Latest news with #SquidGame3
Pink Villa
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Pink Villa
KPop Demon Hunters Had a Kiss Scene? Makers Reveal Truth Behind Rumi and Jinu's Love Story
KPop Demon Hunters is the internet's latest obsession. From the songs to the outfits, the voice actors and the aesthetic, everything has captured the hearts of K-pop fans around the world. The love story of demon hunter Rumi and a demon Jinu has particularly interested the audience. There were rumors that their romance would end in a kiss between the two leads, but that never transpired on the screen. Creative Director Maggie Kang, who is the woman behind the famed production, revealed a surprising reason for the same, claiming that they were looking for 'restraint' between the two leads and not showing the direct skinship eventually helped them. Arden Cho's Rumi and Ahn Hyo Seop's Jinu were meant to kiss, but did not because… Taking part in a Reddit AMA about the movie, KPop Demon Hunters' creative mind, Maggie Kang, responded to a question about why the kiss scene, which was supposed to be their closure, was eventually taken out. Replying to user 'Daliburrito' about 'why did they cut the kiss scene', she said, 'The restraint is s*xier'. As fans of the animated film we totally agree but our romantic hearts will forever yearn for what it could have been! The desperate need for some action from the two beautifullly crafted leads has been very palpable ever since its release on June 20. So much so that it has not only taken over multiple Netflix charts but also maintained a stronghold on them, falling only by 6% in the viewership, a feat seldom achieved by even the biggest of shows, more so for films. Major releases like the final season of Korean blockbuster Squid Game 3 and KPop Demon Hunters have been bringing in all the numbers for the OTT giant this month. They've each been competing fiercely in their own categories, showing less potential for slowing down.
Pink Villa
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Pink Villa
Squid Game 3 steals most popular K-drama in July title from Our Unwritten Seoul, know top 20
With new and old K-dramas fighting for the top spot this month, there have been a lot of changes to the list of most popular ones. According to data from the Korean Business Research Institute, Lee Jung Jae starrer Squid Game 3 came out on top as the most famous and beloved show in July for the brand reputation rankings for dramas this month. It bests Park Bo Young and Park Jin Young's Our Unwritten Seoul, which had managed to capture all hearts the past month. After comparing factors like the viewership, audience interest, consumer participation, media coverage, interaction, and community awareness, the information has been collected over the span of June 8 to July 8, 2025, as per Star Today. With a brand reputation index of 7,984,003, Squid Game 3 tops the rankings, alongside related keywords of its OTT platform, Netflix, gaining more interest. It has managed to grab global attention once again, reaching the top of viewership charts. The top 20 brand reputation rankings for the month of July are as follows: Squid Game 3 Our Unwritten Seoul Mercy for None Good Boy For Eagle Brothers Head Over Heels Queen's House Oh My Ghost Clients Our Movie The Haunted Palace Tastefully Yours Salon de Holmes The First Night with the Duke The Woman Who Swallowed the Sun Spring of Youth Hunter with a Scalpel Desperate Mrs. Seon Ju Taxi Driver Good Luck! Nine Puzzles New K-dramas releasing in the month of July have also raised anticipation about how things will change in the coming month. Big releases like Lee Jong Suk and Moon Ga Young's Law and the City, as well as Lee Dong Wook and Lee Sung Kyung's The Nice Guy, have raised excitement. Thrillers and suspense stories, including S Line, Low Life, Wall to Wall, The Defects, and Trigger, have also invited the interest of many K-drama lovers.
Pink Villa
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Pink Villa
Squid Game 3's VIPs were made to look bad? Masked actor agrees infamous roles were ‘useless' amid backlash
Following the global fame of Squid Game 3 as well as lots of regrets being voiced by the viewers, one of the biggest complaints has been the involvement and portrayal of the VIPs. Supposedly, the creators of the 'Squid Game' were played by 5 actors, seemingly displaying various countries, including 2 from the USA, and one each from the UK, France, and China. After receiving massive backlash from the viewers, Bryan Bucco, who played the American VIP, has spoken out against all speculations, claiming that their voices were dubbed and that their stories should have been planned better. The truth about Squid Game 3's VIPs revealed Replying to TikTok comments, the actor spoke up against those calling out their acting, 'Those are the English dubs. Not the actors' voices.' He agreed to another viewer's opinion calling their presence on the show 'useless' and clarified that he wished they would've furthered the story or complemented it well. He went on to blame Netflix, the streaming giant behind the show, 'It could be Netflix messing sh*t up?' On being asked why the dubbing was done for the Korean version of Squid Game when the real actors' voices could've been used instead, he appeared unsure of the decision. 'Yeah I don't know. I mean it's whatever… maybe it's a region thing?' He added how some of the actors' voices were more different than what they expected, but gave them their due for trying to find similar ones. 'I don't even want to sh*t on my voice actor either because I think he did fine, I'm sure it wasn't easy for him to say his lines either haha…' He praised his filming experience and spoke about working with Lee Byung Hun, who played The Front Man, sharing compliments about their time practising lines for 3 days while they were on set. It is known that Kevin Yorn, who played the other American VIP, is known to be a lawyer in the firm that represents the creator Hwang Dong Hyuk.
