Most Popular
-
1
Yoon Suk Yeol's impeachment vote looms large
-
2
In Yoon's martial law speech, a window into his troubling worldview
-
3
How Yoon’s fate could unfold under 4 scenarios
-
4
Yoon needs to be stopped from exercising power as president: ruling party head
-
5
Ruling party leader stands firm on suspending Yoon from his position
-
6
South Korean military says will not obey another martial law
-
7
[Latest Updates] Martial law fallout
-
8
Protests sweep South Korea as calls for Yoon Suk Yeol's resignation intensify
-
9
Assembly passes motion to impeach state audit chief, top prosecutors
-
10
Rights group claims proof of 2nd martial law declaration
-
[Reporter’s Notebook] Was Netflix film opening BIFF really a bad thing?
BUSAN -- The most heatedly discussed topic at this year’s Busan International Film Festival is whether it was appropriate for a big-budget streaming platform title opening Asia’s largest film festival. BIFF has positioned itself for decades as a gateway to discover emerging filmmakers and support independent films. So many industry insiders, film journalists and critics were surprised by BIFF’s decision to open the festival with Netflix’s violent action flick “Upris
Oct. 3, 2024
-
[What to Watch] 3 Korean films to look out for at BIFF
The 29th Busan International Film Festival kicked off Wednesday, screening a total of 279 films from 63 countries. Though this year’s edition has taken the unusual step of opening with a Netflix movie, “Uprising,” it has also established a new competition section for documentaries. As Asia’s largest film festival, it continues to attract films from around the world, many of them Asian or Korean premieres. Here are three movies that The Korea Herald recommends. The 29th BI
Oct. 3, 2024
-
Netflix period flick ‘Uprising’ opens 29th BIFF, in first
BUSAN -- Netflix original Korean period film “Uprising,” opened the 29th Busan International Film Festival on Wednesday, the first time that a major streaming platform movie has opened Asia’s largest film festival. “Uprising,” directed by Kim Sang-man (“Midnight FM”), follows the story of Cheon-young (Gang Dong-won), a personal servant and member of the slave class, and his young master Jong-ryeo (Park Jung-min), set in the mid-Joseon era (1392-1910). In
Oct. 2, 2024
-
[New on the scene] Noh Sang-hyun says his ‘Love in the Big City’ character inspired heartful acting
After leaving a strong impression as Protestant minister Baek Isak in the Apple TV+ series “Pachinko,” Noh Sang-hyun makes his big screen debut with “Love in the Big City,” where he plays a young gay man living in Seoul. When asked if people around him ever commented on or worried about him playing an LGBTQ+ character for his first-ever movie role, Noh simply said he was determined to play Heung-soo. “I understand why people worried (about me playing Heung-soo), but
Sept. 30, 2024
-
Korean American documentary ‘Free Chol Soo Lee’ wins Emmy
“Free Chol Soo Lee,” a 2022 US documentary about a Korean immigrant who was wrongfully convicted in 1973 of murdering a gang leader in San Francisco, won an award at the 45th News & Documentary Emmy Awards. “Free Chol Soo Lee” won in the Outstanding Historical Documentary category during the Emmy Awards, which took place in New York on Thursday local time, according to the film's distributor, Connect Pictures. The four other contenders were: MSNBC’s “
Sept. 29, 2024
-
[Box office] Movies in theaters this week
“Transformers One” (US) Opened Sept. 25 Animation/Science fiction Directed by Josh Cooley Set on Cybertron, the home planet of the Transformers, future sworn enemies Optimus Prime and Megatron are friends who have bonded like brothers. “I, the Executioner” (South Korea) Opened Sept. 24 Crime/Action Directed by Ryoo Seung-wan Veteran detective Seo Do-cheol (Hwang Jung-min) teams up with rookie cop Park Sun-woo (Jung Hae-in) to track down a serial killer taunting police b
