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Time of India
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Lee Honey ignites 80s rebellion in 'Aema'; series set for August 2025 release
Dive into the stormy 1980s Korean film scene, right after a 36-year ends, unleashing late-night screenings starting with the provocative ' Madame Aema '. This sets the stage for the original series 'Aema', directed and written by Lee Hae-young. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now On August 8, 2025, the main poster and trailer dropped, hinting at an era of massive shifts, sneaky plots, and fierce ambitions. Lee Honey , famed for her strong roles, plays Jeong Hee-ran, a top actress who won't be bullied. Newcomer Bang Hyo-rin stars as eager Shin Joo-ae, with Jin Seon-kyu as sly producer Goo Joong-ho and Jo Hyun-chul as rookie director Kwak In-woo. In Chungmuro's bustling hub, they chase dreams amid hidden schemes. But in a world fixated on exposure, Hee-ran and Joo-ae team up for a sassy comeback, blending underdog vibes with gritty 80s energy that sparks tension and laughs. Defiant Stands Lead to Epic Showdowns and Surprises The trailer mixes raw battles with victorious highs. Jeong Hee-ran rejects 'Madame Aema 's lead over excessive nudity demands, firmly setting her limits. Goo Joong-ho demotes her and auditions for a new star. Shin Joo-ae wins the role but struggles with senseless explicit scenes from censors. She complies at first, but Hee-ran's challenges spark on-set debates. Drama builds with shattered glass and Hee-ran's punch to Goo, heading to a wild climax. Her line, "Joong-ho, let's go to hell," promises revenge. It's a clever story of women outsmarting an old system, with humor highlighting emotional depths like the cost of resistance and budding friendships. Solidarity Shines Through Chaos and Clever Retorts 'Aema' highlights unity in turmoil, as Hee-ran and Joo-ae turn rivalry into alliance against the 'expose or quit' norm. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The poster's tagline, "In an era obsessed with stripping down, we're flipping it hot and hard," captures their bold resistance. Inspired by 1982's 'Madame Aema', the first erotic film post-curfew, it adds modern twists. Such films drew huge crowds, creating cultural buzz. The series offers laughs, shocks, and triumphs, exploring Hee-ran's shift to leader and Joo-ae's growth to ally, with nostalgic touches to era's style and changes. Lasting Impact of Bold Moves in a Changing World In 2025, 'Aema' reflects industry evolution and ongoing fights for respect. Premiering August 22, 2025, it sparks talks on power dynamics with retro flair. Lee Honey's layered performance inspires standing firm. For fans of history mixed with humor, it's a must-watch, showing change begins with bold acts. About Lee Honey She's not just an actress; Lee Honey is a multifaceted talent who rose to fame after winning Miss Korea in 2006, blending beauty with brains as a classically trained musician on the gayageum. Her career spans hit dramas like 'The Fiery Priest' and films that showcase her versatility, earning her accolades for breaking stereotypes in Korean entertainment . Off-screen, she's an advocate for women's rights, often speaking out on gender equality, making her the perfect fit for roles like in 'Aema' that celebrate female empowerment.
Korea Herald
22-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Korea Herald
‘Trigger' hits Netflix as Songdo shooting shakes nation
New Netflix original explores what would happen if guns became available in Korea, where gun ownership is prohibited Netflix Korea's newest original series, "Trigger," held its press conference on Tuesday in a subdued mood, just one day after a shocking event occurred in Songdo International City, where a father allegedly shot and killed his son using a homemade gun. Set in a fictionalized present-day South Korea, where in reality gun ownership is still prohibited, the series delves into the fallout when ordinary citizens begin receiving mysterious packages containing guns -- a premise made all the more unsettling by recent events. Director Kwon Oh-seung noted that the series stemmed from a personal question: what could happen if guns suddenly became accessible in a society that has long enforced strict gun control? 'There have been many unfortunate incidents lately. Korean society is filled with conflict and division. I began to wonder, what if someone took advantage of this instability and handed out guns? How would people react? That curiosity sparked the idea for this project,' Kwon said at the event, held in Seoul's Mapo-gu district. Kwon, acknowledging the recent tragedy, also addressed concerns about potential parallels between the drama and current events, drawing a line between the show's narrative and the real-life violence that has shaken the country. 'I want to express my regret over the tragic events that have occurred. However, I believe there's a distinction between those incidents and 'Trigger.' If you look at how the characters use guns in the film, it leads to a different approach and different outcomes. I hope audiences can separate the painful events of real life from the narrative of this work,' he said. 'The keyword (for this series) is empathy. I believe the story leads viewers to empathize with the characters who pick up the guns, but ultimately arrive at the conclusion that such a choice should not be made.' Kim Nam-gil, known for his action-packed roles in projects such as 'The Fiery Priest' and 'The Pirates,' said he approached his character Yi-do not as a typical action hero, but as a conflicted man navigating a moral crisis. In "Trigger," Yi-do is a local police officer who races to uncover the source of the illicit gun deliveries. He said, 'Rather than performing action scenes for their own sake, I aimed for a more restrained approach. My character is someone who has long questioned whether picking up a gun is truly the right way to protect someone. Because of that, he believes there might be other ways to save people." "So instead of going for straightforward violence, the action I portrayed was more subdued. I think, consequently, Yi-do's action scenes might feel different from other works that feature gun action," said Kim. According to the director, the project intentionally avoids glorifying gun use, focusing instead on interconnected personal stories that culminate in a clear message about understanding and responsibility. 'The message that the series 'Trigger' wants to convey is that by understanding and empathizing with the people around us, we will be reminded not to make extreme choices," Kwon said. He concluded firmly: 'I hope this makes people appreciate that South Korea is a safe country precisely because we don't have guns.' 'Trigger' premieres Friday on Netflix.
