Journalist

Lee Dong Geon
  • Who Is Park Seo-hwi? Former Girl Group Member and Announcer Shares Shamanism Story
    Who Is Park Seo-hwi? Former Girl Group Member and Announcer Shares Shamanism Story Park Seo-hwi has drawn attention for an unconventional resume that spans a girl group, broadcast work and, most recently, shamanism. On April 1, MBN’s official channel posted a teaser titled, “Announcer Park Seo-hwi, formerly of a girl group, on why she underwent a spirit-receiving ritual for her family.” In the video, Park said she repeatedly dreamed that members of her family were dying. She said that when she went to get a fortune reading, the first words she heard were, “You’re full of spirits, aren’t you?” Park said she struggled with the decision. “What if I don’t receive it?” she said, referring to the ritual. “My family is everything to me. I’ve lived for my family.” She added, “I want to live my life as I used to, working in broadcasting. But I have to go, so I’m taking this path,” describing her feelings about entering a shaman’s life. Park worked in 2013 as a member of the girl group LPG under the stage name Ayul. In 2015, she worked as a reporter for SPOTV Games and took on drama appearances and hosting roles. In 2016, she appeared on tvN’s “Society Game” Season 1 under the stage name Park Ha-el. The report said Park can speak five languages, citing her experience living in places including the United States and France, and that she gained popularity as a SPOTV announcer. Her account of why she became a shaman will be aired on “Unusual World Exclusive” at 9:10 p.m. on April 2. 2026-04-02 15:06:23
  • Ryu Hwa-young, Lee Tae-ri announce weddings; Go Woori reveals pregnancy on April 1
    Ryu Hwa-young, Lee Tae-ri announce weddings; Go Woori reveals pregnancy on April 1 April 1, better known for pranks, brought a run of real-life announcements in South Korea’s entertainment world: actor Ryu Hwa-young said she will marry in September, actor Lee Tae-ri announced a May wedding, and actor Go Woori is set to reveal she is pregnant on television. Ryu said on her social media account that she will hold her wedding Sept. 12 at a location in Seoul. Her fiance is known to be a businessman three years older than her. Ryu debuted in 2010 as a member of T-ara and later shifted to acting, appearing in dramas including “Mad Dog,” “The Beauty Inside” and “Player 2: War of the Swindlers.” Lee also shared wedding news the same day. His agency, Y1 Entertainment, said he will marry his non-celebrity fiancee in May. The ceremony will be held privately with only family members and close acquaintances from both sides attending. Lee first gained attention in 1998 for his role as Jeong-bae in SBS’ “Soonpoong Clinic” and has since appeared in “The Moon Embracing the Sun,” “Extraordinary You,” “Tale of the Nine Tailed” and “Bloody Heart.” Go’s pregnancy news added to the day’s announcements. She is expected to disclose the pregnancy on the MBC talk show “Radio Star,” airing April 1. She said she received the show’s invitation shortly after checking a positive result on a pregnancy test. Go married a non-celebrity man five years older than her in 2022. While April Fools’ Day is typically associated with jokes, the entertainment industry’s April 1 headlines this year centered on weddings and a pregnancy announcement. 2026-04-01 10:54:47
  • Park Min-young Showcases OBZEE’s 26 Spring Collection in Dazed Pictorial
    Park Min-young Showcases OBZEE’s 26 Spring Collection in Dazed Pictorial Actor Park Min-young, who has returned to tvN’s drama “Siren,” is featured in a fashion pictorial for Dazed magazine’s April issue. Shot in Phuket, Thailand, the spread pairs Park’s polished, city-chic image with the resort backdrop. In the released images, Park models OBZEE’s 26 Spring collection with a sleek, modern look. One outfit combines a fluid blouse with a subtle sheen and draped lines with a glitter-fringe skirt, highlighting contrast in materials. Another look uses a deep-blue top and wide-leg pants in a tone-on-tone palette. Draped detailing on the top is matched with the relaxed fit of the pants to emphasize a long, streamlined silhouette, finished with a gold chain belt. In a separate cut, Park wears an all-white ensemble that underscores OBZEE’s couture-style detailing. A blouse with three-dimensional floral appliques is paired with a sheer fabric, matched with a slim boucle-textured skirt to sharpen the overall line. An OBZEE official said Park’s “captivating charm” blended naturally with the mood the brand pursues, creating strong synergy. The official added that it was meaningful to work with Park, saying she helped express the brand’s identity in a detailed way and raised the pictorial’s overall quality. OBZEE’s 26 Spring collection worn by Park in the pictorial is available through the brand’s official online store, TheHandsome.com, and its official social media channels. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-01 08:57:20
