Korean movies are stealing the spotlight on a global scale, and more and more international fans are interested in the Korean film industry. So, we're bringing to you the latest news from Chungmuro - the Korean Hollywood, also known as Hallyuwood. Check out the hottest movies at the Korean box office, what the upcoming Korean movie releases are, what's hot in Chungmuro, and more!

 

Top Korean Movies At The Box Office

Over the last month, the top 2 Korean films at the domestic box office were as follows, according to Cine21:

 

1. "Exhuma"

The K-Occult film on everyone's radar these days - "Exhuma" - retained the top spot. Starring Choi MinSik, Kim GoEun, Yoo HaeJin, and Lee DoHyun, "Exhuma" continues to break records and set new ones, with a total of 10,512,767 admissions to date. "Exhuma" was released on February 22.

CineFact: "Exhuma" was not just the most-watched film among Korean releases but also international releases in Korea in March.

 

2. "Troll Factory"

Starring Son SukKu, Kim SungCheol, Kim DongHwi, and Hong Kyung, "Troll Factory" was the second most-watched Korean movie at the domestic box office in March 2024, with a total of 194,541 admissions to date. The film was released on March 27.

 

Upcoming Korean Movies

There are a number of Korean movies coming up in April. Among them, here are our picks for the top 3 Korean movies that you should look forward to!

 

1. "SEWOL: Years In The Wind"

In April 2024, ten years will have passed since the terrible Sewol Ferry Tragedy. "SEWOL: Years In The Wind" is a documentary made by Moon JongTaek - a father who lost his daughter, JiSeong, in the tragedy, alongside documentary director Kim HwanTae. The film consists of footage by Moon JongTaek himself as he documents the lives of the bereaved families throughout the last ten years and emphasizes national and individual responsibility towards creating a safer society for all. It is also aimed at raising awareness about the tragedy among young people who may not be aware.

If there's one Korean film you watch in April, we hope it will be this one. "SEWOL: Years In The Wind" releases on April 3 in Korea.

 

2. "YuMi's Cells: The Movie"

The hugely popular webtoon turned blockbuster K-Drama is now coming to you as a movie! This time, YuMi's cells are the main characters, so the movie is entirely animated. Watch your favorite cell characters from the webtoon and K-Drama return and fall in love with them all over again! This film will follow YuMi as she prepares for her writing contest after quitting her job to become a writer.

"YuMi's Cells: The Movie" releases on April 3.

 

3. "Again 1997"

"Again 1997" is a Korean movie that tells the story of a young man named WooSeok, who wanted to be an actor, but because of a scar he got on his face, he ended up making a living as a stuntman. Now, he is the breadwinner of his family but not a great father or husband. After a fateful encounter with a monk, he gets into an accident and travels back in time to his high school days, before he got the scar. With this second chance at life, WooSeok is determined to do things right.

"Again 1997", starring Cho ByeongKyu, Han EunSu, iKON Ju-ne, Choi HuiSeung, and more, releases on April 10.

That concludes this month's Chungmuro report! Which Korean movies are you excited about? Tell us on X!

One of the most polarising K-Dramas released in recent times is "Chicken Nugget" on Netflix. Viewers who have watched "Chicken Nugget" have been divided into two categories: one, completely loving it, and the other, totally unimpressed.

For those who might not know, "Chicken Nugget" is a sci-fi comedy K-Drama about a young woman who turns into a chicken nugget after entering a mysterious machine.

You read that right! Kim YouJung's character MinAh, turns into a chicken nugget and remains a chicken nugget for the majority of the drama!

To bring MinAh back to human form, her father Choi SunMan (Ryu SeungRyong) and her secret admirer Ko BaekJoong (Ahn JaeHong) join hands and risk their lives, even if that means having to unravel the deepest secrets of the universe.

The cast is phenomenal and was reason enough for many viewers to tune into "Chicken Nugget". However, for many others, even the cast could not make them watch the show.

Amidst mixed reviews, I am of the stance that "Chicken Nugget" is meant for a very specific audience. I personally thought it was a joyride that is not only worth watching but worth rewatching!

A kooky "Rick And Morty"-esque comedy with a strangely comforting and hopeful tone and a distinct humor code reminiscent of absurdist stage plays, "Chicken Nugget" perfectly mirrored the webtoon's unique offering and left me wanting more.

However, I know there are many who couldn't even complete the drama.

So, if you're wondering whether you should watch "Chicken Nugget", you've come to the right place!

Here are 3 very specific types of people who would enjoy "Chicken Nugget" on Netflix!

Of course, this is just for fun and not meant to stereotype viewers of the drama. 

 

Who Should Watch "Chicken Nugget"?

1. People who don't/don't want to take life too seriously

A prerequisite for watching fantasy or sci-fi dramas is the suspension of disbelief. However, "Chicken Nugget" takes it one step further. There's a limit to which viewers can suspend their disbelief, and "Chicken Nugget" is the type of work that tests this limit. So, to watch and enjoy "Chicken Nugget", you need to suspend not only your disbelief but also your seriousness.

None of the characters in "Chicken Nugget" take themselves too seriously. None of the character designs are serious, none of the settings are serious, and of course, the very premise itself is the definition of unserious.

Even the so-called villain is the most tropey mad scientist joined by his 45-year-old-looking 25-year-old nephew, and the two basically have a Pokémon battle towards the end of the drama!

"Chicken Nugget" is filled with parodies of K-Drama tropes, subverting expectations at every turn without a single dull moment.

You simply cannot take anything seriously if you want to enjoy "Chicken Nugget" and if that's not in your nature, this might not be the right K-Drama for you to watch.

On the other hand, if you WANT to take things less seriously than you do, "Chicken Nugget" will be perfect for you too!

