Korea Drama Festival to make global debut in Brazil next year

The Korea Drama Festival, the country’s first festival dedicated to Korean TV dramas, is set to make its international debut in Sao Paulo next year. The announcement follows a visit by the Sao Paulo International Cultural Exchange Delegation to this year’s Korea Drama Festival in Jinju, South Gyeongsang Province, in early October. According to the Korea Drama Festival Organizing Committee, the expansion aims to foster deeper cultural collaboration and strengthen K-content exchanges between Korea

Oct. 22, 2025

'Squid Game' star Lee Jung-jae’s rom-com pairing with 17-year age gap courts controversy

“Squid Game” star Lee Jung-jae’s upcoming tvN rom-com “Nice to Not Meet You,” in which he stars opposite “The Glory” actor Lim Ji-yeon, is sparking debate in Korea over the actors' 17-year age gap, though critics caution it’s too soon to judge. "Nice to Not Meet You,” a 16-part series slated to premiere Nov. 3 on cable channel tvN, pairs Lee, an A-list celebrity in the series, with Lim, who plays the entertainment reporter Wi Jung-shin. The two characters find themselves romantically entangled a

Oct. 20, 2025

'Just Makeup' combines viral casting, touching narratives

When “Just Makeup” debuted on Oct. 3, few expected a reality competition centered on contour palettes and eyeliner precision to become Korea's next new obsession. Yet within weeks, the Coupang Play original has become a bona fide cultural talking point. After Episodes 4 and 5 landed on Oct. 10, the series climbed to the No. 1 spot on the streamer’s chart, with viewership spiking a whopping 665 percent compared to its first week. At its core, the series is simple: 60 makeup-savvy contestants from

Oct. 19, 2025

Ro Woon breaks the mold in Disney+ hit 'The Murky Stream'

Introduced alongside Netflix Korea’s tentpole “Genie, Make a Wish” — starring power duo Bae Suzy and Kim Woo-bin — “The Murky Stream” arrived amid fierce competition during the Chuseok holidays, when streamers typically unleash their most high-profile titles. The Disney+ historical drama anchored by Ro Woon (“The King’s Affection”) and Shin Ye-eun (“Jeongnyeon: The Star is Born”) surprised many, becoming an unexpected breakout despite the marquee stars of its Netflix rival. The series held the t

Oct. 16, 2025

Tving goes global as CJ ENM, Warner Bros. Discovery ink partnership

Warner Bros. Discovery and CJ ENM announced Thursday an agreement on a strategic content production and distribution partnership designed to deepen the global reach of Korean dramas. At the heart of the deal is Tving, the CJ ENM-affiliated streaming platform, launching a branded hub on HBO Max. HBO Max is Warner Bros. Discovery’s US-based subscription service. The dedicated Tving hub, set to roll out in early 2026, will be available in 17 Asia-Pacific markets, including Southeast Asia, Taiwan an

Oct. 16, 2025

MBC formally apologizes for death of former weathercaster Oh Yoanna

A year and one month after former Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation weathercaster Oh Yoanna’s suicide amid alleged workplace bullying, MBC has issued a formal apology and promised reforms. This follows a controversial Ministry of Employment and Labor ruling that, while acknowledging harassment, said the case did not fall under legal workplace protections since Oh was a freelancer. On Wednesday, MBC hosted a press conference at its Sang-am headquarters, attended by Oh’s mother Jang Yeon-mi, MBC Pre

Oct. 15, 2025

Nepali porter from Korean travel show to receive support from relief group

Tamang Nabin, an 18-year-old Nepali Sherpa who appeared on a Korean travel show, will receive financial and educational support from WorldShare, a Seoul-based relief organization, the group said Saturday. WorldShare said it will begin providing living expenses and Korean language education for Nabin starting in November. Nabin appeared in the fourth season of MBC’s “Adventure by Accident,” which followed webtoon artist Kian84, influencer Pani Bottle, TV personality Dex and actor Lee Si-eon trekk

