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Jeonju film fest unveils Masters section lineup
From Mike Leigh’s latest to Quay Brothers’ long-awaited return, lineup showcases legacy alongside bold experimentations The 26th Jeonju International Film Festival has unveiled its Masters section lineup featuring 15 films from acclaimed auteurs and emerging talents for the April 30 to May 9 run. Headlining the selection is Mike Leigh's character study "Hard Truths," starring Marianne Jean-Baptiste as a caustic London housewife harboring deep emotional wounds. The film marks Jean-Baptiste's reun
March 26, 2025 -
Interview: Yeon Sang-ho reckons with divine delusions in 'Revelations'
'Train to Busan' filmmaker blends genre potboiler with meditation on faith, streamed straight into age of curated reality "I'm a total product of the '90s—back when I was binging films like crazy and had this whole dream of becoming a director one day," Yeon Sang-ho tells a group of reporters Monday at a hotel in Yeouido, Seoul. "I'm still big on that whole auteur thing, the director's intent and all that." The filmmaker, 46, speaks with the calm certainty of someone who knows exactly what every
March 25, 2025 -
BIFF favorites coming to Seoul's Cinecube
Nine previously unreleased Korean indie gems to screen at Cinecube in April Nine acclaimed Korean independent films that made waves at the 2024 Busan International Film Festival will get a special showcase at Cinecube in Gwanghwamun. The series, titled "Film Train to Gwanghwamun," running April 2-15, offers film lovers a chance to check out these works before their commercial debuts. Seven of the nine selections represent either debut or sophomore directorial efforts from emerging talents. The l
March 24, 2025 -
Discover world of Bong Joon-ho's films at Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in LA
'Director’s Inspiration: Bong Joon-ho' runs through 2027 with exhibition, screenings, talks with Bong A special exhibition dedicated to South Korean auteur Bong Joon-ho’s works is currently underway at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in Los Angeles. The Academy Museum of Motion Pictures, the world’s largest museum dedicated to films, was opened in Los Angeles in 2021 by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, which organizes the Academy Awards. This special exhibition on Bong is p
March 23, 2025 -
Why Mickey had to die 10 more times in Bong Joon-ho's 'Mickey 17'
Here is a look at how Bong Joon-ho's SF film adapts Ashton Edwards' original novel Bong Joon-ho’s latest sci-fi satire "Mickey 17" continues to top box offices. Starring Robert Pattinson in the title role, the film explores the existential dilemmas of an expendable worker who is endlessly recreated upon death until Mickey finds himself face-to-face with an unexpected duplicate of himself. The film is based on "Mickey 7," the 2022 novel by American writer Edward Ashton, but Bong’s adaptation take
March 22, 2025 -
BIAF 2025 opens submissions
South Korea's premier animation festival continues to cement global standing with Academy Award qualifying status The Bucheon International Animation Festival (BIAF) has kicked off its submission period for its 27th edition, scheduled to run October 24-28. The festival is accepting works completed after Jan. 1, 2024 that haven't previously screened at BIAF. Deadlines vary by category: June 30 for shorts (including student films, TV and commissioned works and Korean shorts) and July 31 for featur
March 21, 2025 -
Movies in theaters this week
"Snow White" (US) Opened March 19 Fantasy/Drama Directed by Marc Webb A princess (Rachel Zegler) teams up with the Seven Dwarfs to bring down the Evil Queen (Gal Gadot) in this live-action remake of Disney's 1937 animated classic. "Somebody" (South Korea) Opened March 12 Mystery/Thriller Directed by Kim Yeo-Jung and Lee Jung-Chan A trauma cleaner (Kwon Yu-ri) with no memory of her violent childhood must confront her buried past when a mysterious woman (Lee Seol) enters her life. "Conclave" (US)
March 21, 2025 -
26th JIFF Unveils Korean Competition Lineup
