Made abroad, set in Korea — ‘XO, Kitty’ returns with Season 3 as K-content gets ‘re-imported’A U.S.-produced teen drama set in Korea is once again making waves globally, highlighting a growing trend where Korean culture is repackaged overseas and then “re-imported” as global content. Netflix’s “XO, Kitty” dropped its third season on Thursday, reigniting buzz among international fans and drawing renewed attention at home. The series is a spinoff of the hit film franchise “To All the Boys I've Loved Before.” It follows Kitty, played by Anna Cathcart, who moves to Korea after falling for a boy she met during a previous visit, setting off a coming-of-age story centered on love, identity and life abroad. Since its debut in May 2023, the show has proven its global appeal. Season 1 ranked No. 2 on Netflix’s global English TV chart for two consecutive weeks and stayed in the Top 10 for four weeks, leading to a second season. Season 2 maintained momentum with similar rankings, staying in the Top 10 for three weeks. While the show portrays Korea through a teen drama lens, it has drawn praise for its relatively detailed depiction of Korean culture. Though some viewers saidApr 4, 2026By Xportsnews
Legal dramas dominate Korean TV as ‘Phantom Lawyer’ builds momentum, raising hopes for ‘Good Partner 2’Courtroom dramas are turning into one of the biggest success stories on South Korea’s broadcast TV scene this year, with back-to-back ratings wins fueling fresh excitement for SBS’s upcoming “Good Partner 2.” The latest standout is SBS’s Friday-Saturday drama “Phantom Lawyer.” Its sixth episode, which aired on Saturday, posted a nationwide viewership rating of 10 percent and 10.6 percent in the Seoul metropolitan area, according to Nielsen Korea, extending its noticeable upward run. The series has broken its own ratings record for three straight weeks, reinforcing the view that it has fully entered hit-drama territory. “Phantom Lawyer” has drawn attention for keeping the familiar frame of a legal drama while mixing in emotionally charged storytelling and “han-puri,” a distinctly Korean narrative element tied to the release of long-held grief, resentment or sorrow. That blend of courtroom cases and human drama appears to be connecting with viewers. As the first quarter of 2026 closes, legal dramas have emerged as a clear strength for Korea’s terrestrial broadcasterApr 2, 2026By Xportsnews
‘Extraordinary Attorney Woo’ writer loses case over extra streaming revenueThe latest ruling centering on the scope of TV drama writers' copyrights is triggering mixed responses in the entertainment industry. A court has ruled that production companies are not required to separately share revenue generated from online streaming platforms with writers, in a legal dispute between the screenwriter of ENA's "Extraordinary Attorney Woo" and its production company. The writer filed a suit claiming the production company violated the contract by independently selling the drama’s distribution rights to Netflix. While the court sided with the production company, some critics argue that the standard contract for TV writers needs to be revised to better reflect changes in the media landscape. Changes in media landscape and writers' rights According to legal sources on April 1, the Seoul High Court’s Civil Division 4 upheld a lower court ruling against the Korea Television Writers Association, which had filed a damages suit against production company AStory. The association chose not to appeal to the Supreme Court, and the ruling was finalized in February. The case datesApr 1, 2026By Hankookilbo
Korean creators' global influence on the riseThe global expansion of Korean entertainment is shifting from selling shows abroad to sending creators into global productions. As the film industry grows more globally connected, collaborations merging Korean directors and actors backed by foreign capital and international crews are reshaping Hollywood filmmaking. Director Yoon Je-kyun, known for the Korean box office hits "Ode to My Father" and "Haeundae," is entering Hollywood with the Taekwondo-themed action film "Belladonna." The project is bringing together Korean and American producers. Ahn Chang-beom, CEO of K-Tigers, and Red Packet Media led by "Rush Hour 3" producer Mike Leeder, serve as co-producers. The film features music producers who previously worked on the Netflix animated hit, "KPop Demon Hunters," as well as with K-pop icons BLACKPINK and BTS. "KPop Demon Hunters" demonstrated how merging Korean cultural symbols and K-pop with a global production system captures worldwide attention. This structural shift traces its roots to director Bong Joon-ho, who pushed the boundaries of international co-production with "SnowpiercMar 31, 2026By Hankookilbo
Netflix hit action show 'Bloodhounds' returns with bigger fightsThe Netflix action hit series “Bloodhounds,” which captured global attention with its raw, pulse-pounding fights and the story of two rookie boxers taking on a ruthless loan shark empire, returns three years later, bigger, bolder and more explosive. In Season 2, the series steps into the world of a global illegal boxing league, bringing more intense action and deeper emotional payoff. Gun-woo (Woo Do-hwan) and Woo-jin (Lee Sang-yi) once again find themselves battling a corrupt world ruled by money and violence — only this time, the fight takes them into the high-risk arena of underground international boxing. “Season 2 is about the two main characters meeting new adversaries and fighting more fiercely than before,” director Jason Kim said during a press conference at the Ambassador Seoul Pullman Hotel Tuesday. “While preparing for the new season, I wanted to build on the elements fans loved most in Season 1 — the fresh boxing action and the strong bromance — and make them even more powerful and gripping,” he added. Director Kim explained that choosing an underground boxMar 31, 2026By Park Jin-hai
