Noticias

Park Hyung Sik Replaces Kim Soo Hyun As Highest-Paid Korean Actor (Photo Credit – Instagram)

Apart from his good looks, charm, and acting skills, Kim Soo Hyun once garnered widespread popularity as the highest-paid Korean actor. However, since the controversy began after Kim Sae Ron’s death, he has witnessed a significant dip in his popularity. From losing Instagram followers to losing major brand deals and projects, his career is facing an extreme setback right now as his public image continues to get tainted. Amid the situation, an online community post revealed who has replaced Kim Soo Hyun as the highest-paid Korean actor, and it is not Park Seo Joon and Jung Hae In.

The Queen of Tears star previously held the spot with major projects like One Ordinary Day (2021) and It’s Okay to Not Be Okay (2020), for which he reportedly charged 500 million Krw per episode. For his latest hit, Queen of Tears,...

When will Dark Nuns make its way to India? (Photo Credit – Instagram)

Song Hye-kyo and Jeon Yeo-been recently made the headlines following the release of their gothic thriller film Dark Nuns. The movie, which was released in January 2025, opened to largely positive reviews from its domestic audience.

Dark Nuns tells the story of two nuns Sister Yunia (played by Song Hye-kyo) and Sister Michaela (played Jeon Yeo-been) as they try to help Choi Hee-jun (played by Moon Woo-jin), a young boy trapped by an evil spirit. Obstacles come in their way as Father Paolo (played by Lee Jin-wook), who is a trained psychiatrist, thinks he can cure Hee-jun through medical intervention, and Father Andrea (played by Huh Joon-ho) who goes ahead with performing an exorcism on the young boy.

The movie, which has enthralled the South Korean audience, will soon grace the Indian theatres. PVR announced the release of the...

NewJeans Rebrands As Njz (Photo Credit – Instagram)

Formerly known as NewJeans, the K-pop girl band has changed their group’s name and recently announced it to the public. Here’s how people have been reacting to it.

NewJeans is a South Korean girl band featuring Danielle, Hanni, Minji, Haerin, and Hyein. They have been active since 2022. However, last year on November 29, the band released an official statement of terminating their contract with the label Ador, a sub-label of Hybe. Since then, even though they have been active while completing all of their tasks, they have not used their band’s name anywhere.

This led to many speculations about the girl gang changing their official name. Many even discussed the probable possibilities. Now, they have declared their name in another announcement, and it has sparked mixed reactions from their fans. Read ahead to find out more about it.

Trending Buried Hearts:...

Jisoo Yg Controversy (Photo Credit – Instagram)

Blackpink’s new tour details have been announced, but the fans are furious, accusing the agency of sabotaging Jisoo. Jisoo’s old interview about ‘dark’ practice rooms resurfaces amid the chaos.

Blackpink has recently announced a world tour, and while the BLINKs (fans of Blackpink) were over the moon, many people criticized Yg Entertainment for sabotaging one of their members – Jisoo. Why? Before the band’s world tour was declared, Jisoo talked about her solo comeback with her album ‘Amortage’ and even shared details of her Asia tour ‘Lights, Love, Action.’ People believe the agency created a messy overlap based on their financial situation.

Fans have lashed out at the agency. And amid all of these, an old interview of the singer’s resurfaced, where she spilled some beans about training at her label Yg Entertainment, and it wasn’t lovely. Read ahead to...

Here’s The Top 3 Reason Why You Should Watch Park Hyung-Sik Starrer Buried Hearts (Photo Credit – Instagram)

One of the most anticipated K-dramas of 2025 has to be Buried Hearts. An intense teaser has recently been dropped, and fans have been going crazy about it. In the video clip, Park Hyung-Sik, who plays the protagonist’s character, gives a taste of the thrilling experience that the audience is going to get reeled in. It’s a revenge mystery drama that has lots of layers for the viewers to discover.

Buried Hearts is definitely going to be a binge-worthy drama. But if you need more convincing points about why you should watch this series, read ahead to find the 3 most important reasons.

An Interesting Storyline

Sbs’ upcoming drama Buried Hearts explores a storyline following a man who hacks into a political slush fund of a massive sum worth 2 trillion won (approximately $1.4 billion). On the other hand,...

Picture: Jeon Do Yeon as An Yun Su in The Price of Confession – Netflix

The Price of Confession is a new South Korean thriller series directed by Lee Jeong Hyo, who also directed Crash Landing on You. Filming has almost concluded and will be released on Netflix in late Q4 2025.

The Price of Confession is an upcoming South Korean Netflix Original thriller series directed by Lee Jeong Hyo and written by Kwon Jong Kwan (Proof of Innocence).

