Latest news with #KoreanEntertainment
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Paramount Sets Original, Untitled K-Pop Movie for February 2027 Release
Paramount has set an untitled K-Pop film co-produced by Korean entertainment company Hybe America for release on Feb. 12, 2027. The film will star Ji-young Yoo, who most recently starred in the breakout Netflix/Sony Animation hit 'K-Pop Demon Hunters,' as well as Eric Nam, who will star in the upcoming 'Avatar: The Last Airbender' feature film 'The Legend of Aang.' Yoo will play a young Korean-American woman who defies her family's wishes to compete in a televised competition to find the next K-pop girl group. More from TheWrap Paramount, Skydance and National Amusements Meet With FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez as Merger Approval Looms Alison Brie Adorably Freaks Out When Husband Dave Franco Reveals His First Celebrity Crush: 'This is Bullsh-t' | Video 'Clayface': Naomi Ackie Being Eyed to Star Opposite Tom Rhys Harries 'The Nightingale' With Dakota and Elle Fanning Sets February 2027 Release From TriStar Benson Lee, director of the 2015 Sundance teen comedy 'Seoul Searching,' is attached to the film, which is set to be the first American production shot entirely in South Korea. 'This film is my love letter to K-pop — its energy, passion, magic and the incredible community behind it. I'm deeply grateful to Paramount Pictures for championing the project, to our producers for their unwavering dedication, to our talented and dynamic cast, and to the legends of the genre helping us bring this story to life. This one's for the dreamers,' Lee said in a Tuesday statement. Paramount's film division president, Michael Ireland, originally oversaw the project during its development at 20th Century Fox before acquiring it in turnaround from Disney and bringing it to Paramount under current studio head Brian Robbins. The film is produced by James Shin of Hybe America, Arthur Spector and Joshua Davis of Epic Magazine and Scooter Braun. Executive producers include Joshuah Bearman of Epic Magazine, John Zaozirny and Scott Manson. Bryan Oh, Paramount's SVP of production, is overseeing the project on behalf of the studio. Yoo is repped by Entertainment 360, Gersh, Viewpoint and Del Shaw Moonves. Nam is repped by WME, 3 Arts Entertainment and The Lede Company. The post Paramount Sets Original, Untitled K-Pop Movie for February 2027 Release appeared first on TheWrap.
UAE Moments
03-07-2025
- Entertainment
- UAE Moments
K-pop Idol Jaehyun of F.ABLE Dies at 23
Sad news hit the K-pop scene this week— Shim Jaehyun, a former member of boy group has passed away at the young age of 23. Korean entertainment sites Koreaboo and Allkpop reported that Jaehyun quietly passed in late June, following a private fight with leukemia. Heartfelt Goodbye From His Bandmate Jaehyun's former groupmate Hojun shared a touching tribute on Instagram, expressing his regrets over not being there during Jaehyun's final days. In his post, Hojun thanked Jaehyun for their five years of friendship, writing: "I hope you're eating well and living comfortably there. Come visit me in my dreams." A Short But Memorable Career made their debut in 2020 under Haeirum Entertainment, gaining fans with tracks like 'Burn It Up' and 'Run Run Run.' The group disbanded in 2023 but left a mark on the K-pop indie scene. Jaehyun's passing comes as a shock to many fans, as his illness was kept private. Fans and Friends Mourn His Loss Since the news broke, K-pop fans worldwide have been sharing tributes, celebrating Jaehyun's talent and remembering his warm energy both on and off stage.
