iKON's Koo Jun-hoe to make small screen debutBy Lee Gyu-lee Singer and actor Koo Jun-hoe / Courtesy of YG Entertainment Singer Koo Jun-hoe, a member of K-pop boy band iKON, will be making a small screen debut with the new series “Bo-ra! Deborah” (direct translation).The singer's agency, YG Entertainment, announced Monday that Koo has taken a role in ENA's upcoming romantic comedy series. “Since this is my first series, I'm very excited and feel honored to be part of such a good work,” the artist said through the agency. The series will follow a romance between best-selling author and dating coach Deborah (Yoo In-na) and publisher Lee Soo-hyeok (Yoon Hyun-min).Koo will play a supporting character named Yang Jin-ho, who is an outgoing, 20-something man. Jin-ho is an all-rounder, who is good at sports, singing, and cooking. However, he has neither ambition nor a specific interest in life, yet still dreams of a fairytale-like romance. The series, scheduled to air next year, will be directed by Lee Tae-kon, who led tDec 19, 2022By Lee Gyu-lee
'Reborn Rich' achieves its highest viewership rating of 25% A still cut from "Reborn Rich" is seen in this photo provided by local cable channel JTBC. YonhapLocal cable channel JTBC's corporate drama "Reborn Rich" hit a viewership rating of 24.9 percent with its 14th episode aired Sunday, surpassing its previous high, according to Nielsen Ratings Korea on Monday. The latest figure marked the best rating for the Friday-to-Sunday show and the second highest for any JTBC drama, following "The World of Married" (2020) with 28.4 percent. The drama starring top actor Song Joong-ki began with a 6.1 percent rating on Nov. 18 and continued its upward march to score 21.1 percent on Dec. 11, becoming the first Korean drama to surpass the 20 percent mark this year. Based on the web-based novel by San Kyung and a webtoon of the same Korean title translated as "The Youngest Son of a Chaebol Family," the fantasy corporate drama follows Yoon Hyun-woo (played by Song), who was loyal to a wealthy family before being murdered and then seeks a different life when he's reborn as the youngest son of the family. Chaebol refer to Korea's family-run conglomerates. AlDec 19, 2022
From Cho Gue-sung to Kim Min-jae, World Cup stars to appear on variety shows Korea's forward, Cho Gue-sung / Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chulBy Dong Sun-hwaSome of the stars of the men's national football team from this year's FIFA World Cup are set to appear in variety shows on the small screen, giving a sneak peek into their everyday lives and sharing behind-the-scenes stories of their Qatar World Cup adventure.Korea's forward, Cho Gue-sung ― who became the first Korean player to score two goals in a single World Cup game during Korea's match against Ghana, Nov. 28 ― will be featured in MBC's popular reality show, “I Live Alone,” on Dec. 23. After MBC aired a preview of its next episode featuring Cho on Friday, it immediately generated a buzz among online users, who were itching to delve deeper into the 24-year-old footballer's life. Through “I Live Alone,” Cho will offer a glimpse into his personal life and show a more candid side to himself. “I desperately wanted him to be on 'I Live Alone,' and my Christmas wish has finally come true,” reads one comment. Thanks to his stellar performance during the World Cup and gooDec 18, 2022By Dong Sun-hwa
Kim Hyun-joo drawn to mystery plot of 'Trolley' From left, actors Park Hee-soon and Kim Hyun-joo, director Kim Moon-kyo, actors Chung Su-bin and Kim Moo-yul pose during an online press conference for SBS' mystery series, “Trolley,” Thursday. Courtesy of SBS By Lee Gyu-leeActress Kim Hyun-joo, who is set to lead SBS' upcoming mystery melodrama series, “Trolley,” says the plot and her character as a lawmaker's wife with a dark secret immediately drew her interest. “When I first read the script (for the series), it felt like I was reading a mystery novel. I could smoothly read it through,” Kim said during an online press conference for the series, Thursday. “(The story) felt like it was clogged with an enormous amount of mist and I was feeling this desire to make it through. I was personally curious about how (my character) will get through this mist, so I decided to take part.”The series, set to kick off on Monday, revolves around a married couple, lawmaker Nam Joong-do (Park Hee-soon), and his wife, Kim Hye-joo (KDec 16, 2022By Lee Gyu-lee
Go Soo satisfied to reunite with Huh Joon-ho for season 2 of 'Missing: The Other Side' Actors Huh Joon-ho, left and Go Soo pose during an online press conference for the second season of TvN's fantasy series “Missing: The Other Side,” Thursday. Courtesy of tvNBy Lee Gyu-leeGo Soo, the lead actor in TvN's fantasy series “Missing: The Other Side,” expressed his contentment in reuniting with co-star Huh Joon-ho for a second season after two years.“I feel like we have become familiar with each other. We know each other so well to the point that I would know where (Huh) is standing without even looking at him. So, I'm very pleased to reunite,” Go said during an online press conference for the series, Thursday.“I think we fit right into our roles and have such great chemistry. During season 1, we needed some time to settle in with each other but we didn't need that this time. We worked in such a comfortable environment.”The fantasy mystery series revolves around a con man, Kim Wook (Go), who comes across a mysterious supernatural village where the spirits of missing dead people are stranded. Along with another person who knows Dec 16, 2022By Lee Gyu-lee
