Tag: K drama

  • My Demon To Sweet Home 5 Song Kang Dramas To Watch On His Birthday | Movies News

    A demon cursed to eternity, to a high school student caught in a zombie apocalypse. From playing a playboy to a man devoted to a ballet dancer who embarks on a journey of self-discovery, Song Kang’s screen presence and good looks have made him K-drama’s poster boy of cool. Though the actor is currently on mandatory military service, here are 5 Song Kang dramas to binge on his 30th birthday.

    My Demon

    Gu Won (Song Kang) is a demon who has lost all his powers. His tattoo which holds the key to his super powers has transferred itself onto a rich heiress Do Do Hee (Kim Yoo Jung), whose life is under threat from all sides. Do Hee asks Gu Won to marry her so that she can secure her inheritance and he in turn can get his powers back. But instead what we get is a passionately intense love story.

    Where to Watch: Netflix

    Nevillera

    Duk Chool’s (Park In Hwan) biggest regret was to put his dreams of being a ballet dancer on hold. Duk Chool encounters Lee Chae Rok (Song Kang) a young, talented dancer practicing ballet. Chae Rok is struggling to overcome his past and pursue his passion for his art. Inspired by Chae Rok, Duk Chool decides to finally pursue his dream of learning ballet. A moving story, Navillera is a must-watch:

    Where To Watch: Netflix

    Nevertheless

    Yoo Na Bi (Han So Hee) is an art student who finds herself in a complicated relationship with another student Park Jae Eon (Song Kang). Jae Eon is the proverbial red flag, a man who loves them and leaves them. But, despite the warming, Na Bi can’t seem to let go of him. Jae An on the other hand also finds himself attracted to her, but he is not a man who can be tied down.

    Where To Watch: Netflix

    sweet home

    Cha Hyun Su (Song Kang) a high school student moves into a new apartment, just when monsters start breaking out to wipe out humanity.

    Trapped inside the apartment, the residents along with Cha Hyun Su struggle to survive the apocalypse.

    Where To Watch: Netflix

    Forecasting Love and Weather

    The cool and reserved Jin Ha Kyung ( Park Min Young) is a senior weather forecaster. She does everything by the book and is very clear about keeping her personal and professional life separate, especially after being dumped by her fiancee. Lee Si Woo(Song Kang) is a free-spirited and determined young man with an impressive IQ who gets the weather and forecast right. As he starts interning at the Meteorological department, things get heated up as sparks fly between him and his boss Ha Kyung.

    Where To Watch: Netflix

  • Wedding Impossible Star Kim Do Wan “Indian Films Are Excellent In Acting & Direction” | People News

    Kim Do Wan’s Lee Do Han is a closeted gay man who asks his best friend Na A-jeong(Jeong Jong Seo) to get into a fake marriage with him. But, the biggest obstacle is his younger brother Ji Han(Moon Sang Min), who is unaware of his brother’s sexual orientation and is dead set against the marriage. peBut, what happens when Ji Han too falls for A Jeong?

    Actor Kim Do Wan who has starred in hit dramas such as Start-Up, and Doona spoke to Puja Talwar about the show, his character and his love for Indian films and food.

    1. Congratulations, the show is wonderful and your character Lee Do Han though free-spirited has his secrets. What was the one thing that drew you to the character and could you relate to him?

    Kim Do Wan: I chose the role of Do-han because I felt that Do-han is different from the characters I have played so far. When I choose characters, I always want to try new things. Although I always have fears or concerns about playing a new character, there were no particular difficulties with acting Do-han. In regards to personality, we have something in common: we are both introverted and don’t talk much. What’s different is that Lee Do-han is a third-generation chaebol. Isn’t that the biggest difference? 2. Were there any preparations at your end in understanding the character and is there something different you did in this show?

    Kim Do Wan: In the drama, Ji-han has a charming personality. To keep the balance between the characters I tried to stay calm on the contrary to Ji-han. I also think a lot about how to express the differences between my relationship with my younger brother Ji-han and my best friend Ah-jung.

