Why K-dramas turn classic hit films into seriesA romance with a woman who sees ghosts, a Joseon-era libertine’s dangerous romantic wager and a criminal who vanishes by turning into gas. Television and streaming platforms are increasingly reviving the premises of classic films and reworking them for contemporary audiences. Driven by a streaming boom, the Korean entertainment industry is expanding its focus beyond webtoons and web novels to revisit past cinematic hits for their built-in audiences. The tvN weekend series "Spooky in Love," a television remake of the 2011 film "Spellbound," premiered July 18. The original film, starring Son Ye-jin as the ghost-seeing Yeo-ri and Lee Min-ki as horror magician Jo-goo, became a rare box-office hit for a romantic comedy. The new series retains the central premise of the female protagonist being able to see ghosts but reimagines the story by changing the characters' occupations, focusing on a romance between Cheon Yeo-ri (Park Eun-bin), an heiress to a family-run conglomerate, and a prosecutor who fears ghosts (Yang Se-jong). Speaking at a press event for the series, Park highlighted the exAug 7, 2026By Hankookilbo
Love with deadlines, digital hearts: Korea's dating reality boom tests ethics of romance TVKorea’s dating reality boom has entered a new, uneasy chapter — one where terminal illness and artificial intelligence (AI) join ex-lovers, divorced couples, shamans and LGBTQ+ participants on television, raising fresh questions about how far romance entertainment should go. SBS’s “Love Against Time,” which premiered Monday, follows young adults in their 20s and 30s who have received terminal diagnoses or survived life-threatening illness as they search for “the remaining love” in their lives. In its first episode, eight contestants exchanged small talk and shy smiles, then carefully unfolded their “treatment diaries” — recounting stage 4 cancer, total gastrectomy and nights when they felt death approaching. The show’s matching device, a “room of time,” gamifies scarcity. Each evening, participants receive 100 minutes, divided into 10 segments lasting 10 minutes each, to allocate to potential dates. If two people send at least a combined 100 minutes to each other, they can earn a date lasting between 100 and 200 minutes. Time — once a private reminder of limitAug 7, 2026By Lee Hae-rin
Another heartwarming story emerges about Byeon Woo-seok's generosityA story highlighting actor Byeon Woo-seok's history of charitable giving came to light after a comment from a participant in the Netflix reality show "Jae-seok's B&B Rules!" The actor uploaded several captionless promotional photos to his Instagram account on Wednesday for a brand he represents. He wore a black knit top and white trousers in the images. However, the post drew attention for a user's comment about his donation. Addressing him as "Team Leader Byeon," a user said a child at a residential care facility where they formerly worked received medical treatment thanks to his donation. The unidentified commenter appeared on "Jae-seok's B&B Rules!," released in May. Byeon served as their team leader on the show. The commenter added that it was "truly amazing and touching" that his generosity reached the facility, thanking the actor for giving the child "much-needed hope." Byeon replied directly to the commenter, saying it was "truly happy news." In 2024, Byeon donated 300 million won ($210,000) to Severance Hospital to support pediatric patients. His agency, Varo Entertainment, confirmedAug 6, 2026By Xportsnews
National Tax Service thanks Yoo Jae-suk after on-camera tax paymentKorea's National Tax Service (NTS) publicly thanked entertainer Yoo Jae-suk after footage of him visiting a bank to pay taxes during filming gained widespread attention. The agency left the comment on the premiere episode of the web series "Punghyangjung," released on the YouTube channel DdeunDdeun Saturday. The NTS thanked Yoo for his consistent tax compliance and promoted its Modu Chaeum prefilled tax return service through the NTS Hometax mobile app. The agency added it "hopes to see him consistently pay his taxes again next year." Earlier in the episode, before leaving for a trip, Yoo explained his busy filming schedule had delayed his bank visit. He said he would pay his taxes while withdrawing cash. On the way to the bank, Yoo emphasized the importance of paying taxes as a civic duty. "Tax must be paid on time, and paying them is really important," he said. Yoo previously made headlines for his tax compliance when a 2024 tax audit found no evidence of deliberate underreporting or tax evasion. "Punghyangjung" is a domestic travel spin-off of the international travel web series "PunghyaAug 6, 2026By Hankookilbo
Jung Hae-in explores 'sweet, sticky' romance in Netflix dramaActor Jung Hae-in plays a lifelong single guy devoted to his first love in the Netflix rom-com "Our Sticky Love," an unconventional series that mixes romance, comedy and action. The upcoming drama follows the messy, sweet cohabitation of a prosecutor with amnesia (Ha Young) and a boxing coach who insists he's her boyfriend (Jung). Centered on a relationship as inseparable as "yeot" (traditional Korean taffy), the series is generating global buzz for the fresh chemistry between the two leads. "When I first heard it, I thought it was pretty bold," Jung said during a press conference in Seoul on Wednesday, admitting the Korean title — which translates literally to "yeot-like love" — initially caught him off guard. "Because yeot is a traditional candy, I took it as a 'candy-like' kind of love — sweet, sticky and charming. What pulled me in most was the storyline. The script was an absolute page-turner. It starts as a rom-com, turns into a melodrama, dips into thriller and noir territory, and then weaves back to romance. That blend really drew me in." Director Kim Jang-han noted that thAug 5, 2026By Park Jin-hai