Table of Contents When is The Price of Confession coming to Netflix? What is the plot of The Price of Confession? Who are the cast members of The Price of Confession? What is the production status of The Price of Confession? When is The Price of Confession coming to Netflix?

Netflix has announced that The Price of Confession is coming in Q4 and Kill Bok Soon (right)

Kim Go Eun plays Mo Eun.

How Did Netizens React To BTS J-Hope’s Video On Doeschii’s Song? ( Photo Credit – Instagram )

BTS is one of the leading K-pop boy bands with a huge fan following who call themselves Army. The band consists of Jin, Suga, J-Hope, Rm, Jimin, V, and Jungkook. Each artist has a separate fan base, and when J-Hope recently opened a TikTok account, his admirers went crazy. Soon enough, the K-pop idol faced a negative impact from social media users, who lashed out at him for doing an ongoing trend on Doechii’s song.

Only two of the seven members have a TikTok account, one being Jungkook. On February 3, J-Hope shared a trendy video of Doechii’s song Denial Is A River, in which he can be seen doing goofy stuff on the lyrics. It went viral across the globe, and while many appreciated his way of using the TikTok trend on an American singer,...

Taecyeon Viral Proposal Photos ( Photo Credit – Instagram )

South Korean actor-singer Taecyeon’s pictures with his girlfriend have been surfacing all over the media, creating a lot of speculations regarding his marriage. Now, his agency has declined those rumors through a statement.

2 Pm’s member, Taecyeon, who has also marked his presence in the acting industry, enjoys a massive fan following. He has worked on various popular projects such as ‘Vincenzo,’ ‘Bring It On, Ghost,’ ‘Secret Royal Inspector & Joy,’ ‘Xo, Kitty Season One,’ and more. Even though he is a public figure, he likes to keep his personal space private. He has admitted to being in a relationship but never showed his girlfriend’s face or talked about her.

However, recently, his photos with his girlfriend went viral. In them, he can be seen kneeling and presenting a ring to her. These pictures left his fans in a frenzy, leading...

Picture: Aema – Netflix

Filming concluded in Spring of 2024 on Netflix’s upcoming comedy K-drama Aema. The series is centered on the production of the film Madame Aema, a Korean box office hit in the early 1980s and will be released on Netflix in Q3 2025. We also have our first look at the exciting new K-drama.

Aema is an upcoming South Korean Netflix Original comedy drama series written and directed by Lee Hae Young, who previously worked on K-dramas such as Believer, Phantom, and Like a Virgin. The series is produced by production studio The Lamp, who previously produced dramas such as Taxi Driver, Mal-Mo-e: The Secret Mission, and Samjin Company English Class.

When is the Aema Netflix release date?

Netflix has confirmed that Aema is coming to Netflix in Q3 (July-September) 2025!

Picture: Aema – Netflix

What is the plot of Aema?

“Jeong Hui-ran, hailed as the best actress of her generation...

“Bogotá: City of the Lost” is a 2024 Korean drama categorized as a Crime Thriller, and is streaming on Netflix.

Summary: Sometimes change is good. Sometimes change is bad. All you know is that you have to survive.

Why Move From One Country to Another Country to Be Lost

“Bogotá: City of the Lost”, begins with a reference to the Asian Financial Crisis in 1997-1998 when “severe balance-of-payments pressures in South Korea brought the country to the brink of default”. Because of the country’s financial crisis Guk-Hui’s father uprooted the family. He, and his mother and father moved to Bogotá, Columbia. The father had a friend, Mr. Park, who lived and worked there. They were both soldiers who fought in Vietnam together. The father had high hopes. He was told that if you knew Mr. Park, your success was guaranteed. As soon as they arrived they were in a...

Korean entertainment powerhouse Cj Enm has named veteran executive Jang Kyung ik CEO of its K-drama subsidiary Studio Dragon. The appointment was revealed on Monday in Seoul.

An established figure in the Korean entertainment landscape, Jang comes to Cj Enm from content investor-distributor Next Entertainment World (New), where he served as head of the company’s film division, as well as president of its recently launched global content production subsidiary Studio & New. He scored a major win last year with Studio & New’s production of the K-drama action sci-fi series Moving, which became Disney+’s most-watched international streaming series to date.

“With the appointment of Jang, Cj Enm aims to strengthen Studio Dragon’s position as a leading content studio in the global market,” said a spokesperson from Cj Enm in a statement.

Other highlights of Jang’s tenure at New include hit dramas like Descendants of the Sun and Doctor Cha,...

Song Joong-ki's cameo in Queen of Tears references his various roles, connecting with director Kim Hee-won. Kim Ji-won and Song Joong-ki's on-screen chemistry is showcased in Descendants of the Sun and Arthdal Chronicles. Both Queen of Tears and Descendants of the Sun share similar love stories and balance of tragedy and comedy.

