News

Mubi has acquired all rights to No Other Choice, the latest film from South Korean auteur Park Chan-wook (Decision to Leave), for Latin America, the UK, Ireland, Benelux (in concert with Cinéart), Spain, Turkey, India, Australia, New Zealand, and Saarc.

The news comes following word yesterday that Neon is handling the film’s North American release.

Based on the novel The Ax by Donald E. Westlake, No Other Choice follows a middle-aged man named Man-su who embarks on a determined job hunt after being unexpectedly fired from the paper company that he worked for 25 years.

Park directed from a script written with Lee Kyoung-mi, Don McKellar and Jahye Lee. Lee Byung-hun (I Saw the Devil) and Son Yejin (The Last Princess) lead a cast that also includes Park Hee-soon (My Name), Lee Sung-min (The Spy Gone North), Yeom Hye-ran (The Glory), Cha Seung-won (Believer) and Yoo Yeon-seok (Mr. Sunshine).

Producers...

Mubi has acquired rights to Park Chan-wook’s No Other Choice for a good chunk of the world, including Latin America, the UK, Ireland, Benelux, Spain, Turkey, India, Australia/New Zealand, and South East Asia. Cinéart will handle the theatrical release in Benelux in partnership with Mubi.

The acquisition follows Neon’s announcement yesterday that it had secured North American rights to the film. Mubi and Neon have been sympatico on several arthouse titles this year. In Cannes, Mubi nabbed multiple international rights on Jafar Panahi’s Palme d’Or winner It Was Just an Accident, Kleber Mendonça Filho’s The Secret Agent, and Oliver Laxe’s Sirat, all of which Neon has for domestic release.

No Other Choice, currently in post-production, is based on Donald E. Westlake’s novel The Ax. The cast is led by Korean stars Lee Byung-hun (Squid Game) and Son Ye-jin (A Moment to Remember), and features Park Hee-soon,...

Mubi has landed distribution rights to Park Chan-wook’s upcoming dark comedy No Other Choice in multiple territories.

The company has secured all rights to South Korean feature in Latin America, the UK, Ireland, Benelux, Spain, Turkey, India, Australia, New Zealand, and Saarc. Cinéart will release the film theatrically in Benelux in collaboration with Mubi.

The deal was revealed just a day after Neon announced it had picked up rights for North America and ahead of a long-rumoured selection for Venice.

It marks the second time Mubi has handled a film by Park, having previously released Cannes award-winner Decision To Leave...

Mubi is reuniting with “Decision to Leave” filmmaker, Park Chan-wook, on his upcoming film, “No Other Choice,” which is currently in post-production and is strongly tipped for a world premiere in competition at Venice.

The global streamer, distributor and producer has bought the film for Latin America, U.K., Ireland, Benelux, Spain, Turkey, India, Australia, New Zealand, and Saarc. Cinéart will release “No Other Choice” theatrically in Benelux. Neon has bought it for North America.

Mubi has a history with Chan-wook. The company entered North America three years ago by theatrically distributing the Korean auteur’s twisty romantic thriller “Decision to Leave” which became his highest-grossing movie in North America, surpassing “Stoker” and “The Handmaiden.” Mubi had also released the movie in multiple international territories.

Park’s 12th feature, “No Other Choice” is based on the 1997 novel “The Ax” by Donald Westlake. It follows a man (Lee) who is abruptly...

Park Chan-wook is one of the world’s most sought-after filmmakers, and Neon wants to be at the head of the table when he serves up something new. On Thursday, Neon announced its reteaming with Park Chan-wook for his next feature film, No Other Choice. Neon holds the North American rights to No Other Choice, starring Lee Byung-hun and Son Ye-jin as husband and wife alongside an ensemble cast including Park Hee-soon (My Name), Lee Sung-min (The Spy Gone North), Yeom Hye-ran (The Glory), Cha Seung-won (Believer 1&2), and Yoo Yeon-seok (Mr. Sunshine).

“No Other Choice, Park’s 12th feature, is based on the 1997 novel The Ax by Donald Westlake. It follows a man (Lee) who is abruptly laid off by the paper company where he worked tirelessly for many years. He grows increasingly desperate in his hunt for new work, eventually he comes to a certain decision,” says Neon’s official press release.

Neon has reteamed with Korean director Park Chan-wook and Parasite studio Cj Enm by taking the North American rights to the violent comedy thriller No Other Choice.

Korean film royalty Lee Byung-hun and Son Yejin star in the thriller about Man-soo (Lee), who is abruptly laid off by the paper company where he worked tirelessly for many years. Man-soo grows increasingly desperate in his hunt for new work, and eventually resolves to kill his job competitors.

Son plays Man-soo’s wife, the warm-hearted Mi-ri in the latest film from Korean cinema to reflect beyond a core narrative the Asian country’s underlying economic and political tensions. Chan-wook’s 12th movie is an adaptation of American novelist Donald Westlake’s 1996 novel The Ax.

Westlake’s novel was previously adapted into French by Costa Gavras as the 2005 film Le Couperet (The Ax). The ensemble cast for Chan-wook’s Korean adaptation includes Park Hee-soon,...

