Latest news with #WhenLifeGivesYouTangerines
Pink Villa
3 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Pink Villa
Fan hails GOOD BOY's Park Bo Gum as ‘king of good deeds', recalls actor's kind gestures towards her mom
Park Bo Gum is recognized as one of the most gentle and compassionate individuals in the South Korean entertainment industry. Apart from his warm and endearing roles on screen, his real-life interactions with fans and colleagues are frequently talked about. Recently, a fan shared a story about her mother's experience with the actor during his time in the military, which heaped praises for him. Park Bo Gum's kind deeds towards a restaurant worker, as shared by her daughter GOOD BOY star Park Bo Gum was enlisted in the South Korean navy from August 31, 2020, to April 30, 2022. During that time, he and his comrades visited a chicken shop on his base. One of the restaurant workers, being a big fan of the actor, paid for his meal. As per the workers' daughter's account, "Bo Gum looked so sincerely grateful and said, 'Ma'am' with a very apologetic and thankful expression." The actor didn't forget her and made sure to repay the kindness. The user of the X-account @anxna52 said whenever Park Bo Gum came across her mother in the base, he would run towards her and greet her doing aegyo (cute gestures). He also prepared a "separate gift" for the woman during the holidays and even helped her carry the trash to the bin once. The daughter revealed that the When Life Gives You Tangerines star had "an amazing memory" and still remembered her mother's name. Recalling another heartwarming anecdote, she wrote, "When she (restaurant worker) hurt her leg, he was really concerned and brought her all kinds of health-related items to help." She mentioned being jealous of the bond her mother shared with the actor. "Every time they met, he would ask how she was feeling, hug her, get teary-eyed, and say he was always praying for her and that he really hoped she'd stay healthy," she stated. He also occasionally checked up on her since then, as per the woman's daughter. She stated that previously, she had only heard from others that Park Bo Gum was the 'king of good deeds,' but after personally experiencing his kindness, she can indeed vouch for the truth of that label.
International Business Times
21 hours ago
- Entertainment
- International Business Times
Blue Dragon Series Awards 2025: Date, Time, Nominations, and Everything to Know
Blue Dragon Series Awards 2025 is almost here. The fourth annual star-studded ceremony will take place at the Paradise City, Incheon, on Friday (July 18). It will be packed with talent, performances, and other stunning moments. Organized by Sports Chosun since 2022, the glam event will recognize excellence in OTT and streaming television in South Korea. K-drama lovers and moviegoers wait for the annual award ceremony to enjoy live performances by their favorite artists. A star-studded lineup of celebrities will reveal the winners from original Korean dramas and variety shows invested in and produced by streaming services, including Netflix, Disney+, seezn, Apple TV+, WATCHA, wavve, Kakao TV, Coupang Play, and TVING. With only a couple of weeks left to find out the winners, here is everything we know so far about the fourth annual award ceremony. When and Where Blue Dragon Series Awards 2025 Take Place? The fourth annual star-studded ceremony will take place at the Paradise City, Incheon, on Friday (July 18) at 8:30 PM KST. Who is Nominated for the Blue Dragon Series Awards 2025? The nominees for the fourth annual award show were selected through online voting, evaluations by Sports Chosun entertainment news reporters, and industry expert surveys. The online voting took place between June 11 and June 24. When Life Gives You Tangerines and The Trauma Code: Heroes on Call are among the top nominees for the award show, taking place on Friday (July 18). Other nominees include Squid Game 2, Weak Hero Class 2, Gyeongseong Creature 2, and The Queen Who Crowns.