Sept. 27, 2024
-
‘Dirty Money’ follows ironic situation of detectives on the run
Kim Min-soo, one of the writers behind crime noir films “The Merciless” (2017) and “Kingmaker” (2022), will release his debut crime flick “Dirty Money” on Oct. 17. “Dirty Money” revolves around detectives Myung-deuk (Jung Woo) and Dong-hyuk (Kim Dae-myung), who become involved with tainted money and make the choice to run away with it, dreaming of committing a perfect crime. Seung-chan (Park Byung-eun), a cynical team leader of an investigative squ
Sept. 26, 2024
-
CJ ENM seeks to diversify its presence at 29th BIFF with TV series, K-pop documentary
South Korean entertainment conglomerate CJ EJM, a leading movie distributor as well as the operator of the country’s largest multiplex chain CJ CGV, is seeking to diversify its presence at the 29th Busan International Film Festival by showcasing its series and a documentary. According to CJ ENM subsidiary Tving, a leading domestic streaming platform, two of its original series “Dongjae, the Good or the Bastard” and “Way Back Love” are screening at the BIFF’s O
Sept. 24, 2024
-
[Herald Review] Two misfits’ evolving friendship, chemistry spice up ‘Love in the Big City’
“Why it doesn’t make sense that we live together? I mean, the house price in Seoul is so damn expensive!” In a conservative country like South Korea, it’s hard to imagine two friends -- man and woman -- living under the same roof. If that line were from a typical K-rom-com, the next scene would show two friends found in the same bed and falling in love, almost inevitably. But in director Lee Eon-hie’s “Love in the Big City,” they get to know and understa
Sept. 24, 2024
-
[Herald Interview] Kim Woo-bin grew to appreciate ‘unseen’ heroes with ‘Officer Black Belt’
Through Netflix action comedy “Officer Black Belt,” Kim Woo-bin said he became appreciative of the “unseen” heroes ensuring people’s safety every day. In this coming-of-age film, Kim plays Jung-do, a young man gradually exposed to the world of martial arts officers and probation officers. He accidently bumps into a probation officer chasing after a criminal wearing an ankle monitor on the run. Before shooting began, Kim said he had no idea what the job was about. Bu
Sept. 20, 2024
-
[Box office] Movies in theaters this week
“I, the Executioner” (South Korea) Opened Sept. 24 Crime/Action Directed by Ryoo Seung-wan Veteran detective Seo Do-cheol (Hwang Jung-min) teams up with rookie cop Park Sun-woo (Jung Hae-in) to track down a serial killer who taunts the police by announcing his next victim before committing each crime. “Jung Kook: I Am Still” (South Korea) Opened Sept. 18 Documentary Directed by Park Jun-su Follow K-pop phenomenon BTS member Jung-kook and his performance in New York, Lon
Sept. 20, 2024
-
[New on the scene] ‘House of the Seasons’ delves into love, hatred and generational differences
For “House of the Seasons” director Oh Jung-min, a family is like tofu. “The process of making tofu is quite arduous. You have to soak beans for a long time, boil them, grind them and filter until they become softer, but only a small amount of tofu is made at the end. Plus, you have to be careful not to put too much salt,” director Oh told The Korea Herald in an interview in Seoul on Sept. 12. The 35-year-old director said that’s why he made the characters in his de
Sept. 19, 2024
-
[Herald Review] Ryoo Seung-wan asks what justice is in “I, the Executioner”
Ryoo Seung-wan, an established filmmaker in Korea known for bringing witty, high-adrenaline action to the big screen, has returned with “I, the Executioner,” a sequel to the 2015 mega-hit cop movie “Veteran.” The first film in the series follows veteran detective Seo Do-cheol (Hwang Jung-min) as he takes down corrupt chaebol heir Jo Tae-oh (Yoo Ah-in). “I, the Executioner” – known as “Veteran 2” here -- follows Do-Cheol, as he teams up with r
