Netflix's latest runaway hit is a Korean reality cooking show

Netflix’s latest bet on Korean reality series has created another runaway hit. For the last two weeks, the cooking competition "Culinary Class Wars" topped its global weekly TV chart for non-English titles. The unscripted, 12-episode show started off with 100 chefs, divided into two categories. The “white spoons” run acclaimed places, many with Michelin stars; they’re pitted against underdog chefs tagged as “black spoons.” The final two episodes were

Oct. 8, 2024

More Korean content getting Japanese adaptations

Japanese adaptations of popular Korean content are increasing, driven by growing challenges the Japanese content industry faces in importing Korean content as well as broadcasters' desire to air potential hits on their own terms. Naver Webtoon's "Hell is Other People," a horror that enjoyed immense popularity as both a webtoon and TV show, has since been adapted into a Japanese film set to release in theaters in Japan on Nov. 15. Directed by Wato Kodama, known for horror projects

Oct. 7, 2024

'Culinary Class Wars' producers deny trying to spice up results

Netflix's "Culinary Class Wars" is indisputably one of the hottest shows in Korea right now. The 12-episode series features 100 participants divided into two teams: the white team of star chefs and the black team of lesser-known cooks and local restaurant owners. The contestants face various elimination challenges judged by popular restaurateur Paik Jong-won and Korea’s only Michelin three-star chef, Ahn Sung-jae. Since the first episode was released on Sept. 17, the show ha

Oct. 7, 2024

Baseball star Hwang Jae-gyun, T-ara's Jiyeon file for divorce mediation

Baseball star Hwang Jae-gyun and Jiyeon of girl group T-ara have filed for divorce mediation to end their two-year marriage, the singer said Saturday. In a statement released by her legal representative, Jiyeon said the couple initiated the process by mutual consent after failing to overcome a dispute. The couple reached an agreement to part ways after living separately due to an unresolved dispute and the process has been filed with the Seoul Family Court, according to the statement. The two ti

Oct. 5, 2024

Bucheon comics fest kicks off, drawing comics lovers

The 2024 Bucheon International Comics Festival, one of South Korea's biggest comics-related events, launched its four-day celebration on Thursday, attracting comics lovers with a variety of engaging events. Organized by the Korea Manhwa Contents Agency, the festival kicked off with an opening ceremony that featured various sessions, including the presentation of Bucheon Comics Awards, an annual recognition of standout Korean comics. The top honor at the Bucheon Comics Awards went to "J

Oct. 3, 2024

[Herald Design Forum] VFX expert says creativity is essential, even with AI advancements

Hwang Jung-rock, senior facial modeler at Weta FX, the leading company in visual effects globally, said despite the significant advancements in visual effects technology, it is a person's creativity that ultimately elevates the quality of computer graphics. VFX technology blends live-action footage with computer-generated elements to create realistic visuals in films. Hwang's role as a senior facial modeler involves crafting a digital "puppet" of a character's face. It c

Oct. 1, 2024

[Herald Review] One of Netflix's most expensive Korean originals returns, but at what cost?

"Gyeongseong Creature," one of Netflix's most costly Korean original productions with a reported budget of 70 billion won ($53 million), initially generated excitement for its star-studded cast and its creative depiction of the Japanese colonial era: in which Koreans were subjected to brutal experiments that transformed them into monstrous beings. However, the series faced widespread criticism upon its release in December. Critics objected to the series' sluggish, sloppy narr

Oct. 1, 2024

Park Zi-a, the actor who played 'The Glory' heroine's mother, dies

Park Zi-a, who played Moon Dong-eun's mother in the Netflix series "The Glory," died Monday. She was 52 years old. “Park Zi-a passed away at 2:50 a.m. from cerebral infarction. We will not forget the passion of the deceased who loved performing," Park's agency Billions said in a statement. Park began her acting career in the drama company Chaimu, starring as an extra in “Film-making” (1997) and “Maria and the Inn” (1997). Park took part in m

Sept. 30, 2024

[Herald Interview] After 'Good Partner,' Jang Na-ra sees marriage as miracle

Jang Na-ra, who portrayed Cha Eun-kyung, the skilled divorce lawyer cheated on by her husband in the popular series "Good Partner," expressed that the show prompted her to reflect deeply on marriage and divorce -- and that the series led her to consider all marriages as "miracles." "Good Partner" follows the stories of divorce lawyers as they tackle a range of clients and their legal challenges. While depicting various divorces faced by modern Koreans, the series al

Sept. 26, 2024

Global drama stars gather for 2024 Seoul International Drama Awards

Top stars, producers, and writers from the global drama industry gathered Wednesday afternoon for the 2024 Seoul International Drama Awards. The event, which honors excellence in drama series worldwide, saw a record 346 entries from 48 countries this year, featuring shows that aired between June 1, 2023, and June 30, 2024. This year, the spotlight was on film figures winning major awards, with renowned South Korean director Park Chan-wook taking home the Golden Bird Prize -- the highest honor in

