Latest news with #ArtistCompany
Pink Villa
26-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Pink Villa
Squid Game star Lee Jung Jae's agency teams up with UK studio for Secret Idol: All we know about K-pop spy thriller
South Korea's Artist Company has entered into an ambitious creative partnership with the U.K.'s Imaginarium Productions. This newly announced collaboration, revealed on May 26, sets the stage for the production of Secret Idol. It is an innovative live-action film that seeks to merge the pulsating energy of the K-pop industry with the intense suspense of a global espionage thriller. Founded by Korean film icons Lee Jung Jae and Jung Woo Sung, Artist Company has become a respected name in the Korean entertainment landscape. Long before Lee Jung Jae 's international breakout role in Squid Game, the studio had already been making waves as a talent-driven production house, It represents a roster of top-tier Korean actors such as Kim Hye Yoon, Lim Ji Yeon, Park Hae Jin, Won Jin Ah, Choi Yi Hyun, among others. With this new international venture, the company takes a bold step into the global film market. This signals its intent to become a cross-border creative powerhouse. The film at the heart of this partnership, Secret Idol, offers a unique and genre-defying premise. In this, a covert intelligence operative goes undercover as a K-pop trainee, immersing themselves in the hyper-competitive idol training system. At the same time, they pursue a high-stakes mission against a dangerous global crime syndicate. The story promises to bring high-octane action with plot twists. It will also provide a rare behind-the-scenes glimpse into the pressure-cooker world of K-pop, where stardom comes at a cost and appearances are everything. What sets this project apart is not only its original concept but also the deep level of collaboration between the two production companies. Artist Company and Imaginarium Productions are working closely together from the earliest stages of development. They are co-creating the story, visual style, and production plan. There is already talk of assembling an international cast, with interest in including both Korean and Western talent. Additionally, both companies are in discussions with potential global distributors and co-producers, aiming to give Secret Idol a truly international release. Imaginarium Productions was co-founded in 2011 by performance-capture pioneer and actor-director Andy Serkis and producer Jonathan Cavendish. The studio's portfolio includes feature films like Mowgli: Legend of the Jungle, The Ritual, as well as The Bastard Son & The Devil Himself. Currently, the company is in pre-production on The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum. Meanwhile, Secret Idol stands out as a project with the potential to break new ground. With its fresh concept, strong creative backing, and cross-continental collaboration, the film could serve as a cultural bridge between East and West. Fans of both K-pop and spy thrillers are already buzzing with anticipation. They are eager for more details as production ramps up.
South China Morning Post
10-05-2025
- Entertainment
- South China Morning Post
K-drama casting news about Lee Jung-jae, Seo Yea-ji, Lee Joon-hyuk and more
One of the most popular K-dramas of all time is set to return, a star makes a long-awaited comeback, and new occult and medical dramas get ready for production. Advertisement Read on for more about these stories and other news of casting for coming Korean drama series. 1. Reborn Rich season 2 Song Joong-ki, pictured in a still from the first season of Reborn Rich, will be joined by Squid Game's Lee Jung-jae in season 2. Photo: JTBC Although it has not been made official that Lee will star in the series, he will be involved to some degree because Artist Company, the production company and management agency he owns, will take part in development of the new season. Reborn Rich, which starred Song Joong-ki as a loyal corporate lackey who was left for dead, then reincarnated as the grandson of the company's chairman, achieved a staggering 27 per cent viewership rating, the highest ever for a Korean cable drama series. Season two of the show will reportedly expand its focus to a global corporation. Advertisement Artist Company's sister company, Artist United, now controls the IP of Reborn Rich after it acquired the show's producer, RaemongRaein, last year.
Korea Herald
09-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Korea Herald
'Reborn Rich' confirmed for season 2
'Squid Game' star Lee Jung-jae's Artist Company, Artist Studio to create the new season "Reborn Rich," the series that swept awards and achieved global popularity for its adrenaline-filled narrative of a man seeking revenge after being reborn into the chaebol dynasty that wronged him, is officially returning for a second season. Season 2 is poised to expand its scope with a storyline designed for a global audience. While specific plot details remain under wraps, the upcoming season will stretch beyond the world of Koran conglomerates, introducing new characters and an expanded universe. It remains unconfirmed whether Song Joong-ki, who headlined the first season, will return to the series. Production duties for the sophomore season will be jointly handled by Artist Company and Artist Studio. Artist Company will take the lead on overall planning and creative development, while Artist Studio will oversee physical production. Both entities operate under the Artist Group umbrella — home to "Squid Game" star Lee Jung-jae and actor Jung Woo-sung, who serve as key shareholders. Originally airing on JTBC in 2022, the first season of "Reborn Rich," adapted from a web novel of the same name, became a cultural phenomenon, peaking at a 26.9 percent viewership rating. In the series, Song delivered a dual performance as Yoon Hyun-woo, a loyal secretary managing corporate risk for a powerful family — who is later reincarnated as Jin Do-jun, the youngest heir determined to upend the dynasty from within.
