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Kim Jae-joong to Keynote as MU:CON 2026 Announces 42 Rising Acts
등록일2026.08.28
Asia's leading music business platform, the 2026 Global Music Fair (MU:CON 2026), will take place for three days from September 2 to 4 at the Sangam CUBE Convention Center and Yongsan Park in Seoul. Hosted and organized by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korea Creative Content Agency, and operated by SBS, this year's MU:CON will center around showcases, conferences, business matching, and networking. More than 1,000 domestic and international music and related industry professionals are expected to participate to explore the growth potential of K-music. The showcases will feature 42 domestic rising artist teams taking the stage, with SBS Radio After Club DJs Yoon Duk-won, Cloud, MIRANI, and Stella Jang serving as MCs. On the final day of the event, September 4, a special showcase will be held at the Yongsan Park outdoor stage. On the first day of the conference, artist and iNKODE CEO Kim Jae-joong will deliver a keynote speech under the theme From Superstar to Designer of the K-Music New Ecosystem. The second day will feature sessions covering strategies for entering the Indian music market and the convergence of music and technology, alongside customized business matching and dedicated meeting spaces for participating companies. Domestic and international music and related industry professionals wishing to attend MU:CON 2026 can apply for advance registration through the official business platform. (SBS Entertainment News | Kang Sun-ae)
Why Kim Hye-soo & Cho Yeo-jeong's 'The Affair Was Just the Beginning' Is a Must-Watch
등록일2026.08.28
A great title packs a punch. When you are flipping through your remote control on a leisurely weekend looking for something to watch on an OTT platform, a catchy title is sometimes all it takes to make you hit play. In those moments, you could say the title did all the work. The Coupang Play series The Affair Was Just the Beginning is a prime example of this. The title itself serves as a powerful hook, sparking curiosity about the show. Once you are drawn in by the title and check out the cast lineup and logline, your interest multiplies. Kim Hye-soo and Cho Yeo-jeong? The mere fact that these top actors, who have maintained their positions for a long time, chose this project deepens your trust in it. The Affair Was Just the Beginning begins with the story of Kyung-hee (Kim Hye-soo), Jae-hong (Kim Jihun), and their daughter Ye-ji (Jeon Si-hyeon). Living in poverty in a semi-basement studio apartment with a leaky ceiling, Kyung-hee firmly resolves, Let's live well. That resolution soon becomes reality. Starting a YouTube channel centered on her unique interior design sensibility, Kyung-hee succeeds and grows into a creator with one million followers. Her family rises in social status, moving from the semi-basement to an apartment, and then to a luxury townhouse, finally entering high society. And that is where they meet their neighbor Su-jeong's family. This is precisely where the story begins to unfold in earnest. Unlike Kyung-hee's family, who climbed up from the bottom, Su-jeong's (Cho Yeo-jeong) family comes from a wealthy, elite background. Aside from the fact that she is going through a divorce lawsuit with her ex-husband Bo-seong (Kim Jaechul) over the custody of their daughter Min-seo (Do Young-seo), she has nothing to envy. Growing up wealthy in a medical family, Su-jeong runs a dermatologic clinic in Cheongdam-dong and carries herself with elegance and sophistication. However, beneath her seemingly perfect exterior lies a contrasting side: she secretly smokes on the hospital rooftop to soothe her anxious state of mind. Kyung-hee's seemingly harmonious family and Su-jeong's seemingly perfect family go beyond a simple neighborly relationship, becoming organically intertwined through their respective needs. Then, completely unexpected events break out in a chain reaction. Tracking her husband's footsteps in search of traces of infidelity, Kyung-hee discovers a bloody corpse and her husband Jae-hong standing in front of it in an empty building in a demolition zone late at night. But this is only the beginning. Shocking serial incidents that she could never have imagined await Kyung-hee. Crimes that make an affair seem almost less shocking, such as drunk driving, hit-and-run, murder, and abandonment of a body, take place one after another. Amidst twist upon twist, the characters struggle desperately to protect their respective families. In this process, their bare faces are exposed without filter. While a chaotic mess unfolds where the wounds caused by a spouse's affair become the starting point for another affair, even as they scramble to clean up the mess, their raw instincts and desires keep surfacing, portrayed with such desperation and pathos that they can seem almost pathetic. They say life is a tragedy when seen in close-up, but a comedy in long shot. Watching the hypocrisy and true faces of these seemingly perfect people get relentlessly stripped away is immensely entertaining. It delivers the intense thrills of a black comedy genre. The fast-paced delivery of raw, writhing fun also provides an overwhelming sense of immersion. Bringing this solid script and sophisticated direction to life with flavor is the captivating acting of the cast. Kim Hye-soo, Cho Yeo-jeong, Kim Jihun, and Kim Jaechul, along with Jeon Si-hyeon and Do Young-seo playing the daughters of each family, unfold a flawless feast of acting. The Affair Was Just the Beginning has a total of 8 episodes, with 6 episodes currently released. New episodes are released sequentially every Friday on Coupang Play. [Photo=Coupang Play] (SBS Entertainment News | Kang Sun-ae)
Is the Independent Universe of 'Tazza: The Song of Beelzebub' a Blessing or a Curse?
