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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

Netflix's 'Physical: Asia' offers Olympic‑style battle of nations

Netflix’s Korean original reality series “Physical: 100” has evolved into a global franchise with the launch of its first international spinoff, “Physical: Asia,” premiering Oct. 28. Following the two record-breaking seasons, this new edition expands the show’s universe into a nation-versus-nation showdown of sheer power, endurance and pride. Described by creator and director Jang Ho‑gi as an “Olympic‑style competition you’ll only see on Netflix,” “Physical: Asia” brings together 48 athletes from eight countries — Korea, Japan, Thailand, Mongolia, Turkey, Indonesia, Australia and the Philippines — battling under their national flag in six‑member teams. The series assembles a lineup of sporting legends, including Filipino boxing hero Manny Pacquiao and former UFC champion Robert Whittaker from Australia, alongside Olympic medalists and champions from wrestling, ssireum (traditional Korean wrestling), Muay Thai and other sports. “When I first got the call, I was really excited and thrilled to be chosen. After meeting with the producers, I decide

Oct 24, 2025By Park Jin-hai
Netflix's 'Physical: Asia' offers Olympic‑style battle of nations
People & Events

Why mobile game icon Kwon Joon-mo turned to meditation

Kwon Joon-mo, former CEO of Nexon and chairperson of mobile game developer Four Thirty Three, hosted a meditation class on Tuesday, joined by some 20 Korean and international dignitaries. Organized as part of the Corea Image Communication Institute (CICI)'s monthly CQ Forum, the psychology professor-turned-entrepreneur said he has practiced meditation for over a decade, describing himself as a long-time believer in its healing power. Kwon invited singing bowl meditation instructor Lee Ju-hyun to lead the session using singing bowls of various shapes, sizes and materials, as well as a Koshi chime, making the vibrations of each sound resonate with the listeners’ bodies. Two years ago, Kwon founded a multi-purpose cultural space, Prajna, in central Seoul. The name is derived from the Sanskrit word for “great wisdom.” “Great wisdom is when the mind becomes clear. When the mind is clear, it feels calm and at peace. This is a place where people can experience that clarity and tranquility of mind,” he said. Kwon hopes to invite young people to experience the space, to help in "creating

Oct 22, 2025By Park Jin-hai
Why mobile game icon Kwon Joon-mo turned to meditation
Shows & Dramas

Tving taps HBO Max to take K-dramas across Asia-Pacific

CJ ENM’s homegrown streaming platform Tving announced a full-scale expansion into 17 Asia-Pacific markets last week, through a strategic partnership with global media giant Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD). Under the agreement, Tving will launch a dedicated branded section within WBD’s streaming service HBO Max, available across regions including Southeast Asia, Taiwan and Hong Kong by early next year. Ahead of the official rollout, a set of prerelease titles — including the highly anticipated thriller romance "Dear X" starring Kim Yoo-jung and Kim Young-dae — will premiere in November in select territories. Industry watchers see this move a “win-win” for both players. “In Tving’s case, with Netflix dominating the global market, it needed a partner to go international; and for HBO Max, to expand its market share in Asia, it inevitably has to rely on the strong demand for K-content,” Jung Han, CEO of K EnterTech Hub and an adviser to KOCOWA, the overseas counterpart of Korean streaming platform Wavve, said. Tving can leverage HBO Max’s extensive distribution network across

Oct 22, 2025By Park Jin-hai
Tving taps HBO Max to take K-dramas across Asia-Pacific
Books

