ktown konnection #33 | Season 2 of "Pachinko" premieres, "Love Next Door" hits Global Top 10

IN THIS ISSUE:

• “Love Next Door” among Global Top 10 TV on Netflix

• “Pachinko” returns with season 2

• Park Chan-wook begins shooting with Son Ye-jin, Lee Byung-hun

• Korean FTC reins in OTT - with prorated refunds

PREMIERES

• August 23 

  • ”Pachinko” season 2 (Apple TV+)

  • “The Frog” (Netflix)

• August 26 ”No Gain No Love” (Amazon Prime Video)

This week’s month’s premieres Thankfully, it’s a premiere-packed August, with Choi Si-won, Jung So-min, Go Min-si, Shin Min-a and Byun Yo-han among familiar faces returning to screens.

Here’s my breakdown:

The light and fluffy watches: “DNA Lover,” “No Gain No Love.” (But: wouldn’t be surprised if there was a serial killer plot point pop-up.)

Easy watch (but not as sugary as the above): “Love Next Door,” “Romance in the House.”

Heavy melos and graphic thrillers: “Black Out,” “The Tyrant,” “Perfect Family,” “Pachinko,” “The Frog.”

On my watch list “Love Next Door” (am pretty sure Jung So-min is now in the running for rom-com queen). “The Frog” - bc Lee Jung-eun (“Miss Day and Night”). Also, season 2 of “Pachinko” - but once it’s bingeable (an epic saga through multiple generations of postcolonial and postwar trauma warrants much).

Wednesday-Thursday August 21-22
“No Way Out: The Roulette” (U+mobile TV) (Disney+)
“Perfect Family” (KBS) (Viki)

Friday-Saturday August 23-24
“Good Partner” (SBS) (Viki)
“Bad Memory Eraser” (MBN) (Viki)
“Black Out” (MBC) (?)
“Pachinko” season 2 (Apple TV+)

Saturday-Sunday August 24-25
“Beauty and Mr. Romantic” (KBS2) (Viki)
“Romance in the House” (JTBC) (Netflix)
“Love Next Door” (tvN) (Netflix)
“DNA Lover” (TV Chosun) (Viki)

Monday-Tuesday August 26-27
“Your Honor” (ENA) (Viki)
“No Gain No Love” (Amazon Prime Video)

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

KDRAMA/FILM/TV/ETC.

Son Ye-jin x Lee Byung-hun x Park Chan-wook Director PCW (“Decision To Leave”) is teaming up with Korean A-listers Son and Lee for his latest thriller. THR

Top Global Titles 🌎 “Love Next Door,” “Marry My Husband.” “Romance in the House” hit #1 on Netflix’s non-English TV yesterday. FlixPatrol. On Viki: “Serendipity’s Embrace,” “Good Partner.”

Korea’s watching 📺 “Good Partner,” “Love Next Door,” “Beauty and Mr. Romantic” (Aug 12-18). dramabeans