https://www.scmp.com/rss/507803/feed Everything you need to know about Song Joong-ki, the South Korean actor and Hallyu star known for his work on Descendants of the Sun, Arthdal Chronicles, Running Man, The Battleship Island and more en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Pierce Conran Pierce Conran Love is in the air – and undercover – in this month’s K-drama casting announcements, which find Korea’s top stars circling some novel twists on K-drama standards. Read on to find out more. 1. Nine to Six Park Min-young (Marry My Husband) and Yook Sung-jae of the K-pop outfit BTOB are in talks to lead the coming SBS drama Nine to Six, and representatives have confirmed the discussions. The project is an adaptation of the Chinese series The Rational Life. Park is eyeing the role of Kang Ji-yi, a... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-drama/k-drama/article/3339270/k-drama-casting-news-about-park-min-young-song-joong-ki-im-si-wan-and-more?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-drama/k-drama/article/3339270/k-drama-casting-news-about-park-min-young-song-joong-ki-im-si-wan-and-more?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 10 Jan 2026 07:15:08 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Ahn Sung-ki, one of South Korean cinema’s biggest stars whose prolific 60-year career and positive, gentle public image earned him the nickname “The Nation’s Actor”, died on Monday. He was 74. The death of Ahn, who had been fighting blood cancer for years, was announced by his agency, the Artist Company, and the Seoul-based Soonchunhyang University Hospital. “We feel deep sorrow at the sudden, sad news, pray for the eternal rest of the deceased and offer our heartfelt condolences to his bereaved... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3338710/south-korean-nations-actor-ahn-sung-ki-dies-74?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3338710/south-korean-nations-actor-ahn-sung-ki-dies-74?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 05 Jan 2026 02:20:46 +0000 Pierce Conran Pierce Conran Lead cast: Song Joong-ki, Chun Woo-hee Latest Nielsen rating: 2.8 per cent K-drama stars Song Joong-ki (Reborn Rich) and Chun Woo-hee (The Atypical Family) join forces for the hazy and nostalgic romantic drama My Youth. Focusing on a former child star and an actor’s manager, the series comes smack bang in the middle of a particularly busy season for Korean entertainment industry narratives, following last month’s Aema and My Troublesome Star, and ahead of this Friday’s You and Everything... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-drama/k-drama/article/3324988/k-drama-my-youth-song-joong-ki-chun-woo-hee-hazy-and-meandering-romance-series?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-drama/k-drama/article/3324988/k-drama-my-youth-song-joong-ki-chun-woo-hee-hazy-and-meandering-romance-series?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 10 Sep 2025 09:15:08 +0000 Pierce Conran Pierce Conran A whopping 13 K-dramas will be debuting on screens this September, all but guaranteeing that fans will have to scramble to make time for their new favourite shows as we head into the autumn. Read on to find out what to catch over the next month. 1. Queen Mantis Lead cast: Go Hyun-jung, Jang Dong-yoon In this remake of the French series La Mante, Go Hyun-jung (Mask Girl) plays Jung Yi-shin, a serial killer known as the Mantis who murdered five men two decades ago. Jang Dong-yoon (Daily Dose of... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-drama/k-drama/article/3323625/13-best-new-k-dramas-watch-september-2025-including-tempest-jun-ji-hyun?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-drama/k-drama/article/3323625/13-best-new-k-dramas-watch-september-2025-including-tempest-jun-ji-hyun?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 30 Aug 2025 00:15:07 +0000 Park Chan-kyong Park Chan-kyong A diamond pendant worth tens of thousands of dollars, once worn by former South Korean first lady Kim Keon-hee on an official trip, has become the unlikely catalyst for her fall from grace. The luxury item, and its meticulously crafted fake, are now at the centre of a criminal case that saw Kim detained late on Tuesday pending trial, accused of deception, obstruction and a decade-long pattern of alleged wrongdoing. Investigators say Kim lied about the pendant’s origin, staged a cover-up and... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3321667/kim-keon-hees-arrest-how-lie-about-diamond-pendant-put-her-behind-bars?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3321667/kim-keon-hees-arrest-how-lie-about-diamond-pendant-put-her-behind-bars?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 13 Aug 2025 04:25:26 +0000 Park Chan-kyong Park Chan-kyong South Korea’s scandal-plagued former first lady Kim Keon-hee walked into court on Tuesday, head bowed and looking visibly tense, for a hearing that could make her the first ex-presidential spouse in the country’s history to be jailed on criminal charges. Wearing a dark jacket and skirt with a white blouse, her hair pulled back, Kim brushed past pool reporters without a word as she climbed the stairs to the courtroom. A ruling on whether to remand her for questioning or allow her to remain free... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3321513/south-koreas-former-first-lady-battles-jail-time?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3321513/south-koreas-former-first-lady-battles-jail-time?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 12 Aug 2025 02:28:35 +0000 Pierce Conran Pierce Conran A new year is upon us, which means 12 months of new K-drama series to look forward to. The biggest K-drama of all time gears up for a final round in 2025, a year that will also welcome the return of many beloved stars and hit writers in a slew of ambitious projects. Here, in ascending order, are the 13 Korean dramas we are the most excited about in the coming year. 13. My Youth Song Joong-ki (Reborn Rich) will return as a former child star who became a quiet novelist in My Youth. Alongside Song... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-drama/k-drama/article/3294186/13-most-anticipated-k-drama-series-2025-ranked-squid-game-3-tempest?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-drama/k-drama/article/3294186/13-most-anticipated-k-drama-series-2025-ranked-squid-game-3-tempest?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 11 Jan 2025 10:15:07 +0000 By Baek Byung-yeul Despite being known for his baby face and gentle eyes, actor Song Joong-ki does not hesitate to take on roles in films or TV series that portray characters with rough edges or ambitious personalities. As seen in popular TV series like Descendants of the Sun (2016), Vincenzo (2021) and Reborn Rich (2022), as well as hit movies such as A Werewolf Boy (2012) and The Battleship Island (2017), he has consistently challenged himself with diverse genres. Song, who often receives... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-pop/k-movies/article/3292299/song-joong-ki-bogota-struggles-supporting-hyun-bin-and-taking-difficult-roles?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-pop/k-movies/article/3292299/song-joong-ki-bogota-struggles-supporting-hyun-bin-and-taking-difficult-roles?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Dec 2024 11:15:07 +0000 1/5 stars Korean superstar Song Joong-ki jets off on his latest international adventure in director Kim Seong-je’s exasperating Bogota: City of the Lost. The film chronicles the transformation of an impoverished Korean immigrant into a Colombian crime lord, but is painfully devoid of both crime and drama. The long-delayed production opened to a muted reception at the 2024 Busan International Film Festival, while its future beyond the festival seems desperately uncertain. After jaunts in Italy... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-pop/k-movies/article/3281035/busan-2024-movie-review-bogota-city-lost-starring-song-joong-ki-just-abysmal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-pop/k-movies/article/3281035/busan-2024-movie-review-bogota-city-lost-starring-song-joong-ki-just-abysmal?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 04 Oct 2024 06:15:50 +0000 By Lee Gyu-lee Actor Song Joong-ki is returning to Netflix with the new original movie My Name Is Loh Kiwan, in which he will portray the titular character. This comes three years after his appearance in the platform’s sci-fi blockbuster Space Sweepers. The melodrama, adapted from Cho Hae-jin’s novel I Met Loh Kiwan (2011), centres on a North Korean defector named Loh Ki-wan (Song), who arrives penniless in Belgium, seeking to obtain refugee status. As Loh struggles to survive in the foreign... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3253469/song-joong-ki-why-netflixs-my-name-loh-kiwan-about-north-korean-defector-healing-movie-and-why?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3253469/song-joong-ki-why-netflixs-my-name-loh-kiwan-about-north-korean-defector-healing-movie-and-why?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 28 Feb 2024 11:45:08 +0000 2/5 stars A North Korean defector seeking asylum in Belgium falls in with a wayward young woman who is embroiled in the city’s criminal underworld in My Name is Loh Kiwan, the first feature film from writer-director Kim Hee-jin. The presence of superstar heartthrob Song Joong-ki in the title role will almost certainly guarantee a strong debut for Kim’s chilly Europe-set drama, where it soon becomes apparent that romance is the order of the day, rather than any meaningful political... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-pop/k-movies/article/3253367/netflix-movie-review-my-name-loh-kiwan-song-joong-ki-plays-north-korean-defector-belgium-set-drama?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-pop/k-movies/article/3253367/netflix-movie-review-my-name-loh-kiwan-song-joong-ki-plays-north-korean-defector-belgium-set-drama?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 27 Feb 2024 13:00:13 +0000 It wasn’t that long ago that South Korean films featuring North Korea were considered too risky to make. But that changed following the revolutionary success of Shiri, Korea’s first modern action blockbuster. The 1999 film was the highest-grossing South Korean film of its time, an achievement that would go on to be eclipsed by three other North Korea-themed films, all of which are among those listed below. While tales of comradeship and collaboration between spies and soldiers were the dominant... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-pop/k-movies/article/3251813/cant-wait-my-name-loh-kiwan-10-best-north-korea-themed-films-made-south-korea-joint-security-area?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-pop/k-movies/article/3251813/cant-wait-my-name-loh-kiwan-10-best-north-korea-themed-films-made-south-korea-joint-security-area?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 14 Feb 2024 20:15:08 +0000 One of the Korean drama industry’s biggest stars mulls a return to the screen after becoming a father, while one of the industry’s newest lights takes on her first leading role after her breakout global debut. Read our latest K-drama casting round-up for more details. 1. My Youth Vincenzo star Song Joong-ki is reportedly in talks to headline the drama My Youth, the latest project from Run On screenwriter Park Si-hyun. This would be his first drama since becoming a father in 2023. 12 of the best... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-pop/k-drama/article/3249886/song-joong-ki-talks-lead-k-drama-my-youth-pachinko-actress-kim-min-ha-set-week-i-died-korean-drama?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-pop/k-drama/article/3249886/song-joong-ki-talks-lead-k-drama-my-youth-pachinko-actress-kim-min-ha-set-week-i-died-korean-drama?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 27 Jan 2024 11:15:13 +0000 Pierce Conran Pierce Conran The K-drama industry features a number of dazzling lights – but only a handful of stars have continued to burn bright over the years. Read on for our pick of the 10 greatest male K-drama actors. 10. Ji Chang-wook A former musical theatre performer, Ji Chang-wook became a screen actor in his early 20s, and first rose to prominence in the weekday comedy drama Smile Again in 2010. Building on that success, he broke through to stardom in the period drama Empress Ki and soon became a huge star in... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-pop/k-drama/article/3222547/10-most-famous-k-drama-actors-all-time-including-squid-games-lee-byung-hun-train-busans-gong-yoo-and?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-pop/k-drama/article/3222547/10-most-famous-k-drama-actors-all-time-including-squid-games-lee-byung-hun-train-busans-gong-yoo-and?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 03 Jun 2023 11:15:11 +0000 4/5 stars Hopeless is the impressive debut feature from South Korean writer-director Kim Chang-hoon. His may be a name we’re drawn to in the future, judging by this electric crime yarn set in the fictional South Korean city of Myeongan, which premiered in the Un Certain Regard section at the Cannes Film Festival. In Myeongan, violence is everywhere: on the streets, in the workplace, and worst of all, in the home. The story follows 17-year-old Yeon-gyu (Hong Xa-bin), who lives with his mother,... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-pop/k-movies/article/3221756/cannes-2023-hopeless-movie-review-song-joong-ki-hong-xa-bin-star-brutal-korean-crime-thriller-first?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-pop/k-movies/article/3221756/cannes-2023-hopeless-movie-review-song-joong-ki-hong-xa-bin-star-brutal-korean-crime-thriller-first?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 25 May 2023 04:45:07 +0000 By Kwak Yeon-soo Actor Song Joong-ki and his fellow cast members said they are happy to be invited to the 76th Cannes Film Festival, which is screening their film, Hopeless, in the non-competitive Un Certain Regard section. Un Certain Regard features noteworthy films and is considered the most prominent among the out-of-competition sections. Korean director Bong Joon-ho’s Mother and fellow Korean director Na Hong-jin’s The Yellow Sea were screened at the Un Certain Regard section in 2009 and... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-pop/k-movies/article/3218375/song-joong-ki-honoured-first-invitation-cannes-film-festival-screenings-his-low-budget-film-hopeless?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-pop/k-movies/article/3218375/song-joong-ki-honoured-first-invitation-cannes-film-festival-screenings-his-low-budget-film-hopeless?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 26 Apr 2023 08:15:15 +0000 This article contains spoilers. 3/5 stars The hit Song Joong-ki vehicle Reborn Rich came to an explosive end on December 25, its final episode notching up the second highest ratings ever in South Korea for a cable series (behind only The World of the Married), but many viewers were left disgruntled. The series is adapted from Sang Gyung’s web novel The Youngest Son of a Conglomerate, yet its conclusion diverged significantly from the ending presented in the source text, prompting very mixed... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-pop/k-drama/article/3204802/k-drama-review-reborn-rich-song-joong-ki-fantasy-revenge-drama-ends-unsatisfactory-note?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-pop/k-drama/article/3204802/k-drama-review-reborn-rich-song-joong-ki-fantasy-revenge-drama-ends-unsatisfactory-note?