South Korea Showbiz Latest News and Updates

TWICE is one of the biggest girl groups in K-pop history.

John Hopewell Chief International Correspondent TrustNordisk has added more key territory sales for “The Quiet Ones,” a heist action drama from Denmark’s Zentropa and director Frederik Louis Hviid premiering in TIFF. Starring Gustav Giese, Amanda Collin and Reda Kateb, “The Quiet Ones” has closed Spain (Flins & Piniculas), Poland (MediaSquad), former Yugoslavia (Cinemania Group) and the Baltic states (Europos Kinas). Further deals are under negotiation.

Alex Ritman “The Ritual,” the upcoming exorcism horror in which Al Pacino and Dan Stevens play troubled priests, has sold out for most international territories by XYZ Films. From director David Midell, the film was written by Midell and Enrico Natale, and produced by Andrew Stevens, Mitchell Welch and Natale.

IVE recently premiered a new song called ‘Supernova Love’ live at their recent Japanese concert at the Tokyo Dome.Yesterday (September 4), IVE surprised fans in attendance at their Tokyo Dome concert in Japan by debuting a brand-new English-language song, ‘Supernova Love’. The dance-pop song is reportedly produced by David Guetta, and samples the 1983 instrumental single ‘Merry Christmas, Mr.

NCT rapper Taeyong, best known for being the leader of its NCT 127 sub-group, is releasing his first solo concert film, titled Taeyong: TY Track in Cinemas.Today (September 5), distributors Trafalgar Releasing and CJ 4DPlex announced details for NCT member Taeyong’s upcoming concert film, Taeyong: TY Track in Cinemas. The film will feature footage from the K-pop idol’s Olympic Hall concert in Seoul earlier this year, alongside exclusive behind-the-scenes footage, as well as a deep dive into his music and career.The movie is slated to hit theatres worldwide on October 16 and 19 worldwide.

Woosung of South Korean band The Rose has announced his upcoming 2024 ‘B4 We Die’ world tour, featuring concerts in Asia, Europe, the US and more.Today (September 5), The Rose frontman Woosung took to his social media accounts to announce his upcoming 2024 ‘B4 We Die’ world tour with the release of its the official poster. The tour will kick off this October in Asia, with shows in Bangkok and Macau.In the same month, the singer will also bring his tour to Oceania, with two performances in Australia and one in New Zealand.

Callum McLennan The quiet rhythms of life are upended in Koya Kamura’s debut, bound for the Toronto Film Festival’s prestigious Platform program. Set in the wintry seaside town of Sokcho, South Korea, the film, an adaptation of Elisa Shua Dusapin’s novel, captures the delicate unraveling of a young woman’s search for identity and the complexities of human connection. Soo-ha, portrayed by newcomer Bella Kim, leads a tranquil yet bleak existence, her days spent working at a modest guesthouse in the off-season.

Hellbound actor Yoo Ah-in has been sentenced to a year in prison for drug use, in violation of South Korea’s Narcotics Control Act, after an 11-month trial.The 38-year-old actor, best known for his lead role in season one of Netflix’s Hellbound, was charged with the illegal use of propofol, used primarily as a medical anaesthetic, under the guise of cosmetic procedures on 181 occasions between 2020 and 2022.Yoo was also found guilty of buying 1,100 sleeping pills with false prescriptions written for other names and smoking marijuana while in the US. Despite having been tried for coercing his accomplices to withdraw their testimonies, he was eventually not found guilty of the crime due to a lack of evidence.As a result, the Seoul Central District Court sentenced the actor today (September 3) to a year in prison and imposed a fine of KRW2million (approximately £1,220).

JYP Entertainment has announced its intention to pursue strong legal action against any creators of deepfake videos depicting members of TWICE and any of its artists.On August 31, the K-pop label published a statement on fan community app FANS announcing its intention to pursue legal action against creators of deepfake videos depicting TWICE members and other JYP Entertainment artists.“We are gravely concerned about the recent spread of deepfake (AI-generated) videos involving our artists,” the label said. “This is a blatant violation of the law, and we are in the process of collecting all relevant evidence to pursue the strongest legal action with a leading law firm, without leniency.”While other details remain under wraps, JYP concluded its statement by writing: “We want to make it clear that we will not stand by while our artists’ rights are violated and will take decisive action to address this matter to the fullest extent possible.”JYP Entertainment’s statement comes amid what Korea JoongAng Daily has described as a “nationwide deepfake epidemic” in South Korea, where the “online crime of creating or watching sex videos using K-pop artists’ faces in pornographic content” was recently discovered to be alarmingly prevalent.The publication also noted that South Korean police have been cracking down on these deepfake sex crimes as of August 28, following President Yoon Suk-yeol’s public order to combat the spread of deepfake videos.Per Korea JoongAng Daily, a recent report from US cybersecurity agency Security Hero identified South Korea as the number one target for deepfake pornography creators in 2023.

