Joan Vos MacDonald
@jvosmacd.bsky.social
I write about Korean media, the creative mind and the Hudson Valley.
Close Your Eyes have been nominated for best new artist at the 2025 MAMA awards. It might be their flawless choreography and evolving musical style. They had a chance recently to discuss their new album and teamwork. www.forbes.com/sites/joanma...
Close Your Eyes On Their Evolving Style, Teamwork And New Album
Fifth generation k-pop group Close Your Eyes has members that come from China, Japan and Korea. They see their diversity as a strength.
www.forbes.com
November 14, 2025 at 1:47 PM
Close Your Eyes have been nominated for best new artist at the 2025 MAMA awards. It might be their flawless choreography and evolving musical style. They had a chance recently to discuss their new album and teamwork. www.forbes.com/sites/joanma...
Kim Min-gue recently attended a Singles Day event at a New York City Mall. It was his first chance to meet his U.S. fans so he was nervous and excited. www.forbes.com/sites/joanma...
Kim Min-Gue Celebrates Singles Day At New York City Event
Korean actor Kim Min-gue recently made his first trip to the U.S. and attended a promotional event for Singles Day at Skyview Mall in Queens.
www.forbes.com
November 13, 2025 at 1:22 PM
Kim Min-gue recently attended a Singles Day event at a New York City Mall. It was his first chance to meet his U.S. fans so he was nervous and excited. www.forbes.com/sites/joanma...
Director Park Joon-ho's film '3670' earned him a best new director nomination at the Blue Dragon Awards. It's the story of a North Korean defector adjusting to freedom in South Korea and also exploring his sexual identity. Screening at the London Korean Film Festival. www.forbes.com/sites/joanma...
A North Korean Defector Explores His Sexual Identity In ‘3670’
Park Joon-ho received a Best New Director nomination for his film, '3670,' the story of a North Korean defector exploring his sexual identity.
www.forbes.com
November 7, 2025 at 1:49 PM
Director Park Joon-ho's film '3670' earned him a best new director nomination at the Blue Dragon Awards. It's the story of a North Korean defector adjusting to freedom in South Korea and also exploring his sexual identity. Screening at the London Korean Film Festival. www.forbes.com/sites/joanma...
Director Kim Jong-kwan's latest film 'Frosted Window' opens the London Korean Film Festival this week. The cast includes Yeon Woo-jin, Chang-ryul and Lee Chung-ah in a tale of imperfect connections. www.forbes.com/sites/joanma...
Kim Jong-Kwan’s ‘Frosted Window’ Opens London Korean Film Festival
Kim Jong-kwan’s latest film 'Frosted Window' is set in the cafes, restaurants and bars of Seoul’s Seochon neighborhood.
www.forbes.com
November 4, 2025 at 1:41 PM
Director Kim Jong-kwan's latest film 'Frosted Window' opens the London Korean Film Festival this week. The cast includes Yeon Woo-jin, Chang-ryul and Lee Chung-ah in a tale of imperfect connections. www.forbes.com/sites/joanma...
It has been a great year for nostalgic k-dramas and one of my favorites was 'A Hundred Memories,' starring Heo Nam-jun. He's up for a best new actor award at the Blue Dragon Awards. www.forbes.com/sites/joanma...
Heo Nam-Jun Enjoyed The Romantic Nostalgia Of ‘A Hundred Memories’
Heo Nam-jun felt comforted by the unhurried pace of life portrayed in the k-drama 'A Hundred Memories,' which is set in the 1980s.
www.forbes.com
November 3, 2025 at 1:23 PM
It has been a great year for nostalgic k-dramas and one of my favorites was 'A Hundred Memories,' starring Heo Nam-jun. He's up for a best new actor award at the Blue Dragon Awards. www.forbes.com/sites/joanma...
Director Lee Na-jeong shares how she made the story of the IMF Crisis so personal. www.forbes.com/sites/joanma...
‘Typhoon Family’ Director Celebrates Courage Amid A Crisis
'Typhoon Family' is set during the IMF crisis. The characters played by Lee Jun-ho and Kim Min-ha struggle to save their business from bankruptcy.
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November 1, 2025 at 1:17 PM
Director Lee Na-jeong shares how she made the story of the IMF Crisis so personal. www.forbes.com/sites/joanma...