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 28 Dec 2022 10:45:12 +0000 As we wrap up another year, we once again have a large number of sterling Korean dramas from which to choose a top 15. Netflix and Korean cable channels remained the big dogs on the block, but new streaming services, both South Korean and international, heated up the competition in the market and inspired K-dramas to stretch out in new directions. Big-budget streaming series were once again very prominent, but traditional cable shows also levelled up in a big way this year, with familiar... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-pop/k-drama/article/3204405/15-best-k-dramas-2022-extraordinary-attorney-woo-and-alchemy-souls-little-women?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-pop/k-drama/article/3204405/15-best-k-dramas-2022-extraordinary-attorney-woo-and-alchemy-souls-little-women?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 27 Dec 2022 10:15:09 +0000 By Kim Rahn Actor Song Joong-ki is in a relationship with a British woman, his agency confirmed on December 26. HighZium studio said the 37-year-old has been in a relationship for about a year, and that a friend had introduced them to each other. “Song is having a good relationship with the woman,” the agency said. “We have nothing more to say about them.” Earlier in the day, a South Korean newspaper reported on their relationship, saying the woman is of British nationality and is not in the... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-pop/artists-celebrities/article/3204568/song-joong-ki-confirmed-be-dating-british-woman-they-were-introduced-year-ago-and-have-good?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-pop/artists-celebrities/article/3204568/song-joong-ki-confirmed-be-dating-british-woman-they-were-introduced-year-ago-and-have-good?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 26 Dec 2022 04:56:17 +0000 This article contains spoilers. What would you do if you knew what the future held? For Jin Do-jun, the protagonist of Reborn Rich played by superstar Song Joong-ki, the answer is simple: game the stock market. Given the same fantastic opportunity, it’s fair to assume that many might do the same thing. Before being reincarnated as the youngest grandson of the fictional Jin Yang-cheol (Lee Sung-min), Korea’s most powerful corporate tycoon in the 1980s, Do-jun was Yoon Hyun-woo, who tirelessly... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-pop/k-drama/article/3203279/k-drama-midseason-recap-reborn-rich-song-joong-ki-gives-rich-taste-their-own-medicine-fantastical?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-pop/k-drama/article/3203279/k-drama-midseason-recap-reborn-rich-song-joong-ki-gives-rich-taste-their-own-medicine-fantastical?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 14 Dec 2022 11:15:07 +0000 Song Joong-ki is back and he’s bigger than ever. The Vincenzo star returns to screens in the high-society fantasy revenge drama Reborn Rich, which reunites him with Sungkyunkwan Scandal writer Kim Tae-hee. This show became only the second Korean cable series to cross the 10 per cent ratings mark during its opening week, following season two of Hospital Playlist last year. Song’s co-stars include a stony-faced Lee Sung-min (Shadow Detective) as a difficult-to-please corporate tycoon and Shin... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-pop/k-drama/article/3200500/k-drama-reborn-rich-song-joong-ki-scores-again-breezy-and-nostalgic-high-society-fantasy-revenge?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-pop/k-drama/article/3200500/k-drama-reborn-rich-song-joong-ki-scores-again-breezy-and-nostalgic-high-society-fantasy-revenge?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 22 Nov 2022 08:15:12 +0000 K-drama fans will have a lot to choose from in November, with action, thrills and drama coming in all shapes and sizes. Here’s our preview of next month’s 10 most exciting offerings. 1. The Fabulous The fashion world is set to get the glossy K-drama treatment in Netflix’s The Fabulous. Chae Soo-bin (Rookie Cops) appears as the bubbly and hard-working Pyo Ji-eun, who dreamed of working in fashion but struggles as a marketer in the fast-paced industry. Minho of K-pop group Shinee plays Ji... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-pop/k-drama/article/3197585/10-new-k-dramas-watch-november-2022-song-joong-kis-return-reborn-rich-netflixs-fabulous-and-somebody?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-pop/k-drama/article/3197585/10-new-k-dramas-watch-november-2022-song-joong-kis-return-reborn-rich-netflixs-fabulous-and-somebody?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 30 Oct 2022 09:15:10 +0000 With the smash-hit success of Squid Game and a variety of other hits that rang around the world, 2021 will go down as a very special year for Korean drama series. While global streaming platforms were a big part of this, as they poured big budgets into high-concept programmes which previously had not existed in the Korean market, it was truly a great year for Korean small-screen content across the board. Korea-based cable and broadcast channels stepped up to the plate with a variety of... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-pop/k-drama/article/3161157/15-best-k-dramas-2021-vincenzo-and-mr-queen-squid-game?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-pop/k-drama/article/3161157/15-best-k-dramas-2021-vincenzo-and-mr-queen-squid-game?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 29 Dec 2021 23:15:14 +0000 The Korean entertainment industry is enjoying one of its best years thanks to streaming giants like Netflix (hello, Squid Game), Apple TV and even Disney+, which are all competing against each other to deliver Korean content as demand from global viewers rises. Disney+ will release its first Korean show Snowdrop featuring Blackpink’s Jisoo and Jung Hae-in on December 18, and have announced another four dramas, a Blackpink documentary and a spin-off of variety show Running Man for its 2022... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/celebrity/article/3158634/7-k-dramas-highest-paid-stars-2021-earnings-ranked-now-we?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/celebrity/article/3158634/7-k-dramas-highest-paid-stars-2021-earnings-ranked-now-we?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 06 Dec 2021 08:58:32 +0000 As one of the highest-paid K-drama queens, Song Hye-kyo’s love life has always sparked the curiosity of her fans and the media alike. Beautiful, talented and currently single, the A-list actress has been the subject of countless dating rumours with her co-stars. Some were officially confirmed, while others have remained unclear till this day. Here are five of Song’s most famous co-stars that she has been romantically linked. 6 Korean celebrities who adopted abandoned dogs, from Rosé to Lee... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/celebrity/article/3156695/song-hye-kyo-dating-her-now-we-are-breaking-co-star-jang?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/celebrity/article/3156695/song-hye-kyo-dating-her-now-we-are-breaking-co-star-jang?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 21 Nov 2021 04:00:16 +0000 K-dramas are big business and the engines that keep them running are their stars. Hot prime-time shows capture the zeitgeist in South Korea, but they’ve proven just as popular overseas, allowing big-name actors to command extravagant fees. Yet, as K-dramas become more popular in the streaming market, star salaries have gone haywire. After Korean dramas first caught the imagination of foreign viewers two decades ago, star salaries were known to be around 20 to 30 million won per episode, but the... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-pop/k-drama/article/3134285/how-much-are-kim-soo-hyun-and-song-joong-ki-paid-breaking?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-pop/k-drama/article/3134285/how-much-are-kim-soo-hyun-and-song-joong-ki-paid-breaking?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 22 May 2021 12:45:09 +0000 Haiva Nurani couldn’t quite believe her eyes when she spotted her favourite brand of Indonesian coffee confectionery in an episode of hit South Korean television series Vincenzo . The 22-year-old college student from Bandung, Indonesia, has been a fan of K-drama since high school, but said she had never seen her own culture represented in one of the shows. The “unreal” experience “surprised me and made me proud”, she said. “I think Kopiko’s decision to invest in product placement in the drama... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3132748/netflix-k-drama-vincenzo-delights-indonesia-philippines?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3132748/netflix-k-drama-vincenzo-delights-indonesia-philippines?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 09 May 2021 06:45:05 +0000 This article contains spoilers. 3.5/5 stars We all love a good David-versus-Goliath story. Few things are as satisfying as seeing a righteous underdog beat the odds as they stand up to, and take down, a once-mighty foe. Vincenzo has given us a lot of underdogs to root for, starting with the stalwart Jipuragi Law Firm and stretching through to the other colourful residents of Geumga Plaza. On the other side of the spectrum, the main villains have been the powerful Babel Corporation and the slimy... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-pop/k-drama/article/3132066/k-drama-review-vincenzo-netflixs-wild-and-absorbing-show?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-pop/k-drama/article/3132066/k-drama-review-vincenzo-netflixs-wild-and-absorbing-show?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 03 May 2021 08:15:09 +0000 From hit 2016 military drama Descendants of the Sun to currently airing mafia series Vincenzo, there’s been no end in sight to the different yet equally charming sides that Song Joong-ki has shown us. And then there were his other popular K-dramas like Sungkyunkwan Scandal and Arthdal Chronicles, not to mention his sensational marriage to Song Hye-kyo. But that’s not all there is to the 35-year-old Korean star. Here’s a list of memorable moments from throughout his life that you should... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/celebrity/article/3129492/song-joong-kis-road-fame-netflixs-vincenzo-and-k-drama?