The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism Friday appointed poet Kwak Hyo-hwan as the new president of the Literature Translation Institute of Korea. His term will run through May 13, 2024. “With new president Kwak Hyo-hwan, we hope that LTI Korea expands its role as the key player in exporting Korean literature overseas,” a Culture Ministry official said. “The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism will continue to reinforce our support for LTI Korea and boost global inte

Books May 14, 2021

Korean comedian Yoo Jae-suk and Lee Joon-ik, the director of period film “Book of Fish,” won the grand prizes in the TV and film categories respectively at the 57th Baeksang Arts Awards. This year’s award ceremony took place at Kintex exhibition hall in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province on Thursday night and it was hosted by comedian Shin Dong-yup and singer-actress Suzy. Yoo, the winner of this year’s TV categories’ grand prize, was recognized for hosting multiple suc

Television May 14, 2021

Those Who Wish Me Dead (US) Opened May 5 Action Directed by Taylor Sheridan Smoke jumper Hannah Faber (Angelina Jolie) lives with trauma after failing to save three children from a wildfire. One day, in a forest, she meets Connor Casserly (Finn Little), a boy on the run from the two assassins who killed his father. Hannah has to help Connor get out of the forest safely. 　 The Courier (US) Opened April 28 Thriller Directed by Dominic Cooke In 1960, Soviet agent Oleg Penkovsky (Merab Ninidze) h

Film May 14, 2021

Actor Gong Seung-yeon says her new movie “Aloners,” directed by Hong Seung-eun, reflects the feelings of loneliness that we have all been experiencing since the COVID-19 spread started last year. “We filmed this movie before COVID-19. Now we have all become used to keeping distance from each other and this movie is about how we can live well through this situation,” Gong said during a press conference held after a screening of the film at Lotte Cinema in Gwangjin-gu, Se

Film May 13, 2021

Local multiplex operators on Wednesday urged the government to come up with more effective financial support plans for theaters that have been severely hit by the COVID-19 pandemic. Representatives of the Korean Theater Association, as well as four local multiplex operators -- CGV, Lotte Cinema, Megabox and Cine Q -- gathered at Megabox Dongdaemun in Seoul to express their concerns about the plight they have been facing. “The movie industry is a competitive cultural business that can b

Film May 12, 2021

The Busan Cultural Foundation announced a “beachcombing project” on Tuesday to increase awareness about trash on the city’s beaches. Busan’s artists and other members of the community will pick up trash from the beaches, and will then work together to turn that trash into art. With this upcycling project, the foundation hopes to emphasize the importance of protecting the environment. Upcycling means using discarded materials to make high-value items. “As the

Culture May 11, 2021

K-pop girl group Loona will be promoting Korean culture abroad in 2021 as honorary ambassadors for the Korean Culture and Information Service. The 12 band members’ main role as honorary ambassadors is to take part in KOCIS events to promote South Korea’s global image as well as its pop culture content, according to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. The girl group has already participated in promotional videos for the Talk Talk Korea contest organized by KOCIS. The video

K-pop May 10, 2021

The Cultural Heritage Administration appointed Choi Young-chang as the new chairman of the Korea Cultural Heritage Foundation on Monday. His term of office runs through May 9, 2024. Choi succeeds Jin Ok-sub, who had served in the role since January 2018. Previously, Choi was the head of Jinju National Museum for five years. The museum conducts research, holds exhibitions and offers educational programs on East Asian societies, on the history of the 1592-1598 Imjin War between Joseon and Japa

Culture May 10, 2021

  Korean director Erick Oh’s “Opera” has been nominated to compete for the title of best short film in the Annecy International Animated Film Festival this year. The nine-minute-long unconventional animated film, which won Oh the Minister’s Award at the 2020 Korea Contents Awards, is an 8K-resolution, massive animation installation piece that reflects on life, society and history. Oh’s film was the only Asian short animation and the only nonnarrative form a

Film May 10, 2021

The Jeonju International Film Festival wrapped up after a 10-day run on Saturday without a proper closing ceremony. The decision to downsize the closing ceremony was announced on Thursday night after the event organizer found out that one member of the audience and a festival organizing staffer tested positive for the coronavirus. Except for those two cases, there has not been any other reports of a further spread of the infection, the festival organizer said. Instead of the planned closing c

Film May 9, 2021

The Courier (US) Opened April 28 Thriller Directed by Dominic Cooke In 1960, Oleg Penkovsky (Merab Ninidze), an agent of the Soviet Union possesses a letter that contains important information which can prevent a nuclear war and hopes to send it to the CIA. To receive this letter, the CIA and M16 cooperate and send British salesman Greville Wynne (Benedict Cumberbatch) as their spy to the Soviet Union. 　 　 Rain and Your Story (Korea) Opened April 28 Romance Directed by Jo Jin-mo  In 20

Film May 7, 2021

The 22nd Jeonju International Film Festival announced its award winners during a closing ceremony that took place at the Korea Traditional Culture Center in Jeonju, North Jeolla Province on Wednesday. A total of 15 awards in four categories — international competition, Korean competition, Korean competition for shorts and special award — were given out during the ceremony. Under the international competition category, which focuses on new and emerging directors from around the wor

Film May 6, 2021

Before playing So-hee in romance film “Rain and Your Story,” actor Chun Woo-hee was focusing on making a strong impression with dark and strong characters, like teenage rape victim Gong-ju in “Han Gong-ju” and the mysterious Mu-myeong in “The Wailing.” “I have played many serious roles, so I was thirsty for characters that are bright and down to earth,” Chun told reporters during a joint media interview via Zoom. Set mostly in 2003, “Rain

Film May 5, 2021

Angelina Jolie is returning to the big screen as a smoke jumper traumatized by her past work in the upcoming action thriller “Those Who Wish Me Dead,” directed by Taylor Sheridan. The movie hits theaters in South Korea on May 5, ahead of its release elsewhere in the world. For the 45-year-old American actor, taking part in the film was therapeutic. “I wasn’t feeling particularly strong coming into this. But to be able to get him (Connor, the child in the film) through

Film May 4, 2021

JEONJU, North Jeolla Province -- Director Srdan Golubovic, whose film “Father” opened the 22nd Jeonju International Film Festival, said he created the movie about poverty because many people in Serbia do not know it exists. “Many people in Serbia say they have never seen such poverty,” he told reporters during a Zoom interview on Friday. He explained that this is because they are ignorant, and poor people also tend to feel ashamed of themselves and live quietly. &ld

Film May 4, 2021