I love finding cameos in K-dramas and Song Joong-ki's surprise appearance in Queen of Tears made me want to watch one of his best shows all over again. Song Joong-ki has a vast career that is full of many colorful characters, one of which includes Vincenzo Cassano from the mafia K-drama Vincenzo. Song Joong-ki's revival of the hard-faced lawyer in Queen of Tears is one of the best K-drama cameos of recent times and a great nod to one of his best roles. Yet, I could not stop thinking about another of his most memorable shows when I was watching it.

South Korean actor Song Joong Ki, known for his role in “Vincenzo,” has confirmed that he and his wife, British actress Katy Louise Saunders, are expecting their second child. On July 8, 2024, Song’s agency, HighZium Studio, announced the happy news, stating, “Actor Song Joong Ki is becoming a father of two.” The agency emphasized the couple’s desire for privacy regarding the child’s gender and birth timing.

The couple, who married in January 2023, welcomed their first son in June 2023. Song Joong Ki, previously married to his “Descendants of the Sun” co-star Song Hye Kyo, is known for keeping his personal life private. Despite this, social media is already buzzing with congratulatory messages for the actor.

Last year, Song shared the joyous news of his first child’s birth with a heartfelt message and a photo. He expressed his gratitude for the health and happiness of his family, stating, “I...

Vincenzo’s Ok Taec-yeon Finds His Soul Mate in New Netflix Series - Main Image

Korean pop star Ok Taec-yeon marks his Netflix comeback in Soul Mate, set to premiere sometime next year.

Also starring Japanese actor Hayato Isomura, the live-action series set in Berlin, Seoul, and Tokyo highlights the decade-long relationship between Ryu Narutaki and Johan Hwang, who find solace and safety in each other's company while in a foreign land.

“We arrived at the ultimate destiny story, where people from different cultures and backgrounds meet in a foreign land, and their lives intersect,” says executive producer Dai Ota.

Starting his career as a member of the Korean boy group 2Pm, Taecyeon gained widespread recognition as an actor after his powerful portrayal of the villain Jang Joon-Woo in Netflix’s Vincenzo. Soul Mate will be his first boys-love (Bl) drama.

“Because there were so many types of characters and...

With Elite ending in 2024, Netflix's new show Hierarchy is set to be the perfect replacement, focusing on wealthy high school students. Hierarchy, a South Korean drama, shares dark tones with Elite, exploring mature themes like class differences and violence among teenagers. Expect Hierarchy to be graphic, intense, and dramatic, diving deep into issues such as the wealth gap, making it a strong contender for Elite's spot.

Among Netflix's cache of popular streaming hits, the Spanish teen drama, Elite, is a favorite and has run for seven seasons so far, with an eighth and final season coming in 2024, which means that, unsurprisingly, Netflix has a similar show, a k-drama called Hierarchy, set to replace it. Since 2018, Elite has told the story of a group of working-class students who attend an elite fictional high school in Spain called Las Encinas. The series follows their social and romantic relationships, along with controversial issues such as homosexuality,...

Queen of Tears has become one of Tvn's most-watched K-dramas, expected to surpass Crash Landing on You in ratings. Lovely Runner, based on Tomorrow's Best, starring Kim Hye-yoon and Byeon Woo-seok, could be the next big hit in 2024. Lovely Runner's blend of comedy and emotion, along with the chemistry between the leads, makes it a perfect replacement for Queen of Tears.

With Queen of Tears’ finale looming, all eyes are on the next show to replace this well-beloved series. Coming from the writer of Crashing Landing on You and My Love From the Star and the director of Vincenzo, Queen of Tears has excelled beyond expectations to become one of the most-watched K-dramas in Tvn’s history. Queen of Tears’ ratings have surpassed the likes of Goblin and Reply 1988 and is expected to de-throne the epic love story of Crash Landing of You to take the coveted...

Chemistry between leads is vital for a successful K-drama romance, along with a strong plot to keep the audience engaged. Adding elements like mysteries, crime, or the fantastical makes a love story more exciting and creates compelling characters. Well-developed characters outside of the romance enhance the depth of a couple's relationship in a K-drama series.

Romantic couples are a vital part of many television shows, and K-Drama series often have couples with the best onscreen chemistry. No matter what genre a K-drama falls under, there is almost always a central romantic couple who must overcome adversity and differences to be together. However, these couples are only compelling if the actors have enough chemistry to make their attraction believable, leaving the audience breathless. A K-drama will rarely find success if the lead couple isn’t a good match.

Implementing mysteries, fantastical elements, and even crime gives the protagonists something to investigate or accomplish together.

“My Name is Loh Kiwan” is adapted from the homonymous book by Cho Hae-jin, which won the 2013 31th Sin Dong-yup (Korean poet) Prize for Literature. After its release on Netflix this month, the movie topped their global weekly chart for non-English movies between March 4-10, after racking in over 5 million views and making a mark in 31 countries like Peru, Portugal, Turkey and Malaysia.

