HanCinema's Korean Blog - Korea's Diary, Pictures, Reviews

Fans rejoice, for Kim Jae-wook might finally be getting that leading role in a rom-com we've all been chanting to the Drama Heavens in unison. The actor has been offered a leading role in tvN's upcoming "Her Private Life", where he will join Park Min-young, should she also accept her role offer...More

New upcoming dramas are being announced or given details left and right, and we have several additions this week. Before getting to that, I take a look at the new goodies from upcoming "camouflage romance" drama "Touch Your Heart", which is definitely out to get us with its OTP...More

Korean martial arts films are not exactly a common tendency for the country's cinema. But when one someone deals with the genre, as Lee Seung-won-III does here in his debut, well, the result is extremely generic, to say the least. Let us take things from the beginning, though...More

The opening scene, with its emphasis on a cool-looking Ford Mustang and Lee Si-young sporting a very attractive red dress, gives "No Mercy - 2019" a rather voyeuristic feel. But that only that lasts up until the point she finally engages someone in conversation. It doesn't end up going well for the guy under the car. And so the purpose of the film is quickly established. In-ae may look pretty, but she's not here to make friends...More

With "My Teacher, Mr. Kim" writer/director Jang Gyoo-seong sends a love letter to South Korea's dying rural communities. There's no creature comforts, and hardly any people. But then that's the main positive. Mr. Kim (played by Cha Seung-won) has an elementary school class in Seoul filled with a generic morass of indistinguishable children. Mr. Kim is a slacker at heart, and with so many teachers also floating around campus, who's going to notice a single guy not taking his job seriously?...More

Based on the homonymous novel by Choi In-ho, and shot in Lon Angeles, "Deep Blue Sea" was one of the first local movies to portray the eagerness of Koreans to immigrate to the US, which was considered the "Absolute" country to live in. Despite the radically different setting than his previous films, "Deep Blue Sea" was another huge commercial success, attracting more than 600,000 viewers, breaking box office records, and receiving many awards on both domestic and international stages, including the Grand Bell Film Award, the Paeksang Arts Award and an Asia Pacific Screen Award...More

"Legal High" has released two character posters for Jin Goo and Seo Eun-soo, summarizing the essence our two leads of the law start off with. The two lawyers are like night and day in ethics and principles, but they will hopefully grow, and justice will prevail...More

I've been blessed with "The Item" goodies again, and I must share this bliss with you. The series has released two teaser posters featuring mysterious symbols that will surely play a big role in the story, as well as two character teaser videos for Jin Se-yun's crininal profiler and Kim Kang-woo's villain. February 11th can't come soon enough...More

After confirming Jo Jung-suk, Han Ye-ri and Yoon Si-yoon, upcoming historical drama "Mung Bean Flower" has added Park Hyuk-kwon and Min Sung-wook to its cast. The two actors play important characters on the sides of the ruling faction, and the peasant movement...More

Something sinister lingers in these three new posters for OCN's upcoming 'soul-tracking thriller', "Possessed". The posters show us a duo that's shaping up to be quite the adorable hilarity, but the two don't seem to be alone in this horror-friendly elevator...More

The previously unnamed drama to be written by the Hong Sisters (Hong Jeong-eun, Hong Mi-ran) and helmed by PD Oh Choong-hwan ("While You Were Sleeping - 2017", "Doctors") is still courting IU for the lead, and we have some new information on the production. Following falsely reported casting confirmation news, tvN has clarified the drama's status...More

The Dramaland choo choo is just blasting through goodies this week, as we have a ton of new promotional bits for shows airing soon, as well as some exciting casting news and fresh dramas on the horizon. We also get to meet the feisty lawyers of "Legal High" in brand new images and video...More

The last time writer/director Jang Hye-yeong saw her mentally challenged younger sister Hye-jeong was...um, that detail's actually a bit unclear, come to think of it. We're explicitly told that that Hye-jeong was put in an assisted care facility at the age of thirteen, and that the subject of "Grown Up" is the decision made by writer/director Jang Hye-yeong to remove her sister from the facility and live together with her some seventeen years later. But an awful lot of the background is surprisingly vague...More

The Korean title of "Kick the Moon" is Silla By Moonlight, a reference to the classic Occupation era song which romanticized the Silla Kingdom. The reference is intended to be ironic, as "Kick the Moon" depicts modern day Gyeongju, the capital of the Silla Kingdom, as being a hotbed of loudmouthed gangsters who speak in thick dialect. The film opens up with a legendary riot as Seoul high school students on a graduation trip decide to show off their toughness by challenging Gyeongju residents to a giant street fight...More

My exploration of Bae Chang-ho's cinema continues with a rather different film, since it takes place in the Joseon era, and focuses not on narrative, but on visuals, in a rather arthouse approach. Let us take things from the beginning though...More

"Special Labor Inspector Jo" has been casting hard these last few days, and its confirmed additions so far are Park Se-young, Ryu Deok-hwan, and Kim Kyung-nam-II. The drama is about the titular former judo champion and PE teacher trying to live quietly as a labor inspector, but coming across, and eventually fighting the injustice he witnesses at his job...More

Actors Yoon Kye-sang and Ha Ji-won are currently considering roles in "Chocolate", an upcoming drama marking the reunion of writer Lee Kyeong-hee ("Uncontrollably Fond", "Very Good Times") and PD Lee Hyeong-min ("Miracle That We Met", "Strong Woman Do Bong-soon") following their collaboration in "Sorry, I Love You"...More

After dropping a lovely couple poster, "Romance is a Bonus Book" delivers some sweet stills of Lee Na-young and Lee Jong-suk as Kang Dan-yi and Cha Eun-ho. Their on-screen couple look loving and comfortable, and I look forward to seeing the acting chemistry between these two...More

We get our first look at the leads of "Legal High" in action, as the series has released its first teaser featuring Jin Goo and Seo Eun-soo. The two portray lawyers with very different work ethics, namely one without any, and one who values the concept greatly...More

The hunt is on, and these new posters portray danger closing in on Lee Seo-jin and Sung Dong-il's characters in "Trap - Drama". The two play an anchorman caught in 'the cruelest trap', as the show's full title states, and a veteran detective on the case...More

In very exciting news, actors Lee Junho and Yoo Jae-myung have confirmed their appearance in tvN's "Confession - Drama", a story about looking for the truth hidden behind the boundaries of the 'double jeopardy' law. Double jeopardy refers to the principle where one cannot be tried for the same crime twice following either a conviction or an acquittal...More

After the cool second teaser for "The Item", my itch for new content is met with some new stills for the protagonists and the antagonist of the drama. The production has released stills of Joo Ji-hoon, Jin Se-yun and Kim Kang-woo in the three pivotal roles surrounding these supernatural objects...More

We all know detectives are more often useless than they are capable in Dramaland, but Song Sae-byeok's Kang Pil-seong is engaged in an unfair battle in OCN's "Possessed". Enter Go Joon-hee's psychic, Hong Seo-jeong, who is here to take charge and help the poor soul. The two will be fighting an evil that commits crimes while possessing humans...More

OCN's "Blue Eyes" has its leads, so open your peepers and take in the beauty that is Jang Ki-yong and Nana as its killer and detective duo. "Blue Eyes" is a chase melodrama about a man who has to kill in order to find his family, and a woman who has to catch him in order to unravel the mystery behind her lover's death...More

SBS's upcoming sageuk formerly known by the working title "Ugeumchi" is now called "Mung Bean Flower", and it has confirmed Jo Jung-suk, Han Ye-ri and Yoon Si-yoon as its leads. The series tells the story of two half-brothers fighting on opposite sides during the Donghak Peasant Movement...More

As we put 2018 behind us and welcome 2019, it's time to look to the future for new and exciting things. Dramaland's new year promotional rush is upon us, and we have goodies for days. So sit back, relax, and join me for some good ol' hype...More

The perpetually frustrated mobster Chi-seong (played by Jung Jae-young) spends the first scene in "Righteous Ties" reluctantly having to take responsibility for a single violent criminal act in order to preserve the interests of his gang. From here the narrative gets kind of murky. Where we might expect a stoic appraisal of criminal honor or possibly a farcical comedy about wacky adventures in a prison, writer Jang Jin somehow manages to do both halfway...More

In the early eighties, Mr. Gam (played by Lee Beom-soo) has a modest background. He works in a factory by day and helps with his mom's shop in the traditional market at night. The introduction of a color TV is a big deal for his family. Political agitation exists, but for Mr. Gam, it's the kind of thing he runs into by accident. But most importantly, the wealth of the eighties gives Mr. Gam a chance to fulfill his dream of being a baseball player...More

Mixing an action thriller with a crime thriller is always a good idea, particularly when we are talking about Korean cinema, where the two genres are among the most popular and financially successful. Expectantly, the film was a commercial success in 2006. Let us take things from the beginning though...More

"Spring Turns to Spring" goes for a 2-in-1 feature of its two body-swapping protagonists. Lee Yoo-ri and Uhm Ji-won star as very different women who one day find themselves leading completely different lives as the other person, and these latest posters tease that switch...More

Upcoming remake drama "Legal High" has released images from its first script reading, along with more character information. The reading was held last month, and attending were PD Kim Jeong-hyeon-I, writer Park Seong-jin-I, actors Jin Goo, Seo Eun-soo, Yoon Park, Chae Jung-an, Jung Sang-hoon, Lee Soon-jae, Kim Byung-ok, Kim Ho-jung, Jang Yoo-sang and more...More

In what is surely a conspiracy against my fragile emotions, "Special Labor Inspector Jo" has cast Kim Dong-wook as the titular inspector with a strong sense of justice and a very short fuse. In addition to this casting news, and my raging love for it, we have more character information on this hero for the "have nots"...More

After introducing us to our heroine played by Lee Na-young, "Romance is a Bonus Book" delivers the first stills for our hero, Lee Jong-suk's 'literary idol', star writer Cha Eun-ho. From book signing events to university lectures, Eun-ho is one busy genius with a clearly popular public persona...More

"Trap - Drama" brings injury, and then insult to injury, as protagonist Kang Woo-hyeon (Lee Seo-jin) has to suffer loss and entrapment on top of it. The latest character teaser by the series starts with the saddest news story of all time, where the victim doesn't know it's his own...More

My excitement for "Kingdom" seems to follow the increasing number of corpses and walking corpses in it, and this latest trailer spares no shuffling expenses. Whatever this illness is, it takes no hostages, and it definitely doesn't need a terrible politician making it worse...More

It's time to set things right for a better future, but "Feel Good To Die" saves one last twist for us. It's definitely an unexpected one I would usually not welcome at all, but this series has managed to get through everything else with dignity, and it does not disappoint this time either. Jin-sang, Roo-da, and their merry crew won't have an easy road ahead, but they will have good company on it...More

The upcoming sequel season to "Neighborhood Lawyer Jo Deul-ho" is certainly making an impact with its promotional material up to date, and although its teasers have been getting increasingly dark, this poster is here for a little splash of color...More

Prepare for chills, thrills, and probably some good laughs from OCN's upcoming drama "Possessed", which has released its first teaser. Song Sae-byeok's Kang Pil-seong faces the horrors of the dark, and gets something a bit different than expected...More

Nothing is stronger than family love, but family hate comes very close to it. "Liver or Die" may have gone through a bit of an odd international title change, but the previously titular hero is still facing the same old problems with a family that just doesn't connect with him...More

"The Item" is really kicking it up a notch with its second teaser, as it goes all out with the items, and what we can expect from them. We also get to see the very personal motivation of protagonist Kang Gon (Joo Ji-hoon) to catch the culprit, Kim Kang-woo's terrible Jo Se-hwang...More

Even the most inspiring leaders can find it hard to convince a crowd when it comes to something they fear, and Jin-sang has not always been an inspiring leader in "Feel Good To Die". The man is trying his best to bring about change, and to help Roo-da remember, but some things can't be rushed, and some people can't be changed, as evident with In-han. Still, Jin-sang's efforts bear fruit, as Roo-da's fragmented flashbacks yield results...More

This is the last weekend piece of the year, and as we dive straight into a hopefully peaceful and happy 2019, I give you some of the last minute bits and pieces that Dramaland has to offer. We have casting and promotional goodies, and I have finally started "Memories of the Alhambra", because miracles do happen...More

In a delightfully cynical opening montage writer/director Kim Byeong-woo shows us how even in its most magnaminous moments, the United States is a comically fickle country whose leaders will sabotage long term peace deals in the name of dubious short term objectives. By the time we get to mercenary captain Ahab (played by Ha Jung-woo) we find out that the glue holding his team together is economic poverty and an absence of proper paperwork to live in the land of opportunity. So it is that they took on a high profile job...in the bunker...More

North Korea sent a lot of war orphans to Poland during the Korean War. Allegedly, "Children Gone To Poland" is their story. In practice, the documentary has frustratingly little focus on those orphans. We barely hear anything about them before director Choo Sang-mi is already holding auditions for a young North Korean defector (Lee Song ends up being chosen) to go with her to Poland and find out more...More

Similarly with his debut, but also on a much higher level, Bae Chang-ho presents another multilayered drama about the human psyche, although this time the base is that of a thriller, instead of a social film, which seems to share some semblance with Hitchcock's style...More

We know that Go Joon-hee's Hong Seo-jeong is the real psychic deal in OCN's upcoming exorcism-themed drama "Possessed", but actor Jo Wan-gi is here to cover the other side of this superpowered coin, meaning the side that just doesn't have them...More

MBC and writer Kim Ban-di of "Angry Mom" are collaborating once more, and social commentary continues to be their jam. Joined by PD Park Won-gook ("Ruler: Master of the Mask", "Working Mother, Babysitter Father"), they will be taking the fight for justice to the workplace with "Special Labor Inspector Jo"...More

