The Korea Times

Lee Jae-wook wields sword, heart in 'Dear Hongrang'

Lee Jae-wook, 27, is paving a solid path as an actor. After debuting as a university student in the 2018 hit drama "Memories of the Alhambra," he quickly rose to leading roles and shot to fame with the 2022 fantasy period drama "Alchemy of Souls," marking his breakthrough role. The model and actor once again takes up the sword and showcases spectacular action in JTBC's historical drama "Dear Hongrang," which premiered on Friday on Netflix. The drama tells the story of Hongrang (Lee), the long-missing son of Joseon's most powerful merchant family, who returns after 12 years with no memory of his past. As only his half-sister Jae-yi (Cho Bo-ah) suspects his true identity, an inexplicable relationship begins to grow between them, weaving together love and suspicion in this period drama. In an interview with The Korea Times at a cafe in Seoul, Monday, Lee noted the project left a lasting mark on him. "I still feel this heavy sadness when I think of Hongrang. He’s such a tragic figure who grew up in a harsh environment. I often question myself whether I was able to portray that pain well en

May 19, 2025By Park Jin-hai

Lee Jae-wook wields sword, heart in 'Dear Hongrang'

Arts & Theater

Lee Ja-ram brings pansori back to its roots by modernizing

"Here we are now, in the snowy fields of Russia, where it is minus 28 degrees Celsius." With just this one line from Korea’s leading pansori (Korean narrative music) performer Lee Ja-ram, the audience suddenly found themselves transported to the harsh Russian winter, standing upon a vast snowy plain. She repeatedly sang out "shooong," mimicking the sound of wind with her mouth while waving her fan, and evoking the sound of a horse with "hiiing" ( "neigh" in English) as she used both hands to mimic a horse walking across a snowfield. Her latest work, "Snow, Snow, Snow," staged at LG Arts Center from April 7 to 13, marked her long-awaited return to the pansori stage with a new creation — her first original piece in five years. A pansori reinterpretation of Leo Tolstoy’s short story "Master and Man," the production tells the story of merchant Vasily and peasant worker Nikita, who set out to buy a forest during Russia’s brutal winter and lose their way in a snowstorm using pansori, traditionally performed by a solo singer playing all the characters, accompanied only by a drummer. Th

May 18, 2025By Park Jin-hai

Lee Ja-ram brings pansori back to its roots by modernizing

Shows & Dramas

'Heavenly Ever After' pop-up blurs line between afterlife, daily life

As JTBC’s weekend drama “Heavenly Ever After” continues to gain popularity, a pop-up experience at The Hyundai Seoul in Yeongdeungpo District offers fans a chance to step directly into the series’ whimsical yet profound vision of the afterlife. As seen in the drama, upon entering, visitors answer their preferred age, place, people or things they want to remember in the afterlife, and traits of their character. The "Heaven Immigration Inspection Counter" is equipped with artificial intelligence (AI) that provides guidance for those who have just "immigrated" to heaven. Then, after taking photos in front of the gate and choosing the physical age they want to live as in heaven — child, youth, middle-aged or elderly — the AI monitor shows them what they would look like in the afterlife. For those who registered in advance, they can also receive their heaven resident ID card on the spot. Passing through the gate, they can sit in a chair to reflect on their life, just like in the drama, or participate in a lucky draw by scanning a barcode, similar to how the main characters ordere

May 17, 2025By Park Jin-hai

'Heavenly Ever After' pop-up blurs line between afterlife, daily life

Shows & Dramas

Song Ji-hyo becomes 'haenyeo' in JTBC-BBC’s groundbreaking documentary

Actor Song Ji-hyo takes on the challenge of becoming a "haenyeo" (Korean female diver) in Jeju in the JTBC-BBC joint documentary series "Deep Dive Korea: Song Ji-hyo’s Haenyeo Adventure." In the three-part documentary, the first co-production between a Korean TV network and U.K.'s BBC Studios, Song — best known for her appearance in Korea's longest running variety show "Running Man" — will free dive alongside the legendary veteran female divers of the sea with whom she shares a unique bond. Jeju’s haenyeo culture, with a history dating back at least 400 years, was recognized for its unique cultural value and was listed on UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2016. They are remarkable women who, even into their 80s, dive as far as 20 meters without oxygen masks or modern equipment to collect shellfish that support both their families and their way of life. Recently, the Netflix series "When Life Gives You Tangerines" featured the story of the haenyeo, drawing significant public interest. The actor, whose mother was a former swimming athlete and aunt was a haenyeo

