North Korea: Last News

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief Full and proper confirmation of a second season of mystery horror series “Hellbound” was high on the agenda of Netflix’s consumer-oriented Tudum presentation. Korean shows have repeatedly achieved top ratings among the streamer’s non-English roster, and last November’s release of “Hellbound” was the show that finally edged aside “Squid Game” after several weeks of breakthrough success. (The Tudum presentation offered “Squid Game” fans some extra footage that confirmed the identity of the mysterious ‘front man’. Take a look here.) “Hellbound” is derived from a webtoon created by series director Yeon Sang-ho, who previously directed “Train to Busan” and “Peninsula.” It featured otherworldly angels who emerged to condemn individuals to hell at a specific future time, minutes or years away.

President Biden on Friday night will host a concert by superstar Elton John on the White House lawn — providing the exclusive venue for the filming of a TV special.Biden and first lady Jill Biden will speak at the 8 p.m. concert put on by A&E Networks, which will then air the special at an undisclosed future date.“Tonight, as you all know, we will be welcoming Sir Elton John,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said at her regular press briefing — after journalists heard mic checks from the adjacent driveway.

Hellbound, the dark fantasy K-drama that stormed Netflix in 2021, has officially been confirmed to be renewed for a second season.The news came during the streaming platform’s TUDUM event today (September 24), which shares previews and first looks at the brand’s upcoming slate of programming.Towards the end of the segment on Netflix’s forthcoming Korean series, Hellbound’s return was announced with an eerie teaser clip.In it, a skeleton in a glass box was seen writhing and pulsating before the glass smashed and the bones transformed back into the body of a living person. “Brace yourselves, hell on Earth returns,” Netflix said in the YouTube description.

Netflix has shared a previously unseen clip from Squid Game season one at its TUDUM preview event today (September 24).The streaming platform is sharing first looks at some of its upcoming programmes around the world, kicking off with a section dedicated to its Korean slate.At the end of the Korean segment, Squid Game director Hwang Dong-hyuk appeared in a video message. “I’d like to thank all the Netflix fans around the world again for loving Squid Game,” he said.

BLACKPINK have become the first-ever K-pop girl group to achieve a Number One album in the UK.The South Korean band hit the top spot today (September 23) with their second full length record, ‘Born Pink’, which was released last Friday (September 16).BLACKPINK previously peaked at Number Two in the United Kingdom with their debut album, 2020’s ‘The Album’ (via the Official Charts Company).Martin Talbot, Chief Executive at the Official Charts Company, said: “Congratulations to BLACKPINK.“Being any kind of chart first is a record which can never be taken away, so for their new album ‘Born Pink’ to become the first UK Official Number One by a K-pop girl group is a fantastic achievement – and puts them in the record books forever!”Back in 2019, BTS became the first Korean act to hit Number One in the UK albums chart with ‘Map of The Soul: Persona’.

First Love is coming!

Jessica Kiang If ever you’ve glanced into lit-up living rooms while driving down a suburban street at dusk, or glimpsed a neighbor’s apartment over their shoulder when you drop off a package, and found yourself idly wondering not just what the inhabitants’ lives are like, but what maybe your life would be like if you occupied those exotic domestic spaces — well, has mischievous Korean miniaturist Hong Sangsoo made a movie for you. “Walk Up,” the festival darling’s latest benignly sozzled, black-and-white delight, daydreams around that idea, its gentle profundity smuggled in under cover of multilevel playfulness. The movie is a play on time, on imaginative shoestring filmmaking, and on Hong’s own persona. It’s even a play on words, with its three stories sprouting out from each other over three separate stories of the same Seoul walk-up. 

Hallyu! The Korean Wave will feature around 200 objects from outfits worn by K-pop groups ATEEZ and aespa to a recreation of the bathroom from Bong Joon-ho’s Oscar-winning movie Parasite. Digital displays and interactive installations will also take visitors deeper into the scenes the exhibition explores.Curator Rosalie Kim began pitching the exhibition to the Victoria & Albert museum in 2019 after noticing that younger visitors coming to the museum’s Korean Gallery and comparing items to ones they had seen in K-dramas and films.