Jin-sang's joy over Roo-da's newfound not-deadness is understandably hard to contain, but this causes some issues in the workplace, especially when he has to find ways to reenact certain situations that he would rather not have to repeat. With a mission to bring Roo-da up to speed with what has happened being Jin-sang's latest project, can he spark that same change in people that Roo-da tried so hard to accomplish...More

"Spring Turns to Spring" brings us stills fresher than spring, as acting heavyweights Lee Yoo-ri and Uhm Ji-won are here to grace our screens through some stills, and have us look forward to some fine acting in this woman-centric body swap drama...More

Netflix's zombie sageuk, "Kingdom", has released individual character posters for its main and supporting cast, and the undead menace that surrounds these characters, ready to strike. The news attached also gives us some basic information on the alliances we can expect...More

Lee Na-young and Lee Jong-suk are living the book life in newly released teaser posters for upcoming tvN drama "Romance is a Bonus Book". The series follows the romance of a genius writer and editor, and a famous copywriter who fakes her credentials in order to find a lower level job...More

We finally get our first look at Lee Seung-gi and Suzy's "Vagabond", and we even get a release date to sweeten the deal. The series is the next project by the trio of PD Yoo In-sik, and writers Jeong Kyeong-soon-I and Jang Yeong-cheol, who worked together on "Giant", "Salaryman" and "Incarnation of Money"...More

The empty space left by Roo-da in "Feel Good To Die" hits everyone hard, and everyone reacts to it differently. At the end of the day, however, it is Roo-da's life that affected these people the most, and changed how they treat themselves and others. Jin-sang takes a considerable blow, given the burden he has to try and change his savior's fate. We know where it all started, and where it can all end...More

"Neighborhood Lawyer Jo Deul-ho 2: Crime and Punishment" has been breezing through its promotion nice and steady, and we have new stills from Lee Min-ji's Good, Go Hyun-jung's Bad, and Park Shin-yang's Shameless. The man of the hour is back, and he still has no fear...More

There is always time for love in Korean dramas, and that includes sageuk royalty. "The Crowned Clown" has released a sweet poster featuring Yeo Jin-goo and Lee Se-young as the clown-in-king's-clothing, and the queen...More

If all you want for Christmas is another helping of this "Goblin" pair, "Touch Your Heart" grants your wish. The series has released a short, but lovable teaser, along with a simple, sweet poster of its leads, portrayed by Lee Dong-wook and Yoo In-na...More

One of the many Korean drama Netflix exclusives, "Love Alarm", has been chugging along in production, and we have confirmations for the heroine, and all the men after her heart. Kim So-hyun will be taking the lead, joined by Song Kang, Jung Ga-ram, and Shin Seung-ho...More

Award shows are plentiful as we inch closer to the new year, but the Dramaland news machine always finds a way to chug along. This week I have a surprisingly diverse group of goodies for "The Crowned Clown", along with exciting stuff coming in 2019, and beyond...More

At the Geoje Prison Camp during the Korean War Gi-soo (played by Do Kyung-soo) is a North Korean Communist who actively resists against the American invaders of his country. "Swing Kids" never actually explains that this is why Gi-soo is such a hardcore partisan, instead going into how he is moved by the inherently inspiring nature of swing dancing. If you think that's bad wait until you get to Pan-rae (played by Park Hye-soo), whose material concerns of providing food for her orphaned siblings are also sidelined by the inherently inspiring nature of swing dancing...More

Archival footage explains how the Japanese discovered meth, and decided to use it during World War II to make their soldiers sharp for the war effort. This predictably resulted in a lot of veterans becoming drug addicts in the decades after the war, and facing local crackdowns, Japanese crime lords turned to suppliers in South Korea to pick up the slack. So it is that in the seventies bumbling fishmonger dad Doo-sam (played by Song Kang-ho) tries to get in on the action...More

Bae Chang-ho's debut feature was not an easy one to make. Although the source material, Lee Dong-chul's semi-autobiographical novel, was a best seller, Bae had to face government censors, which, at a time when Chun Doo Hwan's regime was at a fool bloom after a violent suppression of civil unrest, were at the pick of their power and of their strictness. Even before the start of production, the script was rejected five times and the censors listed 60 elements that they wanted changed. The requested changes included the film's title, the attitude of policemen towards the slum residents, and a husband pulling on his wife's hair during a fight...More

When one hears about a film that is the official one of the Winter Olympics (in this case of Pyeongchang Winter Olympics,) and that the director is appointed to shoot it, one is, inevitably, led to think that the effort would be one of glorification, almost completely stripped of objectivity, a promotional work, in essence. And although these elements are still present, Yi Seung-Jun has managed to shoot a documentary that is much more than a promotional piece, by focusing on stories of actual people, not all of which are characterized by athletic triumphs...More

JTBC is going after those US remakes hard, and its continued love for women-centric stories makes yours truly a happy puppy. Next up on the remake slate is TV Land series "Younger", the story of a divorced woman in her 40s trying to re-enter the job market by pretending to be in her 20...More

Netflix is cruising through drama productions lately, and its latest sounds like a story after my own heart. The global platform will be producing "School Nurse Ahn Eun-young", a drama adaptation of a novel by the same name about a school nurse with a side-job of exorcism...More

"Romance is a Bonus Book" gives us a first look at its in-drama content, and we're finally meeting heroine Kang Dan-yi, portrayed by Lee Na-young. This marks a comeback for the actor following a lengthy drama hiatus, so it's going to be an interesting reacquaintance for her...More

Get ready for the blood-bound chaos that is the Lee family in upcoming KBS 2TV drama "Liver or Die". The series has released its first teaser, and we get to see just what kind of a mess the titular, poor Poong-sang has to deal with...More

Netflix's upcoming blockbuster zombie sageuk, "Kingdom", has been promoting pretty steadily, and we've got plenty of new stills. The series has also released its official trailer, which gives us a better look at the undead menace, and the three characters facing it...More

"The Light in Your Eyes" is living up to its name with its cast and creators, and yours truly was surprised to see the names of the latter. The drama is being brought to us by PD Kim Seok-yoon, and writers Kim Su-jin and Lee Nam-gyoo, who have worked together on several projects between them, including "Awl" and "My Wife Is Having an Affair"...More

OCN's upcoming 'soul-tracking thriller', "Possessed", has managed to sneak Yeon Jung-hoon's confirmation right past me, but he's here, and ready to rock the channel once more, this time as a villain. He joins Song Sae-byeok and Go Joon-hee in this ever so popular genre of Korean drama as of late...More

"The Crowned Clown" is going all out with the visuals once more, as the drama has released some beautiful character posters for Yeo Jin-goo's double role as a clown and a king, Lee Se-young's queen, and Kim Sang-kyung's Chief Royal Secretary; a pivotal role in the switch of the identical men...More

JTBC is on a roll with "SKY Castle", and its follow-up aims to follow suit. "Beautiful World" has cast Park Hee-soon, Choo Ja-hyun, Oh Man-seok and Jo Yeo-jung as rival parental pairs in a case of school violence. Writing this is Kim Jee-woo and she is once again joined by PD Park Chan-hong, following their collaboration in works such as "Memory", "Shark" and "Devil"...More

"Touch Your Heart" is here to touch our hearts, as the series has released script reading stills featuring its lovely cast ensemble. The drama is a 'camouflage work romance' between a top lawyer and his secretary, who is a hallyu actress in disguise. It will be following "Encounter" on tvN in January, so get them hearts ready...More

The imminent disaster I was afraid of in "Feel Good To Die" comes a bit too soon for my heart, but in a series about a time loop, a lot is negotiable. The question is, what will we be left with at the end? MW Chicken's power games reach a culmination that has been a long time coming, and a rocky road leads Joon-ho to some correct decisions, but the damage against Jin-sang has been done, and something far more dire follows...More

The casting deities are restless, and many upcoming dramas are really going all out on their leads and supporting folks alike. I'm eager to see some of these works, so pray to said deities that 2019 doesn't let us down...More

The harsh realities of Jin-sang's past behavior, and of his emotions for Roo-da start hitting him pretty hard, but company matters and a new enemy are getting in the way of these things developing more adequately. With only a few episodes left to go, it feels like a disaster is imminent, but the time loop's origins have to be tackled at some point, and Jin-sang has to face the person behind them...More

Sans context it's easy to mistake the villain of "Door Lock" as the spouse of Kyeong-min (played by Gong Hyo-jin). The more context we get, though, the clearer it is that Kyeong-min is a very harried woman who barely even has time to get up in the morning, let alone have a boyfriend- or more immediately relevantly, notice that anything suspicious is going on. It's only by random coincidence that Kyeong-min realizes something strange is afoot regarding her mechanical door lock...More

Don't let that ominous theatrical poster or the similarly imposing title fool you. "Unstoppable" is a surprisingly light-hearted movie. I mean sure, Dong-cheol (played by Ma Dong-seok) is built like a tank and his wife Ji-soo (played by Song Ji-hyo) does inevitably get kidnapped. But up until that point, "Unstoppable" is a very domestic film, where the leading man eschews violence for the sake of respectability, to the point that even Dong-cheol's partner gets annoyed at his excessive passivity. Adorably cute domestic squabbles follow...More

Based on the homonymous novel by Lee O-young, "The General's Mustache" presents a rather unusual approach to the crime drama, as it initially starts as a usual entry in the category, but eventually turns into an existential, social film filled with philosophical but also melodramatic elements...More

Jang Ki-yong is becoming quite the sought-after name following his quite successful year, and he has another role offer to add alongside the previously reported on OCN drama "Blue Eye". The actor is being courted for another lead, this time in "WWW" alongside Im Soo-jung...More

Thank you, KBS 2TV. I needed some soul-crushing pain in my morning. Upcoming family drama "Liver or Die" believes our heart is optional, and aims to break it with this first teaser poster for the series. Ouch, drama. Beautiful ouch...More

Sageuk brothers in opposing arms might just become an upcoming trend, if this and "Mung Bean Flower" are any indication. Woo Do-hwan and Yang Se-jong are being offered leading roles in jTBC's "My Country", a historical drama about three men and women trying to protect their love while caught in the whirlpool of history...More

Pray to the Dramagods, or in this case the Dramadevil, for this casting, because Jung Kyung-ho, Lee Seol, Park Sung-woong and Lee El in one work sounds glorious. The four are now officially courted for tvN's "When the Devil Calls Your Name", an 'occult human melodrama' about a man who needs to capture three souls in order to save his own from the Devil...More

The upcoming Korean drama adaptation of the Japanese hit "Legal High" has confirmed Jin Goo and Seo Eun-soo as its leads, and has since then added Yoon Park, Chae Jung-an and Jung Sang-hoon to the mix. With these news names and their character info on board, the main cast is taking form...More

The A.I. trend is not done yet, and the latest installment brought to us by Netflix, "I am Alone", is eyeing Yoon Hyun-min and Ko Sung-hee as leads, both of whom are reviewing their respective role offers positively. Get ready for lonely hearts and flawless hotties...More

In the words of the man himself, "It's a miracle!" Park Shin-yang is back in action as Deul-ho in "Neighborhood Lawyer Jo Deul-ho 2: Crime and Punishment", as we finally get a first video look at the series through its new teaser. Life is rough for our hero, but we know he thrives under any circumstances...More

The world-weary Poong-sang of "Liver or Die" brings quite the entourage with him. The upcoming KBS 2TV drama, which is premiering in January, has revealed its lovely cast ensemble in recent stills from its October 31st script reading...More

Dramaland gains more superpowers, as tvN adds "He Is Psychometric" to its line-up. The series has also been on a casting and basic character info spree, adding Jinyoung and Shin Ye-eun as main leads, joined by Kim Kwon, Kim Dasom, No Jong-hyun, Go Yoon-jung and Jang Eui-soo...More

Previously teased back in April, "The Banker" is finally becoming a reality, and Kim Sang-joong is going to be joined by fellow heavyweights Chae Si-ra and Yoo Dong-geun in this adventure. Now this is the type of casting that makes life beautiful, isn't it...More

I wasn't sure if it was even coming, but the romantic element is here to stay in "Feel Good To Die", and I can no longer enjoy Jin-sang's suffering as much. With the time loop gone, our heroes are in real danger from now on, and In-han's next sickening pet project keeps them busy at work as well. Roo-da's involvement is what moves her two merry men, but will they find their own motivation someday...More

Revenge is best served cold, and by very angry Korean drama protagonists. The upcoming week marks the premiere of "My Strange Hero", and I have some final preview goodies to share, along with our usual assortment of Dramaland news and material...More

In a move that is awfully bold given the documentary's inherently esoteric subject matter, director Shin Jae-hee takes his twelve interviews with South Korea's most well-known rappers and has them talk about something a lot more abstract. Namely, what "Respect" means in the context of South Korea's rapping community. Now, when I call "Respect" esoteric, I don't just mean to foreigners. South Koreans in general also don't know that much about what the country's rapping subculture is like...More

In the opener to "roooom" apartment complex supervisor Sang-pil (played by Kim Jin-soo) negotiate reduced moving fare, set the bottom floor café in order, and finally walk up the stairs to deal with an errand for a tenant before being taken for a rude surprise. This single extended shot is highly mundane and even intriguing. I'd never really thought about what life was like for an apartment complex supervisor. Alas, Sang-pil is quickly abandoned as "roooom" instead becomes a more typical omnibus where each of the four short films deals with a different stage of love...More

Based on the homonymous, and quite successful novel by Kim Seong-jong, including elements of crime thriller with a historic twist about North Korean POWs, and featuring a big budget and an impressive cast headed by Lee Jung-jae and Ahn Sung-ki, "The Last Witness" had all the elements to become a masterpiece. Let us see if it succeeded though...More

