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Exclusive: Webtoon Entertainment CEO Junkoo Kim has said listing on Nasdaq will bolster efforts to adapt the company’s IPs into different formats and increase opportunities to collaborate with global partners.

The company closed its first trading day at $23, marking a 9.5% increase from its IPO price of $21, with the company’s market capitalization hovering around $2.9B. In an exclusive interview with Deadline, its bosses revealed how the new cash would help drive growth in the U.S. and provided color around the company’s revenue share model with the wealth of creators on the platform.

“We are dominant in Korea, have a strong foothold in Japan, and we are in the earliest stage of a massive market opportunity in North America,” said Yongsoo Kim, the company’s Chief Strategy Officer. “Listing in the U.S. will help accelerate our growth in this market, helping us to get more users and more opportunities with U.

Streaming on Disney+Hotstar, Kim Jae-hong’s Flex x Cop, stars Park Ji-hyun and Bo Hyun Ahn. Known for his other famous series like See You in My 19th Life, Bo Hyun Ahn is likely to do justice to his role as a police officer in Flex x Cop. The story of the protagonist’s journey towards becoming a cop is quite out of the box! How will Jin Isoo end up capturing an offender? How will Sengju handle the situation? Will Lee Ganhyun be able to accept Isoo as a cop working at the same station as her? Let’s find out!

Spoilers Ahead

What Led To Isoo’s Arrest?

Isoo, the younger son of the Hansu group, was keen on doing role-plays! He loved setting up survival games in various locations and playing the role of a cop. His games were very realistic, and he would even go...

Starring Lee Sun-bin, the horror thriller is former Cinéfondation director Kim Soo-jin’s feature debut.

South Korean film sales agency Finecut has picked up international sales rights to horror-thriller Noise ahead of the European Film Market (EFM).

The feature directing debut of Kim Soo-jin, whose short film The Line was in Cannes’ Cinéfondation in 2013, deals with the prevalent urban issue of floor-to-ceiling noise in apartments – the recent rise of which has led to legal disputes and even murder in South Korea.

Starring Lee Sun-bin (Mission: Possible), the film follows a deaf woman with a hearing aid trying to find her...

Starring Lee Sun-bin, the horror thriller is former Cinéfondation director Kim Soo-jin’s feature debut.

South Korean film sales agency Finecut has picked up international sales rights to horror-thriller Noise ahead of the European Film Market (EFM).

The feature directing debut of Kim Soo-jin, whose short film The Line was in Cannes’ Cinéfondation in 2013, deals with the prevalent urban issue of floor-to-ceiling noise in apartments – the recent rise of which has led to legal disputes and even murder in South Korea.

Starring Lee Sun-bin (Mission: Possible), the film follows a deaf woman with a hearing aid trying to find her...

International K-Drama Day: From The Glory 2 To Moving Top 10 Must-Watch Korean Shows Of 2023 ( Photo Credit – IMDb )

Korean dramas have provided a safe and comforting space to the audience over the years. Contrary to popular belief, K-dramas are not just about cliched romantic comedies, though there is nothing wrong with that, but also teach us many life lessons along the way. If K-fanatics are to be believed, 2023 has proved to be one fruitful year, with many heartwarming shows providing a feeling of contentment this year.

While K-dramas have been around for quite some time now, it wasn’t until a few years ago that Netflix, Viki, Disney+ Hotstar, and Prime Videos, among other streaming spaces, began streaming Korean shows, opening up a new dimension for global viewers. In 2023, all of these Ott giants have done a commendable job of delivering some top-notch K-dramas that have managed to swoon every drama lover out there.

It’s fitting that Studio N is based in Seoul’s Hannam-dong. The neighborhood is one of the most affluent in South Korea, and it is home to some of the Korean celebrities who make their living starring in webtoon adaptations produced by the company. If you watch a high-profile K-drama in the U.S. this fall, there are good odds it will come out of Studio N. The company is a subsidiary of Naver storytelling platform Webtoon, and has become a go-to production partner for some of the biggest...

Jisoo and Ahn Bo Hyun are no longer together.

The 28-year-old Blackpink superstar and the 35-year-old See You in My 19th Life actor have gone their separate ways, Yg Entertainment confirmed.

