The Korea Times

From warm meals to cold shoulders: 'One Meal Show' faces dilemma in changing era

Observation-style entertainment that intimately showcased the daily lives of celebrities once captivated audiences, but that focus is now shifting and ordinary people are stepping into the spotlight. JTBC's "One Meal Show," a sequel to beloved variety series "Let's Eat Dinner Together," which concluded in 2020 amid the COVID-19 pandemic, has adapted to the change. Unfortunately, the show isn't performing well. In "One Meal Show," hosts and chefs embark on spontaneous neighborhood visits, ringing doorbells at random, sharing the stories behind each door and crafting meals from whatever ingredients are inside the hosts’ refrigerators. Yet, in a recent episode filmed in Seoul's affluent Gangnam District, Kim Hee-sun, Tak Jae-hoon and chef Lee Yeon-bok found their welcomes far from warm. Despite hopeful doorbell ringing, many people shut their doors with polite refusals. The KBS show "Heart on Wheels" rolls out a mobile convenience store stocked with essentials into rural villages, spending nights immersed in their stories. Despite its bold ambition to foster "communication with ordinary

Aug 8, 2025By Park Jin-hai

From warm meals to cold shoulders: 'One Meal Show' faces dilemma in changing era

Shows & Dramas

‘Better Late Than Single’ wins global hearts with awkward but honest approach

The Netflix dating reality show “Better Late Than Single” wrapped up on July 29, becoming a sensation amid a flood of dating programs. The 10-episode show featured 12 men and women, all around 26 or 27 years old, who have never had romantic relationships. After a six-week preparation period, which included appearance makeovers and counseling sessions, the participants opened up to love for the first time during a nine-day group stay. As they challenged themselves to find romantic connections, two couples were formed in the final episode. Producers revealed that more than 4,000 people applied during the selection process for the show. From the very first episode, the participants drew attention not only for their desire to date but also for their earnestness and sincerity in wanting to change themselves. However, once they were thrown into the dating reality show, their inexperience in relationships made it difficult to mingle, with male and female contestants staying awkwardly apart from each other. Among the male contestants, one froze and couldn’t speak in front of women. One stru

Aug 3, 2025By Park Jin-hai

‘Better Late Than Single’ wins global hearts with awkward but honest approach

Shows & Dramas

Kim Nam-gil says 'Trigger' is about people, not guns

Netflix series "Trigger," which was released Friday, is a gun disaster action thriller that tells the story of two men who take up arms for their own reasons amid a continuous stream of gun incidents and the delivery of illegal firearms from unknown sources in Korea, a country widely perceived as being gun-free. With its release coming just days after a rare and shocking shooting in Korea involving a man in his 60s who killed his son with a homemade gun on July 20, the story presented by "Trigger" became highly timely, to the point where it can no longer be dismissed as unrealistic. Lead actor Kim Nam-gil was surprised and felt very sorry for the victims when he heard the news of the real-life shooting. "I only learned about the incident through the news and since I don't know the full circumstances, it's hard to say anything definitive. However, I was surprised that such an incident occurred in our country. I thought this only happened in other countries," he said during an interview with The Korea Times at a cafe in Seoul on Tuesday. "As a real-life incident occurred, my attitude towar

Jul 29, 2025By Park Jin-hai

Kim Nam-gil says 'Trigger' is about people, not guns

Shows & Dramas

'S Line' director depicts world where secret sex lives appear as red lines

The Wavve original drama “S Line,” concluded last Friday, drew much attention immediately upon its debut with its provocative premise — in which a red line connects people who have had sexual relations. The six-part drama, starring Lee Soo-hyuk, Lee Da-hee and K-pop girl group Oh My Girl member Arin, depicts the conflicts and desires of people after special glasses allowing anyone wearing them to see the once-hidden lines, triggering social chaos. “Being able to see the red line, called S Line in the show, is an expanded concept of the way we get curious about others' private lives while watching TV. Everyone wants to see, but no one wants to be seen,” director Ahn Joo-young said during an interview with The Korea Times at streaming platform Wavve's headquarters in Yeouido, southern Seoul, Monday. Hyun-heup (Arin), a key character in the series, is born with the rare ability to see the secret red threads. After the special glasses emerge, those who obtain them also gain a twisted sense of power, and as they begin using the lenses to satisfy hidden desires, they soon face grim

