Jang Ki-yong, Chae Soo-bin and Krystal Jung have teamed up for a new romance film Sweet & Sour, which is set for global release on June 4th. The film follows a realistic story of relationships, as the three young people experience sweet and sour moments in their lives.
In this film, Jang Ki-yong plays the role of a realistic boyfriend Jang-hyuk, who gradually transforms from a sweet guy in the beginning of a relationship, to an unresponsive one.
Jang-hyuk’s lovely girlfriend Da-eun is played by Chae Soo-bin, who established herself as a major next-gen rom-com star through all her previous drama roles. Many young viewers will relate to her character Da-eun, who is frustrated with both her job as a nurse and her love life.
Bo-yeong, the woman whom Jang-hyuk meets through his job assignment with his big name corporate employer, is played by Krystal Jung. Demonstrating a different kind of charm than her usual chic image, Krystal shapes Bo-yeong into an interesting character in a love-hate relationship with Jang-hyuk while they collaborate and compete for the same permanent position at the corporation.
Filming for Sweet & Sour was completed in December 2019 and the film will be released worldwide on Netflix on June 4th.
One of Korea’s most popular webtoons of all time, Sweet Home has been adapted into a 10-episode VFX/SFX filled thriller based on the unique world in which people turn into monsters that reflect their internal desires.
Now available on Netflix, the cast members of Sweet Home recently got together virtually for a global press conference, where they answered some intriguing questions about the series.
In this series, Song Kang plays the lead character Cha Hyun-su, who is a social recluse seeking to end his life after losing his entire family due to a tragic accident.
Personally a huge fan of the mega hit webtoon, the actor expressed that a lot of thoughts were put into portraying the character.
“I came to a conclusion that when expressing Hyun-su, I should live through the most introverted side of me, the darkest inner self that I have within me. I hope viewers will look forward to these elements in this series.”
Another main character in this series is Pyeon Sang-wook, a mysterious man who punishes evil in his own way, whom everyone misunderstands for a gangster. While preparing for this role, Lee Jin Wook revealed that he had to undergo a complete transformation in appearance in order to show an unexpected, different side of him.
When asked to describe the most difficult scene to film, Lee Jin Wook picked the scene where several characters had to collectively work together to fight the monsters.
“Everyone has different action scenes and (filming) sequence so that was kind of tricky to shoot. It wasn’t particularly difficult, but it was physically exhausting.”
On the topic of action scenes, actress Lee Si-young probably stole the limelight of the series with her super fit physique (with defined muscles on her back!). Playing the character Seo Yi-kyung, a former firefighter, she owes her gym-honed physique to hours of gruelling work-outs, weight trainings and martial arts trainings.
Although the actors weren’t able to see the real monsters in real life, Lee Si-young mentioned that it was interesting and fun to act while imagining them. She added, “The director gave us great directions and insights to how the special effects would come to live, so it inspired me and helped us to imagine better.”
On the other hand, rising actor Lee Do-hyun has also been praised by his fellow actors and the director for his acting skills in Sweet Home. This was his first time acting while wearing glasses, as he plays Lee Eun-hyuk, a medical student who is the brain and the leader among Green Home’s survivors.
To prepare for this role, Lee Do-hyun tried reserving his emotions in his day-to-day life.
“I had to be someone who is cold, lacking of emotions. At first, I tried to express some emotions in the shooting scenes, but after hearing some feedback from the director about the character Eun-hyuk, I withdrew my emotions and tried to express them through my eyes instead.”
Describing this apocalyptic horror series as one that viewers can take away some life lessons, the actor hopes everyone can take a moment to think about the desires of human beings and look at the people around them with a fresh perspective.
Wrapping up, Director Lee Eung-bok poses a question – “What are monsters?”
“Hyun-su said some monsters don’t harm human beings. I don’t think desires are all bad. Something that looks like a monster is not always all that, so I tried putting those questions and thoughts into the story. I hope to deliver this message to the viewers through the series.”
Watch the making film of Sweet Home below to check out how the monsters are created! Sweet Home is now available to stream exclusively on Netflix.
Special thanks to Netflix for the invitation to the virtual press conference of Sweet Home.
Sweet Home, the new thriller Korean original series by star K-drama director Lee Eung-bok (Mr. Sunshine, Goblin: The Lonely and Great God, Descendants of the Sun) will launch globally on Netflix on December 18.
Adapted from a popular webtoon of the same name, Sweet Home is a 10-episode VFX/SFX filled thriller based on the unique world in which people turn into monsters that reflect their internal desires.