Thania Garcia South Korean R&B singer Crush, who is in the midst of a comeback after a two-year military service hiatus, has recruited BTS’ J-Hope for his new single, “Rush Hour.” The celebratory song arrived on Thursday with an accompanying music video which also stars J-Hope and sees both artists skating through elaborate dance numbers in an alleyway. After Crush begins the track, he’s joined by the BTS member, who playfully raps, “Wherever I go now it’s a red carpet feel / Cameras snapping wherever I go like flash, flash,” as a crowd of camera flashes appears behind him. Crush told the Korean entertainment publication Soompi that his decision to collaborate with J-Hope was natural, as they are both going in a similar musical direction, and added that he “was so grateful for [J-Hope] when he helped monitor and provided coaching.”

Anna Tingley If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, Variety may receive an affiliate commission. The Emmy-winning Netflix series “Squid Game” is set be the most popular TV-inspired Halloween for the second year in a row. According to data collected by CasinoTop10, Squid Game costumes outnumbered Google searches for any other film and TV character costumes, beating out other popular costume inspo such as Harley Quinn, Cruella, Spiderman, the Joker and more. In the ultra-popular series, hundreds of debt-ridden people sign up to compete in order to win a life-changing cash prize.

Peter Debruge Chief Film Critic African American boxing champ Muhammad Ali famously refused to fight for his country, justifying himself with the oft-quoted quip, “No Viet Cong ever called me n—–.” That’s one-half of American history, and an important one. “Devotion” tells the other, presenting the story of a Black pilot so determined to defend — and die for, if need be — the United States that he was willing to endure institutional bigotry to become the Jackie Robinson of the skies: Jesse Brown, the first aviator of color to complete the Navy’s basic training program. A square but satisfying social justice drama set against the backdrop of the Korean War, “Devotion” impressed on the biggest screen possible at the Toronto Film Festival two months before its Nov. 23 theatrical release. Featuring elements of both “Green Book” and “Red Tails,” the film is more than just a stirring case of Black exceptionalism; it also celebrates the one white officer who had Brown’s back, Tom Hudner, treating the bond these two men formed as something exceptional unto itself. Director JD Dillard dazzles with see-it-in-Imax airborne sequences, but the meat of the film focuses on the friendship between Brown (“Da 5 Bloods” star Jonathan Majors) and his white wingman, played by Glen Powell, the “Hidden Figures” actor who most recently appeared in “Top Gun: Maverick.”

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief Korean film producer Baek Jaeho has been named as the inaugural recipient of the Choon-yun Award, a prize set up in honor of Lee Choon-yun, the late chairman of the Korean Association of Film Art & Industry. The award, worth KRW10 million ($7,100), will be presented on the sidelines of the Busan International Film Festival on Oct. 6 in conjunction with IOK Company. Baek participated in the production of 2021 title “Snowball” and was previously involved in indie films “Jane” in 2016 and last year’s “Role.” He also acts and directs. Veteran director Kang Je-kyu praised Baek as ”a filmmaker who maintains his values and outspreads his potential in the insufficient independent film environment.”

BoA has responded to hate comments she has received following the most recent episode of Street Man Fighter, while SM Entertainment has announced plans to pursue legal action.BoA is a judge on Mnet’s ongoing reality dance competition Street Man Fighter. In the show’s September 20 broadcast, dance crew Prime Kings were the first crew to be eliminated from the show after losing a battle to competing crew BANK TWO BROTHERS.

BTS’ Order of Cultural Merit awarded by former president Moon Jae-In in 2018 — should be allowed to serve an alternative form of military service.Korea JoongAng Daily reported on September 21 that Defence Minister Lee has since responded to the proposal, saying that it would be “difficult” to extend this alternative [military service] programme to BTS due to “aspects of fairness on fulfilling mandatory military service” during an interpellation at the National Assembly held on September 19.Kim Young-bae’s original proposal suggests that existing provisions in place for athletes, actors, directors and classical musicians who have made a significant international impact should be expanded to include decorated pop celebrities. “Korean pop celebrities active in the international field make unimaginable economic and social contributions,” said Kim, per The Korea Times.He also added that BTS’ recent appointment as ambassadors of Busan City is one way the boyband are actively serving South Korea’s national interests.