Sept. 25, 2024

'Gyeongseong Creature Season 2': faster and ready to confront past

The second season of "Gyeongseong Creature," one of Netflix Korea's largest projects, promises a faster pace as well as an exciting new plot and characters to address viewer comments about the slow pace of the first season, director Jung Dong-yoon said Wednesday. The first season of "Gyeongseong Creature" is set in 1945 Gyeongseong, where Chae-ok (Han So-hee) and Tae-sang (Park Seo-jun) uncover secret experiments intended to transform humans into monsters. The series dra

Sept. 25, 2024

'Stage Fighter' to showcase Korea's top dancers

The new dance survival program "Stage Fighter" is set to dazzle viewers not only with performances from some of Korea's most celebrated dancers, but also with appearances by auteur Park Chan-wook, the program’s producer said Tuesday. "Stage Fighter" is the latest installment in Mnet's successful dance survival series, following the hit shows "Street Woman Fighter" and "Street Man Fighter." The new series will feature 64 male dancers special

Sept. 24, 2024

[Herald Review] 'Culinary Class Wars': fresh, creative survival show minus the drama

“Culinary Class Wars,” one of the hottest entertainment shows trending in Korea right now, offers a refreshing take on the survival show format, while highlighting the ingenious recipes created by some of Korea's most acclaimed cooks and chefs. The competition features 100 contestants divided into two teams: the white team, consisting of the nation’s top star chefs, and the black team, made up of lesser-known cooks and local restaurant owners. Contestants participate in a

Sept. 23, 2024

[Herald Interview] Kentaro Sakaguchi says cultural differences shape 'What Comes After Love'

Japanese heartthrob Kentaro Sakaguchi said he thought the cultural distinctions in how people express affection, played a crucial role in his Korean debut series "What Comes After Love." The six-part Coupang Play original series portrays the romance between Choi Hong (Lee Se-young) and Aoki Jungo (Sakaguchi), who unexpectedly reunite five years after their breakup. The series is based on the novel of the same name, co-authored by Korean novelist Gong Ji-yeong and Japanese writer Tsuji

Sept. 22, 2024

‘Squid Game 2’ teaser hints at where next games take place

The brutal games will continue in the second season of Netflix's mega-hit Korean original series "Squid Game" in one of the most familiar childhood places – a schoolyard. In a 56-second-long teaser video unveiled Friday on Netflix’s official YouTube, the main protagonist Sung Ki-hun (Lee Jung-jae) is seen waking up to a morning call. Soon, he points the gun toward the door, on guard, and as the door opens, he faces the Frontman (Lee Byung-hun) who devised the bloody ga

Sept. 20, 2024

Underdog boy bands take on ambitious survival journey

Seven ambitious boy bands are off to a fierce battle. The New Six, 8Turn, Oneus, Younite, Cravity, Tempest and the project team The Crew One, which consists of the boy groups ATBO and Just B., are competing on Mnet's survival program "Road to Kingdom: Ace of Ace," starting Thursday night. Taemin of SHINee will host the show. “We felt the pressure to surpass our performances in Season 1, but we overcame it with even greater passion. Since we believe it’s a K-pop idol&#

Sept. 19, 2024

YouTuber under fire for consoling former singer accused of bullying

One of Korea's most beloved YouTubers Kwak Joon-bin is facing uncertain career prospects following a controversy sparked by his words of comfort to Lee Na-eun -- a member of former K-pop group April who has failed to dispel suspicions she bullied a fellow bandmate. As the winner of "World Dice Tour 2," Kwak is scheduled to appear in a spin-off series as he travels around Ulleung Island, with the premiere set for Oct. 19. Cable channel ENA, which is scheduled to broadcast the spin-

Sept. 19, 2024

Japanese-Korean romances surge to leverage audiences and funds

Dramas depicting intercultural romances between Japanese and Korean characters are all the rage right now, amid efforts to draw in a broader audience and leverage larger production budgets, according to industry officials, Friday. In Japan, hit romance fantasy series "Eye Love You" lit up the schedules in the early part of the year. The drama depicted the love story of Yoon Tae-oh (Chae Jong-hyeop), a Korean graduate student in Japan, and Yuri (Fumi Nikaido), a CEO with the ability to

Sept. 13, 2024

What comes after love? Ex-lovers cross paths in new Coupang Play series

Featuring Japanese heartthrob Kentaro Sakaguchi and Korean actor Lee Se-young, the upcoming Coupang Play's romance series "What Comes After Love" explores a timeless question: What happens when former lovers unexpectedly cross paths once again. "What Comes After Love" narrates the story of Choi Hong (Lee Se-young) and Aoki Jungo (Kentaro Sakaguchi), who meet again by chance five years after splitting up. The series is adapted from the novel of the same name, co-authored

Sept. 12, 2024

Netflix's 'Culinary Class Wars' billed as largest K-cooking survival show yet

Netflix's "Culinary Class Wars" will be the biggest cooking survival show in Korean entertainment show history, according to the show's producers, Wednesday. "Culinary Class Wars" features cook-offs featuring 100 contestants split into two teams: the white team, composed of Korea's top chefs, and the black team, made up of little-known chefs and cooks such as local restaurant owners. The contestants will face off in multiple elimination rounds with a panel of j

Sept. 11, 2024