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*** I’ve watched the first two episodes of Blood Free. I figure there will be twists and turns along the way. I like Joo Ji Hoon in almost anything. Some other characters are quite intriguing aside from the leads, and it will be fun to see how they all fit into this dangerous puzzle. photos source : https://breathlesssurvival.wordpress.com/2024/04/11/blood-free-is-reasonably-meaty/

*** Taecyeon and Yuri looked great and so cute together. I love seeing them reunite, be it in acting projects or events. pho photos source : https://breathlesssurvival.wordpress.com/2024/04/12/yuri-taecyeon-host-asia-star-entertainment-awards-2024/

*** Joo Ji Hoon and Han Hyo Joo pose to promote their new Disney Plus series, Blood Free. Their characters don’t have a loveline in the drama – his character is married with a kid – but I foresee them getting emotionally entangled as the story progresses. photos source : https://breathlesssurvival.wordpress.com/2024/04/12/hands-free/

*** I re-watched his latest drama "A Killer Paradox". This slow cat-and-mouse chase between Nan-gam and Tang provides the primary strand of tension for the show. It is well paced although, it starts slowly. And that no OSTs have stood out for me at all in this drama. I didn’t connect to some other characters except for Lee Tang because for me, it feels disjointed. I wouldn't say it’s great yet it’s not boring - but I feel the drama was overrated. I think one of the problems with the storyline was basically Lee Tang's character development into a serial killer. One minute you see him like a regretful and tortured accidental killer and other times, just as a serious murderer. Choi Woo-shik and Son Suk-ku’s acting were very well done and I hope to see them working again in another drama or movie.

*** Taecyeon uploaded a selfie with Jeon Yeo Been with the caption, “Jun Woo and Cha Young, it has been a long time,” referring to their characters in "Vincenzo". I was delighted to see the two of them. If ever there will be S2 for this drama, I'm sure that Taecyeon won't be in it since it’s unlikely that his character survived.

*** We got to see how Kim Soo Hyun‘s character as Baek Hyun Woo proposed to Hong Hae In (played by Kim Ji Won.) He proposed to her in an aquarium, before even finding out she was a chaebol. We got a closer look at their wedding rings. The rings are actually from BVLGARI‘s Viper collection. Those were designs in white gold. We saw that Hae In’s ring is covered in diamonds while Hyun Woo’s is plain and simple. Baek Hyun Woo had purposely bought a more expensive ring for Hong Hae In! In South Korea, it is customary for the man to purchase the rings during a proposal. source : https://theqoo.net/hot/3178919392

*** On April 10, Taecyeon hosted the first-ever 2024 Asia Star Entertainer Awards (ASEA) alongside Yuri in Japan. He's a good host because he makes everything more fun throughout the entire of the ceremony. He should host an event often.

Photo for the Drama "Queen of Tears" source : Hancinema

*** RAIN was a guest at Motoplex Seoul. He also came to inspect the GTS car, a Gran Turismo Sport's car. credit : Rain Cloud Taiwan

Drinking party ㅣSeason B Season 4 EP.25 credit : Rain Cloud Taiwan

*** On April 9, a video showing the behind-the-scenes of Episodes 9-10 of “Queen of Tears” was released on the YouTube channel “tvN drama”. Here, we can see the explosive chemistry between Kim Soo-hyun and Kim Ji-won. It stood out. It was hard to believe they were divorced in the drama. Kim Ji-won’s being caring towards Kim Soo-hyun, who had wounds on his face in the drama, was endearing. In addition to Kim Soo-hyun and Kim Ji-won, I also had fun watching the behind moments of other cast members.