Viewers who only know Lee Jung-jae from Squid Game and Lim Ji-yeon from The Glory might be surprised to learn they are paired up in a rom com. Airs Nov. 3. www.forbes.com/sites/joanma...
Lim Ji-Yeon Meets Lee Jung-Jae In K-Drama ‘Nice To Not Meet You’
Viewers who know Lee Jung-jae from 'Squid Game' might be surprised to find he’s starring in a rom com with 'The Glory' star Lim Ji-yeon.
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October 30, 2025 at 12:16 PM
Viewers who only know Lee Jung-jae from Squid Game and Lim Ji-yeon from The Glory might be surprised to learn they are paired up in a rom com. Airs Nov. 3. www.forbes.com/sites/joanma...
Yves shared her experiences as a solo artist and how she wants to tell her own stories. #K-pop, #LOONA, #Yves, www.forbes.com/sites/joanma...
Yves On Her Solo Career, Leaving LOONA And New Music
Yves, former member of the 11-member k-pop group LOONA, faced a scary transition when launching her career as a solo artist.
www.forbes.com
October 29, 2025 at 12:05 PM
Yves shared her experiences as a solo artist and how she wants to tell her own stories. #K-pop, #LOONA, #Yves, www.forbes.com/sites/joanma...
Kim Min-ha (Pachinko) and Lee Jun-ho (King The Land) fight to save a business during the IMF financial crisis. #TyphoonFamily airs on Netflix in the U.S. www.forbes.com/sites/joanma...
Lee Jun-ho And Kim Min-Ha Join Forces In K-Drama ‘Typhoon Family’
Set during the IMF Crisis, 'Typhoon Family' is the story of a rich kid from Gangnam who must save his father's business from failure.
www.forbes.com
October 10, 2025 at 12:54 PM
Kim Min-ha (Pachinko) and Lee Jun-ho (King The Land) fight to save a business during the IMF financial crisis. #TyphoonFamily airs on Netflix in the U.S. www.forbes.com/sites/joanma...
Be careful what you wish for, Suzy. The genie, played by Kim Woo-bin in 'Genie, Make A Wish.' does not have the best intentions. Here's what the stars had to say about their new drama. www.forbes.com/sites/joanma...
Kim Woo-Bin And Bae Suzy Conjure Up Romance In ‘Genie, Make A Wish’
When Ki Ka-young (Suzy) meets a genie, played by Kim Woo-bin, she has to be very careful what she wishes for. He doesn't have the best intentions.
www.forbes.com
October 3, 2025 at 7:38 PM
Be careful what you wish for, Suzy. The genie, played by Kim Woo-bin in 'Genie, Make A Wish.' does not have the best intentions. Here's what the stars had to say about their new drama. www.forbes.com/sites/joanma...
K-pop's Ampers&One talked to me about their strength as a band and their edgier new concept. www.forbes.com/sites/joanma...
K-Pop’s Ampers&One Shares An Edgier Concept On Second U.S. Tour
Ampers&One is currently touring the U.S. as the opening act for P1Harmony’s 2025 Live Tour. It's their second U.S. tour.
www.forbes.com
October 1, 2025 at 6:58 PM
K-pop's Ampers&One talked to me about their strength as a band and their edgier new concept. www.forbes.com/sites/joanma...
What does harmony sound like. That's one of the things Michael Babcock had to consider when designing and editing the sound of the film #KPopDemonHunters. www.forbes.com/sites/joanma...
How Sound Design Made ‘KPop Demon Hunters’ Sound So Good
Michael Babcock thought a lot about the word harmony while designing and editing the sound of the film 'KPop Demon Hunters.'
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September 16, 2025 at 12:56 PM
What does harmony sound like. That's one of the things Michael Babcock had to consider when designing and editing the sound of the film #KPopDemonHunters. www.forbes.com/sites/joanma...
JO1 describes performing on the Apple TV Show 'K-Popped' as a great experience. The Japanese group has been influenced by k-pop and j-pop but describes their music as uniquely their own. www.forbes.com/sites/joanma...