Time of India
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
From Zero to Villain - Im Siwan's Shocking Transformation Will Leave You Speechless
The Sweet Boy Next Door Who Became Korea's Most Hated Character Remember that innocent-looking guy from your college who seemed too pure for this world? That's exactly what Im Siwan looked like in " Boyhood " (2023). Playing the role of Byeong-tae, a high school student with nothing but big dreams and an even bigger mouth, Siwan had us all convinced he was just another soft boy actor destined for romantic comedies and feel-good dramas. The character of Byeong-tae was everything we love about underdog stories - naive, optimistic, and stubbornly righteous despite having zero power to change anything. His famous line "Ah, where in the world is there a person who isn't precious? To me, everyone in the world is precious!" became an instant meme among Korean drama fans. The way Siwan delivered these lines with such genuine conviction made viewers believe this was just his natural personality shining through. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Đây có thể là thời điểm tốt nhất để giao dịch vàng trong 5 năm qua IC Markets Tìm hiểu thêm Undo But then Squid Game Season 3 happened, and honestly, we're still recovering from the whiplash. The 37-year-old actor, who started his journey as a member of the idol group ZE:A (Children of Empire) in 2010, has pulled off one of the most shocking character transformations in recent K-drama history. From playing the lovable underdog in " Misaeng " (2014) to becoming the crypto-obsessed villain Myeong-gi in Netflix's global phenomenon, Siwan has proven that still waters run deep - and sometimes they hide some pretty dark currents. What makes this transformation even more remarkable is the timing. Both "Boyhood" and "Squid Game 3" were filmed around the same period, with some overlapping shooting schedules. Imagine switching between playing an idealistic teenager fighting against injustice to portraying a morally bankrupt adult who's lost all sense of right and wrong - all within the same few months. That's the kind of mental gymnastics that would break most actors, but Siwan somehow managed to keep both characters distinct and authentic. When Your Favorite Oppa Becomes the Villain You Love to Hate The contrast is absolutely mind-boggling, and it's not just about the characters - it's about the entire energy they bring to the screen. In "Boyhood," Byeong-tae was that friend who'd fight the system for you, even if he had zero chance of winning. He was the guy who'd stand up to bullies twice his size, get beaten up, and still come back the next day with the same defiant smile. There was something beautifully foolish about his optimism, the kind that makes you want to protect him from the harsh realities of the world. Fast forward to "Squid Game 3," and Myeong-gi is the guy who'd probably sell his own grandmother for a Bitcoin. The transformation isn't just physical - though Siwan's styling team deserves major props for making him look appropriately disheveled and desperate - it's in every micro-expression, every gesture, every moment of calculated selfishness. "I'll throw the baby away, you think I can't do it? I can do it!" - these bone-chilling words from Myeong-gi had viewers clutching their pearls and questioning everything they thought they knew about Im Siwan. The way he delivered this line, with tears streaming down his face but his voice filled with desperate determination, was genuinely disturbing. It's the kind of performance that makes you forget you're watching an actor and instead feel like you're witnessing someone's complete moral breakdown in real time. The actor himself admitted that even he struggled to understand his character until the very end of filming. Unlike method actors who dive deep into their characters' psychology from day one, Siwan found himself constantly questioning Myeong-gi's motivations. "I was confused about creating and understanding the character until almost the end of filming," he revealed in recent interviews. Playing a failed cryptocurrency YouTuber who lost everything and joined the deadly games out of desperation, Siwan had to dig deep into the psychology of fear and cowardice. This wasn't just about playing a villain - it was about understanding how ordinary people can make extraordinary bad choices when pushed to their limits. Myeong-gi represents that terrifying possibility that exists in all of us: what would we do if we lost everything and saw no way out? The Method Behind the Madness What makes Siwan's transformation even more impressive is how he approached the role from a completely different angle than his previous characters. Director Hwang Dong-hyuk specifically asked for a performance that was neither completely evil nor entirely good - basically, the kind of morally gray character that makes you uncomfortable because they're too real. This direction initially confused Siwan, who was used to playing more straightforward characters. "If that's the case, I concluded that maybe Myeong-gi makes bad choices because he's a coward overwhelmed by fear," he explained. "The process of finding some line at a middle point rather than at extreme points wasn't easy, but I think that's why Myeong-gi became a three-dimensional and mysteriously unpredictable character." The brilliance of this approach is that it makes Myeong-gi's actions feel inevitable rather than shocking. Every terrible choice he makes feels like the logical next step for someone who's already lost everything and is operating purely on survival instinct. It's not that he's inherently evil - he's just so terrified of losing what little he has left that he'll sacrifice anyone and anything to protect himself. This psychological complexity is what separates Siwan's villain from the typical K-drama antagonist. Instead of being driven by revenge, greed, or pure malice, Myeong-gi is motivated by something much more relatable and therefore more terrifying: fear. The fear of being poor, of being irrelevant, of being forgotten. It's the kind of fear that keeps millions of young people awake at night, wondering if they'll ever be able to afford their own homes or if they'll spend their entire lives struggling to make ends meet. Siwan's commitment to authenticity meant he had to find that fear within himself, which wasn't easy for someone who's achieved considerable success in both music and acting. "I can only act when my heart truly moves," he admitted. "When I don't understand something, I get frustratingly stuck and have to think it through." This level of emotional honesty is what makes his performance so convincing - and so disturbing. The Cultural Impact and Fan Reactions The response to Siwan's transformation has been nothing short of explosive. Social media platforms have been flooded with reactions ranging from shock and betrayal to grudging admiration for his acting skills. The actor himself has noticed the change in his online presence: "Thanks to Squid Game, my social media followers increased a lot, but many seem to have come just to curse at me." This reaction speaks to something deeper about how audiences connect with actors, especially those who start their careers as idols. There's an expectation that these performers will maintain their "pure" image, that they'll continue to be the safe, comforting presence that fans fell in love with. When someone like Siwan breaks that mold so dramatically, it forces fans to confront their own assumptions about both the actor and the characters they play. The cultural significance of this transformation extends beyond just entertainment. In a society where young people are increasingly struggling with economic uncertainty and social pressure, Myeong-gi's character arc serves as a cautionary tale about what can happen when desperation overrides morality. The fact that this message is delivered by someone as seemingly innocent as Im Siwan makes it even more powerful.