On Tuesday (October 24), Korean news outlets reported that the two had separated, and “naturally became distant due to their busy schedules, and they recently broke up,” via Soompi.

In response to the report, Blackpink’s agency Yg Entertainment issued a statement: “It is true that Jisoo and Ahn Bo Hyun broke up.”

It was previously revealed that Jisoo and Ahn Bo Hyun were in a relationship back in August.

Here’s the status update on the Blackpink contract renewals so far.

Find out which K-pop music videos are the most viewed of the year, including Jisoo.

Image Source: Getty / Stephane Cardinale - Corbis/Corbis; Getty / The Chosunilbo Jns/Imazins

It seems Blackpink's Jisoo and Ahn Bo Hyun's romance wasn't meant to last because the famous pair split after only a few months of dating.

Back on Aug. 3, it was revealed that Jisoo was dating Ahn after the pair were photographed meeting up in pictures obtained by Korean news outlet Dispatch. Jisoo and Ahn's respective agencies, Yg Entertainment and Fn Entertainment, confirmed the new relationship. "They are getting to know each other with positive feelings," the agencies said in a statement to Newsen (via Soompi), adding, "We would be thankful if you look upon them with warmth."

However, on Oct. 24, after three months of low-key dating, Korean news outlet Jtbc reported that the pair had split. A source told the publication, "Jisoo and Ahn Bo Hyun's relationship naturally became distant due to their busy schedules, and...

Seoul-based sales company Finecut has got off to a busy start at Busan’s Asian Contents & Film Market (Acfm) closing a trio of deals on webtoon adaptation Brave Citizen, and picking up international rights to inspirational drama Victory.

Brave Citizen, a vigilante action movie, has been sold to Kadokawa Kplus for Japan, Moviecloud for Taiwan and Lumix Media for Vietnam, while inflight rights have gone to Kairos Distribution.

Directed by Park Jin-pyo (You Are My Sunshine), the film follows an aspiring female boxer who works as a teacher but dons a mask to secretly fight a violent student. The cast is headed by Shin Hae-sun (See You In My 19th Life) and Lee Jun-young (Mask Girl).

The film is produced by Korean Ott platform Content Waave and StudioN, a production company owned by Naver Webtoon, and co-produced by Vol Media and Oscar10studio. The original webtoon was serialized on the Comico platform in Korea and Japan.

The action film starring Shin Hae-sun is set for a release in Korea in October.

South Korean sales company Finecut has closed deals across Asia for vigilante action film Brave Citizen, ahead of its local release on October 25.

Theatrical distribution deals have been secured for Japan (Kadokawa K+), Taiwan (Moviecloud) and Vietnam (Lumix Media). An additional inflight deal has been closed with Kairos Distribution.

Directed by Park Jin-pyo (Voice Of A Murderer), the film is presented by Content Wavve, one of the leading Ott platforms in South Korea.

It is based on a webtoon of the same name, which was...

‘Breathless Love’ is led by ‘Along With The Gods’ actor Kim Hyang-gi.

South Korean sales outfit kt alpha is launch a brace of upcoming titles at the Asian Contents & Film Market in Busan this week – action drama Sanbok Road and romance Breathless Love.

Sanbok Road marks the latest feature of director Kim See-woo, whose previous film Turandot received its world premiere at Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival in 2022.

The upcoming film centres on five friends in a poor village in Busan and is inspired by the true story of young boxers in the 1980s who stirred up public excitement.

The...

Destined With You started off with a bang, but now that we’ve crossed over the midpoint, it feels a little bit below par. Although it seems classic K-drama plots are back and a lot of shows are using old formulas but rebranding them with some newness, we don’t know where Destined With You will take us. There are still six episodes remaining, and next week might well be the make-or-break point of the show. It seems there’s a trend toward having a past-life connection this year, and the most recent show with a similar concept was See You In My 19th Life. We’re hoping this show doesn’t go downhill from here because we can see that a lot of drama awaits us. At this point, it’s clear that Shin-Yu has accepted his love for Hong-Jo, but why and what has made him fall for her so hard?...

Seoul, Aug 3 (Ians) Jisoo, who is the member of K-Pop girl supergroup Blackpink is in a romantic relationship with actor Ahn Bo-hyun.