We have a brand new look into the main pairing of the ambitious "So I Married an Anti-Fan - Drama", as we get fresh stills from what looks like a poster making shoot. Yes, I've been waiting for the moment when I could make this pun. The series has also released some more in-drama ones of Han Ji-an in character, along with information...More

Sneaky "The Item" is sneaky, releasing a teaser right after my latest piece. The series makes its promotional entrance, and what a grand entrance it is. In its first teaser, "The Item" presents us with its February release date, Joo Ji-hoon's hero, a series of mysterious and disturbing events, and an intriguing monologue...More

The half-way mark of "Feel Good To Die" brings about dramatic changes, and it's time for Roo-da and Jin-sang to hit the next phase of their journey. The romantic, business and supernatural elements of the series all hit major turning points, and while we bid the Garibong franchise farewell for now, the challenges up ahead are more demanding, and more perilous. A change in the time loop creates new rules to work by, and new threats...More

You know someone fits a type when you don't even need to read the title to know what his character's moral alignment will be, and Choi Jin-ho sure fits the type he will be playing once more. Following his latest appearance on "Mr. Sunshine", the actor joins Joo Ji-hoon and Kim Kang-woo in upcoming drama "The Item" as a villain...More

Our favorite fellow leads and supporting darlings may be gone between "Neighborhood Lawyer Jo Deul-ho"'s first and second seasons, but the titular oddball hero remains, and he has come full circle after stepping on the wrong feet, which we know he does habitually. Say hello to chaotic Deul-ho...More

After "My Mister" and "Come and Hug Me", it looks like Jang Ki-yong x Angst are a popular OTP, so OCN is here to cover our needs for more suffering with "Blue Eye". Jang Ki-yong's agency has stated that the actor has received the offer for the killer protagonist, and is considering it positively. The series is said to follow "Trap - Drama" after "Priest"...More

I don't think anyone has topped Ji Sung's Yona from "Kill Me, Heal Me" as a worthy fangirl icon, but Park Min-young might take a swing at it in upcoming tvN drama "Her Private Life", which is based on the webtoon "Noona Fan Dot Com". The actress is currently considering her offer, and the drama is slated for release in the first half of 2019...More

Things have been quiet on the Hong sister (Hong Jeong-eun, Hong Mi-ran) front since Jun Ji-hyun received a role offer for the upcoming tvN drama in October, but singer and actor IU is now in the same position. A role has been offered, but the very production is still an uncertainty...More

You need a pretty exciting poster for a project as big as Netflix's upcoming zombie-themed sageuk "Kingdom", and I'd say Joo Ji-hoon as a Crown Prince one blade slice away from a zom zom would be it. The show's poster makes the proximity of the undead menace crystal clear...More

We have new stills from Yoo Seung-ho in character for upcoming SBS drama "My Strange Hero", in what I hope is an actual wedding crashing, and not some fever dream said hero is having. I need these little joys in life, you see, and unrequited love fits the character's all around unlucky existence...More

"The Crowned Clown" is all about the breathtaking visuals in its first official material after the previously released stills. This week gives us the first teaser with some fine "Duelist" vibes, and this beautiful poster featuring Yeo Jin-goo stuck between two forms...More

We finally get one of those rare weeks of a drama smorgasbord, with four very different shows premiering in one week. There's a little bit for everyone coming up, so if you have your romances all sorted, take these on for something different...More

"Feel Good To Die" works fast, as we find out the identity of the shoving hands and, surprise surprise, it's someone we know well. The reasons behind their involvement are tragic, but perhaps they hold the key to this time loop. Meanwhile, In-han and Si-baek become worse by the second, and Roo-da now has two eager suitors and helpers in her fight to save tomorrow...More

In the wake of her parents' sudden deaths, the still teenage but technically an adult Young-joo (played by Kim Hyang-gi) takes care of her teenage but still not technically an adult brother Young-in (played by Tang Joon-sang). "Young-ju" isn't quite as melodramatic as that description makes it sound. The first scene has quite a bit of levity, and subsequent scenes drag that tone down only because not teenage but technically adult characters persist in being unhelpful authority figures...More

The 1997 Asian Financial Crisis was a watershed moment in South Korean history. The exact causes of the crisis remain ambiguous. The middle steps, though, are well explained by Jeong-hak (played by Yoo Ah-in) in an ominous setpiece that makes the ambitious young businessman look like a con artist selling a pyramid scheme. In short, starting with the withdrawal of foreign investors, huge pillars of the South Korean economy start to crumble. Financial analyst Si-hyeon (played by Kim Hye-soo) also anticipates the crisis- and her attempts to mitigate the damage are predictably ignored...More

I have to admit that comedies are not exactly my favorite genre. However, occasionally I do indulge in the category, and "A Tale of Legendary Libido", with its description of a sexually charged, filled with gags one seemed like a nice enough choice. Let us see if it lived up to its "hype", though...More

Kang Ki-doong is back as a social butterfly rookie in tvN's upcoming "Romance is a Bonus Book", starring Lee Jong-suk and Lee Na-young. We've already seen the actor attending the script reading, but since it's common for casting and character info to hit news after it, we now we get additional information on his role specifically...More

The excitement mixed with jitters is palpable in the third teaser for upcoming youth drama "Just Dance", as we're thrown right into the moment where the group is up next for their performance. Before the ladies go out and knock em' dead, their beloved teacher and dancesport coach, has some important words to share...More

Death wishes, time loops and very nasty corporate greed are bad enough, but Jin-sang and Roo-da's odd connection in "Feel Good To Die" is about to bring more trouble for the two, as the former's obtuseness strikes again. The project to corrent Jin-sang's perception issues and social skills is under way, but everything from business to romantic interests is flaring up...More

Shin Ha-kyun's bad detective has it rough, if the only way to get things done against killers is to have one breathing down your neck. The criminal selection will surely be plentiful in "Less Than Evil", and we have new stills teasing a conflict with the Big Bad the protagonist is so eager to catch...More

Netflix availability is a formidable beast, but we're lucky with clearer announcements at times, and "Memories of the Alhambra" gets good news coverage on equally solid availability. Many a drama fan will get to enjoy the series through the global platform, and not long after first broadcast, too...More

We're slowly getting to see all the past nastiness that the protagonist of "My Strange Hero" has gone through in the latest teasers, revealing the tragic event which resulted in him being framed and kicked out of school. The drama's poster takes a sweeter, more feel-good approach with a hopeful message and a depiction of youthful love...More

Ji Jin-hee might be leading what sounds like an exciting project, if done right, as tvN will be remaking ABC/Netflix drama "Designated Survivor", starring Kiefer Sutherland. Ji Jin-hee is currently busy considering a contract renewal with HB Entertainment, so a 'considering' is all we get, but the offer is at least out...More

We got some exciting news gracing Korean portals, as actors Kim Hae-sook and Choi Myung-gil have been offered starring roles in upcoming KBS 2TV weekend drama "My Daughter Is the Kindest". There's really no way you can go wrong with these two, and I hope that they accept their offers soon...More

Could it finally be the time for a cute romance starring a larger gal in a successful OTP, without caveats, and magical weight loss solutions? I can't help but feel terrified and excited, as upcoming OnStyle drama "Chubby Romance" tackles the topic through an adorable protagonist...More

Well, this escalated quickly. I look away for one second, and "Neighborhood Lawyer Jo Deul-ho 2: Crime and Punishment" has run off with half of this industry's supporting darlings. So strap in for this major casting update, which I bring with some basic character info for you, along with my thoughts at the end...More

We can never have enough geniuses in Dramaland and Lee Kyu-han will be joining "The Crowned Clown" as one, in what is his first role in a historical drama since his debut. "The Crowned Clown" is a story about a jester (Yeo Jin-goo) used as a substitute for, and by, the king, a man he looks identical to...More

Jin-sang finally admitted that he's not really okay, and his small stickler heart grew three sizes that day. Fate™ in "Feel Good To Die" is a cruel mistress, and this chicken empire's Grinch gets a taste of his own medicine from a position built for humbling. With the Garibong store being a complete mess, and Roo-da away from the action, our death-prone boss finally understands how demanding this time loop conundrum is...More

We have a premiere-heavy week coming up, and it's all about that romance, be it the happy, or the tragic kind. We have modern romance, historical romance, sci-fi mystery romance, all the delicious types. Now we just have to pick if we want sad tears, happy tears or both...More

Winner of the Baeksang award for Best Film and by the Korean Association of Film Critics for Best Actor, "Village of Haze" (aka "Village in the Mist") is a great sample of the legendary Im Kwon-taek's contemporary filmography...More

On the southeastern edge of Seoul, real-estate speculation spans out from the Gangnam district and slowly threatens to encompass all the region with the same hideous conformity of modern style apartment buildings. While "A Long Farewell" deals with one particular neighborhood affected by these market forces, the embellishment is mine. Director Raya has actually made a very abstract documentary- the kind you might expect to find at an art museum played on permanent loop...More

Seok-ho (played by Cho Jin-woong) and his wife Ye-jin (played by Kim Ji-soo) have dinner parties with their five friends every so often. This time around Ye-jin finally has the gumption to suggest a game that will, for one night only, destroy all their privacy. "Intimate Strangers" is as much about secrets between partners as it is secrets between friends. Observe how Se-kyeong (played by Song Ha-yoon) is always jokingly ribbing her older more experienced husband Joon-mo (played by Lee Seo-jin) about his past womanizing...More

The drama adaptation of the "Dancesport Girls" documentary film, "Just Dance", has been consistently releasing goodies of its lovely young cast, and the caring teacher, Lee Kyoo-ho, portrayed by Kim Kap-soo. This dance club is not going to be a smooth ride for the girls, and we have some awkward stills and information showing why...More

"Big Issue", which has been courting actor Joo Jin-mo for a while, has now added Han Ye-seul into its courship, as the series has offered the actress a starring role. Following her falsely reported confirmation, Han Ye-seul's agency clarified that she is only considering the work, and that nothing has been confirmed...More

The truth hurts, especially when it has created supernaturally fine-tuned mechanisms to confirm your own flaws to your face on a repeated, daily basis. "Feel Good To Die" gives tough love like that. Jin-sang meets an enemy from the past, but he also gets to confirm just how many he has in the present. What's surprising about this whole process is just how obtuse our leading menace has been about it all. Roo-da has a long way to go with this one...More

Following a solid 2018 with "My Mister" and "Your Honor", actress Nara might be making a return next year with "Doctor Prisoner", the drama which has offered the leading, titular role to Namgoong Min, who is also still considering his offer. Get ready for prison-themed revenge, because this is Dramaland, and revenge is what people have for breakfast...More

I was just talking about how few turn of the century dramas we get in my "Hymn of Death" piece a few days ago, and now the Dramagods deliver, as actors Jo Jung-suk and Yoon Si-yoon are being courted for period drama "Mung Bean Flower"...More

Crime noir makes Ori a happy woman, and "Less Than Evil" (also known as "Less Than Evil") is finally on a promotional roll with its material. The latest, main posters are all style and flair, showcasing the characters, the setting and the less-than-peaceful deeds to be committed by criminals and law enforcement alike...More

Jin Goo and Seo Eun-soo might have an on-screen meet-up soon, as the two are being courted for jTBC's upcoming adaptation of "Legal High". Following a news piece confirming the casting, the channel had to step in and clarify that it's not a done deal, but that the offer has, in fact, gone out...More

According to one exclusive piece by StarNews, veteran actor Byun Hee-bong will be making his return to the small screen after 2016 drama "Blow Breeze", joining Park Shin-yang and Go Hyun-jung in "Neighborhood Lawyer Jo Deul-ho 2: Crime and Punishment". The actor will be portraying a villain...More

We've met the king and the clown of "The Crowned Clown" through Yeo Jin-goo's first stills, and now it's time to meet our queen, portrayed by Lee Se-young. Given the premise, the woman is going to have quite a predicament on her hands, emotionally and politically...More

The supporting cast for Lee Dong-wook and Yoo In-na's "Touch Your Heart" is shaping up nicely, and this time around we get four lovely ladies. Actors Son Sung-yoon, Jang So-yeon, Park Kyung-hye and Kim Hee-jung-I are here to bring some office goodness to this romance about a lawyer and a hallyu star disguised as a secretary...More

Upcoming three-part drama "Hymn of Death" has released stills of Shin Hye-sun as Yoon Sim-deok, Korea's first notable female soprano, and the heroine to a tragic tale of underappreciated art and doomed romance...More

There is always a flow to an ebb, and several of the "Feel Good To Die" characters get to experience new consequences to their actions, while more trouble is brewing. If you thought we had enough antagonists, think again, because our fourth lead is here, and she brings terrible intentions with her. What is more exciting, however, is that another person finally joins Roo-da in her journey through finicky time...More

Prepare for fear, love and sadness in all forms, because we need a good scare and a good cry once in a while. Or, in the case of this upcoming week, a good scare and a good cry several times in seven days. Join me in picking your poison, or splurge on several...More

Sin-rak (played by Sol Kyung-gu) was just a kid on a farm in Korea during the thirties, until circumstances conspire to send him to Japan during the forties and begin a career as a sumo wrestler. While Sin-rak had an excellent physique and a fair amount of talent, ultimately, he lacked discipline. Well, as an ethnically Korean man living in Japan Sin-rak also had to contend with racism. But in the end Sin-rak's personality, an odd mix of quick temper coupled with excessive theatricality, proved a better fit for a far more eccentric sort of athletic career...More