ENHYPEN have announced their upcoming 2024 to 2025 ‘Walk The Line’ world tour, currently featuring concerts in South Korea and Japan.Today (September 2), ENHYPEN and their label Belift Lab announced the first batch of concerts for their upcoming 2024 to 2025 world tour, titled ‘Walk The Line’. The world tour will mark the third in the band’s career, with the previously, the 2023 to 2024 ‘Fate’ tour, having only concluded last month.The seven-piece will kick off their 2024 to 2025 ‘Walk The Line’ world tour with two shows in October at the Goyang Sports Complex Main Stadium in South Korea.

Big Bang members – Taeyang, G-Dragon and Daesung – recently reunited during Taeyang’s solo concerts in Seoul over the weekend.Big Bang’s Taeyang held the kick-off shows of his ‘The Light Year’ tour over the weekend on August 31 and September 1 at the Olympic Hall in Seoul, South Korea. The concerts were the K-pop star’s first solo shows in about seven years, and also marked the first Big Bang reunion since the departure of founding member T.O.P last year.During the September 1 show, Taeyang invited them both G-Dragon and Daesung on stage to perform the 2016 Big Bang song, ‘WE LIKE 2 PARTY’.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief Concert film, “Lim Young Woong IM HERO The Stadium” was the top-grossing film at the South Korean cinema box office over the latest weekend, ahead of conventional narrative movies ‘Alien: Romulus” and “Pilot.” Data from Kobis, the tracking service operated by the Korean Film Council (Kofic) show “IM HERO” to have earned $1.89 million between Friday and Sunday and $3.47 million over its five-day opening frame. “Alien: Romulus” earned $1.66 million in its third weekend and has a 19-day cumulative of $12.5 million. However, local convention allocates chart ranking according to spectator numbers.

NCT is one of South Korea’s biggest boy bands, both in terms of member count and popularity around the globe.

Disney+ is adding so many great new titles this month!

Tourists visiting 'Britain's prettiest village' have been branded vile by fuming locals after they were confronted about blocking residents' driveways. Locals living in Bibury in the Cotswolds claim they have been threatened by visitors - and even punched and kicked by coach drivers.

A 'pulse-pounding' new Netflix series has just dropped on Netflix, with fans praising the cast's stellar performances.

Sam Smith showed off their incredible voice and equally awe-inspiring fashion sense when they took the stage at the Meo Kalorama Music Festival on Thursday night (August 29) in Lisbon, Portugal.

Ayrshire athlete Kayleigh Haggo is celebrating her first victory at the Paris Paralympics.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief Two of South Korea’s biggest male stars Hyun Bin and Jung Woo-sung will go head-to-head in “Made in Korea,” an upcoming crime series. Set in the turbulent 1970s, “Made in Korea” is a crime thriller about Kitae, a man consumed with a desire for wealth and power, and Geonyoung, a stalwart prosecutor that stands in his way. Constantly at loggerheads, the pair find themselves involved in an era-defining incident that will forever change their futures.

Sam Smith and Taeyeon are teaming up!

SM Entertainment and South Korean police have shared more information about the “sexual offense” allegations surrounding former NCT member Taeil.Yesterday (August 28), SM Entertainment announced that NCT singer Taeil would leave the boyband after learning that the singer has been “accused in a criminal case related to a sexual offense”. Taeil had first made his debut as a member of NCT in 2016 as part of permanent sub-group NCT 127.In its statement, The K-pop agency said that it “determined that Taeil can no longer continue his activities with NCT” after the company “recognised the severity of the situation”.

Elsa Keslassy International Correspondent “Night Call,” a French thriller directed by Michiel Blanchart and set amid Black Lives Matter protests in Belgium, has been sold nearly worldwide by Gaumont which releases the film today in France. Previously acquired by Magnet Releasing for North American distribution, “Night Call” follows a young locksmith who gets way more than he bargained for after responding to an emergency call that puts him in the crosshairs of a ruthless mob boss. It marks the feature debut of Blanchart whose live-action short “You’re Dead Hélène” was shortlisted for the 94th Oscars and is now being adapted into an English-language feature produced by Sam Raimi and TriStar Pictures.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief “MA – Cry of Silence,” a topical drama film from Myanmar, which will debut in the Busan festival’s New Currents main competition, has been picked up by Franco-Japanese sales firm Alpha Violet. With Myanmar’s civil war now in its third year, the film tracks Mi-Thet, a young Burmese woman employed in a garment factory in Yangon. For the past two months, wages have not been paid and a group of female workers, led by the young Nyein-Nyein, get organized to claim.

South Korean actor Kim Soohyun will star in Disney+ drama Knock-Off, scheduled for release next year.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief “Alien: Romulus” claimed a second weekend victory at the South Korean theatrical box office in another quiet session that may signal the end of the summer season. The horror-action franchise film collected $2.70 million between Friday and Sunday, according to data from Kobis, the tracking service operated by the Korean Film Council (Kofic). After 12 days on release, it has a cumulative of $9.81 million.

