ktown konnection #13 | "Physical: 100" starts strong, "Queen Of Tears" continues charting

This week’s Top Global Titles 🌎  “Queen of Tears” is at #5, “Marry My Husband” is back at #3, and Season 2 of ”Physical: 100” charts strong in its premiere week, becoming the most watched reality series on Netflix. FlixPatrol

And ICYMI… My recent deep dive into how streamers have disrupted Kdrama’s (shrinking) formats and genres.

PREMIERES

• March 29 “Escape of the 7: Resurrection” (SBS)

Crime thriller sequel “Escape of the 7: Resurrection” starring Hwang Jung-eum (“Mystic Pop-Up Bar”), Uhm Ki-joon, and Lee Joon premieres this week. (Sidenote: I totally slept on the first season of this one. Did you catch it?)

Wednesday-Thursday Mar 27-28
“The Impossible Heir” (Disney+)

Friday-Saturday Mar 29-30
“Wonderful World” (MBC) (Disney+)
“Escape of the 7: Resurrection” (SBS) (tbc)

Saturday-Sunday Mar 30-31
“Queen of Tears” (tvN) (Netflix)
“Beauty and Mr. Romantic” (KBS2) (Viki)
“Hide” (Coupang Play, JTBC) (Viki)

Monday-Tuesday Apr 1-2
“Wedding Impossible” (tvN) (Viki)
“The Midnight Studio” (ENA) (Viki)
“Nothing Uncovered" (KBS2) (Viki)

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

KDRAMA/FILM/TV

J-Hope docuseries On the docs side, a new series starring and created by BTS’ J-Hope, “Hope on the Street,” premieres this week on Amazon Prime Video.

With V’s latest music video released earlier this month, it’s interesting to see members of BTS releasing new projects while serving their military duties. Who knows? Maybe it’ll lead to more artists stockpiling work and prescheduling releases pre-camouflage.

LG’s upcoming 2024 shows LG’s production company, Studio X+U released a teaser of upcoming series, which include dramas, reality, and talk shows. (Will keep you posted on U.S. distribs.) dramabeans

ICYMI: Season 2 ✌️ for “Signal” Season 2 is officially in development for the acclaimed 2016 drama starring Lee Je-hoon and Kim Hye-soo and written by Kim Eun-hee. Fingers crossed for the original cast to return. NME

SOUTH KOREA NEWS 🇰🇷

Campaigning officially begins Campaigning for the (critical) April 10 elections begins today. What’s at stake? Majority control over the National Assembly. The Korea Times

What I’m also interested in tracking: press freedoms and the media landscape in Korea.

New blooms 🌸 Annual cherry blossom festivals across the peninsula are set to bow this week. The Korea Times

Now on strike 🚌 Seoul city bus drivers went on strike after being unable to reach a deal in wage negotiations, affecting 98% of bus services in the capital. The Korea Herald (*Update: An agreement was reached by the afternoon.)

And, about that other strike 🩺 90% of Korea’s doctors have been on strike for a month, a new union leader has been elected. The Korea Herald

High-speed rail 🚞 The new GTX-A line will begin welcoming passengers on March 30. Reduced commute times include a 90-minute bus trip slashed down to a 21 minute train ride. KJD

K-Tourism Roadshow hits Tokyo 🧳 Korea’s latest stop on its world tour promoting travel - complete with food, skincare, and the music - and faces - of pop culture. KJD

Mostly elderly in 2072 Statistics Korea projects that by 2072, half of the population will be 65 or older. TCD

What those (college) kids are saying 🗣 “Decoding popular lingo for deeper insight into Korean college culture.” The Korea Herald

Watching movies (for a little less) 🍿 A 3 percent tax on films is set to be removed from ticket prices starting in 2025. KJD

Buzzy collab A new limited merch collection from a Blackpink x Takashi Murakami collab is set to be released March 29 with IRL pop-ups in select cities. KJD

Korean musical heads to London “Marie Curie” - a Korean musical about a French physicist - is set to premiere in London in English with a local cast on June 1. (Ah, the winds of globalization.) TCD

K-pop at the Grammy Museum 🎶 A new exhibit featuring boy bands ATEEZ and xikers kicks off 2 years of K-pop programming at the Grammy Museum. The exhibit runs April 10 - June 10. Billboard

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