LGBTQ+ themes and women's narratives dominate selection The 26th Jeonju International Film Festival, set to run April 30 to May 9, 2025, has unveiled its Korean Competition selection. Ten films — nine narrative features and one documentary — from first- and second-time directors have been selected for the Korean Competition, which has historically served as a launching pad for Korea's indie directors, with previous winners like "Kim Min-young of the Report Card" (22nd edition), "Jeong-sun" (23rd
March 20, 2025 -
Interview: Kang Ha-neul takes an obnoxious turn
Korea's beloved good guy transformed into an insufferable streamer in high-octane thriller 'Streaming' In an industry where reputations are meticulously cultivated, Kang Ha-neul stands apart. Stories of his kindness border on the mythical — the actor reportedly memorizes the names of every crew member, lavishes staff with thoughtful gifts and apologizes profusely to fans he cannot accommodate. His roles have largely aligned with this personality: The earnest professional Jang Baek-ki in "Misaeng
March 19, 2025 -
Yeon Sang-ho tests faith with 'Revelations'
Director and cast discuss their upcoming Netflix thriller at a pre-release press conference in Seoul Alphonso Cuaron was following Yeon Sang-ho's career long before most film fans knew the Korean director's name. "It started when 'The King of Pigs' went to Cannes," Yeon told reporters during Tuesday's production briefing at a Seoul hotel. "That was 14 years ago." Now the Oscar-winning auteur has partnered with Yeon as an executive producer on Netflix’s "Revelations," a new film that strips away
March 18, 2025 -
CGV launches Korea's first AI film contest
Competition offers 50 million won in prizes for generative AI-produced short films CGV announced on Tuesday that it is hosting an artificial intelligence film competition, becoming the first theater chain in Korea to do so. The contest invites filmmakers to submit original, previously unpublished short films ranging from 10 to 20 minutes in length, created using generative AI technology. Entries can explore either the theme of "heroes and villains" or tackle any subject of the creator's choosing
March 18, 2025 -
Theater of devotion: Look inside pro-Yoon Suk Yeol documentary phenomenon
How a low-budget documentary film defending President Yoon Suk Yeol became a gathering place for Yoon supporters A Seoul multiplex on a Wednesday morning isn’t exactly where you'd expect political theater — the literal kind. But there they were, a group of seniors waving miniature Korean flags, watching what amounted to a 120-minute apology for the impeached president. "I came here out of my love for the country, to support our president," said Kim, a retiree in his 70s who traveled from Siheung
March 17, 2025 -
Solo diner's global vision
Yutaka Matsushige, star of Japan's beloved culinary series, introduces his directorial debut to Korean fans There is a certain epicurean joy in eating alone. The right to dine without anyone bothering you applies equally to all, especially to those who work hard to make ends meet. "The Solitary Gourmet" is a work that embodies precisely that ethos. At Thursday's press conference at CGV Yongsan in Seoul, Yutaka Matsushige — star of the beloved Japanese TV franchise that has run for 11 seasons sin
March 16, 2025 -
Review: Women of Gukgeuk
Yoo Su-yeon's new documentary captures the determined persistence of Korea's overlooked theatrical tradition When the TV drama "Jeongnyeon: The Star Is Born" captivated viewers last year, its real triumph wasn't the plot or performances— it was reviving interest in gukgeuk, Korea's forgotten all-women theater. But even as millions worldwide watched the dramatized 1950s story of a talented country girl's rise to gukgeuk stardom, few knew the history behind this unique artistic tradition, let alon
March 15, 2025 -
Movies in theaters this week
"Somebody" (South Korea) Opened March 12 Mystery/Thriller Directed by Kim Yeo-Jung and Lee Jung-Chan A trauma cleaner (Kwon Yu-ri) with no memory of her violent childhood must confront her buried past when a mysterious woman (Lee Seol) enters her life. "Conclave" (US) Opened March 5 Drama/Thriller Directed by Edward Berger After the pope's unpexcteted death, Cardinal Lawrence (Ralph Fiennes) must oversee the secretive conclave of 118 cardinals, only to uncover dark conspiracies that threaten the
March 14, 2025