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“The Pirates 1 and 2” are two Epic Korean Action-Adventure-Comedy films. Both movies have a fantastic cast. The first movie was released in 2014, and the standalone sequel didn’t come until 8 years later, 2022. But it was worth the wait! Summary: What’s more exciting than searching for lost treasure? Finding lost treasure. ♦ The Pirates 2: The Last Royal Treasure (2022) Storyline: The background for “The Pirates: The Last Royal Treasure” involves the fall of Goryeo. In 1388, General Yi Seong-Gye turned his army around in Wihwado. This is considered one of the most significant turning points in Korean history. The general defied the king’s orders. He had been told to push forward and continue fighting the Ming army. Instead, he turned his army back. The Goryeo dynasty lasted from 918 to 1392. After its fall, Joseon was established under Yi Seong-gye, who became King Taejo. The true story or the legend (?) is that the generals...

Netflix’s global phenomenon Squid Game returns with its highly anticipated Season 2. The deadly competition of children’s games — where the stakes are as high as the cash prize — is back, promising even more intensity, danger, and drama. Alongside the returning cast from Season 1, new faces join the brutal arena, bringing fresh dynamics and gripping storylines.

In Season 2, Seong Gi-hun (Lee Jung-jae), the central character and winner of the first game, embarks on a mission to dismantle the Squid Game organization. Armed with the fortune he won and fueled by justice, Gi-hun plunges back into the deadly world, facing old enemies, new allies, and unexpected revelations. Below is a comprehensive guide to the returning and new cast of Squid Game Season 2:

Squid Game Season 2 Returning Cast Lee Jung-jae as Gi-hun (Player 456)

The divorced gambler-turned-Squid Game winner returns with a fierce determination to end the games for good. As Gi-hun re-enters the game,...

Squid Game is almost ready to roll out the red carpet for more desperate players, and Player 456 is back to try and bring an end to the brutal struggle of life and death. Netflix has been teasing the new series for weeks, and now, fans have their best look yet at the return of the streamer's biggest ever hit.

Valued at nearly $900 million, ironically, the anti-capitalist Korean thriller created by Emmy-winning creative Hwang Dong-hyuk won the hearts of fans and critics alike upon its release in 2021. Quickly becoming a worldwide phenomenon, Squid Game became one of the biggest shows on the planet, spawning online games, playground trends, and even its own reality show called Squid Game: The Challenge, where fans participated in real-life games. Without being killed off, of course.

Now, Netflix is gearing up for the long-awaited release of Season 2. With Season 3 already approved and set for streaming in...

Netflix is ready to horrify you with another season of its survival thriller series, Squid Game. Emmy-winning actor Lee Jung-jae is returning as Seong Gi-hun in the second season. The climax of the first season showed Player 456 deciding to go back to the bloody games, determined to go after whoever runs the games.

Lee Jung-jae in a still from Squid Game Season 2 | Credits: Netflix

However, from the glimpses shown to us through sneak peeks and teaser trailers, it doesn’t appear that things are under Gi-hun’s control. Following his apparent death in the first season, Detective Hwang Jun-ho also returns in the second season, though it remains a mystery why he hasn’t put an end to the games yet.

Squid Game Season 2 Release Date: When Does It Premiere? Lee Jung-jae as Player 456 in Squid Game Season 2 | Credits: Netflix

Squid Game first premiered on Netflix in September 2021. The second...

Squid Game: Meet the New Cast of the Highly-Anticipated Second Season - Main Image

Squid Game season 2 returns with new sets of players this year on Netflix, just in time for the holidays. Keep in mind that each new actor's roles for the second season have yet to be disclosed. Check out which stars you may recognize from their previous Kdramas!

Im Si-Wan

Outside being a member of the Kpop group, Ze:a, the award-winning actor Im Si-Wan has proven his talent when it comes to the acting industry.

Fans may recognize previous works of his from Jeong Seok-Won in tvN's Reply 1997, Yoon Jong-Woo from Strangers From Hell, Jang Byeong-Tae from 2023's Boyhood, but he is most popularly known for starring as the main culprit on the 2023 flick Unlocked as hacker Oh Jun-Yeong.

