Author Archives: ockoala

Lee Jun Ki and Seo Hyun Jin Lead the 2016 K-stars in Baby Cuteness Pictorial for Adoption Campaign

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Pairing popularity celebrities with philanthropic or social causes is always a smart move, but a triple applause for combining that combo with adorable babies. Cosmopolitan Korea released a new black-and-white but oh so adorable pictorial of Korean stars cradling chubby babies in support of Letters From Angels, a Korean adoption campaign. Previous years have seen the same holidays season pictorials … Continue reading →

Goblin’s Premiere Episode Notches 6.3% Ratings on Cable and Breaks Time Slot Record Set by Answer Me 1988

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The first volley out of the gate is a resounding hit that has the legs to be a home run. The first episode of cable network tvN‘s Fri-Sat new drama Goblin garnered a 6.322% AGB nationwide ratings, breaking the record set on that network time slot by Answer Me 1988 with 6.14% AM1988 went on to become a national drama … Continue reading →

Long Preview for Miss in Kiss Hits All the Familiar Cadences of It Started with a Kiss

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This actually doesn’t look bad, this new 2016 adaptation of Japanese manga Itazura na Kiss (It Started with a Kiss), but then again I have zilch expectations going in so that’s not a high bar to cross. Following on the heels of the success Taiwanese version It Started with a Kiss, and the recent success Japanese second version Itazura na … Continue reading →

Lee Je Hoon Brings the Beer and Christmas Mood in December Pictorial for L’Officiel Hommes

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I’m not a Lee Je Hoon fan but am loving this December holiday themed pictorial he did for L’Officiel Hommes Korea. When magazines fly stars overseas for location shoots but don’t fully take advantage of the shoot, I want to tell them to just do it in a studio but be visually creative and it’ll be more intriguing and save … Continue reading →

Legend of the Blue Sea Hits Ratings High of 18.9% for Episode 6

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Slow and steady is the trajectory of SBS Wed-Thurs drama Legend of the Blue Sea, with both ratings and narrative pacing. Today’s episode 6 hit 18.9% AGB nationwide, a nice bump up from episode 5, and especially notable considering the competition remains mired in the low single digits of 5.5% for My Love Geum Bi and 4.6% for Weightlifting Fairy … Continue reading →

Second Preview for Hwarang Plays Up Shilla Era Warrior Training Hijinks

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It’s December which means KBS is mere weeks away from premiering its flower boy sageuk Hwarang in the Mon-Tues time slot. The network hit a homerun this year already with youth romance sageuk Moonlight Drawn by Clouds but this one is different from tone to narrative conceit. Hwarang’s just released second preview makes it seem like a Shilla era army … Continue reading →

The Dinner of Immortals Gong Yoo and Lee Dong Wook Sets the Stage in Latest Goblin Drama Stills

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I would love to be a fly on the wall during the upcoming dinner between an immortal goblin and a grim reaper, and luckily I just have to be a viewer and tune into this Friday’s premiere of highly anticipated tvN fantasy drama Goblin. I think all the promos and previews are done and all that is left is the … Continue reading →

Lee Min Ho and Jeon Ji Hyun Shine in New Joseon Era Stills for Episode 5 of Legend of the Blue Sea

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As far as I recollect Jeon Ji Hyun‘s top actress success has come without having done a sageuk role in either television or movies. She plays edgy spunky in iconic roles that some only see her ability in that temperament but I like her more when she’s understated and quietly broody. Her mermaid Shim Chung in Legend of the Blue … Continue reading →

Lee Jun Ki’s 2017 Asia Fan Meeting Sells Out in Record Time After Success of K-Bu Bu Jing Xin

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I feel like the final waves of k-Bu Bu Jing Xin aftershocks have finally subsided, the highs and lows of watching Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart: Ryeo definitely is not for the faint of heart. I’m glad I watched it, the original is beloved to me and the shining star is (re)born performance of male lead Lee Jun Ki validates the … Continue reading →

Filming Starts on jTBC Drama Man to Man with Park Hae Jin, Park Sung Woong, and Kim Min Jung

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Filming is underway for the upcoming early 2017 jTBC drama Man to Man, and I like the entire cast but love the screenwriter even more. The drama is written by Kim Won Suk who was the second writer on Descendants of the Sun, basically doing all the non qiuippy stuff that Kim Eun Sook excels at. Their tag team works … Continue reading →

Surprisingly Successful SBS Mon-Tues Drama Romantic Teacher Doctor Kim Hits 21.7% Ratings for Episode 8

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Get ready for more doctor dramas in the near future if that’s the reason for the winning success of Romantic Teacher Doctor Kim, on top of the winning success of Doctors. SBS has now aired two hit Mon-Tues medical dramas, first Doctors in the summer and now Romantic Teacher, and in between was the epic disappointment and much more hyped … Continue reading →

Gong Yoo and Lee Dong Wook Partner Up in Immortal Hotness in More Goblin Drama Stills

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Goblin held it’s press conference last week earlier than usual so it’s been an additional week wait for the drama to arrive this Friday December 2nd. Only thing will tell if screenwriter Kim Eun Sook will hit her usual ratings gold moving over to cable network tvN, and whether she has once again crafted characters and narrative that will get … Continue reading →

Lee Jong Seok Brings Shades of Pinocchio Dal Po Fashion for Cosmpolitan Korea

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The remaining two high profile K-dramas of 2016 are here or right around the corner, Legend of the Blue Sea appears a prime time hit straight out of the gate and Goblin rides vaunted expectations on a cable platform. Lee Jong Seok raced to the forefront of the 2017 drama line with news that he was doing screenwriter Park Hye … Continue reading →