  • April Fools’ Day Celebrity News That Turned Out to Be True
    April Fools’ Day Celebrity News That Turned Out to Be True April 1 is known for pranks and falsehoods, so entertainment news that breaks that day is often met with extra skepticism. Still, a number of major celebrity stories reported on April Fools’ Day — or immediately after — prompted “No way” reactions before being confirmed as true. One of the best-known cases involved Hong Kong star Leslie Cheung, who died on April 1, 2003, at a hotel in Hong Kong. The news was so sudden and shocking — and fell on April Fools’ Day — that some fans initially questioned whether it was a hoax. His death is still remembered each year as news that felt unbelievable. Dating reports can also seem less believable when they surface on April 1. When reports emerged on April 1, 2016, that EXO’s Kai and f(x)’s Krystal were dating, some people responded by asking whether it was an April Fools’ Day stunt. SM Entertainment soon confirmed the relationship, saying the two “had been friends and recently began to develop feelings for each other.” On April 1, 2023, news broke that actors Lim Ji-yeon and Lee Do-hyun — who drew attention for the Netflix series “The Glory” — were dating. Their agencies confirmed it the same day, saying, “The two are cautiously getting to know each other with good feelings.” The timing on April Fools’ Day, along with the contrast to their on-screen relationship, made the news feel especially unexpected to the public. There was also heartbreaking news immediately after April Fools’ Day. Turtleman, the leader of the group Turtles, died suddenly on April 2, 2008. He was 38. As word spread the day after April 1, fans and online users responded by saying they hoped it was not true. Because April 1 is associated with jokes, news reported that day — or right after — can draw sharper disbelief and, when confirmed, a deeper shock. Cheung’s death, the Kai-Krystal dating report, the Lim-Lee relationship and Turtleman’s sudden death are among the entertainment stories that lingered longer in public memory because of when they were reported. 2026-04-01 06:18:18
  • Singer Jun Jin’s Wife Ryu I-seo Says She Is Pursuing IVF at 43
    Singer Jun Jin’s Wife Ryu I-seo Says She Is Pursuing IVF at 43 Ryu I-seo, the wife of Shinhwa member Jun Jin, said she is pursuing in vitro fertilization at age 43. A video titled, “Why the lovebird couple Jun Jin♥Ryu I-seo began preparing for pregnancy at 43,” was posted March 31 on the YouTube channel “My Love Ryu I-seo.” Asked about her goals for the year, Ryu said, “I’m currently preparing for pregnancy, so I’m doing IVF. I’m going to retrieve eggs one more time and try implantation.” When Jun Jin asked whether the IVF process was difficult, Ryu replied, “I lived comfortably when I was younger, but even if it’s a bit hard now, I think it’s only natural, so I don’t feel like it’s hard.” She added, “I hope the baby looks like my husband, and only the personality takes after me,” expressing affection for him. Ryu said she decided to try to become pregnant after Jun Jin went to the hospital last year because he was ill. “Seeing him in so much pain, I thought, ‘If this person dies, how will I live?’” she recalled. “I thought if I had a child who resembles him, I could endure it. I suddenly became scared, and I seriously brought up pregnancy with my husband.” Jun Jin and Ryu married in 2020. The couple also discussed plans for a child during an appearance last October on broadcaster Jang Young-ran’s YouTube channel. 2026-04-01 05:27:19
  • April Theaters Lean on Sequels and Re-Releases as Original Films Fade
    April Theaters Lean on Sequels and Re-Releases as Original Films Fade April’s release calendar offers a clear signal of what theaters fear most: the unknown. Familiar names — sequels, franchises and re-releases — are crowding out new titles. Megabox is set to open April 1 with a re-release of Quentin Tarantino’s extended edition, “Kill Bill: The Whole Bloody Affair.” The same day brings back “Farewell My Concubine: The Original.” Jang Hang-jun’s “Rebound,” which rode the “The King and the Man” phenomenon, returns April 3. Lotte Cinema plans 4K remastered screenings of “Roman Holiday” and “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” on April 8, followed by Jim Carrey’s “The Truman Show” on April 15. “The Last Emperor” is also on April’s re-release lineup. The strongest sales pitch, for now, is a proven past. Re-releases are not the problem by themselves. Many viewers welcome a chance to see classics on a big screen. The concern is that this programming is starting to look less like added choice