@Magician Kim Soo Hyun becomes the talk of the web not only for his acting in the drama but also for his visuals. And I couldn't agree more with them because I noticed that Kim Soo Hyun hasn't aged a day since his role as Do Min Joon in 'My Love from the Star.' Ten years later, his visuals is still the same, still has this unchanged looks. Look at this picture below : 10-years ago........... He looks the same. He's not aging. He maintained his looks so well. He is an alien indeed! the actual Do Min Joon..... This is crazy! Time flies but he stays the same. He has good genes. @Magician As one of tvN's most acclaimed productions, I'm curious on how high can 'Queen of Tears' climb in the all-time cable TV drama ratings? In the broader landscape of cable TV dramas, 'Queen of Tears' ranks 5th overall. Here’s a glimpse at the competition: With six episodes remaining, 'Queen of Tears' can also challenge the dominance of JTBC's top-rated dramas. The question remains: Can 'Queen of Tears' ascend further to rival or even exceed the ratings of 'The World of the Married' and 'Reborn Rich'? Currently, it stands just behind 'Crash Landing on You.' Lets just hope the ending is a satisfying one. Top 5 Highest-Rated Cable TV Dramas of All-Time: The World of the Married (JTBC) - Peak Rating: 28.37% Reborn Rich (JTBC) - Peak Rating: 26.95% SKY Castle (JTBC) - Peak Rating: 23.78% Crash Landing on You (tvN) - Peak Rating: 21.68% Queen of Tears (tvN) - Peak Rating: 18.95%

*** On April 9th, a photo was posted on tvN Drama’s official Instagram with the caption, “‘Queen of Tears’ special broadcast confirmed. We will have a Q&A time.“ So, rather than a simple collection of highlights, a unique time will be provided for the actors to directly answer questions. And in addition to the Q&A session, there will also be a time for reading and responding to comments. The actors will read them directly in the special broadcast. These 2 special episodes of Queen Of Tears will be a big gift for fans. IDK why I also heard that accordingly, 2 child actors have been cast for these 2 special episodes. Hence, analysts and netizens alike predict that these will be two children of the couple Baek Hyun-woo (Kim Soo Hyun) and Hong Hae-in (Kim Ji Won). Not only that, the scene also revealed that the entire family of four will go camping together. Wait & see............................ source : https://www.wikitree.co.kr/articles/941926 @Magician Ohhh...........so fast that some days ago according to FlixPatrol on April 8, “Queen of Tears” ranked 3rd in the Japanese Netflix Top 10 on the 7th. Thanks for sharing this. @Magician He is active as the “king of ad-libs” in the drama. Those adlibs especially in the new behind-the-scenes video definitely was not in the script and would not have been said if Kim Soo-hyun had not fully immersed himself in the character of Baek Hyun-woo. Actually, he has so many adlibs in the drama and it adds fun watching the drama. These were all thanks to Kim Soo-hyun. Perhaps because of this, the perfect chemistry between Kim Soo-hyun and Kim Ji-won is showing remarkable success and popularity.

*** I'll certainly check this out despite my ridiculous backlog of current shows. I am super excited for this one. It will be lovely to watch Joo Ji-hoon in something again. TODAY is D-DAY! Time slot: Wednesdays (2x week) Broadcaster: Disney+ Genre: Sci-fi, thriller, drama Episode count: 10 Reasons to watch: Famed writer Lee Soo-yeon’s latest screenplay is here! Following up Forest of Secrets, and most recently Grid, Blood Free is all about the CEO of a synthetic meat company, and what happens (in the rhetorical sense) when the food chain is disturbed. Starring two of my personal favorites — Han Hyo-joo and Joo Ji-hoon — this thriller should not only keep us on the edge of our seats but also ask some important questions. (Also, can we have a bit of romance please?)

Eight Korean films compete at Brussels International Fantastic Film Festival Eight Korean films of diverse genres are competing at the 42nd Brussels International Fantastic Film Festival which kicked off Tuesday. The winners will be announced during the award ceremony on April 19th. The BIFFF, which brings some 60,000 people together from around the globe, is among the world’s top three genre film festivals, alongside Spain’s Sitges Film Festival and Portugal’s Fantasporto. In addition to the films in the competition, “Alienoid: Return to the Future” by Choi Dong-hoon, “Concrete Utopia” by Um Tae-hwa, “The Moon” by Kim Yong-hwa and “Noryang: Deadly Sea” by Kim Han-min will get their Belgian premiere through noncompetitive screening events. (skipped unrelated.....) credit : Korea Herald https://www.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20240409050530