Neon has acquired North American rights to “No Other Choice,” the next film from South Korean auteur Park Chan-wook, the distributor announced Wednesday.

Park’s 12th feature has been in the works for quite some time and only wrapped production in January, but we referred to the film nevertheless as a snub for the Cannes lineup in May (where he previously won Best Director for “Decision to Leave” in 2022), but a source tells IndieWire the film is expected to now premiere at the Venice Film Festival.

“No Other Choice” stars Lee Byung-hun, best known as the villain in “Squid Game,” and Son Ye-jin (“The Last Princess”) as a husband and wife. After the husband is abruptly laid off by the paper company where he worked tirelessly for many years, he grows increasingly desperate in his hunt for new work. It’s based on a 1997 novel by Donald Westlake called “The Ax,...

Neon has acquired the North American rights to No Other Choice, the latest feature from acclaimed Korean filmmaker Park Chan-wook.

Based on Donald E. Westlake‘s 1997 novel The Ax, the black comedy thriller is expected to world premiere at the Venice Film Festival in August.

Lee Byung-hun (“Squid Game”) stars a man who is abruptly laid off by the paper company where he worked tirelessly for many years. He grows increasingly desperate in his hunt for new work, eventually coming to a life-altering decision.

Son Ye-jin (“Crash Landing on You”), Park Hee-soon (“Squid Game”), Lee Sung-min (The Spy Gone North), Yeom Hye-ran (“The Glory”), Cha Seung-won (Night in Paradise), and Yoo Yeon-seok (“When the Phone Rings”) also star.

Chan-wook co-wrote the script with Lee Kyoung-mi, Jahye Lee (Uprising), and Don McKellar (Blindness).

No Other Choice is produced by Chan-wook and Back Jisun of Moho Film and Michèle Ray Gavras and Alexandre Gavras of Kg Production,...

Park Chan-wook’s “No Other Choice” has found a North American distributor.

Neon has acquired the North American rights to the South Korean auteur’s latest, which is expected to premiere later this year at Venice.

“No Other Choice” is based on Donald Westlake’s 1997 novel “The Ax.” It follows a middle-aged man who is laid off from his longtime job and becomes increasingly desperate. When he discovers the other people who are up for the same position he starts … thinning out the competition. The novel was previously adapted in 2005 by Costa-Gavras (his daughter is one of the producers of the new film).

Lee Byung-hun and Son Ye-jin play the husband and wife, with a supporting cast that includes Park Hee-soon, Lee Sung-min, Yeom Hye-ran, Cha Seung-won and Yoo Yeon-seok.

Neon and Cj Enm previously teamed on “Parasite,” which was a critical darling and awards powerhouse, eventually becoming the first...

Neon has taken North American rights to No Other Choice, the next movie from Park Chan-wook.

The project puts Neon back in business with the Korean filmmaker, the label having recently handled the helmer’s re-release of 2003’s Oldboy.

No Other Choice is Park’s 12th movie, and it’s based on the 1997 novel The Ax by Donald Westlake. It follows a man (Squid Game‘s Lee Byung-hun) who is abruptly laid off by the paper company where he worked tirelessly for many years. He grows increasingly desperate in his hunt for new work and eventually comes to a certain decision.

Son Yejin co-stars as the man’s wife alongside an ensemble cast including Park Hee-soon (My Name), Lee Sung-min (The Spy Gone North), Yeom Hye-ran (The Glory), Cha Seung-won (Believer), and Yoo Yeon-seok (Mr. Sunshine).

No Other Choice is produced by Park...

Neon is reteaming with Park Chan-wook and Cj Enm and has acquired North American rights to the South Korean auteur’s upcoming dark comedyNo Other Choice, which has been tipped to premiere in Venice.

Neon will plan an awards run on the filmproduced by Cj Enm Studios and Park’s Moho Films and financed by Cj Enm. It is currently in post.

Lee Byung-hun from Squid Game and I Saw The Devil stars as a middle-aged man fired from a paper company after years of service who goes on a killing spree to eliminate his competition.

Lee is joined by Son Ye-jin,...

Neon has bought North American rights to “No Other Choice,” the upcoming movie by Korean filmmaker Park Chan-wook (“Decision to Leave”) which is expected to world premiere at Venice.

Park’s 12th feature, “No Other Choice” is based on the 1997 novel “The Ax” by Donald Westlake. It follows a man (Lee) who is abruptly laid off by the paper company where he worked tirelessly for many years. He grows increasingly desperate in his hunt for new work, eventually he comes to a certain decision.

The film stars Lee Byung-hun (“I Saw the Devil“) and Son Yejin (“The Last Princess“) are set to star as husband and wife alongside an ensemble cast including Park Hee-soon (“My Name”), Lee Sung-min (“The Spy Gone North”), Yeom Hye-ran (“The Glory”), Cha Seung-won (“Believer”) and Yoo Yeon-seok (“Mr. Sunshine”). The deal reteams Neon and Cj Enm following the release of “Parasite” which broke ground as...