Eater
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Eater
How an Eater Editor Spends a Dreamy Weekend on South Korea's Jeju Island
'The one thing you'll notice is that it's really windy,' my mother said as we took off from Seoul's Gimpo Airport this past spring. We were on our way to Jeju, the island destination off the southern tip of the Korean Peninsula, accompanied by my wife and 2-year-old son. It was my first time visiting the island, but my mom had been half a dozen times with my dad before he passed away in 2021; they went whenever they wanted a break from bustling Seoul, where they were both born, or from Southern California, where they moved in the 1970s. It was the ultimate getaway. Though I'd traveled throughout South Korea, Jeju always felt like a fabled land, sunny and warm at times, rainy and blustery at others, but endlessly romantic. It's easily the most popular vacation spot for South Koreans. The flight route between Seoul and Jeju carries the most passengers in the world; on any given day, a plane takes off every seven to eight minutes. Jeju's fame outside of South Korea has grown recently with shows like Hyori's Bed and Breakfast (a super-chill reality show about people staying at the K-Pop star's actual vacation home) and Netflix's When Life Gives You Tangerines , a sappy coming-of-age drama starring yet another pop star, IU. The culinary nods in those series titles give a hint to the island's famed food. Surrounded by a bountiful ocean, Jeju depends heavily on seafood. Haenyeo, legendary free-diving women, hunt for abalone, urchins, and sea snails; they've developed an international reputation thanks to Japanese Breakfast singer Michelle Zauner, who wrote a song about them, and Eater's own James Beard-nominated coverage, but they also embody the resilience of Jeju culture against the mainland (even my mom has difficulty understanding their dialect). A distinct, moderate climate and eons of activity by the island's towering volcano, Mount Halla, have also made Jeju a fruitful place for raising all manner of agriculture and livestock, namely pigs. One long weekend isn't enough time to fully experience the island, which is about the size of Maui and requires up to an hour to drive across in any direction. Because we stayed at the towering Grand Hyatt in Jeju City instead of the more popular southern city of Seogwipo, most of our adventures were inland and scattered across the Western side. No matter where you stay or visit, the island provides opportunities to eat well in virtually every corner. There are cute cafes for matcha- or coffee-tinted drinks, homestyle restaurants offering bubbling stews and banchan, sleek barbecue spots serving Jeju black pig sliced over tabletop grills, seafood establishments turning out all manner of raw, grilled, and braised shellfish and fish, and rustic markets selling pristine produce and fried street food. The island abounds with incredible food, so trips long or short will include plenty of highlights. Note: The easiest way to get around is by rental car, which requires an international driver's license. Addresses for each venue below are presented in Korean so they can be plopped into a Korean-language navigation app like Naver. After a day of travel from LA (and a day lost to the time difference), we were in desperate need of a comforting, traditional Korean meal as soon as we landed on Jeju. We walked half a block behind the Grand Hyatt for a quiet mid-afternoon meal at Modajeong Haejangguk, a mom-and-pop restaurant filled with weathered tables, mismatched fans, and air conditioners. After reviewing the compact menu posted on the wall, we nibbled on nine types of banchan (including kimchi, lightly dressed soft tofu, candied anchovies, potato salad, and bean sprouts) until our meals arrived. After a long trip, nothing hits better than seolleongtang (profoundly sustaining beef bone soup) or haejangguk (a thrilling hangover cure with wilted cabbage leaves and chunks of coagulated pork blood). We also ordered godeungeo gui: pan-fried, extra-long mackerel (also called Korean seerfish) that boasted a luxurious texture, oily but not the least bit fishy. We scarfed down the fish, which were roasted a golden brown and served on an iron plate, until we'd picked the last bit of flesh from the bones. South Korea is more known for its dismal birthrate than its amenities for children, but when the country does have something for kids, it's world-class. The Arte Kids Park, a 20-minute drive from Jeju City, offers an immersive and extremely clean play experience for little ones. Upstairs, there's an adorable elementary school-style