News bites: August 1, 2024

24 August 1, 2024August 1, 2024

by tccolb

While the rest of the world is caught up in the fervor of the Olympics, Netflix has been steadily preparing for the much less prestigious but a tad more dangerous Squid Game 2. Along with a new video announcement, our returning hero Lee Jung-jae (Chief of Staff, The Acolyte) is zipped up and ready for a chilly holiday season when the sequel releases on December 26. The final third season will then quickly follow in 2025. [MBC, News1]

Coupang Play officially announced news for the zombie series Newtopia (previously Influenza), with leads Park Jung-min (The 8 Show) and Blackpink’s Jisoo (Snowdrop) featured in new stills. Slated to premiere in 2025, the apocalyptic novel adaptation has filmmaker Yoon Sung-hyun (Time to Hunt) at the helm with Han Jin-won (Parasite) and Ji Ho-jin co-writing. [MBC]

A new teaser has come out for the upcoming Pachinko 2 on Apple TV+, continuing its expansive period series with Kim Min-ha (My ID Is Gangnam Beauty) and Yoon Yeo-jung (No Second Chances, Minari) reprising their shared role. Also starring Lee Min-ho (The King: Eternal Monarch) and Jung Eun-chae (Anna) among others in an international cast, the second season will be launching this month on August 23. [Sports Donga]
The promos continue on tvN as well, with new stills of a working and swimming Jung Hae-in (D.P. 2) in Love Next Door. The rom-com pairs him with Jung So-min (Alchemy of Souls) as they grow from childhood friends to sitting in a tree, hopefully k-i-s-s-i-n-g. Airing on weekends starting August 17, love will be in the air as well for Kim Ji-eun (Branding in Seongsu) and Yoon Ji-on (Serendipity’s Embrace) in a second pairing. [News1]

JTBC also has Romance in the House with a new highlights reel, beginning Ji Jin-hee’s (D.P. 2) mission to woo back his ex-wife Kim Ji-soo (High Class). But Ji will have to make amends with daughter Sohn Na-eun (Agency) as well, when the rom-com and family story unfolds on August 10 in the weekend slot. [JTBC]
On MBC, new character posters have dropped for the mystery-thriller Black Out, getting handsy with our main quartet: Byun Yo-han (Uncle Samsik), Go Joon (Cheat on Me If You Can), Go Bo-kyul (The Heavenly Idol), and Kim Bora (Like Flowers in Sand). Premiering in two weeks on August 16, production is being led by filmmaker Byun Young-joo (Helpless) with scripts penned Seo Joo-yeon (Rescue Me 2). [MBC]

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1 jerrykuvira

August 1, 2024 at 5:16 PM

Are we having Jung Hae-in the swimmer, Jung Hae-in the award winner, or Jung Hae-in the top shot executive? I'm up for all 3.

P.S. This Mom's Friend's Son is a pain to be compared with.

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2 Blue (@mayhemf)

August 1, 2024 at 6:05 PM

I am excited for the zombie series!!

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Unaspirated

August 1, 2024 at 7:43 PM

I totally missed that Newtopia was about zombies but that makes me way more interested!

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This is one genre I don't mind seeing cause its an easy no watch for me. I just can't get into zombies, even with Gong Yoo. However, if its like The Zombie Detective, I just might take a peek. Or is that if Choi Jin-hyuk is in it?

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3 kay4625

August 1, 2024 at 6:57 PM

I'm always up for some fun zombie action, so I'm definitely looking forward to that one.

Squid Game just didn't work for me. While the rest of the world may have been obsessed with this (for reasons I don't understand), I couldn't even get past the second episode. I hate to say it, but I just found it boring, so I'm gonna have to pass on the next 2 seasons.

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Diana Hansen

August 2, 2024 at 12:21 PM

Me too. Just can't get into it.

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9TailedVixen (formerly 9TailedFox)

August 4, 2024 at 6:37 AM

I tried SQUID GAME and tapped out by the end of episode 1. Not for me either.

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4 Unaspirated

August 1, 2024 at 7:41 PM

I’m obviously ready for Mom’s Friend’s Son to be here already but ALSO very jazzed for Black Out! It looks like a fun cast and a fun premise and I’m finally ready to take on another mystery-thriller live.

Pachinko will be fun, but I’ll wait until all episodes are out before I start, so it will be a minute.

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5 💜🍍☠ Sicarius The Queen of Melonia ☠🍍💜

August 1, 2024 at 8:03 PM

Note to self: delete the internet on St. Stephen's Day, 2024, for 3 months.

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💜🍍☠ Sicarius The Queen of Melonia ☠🍍💜

August 1, 2024 at 8:04 PM

Sometimes I want to do a proper write up on why the mere existence of a second season of both Squid Game and Deserter Pursuit (D.P.) renders the supposed and or attempted message of each first season - which themselves are already false messages, and manipulative examples of storytelling - meaningless, thus exposing their creators as liars, hacks and frauds who don't actually believe in said messages, which makes them manipulative and hypocritical story tellers, and therefore reveals the messages to be DOUBLY false.
And sometimes I can't be bothered and think that it is not worth it to try and make myself understood.