Golden Child will be leaving the group after seven years.In a statement today (August 27) on fan community platform Weverse, Woollim Entertainment announced that Golden Child members TAG, Jibeom and Bomin will be leaving the boyband following “in-depth discussions” with the trio.“It was unfortunately decided that as of today, our management contract with them will conclude,” the K-pop agency added, as translated by Koreaboo. “We sincerely thank TAG, Jibeom and Bomin, who have been with us for a long time and we support their future endeavours.”In its statement, Woollim Entertainment also confirmed that Golden Child will “continue their activities as seven members and will greet their fans through various solo and group activities”, despite the departure of three members.It also announced that five members of the boyband – namely Jangjun, Seungmin, Jaehyun, Donghyun and Joochan – have renewed their contracts with the K-pop agency.

ADOR, home to girl group NewJeans.According to news reports today (August 27) by South Korean media – including Korea JoongAng Daily, Yonhap News Agency and Hankook Ilbo – ADOR announced in a statement that Min Hee-jin will step down as the K-pop agency’s CEO.Min, who has been in a protracted feud with HYBE over control of ADOR in the past several months, will reportedly keep her position on the K-pop agency’s board of director. Additionally, the music executive will also continue to produce music for NewJeans.Per Yonhap, Min’s resignation was announced during an ADOR board meeting today.

KISS OF LIFE have announced their upcoming 2024 ‘Kiss Road’ world tour, featuring concerts in Asia and the US.Today (August 26), KISS OF LIFE and their agency S2 Entertainment announced the first batch of dates for the girl group’s 2024 world tour, titled ‘Kiss Road’. The tour will be the K-pop act’s first-ever world tour, following their 2023 debut.The quartet will kick-off their tour in October with a two-date show in Seoul, South Korea.

“Star Wars” series — deemed “woke” by many online fans — was recently canceled after only one season, which came as a surprise to some of the cast members.Lee Jung-Jae, who played Master Sol in the Disney+ show, reacted to the cancellation in an interview with Entertainment Weekly on Friday.“To hear the news, I was quite surprised personally as well,” said Jung-Jae, 51.Created by Leslye Headland, “The Acolyte” is set in the Republic Era and follows an investigation into a spree of murders that pits a Jedi Master (Jung-Jae) and his former Padawan (Amandla Stenberg) against forces of evil long thought to be extinct within the galaxy.Jung-Jae noted that while his character was killed in the Season 1 finale, he was hoping the show would return for Season 2.“I wouldn’t have appeared in the second season if there was one anyway,” the South Korean actor told EW. “But personally speaking, I really loved Leslye’s writing.

BTS rapper Suga has released a second formal apology following his DUI incident earlier this month, when he was booked by police for driving electric scooter while intoxicated.The K-pop idol was first booked by South Korean police earlier this month for violating the Road Traffic Act. Following his charge, BTS’ label Big Hit Music and Suga both issued official statements and apologies to fans regarding the incident.

Kanye West and Ty Dolla $ign‘s ‘Vultures 2’ listening party in South Korea is currently underway, and West made a dramatic entrance on horseback. Check it out below.West and Ty Dolla $ign took their ‘Vultures’ listening experience to Goyang Stadium today (August 23), following the release of their collaborative album, ‘Vultures 1’, on February 10, and ‘Vultures 2’ on August 4 – months after its original planned release date in March.The event was announced earlier this month in an Instagram post from Ty Dolla $ign, alongside a similar experience in Salt Lake City which took place on August 9, and another in Taiwan scheduled for Sunday (August 25).West made sure his entrance to the 41,311-capacity stadium was memorable, arriving on the back of a white horse.

Seoul Busters, starring Kim Dong-wook, Seo Hyun-woo and more. Read on to find out everything you need to know about the new series.Seoul Busters is a crime comedy-drama that follows elite violent crimes team leader Dongbang Yu-bin as he takes on a new role heading up Songwon Police Station’s violent crimes team, the lowest ranked squad in the country.

Warning: Spoilers for Netflix’s The Influencer below.Netflix has announced that it is withholding the prize money from its South Korean reality competition series The Influencer after the show’s winner leaked the results earlier this year – find out more below.The Influencer features 77 South Korean influencers across platforms like YouTube, Instagram, AfreecaTV and more, each of them with their own niche content. Through several challenges centered around “presence, impact and buzz”, the contestants competed for the title of ‘Best Influencer’ and the biggest portion of their KRW300million (USD$224000) prize pot.Now that the show has concluded, however, Netflix has confirmed that it will not be awarding the prize money to the show’s winner due to a breach in contract after the winner leaked the show’s results in May.In May, after filming for the show had wrapped, information leaked that YouTuber Oking had won the show.

ATEEZ is one of the biggest boy bands in K-pop.

18 international projects have been selected as part of the Busan Story Market, which runs during the Busan International Film Festival.

Meredith Woerner Deputy Editor, Variety.com Chappell Roan joined Olivia Rodrigo on stage for the latter’s “Guts” tour concert at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, Calif., on Tuesday night. “I think she is one of the most singular, inspiring, powerful artists I’ve ever had the pleasure of meeting, and I’m so excited because she’s gonna sing one of my favorite songs of all time,” Rodrigo told the crowd before welcoming Roan. After walking across the stage and giving Rodrigo a hug, Roan said at the “Guts” L.A.