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“King the Land” Stars YoonA and Junho’s Dating Rumors: Buzz, Ratings, or Something More?

The dating rumors surrounding YoonA and Junho from the drama King the Land have caused quite a stir. However, there might be a reason behind the sudden emergence of these rumors.

On July 3, fans and the media were taken aback by rumors that the two stars had been dating since before they started filming the drama. A media outlet claimed they only agreed to star in the show because of their alleged relationship.

This news raised suspicions among netizens who believed the dating rumor was a calculated move to generate attention and buzz. Some pointed out that more established outlets, such as Dispatch and Sport Seoul didn’t cover the news. Instead, a relatively new outlet called The Proof reported on it. Interestingly, this outlet was established in March 2023, and its biggest investor is a competitor to JTBC, the network that airs King the Land.

Moreover, the timing of the dating rumors also raised eyebrows. They surfaced after an episode of the drama aired, leading some to speculate that Proof News reported on the dating rumors in a bid to affect its ratings. This theory gained traction because the drama is steadily gaining attention. In fact, after the sixth episode, King the Land achieved its first double-digit rating. Furthermore, the main leads topped the Good Data Corporation‘s Most Buzzworthy Drama and Actor List.

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King the Land co-stars Yoona and Lee Junho have denied the Dating Rumors #KingTheLand #킹더랜드 #YoonA #leejunho #fyp #fypシ #fypシ゚viral #fypage

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Netizens couldn’t help but express their disappointment in certain media outlets for writing about the rumors without solid proof. They believed the Korean media should’ve been more responsible, as King the Land is currently airing.

YoonA and Junho, idols from two prominent second-generation K-pop groups, Girls’ Generation and 2PM, respectively, gradually transitioned from acquaintances to friends after collaborating on some things. They hosted award shows and performed the Camila Cabello–Shawn Mendes duet “Señorita” at the 2021 MBC Music Festival, solidifying their bond.

While the dating rumors initially stunned the public, the circumstances surrounding their emergence hint at a possible motive behind the news. Whether it was an attempt to affect the show’s ratings or gain attention, the dating rumors created a buzz around YoonA and Junho, even if their agencies firmly denied the romantic relationship.

(Featured Image: Source)

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Lee Jung Jae’s Agency Clarifies Squid Game Actor’s Involvement in T.O.P’s Casting in Season 2

Did Lee Jung-jae convince the producers of Squid Game Season 2 to cast a good friend? The Star Wars: Acolyte actor’s agency has addressed rumors that Lee helped former BIGBANG member Choi Seung-hyun aka T.O.P land a role in the Netflix series.

Earlier this week, Netflix announced eight more actors who will be joining Squid Game Season 2. The new cast members included Park Gyu-young, Jo Yu-ri, Kang Ae-sim, Lee David, Lee Jin-uk, Choi Seung-hyun, Roh Jae-won, and Won Ji-an.

Although fans were delighted to learn that T.O.P is returning to acting, others thought that the casting was dubious and were convinced that lead star Lee Jung-jae convinced the producers to cast Choi Seung-hyun in Squid Game Season 2.

Since then, Lee Jung-jae’s agency Artist Company released a statement addressing the rumors.

“Some of the reports that claim actor Lee Jung Jae was involved in the casting of Squid Game 2 are not true,” the statement read. “The casting of a project is the authority of the director and the production company.”

“In particular, actor Lee Jung Jae understands more than anyone that due to the great interest in Squid Game 2, many actors work hard to make an appearance, and [the cast members] are decided through audition,” it continued.

“Accordingly, we would like to reiterate that it is not true that actor Lee Jung Jae was involved in the casting of Squid Game 2,” the statement concluded.

It was previously confirmed that ZE:A member Yim Siwan, Park Sung-hoon (The Glory), Kang Ha-neul (The Pirates: The Last Royal Treasure), and Yang Dong-geun (Connect) will also join Squid Game Season 2. Their roles in the series are still undisclosed.

