Most Popular
-
1
40 flights canceled on Jeju Island due to bad weather
-
2
Pandemic left Korea more depressed than before: report
-
3
N. Korea slams US, other countries for seeking alternative to UN sanctions monitoring panel
-
4
Korean labor force to shrink by 10 million by 2044: report
-
5
Gov't appears to shelve punitive measures against mass walkout by doctors
-
6
[AtoZ Korean Mind] Does your job define who you are? Should it?
-
7
Govt. asks hospitals to mitigate impact of medical professors' absence
-
8
Doggy patrol team on the move to protect their cities
-
9
S. Korea's working-age population to dip nearly 10m by 2044 amid low births
-
10
Samsung mocks Apple over iPhone alarm glitch
-
Director Longman Leung hopes to shed light on legendary Hong Kong star Anita Mui‘s life
Director Longman Leung said he hopes to shed light on legendary Hong Kong singer and actor Anita Mui through his film “Anita,” which closes the 26th Busan International Film Festival on Friday. “First of all, I hope that people who grew up with Anita Mui don’t criticize me (after watching the film). Also, I hope that people who are around my age start to miss her,” the director said during an online press conference, organized by BIFF, Wednesday. “Lastly, I h
Oct. 14, 2021
-
Disney+ to expand partnership with Korean content creators
With the global success of Korean content such as Netflix’s “Squid Game,” streaming companies are expressing heightened interest in working with content creators here. Disney+, which will launch its streaming platform service in Korea on Nov. 12, also said it is ready to expand its partnership with Korean content makers. “Disney is a global entertainment company that has been playing an important role in many regional markets including Korea. Based on this experience,
Oct. 14, 2021
-
'Venom 2' tops opening day total of 'Black Widow' in S. Korea
"Venom: Let There Be Carnage" has beat the opening day total of "Black Widow," the latest Marvel release, in South Korea, data showed Thursday. The sequel to 2018's "Venom" topped the daily box-office chart by selling 203,263 tickets on the first day of its release Wednesday, according to data from the Korean Film Council (KOFIC). For comparison, "Black Widow," the most-watched foreign film for this year to date, attracted about 195,000 moviegoers on its
Oct. 14, 2021
-
Festival dedicated to shorts returns as Gwanghwamun International Short Film Festival
South Korea’s best-known short film festival returns under a new name this year. The 19th Gwanghwamun International Short Film Festival is being held at Cinecube in Jongno-gu, Seoul, from Thursday to Oct. 19. A total of 84 movies from 36 countries will be screened during the festival. Opening the event is Elvira Lind’s “The Letter Room,” about a kindhearted prison officer who is transferred to the mailroom to monitor the prisoners’ correspondence. While doing hi
Oct. 13, 2021
-
‘Blue Bayou’ director aims to spotlight US policies on adoptees
Director Justin Chon says he created his new film, “Blue Bayou,” to bring attention to “unfair” policies regarding adoptees in the US. “I saw an issue that was happening in the United States that I felt was very unfair,” Chon said at an online press conference held as part of the 26th Busan International Film Festival on Tuesday. As well as directing, Chon appears in the film as protagonist Antonio LeBlanc, an ethnic Korean adoptee raised in a small town i
Oct. 12, 2021
-
‘Perhaps Love’ promises to be a heartwarming rom-com
The upcoming comedy-drama “Perhaps Love,” directed by Cho Eun-ji, revolves around a bestselling author whose life changes dramatically when he falls in love. “The cast and the crew, including myself, were always laughing while shooting. I actually got a note of warning from the sound recording director because I giggled too much even in a serious scene,” Cho said in an online press conference Tuesday. “We were able to finish our project with a lot of laughs. I am c
Oct. 12, 2021
-
London Korean Film Festival to be held in November
Korean Cultural Centre UK announced that it will hold the 16th London Korean Film Festival for two weeks from Nov. 4 to 19. The festival organizer said it will screen 35 Korean films of diverse genres including independent films, classic films, animation and shorts. Last year, the annual event was held as an online-offline hybrid festival due to the pandemic, but this year all of the films will be screened at nine local theaters in London. “Escape from Mogadishu” directed by Ryoo
Oct. 11, 2021
-
[Newsmaker] ‘Squid Game’ pokes at the far side of Korea
Everyone from the “Squid Game” has good reasons to win it all: 45.6 billion reasons to be exact. But some have problems that are mirrored from real-life version of the society they are in. Part of why Netflix’ record smashing hit drama has resonated with so many people is that it is also a social commentary on the actual incidents that had occurred in Korea, and perhaps the problems prevalent in the modern society. Young, smart, broke and from N.K. Jung Ho-yeon portraye
Oct. 10, 2021
-
Actress Jeon Jong-seo visits Busan fest with her Hollywood debut film
South Korean actress Jeon Jong-seo said Friday it was a fresh experience to play a wordless character with supernatural powers as a foreign actor in her first English-language film "Mona Lisa and the Blood Moon." "This was my first American project, and it required all actors go through audition," Jeon said during a special talk session at the 26th Busan International Film Festival that kicked off Wednesday. "I also joined the cast through audition. I sent my clips to
Oct. 8, 2021
-
French director Denis Dercourt says creating thriller film, composing music were similar experiences
