https://www.scmp.com/rss/322025/feed The latest news, analysis and opinion on Netflix. In-depth analysis, industry insights and expert opinion. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Sumnima Kandangwa Sumnima Kandangwa Noah Kahan released his latest album, The Great Divide, on April 24. The Grammy-nominated singer rose to fame after his 2022 track “Stick Season” took over TikTok and, two years later, peaked at No 9 on the Billboard Hot 100. Olivia Rodrigo also covered the song during an appearance on BBC Radio 1’s Live Lounge. Since then, Kahan has released his live album Live From Fenway Park (2024), as well as collaborative tracks with artists such as Post Malone, Hozier, Gracie Abrams and others. Kahan is... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/people/celebrities/article/3351553/meet-grammy-nominated-musician-noah-kahans-wife-brenna-nolan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/people/celebrities/article/3351553/meet-grammy-nominated-musician-noah-kahans-wife-brenna-nolan?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 27 Apr 2026 10:00:16 +0000 Sumnima Kandangwa Sumnima Kandangwa Matthew Kim, better known to K-pop fans as BM or Big Matthew, just made his Hollywood acting debut starring in the latest season of Netflix’s acclaimed drama series Beef. Kim plays Woosh, a tennis coach who is covertly selling expensive Korean skincare to the women at the country club where he works. “[Beef] was acting school for me. The most prestigious acting school,” he told Marie Claire at the Los Angeles premiere of the show’s second season. “The information [I learned] through working... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/people/celebrities/article/3351288/meet-matthew-kim-aka-k-pop-star-bm-who-plays-woosh-netflixs-beef-season-2?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/people/celebrities/article/3351288/meet-matthew-kim-aka-k-pop-star-bm-who-plays-woosh-netflixs-beef-season-2?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 26 Apr 2026 10:00:20 +0000 James Marsh James Marsh 4.5/5 stars Lead cast: Erika Toda, Sairi Ito, Toko Miura Anchored by a sensational central performance from Erika Toda, Netflix’s new drama series Straight to Hell spans 60 years of recent Japanese history as it charts the controversial life of celebrity fortune-teller Kazuko Hosoki. The 37-year-old actress, best known internationally for her breakout role in the Death Note films, portrays this mercurial figure between the ages of 17 and 66, as she claws her way out of abject poverty in the... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3351229/netflix-drama-straight-hell-review-erika-toda-dazzles-japans-famous-fortune-teller?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3351229/netflix-drama-straight-hell-review-erika-toda-dazzles-japans-famous-fortune-teller?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 25 Apr 2026 09:15:08 +0000 Ishani Sarkar Ishani Sarkar The highly anticipated second season of Lee Sung Jin’s Emmy-winning comedy drama, Beef, starring Oscar Isaac, Carey Mulligan, Youn Yuh-jung, Song Kang-ho, Cailee Spaeny, and Charles Melton, landed on Netflix on April 16 and immediately made a splash. The internet is buzzing with the latest instalment of the anthology, and it is already the fifth most-watched TV show on the platform at the time of writing, according to streaming data collection website FlixPatrol. Alongside the acting... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/people/celebrities/article/3351238/meet-seoyeon-jang-who-plays-eunice-netflixs-beef-season-2-and-started-out-k-pop?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/people/celebrities/article/3351238/meet-seoyeon-jang-who-plays-eunice-netflixs-beef-season-2-and-started-out-k-pop?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 24 Apr 2026 10:00:10 +0000 Pierce Conran Pierce Conran 3/5 stars Lead cast: Jeon So-young, Kang Mi-na, Baek Sun-ho, Hyun Woo-seok, Lee Hyo-je From shopping and dating to content creation, these days it feels like there is very little that you cannot do with your smartphone. Netflix’s latest original K-drama, If Wishes Could Kill, pushes that reality just a little bit further. What if there were an app that could grant your deepest desires? In the world of this series, that app exists and it is called Girigo. There is just one catch: once your wish... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-drama/k-drama/article/3351274/netflix-k-drama-if-wishes-could-kill-review-high-school-horror-chilling-tech-twist?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-drama/k-drama/article/3351274/netflix-k-drama-if-wishes-could-kill-review-high-school-horror-chilling-tech-twist?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 24 Apr 2026 08:00:13 +0000 Reuters Reuters Warner Bros Discovery shareholders on ⁠Thursday backed the company’s proposed US$110 billion merger with Paramount Skydance, but cast an advisory vote against executive compensation plans tied to the deal. Under the pay packages proposed to executives, CEO David Zaslav could receive ‌up to US$887 million if the sale is completed. Proxy advisor ISS had said Zaslav’s potential payout was “extremely large”. “Management now faces a twofold challenge: securing [regulatory] approval for the deal and... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3351211/warner-bros-investors-back-us110-billion-merger-paramount-skydance?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3351211/warner-bros-investors-back-us110-billion-merger-paramount-skydance?