Jisoo’s agency confirmed the news about her relationship with the actor on Thursday, reports Yonhap.

“They are currently in the phase of acquainting themselves with each other,” Yg Entertainment said, confirming a media report on their relationship. “We would appreciate it if you extend warm support and understanding.”

Earlier in the day, Dispatch, a local online entertainment news outlet, reported the two were spotted on a date at Jisoo’s residence in downtown Seoul.

She made an acting debut as Eun Yeong-ro, the female protagonist of Jtbc’s hit drama series ‘Snowdrop’, in 2021.

In March, she released her debut solo single ‘Me’, which immediately soared to the top of various music charts and TV music programs.

Ahn Bo-hyun has been better known as an actor since his...

Many of us may be saddened by the ending of See You In My 19th Life (spoilers for the ending), which doesn’t necessarily give us a happy ending but just the hope for one. So, to add to our sulking, we put together the most heart-fluttering moments of the show to make everything better. This will obviously include the second lead couple; even though they got their happy ending, we’re still obsessed. The show tells the story of a girl named Ji-Eum who’s lived 19 lives and remembers all her past lives. Her 18th life ended too early, and she had some unfinished business with the people she loved, so she decided to pursue them in her next life too. We don’t know if Ji-Eum will get a fairy tale ending, but we sure hope Seo-Ha tries his hardest to make it so.

1. Ji-Eum asking Seo-Ha out.

The second last episode of See You In My 19th Life is packed with information, as it should be! Of course, all we can hope for is a happy ending for everyone. Just as much as Min-Gi has been desperate for Ji-Eum to remember her first life, we have been wanting to know what exactly happened that made her remember all her lives too. We’ve had enough hints, and finally, in episode 11, we have the answer! Hopefully, the last episode is not as sad as this one for Ji-Eum, and everything gets sorted out by the end. Episode 11 did feel a little bit overlong with the number of times the scenes from her first life kept repeating, but there were some adorable things that were worth it in the end.

Spoilers Ahead

What happened in Ji-Eum’s first life?

Ji-Eum and Cho-Won were sisters in Ji-Eum’s first life too,...

We’re closing in on the end of the series See You In My 19th Life, and so the drama has amplified, and all the fluff has gone down. We finally know a little bit more about Ji-Eum’s first life, and more people from her present life are involved there than we had anticipated. Min-Gi’s character is still as confusing as he was when he showed up, and we need to know Asap what he’s all about! With only two episodes remaining, is it possible for Ji-Eum and Seo-Ha to have the happy life they’ve been dreaming about, or will their dream be shattered in a jiffy?

Spoilers Ahead

What Happens In Episode 9?

Ji-Eum has finally informed Seo-Ha about who she really is: Yoon Ju-Won. She’s worried he won’t believe her, but she leaves him with a note and the location of the key...

There were many new entries into the Netflix Top 10 film chart for the week of July 3, some new seasons of familiar TV series, as well as a new comedy movie. Read on for this week’s analysis.

Chris Hemsworth‘s action-thriller “Extraction 2” has been dominating the English movie charts for weeks, but it was bumped by the new action-comedy “The Out-Laws,” starring Adam Devine, Nina Dobrev, Ellen Barkin and Pierce Brosnan. It racked up 19.6 million views since debuting on the streamer to take the #1 spot, the most-watched movie in the United States and over forty other countries (but not the UK or Canada).

“Extraction 2” remained in second place with 8.9 million views to bring its total to 111.4 million views in four weeks of release. That’s just behind Jennifer Lopez‘s action flick “The Mother,” with 130 million views to date. As expected, the animated feature “Nimona,” was able to...

“The Witcher” Season 3 and “The Lincoln Lawyer” Season 2 are currently the most-watched series on Netflix, according to the streamer’s top 10 English-language TV list.

All three seasons of “The Witcher” appeared on the list, with Season 3 Part 1 coming in first place with 13.8 million views. This marks the second week in a row the latest season of Henry Cavill, Anya Chalotra and Freya Allan’s fantasy drama secured the top spot. Season 1 then appeared in sixth place (2.6 million views) followed by Season 2 in seventh (2.4 million views).