and more like a default way to fill schedules. Theaters are increasingly acting as storefronts for safe brands and packaged nostalgia rather than places that introduce new worlds first. Prequels, sequels, spinoffs, reboots and biopics built on well-known figures are easier to explain — and easier to finance — than original stories. There are structural reasons behind the shift. South Korea’s film industry is enduring a prolonged slump. In a Korean Film Council report released last month, “A Study on Film Content Consumption Trends,” 45.8% of respondents said they went to theaters less often over the past year than in the previous year. The most cited reason was that ticket prices felt burdensome, at 25.1%. Another 21.5% said there were no movies worth seeing, and 17.4% pointed to plentiful film and series options on OTT platforms. The number of domestic commercial films released in 2026 also remains well below pre-pandemic levels. With fewer films available, programming becomes more conservative, and conservative lineups further weaken audience expectations — a cycle that reinforces the downturn. Saying only that “audiences have changed” captures just part of the picture. The industry, the article argues, has pulled back first, favoring intellectual property with built-in awareness over originals that carry higher risk. Known IP is simpler to market: a tagline can do the work, and a poster often signals genre and tone at a glance. That may feel safer for investors and easier for theaters, but it also reduces the chance of surprise. That is why the reasons people skip theaters cannot be reduced to price alone: if it is expensive and not new, there is less reason to leave home. The trend is not limited to South Korea. In the United States, the outlet KCRA, citing analysis based on the film data site The Numbers, reported that originals made up just 12% of the annual top 20 box office hits over the past five years, while about two-thirds were sequels. By the same measure, in the 1990s nearly half of top-ranked films were originals, and sequels accounted for 14.5%. Still, the article argues that claims that originals cannot succeed are often overstated. AP reported earlier this year that “Project Hail Mary” posted the biggest non-franchise opening since “Oppenheimer” and ranked among the biggest box office hits of the first quarter of 2026. The issue, it said, is less whether originals are possible than whether studios and financiers are willing to back them with scale, marketing and confidence. The article does not argue that re-released classics and franchise films are inherently bad. The risk comes when they become the mainstream. New names lose space, midbudget films disappear faster, and audiences learn the idea that “there’s nothing to see in theaters.” As that perception hardens, theaters drift from producing the present to replaying the past. A rebound, it argues, will not come from attendance figures alone. It will come when the cynicism — “it’s probably a story I’ve seen before” — is broken. What theaters need is not more nostalgia, but a willingness to take risks on new faces, even with the possibility of failure. More important than re-hanging yesterday’s classics, the article concludes, is making today’s films that people will want to revisit 10 years from now. A market that loses originals ultimately loses audiences, it said, because the reasons to go to a theater shrink when only the already-proven is offered. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-03-31 15:18:22
  • Singer Lee Eun-ha Says Debt Grew From 2 Billion Won to 10 Billion Won, Details Steroid Side Effects and Breast Cancer
    Singer Lee Eun-ha Says Debt Grew From 2 Billion Won to 10 Billion Won, Details Steroid Side Effects and Breast Cancer Singer Lee Eun-ha has spoken publicly about her turbulent life, including mounting debt and serious health problems. On the March 29 broadcast of MBN’s current-affairs and documentary program “While You Were Sick,” Lee, known as a “disco queen” of the 1970s and 1980s, said her father’s construction business collapsed and left the family with heavy debt around 1990. She said the debt reached 2 billion won, and that she turned to private lenders while trying to repay it. She said the 2 billion won later grew to 10 billion won. Lee said she worked nonstop to make a living and recalled receiving steroid injections to keep up with her schedule. “If I had known a little earlier, my body wouldn’t have been ruined like this,” she said. She said side effects from steroids led to a 30-kilogram weight gain in a year, worsening her knees and resulting in artificial joint surgery. She also said she was later diagnosed with breast cancer while exercising to manage her weight. Lee said she has now been declared cured. “To return as the disco queen who shined brightest on stage, I’ll keep working hard on my health, and I’m spending a lot of time listening to what my body is telling me,” she said. “While You Were Sick” is billed as a healing talk program featuring people who have overcome hardships. It airs every Sunday at 8:30 a.m. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-03-31 13:33:19