Squid Game Season 2 will bring back Lee Jung-jae, Lee Byung-hun, Wi Ha-joon, and Gong Yoo. The second season has not yet been given an official release date but is already expected to premiere on Netflix in 2024

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RED VELVET’s Yeri Opens Up About Her Mean Character in “BITCH X RICH”

Yeri is opening up about her most challenging acting project so far. The RED VELVET member spoke about playing a mean character in the new series BITCH X RICH. In addition to that, Kim Ye-rim discussed the differences between being an idol and an actress.

Yeri Reveals Why She Accepted The Role of A Mean Character in BITCH X RICH

Cosmopolitan Korea recently shared the stunning photos from Yeri’s photoshoot for the magazine’s July issue. In the accompanying interview, the RED VELVET maknae discussed her new show BITCH X RICH where she plays the cruel queen bee Baek Jenna.

When the interviewer commented on Yeri’s cruel acting in the murder mystery, the Dear Diary singer admitted that she wanted to take on a challenge.

“I tried this [drama] as I wanted to expand the spectrum of my acting,” Yeri said. “As it’s a character I haven’t done before, people were very surprised. I did my lines thinking most importantly about my tone, speed, and rhythm.”

“Rather than a kid who just plays around, I had to look like a princess,” she added with a laugh. “An authoritative character who speaks slowly and seeks power over people. Since she’s the complete opposite of me, I worried about how to portray that image.”

Yeri also discussed the differences between being onstage with RED VELVET and acting.

“As RED VELVET, I’ve promoted for a long time, have many hit songs, and am recognized wherever I go,” she said. “But with acting, I’m a complete rookie. But I really like that. Because I can learn a whole lot.”

“Also, since it’s a job where you work really closely with the director, assistant director, filming director, and lighting director, I like that you can work in a friendlier way,“ Yeri added.

“I really like working in that way. Even people I meet for the first time feel like family after filming and being together for two to three months,” she continued.

RED VELVET recently completed their R to V world tour and Yeri shared how she and the members felt about meeting REVELUVs from different countries.

“As this was our first world tour in awhile, it was a tour where you could feel everyone trying hard to enjoy themselves,” she said.

“It was fun that the fans’ vibes were different in each city, but the one thing in common was that I could hear them singing along to Korean lyrics in every performance,” Yeri continued. “I got goosebumps. I felt really thankful and it was so meaningful.”

Yeri’s full interview will be featured in Cosmopolitan Korea’s July 2023 issue.

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Tiffany of Girls’ Generation Joins Cast of Highly-Anticipated Drama “Uncle Sam Sik”

Exciting news for fans of Girls’ Generation: Tiffany officially joins the cast of the upcoming drama “Uncle Sam Sik” (literal translation)!

Sublime Artist Agency, Tiffany’s agency, announced on June 28th that she had been confirmed for a role in the Korean drama and is thrilled to greet viewers once again as an actress. Tiffany expressed her excitement for this next K-drama project and is determined to deliver a memorable performance that viewers can look forward to.

“Uncle Sam Sik” takes place during the dynamic early 1960s in Korea and revolves around the ambitions and bromance between two men, Uncle Sam Sik and Kim San. The drama features an impressive lineup of actors, with Song Kang Ho portraying Uncle Sam Sik and Byun Yo Han taking on the role of Kim San. The star-studded cast includes Lee Kyu Hyung, Jin Ki Joo, Seo Hyun Woo, and many others.

According to Tiffany’s agency, she has already begun filming for “Uncle Sam Sik,” indicating her dedication and commitment to the project. Fans can anticipate seeing Tiffany showcase her acting skills in this highly-anticipated drama.

While waiting for “Uncle Sam Sik” to premiere, fans can enjoy watching Tiffany in her previous drama “Reborn Rich” with subtitles, immersing themselves in her talent and on-screen presence.

