco outpost of the popular Korean-inspired bar in Los Angeles. Her motivation was a deep love for Korean culture and a vision to create a communal space for food, drink and connection in the U.S. “I want Jilli SF to be seen as a Korean modern 'suljib,' but for everyone,” Jeong told The Korea Times. “I hope this place feels like a friend’s home — somewhere you can drop by after work, even alone, and instantly feel at ease. Familiar, yet new.” After years designing interfaces and AI products, Jeong felt everything online was starting to blur together and realized people were yearning for experien

Nov 6, 2025By Park Jin-hai
Jilli SF turns makgeolli into Bay Area’s trendiest drink
Shows & Dramas

Romance reality show ‘Real Love Lab: Poison Apple’ returns with extra-spicy flair

SBS Plus’ romance reality show “Real Love Lab: Poison Apple,” which drew controversy with its first season last year, is returning with an even more provocative and daring twist. Season 2, which will be released on Saturday, is expected to feature a format where a real-life couple is tested by a so-called “Apple Girl” who secretly tries to flirt with the male partner, all observed in real time via hidden camera. The show’s first season won positive reviews for its honest portrayal of Gen Z’s dating psychology and real relationship issues. However, its blend of candid emotional moments and physical intimacy has fueled debate over alleged staging — some viewers questioned if the situations and reactions were truly real — as well as concerns over provocative images and the privacy of male partners. Despite, or perhaps due to, these controversies, the show’s viewership and public profile have only climbed. Season 1 proved its popularity by staying in the Top 20 trending rankings on local streaming platform Coupang Play for eight weeks, while multiple short-form clips sur

Oct 31, 2025By Park Jin-hai
Romance reality show ‘Real Love Lab: Poison Apple’ returns with extra-spicy flair
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