ktown konnection #16 | "Chief Detective 1958" premieres

PREMIERES

• April 19 “Chief Detective 1958” (MBC) (Disney+)

I’m looking forward to Lee Je-hoon’s return since “Taxi Driver 2,” and am curious about the series - firstly, the time period - 1950s postwar South Korea isn’t a frequent kdrama backdrop; second - it’s a prequel spinoff from a 1970s hit.

(And if you need more Lee Je-hoon, check out the treat at the bottom of this issue.)

Freshly bingeable: “Parasyte: The Grey” is a quick 6 eps (I got sucked in, and I’m not one for horror); melo “Wonderful World” also just wrapped. (Sidenote: why are some actors at their best when they’re playing characters all dark and broody? Just me?)

What I’m Watching “Blood Free” - slow start, but am expecting/anticipating more character development in this week’s eps from the writer of “Stranger” (aka “Forest of Secrets”). Also: “Queen Of Tears,” “Nothing Uncovered.”

Wednesday-Thursday Apr 17-18
“Blood Free” (Disney+)

Friday-Saturday Apr 19-20
“Escape of the 7: Resurrection” (SBS) (Viki)
“Chief Detective 1958” (MBC) (Disney+)

Saturday-Sunday Apr 20-21
“Queen of Tears” (tvN) (Netflix)
“Beauty and Mr. Romantic” (KBS2) (Viki)
“Hide” (Coupang Play, JTBC) (Viki)
“Missing Crown Prince” (MBN) (Viki)

Monday-Tuesday Apr 22-23
“Lovely Runner” (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

This week’s Top Global Titles 🌎  “Parasyte: The Grey,” “Queen Of Tears,” “Marry My Husband.” FlixPatrol

“Oldboy” TV series in the works Park Chan-wook’s cult classic feature is getting a small screen version. THR

CJ shares upcoming releases “The Midnight Romance in Hagwon” starring Wi Ha-jun (“Squid Game”) and Jung Ryeo-won (“May It Please The Court”) premieres May 11, and other new content from CJ includes Shin Ha-kyun, Song Seung-heon, and Oh Yeon-seo. Worldscreen

And more kdramas to get excited about this season, including familiar faces Jang Ki-yong (“Search: WWW”), Chun Woo-hee (“Be Melodramatic”), Kim Hee-sun, Im Soo-jung. (My eyes are on: the next title from the writer of “Marriage, Not Dating.”) dramabeans

Will share more as release dates get announced.

Korea’s watching “Queen Of Tears” 📺 It’s bulldozing the weekend competition. dramabeans

Netflix Korea reported an annual profit of $7.8 M USD last year - though a drop from the year prior, it’s the only streamer to turn a profit as Korea’s domestic OTT players TVING and Wavve are operating in the red. We’ll see what happens: the two companies announced a merger last year. KJD

SOUTH KOREA NEWS 🇰🇷

Korean won weakens, rebounds ₩ The South Korean won dropped to a low of 1400 KRW to the US dollar on Tuesday. Bloomberg

Current (political) mood ⬇︎ Also slumping: post-election approval ratings for President Yoon. The Korea Herald

North Korea dismantles street lamps connecting the two Koreas. Presumptions abound as to why, but dimming relations are apparent. The Korea Times

Samsung’s 6-day work week 🗓 SMH. KED Global

Disputing Dokdo Islands 🏝 Longstanding territorial disputes persist with Japan’s latest 2024 Diplomatic Bluebook, released this week. TCD

Single households ↑ are increasing, with a shift in attitudes toward family, co-habitation. The Korea Herald

Self-driving buses 🚌 Remember hearing about those? Apparently they’re (probably) the world’s first (but there’s still a driver). BBC

Amazon launches free shipping 📦 in Korea. TCD

No more Whoppers 🍔 Burger King Korea stopped selling its signature Whopper this week, a new menu unveiling is in the works. KED Global

Food prices 🛒 are on the rise, from cabbage and onions to fast food and fried chicken. The Korea Times

Affordable (pre-packed) lunches 🍱 are thriving in the midst of rising living costs. TCD

Korean alphabet cookies ㄱㄴㄷㄹ 🍪 I thought they already existed, too. The Korea Times

BTS pop-up 🎶 🛍 Featuring a “memory clouds” theme for the boy band’s pop-up shop, Monochrome will hit Seoul on May 26. KJD

Celebrating royal history From April 27 to May 5, the 2024 Spring K-Royal Culture Festival will be held at historic palaces throughout Seoul. (Sounds like a good reason to bust out the hanbok and welcome warmer temps.) The Korea Herald

Fun reality treat ✈︎ and if you’re having a case of wanderlust - I stumbled across this series that came out a few years ago - Lee Je-hoon and Ryu Jun-yeol head to Cuba in JTBC’s “Traveler.” They see the sights! They hit the beach! They negotiate taxi fare!

I was a little floored as to how much they were truly left to their own devices - literally walking from one accommodation to another as the night grows darker (brave/spontaneous traveler vibes).

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