Entertainment - The Korea Times

'Physical 100' tops Netflix's non-English show chart for 2nd week

Korean survival show "Physical: 100" tops Netflix's non-English TV show category for the week of Feb. 13-19, in this photo captured from the streaming platform's weekly chart, Feb. 22, YonhapThe Netflix survival show "Physical: 100" stayed on top of the streamer's weekly viewership chart for non-English TV shows for the second consecutive week, its data showed Wednesday. Premiered on Jan. 24, the Korean variety show was the most-watched non-English TV show on Netflix's Top 10 list for the week of Feb. 13-19 with 45.42 million viewing hours.The Korean variety show has gained popularity across the world with its gladiator-style fighting and a setting reminiscent of the Netflix series "Squid Game." It pits 100 contestants against each other to test their physical capabilities with a simple rule: get physical and be the last one standing for a cash prize of 300 million won ($238,890). The Korean romantic comedy series "Love to Hate You," released Feb. 10, placed second in the category with 28.57 million viewing hours.This week, four other Korean drama series have made it in the top 10 in

Feb 22, 2023

'Physical 100' tops Netflix's non-English show chart for 2nd week

Disney+ 'Call It Love' to deliver emotional melodrama

From left, actors Kim Ye-won, Sung Joon, Lee Sung-kyung, Kim Young-kwang, Hani and director Lee Kwang-young pose during the press conference for the Disney+ series “Call It Love," held in Dongdaemun District, Seoul Tuesday. Courtesy of Disney+By Lee Gyu-leeDisney+ is set to release one of its much-anticipated melodrama series "Call It Love," starring actors Kim Young-kwang and Lee Sung-kyoung. The streaming service's new Korean original series, which will commence on Wednesday, depicts the plight of a woman, Shim Woo-joo (Lee), who gets caught up in a whirlwind crisis after learning about her father's extramarital affair.When her father's mistress claims the inheritance and kicks Woo-joo out of the family home, she decides to take revenge on the mistress's son, Han Dong-jin (Kim). However, her plans are dashed when she falls in love with him after learning more about him and his misfortunes."Woo-joo has lived in pain for a long time after having the things she valued taken away from her,” Lee said when describing her character during the press conference for the series, h

Feb 21, 2023By Lee Gyu-lee

Disney+ 'Call It Love' to deliver emotional melodrama

Kim Yoon-seok, Yoon Kye-sang take leads in new Netflix series

Actors Kim Yoon-seok, left, and Yoon Kye-sang will star in Netflix's new original series. Courtesy of HODU&U Entertainment, JUST EntertainmentBy Lee Gyu-leeActors Kim Yoon-seok and Yoon Kye-sang will be playing the lead roles in the new Netflix original series “Alone in the Woods” (direct translation). The mystery thriller series will follow the owner of a small guesthouse and the owner of a motel living in different time periods. Kim will play the role of the owner Jun Young-ha who runs the guesthouse in a remote forest. When a mysterious woman named Yoo Sung-ah visits his guesthouse, he gets into a whirlwind of chaos that shatters his peaceful life. Yoon will take the role of Goo Sang-joon, a motel owner in the early 2000s. One day, an incident occurs at his business and turns his life upside down, losing everything he had valued. Actress Go Min-si will play Sung-ah, who is full of mystery and shows a strange obsession with Young-ha's guesthouse. And actress Lee Jung-eun will play the chief of a local police station who keeps an eye on Young-ah. The series will be l

Feb 21, 2023By Lee Gyu-lee

Kim Yoon-seok, Yoon Kye-sang take leads in new Netflix series

Shin Ye-eun, Ryeoun excited about their first period series with 'The Secret Romantic Guesthouse'

