Actor Kim Joo-ryeong and Heo Seong-tae, who are gaining global popularity with Netflix's 'Squid Game', will reunite at the '2021 Asia Artist Awards'.

Joo-ryeong Kim and Seong-tae Huh participated in the '2021 Asia Artist Awards' (2021 Asia Artist Awards, hereinafter '2021 AAA') to be held on December 2, and built a stronger and more colorful award ceremony actor lineup. Kim Joo-ryeong, who has reached her 21st year of debut this year, has appealed to her presence with extraordinary character digestion. In addition to 'SKY Castle' and 'Wind, Cloud and Rain', she made the public immersed in the work with her lively acting through movies 'The Crucible', 'Suspect X', and 'The Snobs'. In particular, Joo-ryeong Kim played the role of a 'beautiful woman' who does not hesitate to do anything for survival in 'Squid Game', which was released on September 17, and gained explosive attention by forming a unity with a character like a strong and stubborn person. People's praise and support are continuing for her passionate performance, which raised the level of immersion in the play by giving a reversal at an unexpected moment.

Heo Seong-tae, who made his debut through SBS 'Miracle Audition', which aired in 2011, has appeared in movies such as 'Mischief', 'Namhansanseong', 'Crime City', 'Malmoy', 'Black Money', and dramas 'Dear Judge', ' Monsters', etc., and showed a fierce and sharp charisma, attracting attention. Here, the weighty appearance and the human beauty that gives a strange friendliness breathes a different vitality into the play, earning him the title of 'a professional villain actor in Korea'. Heo Seong-tae played the role of 'Deok-soo' who squandered the organization's money and participated in the game in 'Squid Game'. He gained 17kg for the character, and he has established himself as a popular actor by realistically expressing the world of weak and strong food, giving viewers a proper eye, and earning the nickname 'World Wide Villain'.

According to 'Flix Patrol', a global OTT content ranking site, 'Squid Game' maintains the top spot in the 'Netflix World Top 10 TV Programs' category (as of October 25, 2021). 'Squid Game', which has been taking the top spot for the 33rd day from the 23rd of last month, is one step closer to the world's number one record for the longest time in Netflix history, boasting unquenchable popularity.

Previously, actors Lee Jung-jae, Lee Seung-gi, Yoo Ah-in, Han So-hee, Moon Ga-young, Na In-woo, Cha Eun-woo, Hwang Min-hyun, singers Espa, The Boyz, Stray Kids, Lim Young-woong, and Seventeen confirmed to attend '2021 AAA', and Kim Joo-ryeong and Heo Seong-tae scramble for the awards ceremony.

The news is expected to be a good gift for viewers and fans of 'Squid Game'.

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A recent KBS drama shoot starring Girls' Generation's Seohyun and 2PM's Taecyeon has sparked controversy after accusations of damaging a UNESCO World Heritage site.

On January 2, architect Min Seo Hong took to Facebook to criticize the production of the upcoming drama I Took the Male Lead's First Night, which used Byeongsan Seowon, a historic Korean Confucian academy, as a filming location.

His post, titled "An Account of What I Witnessed at Byeongsan Seowon," detailed shocking allegations about the crew's actions.

Min shared that he visited Byeongsan Seowon on December 30, only to find the site bustling with drama staff.

"As I approached, I saw crew members moving around. At first, I didn’t realize it was a filming set, but when I entered the seowon, I felt uneasy knowing this historic site was being used this way," he wrote.

What he saw inside was alarming. According to Min, props were scattered throughout the seowon, and staff were hammering nails into wooden pillars to hang lights.

When he confronted them, they reportedly dismissed his concerns, saying, "We already have permission from Andong City. If you’re curious, contact them."

Determined to take action, Min contacted Andong City’s Cultural Heritage Department. A city official admitted they had approved the filming but appeared unaware of the damage being done.

"When I asked if they knew about the nails in the wooden pillars, they seemed flustered and promised to order their removal immediately," Min shared.

Experts later informed Min that incidents like this aren’t uncommon, with some modern heritage sites even being dismantled for filming. "People might think hammering nails is minor, but in traditional Korean houses, it’s a big deal to even drive in one nail. For cultural heritage, this should never happen," he said.

Min’s biggest concern is the decision to allow such a valuable site, designated as Historic Site No. 260 and a UNESCO World Heritage site, to be used for filming at all. "This was a KBS drama production, and it’s deplorable that they showed such little care for cultural heritage," he added.

The drama, I Took the Male Lead's First Night, is already drawing backlash before its release, with many netizens expressing anger over the alleged damage to the historic site. Comments online include:

"Why are cultural heritage sites being used as filming locations in the first place?"

"If this is true, KBS owes an apology not just to viewers but to the nation."

"Respect for cultural heritage should come before making a drama."

Neither KBS nor the drama's production team has released an official statement regarding the allegations.

However, the issue has sparked heated debate, with many calling for stricter regulations on the use of heritage sites for filming.

Source: [1]