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
'Sold Out on You' tops Netflix chart for non-English showsThe romantic comedy "Sold Out on You" led Netflix's weekly non-English series chart a week after its debut, the streaming giant said Wednesday. The 12-part series garnered 4.7 million views for the week ended Sunday, the most among non-English TV series available on Netflix. It was in the top 10 in 42 countries and regions, including No. 1 in Taiwan, Guatemala and Peru. Starring Ahn Hyo-seop and Chae Won-bin, the SBS series centers on the romance between Matthew Lee, a young perfectionist farmer and natural cosmetics producer, and Dam Ye-jin, an insomniac home shopping host who needs Lee's rare ingredients for a key contract. Two other Korean titles made the top 10, with the horror series "Kyrigo" ranking No. 4 and Season 2 of the crime action series "Bloodhounds" coming in sixth. "Beef" Season 2, which drew attention for the appearances of Korean A-list actors Youn Yuh-jung and Song Kang-ho, reached No. 3 in the English show category. In the non-English film category, director Ryoo Seung-wan's action film "Humint" came in at No. 9.Apr 29, 2026By Yonhap
‘Not CGI?’ Global viewers dazzled by hanok, hanbok in ‘Perfect Crown’“Perfect Crown” is surging globally, but it's not just the romance that is driving the buzz. The MBC Friday-Saturday drama has hit double-digit ratings within four episodes and climbed to No. 1 among non-English TV shows on Disney+, as international viewers increasingly focus on its striking blend of traditional Korean aesthetics and modern storytelling. Set in a fictional 21st-century constitutional monarchy, the series follows a chaebol heiress who lacks noble status and a prince who has status but little personal freedom as the two enter a contract marriage that challenges social boundaries. However, it is not just the plot but the visual elements of the series — particularly the traditional Korean clothes and architecture — that are fueling online fascination. Actors Byeon Woo-seok and Gong Seung-yeon have drawn attention for the reinterpretations of traditional attire that their characters wear, combining Western silhouettes such as shirts and jackets with classic hanbok elements for a look that feels both familiar and fresh to global audiences. Gong’s character, a senior rApr 29, 2026By Xportsnews
Korean broadcasters revive past TV hits, but will nostalgia be enough?Seeing the latest lineup of television releases, it seems like Korean broadcasters have found a time machine. Names of once-popular shows that drew strong ratings and devoted followings like “Happy Together,” “Documentary 3 Days” and “Genius Discovery Team (Finding Genius)” reappearing on TV schedules, stirring both nostalgia and anticipation for programs that have already proved their appeal. TV viewers remember “Happy Together” as a feel-good talk show that showcased the wit of its hosts. “Documentary 3 Days,” followed people for 72 hours to capture their lives and surroundings, gained wide recognition for serving the public interest with a high level of craftsmanship. “Genius Discovery Team” was a variety show about gifted children that also managed to deliver a moving social message. One thing is certain: each of these programs left a lasting impression on viewers with its distinctive identity and proven success. The reason they are returning is just as clear. Broadcasters are finding it increasingly difficult to create new formats that work in an entertainmeApr 28, 2026By Hankookilbo
Ahn Hyo-seop reveals 'KPop Demon Hunters' casting storyActor Ahn Hyo-seop said the English skills he showcased in a previous hit drama helped him to land a voice role in the globally successful Netflix animated film "KPop Demon Hunters." Appearing as a guest in a video posted Sunday to the YouTube channel "Fairy Jaehyung," Ahn discussed his reaction to the film's widespread popularity. He voiced Jinu, the leader of the fictional group Saja Boys. "Of course I thought it was fun, but I didn't know it would do this well," he said. Ahn explained he secured the role specifically because of his English-language acting in the hit drama "Business Proposal." "I realized I have to work hard at everything because nobody knows when and where an opportunity will come," Ahn said. "It feels like all the efforts and processes I've gone through up until now are connected." Those experiences include his past as a K-pop trainee under JYP Entertainment. Ahn recalled being scouted through word of mouth but ultimately leaving the agency. Despite his passion for music, he found the repetitive, grueling training regimen draining. "Ultimately, I was let go due to my oApr 27, 2026By Hankookilbo
Mnet’s credibility on trial again over ‘Street World Fighter’ editing controversyKorean music channel Mnet has once again come under fire for alleged manipulative editing, this time over “Street World Fighter: Directors’ War.” The latest controversy could further erode viewers’ trust in the channel, which already stands on shaky grounds after past allegations of voting rigging involving its K-pop audition programs. The repeated nature of the controversy makes it harder to dismiss such cases as isolated incidents. The controversy centers on “Street World Fighter: Directors’ War,” a dance competition program Mnet announced late last month. The channel described the series as a large-scale project built on the legacy of the globally popular “Street Woman Fighter” franchise, focusing on performance directors who choreograph, design and stage performances for top-tier dancers around the world. The controversy emerged after Mnet released a teaser for the show, which is scheduled to air in August. Kiira Harper, who appeared in the teaser and was shown listing various performances she had apparently worked on, later wrote on social media that she had notApr 27, 2026By Hankookilbo
Park Bo-young breaks from 'honest' image in thriller 'Gold Land'What choices would people make if they suddenly came into possession of 150 billion won ($102 million) worth of gold bars? The upcoming Disney+ original series "Gold Land" seeks to answer that question. Written by Hwang Jo-yoon — the screenwriter behind Park Chan-wook’s 2003 masterpiece "Oldboy" — the series is a survival thriller that follows Hee-ju (Park Bo-young), a young woman who finds herself embroiled in a chaotic web of greed and betrayal after discovering a massive stash of smuggled gold, fighting to keep the fortune for herself. Beyond the heart-pounding suspense, the series promises a deep dive into the complexities of human nature and the fragility of relationships. Park takes on her first role in a crime series as a customs officer whose desires are awakened by the accidental discovery. "I was looking for a genre challenge," Park said during a press conference at Conrad Seoul, Monday. "The director noted that most people see me as the type of person who would return found gold. He suggested that seeing someone with that 'honest' image make the opposite choice would trigApr 27, 2026By Park Jin-hai
Original TV scripts spark ‘reverse’ expansion into webtoons, novelsThe long-standing success formula for Korean entertainment is undergoing a dramatic pivot as original television screenplays increasingly serve as the foundation for new webtoons and web novels, flipping the industry's traditional "webtoon-to-screen" equation. For years, the K-drama industry relied on popular digital comics and fiction as guaranteed blueprints for televised hits, but recent breakout successes are reversing this trajectory. The first half of 2026 has seen a surge in original scripts — many by rookie writers — that are expanding "backward" into the digital space after proving their commercial viability on screen. This shift is fueled by a new business model known as "reverse expansion," where the drama acts as the source intellectual property (IP) rather than the end product. Leading the trend is MBC drama "Perfect Crown," starring IU and Byeon Woo-seok, and Netflix series "The Art of Sarah." Despite being penned by rookie writers, these projects have secured substantial production budgets and star-studded casts, signaling a significant shift in how the industry valuesApr 27, 2026By Park Jin-hai
