'Work Later, Drink Now' to follow three female friends Actors Lee Sun-bin, from left, Han Sun-hwa, Jung Eun-ji, and Choi Si-won pose for pictures during the online press conference of the series “Work Later, Drink Now,” Friday. Courtesy of TvingBy Lee Gyu-leeLee Sun-bin, Han Sun-hwa, and Jung Eun-ji will be playing three besties who live for boozing in the streaming platform Tving's upcoming comedy series “Work Later, Drink Now.” Based on the webcomics of the same name, the series follows three single women in their 30s ― variety show writer So-hee (Lee), yoga instructor Ji-yeon (Han), and papercraft YouTuber Ji-gu (Jung).Despite pursuing different career paths, the three always meet up for a drink at the end of the day, seeking comfort from each other and in getting drunk together. “After reading the original webcomic, I was surprised to see how realistic and relatable the story was. It really portrayed people's everyday lives, and how competitive the world we're living in is, which drew me to the series,” Lee said during an online press conference of the series, Friday.“A lot of people struggleOct 17, 2021By Lee Gyu-lee
'BTS In the Soop' returns for 2nd season A poster for “BTS In the Soop” season 2 / Courtesy of Bighit Music By Kwak Yeon-soo“BTS In the Soop,” a reality show featuring the seven members of BTS taking a break in a remote forest area, is returning for a second season.Following the first season, which aired in 2020, BTS members ― RM, J-Hope, Suga, Jin, Jungkook, V and Jimin ― will go on a trip together to PyeongChang, Gangwon Province, to enjoy a getaway in a high-end residence built just for them in a woodland area. According to the unveiled teaser, the house and amenities, including a tennis court, took roughly a year to plan and build, which means the production team had started preparing for the second season while its first season was still being aired. “To me, it's important to rest because it's time to let my body and mind recover,” Jimin said. Jin stated, “I like to spend the whole day playing games or doing pointless things.”“BTS In the Soop 2” will premiere on Oct. 15. It will air on Fridays at 9 p.Oct 15, 2021By Kwak Yeon-soo
Disney+ to release 'Running Man' spin-off in South Korea Jay Trinidad, Walt Disney Company's general manager of the direct-to-consumer division in the Asia-Pacific region, speaks during an Asia-Pacific content showcase of streaming service Disney+ in Seoul, Thursday. Courtesy of Walt Disney Company KoreaA spin-off of long-running South Korean television show "Running Man" is among the Korean originals to be released on Disney+ after the service's launch in the country on Nov. 12, its operator said Thursday."Outrun by Running Man," the first official spin-off of the SBS TV variety show, will star three members of the show's original cast ― Kim Jong-kook, Haha and Jee Seok-jin, the Walt Disney Company said during an Asia-Pacific content showcase of the streaming service. But the original show's main cast member Yoo Jae-suk will not participate in the spin-off series."Running Man," which revolves around emcees and guests competing with each other to complete missions at a landmark in Seoul, has been hugely popular for over a decade in Korea and other Asian countries."Outrun" was one of the 18 local-language Disney+ originals announced during Oct 14, 2021
KOCCA to hold online creative writing conference to explore K-content “2021 The Story Concert,” organized by the Korea Creative Content Agency (KOCCA), will be held online on Oct. 21. Courtesy of KOCCABy Lee Gyu-leeThe Korea Creative Content Agency (KOCCA) will be holding a talk event, “2021 The Story Concert,” to provide insight into K-content for those pursuing creative writing fields. The state-run agency announced, Thursday, that this year's talk concert will be held online on Oct. 21 under the theme, “Building a creative universe,” and will invite speakers from diverse industries, including TV, novels, movies and webtoons. The agency has been holding the event every year since 2016 to invite acclaimed writers, directors, and producers in media to share their expertise and creative inspiration with future content creators. This year's event will consist of four sections. The speakers for each section will be Brazilian novelist Paulo Coelho, who wrote the best-selling book, “The Alchemist,” screenwriter Baek Mi-kyung, who created the suspense drama series, “Mine,” director Jo Sung-hee, who Oct 14, 2021By Lee Gyu-lee
Jun Ji-hyun and Ju Ji-hoon offer glimpse of new mystery series 'Jirisan' Actors Jun Ji-hyun, left, and Ju Ji-hoon pose for pictures during the online press conference of the new series, “Jirisan”, Wednesday. Courtesy of tvNBy Lee Gyu-leeActors Jun Ji-hyun and Ju Ji-hoon will become mountain rangers in the new mystery series, “Jirisan,” which is one of the most anticipated series coming this year. “I never thought that I would play the role of a ranger, and it's not every day you meet a ranger,” Jun said during the online press conference of the series, Wednesday. “So everything came to me as new when I played the role, and I'm sure viewers will also be amused with the duties rangers carry out and their lives.”Created and written by star writer Kim Eun-hee, who wrote the hit series, "Kingdom" and "Signal," tvN's upcoming series follows two rangers of Jirisan National Park, where Korea's second-highest mountain is located, on the border between South Gyeongsang Province and the Jeolla provinces. Seo Yi-gang (Jun) is an experienced ranger who knows the park like the back of her hand. She is partnered with a rooOct 14, 2021By Lee Gyu-lee