Click on the image below to follow our Tribute to Netflix

The film is about the plight of Loh Kiwan, a North Korean defector who flees to China with his mother. While there, he becomes a fugitive due to an incident and soon the police come knocking at his door. During the chase that follows, he manages to get away but his mother is not that lucky and tragically killed. This eventually prompts him to defect again and this time to Belgium for another fresh start.

But...

My Name is Loh Kiwan boasts a small but powerful cast, with star performances that draw viewers in. Based on a book by Cho Haejin, the film tells a realistic yet poignant story that leaves a lasting impact. The diverse characters, brought to life by talented actors, set the stage for My Name is Loh Kiwan to become a standout K-drama.

Netflix's My Name is Loh Kiwan has a relatively small cast, but there is more than enough star power to go around. My Name is Loh Kiwan is based on the book by Cho Haejin, and it offers a very realistic yet deeply sad story. By the ending of My Name is Loh Kiwan, viewers will find themselves invested in many of its characters. While the story itself goes a long way in making its characters compelling, the actors themselves and their skills are the main driving force.

If you wanted more of Michelle Yeoh after Everything Everywhere All At Once, you will find Netflix’s new action comedy series The Brothers Sun quite entertaining. Created by Byron Wu and Brad Falchuk, The Brothers Sun revolves around one of the most powerful Taiwanese Triad families, when there is an assassination attempt on the head of the family the eldest son travels to America to protect his mother and his younger brother, who doesn’t know anything about the family business. The Brothers Sun also stars Justin Chen and Sam Li in the lead roles with Highdee Kuan, Alice Hewkin, and Madison Hu starring in supporting roles. So, if you loved the action comedy series here are similar shows you might want to check out next.

Bloodhounds (Netflix) Credit – Netflix

Bloodhounds and The Brother Sun have very different stories and character types but because of the similarities in their...

Picture: A Killer Paradox – Let’s Film / Netflix

Starring Parasite’s Choi Woo Shik, Netflix is adapting the webtoon Sarinjaonnangam into a K-drama series A Killer Paradox, and will be directed by Strangers from Hell director Lee Chang Hee. A February release date has been set, and here’s everything you need to know about A Killer Paradox on Netflix.

A Killer Paradox is an upcoming South Korean Netflix comedy thriller directed by Lee Chang Hee (Strangers from Hell) and written by screenwriter Kim Da Min. The series is an adaptation of the Korean webtoon Sarinjaonnangam.

Editor’s Note: A Killer Paradox was formerly titled Murder DIEary.

When is the A Killer Paradox Netflix release date?

A Killer Paradox will be released on Netflix worldwide on February 9th, 2024.

What is the plot of A Killer Paradox?

The synopsis for A Killer Paradox has been sourced from MyDramaList:

Lee Tang,...

The Busan International Film Festival’s Asian Contents and Film Market wrapped up its 2023 edition with record attendance from over 2,479 industry representatives, according to organizers.

Despite industry-wide headwinds, attendees from sales and licensing companies, buyers, producers and investors gathered in Busan in an expanded exhibition hall at Bexco, the main venue, to trade content ranging from films and videos to such intellectual property (IP) as novels and digital comics.

“Given the slow film market globally, I think many were eager to find new business opportunities and share information about the state of the market,” said Hyung-rae Kim, the festival representative. “There were a lot of visitors from Indonesia this year. The exhibition hall was packed. Overall, it went smoothly. We’re hoping to connect with other markets in Europe next year and set up new programs.”

The newly established Networking Lounge provided various networking opportunities, including the AFCNet Networking Reception,...

K-dramas have become a cultural sensation, with shows like Love Alarm and Vincenzo gaining popularity on Netflix. Some K-dramas have borrowed inspiration from American media, while American shows like The Good Doctor have been remade from K-dramas. K-dramas like Sky Castle and Hotel Del Luna have unique premises that could be adapted for American audiences, offering fresh takes on familiar genres.

K-dramas constitute some of South Korea’s biggest cultural exports, and some Korean shows are ripe to be adapted as American remakes. From sappy romances to endearing human stories, these Korean dramas have managed to cater to a universal fanbase, even more after many such K-dramas began streaming on Netflix. Some successful series like Love Alarm and Vincenzo aired as Netflix originals. With the viral success of other Korean productions like Squid Game, it’s apparent that K-dramas are here to stay. It's only a matter of time before...

Stars Acting Up At Busan

Oscar-winning Korean actor Youn Yuh-jung will headline the Actors’ House section of the upcoming Busan International Film Festival, it was announced on Thursday.

