'Queen of Tears' finale sets record viewership ratings as tvN's most-watched series ending

The final episode of "Queen of Tears" aired Sunday, achieving tvN's highest viewership ratings for an episode to date, surpassing the ratings recorded by the cable channel's other hit series, including "Crash Landing on You" (2020) and "Guardian: The Lonely and Great God" (2017). According to tvN, the final episode of "Queen of Tears" logged an average viewership rating of 28.4 percent in the Seoul metropolitan area and 24.9 percent nationwide. &

April 29, 2024

[Music in drama] An ode to childhood trauma

Sometimes, people with trauma due to emotional scars from childhood find it difficult to "become adults." Aired in 2020, tvN TV series "It's Okay to Not Be Okay" depicts the story of lonely characters who pretend to be average adults despite their vulnerabilities. Ko Moon-young (Seo Ye-ji) is a children’s book writer whose mother -- also a writer --treated her as nothing more than a piece of art. While Moon-young's books are for children, they contain brutally

April 27, 2024

Monthly users on local streaming platforms outpace Netflix, Disney+

The combined number of local users on South Korean streaming services surpassed that of foreign platforms such as Netflix and Disney+, a survey showed Thursday, a sign of rapidly changing trends in the streaming service landscape. According to a survey conducted in March by data and insight aggregator Mobile Index, about 57 percent of some 20.1 million streaming service users in Korea were using domestic platforms such as Coupang Play (23 percent), Tving (21 percent) and Wavve (13 percent). The

April 25, 2024

Yoo Jae-suk, Yoo Yeon-seok team up in 'Whenever Possible'

Get ready for an entertaining ride as South Korea's top comedian Yoo Jae-suk teams up with actor Yoo Yeon-seok. Exploring how Koreans spend their spare time, the duo are the lead MCs in the local broadcaster SBS's upcoming entertainment show "Whenever Possible." The eight-part program will hear from audiences and share their stories by visiting them in person. Each episode also features three other celebrity guests. "The show was designed after we noticed that a lot of

April 23, 2024

Discounted bundles introduced amid 'streamflation'

South Korean streaming platforms are launching subscription packages tied with complementary services in response to mounting criticisms that the subscription fees for streaming services are getting too high, a phenomenon nicknamed "streamflation" here. On Monday, local telecom service provider KT launched a subscription package named "Tving + Starbucks" which includes access to Tving and a monthly coupon for a tall Americano at Starbucks. Three types of subscription packages

April 16, 2024

[Music in drama] Centuries-old royal romance regains life

Some stories become more powerful because they are not told directly. Having aired in late 2021, the MBC period drama "The Red Sleeve" depicts the story of King Jeongjo of the Joseon era and his beloved concubine, Uibin Seong. That the story is based on history is intriguing, but the series is remarkable in its focus on the will of the female character even within the patriarchal narrative. It is a departure from the typical Korean period drama formula, especially for one that involves

April 15, 2024

Taking risk or targeting global fans? Netflix pushes ahead with 'Goodbye Earth' release

With Netflix set to release its original dystopian drama series “Goodbye Earth” on April 26, media and viewers are curious how frequently Yoo Ah-in, the lead actor, will be seen in the 12-part series. Some argue that it is too early to see him on-screen as the 37-year-old actor is set to appear in a fourth court hearing over charges of illegal drug use on Tuesday. In a trailer for “Goodbye Earth” released on Friday, Yoo is clearly omitted in the 2-minute video, which tell

April 14, 2024

Mnet presents new audition program ‘I-Land2: N/a’

Mnet, a Television music channel known for several successful audition programs, presents another girl group audition program with advanced technology and the ambition to launch an iconic next-generation K-pop group. "I-Land2: N/a," scheduled to premiere on April 18, is a sequel to "I-Land," which produced the seven-member boy group Enhypen. CJ ENM, Wakeone, and The Black Label came together to launch the second season, and the final debut group will be under the management o

April 12, 2024

[Herald Review] 'Blood Free': gripping mystery elevated by veteran actors' performances

"Blood Free," a new Disney+ original mystery drama series, is compelling and full of suspense, supported by meticulously controlled performances from some of Korea's veteran actors. Set in the near future, "Blood Free" is a 10-part thriller series that follows the story of Yoon Ja-yoo, (Han Hyo-joo), the chief executive officer of a biological engineering titan called BF. Yoon constantly faces attacks launched by a range of individuals, including agricultural workers --

April 12, 2024

Broadcasters' exit polls predict landslide but overestimate margin

While South Korean broadcasters correctly predicted a sweeping victory for the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea in Wednesday's general election, the actual margin of victory was not as great as their forecasts suggested. When the counting had concluded on Thursday, the main opposition Democratic Party claimed 161 out of the 254 seats in electoral districts, while the ruling People Power Party claimed 90. Including proportional seats, the main opposition and its satellite party won 175 s

