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Korea Herald
04-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Korea Herald
Hong Kong auteur Wong Kar-wai's first TV series 'Blossoms Shanghai' to air on SBS
Award-winning series to hit Korean TV, streaming services Studio S, the drama production arm of Seoul Broadcasting System, is bringing Hong Kong auteur Wong Kar-wai's first-ever television series 'Blossoms Shanghai' to South Korean audiences. The period drama will premiere Monday on SBS F!L UHD, with streaming availability beginning Tuesday on multiple streaming channels, including Tving, Watcha, Wavve, KT GenieTV, LG U+TV and SK Broadband Btv. 'Blossoms Shanghai' marks Wong's long-awaited series debut. Widely regarded as one of Asia's most influential filmmakers, Wong is known for acclaimed features such as "In the Mood for Love" (2000), "Chungking Express" (1994) and "Happy Together" (1997). Set in 1990s Shanghai, "Blossoms Shanghai" follows Ah Bao (Hu Ge), a young man from modest beginnings who rises to wealth amidst the city's rapid economic transformation. Based on Jin Yucheng's 2012 novel of the same name, which won China's prestigious Mao Dun Literature Prize, the project has been years in the making. Wong acquired the rights in 2014 and spent roughly seven years developing the series, with three additional years dedicated to production. 'Blossoms Shanghai' originally premiered in December 2023 on China's television channel CCTV-8 and China's streaming service Tencent Video. The series went on to earn the best creative award at the Asia Contents Awards held alongside the Busan International Film Festival in 2024.
Korea Herald
11-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Korea Herald
SBS sets sights on Asia's version of Eurovision
Titled 'Veiled Musician,' the pan-Asian vocal contest to highlight regional talent and cross-cultural artistry Asia is getting its own take on the Eurovision Song Contest. Apparently, 'Veiled Musician,' an upcoming global audition show from leading South Korean broadcaster Seoul Broadcasting System, was made with the world's longest-running television music competition in mind. Featuring participants from 13 countries — Korea, Japan, China, the Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, Mongolia, Cambodia, Singapore, Malaysia, Myanmar and Laos — the show, slated to premiere later this year, will kick off with local competitions in each participating nation. The top three finalists from each territory will then advance to the grand finale, which will be staged in Korea. The show will be broadcast across major local networks in the participating countries and on SBS. Adding a layer of meritocracy, 'Veiled Musician' will strip away personal identifiers, such as contestants' faces and nationalities, focusing solely on vocal talent. The show stands out not only for its scale but also for its production setup. Unlike previous cross-border projects where broadcasting formats were simply licensed, 'Veiled Musician' is a co-produced venture spearheaded by the participating nations, alongside South Korea. 'In fact, there aren't really any broadcasters in other countries that actually do co-productions," claimed Kim Yong-jae, chief revenue officer at SBS' Prism Studios, the entertainment production division of the broadcaster, during an interview with The Korea Herald. "They've only ever bought the format. ... Co-producing like this is probably something that has never happened before,' Kim said. Kim, a veteran of the Korean entertainment industry, whose career includes stints as a producer and deputy head of SBS' entertainment division and who is widely credited with exporting the popular Korean variety show "Running Man" to China, where it became a megahit, is helming the production of "Veiled Musician." According to Kim, 'Veiled Musician' will serve as a powerful platform for cultural diplomacy and create music industry connections across Asia. 'If we do well together with this kind of content, it's an amazing opportunity to really elevate our national image. Also, the show's judges and contestants may even collaborate on producing an album. Our music market could expand as a result as well. For example, a song like 'The Way Back' (translated) could be produced in 12 different versions and exported, creating a powerful ripple effect,' said Kim. Kim emphasized that for him, a win-win structure was key from the outset. For Season 1, he said SBS is waiving format fees and offering financial aid to select nations. 'For the first season, we're essentially offering support. In fact, we're planning to provide 100 million won ($73,000) each to countries like Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines, since they (the broadcasting companies) are struggling financially.' Going forward, as SBS' head of globalizing K-content, Kim said he has identified Indonesia, Vietnam and Thailand as key growth markets. 'Among them, Indonesia is the best — it all comes down to population size. For example, the Korean film 'Miracle in Cell No. 7' made 20 billion won in Indonesia." Kim is also strategically focusing on Myanmar, where Korean content previously held strong cultural sway. 'Before the coup, Hallyu was really strong in Myanmar. Why? Because they aired Korean dramas from Monday to Thursday right before the 9 o'clock news. As a result, a lot of young people there can speak Korean. And the country is quite large geographically, too." He added: 'Anyway, we need to move quickly and localize ourselves in these Asian countries — be on the ground with them. We need to support them, not just for 'Veiled Musician,' but also by helping develop their music industries while promoting ours. That's how they come to think positively of Korean content and Korea as a whole."
Korea Herald
13-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Korea Herald
Binge-watch iconic K-drama classics this weekend
Seoul Broadcasting System has recently inked a strategic partnership with Netflix, catapulting its K-drama catalog onto the world's biggest streaming platform. For those craving to dive into the golden era of Korean television, this may be the prime time for you to run through the series that laid the foundations of the Korean wave — though sadly, there are no foreign-language subtitles. Here are three seminal SBS titles that made history in the early 2000s, a golden age of K-drama. "All In" Having logged a staggering 40 percent viewership during its run, "All In" is now available on Netflix. Featuring Hallyu sensations Song Hye-kyo of "The Glory" and the Front Man from "Squid Game," Lee Byung-hun in their early days as actors, the 24-episode drama is a saga of love and ambition. Lee stars as In-ha, a man whose life takes a tragic turn after he lands behind bars. Years later, he reemerges as a professional gambler, only to be fatefully reunited with his love, Soo-yeon (Song Hye-kyo). "All In" was a cultural sensation in 2003, cementing Lee's status as one of the most celebrated actors in the country and earning him the top honors at the SBS Drama Awards. Tune in to revel in the celebrated series while enjoying its popular soundtracks, such as Park Yong-ha's "Like the First Day." "Why Can't We Stop Them" Few sitcoms in Korean television history are as beloved as "Why Can't We Stop Them," a 293-episode sitcom that encapsulates family life in Korea in the early 2000s. The show follows the entertaining, unpredictable stories of a multigenerational household, giving rise to some of the most enduring internet memes — including the infamous seaweed soup battle between No-gu, the stubborn grandfather, and Jung-soo, his strong-willed daughter-in-law. But underneath the humor, "Why Can't We Stop Them" is a sharp social commentary, critiquing Korea's rigid family structures and gender roles via its characters and plot. With its blend of light-hearted comedy and social criticism, the show is a must-watch. "Rustic Period" "Rustic Period" is an epic historical drama showcasing the tumultuous life of a real-life political gangster Kim Du-han, set against the backdrop of Korea's fight for independence and post-war upheaval. The series captivated audiences with its sharp portrayal of power struggles and street justice — rising as one of the most iconic dramas of the early 2000s and dominating the small screens with a whopping 51.8 percent peak viewership share in 2002. For those craving a well-made historical drama filled with action and larger-than-life characters try "Rustic Period." yoonseo.3348@