Gunsan is a sad, lonely town on South Korea's western coast that is very pretty to look at but communicates almost nothing of substance. That dispiriting appraisal is also accurate when it comes to the named characters of "Ode to the Goose" as we consider leading man Yoon-yeong (played by Park Hae-il), who spends so much time thinking about what to say he barely ends up talking at all. Then Song-hyeon (played by Moon So-ri) talks just to fill the silence but avoids talking about what she actually wants. Their faux day trip date to Gunsan, consequently, goes about as well as might be expected...More

Winner of the Citizen Critics' Award at Busan International Film Festival in 2017, "Possible Faces" is a genuine art-house portrait that focuses on presenting the lives of its ordinary characters with as much realism as possible...More

In his latest endeavors, festival-favorite Hong Sang-soo has transferred his virtues to the monochrome world, "taming" at the same time his auteur style, which has become much more approachable. "Hotel by the River" is a testament to the fact...More

Yim Soon-rye's "Little Forest" may be one of the (festival) hits of the season, but the director has a quite a filmic past, with "Waikiki Brothers" being one of the most interesting samples...More

After a round of casting courtship, actors Lee Yoo-ri, Uhm Ji-won and Lee Jong-hyuk will be forming a powerhouse trio for "Spring Turns to Spring", a fantasy comedy following the body swapping of a self-centered anchor, and an actress turned congressman's wife who only cares about her family. It tells the story of how these two women will recover their true selves...More

It's time to really dig into the 'Bad' part of "Less Than Evil", as the drama has released teaser posters oozing with deadly charisma and fine Shin Ha-kyun -ness. Antiheroes are a challenging archetype, but if the series pulls this off, we're in for a treat with this lead firmly on the wheel...More

Yes, you've watched makjang and yes, you've watched sageuk, but have you watched a modern empire with all the drama plus cheesy villains, burning cars and firearms? "The Last Empress" is here to cover all your needs for royal mayhem and thrills with a teaser almost as unhinged as its characters...More

The series based on 2012 film "Masquerade" has thankfully been renamed from "Gwang-hae, The Man Who Became King", and with more creative freedom moving forward, the drama now called "The Crowned Clown" presents its first sneak peek at our two main characters, portrayed by Yeo Jin-goo...More

The smallest thing can feel like a world changing event when you want it badly enough, and we finally start to see change in Jin-sang's perception of his work, and role in the team. Roo-da is the one who experiences the biggest changes so far, however, and she discovers the lack of ideal solutions that life often brings us face to face with. She has a lot on her plate, but she also makes many mistakes...More

Actors Yoon Bo-mi, Lee Min-ji and Lee Tae-hwan will be bringing us the hopes and dreams of farm-loving youth in "Farmers' Academy", an upcoming mini drama currently in the making by SBS and its mobile platform, Mobidic. We don't have details on Yoon Bo-mi aside from her confirmation for a leading role, but we have character information for the other two actors...More

While the details on this upcoming drama's production are still sketchy at this point, "WWW" is cast-hunting, and an offer by the drama has gone out to Im Soo-jung. "WWW" is a fantasy series about the success stories of 21st century women who choose to not become wives or mothers, and simply focus on working hard without discrimination and obstacles...More

The production of "Less Than Evil" showcased its storyboard-style character concept art last week, and now we get to see it applied on the drama's first teaser. The stylish video looks like it could double as opening credits with some modifications, so let's hope there's more to this series than style...More

"Romance is a Bonus Book", which was previously known as "Romance Supplement", has released stills of its extended cast during the drama's script reading, and we get some basic information on their roles. Let's meet the staff of the drama's setting, fictional publishing house 'Gyeoroo'...More

The family of "Liver or Die" is now complete, according to several news pieces. The production has reportedly cast Yoo Joon-sang, Oh Ji-ho, Jeon Hye-bin, Lee Si-young and Lee Chang-yup as the previously reported siblings, starting from oldest to youngest in the aforementioned order...More

Try as I may, I sometimes can't contain my excitement over solid promotional campaigns, especially given how erratic and badly delivered many of them are. "Children of Nobody" has been doing an excellent job at it so far, and this stunning, eerie poster is another one for the 'yes' pile...More

Deokbeokki and fried vegetables, ddeok, and japchae...More

Fall foliage in Uijeongbu...More

This week brings us casting news, and goodies from many an upcoming drama. My mystery-loving heart is particularly interested in "Children of Nobody" and the otherworldly child in need of saving at the center of it. My horror-loving heart is also disturbed by it. Fun fun fun...More

Back in 1991 protest by self-immolation was a recurring form of expression by those who considered the country's new leaders to be indistinguishable from the old ones. In the truly bizarre case of Kim Ki-sul, one such suicidal protestor, the government attempted to deflect attention away from Kim Ki-sul's pro-democracy message by prosecuting Kang Ki-hoon, one of his colleagues, for helping Kim Ki-sul commit suicide by writing his suicide note. "Courtesy to the Nation" is a documentary that goes over the case from inception to long overdue appeal in 2014...More

Director Shin Ho-bin is a married to a woman he did not necessarily plan to get married to, prior to her getting pregnant. Life between the three of them is actually pretty pleasant, albeit eccentric, given the goofy way she talks and the equally goofy outfits she wears around town on her bike. The main tension in the relationship comes from Shin Ho-bin's mom, who constantly finds fault with her daughter-in-law. If the English title "Myeoneuri - My Son's Crazy Wife" sounds bad, the original insult, B-Grade Daughter-in-Law, is even worse...More

The second feature of festival favorite Zhang Lu is one of his most acclaimed works, winning awards in Cannes, Busan and Vesoul, and presented in festivals all over the world. The film deals with the Korean Chinese (Zhang Lu's ethnicity) one of the recognized ethnic minorities in China, comprising about 2.7 million citizens. Korean Chinese are spread throughout the country, and their group situation is consequently invisible to other Chinese, though many have difficulties integrating into society...More

Winner of a number of awards, particularly for Lee Yoon-ki and the protagonist, Kim Ji-soo, "This Charming Girl" was an impressive debut for a director who still holds the interest of the public, with films like his latest, "One Day"...More

The Korean art-house scene is influenced to a very high degree by Hong Sang-soo, through a number of mentorships and efforts to "copy" his style. Park Chan-ok debut feature, which falls under the first category, is one of the most successful efforts, as it netted her awards from a number of domestic and international festivals, including Tokyo, Rotterdam and Busan, with the success extending to the protagonist, Park Hae-il...More

A new persistent day dawns on deputy Lee Roo-da, along with an opportunity to learn something new. Roo-da is tired, and now she has the very focused, very personal loathing of her terrible boss working against her. Escape seems like an appealing solution, but as her supernaturally governed feud with Baek Jin-sang grows, so does her understanding of the intricacies in keeping this magnet of death and ruin alive...More

It looks like Lee Won-jong did not get his fill of evil spirits with OCN's "The Guest - Drama", because he's right back with us in the channel's upcoming "Possessed". His latest comedic sidekick is joined by Jo Han-sun in a slightly more suspicious role...More

The titular Bok-soo (revenge) of "My Strange Hero" makes his not so grand entrance through fresh drama stills. The protagonist of this revenge-themed fluffy romance has seen better days, because falling from one's pedestal to a low paying delivery job is painful like that...More

If you ever wondered whether Joseon royalty would be able to fight off a zombie outbreak, you are about to find out, as Netflix's upcoming blockbuster drama "Kingdom" gets a cool first teaser and some impressive stills of its cast, and its undead menace...More

Kim Sun-ah's heroine seems to be walking a lonely road in "Children of Nobody", as she questions the existence, and the purpose of a mysterious little girl in a green dress. The drama's first teaser set the tone with gruesome death hiding just past innocent child's play, and the plot now thickens...More

Some feel that death is the end, others feel it is but a transition, but for the heroine of "Feel Good To Die" it is the most annoying pause button. The drama follows her otherwise normal office life and common woes experienced under a grating boss, but we are thrown into its supernatural twist right off the bat. Can heroine Lee Roo-da save her boss, and save the day from repeating...More

A newly released poster gives us a first look at the gals and guy of "Just Dance", which is based on documentary "Dancesport Girls". The series is a growth story about finding hope in hopelessness while reaching for a common goal. The drama's production shares more on the poster and drama's themes...More

Lee Junho may have found his follow up project to "Wok of Love", and it sounds like an intense, and probably highly melodramatic one. The actor is being courted to lead upcoming tvN drama "Confession - Drama", which explores the concept of double jeopardy; the principle that one cannot be tried for the same crime twice following either a conviction or an acquittal...More

We have our first look at the two leads of "Children of Nobody", as the production has released stills of Kim Sun-ah and Lee Yi-kyung. The series is going right for the jugular, with traffic related mayhem and investigations clearly related to our very distraught heroine...More

Upcoming MBC melodrama "Love You In Sadness", which is courting Ji Hyun-woo as its lead has added three more names to its casting efforts. Fly-up Entertainment agency's Park Han-byul, Ryu Soo-young and Wang Bit-na are reportedly on the final stages of coordinating their appearance in the drama...More

The workplace can sometimes feel like a battlefield, and the "Feel Good To Die" folks are definitely ready for a fight in these character posters. Everyone has their own little office setting, their tools of the brutal trade, and a tagline summarizing their original essence...More

We have release dates, and two beautiful posters for upcoming three-act drama "Hymn of Death". The short is a remake of 1991 film "Death Song", both depicting the real, tragic romance between Korea's first notable soprano, Yoon Sim-deok, and her playwright lover, Kim Woo-jin. The film and the drama carry the title of Yoon Sim-deok's iconic song...More

"The Ghost Detective" comes to a sad ending, but not in a conventionally sad way. After Da-il's decision, everyone begins to rebuild, but the trauma of what happened is conveniently left out. Along with a twist pretty much seen coming a mile away, it clearly reveals where the series faltered, but it sadly takes its original messages with it, making this an ending sadder than I could have expected...More

It is nearly time to pull the plug on a story that has dragged past its heroes' own mental and emotional capacity, but also past its plot's capabilities. With very few solutions provided by the writing aside from more of the same, a devastating call is made. At the same time the return of some of our heroes' earlier traits feels almost like a homage to the original potential that "The Ghost Detective" once had...More

Yook-jeong Restaurant serving thick cut pork barbecue in Gangnam, Seoul...More

The Sidus Entertainment Building in Gangnam, Seoul...More

Two of my most anticipated dramas are premiering this week, so today I take a look at "Mama Fairy and the Woodcutter", and "Feel Good To Die". If you need your angst, I've got just the thing for you, because "SKY Castle" is looking like a dark, dramatic and hopefully brilliant look into the dirty laundry of the complex-ridden rich...More

Writers tend to be socially isolated weirdos. Or at least, that's the stereotype, so one point of clichéd advice frequently given to aspiring creative types is to go the a café and watch normal people interact. There's just one problem. The kind of people who hang around cafés aren't really any more normal than aspiring writers, and frequently tend to be aspiring writers themselves. This is the lesson which Ah-reum (played by Kim Min-hee) repeatedly fails to learn as "Grass" progresses from one random out-of-context conversation to another...More

Five hundred year old vampire Ran (played by Jung Yun-joo) is mostly incompetent. While your typical modern vampire is a wealthy genius heading up a conspiracy...Ran is a bit of an idiot. Her only useful talent is makeup, which doesn't pay much on a low profile. But hey, it does let her look pretty sparkly and beautiful. And really, who needs power when you can confidently strut out of your small apartment every day, confident you won't be burned by the sun?...More

Winner of the Grand Prize of the Korean Competition in the 2018 Jeonju International Film Festival, "The Land of Seonghye" is a very realistic portrait of the difficulties young Korean people face nowadays, professionally and personally...More

Nam Da-reum may be a favorite for heroes' younger selves, but the actor's next piece goes to the hopefully soon growing pile of more central roles. The young actor has been cast in "Goodbye My Life", a drama about a father's desperate attempt to leave his son with coping mechanisms, albeit actual mechanical ones...More

Rarely do Korean drama audiences tire of the rich and their usually messy lives, and "SKY Castle" is about to dive into one said mess of sadly very realistic proportions. The drama, which tackles the obsession of high society with achieving higher tiers of social prestige through its children's academic prowess, introduces its messy adult leads...More

Get ready for some quaint beauty and some island adventures, as the titular star of "Top Star Yoo Baek" experiences a blast from the past during his stay on a remote island. The series, which is premiering on November 16th on tvN, has released a poster giving off an almost 80s vibe while introducing its three leading characters...More

"Mama Fairy and the Woodcutter" continues to make yours truly a happy woman, and it's a lovely mother and daughter bond that pulls at my heartstrings this time around. The drama has released stills of its titular fairy and her lovely child...More

Upcoming criminal drama "Less Than Evil" has published stills of its four main characters, and the information attached to them is showing some good promise in terms of moral fluidity. Based on BBC hit "Luther", I have a feeling that old and new fans would have it no other way. Can the Korean drama adaptation carry this connection gracefully...More

Tvn's next historical, "The Crowned Clown", has been in the works for quite some time, and it has an impressive ensemble to show for. According to the production, this whole thing has taken two years of meticulous planning, so there's definitely a lot of thought put into the series. I hope that this hard work, and this lovely cast will pay off...More

"Haechi", which previously courted Go Ara, has now found its main cast in Jung Il-woo, Kwon Yool, the aforementioned Go Ara and Park Hoon. "Haechi" is a fusion historical series about a group of heroes trying to reform the Saheonbu, the Goryeo and Joseon equivalent of modern day's prosecutors' office, through the format of a pleasant adventure...More

If you haven't had enough crackling of bones and irresponsible rearranging of interior decor with something like "The Guest - Drama", OCN has got you covered with upcoming show "Priest". The demons are here, they have powers, they are angry, and they need a chiropractor and Jesus...More