 

2. People who don't like playing by rules & logic

Sci-fi and fantasy are two genres where world-building and logic can make or break the plot. However, "Chicken Nugget" does away with this idea entirely.

After all, what else would you expect from a K-Drama that refuses to take itself seriously?

"Chicken Nugget" constantly establishes certain rules, breaks them, throws in a few red herrings, introduces a new logic, turns it around, forgets it for a bit, brings it back again, catapults it to another universe (literally), and finally hands it to us on a platter. Do with it what you will!

So, if you're the type of K-Drama viewer who needs some sort of universal logic to hold the worldview of the story together, you are probably not going to like "Chicken Nugget".

However, if you're ready to be one with the chaos, embrace the illogical, and happily let go of loopholes, then you definitely need to give "Chicken Nugget" a try.

There's an eccentric order in this K-Drama's seemingly nonsensical unpredictability, and that is exactly what will help you sail through the episodes and reach the sweet ending like the last bite of a chicken nugget.

 

3. People who like side quests

"Chicken Nugget" gets more and more flavorful with time. You really need to get the hang of this drama's outrageous ideas and peculiar humor, familiarize yourself with it, and re-adjust your expectations to watch and start enjoying "Chicken Nugget".

In other words, "Chicken Nugget" is like an acquired taste, an experience, and it takes some time to get to the good part.

So, if you're the type of K-Drama viewer who enjoys tight plots with no fillers or detours and prefers getting to the crux of the matter as soon as possible, "Chicken Nugget" will probably not be your cup of tea.

However, if you're willing to take a leisurely stroll with the K-Drama, stop and smell the roses, a.k.a the star-studded cameos, don't mind diving into little back-stories, are happy to complete some side-quests, meet some loveable NPCs, giggle at some good old references, and could do with some Dad jokes sprinkled along the way, then "Chicken Nugget" might just be your favorite K-Drama of the year.

It's quite literally the most stress-free K-Drama you'll find!

Do you fall into any of these three categories? Did you watch "Chicken Nugget" on Netflix and enjoy it? Tell us on X!

You can watch "Chicken Nugget" here.

Netflix has been on a hot streak of excellently produced K-Dramas. They consistently up their game, bringing on award-winning cast members, directors, and staff to produce some of the best series around. Just recently, they released the newest show to join their ever-growing catalogue of Korean entertainment: "Chicken Nugget".

This seems like a far cry from what we're used to from the streaming giant, however, the ridiculousness of it all adds to the series' novel appeal. The Netflix-produced show stars Ryu SeungRyong, Ahn JaeHong, and Kim YouJung. There are also guest appearances from notable names like Jung HoYeon, GOT7's JinYoung, and Lee JooBin.

It tells the strange, yet comedic story of how youthful and innocent Choi MinAh (Kim YouJung) transforms into a chicken nugget after entering into a strange machine. It then falls onto her father, Choi SunMan (Ryu SeungRyong) and his company's intern, Go BaekJung (Ahn JaeHong), to uncover the secrets of the machine and revert MinAh back to her human self.

Their journey is anything but ordinary and raises a lot of questions, but it's a show that will have you smirking in delight.

 

A Hilariously Comedic Duo

If the trailer was evidence enough, audiences were in store for a wildly comedic ride, all with the help of Choi SunMan and Go BaekJung. They make an amazingly quirky duo that provide you with laughter from beginning to end. Whether it's their interactions with each other or whimsical habits, there's always something to laugh about when it comes to these two.

 

Sheer Ridiculous Situations

회사 로고송 작곡해 주는 인턴사원, 채용하시겠습니까?

간주 중부터 리듬 타고 있는 나를 발견. 못하는 게 없는(뒷말 생략) 고백중이 작곡, 작사, 노래합니다. <닭강정>, 3월 15일 넷플릭스에서 스밍해 주세요. pic.twitter.com/E9a4378v6J

— Netflix Korea｜넷플릭스 코리아 (@NetflixKR) March 13, 2024

Then there comes the entire premise of "Chicken Nugget" that throws everyone for a loop. There's twists and turns at every corner that may have you scratching your head, but also keep you smiling all throughout.

From Go BaekJung's various catchy jingles to More Than Machines' staff's laughter, "Chicken Nugget" contains various situations that you would not expect from a typical Korean series. However, the strange moments serve as just the foundation of the oddly enjoyable Netflix K-Drama.

 

Uncovering A Well-Guarded Mystery

Comedy aside, there's a growing mystery that all starts with a strange machine. Although the duo of Choi SunMan and Go BaekJung start off scared and shaken up, they quickly gather their wits and dive right into the many question marks surrounding Choi MinAh's sudden transformation.

In their pursuit to change her back to human form, our unlikely duo uncover answers that have eluded human kind for decades. This mystique will have audiences curious and willing to sit through all 10 episodes to reach its final conclusion.

 

Unsuspectingly Heartfelt And Sincere

There's no denying that "Chicken Nugget" is widely bizarre and will have many people turning away within the first episode. However, there's a hidden sincerity from the Netflix series that will have you clutching your heart.

We catch a glimpse of Choi MinAh's upbringing, under the supervision of Choi SunMan. He's played both roles of a father and mother, and although he clumsily waddled his way through parenthood at times, it always resulted in precious memories of a happy family. With the ridiculous nature of "Chicken Nugget", these small instances hit you like a truck, causing you to appreciate the tender familial love that the drama presents.

"Chicken Nugget" is unusual in every sense of the word. But underneath its whimsical nature, audiences will find it held together by a looming mystery and soft tenderness that will provide an all-encompassing warmth all throughout your body.

Have you watched the entirety of "Chicken Nugget"? What did you think of the Netflix series?