cafeteria with snacks, where we ordered a simple bowl of udon in odeng (fish cake) broth for our 2-year-old. Other dishes include jjajangmyeon (black bean noodles), tonkatsu, corn dogs, and fried rice. My favorite part was the well-organized array of utensils, metal cups, and other eating materials tucked into heated cases to protect against germs. A lot of play spaces I've experienced in America are kind of gross, so seeing this pristine haven in Jeju was itself a marvel (and the udon noodles were pretty tasty too). Address: 929 Wolgak-ro, Aewol-eup, 특별자치도, Jeju-si, Jeju-do, South Korea After leaving Arte Kids Park, our son fell asleep, which meant I needed to find myself a grown-up meal. Jeju's famous black pigs provide the island with ingredients for some of the best pork dishes in South Korea. I found this tiny roadside spot popular with golfers, and while my wife stayed with our son in the car, I bopped into the restaurant for a quick bowl of dwaeji guksu. The milky broth was sweet from the pork bones, making a great medium for simple wheat noodles and bite-sized pork belly slices. A tangle of sliced Korean scallions brought in a heady allium aroma, while seasoned radish shoots and short-fermented kimchi acted as the only sides. It reminded me a bit of Hakata-style ramen, with slightly chewy thin noodles and bites of meaty pork, and the simple broth was my favorite part. I spied a bottle of Jeju tangerine-flavored makgeoli in the fridge and wished I didn't have to drive, but otherwise it was a satisfying lunch just off the main highway. Address: 방문자 리뷰 86블로그 리뷰 15 I made it a point to try the popular galchi (belt fish, aka largehead hairtail), a silvery swordlike creature with elegant, flaky flesh. This popular seafood restaurant near the coast serves a twofer of spicy braised belt fish and whole-grilled belt fish. The braised version, also called jorim, comes in a big steel stainless box containing whole abalones, chopped octopus, rounds of radish, rice cakes, shrimp, and onions; a camping stove placed underneath the box keeps the fiery red chile broth simmering, reducing the liquid to a thick, sweet, salty, spicy sauce. Admittedly, eating belt fish requires picking out dozens of tiny bones, but it's worth the effort. The grilled version, which tastes of Dover sole, is a little easier to handle. Banchan of well-fermented kimchi, tiny anchovies, and even ganjang gaejang (raw soy-marinated crab) provide punches of umami between the spicy braised fish and the pan-grilled variant. Address: 제주 제주시 도리로 50 2층 The Five Day Folk Market in Jeju City opens on days ending in 2 or 7 (so each month on the second, seventh, 12th, and so on). We happened to catch it on a Sunday, when we had to fight for a free parking spot before entering. Walk through the sprawling semi-covered emporium for all manner of food, produce, clothing, and electronics. We picked up multiple varieties of Jeju gamgyul (tangerines), which lived up to their reputation as the finest citrus in the world, even out of peak season. The main hallabong variety is excellent — fragrant, sweet, tangy, and balanced — while the cheonhyehyang variety has thinner skin but a juicy flavor that's so sweet it hurts your teeth. We also snacked on piping hot hotteok: molten sugar-filled pancakes fried in butter. Just before heading out, we picked up a ketchup-laced corn dog fresh out of the fryer: a smoky, meaty wiener in a panko crust that was far better than anything at an American theme park. Osulloc is a big touristy tea farm and museum with a slick retail cafe serving matcha drinks and desserts. The day we went, the place seemed almost overrun. The classic steeped tea — brewed for exactly two minutes according to a tiny hourglass timer — was my favorite, a mellow, toasty sip whose aromas were amplified by the gourd-sized cup. On the more saccharine side, a cream-topped wedge of moist green tea cake was cut into a shape meant to recall Jeju's Mount Halla, while swirled soft serve ice cream blended yet more matcha with a simple sweet cream. The white-and-brown boricaeyeok spanner (green tea matcha floated over sweet barley tea) was probably the one to skip. After overloading on sugar, we headed to the tea fields for photo ops. My son found it hilarious to run through lanes of tea bushes that were too narrow for adults to chase him. Address: 15 Sinhwayeoksa-ro, Andeok-myeon, 특별자치도, Seogwipo-si, Jeju-do, South Korea Of all our meals on Jeju, I was most excited to try the island's famed black pigs, designated a heritage breed in 2015. Chef Hoon Song of Crown Pig carefully butchers the best-quality pigs and ages them to amplify their distinct, tender