“The Witcher” was then followed by Season 2 of “The Lincoln Lawyer,” which secured 7.4 million views. The first season of the Manuel Garcia-Rulfo series also appeared on the list in eighth place with 2.3 million views. But the legal drama wasn’t the only new addition on the list. Tom Segura’s stand-up special “Sledgehammer” debuted at No. 3 with 4.5 million views, and dessert competition series “Is It Cake, Too?” debuted at No.

After seeing the movie Past Lives and sitting down to watch See You In My 19th Life, there’s an interesting sense of overlap between the two drastically different plots. One is a fantasy tale about a girl who remembers her past lives, and the other is a movie about a love story that could’ve been, but both talk about the fate of meeting someone special in life. As we come closer to the end of See You In My 19th Life, there are a lot of new developments in Seo-Ha and Ji-Eum’s relationship. At the same time, we’re getting closer to the revelation of why someone tried to kill Seo-Ha all those years ago. It’s a shame we’re not going to get to see more of the sizzling chemistry between Ahn Bo-Hyun and Shin Hye-Sun, but alas, good things don’t last forever.

Spoiler...

South Korea is known globally for its web series, movies and K-pop, with content including Squid Game and Parasite and groups like BTS and Blackpink becoming household names internationally. But there is another Korean cultural export – webtoons and their associated IP – that is starting to have an impact, not just in Korea, but around the world.

Webtoons are comics that have been designed specifically for mobile phones. Unlike Western comics and Japanese manga, they’re composed of single panels arranged vertically so that they can be easily scrolled through with one hand while you’re using the other to hang off the strap of your local commuter train.

Originating on the platforms of two Korean tech giants, Daum (which was later absorbed into Kakao) and Naver, in the early 2000s, the format is already huge across Asia and has become an invaluable source of IP for the region’s booming streaming industry.

While the Netflix Top 10 film chart for the week of June 26 remained fairly consistent from the previous week, “The Witcher” Season 3 burst into the English TV chart in first place. Read on for this week’s analysis.

“The Witcher” has been one of the streamer’s most popular series, so when Season 3 – the final one with Henry Cavill – was released last week, it was no surprise it did quite well with 15.2 million views (about 73 million viewing hours divided by the 4.82 runtime for the season). It was the #1 watched show in over 75 countries, including the United States, Canada, and all of Europe and Africa, making the Top 10 in 91 countries total.

The new season of “The Witcher” generated interest in earlier seasons, with Season 1 reentering the chart with 2.2 million views (17.2 million viewing hours).

See ‘M3GAN’ kills at 2023 box office as only original movie in Top 10

“The Witcher” knocked the sixth season of...

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“The Witcher” Season 3, Volume 1 debuted Tuesday to the top spot on Netflix’s most-watched TV list, logging 15.2 million views since its June 29 release.

As viewers tuned in to Henry Cavill’s last season as Geralt, fans of the fantasy series caught up with the first installment of “The Witcher,” bringing in 2.2 million views this week. Behind “The Witcher” Season 3 on the English TV list was sci-fi anthology series “Black Mirror” Season 6, which logged 5.4 million views this week after leading last week’s list.

Season 3 of “Catching Killers” secured the No. 3 spot on the list with 4.1 million views, while Kim Cattrall-led “Glamorous” came in at No. 4 with 3.5 million views. Next in line was “Our Planet II,” which hit No. 5 on the TV list with 2.9 million views while the fourth and final...

We’re already halfway through See You In My 19th Life, and that makes us sad. Not sure if having read the webtoon has anything to do with it, but the characters are so loveable, and we just want to see them all end up happy. There are some new developments in the show, and we’ve learned a little bit more about the person who was following Ji-Eum around in the last episode. The chemistry between our two leads is fantastic, and we’re swooning over them. We can say the same about the second lead couple, Cho-Won and Do-Yun, too! With a lot of laughs and an occasional cry, let’s break down everything that went down in the two new episodes of See You In My 19th Life.

Spoilers Ahead

What Happens In Episode 5?

Last week, the episode ended with Seo-Ha grabbing Ji-Eum’s hand and calling out for Ju-Won.