Stay tuned for more updates on “Uncle Sam Sik” and Tiffany’s captivating performance in the Korean drama.

Featured Photo Credit: Tiffany Official Instagram

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BIGBANG’s T.O.P, IZ*ONE’s Jo Yuri Join Squid Game Season 2

Netflix reveals new cast members for 'Squid Game' season 2. Photo from Netflix's Twitter

The stakes are higher as Netflix unveiled on Thursday, June 29 the additional actors joining the star-studded cast of the second season of Squid Game. 

Cho Seung-hyun, also known as T.O.P, and Jo Yuri are among the confirmed cast members. T.O.P was a former member of the K-pop boy group BIGBANG while Yuri was part of the Korean-Japanese temporary girl group IZ*ONE. 

The new additions also include Sweet Home stars Park Gyu-young and Lee Jin-uk, D.P. actress Won Ji-an, Roh Jae-won from Ditto, Itaewon Class actor Lee David, and Kang Ae-shim of Tell Me What You Saw. 

 

However, additional details about their characters have yet to be disclosed. 

They will be joining earlier announced cast members Yim Si-wan, Kang Ha-neul, Park Sung-hoon, and Yang Dong-guen. In the cast announcement video, the four actors were introduced as new players, but detailed descriptions of their roles are still undisclosed. 

Only Lee Jung-jae, Lee Byung-hun, Wi Ha-jun, and Gong Yoo were the familiar faces from the first season who are confirmed to reprise their roles for the second installment. 

Byung-hun will be returning as The Frontman, Jung-jae as Gi-hun, and Ha-jun as the police detective Jun-ho. 

Following the announcement on the new cast members, Netflix also released photos of the actors during a table reading session for the dystopian-thriller series. 

 

The Emmy Award-winning show, which premiered in September 2021, follows hundreds of contestants compete for cash in various childhood games with deadly consequences. 

The second season of Squid Game is expected to premiere in 2024, but a final release date has yet to be announced.

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Suzy Reveals How She Chooses Her New Projects

Bae Suzy is sharing some secrets about her successful career. The former Miss A member revealed how she chooses the new projects she works on.

Bae Suzy Shares Important Factor When Choosing The Right Projects

Harper’s Bazaar Korea has just unveiled stunning photos of Suzy for the cover of the magazine’s July 2023 issue. In the photo shoot, Suzy shows off elegant timepieces as Longines’ global ambassador.

In the accompanying interview, Suzy revealed her standards for choosing new projects.

 

“It’s the character. Whether it’s instinctively or rationally, if I feel a sense of déjà vu with the character, I don’t think I’m drawn to them,” she said.

“What’s most important depends on how much I’m able to understand that character,” Suzy continued.

“Strangely, there are some characters that keep weighing on my mind. When that happens, I tend to do them,” she concluded.

It certainly works for Bae Suzy who always works on critically-acclaimed TV shows and films. She previously worked on shows like Vagabond and Start-Up and her film Wonderland was screened at the 76th Cannes Film Festival.

Although Wonderland has not yet been released, fans got a preview of Suzy and Park Bo Gum’s chemistry at the 59th Baeksang Arts Awards. The two actors served as co-hosts alongside Shin Dong Yup at the prestigious event. Bae Suzy and Park Bo Gum have served as co-hosts at the Baeksang Awards for several years and they clearly got along.

One of Suzy’s latest projects will also mean a reunion with a previous co-star. It was previously confirmed that Bae Suzy will reunite with Uncontrollably Fond co-star Kim Woo Bin in a new project. The actors will star in the upcoming fantasy romantic comedy All Your Wishes Come True which is being written by The Glory scribe Kim Eun Sook.

Suzy’s full interview will be featured in the July issue of Harper’s Bazaar Korea.

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Squid Game Season 2 Adds ZE:A’s Siwan

Squid Game Season 2 has revealed the new cast members who are joining the games. A new teaser for the second season of the Netflix series confirms ZE:A member Im Siwan will join the show.