April 11, 2024

Disney+ thriller 'Blood Free' to explore food production in near-future

Disney+'s original series "Blood Free" will explore the philosophical quandary of how humans should approach food production through its authentic portrayal of the near-future. The 10-part suspense thriller series follows the story of Yoon Ja-yoo (played by Han Hyo-joo), the CEO of a biological engineering company named BF, and her bodyguard Woo Chae-woon (played by Ju Ji-hoon). The series, written by award-winning screenplay writer Lee Soo-yeon, narrates the story that unfolds af

April 8, 2024

[Herald Interview] 3rd season of 'Physical 100' with international contestants being considered

The third season of global hit survival series "Physical: 100" may be underway with a revamped format and the inclusion of some international contestants. The "Physical: 100" series showcases 100 contestants engaging in various survival matches to determine the most physically fit individual. The winner receives a prize of 300 million won ($228,000). The series' first season became a global success by becoming the first Korean variety show to claim the number one spot on

April 4, 2024

Actor accuses wrong woman of having relationship with estranged husband

Actor Hwang Jung-eum posted an official apology Thursday for her earlier Instagram post about a woman she mistakenly accused of having a relationship with her now-estranged husband. "There has been a misunderstanding as I sorted out my personal affairs. I apologize for inflicting harm on the person and those around her for posting about her," she wrote on her Instagram page, adding that she has apologized to the victim in person. The 39-year-old singer-turned-actor is currently going t

April 4, 2024

Korean stars haunted by accusations of school violence

South Korean actor Jeon Jong-seo's agency on Thursday denied recent accusations of school bullying against the star of the critically acclaimed film, "Burning," vowing to take legal action against what it said were groundless rumors. "We have checked with (Jeon) and her acquaintances and have found that the (rumors) in the online posts are not true at all. ... We will pursue legal action to protect the actor," Jeon's agency Endmark said in an official statement. J

April 4, 2024

[Music in drama] Love blooms against all odds

Behind the phenomenal success of the TV drama series “Descendants of the Sun,” which recorded nearly 40 percent viewership ratings, was the soundtrack that enhanced the completeness of the drama. Aired in 2016 on KBS, "Descendants of the Sun" depicts the love story between Army Captin Yoo Si-jin (Song Joong-ki) and Kang Mo-yeon (Song Hye-kyo), a medical doctor, in the fictional land of Uruk. The second lead pair, First Lieutenant and Army Doctor Yoon Myung-joo (Kim Ji-won)

April 3, 2024

Who will get it right?

South Korean broadcasters will be leveraging advanced artificial intelligence technology, upgraded election outcome prediction systems and personalized services in their coverage of the general election on April 10. SBS will introduce an AI character as a commentator for its general election broadcasts, a first in Korean broadcasting history. Named "Toopyoro" and taking the form of a teddy bear, the AI character will provide real-time commentary on the general election using generative

April 3, 2024

K-content streaming service Kocowa to launch services in Europe, Oceania

Kocowa, a streaming platform operated by Wavve Americas, which distributes Korean content to overseas audiences, said it has started offering its services in 39 countries in Europe and Oceania on Monday. Previously, Kocowa was available in some 30 countries in North and South America, including the US, Canada and Brazil. England, Ireland, Spain and Portugal, as well as Australia and New Zealand, are some of the countries where Kocowa became available Monday. In Europe and Oceania, Kocowa is only

April 1, 2024

[Herald Interview] Kim Ji-yeon, Jang Da-a stress zero tolerance for bullying via 'Pyramid Game'

South Korean actors Kim Ji-yeon and Jang Da-a said they tried to convey the message of absolute intolerance towards bullying via their latest Tving original series "Pyramid Game." Based on the webtoon of the same name, the 10-part drama series narrates the story of Sung Soo-ji (played by Kim), who transfers to a school that decides a target to bully monthly via a voting process. In the story, students are ranked from A to F based on the number of votes they get, and the person designat

March 29, 2024

[Herald Review] 'Parasyte: The Grey,' run-of-the-mill monster horror series that lacks charm of original manga

"Parasyte: The Grey," the ambitiously re-imagined series by star director Yeon Sang-ho, is a run-of-the-mill monster horror show that fails to capture the charm and essence of the original manga. The 6-part Netflix original series follows the story of Jung Soo-in (Jung So-nee) as she is partially turned into a monster after an alien species called the Parasytes invade Earth. The series is set in the universe of the popular Japanese manga series "Parasyte," but completely de

March 27, 2024

'Parasyte: The Grey' explores coexistence, nature of ties between individuals and organizations

Director Yeon Sang-ho, known for hit thriller series "Hellbound" and groundbreaking zombie flick "Train to Busan," said he aimed to explore the true meaning of coexistence and dynamics between individuals and organizations in "Parasyte: The Grey," his latest Netflix original series. "Parasyte: The Grey" narrates the story of Jung Soo-in (Jeon So-nee), who is partially turned into a monster by an alien species that falls to Earth from outer space. Seol Gang

March 26, 2024