Jun Ji-hyun’s ‘Tempest’ stirs backlash in China

South Korean actor Jun Ji-hyun’s new series “Tempest” has sparked controversy in China after a line from the show was criticized as offensive. Despite it not being officially available in China, clips from the series quickly spread online through unofficial channels, fueling anger among Chinese viewers. The dispute comes from a scene in the 4th episode where Jun’s character, a presidential candidate, asks, “Why does China favor war?” Her character adds that such a stance “does not make sense whe

Sept. 22, 2025

Boxing icon Manny Pacquiao joins star-studded 'Physical: Asia' lineup

Netflix Korea on Friday unveiled the star-studded lineup for "Physical: Asia," the franchise’s first-ever nation-versus-nation showdown. The series will feature 48 contestants from eight countries — Australia, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Mongolia, the Philippines, Thailand and Turkey — competing in a high-stakes test of strength, strategy and teamwork. Each six-person team is led by a national superstar. Team Korea is anchored by Ultimate Fighting Championship pioneer Kim Dong-hyun and boasts a pow

Sept. 19, 2025

SBS to pull content from Wavve as Tving-Wavve merger progresses

With Korean streaming platforms Tving and Wavve moving ahead with their merger, SBS will pull its content, including classic hits like "Running Man" and "My Love From the Star" from Wavve. A Wavve spokesperson confirmed Friday that starting Sept. 30, all SBS content will be removed from the platform. However, content made by SBS’ subsidiaries, such as hit dating show "I’m Solo," will remain, according to the spokesperson. "I'm Solo" is jointly produced and broadcast on cable channels ENA and SBS

Sept. 19, 2025

Korean stars warn of fake SNS accounts

High-profile Korean stars, including household names Son Suk-ku and Ha Jung-woo, are speaking out against a surge of fake social media accounts impersonating them. On Thursday, Son (“The Roundup,” “D.P.”) took to Instagram to share a screenshot of a fraudulent account posing as the actor. According to Son's post, the impostor account, operating under the handle sonsukku_01, had amassed 64,000 followers and displayed a blue verification badge, which signals that an account has been authenticated

Sept. 19, 2025

‘Kpop Demon Hunters live-action leak' stuns fans, but revealed to be AI

A short video showing a supposed live-action remake of “Kpop Demon Hunters” went viral on Thursday, only to later be revealed as an AI creation. The 35-second clip, titled “K-pop Demon Hunters film leaks,” began spreading rapidly on platforms such as YouTube and TikTok. In the video, actors appeared to be preparing for a shoot and are seen interacting with staff on set. The cast members closely resemble the film’s characters, such as Rumi, Zoey and Mira of fictional girl band Huntrix, and Jin-wo

Sept. 19, 2025

As YouTube positions itself as next-gen platform for all content, media giants map strategies against the onslaught

At the BroadCast WorldWide 2025 conference, media power players, including YouTube, Disney+ and Coupang Play, outlined their strategies, with YouTube aiming to become a next-generation platform spanning podcasts and TV. The four-day showcase of Korean content and media industry trends, hosted by the Culture Ministry and organized by the Korea Creative Content Agency and Coex, kicked off Tuesday in southern Seoul. Fede Goldenberg, YouTube’s global head of TV & film advertising-based video-on-dema

Sept. 18, 2025

'Severance' Season 2 wins top honor at 2025 Seoul International Drama Awards

The 2025 Seoul International Drama Awards has unveiled its winners, with US sci-fi drama "Severance" taking home the Golden Bird, the festival’s top honor. "Severance," produced by CJ ENM’s US studio Fifth Season, centers on employees at the Lumon Industries who undergo a “severance” procedure that surgically splits their work and personal lives, leaving them with no memory of the other side. The Apple TV+ series, which went widely popular upon its release on 2022, recently dominated the 77th Pr

Sept. 17, 2025

'Crime Scene' levels up for Netflix debut

"Will we be able to come back? Will there be another season?" Producer Yoon Hyun-joon got straight to it Tuesday afternoon at a production briefing at a Seoul hotel. "Those questions haunted us. Just happy we're here again." After a decade-long run that built a devoted following across four seasons and three networks, Korea's go-to roleplay whodunit has now landed on Netflix. Its fifth season, "Crime Scene Zero," brings the show's theatrical sleuthing to 190 countries starting Sept. 23. The form

Sept. 16, 2025

K-content icons stress global storytelling for future Korean films, drama series

Powerhouse Korean content creators shared insights on how projects break through in an increasingly crowded marketplace, stressing that future Korean storytelling must weave in global elements. “I think the era we’re living in now is an era of cultural crossover,” said Kang Yun-sung, director at For Entertainment, on a BroadCast WorldWide 2025 panel under the banner, “Immerse in Korean Narratives: An Inspiring Story of Two K-Drama Icons to the World.” Kang is best known for helming Disney+ tentp

Sept. 16, 2025

Here's how Netflix's ads could destroy Korea's media industry

Netflix's customized ad service launched in Korea on Sept. 2 could further accelerate the shift in ad spending from traditional broadcasters to online platforms — posing a significant threat to the financial stability and long-term viability of the country's entire media industry, experts warn. The service, called Netflix Ads Suite, is the platform’s proprietary advertising tool for brands on its ad-supported tier, offering advertisers tools for audience targeting, creative solutions and integra

Sept. 15, 2025