'Single's Inferno 5': Beauty queen, silver spoon, pro athlete — who's your pick?“Single’s Inferno,” Netflix’s hit dating show, follows contestants competing for romantic date nights at a luxury hotel on the so-called “paradise island.” Each season produces breakout stars, and this year’s cast — ranging from a former Miss Korea to elite athletes — is generating the most buzz. Choi Mina Sue Mina Sue, 26, dominates conversation not just for her looks but for how polarizing she is. Mina Sue initially emerged as season 5’s “villain” after pursuing multiple men and asking if she could leave with two of them — a boldness that left both viewers and the cast baffled. This sparked intense debate online, with fans split between calling her calculating and applauding her honesty. As the season progressed, however, a softer side to her came through, prompting a shift in sentiment and apologies from the MCs who admitted they had judged her too harshly. The Miss Earth 2022 winner has also drawn attention for her standout fashion sense. On her first appearance, she wore a yellow Zara dress priced at about 59,000 won ($40), paired with Van Cleef & Arpels jFeb 5, 2026By Kwak Yeon-soo
Kim Seon-ho sells out play amid tax newsActor Kim Seon-ho is showing steady box office strength, selling out his upcoming theater performances even as he faces allegations of tax evasion. As of Wednesday, all tickets for Kim’s appearances in the play “INTERVAL” have sold out across major booking platforms. Kim is scheduled to perform 19 times during the run from Feb. 13 to March 22. “INTERVAL,” adapted from a Japanese play by Tomohiro Maekawa, explores themes of life, death and memory. The story follows two characters who meet in a mysterious space with no recollection of their pasts, uncovering their karma and repeated lives through books they find. Kim plays Dong-jae, a character with a sense of long-familiar presence. The production is being staged at the NOL Theater Daehakno Woori Investment Securities Hall, a mid-sized venue with about 490 seats. Kim’s drawing power was evident as all sessions sold out — even the typically low-demand weekday daytime shows. “The play is preparing for its opening as planned,” a representative for the production told Xports News. “We will provide updates if there are anyFeb 5, 2026By Xportsnews
How far can you go by joining a Korean dating reality show?Three years after capturing hearts as the emotional center of a dating reality show, Sung Hae-eun is once again setting the internet ablaze — this time with her address. Sung, a breakout star from TVING’s “EXchange 2,” recently revealed that she has moved into an ultra-luxury apartment valued at up to 6 billion won (about $4.5 million), triggering waves of fascination, disbelief and online debate. The update, shared through her YouTube channel on Jan. 30, quickly spread online. The apartment, believed to be located in Jamwon-dong, Seocho District, may be in Maple Xi, one of southern Seoul’s most coveted residential complexes. The property is known for hotel-style perks, including banquet-hall breakfast service, a 25-meter four-lane indoor swimming pool, a fitness center, sauna, golf range, study cafe and shared office spaces — amenities considered exceptional even by Gangnam standards. Prices at the complex reportedly range from 3 billion won to as high as 6 billion won depending on unit size, with an 84-square-meter unit recently rumored to have sold for 5.4 billion won. ThFeb 4, 2026By Xportsnews
Cha Eun-woo, Kim Seon-ho projects at risk over tax scandalsActors Cha Eun-woo and Kim Seon-ho are facing mounting pressure as allegations of large-scale tax evasion through family-run corporations threaten to derail their upcoming projects. The two stars, both represented by the agency Fantagio, have come under scrutiny for allegedly using shell companies to reduce their tax burdens, leading to concerns that their highly anticipated dramas may face significant delays or cancellations. Cha allegedly faces a tax bill of over 20 billion won ($13.8 million) after the National Tax Service investigated a company established by his mother. Tax authorities reportedly viewed the firm as a paper company created to split Cha's earnings and apply lower corporate tax rates instead of the much higher individual income tax. The impact is already affecting his career, with several brands removing his advertisements. Cha is currently serving in the military. The controversy is casting a dark shadow over the Netflix original series "The Wonderfools,” which stars Cha alongside Park Eun-bin, known for her 2022 drama "Extraordinary Attorney Woo." Although the serFeb 4, 2026By Baek Byung-yeul
Why Korea, Japan are joining forces to make must-watch dramasNetflix’s romance series “Can This Love Be Translated?” has drawn attention for many reasons, including the casting of Japanese actor Sota Fukushi as Hiro, a Japanese superstar whose initial contempt for Cha Moo-hee (Go Youn-jung) gradually turns into love as the story unfolds. Fukushi’s role is smoothly woven into the narrative as a Japanese celebrity working alongside a top Korean star, with several scenes filmed in Japan. For viewers who follow both Korean and Japanese dramas, the casting of Japanese actors in Korean productions — and vice versa — is becoming increasingly common. More notably, this reflects a broader rise in cross-border content creation between the two countries. The scope of collaboration varies by project. “Can This Love Be Translated?” represents one of the simplest forms, involving mainly casting. Similarly, Season 3 of SBS’ action drama “Taxi Driver,” released November 2025, features Japanese actor Sho Kasamatsu as one of the villains. “Gimbap and Onigiri,” a Japanese drama released on Jan. 12, stars Korean idol-turned-actor Kang Hye-wFeb 4, 2026By Kim Se-jeong
