The Korea Times

Park Ji-hoon transforms from idol to intense actor in 'Weak Hero Class 2'

After making waves in a gritty, R-rated school action drama on Korea’s streaming platform Wavve, the second season of 2022 sensation "Weak Hero" has found new life and greater exposure under the wing of streaming giant Netflix. "Weak Hero Class 2," wasted no time igniting buzz with its Friday release — not just in Korea, but across Asia and Latin America — signaling a dramatic leap from domestic hit to international phenomenon. The series soared to No. 1 in Netflix's non-English content category across 32 countries. Based on the hit webtoon of the same name, "Weak Hero" follows the story of Yeon Si-eun, a model student born physically weak but fiercely intelligent, who mastered the art of fighting from a young age. Singer and actor Park Ji-hoon, taking the title role, reunites with the original creative team and continues his fight to protect his friends in the second season. Through this series, Park — who was previously known for work as a singing idol and former member of the K-pop boy band Wanna One, formed through the music survival show Produce 101 — has been reevaluated

Apr 28, 2025By Park Jin-hai

Park Ji-hoon transforms from idol to intense actor in 'Weak Hero Class 2'

Shows & Dramas

Disney+ rolls out Korean originals for second half of 2025

Riding high on the phenomenal success of its Korean originals last year, Disney+ is set to make an even bigger splash in the second half of 2025 with a bold new lineup of content. Korean series dominated the global stage last year — an impressive nine out of the 15 most-watched Disney+ originals outside the U.S. were Korean productions, a testament to the worldwide appetite for the country’s sophisticated storytelling and cinematic excellence. Among these hits, “A Shop for Killers” stood out as the crown jewel, captivating audiences with its inventive universe and stylish action. The series not only claimed the title of most-watched Korean original on Disney+ in 2024, but also sparked such fervor that the streamer has officially greenlit a second season. As Disney+ doubles down on its investment in Korean content, viewers can expect an electrifying lineup that continues to set the pace for global streaming — and cements Korea’s place at the forefront of premium entertainment. Among the most eagerly awaited titles, slated to debut for the second half of this year, are the grip

Apr 25, 2025By Park Jin-hai

Disney+ rolls out Korean originals for second half of 2025

Trends

Ballerina-turned-designer reinvents Russian tutu for Korea's ballet stars

Chung Han-ah, once a ballerina herself, now channels her artistry into designing ballet costumes rather than gracing the stage. Her elegant and charming ballet costumes are sought after not only by Korean performers but also by renowned dancers from abroad. She has designed “La Bayadère” and “La Esmeralda” costumes for Korean ballerinas competing at various international ballet competitions. For the inaugural performance of the Busan Opera House Ballet, she wove distinctly Korean colors and motifs into her creations, earning widespread acclaim. As Korean ballet gains global recognition, Chung notes with some regret that many original productions with overseas licenses bring in costumes made by local designers abroad, leaving Korean designers with only the fitting process. Her greatest satisfaction comes from seeing young Korean dancers wear her creations at top competitions and hearing praise from audiences and peers alike. “Korean dancers are now performing as soloists, principals, and company members in the world’s most renowned theaters. At major international competition

Apr 25, 2025By Park Jin-hai

Ballerina-turned-designer reinvents Russian tutu for Korea's ballet stars

Shows & Dramas

Embattled celebrity restaurateur Paik Jong-won faces scrutiny amid scandals

Paik Jong-won wears many hats: owner of 25 restaurant franchises, CEO of an entertainment company, TV personality best known for the Netflix series "Culinary Class Wars," and husband of actress So Yoo-jin. Yet amid multiple scandals — ranging from business practices to personal behavior — public sentiment has begun to shift, raising questions about the future of his brand and career. On Monday, a petition was submitted to the National Assembly calling for the enactment of the so-called “Paik Jong-won Prevention Act.” The petitioner cited repeated violations of food hygiene regulations by Paik’s company at local festivals, accusing TheBorn Korea of operating as a de facto monopoly. It was the latest blow in a string of controversies. Earlier this year, his compant TheBorn Korea sold gift sets of ham through his YouTube channel, claiming a 45 percent discount at a price of 28,500 won. Marketed as a “once-in-a-lifetime low price,” the promotion sparked backlash when it was revealed that the original price was only 30,000 won — prompting complaints from consumers who accused