Actor Park Joong-hoon publishes essay book celebrating 40 years since his debut

Actor and director Park Joong-hoon, marking the 40th anniversary of his debut, will publish an essay collection, with a title that translates to “No Regrets,” on Oct. 29. According to Sayuwagonggam Publishers, “No Regrets” recounts Park’s four decades on screen, reflecting on both the hardships and triumphs that shaped his career. Throughout the book, Park shares how his guiding principle — reflect, but never regret — has influenced his journey to becoming a “national actor,” a status reserved for Korea’s most beloved performers. “Years ago, after writing a newspaper column, I received multiple offers to publish a book. Back then, I didn’t feel confident enough to write one. I used to think I would try when I turned 60, but this year I felt compelled to write. So I spent that entire summer tucked away at the foot of Daegwallyeong, writing,” he shared. Debuting in 1986 with the film “Kam-Bo,” Park went on to star in a long list of hits, including “Springtime of Mimi and Cheol-Su” (1987), “Chilsu and Mansu” (1988), “Don Quixote on Asphalt,” (1988)

Oct 17, 2025By Park Jin-hai
Actor Park Joong-hoon publishes essay book celebrating 40 years since his debut
Shows & Dramas

‘Itaewon Class’ to be remade in Philippines, Vietnam

JTBC’s hit drama “Itaewon Class” will be remade for audiences in the Philippines and Vietnam. The adaptation rights were recently sold, confirming that local production teams in both countries will bring new versions of the series to life. Attention is now focused on who will fill the role of Park Saeroyi — the character originally portrayed by Park Seo-joon — as casting decisions for the Philippine and Vietnamese remakes become a topic of anticipation and speculation. Based on Kakao Entertainment’s widely popular webcomic of the same name, “Itaewon Class” follows Park Saeroyi, whose life undergoes a dramatic shift after he is expelled from school for punching a bully and rich heir, Jang Geun-won (Ahn Bo-hyun). Following the death of his father, Park opens a restaurant in the popular Itaewon neighborhood, going head-to-head against the Jang family’s big food company. Premiering in January 2020, “Itaewon Class” rapidly captured viewers’ attention, starting with a 5 percent viewership rating (Nielsen Korea) and ending its 16-episode run with a peak rating of 16.5 pe

Oct 17, 2025By Park Jin-hai
‘Itaewon Class’ to be remade in Philippines, Vietnam
Shows & Dramas

Rowoon sheds pretty-boy image for gritty role in ‘The Murky Stream’

Disney+’s first Korean period drama, “The Murky Stream,” throws Rowoon into a completely unexpected transformation. Instead of the pretty-boy looks he’s known for, he’s covered in soot, sporting ragged clothes and an unruly beard — almost unrecognizable as he steps into the role of a rogue during the Joseon era (1392-1910). The singer-turned-actor, who first rose to fame with K-pop boy group SF9, deliberately sheds his polished persona this time. In fact, director Choo Chang-min reportedly set out to “strip Rowoon of his biggest asset — his handsomeness.” True to his word, Rowoon tosses aside his refined image for a downtrodden underclass figure and delivers a performance marked by raw emotion and the pain of family tragedy. “At first, some people didn’t recognize me. I realized that since I’ve mostly done romantic comedies, they probably expected something like that — so my new image must’ve surprised them. But the fans actually said it suited me well and I thought so too," he said during an interview with The Korea Times at a cafe in Seoul Wednesday. Asked if

Oct 15, 2025By Park Jin-hai
Rowoon sheds pretty-boy image for gritty role in ‘The Murky Stream’
Shows & Dramas

From cassette tapes to bus conductors, retro K-dramas tap into Gen Z's love for nostalgia

Retro fever is sweeping Korea's television screens, bringing back the sights and sounds of an era defined by pagers, cassette tapes and neon-lit dance battles. The new tvN series "Typhoon Family," debuted Saturday, has been getting extra attention for its meticulous recreation of the 1990s zeitgeist. The drama’s opening sequence draws viewers straight into the heart of 1990s Seoul. On one side of the city, the camera pans across the busy offices of Typhoon Trading, a medium-sized firm nestled in Euljiro, where employees hustle through another long workday. On the other, just across the river in Apgujeong, outside a buzzing nightclub, a group of flashy young trendsetters — known as the “Orange Tribe,” affluent 20-somethings from Seoul’s upscale Gangnam District — pose for TV interviews, exuding the glamour and excess that defined their time. Enhancing the time-capsule effect, the sequence even re-creates the broadcast captions used on 1990s Korean television. As the story unfolds, characters interact with the era’s everyday essentials — pagers, outgoing-call-only “city p

