CJ ENM brings K-drama, K-pop channels to AmazonAmerican television viewers are getting two new front-row seats to Korean entertainment, and accessing them will not require a subscription. CJ ENM, the entertainment powerhouse behind global smashes like "Parasite," said Friday that it is launching two free ad-supported streaming television (FAST) channels on Amazon Prime Video in the United States. Operating around the clock, the brand channels — “CJ ENM K-Stories” and “CJ ENM K-Pop” — aim to expand the reach of Korean drama, film and music directly into American living rooms. The venture signals a strategic push by CJ ENM to monetize its extensive content library while leaning into the rapidly expanding FAST market, which offers linear, cable-style channels over the internet without monthly fees. As traditional paid streaming services face consumer fatigue over rising subscription costs, free ad-supported platforms have quietly emerged as a dominant force in American media consumption. The flagship channel, “CJ ENM K-Stories,” will showcase hit television series and movies. Its inaugural lineup includes acclaimed teleSep 4, 2026By Lee Kyung-min
Veteran director Lee Joon-ik ventures into vertical short-form dramaRenowned director Lee Joon-ik, best known for historical blockbusters such as "King And The Clown" (2005), "The Throne" (2015) and "Anarchist from Colony" (2017), has made his first foray into vertical short-form drama with "My Father's Table." "I wanted to expand the simple and warm stories we used to capture in traditional movies into the short-form format," Lee said during a press conference in Seoul, Thursday. “I really wanted to try this so that even people who usually do not watch short-form content could enjoy it." Based on the popular webtoon of the same name, "My Father's Table" follows Ha-ung (Jung Jin-young) a traditional husband who has insisted on home-cooked meals for 40 years. When his wife, Sun-ae (Lee Jung-eun), suddenly develops an inability to cook, Ha-ung enters the kitchen for the first time in his life in order to survive. The vertical short-form series will be released exclusively at Lotte Cinema on Sept. 9, followed by its release on Lezhin Snack, a new short-form drama platform launched by the webtoon platform Lezhin Comics, with Part 1 on Sept. 17 and Part 2Sep 3, 2026By Baek Byung-yeul
Hyun Bin, Jung Woo-sung return for deeper conflict in 'Made in Korea' Season 2The Disney+ original series “Made in Korea” returns for its second season with an even more intense narrative than before, shifting from an episodic structure to a singular, continuous arc spanning six episodes. Following its debut season — which ranked as the most-watched Korean original on Disney+ globally in 2025 and secured major accolades at the Baeksang Arts Awards — the drama leaps forward nine years in time from the last season. Set against the political backdrop leading up to the Dec. 12 military coup of 1979, Season 2 focuses on the power vacuum created by the assassination of the president. Unlike the first season, the entire six-episode installment delivers one overarching narrative. "If Season 1 featured distinct stories for each episode, Season 2 is one continuous rush from Episode 1 to 6," director Woo Min-ho said during a news conference at the Conrad Seoul hotel Wednesday, adding that viewers will find the new run significantly more immersive. "If Season 1 felt like a fight between kids, Season 2 feels like a battle among adults." Woo emphasized that while historSep 2, 2026By Park Jin-hai
CJ ENM's hit dating show 'EXchange' expands to Japan, Brazil with local remakesCJ ENM, one of Korea's largest entertainment companies, said Tuesday that its dating reality format "EXchange" is expanding overseas, with a new season confirmed in Japan and a first-ever remake set for Brazil. In Japan, "Love Transit," the local adaptation of "EXchange," will return with a fourth season, "Love Transit 35+," following three earlier seasons. Premiering globally on Amazon Prime Video on Oct. 22, the new season will feature 10 participants aged 35 and older, including previously married couples, reflecting shifting attitudes toward marriage in Japan. In Brazil, "EXchange" will be remade as a local version of "Love Transit," directed by veteran Brazilian television producer Boninho and co-produced by Amazon MGM Studios and Formata, marking the format's first adaptation outside Asia. CJ ENM cited growing interest in Korean content in Brazil. A July report by the Korean Cultural Center in Brazil found Korean dramas made up 28 percent of local media coverage of Korean culture, ranking second after K-pop. The Korea Creative Content Agency, a government body promoting Korean cultSep 2, 2026By Jhoo Dong-chan
Hyun Bin makes first variety show appearance in 23 yearsA little-known connection between actor Hyun Bin and entertainer Yoo Jae-suk took the spotlight on SBS variety show "Whenever Possible," which aired Tuesday. The program visits people during short breaks in their daily routines, offering participants a chance to win prizes. In the episode, Hyun Bin and Woo Do-hwan appeared alongside hosts Yoo Jae-suk and Yoo Yeon-seok to promote their Disney+ series "Made in Korea." Yoo noted that Hyun Bin had "bulked up" and revealed that they used to work out at the same gym, adding that Hyun Bin "helped me train my triceps." Hyun Bin joked about Yoo's muscles and remarked on his "slimmer frame." Making his first variety show appearance in his 23-year career, Hyun Bin showed a competitive streak. He looked for gaps in the rules and even tried to negotiate with the production staff, leaving Yoo in disbelief at his drive. The cast visited a Samsung service center, where they met a man with a warm demeanor and quick wit. He revealed that his wife was a camera director who had worked with Yoo on the hit variety show "Family Outing." Yoo expressed delight upoSep 2, 2026By Hankookilbo