Introduced in 2021, Actors’ House is a special series that connects audiences and film enthusiasts with iconic actors from the current generation through its in-depth discussions. “There’s much anticipation to hear her words of wisdom, as she’s known for her insightful observations,” said the festival.

Others this year include: Han Hyo-joo, Song Joong-ki and Korean-American actor and author John Cho. Han is known for performances in 2015’s “The Beauty Inside,” “W” (2016), “Happiness (2021), and last year’s “The Pirates: The Last Royal Treasure.” She will be in Busan with Netflix-backed “Believer 2” and recently appeared in the Disney+ original series, “Moving.”

Song, who hosted the 2021 Busan festival’s opening ceremony, was recently seen in “Hopeless,” one of the handful of Korean films in Cannes this year.

Korean dramas have evolved beyond our expectations over the years, ranging from romance to thrillers that keep you on the edge of your seat. Furthermore, they frequently feature exciting action scenes to provide a surprise element, which has now become a standard in every thriller drama. Dramas such as Taxi Driver, Vincenzo, and K2 have particularly taken the concept to the next level, tackling social issues to the extreme.

The upcoming Korean drama Vigilante is one such example, offering a new perspective on a vigilante who fights criminals both under the law and outside the law. Such concepts aren't new, though, as various superhero TV shows like Arrow and films like Batman have been doing them for years, but it's uncommon to see one from the Korean industry. That being said, here's everything we know so far about the new crime thriller K-drama Vigilante, including the plot, cast, trailer, and release date.

Netflix has a string of K-dramas and movies coming to the platform in 2023. As Korean entertainment continues to gain notoriety worldwide, streaming services are playing a big part in this new wave as they make many shows accessible to a wider audience. In 2023, Netflix is ready to continue this trend by releasing multiple new K-dramas, ranging from all kinds of genres.

Over the years, the streaming service has already housed several great shows that eventually became worldwide phenomenons. For example, the Hyun-Bin and Son Ye-Jin-led show, Crash Landing On You, which is exclusively available on Netflix, was so successful, there are plans for an English-language adaptation for it. Meanwhile, Squid Game has become such a massive hit for the service that it resulted in an upcoming second season and a reality competition. Suffice it to say, there's clearly a growing interest in Korean entertainment. For those who are looking to delve deeper into it,...

On June 14, Song Joong Ki took to his fancafe to confirm that he and his wife Katy Louise Saunders were blessed with a healthy son in Rome. He also reassured the fans that the wife and son are completely healthy.

He said that he was in his wife’s hometown and he is eternally grateful to the fans for being a part of the wonderful time. He expressed his happiness and gratitude towards his family for being there as well.

Song Joong Ki revealed his relationship with his British girlfriend, who is now his wife, in December of last year. He is currently getting ready for the release of the films Bogotá and Hopeless. Born in 1985, Song Joong Ki made his acting debut in the 2008 film A Frozen Flower.

After that, he performed in films like Itaewon Murder Case, A Werewolf Boy, Battleship Island, and Space Sweepers, as well as in dramas like Sungkyunkwan Scandal,...

Platform Partnership

NBCUniversal (NBCU) and JioCinema, Viacom18’s streaming service, have entered into a multi-year partnership bringing thousands of hours of NBCU films and TV series to India.

Content is sourced from the Universal Television, UCP, Universal International Studios, Universal Television Alternative Studio, Sky Studios, DreamWorks Animation, Universal Pictures, Focus Features and Bravo brands.

NBCU’s programming will live in a Peacock branded hub starting next month on JioCinema’s newly announced “JioCinema Premium” SVOD tier.

While JioCinema has been making an audience impact with free-of-charge screenings of the ongoing Ipl cricket tournament, the first content announced on the subscription tier hailed from another recent deal with Warner Bros Discovery.

Titles flowing from the NBCU deal include first-run series “Young Rock,” with Dwayne Johnson; action thriller “The Lazarus Project”; “The Lovers,” a darkly romantic comedic drama. Indian audiences can also enjoy Peacock Originals including Will Smith-starring “Bel-Air”; “Pitch Perfect: Bumper in Berlin”; “The Calling,...

South Korean director Kim Jee-woon’s much anticipated period comedy drama Cobweb has kicked off the Cannes market with a slew of international sales. Set to premiere in Cannes in an out-of-competition slot on May 25, Cobweb stars Song Kang-ho (Parasite) as a filmmaker frantically trying to finish the movie he believes will be his masterpiece.

International sales for the film, distributed and sold by Seoul-based Barunson E&a, so far include Japan (Happinet Phantom Studios), Taiwan (MovieCloud), Hong Kong/Macau (Edko Films), Southeast Asia (Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand – Clover Films), France and French-speaking territories (The Jokers Films, handled by Finecut), German-speaking territories and Italy (Plaion Pictures), Spain (La Aventura), Cis (Arna Media), Middle East (Phars Film), India (Impact Films), ex-Yugoslavia (Cinemania), Worldwide Inflight (Anuvu/Emphasis). The film is produced by Sll’s Anthology Studios.