There weren’t too many surprises in Netflix’s Top 10 chart for the week of June 19 with Chris Hemsworth‘s action sequel “Extraction 2” holding strong and Charlie Brooker‘s “Black Mirror” Season 6 taking over the TV chart. Read on for this week’s analysis. (A quick reminder that Netflix recently changed their system to focus on total actual views vs. hours viewed.)

Hemsworth held the Top 2 spots with “Extraction 2” and the original “Extraction,” which had 42.2 million views and 13.8 million, respectively. “Extraction 2” had 87.3 million hours viewed just this week, which should eventually get it into Netflix’s most-watched list along with the original “Extraction.” It was the #1 most-watched film in over 85 territories.

There were two new entries in third and fourth place on the English language film chart, the documentary “Take Care of Maya” about a 10-year-old with a rare illness, which got 9.2 million views, and the Tia Williams...

The latest season of Charlie Brooker’s mind-bending anthology series “Black Mirror” landed at the top of Netflix’s Top 10 English TV List with 11.6 million views.

And for the second week in a row, Chris Hemsworth has dominated the top two spots on the English Films List. “Extraction 2” currently sits at the No. 1 spot with 42.2 million views, making it the most-watched title on Netflix this week. Its predecessor, “Extraction,” wasn’t far behind with 13.8 million viewers, securing the No. 2 spot on its list. In fact, the “Extraction” franchise has seen 108.4 million views since June 12 — four days before the sequel premiered on the streaming service — which makes it the first film franchise to hold the top two sports for two weeks in a row.

The action movies were then followed by the nightmarish documentary “Take Care of Maya,” which saw 9.2 million views. The rom-com “The Perfect Find” (7 million), the children-focused...

As we creep towards summer, Netflix has a hot new list of fresh content, including the final season of “Never Have I Ever,” the sophomore season of ‘Human Resources” and the highly anticipated sixth season of “Black Mirror.”

Kicking off the start of the month on mega streamer are lots of family-friendly goodies like both “Nanny McPhee” and “Nanny McPhee Returns,” “Kicking and Screaming,” “Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius” and the “Angry Birds Movie.” But the adults won’t be left out of the conversation, as more mature flicks and series like “Jarhead,” “Funny People” and “We’re the Millers” are also hitting the platform this month.

And it wouldn’t be Netflix without its originals. “Take Care of Maya,” “Extraction 2” and the Sarah Snook-led “Run Rabit Run” will land on the site in June. And even if this isn’t enough to get you watching, Netflix will be streaming its Tudum festival on Saturday,...

Are you looking for a new show to watch on Netflix? Look no further than See you in my 19th Life, a South Korean series that explores the power of love over time. Based on a popular comic book, the show features relatable characters and a compelling storyline.

The series, created by Lee Na-jeong, stars Shin Hae-sun, Ahn Bo-hyun, and Ha Yoon-kyung. It tells the story of Ban Ji-eum, who must overcome memories and obstacles from past lives to find true love.

Can memories from past lives influence present-day events? “See you in my 19th Life” delves into this question and more as it explores the enduring power of love. With 19 lives and a thousand years of reincarnation, the show promises to be an emotional rollercoaster.

If you’re a fan of heartfelt characters and timeless romance, See You in My 19th Life is the show for you. Don’t...

Heartfelt Obsession

Netflix this week announced six new Korean romance titles slated for the rest of 2023. They are: “See You in my 19th Life,” “King the Land,” “Behind Your Touch,” “Destined With You,” “A Time Called You,” and “Doona!”

The titles were unveiled at an in-person event called “K-romance obsession” in Seoul. Guests were mostly K-drama influencers from around the Asia Pacific region and the event was decked out with reds, pinks and vast numbers of heart decorations. Guests were offered snack food that had been featured in earlier hit K-drama shows including “Crash Landing on You,” “Extraordinary Attorney Woo,” “Business Proposal” and “Alchemy of Souls.”

According to Netflix, between 2018 to 2022, global viewership of its K-Romance titles tripled, with more than 90% views coming from outside South Korea in 2022 alone. Don Kang, VP of content (Korea) said, “Our stories touch on the universal aspects of life — love, heartbreak, and tenderness, while...