Jul 28, 2025By Park Jin-hai

'S Line' director depicts world where secret sex lives appear as red lines

Shows & Dramas

China suspected of copying Korean Netflix hit ‘Culinary Class Wars'

Controversy is brewing as Tencent Video's new cooking survival show, "Chef of China," is accused of copying the popular Korean Netflix show, "Culinary Class Wars." The claim extends beyond surface-level resemblance in concept or idea. Viewers point out the Chinese program is "nearly identical" to its Korean counterpart in key aspects, including its major concept, set design, the hierarchical casting structure of the competition and even specific production details. "Chef of China," which premiered on July 17, features 16 celebrity chefs alongside 84 aspiring culinary talents, just like "Culinary Class Wars." It even has a structure where a few star chefs compete against a larger number of rookie chefs. These contestants use nicknames instead of real names, and the stage arrangement, with famous chefs observing from a higher vantage point, is almost identical to the Korean program. "Culinary Class Wars" features Korean restaurateur Paik Jong-won and three-star Michelin chef Anh Sung-jae as judges, and prominent chefs such as Choi Hyun-seok and Lu Ching Lai as competitors. Upon its releas

Jul 25, 2025By Park Jin-hai

China suspected of copying Korean Netflix hit ‘Culinary Class Wars'

Shows & Dramas

Did 'World of Street Woman Fighter' succeed in winning global fans?

Mnet’s global dance sensation “World of Street Woman Fighter” (WSWF) has concluded with the victory of Osaka Ojo Gang from Japan. Thanks to its star-studded lineup and larger scale, WSWF generated high anticipation even before its broadcast. While the show succeeded in creating buzz with street dance legends from around the world facing off under one roof, various controversies followed, tarnishing the show's reputation. Ultimately, the dance survival show ended on Tuesday with its lowest ratings ever, leaving a lingering sense of disappointment. In the final episode, where teams from Japan, Australia and the United States competed, Japan's Osaka Ojo Gang took the win. The segment garnered a national paid household viewership rating of 0.7 percent, according to Nielsen Korea, which was just over half of the previous episode's 1.2 percent rating from July 15. This figure is the lowest rating across all episodes this season, adding to the show's bittersweet ending. Among the season’s standout moments was the Mega Crew Mission video by Korean team BUMSUP, comprising “Street Woman

Jul 24, 2025By Park Jin-hai

Did 'World of Street Woman Fighter' succeed in winning global fans?

Shows & Dramas

K-pop idol-studded rom-com ‘My Girlfriend is the Man’ to debut

K-pop idol-studded KBS drama "My Girlfriend is the Man" will meet drama fans Wednesday evening. Based on the popular webtoon by the same title, the Wednesday-Thursday drama tells a wild romance story between Ji-eun, who suddenly transforms into a man overnight, and Yoon-jae, a devoted boyfriend who can't give up on her. Director Yoo Gwan-mo described the fantasy rom-com in one word as "a watercolor painting depicting K-youth." "It not only tells a love story about whether the two protagonists can protect their love when they face difficulties, but it also deals with themes of friendship and family," Yoo said during a on-line press conference for the drama, Wednesday. He also said the drama has a lot of things to attract K-drama fans overseas. "You'll see various scenes captured in places that tourists are curious about including popular dating spots. It also shows a lot of natural scenery as well," he elaborated. Another highlight is appearance of K-pop idol group stars in the drama, including Sanha from Astro, Arin from Oh My Girl and Chuu from Loona. Yoon San-ha, known as Sanha from the

