Park Na-rae’s solo wedding photos deliver bold message in era of nonmarriageComedian Park Na-rae has sparked conversation with a set of solo wedding photos she recently shared, presenting herself in a wedding gown without a partner. The images go beyond a self-portrait, delivering a striking message about changing attitudes toward marriage in Korea. Posting the photos on her social media, Park wrote, “I fell in love with myself. A collaboration between the bride-to-be and groom-to-be. So what if there’s no partner? I can do it all myself,” expressing pride in her choice. Her performance reflects a progressive life philosophy that a person can celebrate and commemorate their life regardless of marital status. Park is a core member of MBC’s reality show “I Live Alone,” which portrays the daily lives of single people and promotes the diversity and value of single living. While the program initially drew attention for its unique “single life observation” format, many cast members have left the show after marriage, sometimes blurring its identity and reinforcing the perception that single life is only a transitional phase before marriage. In this conteAug 11, 2025By Hankookilbo
Canceled K-pop teen audition show ‘UNDER15’ loses Japan broadcast plan"UNDER15," a controversial K-pop audition program for girls aged 15 and under that was canceled in Korea over concerns of sexualizing minors, has faced another setback after plans to air it in Japan under a new title fell through. On Saturday, KBS told Xportsnews, "We considered the programming request through internal and external reviews and multiple consultations, but ultimately decided not to proceed with channel scheduling in light of the serious public opinion both domestically and internationally." The broadcaster added, "KBS Japan is a separate entity in which KBS Media, a KBS subsidiary, is the largest shareholder, and KBS Japan independently holds its own programming rights." Recently, the official KBS Japan YouTube channel posted a video titled "KBS World 2025 August recommendations." The short teaser introduced an audition program for the formation of a fifth-generation girl group with contestants aged 15 or younger, revealing that the show previously known as "UNDER15" had been renamed "Star is Born." "UNDER15" was initially set to premiere on March 31 on MBN but came underAug 9, 2025By Xportsnews
K-pop audition show dropped over minor sexualization fears reemerges in Japan"UNDER15," a show that was canceled over concerns of sexualizing minors, will air in Japan under a new title. A recent video uploaded to the official KBS Japan YouTube channel, titled "KBS World 2025 August recommendations," introduced the program with the caption, "World premiere! A fifth-generation girl group audition for contestants aged 15 or younger!" The new title was revealed as "Star is Born ~ The story of girls chasing their dreams." The show will feature BIGBANG's Daesung, 2NE1's Sandara Park, KARA's Hur Young-ji, Oh My Girl's Hyojung, Son Dong-pyo, and Baek Gu-young as mentors. While the name "UNDER15" was nowhere to be found, the program’s description and a short teaser indicated that it was the same production under a different title. Originally scheduled to premiere on March 31 on MBN, "UNDER15" was promoted as the world’s first audition program to discover the next generation of K-pop prodigies aged 15 or younger. The production team said it had selected 59 talented girls from more than 70 countries regardless of race, nationality, or genre, showcasing their looks, perAug 9, 2025By Xportsnews
From warm meals to cold shoulders: 'One Meal Show' faces dilemma in changing eraObservation-style entertainment that intimately showcased the daily lives of celebrities once captivated audiences, but that focus is now shifting and ordinary people are stepping into the spotlight. JTBC's "One Meal Show," a sequel to beloved variety series "Let's Eat Dinner Together," which concluded in 2020 amid the COVID-19 pandemic, has adapted to the change. Unfortunately, the show isn't performing well. In "One Meal Show," hosts and chefs embark on spontaneous neighborhood visits, ringing doorbells at random, sharing the stories behind each door and crafting meals from whatever ingredients are inside the hosts’ refrigerators. Yet, in a recent episode filmed in Seoul's affluent Gangnam District, Kim Hee-sun, Tak Jae-hoon and chef Lee Yeon-bok found their welcomes far from warm. Despite hopeful doorbell ringing, many people shut their doors with polite refusals. The KBS show "Heart on Wheels" rolls out a mobile convenience store stocked with essentials into rural villages, spending nights immersed in their stories. Despite its bold ambition to foster "communication with ordinaryAug 8, 2025By Park Jin-hai
Park Si-hoo denies allegations of brokering affair, causing marriage breakupActor Park Si-hoo’s agency has denied allegations that he introduced a woman to a married man and played a role in breaking up the couple’s family, calling the claims “groundless and false.” In a statement released Thursday, Park’s agency, Hoofactory, said it “intends to take swift legal action in response to the post alleging that ‘actor Park Si-hoo introduced a woman to a married man and played a major part in ruining a family’.” The agency said it has retained legal counsel and has filed for mediation with the Korea Press Arbitration Commission. It also plans to file criminal charges against the person who made the online post, accusing them of defamation through the spread of false information. “We are collecting evidence on the continued spread of unverified false claims and malicious comments about Park Si-hoo,” Hoofactory said. “We will pursue legal action, including criminal complaints, against these illegal acts. Given the serious damage such misinformation causes to the actor, no leniency will be granted.” The agency urged the public to refrain from sprAug 8, 2025By Hankookilbo
