Cover Here's the biggest news in the Korean entertainment scene this week (Art: Chesca Gamboa/Tatler Hong Kong)

From new trailers, casting offers to K-drama reveals, here's the biggest news in the Korean entertainment scene this week

As we close in the month of September, the Korean entertainment industry is buzzing with a lot of casting offers, K-drama reveals and new teaser trailers.

It’s relatively quiet in the K-pop scene but the most exciting is BTS’ first in-person concert in two years. Over at the K-drama side, there has been a lot of casting offers as networks prepare for upcoming dramas in 2022 as well as tease the ones coming out towards the end of the year.

Find out all about that and more in our weekly Korean entertainment roundup. In case you missed last week's, be sure to check it out here.

See also: 8 Things to See at Festive Korea 2021 in Hong Kong

1. Lee Do-hyun and Im Soo-jung’s new drama releases posters

Baeksang Arts Award Best Actor winner, Lee Do-hyun will be teaming up with Blue Dragon Awards Best Actress, Im Soo-jung for a new K-drama, Melancholia.

The K-drama will tell the story of a corrupt private school giving preferential treatment to students. Im Soo-jung will be playing Ji Yoon-soo, a high school math teacher while Lee Do-hyun is taking on the role of Baek Seung-yoo who used to be a math prodigy as a child but ranked last in his high school.

Melancholia is scheduled to premiere towards the end of this year.

See also: 30 Best New Korean Dramas to Binge-Watch in 2021

2. ‘Jirisan’ release first teaser

South Korea’s highest-paid celebrity, Jun Ji-hyun will be making her comeback in Jirisan opposite Joo Ji-hoon. The highly-anticipated drama has just released its first teaser, showing fans the exciting story they have in store.

It shows national park ranger, Seo Yi-kang (Jun Ji-hyun) and her partner, Kang Hyun-jo (Joo Ji-hoon) battling the effects of harsh weather conditions in the national park.

Jirisan is scheduled to premiere in October.

See also: Jun Ji-Hyun Named South Korea’s Highest-Paid Celebrity in 2021

3. Big Bang’s Taeyang and Min Hyo-rin expecting their first child

Big Bang’s Taeyang and Min Hyo-rin are soon to be parents! Local Korean newspaper, Hankook IIbo reported that Min is pregnant and “is expected to give birth soon.”

Her agency also confirmed that the actress is pregnant and is “waiting joyfully.”

Taeyang and Min got married in 2018. They first met while making Taeyang’s music video for 1AM in 2014.

4. Choi Min-ho and Chae-soo Bin in talks for new Netflix drama

Shinee’s Choi Min-ho and Chae Soo-bin are currently in talks to star in a new Netflix K-drama titled, Fabulous. A source from Chae’s agency confirmed that the actress received an offer while Choi’s agency also said that the actor and K-pop idol has been offered the male lead role.

The upcoming Netflix K-drama will show the work, romance and friendship of four young men and women in the fashion industry. It will be written by Kim Hee, who worked on Stove League.

Fabulous is scheduled for release in 2022.

See also: 10 Most Expensive Korean Dramas to Make

5. Cast for new K-drama ‘Island’ is confirmed

After Seo Yea-ji dropped out of Island, many actresses were in talks to replace her. The series has now confirmed its lead lineup with Lee Da-hee replacing her.

Lee will be starring opposite Kim Nam-gil who is making his return to the small screen. Meanwhile, Astro’s Cha Eun-woo is also joining the cast together with Sung Joon.

Island is based on a popular webtoon, which follows a group of people who are destined to save the world against a supernational entity in Jeju Island.

Lee will be playing Won Mi-ho, a third-generation chaebol while Kim will play a dark hero ousted from society. Cha will be playing an exorcist while Sung will be playing Kim's partner.

The series is expected to begin filming in October.

6. Ji Chang-wook and Soo-young are confirmed for new drama

A few months ago, Ji Chang-wook had to halt filming for his drama after testing positive for Covid-19. Now, it’s been confirmed that the actor will be starring in another drama opposite Girls’ Generation’s Soo-young and actor, Sung Dong II.

The drama, Tell Me Your Wish, is based on an organisation in the Netherlands that fulfils the wishes of terminal cancer patients. Ji will be playing Yoon Gyeo-re, who’s volunteering at the organisation due to an accident.

Sung will be playing the hospice hospital’s volunteer chief while Soo-young will take on the role of Seo Yeon-joo, a nurse at the hospice hospital.

See also: Choi Sung-Eun and Ji Chang-Wook are Starring in Netflix’s ‘The Sound of Magic’

7. BTS will be holding their first in-person concert in 2 years

Fresh off making their speech at the United Nations General Assembly as newly appointed Special Presidential Envoys for Future Generations and Culture, BTS announced that they will be holding their first in-person concert in two years in Los Angeles.

Titled, BTS Permission to Dance on Stage, the septet will be performing for fans at the Sofi Stadium on November 27–28 and December 1–2.

The group will be hosting a live streaming concert on October 24.

8. Oh Yeon-seo and Seo In-guk are in talks to join web novel-based drama

Oh Yeon-soo and Seo In-guk may be starring in a new K-drama soon. A source from Oh’s agency confirmed that the actress has received a casting offer while Seo was previously revealed to be in talks for the role of the main lead.

Titled, Minamdang: Case Note, the drama is based on a popular web novel about a former profiler that becomes a male shaman.

While Seo may be playing Han Joon, the male lead actor, Oh may be taking on the role of Han Jae-hee, the violent crimes division’s team leader.

The script will be penned by Park Hye-jin who worked on Ruler: Master of the Mask. It’s scheduled to premiere at the first half of next year.

9. Hybe and Mnet kick off new girl group audition in ‘I-Land 2’

I-Land, which has been nominated for the International Emmy Awards, is coming back for a second season. Scheduled to air in the first half of 2022, the second season will see a new girl group debut under Belift Lab, a subsidiary of Hybe, BTS’ label.

Recently, a call for audition has been announced and participants must be born from 2009–2009 to apply in the categories of vocals, rap or dance. They will take in applications until October 10.

10. Netflix's ‘My Name’ drops full trailer

Netflix’s upcoming series, My Name has released its full trailer. Starring Han So-hee, the action-packed revenge drama follows Ji-woo (Han), who joins a crime organisation in order to find the person who killed her father.

She ends up taking a new identity with a new name to work undercover as a police offer, leading her to discover shocking truths while on her revenge-driven mission.

The full trailer expands the plot that fans have already been teased over the past weeks. Ji-woo witnesses her father's death on her 17th birthday. In order to find the killer, he seeks the help of his father’s long-time friend, Mu-jin (Park Hee-soon), a gang boss.

My Name is premiering on October 15 on Netflix.

11. In case you missed it...

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