Actors Shin Ye-eun, left, and Ryeoun from SBS' upcoming period series “The Secret Romantic Guesthouse” / Courtesy of SBSBy Lee Gyu-leeActors Shin Ye-eun and Ryeoun have expressed excitement about the first period series of their careers as they are playing the lead roles in SBS' upcoming romantic comedy series “The Secret Romantic Guesthouse.”Based on the web novel of the same name, the period series, set in the Joseon Dynasty, revolves around an energetic woman named Yoon Dan-oh (Shin) who runs a guesthouse called Ihwawon Inn.She used to be the careless, beloved youngest daughter of her family, living a comfortable life. But after her parents died, she becomes the breadwinner and takes over the family business, offering rooms to people traveling to the capital city to take the national exam for government official positions.While running the inn, she comes across three completely different men who come to stay ― charismatic Kang San (Ryeoun), friendly Kim Shi-yeol (Kang Hoon), and shrewd Jung Yoo-ha (Jung Gun-joo) ― and gets caught up in a complicated romanti

Feb 20, 2023By Lee Gyu-lee

Shin Ye-eun, Ryeoun excited about their first period series with 'The Secret Romantic Guesthouse'

Kim Myung-Soo, Yeonwoo to star in new MBC series

Actor and singer Kim Myung-Soo, left, and Yeonwoo will co-star in MBC's upcoming series “Numbers.” Courtesy of Management 2Sang, 9Ato EntertainmentBy Lee Gyu-leeActor and singer Kim Myung-Soo, who is also known as L of K-pop boy group Infinite, and Yeonwoo, a member of girl band Momoland, will co-star in MBC's upcoming series “Numbers,” along with actors Choi Min-soo and Choi Jin-hyuk, the network announced. The new workplace series revolves around Jang Ho-woo's character Kim, an accountant with a high school diploma who fights against injustice. Ho-woo has exceptional memory and skills with numbers, which led him to become the first person to land a job at Taeil, one of the big 4 accounting firms, despite not having a college degree. As he starts his job, he faces different absurdities at the company and decides to right the wrongs on his own. Yeonwoo will play Ho-woo's senior at the company, Jin Yeon-ah, a character clueless about the real world. Choi Min-soo will take the role of Han Jae-gyoon who is the vice president of Taeil. He is good at presenting him

Feb 20, 2023By Lee Gyu-lee

Kim Myung-Soo, Yeonwoo to star in new MBC series

'Taxi Driver' returns with more spectacle for season 2

A scene from season 2 of the SBS action crime series “Taxi Driver” / Courtesy of SBS By Lee Gyu-leeSBS' hit crime comedy series “Taxi Driver” is back for its second season with more spectacle and hard-boiled action.The action series, based on the popular webcomic “The Deluxe Taxi,” revolves around taxi driver Kim Do-ki, played by Lee Je-hoon, who works for the Rainbow Taxi Company which runs a service to take revenge on behalf of its clients. Along with the people at the company, Do-ki helps victims of violence and injustice by taking matters into his own hands to seek justice. A poster for season 2 of “Taxi Driver” / Courtesy of SBS The first season, which aired in 2021, garnered huge popularity with its cathartic storyline of avenging evil, scoring a 16 percent viewership rating. The new season premiered last Friday with a 12.1 percent rating, pick

Feb 19, 2023By Lee Gyu-lee

'Taxi Driver' returns with more spectacle for season 2

'Jinny's Kitchen' sets sights on global audiences via Prime Video

A poster for upcoming variety show, “Jinny's Kitchen” / Courtesy of tvN By Dong Sun-hwaCable channel tvN's upcoming variety show, “Jinny's Kitchen,” will be released on the global over-the-top (OTT) service, Prime Video. The Korean channel announced Friday that the first episode of “Jinny's Kitchen,” starring Korean celebrities as they run a restaurant in Bacalar, Mexico, will hit Prime Video and its own streaming platform Tving on Feb. 24. Subscribers of Prime Video in the U.S., the U.K, Canada, Australia, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, the Philippines, Indonesia and Vietnam can watch “Jinny's Kitchen” every Friday beginning from Feb. 24. Subscribers in other countries will be able to watch it later this spring. “Jinny's Kitchen” is a spin-off of star producer Na Young-seok's 2017-18 reality show, “Youn's Kitchen,” lead by Oscar-winning actress Youn Yuh-jung as she operates a Korean restaurant in Indonesia and Spain with actors including Lee Seo

