Disney+ to release 2nd season of 'Made in Korea' in SeptemberThe second season of the popular Disney+ Korean original series "Made in Korea" will premiere in September, the streaming platform said Wednesday. Set in the 1970s, the political thriller portrays Baik Ki-tae (Hyun Bin), a government intelligence operative, who is a drug dealer at night, and prosecutor Jang Keon-young (Jung Woo-sung), who doggedly hunts down Baik. The second installment, set at a time nine years after the first series, follows Baik on a reckless pursuit of even greater ambitions. The first season, released last year, was the most-watched Korean show on Disney+ that year. Other members of the cast who appeared in season 1 join Hyun Bin and Jung in the second season.Jul 22, 2026By Yonhap
'Agent Kim Reactivated' reigns atop Netflix's weekly non-English chart for 3rd weekThe action thriller "Agent Kim Reactivated" extended its chart-topping run on Netflix's non-English chart for the third straight week, the streaming platform said Wednesday. The SBS series, starring So Ji-sub, follows an ordinary father whose secret agent past unfolds as he sets on a mission to find his missing daughter. The webtoon-based series accumulated 8.2 million views during the latest tracking week ending Sunday, according to Netflix. It reached the top 10 in 73 countries and ranked No. 1 in 19 of them, including Hong Kong, Indonesia, Singapore and Peru. "The East Palace," an action-packed dark fantasy series, debuted at No. 2 on the chart, with 4.9 million views. It was the most-watched show in Korea and Thailand and reached the top 10 in 25 others. Set in a doomed royal palace, the series follows Gu-cheon (Nam Joo-hyuk) and Saeng-gang (Roh Yoon-seo), who work to uncover the source of a curse under orders from the king (Cho Seung-woo), who has lost all but one of his sons to the deadly curse. Other Korean series also performed strongly, with three other shows making the chart. "ThJul 22, 2026By Yonhap
How 'Better Late Than Single' fixes dating show fatigue with awkward charm"Little change, plenty of charm," a producer said, adapting a Korean idiom to describe the strategy behind the second season of "Better Late Than Single," the Netflix dating show returning after a year. Instead of relying on bigger twists, the series again focuses on personal growth that distinguished it from other dating shows. "Better Late Than Single" is a dating series about people who have never dated but are looking for love. The program follows them through makeovers and their first attempts at dating. The first season, released in 2025, drew wide attention after it overtook the third season of "Squid Game" to reach No. 1 on Netflix’s Top 10 series chart in Korea. The premise added a distinctive element to a familiar reality format built around the dating lives of everyday people. Dating shows had already saturated the market, but "Better Late Than Single" struck a chord by focusing on people with no experience to guide them. Their awkward reactions, unpredictable relationships and personal growth separated the series from dating shows built around more experienced participantsJul 22, 2026By Hankookilbo
Actor Kwak Dong-yeon to begin military service next monthActor Kwak Dong-yeon will begin his mandatory military service in August, his agency said Tuesday. Kwak will join the Army on Aug. 25, without any special events to mark his enlistment, according to The Black Label. "Kwak Dong-yeon will faithfully carry out his military duty," the company said. The actor, who made his debut in the 2012 family drama "My Husband Got a Family," has appeared in hit dramas, including "Love in the Moonlight" (2016), "Vincenzo" (2021) and "Queen of Tears" (2024). Most recently, he appeared in the first season of the reality show "The Village Barber," alongside Park Bo-gum and Lee Sang-yi, as well as the dark fantasy series "The East Palace."Jul 21, 2026By Yonhap
Actor Lee Dong-wook promises intense action, catharsis in 2nd season of 'A Shop for Killers'Actor Lee Dong-wook on Monday promised more intense action and a gripping storyline in the second installment of the action drama series "A Shop for Killers" set to premiere this week. The Disney+ Korean series, which first aired in 2024, centers on Ji-an (Kim Hye-jun) and her uncle Jin-man (Lee Dong-wook), who operates Murthehelp, a mysterious shopping mall that covertly supplies weapons to assassins. "Following the success of the first season, I felt the pressure to make the second season even better," Lee said at a press conference in Seoul. "Otherwise, there would have been no point in making a second season, so I gave it my all." Compared with the first season, which was based on the novel "The Murderer's Shopping Mall," the second season moves beyond the original storyline. It follows Ji-an after she takes over as the head of Murthehelp and delves deeper into mysteries that remained unanswered in the first season. Returning cast members Lee, Kim, Jo Han-sun, Geum Hae-na and Kim Min are joined by newcomers Jung Yun-ha, Hyunri and Masaki Okada, who portray members of the East Asian uJul 20, 2026By Yonhap