Kang Ha-Neul

The multiple best actor awardee Kang Ha-Neul has starred in prominent Kdramas since...

As Squid Game remains the most-watched TV series on Netflix, it’s no surprise that anticipation is extremely high for the new season. In a letter to shareholders, Netflix revealed that Squid Game season 2 will premiere later this year.

“Looking ahead, despite last year’s strikes pushing back the launch of some titles, we have a big, bold slate for 2024,” the letter states. “Audiences will be able to choose from hit returning dramas like The Diplomat S2, Bridgerton S3, Squid Game S2 and Empress S2.” The streaming service didn’t confirm an exact premiere date for Squid Game season 2, but it’s exciting to know that the games will continue this year.

Related Squid Game: The Challenge season 2 gets the green light

The second season of Squid Game will feature Lee Jung-jae returning as Seong Gi-hu, as well as Lee Byung-hun as Hwang In-ho, the Front Man, and Wi Ha-joon as Hwang Jun-ho.

Horror comedy is directed by Nam Dong-hyub.

Korean sales company Contents Panda is to launch sales on horror comedy Handsome Guys at the Asian Contents & Film Market (Acfm) in Busan.

The film stars Lee Sung-min and Lee Hee-jun, who both starred in Woo Min-ho’s The Man Standing Next – South Korea’s entry to the Oscars in 2021. Lee Sung-min is also known for his role in Yoon Jong-bin’s Cannes 2018 title The Spy Gone North. The cast also includes Gong Seung-yeon (Aloners).

A first look at the feature can be seen above.

It marks the feature directorial debut of Korea’s Nam Dong-hyub,...

Stars Acting Up At Busan

Oscar-winning Korean actor Youn Yuh-jung will headline the Actors’ House section of the upcoming Busan International Film Festival, it was announced on Thursday.

Introduced in 2021, Actors’ House is a special series that connects audiences and film enthusiasts with iconic actors from the current generation through its in-depth discussions. “There’s much anticipation to hear her words of wisdom, as she’s known for her insightful observations,” said the festival.

Others this year include: Han Hyo-joo, Song Joong-ki and Korean-American actor and author John Cho. Han is known for performances in 2015’s “The Beauty Inside,” “W” (2016), “Happiness (2021), and last year’s “The Pirates: The Last Royal Treasure.” She will be in Busan with Netflix-backed “Believer 2” and recently appeared in the Disney+ original series, “Moving.”

Song, who hosted the 2021 Busan festival’s opening ceremony, was recently seen in “Hopeless,” one of the handful of Korean films in Cannes this year.

The ‘Squid Game’ season 2 cast table read (Photo Credit: Netflix)

Netflix’s Squid Game season two has added eight additional cast members to its roster. The newcomers to the twisted world of Squid Game include Park Gyu-young (Sweet Home seasons 1 and 2) and actress/singer Jo Yu-ri from the South Korean-Japanese girl group Iz*One.

Also joining the critically acclaimed series are Kang Ae-sim, Lee David (The Fortress), Lee Jin-uk, and actor/singer Choi Seung-hyun (Tazza: The Hidden Card). Rounding out the season two cast are Roh Jae-won (Missing Yoon) and Won Ji-an (D.P.).

The just-announced cast join previously announced returning Squid Games stars Lee Jung-jae as Seong Gi-hun, Lee Byung-hun as Front Man, Wi Ha-jun as Detective Hwang Jun-ho, and Gong Yoo. And during the Tudum: A Global Fan Event held June 17, 2023, Yim Si-wan (Unlocked), Kang Ha-neul (The Pirates: The Last Royal Treasure), Park Sung-hoon (The Glory), and Yang Dong-geun...

Squid Game became a full-fledged global phenomenon when it was released on Netflix in 2021. It quickly became Netflix’s most-watched series of all time and also made the streaming service a boatload of cash.