Feb 17, 2023By Dong Sun-hwa

'Jinny's Kitchen' sets sights on global audiences via Prime Video

Lee Na-young to star in Wavve's new original series

Actress Lee Na-young / Courtesy of Eden9By Lee Gyu-leeActress Lee Na-young will be returning to the small screen with Wavve's new original series, “Park Ha-kyung's Journey,” about four years after starring in the rom-com, “Romance Is a Bonus Book” in 2019.The local streaming platform announced, Thursday, Lee will be leading its upcoming series, along with a list of cast members including Koo Kyo-hwan, Shim Eun-kyung, Han Ye-ri, Park In-hwan, Seo Hyeon-woo and Park Se-wan. Led by filmmaker Lee Jong-pil, who directed the comedy film, “Samjin Company English Class” (2020), the series will revolve around a woman named Park Ha-kyung, who teaches Korean literature.She decides to leave behind her life and go on a small adventure for a day. Along her journey, she comes across different people and unexpected moments. The series is scheduled to hit the streaming site in the first half of this year. Lee debuted with a minor role in the 1999 series, “Did We Really Love?” and has taken lead roles in various movies and series, including the melodrama

Feb 17, 2023By Lee Gyu-lee

Lee Na-young to star in Wavve's new original series

'Peak Time' brings spotlights to underrated K-pop groups

From left, Lee Seung-gi, Shim Jae-won, Tiffany Young, Jay Park, Lee Gi-kwang, Sungkyu, and Ryan Jhun pose during the press conference for the new music survival show, “Peak Time,” held in Mapo District, Seoul, Wednesday. Courtesy of JTBCBy Lee Gyu-leeThe producers of JTBC's music competition show “Sing Again” have teamed up ― again ― for the new survival show, “Peak Time,” to offer a second chance to lesser-known, underrated K-pop singers. The network's new music show, which kicked off Wednesday, invites 24 boy groups who have not been able to perform for various reasons; like being disbanded, under indefinite hiatus, or newly debuted with no fame. Despite their musical talent, they haven't had a chance to shoot to stardom or even make themselves known to the public.With the help of a group of K-pop artists and experts, the singers will get the spotlight they have been aspiring for to showcase their talents, according to the producer.The show is hosted by singer-actor Lee Seung-gi with Super Junior's Kyuhyun, Girls' Generation's Tiffany Young, INFI

Feb 16, 2023By Lee Gyu-lee

'Peak Time' brings spotlights to underrated K-pop groups

Music show 'Webtoon Singer' to mix comics with K-pop

From left, comedian Jang Do-yeon, producer Hwang Sung-ho, singer-actor Choi Min-ho and comedian Yoo Se-yoon, pose during an online press conference for Tving's music show, “Webtoon Singer,” Seoul, Tuesday. Courtesy of TvingBy Lee Gyu-leeIt is not surprising for creators to seek collaboration between different forms of pop culture. Now, a collaboration between the well-established K-pop form and the emerging webtoon forms is opening up new source materials for various adaptations. Tving's new music show, “Webtoon Singer,” brings together popular webcomics with music from a variety of genres. “Webcomics and K-pop have been globally popular. Especially webcomics have drawn a lot of attention (in recent years),” the show's producer, Hwang Sung-ho, said during an online press conference for the show, Tuesday. “There are dramas based on webtoons that had success. I felt there could be an enormous synergy if we bring K-pop and K-webcomics together. It started from 'what if we introduce webcomics through music?'”The platform's new original show

Feb 15, 2023By Lee Gyu-lee

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