등록일2026.08.27
The Tazza film series, which has spanned 20 years, is coming to an end with its fourth installment, Tazza: The Song of Beelzebub . Tazza: The Song of Beelzebub is a crime film about Jang Taeyoung (Byun Yohan), who thought he had the world in his hands through his online casino business, and his close friend of the same name, Park Taeyoung (Roh Jae-won), who stripped him of everything, as they reunite in a global gambling ring for a showdown of revenge. For two decades, the Tazza franchise has anchored the Chuseok holiday box office in South Korea. Following the massive success of the first film Tazza during Chuseok in 2006, Tazza: The Hidden Card in 2014 and Tazza: One-Eyed Jack in 2019 also greeted audiences during the same holiday period. This is why the formula Tazza equals Chuseok was established. Tazza: The Song of Beelzebub will continue that tradition by opening on September 23, the day before the Chuseok holiday begins. It marks the final installment of the series, which is adapted from Huh Young-man's original webtoon. Unlike previous films that shared at least part of their universe, this new work can be viewed entirely as a standalone film. There are both pros and cons. The advantage is that new viewers who have not seen the previous entries can easily jump into the story, lowering the barrier to entry for audiences in their 20s and 30s. For fans who have loved the original webtoon and the film series from the beginning, however, it leaves a sense of disappointment that they will not be able to see the major characters they previously enjoyed. While the previous three films depicted showdowns among people consumed by gambling, this installment expands into a revenge drama between rivals centered around friendship. Jang Taeyoung and Park Taeyoung were the closest of friends, even sharing the exact same name. Their friendship turns into revenge after one strips the other of everything. The starting point of the story is the envy and resentment toward a friend that everyone has likely experienced at least once. The scale of the competition is also the largest in the series. Moving across South Korea, Japan, and Vietnam, gamblers from all over the world gather in one place. A key point to watch is how the showdown between the two friends will unfold amidst unfamiliar opponents. Original creator Huh Young-man picked Tazza: The Song of Beelzebub as his favorite story among all his series. Director Choi Kook-hee stated, I made this knowing it is the final 'Tazza' series, and I really wanted to make it well. Great actors and staff gathered, and the production process was wonderful. You can definitely look forward to it. Byun Yohan, who played the protagonist Jang Taeyoung, remarked, The 'Tazza' series is ultimately a work about human beings, and whether it is hwatu or poker, those are just tools, mentioning the birth of a film that adult audiences can empathize with and enjoy. Tazza: The Song of Beelzebub opens on September 23. (SBS Entertainment News | Kim Ji-hye)
Jung Sung-il's First Solo Starring Film 'Sapiens' Invited to Busan International Film Festival
등록일2026.08.27
The thriller film Sapiens, starring actor Jung Sung-il, has been officially invited to the Korean Cinema Today - Special Premiere section of the 31st Busan International Film Festival. Sapiens is a mystery thriller in which Na Do-han (Jung Sung-il), the prime suspect in the kidnapping case of a missing third-generation chaebol, and Seo Hee-jae (Yoo Jae-myung), a chaebol lawyer who must cover up the case, join hands to track down the hidden true culprit. It is the feature film debut of director Lee Ho-bin, who previously directed No Way Out: The Roulette (2024). Jung Sung-il, who received great love from viewers through The Glory (2022) and Made in Korea (2025), is attending the Busan International Film Festival with Sapiens, marking his second starring role following Murderer's Report and his first solo starring film. In this work, Jung Sung-il plays Na Do-han, a suspect who has no memory of the time of the incident. He portrays multiple roles by shifting between personalities with different genders, ages, and personalities, raising expectations for his diverse acting