According to a report by the Los Angeles Times, Squid Game may have increased the value of Netflix by nearly $1 billion. “‘Squid Game’ turned out to be a bargain beyond compare,” reads the LA Times report. “Made for about $2.4 million an episode, about a fourth the cost of ‘Stranger Things,’ the nine-part series went on to win six Emmys, set a Netflix record of 1.65 billion viewing hours in its first 28 days of release and — according to internal Netflix documents — increase the value of the company by an estimated $900 million.“

Related Squid Game: The Challenge: Contestants on reality show based on the series needed medical attention on the first day

You would think that Squid Game creator...

Squid Game was a legit pop culture phenomenon when it came out in the fall of 2021. No one expected a Korean show like this to have such an impact in North America, but the show became a bona-fide sensation, with the show quickly earning a season two renewal. While the release date hasn’t been revealed yet, at Netflix’s Tudum event, we got a look at the new cast, who join our two returning players, Lee Jung-jae as Seong Gi-hun and Lee Byung-hun as Hwang In-ho as the Front Man (as well as the recruiter played by Gong You).

According to Netflix’s Tudum site, the four new players are Korean stars “Yim Si-wan (Unlocked), Kang Ha-neul (The Pirates: The Last Royal Treasure), Park Sung-hoon (The Glory) and Yang Dong-geun (Yaksha: Ruthless Operations).” No news yet on who they’re playing, but expect more info on the new season soon.

“Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness” opened with a stunning 14.4 million debut weekend in South Korea, far in excess of any film this year at the Korean box office. Its five-day opening score was 29.1 million.

Data from the Korean Film Council’s Kobis tracking service shows the film garnered an 87 market share over the weekend, as it lifted nationwide box office to pre-covid levels for the first time in more than two years. Given that before the pandemic South Korea was the world’s fourth largest theatrical market, the possibility of a rebound has global significance.

The Korean success of “Doctor Strange” is drawn from the film’s high anticipation and the relaxation of social distancing rules that have kept Koreans away from cinemas for a prolonged period.

If the Friday-to-Sunday weekend period was revelatory of new possibilities for the Korean box office, the film’s opening two days were even more so.

“Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore” topped the box office in South Korea over the May Day weekend, beating a handful of minor local titles which released in hope of catching a rising market.

The latest Friday-Sunday period appeared to represent a turning point – a 4.86 million nationwide aggregate was the biggest weekend haul since January – but a slow and uncertain one.

Theatrical box office in Korea has been severely depressed all year due to government-imposed Covid restrictions, audience caution and a paucity of new release local titles. Restrictions in cinemas are now being removed and locally-produced films are dusting off their release plans. But to remains to be seen how much long-term structural damage has been done to the film industry in Korea. A spokesman for cinema chain Cj-cgv told local media that removing restrictions on consumption of food and drink in cinemas has had an immediate, positive effect on ticket sales.

The wait for “Bridgerton” Season 2 is over at last. As usual, Netflix has a robust lineup of new movies and shows streaming in March, including the return of the lusty Shondaland Regency romance series that left audiences swooning after Season 1 debuted in December 2021.

Other new shows on Netflix this month include the thriller series “Pieces of Her” starring Bella Heathcote and Toni Collette as a mother-daughter duo contending with the mother’s past after a shocking act of violence uncover long-hidden secrets. Also debuting this month is the “Big Mouth” spinoff “Human Resources,” which “pulls back the curtain on the daily lives of the creatures – Hormone Monsters, Depression Kitties, Shame Wizards, and many more – that help humans journey through every aspect of life from puberty to childbirth to the twilight years.”

In the realm of new Netflix Original movies, “The Adam Project” is the sci-fi film from “Stranger Things” and...

Back in 2014, period adventure comedy “The Pirates” released to much admiration from the public, becoming the third highest grossing feature of the year. Even today, it sits comfortably in the top 30 highest grossing Korean films of all time at the domestic box-office. As a result, conversation of a follow-up had always been on the table, but several reasons, including leading pair Son Ye-jin and Kim Nam-gil’s refusal to return to the high waters, meant that the sequel couldn’t materialise until now, when producers decided to change tracks with an all new director, new characters and cast to bring us “The Pirates: The Last Royal Treasure”. After being the first to cross 1 million admissions in Korea this year and to date being the highest grossing Korean production on 2022, it is now streaming worldwide exclusively on Netflix.