May 15, 2025By Park Jin-hai

Song Ji-hyo becomes 'haenyeo' in JTBC-BBC’s groundbreaking documentary

Shows & Dramas

Disney+ 'Nine Puzzles' depicts duo unraveling mysteries in cartoonish reality

Director Yoon Jong-bin, celebrated for his raw portrayals of masculinity and social realities, is not venturing into a mystery thriller, making a departure from his signature intense tone. Disney+ series “Nine Puzzles” revolves around Ena (Kim Da-mi), the only witness and suspect in a murder case who becomes a profiler 10 years later. She joins forces with Hansaem (Son Suk-ku), the detective who still suspects her, to chase a newly resurfaced serial killer. Yoon described the project as “a detective story about two uniquely distinctive characters uncovering the truth behind a series of murders.” In the drama, a puzzle is delivered to Ena every time a new murder occurs. These puzzles are the starting point for unraveling serial murders that have resumed after a decade. As each of the nine puzzle pieces falls into place, the truth gradually emerges, drawing viewers deeper into the world of “Nine Puzzles” and inviting them to follow the tense investigation and deduction processes of Ena and Hansaem. "When I first read the script, I found it incredibly gripping. The script read v

May 14, 2025By Park Jin-hai

Disney+ 'Nine Puzzles' depicts duo unraveling mysteries in cartoonish reality

Shows & Dramas

Netflix period drama ‘Dear Hongrang’ to showcase beauty of Korean tradition

A new period drama set in the 1392-1910 Joseon Dynasty is coming to Netflix, giving fans around the world another glimpse into Korean historical stories, after the popular 2019 series "Kingdom." Premiering Friday, "Dear Hongrang" is a mystery melodrama that follows Hongrang (Lee Jae-wook), the long-missing son of Joseon's most powerful merchant family, who returns after 12 years with no memory of his past. As only his half-sister Jae-yi (Cho Bo-ah) suspects his true identity, an inexplicable relationship begins to grow between them, weaving together love and suspicion in this period drama. “The series is based on author Jang Da-hye’s novel ‘Tangeum: Swallowing Gold.’ I read the book first and finished it in one sitting. People often talk about fate, but the characters in this book are all people who have no intention of following their destinies, which made the intense story especially memorable to me," series director Kim Hong-sun said Tuesday during a press conference for the drama at Ramada by Wyndham Seoul Sindorim, in Seoul's Guro District. For him, the biggest theme of the

May 13, 2025By Park Jin-hai

Netflix period drama ‘Dear Hongrang’ to showcase beauty of Korean tradition

Films

How will Trump's film tariffs impact Korean entertainment industry?

After U.S. President Donald Trump announced plans to impose a 100 percent tariff on all movies produced in foreign lands on May 4, aiming to revive "dying" Hollywood and save American jobs, the Korean entertainment industry is on a high alert over what challenges this possible move might bring to the K-content industry, which has been enjoying emerging global prominence through tie-ups with Netflix, Disney+ and major Hollywood studios. Trump, even before the start of his second presidency, appointed three renowned actors — Jon Voight, Sylvester Stallone and Mel Gibson — as “Special Ambassadors” to revive Hollywood, which has lost much of its business to overseas markets over the past years. There is widespread uncertainty about how such tariffs would actually be applied to films — especially since movies are different from physical goods and the rules for digital content and streaming platforms remain unclear. Experts predict the impact on K-content will not be significant as Korea is neither a key production base nor a major filming location for Hollywood. However, there are

May 11, 2025By Park Jin-hai

How will Trump's film tariffs impact Korean entertainment industry?