Eight Korean films compete at Brussels International Fantastic Film Festival Eight Korean films of diverse genres are competing at the 42nd Brussels International Fantastic Film Festival which kicked off Tuesday. The winners will be announced during the award ceremony on April 19th. The BIFFF, which brings some 60,000 people together from around the globe, is among the world’s top three genre film festivals, alongside Spain’s Sitges Film Festival and Portugal’s Fantasporto. In addition to the films in the competition, “Alienoid: Return to the Future” by Choi Dong-hoon, “Concrete Utopia” by Um Tae-hwa, “The Moon” by Kim Yong-hwa and “Noryang: Deadly Sea” by Kim Han-min will get their Belgian premiere through noncompetitive screening events. (skipped unrelated.....) credit : Korea Herald https://www.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20240409050530

Eight Korean films compete at Brussels International Fantastic Film Festival Eight Korean films of diverse genres are competing at the 42nd Brussels International Fantastic Film Festival which kicked off Tuesday. The winners will be announced during the award ceremony on April 19th. The BIFFF, which brings some 60,000 people together from around the globe, is among the world’s top three genre film festivals, alongside Spain’s Sitges Film Festival and Portugal’s Fantasporto. In addition to the films in the competition, “Alienoid: Return to the Future” by Choi Dong-hoon, “Concrete Utopia” by Um Tae-hwa, “The Moon” by Kim Yong-hwa and “Noryang: Deadly Sea” by Kim Han-min will get their Belgian premiere through noncompetitive screening events. (skipped unrelated.....) credit : Korea Herald https://www.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20240409050530

*** "Queen of Tears" reportedly received its return on investment even before its premiere in March. Ohhh? Does it mean the production hits an early success! According to a source, the drama received its revenue ahead of its debut. In accordance with the profit structure of the K-drama industry, production companies can recover a portion of production costs even before the series airs through broadcasting fees or advertising revenue. In general, big-budgeted productions receive broadcast fees early on. "Queen of Tears" is estimated to have ensured at least 70 percent of production costs from Netflix. Broadcast fees and pre-sale fees from Netflix have exceeded the break-even point for the rom-com series even before its release. In addition, the producer of "Queen of Tears" can earn additional revenue through domestic PPL, OST, and VOD sales. Since the drama is amassing popularity in and outside Korea, and its viewer rate increases, the production will receive additional benefits from contract terms. Generally, big-budget productions (Major IPs) received broadcast fees extremely early on. Studio Dragon, for example, signed contracts to supply content to Netflix from 2020 to 2022 and got paid beforehand. Revenue is also expected through the future sale of the “Queen of Tears” IP. source : https://m.thebell.co.kr/m/newsview.asp?svccode=00&newskey=202404031621157040101588&fbclid=IwAR26FNdaE5cBm-pNJBgDS5dNakZ64_6a7L56b8O6kDXYwZYwRKqBerqwTUM_aem_ARI9rF6tbzd7bDBkc_yoQFKiftl7A7tloglCResaVRLbZ1ywU3YsDNHxMr9p2IcL_A9-mJwtJmphrzWVjLriFI5R

*** "Our Blues" celebrates 2 years. Time flies so fast!

*** "Our Blues" celebrates 2 years. Time flies so fast!

10 Most Popular Netflix Programs Currently In Korea (Based On April 9, 2024 Data) 1. "Parasyte: The Grey" 2. "Queen of Tears" 3. "3 Body Problem" 4. "Physical: 100" 5. "Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba" 6. "Chicken Nugget" 7. "Beauty and Mr. Romantic" 8. "Solo Leveling" 9. "Parallel World Pharmacy" 10. "A Killer Paradox"