Queen Elizabeth II’s Sept. 8 death sent viewers flocking to Netflix’s The Crown, with Season 1 of the Peter Morgan drama returning to the streamer’s Top 10 at #7 for the week of Sept. 5 – Sept. 11, which included the day the news of the Queen’s passing broke and the three days that followed. For the week of Sept. 12 – Sept. 18, which coincided with UK’s period of national mourning, The Crown‘s first season rose to #3 with 40.8M hours viewed, with Season 2 also reentering the Top 10 at #7 with 16.7M hours viewed.

BreAnna Bell “Cobra Kai” is still kicking at the top of Netflix’s Top 10 list following its Season 5 premiere on Sept. 9. During the Sept. 12-Sept. 18 viewing window, the show scored 95.6 million hours viewed –– which is still a high note despite its drop from the prior week’s astounding 107 million hours watched. Sliding in at No. 2 is Season 2 of “Fate: The Winx Saga.” The new installment debuted on the streaming service on Sept. 16, raking in 49 million hours watched in its first three days of availability. Season 1 of “The Crown” continued its reign on the list, moving up to the third spot with 40.8 million hours viewed, while Season 2 of the series entered the list with 16.7 million hours viewed.

Anna Marie de la Fuente Buenos Aires-based FilmSharks subsidiary The Remake Company has closed a remake deal with Italy’s Marco Belardi and his new label Bamboo Prod. for Ariel Winograd’s latest film “Today We Fix the World” (“Hoy se Arregla el Mundo”).  Produced by powerhouse shingle Patagonik, the family dramedy was picked up by Netflix for several key territories after its theatrical release by Disney’s Star early this year.  Mexico’s BH5 has also acquired the remake rights and is about to produce its version while talks are underway with Korean and French companies, said FilmSharks founder and CEO, Guido Rud. Winograd is already a known quantity in Italy. His last film “Ten Days Without Mom” topped the box office in Italy when it was released.

Baek Yerin will soon be heading to North America to tour – find dates, cities and ticket sale info below.On September 20, the singer took to Twitter to announce her forthcoming 2022 North American tour, which will take place from November to December. Baek will be kicking off the 14-show tour in Atlanta on November 28, before heading to cities like Los Angeles, Chicago and New York.<2022 Yerin Baek North America Tour>⠀Nov 28 : AtlantaNov 30 : HoustonDec 1 : Fort WorthDec 4 : Santa AnaDec 5 : Los AngelesDec 7 : BerkeleyDec 9 : DenverDec 11 : ChicagoDec 13 : TorontoDec 15 : BostonDec 17 : New YorkDec 19 : Washington DC— Yerin Baek (@yerinbaek) September 19, 2022Tickets to the concerts, which will be available here via Ticketmaster, go on sale on September 22 at 10am local time.

Stray Kids have unveiled snippets of their forthcoming ‘Maxident’ mini-album through a mashup clip.On September 19, the eight-member boyband shared a mashup video comprising tracks from their upcoming seventh mini-album ‘Maxident’. The record, due out on October 7 at 1pm KST, will be accompanied by the release of the music video for its lead single ‘Case 143’.The new clip previews all eight tracks on ‘Maxident’ including its lead single and unit tracks ‘3RACHA’, ‘Taste’ and ‘Can’t Stop’.

BTS’ Order of Cultural Merit awarded by former president Moon Jae-In in 2018 — should be allowed to serve an alternative form of military service.Kim’s proposal suggests that existing provisions in place for athletes, actors, directors and classical musicians who have made a significant international impact should be expanded to include decorated pop celebrities.“Korean pop celebrities active in the international field make unimaginable economic and social contributions,” said Kim, per The Korea Times.He added that BTS’ recent appointment as ambassadors of Busan City is one way the boyband are actively serving South Korea’s national interests.

EXCLUSIVE: South Korean filmmaker Kim Hongsun has signed with WME following the launch of latest project Project Wolf Hunting in Toronto.