Coupang Play vs. ‘Anna’ director: Platform operator and creator duel over right to edit

Newcomer Coupang Play immediately became a notable player in the local streaming market after releasing the K-drama series “Anna” starring Korean heartthrob Bae Suzy on June 24. The platform had the fourth biggest monthly active users in Korea in June, with 3.73 million. However, just as it was time for Coupang Play to celebrate its success, trouble arose after “Anna” director raised a complaint against the company. On Tuesday, “Anna” writer and director

Aug. 4, 2022

[Herald Interview] Jung Woo-sung says working with best friend Lee Jung-jae was not easy

Top star Jung Woo-sung said he felt more pressure working with Lee Jung-jae since he really wanted his best friend’s directorial debut feature “Hunt” to be a success. The top actors became close friends while working together in the movie “City of the Rising Sun,” directed by Kim Sung-soo in 1999. Their fans have taken to calling the two the “Cheongdam couple,” as they are often spotted hanging out together at bars and restaurants in the Cheongdam-don

Aug. 4, 2022

[Herald Interview] ‘Squid Game’ star Lee Jung-jae ready to ‘hunt’ global audience

Korean moviegoers seeking out Lee Jung-jae’s “Hunt” will see a different version of the film to the one shown at the Cannes Film Festival earlier this year. The actor said he reworked his directorial debut feature after it premiered at the festival, as some foreign viewers told him that the movie was difficult to follow without knowledge of 1980s Korean politics. “When writing the script, I aimed to target audiences in their teens and 20s. Since my goal was to target

Aug. 4, 2022

EBS International Documentary Festival returns with in-person programs

The 19th EBS International Documentary Festival (EIDF 2022) kicks off Aug. 22 with a return to in-person ceremonies and screenings for the long-awaiting documentary fans. Under the slogan “Pitch Your Dream,” the seven-day festival will begin with an opening ceremony at EBS Space Hall in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, which will also be broadcast live on EBS 1TV, the EIDF organizing committee said during a press conference Tuesday. Chinese director Jin Haquing‘s documentary, &ldqu

Aug. 3, 2022

Hong Sang-soo’s ‘Walk Up’ invited to two overseas film fests

Director Hong Sang-soo’s new film “Walk Up” has been invited to two film festivals – the San Sebastian International Film Festival and Toronto International Film Festival. “Walk Up,” which was filmed in the fall of 2021 in Nonhyeon-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, follows the interactions of a middle-aged moviemaker. Actors from Hong‘s previous film “The Novelist’s Film,” Kwon Hae-hyo, Lee Hae-young, Jo Yoon-hee and Park Mi-so also star in t

Aug. 3, 2022

Bong Joon-ho starts shooting ‘Mickey7’ in the UK

Korean director Bong Joon-ho has started filming his new sci-fi film under the working title of “Mickey7” at Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden in the UK. Many popular movies, including films from the “Harry Potter,” “Kingsman, “ and “Mission Impossible” franchises, were filmed at Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden. Bong is scheduled to finish shooting by the end of this year, with the film‘s release expected at the end of 2023 or the beginning of

Aug. 3, 2022

Joo Won returns with Netflix action film ‘Carter’

Korean actor Joo Won is returning with new Netflix action film “Carter” directed by Jung Byung-gil. “I can confidently say that ‘Carter’ is a new kind of action film. I hope that through this film, we can spread Korean action films to the world,” the actor said during a press conference held at JW Marriott Dongdaemun Square Seoul on Tuesday. “When I first read the script, I thought, ‘Is it possible to film these scenes?’ but also really w

Aug. 3, 2022

KF World Cinema Week to look into films from Latin America

An unprecedented blackout hits Central America, and people struggle to get through the crisis. A pilot suffers severe injuries from an accidental landing; an elderly lady with her grandson tries to find her daughter at a hospital; a millionaire housewife is trapped in her penthouse with her housemaid; a teenage girl’s 15th birthday party goes awry; a pastor and his daughter take advantage of the chaotic situation; a detached couple finds each other amid a solar storm. These six different

Aug. 2, 2022

[Herald Interview] Lee Byung-hun channels fear of flying for new role

Lee Byung-hun recalled the first time he read the script for “Emergency Declaration,” during an interview with a group of local reporters on Thursday. “It was a whirlwind of tensions, like riding a roller coaster throughout. I thought, ‘This is going to be a strong movie,’” the actor said. “The first time I watched the movie, it resonated with me so deeply, perhaps because we went through a long pandemic. It wasn’t intended, but I feel like this

Aug. 1, 2022

[Herald Interview] Song Kang-ho wishes audience to find hope through ‘Emergency Declaration’

Cannes-winning actor Song Kang-ho is set to return with the latest airplane disaster film, “Emergency Declaration,” this week. “There are many disaster movies, in Korea and Hollywood. But when I first read the script, I was drawn to the message that ‘Emergency Declaration’ is trying to deliver to the audience,” Song said during a group interview with local reporters. “How we cope with unavoidable disasters is important. I think the film touches on what

Aug. 1, 2022

Lee Jung-jae’s 'Hunt' to screen at TIFF 2022

Top actor Lee Jung-jae’s espionage action film “Hunt” will be screened at the 47th edition of the Toronto International Film Festival, Lee’s agency Artist Company announced in a press release Friday. As the world’s largest public film festival, TIFF presents over 100 films in different sections based on genre and format, including Contemporary World Cinema, TIFF Docs and Discovery, among 10 other categories. “Hunt” has been selected for the Gala Prese

July 29, 2022

Two Korean films invited to Toronto film fest

Two directorial debut films of South Korean star actors Lee Jung-jae and Jung Woo-sung have been invited to this year's Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), the films' distributors here said Friday. According to Megabox Plus M, the espionage film "Hunt," written and directed by "Squid Game" star Lee, will be presented at the Gala Presentations section at the 47th TIFF slated for Sept. 8-18. Starring Lee and Jung, "Hunt" is a story about two rival in

July 29, 2022

[Box Office] Movies in theaters this week

Hansan: Rising Dragon (Korea) Opened July 27 War Directed by Kim Han-min In 1592, Joseon loses its capital city, Hanyang, to Japan in just 15 days after Japan invaded the country, starting a six-year war known as the Imjin War. In a series of defeats, the Korean forces are on the verge of collapse and King Sunjo flees from the capital. While the Japanese navy gathers a large-scale force around Busan, Adm. Yi Sun-sin (Park Hae-il) prepares for a battle to turn the tide of war. Minions: The

July 29, 2022

‘Hunt’: breathtaking gunfight, psychological warfare in lawless Korean Peninsula

Squid Game actor Lee Jung-jae’s directorial debut “Hunt,” an espionage action film, offers thrilling action scenes with seemingly unending gunfire and a heart-pounding rivalry between two intelligence agents. For some moviegoers, the long-awaited reunion of top actors Lee Jung-jae – who also stars in the film -- and Jung Woo-sung is enough to hold their expectations high for the movie. Lee seemed a little nervous when he introduced himself as a director for the first ti

July 28, 2022

Film about legendary Korean naval hero tops box office on its opening day

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 Council. The figure accounts for nearly 60 percent of the total number of tickets

July 28, 2022

'Emergency Declaration' delves into different types of humanity

In the face of disaster, different types of people cope differently. "Emergency Declaration," a new aviation disaster film released next month, tells a story that everyone living through the pandemic can relate to. The film follows a detective, played by Cannes-winning actor Song Kang-ho, who investigates a suspected terrorist only to find out that he has already boarded a plane. While passengers are trapped inside, those on the ground struggle to find a way to land the plane. "

July 26, 2022

[Herald Interview] ‘Hansan’ director wants to shed more light on already famous Adm. Yi Sun-sin

“Hansan: Rising Dragon” director Kim Han-min decided to create a trilogy about Adm. Yi Sun-sin, thinking the beloved historic figure deserves even more attention. He believes that the Joseon-era war hero holds an undying quality that is crucial for the leaders of our time. “Adm. Yi Sun-sin played a special role in Korean history and was different from other admirals like Gang Gam-chan and Eulji Mundeok. He was closer to the people and from the King’s point of view, Yi

July 22, 2022

[Herald Interview] Korean actor Park Hae-il impressed by sentimental side of Adm. Yi Sun-sin

Before sitting down on his chair, Korean actor Park Hae-il took out his smartphone and started reading a poem written by Adm. Yi Sun-sin during an interview with a group of local reporters at a cafe in Samcheong-dong, central Seoul on Thursday. The poem featured Adm. Yi’s concerns over the country’s future. Then the actor started talking about how impressed he was to find out that Adm. Yi, a historical war hero and the character he played in director Kim Han-min’s new film &

July 22, 2022

[Box Office] Movies in theaters this week

　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 his duty in the past, Guard comes across a baby girl and Thunder brings her to the present time. 　Elv

July 22, 2022

‘Hansan’ director claims film is more than just a nationalistic flick

When creating a movie about a heroic figure central to Korean history, there is always the risk of making “gukppong” content, a usually derogatory Korean term for nationalistic works. Director Kim Han-min, who is returning with a movie about the country‘s beloved Adm. Yi Sun-sin titled “Hansan: Rising Dragon,” said he aimed to create a motion picture that is more than just nationalism. “I tried to portray the genuine spirit of Yi Sun-sin in the film with s

July 20, 2022