flavor, before lightly smoking the pork in applewood and oak. His somewhat isolated restaurant looks like a traditional Korean barbecue spot, with tables centered around steel pan grills, where servers handle most of the cooking. We opted for the Combination C, which comes with a pork tomahawk, arm shoulder, pork belly, and Boston butt for 99,000 won (about $70). Servers snip the rich, glistening pork with scissors as it cooks on the pan, allowing some fat to run off but keeping plenty of fatty chunks on the meat. Taking a bite, there's a gentle whiff of smoke followed by the most ethereal, tender pork that almost crumbles on the palate. The sensation isn't that different from a well-seared piece of wagyu beef, but with a juicy porcine sweetness that's distinct from almost all American pork. (There simply is no equal, and I'll fight someone on that.) The experience is heightened with chopstick dabs of ssamjang (fermented bean paste), grated wasabi, fine sea salt, and gochujang that add bursts of savory flavor. We wrapped our bites in fresh green lettuce or mounds of shredded scallions dressed in a red chile sauce. Korean barbecue might be known more globally for its tabletop grilled beef, but Jeju pork might better represent the spiritual zenith of the genre. Address: 특별자치도, 애월읍 애월읍 상가목장길 84 After a few days eating through South Korea's favored vacation destination, there's nothing better than strolling through a well-organized Korean supermarket for snacks to take home. Anyone who's enjoyed visiting a Korean grocery store in the U.S. should check out a Lotte Emart in South Korea. The location in Jeju City has some handy and affordable souvenirs to take home, including tangerine-flavored confections that are unique to Jeju. While you can find soju bottles from the more industrial brands like Jinro or Chamisul for around a dollar, there are also more expensive beverages, like the Asia-only crystal bottle of Suntory Kakubin blended whisky, which reminds me of Bill Murray in Lost in Translation ('For relaxing times…'). The hot foods section had handmade dumplings, pan-fried and boiled, while all manner of kimchi (napa cabbage, garlic chives, etc.) were displayed in the refrigerated areas. Those wouldn't necessarily travel well (though my mom likes to bring huge bundles of fresh banchan back to LA), but the rows of Korean candies (Koreans are particularly good at making coffee-flavored hard candies), chocolates, crispy snacks, and other sweets certainly would. Address: 제주특별자치도 제주시 탑동로 38 See More:
Pink Villa
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Pink Villa
4th Blue Dragon Series Awards nominations: Park Bo Gum, Squid Game's Lee Byung Hun fight for Best Actor, IU vs Hyeri for Best Actress
The 4th Blue Dragon Series Awards announced its nominees for all categories, as reported by K-media Sports Chosun on June 27. The show aims at recognizing excellence in dramas and variety shows produced by streaming services. The media outlet is the organizer of the award show, whose inaugural season took place in 2022. This year, stars like When Life Gives You Tangerines ' IU and Park Bo Gum and Squid Game 's Front Man (Lee Byung Hun) have bagged nominations for titles of Best Actor and Best Actress. The 4th Blue Dragon Series Awards will take place on July 18 at 8:30 PM KST (5:00 PM IST/7:30 AM ET). 4th Blue Dragon Series Awards: Full list of nominees Best Drama Family Matters Way Back Love Karma The Trauma Code: Heroes on Call When Life Gives You Tangerines Best Actor Park Bo Gum (When Life Gives You Tangerines) Park Hae Soo (Karma) Lee Byung Hun (Squid Game 2) Lee Jun Hyuk (Dongjae, The Good or the Bastard) Ju Ji Hoon (The Trauma Code: Heroes on Call) Best Actress Park Eun Bin (Hyper Knife) Seo Hyun Jin (The Trunk) IU (When Life Gives You Tangerines) Hyeri (Friendly Rivalry) Cha Joo Young (The Queen Who Crowns) Best Supporting Actor Park Byung Eun (Hyper Knife) Yoon Kyung Ho (The Trauma Code: Heroes on Call) Lee Kwang Soo (Karma) Lee Jun Young (Weak Hero Class 2) Choi Dae Hoon (When Life Gives You Tangerines) Best Supporting Actress Gong Seung Yeon (Karma) Kim Guk Hee (Family Matters) Claudia Kim (Gyeongseong Creature 2) Yeom Hye Ran (When Life Gives You Tangerines) Jung Eun Chae (Your Honor) Best New Actor Kang You Seok (When Life Gives You Tangerines) Lomon (Family Matters) Bae Hyeon Seong (Gyeongseong Creature 2) Choo Young Woo (The Trauma Code: Heroes on Call) Heo Nam Jun (Your Honor) Best New Actress Kim Min Ha (Way Back Love) Lee Su Hyun (Family Matters) Lee Yi Dam (The Queen Who Crowns) Chung Su Bin (Friendly Rivalry) Ha Young (The Trauma Code: Heroes on Call) Best Variety Show