Tastefully Yours is a 2025 South Korean romantic comedy series that delves into the culinary world, highlighting the contrasting philosophies of its main characters. Set against the backdrop of Jeonju, a city renowned for its rich food culture, the series follows Han Beom-woo, a food conglomerate heir, and Mo Yeon-joo, a passionate chef. Their journey from rivalry to romance unfolds as they navigate personal ambitions and culinary challenges. Airing on Ena and Genie TV, the show is also available for streaming on Netflix in select regions.

About the Show:

Created by Han Jun-hee, written by Jung Soo-yoon, and directed by Park Dan-hee, Tastefully Yours combines elements of romance and comedy within the culinary arts. The narrative centers on Han Beom-woo, who, despite his position in a leading food conglomerate, lacks genuine passion for taste. Conversely, Mo Yeon-joo is a dedicated chef running a modest one-table restaurant in Jeonju. Their paths cross...

Tastefully Yours Official Poster Release!. For the global audience, the Monday-Tuesday drama can also be streamed on Netflix. For those who don’t know, the lead actor Kang Ha-Neul plays Han Beom-Woo, a chaebol heir to a huge food conglomerate. He is privileged and calculative. He only has one mission, and that is to expand his empire. This is why he travels across South Korea to collect samples of recipes, secret ingredients, and restaurants that can benefit his company. However, despite being in the industry, he has no respect for the flavors. Beom-Woo thinks food is not for enjoyment or has no art in it, it’s only a medium to mint money, a purpose for business.

Trending Is Cha Eun-Woo Set To Make A Special Appearance In Iu’s Music Video Before His Military Enlistment?

The Divorce Insurance: Lee Dong-Wook’s Drama Flops In Korea, But Climbs Global Ott...

4 Limited K-Drama series on Netflix that you must watch right away!(Photo Credit –Netflix)

Netflix is one of the biggest streaming services at present. Whenever we feel like watching a series, a K-drama, or a movie, we tend to opt for a streaming platform – be it Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, or even Disney+. While we wait for a sequel to our favorite series, the streaming platforms often declare the cancellation of the next season. Last year, Netflix canceled 22 series, more than any other Ott platform, breaking its own record of canceling 16 shows previously.

Along with these 22 announced series cancellations, Netflix also revealed through media reports that many K-dramas were officially made for a single season. These K-dramas were My Demon, The Bequeathed, Welcome to Samdalri, and more. Netflix, in its bi-annual engagement reports, relabeled the dramas as ‘limited series.’ A limited series means a series that has a fixed number...

Here Are The Top 5 K-Dramas Featuring Moon Ka-Young (Photo Credit – Instagram)

Moon Ka-Young is one of the most talented Korean actresses, and she has been proving her niche for quite some time. The 28-year-old actress started her career as a child model and later pursued acting as a profession. Now, she is ready to return to the rom-com K-drama world with an upcoming new series, My Dearest Nemesis. It is scheduled to premiere on Tvn on February 17, 2025, featuring Choi Hyun-wook, Im Se-mi, and Kwak Si-yang.

But before it releases, here are 5 of her highly recommended K-dramas that you should watch.

True Beauty

One of Moon Ka-Young’s most popular K-dramas is True Beauty, in which she plays the lead female role of Lim Joo-Kyung. She portrays a teenage high school girl who struggles with low self-esteem because of her looks, which are based on society’s high beauty standards. She...

Park Chan-wook, the Award-winning Korean filmmaker behind The Vengeance Trilogy, Thirst, and Stoker, has just wrapped principal photography on his latest feature, No Other Choice, Variety reports today.

The film began filming in August 2024 and is slated for release sometime later this year.

No Other Choice is an adaptation of Donald E. Westlake’s mystery thriller The Ax and follows “a middle-aged man named Man-soo who embarks on a determined job hunt after being unexpectedly terminated from his position at a paper company.”

The novel’s synopsis gives a fuller picture: “Burke Devore is a middle-aged manager at a paper company when the cost-cutting ax falls, and he is laid off. Eighteen months later and still unemployed, he puts a new spin on his job search — with agonizing care, Devore finds the seven men in the surrounding area who could take the job that rightfully should be his, and systematically kills them.

Passion Project

Award-winning Korean helmer Park Chan-wook has completed principal photography on his latest feature “No Other Choice,” distributor Cj Enm revealed Tuesday, alongside a first look for the project. The film, which began filming in August 2024, is slated for release later this year. The project marks Park’s first film directorial effort since his critically acclaimed “Decision to Leave” (2022), which earned him Best Director honors at Cannes.

Adapted from Donald E. Westlake’s mystery novel “The Ax,” the story follows a middle-aged man named Man-soo who embarks on a determined job hunt after being unexpectedly terminated from his position at a paper company. “Squid Game” star Lee Byung-hun takes on the lead role of Man-soo, while “Crash Landing on You” lead Son Ye-jin portrays his resilient wife A-ra. The stellar ensemble cast includes Lee Sung-min (“Handsome Guys”), Yeom Hye-ran (“The Glory”), Cha Seung-won (“Believer 2”), Yoo Yeon-seok (“Hospital Playlist...

Veteran Korean filmmaker Park Chan-wook has wrapped production on No Other Choice, which stars Lee Byung-hun (Squid Game) and Son Ye-jin (Crash Landing on You).