Why hit corporate thriller 'Reborn Rookie' resonated across generationsSome of Korea’s most popular recent dramas share a clear formula. They place an exceptionally capable protagonist at the center of the action, giving viewers the satisfaction of watching wrongdoers face consequences. For instance, Netflix’s "Teach You a Lesson" follows inspectors who confront serious misconduct in schools. Meanwhile, SBS’ "Agent Kim Reactivated" features a father who draws on his formidable combat skills to find his missing daughter. The recently concluded JTBC drama "Reborn Rookie" follows the same powerful-hero formula. After an accident, a chaebol's chairman and a football player in his 20s wake up in each other’s bodies. Their second chance at life unfolds alongside family infighting over the control of the conglomerate. The premise adds a corporate succession struggle to the gratification of watching a hero who rarely loses. The mix highlights the drama’s appeal. The series peaked at a nationwide rating of 13.6 percent and ranked No. 1 among all Sunday programs in the key 20-49 age group. In an interview at a cafe in Seoul’s Mapo District on Monday, direJul 16, 2026By Hankookilbo
Chilling beyond ghosts: 'The East Palace' ushers in new era of K-occult“I will wipe out the King’s entire bloodline.” A mysterious ghost hunter arrives at a palace consumed by a sinister curse. Swarming with vengeful spirits, the royal court is a perilous labyrinth of buried secrets and political conspiracies. Navigating between reality and the eerie "world of spirits," the hunter tracks the source of the curse. This is the premise of Netflix’s new series "The East Palace" — a brutal, shadowy clash between a cursed dynasty, those desperate to break the spell and the ghosts hell-bent on taking over the throne. Breaking away from the conventional tropes of royal court period dramas and zombie apocalypses, "The East Palace" delivers a highly original piece of "Joseon Gothic occult action," seamlessly blending Korean shamanism with Western dark fantasy. Writers Kwon So-ra and Seo Jae-won, who previously laid the groundwork for modern K-occult thrillers with "The Guest" (2018), have successfully transplanted their expertise into the Joseon court, crafting a mesmerizing yet grotesque abyss. Ahead of its global release on July 17, the first four episodesJul 15, 2026By Park Jin-hai
'Agent Kim Reactivated' tops Netflix's weekly non-English chart for 2nd weekThe action-packed revenge thriller "Agent Kim Reactivated" continued its chart-topping run on Netflix's non-English chart for the second straight week, the streaming platform said Wednesday. The SBS series portrays So Ji-sub as an ordinary father who hides his secret agent past but sets on a mission to find his missing daughter. The webtoon-based series accumulated 9.1 million views during the latest tracking week ending Sunday, according to Netflix. It was the most-watched show in 22 countries, including Korea, Singapore and Peru, and reached the top 10 in 50 others. "Teach You a Lesson," another Korean drama that has remained in the top ranks for the past few weeks, stayed at No. 2 with 3.6 million views. It also reached the top 10 in 51 countries. The second installment of the reality dating program "Better Late Than Single" debuted at No. 8 with 1.5 million views, while the new JTBC series "The Apartment Job," starring Ji Sung, debuted at No. 10 with 1.4 million views. In the non-English film category, the Korean action-comedy "Husbands in Action" ranked No. 10 with 900,000 views. In tJul 15, 2026By Yonhap
'Spooky in Love' reimagines hit film with supernatural twistThe hit 2011 movie "Spellbound" is returning as a drama series. Actors Park Eun-bin, Yang Se-jong and Ong Seong-wu have teamed up to deliver tvN's occult romance "Spooky in Love," promising to blow away the midsummer heat. The series follows a hotel heiress who sees ghosts and a passionate prosecutor who team up to solve cases together. This 12-episode drama takes a bold approach to reimagining the original film, which previously garnered massive love and starred Son Ye-jin and Lee Min-ki. To differentiate itself from the movie, the drama completely revamps the story, keeping only the female lead's ability to see ghosts. Instead of just a strange woman who possesses a secret ability to see dead people, the female protagonist is now a hotel CEO Yeo-ri (Park), and the male lead is a prosecutor instead of a magician. The drama also introduces a unique supernatural twist where anyone who touches Yeo-ri's hand gains the temporary ability to see ghosts. This addition paves the way for far more diverse incidents than the original film. Park takes on the role of the luxury hotel heiress harborinJul 14, 2026By Park Jin-hai
Netflix drama 'The East Palace' tests Nam Joo-hyuk after hiatus, scandalNam Joo-hyuk is returning to screens after a three-year hiatus to star in Netflix’s supernatural period drama “The East Palace.” The role required several action sequences, giving the actor a chance to show his development and testing whether he can regain momentum. “The East Palace” follows Gu-cheon, played by Nam, a man who can cross between the human world and the spirit world. Roh Yoon-seo plays Saeng-gang, a court lady with a secret. The king, played by Cho Seung-woo, summons the pair to investigate a haunting in the palace. Choi Jung-kyu, whose credits include “The Devil Judge” and “Children of Nobody,” directs the series. The production blends occult, horror, fantasy and action amid surging global interest in stories featuring Korean folk elements. Korean productions with supernatural angles have increasingly reached international audiences through streaming platforms. Netflix’s “If Wishes Could Kill,” released earlier this year, drew a large global audience. "The East Palace” follows suit, setting its story in a haunted palace and saturating the productJul 13, 2026By Hankookilbo