    In terms of styling, I tried to show differences depending on the internal and emotional change. Because Dohan is free-spirited, I let my hair grow a little longer compared to previous dramas. In this way, I tried to make some external differences. 3. What was it like working with Moon Sang Min? How did you all work on your chemistry?

    Kim Do Wan: Moon Sang-min is very charming, bright, and makes people happy, so I was able to work on it comfortably. As the episodes go, there are many scenes, in which we have emotional conflicts. Thanks to Sang-min, chemistry got better and better in those scenes. 4. You have done many genres is there a favorite genre or role you want to try?

    Kim Do Wan: If I get the chance, I want to play an evil role, a really bad villain. 5. Your drama is very popular in India. Have you watched Indian films or tried Indian food? Would you like to visit India?

    Kim Do Wan: Previously, I have seen several Indian films, visiting the Bucheon International Film Festival and the Busan International Film Festival. While watching the movie, I felt that not only the acting but also the directing techniques were all excellent.

    If I get the chance, I would like to visit India. I love curry and naan, so I eat them at least once every two weeks. I want to try it in India.

    Wedding Impossible is available on Viki

  • Welcome To Samdal Ri: Ji Chang Wook & Shin Haesun Give Us The Perfect Comfort Watch | Movies News

    “Does it hurt your pride to see your friends again? It doesn’t matter why you came back. We’re just happy to see our friend again.” says Ji Chang Wook’s Cho Yong Pil to Cho Sam Dal (Shin Hae Sun). A poignant statement in “Welcome To Samdal-ri , a slice-of-life drama, which revolves around these two characters, one who wants to soar and escape her life on Jeju Island, and the other who is content and makes the most of where he is.

    Cho Sam Dal is a hotshot photographer in Seoul until a conniving and manipulative assistant accuses her of bullying. Overnight her one soaring career is in shambles, and Sam Dal also discovers her boyfriend has also been cheating on her with the very same assistant.

    She along with her two sisters move bags and luggage back home to Samdal-ri, a small town in Jeju Island. Though her pride in tatters and her spirits down Sam Dal is also hiding from her ex-boyfriend Yong Pil.

    Yong Pil is a forecaster at the Meteorological Department, a bit headstrong when it comes to work, but the town favourite. Everyone loves Yong Pil for his caring nature and have been fiercely protective of him, ever since Sam Dal broke his heart.

    It is not before long the two come face to face, and old feelings are bound to resurface. Sam Dal who had changed her name in Seoul, and has always seen her destiny away from her hometown, is confronted with a surge of emotions. Was she running away from the town and its people, or herself? Why is she putting up fake pretenses in front of her people?

    Yong Pil seems like her alter ego, telling her truths that she would rather not face. Sam Dal, who always aspired to be a dragon that arises from a small stream, understands that it’s Yong Pil who wants to be her small stream.

    In the meanwhile, their mother played by veteran actor Kim Mi Kyung who is the leader of the “hayenos”, (female divers of Jeju) has to contend with not only the town gossip about the return of her three daughters but also her health condition. which keeps hidden. Sam Dal’s two sisters, one a divorcee and the other a single mother too, are dealing with their issues and seem unaware of the plight of their mother.

    Welcome To Samdal-ri is a feel-good drama which envelopes you in its warmth. Set in the lush landscape of Jeju, the scenic visuals are the healing balm to the emotional wounds of the lead characters.

    Sam Dal’s situation highlights the rampant bullying and the cancel culture which has become a part of S Korean society especially when it comes to famous people. How careers are destroyed and the toxicity of social media only amplifies the same. Shin Hae Sun once again gives an uninhibited performance. A moving moment when she confronts her assistant and asks, “Did I compel you to die”, you feel her pain,

    Yong Pil may come across as a man not driven by ambition, but he is very secure in himself. Ji Chang Wook is endearing and the actor who has a remarkable screen presence once again shines as the simpleton.

    Written by Kwon Hye Joo, who once again brings out the emotional dynamics between the characters to the fore in a subtle manner.