'Flex X Cop' promises blockbuster thrills, new rivalryActor Ahn Bo-hyun returns as Jin Yi-soo, the eccentric third-generation tycoon turned detective, as the hit SBS action-comedy series "Flex X Cop" gears up for its second season with a bigger budget, grander scale and a whole new dynamic. Returning two years after its hit first season — which reached a peak viewership rating of 11 percent — the series expands its signature premise: When traditional police investigations hit a wall, Yi-soo simply flips the board using his vast family wealth, personal network, supercar collection and private jets. Returning to the Violent Crimes Unit after completing formal police academy training, Yi-soo brings a newfound maturity to his signature flamboyant style. "Yi-soo’s core personality is still the same default setting he was born with, but completing his time at the police academy has definitely made him a bit more mature," Ahn shared confidently during a press conference for the drama at SBS headquarters in Seoul, Tuesday. "Viewers can look forward to seeing a cooler, upgraded version of Yi-soo in action." The scale of the action has also beeAug 4, 2026By Park Jin-hai
'A Shop for Killers' Season 2 bucks sophomore slump with expanded scale, deeper narrativeMultiseason dramas have become commonplace in the Korean drama industry. But with each new season, it is not easy to exceed expectations, giving rise to concerns about a sophomore slump. Amid this, "A Shop for Killers" Season 2 bucks the trend and proves its staying power. The second season of "A Shop for Killers" reached No. 1 among television shows in Korea, Taiwan and Singapore shortly after its July 22 release, according to streaming-ranking service FlixPatrol. Walt Disney Company Korea said the second season became the most-watched Korean Disney+ original worldwide on its premiere day, setting a new all-time viewership record. The first two episodes both recorded IMDb user ratings of 9.0 or higher, cementing the show's status as a high-caliber Korean action production. The show's strong start is notable because it retains the strengths of Season 1 while expanding the action and narrative. Rather than making a sequel resting on its laurels, it broadened the story's scope and actively utilized new characters, improving its overall execution. Viewers have praised the series for improAug 4, 2026By Hankookilbo
Kim Soo-hyun makes official comeback after 16-month hiatusTop actor Kim Soo-hyun has officially made his return to the public after a 16-month hiatus, appearing in a promotional video for Philippine fashion brand Bench following the conclusion of a high-profile legal dispute. In the campaign video released on Sunday through the brand’s official social media channels, the 38-year-old actor greeted fans with a warm smile and expressed his gratitude. The appearance marks Kim's first official activity since suspending official activities last year. "I’ve missed you all so much. I’m truly happy to be back with Bench and to see you again. I hope you’re excited for what’s coming with Bench,” Kim said in a video message. Bench, which first signed Kim as a brand ambassador in 2024, recently renewed its endorsement contract with the actor. His return triggered immediate enthusiasm among fans, leading to a quick sellout of featured items on the brand's online store. Kim's comeback follows the resolution of a lengthy legal battle. On Wednesday, the Seongdong Police Station in Seoul closed its investigation into allegations raised by the family oAug 3, 2026By Baek Byung-yeul
Korean streaming platforms pivot to 24/7 'binge channels'In an era of rising subscription fatigue, Korea’s domestic streaming platforms have adopted free offerings on a limited release schedule to retain users, turning passive viewing into daily habits through continuous engagement. Major local players like Wavve and Tving are increasingly embracing a free ad-supported streaming TV (FAST) model. By offering dedicated 24-hour channels that stream popular shows without requiring a paid subscription, streaming services aim to lower entry barriers, boost retention and unlock new advertising revenue streams. Wavve recently expanded its free offerings by launching 24/7 channels featuring smash-hit tvN dramas like "Guardian: The Lonely and Great God" (2016), "Hotel del Luna" (2019) and "My Mister" (2018). Following its latest platform revamp, 133 out of Wavve's 152 live channels are now free to access for registered members on both free and paid tiers. While Netflix leads the market in monthly active users, Wavve punches above its weight in user engagement. According to recent data, Wavve recorded an average monthly watch time per user of 464 minuAug 3, 2026By Park Jin-hai
Backlash exposes risks of solo content creationRecent public apologies by comedian Lee Su-ji and viral content creator Kim Seon-tae have exposed the growing risks facing one-person digital brands, highlighting a structural vulnerability in the fast-moving digital media landscape. While these creators have significant media power, they lack the basic review process used to block offensive or politically sensitive content used by larger entities. This downside became clear when Lee issued a written apology on her YouTube channel Hot Issue Ji on Saturday. The 41-year-old faced intense backlash over her recent satirical sketch depicting municipal civil servants dealing with demanding visitors. Viewers criticized the video for mocking citizens involved in the ongoing controversy over the June 3 local elections, arguing it wrongly portrayed protesters as angry complainers. The incident marks a turning point for Lee, who built her career on sharp social satire across multiple platforms. Since debuting in 2008, she has consistently tapped into societal trends. From her breakout role in KBS TV’s Gag Concert mimicking voice phishing scams toAug 2, 2026By Baek Byung-yeul