Oct. 12, 2025

'Parasite' star Choi Woo-shik dives into romantic hijinks

Choi Woo-shik, the star of Oscar-winning “Parasite,” is set to return to the small screen in a rom-com that plays with the age-old trope of fake marriage. In “Would You Marry Me?,” Choi plays Woo-ju, a man who joins Me-ri (Jung So-min) in a scheme to win a luxury newlywed home by pretending to be married. The series is guided by Song Hyeon-wook, the acclaimed director behind beloved romance dramas like “The King’s Affection” and “Another Miss Oh” — the latter earning the main lead Seo Hyun-jin t

Oct. 10, 2025

Korea Drama Festival returns to celebrate K-drama’s evolution

The 2025 Korea Drama Festival, Korea’s first dedicated K-drama festival, returns for a ten-day run this October in Jinju, South Gyeongsang Province. Running from Friday to Oct. 19, the festival will take place at the Gyeongnam Culture & Arts Center and various venues along the Nam River. Now in its 18th edition, the festival was first launched in 2006 by the Korea Drama Festival Organizing Committee with support from the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and Jinju City. Over the years, it

Oct. 10, 2025

The next Byeon Woo-seok? Lee Chae-min discusses 'Bon Appetit, Your Majesty'

Byeon Woo-seok, the breakout star of "Lovely Runner," has become a rising star in an era when the K-drama scene is increasingly dominated by a saturated A-list. Once a B-list actor navigating the margins, Byeon now represents the lightning-in-a-bottle phenomenon, a talent whose momentum can carry a series from domestic acclaim to global recognition almost overnight. Into this narrative steps Lee Chae-min, the lead of "Bon Appetit, Your Majesty" -- tvN’s biggest hit of 2025 -- whose explosive pop

Oct. 9, 2025

K-dramas that will bring families together this Chuseok

With a rare seven-day break this Chuseok, families have time to slow down and reconnect. With everyone gathered together, it’s the perfect chance to discover a new binge-worthy drama. This Chuseok, gather around the TV with your family and enjoy dramas that cross generations, offering stories that are as engaging as they are heartfelt. From shows that make you laugh to those that tug at your heart, these K-dramas will give you moments to connect, reminisce and even shed a few tears with your lov

Oct. 4, 2025

From Emmys to Seoul, ‘Severance’ and ‘Adolescence’ continue their winning streak

Marking its 20th anniversary, the 2025 Seoul International Drama Awards wrapped Thursday night in Seoul, with Apple TV+’s “Severance” and Netflix’s “Adolescence” emerging as one of night’s biggest winners. The ceremony, hosted by the Seoul Drama Awards Organizing Committee and the Korean Broadcasters Association at KBS Hall in Yeouido, spotlighted 276 submissions from 50 countries. Honors were divided into three main sections: International Competition, K-Drama Competition and International Invi

Oct. 2, 2025

President Lee Jae Myung, first lady Kim Hea Kyung to guest star on JTBC’s 'Chef & My Fridge' Chuseok special

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung and first lady Kim Hea Kyung are set to guest star on the hit JTBC cooking variety show “Chef & My Fridge,” the presidential office announced Thursday. Airing Sunday at 9 p.m. local time, the special holiday installment is titled “Chuseok Special: Please Take Care of My K-Refrigerator” (translated). In the episode, the presidential couple will spotlight seasonal produce from Korea’s farms and seas while celebrating traditional Chuseok dishes, weaving in perso

Oct. 2, 2025

Meeting your ex, watching them fall for someone else -- 'Transit Love' returns

Tving’s breakout reality series “Transit Love” is back for Season 4, reviving its bold format of exes reuniting — and watching each other explore new flings with other cast members' exes. Since its 2021 debut, “Transit Love,” also known as "EXchange," has become one of Korea's most popular dating series, drawing audiences with its raw portrayals of heartbreak, rekindled romances and surprising new couplings. It won the best entertainment program award at the inaugural Blue Dragon Series Awards i

Oct. 1, 2025

Kim Go-eun, Park Ji-hyun unpack emotional layers of 'You and Everything Else'

Autumn has arrived -- and few series mirror its bittersweet, reflective mood as vividly as "You and Everything Else." Eschewing adrenaline-fueled hooks, the series is less about plot twists than it is about the subtle accumulation of memory, regret and longing. Accordingly, "You and Everything Else" is not casual binge material; rather, it offers a viewing experience that lingers long after the credits roll, inviting repeated revisits as foreshadowing gradually comes into focus. At the heart of

Sept. 30, 2025