Lesbian Drama ‘Fragrance of the First Flower’ to Blossom in Second Season

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief Exports of K-pop albums increased by 17% year on year to reach an all-time record of $133 million in the first six months of the year. The U.S. is now the second biggest overseas market for Korean music worth $25 million, having overtaken China, but still trailing Japan ($48 million), according to data from the Korea Customs Service. The next largest were Germany, Taiwan, Hong Kong, the Netherlands, Canada, the U.K. and France.The record was achieved despite the absence of BTS as a group (though BTS members Jimin, and Suga put out solo efforts) and saw Stray Kids, Tomorrow X Together, Seventeen, Ateez and Twice all make an international impact.

“The Chosen” is the first known TV series to have been granted a waiver from SAG to continue filming amid the strike.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief Tom Cruise has become a regular visitor to South Korea and, while his latest visit was more than a week ago, the impact of his efforts appeared to endure. His ‘Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning’ got off to the second strongest start at the Korean box office of any Hollywood movie released this year. The film grossed $9.75 million between Friday and Sunday, according to Kobis, the tracking service operated by the Korean Film Council (Kofic). That represented a 60% market share, earned from some 2,400 screens. In its full opening five days (plus previews), it earned $14.2 million.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief Specialty distributor, Trinity CineAsia is releasing China’s summer blockbuster “Lost in the Stars” in the U.K and Ireland on some 30 screens from Friday. “I was fortunate to watch the film when it opened in China and once I saw it I just knew we had to have it,” said Cedric Behrel “‘Lost In The Stars’ is a very clever, uncanny thrill of a ride that harks back to classic Hitchcock and any noteworthy thriller since – the master himself had in fact once optioned the rights to the same story. We organized the fastest turnaround premiere known to man and we’ve been delighted by the reactions to the early previews. It epitomizes the best of what new Chinese cinema can bring to audiences.”

Pedro Pascal is leading the Emmy nominations alongside Jenna Ortega. The two Latin stars are making history in their categories, with Jenna becoming the youngest Latina acting nominee in the Comedy Series category, following America Ferrera’s nomination and win in 2008.The Chilean actor is breaking a record in the Drama category for his incredible performance in the popular HBO series ‘The Last of Us,’ acting alongside Bella Ramsey, who has also been nominated for Lead Actress in a Drama series.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief The upcoming Asian-American feature film “Chopin,” starring Eddie Liu (“Kung Fu,” Never Have I Ever, “Silicon Valley”) and Violett Beane (“God Friended Me,” “The Flash”), officially wrapped a 25-day shoot on June 4. Announced last year, the film is now in post-production and scheduled for an early 2024 premiere. The film is the feature directorial debut of Vincent Lin, a successful commercials director and co-founder of Valiant Pictures. The film, written by Lin, also stars Golden Horse Film Award winner Leon Dai (“Your Name Engraved Herein,” “Cannot Live Without You”) and Taiwanese legend Wu Min (“The Queen!”).

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief Pixar animation film “Elemental” expanded further at the South Korean box office in its fourth weekend of release, giving the film its third weekend triumph in four weeks of release. “Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One” took third place from preview screening ahead of its official release on Wednesday. “Elemental” earned $6.11 million between Friday and Sunday, according to data from Kobis, the box office tracking service operated by the Korean Film Council (Kofic). That represented a 14% increase on its previous weekend performance and was the best of its four weekends so far. It also increased its market share to 49%, also its strongest market position, despite only adding a handful of additional screens.

It’s a new day in the Love Island Villa and set to be a good one for two Islanders in particular.