    Produced by SLL, “Welcome to Samdal-ri”, endeavors for its simplicity, and is relatable at so many levels. Bogged down by the pressures of a competitive world, one tends to lose one’s way. Seek your tribe, find your people and self is the message loud and clear.

    The bonus being the chemistry between Ji Chang Wook and Shin Hae Sun, which gets top points.

    Welcome to Samdal-ri is streaming on Netflix.

  • Netflix renews K-drama ‘All of Us Are Dead’ for season 2 

    By PTI

    LOS ANGELES: Korean-language zombie apocalypse horror series “All of Us Are Dead” will return for a second season, streaming platform Netflix has announced.

    The streamer shared the news on its official Twitter page on Monday night. “All of Us Are Dead has been renewed for Season 2! #GeekedWeek,” read the post by Netflix.

    ALL OF US ARE GLAD because we’re getting a second season of All Of Us Are Dead!!! #GeekedWeek pic.twitter.com/wR8wRyslf0
    — Netflix India (@NetflixIndia) June 6, 2022
    Based on Naver webtoon “Now at Our School”, the coming-of-age drama follows the lives of students at a high school in South Korea as they try to survive the zombie apocalypse outbreak caused by a failed science experiment.

    The first season of “All of Us Are Dead”, consisting of 12 episodes, received acclaim upon its debut in late January.

    The show starred mostly newcomers such as Park Ji-hu, Yoon Chan-young, Cho Yi-hyun, Lomon, Yoo In-soo, and Lee Yoo-mi, along with seasoned artists Kim Byung-chul, Lee Kyu-hyung, and Jeon Bae-soo.

    Yoon Chan-young, Park Ji-hu, Cho Yi-hyun, and Lomon will reprise their roles in season two.

  • India’s first K-pop artist Sriya: Honoured to represent country at global platform

    By PTI

    BHUBANESHWAR: After months of arduous training and auditions, 18-year-old Sriya Lenka has made history by becoming the fifth member of the popular South Korean band Blackswan, a dream come true feeling that the young artist describes as “priceless.”

    Lenka, who hails from the steel city of Rourkela in the Sundargarh district of western Odisha, was selected for the band last week alongside Gabriela Dalcin from Brazil.

    They both will join original band members Youngheun, Fatou, Judy and Leia. “I never imagined that my dream would come true so soon. It was so precious to be selected because that moment changed the course of my life. I feel so proud and honoured to represent my country on such a big global platform,” Lenka told PTI in a Zoom interview from Seoul.

    Lenka and Dalcin were selected for the band after participating in a six-month-long global audition process, which was announced by DR Music last year after band member Hyeme left the girl group.

    The duo never expected that they would get to be in the band together as there was only one spot initially. “At first, we only knew that it was only one spot, so we needed to work really hard,” Lenka said.

    She acknowledged that it was hard to compete with Dalcin as they became best friends. “We live together, we eat together and we practice together. She is like my family member because we only had each other at that time. ”

    ALSO READ: India’s first K-pop artist Sriya Lenka becomes member of the South Korean band Blackswan

    A trained dancer, Lenka was introduced to K-pop by a friend a few years ago and found herself getting intrigued by the choreography in the music videos. She was instantly hooked to K-pop’s “unique style” of singing and dancing.

    In 2020, when she saw K-pop record labels open online auditions due to the Covid-19 pandemic, she decided to give it a shot.

    “But I never imagined I would make it so big. Never expected that so many celebrities will post about me, I’ll become the most searched on Google in 24 hours and get covered by so many media organisations,” the young artist said.

    Lenka and Dalcin’s training started in December in Seoul, but staying away from friends and family in a different culture was not easy initially. A lot has changed in the months that followed.

    She now considers Gimbap, which is made of rice, vegetables and meat, rolled into a dried seaweed sheet, among her favourite dishes. Lenka is also struck by the K-drama fever and counts “Mr Queen”, a time-traveling historical drama, as one of her favourite shows.

    Becoming a K-pop member entails long training in every aspect and Lenka had to learn the Korean language, dance, sing, rap and develop strong core strengths.