The Sun
02-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Meet the real voice behind Squid Game's famous doll, and where you've seen her on TV before without realising
IT'S one of the most famous faces in the South Korean TV show. But as Squid Game returns to Netflix for a third series, people are only just finding out who voices the infamous doll - and they've seen her on the small screen before. 7 7 7 Reagan To is the 13-year-old star whose voice has become synonymous with the English dub of the programme - with her singsong "Red light, green light" providing the backdrop for the shocking first game in series one. She took to Facebook recently to share a Reel which showed her voicing the character in series one in 2021, season two in 2024 and season three this year. "Thank you Squid Game for having me since 2021. Season 1, 2, and 3 - the voice of the Squid Game doll," Reagan wrote alongside the video. This time around, the most famous song from the series is arguably Hide and Seek - where she sings "Hide hide, it's time to play, don't let your hair give you away". In a post on her Instagram page, Reagan revealed it took her a whole two hours to get the song perfect. "Fun fact: recorded for two hours for the hide and seek song," she wrote over the top of the Instagram video. "Another Squid Game haunted song gets stuck in my head, sorry," Reagan added in the caption. She was quickly praised in the comments section, with one writing: "It's too impressive that you've been doing it for 5 years and it's just getting better and better!" "Loved the new season and the songssss," another praised. "So amazing my friend!" a third added. Squid Game viewer spots major filming blunder "This is so cool - I love your voice!" someone else said. Reagan also voiced character Ga-Yeong in the English dub of Squid Game. Others admitted that they'd finally figured out where they'd seen Reagan before. She's also famous for her role in the TV show Young Sheldon, in which she starred as Mei-Tung - Sheldon's class competitor who he enlists to tutor him. "Pain is the best teacher," she's famous for telling Sheldon, while rapping him on the knuckles with a pencil when he gets the answer wrong. "Are you that girl from Young Sheldon?" one person asked in the comments on the Instagram. "Yes!" Reagan replied. The third season of Squid Game has broken records for Netflix, after becoming the biggest-ever TV launch for the streaming service - racking up more than 60.1 million views in its first three days of release. As well as Squid Game and Young Sheldon, Reagan appeared in Jane the Virgin and voiced Big Girl Ember in Disney film Elemental. 7 7 7
UAE Moments
27-06-2025
- Entertainment
- UAE Moments
Love K-Pop Demon Hunters? Try These K-Dramas Next
Why 'K‑Pop Demon Hunters' Fans Will Love These K-Dramas Netflix's animated hit 'K-Pop Demon Hunters' captivated audiences by blending idol culture with supernatural action. With fans obsessed over its voice cast and plot twists, it's the perfect time to dive into live-action K-dramas that peel back the colorful veneer of K-pop life. You're Beautiful (2009) Where to Watch: Netflix, Viki This classic follows the fictional pop-rock band When actress Park Shin-hye goes undercover as her twin brother, she navigates love, secrets, and fame. Though ratings were modest on broadcast, it later earned a loyal cult following—complete with sold-out soundtracks and fan festivals. Dream High (2011) Where to Watch: Netflix, Viki Set in an elite arts school, 'Dream High' follows six aspiring idols finding their voices and selves. Featuring stars like Suzy, Taecyeon (2PM), IU, and Kim Soo‑hyun, it offers an insider's view of the idol-making process. The show's huge impact includes a Japanese stage adaptation and sequel. Top Management (2018) Where to Watch: YouTube (1theK) A fresh take combining fantasy and idol drama. Follows Seo Eun-soo, a former trainee with psychic powers, who steps in as manager for rookie group S.O.U.L. A deep dive into industry politics, featuring Ahn Hyo‑seop and ASTRO's Cha Eun‑woo. Reply 1997 (2012) Where to Watch: Viki Step into the golden age of K-pop with this nostalgic look at first-gen fandom. Centered on teenage fangirls and their favorite boy band, the show stars H.O.T. and a cast including Jung Eun‑ji, Seo In‑guk, and Hoya —a perfect cultural time capsule. Idol: The Coup (2021) Where to Watch: Amazon Prime Video Not all idol stories end with fame. This gritty drama follows struggling girl group Cotton Candy fighting for one last shot. With EXID's Hani leading, this series shines a light on the sacrifices of idols outside the spotlight. The Big Picture Fans of 'K‑Pop Demon Hunters' love the bold mix of flashy idol life and unexpected drama. These K-dramas deliver that same thrill—minus the demons—and offer a deeper, more emotional look at the K-pop grind: If you're hooked on the idol-drama tension of 'K-Pop Demon Hunters', these K-dramas are your next binge. They bring charisma, ambition, heartbreak, and fierce shine straight from the K-pop machine—no demon slaying required.