Cha Hyeon-su (played by Song Kang), a reclusive high school student who moves into a new apartment called Green Home after a personal tragedy, faces a series of life changing situations that brings him out to the world to save others.
The series presents a strong ensemble cast that includes Song Kang, Lee Jin-wook, Lee Si-young, Lee Do-hyun, Kim Nam-hee, Go Min-si, Park Kyu-young, and Go Youn-jung.
Check out the teaser trailer for a first look at how Green Home, the main environment of Sweet Home will welcome viewers to the series!
Netflix has confirmed the production of Kingdom: Ashin of the North, a continuation of the story that captivated the world and introduced a mysterious new character.
Kingdom: Ashin of the North is a sidequel from Kingdom season two and a backstory about the mysterious character Lee Chang’s group encountered on their journey north to discover the origins of the infected. The surprising appearance of Jun Ji-hyun in the role of Ashin at the end of Kingdom season two intrigued audiences.
In this eagerly anticipated bonus story, Jun Ji-hyun as Ashin will unveil the mystery behind her identity. Park Byung-eun, who made a lasting impression in Kingdom season two as the head of the Royal Commandery Min Chi-rok, is also confirmed to star. The new story will detail what had happened to Ashin in the past in the northern region and how the two characters’ fates intertwined.
Kim Seong-hun, who directed Kingdom season one and oversaw the production for season two, will team up again with Kim Eun-hee, who scripted the first two seasons, to unravel the origins of the resurrection plant and the secrets behind the infected.
Expected to expand the web of intrigue presented in the Kingdom series, while adding more fuel to the K-zombie craze, Kingdom: Ashin of the North will be released worldwide only on Netflix in 2021.
Park Shin Hye will be returning with her second film of the year, The Call, which is set for premiere on Netflix on November 27, 2020.
The Call is a mystery thriller film about a woman in the present who happens to answer a phone call from a woman living in the past — 20 years ago — and the two quickly become friends. That is, until a future that should never have been revealed is exposed (and a past that should never have been reversed) and their friendship heads towards a catastrophic ending.
The film stars Park Shin-hye and Jeon Jong-seo, and is directed by Lee Chung-hyun. Watch the intense trailer:
BLACKPINK will be releasing their documentary film ‘BLACKPINK: LIGHT UP THE SKY‘ exclusively on Netflix today, October 14.
This documentary marks the first ever Netflix original documentary for a K-pop group, and it will feature never-before-seen footages and unfiltered sides of BLACKPINK—from their trainee days to the global success that they are enjoying now.
To celebrate the premiere, Netflix will be releasing BLACKPINK-themed icons on their application, where fans can select their favourite member’s icon as their profile picture.
Read on to check out BLACKPINK’s interview at LIGHT UP THE SKY press conference held on October 13!
Q: What made you agree to film this documentary?
Jennie: We always think about ways to get closer with our fans and the public. There was no reason to hesitate and all of us are looking forward to the release of the documentary.
Q: For the first time in K-pop history, Netflix chose BLACKPINK for their original documentary. How does that feel?
Jisoo: It was such an honour for us. We have come a long way and we will continue to work hard and show more of us to our fans.
Q: Music knows no borders or language barriers. You girls spoke in English, Korean and Thai in the documentary. There were some shared tears as well.
Rosé: During the interview, we were able to open up and share our genuine thoughts. We just spoke in the languages that we are most comfortable in, and that itself symbolises a part of BLACKPINK. It’s embarrassing when we get true and honest to ourselves, but I hope fans will like that as part of us.
Q: This was the first time you were filmed so up-close and personal.
Lisa: At first, it was a little awkward because there were so many cameras around us and I wasn’t used to showing so much of my daily life. We got more comfortable later on and gradually forgot about the cameras and filming crew infront of us—we even played pranks!
Q: Did the bond between the members become stronger after the shoot?
Jennie: We’ve worked together since we were teens. Now that we are in our 20s, we were able to look back on our growth and share the emotions together. Even when we are working, we are very comfortable with one another and we could share things together. That made our bond stronger.
Q: In the documentary, you were able to speak about things you weren’t able to say in the past. Your Producer Teddy was also featured.
Jisoo: Teddy knows us better than we do. He guides us well, listens to what we have to say and reflects that in our music. He’s the 5th member of BLACKPINK and is essential to the group.
Q: There are some parts in the film that delve into insecurities and self-doubts.
Jisoo: We started out on this project to show the genuine side of ourselves. While having heart to heart conversations, we were able to know each other even deeper and realised just how much we mean to each other. We wanted to share more of us with BLINKS.