    The singer said all this could only be possible because of the support of her family and her father, who was the first one to teach her acrobatics and dance.

    “He always used to tell me about my mistakes. He supported me a lot,” she said, adding that she misses her family and hopes to meet them soon.”  “My father always said that believe in your dreams and yourself because even if there are bad times, good times will come for sure,” Lenka said.

  • No let-up in K-drama craze: ‘All of Us Are Dead’ now Netflix US No. 1

    By IANS

    LOS ANGELES: Four months ago, ‘Squid Game’ climbed to No. 1 on Netflix’s US daily Top 10 list on its way to becoming the streamer’s most-watched original series ever.

    Now, the Korean zombie drama, ‘All of Us Are Dead’, has accomplished the feat, according to Deadline. This makes Korea the first country to place multiple non-English language series on top of Netflix’s US daily Top 10, making it the most sought-after supplier of local content.

    ‘All of Us Are Dead’, which rose to No. 1 on its seventh day of release versus Day 4 for ‘Squid Game’, clearly rode on the latter’s coattails, benefitting from the skyrocketing interest in Korean dramas, reports Deadline.

    “But the one-two punch of ‘Squid Game’ and ‘All of Us Are Dead’ did not come out of nowhere. There had been a rapid build-up of interest in K-dramas on Netflix, with the US viewership jumping by over 200 per cent between 2019 and 2021,” says the entertainment news website.

    The 12-episode ‘All of Us Are Dead’ follows a group of students trapped in a high school who find themselves in dire situations as they seek to be rescued from a zombie invasion of their school.

  • ‘Money Heist’ adaptation, ‘Thirty Nine’ among 25 new K-dramas announced by Netflix for 2022 

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: Following the record-breaking popularity of K-dramas such as “Squid Game”, “Hellbound” and “Vincenzo”, streamer Netflix’s Korean arm has announced that they are launching more than 25 Korean shows in 2022, its largest number to date.

    According to a release by the platform, Korean shows dominated global popular culture in 2021 with “Squid Game” alone becoming the streamer’s biggest show ever, most viewed in 94 countries.

    The 95 per cent of “Squid Game’s” viewership came from outside Korea and led viewers to explore more K-content on Netflix. The streamer said the global viewing hours of our Korean shows grew six-fold last year, compared to 2019.

    ALSO READ | Riding on India’s K-drama wave, Prime Video launches 10 Korean shows

    “Credit for this growing global interest goes to the talented Korean creators we have been working with for the past few years. From 2016 to 2021, we launched more than 130 Korean titles.

    As a result, Netflix has become a compelling destination for fans of Korean content, who know that this is the home of diverse and high-quality Korean storytelling.

    “As this fanbase increasingly includes viewers from all over the world, we are excited to continue collaborating with Korean storytellers to bring the K-wave to new heights,” Don Kang, VP, Content (Korea), shared in the release.

    Some of the shows that viewers can look forward to include “All of Us Are Dead”, in which zombies invade a high school; “Money Heist: Korea Joint Economic Area”, an adaptation of the popular Spanish series; and the action-packed thrills of “Seoul Vibe”, a film where the adventures of a special-ops team take place against the backdrop of the 1988 Seoul Olympic Games.

    The slate reintroduces some of the famous South Korean actors in new drama settings. For example, “Crash Landing on You” star Son Ye-jin stars in “Thirty Nine” alongside “Hospital Playlist” fan-favourite star Jeon Mi-do and “Justice” actor Kim Ji-hyun. The drama explores the life and friendship of three women who are about to turn 40.

    Similarly, “Forecasting Love and Weather” features “What’s Wrong with Secretary Kim” star Park Min-young, Netflix favourite Song Kang and “You Are My Spring” actor Yoon Bak. The romantic drama revolves around the life and love stories of the people working at the Korea Meteorological Administration.

    ALSO READ | K-drama ‘Snowdrop’ actor Kim Mi-soo dies at 31

    Fantasy drama “The Sound of Magic” stars popular South Korean actor Ji Chang-wook, best known to K-drama fans for shows “Healer”, “Suspicious Partner” and “Lovestruck in the City”, as a mysterious magician alongside “Beyond Evil” star Choi Sung-eun and Hwang In-youp of “True Beauty” fame.