BUSAN -- For French director Denis Dercourt, who is also a musician, creating his new thriller, “Vanishing,” was similar to the experience of composing music. “You have to write a story with tension and then release the tension, exactly like composing music,” Dercourt said during a press conference organized by the 26th Busan International Film Festival at the Busan Cinema Center on Friday. From 1988 to 1993, he was a viola player with the French Symphony Orchestra and
Oct. 8, 2021
-
Hamaguchi planned to film Cannes-winning 'Drive My Car' in Busan
Award-winning Japanese film director Ryusuke Hamaguchi said Friday he had planned to shoot his latest project in South Korea to learn from the neighboring country's thriving cinema industry. He was in Busan, as his two films, "Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy" and "Drive My Car," were invited to the Gala Presentation section for introducing new projects of the world's renowned filmmakers at the ongoing 26th Busan International Film Festival. (Yonhap)
Oct. 8, 2021
-
Legendary director Im Kwon-taek looks back on 60-year career
Legendary director Im Kwon-taek, 86, entered the theater in the Centum Campus of Dongseo University in Busan, where a press conference organized by the 26th Busan International Film Festival was to take place, proceeding slowly with a cane. With unsteady hands, he took out the golden-frame glasses from his jacket and began to look back on his 60 years in the Korean film industry. “I have a career of creating over 102 films or so,” he said. “If I state my career in one senten
Oct. 8, 2021
-
[Box Office] Movies in theaters this week
No Time To Die (US) Opened Sept. 29 Action Directed by Cary Fukunaga James Bond (Daniel Craig) has retired from MI6 and is attempting to live a normal life in Jamaica. However, his peace is short-lived when Felix Leiter (Jeffrey Wright), an old friend from the CIA, turns up. He asks him to go on a last mission, which involves a mysterious villain armed with dangerous new technology. On the Line (Korea) Opened Sept. 15 Action Co-directed by Kim Sun and Kim Gok Seo-jun (Byun Yo-han) and his c
Oct. 8, 2021
-
Jurors for BIFF’s New Current Award hope to discover breakthrough film
BUSAN -- Four jurors for the Busan International Film Festival’s New Current Award -- Deepa Mehta, Jang Joon-hwan, Jeong Jae-eun and Cristina Nord -- expressed high anticipation for a breakthrough film this year during a press conference held at the KNN theater in Busan on Thursday. BIFF’s New Current Award is given to the two best feature films by new Asian directors presenting their first or second feature, in the New Currents section. The two winners receive $30,000. Eleven films
Oct. 7, 2021
-
BIFF holds offline opening ceremony Wednesday
BUSAN -- The 26th Busan International Film Festival held an offline opening ceremony Wednesday night at the Busan Cinema Center. The ceremony was hosted by Hallyu star Song Joong-ki and Park So-dam, who had a breakthrough year in 2019 for her role in the Academy Award-winning film “Parasite.” “It has been a while since we could meet in person,” Song said. “This year’s BIFF will present 223 films from 70 different countries.” “I am also glad that
Oct. 6, 2021
-
BIFF premieres opener ‘Heaven: To the Land of Happiness’
BUSAN -- The 26th Busan International Film Festival kicked off with the world premiere of “Heaven: To the Land of Happiness" from director Im Sang-soo. The South Korean buddy drama made it to the Cannes Film Festival’s 2020 Official Selection list. Im’s movie centers on two men: No. 203, played by Choi Min-sik, and Nam-sik, played by Park Hye-il. The aging No. 203 is a longtime prisoner who only has a few months left until he is released. One day while he’s still
Oct. 6, 2021
-
‘Escape from Mogadishu’ to represent South Korea at 2022 Academy Awards
Action film “Escape From Mogadishu” has been chosen as Korea’s entry for the best international feature category of the 94th Academy Awards, the Korean Film Council said Tuesday. Directed by Ryoo Seung-wan, the film is based on true events involving South and North Korean diplomats in Somalia cooperating to escape the country during the 1991 civil war. “Escape From Mogadishu,” starring veteran actors Kim Yoon-seok, Jo In-sung and Huh Joon-ho, is the most-watched
Oct. 6, 2021
-
Netflix to delete phone number scene in ‘Squid Game’
A scene showing a telephone number on a mysterious business card will be deleted from the drama series “Squid Game,” an official of Netflix Korea said, after the number’s owner was bombarded by thousands of calls since the show’s release. In the first episode, actor Gong Yoo makes a cameo, giving Lee Jung-jae the business card and asked him to call the number printed on the back if he is interested in joining the so-called Squid Game contest. The contest turns out to b
Oct. 6, 2021
-
‘My Name’ drums up excitement with tense action scenes
Director Kim Jin-min is certain viewers who watch the first episode of his upcoming Netflix series, “My Name,” won’t be able to stop until they finish the rest of the show. “Most of the action scenes are done without a stuntman or stuntwoman. I avoided using computer graphics as well. I am sure that the viewers will be fascinated by the brutal raw action moves by the cast,” Kim said in an online press conference on Tuesday. Director Kim’s second Netflix ser
Oct. 5, 2021
-
Director Im Kwon-taek honored at Busan International Film Festival
The 26th Busan International Film Festival has selected director Im Kwon-taek as Asian filmmaker of the year. The award is presented to the Asian filmmaker or organization that has made the most significant contributions to the advancement of the Asian film industry. The iconic South Korean director was selected in recognition of a prolific career that spans six decades and has helped promote Asian film around the world, BIFF said in announcing the decision. Through films such as “Seopye
Oct. 4, 2021