India Today
08-05-2025
- Entertainment
- India Today
Reborn Rich Season 2 production confirmed without Song Joong-ki
The popular 2022 K-drama 'Reborn Rich', originally starring Song Joong Ki, has been renewed for its highly-awaited second season. The official announcement was made on May 8. The upcoming season is likely to portray the main character's lust for success, love, and power, set against the backdrop of a global makers of the show, Artist Company and Artist Studio, will co-produce the second season of 'Reborn Rich'. In the official statement released on Thursday, they stated, "This project is a large-scale content that combines the respective strengths of Artist Company and Artist Studio. It is the first work and a symbolic project that comprehensively demonstrates the integrated production capabilities of Artist Group (sic)."advertisementFor the unversed, actor Lee Jung-jae, popularly known for his roles in shows and films like 'Squid Games' and 'Hunt', is a stakeholder in the company, Artist Group. Additionally, a representative from one of the companies stated, 'We're crafting this as a strategic content piece aimed at global audiences, and from the early stages, we're focusing on creating an emotional connection with international viewers," as reported by first season of 'Reborn Rich' originally aired on JTBC (a South Korean TV network) in 2022 and was received with widespread acclaim by viewers and critics globally. Besides that, the show was also nominated for an International Emmys 2023 under the Best Movie/Mini-Series Rich was available to stream in India on Netflix and JioHotstar. However, it has been removed from the platforms now. It gained widespread love for its fast-paced plot, captivating performances by Song Joong Ki and Lee Sung Min, and its portrayal of Chaebol (conglomerate) culture intertwined with Korea's real economic soon after the announcement was made, fans speculated whether actor Song Joong-ki would reprise his role as the lead in the upcoming season, given his last film, 'Bogota: City of the Lost', failed to impress audiences. No official announcement about the 'Reborn Rich' cast has been made first season of the show is currently available on Watch
Time of India
08-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Reborn Rich Season 2 confirmed without Song Joong Ki after Bogotá Flop: Squid Game Star Lee Jung Jae's company to lead production
Reborn Rich Season 2: The hit revenge drama Reborn Rich is officially returning for a second season. On May 8, Artist Company and its affiliate production firm, Artist Studio, announced that they have entered the planning and development stages for Reborn Rich Season 2. However, lead actor Song Joong Ki, who headlined the first season, will not return. Instead, the new season will feature fresh characters and a new storyline. Reborn Rich season 2 will follow a global storyline Unlike season 1, which focused on a time-travel revenge plot within a chaebol family, Reborn Rich Season 2 will shift its focus to a global stage. The drama will follow the ambitions of new characters as they chase success, power, and love in the world of international corporations. Lee Jung Jae's Artist Company to lead production Season 2 will be co-produced by Artist Company and Artist Studio, collectively known as Artist Group. Actor Lee Jung Jae, known for his role in Netflix's hit survival thriller Squid Game, is a major shareholder in Artist Company. This marks the first official collaboration between the management agency and its affiliated production arm. Artist Company will oversee planning and development, while Artist Studio handles IP and production responsibilities. Artist Company and Artist Studio announced they will be producing season 2 of JTBC #RebornRich.#RebornRich2 will portray the main character's lust for success, love, and power, set against the backdrop of a global corporation. It's now entering the planning and development… — KoreanUpdates! (@KoreanUpdates) May 8, 2025 No return for Song Joong Ki in Reborn Rich season 2 Song Joong Ki, who played Yoon Hyun Woo and Jin Do Joon in Reborn Rich, will not be reprising his role. Season 2 will not continue his character's arc but will instead build a fresh story around a new lead. The series follows Yoon Hyun Woo, a devoted senior employee at the powerful Soonyang Group, who is betrayed and killed by a family member trying to conceal a massive tax evasion scandal. Song Joong Ki's recent roles spark mixed reactions In recent years, Song Joong Ki has taken on ambitious projects like Space Sweepers, Vincenzo, Reborn Rich, and Bogotá: City of the Lost. He's deliberately moved away from romantic dramas and tried to embrace more complex, darker roles. But the response hasn't always been glowing. Bogotá, in particular, was a massive flop both critically and commercially, which had many questioning his star power. For all the latest K-drama, K-pop, and Hallyuwood updates, keep following our coverage here.