    The series is directed by Kim Sung-youn of “Itaewon Class” fame. He is reuniting with writer Kim Min-jeong after “Love In The Moonlight”.

    “Black Knight”, a dystopian drama, will mark the return of popular Korean actor Kim Woo-bin following his recovery from nasopharyngeal cancer.

    It also features “Taxi Driver” actor Esom and is set in 2071 where people depend on respirator masks to breathe. Woo-bin plays a delivery driver in the drama.

    Other noteworthy titles in the list include Kim Hye-soo-starrer legal drama “Juvenile Justice”, romance drama “Twenty Five, Twenty” with Kim Tae-ri and Nam Joo-hyuk, fantasy show “Tomorrow”, “Business Proposal”, “Remarriage and Desires”, “Model Family”, “Glitch”, “The Fabulous”, “Love to Hate You” and “Somebody”.

  • K-drama ‘Snowdrop’ actor Kim Mi-soo dies at 31

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: South Korean actor Kim Mi-soo, who featured in a supporting role in the currently on air K-drama “Snowdrop”, passed away on Wednesday. She was 31.

    Her agency Landscape Entertainment confirmed the news of the actor’s “sudden” death in a statement to Korean media outlet Star News. The cause of death has not yet been revealed.

    “Actress Kim Mi Soo suddenly passed away on January 5. The bereaved family is currently very heartbroken due to the sudden sad news,” Kim’s agency said.

    The agency also urged people to refrain from spreading rumours around the actor’s death.

    “We sincerely ask that you refrain from spreading rumors or speculative reports so that the bereaved family, who is in shock and full of sorrow, can remember the deceased,” the statement read.

    In “Snowdrop”, Kim played the role of Yeo Jung-min, one of the roommates of the series lead essayed by girl group Blackpink member Jisoo. The late actor also starred in 2021’s hit K-dramas like Netflix series “Hellbound” and “Yumi’s Cells” (Viki).

    Kim’s funeral will be held quietly behind closed doors according to the wishes of her family, the agency further said. “Please pray for her, and we send our deepest condolences once again to the deceased,” Landscape Entertainment concluded the statement.

    “Snowdrop” is currently embroiled in a controversy at home as several Korean netizens have accused the drama of distorting the pro-democracy movement of the 1980s in South Korea and glorifying the notorious Agency for National Security Planning.

    JTBC, the TV channel on which the show airs in South Korea, has repeatedly denied the claims, before announcing days ago that it will take legal action against individuals spreading “falsehoods” regarding the series.

    Also starring “Something in the Rain” star Jung Hae-in the lead role, “Snowdrop” is available for streaming on Disney Plus in selected regions.

  • Reality bites: Economic anxieties, work-life focus key to K-drama popularity

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: At first glance, the appeal of Korean dramas may lie primarily in never-before-seen locations with good-looking actors giving life to gentle romances and taut thrillers.

    But the addictive ‘K-drama’ pill encases a centre of sobering reality, that of job insecurities and unconventional careers in a world of economic disparities.

    Given that the popularity of Korean shows peaked during the long months of the pandemic, when many businesses big and small folded up or trimmed operations and many thousands lost their jobs, it is this mirroring of everyday realities that seems to have really hit home.

    Bengaluru-based data insight specialist Vaishnavi said the practice of part-time jobs, for instance, shown in many shows reflects the “widening gap” between the rich and poor.

    “It’s the same even in our country. Also, the way we have entrance exams and too many people vying for the same job. How cutthroat all this is,” the avid watcher of Korean shows told PTI while explaining why she is so drawn to them.

    Instead of old family money, the dramas, which show the way to unconventional jobs and also cast a light on everyday difficulties, are now focusing on hardworking people who don’t inherit companies but rise through the ranks.

    “This is temporary, right?” the ambitious dentist from Seoul, played by Shin Min-a, asks in the popular show “Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha” that ended on Sunday night, echoing as it were the bewilderment of an entire generation.

