Netflix K-drama When the Stars Gossip review: space pregnancy nonsense sinks sci-fi romcom
This article contains major spoilers.
Advertisement
1/5 stars
Lead cast: Lee Min-ho, Gong Hyo-jin, Oh Jung-se, Han Ji-eun
Latest Nielsen rating: 2.55 per cent
One of the elements that viewers tend to like about modern Korean dramas is that, despite being the product of a society that remains staunchly patriarchal, these stories often portray strong women who excel in a variety of impressive fields.
Advertisement
Romance inevitably rears its head to briefly scupper their professional lives, but they are still held up as career women who bristle at unfair social norms as they aspire to add personal happiness to career success.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
South China Morning Post
20-05-2025
- South China Morning Post
Performance art by South Ho makes a point about Hong Kong's red lines under security law
There were hoots of laughter as the artist South Ho Siu-nam performed his new live performance piece during the May 10 opening of his exhibition 'Wandering Daily' in Hong Kong. Wearing a pair of plain white, basic trainers laced up with different ends of the same 100-metre-long shoelace, Ho strutted around Blindspot Gallery in Wong Chuk Hang in faux military style, dragging a long trail of white string through the crowded room in his wake. It caused mild mayhem as members of the audience scuttled out of the way or became awkwardly entangled when they refused to budge. Me, My White Sneakers, and Shoelaces was Chaplinesque in its comedy and just as serious. This was an illustration of Hong Kong's reality since the introduction of National Security Law in 2020: there is still a lot you can do – the shoelace gave plenty of slack – but the line is always there. South Ho performs Me, My White Sneakers, and Shoelaces at Blindspot Gallery in Wong Chuk Hang, Hong Kong, on May 10, 2025. Photo: Ray Leung courtesy of artist and Blindspot Gallery 'Wandering Daily' is his first solo Hong Kong show since 2019 and it is a quietly impassioned response to how socially engaged artists continue to stay true to their art despite the new red lines.
RTHK
19-05-2025
- RTHK
'Pick a good spot for To Kwa Wan barge concerts'
'Pick a good spot for To Kwa Wan barge concerts' Ivan Ho says barge concerts held during the Happy Hong Kong campaign in 2023 show the idea can work. File photo: RTHK The head of the government's advisory body on waterfront matters said on Monday that the authorities should be careful when choosing a spot in waters off To Kwa Wan to host outdoor concerts on a barge. The suggestion was put forward by the Urban Renewal Authority, which is proposing the construction of a "world-class cove area", like Darling Harbour in Sydney. Harbourfront Commission chairman Ivan Ho expressed support for the idea. He noted that similar concerts were held two years ago in Wan Chai, when around 2,500 people enjoyed shows on shore as part of the Happy Hong Kong campaign. Calling the concept "creative and out of the box", he said a key factor for the To Kwa Wan idea would be to place the barge at the right spot so there was enough room for spectators. "With a concert you need the audience... so you need to carefully select a place that will enable people to gather and stay to enjoy the concert," Ho told RTHK. He also said even though the area is close to Kai Tak Sports Park, there won't be events in the park every day of the year, and putting on shows on the water could have a synergy effect so long as the authorities plan the events calendar properly. Ho said one possible way to negate noise issues would be to hold the barge performances during daytime. The Urban Renewal Authority also proposed hosting watersports in the Kai Tak Approach Channel. Ho said that would be a good idea for competitions like dragon boat races, as spectators could be on both sides of the water to cheer the athletes on. "The only problem, as far as I understand at the moment is the water quality, it's sort of marginal. So we need to ensure the quality is suitable for the watersports we're proposing," he said. The commission chairman said the proposals are still very much at a conceptual stage, and he expressed hope that the ideas can be explored further.
South China Morning Post
06-05-2025
- South China Morning Post
Is NewJeans gone? What K-pop group's saga reveals about power play in artist-label relations
NewJeans ' abrupt disappearance from the K-pop spotlight has shaken South Korea 's multibillion-dollar music industry – not just because of the group's meteoric rise and global reach, but for what the saga reveals about increasingly blurred lines of power and the fragile nature of artist-label relations in the world's most systematised pop machine. Advertisement The five-member girl group – consisting of Minji, Hanni, Danielle, Haerin and Hyein – went on indefinite hiatus last month after a Seoul court ruled they could no longer operate outside the oversight of their label, Ador. The group, which made its debut in 2022, had been hailed as K-pop's breakout act of the decade for its Y2K-inspired visuals, genre-blending sound and global partnerships with brands such as Chanel and Coca-Cola. The ruling marked a new low in a year-long battle involving the group members, their fiercely loyal producer Min Hee-jin, and Ador's parent company, Hybe – home to globally famous acts such as BTS and Seventeen Legal disputes between K-pop idols and agencies are hardly new, but what set the NewJeans controversy apart was the unprecedented public messaging from the group, its direct defiance of a major label and the polarising role played by Min, the group's creative force who often described its members as being like her children. Min Hee-jin, the creative force behind K-pop group NewJeans, during a press conference in May 2024. Photo: AFP Breaking point
