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While the revenge slasher didn’t begin with I Know What You Did Last Summer, it did renew interest in the concept. And not just in Hollywood; film industries abroad also wanted to cash in on this get-in-get-out kind of horror format back then. Scream, as innovative and revitalizing as it is, wasn’t the easiest movie to echo or translate overseas, but Jim Gillespie and Kevin Williamson’s 1997 collaboration was prime for copycats. Anyone who’s seen enough of these familiarly plotted outings knows the ratio of copying isn’t quite 1:1, but there’s no mistaking the source of inspiration.

One of the earlier, and perhaps more recognized, I Know What You Did Last Summer “ripoffs” is from a region that wasn’t exactly known for its slashers. At least not yet. Prior to South Korea’s cinematic renaissance, which began in the late 1990s, the government put...

Dear Hongrang is a 2025 South Korean television series that blends melodrama and mystery within a historical setting. Set during the Joseon dynasty, the story revolves around the reappearance of a man claiming to be Hong-rang, the long-lost son of a wealthy merchant family. As his return stirs emotional and political turmoil, particularly for his half-sister Jae-yi, the series delves into themes of identity, family secrets, and forbidden love. Available on Netflix, Dear Hongrang offers a narrative that intertwines personal drama with broader societal issues.

About the Show:

Dear Hongrang is a South Korean mystery melodrama (sageuk) television series written by Kim Jin-ah and directed by Kim Hong-sun. Based on the novel Tangeum: Swallowing Gold by Jang Da-hye, the series stars Lee Jae-wook and Jo Bo-ah. It premiered on Netflix on May 16, 2025, and consists of 11 episodes. The narrative follows Jae-yi as she investigates the truth behind her half-brother Hong-rang’s disappearance...

Netflix’s foray into the Joseon era with “Dear Hongrang” (or “Tangeum”) presents a familiar setup: a child heir vanishes, plunging a noble family into chaos, only for a mysterious figure to resurface twelve years later claiming the lost identity. Adapted from Jang Da-hye’s novel “Tangeum: Geumeul Samkida,” the series promises a concoction of historical intrigue, familial drama, and simmering romance.

Yet, beneath the silk robes and traditional architecture, “Dear Hongrang” gestures towards contemporary anxieties about truth, identity, and the enduring weight of the past, all packaged for a global streaming audience increasingly hungry for complex Korean narratives. It’s a world where loss is a lingering phantom and a stranger’s arrival could mend old wounds or tear them catastrophically wider.

Heir Apparent or Artful Dodger? The Initial Deception

The disappearance of young Hongrang rips through the Sim family with predictable devastation. His mother, Min Yeon-ui, descends into a well of sorrow,...

As Netflix subscribers know, there is always space for new K-dramas in the streamer's catalog. The next one on the list is Dear Hongrang, a new romance and drama series that stars Alchemy of Souls' heartthrob Lee Jae-wook. The period piece is based on a web novel, and the streaming giant announced that it's set to debut later this week, on May 16. A new trailer was unveiled to confirm it, and you can check it out below.

The trailer for Dear Hongrang suggests that the K-drama will be equal parts romance and mystery, with some action thrown here and there to make it more exciting. The story takes place during the Joseon Dynasty — between the late 14th and early 19th centuries in Korea — and centers around a merchant family that was torn apart by the disappearance of a young child. The boy returns twelve years later, and that's when the story gets more complicated.

Park Hyung-Sik, Brand Reputation Rankings, April 2025 ( Photo Credit – Instagram )

Every actor puts their hard work and dedication into portraying the intricate details of the characters they are playing in a drama or a movie. The competition is too high and complicated in present times, as with each passing day, the popularity of Korean entertainment is growing. Now, April’s brand reputation rankings for actors have been released, and here’s who ranked in what position.

This year’s list featured names like Park Hyung-Sik, Lee Byung-Hun, Gong Yoo, and more. Scroll ahead to find out.

The Korean Business Research Institute (Via Soompi) revealed the actor brand reputation ranking based on a data analysis of the media coverage, participation, interaction, and community indexes of 100 actors who appeared in dramas, movies, or Ott content released between March 22 and April 22. The top 30 names have been listed for this year’s month of April.

Dear Hongrang Poster Reveal(Photo Credit –Netflix)

Dear Hongrang is a mystery romance drama based on one of the most popular novels of the same name by the author Jang Da-Hye. Lee Jae-Wook and Jo Bo-Ah are going to feature as the lead actors in the drama. As the anticipation revolving around the series has been growing, the first poster, teaser, and release date have been dropped to keep up the excitement among the fans.

The drama promises to give the audience a thrilling experience with a mix of romance, thriller, and mystery set in a historical background. The series is going to air on Netflix, and that pushes it to expand on a global level. Scroll ahead to get to the details of the drama.

