[Newsmaker] Director Choi Dong-hun steals show with ‘The Thieves’

Director Choi Dong-hun’s star-studded film “The Thieves” has been a sensation since its opening in local theaters last month. Now, Choi’s biggest commercial hit ― the sixth domestic film to top 10 million viewers in Korean movie history at 10,095,387 viewers in 22 days ― is going overseas, slated to open in theaters in Hong Kong, Thailand and Indonesia next month. It will also be released in Singapore and Malaysia later this year.The film, featuring top stars including Kim Hye-soo, Jun Ji-hyun,

FilmAug. 21, 2012

[Newsmaker] Could she become first female president?

Park Geun-hye may have the most nicknames among Korean politicians. Supporters call the Saenuri Party’s presidential candidate “Korea’s Thatcher” and “Election Queen.” Dissenters like to deride her as “Dictator’s Daughter,” “Notebook Princess” and “Furious Geun-hye.” One sure thing is that she is extremely beloved by many and deeply detested by just as many. Her polarizing nature largely stems from the vicissitudes of the 60-year-old lawmaker’s life.The eldest daughter of former president Park C

PoliticsAug. 20, 2012

[Newsmaker] Singer becomes sensation

South Korean singer Psy’s every move is headline news after his new single, “Gangnam Style,” went viral in July. The tongue-in-cheek, laugh-out-loud music video of the hit song and its infectious “horseback riding” choreography have spawned a global buzz that refuses to die down. Paparazzi followed the 34-year-old star to Incheon International Airport on Wednesday to catch him before he boarded a plane for the U.S., where he is scheduled to meet pop star Justin Bieber’s manager, Scooter Braun. N

PerformanceAug. 16, 2012

[Newsmaker] Man behind young North Korean leader

North Korea’s Jang Song-thaek has enjoyed much international attention since he became the lynchpin of national leader Kim Jong-un’s inner circle following the death of Kim Jong-il in December.The fledgling ruler’s powerful uncle is now in China to attract economic aid to shore up the North’s debilitated economy. The scale of his entourage and the treatment he receives in Beijing speak volumes of how much clout he wields in the reclusive state.His trajectory of success began in the early 1970s w

North KoreaAug. 15, 2012

[Newsmaker] Embattled human rights chief clings onto post

It appears that nobody wants him back except President Lee Myung-bak and his advisers. Lee’s reappointment of National Human Rights Commission chief Hyun Byung-chul for another term Monday was met with excoriation from all walks of life. Civic groups staged a protest Tuesday at the commission office in downtown Seoul to stop the infamous commissioner accused of ethical lapses from coming to work. Other activists denounced the reappointment as reversing the nation’s human rights development.The m

PoliticsAug. 14, 2012

[Newsmaker] Peace Statue, symbol of Japan’s wartime atrocities

Facing the Japanese Embassy in Seoul, the bronze statue of a barefoot teenage girl appears to impart a poignant message to an unapologetic former colonial ruler: Return the purity, dignity and life that was trampled on. Tight security surrounding the “Peace Statue” highlights the tension between South Korea and Japan, rekindled since President Lee Myung-bak visited Dokdo last Friday amid Tokyo’s growing territorial claim to the islets.The statue was established last December to mark the 1,000th

Foreign AffairsAug. 13, 2012