Set in South Korea during the politically repressive 1970s, Cobweb centers on a director named Kim (Song...

Is it time for South Korea’s TV drama series to move over and make way for Korean unscripted entertainment — namely game shows and reality shows?

While 2003 drama series “Jewel in the Palace,” or the more recent “Crash Landing on You,” “Memories of the Alhambra,” “Mr. Queen,” “Love (ft. Marriage and Divorce)” and “Descendants of the Sun” have for years successfully tugged at emotional heartstrings across Asia, the unscripted category has equally long been a staple of Korean domestic TV.

Korean variety shows have been a catch-all with multi-generational appeal. Talent contests have worked well in the home market, but often were too quirky — too much dialogue, or distracting titles flashing across the screen — which meant that they were best exported as formats rather than finished shows.

Examples of those include Mbc’s 2015 hit “King of Mask Singer,” which became “The Masked Singer” for Fox in the U.S. (and...

Streaming platform Paramount+ has set a release date for Korean series “Yonder” that is one of the first titles flowing from Paramount Global’s alliance with Cj Enm.

The show will premiere on April 11 in the U.S., Canada, U.K., Australia, Latin America, Brazil, Italy, Germany, Switzerland, Austria and France.

Set in 2032, “Yonder” is a science fiction-drama series about a man who receives a message from his deceased wife inviting him to a mysterious space. The space is designed for the dead to be able to live on by uploading memories of their lifetime from their brain. The show raises questions about life and death and what it means to have eternal happiness as humanity faces a world altered by advancements in science and technology.

It was directed by Lee Joon-ik who has numerous hit film credits including “The King and the Clown,” “Dongju: The Portrait of a Poet” and “The Book of Fish.

Kevin MacDonald Strikes Factual Deal With Workerbee

Oscar-winning director and producer Kevin Macdonald has struck a multi-project creative partnership with the Workerbee Group. Macdonald, whose credits include “One Day in September,” “Touching the Void” and “Marley,” is executive producing a major feature documentary for a streaming platform as the first element of his two-year Workerbee deal. Details are yet to be announced of the film or the other premium factual projects which are expected to include those he directs and executive produces.

Manchester-based Workerbee recent credits including “Janet” for Lifetime and A&e, “Bruno Vs Tyson” (Sky), “The Bridge” for Channel 4 and HBO Max, “Peter Crouch: Save Our Beautiful Game” for Discovery and “Idris Elba’s Fight School” for BBC Two.

The company has recently been revamped into a clear films and formats divisional structure. The Macdonald deal is the first creative partnership to be announced by the newly formed Workerbee Group,...

Finecut will handle French-speaking territories.

South Korea’s Barunson E&a is set to launch sales on director Kim Jee-woon’s much-anticipated drama and black comedy Cobweb, starring Cannes best actor awardee Song Kang-ho of Broker, at the European Film Market (EFM).

The recently launched sales unit of the production company behind Bong Joon Ho’s Oscar-winning Parasite will handle the film’s international sales excluding French-speaking territories, which will be handled by leading independent Korean sales agent Finecut.

The film is produced by Anthology Studios, Barunson Studio (an affiliate of Barunson E&a), and Luz y Sonidos.

Cobweb has been...

A new report into content consumption patterns by premium video users in ten Asia-Pacific countries shows that content from Asia accounts for 75 of viewership. Local and regional programming is key to attracting and retaining subscribers to premium streaming platforms.

The study, “The Rise of Asian Content” produced by Media Partners Asia and its Ampd sub-unit, leans on passively collected data from January-to mid-December 2022, from 40,000 video users in Japan, Korea, Singapore, Taiwan, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam and Australia.

The top reaching categories in 2022 in terms of monthly reach were Korean dramas and romance; Japanese anime; U.S. science fiction and fantasy; Korean crime and thriller; U.S. crime and thriller; and U.S. comedy.

Korean dramas garnered 30 of total measured premium online video viewership in 2022. Four of the top 15 Korean dramas of 2022 were Netflix originals. All other top titles were also distributed on Netflix, though shared with networks and streamers in Korea.

Both upcoming films are by first-time feature directors produced by South Korean powerhouse Sanai Pictures.

South Korea’s Plus M is launching sales on action comedy Cross (working title), starring Hwang Jung-min of Netflix’s Narco-Saints, and noir drama Hwa-ran (working title) at the American Film Market (AFM).