JO1 Brings Their Own Musical Genre To Apple TV’s ‘K-Popped’
The 11-member band JO1 is neither k-pop nor j-pop. They like to describe the music they make as being its own genre.
www.forbes.com
September 15, 2025 at 12:49 PM
JO1 describes performing on the Apple TV Show 'K-Popped' as a great experience. The Japanese group has been influenced by k-pop and j-pop but describes their music as uniquely their own. www.forbes.com/sites/joanma...
The plot of the popular k-drama 'Bon Appétit, Your Majesty' involves a chef who travels back in time to prepare meals for a Joseon era tyrant king. Adapting French cuisine for the drama required a collaboration of some of Korea's most celebrated chefs. www.forbes.com/sites/joanma...
Creating Royal Dishes That Dazzle In ‘Bon Appétit, Your Majesty’
To create the dishes used in the popular drama 'Bon Appétit, Your Majesty,' Studio Dragon consulted several culinary experts.
www.forbes.com
September 12, 2025 at 1:40 PM
The plot of the popular k-drama 'Bon Appétit, Your Majesty' involves a chef who travels back in time to prepare meals for a Joseon era tyrant king. Adapting French cuisine for the drama required a collaboration of some of Korea's most celebrated chefs. www.forbes.com/sites/joanma...
#TheUgly is the best film I've seen this year. It recently debuted at #TIFF and it's both unexpected and chilling. Here's what Train To Busan director Yeon Sang-ho had to say about his latest film. www.forbes.com/sites/joanma...
The Monsters In Yeon Sang-Ho’s Film ‘The Ugly’ Are All Humans
'The Ugly' is directed by Yeon Sang-ho, best known for his zombie film 'Train To Busan.' In this riveting film all the monsters are humans.
www.forbes.com
September 11, 2025 at 11:55 AM
#TheUgly is the best film I've seen this year. It recently debuted at #TIFF and it's both unexpected and chilling. Here's what Train To Busan director Yeon Sang-ho had to say about his latest film. www.forbes.com/sites/joanma...
Park Min-young is a master of disguises and well-designed scams in her new k-drama Confidence Queen. www.forbes.com/sites/joanma...
Park Min-Young Hilariously Scams Villains In ‘Confidence Queen’
Park Min-young is a master of disguise in her new drama 'Confidence Queen.' Her character Yun Yi-rang designs cons that target deserving villains.
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September 6, 2025 at 12:09 PM
Park Min-young is a master of disguises and well-designed scams in her new k-drama Confidence Queen. www.forbes.com/sites/joanma...
Daniel Kang took part in the Skyview High "summer School" program at The Shops at Skyview. he had time to talk about his career and new music. www.forbes.com/sites/joanma...
Kang Daniel Stops In Queens On His ‘Glow To Haze’ Tour
Kang Daniel talked about his 'Glow To Haze' tour and his new music during a New York stop on his 12-city U.S. tour.
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September 5, 2025 at 1:54 PM
Daniel Kang took part in the Skyview High "summer School" program at The Shops at Skyview. he had time to talk about his career and new music. www.forbes.com/sites/joanma...
Irene Yoo (@yooeating) has written the definitive book for the soju curious, which might be anyone who has seen a Korean drama. 'Soju Party: How To Drink (And Eat) Like A Korean: A Cookbook' hits bookshelves on Sept. 9th.
‘Soju Party: How To Drink (And Eat) Like A Korean: A Cookbook’ For K-Drama Fans
Yoo wrote 'Soju Party: How To Drink (And Eat) Like A Korean: A Cookbook' to help the soju-curious learn more about the traditional drink.
www.forbes.com
September 2, 2025 at 12:15 PM
Irene Yoo (@yooeating) has written the definitive book for the soju curious, which might be anyone who has seen a Korean drama. 'Soju Party: How To Drink (And Eat) Like A Korean: A Cookbook' hits bookshelves on Sept. 9th.
Actor Kim Kang-min and Kevin of the k-pop band Omega X talk about love stories and their new Boys Love drama 'My Bias Is Showing.' www.forbes.com/sites/joanma...
Stars Of BL Drama ‘My Bias Is Showing’ Really Like A Good Love Story
BL drama 'My Bias Is showing' is based on the webtoon of the same name. It stars actor Kim Kang-min and Omega X member Kevin.