Squid Game Season 2 Announcement Video Reveals New Cast Members

The official cast announcement video was shared during TUDUM 2023, a global fan event for Netflix’s projects held in Brazil. The video confirms the return of Lee Jung Jae as Seong Gi-hun. Additionally, the second season will give Lee Byung-hun’s The Frontman an even bigger role to play.

There is an interesting surprise in the video as it confirms Wi Ha Joon will reprise his role as Hwang Junho. In the first season, the police officer was killed by his own brother who turned out to be the Frontman. However, it appears he survived and will continue to play a major role in the show.

The video also revealed four new actors who will be joining Squid Game next year. Yim Siwan is the first new cast member confirmed. The ZE:A member had previously appeared in the Netflix film Unlocked.

Park Sung-hoon (The Glory), Kang Ha-neul (The Pirates: The Last Royal Treasure), and Yang Dong-geun (Connect) will also join Squid Game Season 2. Their roles in the series are still undisclosed.

The teaser for the second season of Squid Game also confirmed that Gong Yoo will be back. In the first season, the Train to Busan actor played the recruiter who convinces Gi-hun to join the games.

One actor who will not return is Jung Ho-yeon who played Kang Sae-byeok in the first season. Sae-byeok was a fan favorite but was ultimately killed by Cho Sang-woo (Park Hae-soo).

Squid Game Season 2 was not yet given an official release date. However, the second season of the series is already expected to premiere on Netflix in 2024. Stay tuned for more updates on this story.

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GIRLS GENERATION’s YoonA and 2PM’s Junho Had The Same Reason For Working On “King The Land”

YoonA and Junho are working together for the exact same reason. The GIRLS GENERATION singer and 2PM member have shared why they agreed to work on King The Land. Interestingly, both Im Yoona and Lee Junho were looking for a change.

YoonA and Junho Discuss Working on New Rom-Com King The Land

Im Yoona and Lee Junho attended a press conference for King The Land ahead of the show’s premiere. During the event, YoonA confirmed she chose to work on the new JTBC romantic comedy for a change of pace.

“My last project was heavy and dark, so I wanted to work on a piece with a brighter tone for my next project,” she revealed. “I also felt that when I tried out a character with a bright personality in the past, many fans liked it.”

YoonA had previously worked on the crime drama Big Mouth alongside Lee Jongsuk. It was a very different project from her upcoming rom-com.

Lee Junho agreed with YoonA, admitting he took on King The Land to be set apart from the historical drama he previously starred in.

“I felt the same as YoonA,” Junho said. “Working on The Red Sleeve, I struggled through a lot of emotional stress.”

He explained, “It is based on a historical figure, which meant that I was aware of the story’s tragic developments even as I worked on the project. This time, I chose a project that is allowing me to empty my mind of stray thoughts. It is a production full of love and laughter.”

Although Junho had fun working on the new show, he also confessed that playing a character who doesn’t like smiles was difficult.

“I’m the kind of person who smiles and laughs easily, so acting out a character who doesn’t smile or laugh was actually a big challenge for me. I immediately smile or laugh after even cut,” he said.

Luckily, things were not that hard since Junho was working with YoonA. The Confidential Assignment star revealed that she was excited about working with the 2PM member.

“It’s our first time working on an acting project together,” YoonA said. “I’m so happy that I’m working with Junho, whom I’ve known professionally since we were young.”

“There were moments when we could comfortably look back on those days and talk about our experiences,” she revealed.

In King The Land, Lee Junho plays Gu Won, a chaebol heir who can’t stand fake smiles, and Im Yoona portrays the constantly smiling Cheon Sa Rang. The series will premiere on JTBC on June 17, 2023.

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GIRLS GENERATION’s YoonA On What Drew Her To ‘King The Land’

YoonA is working on a new romantic comedy. The GIRLS GENERATION member discussed her decision to work on “King The Land”. She also shared what it was like playing the cheerful Cheon Sa-rang who is known as the “Queen of Smiles”.