Q: What is the motivation that has driven all of you to come to where you are today? If you could go back to your trainee days, what would you say to your past self?
Jennie: All four of us have a very clear purpose that we wanted to achieve as members of BLACKPINK. With every moment we went through together to achieve that, we made sure none of us become tired in this journey because we are all in it together. We have different styles and strengths but we learn how to communicate and bring that to harmony to achieve our goals.
As for our trainee days… I would tell myself to enjoy the moment if I were to go back. In those days we had our monthly gradings and those moments were precious. We got so close to one another because of the times we went through together in the past. I’d say to us, “Do well and you will become BLACKPINK”.
Q: How did the documentary title ‘LIGHT UP THE SKY’ come about?
Rosé: We have a song called ‘How You Like That’ and part of its lyrics contains this line ‘light up the sky’. We thought it was very fitting and perfect. When four of us are together, our skies light up the brightest.
Jisoo: Every time when we come up with something new, all four of us tend to agree a lot with each other.
Q: Are there any successes that you are proudest of?
Rosé: Every time we make a comeback with new music and MV, we really put in all that we’ve got. When we see the results, we feel really proud and fulfilled.
Q: What was most memorable shooting the documentary?
Rosé: There was a scene where we were looking at our old footages together. That was really fun as we were talking about some old episodes and teasing each other a lot. When I look at my old footages, I have an urge to burn most of it away as it was so embarrassing, but we were having so much fun teasing each other.
Jennie: There were a lot of interviews in the film. Before the interviews, I was initially very nervous but when we started talking, I find myself talking and sharing a lot about myself comfortably.
Jisoo: I haven’t watch the documentary yet, but I am really curious about what Teddy has to say about us.
Lisa: When we were watching old footages together, I felt that Rosé’s childhood was most impressive. I hope BLINKS can have a look at that, you’ll love it especially Rosé’s video.
“In a way they seem like sisters, they are a family basically. I hope the film humanizes them.” — Director Caroline Suh
The documentary will focus on how each member of BLACKPINK has evolved over the years and we cannot wait to see what’s in store.
BLACKPINK: LIGHT UP THE SKY premieres on Netflix on October 14, 2020. Catch the official trailer here:
Special thanks to Netflix for the invitation to the virtual press conference of BLACKPINK: LIGHT UP THE SKY.
Netflix has confirmed the casting for its new action noir series Undercover (working title). The outstanding team of actors includes Han So-hee, Park Hee-soon, Ahn Bo-hyun, Kim Sang-ho, Lee Hak-ju and Jang Yull.
Undercover tells the story of Ji-u (Han So-hee), who joins a drug cartel and becomes a mole in the police force to seek the truth behind her father’s death. She encounters harsh truths in the course of carrying out her revenge.
Han So-hee, best known for her recent performance in the hit series The World of the Married, takes on the powerful role of Yun Ji-u, who enters a criminal organization to avenge her father who died under suspicious circumstances. She becomes the organization’s undercover agent in the police force and begins delving into the secret behind her father’s death.
Park Hee-soon portrays Choi Mu-jin, who is the kingpin of Dongcheon, the country’s top drug cartel. He is an indecipherable character who takes Yun Ji-u under his wings and turns her into an undercover agent.
Ahn Bo-hyun, who made an impression as the not-so-hateable villain in Itaewon Class, will play police detective Jeon Pil-do of the narcotics unit, who is Ji-u’s competent, gutsy and scrupulous partner in investigation.
Kim Sang-ho will play Cha Gi-ho, the chief of the narcotics unit. He becomes obsessed with bringing down the Dongcheon cartel before his retirement, mightily clashing with Choi Mu-jin in the process.
Lee Hak-ju, who sent shivers down the viewers’ spine in The World of the Married, will play Choi Mu-jin’s underling Jung Tae-ju, whose unconditional loyalty and obedience earns him the rare trust of his boss.
Jang Yull will portray Do Gang-jae, a cartel member ousted for causing trouble. He later wields his vengeful knife against Yun Ji-u, adding another layer of conflict to the story.
With its promising thrilling action and explosive characters, Undercover will be released worldwide, only on Netflix.
Following its theatrical run in Korea box offices, South Korean zombie film Alive will be premiering worldwide on Netflix this September 8, 2020.
Starring Yoo Ah-in and Park Shin-hye, Alive tells the story of a mysterious virus outbreak that suddenly spreads throughout modern day Seoul and rapidly grows out of control. People struggle to stay alive when the unknown infection causes victims to eat each other, turning them into zombies.