Leader Woo Moo-chi, self-proclaimed Greatest Swordsman in Goryeo, and his group of merry...

South Korean cinema audiences turned out to see “The Batman” but little else over the weekend. That activity put “The Batman” firmly on top of the weekend box office chart, but it left overall business at deeply depressed levels.

“The Batman” earned $2.01 million between Friday and Sunday according to data from the Kobis data service operated by the Koran Film Council (Kofic). Over its full five-day opening period since Wednesday the film earned $4.24 million. That included the year’s biggest opening day (Wednesday) when the film sold over 190,000 tickets.

Over the weekend proper “The Batman” enjoyed a 67% market share, which points to a nationwide weekend aggregate of just $3.02 million, one of the slowest weekends of 2022.

The cinema business in Korea continues to be held back by extreme caution in response to high coronavirus infections, strong competition from streaming video and a dearth of local films arriving in cinemas. On Monday,...

Netflix’s list of new releases for March 2022 is packed with just about everything a streaming enthusiast might need.

This month sees the usual arrival of Netflix original offerings. The big draw is undoubtedly the premiere of Bridgerton season 2 on March 25. Say what you will about the beloved period drama, but more corgis in the world is never a bad thing. Also arriving in March are He-Man and the Masters of the Universe season 2 (March 3), Big Mouth spinoff Human Resources (March 18), and Toni Collette mystery series Pieces of Her (March 9). Additionally, Netflix appears to have something big brewing with its latest buzzworthy docuseries Bad Vegan: Fame. Fraud. Fugitives. on March 16. This one comes from some of the folks behind Tiger King and Fyre: The Greatest Party That Never Happened so maybe keep an eye on it.

Read more Books From Bridgerton to Sanditon—Putting Island Queen in a Period Drama...

“Uncharted” held on to the top spot at the South Korean box office for the second successive weekend, a weekend that was the quietest this year for Korean cinemas.

The Tom Holland-starring “Uncharted” grossed $1.05 million between Friday and Sunday, according to data from Kobis, the tracking service operated by the Korean Film Council (Kofic). That was earned from 1,238 screens and represented 38% of the nationwide revenue aggregate. “Uncharted” now has a $4.77 million cumulative after two weekends.

Recently-published financial reports show that Korean cinema chains continued to lose vast amounts of money over the last year. And, while “Uncharted” and “The Batman” were recently cited by cinema operator Cj-cgv as offering hope for a 2022 revival, that has not happened yet. With just $2.79 million earned by all films across the entire country, the Feb. 25-27 weekend total was weaker than at any point this year.

Korean box office activity enjoyed a recent...

Netflix brings one of its biggest shows back to the streaming service in March with the return of “Bridgerton.” The second season of the 2021 Emmy Award nominee for Best Drama series debuts on March 25. But there are loads of other original shows and movies coming to Netflix in March 2022 – including the Ryan Reynolds blockbuster “The Adam Project” – plus legacy titles such as “Shrek,” “Top Gun,” “My Best Friend’s Wedding,” and “Dunkirk.” Here’s everything coming to Netflix in March 2022 and what’s leaving the service in March as well.

What’s new on Netflix in March 2022

Coming soon

800 Meters

Tomorrow

March 1

The Guardians of Justice

Worst Roommate Ever

21

21 Bridges

A Nightmare on Elm Street (2010)

A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)

Battleship

Christine

Coach Carter

Due Date

Freddy vs. Jason

Gattaca

The Gift

Redemption

The Replacements

Richie RichThe Shawshank Redemption

Shooter

Shrek

Shrek 2

Sorry to Bother You

Starship Troopers

Texas Chainsaw 3D...

The U.S.-made action adventure film “Uncharted” took a comfortable first place a the South Korean box office on its first weekend of release.

“Uncharted” took $2.12 million between Friday and Sunday, grabbing 53% of the total Korean market, according to data from Kobis, the tracking service operated by the Korean Film Council (Kofic). Over five days since its Wednesday opening, the film earned $3.00 million.

