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

From the planned US remake of Train to Busan to Mamamoo's comeback, here's the biggest news in the Korean entertainment scene this week

The first week of September in the Korean entertainment scene is filled with casting news for 2022 dramas as well as new releases for the month. The talk of the town this week is the planned US remake of the zombie blockbuster, Train to Busan which drew negative responses from fans.

On a lighter note, HyunA and Dawn are releasing their first album together following their first duet, Mamamoo is making a comeback and Monsta X will drop a new single. Expect more star-studded dramas in the coming year as Lee Song-suk and YoonA join forces and Shin Ha-kyun and Han Ji-min team-up.

Want to know all that and more? Read our weekly Korean entertainment roundup to stay updated with the biggest news in the industry. Missed last week’s summary? You can read it here.

See also: 14 Korean Celebrities Who Were Born Rich

1. ‘Train To Busan’ to receive US remake

The popular South Korean zombie movie, Train to Busan is getting a US adaptation which will be helmed by Timo Tjahjanto. The original Korean blockbuster was directed by Yeon Sang-ho and premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in 2016.

Tjahjanto, who previously worked on Netflix’s The Night Comes for Us and Header will be joined by Australian filmmaker, co-creator of Saw and Insidious franchises as well as creator of The Conjuring series, James Wan. Meanwhile, Gary Dauberman will work on the screenplay. Both Wan and Dauberman have worked in the past to produce horror hits, The Conjuring movies, Annabelle and The Nun.

On social media, fans of the original movie were not pleased and indicated that it doesn’t need a remake.

See also: 15 Scariest Asian Horror Movies to Watch

2. Lee Jong-suk and YoonA confirmed to star in new drama

After months of being in talks for Big Mouth, Lee Song-suk and Girls’ Generation’s YoonA are finally confirmed as leads for the 2022 drama. The noir series follows a third-rate lawyer who finally gets his big break when he winds up in charge of a murder case that turned him into a genius known as Big Mouse. He exposes the conspiracy among the privileged, who are involved in the case.

Lee is set to play third-rate lawyer, Park Chang-ho who only has a success rate of 10 per cent in his cases. When he becomes in charge of the murder case, his life changes. Meanwhile, YoonA will star as Go Min-ho, a nurse and Park’s wife.

Writers Jang Young-chul and Jung Kyung-soon, who worked on the Netflix series, Vagabond are listed as creators while Oh Choong-hwan will be taking the director’s seat.

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

3. Sandara Park joins Abyss Company

After 17 years with YG Entertainment, Sandara “Dara” Park of the former girl group, 2NE1 left the company earlier this year.

This September, Abyss Company welcomed the singer and actress. “We are happy to be part of the new beginning of Sandara Park, who has been loved both domestically and abroad for a long time. We will of course support her to the fullest so she can show the public her new sides and charms that she has yet to showcase, and she will carry out various activities for global fans as well,” they said.

Dara debuted with 2NE1 in 2009 and became one of the most successful girl groups. They eventually disbanded in 2016.

4. HyunA and Dawn unveil track list for their album

Fresh off the release of their duet together, HyunA and Dawn are releasing an album together titled, 1+1=1 on September 9. The EP will have four songs, Deep Dive, Ping Pong, Xoxo and I Know.

Dawn worked on composing and writing the lyrics for all the tracks while HyunA worked on composing for Ping Pong and Xoxo. She also wrote part of the lyrics for Ping Pong, Xoxo and I Know.

Leading up to its September 9 release, the two have been releasing teaser images and an album cover over the past few days.

5. Mamamoo will be making a comeback

K-pop girl group, Mamamoo will be making a return this September with a compilation album that features new renditions of their previous hits and a new song. The comeback marks their first return since member, Wheein’s departure from the group’s agency RBW. She has since joined a new label, The L1VE.

The rest of the members, Moonbyul, Solar and Hwasa renewed their contracts with RBW. Wheelin signed an extended agreement with the label so she can continue to part of the group and its activities.

“Mamamoo is currently preparing to release a best-of album that will look back on their past seven years this September. It will include new versions of their past title tracks and B-sides that have received lots of love, and they will also be releasing a new song with the album. We will inform you when more concrete details have been decided.”

6. Day6’s Young K to release first solo mini-album

Day 6’s Young K is making his solo debut with the album, Eternal which will be releasing on September 6. The solo album will include seven tracks and feature self-written and self-composed songs by the singer and bassist including the title track, 끝까지 안아 줄게 which roughly translates to “I will hug you until the end.”

During a live session, Young K also revealed that he will be enlisting for his mandatory military service in October.

See also: Exclusive: South Korean Singer Seori on Her New Song, ‘Dive With You’ Featuring Day6’s eaJ

 

7. Lee Dong-wook and Han Ji-eun are starring in a new drama

Lee Dong-wook and Ha Ji-eun are both starring in the upcoming drama, Bad and Crazy according to several Korean media outlets. The superhero drama follows a materialistic police detective who becomes a champion for justice when his hidden persona, K, awakens.

Meanwhile, Han is set to play the role of Soo Yeol, although not much has been revealed about her character.

The drama will be helmed by Yoo Sun-dong and Kim Sae-dom who previously worked together for Netflix’s The Uncanny Counter, which was also OCN’s (a TV network in South Korea) highest-rated drama series.

See also: 10 Most Expensive Korean Dramas to Make

 

8. Monsta X is releasing a new single this month

Monsta X is coming back with a brand new single, One Day which will be released on September 10. This new song marks the group’s comeback since Kiss or Death, which they released as part of Universe Music, a series by fan community platform, Universe.

This 2021 has been a big year for the group as they also released their third Japanese album, Flavours of Love in May as well as their ninth mini-album One of a Kind in June.

9. Shin Ha-kyun and Han Ji-min are confirmed as leads for new drama

Baeksang Arts Awards Best Actor winner, Shin Ha-kyun and Best Actress nominee, Han Ji-min are teaming up a new drama, Beyond the Memory. The series will revolve around a man who mysteriously received a message from his dead wife, ushering him to visit a realm where people can meet their deceased loved ones.

Shin will be playing Jae-hyun, a journalist who's still in grief over his wife’s death. Meanwhile, Han will take on the role of Lee-hu, the deceased wife living inside the mysterious realm.

The drama will be directed by Lee Joon-ik, who is making his series debut after helming historical movies such as The Throne and The Book of Fish, the latter won the Daesang (Grand Prize) at the 57th Baeksang Arts Awards.

See also: 10 Baeksang Awards-Nominated Dramas and Movies to Watch

10. In case you missed it...

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