KOFICE Official 2019 Poll of Overseas Interest in Hallyu Finds Hotel Del Luna, Parasite, and Lee Min Ho Top of the List

A Koala's Playground Posted on by

The Korean department in charge of overseas management of arts and culture KOFICE released the results of its official poll of 2019 overseas interest in Hallyu entertainment. It spanned K-dramas, movies, variety, cuisine and interest went up in all categories across the board from 2018 with the biggest rise in the K-movie category no surprise thanks to the award winning … Continue reading →

Kim Jung Hyun is All Smiles After Successful Drama Comeback with Memorable Second Male Lead in Crash Landing on You

A Koala's Playground Posted on by

Its sad that for two years my image of K-actor Kim Jung Hyun was his morose and tense body language and expression at the press conference for MBC drama Time, which he had to leave midway due to an emotional breakdown. I didn’t ave a problem with his putting his mental health first often too many K-stars endure and endure … Continue reading →

jTBC Cancels Next Week Airing of Mon-Tues Romance When the Weather is Fine to Give Staff Filming Break Due to Coronavirus Fears

A Koala's Playground Posted on by

This is the smart thing to do right now at the height of a panic regardless of whether it’s a bit overblown. jTBC announced that it will not air next week’s episodes of Mon-Tues drama When the Weather is Fine (I’ll Come By When the Weather is Good) which would have been episodes 5-6 in order to take a break … Continue reading →

Jeon Ji Hyun Signs on For Kingdom and Signal Screenwriter’s Next K-drama

A Koala's Playground Posted on by

One top goddess is coming back to the small screen and in a one-two punch way. Jeon Ji Hyun will be appearing at the end of the upcoming Kingdom 2, taking on what will likely be an important role even with a short screen time. It was setting the stage for her real comeback which is in the new K-drama … Continue reading →

Ha Ji Won Picks K-movie Opposite Ryu Seung Ryong as Her Next Project by Director of Miss Baek

A Koala's Playground Posted on by

K-actress Ha Ji Won is trading her chef apron from Chocolat for a microphone in her next project. She’s going back to the big screen for the movie Rain Light (Bi Kwang) by the director Lee Ji Won who directed Han Ji Min to tons of awards for the movie Miss Baek. She’s playing a singer who used to fly … Continue reading →

Lee Sin Young, Kim So Hye, and Shin Sung Ho Star in KBS 4-episode High School Drama Friend Contract

A Koala's Playground Posted on by

KBS is restarting its Mon-Tues drama line up after taking a break post The Tale of Nokdu. Starting in early April 2020 a short 4-episode mini drama will premiere called Friend Contract starring leads who can still believably pass as high school students. Lee Sin Young, Kim So Hye, Shin Sung Ho, and maybe Min Do Hee will play high … Continue reading →

Hong Sang Soo Wins Best Director at the 2020 Berlin Film Festival for The Woman Who Ran

A Koala's Playground Posted on by

It might not seem like a big deal after director Bong Joon Ho won Best Director at the 2020 Academy Awards last month for Parasite but it really is rare for the Asian film directors to win at the International level. Director Hong Sang Soo adds another notch to the list by winning Best Director (the Silver Bear) this week … Continue reading →

Hyun Bin Leads February 2020 K-star Brand Rankings Followed by Park Seo Joon and Kim Da Mi

A Koala's Playground Posted on by

The leads of Crash Landing on You and Itaewon Class dominated the February 2020 actor/actress brand rankings in South Korea. But the three youngsters of Itaewon played spoiler to keeping the OTP of crash apart on the poll position, lol. First place is the North Korean officer himself Hyun Bin, followed by all three Itaewon leads Park Seo Joon in … Continue reading →

Itaewon Class Hits 14.760% in Episode 10 and Holds Mid-airing Press Conference to Showcase Main Cast

A Koala's Playground Posted on by

I haven’t seen the mid-premiere press conference these days, years really, as drama ratings are mostly so level or low there’s no point in trotting out the leads for a meet-and-greet with the press if there is no way to gain more ratings for the second half. jTBC phenom Itaewon Class definitely breaks lots of records and molds so makes … Continue reading →

Train to Busan Sequel Peninsula Drops Two Teaser Posters with Summer 2020 Release Date

A Koala's Playground Posted on by

If this novel coronavirus Covid19 outbreak isn’t stabilized and contained in South Korea then I think the upcoming Summer 2020 movie season will be drastically re-scheduled. I can’t imagine people wanting to sit in a confined closed space like a movie theater even if life outside has returned to relative normalcy. With that said, outbreak is the name of the … Continue reading →

Lee Min Ho and Kim Go Eun’s Drama The King: Eternal Sovereign Confirms April 2020 Premiere on SBS

A Koala's Playground Posted on by

The drop of the first stylish teaser for upcoming SBS mega drama The King: Eternal Sovereign (Eternal Monarch) was swiftly followed by the news that the drama has confirmed its premiere date. It’s next month in April 2020 and will be airing on SBS, so let’s see if the combination of leads Lee Min Ho and Kim Go Eun along … Continue reading →

K-singer Chungha Self Quarantines After Two Staff Members Test Postive for Coronavirus After Returning from Italy Event

A Koala's Playground Posted on by

Everyone and every country is taking the coronavirus Covid19 outbreak seriously, thank god, but for those who subsist on Asian entertainment it’s having increasing impact on industries. China last month already halted all C-drama filming but K-dramas went on business as usual. I don’t know how long that will last because on Saturday February 29th South Korea recorded 800 new … Continue reading →

Tense Poster and Previews for MBC Next Mon-Tues Drama 365 Repeat the Year with Lee Joon Hyuk and Nam Ji Hyun

A Koala's Playground Posted on by

MBC still hasn’t found the ratings mojos that some of the other networks have managed to scrounge back and I’m not sure this next Mon-Tues drama will bring in tons more viewers even if it’s good. I’m totally watching 365: Repeat the Year because I love both leads Nam Ji Hyun and Lee Joon Hyuk, and knowing these two likely … Continue reading →