The five-month shoot kicked off in August 2024, with Moho Film attached as the production company and Cj Enm as distributor. Above is a first-look image released by Cj.

Based on the 1997 novel “The Ax” by Donald Westlake, the film follows Man Soo (played by Lee), a man who is suddenly fired from a paper company. He is determined to find a new job and deals with those standing in his way.

Park Hee-soon (Moving), Lee Sung-min (The Spy Gone North), Yeom Hye-ran (The Glory), Cha Seung-won (Uprising) and Yoo Yeon-seok (Hospital Playlist) are also part of the cast for No Other Choice.

Park first talked about his plans to adapt Westlake’s novel during the Busan International Film Festival in 2009.

Park won Best Director at...

It’s shaping up to be a major year for South Korean cinema as Hong Sang-soo and Bong Joon Ho get ready for Berlinale premieres of their latest work and later this year we’ll see the premiere of Park Chan-wook’s next feature No Other Choice. With filming kicking off last August and now having just wrapped on January 15 after five months of filming, the first images have now arrived for one of our most-anticipated films of 2025.

Adapting Donald E. Westlake’s 1997 novel The Ax, which Costa-Gavras first adapted in 2005, the black comedy thriller follows a man laid off from the paper company he worked at for 25 years. Some time later and still jobless, he hits on a solution: to genuinely eliminate his competition. Adapted by Park Chan-wook, Lee Kyung-mi, Don McKellar (The Sympathizer), and Lee Ja-hye (Decision to Leave, The Handmaiden), the cast includes Lee Byung-hun, Son Ye-jin,...

With Bong Joon-ho, Na Hong-jin, Pak Chan-wook, Takashi Miike, Park Hoon-jung having new movies in 2025, the year is already shaping up to be a great one, perhaps even signaling some sort of come-back for Korean cinema. At the same time, the directorial debut of Shu Qi, the return of Bi Gan and Edwin, and a number of rather interesting anime movies have us all excited here in Amp. Without further ado, here is a countdown of 35 films that are easily described as much anticipated, in random order.

1. All Before You by Annemarie Jacir (Palestine)

Yusuf spends his days moving between his farming village, Al Basma, and his work in the city of Jerusalem, enthusiastically working to find his place in the changing, modern world. Young and restless, he’s more interested in getting away from the confines of village life than becoming involved in its problems. Yusuf’s story is...

Warning: This article contains spoilers for When the Phone Rings.The final episode of Netflix's When the Phone Rings doesn't feature a cliffhanger, but instead ends with every character's story wrapped up. With When the Phone Rings' cast led by Yoo Yeon-seok and Chae Soo-bin, the series follows a married couple whose lives change after one of them is kidnapped. Seeing as most of the mysteries are solved in the previous episodes of the show, the series finale serves as a conclusion to Hee-joo's (Chae) and Sa-eon's (Yoo) story, as opposed to answering questions or setting up a second season.

When the Phone Rings episode 12 sees Hee-joo in despair after the sudden disappearance of her husband. Elsewhere, Sa-eon left Korea after he discovered the part his father had played in one of the worst things that had befallen the Hong family. Hee-joo, however, doesn't care about the past and...

The South Korean drama When the Phone Rings has captivated audiences with its blend of suspense, romance, and emotional depth. As the series nears its conclusion, the anticipation for the final episodes is at an all-time high. Starring Yoo Yeon-seok as Paik Sa-eon and Chae Soo-bin as Hong Hee-joo, the show has kept fans hooked with its intricate plot and dynamic character arcs. With Episodes 11 and 12 marking the series finale of When the Phone Rings, here’s everything you need to know about their release, plot developments, and where to watch.

Release Date and Time for Episodes 11 & 12:

Initially slated for an earlier release, the finale episodes faced unexpected delays during production with scheduling conflicts changing things up. However, according to the latest updates, and despite the recent plane crash in the country, the episodes will air:

Episode 11 will be released on January 3, 2025. Episode 12 (series finale) will air on January...

Many compelling romance K-dramas came out in 2024, but the best one surprisingly premiered towards the end of the year and is streaming on Netflix. Both in terms of viewership and overall quality, 2024 was a great year for romance K-dramas, with many memorable shows like No Gain No Love, Marry My Husband, Love Next Door, and Doctor Slump seeing the light of day. While some of these garnered both critical acclaim and commercial success, others amassed cult followings due to their strong performances, unique story beats, and impressive production values.

However, long before the Christmas season arrived, and the clocks struck 12 to change the date to 2025, a brilliant romance K-drama arrived on Netflix. Following a weekly release schedule, the K-drama improved with each episode, gradually luring in more and more viewers. Unsurprisingly, it consistently remained among the most-viewed non-English series on Netflix during its long run. Although Squid Game got immense...

Netflix's When the Phone Rings features an incredible cast who bring the intense romantic thriller to life. When the Phone Rings follows Baek Sa-eon and Hong Hee-joo, a couple forced into an arranged marriage, which Sa-eon keeps secret. During most of their marriage, in the Netflix K-drama, Sa-eon and Hee-joo keep out of each other's way, but things between them begin to change when Hee-joo gets kidnapped.

