Kim Bo-ra, Kim Woo-seok to deliver heartfelt story with 'Finland Papa' Actor Kim Bo-ra plays the role of Lee Yoo-ri in the upcoming series, “Finland Papa.” Courtesy of Special Movie CityBy Lee Gyu-leeActors Kim Bo-ra and Kim Woo-seok are set to deliver a heartwarming family story in the upcoming series, “Finland Papa.” The romantic drama series revolves around a cafe in Busan, called Finland Papa, whose employees are like a close-knit family caring for each other. Run by a mysterious, anonymous owner (Kim Woo-seok), the cafe brings together people who are suffering from trauma and come from dysfunctional and broken families and provides them with a sanctuary to experience and learn what it means to have a real family. Kim Bo-ra will play the role of Lee Yoo-ri, who joins the cafe following the death of her grandmother, who was the only family she had. She sees the cafe's job posting, which includes free meals as part of employee benefits and becomes part of the new family. It is a completely new experience for her. “Each character has his or her own story. (Each episode of) the series always kept me curious about the next eApr 20, 2023By Lee Gyu-lee
Jeon Jong-seo to lead Tving's new action-period drama Actress Jeon Jong-seo / Courtesy of AndmarqBy Lee Gyu-leeActress Jeon Jong-seo will act in her first action-period drama project for Tving's new original series “Empress Woo” (direct translation). The streaming platform confirmed that Jeon will be playing the lead role in the upcoming series.Directed by Jeong Se-gyo, known for the 2020 dramedy movie “Oh! My Gran,” the series will revolve around an empress who fights to secure the throne after her husband, the emperor, passes away unexpectedly. The actress will take the role of Woo Hee, an empress of Goguryeo. The widow must marry one of her brothers-in-law as per the kingdom's customs. With different parties vying to take power, including the princes and the kingdom's tribes, the empress must find her new king in 24 hours to protect her family.“(The series) will create a heroic empress character who flies into action to choose the next king on her own,” the series' production team said in the release, Tuesday. “We hope you look forward to actor Jeon Jong-seo's portrayal of the righteous and cApr 19, 2023By Lee Gyu-lee
INTERVIEW Lee Je-hoon feels 'Taxi Driver' helped him become versatile Lee Je-hoon plays the character of Kim Do-ki in SBS comedy action series “Taxi Driver 2.” Courtesy of SBSBy Lee Gyu-leeThe second season of SBS' comedy action series “Taxi Driver” ended the 16-part run on Saturday with its highest viewership rating of 21 percent, topping the first season's success, which hit a 16 percent rating. Actor Lee Je-hoon / Courtesy of Company OnThe action series, based on the popular webcomic "The Deluxe Taxi," revolves around Rainbow Taxi Company, a cab company that runs a service to take revenge on behalf of its clients. Along with the people at the company, a taxi driver and a former Special Forces officer, Kim Do-ki (Lee Je-hoon), takes matters into his own hands and helps seek justice for the victims of violence and injustice.The series garnered huge popularity with its cathartic plot of avenging evil, touching on crimes and social issues based on real-life cases, as well as comedy with taxi company characters going undercover to infiltrate crime rings for revenge. Lee, who played the main figure of the group, carrying out revengApr 18, 2023By Lee Gyu-lee
'Bargain' actors say Canneseries invite is dream come true From left, actors Jin Seon-kyu, Jun Jong-seo and Chang Ryul pose during an interview with reporters at Cannes, France, Sunday. Courtesy of TvingBy Lee Gyu-leeThe Tving series “Bargain” made history when it became Korea's first streaming service original series to compete at this year's Cannes International Series Festival, held from April 14 to 19 in Cannes, France. Ahead of the winners' announcement, scheduled for Wednesday, the lead actors of the series shared their overwhelming excitement for the series' milestone, saying it is a dream come true. “Coming to Cannes is an honor I'll pass down to my family,” actor Jin Seon-kyu, who played the character of Noh Hyung-soo, said during an online interview with The Korea Times, Sunday. “Spending each day here is heart flattering and exciting. I'm excited to see how global audiences will react to 'Bargain.'”Adapted from a 2015 award-winning short film of the same name by filmmaker Lee Chung-hyeon, the thriller disaster series follows three survivors trapped in a motel building after an earthquake. Noh haApr 18, 2023By Lee Gyu-lee
Kim Tae-hee, Lim Ji-yeon confirmed to lead thriller series 'House with Yard' Actresses Kim Tae-hee, left, and Lim Ji-yeon / Courtesy of Story J Company, Artist CompanyBy Kwak Yeon-sooActresses Kim Tae-hee and Lim Ji-yeon have been confirmed to star in the thriller series “A House with a Yard” (working title), which will premiere in June. Based on the bestselling novel of the same name by Kim Jin-young, the upcoming series follows a woman named Joo-ran whose perfectly crafted life begins to unravel after she notices a strange smell in her backyard. This marks Kim's return to the small screen, three years since her last appearance in the 2020 fantasy drama “Hi Bye, Mama!” Kim made her screen debut in 2000 as a TV commercial model and has played a lead role in several hits, including the 2003 drama “Stairway to Heaven” and 2009 spy drama “Iris.” Actor Kim Sung-oh, who recently appeared in the Netflix series “Money Heist: Korea ― Joint Economic Area,” will appear as Joo-ran's husband. Lim, who shot to fame with Netflix's “The Glory,” will play the role of Sang-eun, a victim of domestic violenApr 17, 2023By Kwak Yeon-soo