Sept. 13, 2024
-
[Box office] Movies in theaters this week
“My Dearest Fu Bao” (South Korea) Opened Documentary Directed by Shim Hyung-joon Follow Fu Bao on the big screen in her last three months in Korea and see her interactions with the “Fu Bao grandpa” zookeepers, as well as the heart-touching moment when Kang Cheol-won reunites with Fu Bao three months after she is sent to China. “Alien: Romulus” (US) Opened Aug. 14 Horror/Sci-fi Directed by Fede Alvarez In 2142, a group of young space colonizers go on an
Sept. 13, 2024
-
Hyeri’s teen flick ‘Victory’ embroiled in ‘ticket hoarding’ rumor
Singer-turned-actor Hyeri’s latest teen cheerleading flick “Victory” was embroiled in a rumor that people related to the movie have hoarded tickets to increase sales, causing production firm Mind Mark to release a statement. According to the Korea Film Council data, “Victory,” which opened in local theaters on Aug. 14, has topped the box office as of Thursday. On Tuesday and Wednesday, more than 26,000 moviegoers watched the film, placing the movie at the top of the
Sept. 12, 2024
-
[New on the scene] Director Lee Mi-rang focuses on visualizing bestseller in ‘Concerning My Daughter’
In writer Kim Hye-jin’s best-selling novel, “Concerning My Daughter,” the story is told from 50-something Sang-ok’s point of view. She is a caregiver at a nursing home, and an unexpected life event occurs in which she is forced to live with her adult daughter and her daughter’s girlfriend of seven years in her rundown house. Distancing the film from the original novel, director Lee Mi-rang, who has made her directorial debut with film “Concerning My Daughter
Sept. 11, 2024
-
‘Officer Black Belt’ explores world of probation officers
Netflix original film “Officer Black Belt” explores the world of probation officers -- a little covered topic in Korea -- with witty comedy and thrilling action sequences. This coming-of-age comedy action “Officer Black Belt” revolves around Lee Jung-do (Kim Woo-bin) who has exceptional martial arts skills and goes on to assist probation officer Kim Sun-min (Kim Sung-kyun). The two pair up to keep an eye on criminals wearing ankle monitors. Director Jason Kim (“Midn
Sept. 10, 2024
-
Jung Hae-in says he felt no pressure to match ‘Veteran’ performance in ‘I, the Executioner’
Jung Hae-in of “I, the Executioner” said he didn’t feel under pressure to match up to Yoo Ah-in’s portrayal of ruthless villain Jo Tae-oh in the film’s prequel “Veteran,” despite the huge buzz Jo created in the 2015 original. Filmmaker Ryoo Seung-wan’s upcoming action blockbuster -- also known as “Veteran 2” -- picks up the story of veteran detective Seo Do-chul (Hwang Jung-min) nine years after the first installment, as he is joined by
Sept. 10, 2024
-
[Herald Interview] Amit Ulman’s ‘The City’ turns cult theater play into hip-hop-inspired film noir
JECHEON, North Chungcheong Province – In Amit Ulman’s “The City,” a cynical detective named Joe is visited by mysterious nightclub singer Sarah on a stormy night. Following her request to help investigate her sister’s disappearance, Joe navigates complicated and suspicious circumstances with gangs, killers and corrupt police -- as well as Sarah. While the 81-minute movie sticks to a typical film noir formula popular in the 1940s and '50s, a stylish crime flick
Sept. 9, 2024
-
13th Swedish Film Festival opens Sept. 10 in Seoul, Busan, Incheon, Daegu
The 13th Swedish Film Festival will open on Sept. 10 and take place in Seoul, Busan, Incheon and Daegu until Sept. 29. This annual film festival aims to introduce the latest Swedish films as well as shed light on the creativity of Swedish creators and their introspection through films. The 13th edition of the festival will look into the definition of “community” and “individual” through movies, according to the event organizer. The festival will kick off at Seoul’s
Sept. 6, 2024