transformation. Yoo Jae-myung takes on the role of Seo Hee-jae, the head of the legal team at Sanghyun Construction who must conceal the case, working together with Jung Sung-il for the first time. As a dedicated lawyer for the chaebol family who must single out the true culprit from among Na Do-han's various faces, he anticipates a tense acting showdown. Although Sapiens is scheduled for theatrical release in 2027, it will meet audiences first through its premiere at the Busan International Film Festival. The director and actors are also expected to visit Busan during the film festival period. The 31st Busan International Film Festival will run from Tuesday, October 6 to Thursday, October 15 around the Busan Cinema Center area. (SBS Entertainment News | Kim Ji-hye)
'Kick a Goal' Expands Universe to Handball for Special Four-Part Cup to Cheer on Asian Games Team
등록일2026.08.27
SBS variety show Kick a Goal is expanding its universe beyond soccer to take on handball. According to a teaser released on August 26, the Kick a Goal Handball Cup will premiere on September 2. This special project was organized to cheer on the women's national handball team at the Asian Games and will air across a total of four episodes. Caster Bae Seong-jae announced the new start by saying, 'Kick a Goal', which sparked a women's soccer boom in South Korea, is now taking on handball. After experiencing a handball match, the players expressed their astonishment at the unexpectedly rough and fast-paced nature of the sport, commenting, It was so fierce, The physical contact is about three times worse than soccer, and It is the UFC of ball sports. Amid vivid commentary by caster Bae Seong-jae and analyst Park Joong-gyu, former basketball player Lee Hye-jung, Seogi, and Mashima showcased a contrasting style of play different from soccer, foreshadowing the birth of new aces. A star-studded lineup of legends also draws attention. Yoon Kyung-shin, known as the god of handball, and Lee Sang-eun, the real-life model for the film Forever the Moment , will step up as managers to compete. They are joined by handball stars such as Park Ha-yan, Bae Min-hee, Kim On-ah, and Shim Hae-bok, adding professional expertise. Notably, Kim Jung-eun, the lead actor of the film Forever the Moment , makes a surprise appearance to throw the ceremonial first pitch. Reflecting on her past, Kim said, I remember sweating and practicing endlessly while filming the movie, and offered warm words of encouragement to the players. During the first Kick a Goal Athletic Meet , the Kick a Goal players previously took on a handball match alongside South Korean women's handball legends like Kim On-ah and Bae Min-hee. At the time, they drew explosive attention by displaying surprisingly quick adaptability to the game, passing plays, and powerful shooting that made it hard to believe it was their first time. Expectations are rising for what kind of new potential the Kick a Goal players will show in this expanded Handball Cup format that goes beyond a one-time challenge. The Kick a Goal Handball Cup , which moves the battleground from the soccer field to the handball court for even more intense matches, will air on Wednesday, September 2 at 9 p.m. (SBS Entertainment News | Kang Sun-ae)
SF9 Celebrates 10th Anniversary with Second Full-Album 'TENACITY': We Will Even Do a 60th-Anniversary Dinner Show
등록일2026.08.27
We will be together until our 60th anniversary. You will come to our dinner show with us, right? (JAE YOON) Group SF9, who debuted in 2016, has already reached their 10th anniversary. Reorganized as an 8-member group, SF9 released their second full-length album TENACITY and shared their determination, saying, We wanted to show just how strong our will and ambition are through our music. During the press showcase for their second full-length album TENACITY held at 2 PM on the 26th in Sangam-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul, HWI YOUNG gave credit to the fandom, stating, The number one contributors who allowed us to carry out idol activities for 10 years, which might just be a dream for someone, are our fans. CHA NI also expressed disbelief, saying, People around us kept saying it is our 10th anniversary, but it