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shinayame

August 1, 2024 at 10:40 PM

I'd read it. Mainly because a second season of DP made sense to me (though I didn't watch it) because the premise lent itself to an episodic format, but now I feel like I've missed something.

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hacja

August 2, 2024 at 9:48 AM

Re: Squid Games I think there is always a problem when a supposed critique of capitalism is produced by an extremely capitalist media system. And the ending was clearly designed for a sequel. A really clever writer could write into the sequels a commentary on an entertainment complex that repeats a scenario until its totally bled dry of any creativity or interest--maybe, in this case, by literally bleeding all the characters dry! But I'm sure if Squid Games 3 is even a third as popular as the original, there will be plans for Squid Games 4 and 5.

I actually didn't mind the original, even though there was nothing subtle or profound about it. I don't think the creators set out to make a complex statement, and I've read that they themselves were a little caught by surprise by its global popularity. So it obviously struck a chord, even if most were tuning in to enjoy the emotional catharsis of violent action. I'm less harsh in my judgement of the creators--I wouldn't call them hacks frauds and liars any more than any t.v. writer, director, or producer. And some of the acting was really quite good, I thought.

I'll tune in for the first episode of part 2 just to see some of the new cast, but its a little hard to see how the show will maintain interest for another 9 episodes, not to mention another 18.

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💜🍍☠ Sicarius The Queen of Melonia ☠🍍💜

August 2, 2024 at 3:06 PM

I think we have to ask ourselves though, at what point would such extended commentary cease to hold any weight, at what point would it buckle under itself, at what point would the cross examination become self-parody to the point of self destruction?
My argument is that it both already has done that, and that a season 2 makes that worse immediately.
Whilst I agree the VERY ending of SG sets up for a second season, the end of the game and the post game reveal do not. In fact, they are in contradiction with each other, which is exactly part of the problem.

I have written - quite literally, and I wish this was an exaggeration, I really do, but it's not and it's good to warn people that it's not before linking it – a ten thousand word dissertation on the original Squid Game.
So in the interim of me deciding whether or not to expand upon my viewpoints here for @shinayame (cc: I appreciate the interest!), which in doing so would give more context for my harsher criticism of the creators among other things, and although, from the sounds of it, I doubt you will agree with me, perhaps you would find it interesting to read nonetheless:
https://www.dramabeans.com/members/sicarius/activity/1268185/

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6 Reply1988 -❣️Mother Bean❣️

August 1, 2024 at 9:01 PM

Pachinko, Love next door, Romance in the house, the one about DNA and the one about contract marriage are my selection from the thirteen August drops. I hope I have not missed any and that they are spread evenly over the week.

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Bunny Sonaki

August 1, 2024 at 9:18 PM

1. Romance in the House🌷
2. Love Next Door🌷
3. No Gain No Love🌷
4. Pachinko 2
5. Bad Memory Eraser
6. The Tyrant
7. Your Honor
8. Perfect Family
9. Black Out
10. DNA Lover
11. Cinderella at 2 AM
12. Love Andante
13. The Queen Woo
14. The Frog

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Bunny Sonaki

August 1, 2024 at 9:19 PM

Besides the first three, I also think of watching Queen Woo and Pachinko

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Sunnyboo ☀️🥰

August 2, 2024 at 3:29 AM

I didn't realise they were this many! Thank you for listing them 🥰

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Bunny Sonaki

August 2, 2024 at 4:50 AM

My pleasure♥♥

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jillian

August 2, 2024 at 5:35 AM

From that list I am most looking forward to The Tyrant.

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Bunny Sonaki

August 2, 2024 at 5:37 AM

Hoping you enjoy it.😊😊

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jillian

August 2, 2024 at 5:46 AM

I think it will be a good watch. 😊Thanks!
I hope you will enjoy the top 3 as well! 😊😁
I am considering to watch Love Next Door and Queen Woo too.

7 jillian

August 2, 2024 at 5:32 AM

There is a lot of premiering shows this month.

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8 redfox

August 3, 2024 at 1:03 AM

Parasite writer and zombie drama? are we getting snarky, sarcastic socially jaded zombies?

ok I need a snarky and sarcastic zombie now. he´d be my new bestie.

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9 9TailedVixen (formerly 9TailedFox)

August 4, 2024 at 6:52 AM

It's MOM'S FRIEND'S SON for me this August. I won't have time to watch more than 2 - 3 dramas per week (1 live watch and 1 - 2 daily lunchtime/bedtime watches) because my sabbatical has come to an end.

Looking forward to it and am crossing my fingers that it'll be as awesome as BECAUSE THIS IS OUR FIRST LIFE

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