Shows & Dramas

Studio Dragon to launch three Japanese dramas

The global expansion of K-content is now extending to Japan through joint drama productions. Studio Dragon, a leading Korean drama production company under CJ ENM, announced Thursday that it plans to release three Japanese dramas this summer, marking a shift from simple remakes or rights sales to full-scale joint productions that combine the creative forces of both Korea and Japan. The summer lineup of Japanese-language series includes the adaptation of "Marry My Husband" on Amazon Prime Video in June; "Hatsukoi Dogs," co-produced with TBS and slated for release in July; and "Soul Mate," a Japanese Netflix series to be released worldwide in July. Studio Dragon has been working with international talent to highlight the strengths of K-dramas, resulting in projects such as the American series "The Big Door Prize," jointly produced with U.S. studio Skydance and released through Apple TV+. "The American drama 'The Big Door Prize,' the Japanese dramas 'Marry My Husband,' 'Hatsukoi Dogs' and 'Soul Mate' are all examples of Korean production companies directly creating dramas in the local langu

May 8, 2025By Park Jin-hai

Studio Dragon to launch three Japanese dramas

Trends

K-pop girl group member's home shopping comeback shows new trend

Sung Yu-ri, a celebrated member of iconic K-pop girl group Fin.K.L, has made a return to the spotlight this week with the launch of her own show “Sung Yu-ri Edition” on GS Home Shopping. The home shopping broadcast, which premiered Wednesday, featured Sung as both host and lifestyle curator, recommending handpicked living essentials and unveiling fresh, thoughtfully chosen items in every episode. It marks her first major public activity in about two years, following a hiatus caused by controversy over her husband’s alleged fraud. The 44-year-old professional golfer Ahn Sung-hyun was sentenced to prison for receiving tens of billions of won in illicit payments related to cryptocurrency listings. After the broadcast, online communities responded with a mix of admiration and surprise, with comments like “She’s still beautiful,” “I was shocked to see her on home shopping,” and “Her visuals are on another level.” Others expressed disappointment, saying, “Fin.K.L is selling tableware?” and “It’s unfortunate. When a celebrity turns to home shopping, it often means t

May 3, 2025By Park Jin-hai

K-pop girl group member's home shopping comeback shows new trend

Shows & Dramas

Director Kim Hong-sun brings Korean flair to UK drama 'Gangs of London'

The British TV series "Gangs of London," which received critical acclaim as a "modern crime family masterpiece," has returned for a third season, this time with a Korean director at the helm. Kim Hong-sun — known for brutal action sequences and his dark and intense visual style as seen in films like "The Con Artists" (2014), "Metamorphosis" (2019) and "Project Wolf Hunting" (2022) — joined as the lead director and executive producer for the series' newest season. As the first Asian director to oversee the British series, Kim admitted it was a challenge to set the overall tone and direction for such a popular and established franchise. He directed episodes 1, 2, 7 and 8 out of the season’s eight episodes, working alongside two other directors who handled the remaining installments. “I couldn’t overhaul too much, since I had to preserve the original identity while weaving in my own style. If I made even the slightest misstep, I’d have to shoulder all the blame. But despite the pressure, I truly enjoyed the process," the director told The Korea Times in an interview at local st

Apr 29, 2025By Park Jin-hai

Park Jin-hai

Read more

Lee Jae-wook wields sword, heart in 'Dear Hongrang'

Lee Ja-ram brings pansori back to its roots by modernizing

'Heavenly Ever After' pop-up blurs line between afterlife, daily life

Song Ji-hyo becomes 'haenyeo' in JTBC-BBC’s groundbreaking documentary

Disney+ 'Nine Puzzles' depicts duo unraveling mysteries in cartoonish reality

Netflix period drama ‘Dear Hongrang’ to showcase beauty of Korean tradition

How will Trump's film tariffs impact Korean entertainment industry?

Studio Dragon to launch three Japanese dramas

K-pop girl group member's home shopping comeback shows new trend

Director Kim Hong-sun brings Korean flair to UK drama 'Gangs of London'

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