Oh Jun-u, played by Yoo Ah-in, and Kim Yu-bin, played by Park Shin-hye, struggle to survive in an apartment complex from those infected with the virus. They are trapped alone inside their apartments without access to cellular data, Wi-Fi, text, or phone calls. Their only source of information about the outside world is the news on TV and what they can see from outside their apartment windows.
While they are neighbors, Jun-u and Yu-bin have opposite personalities. Jun-u is a typical middle-class boy who enjoys computer games and social networking. He utilizes technology to survive. Meanwhile, Yu-bin incorporates more traditional items like camping tools and telescopes to survive. With their different specialities, the pair work together to stay alive.
Watch more from the official trailer below and stay tuned to its worldwide premiere on Netflix this September 8!
Tune in for Love is a melodrama film starring Kim Go-eun and Jung Hae-in.
Set for global release on Netflix on 5 November 2019, the film relays a young couple’s love story, in which fate keeps pulling them together and pushing them apart again as they try to figure out life on their own, and with each other.
The film starts off in the year of 1994. Mi-su (played by Kim Go-eun) works at a bakery, inherited from her mother.
Hyeon-u (played by Jung Hae-in) ends up working at the shop, and they slowly start to grow feelings for each other. Throughout the next decade, Mi-su and Hyeon-u continue to cross paths, but timing is not always in their favor.
The music-filled melodrama, with songs flowing through the years, triggers nostalgia and emotion. The film depicts fresh college graduates who are faced with an economic recession due to the Asian financial crisis of 1997. It also attempts to capture two sincere young adults who try to do their best to make it through those uncertain times.
Byun Yo-han, Lee Byung-hun, Kim Tae-ri, Kim Min-jung, Yoo Yeon-seok at the Seoul press conference for Netflix Original series Mr. Sunshine on June 26, 2018. (Photo Credit: Jinyoung Kim for Netflix)
As one of the most popular and talked about K-dramas of today, Mr. Sunshine, created by the writer and director of Descendants of the Sun and Goblin (Guardian: The Lonely and Great God), is grabbing the attention of audience through a beautiful yet sad story of the Choseon era in Korea while highlighting the romance between the characters in the period of change and confusion. New episodes of Mr. Sunshine are available every Saturday and Sunday on the same day of broadcast, only on Netflix.
The story of the series focuses on Shinmiyangyo, or the U.S. expedition to Korea in the late 19th century, where a boy born into a family of slaves runs away to board an American warship after witnessing his parents forced to death. He returns 30 years later as a U.S. marine officer to his home country that had abandoned him but now in need of his help.
Lee Byung-hun and Kim Tae-ri in Mr. Sunshine. (Photo Courtesy of Hwa&Dam/Netflix)
Along with the dazzling cinematography by the all-star creators of Kim Eun-sook and Lee Eung-bok, Mr. Sunshine has also been praised by the strong cast it features. The five main cast of the series all have a unique yet connected story of their own and are intertwined in love and hatred, appealing to the wider audience.
Lee Byung-hun as Eugene Choi in Mr. Sunshine (Photo Courtesy of Hwa&Dam/Netflix)
Lee Byung-hun, known as Storm Shadow in the G.I. Joe series and Han Cho Bai in Red2, plays the role of U.S. Marine officer Captain Eugene Choi, who was originally born into the family of slaves and had no choice but to run away after witnessing his parents forced to death in front of him.
Eugene comes back as a U.S. Marine officer filled with hatred towards his mother country, but ironically falls in love with Ae-sin, daughter of an aristocrat and a member of the resistance. While Eugene had no intention to protect the troubled Choseon, he feels his love for Ae-sin becoming bigger than his hatred towards Choseon.
Kim Tae-ri as Go Ae-sin in Mr. Sunshine (Photo Courtesy of Hwa&Dam/Netflix)
Kim Tae-ri, who came into the spotlight as Sook-hee in The Handmaiden, plays Go Ae-sin, the noble aristocrat’s daughter and a member of the resistance whose love for the country overweighs anything else. Ae-sin falls in love with Eugene as she is fascinated at the Korean looking American by his confidence and how Eugene can take action on what he feels is right.
Ae-sin lives a double life, both as a calm aristocrat’s daughter during the day and a resistance member at night, pulling the trigger for what she feels in right.
Yoo Yeon-seok as Gu Dong-mae in Mr. Sunshine (Photo Courtesy of Hwa&Dam/Netflix)
Yoo Yeon-seok, who made an impactful debut in Oldboy and took on popular roles including Chilbong in Reply 1994, is the fearful Gu Dong-mae, the leader of Musin Society, which is a Japanese samurai group.
