Petition to amend statutory rape law follows Kim Soo-hyun press conference

Following actor Kim Soo-hyun’s tearful press conference on Monday addressing his relationship with the late Kim Sae-ron, a petition to address statutory rape laws submitted to the National Assembly had gathered over 30,000 signatures in less than two days. Calling the amendment to be coined the “Kim Soo-hyun Prevention Act,” the petitioner urged lawmakers to make an amendment to statutory rape laws to include ages 13 to 19. Currently, statutory rape laws in South Korea only protect those aged 13

April 2, 2025

Kim Soo-hyun's press conference fuels skepticism, calls made for revision of law on rape of minors

Hallyu star's press conference met with widespread backlash Actor Kim Soo-hyun is facing widespread backlash following his tear-filled press conference Monday held to explain his relationship with the late actor Kim Sae-ron, with a petition started to expand South Korea’s statutory rape protections. Criticism from global fans flooded social media platforms such as X and online forums, including Reddit, in the aftermath of the press conference. As of Tuesday, trending keywords on X included phras

April 1, 2025

'Way Back Love' to explore human life with kind-hearted grim reaper

'Extreme Job' star Gong Myoung and 'Light Shop' star Kim Min-ha join hands for a fantasy romance drama Tving's upcoming original series, "Way Back Love," delves into love and the human experience through the story of a compassionate grim reaper guiding souls to their final moments, the cast shared Tuesday. The six-episode fantasy romance follows Hee-wan (Kim Min-ha) and her first love, Ram-woo (Gong Myoung), who mysteriously reappears — not as the boy she once knew, but as a supernatural being t

April 1, 2025

Kim Soo-hyun says 'I was a coward'

Kim Soo-hyun denies dating Kim Sae-ron as a minor; lawsuit filed against bereaved family, YouTube channel Kim Soo-hyun, the 37-year-old Hallyu star at the center of swirling rumors about his alleged relationship with Kim Sae-ron, held a press conference on Monday to emphatically state that he did not date her when she was a minor and that he had no involvement in her death. At a press conference on Monday at a hotel in Sangam-dong, Seoul, Kim entered with a stiff walk and a tense expression. "I

March 31, 2025

Star-studded 'Karma' to weave haunting thriller

Netflix Korea bets on thriller project to replicate success of 'When Life Gives You Tangerines' Netflix Korea's star-studded April release "Karma" will feature dark, high-stakes storytelling -- a dramatic turn from the popular human drama "When Life Gives You Tangerines" that launched in March. The six-part thriller delves into the sinister, interwoven fates of six individuals, including an unnamed man who witnesses an accident (Park Hae-soo) and a woman burdened by deep emotional scars (Shin Mi

March 31, 2025

What makes 'When Life Gives You Tangerines' globally popular?

Experts cite series' theme, pacing, motifs as reminiscent of literary classics 'The Little Princess,' 'Daddy-Long-Legs' Netflix Korea's latest sensation, "When Life Gives You Tangerines," was officially the platform's most popular non-English series as of Friday. The series, which traces the turbulent lives of the characters in Korea from the 1960s to present day, is making waves globally — a feat that carries unique significance compared to other global Korean hits such as "Squid Game" and "The

March 30, 2025

'Resident Playbook,' set to air in April, faces backlash

Highly anticipated 'Hospital Playlist' spinoff delayed over year due to doctors' strike "Resident Playbook" is finally set to air in April, following a yearlong delay credited to negative public sentiment stemming from a prolonged nationwide doctors' strike. But the series is facing criticism before its release, as many residents who resigned in protest of the government's decision to increase the quota for medical school admissions have yet to return to work. "Resident Playbook," a highly antic

March 28, 2025

Park Bo-gum says he is about '70 percent' similar to 'fantasy husband' character

Netflix's 'When Life Gives You Tangerines' star discusses becoming Gwan-sik, a character whom, he insists, he is similar to "When Life Gives You Tangerines," the water cooler show delving into poignant tales of familial bonds and romance across generations of Koreans, has viewers at home and abroad laughing and crying with the characters. Within just two weeks of its release this month, the series has climbed to second place on Netflix’s global Top 10 list for non-English shows. At the heart of