  • Netflix’s April Lineup: 7 New Releases From “Bloodhounds 2” to “Man on Fire”
    Netflix’s April Lineup: 7 New Releases From “Bloodhounds 2” to “Man on Fire” Netflix is expanding its April lineup with seven releases, led by returning series, a franchise spinoff and new genre titles. Early in the month brings a light romance and a Korean action series, followed midmonth by the return of an Emmy-winning show. The back half includes an animated “Stranger Things” spinoff, Netflix’s first Korean YA horror series, a star-driven survival thriller and an action-thriller series to close the month. First up is “XO, Kitty” Season 3, arriving April 2. The school romance series, set in South Korea, follows Kitty in her final year, with Lana Condor also set to appear. On April 3, “Bloodhounds” Season 2 premieres, reuniting Woo Do-hwan and Lee Sang-yi. The new season widens its scope to a global illegal boxing league, raising the scale of the action. “BEEF” Season 2 arrives April 16, bringing back the Emmy-winning series with a new conflict. The cast includes Oscar Isaac, Carey Mulligan, Charles Melton, Cailee Spaeny, Youn Yuh-jung and Song Kang-ho. On April 23, “Stranger Things: Tales From ’85” expands the “Stranger Things” universe with an animated spinoff set in Hawkins in 1985, featuring new monsters and adventures. Two titles follow on April 24. “Girigo” is Netflix’s first Korean YA horror series, centered on an app that grants wishes but leads to a deadly curse. The cast includes Jeon So-young, Kang Mi-na, Baek Sun-ho, Hyun Woo-seok, Lee Hyo-je, Jeon So-nee and Noh Jae-won. Also debuting April 24, “Apex” is a survival thriller starring Charlize Theron and Taron Egerton, built around a chase in the Australian wilderness. Jeremy Robbins contributed to the script, and Baltasar Kormákur — who directed “Everest,” “Contraband” and “2 Guns” — is attached to the project. The month ends April 30 with “Man on Fire,” an action-thriller series starring Yahya Abdul-Mateen II as John Creasy. It is based on the novel by A.J. Quinnell. 2026-03-30 14:27:20
  • 10 Most Anticipated Movies of 2026: Marvel, Pixar, Top Directors and Korean Films
    10 Most Anticipated Movies of 2026: Marvel, Pixar, Top Directors and Korean Films 2026 is shaping up to be a crowded year at the box office, with major sequels, big-budget franchise entries, new films from marquee directors and several closely watched Korean releases. Among the most widely discussed titles is “The Devil Wears Prada 2,” which reunites Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway, Emily Blunt and Stanley Tucci. The film is set for a worldwide first release on April 29. With the original long treated as a workplace and fashion touchstone, attention is on whether the sequel can feel current rather than relying on nostalgia. In the blockbuster category, Marvel’s “Avengers: Doomsday” is positioned as one of the year’s biggest bets. Marvel has set a North American release date of Dec. 18, targeting the lucrative year-end season. Other high-profile releases include “Michael,” a biopic of Michael Jackson, due May 13, and Steven Spielberg’s “Disclosure Day,” scheduled to open June 10. Family audiences will also see familiar brands return. Pixar’s “Toy Story 5” is set for release in June, with the studio pitching a clash between traditional toys and cutting-edge technology. Christopher Nolan’s “Odyssey” is also on the calendar. Universal plans to release it July 15. Several Korean films are drawing attention as well. Na Hong-jin’s “Hope” is expected to open this summer, marking his first new film since “The Wailing.” Director Lee Chang-dong’s “Possible Love” has also been cited as a 2026 title to watch. It has been introduced as starring Jeon Do-yeon, Sol Kyung-gu, Zo In-sung and Cho Yeo-jeong, and is reported to be planned for a limited theatrical run along with a Netflix release. For fans of source material, a live-action adaptation of Tatsuki Fujimoto’s “Look Back” is set to be directed by Hirokazu Kore-eda, with a 2026 theatrical release in Japan announced. The story previously made an impression in animated form, and attention is on how it will be reinterpreted in live action. A year-end showdown is also taking shape. Both “Avengers: Doomsday” and “Dune: Part 3” are pointing to December release plans, setting up a high-stakes battle for attention and screens. 2026-03-27 16:21:25
  • Why the Name ‘Grace’ Matters in ‘Project Hail Mary’