Adapted from Geon Eomul-nyeo’s novel, The Number You Have Dialed, When the Phone Rings perfectly blends romance, mystery and thriller. The romantic K-drama includes outstanding performances from its lead actors and supporting cast, who make every scene in the show engaging. While there are several great things about When the Phone Rings, the cast is undoubtedly one of the reasons the series is popular.

Actor

Character

Yoo Yeon-seok

Baek Sa-eon

Chae Soo-bin

Hong Hee-joo

Heo Nam-jun

Ji Sang-woo

Jang Gyu-ri

Na...

The captivating South Korean drama When the Phone Rings has been keeping fans on edge with its intriguing plot and dynamic character arcs. Starring Yoo Yeon-seok as Paik Sa-eon and Chae Soo-bin as Hong Hee-joo, the series explores themes of love, trauma, identity, and personal growth, all wrapped in a suspenseful narrative. As Episodes 9 and 10 of When the Phone Rings approach, here’s everything you need to know about their release, plot developments, and where to watch.

Release Date and Time for Episodes 9 & 10:

Episode 9 of When the Phone Rings is set to release on December 27, 2024, followed by Episode 10 on December 28, 2024. The episodes will air at 21:50 Korean Standard Time (Kst), which translates to 6:20 Pm Indian Standard Time (Ist). The other time zones are as follows:

Time Zone Episode 9: Dec 27, 2024 Episode 10: Dec 28, 2024 Pacific Time (U.S.) 4:50 Am 4:50 Am Central Time (U.S.) 6:50 Am 6:50 Am Eastern Time (U.

Aha, it seems When The Phone Rings has given us all what we want an entire day ahead of time. What I mean to say is that it is common practice for K-dramas to have the first kiss in episode 8, but we’ve got it one episode early. But this is a 12-episode series, so we’ll be left wanting more by the end of it for sure. In episode 7, Hee-Joo and Sa-Eon finally come face to face with most of their secrets. Well, at least most of Hee-Joo’s secrets. This episode is full of ups and downs, but the end is certainly going to have K-drama fans going wild. While this show is dramatic, it isn’t melancholic like Queen Of Tears or Love Next Door. It’s more about the mystery surrounding our two lead characters, which makes the romance that much more exciting to watch. There...

Netflix K-drama When The Phone Rings is the one thing on the minds of most K-drama fans right now. The wait for the weekend has never felt so long, and everybody is eager to see what’s happening next. Of course, some of us are just here to enjoy the chemistry between the two leads, which is sizzling, but the rest of us are stuck on who this kidnapper really is. There are many fan theories about who the bad guy is, but you have to keep in mind these are all from us viewers who haven’t read the Webtoon. The ending of episode 6 implies that someone in a black jacket pushed Hee-Joo off the cliff on purpose. This has sparked debates that Park Do-Jae, Sa-Eon’s trusted assistant, is the man we’re after. I’m going to be honest with you; I didn’t even know the...

When a young politician’s wife is kidnapped, it tests the bounds of their already strained relationship. Can they find a way to thwart the kidnapper’s demands and overcome the interpersonal struggles that’ve been tearing them apart? From director Park Sang-woo (The Forbidden Marriage) and writer Kim Ji-un (Melancholia), the series When the Phone Ringsputsthe couple through the crucible of South Korean politics and marital strife. The drama stars Yoo Yeon-seok, Chae Soo-bin, and Heo Nam-jun.

Stream it now. New episodes premiere each week through Jan. 4.

Check it out at the top of this page.

Three years ago, Sa-eon (Yoo) and Hee-joo (Chae) married in a secret arranged marriage and have lived unhappily together ever since. In fact, the two hardly speak at all — in part because Hee-joo lives with selective mutism, but primarily because they despise each other. At the moment, Sa-eon, a spokesperson for the South...

When the Phone Rings is a gripping new Kdrama that’s captured the attention of global audiences with its unique premise, stellar performances, and intense suspense. Starring Yoo Yeon-seok and Chae Soo-bin, the romance-mystery thriller has already achieved remarkable success, securing millions of views in its first week alone. As the series continues to unfold, fans are eagerly awaiting the next episodes. Here’s everything you need to know about the release schedule, plot, and where to watch When the Phone Rings.

Plot Overview:

When the Phone Rings revolves around the complex relationship between Baek Sa-eon (played by Yoo Yeon-seok) and Hong Hee-ju (played by Chae Soo-bin). Baek Sa-eon is a former war correspondent and hostage negotiator who now works at a broadcasting station, while Hong Hee-ju is a sign language interpreter at the same station. The drama dives into their “show window marriage”—a politically arranged union that serves only as a facade.

I suppose the second episode of When the Phone Ring proves to me why people will watch this show. It is essentially an enemies-to-lovers fanfiction with only one of everyone’s favorite romantic K-drama stars, Yoo Yeon-Seok. In episode 1, Hee-Joo is kidnapped by a strange man, but she manages to escape and steals his phone too. She uses the same phone to speak to her estranged husband, Sa-Eon. Actually, I don’t think estranged is the right word here. Sa-Eon and Hee-Joo are married for the sake of their families, but there’s some sort of hidden secret there. They don’t love each other, and they aren’t even trying to pretend, but the world has no idea that Hee-Joo is Sa-Eon’s wife. Because he works in the government, everything about his life is a secret, even his wife. Anyway, at the end of the first episode, Hee-Joo...