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/celebrity/article/3129492/song-joong-kis-road-fame-netflixs-vincenzo-and-k-drama?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 14 Apr 2021 08:18:42 +0000 This article contains spoilers. It’s not an easy thing to know exactly what a K-drama audience will respond to, particularly as that audience keeps growing around the world and becoming more sophisticated. As they try to answer that elusive riddle, there are several ways that writers of Korean dramas can pen their shows: stick to tried and true narratives, craft an involving mystery, or push boundaries with something new and edgy, for example. Then you have something like Vincenzo, which goes... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-pop/k-drama/article/3128117/k-drama-midseason-recap-vincenzo-details-outshine-plot?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-pop/k-drama/article/3128117/k-drama-midseason-recap-vincenzo-details-outshine-plot?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 02 Apr 2021 09:15:04 +0000 When you see actors in K-dramas and K-movies completely immersed in their roles, it might be difficult to picture them off screen, or even before their rise to fame. Yet before they made names for themselves, many Korean celebrities went to prestigious universities, majoring in subjects completely irrelevant to acting. Here are five K-stars with impressive degrees, as well as stories from their lives on campus. Who were the best and worst dressed at the Grammys? Song Joong-ki: business... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/celebrity/article/3126541/what-were-these-k-drama-actors-university-netflixs-space?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/celebrity/article/3126541/what-were-these-k-drama-actors-university-netflixs-space?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 23 Mar 2021 03:43:27 +0000 In Netflix’s hit Korean drama series Vincenzo, actor Song Joong-ki plays a lawyer who was adopted by an Italian mafia boss as a young boy. The show attempts to portray a blend of Korean and Italian culture. Song’s titular character dresses the part of a dapper gentleman, stepping out in well-tailored three-piece suits and stylish luxury watches to match. Throughout the series, Vincenzo seems to favour pairing his looks with sporty timepieces. Several chronographs from various brands were... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/luxury/article/3125678/song-joong-kis-love-affair-luxury-watches-vincenzo-breitling?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/luxury/article/3125678/song-joong-kis-love-affair-luxury-watches-vincenzo-breitling?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 17 Mar 2021 04:00:22 +0000 The TVN series Vincenzo, starring Song Joong-ki, has faced criticism after screening its latest episode where its main characters are seen eating bibimbap ― a popular Korean rice dish. In the episode that aired on Sunday, March 14, a scene showed the two lead characters – Vincenzo (Song Joong-ki) and Hong Cha-young (Jeon Yeo-bin) – having instant bibimbap cups together. But as the camera zoomed in on the cups, the brand of the show’s Chinese sponsor, Zihaiguo, became visible. 4 K-pop BFFs to... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/news-trends/article/3125608/has-k-drama-vincenzo-started-bibimbap-war-song-joong-ki?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/news-trends/article/3125608/has-k-drama-vincenzo-started-bibimbap-war-song-joong-ki?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 16 Mar 2021 04:43:14 +0000 While some South Korean stars might boast an Instagram follower count the size of a small country, others have been acting or singing for years without making a single post on social media. Song Joong-ki finally opened his official Instagram account on February 14 – over a decade since he debuted as an actor in 2008 – and attracted over 680,000 followers in just two days. His Space Sweepers co-star, Kim Tae-ri, is another relative newcomer to the Instagram scene, having opened her official... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/k-pop/artists-celebrities/article/3124641/6-korean-stars-who-are-finally-instagram?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/k-pop/artists-celebrities/article/3124641/6-korean-stars-who-are-finally-instagram?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 09 Mar 2021 04:07:20 +0000 Streaming giant Netflix is showing increasing confidence about its prospects in the Korean entertainment market, despite fierce competition from several global media platforms, including Disney Plus, gearing up to enter the fray.“The creation of diverse content means a wider selection for consumers to choose from. This is encouraging news for us since it will serve as an opportunity to grow together,” Kim Min-young, vice-president of content for Netflix in Korea, Southeast Asia, Australia and... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/leisure/article/3123923/4-netflix-original-k-dramas-watch-2021-hellbound-directed?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/leisure/article/3123923/4-netflix-original-k-dramas-watch-2021-hellbound-directed?