Ko Hyun-jung's new drama, 'Reflection of You,' depicts twists and turns of two women's lives Actors Ko Hyun-jung, right, and Shin Hyun-been pose during an online press conference for JTBC's new series, “Reflection of You.” / Courtesy of JTBCBy Kwak Yeon-sooJTBC's new series, “Reflection of You,” which kicked off on Wednesday with a 3.6 percent viewership rating, follows the complex lives of two women ― a wealthy, middle-aged woman who has lost meaning in her life, but who is inspired by a poor, talented, younger woman ― who struggle to find their own happiness through insecurity and chaos. Ko portrays Hee-joo, who grew up poor but became a successful painter and essayist. Despite her success, Hee-joo feels miserable until she meets Hae-won (Shin Hyun-been), a young woman that reminds her of her youthful self.“I'm so happy to return to the small screen after two years. I actually received a few scripts when I wasn't in a good condition. I initially thought, 'I'll read them later,' but this one caught my eye. After I began reading, I instantly liked it,” she said during the online press conference for the series, Wednesday.Describing her chaOct 14, 2021By Kwak Yeon-soo
'Squid Game' strikes nerve in debt-ridden Korea This handout image shows a scene of Korea's "Squid Game" Season one. Netflix smash hit "Squid Game" blends a tight plot, social allegory and uncompromising violence to create the latest Korean cultural phenomenon to go global. Courtesy of Netflix``Squid Game,`` a brutal Netflix survival drama about desperate adults competing in deadly children's games for a chance to escape severe debt hit a little too close to home for Lee Chang-keun.The show has captivated global audiences since its September debut, becoming one of Netflix's biggest hits. It has struck raw nerves at home, where there's growing discontent over soaring personal debt, decaying job markets and stark income inequalities worsened by financial crises in the past two decades. In the dystopian horrors of Squid Game, Lee sees a reflection of himself in the show's protagonist Seong Gi-hun, a laid-off autoworker coping with a broken family and struggling with constant business failures and gambling problems. Seong gets beaten by gangster creditors into signing off his organs as collateral, but then receives a mysterious offer Oct 13, 2021
Hotel and outdoor activity vendor plan real-life 'Squid Game' event Seen is a scene in Netflix's original series “Squid Game” where participants play a Korean children's game called “the Mugunghwa flower has bloomed” (known in English as “Red Light, Green Light”). / Courtesy of NetflixBy Lee Hae-rinA hotel in Gangwon Province and a company that sells tickets to outdoor recreational activities had planned to capitalize on the soaring popularity of the Netflix original series, “Squid Game.” But whether the real-life game will be held as planned remains uncertain due to social distancing restrictions.St. John's Hotel in Gangneung, Gangwon Province, recently announced on its Instagram that it will host a real-life “Squid Game” event on Oct. 24, where the final survivor of a series of children's games wins a prize of 5 million won ($ 4,178).It said the event was open to people of all ages and not just guests of the hotel. Visitors who make a reservation would receive a business card with the phone number of the game's organizer written on it, just like the one the players of the game in the dystoOct 13, 2021By Lee Hae-rin
Ha Seok-jin and Go Won-hee to lead new romantic comedy series Actors Go Won-hee, from left, Ha Seok-jin and Lim Hyun-joo pose for pictures during a table read of the script for the series “Three Hundred Meals” (tentative title). Courtesy of Playlist and Studio NBy Lee Gyu-leeActors Ha Seok-jin and Go Won-hee will play the leads in the upcoming romantic comedy series, “Three Hundred Meals” (tentative title), produced by Studio N and Playlist, which made several hits with web series including “Love Playlist” and “Seventeen.”The studio announced, Tuesday, that the actors have confirmed the roles of the lead characters, unveiling photos of their read-through of the script.“The series will unfold the stories of ordinary people who are seeking jobs as well as of those who are just taking their first steps into the real world,” the studio said in the statement. “We are planning to start filming soon, so we ask for much support for the series, which will kick off in the latter half of this year.”Based on the ongoing webtoon of the same name, the new series will revolve around a jobOct 12, 2021By Lee Gyu-lee
Actress Park Eun-bin plays disguised crown prince in 'The King's Affection' Actors Park Eun-bin, left, and Rowoon pose for pictures during the online press conference for the series, “The King's Affection,” last Friday. Courtesy of KBSBy Lee Gyu-leeActress Park Eun-bin has taken on the role of a woman who disguises herself as a man in KBS's new period series, “The King's Affection,” which kicked off on Monday with a 6.2-percent viewership rating.Based on the comic book of the same name by Lee So-young, the romance series follows the crown prince's twin sister (Park) who was kicked out of the palace. When Prince Lee Hwi is killed, she returns to the palace secretly to keep the family line of succession, by hiding her true identity and pretending to be her twin brother. “I thought the story about a woman becoming a king in the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910) was brilliant. I was drawn to the concept of a female sitting on the throne,” she said during the online press conference for the series, last Friday. “I felt like I was having a whole new dream when I read the script. I wanted to wear the King's gown and I felt this waOct 12, 2021By Lee Gyu-lee