hasn't really sunk in so it still feels like we are in our 5th year. The new full-length album TENACITY was named to convey the meanings of perseverance, tenacity, and indomitable will. The title track Without Wings is a song that intuitively captures SF9's story of soaring again beyond limits, featuring an Afrobeats-based pop genre that harmonizes rhythmic grooves with sophisticated pop sounds. Cheerful percussion, addictive hooks, and dynamic vocal progression maximize the song's energy. In addition, the album includes tracks such as PRESSURE, which captures a narrative of starting from the bottom and proving oneself, and Y2K-sensitivity dance-pop genre songs One More Kiss and Curtain Call. Regarding the songwriting process, HWI YOUNG revealed, When working on the title track, I tried to incorporate a lot of hope to match the title and concept. CHA NI said, When writing lyrics, I try to include my own stories, but when I lack experience, I fill it in through movies or dramas. YOUNG BIN shared, When writing lyrics or making music, I care most about what people can relate to. I have the desire to do well, but I think the most important thing is empathy. When asked about the most memorable moments over the past 10 years, DA WON picked taking first place with Good Guy, the title track of their first full-length album released in January 2020. DA WON recalled, Winning first place on a music program is the wish of everyone who debuts. Even looking back at it again, my heart beats fast and it feels great. HWI YOUNG laughed and said, Today. And when we played mafia games in the dorms during our trainee days. We couldn't use our phones so we played analog-style and stayed up all night, and I hope a day like that can come again. They also spoke honestly about various moments of crisis. YOUNG BIN emphasized their close bond, saying, There are always worries that cannot be shared publicly. Sometimes our attitude toward music changes, and the members always seemed to be right by my side when that happened. When HWI YOUNG had a slump in songwriting, he asked the members for advice. Looking back, there is nobody except the members. It feels like we don't even have many friends outside. In particular, YOUNG BIN mentioned communication with members ZU HO and YOO TAE YANG, who are currently serving in the military. He added, Although they are not here, the members sent me KakaoTalk messages saying, 'We will be watching closely.' Contact isn't always easy, but a single message like that gives me a lot of strength. Even when we don't contact each other, we always cheer each other on in our hearts, and I hope everyone manages well in their respective places. As for what has changed, YOUNG BIN chose flexibility. He explained with a smile, Not being stubborn while establishing the direction for this team―that flexibility has changed the most. In our early debut days, we used to fight a lot over things like 'I am going to wash first' or 'I am going to eat first,' and emphasized, Courage, perseverance, tenacity, and Fantasy [the fandom name] who loves us are the secrets to how we keep going. DA WON also confessed that thirst was the driving force behind his growth. He added, You cannot help but pay attention to results or the scale of performances, but frankly, I am not fully satisfied. Whether it's music, musicals, or acting, all the members are good at many things and have a lot of healthy ambition, but we haven't achieved everything yet. I think there was a thirst in those areas, which is probably why I've been able to stay until now. IN SEONG explained the goals for this album with his witty talk. He joked, Our goal is to win first place on a music show. If there is one more thing, I want to take first place in the hearts of the reporters here. Your 'likes' give us great strength, and expressed his ambition, saying, I understand that the Wimbledon venue holds about 50,000 people, and someday I want to hold an SF9 concert there. SF9 will release all tracks of their second full-length album TENACITY and the music video for the title track Without Wings through various music sites at 6 PM on the 26th. Following the album release, they plan to meet fans by holding their 10th-anniversary concert on October 10-11 at the KBS Arena in Gangseo-gu, Seoul. Photo = FNC Entertainment (SBS Entertainment News | Kang Kyung-youn)
