On the even of the Seoul Drama Awards, another Korean awards show has released its nominees list for 2015 dramas and the result is a decidedly mixed bag. While I agree with the nominations for Heard it Through the Grapevine and the male leads, the inclusion of Yongpal in various categories boggles the mind since it’s only halfway through airing … Continue reading →
It was interesting to get a glimpse at the drama salaries of the top Korean actresses, and now it’s time to see how their male counterparts are faring. There is total gender income at the very top as Lee Young Ae and Jeon Ji Hyun both earn 100 million won per drama episode, and the same is true for top … Continue reading →
It’s the ladies turn to voice their preferences and this top-10 list has quite a few overlaps with the recently released male audience picks. There is a wee distinction, which was likely used in asking the question, as the men were asked which male actor they found the coolest/manliest, while the women were asked which male actor they found the … Continue reading →
I’m always entertained by lists and polls, offering a snapshot of the general reaction to the topic at hand without needing to take it seriously. The latest list is interesting in how many selections elicited approving nods from me. tvN did a poll of Korean males to ask who their favorite manly actor was and the top three is basically … Continue reading →
The K-media recently wrote an article crowning the four young kings of K-dramas, the ones who still bring in domestic ratings, buzz, and/or overseas appeal even in this age of low television ratings. On the list are Joo Won, Kim Soo Hyun, Lee Min Ho, and Lee Jong Seok, which will make their fans happy I’m sure, as well as … Continue reading →
With K-drama ratings so woefully low these past two years, and probably starting the general downward spiral even earlier than that, it’s still worth taking a look at which actors and actresses are the current crop of ratings leaders. One can argue overseas popularity and dramas viewing numbers, but the K-advertisers still look to domestic set top ratings and for … Continue reading →
This is as left field a K-ent dating rumor as it gets, but whether fans ever envisioned two stars getting together before doesn’t make a dating possibility any more or less likely. As past dating reveals have shown, the heart wants what the heart wants regardless of fan shipping. The K-netizen boards have been lighting up in the last few … Continue reading →
It must be a big sigh of relief at KBS studios this morning after highly anticipated variety drama Producer finally premiered Friday night. Good or bad, high or low ratings, at least it’s out there now and the cast and crew did everything possible to create something to showcase for audiences. I liked but didn’t love the first episode, enjoying … Continue reading →
I can’t believe KBS drama Producer is premiering next Friday already. I’ve liked (though not quite love) all the promos so far for the drama, introducing all four leads equally in a peppy way. Starring Cha Tae Hyun, Gong Hyo Jin, Kim Soo Hyun, and IU, the arrival of Producer turns the Friday night time slot into a real slug … Continue reading →
It’s been five months now since China’s SARFT crackdown on the simultaneously airing of overseas dramas on Chinese video portals, placing the same onerous restrictions as overseas shows aired on television. It’s overstating the impact this has had on K-dramas since China was far and away the largest market, with the advent of officially licensed live-streamed K-dramas starting in 2013 getting kiboshed by … Continue reading →
It’s Kim Soo Hyun‘s turn to take a solo bow for upcoming KBS drama Producer, after the production released solo stills of Cha Tae Hyun and Gong Hyo Jin last week. So far everyone looks good, and by good I mean looking perfectly suited for their character. Kim Soo Hyun actually looks younger than his age for once, he’s 27 … Continue reading →
I feel like domestic audiences are looking forward to upcoming KBS Fri-Sat night new drama Producer more than overseas fans. Or maybe it just seems that way because the K-media is so curious about a variety of factors surrounding Producer – a short 12-episode drama, being produced by the variety show department of KBS, comeback of Kim Soo Hyun, huge … Continue reading →
Stickiness has long been used as yet another barometer to assess a drama, performance, or character. Some successes vanish soon after while other less immediate wins steadily remain for much longer. It’s hard to say which one is preferable, ultimately even the most sticky works fade from memory as the fickle audience mind continues to look to the latest and … Continue reading →