    She is asking the question of an odd-jobs expert and graduate of Seoul National University, played by Kim Seon-ho, who insists on earning by the minimum wage rate.

    Much to her dismay, he doesn’t plan to do anything more stable as he has come to respect money that has been earned through hard labour.

    In “Squid Game”, the blockbuster hit from Netflix inspired by the children’s game in Korea, 456 desperate contestants compete for a 45.6 billion Won (approx USD 38 million) prize money in a “Hunger Games” like survival competition.

    The show, with its themes of class inequality, debt, desperation and raw greed, seems to have touched a chord among viewers already reeling from the pandemic-led economic divide that has resulted in many losing their jobs and small businesses getting ruined.

    Life in South Korea, especially in the capital Seoul, is very expensive, said Shruti Jargad, a student of China Studies from Peking University, Beijing.

    That’s why, she said, unemployed people are working many part-time jobs, called ‘arabaite’ in Korean, even in dramas.

    “There has been a rise in individualism in the last 40 years. Once that happens, people want to move out of their parents’ house and achieve financial independence.

    There is also a rise of the middle class who already don’t have a lot of family money to pass on to the next generation,” the Jaipur-based Jargad told PTI.

    Saipriya, also a student, said many dramas show that people take up part-time jobs in coffee shops and eating joints to pay their school fees or support their family.

    “They also do part-time work to earn some extra cash for expenses and to pursue their field of interest. It teaches us the importance of financial independence from a young age,” she told PTI. K-dramas, which find new addicts everyday, also challenge gender stereotypes.

    A man is shown as a professional caregiver in “It’s Okay Not To Be Okay”, the International Emmy nominated series, and “Navillera” has two men — a 70-year-old and a 23-year-old — doing ballet.

    “I don’t think we have seen a Korean show specifically on men who are ballet dancers or who want to pursue this form of dance,” Jargad said.

    A global leader in information technology, South Korea is a market that takes to trends like fish to water and when the new wave of feminism surfaced in the 2010s, the country’s patriarchal and conservative society started opening its doors to progressiveness, she argued.

    This has also resulted in a transformation of the portrayal of the working woman on screen — from the feisty poor woman getting help from her rich love interest in “Coffee Prince” (2007) and an understated efficient worker battling sexism in “Misaeng” (2014) to calling out abuse at work in “Something in the Rain” (2018) and the trial and tribulations of women in a search engine company in “Search: WWW” (2019).

    Korean series tend to move with the times even as they take creative liberties to create drama.

    So, there is increasingly more emphasis on different professions, not just medicine, law and management.

    “They also motivate us to choose our passion over society’s expectations.

    When we see the characters chase their dreams, it gives us the courage to do the same,” said Saipriya.

    “The Family Man” star Priyamani, also a K-drama fan, said different roles bring variety to the actor playing the character.

    “It’s a good thing they are tapping into the different aspects of a character given the love story or the main premise of the show.

    There are other sides to the role than just being the romantic interest,” she told PTI.

    According to Vaishnavi, people in real life do work as stunt artistes (“Secret Garden”), interpreters/subtitle writers (“Run On”), pharmacists and librarians (“One Spring Night”) exist but rarely have these professions taken centre stage in dramas.

    “Watching ‘Prison Playbook’ made me think a lot about correctional officers in jails. There are guards in prisons but finding out what that job entails was really new. How challenging a job it is.”

    These shows also show a lot of variation in a profession that can be niche, she added.

    “Like a chef in a restaurant in ‘Itaewon Class’ was different from a chef in an old-age home as shown in ‘Chocolate’. We don’t end up having a stereotypical idea of a profession. These details make the audience get more interested in the show.”

    Aakriti Narang, a French student at Institut Français de Slovaquie, said unconventional professions add a layer of cultural richness to the shows.

    “The choice of unconventional professions for the protagonists adds an additional layer of cultural richness to a genre of drama.

    It also gives an insight into the cultural values at a faster pace than any conventional profession would,” she said.