Yoo Seung-ho Showcases Chill-Inducing Dual Characters in 'Flex X Cop 2'
등록일2026.08.27
Yoo Seung-ho brings intense tension to Flex X Cop 2 with his unpredictable charm. SBS Friday-Saturday drama Flex X Cop 2 (written by Kim Ba-da, directed by Kim Jae-hong) is a delightful and thrilling cooperative investigation drama featuring Jin Yi-soo (Ahn Bohyun), a chaebol detective who uses his wealth to overturn situations when investigations stall, and the new team leader Joo Hye-ra (Jung Eun-chae). Yoo Seung-ho plays Yoo Sung-won, the youngest son of a media group and a world-renowned sculptor. Although he has built a special friendship with Jin Yi-soo since childhood, he is also a key figure that team leader Joo Hye-ra has long suspected and tracked. In stills released on the 27th, Yoo Seung-ho displays contrasting temperatures, flashing a harmless, bright smile at his homecoming exhibition venue before revealing sharp eyes and a chilling aura. His multi-dimensional acting, which makes it difficult to guess his true intentions, further stimulates curiosity. Previously, Yoo Sung-won delivered a striking impact to viewers with a dissonance contrasting his kind appearance when he casually told his butler Hwang Jong-soo (Kim Jae-rok) upon meeting him after a long time, Hwang, you've aged. Did you clean? Expectations are rising for how Yoo Seung-ho, who freely oscillates between innocence and chillness, will shake up the drama's landscape moving forward. Meanwhile, episode 7 of Flex X Cop 2 will air at 9:50 p.m. on Friday, the 28th. (SBS Entertainment News | Kang Sun-ae)
Ahn Bo-hyun & Jung Eun-chae's 'Flex X Cop 2' Surpasses 9.4% Ratings, Dominates Disney+ Korea
등록일2026.08.26
The SBS Friday-Saturday drama Flex X Cop 2 is gaining unstoppable momentum with enhanced teamwork chemistry, intricate deduction, and entertaining visuals. Flex X Cop 2 (written by Kim Ba-da, directed by Kim Jae-hong) is a delightful, refreshing, and exhilarating thrilling cooperative investigation drama featuring Jin Yi-soo (played by Ahn Bo-hyun), a chaebol detective who turns tables with his wealth when investigations get stuck, and the new team leader Joo Hye-ra (played by Jung Eun-chae). With each episode drawing a steep upward ratings curve, it surpassed a peak rating of 9.4% in its 6th episode, breaking its own highest ratings record day after day. Furthermore, it proved its immense popularity by claiming the number one spot in Disney+ comprehensive content rankings in South Korea according to the global OTT platform analytics site FlixPatrol. At the center of this upward trend are enriched entertaining elements. The process in which the bickering Jin Yi-soo and Joo Hye-ra complement each other's execution and deductive skills to be reborn as a perfect one team delivers thrilling catharsis. In addition, passionate performances by a high-end special appearance lineup including Kwak Si-yang, Kim Eui-sung, Bae Seong-jae, Kwak Tube, and Park So-yi added to the completion of the series. It also built intricate deductive layers tracking the real culprit among a small number of suspects, maximizing the fun for viewers to find the killer together. Delightful homage direction parodying famous lines from popular dramas such as the movies Desperado and A Clockwork Orange , as well as The World of the Married and Coffee Prince , is placed everywhere like Easter eggs, providing unique viewing points. Fueled in popularity by exhilarating narratives and visual treats, Flex X Cop 2 will broadcast its 7th episode at 9:50 PM on Friday, August 28. (SBS Entertainment News | Kang Sun-ae)
Kim Hye-soo Calls Episode 7 the Peak of 'The Affair Was Just the Beginning' as the Four Leads Collide in a Chaotic Brawl
등록일2026.08.26