Both upcoming films are from first-time feature directors and produced by Sanai Pictures, the Seoul-based company behind Cannes titles such as Lee Jung-jae’s Hunt and Yoon Jong-bin’s The Spy Gone North as well as the local box office hit A Violent Prosecutor, which took more than 9.7 million admissions and 54.5m in 2016.

Directed by Lee Myeong-hoon,...

The star-studded red carpet included Hong Kong star Tony Leung, winner of the Asian Filmmaker of the Year award.

The 27th Busan International Film Festival (Biff) opened with a star-studded red carpet that included Hong Kong star Tony Leung, who accepted the Asian Filmmaker of the Year award last night (October 5).

At the outdoor theatre of the Busan Cinema Center, organizers and filmmakers expressed relief at being back to a fully-fledged in-person event for the first time since the pandemic started - as well as some trepidation about whether audiences would come back to cinemas in similar numbers.

“We share...

Asian streaming firm Viu is approaching profitability by staying its lane and sticking with the business principles that have made it a regional success story – Asian content, AVOD and SVOD models under one roof, and resistance to over-expansion.

“The industry for streaming has matured very rapidly [in part due to Covid],” said CEO Janice Lee, speaking Wednesday at the Apos convention in Singapore. “But what makes Asia different is that Asia has not yet reached mature market status.”

After some six years in business Viu is now Ebitda positive. “We always been focused on monetization. Our AVOD-svod mix remains the sustainable model,” said Lee, who also confirmed the company has been able to raise subscription prices in selected markets. The launch of advertising-supported models is now a direction being embraced by the sector giants Netflix and Disney.

“We continue to see growth in all of our 16 markets and are not looking to grow elsewhere and spread ourselves thinner,...

Series

“Nanny McPhee” director Kirk Jones is set to take on Donald Trump in his first television series, “You’ve Been Trumped.”

The drama, based on Anthony Baxter’s 2011 documentary, tells the story of a small Scottish village who took on the then-reality TV star when he tried to build a golf course in a nature reserve. Jones, who has previously written and directed “Waking Ned” and “Everybody’s Fine,” is also writing the project while Baxter will serve as a creative consultant.

“There was a reason why the world’s media was drawn to this story in 2006 and why there was such a determined effort to prevent Anthony Baxter’s excellent documentary of the same name, being released in 2011,” said Jones. “A special site of scientific interest was stripped of its status and a community of decent people faced an unwanted aggressor. This is a story that needs to be...

The success of Korean shows “Vincenzo” and “Squid Game” and Japanese anime such as “Attack on Titan” are justifying Netflix’s heavy spending on Asian film and TV content.

The streaming giant is forecast to grow its revenues in the Asia-Pacific region by 24 in the current year as subscriber numbers swell by 20, according to new research, from Singapore based consultancy Media Partners Asia.

That optimism stands in contrast to investment sentiment in January when Netflix announced its December quarter and 2021 full year data and a spooked the financial community with a cautious (global) first quarter outlook.

Media Partners Asia’ latest note on the company indicates that Netflix could grow Apac revenues by 24 in the current year to December, to 4.1 billion. Subscriber numbers are forecast to climb 20 to 39.1 million. The strongest growth is in Australia, Japan, South Korea and parts of Southeast Asia.

Japan is forecast to generate 2022 revenues of 1 billion; Australia to be worth 976 million,...

The Korean company now owns “about 80%” of the US production entity

Leading Korean entertainment and media company Cj Enm has closed its acquisition of a controlling stake in US production company Endeavor Content.

The Korean conglomerate behind multiple-Oscar-winning phenomenon Parasite announced today (January 19) that the deal closed at $785.4m for “about 80%” of Endeavor Content with Endeavor Group Holdings maintaining the rest.

“Endeavor Content will be a key driving force for Cj Enm’s global growth. Cj Enm plans to produce and distribute its own content targeted to viewers around the world with Endeavor Content as a global basecamp that has been incorporated into a multi-studio,...

The ongoing Covid-19 pandemic has disrupted film productions, releases and festivals. But nothing, it seems, can get between Korean film and TV fans and their idols, and this week’s Busan International Film Festival is managing to pull off a series of in-person events, despite strict safety protocols.

The first of these, on Thursday, included so-called Open Talk sessions focused on Netflix series “Hellbound” and “My Name,” which are both part of the festival’s new On Screen sidebar. There was another event for sci-fi adventure film “Space Sweepers” and an on-stage discussion between top East Asian directors Bong Joon-ho and Hamaguchi Ryusuke.

In each case, venues were filled to their 50% capacity limits. Thousands more fans, many from overseas and oblivious to the lack of foreign-language translations, followed a livecast on Naver Now. Proximity, contact and photos are typically the purpose of many such fan meetings, not meaningful insight or news announcements.