"_Hot_Blooded_Priest" will be gracing our screens with the previously reported cast of main characters, as actors Kim Nam-gil, Kim Sung-kyun and Lee Honey have accepted their offered roles as our angry priest, his detective partner, and our mystery prosecutor. Adding on to the cast is Go Joon, who will transform into a villain...More

I swear, "Feel Good To Die" is after my own heart with its humor, and its latest poster goes straight into the pile that is my love for it. I'm usually the first to call out the problematic stereotype, and very real social burden, of women being expected to figuratively carry the weight of men's complexes, but this literal princess-carrying gives me hope for this story...More

Who knew that Da-il body slamming Hye with his ethereal manbeauty would prove to be such a great solution? I was too quick to put my faith in the plot and characters last time around, because "The Ghost Detective" has sadly reached the point where everyone has a serious case of the stupid. Some promising progress made in the previous episodes has gone back a 100 steps as a sacrifice to the altars of stalling, and romance...More

Authentic Italian pizza at Giannis Nappoli in Gangnam, Seoul...More

Assorted jeon, or Korean pancakes, and makgeolli in Uijeongbu...More

I wish I had some spooky drama news for you in light of the upcoming festivities of Halloween, but if the horror that is the ugly side of human nature will do, I got plenty of it. "Less Than Evil", the Korean remake of hit BBC drama "Luther", has dropped a few videos, with the lightest in tone somehow being the one that creeps me out the most...More

The opening scenes of "Rampant" rather effectively set the mood- a late night raid on a Dutch merchant ship in Korean waters leaves one of the pirates badly spooked after he gets mauled by a crazy person. Then we see that in addition to carrying a crazy person, the Dutch ship was also carrying a lot of guns. All of this is relevant to the machinations of minister Ja-joon (played by Jang Dong-gun), but when Prince Cheong (played by Hyun Bin) gets back from a long sojourn in China, all he sees is an empty wrecked town and no royal guard to meet him...More

Presidents are just normal human beings like you and me. In "Good Morning President" writer/director Jang Jin takes this banal idea to its natural conclusion. What if presidents were so normal, that they were like characters in situation comedies? What if dignified elder statesman Jeong-ho (played by Lee Soon-jae) had a preternatural obsession with the lottery? What if young hot-shot Hi-wook (played by Jang Dong-gun) kept getting distracted by bodily functions? What if the efficient businesswoman Kyeong-ja (played by Go Doo-shim) had to deal with her bumbling idiot husband Chang-myeon (played by Im Ha-ryong) unintentionally fomenting disaster?...More

As we saw recently in the article about "Nowhere To Hide", Lee Myung-se has a tendency of taking films that could be easily categorized as genre ones, and present them in a unique way, mostly through his visuals and narrative style. This tendency finds its apogee in "M", a film whose basic premise is that of the psychological thriller, but its presentation, completely different...More

Quite the cast is being wooed for upcoming drama "Liver or Die", which is courting Yoo Joon-sang, Lee Si-young and Jeon Hye-bin as its leads. The drama is about a lonely, pitiful middle-aged man who has never lived for himself. It takes an honest and straightforward approach in portraying the private family problems of a man who didn't lead the normal life he wanted to...More

Documentary-based drama "Just Dance" has now completed its main cast, as actor Kim Kap-soo will take on the role of the teacher giving the titular ladies dance, and life lessons. Joining him on the flip-side of educator prowess is Jang Sung-bum as a bad teacher who has issues with the dancesport (competitive ballroom dancing) group...More

Kim Sae-ron might have landed her next role with "Neighborhood Lawyer Jo Deul-ho 2: Crime and Punishment". The actress is being courted to join Park Shin-yang's titular Jo Deul-ho as a lawyer partner with a unique skill set. If she accepts, she will be playing Yoon  So-mi, the daughter of an investigator who worked with Deul-ho during his first term as a prosecutor...More

Diving right into the nitty-gritty of it all, the new trailer for "God's Quiz: Reboot" shows us new cases and new faces. While beloved characters return, the video teases Kim Joon-han as the leader of a team utilizing a new type of Artificial Intelligence, which will be the big 'It' difference between this season and the previous ones...More

Dramaland is no stranger to remakes, and BBC Studios series have been all the rage as of late. JTBC will be remaking "Doctor Foster", a series about a woman who suspects that her husband is having an affair. The original aired two seasons in 2015 and 2017, and it was also broadcast in South Korea through KBS 2TV...More

Actor Ji Hyun-woo is fresh off "Risky Romance", but he may be ready to tackle "Love You In Sadness", an MBC melodrama based on Japanese series "Beautiful Person" (also known as the romanized "Utsukushii Hito") by writer Nojima Shinji. While a jTBC exclusive reports him as confirmed, Newsen has the actor currently finalizing his participation...More

"Priest" has released new stills of Park Yong-woo, along with a few words from the actor on his work and role choices. Following his return to full feature drama after 2012 series "My Love, Butterfly Lady", Park Yong-woo, who has predominately been a film actor for many years, gives us a look into what we can expect of his exorcist character...More

"My Strange Hero" has held its script reading, and we have new information on its supporting characters, along with promotional stills on what is a very exciting cast. "My Strange Hero" is an upcoming 'healing school romance' about a man named Kang Bok-soo (Yoo Seung-ho) returning to school for revenge after he was expelled by being framed as a bully during his teens...More

Upcoming fantasy blockbuster "The Item" has released stills of its script reading, and we have more character information along with new names. "The Item", which is based on a webtoon of the same name, is about two men and women with tangled fates, who dig into the conspiracies and secrets around ordinary objects with special powers...More

Upcoming fantasy romantic comedy "Mama Fairy and the Woodcutter" has released stills of the two men who could be the reincarnation of the titular woodcutter that his also titular fairy wife is waiting for. The news bring us some words from the actors, who chatted about their casting in the drama, and their characters as people...More

In another round of "The Ghost Detective" pulling a "Weekend at Bernie's" with Da-il's body, the biggest threat to his future remains the man himself. Team Good tries to catch up to Hye and their own friend in a race for his life, and an unlikely ally surfaces, along with a pretty great, even if rushed through twist. With his health running out, and no guarantees that his plan would even work, will Da-il listen to his team...More

"The Ghost Detective" has not been doing well on the pacing since it turned into a treasure hunt for Da-il's body, but it is Da-il's soul that is harder to capture. The group is struggling, Da-il is not listening to their input, and Hye is preparing traps our Team Good is just aching to fall into. With death seemingly almost inevitable for someone, who will that someone be? Can we end this without grand sacrifices...More

The KOCCA building in Gangnam, Seoul...More

Cute cafe, Bread Comma, in Hongdae, Seoul...More

It is a sad drama week for many, following DramaFever's abrupt closure, and I know a lot of folks are not feeling great right now. There's little I can say to help, but I hope that a quick look into some bright upcoming shows will lift your mood as we all tackle our drama future...More

In the southeastern region of of Korea, an elderly man returns to his rural home. In truth he probably can't stay there long and family will come back for him in two weeks. The old house holds great nostalgic value for him. Over eight decades, the man lived there with his wife, taking care of her when he could barely take care of himself. "Butterfly" is a documentary chronicle of the end of their shared life, as we wait for the old woman to die on her own terms...More

It's oddly appropriate that right away in "Public Enemy Returns" we see big screen South Korean cop icon Cheol-joong face off against a bunch of elementary school students. They no longer respect law enforcement because of what they see in the movies, and Cheol-joong himself is a prime example of how police in South Korean film at the time were depicted as petty corrupt buffoons. Gangsters, meanwhile, were seen as cool, which is how teenage knuckleheads Ha-yeon (played by Lee Min-ho), Hee-chan (played by Lee Ja-won-I), and Seong-jin (played by Koo Seong-hwan) get wrapped up in the criminal underworld...More

I have repeatedly mention that the new "Golden Era" of Korean cinema was headed by the plethora of great crime thrillers that were released during the 00's and the 10's ("Mother - 2009", "The Chaser", "I Saw the Devil", Park Chan-wook, etc). However, the genre also had successes before that time, as "Nowhere To Hide", which won a number of awards both locally and internationally, eloquently proves. Furthermore, Lee Myung-se's film manages to stand out from the vast plethora of similar titles due to its presentation, which actually uses the crime thriller aspect as a base for artistic "experimentations"...More

We have an exciting, woman-centric project coming up, and a fresh main cast has been chosen for it. "Just Dance" is an 8-episode growth drama about a group of young women performing dancesport (competitive ballroom dancing) against the backdrop of Geoje city's declining shipbuilding industry...More

Upcoming drama exploring the outrageous elite, "SKY Castle", has held its script reading, and we have some stills of its powerhouse cast to enjoy. The amount of beloved Dramaland names in this is no joke, and the premise sounds like just the kind of thing we need when it comes to mentally dealing with the insanity that is the filthy rich...More

Get ready to meet a team manager from Hell, and the assistant manager who wants to change him. Kang Ji-hwan and Baek Jin-hee have quite the showdown in the first teaser for "Feel Good To Die". The drama's supernatural element makes all manner of things possible, including carrying out all your boss fantasies. No, not the kinky ones. At least not for assistant manager Lee...More

The Dramagods have been kind again, as Song Sae-byeok and Go Joon-hee have accepted their respective offers to become the leads in OCN's upcoming "Possessed". Reportedly taking a more light-hearted approach than OCN's usual fare, "Possessed" is described as a human story, and a comic thriller...More

Following the success of underdog hit "Laughter in Waikiki", jTBC is gearing up for a second season, and actress Kang Han-na has been offered the lead. There is not a lot of information out on "Laughter in Waikiki 2", but it will kick into production soon, with a release date in the first half of next year...More

The latest crew of "God's Quiz" is back with new cases and new challenges in "God's Quiz: Reboot". The series has released two main posters featuring the ensemble gathered around Han Jin-woo (Ryu Deok-hwan), along with the familiar tagline of 'Big brain on big data. Dissecting the truth'...More

Upcoming office drama with a twist, "Feel Good To Die", has released stills of its two leads. Based on a webtoon of the same name, "Feel Good To Die" is an office drama about a haughty team leader named Baek Jin-sang (Kang Ji-hwan), and deputy Lee Roo-da (Baek Jin-hee), who is trying to help him turn over a new leaf...More

Say goodbye to the sweet General Winter and the lovely Summer Fairy, because Sung Hyuk follows "A Korean Odyssey" up with something more sinister. The actor has been cast as a villain in OCN's upcoming "Trap - Drama", the story of a man who is caught in an unexpected trap after experiencing a tragedy with his family...More

Lee Na-young is coming back to Dramaland, joining Lee Jong-suk in romantic comedy "Romance is a Bonus Book". This is definitely not the return I was expecting from the actress, who has been absent from Korean drama for 8 years since her work in "The Fugitive Plan B". While the genre threw me off, her character is one many will find almost painfully relatable...More

"Mama Fairy and the Woodcutter" is gaining some impressive ground in the race for the Ori-heart, and its entertaining, beautiful promotional efforts are definitely the key to said heart. The drama has released character posters of our titular fairy, her woodcutter candidates, and her adorable daughter...More

The closer we get to Da-il's body, the further away it is, as what our titular hero feels may be a solution is almost at the hands of our villains. "The Ghost Detective" has reached a point where a lot feels like a delay to the inevitable, whatever said inevitable may be. There may be miraculous solutions yet, and we have plenty of time to discover them. I hope they bring answers on all of our players with them...More

Join me for another week of drama goodies, including the latest batch of casting news from the ever-so-busy Dramaland. We have actors making their comebacks, while others skip to their next piece in no time at all. We are being spoiled left and right...More

Sang-ah (played by Han Ji-min) is a cynical woman who focuses on survival, rather than thinking about a long-term future. Sang-ah's mean and bitter outlook is largely justified by the brutal and impoverished environment she lives in. Sang-ah's boyfriend, cop Jang-seop (played by Lee Hee-joon) is constantly witness to the senseless brutality committed by people who live on the margins. And Ji-eun (played by Kim Si-ah) is an elementary age student who is a living victim to that brutality...More

While "Autumn, Autumn" premiered at the Berlin Film Festival back in 2017 and apparently even had a limited release in the United States shortly after, it was only last month that the film finally received a domestic release in South Korea. The success off "The First Lap" probably has something to do with it- writer/director Jang Woo-jin-II did a lot of production work for that generally well-regarded film. As for "Autumn, Autumn" though, I'm not actually sure what this movie is even about...More

Lee Man-hee-I is one of the most significant Korean directors that worked in the 60 and the 70s', with films like the present one, "The Marines Who Never Returned", "Late Autumn" (a now lost film which has been remade a number of times in Korean cinema), "Break up the Chain" and many more. "A Water Mill" is among his greatest works...More

You know what a villain usually means in romantic works, so say hello to the third person in this love triangle, or at least a possessive, revenge-fueled one. I'm still wrapping my head around love sparked out of fire and fury, but I'll get there eventually. Actor Kwak Dong-yeon will be the evil side of this love geometry for "My Strange Hero"...More

Dramaland rejoice, because Jun Ji-hyun will be coming back next year. Following a false news report on Korean portals, the actress's agency released a clarifying statement, dropping the facts on what was earlier reported as her participation in a currently unnamed drama by Hong Jeong-eun and Hong Mi-ran ("A Korean Odyssey", "Warm and Cozy", "Master's Sun") for tvN...More

Ryu Deok-hwan is back as Han Jin-woo, the tortured medical genius with a miracle brain that has been through its share of trouble. Said trouble never ends, it seems, as Jin-woo makes a triumphant return to new adventures in "God's Quiz: Reboot", which has released posters of its hero...More

Floating from demon energy is not a pleasant situation to be in, but the exorcists of "Priest" are here, and they bring the Prayer to Saint Michael with them. The newly released teaser shows us an exorcism taking place in the drama's hospital setting, while its heroes try to do what they do best...More

