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 ongo...

“The pressure, including that which people here (in the media) also contributed to, hindered me from enjoying the process of making the film. I was working in pain and I blame this on you guys,” Im joked. When he finally won the award, he said it felt like he had repaid a debt. “If I did not focus too much on film festivals, I could have expanded my imagination much more, but I was stuck in a f...

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 ...

“What we are trying to do is to get rid of preconceived notions and prejudices. And I think that cinema is a wonderful art form with which to overcome prejudices and step out of your comfort zone to broaden your horizon,” Nord said. Nord is also head of the Berlinale Forum. Director Jeong, who competed in the New Current section 20 years ago with her debut film “Take Care Of My Cat” (2001), said...

“At this fantastic theater in Busan, the city of the sea, on an autumn night with such a cool breeze with this fantastic stage. Also with an audience who came here despite the pandemic. The only problem (for me) tonight is my movie. I wish you enjoy it,” he said. The ceremony ended with a song titled “To the Land of Happiness,” played by musician Hahn Dae-soo. The performance was prerecorded and...

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 onl...

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 ...

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 interes...

“I also watched many YouTube videos related to female action scenes. Both director Kim and the action director wanted the actions to be real, not a predictable move from other movies and dramas. I practiced hard to hit the vital points of the body every day. ‘My Name’ gave me an amazing experience,” Han added. Though having performed a few action scenes in his previous works, co-star Ahn Bo-hyun...

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 A...

The actor added that the character influenced her greatly during and after the series. Sae-byeok’s willingness and determination to make sacrifices for the family made Jung realize that there is value to sacrificing oneself for others at times. Although sad that her role had come to an end in the drama, Jung said she, like many others, is hoping for a second season. “To be honest, I have never ...

On the Line (Korea) Opened Sept. 15 Action Co-directed by Kim Sun and Kim Gok Seo-jun (Byun Yo-han) and his colleagues at a construction site in Busan lose around 3 billion won ($2.5 million) to a massive voice-phishing ring. He decides to look for the mastermind behind it and tracks the crimes to a call center in China. At the center, Seo-jun finds out the crime ring is preparing for its ne...

Also, in keeping with the social distancing guidelines, the organizer will sell only 50 percent of the BIFF seats in six selected theaters in Busan. All audience members must have their temperatures checked and scan QR codes before entering the theaters. The organizer added that all audience members participating in the opening or closing ceremony would have to provide either proof of full vacci...

Candyman (US) Opened Sept. 22 Mystery Directed by Nia DaCosta Visual Artist Anthony McCoy (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II) goes back to his hometown in search of inspiration for his new artwork. In the city, Anthony is told a ghost story about the Candyman, a supernatural killer, and becomes fascinated by it. He then creates a mirrored art exhibit based on the legend and showcases it at his girlfrien...

Netflix's original Korean series "Squid Game" ranked first on the US top 10 TV show list of the video streaming platform, a chart has showed, becoming the first Korean drama to reach the milestone. The thriller, featuring South Korean actor Lee Jung-jae, made it to the top on the US chart, as of Tuesday, according to streaming analytics firm FlixPatrol. The previous record was "Sweet Home," the...