Forbes
19-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
‘KPop Demon Hunters' Director Reveals Who Inspired The Characters
When Netflix's KPop Demon Hunters teaser trailer and images were first released, many K-pop fans began speculating who the K-pop idols in the film looked like. There have been several side-by-side comparisons, with fandoms claiming that these characters were based on their idols. Netflix's KPop Demon Hunters, out this Friday, revolves around a K-pop girl group named Huntrix, who are also demon hunters sworn to protect their fans from supernatural threats. Things become complicated when a popular rival boy band, The Saja Boys, are revealed to be demons. Director Maggie Kang, who grew up loving the first generation of K-pop, with groups like H.O.T. and Seo Taiji and the Boys, has seen all the comparisons on social media. Though she never named exactly who the characters were inspired by, she could see how the fans' suggestions matched perfectly with the characters. 'I think what I like to talk about is that there are so many certain archetypes that every group has,' says Kang. 'It's fun to see this conversation happening because everyone's picking the right member who fills that archetype and that kind of role and looks for each group.' Kang and her directing partner, Chris Appelhans, pulled their favorites onto the digital bulletin board. Many in the art department added their favorites to the board. She says once she gave the department access to the bulletin board, everybody was on it. She saw so many different actors, idols, and groups on there. The Saja Boys, comprising members Jinu (Ahn Hyo-seop), Abby, Mystery, Romance, and Baby, were inspired by Korean groups such as Tomorrow X Together, BTS, Stray Kids, ATEEZ, BIGBANG, and Monsta X. There's always a muscular one who shows off their abs; one who was the romantic type ('I purposely gave him these bangs that were meant to be heart-shaped'); and, the baby of the group. 'Baby Saja is, obviously, the maknae (youngest),' Kang explains. '[They] have this look and they're usually the rapper of the group.' The only member whom Kang couldn't recall comparing to an artist was Mystery, whose face is mostly obscured by his long, purple hair. He was inspired by anime. When Kang asked her team why he doesn't have a face, they told her to 'trust us.' 'That's just a question mark,' Kang laughs. 'It was also just a challenge to animate five faces versus four. So that also helped with the animation as well.' Kang and her animation team created boards for each character, alongside images of idols, models, and well-known actors. Though the Saja boys were given their own individual, distinct looks, they all have one thing in common. 'Fun fact: they all share the same CG body, except for Abby Saja, because he's a little bit bigger,' Kang explains. 'We bulked him up like 20%.' Kang did admit that the character of Jinu was inspired mainly by K-drama actors. She names Cha Eun-woo and Nam Joo-hyuk as the leading men on the inspiration boards. They wanted him to have a very classic Korean look, which is why he had dark hair. Though Ahn was cast as the voice of Jinu, the character was created before he signed on for the part, but Kang does see the similarities with his Business Proposal character. As for the three members of Huntrix – Rumi, Mira, and Zoey, Kang says they referenced K-pop idols and models. Kang has worked on Rumi for many years, but her appearance has changed slightly to reflect the animation and Korean lighting. '[We looked at] ITZY, BLACKPINK, and [TWICE],' says Kang. 'Who else? I think it was a lot of mixing.' Kang reveals that Korean model Ahn So Yeon inspired the fashion-forward character, Mira. Kang, who is a fan of the model, says it 'might be kind of obvious [when you look at Mira]'. For Zoey, Kang wanted a cutesy vibe for the character. Many K–pop idols were referenced for her look. Kang's main goal for Huntrx was that they all looked very different from each other. She focused on each of them having their distinct look, aside from their hair color. 'Even with the way we animated them, [they were different and distinct],' says Kang. 'With their smile, you'll notice Zoey has more of a heart-shaped mouth when she expresses herself. We wanted Mira to be long and lean because I love that look on a woman. I think that's so beautiful. With Rumi, we leaned into a very classic, beautiful Korean look.' Kang does enjoy the conversations surrounding the animated looks of her characters. She jokes, 'Yeah, we knew we [wanted them to be] hot.' KPop Demon Hunters premieres this Friday on Netflix.
