When Youn Yuh-jung was asked how she felt about being called the "Meryl Streep of South Korea" in a recent interview, she said she’s flattered by the comparison. But she had her own introduction.
22.02.2021 - 08:01 / variety.com
Patrick Frater Asia Bureau ChiefKorean theatrical box office slipped back into its rangebound new normal over the weekend, with nationwide gross takings of just $3.32 million between Friday and Sunday.
That suggests that the previous weekend’s $4.7 million total was an exception driven by the Lunar New Year festivities.Until audiences rediscover an appetite for film in cinemas, and until distributors are ready to release significant new titles the Korean box office appears trapped between $3
.When Youn Yuh-jung was asked how she felt about being called the "Meryl Streep of South Korea" in a recent interview, she said she’s flattered by the comparison. But she had her own introduction.
Big Hit Entertainment, the backer of K-pop uber-group BTS, is in the process of changing its company name to HYBE Corporation, it told Variety Thursday.The company has already registered the new name with Korean company regulatory authorities, although the change has not been approved by shareholders. Nor has it been announced to Korea’s stock market regulator.
Red Velvet, is set to make her solo debut soon.News of the singer’s upcoming project was first reported earlier today (March 10) by South Korean entertainment outlet StarNews. The publication claimed that the Korean idol was working on a solo album which is planned for release in April.Shortly after StarNews’ report, Wendy’s agency SM Entertainment confirmed that the singer will release a solo project sometime next month, although a specific date was not announced.
Viacom International Studios has inked a first-look deal with South Korean production studio Something Special.
Patrick Frater Asia Bureau ChiefA notable launch for “Minari” lifted the South Korea box office to its second highest weekend of 2021. The Korean-language American-made drama performed 80% higher than the weekend’s other significant new release Disney’s “Raya and the Last Dragon.”Opening in first place, “Minari” clocked up $1.68 million over the weekend, according to data from the Korean Film Council’s KOBIS box office tracking service.
Patrick Frater Asia Bureau ChiefLeading Korean entertainment conglomerate CJ ENM is to break the theatrical window in the world’s fourth largest movie market with a simultaneous cinema and streaming release for “Seobok,” one of the year’s hottest Korean movies.The group said that it will distribute the sci-fi actioner in theaters on April 15 and also make it available on its own streaming service, Tving.While Hollywood studio Disney has chosen to release titles such as “Mulan” with simultaneous
Joe Otterson TV ReporterApple has ordered a live-action series adaptation of the Korean webtoon “Dr. Brain.” The series will be the first completely Korean-language project at the streamer.Kim Jee-Woon will write and direct, with “Parasite” star Lee Sun-Kyun set to star.
Patrick Frater Asia Bureau ChiefThe end came quietly with the humdrum announcement of a deal between two state-owned TV groups, China Central Television (CCTV) and South Korean public broadcaster KBS.
Halsey has defended BTS after a German radio DJ was accused of making racist comments about the K-Pop giants.Matthias Matuschik faced criticism when he discussed the Korean band’s cover of Coldplay’s ‘Fix You’ while on air at Bavarian radio station Bayern3 last week.While talking about the track, he appeared to compare the group to coronavirus, saying he hoped “a vaccine will be available soon” for the band.He continued to insist that he had “nothing against South Korea” and was not xenophobic
Patrick Frater Asia Bureau ChiefConsumption of South Korean content now outstrips time watching U.S.-made content on streaming platforms in three key market in South East Asia.
Patrick Frater Asia Bureau ChiefJapanese hit animation “Demon Slayer The Movie: Mugen Train” enjoyed a 32% surge to move to the top of the Korean box office. It grossed $745,000 over the weekend to expand its cumulative total to $7.74 million in just over four weeks of release.“Demon Slayer” had not previously topped the Korean chart.
Spotify worldwide over an apparent disagreement with distributor Kakao M.Spotify launched in South Korea on February 1, 2020, but did so without music from artists with licensing deals under Kakao M, including IU, Zico and more.Now, releases distributed by the Korean label have been removed from Spotify around the world.
Diane Min, head of format sales at CJ ENM; Bonggyu "River" Kang, executive producer and showrunner for KBS Media’s The Return of Superman; and Jongwoo Kim, producer of MBC documentary Meeting You sat down with Rebecca Sun of The Hollywood Reporter to discuss their unscripted shows and the expanding international market for Korean entertainment in a THRPresents Q&A powered by Vision Media.
Netflix says its spending in Korea will top $500M in 2021 as the streamer doubles down on local content production after hits including #Alive.
Patrick Frater Asia Bureau ChiefTop Thai director Banjong Pisanthanakun and Korean director-turned-producer Na Hong-jin (“The Chaser”) have teamed to create new Thai horror film “The Medium.”Now in post-production, “The Medium” is a horrifying story of a shaman’s inheritance in the Isan region of Thailand.
Rebecca Davis editorChina’s state broadcaster China Central Television (CCTV) announced late Monday evening that it has signed a strategic partnership in program development and online video with South Korean public broadcaster KBS.