ktown konnection #3 | Yeon Sang-ho's "The Bequeathed," "LTNS" premieres

Gory premiere week Yeon Sang-ho, the filmmaker behind “Train to Busan” and “Hellbound,” is back with crime/horror series “The Bequeathed.” (Read his recent interview here). Lee Dong-wook action thriller “A Shop For Killers” premieres on Disney+, and historical melo “Captivating The King” looks less horrific, but still bloody.

What I’m most excited about “LTNS” (Long Time No Sex), a raunchy rom-com about a bored couple that investigates cheating spouses.

Why am I excited? It features the artists behind indie gem “Microhabitat” (소공녀): filmmaker Jeon Go-woon and actors Esom and Ahn Jae-hong. No word yet on U.S. distributor, but it’s currently available on TVING in Korea.

PREMIERES

• January 17 “A Shop For Killers” (Disney+, Hulu)

• January 19 

  • “The Bequeathed” (Netflix)

  • “LTNS” (Long Time No Sex) (TVING)

• January 21 “Captivating The King” (tvN) (Netflix)

CURRENTLY STREAMING AND ON-AIR

Wednesday-Thursday Jan 17-18
“Like Flowers in Sand” (ENA) (Netflix)
“A Shop For Killers” (Disney+, Hulu)

Friday-Saturday Jan 19-20
“My Demon” (SBS) (Netflix)
“Knight Flower” (MBC) (Viki)
“The Bequeathed” (Netflix)

Saturday-Sunday Jan 20-21
“Welcome to Samdal-ri” (Netflix)
“My Happy Ending” (TV Chosun) (Viki)
“Captivating The King” (tvN) (Netflix)

Monday-Tuesday Jan 22-23
“Love Song For Illusion” (Viki)
“Marry My Husband” (tvN) (Amazon Prime Video)

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

KDRAMA NEWS

Global hits “Island” (TVING) was the first Korean title to make it to the Top 10 list on Amazon Prime Video in 63 countries. The fantasy drama was also awarded Best Original Digital Drama Series at the 2023 Asian Television Awards.

Webtoon-turned-drama “Marry My Husband” has also been gaining a huge international audience, according to Naver Webtoon. Korea JoongAng Daily

“Gyeongseong Creature” in Japan I was very curious about this, since the historical monster drama is set in Korea during the last year of the Japanese colonial era, a period marked by oppression and atrocities, the traumas of which exist to this day. Yes - it’s a scripted, fictional storyline, but its backdrop is rooted in history.

It’s a touchy time period, so I’d imagine many actors might have reservations about a project like “Gyeongseong Creature,” which includes a lot of Japanese dialog, and some Korean actors play Japanese characters. Cast members Han So-hee and Park Seo-joon recently discussed their interest in the historical themes.

I actually haven’t seen much English-language media coverage of the drama’s response in the Japanese market.

However, I did find that the drama reached Netflix’s Top 10 in Japan, and not without some controversy (at least one cast member’s social media was subject to hate comments accusing her of anti-Japanese sentiment).

STREAMING NEWS

“Single’s Inferno” spin-off? Producers Kim Jae-won and Kim Jung-hyun of “Single’s Inferno Season 3” say that it was the show’s most successful season yet, with seven million viewed hours. There’s already buzz about a potential spin-off.

Are Kdramas beginning to struggle on Netflix? Sure, not every title can be a global hit, but some pricey productions fell far from expectations. The Korea Herald

Trendwatch 2024 Co-exclusive licensing on the rise, content acquisitions look to international markets as content spending drops, and Netflix’s cheaper ad-watching tier (AVOD) actually generates more revenue than the basic tier. $$ Ampere Analysis

Are K-docs next? One content strategist predicts that documentaries will be the next genre from Korea to trend globally. I’m expecting both docs and dating shows will be on the rise, likely to be aided by trends in content spending; docs and reality TV series are much cheaper to produce. (Sidenote: Here’s to hoping we see producers venture beyond K-pop fluff pieces.) TBI

IN SOUTH KOREA

Inter-Korea hostility In a shocking policy change, North Korea declared South Korea its “principal enemy,” abandoning (and devastating) previous reunification policy efforts. The Chosun Daily reported that North Korea has closed three offices promoting inter-Korean relations. NYT

Unlimited transit Seoul’s new unlimited transit pass, the Climate Card, will be available from Tuesday for $48 USD (62,000 KRW) and can be used for rides on buses and subways for 30 days. The pass is part of an effort to promote public transit and reduce pollution. Korea JoongAng Daily

Getting around Only 2 of 10 cabs are hailed traditionally in Seoul, with the majority of passengers using mobile apps which provide info like the expected route and fare. The Korea Herald

Home alone = joy According to the 2023 Ikea Life At Home Report, 40 percent of Koreans surveyed feel that spending time alone brings the most joy at home. For the U.S., it was 31%. Ikea

(One) New washer-dryer The new all-in-one washer and dryer LG WashCombo was released in the U.S., slated to launch later in Korea in March. (I’m still waiting to hear about how AI will fold my laundry and put it away.) The Chosun Daily

New (to you) lingo What’s “MZ generation” and “Meconomy”? The MZ generation (MZ세대) is a term used in Korea referring to a combination of millennials (folks born in the early 1980s to early 1990s) and Generation z (mid-1990s to early 2000s) demographics. (More about the MZ here.)

“Meconomy” refers to “me” plus “economy” - referring to a consumer market that is customized to individual tastes - often tied to the MZ generation. The Chosun Daily

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