InterviewHow Ryu Jun-yeol tackled two roles in Netflix's series 'Mousetrap'Korean actor Ryu Jun-yeol stepped into double-duty territory for his latest project, tackling a dual role for the first time in the Netflix original series "Mousetrap." The psychological thriller, directed by Kim Hong-sun, follows Moon-jae (Ryu), a novelist whose identity, face and life are stolen by a mysterious figure known as "the Rat." The chase escalates as loan shark No-ja (Sul Kyung-gu) fights to recover his lost funds, while detective Sun-yong (Lee Kyu-hyung) pursues the truth. Following its release on Aug. 28, the series quickly climbed the charts. By Sept. 1, "Mousetrap" reached No. 6 on Netflix's global TV show rankings via FlixPatrol, entering the Top 10 in 49 countries, including Korea, France, India, Singapore and the United Arab Emirates. "I’ve been getting so many calls from people around me since the show came out," Ryu said during an interview with The Korea Times at a cafe in Seoul, Tuesday. "I can really feel the response firsthand." Ryu admitted he was drawn to the script early on, even before the ending was finalized, curious about the fate of a man stripped of hiSep 1, 2026By Park Jin-hai
Can humans really fall in love with AI? Korean dating show looks for answersArtificial intelligence (AI) has become deeply embedded in everyday life, quickly organizing information and taking care of tedious tasks. An experiment is now taking that relationship a step further, exploring whether AI can become a romantic partner. SBS’s “My AI Partner — Strange Love” asks whether people can fall in love with when there is no person and no physical presence on the other end. The show follows celebrities as they date AI "partners" to explore whether an emotional connection is possible. Beyond simply testing whether people can form relationships with AI, it examines whether those relationships can evoke the same feelings that arise between people. It also asks how far AI’s role can expand as the technology finds its way into more aspects of everyday life. The first episode begins with cast members Jang Do-yeon and Kian84 meeting their AI partners for the first time. At first, their awkwardness is apparent as they talk to the AI on their tablets. Conversations sometimes veer off track because the AI is too passive or fails to grasp the context. Even its affeAug 31, 2026By Hankookilbo
As women crowd ballparks, K-drama actors take on new professionsKim Woo-bin and Ryu Seung-ryong have little in common in terms of age or acting style. Their filmographies, however, are about to gain one common thread, and it has something to do with baseball. In December, Kim is set to appear in tvN drama “Gift,” a tentative English title, as a former baseball player who coaches a high school baseball team. Ryu, meanwhile, stars as a famous baseball player in the film “Portrait of a Family,” which opens next month. They are not the only ones. Suddenly baseball players and coaches have become some of the most sought-after characters in the Korean drama and film industry; Gong Myoung is currently filming MBC drama “Your Ground,” a tentative English title set to air at the end of this year, in which he plays a pitcher. Kim Rae-won will appear as a coach in SBS drama “Full Count,” expected to air next year. There are more baseball-related projects on the way. They include “Green Light” and “Sunning Baseball Club,” both tentative English titles. Together with the four aforementioned works, they bring the number of baseball-themedAug 30, 2026By Hankookilbo
Why are Korean celebrities handpicking, importing foreign films despite losing money?“Infinite Challenge” producer Kim Tae-ho announced that his company is expanding into the film distribution business, as he took the stage at a press screening for Hollywood film “The Drama.” “It’s my first time speaking before an audience at a movie theater,” said Kim, who is the founder and head of content production company TEO, during the film's press screening at Megabox in Coex, southern Seoul. “We decided not to limit our content to videos, but to try our hand at dramas and films, and anything else that can leave audiences with good memories.” So far, TEO has mainly produced entertainment shows for television, streaming platforms and YouTube, including “Earth Marble World Tour,” “Seoul Check-in” and “Salon Drip.” However, the company recently formed a partnership with Waterhole Company, a film distributor that has brought titles such as “Everything Everywhere All at Once” and “Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba — The Movie: Mugen Train” to Korean audiences. For TEO’s first film distribution project, Kim chose “The Drama,” which has drawn aAug 29, 2026By Hankookilbo
'A Bona Fide Killer': A working mom with a deadly secret wins over drama viewersThe void left by So Ji-sub's secret agent dad in "Agent Kim Reactivated" has been filled by “killer mom” Gong Hyo-jin, as MBC’s Friday-Saturday drama “A Bona Fide Killer” surpassed a nationwide viewership rating of 10 percent after just six episodes, taking first place in its time slot. Playing a contract killer named “Kingfisher,” Gong's character returns to work as an assassin to target vicious criminals let off with light sentences. Unbeknownst to everyone, “Kingfisher” is actually Yoo Bo-na, a working mom with a 4-year-old daughter. She works on a sales team at Durumi Electronics, which is the front for an organized group of killers specializing in poisoning, stabbing and sniping. Having just returned from parental leave, Yoo Bo-na worries when a nighttime assignment is suggested: “Let’s do it during the day. I have to go pick up my kid.” The drama has drawn praise from critics for its fresh blend of genres, combining the catharsis of punishing villains and the struggle to juggle work and private life with a touching family drama. The premise of a family-orientAug 28, 2026By Hankookilbo
