Hosted by the University of Central Lancashire, Preston, UK Wednesday 5th June 2019 (check-in and drama-screening Tuesday 4th June from 5 pm) Registration required on Eventbrite More details on UCLAN website. The University of Central Lancashire (UCLan), Preston, UK, is delighted to host a the K-Drama and Korean TV Symposium, which is devoted to scholarship on … [Read More]
Category: TV shows (page 2)
Why I’m beginning to warm to Netflix
After a rocky start with Netflix, I’m now coming round to it. I started subscribing to the online service in order to watch Okja, the Netflix-only feature film by director Bong Joon-ho. Although that particular experience was a big disappointment, I continued the subscription in case I was tempted by any of the other movies … [Read More]
Kim Chi spices up BBC make-up reality TV show
One of the more fun programmes on UK terrestrial TV right now is the reality show Glow Up, in which would-be professional make-up artists compete against each other. Every week a different guest celebrity make-up artist joins the show to critique the work of the contestants. This week, Episode 5, the show was graced by … [Read More]
BTS’s busy couple of weeks
It’s been a busy couple of weeks for Korea’s biggest band: A speech for UNICEF at the United Nations on 24 September. The speech, by the band’s leader Kim Namjun (aka RM), ended as follows: Like most people, I’ve made many and plenty mistakes in my life. I have many faults and I have many … [Read More]
Michael Palin in North Korea on Channel 5
Actor, TV personality and travel writer Michael Palin will be presenting a two-part documentary from the week or so he spent in North Korea earlier this year. He happened to be in the country during the meeting between Moon Jae-in and Kim Jong Un. The first episode screens on Thursday 20 September at 9pm on … [Read More]
Luther, Mistresses, Life on Mars get Korean remakes
A small number of BBC TV shows have a keen following in Korea, as can be seen from a Sherlock-themed cafe in Gangnam to the popularity of the Doctor Who world tour in 2014. And it may also be remembered that Luther won Best Mini-Series at Seoul International Drama Awards in 2011. Now Luther is to … [Read More]
South Korea: Earth’s Hidden Wilderness – BBC2 documentary
To complement their coverage of the winter Olympics, the BBC is screening what looks like an interesting documentary covering things you might not often see in coverage of the peninsula. With plenty of Korean experts advising and behind the camera, this should be well worth a watch. South Korea – Earth’s Hidden Wilderness BBC2, 8:00pm … [Read More]
OB seem to be getting their money’s worth
Who knows how much Gordon Ramsay is getting paid to be brand ambassador for Oriental Brewery’s Cass lager. But he’s certainly getting their brand into the news, at least in the English language press, both in the UK and Korea. His current promotional tour to Korea, coinciding with his filming of an episode of Please Take … [Read More]
BBC Korea goes live
The BBC Korean language service started broadcasting today (Korea time / 4:30pm UK time yesterday). According to the press release, BBC News Korean features a daily 30-minute radio news programme broadcast at 15.30 GMT on Shortwave (SW) and 16.30 GMT Medium wave (MW). The service will also feature a digital offer with written stories, videos … [Read More]
Kim Jong-nam assassination examined in BBC documentary
Tonight’s documentary on the assassination of Kim Jong-nam is well worth a watch. In its 59 minutes there was hardly any padding and I didn’t notice any of the usual platitudes. It was full of content, and while I would have liked a bit more time on the China angle, that would have pushed it … [Read More]
Event news: Channel 4 documentary + discussion — North Korea’s Reality TV Stars
This Wednesday’s talk at the Frontline Club, originally billed as focusing on the impeachment of Park Geun-hye, will now be an opportunity to preview and discuss the Channel 4 Unreported World documentary on the subject of the South Korean TV panel show starring North Korean migrants – “Now on My Way to Meet You” (이제 … [Read More]
BBC Korea Service expected to start as early as 2017
It was confirmed today that Korean would be one of the 11 additional languages in which the BBC World Service will broadcast. An accompanying interview with a BBC official on this morning’s Today programme said that the Korean content is likely to be a half-hour daily news programme focused on regional current affairs, though world … [Read More]
Gangnam Style remembered on Strictly
Thanks to would-be Labour finance minister Ed Balls for brightening up our dull Autumn on the BBC’s celebrity talent show Strictly Come Dancing. Consistently at the bottom of the scoreboard, he is saved by the popular vote. In the most recent episode he had the guts to do a Gangnam Style inspired Salsa, choreographed (with … [Read More]
Looking back at 2015: Entertainment news
In the second of four retrospective articles, we recall some of the entertainment stories that caught our eye in 2015. We’ve left out a few of the more scurrilous stories. Also, a few sad deaths of people outside the entertainment industry. Entertainment Ode to My Father became the second-biggest box-office hit of all time, boosting … [Read More]
BBC North Korea service takes a step closer
A couple of years ago a campaign started for a BBC Korea service. At the time my attitude was one of polite and disengaged interest, taking the view that South Koreans probably wouldn’t be particularly interested, and North Koreans wouldn’t be able to tune in, so the impact of a new service would be limited. … [Read More]
Event news: TV Drama screening and Panel discussion
The last of this year’s TV drama pilot episode screenings also includes a panel discussion: TV Drama screening and Panel After months of preparation, we will finally have our panel talk, at our 10th London Korean Drama Screening. PANEL TALK 18:30-19:30 Moderator: Georgia Brown: SVP Scripted at FremantleMedia. Panelists: Marc Lorber, Intl CoProduction & Formats … [Read More]