*** TODAY is D-DAY! - I've never heard of "lab-grown meat" only in "Blood Free", that's why, I'm so excited to watch this drama. Yup, Blood Free introduces the idea of growing or "culturing" meat inside a laboratory. In its pilot episode, Yun Jayu is seen as someone with a goal to *protect the Earth* by producing lab-grown meat—and it's not just pork or beef that they're creating but also seafood like tuna, salmon, mackerel, and even shrimp. In preparing for Chaewoon's character, Joo Ji Hoon admitted that he was well-focused on absorbing Chaewoon's backstory. There was also a lot of training to maintain his best physique for filming. He shared, "Because of Chaewoon’s hidden past, I invested a lot of time into reflecting on his backstory. I also had a number of action scenes I had to shoot, so I worked hard to maintain my physical fitness before production began." Also, I'm curious of Han Hyo Joo and Joo Ji Hoon's chemistry. This is the very first time that Han Hyo Joo and Joo Ji Hoon worked together. Blood Free is Joo Ji Hoon's first exclusive project with Disney+. He stated, "I’ve enjoyed watching content on Disney+ since it first launched in Korea, so it’s been a very special experience getting to work with the Disney+ team on Blood Free!" Joo Ji Hoon also divulged how amazing it was to work with Hyo Joo. "She's a solid person. I can rely on her while working with her. She's that kind of colleague." Hyo Joo, humbled and appreciative of Joo Ji Hoon, replied, "The truth is, I was the one who has been relying on him. He has a great focus on the set. He has the eyes of a producer." Joo Ji Hoon also unveiled that he found the concept of the full-body suit of his character to be astonishing. He explained, "I wear a full-body suit. I’m getting tested on my physical abilities. My combat abilities and whatnot. It’s done in VR (virtual reality). The thing is, I can feel physical pain through it… I have to act while wearing a full-body suit so that I can feel pain through it." Joo Ji Hoon leaves a piece of advice for viewers of Blood Free.. "Every character has a hidden story. If you watch closely and take note of why a particular character does something or why an event happens at a certain time you’ll enjoy the story even more." Blood Free is a 10-episode drama that's full of exciting twists. It is available for streaming starting April 10, 2024, at 4PM KST (that's 5PM Philippine time). Weekly episodes will be released every Wednesday and Thursday exclusively on Disney+!

*** The 60th Baeksang Arts Awards nominations are out & I feel sad & bad that Lee Dong Wook deserved nomination for "A Shop for Killers" but was not named/nominated for the Best Actor category. International netizens were most vocal about this exclusion, too.

10 Most Popular Netflix Programs Currently In Korea (Based On April 9, 2024 Data) 1. "Parasyte: The Grey" 2. "Queen of Tears" 3. "3 Body Problem" 4. "Physical: 100" 5. "Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba" 6. "Chicken Nugget" 7. "Beauty and Mr. Romantic" 8. "Solo Leveling" 9. "Parallel World Pharmacy" 10. "A Killer Paradox"

Kim Soo Hyun Reigns Supreme in April’s Actor Brand Reputation Rankings In the latest release from the Korean Business Research Institute’s drama actor brand reputation rankings for April 2024, Kim Soo Hyun has clinched the top spot. This analysis, from March 10th to April 10th, 2024, evaluated 41,037,372 brand big data points of 50 actors appearing in currently airing dramas. The data, down by 29.51% from March’s data points, were indexed across consumer brand engagement, media exposure, communication, and community awareness metrics. The top 30 rankings saw the Queen of Tears star in the lead, followed by Cha Eun Woo, Moon Sang Min, and Kim Ji Won ranking impressively in fourth place. The list also included notable names like Kim Nam Joo, Lee Bo Young, Kim Kang Woo, Ji Hyun Woo, Im Soo Hyang, Park Hyung Sik, Kwak Dong Yeon, Kim Ha Neul, Park Shin Hye, and more. Kim Soo Hyun’s brand was analyzed with a brand reputation index of 4,673,781. Cha Eun Woo took second place with an overall brand reputation index of 4,421,563, followed by Moon Sang Min in third with 2,443,068. Koo Chang Hwan, the director of the Korean Business Research Institute, remarked, “In the big data link analysis, phrases like ‘heart-fluttering,’ ‘heartwarming,’ and ‘breathtaking’ were highly associated with Kim Soo Hyun, while ‘Queen of Tears,’ ‘Kim Ji Won,’ and ‘viewer ratings’ emerged prominently in the keyword analysis. The positive to negative ratio analysis revealed a positive sentiment of 89.55% towards his brand.” source : https://v.daum.net/v/20240410084959276