Oscar-winning director Bong Joon-ho was on hand to present an award to Im Kwon-taek as part of the Wednesday night opening ceremony of the Busan International Film Festival. The in-person event included many of the trappings of past ceremonies, but it was smaller due to reduced numbers and ongoing social distancing precautions.

Held at the huge open-sided Busan Cinema Center venue, proceedings kicked off with a lengthy parade of celebrities and dignitaries along an L-shaped red carpet that resembled an oversized fashion runway.

Ambassadors for Korean fashion brand Artistry were first up, setting the mood for a still glamorous event. They were followed by the directors and cast of selected Korean independent films, by an obviously delighted Japanese director Hamaguchi Ryusuke and three actors from his recent film “Drive My Car.” A smattering of overseas visitors included Sabrina Baracetti from the Udine festival of Asian films in Italy. The New...

Korean director Im Kwon-taek received the Asian Filmmaker of the Year award from Bong Joon Ho.

In South Korea, the 26th Busan International Film Festival (Bff) opened tonight with a star-studded red carpet and veteran Korean director Im Kwon-taek receiving the Asian Filmmaker of the Year award.

Song Joong Ki, perhaps best known for his starring role in Netflix series Vincenzo, and Park So Dam, known for hers as ‘Jessica’ in Parasite, hosted the ceremony. They announced that director Bong Joon Ho was on hand to present Im with the Asian Filmmaker of the Year award “on behalf of all...

Lee Je-hoon series secured six nominations.

Netflix original Korean series Move To Heaven leads the nominations for the 3rd Asian Contents Awards (Aca), run by the Busan International Film Festival (Biff)’s Asian Contents & Film Market (Acfm).

The Aca aims to showcase outstanding TV, Ott and online content from Asia. The Aca said it had received a record-breaking 163 submissions from 16 countries, almost double the number of submissions last year. They selected 30 titles from 11 countries.

Starring Lee Je-hoon and produced by Page One Film and No. 3 Pictures, Move To Heaven led the pack with six nominations, in the categories of best creative,...

They include the anticipated ’Bogota: City Of The Lost’ directed by actor-filmmaker Kim Seong-je.

South Korea’s Megabox Plus M is launching sales on a trio of films: Kim Seong-je’s Bogota: City Of The Lost, starring Song Joong-ki, actor Lee Jung-jae’s directorial debut Hunt and action drama Decibel.

Bogota: City Of The Lost is a highly anticipated large-scale production featuring the star of K-drama hits such as Descendants Of The Sun and Vincenzo.

The noir thriller follows a young man who moves to Bogota in the 1990s with his family and, starting from the bottom, works his way...

Streaming giant shakes up senior team in its fastest growing region.

Netflix has reshuffled its creative leadership team in Asia Pacific with South Korean executive Minyoung Kim appointed to oversee operations across the region, excluding India.

Asia Pacific is the steaming giant’s second-largest territory in terms of paid subscription growth.

Kim was formerly vice president of content for Korea, Southeast Asia, Australia and New Zealand where she expanded Netflix’s remit to invest $500m in Korean TV series and films in 2021.

Since joining Netflix in 2016, she has spearheaded the streamer’s Korean content growth with series such as Kingdom,...

Netflix is at the top of the streaming platform pile when it comes to giving fans original K-dramas to binge-watch, one of the best being the 2021 show, Vincenzo. It stars Song Joong-ki, who became well-known for his role in Descendants of the Sun, and his other Netflix movie, Space Sweepers.

Related: Sweet Home: Why The Netflix Apocalyptic Horror Series Is A Must-Watch

Song plays the lead role of Vincenzo Cassano, the ruthless lawyer, and consigliere of the Italian mafia, but he soon returns to Korea after his former boss's son double-crosses him. His new life in Korea also poses some familiar turmoil with a conglomerate. The K-drama is full of surprising twists and storyline elements that have fans wanting more. But the show isn't stranger to common tropes often seen in K-dramas that fans expected. Warning: this list contains mild spoilers.

February may be the shortest month, but that doesn’t mean streaming services can ignore their duty to entertain us at all times. In that mission, Netflix is making a decent effort in February 2021. This isn’t the most jam-packed month the major streamer has trotted out just yet but there are plenty of new originals to get the job done.

Netflix has a few original series of note this month. The party begins with Kid Cosmic on Feb. 2. This animated series is a comic-tinged adventure from Craig McCracken, creator of the Powerpuff Girls. That’s followed by the Sarah Chalke and Katherine Heigl-starring Firefly Lane on Feb. 3 and Behind Her Eyes on Feb. 17. Perhaps the biggest sleeper this month, however, is Tribes of Europa. This post-apocalyptic adventure series premieres on Feb. 19.

There are also quite a few intriguing Netflix original movies in February 2021. Malcolm and Marie stars John David Washington...