Second place belonged to another new release, Japanese animation “Jujutsu Kaisen Zero: The Movie.” The TV to film adaptation took $802,000 over the weekend and $1.29 million over its opening four days since Thursday.

The performance of the foreign-made new release titles lifted the overall Korean box office over the weekend period to $4.00 million, up from the previous $3 million session total.

Numbers, however, remain deeply depressed and are likely to remain low for as long as Korean films stay on the sidelines of their home market. The only...

Almost two years since “Parasite” won a handful of Oscars, the impact of Covid has meant that the Korean theatrical sector has been largely unable to capitalize on the trickle-down effect of those wins.

Its current malaise stands in contrast to the pandemic windfalls enjoyed by other parts of the Korean entertainment biz — think BTS, Blackpink, “Squid Game” and the latest streaming phenomenon “All of Us Are Dead.”

The current year potentially holds great things for Korean film, with nearly all of the country’s top-name directors having completed works, but the prospect remains tantalizingly out of reach.

And the longer the hard times continue, the less likely a return to the old normal becomes. That is especially true in a market like Korea, where theatrical revenues typically account for the majority of a feature movie’s anticipated revenues.

Korean movie theaters attempted a return to normal in the fourth...

After a flurry that lasted only for the duration of the recent Lunar New Year holidays, theatrical box office in South Korea slumped again over the latest weekend.

Nationwide, Korean cinemas earned just $3.22 million between Friday and Sunday. That was the lowest scoring weekend so far in 2022 and followed a disappointing holiday period.

The Lunar New Year holidays – if measured from the previous Saturday until Wednesday – attracted 1.36 million spectators into Korean theaters. In 2020, on the eve of the pandemic, the equivalent figure was ticket sales of 4.9 million.

Over the latest weekend, the top spot was retained by “The Pirates: The Last Royal Treasure” with a $1.35 million weekend score, according to data from Kobis, the tracking service operated by the Korean Film Council (Kofic). After twelve days at the top of the rankings, “The Last Royal Treasure” has accumulated $8.80 million.

That figure is a long way short of the film’s hit forerunner “The Pirates,...

Elsewhere, Kenneth Branagh’s ’Belfast’ entered the global top 10, whilst ‘The Pirates: The Last Royal Treasure’ scored a hit in Korea.

Worldwide box office January 28-30 Rank Film (distributor)3-day (World) Cume (World) 3-day (Int’l) Cume (Int’l) Territories 1. Spider-Man: Far From Home (Sony) $32.1m $1.7bn $21.1m $1bn 64 2. Sing 2 (Universal) $22.2m $267.9m $17.4m $133.4m 64 3. Scream (Paramount) $13.8m $106.2m $6.5m $44.1m 56 4. Nightmare Alley (Disney) $6.6m $22.9m $6.1m $12.6m 42 5. The King’s Man (Disney) $5.9m $114.4m $4.2m $80.4m 47 6. Fireflies In The Sun (various) $4m $174.8m $4m $174.8m 1 7. Embrace Again (various) $3.8m $145.8m $3.8m $145.8m 2 8. Belfast (Focus) $3.2m $15.9m $3.1m $8.7m 4 9, The Pirates: The Last Royal Treasure...

“The Pirates: The Last Royal Treasure” ran off with nearly half the weekend bullion at the South Korea box office. On its heels was political drama-thriller “Kingmaker,” as local titles finally overthrew the long-running “Spider-Man: No Way Home” ahead of a public holiday.

Most South Koreans will enjoy two consecutive public holidays on Monday (“Seotdal Geumeum” or New Year’s Eve) and Tuesday (Lunar New Year), meaning that the Friday to Sunday weekend was the first part of a five-day holiday season.

The three-day nationwide box office total was $5.58 million. The figure is an improvement on the previous weekend, but it was also lower than the first three weekends in January. And box office in Korea remains far behind equivalent weekends in pre-covid times. Considering that the chart was headed by two strongly-anticipated local titles, the weekend upturn barely deflects from a continuing weak outlook.

“The Pirates: The Last Royal Treasure...