Kian's Bizarre B&B The Devil's Plan: Death Room My Name is Gabriel Bloody Game 3 Culinary Class Wars Best Male Entertainer Kian84 (Kian's Bizarre B&B) Kim Won Hoon (SNL Korea 6 and SNL Korea 7) Shin Dong Yup (SNL Korea 6 and SNL Korea 7) Jang Dong Min (Bloody Game 3) Choo Sung Hoon (Try? Choo-ry!) Best Female Entertainer Gabi (My Name is Gabriel) Uhm Ji Yoon (Becoming a baseball nerd) Lee Soo Ji (SNL Korea 6 and SNL Korea 7) Hyeri (Agents of Mystery) Ji Ye Eun (Kian's Bizarre B&B) Best New Male Entertainer Moon Sang Hoon (The Blank Menu For You) Yoon Nam No (Culinary Class Wars) Lee Jin Hyuk (SNL Korea 6 and SNL Korea 7) Jung Geun Woo (Kim Seong Geun's Winter Vacation) Jung Hyun Gyu (The Devil's Plan: Death Room) Best New Female Entertainer Mimi (Kian is CEO) Seo Hye Won (SNL Korea 6) Yoon So Hee (The Devil's Plan: Death Room) Risabae (The Influencer)
The Sun
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Fighting spirit
K-DRAMA Good Boy directed by Shim Na-yeon delivers a knockout combination of action and emotion, fronted by a trio of talented stars Park Bo-gum, Kim So-hyun and Lee Sang-yi. With its unique plot rooted in the gritty world of Olympic-level boxing and the unconventional path of its central characters, the series offers more than the typical underdog sports tale. Set against the backdrop of a special police unit made up of former athletes, Good Boy follows Yoon Dong-joo (played by Park Bo-gum), an ex-boxer who once brought home gold for South Korea. After an incident threatens his career and future, he is recruited into this elite force alongside other medalists, turning gloves and gear into cuffs and combat boots. Characters with depth After winning hearts with emotional performances in When Life Gives You Tangerines, Park Bo-gum returns in a role that lets him breathe a little easier, literally and figuratively. Dong-joo is still cool and skilled, but what makes him stand out is his warmth. His sweet smile, easy-going charm and subtle humour add layers to a character that could have easily been reduced to a typical tough guy. It is a refreshing shift from the tear-streaked, brooding roles he tackled before. Of course, his boxing scenes are still impressive, thanks to the training he committed to. But it is the mix of action and personality that makes this performance one of his most likeable yet. While Kim So-hyun is no stranger to emotionally charged roles, Good Boy pushes her into new territory with physical action sequences and intense standoffs. Her portrayal balances strength and vulnerability, especially in scenes where Ji-hyun questions the system and fights for justice, not just with her fists but her values. As for Lee Sang-yi, known for bringing humour and depth to his supporting roles, Lee adds a vital comedic rhythm to Good Boy, often acting as the glue between Bo-gum's stoicism and So-hyun's intensity. His chemistry with the two leads is natural and adds a necessary lightness to the darker moments in the series. Series with substance One of the show's biggest strengths lies in its pacing. The pilot episode kicks off with an adrenaline-pumping fight scene, but the series' appeal lies in how it explores trauma and the unusual friendship among its leads. The combination of heartfelt backstories and dynamic fight choreography creates a gripping balance of substance. However, there are moments when the storyline risks falling into predictable K-drama territory, especially with its familiar setup of 'trauma-fuelled hero turned protector'. Some early side characters feel a bit underwritten, but given it is still early in the series, there is plenty of time for deeper development. Interview with cast theSun participated in a roundtable interview of Good Boy cast members Park and Kim to get insight on the making of the series and how they approached their characters. Park shared that preparing to play a national boxing champion was no easy feat. 'My role is a former boxer who is a gold medallist,' he said. 'To prepare for this role, I learned and trained in boxing for about six months.' He said he did strength and endurance training with Lee. Kim revealed that Good Boy allowed her to explore action for the first time on-screen. When asked if there was a particular scene she found especially memorable while filming, she said: 'In the first episode, there is a scene where bad guys break into my house. That was my first-ever action scene. Even though it was filmed quite a while ago, I still remember feeling nervous and excited. Even though it is lacking but I think I did quite well.' New episodes of Good Boy are released every Saturday and Sunday on Prime Video.