Forbes
07-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
‘Squid Game' Star Jo Yuri Drops New Single As Show Dominates Netflix
Ahead of releasing new single "Growls and Purrs," singer-actress Jo Yu-ri attends the screening of ... More "Squid Game 3" at The Plaza Hotel on June 18, 2025 in New York City. (Photo by Taylor Hill/FilmMagic) As the third season of Squid Game earns its ninth day atop Netfix's Top TV Shows chart following its June 27 release, one of its breakout stars Jo Yuri is simultaneously pushing forward with her music career with a new single 'Growls and Purrs.' As a standout Squid Game star playing the desperate, down-on-her-luck Kim Jun-hee (a.k.a. Player 222), Jo Yuri earned widespread recognition for her acting but the 23-year-old first ventured into entertainment through music. In 2021, the Busan, South Korea star competed in the girl group competition series Produce 48, landing in third place and ultimately earning a spot in the girl group IZ*ONE that performed together until 2021, where they landed two Number One albums in Korea, along with a Number One album and two Number One singles in Japan. Jo broke out on her own as a soloist with several singles and EPs to her name. Her latest track, 'Growls and Purrs,' marks her music return ahead of her new EP, titled Episode 25, out on July 14, 2025. While Jo has experimented with everything from whimsical synth-pop on 2021's 'GLASSY' or feel-good rock-pop on 'Love Shhh!' from 2022, this latest track is a noticeably more mature style for the superstar. The easy-listening, jazz-tinged track allows Jo to step into a different kind of sonic soundscape, using lyrical motifs that describe her atypical way of loving, much like the way one's pet cat or dog might act. A significant part of this musical evolution can come at least in partial thanks to Jo writing 'Growls and Purrs' with Cloud, who also produced the track. Alongside his work in bands like The Volunteers, singer-songwriter-producer-keyboardist Cloud has kept his pool of collaborators small, working extensively with acclaimed singer-songwriter Yerin Baek on several of her albums, including massive hits like her 2017 breakout solo cuts 'Bye Bye My Blue' and 'Across the Universe,' as well as her Number One smash 'Maybe It's Not Our Fault' from 2019. Cloud recently signed with Blue Vinyl, the independent agency that Baek set up after she parted ways with her original agency, JYP Entertainment, which is home to huge K-pop acts like TWICE, Stray Kids and ITZY. Cloud has also collaborated with other female K-pop soloists, including Chung Ha, Hyolyn, Fei of miss A, and now Jo Yuri. 'Growls and Purrs' also comes paired with a 'VHS Diary' visual that showcases Jo through a raw, lo-fi, and colorful visual in an unexpected yet fascinating telling of the track. Viewers see the pet theme of 'Growls and Purrs' played out as Jo embraces several cat motifs, such as staring into a fishbowl, playing with a feathery cat toy, and knocking over tiny household items. Alongside the unexpectedly raw visuals, it's also refreshing to hear Jo Yuri take on this style and contribute to the songwriting. To date, the star only has a small amount of creative credits on her musical works, like co-writing the song 'Opening,' off her first EP titled Op.22 Y-Waltz: in Major, and 'SOMEDAY' from IZ*ONE's 2020 album BLOOM*IZ. With Squid Game looking unlikely to relinquish its hold on the Netflix charts anytime soon, Jo Yuri dropping 'Growls and Purrs,' as well as Episode 25, this week should all prove to be a savvy move to make this year an even bigger one for the singer-actress. Watch Squid Game star Jo Yuri's 'Growls and Purrs' music video below:
