Lee Jung-jae back with Jung Woo-sung on big screen after 23 years

A homegrown historical film about a famous naval battle by Adm. Yi Sun-sin against an invading Japanese fleet in the 16th century has topped the South Korean box office on the first day of its release, data showed Thursday. "Hansan: Rising Dragon" pushed down "Minions 2" to No. 2 to debut atop the daily chart with 386,000 admissions Wednesday, according the box office tally from the Korean Film ...

Kim Nam-gil, who plays the airplane’s pilot, added that he put in extra effort to look like a veteran pilot. "All the pilots in the film trained together. I practiced landing simulation, piloting and controlling all the buttons. I wanted to look real in the cockpit." The film was invited to the non-competition section at last year's Cannes Film Festival, where it premiered. Its initial release ...

“It might sound ironic but I carried around ‘Nanjung ilgi (War diary of Adm. Yi Sun-sin) because it comforts me when I read it. Reading about how he faced difficulties and hardship, gave me a lot of comforts,” Kim said. “I also read them before I go to sleep at times, it is good for insomnia,” he added a joke. “Hansan: Rising Dragon” hits local theaters July 27.

These characteristics also differentiates Adm. Yi character from the same historical figure character that appeared in “Roaring Currents,” also directed by Kim, Park said. “His (Yi Sun-sin in ‘Hansan’) emotions are restrained but I wanted to still make the audience feel his energy. When filming, I often asked the director if he can feel the energy that I am trying to deliver,” Park added. “Hans...

Alienoid (Korea) Opened July 20 Action Directed by Choi Dong-hoon Guard (Kim Woo-bin) is an alien in charge of managing alien prisoners confined in mortal human brains on present-day Earth. His main job is to arrest prison breakers with his robotic colleague Thunder. One day, an alien prison-breaker runs away to the year 1390, late in the Goryeo Kingdom (918-1392). While carrying out hi...

“I think I am about 150 times more confident. I looked confident before, but I was not being completely honest. There were many times when I would pretend to be confident. But these days, if I look confident, I usually am,” Kim said. The highly anticipated “Alienloid” starring Kim hits local theaters on Wednesday.

Concerning his health, Kim said his condition has never been better. “It has been five years since I recovered after receiving treatment and I had a checkup last Tuesday. The doctor said I’m better than before,” Kim added. The highly anticipated “Alienloid,” starring Kim, hits local theaters Wednesday.

A total of 137 pieces from 27 countries are being screened during the eight-day film festival dedicated to experimental films. Held on-site for the first time in two years, the festival opened last Thursday in Seoul with a trailer made by Simon Liu, who was the winner of the Best EXiS Award in 2021. Liu is a Hong Kong-born video artist who creates short films in alternative documentary formats a...

“It should not be too familiar, but also not too strange either. I am a commercial film director, so I have to constantly consider whether there is too big of a gap between what I have in my head and what audiences can imagine. In order to do that, I ask lots of questions to people and listen, then I choose what to keep and what to cut out. Through this process I find a balance,” Choi said. Duri...

Elvis (US) Opened July 13 Drama Directed by Baz Luhrmann Elvis Presley (Austin Butler) is an ordinary 19-year-old boy who dreams of becoming a musician. He lives in one of the poorest parts of Mississippi. But one day, Elvis gets to sing on a small stage for a local radio station and his performance is incredible. Colonel Tom Parker (Tom Hanks), who is working in the entertainment business, ...

Though “Alienoid” is not Choi’s first movie to combine science fiction with Korean folklore, the director found writing a story that moves through space and time challenging. “The script alone took two and a half years. Some of the lines were changed 50 or 60 times,” the creator said. Choi has faced pushback for his attempts to fuse science fiction with folklore, with some arguing that it could...

Korean blockbusters will hit local theaters this summer in diverse “immersive cinema” formats to attract more moviegoers, as COVID-19 restrictions for theaters have been lifted. Previously, special-format Imax theaters were considered the near-exclusive domain of Hollywood blockbusters such as Marvel Studios’ superhero movies. The Korean movie industry had practically shunned the format. Until ...

Armed with Korean language, Justin Harvey is determined to succeed