Uhm Jung-hwa's hopeful comedy 'Doctor Cha' kicks off From left, actors Kim Byong-chul, Uhm Jung-hwa, director Kim Dae-jin, Myung Se-bin, and Min Woo-hyuk pose during the press conference for JTBC's new medical comedy series “Doctor Cha,” held at Josun Palace Hotel in Gangnam District, Seoul, Thursday. Courtesy of JTBCBy Lee Gyu-leeJTBC's new medical comedy series “Doctor Cha,” starring singer-actor Uhm Jung-hwa, got off to a strong start, garnering a 4.9 percent viewership rating with its premiere episode on Saturday.The new series revolves around a housewife, Cha Jung-sook (Uhm), who picks up her medical career, which she left some 20 years earlier to care for her family. Returning as a first-year resident at the hospital where her husband, Seo In-ho (Kim Byung-chul), works as the chief surgeon, she sets out on a journey of self-discovery while struggling to rebuild her career.The Saturday episode showed Cha as a dedicated housewife, spending 20 years looking after her husband and two children. However, despite her long-standing commitment to the family, she learns her husband has not been as loyal after catchiApr 16, 2023By Lee Gyu-lee
Gov't to promote Korean TV series at Cannes series festival Poster of the Cannes International Series Festival / Courtesy of Cannes International Series FestivalThe Korean government said Sunday it will hold special screening and showcasing events at this year's Cannes International Series Festival to promote Korean-made content to global media and producers.Three Korean TV and web series are invited to the festival's non-competition Rendez-vous section ― "Island" (2022), "Midnight Horror: 6 Different Nights" (2022) and "Pale Moon" (2023) ― at the sixth edition of the festival, also known as Canneseries, that kicks off on Friday and runs through next Wednesday.The Ministry of Science and ICT and the Korea Communications Agency said the government will support special screenings of the three titles at the Espace Miramar theater on Wednesday, with local visitors allowed to attend.For producers and investors, the Korean government will hold Korean OTT Showcase on Monday and Korean Special Screening night on Tuesday to present some selected Korean playbooks and TV series.The Cannes International Series Festival is an international television festApr 16, 2023
Kim Hee-sun to lead thriller series 'Gaslighting' Actress Kim Hee-sun / Courtesy of Hinge EntertainmentBy Lee Gyu-leeActress Kim Hee-sun has taken the lead role in filmmaker Kim Seung-woo's series directorial debut “Gaslighting” (direct translation). The series' production team announced Thursday that it has confirmed the lead actors, including Kim, Lee Hye-young and Kim Nam-hee, and is set to begin filming. The upcoming series, scheduled to air in the latter half of this year, will follow a successful therapist, Noh Young-won (Kim Hee-sun), who is living the life that many would envy. But when she gets involved in an unexpected incident, her perfect life starts to fall apart, forcing her to face secrets she never knew existed. She joins hands with her mother-in-law and a mystery novel author, Hong Sa-gang (Lee), to get through the crisis and keep her family together.Kim Nam-hee, who recently garnered popularity with his role in the hit series “Reborn Rich,” will play the role of Noh's husband, who is a doctor. He is a loving husband and a father. Kang Hae-rim, who previously led Netflix's thriller series &ldApr 13, 2023By Lee Gyu-lee
Yoo In-na returns to small screen with rom-com 'Bo-ra! Deborah' A scene from the ENA's new series “Bo-ra! Deborah” / Courtesy of ENABy Lee Gyu-leeActress Yoo In-na picked up her first rom-com in three years with ENA's new romantic comedy series “Bo-ra! Deborah,” following the 2020 series “The Spy Who Loved Me."Actors Yoon Hyun-min, left, and Yoo In-na pose during the press conference for the series “Bo-ra! Deborah," Wednesday, held at Stanford Hotel in Mapo District, Seoul. Courtesy of ENAThe new series, set to air on Wednesday, follows a best-selling author and a dating coach, Yeon Bo-ra (Yoo), whose pen name is Deborah. She gains popularity, giving witty and honest dating advice, yet her own love life isn't as successful as her career. She crosses paths with the publisher Lee Soo-hyeok (Yoon Hyun-min), who has a completely different perspective on dating. As the two work together on Yeon's new dating advice book, the two face changes in their views of romance.The series is directed by Lee Tae-gon, whose previous work includes the romance series, "Hello, My Twenties!" (2016) and is penned by A Kyung, who scripApr 12, 2023By Lee Gyu-lee
Jang Hyuk, Jang Na-ra reunite for tvN spy comedy series 'Family' Jang Hyuk, left, and Jang Na-ra, the cast leads of tvN spy comedy drama series "Family," pose for a photo for an online press conference in this photo provided by the Korean cable channel, April 12. YonhapA familiar romantic comedy duo, Jang Hyuk and Jang Na-ra, is returning in the upcoming tvN comedy drama series "Family" to show their strong on-screen chemistry for the first time in nine years. "Family" tells the story of a National Intelligence Service covert agent husband who is undercover as an ordinary office worker and a sweet but fierce wife who dreams of having a perfect family. Jang Hyuk portrays Kwon Do-hoon, a man who lives two completely different lives ― one at home and another outside of it ― while Jang Na-ra plays his wife, who hides her formidable strength and tries to protect her family.It is their fourth collaboration following two romantic comedy TV series, "Successful Story of a Bright Girl" (2002) and "Fated to Love You" (2014), and one short project. Speaking at an online press conference Wednesday, Jang Hyuk expressed trust in his co-star, whom he has known foApr 12, 2023
