Comedians Kim Jun-ho, Kim Ji-min wed before star-studded crowd of 1,200 guestsComedians Kim Jun-ho, 50, and Kim Ji-min, 41, are now officially husband and wife. The comedy couple, who confirmed their relationship in 2022, held their wedding ceremony on Sunday at the Grand InterContinental Parnas Hotel in Seoul’s Gangnam District. The ceremony, attended by family and friends, drew a star-studded guest list from the entertainment industry. An estimated 1,200 guests were present, making the event feel more like an awards ceremony than a wedding. Singer Gummy and veteran balladeer Byun Jin-sub performed congratulatory songs, while the groom’s longtime friend and fellow entertainer Lee Sang-min, known for appearing alongside Kim on SBS variety shows like “My Little Old Boy” and “Dolsing Fourmen,” served as the emcee. About three hours before the ceremony, the couple made their first appearance — Kim Ji-min stunning in a white wedding gown and Kim Jun-ho looking dapper in a beige suit. The moment when Kim Jun-ho escorted his bride out of the car drew praise online for its warmth and affection. In a recent radio appearance, Kim Ji-min expressed mixed emotioJul 14, 2025By Hankookilbo
Lee Young-ae returns to KBS after 26 years with new series 'Lucky Day'Actress Lee Young-ae is set to star in a KBS drama series, tentatively titled "Lucky Day," the network said Friday. It marks Lee's first collaboration with the network in 26 years, following her previous work on the 1999 series "Invitation." The upcoming series revolves around a bag filled with narcotics. Lee stars as Eun-su, a housewife desperate for money, while Kim Young-kwang plays Lee-kyung, the art teacher of Eun-su's daughter. Park Yong-woo takes the role of ace detective Tae-gu. The series is helmed by director Song Hyun-wook, known for hit shows like tvN's "Another Miss Oh" (2016) and JTBC's "The Beauty Inside" (2018). Jeon Young-shin, the celebrated writer behind "Cheese in the Trap," penned the script.Jul 11, 2025By Yonhap
Lee Kyung-kyu brushes off drugged driving controversy: ‘Don’t worry about entertainers’Comedian Lee Kyung-kyu, currently under investigation for driving under the influence of prescription drugs, has responded to growing public concern with his signature lighthearted tone. Lee appeared in a new video on his personal YouTube channel on Thursday, sharing an update on his life and a visit to a fortune teller in Seoul. During the visit, the shaman warned him to be careful with his health over the next 60 days, saying, “You’ll be tossed around and pulling your hair out.” Later in the video, the production team indirectly brought up the recent controversy, saying, “A lot of viewers have left comments expressing concern. Any words for them?” Lee replied, “The one thing you should never do in this world is worry about an entertainer,” adding with a grin, “I really appreciate the concern. But if you subscribe more, that’d be even better. For panic disorder, subscriptions are the best medicine.” He echoed that sentiment in the comments, writing, “Dear YouTube family, I’m doing fine. All I want is more views.” Lee was previously accused of operating a vehicleJul 11, 2025By Hankookilbo
Sul Kyung-gu launches one-man agency ‘Actors 99’ following C-JeS exitVeteran actor Sul Kyung-gu has founded his own management agency, marking a new chapter in his decades-long career. Sul revealed the news in a handwritten letter posted to his official fan cafe on Thursday. “I started a company. It even has a name — Actors 99. I came up with it myself,” he wrote. “I’m continuing to work with my manager from C-JeS, the one who was with me on my last project there. On the outside, nothing has really changed.” Sul, however, admitted to feeling a “strange” sense of renewal, though not necessarily a completely new mindset. “I’m the only actor at Actors 99,” he said. “But I’ll continue to move forward, feeling the full range of emotions — joy, anger, sorrow and happiness — with sincerity. I believe you’ll support me.” Sul had been with C-JeS Entertainment since 2013. The agency recently announced it would be withdrawing from the actor management business to focus instead on core operations such as content and music production. The move was described as part of an effort to “streamline cost structures and improve organizationaJul 11, 2025By Hankookilbo
Roh Jae-won talks ‘Squid Game’ Season 3 and what he’d do with 45.6 billion wonActor Roh Jae-won, who made a strong impression as Nam-gyu in “Squid Game” Season 3, is drawing attention for his breakout performance, intense character work and his answer to a central question of the show: What would he do with the prize money? During a recent interview at a cafe in Samcheong-dong, Seoul, Roh spoke about his experience filming the Netflix megahit’s final season. In Season 3, Roh plays Nam-gyu, a former club promoter battling addiction. To portray the emotionally unstable Nam-gyu, Roh immersed himself using unusual methods. “I listened to bizarre, beat-heavy music alone in a dark studio and danced to it. I recorded self-tapes imagining I was a YouTuber talking to subscribers. I even imagined a wasp crawling on my body to trigger an unsettling sensation,” he said. “Those kinds of thoughts helped me connect with the character.” Nam-gyu’s erratic behavior, especially the viral scene where he sings the K-pop song “Love Scenario,” earned unexpected fan attention. “I didn’t expect that many parodies,” Roh said. “That scene was surprisingly tough.Jul 11, 2025By Hankookilbo