Disney+'s new romance series to star Lee Yeon-hee, Hong Jong-hyun Actors Lee Yeon-hee, left, and Hong Jong-hyun will play the leads in Disney+'s new original series, “Race.” Courtesy of VAST Entertainment, C-JeS Entertainment By Lee Gyu-leeDisney+ will release a new romance original series, starring actors Lee Yeon-hee and Hong Jong-hyun, in the first half of next year. The streaming service announced the cast members for its upcoming drama series, “Race,” which includes the two actors as well as Moon So-ri and actor-singer Jung Yun-ho, who is also known as Yunho from K-pop boy band TVXQ.The series will revolve around PR agent Park Yoon-zo (Lee), who lands a position at a large conglomerate. She comes from an ordinary background, yet she challenges herself in order to make her own success. While working with her best friend, Ryu Jae-min (Hong), in the company's PR team, she meets her role model, Ku Yi-jung (Moon), who guides Yoon-zo through her life. Hong plays the character of Jae-min, who is well-received by the PR team for his Dec 15, 2022By Lee Gyu-lee
Choi Min-sik to return to small screen after 25 years with Disney+ series 'Big Bet' Korean actor Choi Min-sik attends a press conference for Disney+ series 'Big Bet' at the JW Marriott Dongdaemun Square Seoul, Dec. 14. YonhapVeteran Korean actor Choi Min-sik said Wednesday he has missed acting in drama series to get deeper into one character in long form, as he is set to return to the small screen after 25 years with "Big Bet."Set for streaming on Disney+ on Dec. 21, the first season of "Big Bet" is a highly anticipated eight-episode Korean drama series featuring top-tier actors Choi and Son Seok-goo. It is planned as a two-season show with a total of 16 episodes. It tells an epic tale of Cha Moo-sik (played by Choi), who rose to the top and became the legendary king of the casino in the Philippines but confronts unfortunate events. After getting tangled in a murder case, he is now faced with the ultimate bet with his life on the line to get back in the game.Choi said the protagonist will show twists and turns in an ordinary man's life in a good ensemble with co-star Son. "Cha Moo-sik is just an ordinary man who obsessively pursues his desires and unconsciously fallDec 14, 2022
INTERVIEW Why 'Under the Queen's Umbrella' star Yoo Seon-ho loves his nickname 'princess' Actor Yoo Seon-ho / Korea Times fileSinger-turned-actor gets favorable viewer responses for portrayal of secretive character By Dong Sun-hwaFor Yoo Seon-ho, playing Grand Prince Gyeseong in tvN's historical fiction drama “Under the Queen's Umbrella” was not a walk in the park. During the day, Gyeseong, the fourth son of Queen Hwaryeong ― played by actress Kim Hye-soo ― is her best-behaved son, who pleases his mother with his academic accomplishments. But at night, he secretly heads to his “haven” and disguises himself as a woman to express his hidden sexual identity. The rationale behind his double life is simple. Being a prince of the conservative Joseon Kingdom (1392-1910), Gyeseong's life could have been threatened if his sexual orientation had been revealed. His life, however, takes a drastic turn after his mother gets to know about his secret. “When I first flipped through the script of 'Under the Queen's Umbrella,' I didn't quite know what to do,” Yoo said during an interview with The Korea Times at the newspaper's headquarters in central SeoDec 14, 2022By Dong Sun-hwa
Netflix dating show 'Single's Inferno 2' adds depth to narratives Song Ji-a, a beauty content creator, appears in the first season of "Single's Inferno." Courtesy of NetflixNetflix's Korean reality show "Single's Inferno" is back with a second season featuring a new batch of young, hot singles who find themselves in "paradise" or an "inferno" depending on their choice of whom to pair with. The "Single's Inferno 2" set to be released Wednesday adopts the first season's plot, in which singles search for love on a deserted island.Contestants who find a partner can have romantic date nights in a luxurious hotel, but those who fail in the mission are stranded on the island."The second season takes place in the same setting as the first season to make contestants focus on each other at a faster pace," its producer Kim Na-hyun said during an online press conference Tuesday. "As the contestants already know about the place, they can better pour their time and energy into others."Although the reality show's format is simple, Kim stressed the emotions surrounding the attractive singles are intricate and unpredictable."The beauty of this show lies in its simpDec 13, 2022
JTBC's 'Reborn Rich' becomes this year's most-watched drama Cast members of the JTBC drama series "Reborn Rich," from left to right, Lee Seong-min, Shin Hyun-been and Song Joong-ki, pose for a photo during a press conference in Seoul in this file photo provided by JTBC, Nov. 17. YonhapLocal cable channel JTBC's corporate drama "Reborn Rich" has broken past the 20 percent mark to achieve the highest viewership ratings this year with its intriguing revenge plot by a man who is reincarnated into a rich family and achieves success with his future insight.The drama starring top actor Song Joong-ki began with a 6.1 percent viewership rating on Nov. 18 and continued its upward march to score 21.2 percent with its 11th episode that aired Sunday, according to Nielsen Ratings Korea. It was the highest rating by a Korean drama series this year, surpassing the previous record by the global hit series "Extraordinary Attorney Woo," which aired on local cable channel ENA and streamed on Netflix in the summer. The Friday-to-Sunday show, available on Netflix, Disney+ and Rakuten Viki, also topped charts in several Asian countries, including Indonesia, MalaysiDec 13, 2022