There’s something seriously confusing about Yoo Yeon-Seok’s new drama, and it isn’t really making it intriguing. However, after watching the whole episode, I’ve got to admit the last 3 minutes or so have got me hooked on what’s coming next—a “romance-thriller.” What does this mean exactly? I don’t actually know, but according to the end of this first episode, it might mean a pretend wife also pretending she’s kidnapped herself. You’ll get it when I get to the explaining part, but by the sound of all that, I know you’re wondering if you really want to give this show a try. In all honesty, I don’t know yet if it’ll be worth it, but come back tomorrow and we’ll know if the second episode is. In When the Phone Rings, Paik Sa-Eon is a presidential spokesman who has...

Hospital Playlist season 3 is the long-awaited follow-up to the second season of the Korean drama from 2021. The Korean medical drama TV show, Hospital Playlist, premiered in 2020 with season 2 coming a year later in 2021. The show is the second installment of the Wise Life series, following Prison Playbook, which premiered in 2017 for one season. Hospital Playlist follows five doctors well into their careers, working at the Yulje Medical Centre. The doctors began as friends in school and since have remained close over the years.

As the name suggests, and what makes the show particularly unique, is Hospital Playlist's soundtrack, which features covers of popular songs performed by the cast. The music, medical drama, and ever-evolving relationships between the characters, which run deeper than what's shown in the show, make for an engrossing and charming K-drama. Season 2 aired the last of its 12 episodes in September 2021, and since then, there's been little...

Breathless is a Spanish medical drama series created by Carlos Montero. The Netflix series is set in the Joaquín Sorolla public hospital in Valencia, Spain and it follows a group of doctors as they juggle their professional responsibilities, hectic work schedule, and secret affairs all while trying to give their patients the best medical care possible. So, if you loved the medical drama, romantic elements, and tense stories in Breathless here are some similar shows you should check out next.

The Night Shift (Rent on Prime Video) Credit – NBC

The Night Shift is a medical drama series created by Gabe Sachs and Jeff Judah. The NBC series revolves around a group of doctors associated with the US Army as they work the night shift in the ER at the San Antonio Medical Center. They face several issues in their personal and professional lives while trying to give their patients the best care possible.

Pachinko is a sweeping historical drama series created by Soo Hugh. Based on a 2017 novel of the same name by author Min Jin Lee, the Apple TV+ series follows four generations of a Korean family, beginning with Sunja as she leaves her family in Korea under Japanese rule to move to Koreatown, Osaka to start a new life but struggles with discrimination in Japanese society. Pachinko stars Youn Yuh-jung, Soji Arai, Kim Min-ha, Yu-na, Jin Ha, Han Jun-woo, Jeong In-ji, Jung Eun-chae, Lee Min-ho, Kaho Minami, Steve Sang-Hyun Noh, Anna Sawai, Jimmi Simpson, and Kim Sung-kyu. So, if you loved the historical drama, epic romantic stories, and complex characters in Pachinko, here are some similar shows you should check out next.

Little America (Apple TV+) Credit – Apple TV+

Little America is an anthology drama series developed by Lee Eisenberg, Emily V. Gordon, and Kumail Nanjiani. Based on true stories of...

Korean film maestro Park Chan-wook is keeping in motion. The internationally acclaimed auteur, 60, will begin production on Saturday on his 12th feature, an adaptation of American novelist Donald Westlake’s 1996 novel The Ax. The movie, which is currently going by the working title I Can’t Help It, will star Korean screen royalty Lee Byung-hun and Son Ye-jin, with financing and distribution coming from local studio heavyweight Cj Enm.

Westlake’s novel was previously adapted into French by Costa Gavras as the 2005 film Le Couperet (The Axe). Like its predecessor, Park’s adaptation follows a man — named Man-soo this time and played by Lee — who is abruptly laid off by the paper company where he worked tirelessly for many years. The man grows increasingly desperate in his hunt for new work, eventually resolving to kill his job competitors. Son will play the man’s wife, the warm-hearted Mi-ri.

I Can...

Following up his noir melodrama Decision to Leave, Park Chan-wook ventured into the world of American television with the forthcoming Max series The Sympathizer, adapting Viet Thanh Nguyen’s acclaimed novel and teaming with Robert Downey Jr. As revealed earlier this year, he’s now set to return to South Korea for his next feature and as production begins this week more details have been unveiled.

Set to begin shooting this Saturday, August 17, Park will be adapting Donald E. Westlake’s 1997 novel The Ax, which the legendary Costa-Gavras first adapted in 2005. The black comedy thriller follows a man laid off from the paper company he worked at for 25 years. Some time later and still jobless, he hits on a solution: to genuinely eliminate his competition. Adapted by Park Chan-wook, Lee Kyung-mi, Don McKellar (The Sympathizer), Lee Ja-hye, the cast includes Lee Byung-hun, Son Ye-jin, Park Hee-soon, Lee Sung-min, Yeom Hye-ran,...