The much-anticipated K-drama of 2025, Dear Hongrang, featuring Lee Jae-Wook and Jo Bo-Ah, is going to air on Netflix on May 16, 2025. For those who don’t know about the plot,...

When Life Gives You Tangerines (Korean: 폭싹 속았수다) is a heartwarming South Korean drama that blends romance and slice-of-life storytelling. Written by Im Sang-choon and directed by Kim Won-seok, the series stars Iu, Park Bo-gum, Moon So-ri, and Park Hae-joon in a nostalgic tale of youthful dreams, first love, and family bonds.

Set against the scenic backdrop of Jeju Island and partially filmed in Andong, the drama takes viewers on an emotional journey through the past, capturing the tender moments of our parents’ younger years. Premiering on Netflix on March 7, 2025, the series follows a unique release pattern, dropping four episodes per week over four weeks.

This article provides everything you need to know about When Life Gives You Tangerines—its full episode release schedule, plot details, main cast, highlights, and where to stream it.

‘When Life Gives You Tangerines’ Plot Overview:

When Life Gives You Tangerines is a heartfelt drama...

The South Korean family drama “For Eagle Brothers” has garnered significant attention for its heartfelt narrative and ensemble cast. Premiering on February 1, 2025, the series airs every Saturday and Sunday at 20:00 Kst on KBS2. With a total of 50 episodes, the show is scheduled to conclude on April 20, 2025.

Release Date & Schedule of “For Eagle Brothers” Episodes:

For Eagle Brothers premiered on Saturday, February 1st and follows a 2 episodes weekly format that will run

Episode 1 – Saturday, February 1, 2025 Episode 2 – Sunday, February 2, 2025 Episode 3 – Saturday, February 8, 2025 Episode 4 – Sunday, February 9, 2025 Episode 5 – Saturday, February 15, 2025 Episode 6 – Sunday, February 16, 2025 Episode 7 – Saturday, February 22, 2025 Episode 8 – Sunday, February 23, 2025 Episode 9 – Saturday, March 1, 2025 Episode 10 – Sunday, March 2, 2025 Episode 11 – Saturday, March 8, 2025 Episode 12 – Sunday, March 9, 2025 Episode 13 – Saturday, March 15, 2025 Episode 14 – Sunday, March 16, 2025 Episode 15 – Saturday, March 22, 2025 Episode 16 – Sunday, March 23, 2025 Episode 17 – Saturday, March 29, 2025 Episode 18 – Sunday, March 30, 2025 Episode 19 – Saturday, April 5, 2025 Episode 20 – Sunday, April 6, 2025 Episode 21 – Saturday, April 12, 2025 Episode 22 – Sunday, April 13, 2025 Episode 23 – Saturday, April 19, 2025 Episode 24 – Sunday, April 20, 2025 Episode 25 – Saturday, April 26, 2025 Episode 26 – Sunday, April 27, 2025 Episode 27 – Saturday,...

The highly anticipated drama When Life Gives You Tangerines, starring Iu and Park Bo-gum, has unveiled 16 new stills (alongside yesterday’s trailer), offering a glimpse into the emotional journey of Ae-sun and Gwan-sik. The story spans from 1960s Jeju to Seoul in 2025, following their experiences through love, hardships, and personal growth.

Iu plays Ae-sun, a young woman with big dreams and a passion for literature, while Park Bo-gum portrays Gwan-sik, a steadfast man who faces life’s difficulties with quiet strength. Their chemistry is on full display, making their story feel both heartfelt and genuine. The series also features Moon So-ri and Park Hae-joon as the older versions of Ae-sun and Gwan-sik, showing how their bond endures over the decades.

Newly released character stills provide a closer look at the people who shape Ae-sun and Gwan-sik’s lives. Kim Yong-lim plays Mak-cheon, while Na Moon-hee takes on the role of Chun-ok.

The Trunk has a stellar cast that features renowned South Korean actors led by Gong Yoo and See Hyeon-jin. Based on The Trunk by Kim Ryeo-ryeong, the Netflix K-drama follows Han Jeong-won, a music producer who gets intertwined in a one-year marriage contract orchestrated by a company called New Marriage (Nm). As the two characters get to know each other, they come across a trunk which helps them discover that the marriage agency has some dark secrets.

The Trunk explores the complexities of marriage, and the actors are perfectly suited to bring director Kim Kyu-tae’s vision to life. Goblin’s Gong Yoo, who plays the male lead in the series, carefully chooses his roles. So the fact that he is part of The Trunk’s cast shows that the Netflix miniseries has something special. The series features other renowned K-drama actors, including Seo Hyun-jin, Jung Yun-ha, and Hong Woo-jin.