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 04 Mar 2021 00:00:19 +0000 Last month was a special one for fans of Korean film and television. One of the country’s biggest stars returned to screens in not just one but two major new projects. Two years after the drama series Arthdal Chronicles, Song Joong-ki is back with the sci-fi action-drama Space Sweepers and the mafia-infused action-comedy drama Vincenzo, both streaming worldwide on Netflix. Song has captured the hearts of viewers ever since his debut more than a decade ago. Thanks to his steadily maturing... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-pop/k-movies/article/3123871/making-song-joong-ki-six-formative-film-and-tv-roles?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-pop/k-movies/article/3123871/making-song-joong-ki-six-formative-film-and-tv-roles?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 03 Mar 2021 12:15:11 +0000 This year is already looking to be a busy one for Song Joong-ki. History-making sci-fi epic Space Sweepers just released this month, topping Netflix’s movie charts, and the top-paid South Korean actor is already just days away from returning with a new K-drama – the 35-year-old’s first in the two years since 2019’s Arthdal Chronicles.  The hotly anticipated crime romcom Vincenzo will air regionally on Korea’s TVN every Saturday and Sunday at 9pm KST, and will stream on Netflix for everyone... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/celebrity/article/3122142/song-joong-ki-back-netflix-k-drama-vincenzo-5-things-know?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/celebrity/article/3122142/song-joong-ki-back-netflix-k-drama-vincenzo-5-things-know?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 19 Feb 2021 01:00:07 +0000 South Korean sci-fi blockbuster Space Sweepers was hotly anticipated after Covid-19 delayed its release and sent it from the cinema straight to Netflix – resulting in it being dropped overnight in 190 countries in 31 different languages. The entertaining caper across the galaxy also marks the return of South Korean heartthrob Song Joong-ki to the silver screen after his divorce from Song Hye-kyo, reuniting with A Werewolf Boy director Jo Sung-hee.  So when the film finally aired this weekend,... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/celebrity/article/3120964/7-plot-holes-netflixs-space-sweepers-starring-song-joong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/celebrity/article/3120964/7-plot-holes-netflixs-space-sweepers-starring-song-joong?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 08 Feb 2021 06:55:50 +0000 2.5/5 stars Jo Sung-hee’s Space Sweepers, South Korea’s first big-budget space adventure, was supposed to hit cinemas last summer, but after the pandemic scuppered those plans it fell to Netflix to swoop in and save the day. The film is packed to bursting with interstellar dogfights, robot sidekicks and wicked megalomaniacs, while the fate of the Earth hangs precariously in the balance. But it is so encumbered by its mission to get Korean cinema up to speed in the science fiction game that it... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-pop/k-movies/article/3120670/netflix-movie-review-space-sweepers-song-joong-ki-heads?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-pop/k-movies/article/3120670/netflix-movie-review-space-sweepers-song-joong-ki-heads?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 05 Feb 2021 08:00:25 +0000 For K-drama fans, 2021 got off to a very light start, with only a smattering of low-profile releases to get them going after the highs of last year. Now, with the Lunar New Year holiday almost upon us, broadcasters and cable TV channels have assembled a dizzying line-up of new shows to carry us through the holidays. Between the return of Song Joong-ki, several action and serial killer procedurals, a new season of one of 2020’s most beloved shows, and everything in between, viewers may have a... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-pop/k-drama/article/3119834/new-k-dramas-watch-february-2021-song-joong-kis-vincenzo-l?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-pop/k-drama/article/3119834/new-k-dramas-watch-february-2021-song-joong-kis-vincenzo-l?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 30 Jan 2021 02:45:05 +0000 Dating remains a controversial and sensitive issue for Korean celebrities. K-pop stars are forbidden from dating as trainees, and long after finding fame music artists and K-drama actors often keep their relationships discreet so they don’t cause a scandal among their fans. But at times actors establish such a convincing on-screen connection with their co-star that fans go wild imagining them dating in real life. And sometimes the TV chemistry can indeed result in an off-set relationship – and... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/celebrity/article/3114209/nam-joo-hyuk-and-lee-sung-kyung-arent-only-korean-actors?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/celebrity/article/3114209/nam-joo-hyuk-and-lee-sung-kyung-arent-only-korean-actors?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 17 Dec 2020 02:00:17 +0000