Byeon Woo-seok to star in Netflix adaptation of ‘Solo Leveling’Netflix has officially greenlit a live-action adaptation of the hit webtoon and web novel “Solo Leveling,” with rising star Byeon Woo-seok tapped to play the lead role. The series follows Sung Jin-woo, a notoriously weak E-rank hunter tasked with protecting the world from monsters that lie beyond mysterious gates. After a near-death experience, he awakens with the rare ability to level up infinitely, embarking on a journey to become the world’s strongest hunter. Originally serialized on KakaoPage, “Solo Leveling” has become a global phenomenon, amassing more than 14.3 billion views across its webtoon and novel formats. Its anime adaptation recently swept nine major categories at the 2025 Crunchyroll Anime Awards, including Anime of the Year, Best Action and Best Character, marking a first for a Korean animation. Netflix promises the new series will bring to life the story’s dynamic action, richly imagined quests, visually stunning dungeons and fearsome monsters to deliver a thrilling spectacle for fans worldwide. Byeon, known for his breakout roles in Netflix’s “20th CentuJul 10, 2025By Hankookilbo
‘Squid Game’ star Yim Si-wan: ‘Being called a global villain is a compliment’Actor Yim Si-wan has risen to global notoriety for his chilling portrayal of Myung-gi in “Squid Game” Season 3, a transformation made possible through his meticulous character analysis and layered performance. In a recent interview, Yim shared his thoughts on closing a two-year chapter with the Netflix megahit, in which he played a participant who survived brutal rounds of competition in Season 2 and descended into further moral collapse in the final season. “More than anything, I feel relieved,” he said. “Filming from Season 2 through Season 3 spanned nearly two years, and I finally feel like I can let go of Myung-gi. It’s not just about being hated — it’s a real sense of liberation.” Though Yim has played villains in past projects such as “Emergency Declaration” and “Unlocked,” he admitted that Myung-gi presented a unique emotional challenge. “It wasn’t easy to follow the character emotionally. I had to keep summoning him between seasons, and every time promotions came up, I was reminded of him. It was hard to truly let go, until now.” He recalled bondingJul 10, 2025By Hankookilbo
Lee Young-ae to return to KBS drama after 26 years with ‘Eunsoo’s Good Day’Actor Lee Young-ae will return to television in the upcoming KBS weekend drama “Eunsoo’s Good Day,” marking her first small-screen role in four years since JTBC’s “Inspector Koo” and her first KBS drama in 26 years. Scheduled to premiere in September, the series stars Lee alongside actor Kim Young-kwang and follows the gripping story of a desperate mother and a mysterious art teacher who become entangled in a dangerous partnership after discovering a bag of drugs. Lee plays the lead role of Kang Eunsoo, an ordinary housewife whose peaceful life unravels when a sudden tragedy pushes her to the edge. Faced with urgent financial need, she stumbles upon a suspicious bag of narcotics and is pulled into a whirlwind of risk and moral compromise. To protect her family, Eunsoo crosses a forbidden line and makes a dangerous proposal to her daughter’s after-school art teacher. Kim Young-kwang takes on the role of Lee Gyeong, a charismatic instructor adored by his students but hiding a completely different identity beneath his perfect image. When approached by Eunsoo with an unexpectedJul 9, 2025By Hankookilbo
Lee Jung-jae on ‘Squid Game’ Season 3: ‘Not expecting Emmy win at all’As Netflix’s global hit “Squid Game” comes to a close with its third season, lead actor Lee Jung-jae looked back on the five-year journey that defined a cultural phenomenon and elevated Korean content on the global stage. In a recent interview, Lee shared his thoughts on the series finale and the evolution of his character, Seong Gi-hun. Season 3 follows Gi-hun as he reenters the deadly game, haunted by the loss of his closest friend and weighed down by guilt from failing to save more contestants. “There’s been the most buzz around ‘Gi-hun’s ending,’” Lee said. “We considered many possible conclusions, and we knew this one would divide audiences.” Lee praised director Hwang Dong-hyuk for sticking to a vision that prioritized artistic closure over commercial expansion. “With the level of success we had, going into a Season 5 or beyond was definitely possible. But the director was committed to wrapping up the story with integrity. That made a big impression on me,” he said. Lee added that Hwang’s dedication to the series’ core message about financial temptatioJul 9, 2025By Hankookilbo
‘Squid Game’ Season 3 tops Netflix charts in 93 countries for second weekThe third season of Netflix’s global phenomenon “Squid Game” has maintained its No. 1 spot across 93 countries for a second consecutive week, further cementing its status as a record-breaking hit. According to Netflix on Wednesday, “Squid Game" Season 3 logged 46.3 million views between June 30 and July 6, based on total viewing hours divided by running time, retaining the top position in all countries where the Global Top 10 is tracked. Just 10 days after release, the series has already reached 106.3 million views in total, making it the third most-watched non-English series in Netflix history. With this, all three seasons of “Squid Game” now occupy the top three positions in the streaming platform's all-time non-English series rankings, a historic feat. Season 1 and 2 have also seen a resurgence in popularity since the release of Season 3. In the same tracking period, Season 2 ranked No. 2 with 4.9 million views, while Season 1 ranked No. 3 with 3.8 million views. “Squid Game" Season 3 follows protagonist Gi-hun as he reenters the deadly competition with a new purpose, onJul 9, 2025By Hankookilbo