Dong-mae was born into a butcher’s family which was sometimes considered lower than slaves and harassed by everyone in his childhood. Ae-sin saves Dong-mae’s life as Dong-mae was being hunted down, and he later runs away to Japan to later return to Choseon as the leader of a samurai group that will do anything for money.
Kim Min-jung as Hina Kudo in Mr. Sunshine (Photo Courtesy of Hwa&Dam/Netflix)
Kim Min-jung, who has been in numerous titles debuting when she was a young child, plays Kudo Hina, the owner of Hotel Glory that becomes an important location for all characters in the series.
Hina is a woman who stays strong against any threat and befriends Dong-mae for protection, while at the same time developing a feeling of love towards Eugene Choi. She is the daughter of Lee Wan-ik, a pro-Japanese who sold her over to an old Japanese man for marriage, and she shows her hatred towards her father continuously.
Byun Yo-han as Kim Hui-seong in Mr. Sunshine (Photo Courtesy of Hwa&Dam/Netflix)
Byun Yo-han, popular for his role in Misaeng: Incomplete Life, plays Kim Hui-seong, who is Ae-sin’s fiancé and at the same time the grandson of the aristocrat that is responsible for the death of Eugene’s parents. While originally taking no interest in the life in Choseon, he immediately falls in love with his fiancé, who was pre-arranged by his parents, and fights hard to show and protect his love towards Ae-sin.
Have you been catching up the series of Mr. Sunshine? New episodes of the hit drama will be aired every Saturday and Sunday on the same day of broadcast, only on Netflix.
Upcoming K-drama Mr. Sunshine will premiere exclusively on Netflix starting July 7, with episodes streaming on the same day of its Korean broadcast in the U.S. and Asian territories excluding Korea. The series will also premiere in Japan on July 8 and the rest of the world on July 19.
Anticipations have been rising for Mr. Sunshine, a drama that is written by Kim Eun-sook (known for her works “Goblin”, “Descendants of the Sun”, “The Heirs”, “Secret Garden”, and many more) and directed by Lee Eung-bok (known to have directed “Goblin”, “Descendants of the Sun”, “School 2013”, “Dream High 2”, “Dream High”, and many more). The drama will also mark the continuing partnership between writer Kim and director Lee.
Based in Shinmiyangyo, or the US expedition to Korea in the late 19th century, Mr. Sunshine tells the story of a Korean boy born into a family of a house servant running away to board an American warship, later to return to his homeland as a US marine officer. He ironically falls in love with an aristocrat’s daughter and discovers the dark scheme to colonize the country that he once ran away from.
(Source: Netflix)
Veteran actor Lee Byung-hun will take on the role of the US marine officer Eugene Choi, while Kim Tae-ri who came into the spotlight with The Handmaiden, will play the aristocrat’s daughter, Go Ae-sin. Yoo Yeon-seok, Kim Min-jung, and Byun Yo-han also join the cast playing key roles within the story.
Be sure not to miss the premiere of Mr. Sunshine on Netflix this July 7 for Singapore Netflix subscribers!
The first ever Netflix Original Korean variety show Busted! I Know Who You Are has finally confirmed its broadcast date to be on May 4, where 2 episodes will be released every week for a total of 10 episodes this season.
Available exclusively to Netflix members globally, Busted! is a whole new Korean variety program where 7 main cast members position themselves as bumbling detectives set out to solve a fun-filled mystery in each episode. The show is said to be unscripted and will feature special guest star appearances in each episode to help complete the story.
Cast members include all-rounder variety stars such as Yoo Jae-suk, Lee Kwang-soo, Kim Jong-min, popular K-pop stars Sehun (from EXO) and Sejeong (from gugudan), actor Ahn Jae-wook and actress Park Min-young. Notably, this will be Ahn Jae-wook and Park Min-young’s debut in the K-variety scene, doubling up viewers’ excitement and anticipation.
As Netflix has teamed up with producers Jang Hyuk-jae, Cho Hyo-jin, and Kim Ju-hyung of Company SangSang, all of whom are known for the production success behind popular variety shows such as Running Man, Family Outing and X-Man in Korea, many are looking forward to the premiere of Busted! to see what this new program has got to offer.
[UPDATE Apr 25, 2018] Check out the official main trailer newly released for the show!
Busted! will be available exclusively on Netflix globally in over 190 countries on May 4, 2018.