With Hye somehow managing to find a nastier helper than Jeon Deok-joong, and Da-il's soul being in bigger danger than his body, Team Good of "The Ghost Detective" is starting to feel the strain of their responsibilities. At the same time, help arrives from new, surprising places, but at this dire point in time, the group would and should take anything they can get. Can sacrifices be avoided? Probably not, but everyone will try...More

The spin-off film based on popular OCN drama "Bad Guys", "Bad Guys: The Movie", is coming along nicely, and there have been some casting additions since the main new and old characters were announced. We have three supporting cast members, as well as the fine news that writer Han Jeong-hoon is on board...More

I've seen my share of odd families in Dramaland, but we're about to witness something truly fresh with "Mama Fairy and the Woodcutter". The drama is graciously preparing us in the form of new posters teasing its heroine's family relations, and the fantasy element of their nature in a cute, inspired way...More

Upcoming drama "A Pledge to God", which is a story about two sets of parents crossing the boundaries of morality for their children, has added Oh Yoon-ah, Lee Chun-hee and more alongside Han Chae-young and Bae Soo-bin. Its script reading stills show us the main and extended cast, while we also have some comments from the show's creators on its goals...More

Science and religion clash in OCN's upcoming medical exorcism drama, "Priest", and so do their representatives. Yeon Woo-jin's priest and Jung Yoo-mi's doctor will have a lot to process as their worlds come together in a Catholic hospital about to witness a spike in creepy patients. The drama has released its first stills of the two leads...More

I said that I'd be back with more on the supporting cast of "The Last Empress", and here are three members of it. Lee Elijah and Kim Jung-tae have confirmed their imperial roles in this modern monarchy drama, while Kim Yoonji joins our heroine's side as a fellow musical actress and rival. If you missed the post on the premise and main cast, you can check it out here...More

According to several news reports, a KBS official has confirmed the participation of Park Shin-yang and Go Hyun-jung in "Neighborhood Lawyer Jo Deul-ho 2: Crime and Punishment". Our already confirmed hero is joined by our villain, and we also get more information on the drama's premise and the two characters...More

With Da-il's body possibly back in the race for survival, and Hye becoming more of a threat as we go along, a lot changes for our heroes. Between navigating the emotional maze of what this means for their relationships and future, and trying to keep Hye's manipulation at bay, Team Good is juggling a lot, and so is the plot. A very soapy twist is tossed into the mix, but I hope that we will avoid it...More

Dramas love their larger-than-life concepts, and we have some newly added upcoming dramas that take theirs to the extreme. Get ready to deal with grand sacrifices, the literal selling of souls, and one woman's battle against a whole empire. And by "get ready" I mean "suspend your disbelief and grab the snacks"...More

Detective Km Hyeong-min (played by Kim Yun-seok) investigates cold cases in Busan. This work leads him to cross paths with local thug Tae-oh (played by Joo Ji-hoon), a very unpleasant man who brags about violent things he probably never did. And that's where the conflict in "Dark Figure of Crime" comes from. Hyeong-min is willing to deal with the devil if it means bringing closure to the family members of missing persons, and Tae-oh is that devil...More

Going by promotional materials one would probably be inclined to think of "The Soul-Mate" as being a typical supernatural odd couple buddy cop comedy. Jang-soo (played by Ma Dong-seok) is a beefy middled-aged judo instructor. Tae-jin (played by Kim Young-kwang) is the currently incorporeal young cop who only Jang-soo can see. Together, they fight crime. In actuality Jang-soo and Tae-jin spend a ridiculous amount of time engaging in petty bickering before the ghost thing comes up at all...More

The film that launched Moon Hee's career is a testament to its times (1966), particularly regarding the youths of the country and their search for an identity after the Korean war, when the whole country was experiencing a crisis on all fronts...More

In what is another two episodes of writer Han Ji-wan-I toying with our heart, "The Ghost Detective" smacks us right across the feels with a twist we may have seen coming a mile away, but which could have still never come. There is room for a fake-out yet, but a lot could possibly change about how the story moves forward regardless. With Hye's mayhem escalating, and new figures of interest popping up, we have a lot going on here...More

According to coverage by jTBC, previously courted Jang Nara, Shin Sung-rok, Choi Jin-hyuk and Shin Eun-kyung have been confirmed to join "The Last Empress"; a "Princess Hours"-like story about a modern day monarchy, but with a more sinister twist. JTBC has information on the premise and the leads, but I'll return with more on the supporting cast next week...More

Actor Oh Seung-hoon has been cast in "The Item", the upcoming drama about objects with special powers. He joins the crew as a detective, and a colleague of Jin Se-yun's character, Shin So-yeong...More

The city and the island folk meet in the script reading for upcoming island rom-com, "Top Star Yoo Baek". The series has released photos of the event, and we can see many actors from its lovely casting ensemble, in what was reportedly a very pleasant event...More

It is time to say hello to "Ms. Ma, Nemesis", as the drama will be premiering this weekend. The series has released elegant character posters, along with a similarly themed ensemble one. The images are packed with information on what we can expect from the drama and its protagonists...More

After all the partying going on in previously released posters for "Matrimonial Chaos" (previously known as "The Best Divorce"), it's a nice change of mood to see these four character for who they really are, and the drama opts for a look into their daily lives to achieve it...More

Leave it to Jung Kyung-ho to go for interesting projects and characters! According to an exclusive piece by jTBC, the actor will lead "When the Devil Calls Your Name", a drama about a genius composer who has sold his soul to the Devil. The series will be out on tvN in the first half of 2019, and it will be produced by Min Jin-gi ("Circle", "Golden Tower"), and written by Noh Hye-yeong ("Please Come Back, Mister", "How to Use Guys with Secret Tips")...More

"Trap - Drama" has a new cast member, as actor Yoon Kyung-ho has joined the production. Part of OCN's upcoming 'Dramatic Cinema' project, "Trap - Drama" is a thriller following the story of a national anchor who is caught in an trap after experiencing a tragedy while traveling with his family. The 'Dramatic Cinema' project will combine the high quality of films, and the packed storytelling of dramas...More

If you want a good look at an extensive cast before casting news are even out for some of them, a script reading is the place to get it. "Memories of the Alhambra" is a suspense romance drama about investment company president Yoo Jin-woo going on a business trip to Granada, and becoming involved in a strange incident at an old hostel run by heroine Jeong Hee-joo...More

The cast of upcoming special project "Different Dream" is shaping up nicely, and it looks like actor Lim Ju-hwan will be taking our heart for a spin alongside Lee Yo-won and Yoo Ji-tae. The actor has been confirmed as a Japanese character with Korea-friendly principles...More

Han Chae-young and Bae Soo-bin will be leading MBC's upcoming weekend human melodrama, "A Pledge to God", which will be dealing with some pretty heavy subject matter. The series tells the story of two married couples who make choices beyond the ethics and morals of this world in order to save their dying children...More

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Tasty hummus and roasted squash salad at Plant Cafe Seoul located in Itaewon...More

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Me-made Magnum bar at newly opened Magnum Seoul in Gangnam...More

The post-Chuseok news dump is a marvelous thing, and we have plenty of pieces from it. Upcoming dramas are gearing up, and they're fortifying their appeal with all manner of acting goodness, but also new teasers, posters, as well as fun information on what we can look forward to...More

In the final scene of "Fengshui" we see elderly feng shui expert Jae-sang (played by Cho Seung-woo) recounting to a couple of guys in suits about how he and his fellow geomancer Ha-eung (played by Ji Sung) witnessed the destruction of the Joseon government over a bizarre dispute concerning royal gravesites. This epilogue really should have been the framing device. "Fengshui" has a transparently ridiculous storyline that makes a lot more sense if you know ahead of time that the whole thing is a metaphor for the late Joseon government's absurdly skewed priorities...More

So apparently way back in 2013 a new children's cartoon appeared on South Korean television called Boing The Play Ranger. The setting is Playville, where all the residents are based off of playground toys. The titular Boing (voiced by Jeon Tae-yeol) is a spring-based riding lion. And apparently some five years after Boing The Play Ranger first premiered the cartoon is only just now getting an origin story depicting how Boing became a play ranger in the first place...More

There is no bigger cautionary tale about the value of communication than a superpowered walking dead terrorist going loose as a result of its lack, and "The Ghost Detective" crew has just learned that. Episodes thirteen and fourteen start showing some internal logic issues, and I am worried about what the romantic angle might be doing to our leads, but the drama's emotional core and compelling mysteries hold everything together...More

In a definitely surprising casting twist, Lee Yi-kyung, everyone's recent comedic sidekick darling, has been cast as the male lead in upcoming drama "Children of Nobody", the story of a woman searching for the truth after her life falls apart. He will be joining Kim Sun-ah in this work by the writer of "The Village: Achiara's Secret"...More

I may not be able to hear the joyful screams of Lee Jong-suk fans as the actor enters his first leading role in a romantic comedy drama, but I can definitely feel them. Lee Jong-suk will be leading tvN's upcoming publishing house rom-com "Romance is a Bonus Book", which will air in the first half of 2019...More

A more appropriate title for this piece would be 'Jang Won-hyung Joins "Priest" as Sexist Piece of Trash', but I'm trying to ease you into this character, because I'm charitable like that. Jung Yoo-mi's Ham Eun-ho will have more than demons to fend off, that's for sure...More

I've seen my share of dysfunctional romances in Korean drama, but a romantic comedy based on revenge against the other party is really pushing that envelope. Jo Bo-ah has joined "My Strange Hero" as said party, the first love of Yoo Seung-ho's character, and the target of his revenge. Here's hoping for a huge misunderstanding...More

We've seen many a last minute romantic chase happening at Incheon International Airport, but the location has never been given the chance to shine. "Where Stars Land" aims to change that, making the airport its main setting. The drama has released stills of its four leads in their workspaces, along with information on what we can expect from it...More

Actor Kim Do-hyun, who was most recently seen in "Life" and "Investigation Partners", will be joining Joo Ji-hoon, Kim Kang-woo, Jin Se-yun and Kim Yoo-ri in "The Item", the upcoming series about ordinary objects with supernatural powers...More

Marriage is often seen as a blessed thing, but for people who have had enough, so is divorce. The odd separated-but-not-really approach previously teased by "Matrimonial Chaos" might not necessarily be such a case, but the main characters sure seem thrilled about it on these new couple posters...More

With "Terius Behind Me" being almost at our Dramaland doorstep, viewers can finally allow the hype to flow through them, and the drama's cast is here to help. We have new stills of the four main characters, as well as some thoughts by their actors on what they feel will make this series special...More

The plot thickens, as we find out more about the titular Ms. of "Ms. Ma, Nemesis", as well as her two co-leads, with the information accompanied by stills. The drama, which is based on Agatha Christie's work, is about a woman hiding her identity while trying to clear her name...More

Step aside, because Han Jin-woo has returned for "God's Quiz: Reboot", and he has enough trouble making said return without us in the way. The series has released a 'comeback fail' teaser, firmly holding on to the cheeky approach that made "God's Quiz" and its hero so much fun...More

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Fresh chocolate milk with hand shaved chocolate twigs at Dedot in Haebangchon...More

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Freshly cut jokbal, or pig's feet, in Namyeong...More

Chuseok may be putting the country in a promotional pause, but the heart does go on, and this upcoming week aims straight for ours. Be it romance, life and death situations, or some fantasy soul searching, we have options. I love me some options...More

In the first epic war scene of "The Great Battle" high-ranking Goguryeo warrior Sa-mool (played by Nam Joo-hyuk) experiences a disastrously loss against Tang forces led by Emperor Taizong (played by Park Sung-woong), who boast superior numbers, tactics, and technology. In the aftermath Goguryeo command blames the loss on Ansi Fortress general Man-chun (played by Jo In-sung), who failed to reenforce them. So Sa-mool is sent to assassinate him. No on asks why Man-chun chose to disobey orders- although this question is at the heart of what "The Great Battle" has to say about the meaning of war and nationalism...More

The three highlighted survivors in the "After Spring" omnibus embody haunted existences as they are trapped by memories of lost loved ones. Sin-ae (played by Jun Mi-sun) lives in desperation for some means, any means, of seeing her daughter again to make right their strained final encounter. Sang-won (played by Yoo Jae-myung) lives in quiet terror of what he could not make right with his own daughter. Suk-ho (played by Jun Suk-ho) doesn't live at all- he barely even moves from the house, so paralyzed the man is by grief regarding his dead wife...More

"Priest" wastes no time, and it doesn't have much time to waste, frankly. The series recently confirmed its main cast, and now we get to see them and their fellow members in brand new script reading stills. I see some fun names in here, and I hope we get more character information soon...More

I'm not sure what event the cast of "Terius Behind Me" is attending in these posters, but if they've broken out the formal wear to meet us, I'm flattered. Butter me up more, series. I like being pampered. The new posters for "Terius Behind Me" featuring So Ji-sub, Jung In-sun, Son Ho-jun and Im Se-mi aren't the prettiest, but we take what we can get, and then complain about it...More

There is a lot to unpack in episodes eleven and twelve of "The Ghost Detective", as we have new characters and new revelations piling up on top of fast-paced developments. Da-il and Yeo-wool learn more about their abilities, but that knowledge comes with burdens they might not be ready to bear. How far can our heroes and their friends go to protect one another and everyone out there facing such a formidable enemy...More

Kim Hee-sun and Kim Hae-sook will be gracing our screens in "Room No.9" soon, but their soul-swapping characters are less than thrilled to be in each other's company. The series has released some new stills showing us exactly how their relationship starts off...More

