'If Wishes Could Kill' tops Netflix's weekly non-English chartThe young adult horror series "If Wishes Could Kill" topped Netflix's non-English series chart in its second week of release, the streaming platform said Wednesday. The series garnered 7.5 million views for the week that ended Sunday, after rising to No. 4 three days after its release on April 24, according to Netflix. It was in the top 10 in 64 countries and regions, including Korea, Japan, Thailand, Egypt and Brazil. The series centers on five Korean high school teens who struggle to escape a curse from a mysterious wish-granting app called "Girigo," which is the Korean-language title for the series. The Korean romantic comedy series "Sold Out on You" placed third on the weekly chart. In the English-language film category, "KPop Demon Hunters" ranked No. 5, staying in the top 10 for the 46th straight week.May 6, 2026By Yonhap
IU, Go Youn-jung, Shin Hae-sun defy ratings slump in rare weekend drama surgeIn a twist that is rare for Korea’s fiercely competitive weekend TV slots, three rival dramas airing at similar times are all increasing — not splitting — viewership. Led by star names like IU, Go Youn-jung and Shin Hae-sun, the trio of series has simultaneously hit new ratings highs, creating an unusual “all boats rise” effect in the Saturday primetime battleground. The three shows — MBC’s Friday-Saturday drama “Perfect Crown,” JTBC’s Saturday-Sunday drama “We Are All Trying Here” and tvN’s Saturday-Sunday drama “Filing for Love” — air in overlapping weekend slots, traditionally a zero-sum game for TV ratings. Instead, each is building momentum. “Perfect Crown,” starring IU and Byun Woo-seok, has emerged as the most stable hit. After debuting at 7.8 percent, the drama climbed to 10.8 percent in its seventh episode and 11.2 percent in its eight, firmly establishing itself as a weekend leader. The show is also gaining traction overseas. It stayed in the Top 10 on Disney+ in the United States for 21 days and entered the Top 10 in 47 countries, highlightinMay 5, 2026By Xportsnews
Rookie-led K-horror 'If Wishes Could Kill' draws global attention without star powerThe Netflix original series “If Wishes Could Kill” is gaining traction worldwide, proving that strong storytelling and fresh faces can compete in the global market without relying on big-name stars. Released April 24, the series recorded 2.8 million views — calculated by dividing total watch time by the show’s runtime — within just three days. It ranked No. 4 on Netflix’s Global Top 10 list for non-English TV shows and entered the Top 10 in 37 countries, including South Korea, Mexico, India, Malaysia, Thailand, the United Arab Emirates and Turkey. “If Wishes Could Kill” follows high school students who become entangled in a deadly curse triggered by a mysterious app that grants wishes. The series marks the first major directing project by Park Yoon-seo, who previously worked on “Kingdom” Season 2 and “Moving.” It features a cast of rising actors, including Jeon So-young, Kang Mina, Baek Sun-ho, Hyun Woo-seok and Lee Hyo-je, with special appearances by Jeon So-nee and Noh Jae-won. Set in a school environment, the series may remind viewers of works such as “All oMay 2, 2026By Hankookilbo
Introvert revolution: Why 'homebody' personalities are now leading Korean mediaKorean shows are now experiencing a quiet revolution. Introverted personalities — from reticent chefs to homebody drama leads — are replacing high-energy entertainers as the new stars of television. The eight-episode SBS travel show "Chefs' Secrets of K-food," which premiered on April 21, features chefs Choi Kang-rok and Kim Do-yun alongside host Defconn. Both chefs gained fame on Netflix's "Culinary Class Wars" Season 2. The program differentiates itself from other shows by focusing on the quiet dynamic between the two highly introverted cooks. Producer Son Jung-min said the chefs possess a natural charm even when they do nothing. He said he wanted to capture the contrast when they become highly vocal about food, such as their fierce debate over the proper aging of Jirisan black pork. Defconn likened the duo to an old married couple who communicate through glances. When the reticent chefs share their true feelings, it resonates with authenticity. "I'm still rowing, just not moving very fast," Choi said on the show. "I'm perfectly fine taking it slow." Veteran entertainers are also eMay 2, 2026By Hankookilbo
Interview'Perfect Crown' costume designer reimages hanbok as 'quiet luxury'Cho Sang-kyung is more than just a costume designer. She is a visual storyteller whose threads weave together the very fabric of Korean films and dramas. From the gritty aesthetics of Park Chan-wook’s "Oldboy" (2003) and the haunting elegance of "The Handmaiden" (2016) to the global phenomenon "Squid Game" (2021-2025), Cho has defined the "look" of K-content for over two decades. Known for her meticulous research and bold reinterpretations, she possesses a rare ability to honor tradition while breaking its boundaries. In her recent project, "Perfect Crown," the designer moves beyond historical reproduction to showcase hanbok as a versatile, high-fashion statement. By seamlessly blending traditional silhouettes with contemporary sensibilities, she invites global audiences to see hanbok not just as a costume, but as a masterpiece of enduring elegance. Below is an excerpt from the interview with Cho. Q. I-an’s first appearance in "cheollik" (military robes) was striking. Why did you choose that specific garment for his introduction, and what impression did you want to leave on the audieMay 1, 2026By Park Jin-hai