GIRLS GENERATION’s YoonA Hypes Up New Rom-Com ‘King The Land’

Im Yoon-ah is currently promoting “King The Land”. In an interview with NAVER, she opened up about her decision to join the new romance series. For YoonA, it was about giving her fans something new and different to watch.

“I normally enjoy romantic comedies and since my last work was of the noir genre, I thought it’d be nice to greet viewers with a brighter and more cheerful project next,” she said.

“I also chose [this drama] as I was reminded of how many people liked when I portrayed proactive characters with bright personalities. The fact that it’s set with a hotel VVIP lounge as the background also had quite a unique charm,” she added.

“King the Land” follows an unlikely romance between Gu Won, a chaebol heir who can’t stand fake smiles, and the constantly smiling Cheon Sa Rang. In the series, Sa-rang became known as the “queen of smiles” while working her way up at the King Hotel.

How Did Cheon Sa Rang Become The ‘Queen of Smiles’?

For YoonA, playing Cheon Sa Rang meant understanding the story behind her smile.

“To Cheon Sa Rang, the King Hotel is a place full of childhood memories,” she said. “When having to smile or work as a hotelier, I acted while constantly thinking about Cheon Sa Rang’s sincere heart and meaning for the King Hotel.”

“Although she has many other sides, Cheon Sa Rang is someone who does her job incredibly well and has both responsibility and a sense of duty, so I worked hard to make sure those aspects were shown well,” she continued.

It’s already an exciting show to look forward to. Im Yoo-nah promised viewers that they will thoroughly enjoy watching “King The Land”.

“There’s all kinds of fun in ‘King the Land,’ from comedic elements to a sweet romance,” she said. “In particular, seeing Cheon Sa Rang discover her real smile and the cute side of the cold Gu Won who transforms after meeting Cheon Sa Rang will leave lasting impressions.

“Additionally, as we had many location shoots, you should look forward to the visual aesthetics,” Yoona continued.

2PM member Lee Junho will play Gu Won in the upcoming show. “King The Land” will premiere on JTBC on June 17, 2023, at 10:30 p.m. KST.

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Cha Eun Woo In Talks To Star In Revenge Drama With Kim Nam Joo

Cha Eun Woo could soon be taking revenge, at least, in a new drama. The ASTRO member is currently in negotiations to join the cast of the upcoming series “Wonderful World”.

FANTAGIO Clarifies Cha Eun Woo’s Involvement In New Kim Nam Joo Drama ‘Wonderful World’

StarNews reported that Cha Eun Woo will take on the male lead role in the upcoming drama. However, ASTRO’s agency FANTAGIO has since clarified that the “Island” star’s involvement has not yet been confirmed.

“He is currently in talks for the drama with a favorable outlook, but nothing has been decided,” the statement read.

It’s already a promising update and great news for fans who have been hoping to see Eunwoo in a new drama. Hopefully, there will be new updates about the series soon.

“Wonderful World” is described as a suspenseful revenge drama about a woman who loses her young son in a tragedy. When the law forgives the person responsible for the child’s death, she decides to seek vengeance on her own.

According to reports, veteran actress Kim Nam Joo is already in talks to play the female lead. Kim Kang Woo is also in negotiations to play the husband. “Wonderful World” will be directed by Lee Seung Young who previously worked on “Tracer,” “Voice 2,” and “The Missing”.

Cha Eun Woo is reportedly in talks to play Kwon Sun Yool, a medical student who unexpectedly gets entangled with the female lead. Further details about the character have not yet been revealed.

If Cha Eun Woo accepts the role, it will be one of his first shows for the year. The ASTRO member previously played an exorcist priest in the 2022 series “Island”. He will also appear in the webtoon-based fantasy romance drama “A Good Day to Be a Dog” which begins filming in October. Stay tuned for more updates on this story.

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