OCN has been gunning for film quality for a long time, and its new 'Dramatic Cinema' project will open with "Trap - Drama"; a hard-boiled thriller following the shocking story of national anchor Kang Woo-hyeon, who is caught in the titular trap. The series has cast Lee Seo-jin and Sung Dong-il as leads, with Im Hwa-young joining the lineup as well...More

The charming quartet of "The Third Charm" all have a different approach to love and romance, which is now being teased through newly released character posters. From the sentimental to the spontaneous, and from the romantic to the pragmatic, it looks like these pairings will be facing plenty of challenges...More

Korean drama can get more stale than week-old bread with its romance at times, but if you are looking for something on the fresh side, "Matrimonial Chaos" might try, and its new official poster brings the rules of this conveniently reversible not-divorce with it. Maybe this won't be as fresh after all...More

I am fully invested in this whirlwind mystery that is "The Ghost Detective", as the series goes deeper into what now feels like a big web of connected lives and deaths. Da-il is discovering new abilities and dangers, Team Good is now complete, a new character seems to hold vital information, and with a hint of romance being created, our two heroes are about to meet new challenges...More

OCN's upcoming medical exorcism drama, "Priest", has confirmed actor Park Yong-woo alongside already courted Yeon Woo-jin and Jung Yoo-mi, completing its main cast. "Priest" is about doctors and exorcists working together in order to protect people who are dear to them. It will portray supernatural phenomena taking place in at a Catholic hospital of Southern Seoul in 2018...More

We've been thoroughly exposed to agent Terius as a weird father figure to the children of "Terius Behind Me", but the latest teaser focuses on the leading duo and their very different lives taking place in close proximity. Can their connection provide both with a welcome change in their routine...More

Actors Kim Jae-won and Kim Ki-doo have finally joined hands with "God's Quiz: Reboot", and will be joining the old crew as new members. Kim Jae-won's character sounds too nice to be so, while Kim Ki-doo sounds like a major tsundere. We love a good tsundere...More

The titular Ms. Ma of "Ms. Ma, Nemesis" is here, and her served jail time as the killer of her daughter has taught her some formidable skills. The drama's first teaser shows off its leading lady and her plight of being framed, her newfound badassery, and her clashing with the detective who arrested her...More

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Refreshing strawberry and vanilla rose-shaped icecream in Myeongdong...More

Healthy, rich-tasting avocado salad at La Ferme in Hannam-dong...More

It's time for some travel, or at least transit, as upcoming airport romance "Where Stars Land" has made its promotional entry to the drama game. Said game is currently going strong, as we have teasers, stills and other goodies from many upcoming series. I see more tough choices in my future...More

The opening scene of "Monstrum" definitely gives the impression that it's not the titular monster we should be worrying about. Long before we hear its ominous growls the film is witness to the spectacle of a senseless massacre- royal soldiers against civilians. The lone survivor of this scene, Myeong, grows up into Hyeri, and has learned several fine investigative arts from her adoptive father and Yoon-gyeom (played by Kim Myung-min) and his comic relief sidekick Seong-han (played by Kim In-kwon), which are put to the test as they investigate the monster's path of destruction...More

Ba-dook (played by Park Se-wan) is a former Go prodigy turned early twenty-something ronin, who has to make a living via odd part time jobs of various dignity levels. A chance encounter with An-kyeong (played by An Woo-yeon) leads Ba-dook to become interested in Gomoku, a simplified variant of Go where the objective is to get five stones of your color in a row. Gomoku is a more complex game than Ba-dook gives it credit for, and must train for her ultimate goal- a surprisingly good payout for second place...More

The Woman in Red has finally met worthy challengers in "The Ghost Detective", and she is one mighty sore loser. With her psyche becoming more unstable, and our heroes a bigger thorn in her ghostly side, things are about to escalate. A new character appears, and the time has come for Sang-seob to learn of Da-il's current situation, which gives birth to a Subway product placement scene I never thought could make me cry...More

Love, food, and love for food are all great things to have, and they are also great tools to torture audiences with, a skill Korean drama has mastered all too well. Upcoming tale of foodie descendants, "Jang Geum, Oh My Grandma" has held its script reading, and announced its intentions for said torture...More

I was just feel-smacked with Park Hyo-joo's special appearance in "The Guest - Drama", and it looks like the actress carries on with OCN. As previously announced in news about upcoming "God's Quiz: Reboot", she will be playing a main role as a new character in this fifth installment of the series...More

Serial killers are scary, but serial killers with superpowers are terrifying. "The Ghost Detective" brings more twists, leaving our heroes with little time to process what is happening to them, and what has happened in their now shared past. The Woman in Red has a lot of secrets, and I am starting to wonder if several of the characters we have met so far are part of a common, supernaturally skilled group...More

"Where Stars Land" has changed a number of times since its originally released premise, but the drama now about employees over at Incheon International Airport has a solid direction, and we have two new teasers, and four character posters to get more information from...More

"The Item" has finally secured all three leads, as Kim Kang-woo has confirmed his villain role of an The Item-obsessed sociopath. The news has released just a bit more information about his character, and the way he goes about making the The Items his, which involves a lot of murder. It's time we bid farewell to the cutie of "My Husband Oh Jak-doo"...More

To quote someone we all know and love, "Life" finds a way, and this is the best possible outcome we can hope for in regards to the future of Sangkook University Hospital, as well as our own world. The drama has been through a rough patch lately, but it bows out as gracefully as it can manage, leaving no magical solutions behind, but leaving us and its own characters some valuable food for thought...More

"The Third Charm" is piling on the OTP goodness, and this time it's here to charm us with a romance that grows with time, along with the two people in it. The stills of Seo Kang-joon and Esom's characters provide a look into the changes that the couple goes through, which is in itself a very fresh concept in Korean drama...More

I'm already feeling sorry for this character, and he hasn't even been cast yet. Actor Song Sae-byeok may soon land his first leading role in a drama, having been offered the possessed detective in "Possessed". The sweet man with a tough demeanor sounds like he's going to have trouble adjusting to his new, double life...More

Agent Terius has been given the greatest honor of all in the form of a cutesy heart sticker, and the added training of two very energetic children tugging at his arms, and his heartstrings. The latest teaser for "Terius Behind Me" is after our hearts and hormones once more...More

If you thought dad jokes are cringe-worthy, wait until you see shameless dad self-promotion in its full 90s style, retro glory. The innovative, colorful, but surprisingly sombre new teaser for "Bad Papa" gives us a taste of the picture-perfect life that never was...More

We are approaching some form of closure for "Life", but the ship of what was a cohesive whole has sailed long ago. Character alliances and interpersonal, but also work relationships change in unexpected ways, and the drama is trying to stretch all of its resolutions to the very last minute. Perhaps this is the series that "Life" wanted to be all along, but it sadly did not get to it soon enough...More

Pray hard to the Dramagods and dust off your on-screen shipping urges, because we might be getting quite the adorable drama OTP. Actors Jung Kyung-ho and Yoo In-na could soon be leading "Touch Your Heart", a romance between a top lawyer and a top actress disguised as a secretary...More

Joo Ji-hoon is finally making his return to Korean drama through "The Item", the upcoming story about items with special powers, and he is joined by Jin Se-yun. While there are no widespread confirmations yet, an exclusive piece states that actor Kim Kang-woo is also up for a leading role. Will this be the main trio of "The Item"...More

SMTOWN pop-up store in Lotte Department Store in Myeongdong...More

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Beautiful summer flower drinking in the sunlight...More

This upcoming week offers a little bit of everything, as we have four premieres in entirely different genres and even platforms. I focused on gloom and doom dramas last week, so this time I'm going to lift your spirits with the adorable shenanigans of "Terius Behind Me". I could use an endearing rom-com right about now...More

Ryoko (played by Miho Nakayama) is an aging Japanese novelist who has spent her career shying away from interaction with readers. But now? She's teaching a graduate class on creative writing. It's quite some time before we find out what, exactly, is the real reason for the change in her attitude. Until then, Ryoko gets acquainted with Chan-hae (played by Kim Jae-wook), a Korean transfer student who struggles to pay his tuition...More

The Monotones are an independent rock band operating out of Seoul. Well, they were anyway. While much of the drama of "Into the Night" centers around whether the band will survive the filming of the documentary (which took place in 2015), the fact that they won top rock prize at the Korean Music Awards in 2016 and successfully produced albums renders the survival question a moot point. Then, right before "Into the Night" received an official domestic release in March, the band collapsed...More

This forever thirsty for science fiction in Korean entertainment puppy has mixed feelings about Samsung's upcoming dystopian web drama featuring Kim Sohye, Yang Dong-geun and Shin Goo, "Ambergris". Can a promotional campaign deliver some good drama sci-fi for my longing heart? Crossing all my crossables...More

There's no time for brooding and remembering one's dark past when the overlords come a-calling, and agent Kim Bon's new bosses are persistent. In what is an incredibly cute, and promising teaser, "Terius Behind Me" gives me everything I've been wanting in terms of the dynamics between the agent and his neighbors...More

Take me out for detective trash day, because I did not see this twist coming, especially so early on. Sadly, neither did our poor Da-il. What happens in episodes three and four will likely change a lot about the story that "The Ghost Detective" and Yeo-wool will be in need of adjusting to, while somehow making it all work to their advantage. Can this lovely duo crack the case, and what future awaits them after this major shift...More

Pre-produced drama "Gyeryong Fairy Tale", which is now going by the English title "Mama Fairy and the Woodcutter", has revealed its premiere date. The upcoming fantasy piece starring Moon Chae-won, Yoon Hyun-min and Seo Ji-hoon will be with us very shortly, so get your dramappetite going...More

"Prometheus" is coming along nicely on the casting front, as the drama has now added Korean-American Hollywood actor Ki Hong Lee in its lineup, and has officially brought the United States front into the story of the two Koreas. The actor will be playing a secret agent with the CIA, Frank Lee...More

"The Ghost Detective" is here to sink his figurative teeth into the case, and his physical ones into demons. In what is one of the most exciting premieres I've seen in a while, the resilient, highly intelligent, spirit-biting detective and his resourceful, stubborn sidekick are up against a terrible foe working with - or perhaps on - equally terrible living persons. Join me for good ol' horror and mysteries...More

I don't think I can scream "TAKE IT!" harder over a potential cast, because Kim Nam-gil, Kim Sung-kyun and Lee Honey teaming up to wash the law and religion of all sins sounds like too beautiful a dream. The dream might be turning into a reality, as all three actors are now positively considering their role offers...More

Secret agents are impressive, but you haven't seen skill until you see a single parent juggle two kids and a household. As the younger demon-child of one, I'm very looking forward to Jung In-sun's Go Ae-rin and her domestic superpowers in "Terius Behind Me", which we can see in brand new stills...More

People have been keeping things to themselves for a long time at Sangkook University Hospital, but my guess about Seung-hyo's noble intentions might have picked up on a plan or backup plan devised even longer before the president's arrival. Jin-woo is finally facing things out in the open and head on, but we have a lot to get through in a small amount of time. Can "Life" wrap it all up, and does it even want to...More

The bromantic ship of forlorn lovers is sailing in upcoming two-part drama "Ping Pong Ball", and the first teaser featuring the world-weary duo portrayed by Yoo Jae-myung and Ji Soo has been released. The video is simple, understated and human, as the two share their imminent romantic rejections...More

Jang Hyuk and martial arts are a match made in hard work heaven, something "Bad Papa" would very much like to remind us in these first stills of our has-been and will-be hero. While the once best boxer goes through a slump following a questionable defeat that cost him everything, we'll no doubt be getting a great return...More

After dropping that confusing cliffhanger last week, "Life" opts for a little break from the power play kerfuffle in episode thirteen. What is obviously a move to stall plot progression leaves room for focus on matters outside of Sangkook University Hospital. While some of them are welcome, the series is increasingly scrambling for drama in all the disappointing places. Can "Life" find its way back before the end...More

Are you sick of exorcisms yet? If yes, too bad, because OCN has more spirit shenanigans in store for us. If you're complete suckers for the supernatural like I am, welcome, although there might be a bit of a cringeworthy twist in this one. OCN's latest addition is drama "Possessed", which is currently wooing Go Joon-hee and Yeon Jung-hoon for main roles...More

I've been wondering where the hero of "Terius Behind Me" has been lately, and he's finally back with a teaser, and these brand new stills. As tempting as it is to admire a man in a fine suit, the setting of this scene being a funeral kills that urge, but it does pique my curiosity about the agent's return to action...More

The past comes back to haunt the characters of today's featured dramas in different ways, and I start off with the reunion of a father and his daughter in "My Only One". If you're looking for actual hauntings, fear not – or rather be afraid – because "The Ghost Detective" is premiering this upcoming week, and its chilling mystery deepens...More

In 2005, rowdy yet well-meaning South Korean teenager Woo-yeon (played by Kim Young-kwang) is living in Gangreung when he becomes smitten with Seung-hee (played by Park Bo-young), a spunky transfer student. "On Your Wedding Day" chronicles their love story through 2005 and 2007 and 2012, before finally ending on a twist in 2018- Seung-hee is getting married, just not to Woo-yeon...More

Tae-joon (played by Park Hae-il) is a well-liked college professor who does mild advocacy for labor-related causes. His wife Soo-yeon (played by Soo Ae) deals in art. They have a boring but functional marriage. That's not an intentional construction. "High Society - Movie" manages to take wacky setpieces like one man setting himself on fire, another man dressing up like a Mexican wrestler to beat up on snitches, and an extended racist sex scene featuring excessive lube then somehow manages to make all that seem incredibly dull...More

Upcoming money-stealing drama "The Player" is all about the style and coolness in its new poster, but it's also time to remember that our stylish criminals are working on certain restrictions. The newly released teaser brings their pride right back down to Earth, at least for about two minutes...More

