In a reality singing competition television series on Fox, celebrities in extravagant costumes and face masks perform a cover of a famous song, while the audience and panelists who don't know the identity of the singers vote for their favorite. This is the basic format of "The Masked Singer," a US adaptation of the Korean show "King of Mask Singer" by MBC. It has gained huge popularity since its first season made its US debut in January last year. Its third season premiere

Korea’s communications watchdog renewed the licenses for TV Chosun and Channel A, but attached the condition they maintain fairness and objectivity standards in broadcasting. The Korea Communications Commission on Monday renewed the licenses for the two general-programming cable TV channels just a day ahead of their due expiration. With the renewed licenses, Channel A, run by Dong-A Ilbo, a daily newspaper, can operate for four more years, while TV Chosun, run by Chosun Ilbo, can operat

South Korea's telecommunications watchdog on Monday conditionally approved licenses for two comprehensive programming channels, advising them to maintain impartiality and adhere to public responsibility guidelines.    The Korea Communications Commission announced it approved a motion to re-approve the license of TV Chosun till April 21, 2023. It also approved an extension for Channel A until April 21, 2024.    It said while the licenses have been passed, failure by eithe

The producers of KBS2’s weekend drama series “Once Again” apologized following criticisms that Saturday’s episodes sexually objectified women. In the two consecutive episodes that aired Saturday, three female characters who opened a kimbab eatery appear in skimpy dresses wearing heavy make-up. The women flirt with the men outside the store to lure them inside, while the male customers stare at the women and comment on the women’s appearance. The controversial epis

Though we often tend to yearn for the best moments of our life, the upcoming drama series “When My Love Blooms” suggests there is no time like the present. The new tvN series, featuring veteran actors Yoo Ji-tae and Lee Bo-young, will portray the love between a man and woman who reunite 26 years after first falling in love. “I personally believe romance is the most fundamental genre of television drama. Though love might be a really common theme, I wanted to portray a warm a

Lee Min-ho is returning to the small screen for the first time in three years through SBS’ “The King: Eternal Monarch,” which starts airing Friday night. Lee, in his first role since completing his military service in April 2019, partners with Kim Go-eun, who is also returning to the screen three years after the hugely popular “Guardian: The Lonely and Great God.” Kim Eun-sook, the scriptwriter behind several major hit Korean TV dramas, including tvN’s &ldqu

Network broadcaster MBC apologized Wednesday night for a demeaning comment about two female candidates during its general election coverage, which drew public outrage.　 The incident took place as MBC was delivering poll results in real time for a constituency in Dongjak, Seoul, where two female candidates -- Lee Soo-jin of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea and Na Kyung-won of the United Future Party -- were leading the pack. While covering the match between the two judges-turned-politicia

It is not just politicians who will be battling for voters on Wednesday -- local television broadcasters are waging a battle of their own armed with new technology and high-profile experts to attract viewers to their election night coverage Wednesday. Under the slogan “A Choice to Change My Life,” state-owned broadcaster KBS will focus on providing coverage with perspectives with in-depth discussions among political pundits. Rhyu Si-min, a liberal pundit and the chairman of the Ro

At first sight, JTBC’s new Friday-Saturday series “The World of the Married” seems like just another average Korean love affair TV drama, but this one seems to be taking a different path. Ji Sun-woo, played by 53-year-old veteran actress Kim Hee-ae, is simply perfect: an established doctor at work, an ideal wife and a doting mother. She faces a personal crisis in life when she finds out her husband Tae-oh is having an affair. The series does not drag on with the cliche story

The serial adaptation of Korean film “Snowpiercer” is moving up its premiere date to mid-May, two weeks ahead of the original schedule. According to news reports from several US entertainment media outlets Thursday, US cable network TNT has decided to advance the release date of “Snowpiercer” to May 17. The move comes in response to a growing thirst for more content on the small screen by viewers as the COVID-19 outbreak pushes back new releases elsewhere. “Snow

A project aimed at creating and original science-fiction series has set off in South Korea, jointly led by filmmakers, television networks and an OTT service provider. Soo Film on Wednesday announced that it has started production of “SF8” an eight-episode sci-fi anthology, in conjunction with the Directors Guild of Korea. The series will be released on OTT platform Wavve and network broadcaster MBC in the summer. With each of the eight episodes helmed by a popular director, the s

Jin Ho-young and Yoon Jung-lin, the creators of YouTube channel “Sewing TV” said the number of subscribers to their channel has surged after they posted a video on making fabric masks with reusable filters at home in February. “Our channel is fairly new and small. After the mask-making video became popular among both Korean and foreign viewers, we saw the daily number of new subscribers jump almost a hundredfold,” Jin, the channel’s editor said during an online pr

The South Korean entertainment circle has faced another major setback after a staff member of a variety show was confirmed to have the novel coronavirus. A producer of the food variety show "Bob Bless You" on Olive, a cable channel run by entertainment giant CJ ENM, tested positive for COVID-19 on Saturday. She developed symptoms after returning from vacation in the United States on March 18. The junior producer, whose name has been withheld, participated in production of the progra

With more videos being launched through various over-the-top platforms, Korean content creator Newplus Original is releasing the new series on artificial intelligence “AI Her,” exclusively through YouTube, starting Tuesday. “AI Her” is a six-episode science fiction thriller about a future where human experiences can be shared through computers, eroding the boundaries between mankind and artificial intelligence. According to Newplus Original, the YouTube series is a spi

Filmmakers push boundaries with introduction of OTT services