MBC series 'Tracer' kicks off with 7.4 percent rating Actors Ko Ah-sung, from left, Im Si-wan, and Park Yong-woo pose for pictures during an online media conference for the new series "Tracer," Tuesday. Courtesy of WavveBy Lee Gyu-leeMBC's newly premiered original series “Tracer” is off to a good start, scoring the highest viewership rating among prime-time shows last Friday.The show, which was produced in cooperation with KBS, SBS and SK Telecom's streaming platform Wavve, saw a 7.4 percent rating nationwide for its premiere episode, surpassing the 6.8 percent rating for SBS romance series “Now, We Are Breaking Up” and 3.5 percent for tvN's crime action series “Bad and Crazy.”Directed by Lee Seung-young, who led the hit crime thriller “Missing Noir M” (2015) and “Voice 2” (2018), the action series follows the story of officials at the National Tax Service. Former accountant Hwang Dong-ju (Im Si-wan) joins the service after suspecting that it is linked to the mysterious death of his father. As a newly appointed team manager of taxation division 5, which is considered the black Jan 9, 2022By Lee Gyu-lee
'Squid Game' director, stars won't attend Golden Globes Lee Jung-jae, left, and Oh Young-soo will not be attending this year's Golden Globe Awards. Korea Times fileBy Lee Gyu-lee Director Hwang Dong-hyuk of Netflix's smash-hit series, “Squid Game,” and its cast members, Lee Jung-jae and Oh Young-soo, will not be attending the 79th Golden Globe Awards, despite their nominations. Actor Lee's agency, Artist Company, told local media outlets, Wednesday that Lee has decided not to join this year's ceremony due to several circumstances. “As many know, Netflix did not submit the series to the Golden Globes,” the agency said. “Also, considering the spread of COVID-19 and the mandatory quarantine regulations both in and out of the country, he has decided not to attend.”The series, which was a global sensation since premiering last September, has earned a nomination for Best Television Series. Lee, who played the lead character, Seong Gi-hun, has been nominated for Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series and Oh, who played the supporting role, Oh Il-nam, has been shortlisted for Best Supporting Actor.Jan 6, 2022By Lee Gyu-lee
Koreans spend 4 hours daily watching or listening to digital content: report gettyimagesbankBy Lee Gyu-leeThe average Korean national spends four hours per day consuming digital content, according to the report by the Korea Creative Content Agency (KOCCA). The state-run agency released a digital content consumption trend report, Wednesday, which included the survey of 3,000 digital content users, from age 15 to 59.The survey gathered their consumption patterns for over-the-top (OTT) streaming video platform services, online performances, metaverse services and audio content in the past year. According to the report, the number of paid subscriptions was the highest for music streaming platforms at 3.45 on average, followed by 2.69 for online video platforms in the past year. About 40 percent of video platform users answered they are willing to change the platforms they are currently using or to add another subscription. Of those, for the reason they want to switch platforms, “it has specific content I want to watch” had the highest percentage of responses at 52.8 percent, followed by “it has variety in content” at 20.4 percent. About 59Jan 6, 2022By Lee Gyu-lee
INTERVIEW Lee Jun-ho redefines role in period romance drama 'The Red Sleeve' Lee Jun-ho plays the role of Crown Prince Yi San in MBC's period romance series, “The Red Sleeve." Courtesy of JYP Entertainment By Lee Gyu-leeLast year had been prolific for singer and actor Lee Jun-ho, who is also from the K-pop boy group, 2PM, as he successfully balanced his music and acting careers shortly after finishing his two-year mandatory military service.Since releasing his album, “MUST,” he also starred in MBC's period romance series, “The Red Sleeve.”The series, which kicked off with a 5.7-percent rating in November, soon garnered popularity and ended in great success on Saturday, with its record viewership rating at 17.4 percent. Its lead actors, Lee Jun-ho and Lee Se-young, notched the Top Excellence Award and Best Couple Award at the 2021 MBC Drama Awards for their roles. “I have been waiting so long to make my comeback as a singer and as an actor (while serving the military)…… Then, I came across the script for 'The Red Sleeve.' It was interesting bJan 5, 2022By Lee Gyu-lee
Rain returns to small screen with fantasy series 'Ghost Doctor' Actors Jung Ji-hoon and Kim Bum pose for pictures during the online press conference of the comedy series “Ghost Doctor,” Monday. Courtesy of tvNBy Lee Gyu-leeSinger and actor Jung Ji-hoon, better known by his stage name Rain, has returned to the small screen with tvN's new fantasy comedy series, “Ghost Doctor,” about three years after he starred in the romantic comedy series, “Welcome 2 Life.”“As with most actors, I always want to take part whenever I see a good project … and when I read the script for 'Ghost Doctor,' I found it really interesting but at the same time, I thought it would be really difficult.,” Jung said during an online press conference of the series, Monday. “There's the heavy length of the lines, CGI and it's a medical series with an unfolding romance story, so I hesitated at first. But after meeting with the director and writer, I became certain of taking the role.”Led by famous director Boo Sung-chul, whose previous works include the smash-hit romance series "The Heirs," and "My Girlfriend Is a GJan 4, 2022By Lee Gyu-lee