CJ ENM sets up joint venture with Japanese media giants to target global content marketCJ ENM established a new joint venture with two Japanese media giants TBS and U-NEXT Holdings to strengthen its presence in the global content market, the entertainment company said Friday. The company held a signing ceremony in Seoul, Thursday, to launch a joint venture StudioMonowa. The name combines the Japanese words for story, "mono," and harmony, "wa," symbolizing a space where Korean and Japanese content connect to create new value. TBS is a major Japanese television network and content creator, while U-NEXT Holdings operates the country's leading local streaming platform, U-NEXT. Under the partnership, the companies will integrate their capabilities to manage the entire content value chain. This includes original intellectual property (IP) discovery, content production and global distribution. Yoon Sang-hyun, CEO of CJ ENM, said the collaboration is oriented toward audiences well beyond Asia. "Through our collaboration with the leading content companies representing Korea and Japan, we will introduce hit content that targets not only Asia but the global market," Yoon said. The ventMay 1, 2026By Baek Byung-yeul
From heartthrob to foodie? Lee Jang-woo reveals 103kg update on TVActor Lee Jang-woo joked about his weight during a recent TV appearance, offering fans a glimpse of his life after marrying Jo Hye-won. MBC premiered the third season of its variety show “Country Village Lee Jang-woo” on Wednesday, featuring Lee as he visited rural Buan in North Jeolla Province. The show follows the actor as he learns recipes firsthand from local cooking masters. During a visit to a well-known local bakery, a staff member told Lee that he looked remarkably similar to her brother. Lee laughed and quipped that anyone said to resemble him tends to weigh more than 100 kilograms. Later, when the bakery owner appeared, he told Lee that he weighed 108 kilograms. “I weigh 103 kilos. Guess that makes us brothers,” Lee joked. Lee made his acting debut in MBC’s “90 Days, Time to Love” in 2006. He tied the knot with actor Cho Hye-won on Nov. 23 last year after years of dating. MBC has teased that the third season of “Country Village Lee Jang-woo” will mark the couple’s first appearance together on the show. This article from Xportsnews is adapted by a generative AIApr 30, 2026By Xportsnews
Ryu Seung-ryong to star in 'The Miracles of the Namiya General Store'Ryu Seong-ryong has been cast in a new Disney+ series based on the best-selling novel "The Miracles of the Namiya General Store," the global streaming service said Thursday. Disney+ said it aims to release the Korean fantasy drama series, adapted from Japanese novelist Keigo Higashino's book, next year. The plot centers around three young criminals who hide in an abandoned general store and start responding to letters seeking advice from the past. Ryu will take on the role of the owner of the general store, with actors Kim Hye-yoon, Moon Sang-min, Go Ah-sung and Park Hee-sun among those set to appear in the series, according to the streaming service. Yum Jung-ah, Yeom Hye-ran and Jung Chae-yeon will also make special appearances. Director Park Young-ju, who directed the 2024 film "Citizen of a Kind," will lead the screenplay and direction.Apr 30, 2026By Yonhap
New Korean school horror drama 'If Wishes Could Kill' tops Netflix rankings with fresh castHyeong-wook, a high school student long hopeless at math, suddenly earns a perfect score on an exam. As his friends stare at him suspiciously, he smugly holds up his smartphone. “The secret is this wish-granting app. It’s called Girigo.” His friends scoff and leave. Moments later, a 24-hour timer lights up on Hyeong-wook’s phone. When the countdown finally reaches zero, he dies a horrific death in front of everyone. Released on Netflix last Friday, "If Wishes Could Kill" is an eight-episode series that follows five high school students as they struggle to break free from a mysterious app that predicts their deaths. Despite its R rating for violent content, strong word of mouth has helped the drama climb to No. 1 in Korea and No. 3 globally on FlixPatrol, a streaming analytics website, since its release. More striking than its rankings, however, is its cast. All five main characters are played by relative unknowns: Jeon So-young as Se-ah, Kang Mi-na as Na-ri, Baek Sun-ho as Geon-woo, Hyun Woo-seok as Ha-joon and Lee Hyo-je as Hyeong-wook. The casting choice was strongly pushed by diApr 30, 2026By Hankookilbo
Hyun Bin returns in 'Made in Korea' Season 2, set for latter half of 2026Disney+ announced Tuesday that "Made in Korea" Season 2 is set to be released in the second half of this year. The story picks up nine years after the events of season one, with Hyun Bin’s Baek Gi-tae now seated on the throne at the height of his power. Jang Geon-young, the disgraced prosecutor who failed to bring Baek down, will also return to the screen. So too will Baek Gi-hyeon, Gi-tae’s brother, who begins his own ascent to power by a path different from his brother’s. As in the first season, Jang will be played by Jung Woo-sung, while Baek Gi-hyeon will be portrayed by Woo Do-hwan. The first season of "Made in Korea" revolved around the confrontation between two men: one climbing toward the peak of power, and the other determined to bring him down in handcuffs. According to Disney+, the second season will portray the ambitions of the two men that have grown even greater than before. The drama will follow these ruthless clashes of desire as the characters move toward an irreversible breaking point. During its run, Hyun Bin earned praise at home and abroad for a commanding perfoApr 29, 2026By Hankookilbo