Park Chan-wook has kicked off production on his next feature, tentatively titled “The Ax” (literaly Korean title “I Can't Help It”) with megastars Lee Byung-hun and Son Ye-jin in the lead.

Based on “The Ax” by Donald E. Westlake, which has also had a French film adaptation so far, the tragic-comic thriller will follow Yoo Man-soo, a salaried man who loses his job under an envious boss and goes to extreme measure to provide for his family. Lee will play Man-soo while Son Ye-jin will portray his devoted wife Mi-ri, who must step up for her husband and her family.

This will of course be the third collaboration between Park and Lee, with the actor having previously worked in the prolific director's breakout early feature “Jsa: Joint Securiry Area” as well as his segment “Box” in the horror anthology “Three… Extremes”. While this will be the first time Son Ye-jin...

Hospital Playlist's main cast shines with dual acting and singing talents, creating delightful covers with instruments they learned for their roles. Jeon Mi-do adds humor with off-key performances, contrasting the stellar vocals of her bandmates in the K-drama series. Through heartfelt covers like "Superstar" and "Oh! What A Shiny Night," Hospital Playlist highlights friendship and emotions, making each episode impactful.

Though Hospital Playlist is primarily a medical K-drama that focuses on the working lives of five doctors, there is also a heavy focus on music that results in incredible song covers by Hospital Playlist's main cast. The five main cast members are well renowned for their acting and singing abilities and have performed on stage and screen with great success. Hospital Playlist capitalizes on their duel acting and singing talents to add a delightful extra charm to a great ensemble K-drama.

Hospital Playlist's Main Cast & Instruments

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Doctor Slump is bringing smiles and tears to millions of Korean drama fans with its two brilliant leads Park Shin-hye and Park Hyung-sik. The Netflix series revolves around a plastic surgeon who gets entangled in a highly publicized criminal case because of a botched surgery and a doctor suffering from depression. When both of the leads meet each other again at the lowest moment in their lives, their high school rivalry starts to fade away as they start developing feelings for each other. So, if you are loving Doctor Slump here are some similar shows you could watch next.

Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha (Netflix) Credit – Netflix

Enemies to lovers is one of the most beloved tropes in Korean dramas, and this trope is used to perfection in the brilliant romantic-comedy series Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha. Based on a 2004 film titled Mr. Handy, Mr. Hong by Kang Seok-beom and Shin Jung-goo, the series revolves around...

A Killer Paradox is Netflix’s latest entry to its brilliant Korean drama shows. Based on a Naver webtoon of the same name by Kkomabi, the crime thriller series which turns into a superhero series is developed for television by Son Seung-ae, and it is written by Kim Da-min. The Netflix series revolves around an ordinary part-time worker and college student Lee Tang, who accidentally kills a serial killer, and then he realizes that he can recognize the evil in people and he begins to take them out, but he must be careful as a relentless is in his pursuit. So, if you loved the thrilling drama of A Killer Paradox, here are some similar shows you could watch next.

Dexter (Showtime & Prime Video Add-On) Credit – Showtime

If you loved the concept of A Killer Paradox, meaning a serial killer killing evil people then you might Dexter interesting as it has the same plot.

South Korean cinema, especially twisty thrillers, have gained a massive fanbase around the globe in the last two decades for a reason. The genre’s unapologetically hyperviolent approach and thickly layered narratives (with a touch of madness) often venture beyond extremes without breaking the veil of real-life plausibility. It’s a style of filmmaking and storytelling that’s virtually unparalleled, a unique characteristic and hallmark of the country’s entertainment.

After the global success of Netflix’s Squid Game, it’s hardly a surprise that Tving and Paramount+’s latest action-thriller, A Bloody Lucky Day, continues to carry over those impressive qualities to the small screen in an equally arresting manner. The 10-episode series is like a metaphorical butcher knife that keeps getting sharper as its gripping story unfolds between a good-hearted taxi driver and a flagrant serial killer. That might sound like a basic premise, but the creators turn...

From current Oscar nominees to new seasons of acclaimed comedies, Paramount+ has it all this February!

The ever-growing platform will usher in the premieres of several new shows and movies this month, including the highly anticipated family animated film "The Tiger's Apprentice," which features an A-list voice cast including Brandon Soo Hoo, Henry Golding, Sandra Oh, Michelle Yeoh, Lucy Liu, and Bowen Yang. Plus, tune in to new season premieres of "Halo," "Ghosts," "Young Sheldon," and more.

Excited for March's Academy Awards? Paramount+ will add the current Best Picture and Best Original Screenplay nominee "Past Lives" to help you catch up on your watch list. And check out plenty of previous Oscar nominees and winners, including "12 Years a Slave," "Chicago," and "Roman Holiday."

Ready to watch? Check out The Streamable’s top picks for what’s coming to Paramount+ in February, as well as the full list for all...

Paramount+ has quickly become a streaming service worth paying for. Although its options for television shows next month aren’t vast, audiences will undoubtedly want to check them out. Two of them are returning favorites, while the others offer interesting premises worth exploring. As such, audiences will surely find something in the mix they enjoy.