Get ready to be spooked and intrigued as we head into this new season, because "The Ghost Detective" is going all out with the chill factor and mystery cases. The upcoming horror drama has released a 6-minute highlight video featuring some yummy horror imagery, and an introduction to the conflict which will likely shape the drama's main story...More

Lim Ju-hwan will be joining "Drama Special - The Long Farewell", which now has a premise, as well as a leading lady in Jang Hee-jin. Lim Ju-hwan plays a novelist, and Jang Hee-jin will be playing his girlfriend and an editor at his publishing company...More

The titular room must carry quite the supernatural energy on it, or then the people in it do. The first teaser for upcoming soul-swap drama "Room No.9" is simple, short, and sweet, while at the same time showing us its concept and the three main leads...More

I am not sure where "Life" has run off to, but its place is now taken over by a suspense thriller about Evil Rich Dudes™. The series has gone through a major shift in tone and focus during the last two episodes, and the pivotal decisions that come with it feel rushed and forced. If this is what we can expect from the final four episodes, I wonder why it was not introduced sooner, and more smoothly...More

Go Hyun-jung may be returning to Dramaland soon, as the actress has received an offer from upcoming drama "Neighborhood Lawyer Jo Deul-ho 2: Crime and Punishment". The first season, "Neighborhood Lawyer Jo Deul-ho", is about a has-been prosecutor getting out of a rut and becoming a lawyer for the powerless, while fighting for personal revenge at the same time...More

Jasper Cho of "Descendants of the Sun" fame is back with a deadly role, as he turns into a trained killer for "Terius Behind Me". The drama has released stills of his character out to assassinate someone in Poland, and I wonder if this is the incident that will get our hero's loved one killed...More

Crimes have been abundant in "Life", but its characters are faced with the most dangerous one yet, as political and company conspiracies start seeping into Sangkook University Hospital. Someone close to Jin-woo becomes involved, raising the tensions between him and Seung-hyo, as well as the sacrifices which may have to be made in order to fight this new, and very powerful set of foes. I just hope that this will not turn "Life" into the typical drama of its kind...More

The ghost-busting trio of "The Guest - Drama" come from different walks of life, and from a different approach to the supernatural, but these three badasses definitely look like they can handle anything thrown their way. The drama has released character posters, along with a summary of what each character is all about, and a fact I didn't previously know about...More

Choi Tae-joon and Choi Soo-young's upcoming rom-com "So I Married an Anti-Fan - Drama" is preparing quite the universal release extravaganza, but the production is otherwise proceeding as usual, and we have script reading photos from the lovely cast, along with some words from PD Kang Cheol-woo...More

Praised be the Dramagods, for they have not forsaken us! "God's Quiz: Reboot" is bringing back all the previously teased darlings of seasons past, as Yoon Joo-hee and Park Joon-myun join Ryu Deok-hwan on another adventure, with a fresh crew under the familiar creator...More

Every ghost has unfinished business in fiction, but when that business is loaded with heaps of postmortem anger, it's usually bad news for a lot of living people. "The Ghost Detective" has released two main posters, and they explore the grievances left unresolved...More

Sageuk has seen better days, but with all these "100 Days My Prince" goodies coming up, I am not so sure it has seen cuter ones. Today I bring you said goodies from the sweet OTP that Do Kyung-soo and Nam Ji-hyun will bringing us shortly. We also have some fun teasers from a variety of shows, and more, with one particular piece of potential casting news having made my week...More

Young naïve farmhand Jang-goon (played by Maeng Se-chang) is sent to war. While Jang-goon and his fellow soldiers are decked out in gear reminiscent of the Korean War and frequently watch planes fly overheard, there's also the occasional moment where we see a giant blue beautiful planet hanging in the sky. This sort of begs the question- in a film environment where Korean War stories are considered relevant and cutting edge, why did director Kim Jae-han choose to make a deliberately generic war movie?...More

The first thing we see suspicious-looking cap-wearing Tae-ho (played by Kwak Si-yang), we learn that he failed to knock out his would-be murder victim. We then learn that Tae-ho does not know how to tie a proper knot. So right from the beginning, Tae-ho comes off looking rather incompetent. It was with great irritation that I realized that for the rest of the movie Tae-ho would demonstrate superhuman powers including, but not limited to, teleportation, omniscience, immunity to physical damage, and invisibility...More

The romantic island adventures of a has-been celebrity sound like quite the fun and refreshing premise for a romantic comedy, and the titular hero of "Top Star Yoo Baek" now has a partner for said adventures. Actor Ryu Seung-soo has joined the drama as Yoo Baek's no doubt overbearing friend...More

Just as I'm getting ready to dismiss "The Player" as a try-hard comedy action series, the latest teaser drops with a hefty, welcome dose of self-awareness. Song Seung-heon's conman introduces his team and their unique skills, but it's the little extra segment at the end that really wins me over...More

The never ending power play of "Life" hits a deciding moment, as the new Director steps into power, and new games of pull and push begin between the hospital's ethical integrity and Hwajeong Group's ambitions. Jin-woo and his allies are up against powerful  opponents with what feels like the battle equivalent of a butter knife, and the personal crises that they face make everything all the more challenging...More

Well, this is certainly looking dire. The upcoming Korean drama remake for Japanese series "One Million Stars Falling from the Sky" has released its first, grim teaser, which feels a bit like opening credits. It also looks about as dark as I would expect, going from the descriptions I'm finding. If you're looking for happy, cutesy romances, you might want to make a speedy exit now...More

Be still my heart, because I don't think I can handle this news. Actress Kim Sun-ah may be making a comeback in "Children of Nobody". The project, which sounds like a dark and gritty mystery, has given me three names I absolutely want to see together. Give this to me, Dramaland. Give this to me now...More

I'm still not sure if the Hell our three heroes will go through is metaphorical or real, but the newly released posters for OCN's upcoming exorcism drama, "The Guest - Drama" are certainly piling on the scary red and fire. Our psychic, our priest, and our detective have a grand battle with a far-reaching evil ahead...More

Upcoming drama remake of film "Masquerade", "The Crowned Clown" is now courting its leading man and leading woman, as Lee Se-young has joined the casting game along with Yeo Jin-goo. Should they accept, the two will play the queen and king...More

Upcoming romance drama "The Third Charm" has held its script reading, and it has released stills of the main and extended cast. Seo Kang-joon and Esom play characters in an epic love story of a romance spanning twelve years...More

It looks like the first season of upcoming zombie sageuk "Kingdom" has gone down well in the test screening phase, because the Netflix original starring Joo Ji-hoon, Ryu Seung-ryong and Bae Doona will be returning for "Kingdom - Season 2". I'll never say no to sageuk zombies, or more sageuk zombies...More

There is no helping those who will not help themselves, and the elite of Sangkook University Hospital are too busy fighting over the Director position to care about what it will mean for their organization. Jin-woo's newfound confidence pushes him a little further, which motivates Kyeong-moon to take a stand that is about to turn sour. Will our young doctor finally stop expecting others to make the sacrifices he should be partially shouldering himself...More

"Bad Papa" gets another addition to the mayhem caused by the experimental super drug that turns our hero from a has-been to a newly charged badass. Shin Woo-gyeom is joining the party, and he will have quite an interesting connection to the whole thing, as well as Jang Hyuk's character...More

The crew of "Ms. Ma, Nemesis" will be with us shortly, bringing an exciting story with them. The cast recently attended the script reading, and the new character descriptions get my anticipation firing on all cylinders. "Ms. Ma, Nemesis" follows a woman accused of murdering her daughter using sharp reasoning to reveal the truth...More

With a torrent of new dramas upon us and casting news on future projects popping up left and right, I take a look at something new and potentially refreshing. "Big Forest" will be a combination of variety stars in a drama setting, and I might have to check it out. Dramaland is determined to drown me in content, and I am diving in without hesitation...More

The first scene in "Land of Happiness" depicts an unfortunate series of events on the subway, back in the days before walls were installed to separate commuters from the tracks. The silent grainy closed circuit television footage is hauntingly effective, and appears multiple times through the duration of the film. But equally haunting is the distant look on the face of Min-soo (played by Ji Yong-suk), a man so spiritually unnerved it's interfering with his job of washing cars- not exactly a profession that requires people skills...More

One of the more popular cartoons on South Korea's Tooniverse channel is...apparently called Haunted House. That's a bad name. The main gimmick of the series is that it actually takes place in a relatively modern haunted apartment complex. The protagonists, spunky older sister Ha-ri (voiced by Kim Yeong-eun) and her chubby younger brother Doo-ri (played by Kim Chae-ha) work together with the small, big-eyed green goblin Sin-bi (voiced by Jo Hyeon-jeong) to catch ghosts. The meaning of Sin-bi's name doubles as mysterious or haunted in Korean, so the title is also a pun...More

We finally get the big revelation about Lee Ji-ah's character in the second teaser released for upcoming horror drama "The Ghost Detective", and the lady is not playing around with her words. Leave your wishes for romance at the door, because it looks like our detective dearest has other things in mind...More

When Ryu Deok-hwan took on "Miss Hammurabi" upon returning from his military service, I was ready to bid my dreams of more "God's Quiz" farewell, but Dramaland is kind to me this time. The actor has been confirmed for a return to "God's Quiz: Reboot" (working title), and it's officially time to feel the hype, and panic...More

If you don't have enough Yoo Jae-myung in your "Life" these days (yes, I just did that), then get ready for some more of him in jTBC's upcoming two-part project "Ping Pong Ball", where he reunites with Ji Soo in a world-weary bromance of kindred souls. The series has made its peek-a-boo with script reading stills...More

Who needs healthy and functional relationships when you can hate each other's guts? Everyone, but that's not the answer this bickering romantic trope is looking for. Upcoming romantic comedy drama "So I Married an Anti-Fan - Drama" has landed Choi Tae-joon and Choi Soo-young as said bickering couple-to-be...More

We're drowning in priests lately, and OCN's upcoming addition after "The Guest - Drama" is "Priest", touted as Korea's first medical exorcism drama. The series has been courting Yeon Woo-jin as the titular priest, and actress Jung Yoo-mi might join up, fresh from her "Investigation Partners" run...More

The confusing reports surrounding upcoming special project "Different Dream" have finally cleared up, and the series finally has its main cast, which will not include Lee Young-ae after all. The drama has offered its leading roles to Lee Yo-won and Yoo Ji-tae, and both actors have confirmed their participation...More

Jin-woo is finally pushed to some necessary limits, as his brother's involvement drags him to the spotlight of this battle. At the same time, a worrying twist has surfaced regarding Seon-woo, and I am hoping that the creators will not do what I fear. Seung-hyo is starting to see the value of this hospital's work among the organizational filth and personal ambitions of its top brass, but will his master allow him to achieve something for all...More

"Devilish Happiness" brings news and images of its devilishly diverse cast. The upcoming romantic drama about a man who loses his memory on a daily basis and a has-been actress is certainly gathering some main and supporting darlings that tempt even me to give it a go...More

"The Hand is here" and Kim Jae-wook, Kim Dong-wook and Jung Eun-chae are ready to greet it in the latest two-version teaser for upcoming exorcism-shamanism drama "The Guest - Drama". What is this infamous Hand coming from "deep within the East Sea", and can you fight it with hard praying or a gun...More

The time has come for Seon-woo to enter the fight for Sangkook University Hospital, and the plans hidden behind his involvement strengthen the front forming against the hierarchy's worst. No-eul gets a little wake up call about Seung-hyo's methods, which nonetheless seem to have some genuine concern behind them, at least on a personal level. Our president dearest is slowly waking up to the realities of healthcare that need his consideration...More

Actor Song Young-kyu is back to us very swiftly, having been added to the cast of upcoming mystery drama "Ms. Ma, Nemesis" as the husband of Kim Yoon-jin's heroine. I can already see the 'Suspect' sign on him going by his character description alone...More

Jung In-sun's Go Ae-rin is playing with fire in the first stills for upcoming romance drama "Terius Behind Me", said fire being dangerous firearms. The down on her luck mother of two is about to get an unlikely buddy, and judging by these stills, the man comes prepared and probably jumpy at all times...More

The casting season has hit us hard, and many known, but also newly announced upcoming projects have made their big news entrance. Today I give you but a smidgen of the names and dramas we can expect, while shows almost upon us have their promotional efforts in full swing...More

Woozoo (played by Kang Doo) is a company worker. I wasn't totally clear on what Woozoo's company actually does, but apparently they do a lot of business in Osaka, since that's where Woozoo hangs out for pretty much the whole movie. Almost all of the dialogue is in Japanese. Incidentally, Woozoo is a really weird way to transliterate that name. Usually it's just written in English as Woo-joo. That name has the same common meaning as universe, although the Chinese characters probably mean something more poetic than that...More

In the outskirts of Daegu, roughly equidistant from Seongju, Gimcheon, and Gumi, "Soseongri" is a rural farming district that's not too different from most others in South Korea. The population consists almost entirely of old people. Director Park Bae-il asks the old women there about their life stories, and they tell it, in between long shots of their everyday life of wandering around from place to place...More

I've been waiting for this teaser, and I'm not disappointed. "The Ghost Detective" goes for atmosphere, dark crimes and perhaps a glimpse at even darker punishments, as Choi Daniel uncovers a lot of natural and supernatural nastiness under the surface. The drama has also been releasing stills of its major characters...More

Upcoming OCN drama "The Player" whips out the Konglish to let us all know that it's all about the 'Money, Steal, Action' in its first teaser. The video is not very descriptive, but it looks like an action-packed series along the lines of "38 Revenue Collection Unit", which makes me wonder how true its boasting about a fresh genre will be...More