Apr 24, 2025By Park Jin-hai

Embattled celebrity restaurateur Paik Jong-won faces scrutiny amid scandals

Shows & Dramas

Netflix revives hit school action 'Weak Hero' with Season 2

The 2022 school action sensation "Weak Hero," which first drew attention on local platform Wavve, returns with a bold new chapter — this time for a global audience. Facing funding hurdles at home, the series has found new life and scale under the production wing of streaming giant Netflix, signaling a dramatic leap from domestic hit to international phenomenon. Director You Su-min, who led the series to success by adding unique action to a school drama to break away from typical conventions, has teamed up once again with executive producer Han Jun-hee. The new season is expected to captivate viewers with even more explosive action and raw emotions. Actor Park Ji-hoon, who takes on the lead role Yeon Si-eun, introduced the "Weak Hero" series as "the coming-of-age story of a boy who stands up to even greater violence." Even when looking at the storyboards, the actor said he was surprised at how much Si-eun's fighting abilities had improved. "He isn’t someone who looks for trouble, but he constantly finds himself dragged into violent situations. Through these repeated encounters, I bel

Apr 21, 2025By Park Jin-hai

Netflix revives hit school action 'Weak Hero' with Season 2

Shows & Dramas

Kim Hye-ja returns with 'Heavenly Ever After,' reimagines afterlife

JTBC's new weekend drama "Heavenly Ever After" is expected to become another poignant drama by veteran actor Kim Hye-ja, reuniting with director and screenwriters of acclaimed collaboration "The Light in Your Eyes" (2019) after six years. In this heart-warming drama, Kim pairs with actor Son Suk-ku, who is 42 years younger than her, to portray a romance that gracefully transcends their age difference. Director Kim Suk-yoon said they "crafted a stage where Kim can pour her entire being," heightening anticipation. "This project was conceived from the outset with Kim in mind. The screenwriters even halted their other scripts to join what we affectionately called the 'Kim Hye-ja Project,' focusing on how to create a platform where she could fully immerse herself. It's essentially a bespoke creation aimed at delivering both entertainment and profound emotion," he said during an online press conference on Friday. The drama, penned by the celebrated writing team of Lee Nam-kyu and Kim Su-jin from "The Light in Your Eyes," presents actor Kim as Lee Hae-sook, an 80-year-old who finds herself in h

Apr 18, 2025By Park Jin-hai

Kim Hye-ja returns with 'Heavenly Ever After,' reimagines afterlife

Shows & Dramas

Hyper-realistic workplace comedies enjoy enduring popularity

As the clock strikes six, workers of DY Planning, a marketing agency, get ready to leave work in high spirits. Then, CEO Shin Dong-yup enters the office with actor and client Kang Ha-neul, who wants to have a meeting at this exact time. The employees' expressions turn cold. CEO Shin plays it cool, saying, "Those with prior engagements can go," but he adds, "Those who will save the company with me, let's stay and work." With forced smiles, the employees head to the meeting room, their lips smiling but not their eyes. This is a scene from the recently concluded Coupang Play comedy, "The White Collars," which gained huge popularity by delivering stories of life at a fictional small- and medium-sized enterprise in Korea. Based on a format where celebrity guest stars seek image consulting at the show's marketing company, the six-part comedy tackles aspects of office life such as the subtle battles over leaving work on time, company dinner culture, salary negotiations and corporate welfare. Examples include a subordinate who makes bold statements taking advantage of so-called "yaja time," a Ko

Apr 18, 2025By Park Jin-hai

Hyper-realistic workplace comedies enjoy enduring popularity

Shows & Dramas

Retro K-dramas find new life on streaming platform amid global Korean content boom