For fans of reality television, Sylvester Stallone and his family are back for another season of their hit series, The Family Stallone. Fans of disturbing true crime will want to check out the docuseries #Cybersleuths: The Idaho Murders, detailing the internet sleuths behind the coverage of the University of Idaho murders in 2022. Action seekers will surely enjoy the newest season of Halo, which is based on the extremely popular video game of the same name. Finally, a new Korean thriller, A Bloody Lucky Day, about a taxi driver and a serial killer, provides an interesting premise that promises to deliver.

A taxi driver's worst nightmare is brought to life in Paramount+'s newest South Korean thriller series A Bloody Lucky Day. Starring Reborn Rich's Lee Sung-min, the show follows a cabbie named Oh Taek on what seems to be the luckiest day of his life. His good fortune only seems to grow when he picks up a passenger willing to pay an exorbitant fare to reach his destination. Unfortunately, the taxi driver soon discovers that the stranger, Geum Hyuk-soo (Yoo Yeon-seok), is a twisted serial killer with a string of grisly crimes to his name. Collider can exclusively unveil the trailer which teases the pair's ride to hell as Oh Taek tries to stay alive.

Cj Enm (Hong Kong), a channels and content distributor that is part of the Korean Cj Enm conglomerate, has picked up pay-tv rights in parts of Asia to a handful of Korean series that were co-financed by streaming platform Tving and Paramount+. The deal was struck with Paramount Global Content Distribution.

The productions are part of a global strategic partnership between Cj Enm and Paramount Global that was announced in December 2021.

The deal was announced on the eve of the Asian TV Forum (Atf), which kicks off next week in Singapore.

The series debut first on Tving in Korea and on Paramount+ in the U.S., Canada, U.K., Australia, Latin America, Brazil, Italy, France, Germany, Switzerland and Austria. They then move to the Cj Enm-owned channels tvN and tvN Movies in the first window pay-tv slot in Southeast Asia.

The titles that Cj Enm (Hong Kong) will represent include...

It seems all the Ott platforms are now building up their Asian content, with something new popping up on a daily basis. While Netflix gives us quality content via shows that come once a week, Prime has been lucky to sport all the big films of the Korean industry, such as Parasite, The Wailing, and more. Their latest addition is not one that stands out. In fact, it’s rather unassuming for its subject matter. My Love Puppy stars Yoo Yeon-Seok and Cha Tae-Hyun, two mighty stars of the Korean industry, yet even with their magnificent star power, this film is as flat as the roads they travel within it. It seems it may not be as hard as we imagined to make a movie about dogs devoid of any real substance. At the end of the day, My Love Puppy ends up being less emotional and more PSA.

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The Busan International Film Festival has unveiled its selections for the popular Korean Cinema Today – Special Premiere and On Screen strands.

The On Screen section, introduced in 2021, showcases series and this year boasts six world premieres – five from Korea and one from Indonesia.

Tving show “I Am a Running Mate,” about an ordinary student trying to become student president marks the directorial debut of Han Jin-won, winner of best original screenplay as a co-writer for Bong Joon Ho’s “Parasite.” The series merges the coming-of-age genre with elements of a political drama, and stars Yoon Hyun-soo, Lee Jung-sic, Choi Woo-sung, Hong Hwa-yeon and Lee Bong-jun. Three of the nine episodes will screen at the festival.

“The Deal,” a Waave original series, is a tale of criminal intrigue in which two young men kidnap their friend and demand KRW10 billion ($7.5 million) as ransom. The cast features Yoo Seung-ho’s streaming debut alongside Kim Dong-hwi,...

Now a household name in the Korean entertainment industry, Kim Tae-Ri’s humble beginnings may come as a shock to many for the actress, who has an impressive resume for just a seven-year career. While technically, she hasn’t been acting for just 7 years, her mainstream film debut was in 2016, and she was clearly set up for success right from the start. The 33-year-old actress, who is known for looking youthful and even played a 21-year-old just last year, discovered her love for acting back in college. She began as a theatre actress in her second year of university and starred in a couple of music videos thereafter. She auditioned with over 1500 other women to play the important role of an orphan in acclaimed director Park Chan Wook’s erotic thriller The Handmaiden. She hasn’t looked back since, won many awards for the role, and proved her place in the industry.

Paramount+ is expanding its global Korean originals slate with two new series, A Bloody Lucky Day and Queen Woo, which the streamer will launch exclusively on its global platform. In South Korea, the series will be available on TVing, the streaming service launched by Korean powerhouse Cj Enm.

Both series were produced under the global partnership between Paramount Global and Cj Enm, which includes content licensing and distribution across Paramount+ and TVing, as well as the development of Korean original series. Paramount+ will stream the series in the U.S., Canada, UK, Australia, Latin America, Brazil, Italy, France, Germany, Switzerland and Austria.

A Bloody Lucky Day is an action thriller series about an ordinary taxi driver who gets entangled with a customer that turns out to be a serial killer. Directed by Pil Gam-Sung (Hostage: Missing Celebrity) and written by Kim Min-sung and Song Hanna, the series is produced by...