Thania Garcia Lil Uzi Vert will be performing in venues across the U.S. later this fall for the newly-announced “Pink Tape” tour in support of their latest, 26-track album album “Pink Tape.” The 17-date trip will be Uzi’s first headlining jaunt since 2018’s “Endless Summer Tour,” and is slated to begin on Oct. 21 in Minneapolis, before making numerous stops across major cities like Chicago, Boston, Atlanta, New York City, Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles and Denver, among other cities. They will close the tour with a special hometown performance in Philadelphia’s Wells Fargo Center on Nov. 22. “Pink Tape,” the follow-up to the rapper’s 2020 record, “Pluto x Baby Pluto,” is expected to be one of the top rap releases of the year when it arrives on U.S. charts next week. It features guest verses from Nicki Minaj, Travis Scott, Bring Me The Horizon and more.

A very cool teaser trailer for the upcoming Stranger Things stage adaptation The First Shadow doesn’t give away much by way of plot details, but we do see some clips of the TV series’ early episodes only to watch the screen shatter and a mysterious red, glowing orb appear on the stage of an otherwise empty theater.

The sci-fi thriller series Silo has wrapped its first season on Apple TV, where it debuted as the No. 1 drama in the history of streamer. And boy, do we have questions.

EXCLUSIVE: From ancient Egypt to the 1970s, Britain’s Got Talent judge Amanda Holden is heading on a journey to explore the bonkers history of sex via a Sky docu-drama.

Jennifer Maas TV Business Writer Fans spent a lot of the time out of the kitchen and in front of the TV over the weekend, saying “Yes, chef,” to the second season of FX’s “The Bear.” On Tuesday, FX and Hulu announced “The Bear” Season 2 had seen a 70% increase in total hours streamed in the first four days following its June 22 launch — when compared to the FX comedy’s first season stats over that same post-premiere time period. While FX and Hulu did not reveal the actual streaming figures behind that data point, the Disney-owned brands did confirm “The Bear’s” second season debut was the most-watched premiere of any FX series on Hulu.

EXCLUSIVE: Unorthodox star Shira Haas has boarded yes TV’s latest series, a psychological drama about an Arab-Israeli psychologist struggling to raise his two children after the suicide of his Jewish-Israeli wife.

While it was sad when it was initially revealed that Joel and Ethan Coen, aka the Coen Brothers, would be taking a break from making movies together to focus on solo outings, what has happened is really interesting. Not only are we getting twice the Coen goodness, with both making films of their own, but we’re seeing just how different each approaches their solo work.

OG Love Island fans were left in complete shock last night after it was announced that a famous face from season two will be entering the villa again after last appearing seven years ago. Kady McDermott, who wound up in third place alongside her former partner, Scott Thomas in 2016, has signed herself up for another stint in the sun, and will join the current Islanders for the first time during tonight’s episode.

Paramount+ crime drama Last King of the Cross, about legendary Australian underworld figure John Ibrahim, is getting a second season.

While the premiere “Andor” Season 2 remains just over a year away, it’s safe to say it’s easily the most hyped series in the “Star Wars” Disney+ upcoming lineup. Yup, more so than “Ahsoka” or “The Acolyte,” or more episodes of “The Mandalorian.” And fans already know a little about what they should expect in new episodes of “Andor.” For one, Season 2 runs twelve episodes, with a time jump in the narrative every three episodes.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief “The Twelve,” an award-winning Australian crime drama series, has been greenlighted for a second season. It is backed by the Foxtel group and its streaming brand Binge. The show follows a controversial murder trial seen through the lens of the jurors, twelve ordinary Australians who are facing their own realities and struggles. The first season received ten nominations, and won three AACTA Awards in 2022 including best miniseries. In recent days, it became the most nominated drama series at the 63rd TV Week Logie Awards. Season two of “The Twelve” will be eight 1-hour episodes written by Sarah Walker, Anchuli Felicia King, Anya Beyersdorf and Anna Barnes. Local authorities in Western Australia described it as the state’s “biggest-ever screen production,” but divulged no specifics on budget. Filming will take place in the Wheatbelt and Metropolitan regions and create over 100 local jobs, the state government said.

What happens when emotions mirror the elements? Christian Petzold’s new film “Afire” explores the associations between nature’s powerful force and humanity’s deepest emotional layers. It follows a writer who —along with his friend — is paired with two people during an increasingly destructive wildfire.