As Korean content cements its position as the second-most watched programming on Netflix — accounting for nearly 10 percent of total viewing hours, just behind U.S. productions — classic K-dramas from the 1990s and early 2000s that first fueled the "hallyu", or Korean wave, such as "The Sandglass," "The Wild Days," "All In," "Stairway to Heaven" and "Cruel Temptation," are finding new audiences through the streaming platform. Now over 20 years old, these hits have recently been added to Netflix's Retro TV category and are enjoying renewed popularity among both fans both old and new. Korean drama fans online welcomed the decision, leaving comments like "The rediscovery of old K-dramas has begun," and "The final scene of 'Cruel Temptation' was shocking, but it's still fun to watch again." Most of these retro series are available only in Korea for now, but international K-drama fans — many of whom first encountered them through DVDs or niche streaming platforms — are hoping Netflix will expand access to these classics worldwide. On Threads, a Korean drama fan in Canada expressed dis

Apr 17, 2025By Park Jin-hai

Retro K-dramas find new life on streaming platform amid global Korean content boom

Shows & Dramas

Park Eun-bin makes chilling transformation in genre-defying medical thriller 'Hyper Knife'

While initially marketed as a medical thriller, Disney+'s "Hyper Knife" ultimately defies easy genre categorization. This drama, which dropped its final episodes on April 9, charts the dynamic between two neurosurgeons, showcasing yet another compelling performance from Park Eun-bin, who made her name with the 2022 sensation "Extraordinary Attorney Woo." The 32-year-old actor portrays Jung Se-ok, a disgraced genius surgeon who develops a unique mentor-mentee relationship with Choi Deok-hee (Sul Kyung-gu), a teacher who mirrors her own psyche. Moving away from the quirky yet charming persona she embodied as an autistic lawyer in "Extraordinary Attorney Woo," Park has morphed into a chillingly ruthless surgeon, a killer doctor for whom even murder is merely a step in service of advancing neuroscience. With a calm and emotionless face splattered with blood, Park's Se-ok nonchalantly utters, "For one to survive, the other must perish." "This was the first time I played a role that expresses so much anger, constantly," the actor told The Korea Times in an interview Tuesday at a cafe in Jongno

Apr 15, 2025By Park Jin-hai

Park Eun-bin makes chilling transformation in genre-defying medical thriller 'Hyper Knife'

Shows & Dramas

'Resident Playbook' to premiere after delays from real-life medical strikes

"Resident Playbook," the highly anticipated spinoff of hit 2020 medical drama "Hospital Playlist," will finally premiere Saturday, after a year of delay amid the backlash from the real-life controversies surrounding medical strikes across the country. The series, born out of Shin Won-ho, mastermind behind the popular "Reply" series — "Reply 1997" (2012), "Reply 1994" (2013) and "Reply 1988" (2015) — and "Hospital Playlist" (2020), following five medical school friends exploring ordinary yet special days at a general hospital. Unlike the original series, the new drama centers on medical residents aspiring to become wise doctors, navigating through struggles and growing pains, and is set primarily in the obstetrics and gynecology department — covering all aspects of life from birth to death. For this spinoff, Shin, the creative force behind the series, participates as the project's creator, rather than director, guiding the expansion of the universe he built. "This is the first time I stand in front of media not as a director. Many fans have eagerly anticipated the expansion of our u

Apr 10, 2025By Park Jin-hai

Park Jin-hai

Read more

Park Ji-hoon transforms from idol to intense actor in 'Weak Hero Class 2'

Disney+ rolls out Korean originals for second half of 2025

Ballerina-turned-designer reinvents Russian tutu for Korea's ballet stars

Embattled celebrity restaurateur Paik Jong-won faces scrutiny amid scandals

Netflix revives hit school action 'Weak Hero' with Season 2

Kim Hye-ja returns with 'Heavenly Ever After,' reimagines afterlife

Hyper-realistic workplace comedies enjoy enduring popularity

Retro K-dramas find new life on streaming platform amid global Korean content boom

Park Eun-bin makes chilling transformation in genre-defying medical thriller 'Hyper Knife'

'Resident Playbook' to premiere after delays from real-life medical strikes

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