Time of India
25-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Trigger OTT Release Date: When and where to watch Kim Nam-gil and Kim Young-kwang's action thriller K-drama
Trigger OTT Release Date: What happens when a country that has lived gun-free suddenly finds itself flooded with firearms? South Korea, known for its tight control on weaponry, becomes the setting of a terrifying 'what-if' in Trigger, a gritty action thriller that asks questions no one has dared to before. And it's all set to unfold globally on July 25, when the series premieres exclusively on Netflix. Plot and premise of Trigger Trigger throws viewers into a version of South Korea they've never seen before, one where guns start mysteriously appearing in civilian hands, and chaos breaks loose. Unregistered weapons are being delivered across the nation in unmarked boxes. Shootings erupt in cities where even armed robberies are rare. At the centre of this breakdown is Lee Do, played by the ever-intense Kim Nam-gil. He's a former military sniper who has traded war zones for detective work, but this case drags him right back into a battlefield, one that's unfolding in his own streets. Tasked with tracing the origin of these firearms and stopping a surge in violent crime, Lee Do's investigation takes him down a rabbit hole far deeper than he imagined. Then comes Moon Baek, portrayed by Kim Young-kwang. On the surface, he's laid-back, almost playful, but there's an edge that never quite disappears. His involvement in the spreading gun epidemic is murky at best and dangerous at worst. The faces behind the action Kim Nam-gil brings raw emotions to Lee Do, something fans of The Fiery Priest and Song of the Bandits will recognise. Kim Young-kwang, meanwhile, steps into Moon Baek's shoes with the charm and complexity he showcased in Call It Love and Somebody. But the series wouldn't hold together without a confident hand behind the camera. That's where Kwon Oh-seung comes in. Known for his tense thriller Midnight, which earned international acclaim at the Fantasia International Film Festival, Oh-seung writes and directs Trigger.
Forbes
05-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
The K-Drama ‘Karma' Delivers But Not In A Way You Might Suspect
Kim Sung-kyun and Lee Hee-jun play thugs in 'Karma.' There are murders and bodies galore in the k-drama crime thriller Karma and there are also plenty of ironic plot twists and turns. One body inventively get recycled for a second crime. In the opening episode Park Jae-young, played by Lee Hee-jun (Blood Free, A Killer Paradox), arrives at an emergency room as the victim of a fire that looks a lot like arson. Jae-young wound up becoming a burn victim because he's the kind of low-life thug who would kill his own father for the insurance money. Only he makes a big mistake when he hires a member of a notorious gang, played by Kim Sung-kyun (The Fiery Priest, Moving), to do his dirty work. There really is no honor among thugs. Jae-young pays dearly for his mistake, but perhaps not as dearly as he might deserve. Shin Min-a plays a doctor in 'Karma.' So, is it karma that the doctor who saves his life is Lee Ju-yeon, played by Shin Min-a (No Gain No Love, Our Blues), a woman he brutally abused decades before. Jae-young has survived threats by vicious loan sharks and gangsters, but he may be powerless to escape justice at her hands. Shin Min-a delivers a raw performance as the tortured doctor who is haunted by her nightmare past. The story ties together the karma of these characters with that of the mysterious witness played by Park Hae-soo (Squid Game II, Money Heist II). He witnesses an incident that involves Han Sung-hun, played by Lee Kwang-soo (Divorce Insurance, The Killer's Shopping List). Sung-hun is a traditional doctor, who is driving home with his lover, played by Gong Seung-yeon ( The First Responders, Bulgasal: Immortal Soul) when he accidentally hits and kills someone. Or so it seems. He can't report the incident because he's been drinking. Lee Kwang-soo and Gong Sung-yeon play lovers in 'Karma.' Sung-hun and the witness make a deal, but it doesn't end well for one of them. Although there are plenty of detours in the plot of this often darkly comic thriller and several great performances, the conversations between Park's eerily deadpan witness and Lee's sleazy doctor character are a highlight. There are so many villainous characters in this drama, but will karma deliver a fair share of retribution? The six episode drama is based on the web comic Akyeon by Choi Hee-Sun, which was published on Kakao. It was adapted and directed by Lee Il-hyeong, who previously directed the films Remember and A Violent Prosecutor. Karma airs on Netflix.