INTERVIEW Bae Doo-na tells of pressures portraying delicate character in 'The Silent Sea' Actress Bae Doo-na plays astrobiologist and ethologist Song Ji-an in the Netflix series, “The Silent Sea.” Courtesy of Netflix By Lee Gyu-leeNetflix's new Korean original series, “The Silent Sea,” had been a much-anticipated drama even before its release, partly because of the star-studded cast and partly because of actor Jung Woo-sung's new role as an executive producer. As expected, the space series landed in third place on the streaming site's official weekly top 10 charts for non-English series, after premiering on Dec. 24. “Nowadays, a lot of series have eye-catching, striking elements, but 'The Silent Sea' didn't follow that equation. This series is like a whirlwind swirling amid the tranquility,” the series' lead actress Bae Doo-na said during an interview with The Korea Times, Thursday. “The reason I decided to join the series is that I felt the strength of following the characters' emotion in such a tense moment.” The subtle sci-fi series, set in a dystopiaJan 3, 2022By Lee Gyu-lee
Netflix zombie series 'All of Us Are Dead' to be unveiled on Jan. 28 A scene from Netflix's series, “All of Us Are Dead” / Courtesy of NetflixBy Kwak Yeon-sooAfter “Kingdom” and “Hellbound” took the world by storm, another Korean zombie apocalypse series, “All of Us Are Dead,” will be coming to Netflix on Jan. 28, the streaming giant announced on Friday. Based on Joo Dong-geun's popular web-comic, titled, “Now at Our School,” “All of Us Are Dead” centers on high school students who are trapped in a school during a zombie apocalypse. The trapped students must fight their way out of the virus-ridden school or otherwise, they too will turn into zombies.Ahead of the release, Netflix released its trailer to give a glimpse of the school campus overrun by zombies and the bloody battle between students-turned-zombies and survivors, who are desperate to escape the place. It is helmed by Lee Jae-kyoo, who has directed such hit TV series as “Damo” (2003) and “Beethoven Virus,” (2008) along with films like “The Fatal Encounter” (2014) and “Intimate StJan 2, 2022By Kwak Yeon-soo
Namgoong Min nabs grand prize at MBC Drama Awards Actor Namgoong Min gives a speech after winning the grand prize for his role in the spy action series, “The Veil,” at the MBC Drama Awards, held at the network's headquarters in Sangam-dong, western Seoul, Thursday. Courtesy of MBCBy Park Han-solActor Namgoong Min was the winner of the Grand Prize at the 2021 MBC Drama Awards on Thursday for his role in the spy action thriller, “The Veil.”This win is the second time the 43-year-old actor has notched the highest honor at a year-end awards ceremony hosted by a major broadcaster, following his win at last year's SBS Drama Awards for his performance in the popular sports series, “Hot Stove League.”“A long time ago, I was here at the MBC Drama Awards. I was already very happy to just take part in the ceremony itself, but after congratulating all the other actors and returning home, I had a slight feeling of emptiness and sadness,” Namgoong said during the ceremony held at the studio's headquarters in Sangam-dong, western Seoul. “But I am so thankful to be given such a huge honor after Dec 31, 2021By Park Han-sol
Injunction against 'Snowdrop' dismissed, allowing broadcast of controversial show A bus with an advertisement for “Snowdrop,” a weekend TV series by JTBC, is seen in Seoul, Dec. 29. YonhapA court on Wednesday dismissed an injunction request against "Snowdrop," a TV series that has come under fire for allegedly distorting modern pro-democracy history, allowing the controversial show to air as scheduled.Set against the background of the country's pro-democracy movement in the late 1980s, the show by JTBC has drawn controversy over its depiction of a fictional romance between a South Korean university student and a North Korean spy. A civic group recently filed the injunction over the program's supposed distortion of history perspective.The Seoul Western District Court ruled the show is not likely to mislead viewers about the country's history of the pro-democracy movement, rejecting the injunction request. "Even if 'Snowdrop' is based on a distorted historical viewpoint as claimed by the complaint, it is difficult to believe that viewers will blindly accept it," the court said.The court also ruled that the civic group is not entitled to seek an injunctioDec 29, 2021
INTERVIEW Kim Hye-yoon on her unconventional character in 'Secret Royal Inspector & Joy' Actress Kim Hye-yoon plays the role of Kim Joy in tvN's comedy period series, “Secret Royal Inspector & Joy.” Courtesy of Sidus HQBy Lee Gyu-leeActress Kim Hye-yoon became familiar to the public after her breakthrough role as an ambitious, determined girl in the 2018 hit series “Sky Castle.” Since then, she has taken various roles across TV and films, including that of a quick-witted high school student in the romantic comedy series “Extraordinary You.”More recently, Kim took on a rather unconventional character, playing a divorcee during the 1392-1910 Joseon Kingdom, in tvN's comedy period series “Secret Royal Inspector & Joy,” which ended Tuesday.The series, which kicked off on Nov. 8 with a 5 percent rating, revolves around a free-spirited secret royal inspector, Ra Yi-eon (Ok Taec-yeon), and an unorthodox woman, Kim Joy (Kim).Yi-eon, who has no ambition, is just getting by as a royal officer. One day, he gets appointed as a secret agent, or "amhaeng-eosa" who are dispatched to travel around the country to perform undercover Dec 29, 2021By Lee Gyu-lee