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 23 Apr 2026 15:29:48 +0000 Pierce Conran Pierce Conran Lead cast: Koo Kyo-hwan, Go Yoon-jung, Oh Jung-se, Park Hae-joon Latest Nielsen rating: 2.24 per cent Park Hae-young, the celebrated scribe behind My Mister and My Liberation Notes, returns with her latest slice-of-life series, the film-industry-set We Are All Trying Here. D.P. actor Koo Kyo-hwan, who recently headlined the big-screen romantic hit Once We Were Us, plays Hwang Dong-man, a passionate and eccentric filmmaker who excelled among his peers at university. Trouble is, that was 20 years... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-drama/k-drama/article/3350976/netflix-k-drama-we-are-all-trying-here-go-yoon-jung-koo-kyo-hwan-film-industry-drama?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-drama/k-drama/article/3350976/netflix-k-drama-we-are-all-trying-here-go-yoon-jung-koo-kyo-hwan-film-industry-drama?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 Apr 2026 11:15:07 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Apple on Monday announced that Tim Cook will step down as the tech giant’s chief executive officer in September, handing the top job to company veteran John Ternus. The announcement answers long-simmering questions about a successor for 65-year-old Cook, who said he will become executive chairman of the board when he cedes Apple’s CEO position. “It has been the greatest privilege of my life to be the CEO of Apple and to have been trusted to lead such an extraordinary company,” Cook said in a... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3350792/tim-cook-step-down-apple-ceo-handing-reins-firms-hardware-leader?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3350792/tim-cook-step-down-apple-ceo-handing-reins-firms-hardware-leader?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 20 Apr 2026 21:36:48 +0000 Sumnima Kandangwa Sumnima Kandangwa Apple TV’s mystery thriller Imperfect Women has been dominating streaming charts since it premiered on March 18. Starring Elisabeth Moss, Kerry Washington and Kate Mara, the show is adapted from Araminta Hall’s 2020 novel of the same name. It follows Moss and Washington’s characters Mary and Eleanor, whose lives are turned upside down after their friend Nancy, played by Mara, is murdered. The plot also spotlights the domestic troubles of Mary and her husband Howard, played by actor Corey Stoll.... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/people/celebrities/article/3350468/meet-corey-stoll-star-apple-tvs-imperfect-women?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/people/celebrities/article/3350468/meet-corey-stoll-star-apple-tvs-imperfect-women?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 19 Apr 2026 10:00:15 +0000 Ishani Sarkar Ishani Sarkar Hollywood’s comedy legends are passing the mantle to the next generation. Eddie Murphy, Adam Sandler and Chris Rock’s daughters, Bella Murphy, Sadie Sandler and Zahra Rock, are co-starring in Netflix’s latest comedy film, Roommates. The film premiered at The Egyptian Theatre Hollywood in Los Angeles on April 13, where the proud dads were on hand to support their girls. Roommates follows college students Devon and Celeste, played by Sadie and Chloe East respectively, who become unlikely BFFs in... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/people/celebrities/article/3350464/meet-eddie-murphys-daughter-bella-murphy-whos-netflixs-roommates?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/people/celebrities/article/3350464/meet-eddie-murphys-daughter-bella-murphy-whos-netflixs-roommates?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 19 Apr 2026 10:00:13 +0000 Pierce Conran Pierce Conran As temperatures rise and cherry blossom petals drift across Seoul’s bustling spring streets, the city’s drama industry is whirring with activity. Major stars are circling a collection of enticing new shows, including an Australia-set mystery, a Japanese drama remake and a period hitwoman series. Read on for the latest casting news. Caution, Hazardous Wife Lee Hye-ri and Na In-woo have been approached to take on the leading roles in Caution, Hazardous Wife, a remake of the 2017 Japanese series of... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-drama/k-drama/article/3350389/k-drama-casting-news-about-lee-hye-ri-choi-hyun-wook-kim-da-mi-and-more?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-drama/k-drama/article/3350389/k-drama-casting-news-about-lee-hye-ri-choi-hyun-wook-kim-da-mi-and-more?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 18 Apr 2026 11:15:09 +0000 Ishani Sarkar Ishani Sarkar Netflix’s brand new comedy film, Roommates, has been making a splash online. Directed by Chandler Levack, the film stars Sadie Sandler – daughter of Adam Sandler – and Chloe East as college students Devon and Celeste. The pair are polar opposites who nonetheless bond at their first-year orientation and decide to room together. However, things fall apart when their clashing personalities give way to a passive-aggressive showdown. Alongside Sandler, the film also stars other famous nepo babies,... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/people/celebrities/article/3350450/meet-chris-rocks-daughter-zahra-rock-who-just-made-her-film-debut-netflixs-roommates?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/people/celebrities/article/3350450/meet-chris-rocks-daughter-zahra-rock-who-just-made-her-film-debut-netflixs-roommates?