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August 29, 2025 at 12:37 PM
Actor Kim Kang-min and Kevin of the k-pop band Omega X talk about love stories and their new Boys Love drama 'My Bias Is Showing.' www.forbes.com/sites/joanma...
Se-ri believes that straightening her tangled curly hair will enable her to confess to her high school crush. She will have more to untangle when it comes to her love life in Netflix film 'Love Untangled.' www.forbes.com/sites/joanma...
K-Film ‘Love Untangled’ Considers Unruly Curls And Worthy Crushes
Park Se-ri thinks that straightening her curly hair will help her date her crush in the Netflix film 'Love Untangled.'
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August 25, 2025 at 12:48 PM
Se-ri believes that straightening her tangled curly hair will enable her to confess to her high school crush. She will have more to untangle when it comes to her love life in Netflix film 'Love Untangled.' www.forbes.com/sites/joanma...
Lee Chae-min and Yoona share plenty of chemistry in this time travel historical k-drama, but the real stars of 'Bon Appétit Your Majesty' is the food fit for a king.https://www.forbes.com/sites/joanmacdonald/2025/08/23/yoona-and-lee-chae-min-share-chemistry-and-cuisine-in-bon-appetit-your-majesty/
August 23, 2025 at 1:48 PM
Lee Chae-min and Yoona share plenty of chemistry in this time travel historical k-drama, but the real stars of 'Bon Appétit Your Majesty' is the food fit for a king.https://www.forbes.com/sites/joanmacdonald/2025/08/23/yoona-and-lee-chae-min-share-chemistry-and-cuisine-in-bon-appetit-your-majesty/
The cast of Law and the City actually dined together to talk about the script much the way their characters in the k-drama met to talk about their cases. Here's what they had to say about working together. www.forbes.com/sites/joanma...
Cast Of ‘Law And The City’ Had Fun Filming And Dining Together
Lee Jong-suk, Mun Ga-young, Kang You-seok, Ryu Hye-young and Im Seong-jae grew close while working on the set of 'Law and the City.'
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August 19, 2025 at 12:41 PM
The cast of Law and the City actually dined together to talk about the script much the way their characters in the k-drama met to talk about their cases. Here's what they had to say about working together. www.forbes.com/sites/joanma...
My Daughter Is A Zombie may be the funniest film about parenting teens since Gremlins. Jeung-hwan's 15-year-old daughter is suddenly acting surly and hostile. She was bitten by a zombie. He's sure he can tame her. www.forbes.com/sites/joanma...
‘My Daughter Is A Zombie’ Has Fun With The Scary Side Of Parenting
'My Daughter Is A Zombie' is a webtoon-inspired comedy about a devoted dad set on saving his undead daughter. It's also a box office hit.
www.forbes.com
August 18, 2025 at 12:25 PM
My Daughter Is A Zombie may be the funniest film about parenting teens since Gremlins. Jeung-hwan's 15-year-old daughter is suddenly acting surly and hostile. She was bitten by a zombie. He's sure he can tame her. www.forbes.com/sites/joanma...
Binged this novel in almost one sitting. The brother and sister authors translated stories told by their Korean grandparents into an entertaining fantasy novel. www.forbes.com/sites/joanma...
‘The Last Tiger’ Is A Magical Tale Of Hope Inspired By Love
'The Last Tiger' is a YA fantasy novel inspired by the stories authors, Julia Riew and Brad Riew, heard from their grandparents.
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August 17, 2025 at 12:49 PM
Binged this novel in almost one sitting. The brother and sister authors translated stories told by their Korean grandparents into an entertaining fantasy novel. www.forbes.com/sites/joanma...
K-pop songs are often the result of a collaboration of international talents. Blackpink's catchy new dance-pop song 'Jump' owes its backbeat to Dutch producer Boaz van de Beatz. www.forbes.com/sites/joanma...
Blackpink’s ‘Jump’ Is A K-Pop Hit With A Dutch Backbeat
“Jump,” Blackpink’s new energetic dance-pop hit, owes its distinctive dance beat to Dutch producer Boaz van de Beatz.
www.forbes.com
August 13, 2025 at 12:22 PM
K-pop songs are often the result of a collaboration of international talents. Blackpink's catchy new dance-pop song 'Jump' owes its backbeat to Dutch producer Boaz van de Beatz. www.forbes.com/sites/joanma...