[Herald Interview] Actor-director Kai Ko uses experience to guide actors

A decade after Taiwanese acting heartthrob Kai Ko, also known as Ko Chen-tung, attended Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival for the first time, he is returning this year not as an actor, but for his directorial debut. “I’ve been to various film festivals around the world but I really like Bifan’s vibrant and dynamic mood as well as its concertlike opening ceremony. As I have visited this time as a director, I feel like I’m showing my baby to the world,” Ko

July 4, 2023

Margot Robbie says so much to discover in ‘Barbie’

Award-winning filmmaker Greta Gerwig, along with actor and producer Margot Robbie and actor America Ferrera of American film “Barbie” held a press conference in Seoul to promote their film, which will be released in Korea on July 19. Director Gerwig, who starred in “Frances Ha,” (2012) and won a Golden Globe as producer of her debut film, “Lady Bird,” (2017) returned as a screenwriter and the producer of “Barbie,” after Robbie suggested the two wor

July 3, 2023

‘The Roundup: No Way Out’ draws 10m admissions as other movies struggle to break even

South Korean crime action franchise “The Roundup: No Way Out” starring Don Lee, also known as Ma Dong-seok, has attracted a record-setting 10.9 million moviegoers as of Saturday, according to the movie’s distributor ABO Entertainment. "The Roundup: No Way Out" is the 21st local film and the 30th film released in South Korea to reach the milestone. It is also the first film this year to set such a record. The film opened on May 31. This comes as a significant feat amid

July 2, 2023

Exhibition gives Choi Min-sik ‘chance to reflect’ on 34-year career

The 27th Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival that kicked off Thursday for an 11 day-run is holding a special exhibition on celebrated South Korean veteran actor Choi Min-sik called “I Saw Choi Min Sik” in Bucheon, Gyeonggi Province. Choi said he is grateful but also feels embarrassed to be featured in the exhibition. “This special exhibition comes at a pivotal time for me, as I had wished to take time off after my latest work ‘Big Bet.’ Since I do not belo

June 30, 2023

[Box office] Movies in theaters this week

“The Childe” (South Korea) Opened June 21 Adventure Directed by Park Hoon-jung Gwi Gong-ja (Kim Seon-ho) -- a name that roughly means "the nobleman" -- goes on a mysterious, mad chase after a boxer, Marco, from the Philippines to Seoul. Rookie actor Kang Tae-joo plays Marco, a Kopino -- mixed Korean Filipino -- in search of his father. “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” (US) Opened June 21 Animation Directed by Joaquim Dos Santos The Multiverse opens up i

June 30, 2023

Tom Cruise focused on bringing cinematic journey in 7th ‘Mission Impossible’ film

Tom Cruise, the “Mission Impossible” franchise star, urged fans to watch the seventh installment of the world famous spy series in the cinema for a “shared experience.” “I love cinema. I love the people and people from all cultures and walks of life. We sit down at cinemas and share community experience. I think it’s one of the joys in the life for me,” Cruise told reporters during a press conference in Lotte Cinema World Tower on Thursday. “I don&

June 29, 2023

Ari Aster makes ‘unhomelike’ home in his movies

The masterful filmmaker behind hit horror films “Hereditary” (2018) and “Midsommar” (2019) arrived in South Korea on Tuesday for the release of “Beau Is Afraid,” another film that deals with the protagonist’s darkest fear becoming a great adventure. Written and directed by Ari Aster, the American surrealist tragicomedy horror film starring Joaquin Phoenix revolves around Beau, a paranoia-ridden middle-aged man. His epic journey begins as he heads home to

June 28, 2023

Director over “The Moon” with sci-fi blockbuster

Director Kim Yong-hwa, whose two movies “Along with the Gods” in 2017 and 2018 notched up more than 10 million admissions each, returns with sci-fi film “The Moon.” Starring actors Sol Kyung-gu, Do Kyung-soo and Kim Hee-ae, the movie was motivated by director Kim’s long-yearning to set story around the moon and backed by Korea’s sophisticated visual effects. “While I was shooting the ‘Along With the Gods,’ I thought that even a fantasy story

June 27, 2023

[New on the scene] Ka Sung-moon portrays human imperfections in ‘Dream Palace’

The following article is the fifth in a series that introduces Korea’s new and emerging actors and directors. -- Ed. Director Ka Sung-moon described the four years he spent working on his debut feature film, “Dream Palace,” as a time of breaking barriers in the indie film scene. “For short, indie films, (I tend to work with) people who know me well, so communication is easy and the staff all understand who I am and what kind of life I have lived. But working on a long fea

June 27, 2023

Don Lee joins Hollywood production of ‘Hell Divers’ as main cast, producer

“The Roundup” star Don Lee, also known as Ma Dong-seok in Korea, will join the Hollywood production of adaptation of sci-fi novel “Hell Divers” with Arad Productions, the actor’s agency said Friday. The film is based on bestselling author Nicholas Sansbury Smith’s 2016 dystopian sci-fi novel series “Hell Divers,” moving the first three books in the 10 book-series to the screen. Set two centuries after World War III has poisoned the planet, the movi