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 18 Apr 2026 10:00:12 +0000 Tribune News Service Tribune News Service For Taiwanese-American comedian Sheng Wang, purple is more than a colour; it is a way of being. From his style to the way he floats through the world writing jokes based on the small, fleeting moments of life, the 46-year-old maintains a sense of tranquillity and creates impact with his art by not trying so hard. It is no shock that his second Netflix special, Purple, is the most revealing of who he is at a time when people are finally paying attention. Coming off the success of his 2022 Netflix... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3350103/asian-american-comedian-sheng-wang-netflixs-purple-ali-wong-and-his-love-cooking?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3350103/asian-american-comedian-sheng-wang-netflixs-purple-ali-wong-and-his-love-cooking?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 16 Apr 2026 09:15:07 +0000 James Marsh James Marsh 3.5/5 stars When it premiered in April 2023, the first season of Netflix’s Beef helped solidify an unprecedented moment for Asian-American representation on screen, arriving hot on the heels of Everything Everywhere All at Once’s historic night at the 95th Academy Awards and just weeks after the premiere of Celine Song’s Past Lives at the Sundance Film Festival. Incidentally, but perhaps not coincidentally, all three of those projects were produced by the pioneering New York-based outfit... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3349978/beef-season-2-review-netflixs-chaotic-follow-more-overcooked-well-done?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3349978/beef-season-2-review-netflixs-chaotic-follow-more-overcooked-well-done?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 16 Apr 2026 07:00:09 +0000 The Korea Times The Korea Times The award-winning Netflix series Beef, which swept categories at the Emmys, Golden Globes and Critics’ Choice Awards, returns on April 16 with its second season. Korean-American director and writer Lee Sung-jin said in an online interview that he was excited but found season two “even harder than the first” season to make as he aimed to “take some big swings and risks while retaining what is special about the show”. Unlike season one’s road rage feud between lonely strangers, season two unfolds... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3349605/netflixs-beef-season-2-bridge-between-west-and-east-says-director-lee-sung-jin?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3349605/netflixs-beef-season-2-bridge-between-west-and-east-says-director-lee-sung-jin?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 12 Apr 2026 10:15:07 +0000 Pierce Conran Pierce Conran Byeon Woo-seok’s star has been on a sharp rise over the past few years. After sitting out last year’s drama release schedules, he returns this weekend in what is arguably his most hotly anticipated role to date: Grand Prince Ian in the alternate-history fantasy romance Perfect Crown opposite K-pop idol IU (aka Lee Ji-eun). Born in Bucheon, a satellite city southwest of Seoul, in 1991, Byeon spent his early childhood there before relocating to the capital. Influenced by his older sister, he... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-drama/k-drama/article/3349509/who-byeon-woo-seok-model-turned-actor-starring-opposite-iu-perfect-crown?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-drama/k-drama/article/3349509/who-byeon-woo-seok-model-turned-actor-starring-opposite-iu-perfect-crown?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 11 Apr 2026 07:15:08 +0000 Ishani Sarkar Ishani Sarkar Apple TV’s new psychological thriller, Imperfect Women, has quickly gained traction since its premiere on March 18 – it is the third most-watched TV show on Apple TV at the time of writing. The series, based on a 2020 novel of the same name by Araminta Hall, stars Elisabeth Moss as Mary, Kerry Washington as Eleanor, and Kate Mara as Nancy – long-time friends whose bond is threatened when Nancy is found dead. Shockingly, not long after Nancy’s passing, her wealthy widower, Robert – who is... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/people/celebrities/article/3349394/meet-joel-kinnaman-who-plays-monster-robert-imperfect-women?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/people/celebrities/article/3349394/meet-joel-kinnaman-who-plays-monster-robert-imperfect-women?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 08 Apr 2026 22:00:09 +0000 Edmund Lee Edmund Lee For an actress often hailed by the Taiwanese press as the “box office guarantee” of her generation, Gingle Wang Ching began her career with a startling lack of vocabulary: she had no idea what the word “action” meant on a film set. Her very first scene in her debut feature, 2017’s All Because of Love, required her to walk down a school corridor, open a classroom door and step inside. What should have taken minutes instead took 33 takes. “I didn’t understand anything at all,” Wang, 28, tells the... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3348889/how-gingle-wang-went-clueless-novice-one-taiwans-top-young-actresses?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3348889/how-gingle-wang-went-clueless-novice-one-taiwans-top-young-actresses?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 05 Apr 2026 23:15:10 +0000 Sumnima Kandangwa Sumnima Kandangwa Yellowstone’s spin-off series, Marshals, sees actor Luke Grimes reprise his role as Kayce Dutton, the youngest son of John Dutton (Kevin Costner), who owns the largest ranch in Montana – Yellowstone Ranch. In the show’s premiere, which aired on March 1, we see Kayce leave behind the ranch life following the tragic death of his wife Monica (Kelsey Asbille), after receiving the offer to join an elite team of US Marshals led by Pete “Cal” Calvin (Logan Marshall-Green), a friend from Kayce’s Navy... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/people/celebrities/article/3348757/who-ash-santos-who-plays-andrea-cruz-taylor-sheridans-marshals?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/people/celebrities/article/3348757/who-ash-santos-who-plays-andrea-cruz-taylor-sheridans-marshals?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 05 Apr 2026 22:00:21 +0000 Reuters Reuters After ⁠losing its bid to acquire Warner Bros Discovery and its rich trove of characters and stories, Netflix ⁠is forging ahead with the challenging work of building culture-defining franchises on its own. Chief creative officer Bela ⁠Bajaria says Netflix will keep investing in original ideas, and partner with established studios such as MGM and Warner Bros, to try and produce movies and series that live on for years, in the vein of Stranger Things, Wednesday and Bridgerton. “To me, that’s just... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3348894/how-netflix-seeking-next-stranger-things-after-failed-warner-bros-bid?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3348894/how-netflix-seeking-next-stranger-things-after-failed-warner-bros-bid?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 04 Apr 2026 13:15:08 +0000 Pierce Conran Pierce Conran As the cherry blossoms begin to bloom, K-drama stars are busy signing on to a variety of coming projects, among them a period crime series, a fantasy romance, a mystery melodrama and a film-industry-set romantic drama. Read on for the latest casting news. Born Guilty Itaewon Class star Park Seo-joon is set to act opposite Uhm Tae-goo (My Sweet Mobster) and Jo Hye-joo (Dear Hyeri) in the coming Disney+ drama Born Guilty. Based on a webtoon of the same name, this crime-action series will be set in... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-drama/k-drama/article/3348891/k-drama-casting-news-about-park-seo-joon-park-eun-bin-lee-young-ae-and-more?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-drama/k-drama/article/3348891/k-drama-casting-news-about-park-seo-joon-park-eun-bin-lee-young-ae-and-more?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 04 Apr 2026 11:15:07 +0000 Sumnima Kandangwa Sumnima Kandangwa HBO’s Primetime Emmy award-winning medical drama series The Pitt and its cast returned to our screens for a second season early this year. The new season introduced a host of new characters – including actress Irene Choi’s Joy Kwon, a sarcastic and no-nonsense third-year medical student who goes head to head with one of the least likeable characters on the show, James Ogilvie (Lucas Iverson). View this post on Instagram A post shared by HBO Max (@hbomax) In... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/people/celebrities/article/3348659/meet-irene-choi-who-plays-intern-joy-pitt-and-who-graduated-harvard?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/people/celebrities/article/3348659/meet-irene-choi-who-plays-intern-joy-pitt-and-who-graduated-harvard?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 04 Apr 2026 10:00:12 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran Later this month, Indonesian cinema-goers will finally get to see what audiences in Berlin saw in February: Jokor Anwar’s Ghost in the Cell. The horror-comedy, which had its world premiere at the prestigious Berlin International Film Festival, has been celebrated by influential trade magazine Variety for rising above mere “escapist entertainment” to channel societal anxieties about corruption and environmental destruction. Yet it is only the latest example of Southeast Asia’s creative moment... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3348980/southeast-asia-seeks-soft-power-outlast-us300-billion-buzz?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3348980/southeast-asia-seeks-soft-power-outlast-us300-billion-buzz?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 04 Apr 2026 00:00:16 +0000 Pierce Conran Pierce Conran Lead cast: Woo Do-hwan, Lee Sang-yi, Rain Woo Do-hwan (Mr. Plankton) and Lee Sang-yi (Spice Up Our Love) return as happy-go-lucky bruisers Gun-woo and Woo-jin in season two of the acclaimed Netflix action-drama Bloodhounds, directed by Kim Joo-hwan (also known as Jason Kim). The young boxers have trimmed their locks and risen up in the world, but their good intentions are once again thwarted by the arrival of a money-hungry villain, this time played by K-pop icon Rain (Red Swan). Following their... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-drama/k-drama/article/3348869/netflix-k-drama-bloodhounds-season-2-k-pop-star-rain-joins-menacing-villain?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-drama/k-drama/article/3348869/netflix-k-drama-bloodhounds-season-2-k-pop-star-rain-joins-menacing-villain?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 03 Apr 2026 07:15:12 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Manny Pacquiao’s planned September fight with Floyd Mayweather will not be an exhibition, the Philippine boxing legend said on Thursday, days after his fellow hall of famer said their bout would be strictly entertainment. Netflix last month announced a long-awaited rematch of the highest-grossing clash in boxing history, with Pacquiao and Mayweather – now both in their late forties – set to clash at the Sphere in Las Vegas on September 19. But Mayweather this week stunned the boxing world by... https://www.scmp.com/sport/boxing/article/3348848/philippines-manny-pacquiao-says-fight-against-floyd-mayweather-not-exhibition?