Jul 23, 2025By Park Jin-hai

K-pop idol-studded rom-com ‘My Girlfriend is the Man’ to debut

Shows & Dramas

Gun disaster series 'Trigger' hits amid Korea's real shooting incident

As Korea — long perceived as a gun-free country — confronts the shock of a rare shooting involving a homemade firearm, the new Netflix series "Trigger" is set to debut Friday, thrusting viewers into a dystopian scenario where illegal, untraceable firearms are rampant. The show’s resemblance to current events has drawn both anticipation and unease. "Trigger" is a 10-part disaster action thriller that follows two men who pick up weapons for personal reasons in a society where firearms circulate freely and untraceably and public safety has collapsed. While "Trigger" initially garnered anticipation for its depiction of a chaotic society stripped of safety measures and dynamic action, the series now arrives in an atmosphere of heightened anxiety following a shooting on Sunday in which a man used a homemade gun to kill his son during a family gathering in Incheon. The series canceled a scheduled live broadcast during a fan event on Tuesday in light of the incident. "This work tells a story of guns becoming widespread in Korea, where firearms are still illegal. It encapsulates the though

Jul 22, 2025By Park Jin-hai

Gun disaster series 'Trigger' hits amid Korea's real shooting incident

Shows & Dramas

Yum Jung-ah plays devilish adoption trafficking kingpin in 'The Defects'

A dark and gripping new Korean drama that tackles a modern-day illegal adoption ring will start airing Monday evening. "The Defects," a new ENA drama based on the Kakao Webtoon of the same name, which recorded over 51 million views, is an action thriller depicting the desperate survival and revenge of children who were abandoned by their adoptive parents and barely survived at the brink of death. The drama’s premise, an illegal adoption cartel where adoptive parents can buy children and even request refunds if not satisfied, already sparked buzz for its provocative subject matter. Director Oh Ki-hwan said he was drawn to the project because of one haunting line: refund a child. "For example, if you look at Greek mythology, it contains human desires, doesn't it? I felt that the relationships depicted in the original 'The Defects' could tell a broad story about Korean people," Oh said during a press conference for the drama at Stanford Hotel in western Seoul, Monday. Veteran actor Yum Jung-ah plays Kim Se-hee, the de facto leader and villain of an illegal adoption trafficking organization

Jul 21, 2025By Park Jin-hai

Yum Jung-ah plays devilish adoption trafficking kingpin in 'The Defects'

K-pop

Why are K-pop stars obsessed with 'KPop Demon Hunters'?

The Netflix animated sensation, “KPop Demon Hunters,” has taken the K-pop world by storm, captivating even the brightest stars in the industry. K-pop icons are embracing “KPop Demon Hunters” not just as a movie, but as a global phenomenon, covering its songs, expressing admiration and joining fans worldwide in celebrating the film’s electrifying blend of music, fantasy and star power. Various K-pop artists — including Mamamoo’s Solar, Urban Zakapa’s Kwon Soon-il, Kwon Jin-ah, A.C.E’s Junhee and Epik High’s Tablo — have released covers of the film’s soundtrack. The cover video by Kwon Soon-il, in which he flawlessly handles the original song’s high notes, surpassed a total of 2.5 million views on Instagram and YouTube. Lily of girl group NMIXX achieved over 10 million views on TikTok with her cover of the show’s anthem “Golden.” IVE’s An Yu-jin’s version of “Golden” racked up 1.6 million views within just two days of its release, drawing comparisons to IVE’s own hit “I AM,” with both songs celebrated for empowering themes of self-love and con

Jul 20, 2025By Park Jin-hai

Park Jin-hai

Read more

From warm meals to cold shoulders: 'One Meal Show' faces dilemma in changing era

‘Better Late Than Single’ wins global hearts with awkward but honest approach

Kim Nam-gil says 'Trigger' is about people, not guns

'S Line' director depicts world where secret sex lives appear as red lines

China suspected of copying Korean Netflix hit ‘Culinary Class Wars'

Did 'World of Street Woman Fighter' succeed in winning global fans?

K-pop idol-studded rom-com ‘My Girlfriend is the Man’ to debut

Gun disaster series 'Trigger' hits amid Korea's real shooting incident

Yum Jung-ah plays devilish adoption trafficking kingpin in 'The Defects'

Why are K-pop stars obsessed with 'KPop Demon Hunters'?

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