Coupang Play series The Affair Was Just the Beginning has released preview stills for episode 7, capturing a fierce physical brawl among its lead actors Kim Hye-soo, Cho Yeo-jeong, Kim Ji-hoon, and Kim Jaechul. The Affair Was Just the Beginning is a runaway chain-collision black comedy in which a popular influencer couple that has marketed a happy family life and a neighboring doctor couple going through a messy divorce lawsuit become entangled in unmanageable secrets that make even infidelity seem trivial. The stills for episode 7 released on the 26th capture a decisive moment where Gyeong-hui (Kim Hye-soo), Su-jeong (Cho Yeo-jeong), Jae-hong (Kim Ji-hoon), and Bo-seong (Kim Jaechul) engage in a chaotic fight together in one place. Having clashed fiercely amidst accumulated misunderstandings and secrets, they are drawn into a no-holds-barred physical brawl, pushing the tension to its absolute limit. In addition, suspense is set to reach an extreme as Bo-seong's divorce lawyer secretly sneaks into Jae-hong's home, and the twin brother of the detective agency head who lost his life in a hit-and-run accident closely chases after the secrets. Min-seo and Ye-ji, the daughters of the two couples who visited Gyeong-hui's vacation home, also cross paths with someone they never should have encountered, foreshadowing yet another upheaval. Previously, Kim Hye-soo, who plays Gyeong-hui, hinted in a media interview, Episode 7 shows the four main characters gathering in one place and exploding into chaos, adding, I think episode 7 will probably be the peak of this work. Anticipation is building for episode 7, which even the actors who performed in it found thrilling. Amid continuing praise from viewers and critics for the unpredictable plot and the stellar performances of the cast, episode 7 of The Affair Was Just the Beginning, which heads toward catastrophe, will be released on Coupang Play at 8:00 p.m. on Friday, the 28th. [Photo = Coupang Play] (SBS Entertainment News | Kang Sun-ae)
Cha Tae-hyun Delivers 'Whenever Possible' Its Highest Ratings Yet with First Triple-Kill Sweep
등록일2026.08.26
SBS variety show Whenever Possible achieved its first triple-kill sweep of season 5 and broke its own record for highest viewer ratings, fueled by Cha Tae-hyun's active role as a human good luck charm. According to Nielsen Korea on the 26th, the previous day's broadcast of Whenever Possible recorded a peak viewership of 6.2%, an average of 4.2% for metropolitan households, and 1.6% for the key 2049 demographic. This marks the highest rating for the current season, ranking first overall among entertainment, drama, and cultural programs airing in the same time slot. In the broadcast, MCs Yu Jae-seok and Yoo Yeonseok, along with guests Cha Tae-hyun and Jin Ki-joo, visited Gwangjin-gu in Seoul to bring good fortune to citizens. Referring to himself as the pig's head of the show, Cha Tae-hyun remarked, When I got the casting call, the producer told me I'm like a good luck charm. I'm the pig's head of 'Whenever Possible'. He added fun to the episode by acting as Yu Jae-seok's mental agitator. As Jin Ki-joo, an actor under his agency, was talking nonstop without a break, Yu Jae-seok burst into laughter and shouted in mock frustration, Let's listen to Ki-joo! Ki-joo, give your agency head a proper lesson! When Yoo Yeonseok praised Yu Jae-seok and Cha Tae-hyun by saying, Comedy acting is really difficult, but the two of you pull it off, Cha Tae-hyun drew a sharp line by responding, You shouldn't compare us. That guy just does it recklessly, while I analyze it systematically, causing Yu Jae-seok to bristle. The four then met the first guest hosts, a pickleball club, and dramatically succeeded in the stage-three game. They even cleared all stages of the game played for a Nintendo console, which was the earnest wish of the second guest hosts, a group of four nine-year-old children. Thrilled by the perfect ending that shattered the children's bad luck curse, Yu Jae-seok expressed his gratitude, saying, Even Santa Claus couldn't give a gift like this. Thank you, pig head Cha Tae-hyun. Meanwhile, the preview released at the end of the broadcast featured actors Hyun Bin and Woo Do Hwan, drawing significant attention. Hyun Bin, taking on his first variety show appearance in 23 years since his debut, heightened anticipation by showing a contrasting charm as he sat on the edge of his seat with tension before taking on the game challenge. Whenever Possible starring Hyun Bin and Woo Do Hwan will air at 9 PM on Tuesday, September 1. (SBS Entertainment News | Kang Sun-ae)