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/boxing/article/3348848/philippines-manny-pacquiao-says-fight-against-floyd-mayweather-not-exhibition?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 03 Apr 2026 00:00:13 +0000 James Marsh James Marsh 3/5 stars Meddlesome matchmaker Kitty Song Covey (Anna Cathcart) returns for her senior year at the Korean Independent School of Seoul (Kiss) in the third season of XO, Kitty, Netflix’s Korea-set spin-off series from Jenny Han’s hugely successful To All the Boys film franchise. Chief among Kitty’s goals this year is to define her long-running on-again, off-again “situationship” with wealthy hunk and classmate Min-ho (Sang-heon Lee), but showrunner and chief writer Valentina Garza ensures that... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3347968/netflix-drama-review-xo-kitty-season-3-all-boys-spin-picks-after-dip?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3347968/netflix-drama-review-xo-kitty-season-3-all-boys-spin-picks-after-dip?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 02 Apr 2026 07:00:08 +0000 James Marsh James Marsh 3.5/5 stars The Russian city of Vladivostok provides the setting for Humint, the latest globe-trotting thriller from South Korean action specialist Ryoo Seung-wan. Set in the high-stakes world of international espionage, the film features Zo In-sung (Escape from Mogadishu) and Park Jeong-min (Uprising) as agents from South and North Korea, respectively, who attempt to foil a human trafficking ring. After opening in South Korean cinemas during the Lunar New Year holiday, Humint launches globally... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-drama/k-movies/article/3348472/netflix-movie-review-humint-dynamic-korean-spy-thriller-ryoo-seung-wan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-drama/k-movies/article/3348472/netflix-movie-review-humint-dynamic-korean-spy-thriller-ryoo-seung-wan?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 31 Mar 2026 15:00:09 +0000 Pierce Conran Pierce Conran Spring is here and with it an all-new line-up of tantalising K-drama offerings, ranging from fantasy, action and animation to a wide variety of romance. 1. Bloodhounds season 2 Lead cast: Woo Do-hwan, Lee Sang-yi, Rain Following their first rip-roaring adventure, Gun-woo (Woo Do-hwan) and Woo-jin (Lee Sang-yi) are back for a second helping of cathartic beatdowns in Bloodhounds 2. Jason Kim is once again at the helm, directing from his own scripts, while this season’s villain is the vicious... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-drama/k-drama/article/3348069/10-best-new-k-dramas-watch-april-2026-including-perfect-crown-disney?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-drama/k-drama/article/3348069/10-best-new-k-dramas-watch-april-2026-including-perfect-crown-disney?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 29 Mar 2026 23:15:10 +0000 Vincent Chow Vincent Chow ByteDance has bolstered its controversial video-generation model Seedance 2.0 with “advanced” watermarking and intellectual property (IP) protection guardrails ahead of its global roll-out, the TikTok owner has said. The much-anticipated international release comes amid intense scrutiny from Hollywood studios over alleged IP theft after numerous Seedance-generated videos featuring famous Hollywood actors and characters went viral in February. On Wednesday, ByteDance said its global safety and... https://www.scmp.com/tech/policy/article/3348290/bytedance-bolsters-seedance-20-watermarking-ip-safeguards-ahead-global-roll-out?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/policy/article/3348290/bytedance-bolsters-seedance-20-watermarking-ip-safeguards-ahead-global-roll-out?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 29 Mar 2026 09:00:13 +0000 Reuters Reuters A powerful scene ⁠in the action epic Gladiator II (2024) has a problem: a camera crew is visible behind Paul Mescal as his character prepares for a high-stakes battle. Jack Zimmerman, a visual effects artist, erases the intrusion. Zimmerman works at Exceptional Minds, an American non-profit vocational academy and visual effects studio for adults with autism. The organisation provides training to help autistic artists launch careers in the competitive world of Hollywood. “It feels like a dream,”... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3347843/how-california-studio-helping-autistic-artists-break-hollywood?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3347843/how-california-studio-helping-autistic-artists-break-hollywood?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Mar 2026 08:15:10 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press All seven members log onto a live stream, broadcast from a beach. A few years ago, it would have been a common image. But since the K-pop boy band BTS pressed pause on their full-band duties for nearly four years, it is revelatory. That is the scene at the start of BTS: The Return, a new Netflix documentary directed by Bao Nguyen (The Stringer, The Greatest Night in Pop) and produced by This Machine (Martha, Karol G) and Hybe, the South Korean entertainment company behind BTS. The mostly... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3347781/netflix-documentary-bts-return-highlights-k-pop-kings-comeback-album?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3347781/netflix-documentary-bts-return-highlights-k-pop-kings-comeback-album?