    Why the Name ‘Grace’ Matters in ‘Project Hail Mary’ In 'Project Hail Mary,' Ryan Gosling’s character, Grace, can look at first like a familiar genius archetype. After waking in deep space, he calculates gravity and speed and reasons that he is no longer in the solar system. Instead of collapsing into fear, he observes, forms hypotheses and tests them. He responds to panic with experiments. The film’s interest, however, is that it does not treat him as a simple hero or a one-note prodigy. Grace is tasked with saving the world, yet he is also an ordinary person with an ordinary routine. He is content teaching children, rides a bicycle to and from work, and lives within his own small comfort. He has no grand ambition to remake society and no outsized hunger for fame. He fits daily life more than sweeping history. Grace is not cold. He is the kind of person who can offer a brief prayer for someone he never knew. The issue is not indifference but distance: he has goodwill without deep ties, compassion without entanglement. He does not hate people; he is practiced at keeping them at arm’s length. That is why he cannot immediately step forward for a mission that carries humanity’s fate. Calling it cowardice only partly captures it. He is afraid and does not want to die, and he is not trained to throw himself into a heroic narrative. More fundamentally, “humanity” is too large and abstract for him. He can understand the argument that it must be saved, but that does not automatically translate into a reason to give up his life. He refuses space not because he is uniquely selfish, but because he is recognizably human. What runs through his psychology is scientific thinking. A scene in which Grace tests falling objects to understand his surroundings underscores science as more than knowledge — it is experiment, failure and repeated challenge. Even in extreme conditions, he does not linger in self-pity. He accepts what is in front of him and looks for the next task. For Grace, science is not only a professional skill but a way to endure fear: he measures instead of breaking down, and he divides problems instead of surrendering to despair. The film deepens when it shows that even Grace is not completed by science alone. What ultimately changes him is not calculation but relationship — Rocky. After meeting Rocky, Grace learns for the first time how to survive with someone else. The bond moves beyond the fact that they are different species. They supply what the other lacks: scientist and engineer, thinking and execution, explanation and making, language and sensation. Together they solve problems neither could handle alone, turning friendship into a metaphor for cooperation on a cosmic scale. The emotional shift matters most. Through Rocky, Grace first feels that he can be essential to someone. He also realizes he cannot endure without Rocky. That is why a celebration scene lands: a laptop filled with human knowledge, a knitted pouch shaped like Earth, the line “Remember me,” and the reply, “You gave me everything.” What is exchanged is not just objects, but time that eased loneliness, a reason to keep living, and the arrival of someone who understands. From there, Grace’s choices change. If he initially hesitated to risk his life for humanity, later he turns back for Rocky. The shift may seem paradoxical, but it is familiar: people often change more in front of a specific face than for an abstract cause. There are moments when “one friend” becomes a stronger ethical motive than “billions of people.” Through Rocky, Grace learns even how to love humanity — not as a starting point, but as something reached through a single relationship. That is why Grace differs from a conventional hero. He is not noble from the beginning. He wants to run, hesitates, feels fear and prioritizes his own safety. The character becomes credible not because he is perfect, but because he moves forward while still incomplete. The name “Grace” is pointed. Read symbolically, he is less a person born with heroic qualities than someone who changes through what he gives and receives in relationships. To Rocky, he is salvation, and Rocky becomes the same for him. Grace is not a figure who saves others in one direction; he is completed within a bond that keeps both alive. In the end, what sets 'Project Hail Mary' apart is that it places a deeply human question inside the scale of space and science. As critic Lee Dong-jin has said, it is both the story of an exceptional astronaut and an SF projection of problems everyone faces: loneliness, avoidance of responsibility, fear, the need for connection, and the willingness to change for someone else. Grace is a scientist solving problems in space, but also a person becoming larger through meeting another. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-03-27 14:12:20