Four K-drama stars are taking over spring romance — and fans can’t look awayFrom first love to contract marriage, four of South Korea’s biggest actresses are leading a wave of romance dramas this spring — and the buzz is already spreading across global streaming audiences. Actors under Kakao Entertainment are returning with distinctly different love stories, as IU, Han Ji-min, Kim Go-eun and Kim Min-ju headline a slate of highly anticipated dramas. First love, realism and viral buzz Kim Min-ju is drawing attention for her portrayal of first love in JTBC’s Friday series, “Still Shining,” a coming-of-age romance that follows young people growing into each other’s emotional anchor. She plays a character navigating love, ambition and grief after losing family, delivering what viewers have described as a delicate and relatable performance. Clips of her emotional scenes have been circulating online, fueling early buzz among younger viewers. A dating reality many recognize Han Ji-min, long known for her warm and relatable screen presence, returns with a more grounded romance in JTBC’s weekend drama, “The Practical Guide to Love.” She plays a woman who tuMar 30, 2026By Xportsnews
Hit after hit: ENA emerges as rising K-drama powerhouseENA is on a roll. At a time when concerns are growing over a crisis in TV dramas, the network continues to generate buzz with distinctly original productions. It is moving beyond being a rising contender and stepping into the ranks of a true drama powerhouse. The network's latest Monday-Tuesday prime-time thriller, "Climax," claimed the No. 1 spot in cultural buzz within just four episodes. According to GoodData Corporation's FUNdex, a domestic media that tracks online buzz, "Climax" topped both the TV and TV-OTT drama categories. The series also secured the No. 1 position on Disney+ in South Korea for eight consecutive days and led the Korean series category on Watcha Pedia, a local streaming review platform. Broadcast ratings are also on the rise. Breaking the formula pays off This success stems from breaking traditional K-drama formulas. While weekend television has long relied on predictable family soaps and prime time miniseries often default to standard romance or revenge thrillers, ENA prioritizes complex character desires and interpersonal conflicts to drive viewer engagement. "CMar 30, 2026By Hankookilbo
ReviewThriller 'Climax' exposes power-entertainment shadowsENA's "Climax," which premiered March 16, dives into the shadowy ties between power brokers and entertainment elites through bold plotting and vivid characters. Protagonist Bang Tae-seop (Ju Ji-hoon) — driven by his factory-worker father's suicide after a corrupt prosecutor wrongly jailed him for labor activism — pursues a career in prosecution to seize power and reach authority's peak. Alongside his wife, Chu Sang-ah (Ha Ji-won), once a top star but who has since declined, and WR Group power broker Lee Yang-mi (Cha Joo-young), who links entertainment and politics by exploiting celebrities' weaknesses to "entertain" elites, the series thrillingly charts their high-society ambition and backstabbing. Tae-seop comes from humble beginnings and thought becoming a prosecutor would enable him to conquer all, only to hit walls of school and regional cliques inside. He draws public attention following his marriage to Korea's top actress, Sang-ah, and leverages this clout to climb up the social ladder. Meanwhile, as a top star facing scandals, Sang-ah needs a prosecutor's protection and statuMar 30, 2026By Park Jin-hai
'Goblin' lead stars to reunite for 10th anniversary specialThe lead stars of beloved 2016 Korean drama “Guardian: The Lonely and Great God,” popularly known as “Goblin,” are coming back together for a 10th anniversary special, tvN announced Wednesday. According to the network, the upcoming program, tentatively titled “Goblin 10th Anniversary,” will feature lead cast members Gong Yoo, Lee Dong-wook, Kim Go-eun and Yoo In-na reuniting for a short trip, where they will look back on some of the series’ most memorable scenes, iconic lines and the lasting meaning the drama still holds for both the cast and fans. When Goblin first aired on tvN in 2016, it became a sensation, breaking through the 20 percent ratings mark, a first for a cable drama at the time. Even after its finale, the series continued to find new audiences through overseas streaming platforms, helping cement its place as one of the defining Korean dramas of its era. The fantasy romance was widely praised for its emotional performances, writer Kim Eun-sook’s memorable dialogue, director Lee Eung-bok’s striking visual style and a soundtrack that became a phenomenon inMar 27, 2026By Hankookilbo
'The King's Warden' surpasses 15 mil. admissions"The King's Warden" has surpassed 15 million admissions Wednesday, the film's local distributor Showbox said, extending its run as one of Korea's biggest box-office successes of all time. The milestone comes just less than a month after the historical drama crossed the 10 million-admissions mark, a significant threshold in a country of about 52 million people. Through Sunday, the film had drawn 14.75 million viewers to theaters nationwide, making it the third most-watched film in the country. The movie is now roughly 1.2 million admissions away from claiming the No. 2 spot, currently held by the 2019 action-comedy "Extreme Job", which recorded 16.2 million admissions. Directed by Jang Hang-jun, "The King's Warden" reimagines historical events through a fictional lens, following the unlikely friendship between village chief Eom Heung-do (Yoo Hai-jin) and the deposed King Danjong (Park Ji-hoon) of the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910) during the latter's exile in the village. The film has drawn praise for its ensemble performances, which allow viewers to deeply connect with the young king's sufferMar 25, 2026By Yonhap