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Mar 2026 11:15:07 +0000 Reuters Reuters After a four-year break, K-pop supergroup BTS returned on Saturday with a massive and free comeback concert in Seoul, where thousands of police locked down a central boulevard for the Netflix-exclusive spectacle that drew tens of thousands of fans. All seven members of the band – RM, Jin, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, V and Jung Kook – recently completed South Korea’s mandatory military service and hope to reclaim their status as one of the world’s biggest pop acts. Organisers of the concert, which... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3347405/ahead-bts-first-show-years-south-korean-police-lock-down-central-seoul?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3347405/ahead-bts-first-show-years-south-korean-police-lock-down-central-seoul?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 21 Mar 2026 02:46:41 +0000 Pierce Conran Pierce Conran In this week’s K-drama production round-up, stars gravitate towards a corporate succession drama, an artificial intelligence-themed vigilante thriller, a heart-warming food-themed gangster comedy and a tale of long-term romance. Read on for the latest casting news. Another Romance Besides You Seo Kang-joon and Ahn Eun-jin have officially been cast in the coming KBS2 drama Another Romance Besides You, as a couple who have been together for 10 years. Despite their enduring loyalty, they are... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-drama/k-drama/article/3347255/k-drama-casting-news-about-seo-kang-joon-ju-ji-hoon-kim-nam-gil-and-more?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-drama/k-drama/article/3347255/k-drama-casting-news-about-seo-kang-joon-ju-ji-hoon-kim-nam-gil-and-more?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 20 Mar 2026 23:15:09 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg Netflix is planning a KPop Demon Hunters world tour, seeking to capitalise on the company’s most popular movie ever. The streaming leader is negotiating with concert promoters to stage a live show featuring performances of the songs from the film, which have topped the Billboard charts and been a massive cultural phenomenon, according to people familiar with the talks. The aim is to perform around the globe next year, ahead of the sequel to the animated film about three Korean pop stars who... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3347149/kpop-demon-hunters-world-tour-it-could-happen-stops-dozens-major-cities?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3347149/kpop-demon-hunters-world-tour-it-could-happen-stops-dozens-major-cities?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 19 Mar 2026 11:15:10 +0000 The Korea Times The Korea Times By Bereket Alemayehu Kim Wan-jun, who calls himself a “soju artist”, published the English translation of his book, How to Drink Soju: A Guide to K-Drinking Culture & Games, last month. The 300-page book provides an in-depth look at the history of soju, a Korean distilled alcoholic drink, while exploring its cultural significance and the customs surrounding it. Kim, a self-proclaimed upcycling artist known as Funnyjun, has been documenting South Korea’s drinking culture since 2014 and sharing... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3346853/drinking-soju-south-korea-english-guide-will-teach-you-rules-you-may-not-know?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3346853/drinking-soju-south-korea-english-guide-will-teach-you-rules-you-may-not-know?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 18 Mar 2026 07:15:08 +0000 Reuters Reuters ⁠South ⁠Korean President Lee Jae Myung said ‌on Tuesday security and safety must be ⁠a top priority for ‌a concert by ‌K-pop band BTS ⁠on ⁠Saturday in ‌Seoul, including readiness for ‌any ‌possible acts ‌of “terror”, ⁠according to a live TV ⁠broadcast of a ‌cabinet meeting. The free comeback concert for the boy band ⁠in central ⁠Seoul is ⁠expected to draw up to 260,000 people, the Ministry of the Interior and Safety said last Wednesday, making it one of the largest public gatherings in the area... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3346828/south-korea-guard-against-possible-terror-acts-bts-concert?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3346828/south-korea-guard-against-possible-terror-acts-bts-concert?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 17 Mar 2026 03:42:45 +0000 CNA CNA Singaporean businessman David Yong was given 12 new charges on Monday for conspiring to make false entries in accounts and for his company’s illegal issuing of loans amounting to more than S$1 million (US$780,000). The 38-year-old, whose name in court papers was indicated as Yong Khung Lin, pleaded not guilty in court. The chief executive officer of multinational business and holding company Evergreen Group Holdings, who is on bail of S$1 million, said he would contest all charges. The new... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3346793/super-rich-star-david-yong-hit-12-new-fraud-charges-singapore?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3346793/super-rich-star-david-yong-hit-12-new-fraud-charges-singapore?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 16 Mar 2026 13:52:10 +0000 Sumnima Kandangwa Sumnima Kandangwa Netflix’s romantic drama series Virgin River premiered its seventh instalment on March 12. The show, which was inspired by Robyn Carr’s novels and first aired in December 2019, follows the story of Melinda “Mel” Monroe, a nurse practitioner who moves to Virgin River, a small town in Northern California, from Los Angeles after losing her husband. Mel, played by Alexandra Breckenridge, finds new love with local bar owner Jack Sheridan and starts a new life with him. In past seasons, we saw Mel... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/people/celebrities/article/3346511/meet-alexandra-breckenridge-who-plays-mel-monroe-netflixs-virgin-river?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/people/celebrities/article/3346511/meet-alexandra-breckenridge-who-plays-mel-monroe-netflixs-virgin-river?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 14 Mar 2026 22:00:07 +0000 Pierce Conran Pierce Conran Singer-turned-actor Seo In-guk is currently starring in Netflix’s high-concept workplace romantic comedy Boyfriend on Demand. The 38-year-old shares the screen with another performer who has recently traded the concert stage for sound stages: Blackpink’s Jisoo. Born in Ulsan in southeast South Korea, Seo grew up in a working-class household; his mother worked at a recycling centre and his father was a welder. Seo was athletic as a child, taking part in ssireum (traditional Korean wrestling),... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-drama/k-drama/article/3346353/who-seo-guk-jisoos-co-star-netflix-k-drama-boyfriend-demand?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-drama/k-drama/article/3346353/who-seo-guk-jisoos-co-star-netflix-k-drama-boyfriend-demand?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 14 Mar 2026 08:15:08 +0000 The Korea Times The Korea Times “Your hips need to push outward while your solar plexus goes down. You do a slight jump in this movement,” a professional dance instructor says to a room of struggling students. About 20 foreigners are gathered at 1Million Dance Studio in Seoul’s Seongdong district on a recent Sunday to learn the introductory choreography for the girl group Katseye’s track “Gameboy”. The studio draws a diverse crowd of international visitors. “I have loved dancing since I was young, but it is too expensive in... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3345976/how-gen-z-k-pop-fans-are-reshaping-south-korean-tourism-through-cultural-immersion?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3345976/how-gen-z-k-pop-fans-are-reshaping-south-korean-tourism-through-cultural-immersion?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 09 Mar 2026 13:15:07 +0000 Pierce Conran Pierce Conran Lead cast: Park Jin-young, Kim Min-ju Latest Nielsen rating: 1.7 per cent Idol-turned-actors Park Jin-young and Kim Min-ju lead the slow-burn slice-of-life romance Still Shining, which chronicles the evolving relationship between two characters from their school days into their early thirties. Got7 member Park, who is fresh off the acclaimed Our Unwritten Seoul, plays Yeon Tae-seo, a school senior studying in Seoul with his brother Hui-seo (Sung Yoo-bin, Twelve). Tae-seo is a straight-A... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-drama/k-drama/article/3345950/netflix-k-drama-still-shining-park-jin-young-and-kim-min-ju-star-slow-burn-romance?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-drama/k-drama/article/3345950/netflix-k-drama-still-shining-park-jin-young-and-kim-min-ju-star-slow-burn-romance?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 09 Mar 2026 09:15:08 +0000 Reuters Reuters The cast of Netflix’s live-action One Piece ⁠is not ready to ⁠dock its pirate ship any time soon. “As long ⁠as people enjoy [the show], we enjoy it, we’re healthy, and the quality stays high, I think we could go for quite some time,” says Jacob Gibson, who plays Usopp, the pirate crew’s spirited sniper and storyteller. After ‌joking they could keep filming for “200 years”, he adds: “As long as we can make it great.” The hit series – drawn from Eiichiro Oda’s ongoing manga and anime – drops its... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3345663/ahead-one-piece-season-2-release-stars-look-season-3-and-beyond?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3345663/ahead-one-piece-season-2-release-stars-look-season-3-and-beyond?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 08 Mar 2026 08:15:07 +0000 Ashlyn Chak Ashlyn Chak Being cast in the Netflix series Bridgerton has one clear perk – exposure. The streaming giant has unprecedented global reach, and the period romance drama, produced by Shondaland, is one of its largest franchises and has been extremely popular since its first season aired in December 2020. To Katie Leung Pui-sze, playing the series’ main antagonist in its fourth season – released in two parts in January and February 2026 – was rewarding in ways that differ from her younger screen partners. “You... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3345554/bridgertons-katie-leung-playing-evil-stepmother-harry-potter-brutal-cantonese?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3345554/bridgertons-katie-leung-playing-evil-stepmother-harry-potter-brutal-cantonese?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 08 Mar 2026 04:45:08 +0000 Pierce Conran Pierce Conran In the latest round of casting announcements out of the K-drama industry, stars line up to lead connected dramas, characters swap emotions, and a pair of former screen lovers reunite for a new romance. Read on to find out more. Iseop’s Romance/A Casual Lie Lee Jong-suk (Big Mouth) and Lee Joon-hyuk (Love Scout) have been cast to headline separate dramas taking place in the same fictional universe, both drawing from web novels written by Kim Eon-hee. Recently seen in Law and the City and soon to... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-drama/k-drama/article/3345654/k-drama-casting-news-about-lee-jong-suk-song-kang-kim-so-hyun-and-more?