Oct 15, 2025By Park Jin-hai
From cassette tapes to bus conductors, retro K-dramas tap into Gen Z's love for nostalgia
Shows & Dramas

Kim Woo-bin on transforming into cynical genie in 'Genie, Make a Wish'

In "Genie, Make a Wish," Kim Woo-bin trades his signature cool charisma to become a jaded genie who no longer believes in humanity. Behind that magical transformation is Kim Eun-sook, who penned the drama. Reuniting with the “Midas touch” writer for a third time after “A Gentleman’s Dignity” (2012) and “The Heirs” (2013), the model-turned-actor shared that the star screenwriter personally offered him the role, calling her script “a knockout.” “When I read her script for ‘A Gentleman’s Dignity,’ I could immediately sense the purpose behind every scene. It was as if our minds were wired the same way,” Kim said as he recalled his first project with the writer during an interview with The Korea Times at a cafe in Seoul, Monday. “While I was acting, she told me, ‘You seem to know exactly why I wrote this scene, and you bring it to life just as I imagined.’ That made performing more comfortable for me, and because she really got where I was coming from, she could write scenes that suited me perfectly. I felt supported throughout, and truly enjoyed bringing th

Oct 13, 2025By Park Jin-hai
Kim Woo-bin on transforming into cynical genie in 'Genie, Make a Wish'
  • Despite rocky start, ‘Genie, Make a Wish’ finally hits its stride
Shows & Dramas

Despite rocky start, ‘Genie, Make a Wish’ finally hits its stride

“Genie, Make a Wish” stepped onto Netflix’s global stage in October as one of the most buzzed-about Korean dramas of 2025. Penned by genre-defying screenwriter Kim Eun-sook, best known for a series of megahits including “The Glory” (2022), “Guardian: The Lonely and Great God” (2016) and “Mr. Sunshine” (2018), and featuring K-drama icons Kim Woo-bin and Suzy, the series is a glittering cocktail of mythology, moral dilemmas and rom-com chaos. Actor Kim transforms into Genie, a mythical being also known as Iblis, who has long abandoned his magic — until fate entangles him with Ka-young (Suzy), a woman with an antisocial disorder, incapable of ordinary human emotions. However, even before its release, the drama had already been embroiled in controversy among Muslim viewers over its use of Iblis — a pivotal figure in Islamic tradition representing ultimate evil — who is romanticized as the series’ central character. Setting aside the religious controversy, the question remains: Is Kim Eun-sook’s latest fable a dazzling wish come true or an experiment that loses its

Oct 13, 2025By Park Jin-hai
Despite rocky start, ‘Genie, Make a Wish’ finally hits its stride
  • Kim Woo-bin on transforming into cynical genie in 'Genie, Make a Wish'
Korean Heritage

Korean American's mission to introduce 'bojagi' culture to US

SAN FRANCISCO — When Judy Kim left her high-powered job in the American fashion industry, she wasn’t just leaving behind two decades of career success. She was also confronting the uncomfortable truths of fast fashion: its speed and glamour masked deep environmental and ethical costs. Kim’s career soared at I.N.C. International Concepts, Macy’s private label, where she rose from intern to vice president. But witnessing the pollution tied to textile manufacturing in Asian factories shattered any sense of accomplishment. “What I was doing was not a positive impact — it was actually negative. My heart was really sad,” she recalled during a recent interview with The Korea Times at a cafe in San Francisco. "What began as a childhood dream inspired by my grandfather, a tailor in New York City, gradually turned into something hollow." A soul-searching trip to Korea realigned her path. For the first time, she saw the beauty in her heritage and the power of traditional Korean cloth "bojagi" — the centuries-old fabric wrapping that represents warmth, hospitality and respect. Redisc

Oct 5, 2025By Park Jin-hai
Korean American's mission to introduce 'bojagi' culture to US
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