Ra Mi-Ran is on fire this year with the highly successful The Good Bad Mother, and now this show so soon after. The veteran actress proves again her versatility between her unique roles in these two largely different shows. Cold Blooded Intern, as the name suggests, is a workplace drama, with each episode lasting about 35 minutes, half of the usual run time for Korean dramas. The show also stars Uhm Ji-Won, another veteran actress who previously worked with Ra Mi-Ran back in 2013 on a movie titled “Hope.” The two actresses look fantastic, and the show is refreshing with its themes revolving around older women and motherhood in the workplace.

Spoilers Ahead

What Happens In Episode 1?

Go Hae-Ra hasn’t worked in about 7 years, but the stress of a homemaker’s life has made her realize she wants to go back to being a working mom. Now, she has started to...

by Michaela Oikonomou

“Hope” was director Lee Joon-ik's comeback after a brief two-year hiatus. It also won Best Film at the 34th Blue Dragon awards. The script is based on a true story of an 8-year-old girl named Na-young, who was beaten and raped by a drunk 57-year-old man, in a public bathroom.

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The story begins with an ordinary family living in a small town, owning a grocery store named after their daughter So-won (Lee Re), whose name means «hope». The father (Sol Kyung-gu) and the mother (Uhm Ji-won) are highly overworked and as a result, their cheerful, free-spirited child is often on her own, playing and watching television. That ordinary happy life of hers suddenly changes, due to a heinous act. One day while going to school, So-won is followed by a drunk old man (Gang Seong-hae). That meeting of theirs,...

Yeon Sang-ho may have not been able to replicate the grand success of his live-action debut “Train to Busan” yet, but you have to hand it to the writer-director for never shying away from trying new challenges and newer genres. After showing much promise in his much acclaimed animated features “King of Pigs” and “The Fake”, he ventured into live-action territory with “Train to Busan”, following that up with with the superhero entry “Psychokinesis” before going back to the world of zombies with “Peninsula”, which may not have lived up to the hype of the original (or even its animated prequel “Seoul Station”), yet ended up being the highest-grossing Korean release in the pandemic inflicted 2020. Yeon would then join hands with Netflix to bring his webtoon “Hellbound” to an Ott series before re-teaming with the streaming giant for his first venture into full-blown sci-fi with “Jung_E”.

“Jung_E” is streaming on...

Stars: Kang Soo-yeon, Kim Hyun-joo, Ryu Kyung-soo, Uhm Ji-won | Written and Directed by Sang-ho Yeon

Currently streaming on Netflix, JUNG_E is the latest film from Sang-ho Yeon, the director of zombies-on-a-train nailbiter Train to Busan. Whilst this dystopian robo-thriller doesn’t quite hit the same heights, it’s still an engaging slice of sci-fi, even if it’s ultimately much less action-packed than the promotional material suggests.

JUNG_E opens with a protracted series of captions, explaining that it’s 2194 and the Earth has been largely evacuated due to pollution and climate disaster. The only problem is that the various orbiting moon stations have devolved into Civil War, leaving those still on Earth perfecting robo-weapons to help end the conflict.

One such weapon is super-soldier General Yun Jung-yi (Kim Hyun-joo), a highly skilled battle robot built from the DNA and memories of a real military hero, who fell in battle and...

Stars: Se-ah Jang, Jae-yeong Jeong, Ga-ram Jung, Nam-gil Ki, Soo-kyung Lee, Ji-won Uhm | Directed by Lee Min-jae

Also known as “The Odd Family: Zombie On Sale”, Zombie For Sale, released through Arrow Video a couple of weeks ago, is a zombie horror comedy with elements of romance tossed in for good measure. If you’re thinking, however, “oh no, not another zom-rom-com” then think again, because this isn’t a run of the mill romance with zombies. It has plenty of original and unique things going on to make it very different from anything else you would have seen in the genre, and it makes for an absolute joy of a film.

I was unsure what to expect when I went into this one, but in the end I found myself thoroughly besotted with it. It’s hilarious, cute, charming and looks delightful too. The cast throw themselves, feet-first, into...

Hae-Young Lee's Foxy Festival is a romantic comedy about letting your freak flag fly set to a boom chikka chikka disco porn rhythm. For the most part, it's very funny, and occasionally sweet. But the overall experience suffers because one character is so dramatically out of sync with the cast and the story that he feels like an artifact from another movie entirely. That would be Ha-Kyun Shin's Jang-Bae, a loutish beat cop impressed with the size of his own member, but oblivious to the fact that it does nothing for his long-suffering girlfriend, Ji-Su (Ji-Won Uhm). This lovely and patient young woman goes to great pains to feed and clean up after this gorilla, but through it all he screams at her, accuses her...