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-drama/k-drama/article/3345654/k-drama-casting-news-about-lee-jong-suk-song-kang-kim-so-hyun-and-more?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 07 Mar 2026 09:15:08 +0000 Tara Loader Wilkinson Tara Loader Wilkinson Six couples who want to start families but cannot conceive are the focus of a new Netflix documentary, The Plastic Detox. The couples – two of which have been trying to get pregnant for over two years, while one has been attempting for a decade – strip as much plastic from their lives as possible over three months to see if this will help. “Fertility worldwide is going down, and it is tightly linked to chemicals that are commonly used in plastic,” says epidemiologist Dr Shanna Swan in the... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3345709/microplastic-dangers-and-innovators-finding-solutions-plus-8-ways-protect-yourself?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3345709/microplastic-dangers-and-innovators-finding-solutions-plus-8-ways-protect-yourself?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 07 Mar 2026 04:45:07 +0000 Sumnima Kandangwa Sumnima Kandangwa In the second instalment of Dan Fogelman’s series Paradise, we see United States Secret Service agent Xavier Collins (played by Sterling K. Brown) venture into the outside world in search of his wife, Teri (played by Enuka Okuma), after the first season’s finale left fans unsure about her fate. The hit Hulu series takes place in a post-apocalyptic world where survivors are living in a huge underground bunker. It centres on Agent Collins as he investigates the mysterious murder of the president... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/people/celebrities/article/3345548/meet-paradise-star-sterling-k-browns-wife-ryan-michelle-bathe-who-was-alls-fair?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/people/celebrities/article/3345548/meet-paradise-star-sterling-k-browns-wife-ryan-michelle-bathe-who-was-alls-fair?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 06 Mar 2026 10:00:10 +0000 Pierce Conran Pierce Conran 2.5/5 stars Lead cast: Jisoo, Seo In-guk Coming just two weeks after Love Phobia, Boyfriend on Demand is the second K-drama of the year to focus on AI dating. With Netflix behind it and the star wattage of Blackpink’s Jisoo (Newtopia) and Seo In-guk (Death’s Game) leading the cast, this new show is undoubtedly the bigger production, but it approaches its timely subject matter in a similarly muddled fashion. Though not based on a webtoon, the series takes place in the world of digital comics,... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-drama/k-drama/article/3345647/netflix-k-drama-boyfriend-demand-review-ai-dating-romcom-jisoo-too-conventional?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-drama/k-drama/article/3345647/netflix-k-drama-boyfriend-demand-review-ai-dating-romcom-jisoo-too-conventional?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 06 Mar 2026 08:00:15 +0000 The Korea Times The Korea Times Hankook Ilbo The second season of Netflix’s Culinary Class Wars has turned Korean temple food into a highly competitive global spectacle, bringing the Venerable Seonjae a flood of offers to capitalise on her new-found fame. South Korea’s first designated master of temple food has refused the commercial hype, choosing to educate international and younger audiences about a cuisine rooted in mindfulness and ecological concerns. “I stopped my lectures in June last year and I am currently... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3345272/culinary-class-wars-ven-seonjae-being-currently-unemployed-temple-food?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3345272/culinary-class-wars-ven-seonjae-being-currently-unemployed-temple-food?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 05 Mar 2026 04:45:08 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press He is British. She is American. He is a wide-eyed optimist. She is world-weary. He loves Christmas songs. She loathes them. Naturally, they are perfect for each other. That classic opposites-attract set-up is the basis for the new Broadway musical Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York). It is one of a clutch of popular new romantic comedies warming hearts this winter across various media. There is the HBO Max hockey show and word-of-mouth sensation Heated Rivalry and the Netflix... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3345101/heated-rivalry-two-strangers-how-romcoms-are-taking-over-tv-and-theatre?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3345101/heated-rivalry-two-strangers-how-romcoms-are-taking-over-tv-and-theatre?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 03 Mar 2026 10:15:07 +0000 James Mottram James Mottram There is a mild, modest satisfaction when we ask Hikari how she feels about her career to date. “So far, so good,” she says briskly. It is a little more than that. The Japanese-born director established her art-house credentials in 2019 with her prize-winning feature debut 37 Seconds. She went on to direct episodes of prestige American TV, including the water-cooler show Beef. Now comes her second feature-length movie, Rental Family, a gentle, sometimes mournful Tokyo-set comedy that strikes a... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3345114/who-hikari-japanese-director-behind-beef-and-brendan-fraser-starrer-rental-family?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3345114/who-hikari-japanese-director-behind-beef-and-brendan-fraser-starrer-rental-family?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 02 Mar 2026 10:15:07 +0000