June 23, 2023

‘Concrete Utopia’ confirms Aug. 9 release

Director Um Tae-hwa’s upcoming disaster thriller “Concrete Utopia” will be released in local cinemas on Aug. 8, the film distributor Lotte Entertainment said Friday. The film’s star-studded cast including Lee Byung-hun, Park Seo-joon and Park Bo-young, garnered industry attention after a teaser was released in the past week. Based on the second part of a webtoon about an earthquake and its aftermath, “Pleasant Neighbor,” the film revolves around few residents

June 23, 2023

Release of Netflix original featuring late singer Sulli could be imminent

A Netflix original film featuring late singer Sulli received its mandatory age certification Friday, indicating its imminent release. According to The Korea Media Rating Board, the second part of a series of omnibus films by four different directors, “Persona: Sulli,” will be available to viewers 15 years old or older. The movie, which has four parts in four different genres, is 2 hours and 10 minutes long. The first part of “Persona” opened in 2019, with the directors e

June 23, 2023

[Box office] Movies in theaters this week

“Elemental” (US) Opened June 14 Animation Directed by Peter Sohn In a city where fire, water, land, and air residents live together, a fiery young woman and a go-with-the-flow guy discover something elemental: how much they actually have in common. “The Flash” (US) Opened June 14 Action Directed by Andres Muschietti The Flash uses his superpowers to travel back in time to change events of the past. But his attempt to save his family inadvertently alters the future and h

June 23, 2023

[Reporter’s Notebook] Netflix co-CEO barely scratches surface of Korea investment details

Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos, in South Korea for the first time in seven years, on Thursday spoke about the US streaming giant’s interest in Korean content and what its partnerships with local production and VFX firms could lead to. Almost 200 local reporters gathered to hear the details of Netflix’s $2.5 billion investment plan in Korea over the next four years, but details were scant. “It’s been an amazing partnership between the Korean creative community and Netflix. Bu

June 22, 2023

Park Chan-wook touts first-ever Netflix project in front of co-CEO

Award-winning director Park Chan-wook talked about his first-ever film project with Netflix during a roundtable discussion with the US streaming giant's co-CEO Ted Sarandos, who is on a two-day visit to Seoul. On Wednesday, Park and Sarandos gave a talk to aspiring filmmakers and content creators in Korea, sharing their insights and ideas on the future of the digital content market. Park, who recently announced his participation as co-screenwriter and producer in the new Netflix film &ldq

June 21, 2023

‘Concrete Utopia’ more black comedy than disaster flick

Six years after “Vanishing Time: A Boy Who Returned,” director Um Tae-hwa returns with disaster thriller “Concrete Utopia,” in which home turns hostile for a group of apartment dwellers. The movie is based on the second part of a webtoon about an earthquake and its aftermath, “Pleasant Neighbor.” Lee Byung-hun, Park Seo-joon and Park Bo-young star as few residents of Hwang Gung Apartments in the devastated city. Lee plays Young-tak, a leader among the resident

June 21, 2023

Park Seo-joon ‘doesn’t deny’ dating YouTuber Xooos

Asked to make a comment on his personal life, actor Park Seo-joon, meeting with the press a day after a media report said the actor was dating Korean YouTuber and singer Xooos, neither confirmed nor denied the news. Park was attending a press conference for his upcoming disaster thriller flick “Concrete Utopia,” held at Lotte Cinema Konkuk University in Seoul, Wednesday. “I heard the news late yesterday because I was shooting another project. First thing I felt after reading th

June 21, 2023

KOFIC eyes ASEAN cooperation to develop Asian cinema

The Korean Film Council emphasized the significance of Korea-ASEAN cooperation in the film industry, while promising to restructure itself to better support and promote Korean films as a state-funded entity. The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism openly lambasted KOFIC on June 15 over its lax management, particularly the organization’s mishandled budget of 2.4 billion won ($1.86 million) over the last five years which was aimed at creating the ASEAN-Republic of Korea Film Organizati

June 20, 2023

Kim Hye-soo, Yum Jung-ah overcome fear of water for ‘Smugglers’

The hit filmmaker who helmed “Veteran” (2015) and “Escape From Mogadishu” (2021) returns with the star-studded female-led action film “Smugglers.” Set in a peaceful seaside village in the 1970s, the crime action film revolves around an accident in front of “haenyeo,” female divers who collect seafood from the ocean floor. Kim Hye-soo, Yum Jung-ah, Zo In-sung, Park Jung-min, Kim Jong-soo and Go Min-si star in the film. Kim Hye-soo and Yum Jung-ha

June 20, 2023

[New on the scene] Lee Shin-young does not want to be defined in acting

The following article is the fourth in a series that introduces Korea’s new and emerging actors and directors. -- Ed. Actor Lee Shin-young, who appeared as third-year medical resident Dong-hwa in the third season of the SBS hit drama “Dr. Romantic” that just finished last week, has kept himself busy in the first half of this year. In the sports comedy film “Rebound,” which opened in local theaters on April 5, the 25-year-old played a high school basketball genius

June 19, 2023