Kim Byung-man admits to two children with fiancee after divorce from ex-wifeComedian Kim Byung-man has acknowledged the existence of two biological children with his fiancee, amid a paternity lawsuit filed by his legally adopted daughter. His agency said that the children were born after the breakdown of his previous marriage to his ex-wife, identified as A, and denied claims of infidelity. An official from Kim’s agency Skyturtle said on Thursday, “Kim Byung-man had two children with his current fiancee after his marriage with A ended in irreparable breakdown. The lawsuit appears to be based on unreasonable claims, especially with the verdict for his adoption annulment suit scheduled for Aug. 8.” Earlier that day, B, the daughter of A and Kim’s adopted daughter through marriage, filed a lawsuit at the Seoul Family Court seeking to verify whether the two children are Kim’s biological offspring. She claimed that the children were likely born during Kim’s legal marriage to her mother and requested a court-ordered DNA test, citing potential inheritance issues and the need to confirm legal paternity. Kim and A legally registered their marriage in 2010, andAug 8, 2025By Hankookilbo
‘Our Golden Days’ reunites powerhouse cast and creators: Can it break 30%?The creative forces behind some of Korea’s most iconic weekend dramas have joined hands once again. Scriptwriter So Hyun-kyung, director Kim Hyoung-seok and actor Cheon Ho-jin — the trio behind the massive hit “My Golden Life” (2017) — are back with KBS2’s new family series, “Our Golden Days,” which is aiming to rekindle the golden era of K-weekend dramas. Premiering Aug. 9, the drama follows the conclusion of “For Eagle Brothers!” and aims to top the 30 percent viewership mark, a lofty goal in today’s drama landscape. At a press conference held Aug. 6 at The Saint Grand Ballroom in Seoul’s Guro District, director Kim described the show as “a sincere, traditional drama full of heartfelt warmth and subtle emotion.” He emphasized his determination to bring writer So’s intricate script to life with authenticity, saying, “I approach each scene with the question of how to make the writing feel as real as possible.” Return to heart of family, generational stories “Our Golden Days” presents a multigenerational tale that explores complex but relatable dynamicsAug 7, 2025By Hankookilbo
Actor Song Young-kyu laid to rest as fellow performers bid farewellActor Song Young-kyu, known for his roles in hit films and dramas such as “Extreme Job” and “Hot Stove League,” was laid to rest on Wednesday morning in a funeral ceremony held at Davos Hospital in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province. He was 55. His wife and two daughters served as chief mourners. The late actor was buried at Hambaeksan Memorial Park. Song was found dead in Yongin’s Samga-dong on Aug. 4. Police said there were no signs of foul play. A veteran of both stage and screen, Song earned widespread recognition through projects like the film “Extreme Job,” as well as dramas including “Narco-Saints,” “Big Bet” and “Stove League.” Most recently, he appeared in the ENA series “The Defects,” and SBS’s “The Winning Try.” News of Song’s sudden passing shocked the entertainment industry, prompting emotional tributes from colleagues. Actor Jang Hyuk-jin, who starred alongside him in “The Winning Try,” wrote, “Older brother, you must have been scared and exhausted. I should’ve at least called ...” Ryu Seung-soo recalled their early collaboration on SBSAug 6, 2025By Hankookilbo
TV personality Hong Jin-kyung ends 22-year marriageModel-turned-TV personality Hong Jin-kyung has finalized her divorce after 22 years of marriage, her agency confirmed on Aug. 6. An official from her agency TNN Entertainment told the Hankook Ilbo that "Hong recently ended her marriage with her husband," a businessman five years her senior. Though they are now legally divorced, the two are said to remain in contact. Hong also broke her silence about her recent divorce, sharing personal reflections during an interview on comedian Jung Sun-hee’s YouTube channel on Wednesday. In the video, Hong said her daughter is still close with her father, adding, “What’s bittersweet is that we only truly found friendship after becoming strangers.” Jung recalled learning of the divorce months earlier. “I remember you saying, ‘I got divorced,’ and that you hadn’t told anyone else. I was sweating alone with the secret,” she said. Hong admitted she had long struggled with how and when to share the news. “I kept thinking, ‘Should I be saying this? Can I just let it quietly pass?’ It felt like I was hiding something, and I carried thatAug 6, 2025By Hankookilbo
'Golden' from 'Demon Hunters' ranks No. 2 on Billboard Hot 100 for 2nd consecutive week"Golden," a track from the animated U.S. film "KPop Demon Hunters," has maintained its position at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 for the second consecutive week. Billboard said Monday (U.S. time) in a preview of its upcoming main singles chart that "Golden" ranked just behind Alex Warren's "Ordinary" this week. Ejae, a composer who trained at SM Entertainment; Korean American singer Audrey Nuna; and South Korean-born U.S. artist Rei Ami performed "Golden" as the fictional girl group Huntr/x, featured in the Netflix original movie. Teddy and 24, known for their work with major K-pop agency The Black Label, are among the song's co-producers. The song debuted at No. 81 early last month and has steadily climbed through No. 23, No. 6, and No. 4 before reaching its current spot. The Billboard Hot 100 ranks the most popular songs in the United States across all genres, based on streaming, radio airplay and sales data. "Golden" recorded 28.9 million streams during the current chart tracking period, up 13 percent from the previous week, marking the highest streaming count among all Hot 100 entrieAug 5, 2025By Yonhap