March 24, 2025

Broadcaster to review airing of 'Under15' after controversy erupts over depiction of minors

MBN's K-pop audition program heavily criticized, particularly over styling and makeup choices for minors Maeil Broadcasting Network announced it would be reviewing the broadcast of "Under15," a K-pop idol audition program recently criticized for allegedly portraying minors in a sexualized manner. "Under15" features 59 participants born between 2009 and 2016. The show, featuring K-pop stars such as Daesung of Big Bang, Sandara Park of 2NE1 and Hyo-jung of Oh My Girl as judges, aims to showcase th

March 23, 2025

Yoo Yeon-seok hit with biggest tax bill amid scrutiny over celebrity finances

Recent tax controversies may involve celebrities' use of personal corporations to minimize taxes Yoo Yeon-seok, the star of hit K-dramas such as the "Hospital Playlist" series and "Reply 1994," has joined a list of celebrities facing hefty tax bills. Yoo was recently slapped with a tax bill of approximately 7 billion won ($4.8 million), reportedly the largest ever imposed on a South Korean celebrity. In response to mounting criticism and allegations of tax evasion, Yoo's agency, KingKong by Star

March 18, 2025

‘When Life Gives You Tangerines’ actor dies at 53

Kang Myung-joo's work includes 'Extraordinary Attorney Woo' Actor Kang Myung-joo, known for her role in Netflix’s latest hit K-drama “When Life Gives You Tangerines," died Feb. 27 after a battle with cancer. She was 57. Her daughter, Park Se-young, announced the news on Instagram the following day. “My mother embarked on a long journey yesterday afternoon. I would appreciate it if you could remember the stage she loved and her shining moments,” she wrote. Kang played the mother of Yeong-bum, por

March 18, 2025

Bereaved family of Kim Sae-ron sues YouTuber for spreading false rumors

Late Kim Sae-ron's family considers suing Kim Soo-hyun as well The bereaved family of Kim Sae-ron Monday sued a YouTuber for spreading false rumors about Kim Sae-ron while she was alive. On Monday, attorney Bu Ji-seok of the law firm Buyou, representing Kim Sae-ron’s family, appeared at the Seoul Metropolitan Police to submit a complaint against YouTuber Lee Jin-ho for allegedly spreading false rumors about her. Bu was accompanied by Kwon Young-chan, head of the Korea Association for Suicide Pre

March 17, 2025

'Extraordinary Attorney Woo' star Park Eun-bin debuts as psycho killer in 'Hyper Knife'

Amid surge of Korean medical dramas, 'Hyper Knife' promises unique viewing experience Disney+ crime and medical drama "Hyper Knife" is to feature "Extraordinary Attorney Woo" star Park Eun-bin as a psychopathic killer. "Hyper Knife" delves into the story that unfolds after genius doctor Se-ok (Park Eun-bin) reunites with her mentor, Deok-hee (Sul Kyung-gu). A complication in the story is that Se-ok has been working as a "shadow doctor" since her medical license was revoked, illegally performing

March 17, 2025

[Exclusive] Promoter confirms Kim Soo-hyun’s 2014 ‘badminton incident' in Thailand, but denies coercion

Korean Culture Alliance Thailand, a now-defunct event promoter that organized Kim Soo-hyun’s first fan meeting in Thailand in 2014, confirmed that the actor played badminton at the event venue, but denied that he forcefully demanded a court be set up. The actor visited Bangkok for “2014 Kim Soo Hyun Asia Tour 1st Memories in Thailand” held at Siam Paragon on March 30, 2014. “It is true that Kim played badminton then, but there was no coercive request by Kim to install a badminton court,” a forme

March 16, 2025

Kim Soo-hyun and Kim Sae-ron dated when they were legal adults: agency

Gold Medalist releases official statement ahead of schedule, states Kim Soo-hyun is experiencing severe psychological distress Kim Soo-hyun’s agency, Gold Medalist, stated Friday in a press release that the actor began dating late actor Kim Sae-ron when she was an adult and was never personally involved in her financial matters. The agency's statement came in response to allegations surrounding Kim Soo-hyun made by far-right YouTube channel, HoverLab. In a video uploaded Monday, HoverLab claimed

March 14, 2025