#68 | "Squid Game 3" premieres (with a parade), "Taxi Driver" returning

IN THIS ISSUE:

• The third and final installment of “Squid Game” - with a parade

• It’s happening: “Taxi Driver 3”

• Korean content dominates non-English titles

• Young Koreans experiencing ‘reemployment burnout’

PREMIERES

• June 27 “Squid Game 3” (Netflix)

Latest premieres The final adventures of Player # 456 drop this Friday (tomorrow); “Squid Game 3” is releasing all six episodes. Netflix and the city of Seoul is putting on a parade this Saturday to celebrate/promote the world’s biggest TV show with its stars.

What I’m watching We’ve been having 100 degree days here on the East Coast, and I’ve been streaming the light+breezy.

“The First Night With The Duke” is fun-but-simple, and I’m enjoying the meta-ness of 2019 drama “Extraordinary You” with Kim Hye-yoon (“Lovely Runner”), which has a surprising handful of now-more-familiar faces (Rowoon, Lee Jae-wook, Kim Young-dae). (Ah, 2019. A whole lifetime ago.)

Wednesday-Thursday June 25-26
“Spring Of Youth” (SBS)(Viki)
“The First Night With The Duke” (KBS)(Viki)

Friday-Saturday June 27-28
“Oh My Ghost Clients” (MBC)(Viki)

Saturday-Sunday June 28-29
“For Eagle Brothers” (KBS)(Viki)
“Our Unwritten Seoul” (tvN)(Netflix)
“Good Boy” (JTBC)(Amazon Prime Video)

Monday-Tuesday June 30-July 1
“Head Over Heels” (tvN)(Amazon Prime Video)

(*Streaming platforms shown are for U.S. only; distributors vary by country.)

KDRAMA/FILM/TV/ETC.

Among Top 10 Global Titles Today (6/26/25) 🌎 “Good Boy,” “Our Unwritten Seoul,” “Mercy For None.” FlixPatrol 

Netflix’s Global Top 10 Non-English TV (June 16-22) “Mercy For None” (#2), “Our Unwritten Seoul” (#5), “Tastefully Yours” (#9).

Korea’s watching: 📺 (June 16-22) “For Eagle Brothers,” “Our Unwritten Seoul,” “Good Boy.” dramabeans

🇰🇷 box office 🍿: “How To Train Your Dragon,” “Elio,” “28 Years Later.” Variety

“Taxi Driver 3” 🚕 Lee Je-hoon and co. are returning to once again deliver their own brand of justice this year - this time with a boy band member joining the cast. Viu has global rights, no word yet on the US platform. (A chance to finally resolve the whistling-induced panic attacks for Kim Do-ki, yeah?) Deadline

Maritime food journey “Culinary Class Wars” star Edward Lee and Studio JanChi x BBC will be hitting screens next year with “12 Seas,” a travel docuseries across Korea’s coast featuring historic culinary methods and seafood dishes. THR

OTT NEWS ETC.

Netflix Korea @APOS: cultural perceptions of Korea are changing More viewers are consistently watching Korean content over time - and show an increased interest in Korean culture (food, travel, music, etc.). Also: Korean content dominates non-English viewing.

Korea’s struggling theaters: worst ‘in two decades’ The first half of 2025 is 33% down from last year; cited among factors are the impact of streaming and a sluggish economy amid recovering from political uncertainty. Eyes are on: a few titles may help pick up the box office for the second half of the year, but a lack of new productions is expected into next year. Screendaily

Netflix should do short-form content, too At least, according to one media analyst - due to YouTube’s dominance when it comes to TV. TheWrap

SOUTH KOREA NEWS 🇰🇷

Tackling the economy In his first policy address, Pres. Lee is targeting spending on infrastructure, boosting investments, small businesses, and stimulus consumer coupons. TCD

‘Reemployment burnout’ More young Koreans are not returning to the workforce after leaving. TKH

Subway arsonist indicted A man who set fire to a Seoul subway train last month was charged with arson and attempted murder. KJD

BTS reunion: complete 💜  The last member of BTS (Suga) has completed compulsory military service; much of the music industry, national economy, er, world, has eyes on the band’s return.

Korea to Japan ✈️, still going strong Japan is seeing a continued uptick in Korean tourists who are also spending more; some are using proxy reservation services to skip long lines. TCD

Tourism boosted by Busan, Seoul Korea’s tourism industry is on track for a record year; K-pop and cultural experiences, along with destination cities Busan and Seoul, are leading the way. TTW 

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