Joan MacDonald

Kingston

Writer and Editor at Freelance

Writer covering pop culture, Korean media and the creative mind.

Articles

Lee Thiam Wah

5 days ago | forbes.com | Adam Zagoria |Paul Iddon |Joan MacDonald |Erik Kain

After a stint with the Royal Malaysia Police, Tan Boon Hock, who makes his debut in the ranks at No. 40 with $490 million, worked as an engineer then started his own electrical contracting firm in 1984.
Why Park Bo-Young Wanted To Play Twins In ‘Our Unwritten Seoul’

6 days ago | forbes.com | Joan MacDonald

When Park Bo-young read the script for Our Unwritten Seoul she saw it as a once-in-a-lifetime challenge — and also a huge opportunity. “I kept thinking, ‘When will I ever get to try something like this again? If not now, will this kind of chance ever come again?’As soon as I read the line at the end of Episode 1 — ‘I’ll live your life. You live mine.’ — I knew I had to do this drama.
Jung Kyung-Ho Represents The Wrongly Departed In ‘Oh My Ghost Clients’

1 week ago | forbes.com | Joan MacDonald

Things are not going well for Mu-jin, the character played by Jung Kyung-ho in Oh My Ghost Clients. In the very first episode of this Korean drama, Mu-jin, quits his job, loses his money, alienates his wife and almost dies. Almost. He’s saved at the last minute by an angelic being who needs help sorting out troubled spirits. Mu-jin is a labor lawyer, so he’s just the right person to help troubled spirits who die with unresolved issues, especially if those issues pertain to their workplace.
NYC Exhibit Celebrates The Solo Artistry Of BTS Member Jimin

1 week ago | forbes.com | Joan MacDonald

“The Truth Untold,” an exhibit that celebrates the musical journey of BTS member Jimin, can be seen in New York City this June. Jimin is a singer, songwriter and member of the world’s most popular k-pop band.
Son Suk-Ku And Kim Da-Mi Gather Clues In K-Drama ‘Nine Puzzles’

2 weeks ago | forbes.com | Joan MacDonald

When E-na is questioned by the police about the death of her uncle, she can’t remember anything. So, she becomes the prime suspect in the Korean drama Nine Puzzles. There’s no evidence to indict any suspect except for a puzzle piece that E-na found on the floor. Her uncle, a former police chief, was everything to her after she lost her mother and father. Is it trauma that erased her memory? Or is she guilty?
‘Second Shot At Love’ Cast Discusses Drama’s Fun Yet Serious Premise

2 weeks ago | forbes.com | Joan MacDonald

The playful title of the drama A Second Shot At Love relates to the character Geum-ju, a woman whose relationships suffer because of her drinking. The Korean title, Geumjuleul Butaghae, is also a play on words.
Little Golden Book’s First K-Pop Bio Takes BTS From Dreams To Stardom

2 weeks ago | forbes.com | Joan MacDonald

BTS are the world’s biggest k-pop band and they also have one of the world’s most loyal fandoms, the many millions of global fans called Army. During the course of their very successful career BTS have earned many accolades—including Billboard Awards, American Music Awards, People’s Choice Awards, Golden Disc Awards and several Grammy nominations—but 2025 is the first time the band will grace the cover of a Little Golden Book.
K-Pop Takes The Stage With Two Films At The 2025 Tribeca Festival

3 weeks ago | flipboard.com | Joan MacDonald

1 day ago‘Fun, crazy and ludicrous’ images of Cannes before camera phonesCNN — Photographer Derek Ridgers’ introduction to the Cannes Film Festival arrived in 1984, when he was commissioned to shoot the DJ and rapper Afrika Bambaataa — in town to promote his cameo in Stan Lathan’s “Beat Street” — for the music magazine, NME.
K-Pop Takes The Stage With Two Films At The 2025 Tribeca Festival

3 weeks ago | forbes.com | Joan MacDonald

K-pop fans will have the chance to hum along to two new films screening at the Tribeca Festival. The 2025 festival, which takes place from June 4 to 15 in New York City, will feature The Rose: Come Back To Me, a documentary about the talented Korean alt rock group The Rose, and K-Pops!, a film about a k-pop competition show that was written and directed by Anderson .Paak.
The Assassin In ‘The Old Woman With The Knife’ May Have Lost Her Edge

3 weeks ago | forbes.com | Joan MacDonald

It’s awful to be abandoned when you are old and sick, says the veterinarian played by Yeon Woo-jin in the film The Old Woman With The Knife. He’s talking about the stray dog brought to him by Hornclaw, the legendary assassin played by Lee Hye-young. Hornclaw does not usually let herself get emotionally attached, yet his words prompt her to bring the dog home. Emotional attachments are a liability for an assassin.