'Once We Were Us' leads weekend box office for 4th weekThe romance drama "Once We Were Us" topped the weekend box office for the fourth consecutive week, data from the Korean Film Council showed Monday. The film, released Dec. 31, attracted 179,740 moviegoers from Friday to Sunday, bringing its cumulative total to 2.3 million admissions and 22.6 billion won ($15.6 million) in revenue. Starring Koo Kyo-hwan and Moon Ga-young, "Once We Were Us" is a Korean remake of the 2018 Chinese hit film "Us and Them," which stars Jing Boran and Zhou Dongyu. The film, directed by Kim Do-young, who garnered acclaim for her feature debut, "Kim Ji-young, Born 1982," follows a young couple, Eun-ho (Koo) and Jung-won (Moon), as they reflect on their relationship and missed chances in their 20s. Last week, it became the first Korean romance title to draw more than 2 million admissions since the 2019 hit "Crazy Romance." The runner-up was "Choir of God," a film about North Korea, facing international sanctions, seeking $200 million in aid by creating its first fake praise troupe. Also released Dec. 31, the film drew 148,336 viewers over the weekend, pushing its cumFeb 2, 2026By Yonhap
From real-life couple to on-screen contenders: IU and Lee Jong-suk’s rival projects draw buzzOne of Korea’s most talked-about celebrity couples is heading for an unusual kind of face-off this year — not in real life, of course, but on screen. IU and Lee Jong-suk, who have been publicly dating since 2022, are set to release competing lead projects in 2026, drawing attention to what fans are calling an ironic “rivalry” between two of the industry’s most productive stars. The long-term couple, now in their fourth year together, will each front high-profile fantasy romances backed by major broadcasters and global streaming platforms. IU will return to television in April with MBC’s new Friday-Saturday drama, “Perfect Crown.” Following the success of Netflix’s “When Life Gives You Tangerines,” a historical romance co-starring Park Bo-gum, she tackles a different genre this time: a fantasy historical drama blending royal politics and romance. In the series, IU plays Sung Hee-joo, a chaebol heiress who possesses everything except noble status. Determined to climb the social ladder, she enters a strategic marriage with Prince Ian, played by Byeon Woo-seok, settingJan 31, 2026By Xportsnews
Hyun Bin finds career-defining role in 'Made in Korea'“I was deeply drawn to Baek Ki-tae’s ambition — his unyielding, almost reckless drive toward wealth and power. It felt like a character through whom I could show a very different side of myself.” The setting is 1970s Busan, in southeastern Korea. The Korean Central Intelligence Agency (KCIA) — the sword and shield of the country’s military dictatorship — is at the height of its power and prestige. Baek Ki-tae, played by Hyun Bin, is a KCIA section chief in Busan, living a precarious double life. By day, he is a government official with immense power at his disposal; by night, he smuggles drugs. In the Disney+ series "Made in Korea," Baek is positioned as the main character, pursued by hot-headed, justice-obsessed prosecutor Jang Geon-young, played by Jung Woo-sung. Yet by the end, audiences are left grappling not with the prosecutor, but with Baek — and with Hyun Bin’s performance. In that sense, the series goes so far as to feel like a drama made for Hyun Bin, and, in many ways, made by him. “Is Ki-tae really an evil person?” Hyun Bin asked, as he sat down at a cafJan 31, 2026By Hankookilbo
REPORTER’S NOTEBOOKWhen sports legends become variety show villainsA single remark from a football legend has reignited an old dispute in the Korean sports world. Kim Nam-il, a key player who helped lead Korea to the semifinals in the 2002 FIFA World Cup, recently made headlines by saying that he does not consider baseball to be a sport. His comment was made on JTBC’s new variety show “Yesman,” where retired sports stars try to create a sense of tension and humor, on Saturday. While the studio audience laughed at the time, the reaction from the public and professional athletes was far from humorous. The remark highlights a growing tension in the Korean entertainment industry. As retired sports stars move into the world of variety shows, they often find themselves caught between their professional identity and their new role as entertainers. To grab the attention of viewers, they are often pushed to say shocking things or to put down other sports. In “Yesman,” Kim targeted former baseball player Yoon Suk-min, who played for the Kia Tigers in the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) League and the Norfolk Tides, a Triple A affiliate of Major LeaguJan 30, 2026By Baek Byung-yeul
5 charming filming locations from Netflix’s 'Can This Love Be Translated?'While Netflix series "Can This Love Be Translated?" has captured fans with its cross-cultural romance and compelling characters, it is also fueling travel envy with stunning international filming locations, transporting viewers from Japan’s serene temples to the dramatic canyons of Canada and sun-drenched ruins of Italy. The show’s wanderlust factor hasn’t gone unnoticed: According to Netflix, the 12-episode series starring Kim Seon-ho, Go Youn-jung and Japanese actor Sota Fukushi attracted 9 million viewers last week, becoming the most popular non-English show of the week. The Korea Times compiled a list of real-life destinations featured in the show worth visiting on your next holiday. Kamakura, Japan Kamakura, a small city in Japan, is where the two main characters, Cha Mu-hee (Go) and Joo Ho-jin (Kim), spend part of the day together in the first episode. A memorable scene in which the two are separated by a train adds to the location’s charm, highlighting its picturesque streets. Located in Kanagawa prefecture, just about an hour outside Tokyo, Kamakura is a historic seaside cJan 30, 2026By Kim Se-jeong
