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

[Herald Interview] ‘Bloodhounds’ producer, actors bond tightly after final two episodes rewritten

Director Jason Kim’s first-ever drama series “Bloodhounds,” which released on Netflix on June 9, runs for a total of eight hours, about four times longer than his previous films “Midnight Runners” and “The Divine Fury.” Yet with an unexpected setback involving the series’ main female actor, the effort and time invested in bringing the eight-episode series to life ended up far exceeding the director’s initial expectations of a mere fourfold in

June 18, 2023

Netflix announces new cast for ‘Squid Game 2’

Netflix Korea on Sunday announced the new cast for the second season of the sensational series “Squid Game.” Joining the original cast will be actors Yim Si-wan, Kang Ha-neul, Park Sung-hoon and Yang Dong-geun. Yim most recently starred in the Netflix thriller flick “Unlocked,” while Park played a villain in Netflix’s “The Glory.” Kang was the lead actor in hit TV drama “When the Camellia Blooms” (2019) and Yang appeared in Netflix action fli

June 18, 2023

[Box office] Movies in theaters this week

“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 he becomes trapped in a reality in which General Zod has returned, threatening annihilation. “Transformers: Rise of the Beasts” (US) Opened June 6 Action Directed by Steven Caple Jr. Optimus Prime and the Autobots take on their biggest challenge ye

June 17, 2023

Song Joong-ki greets new baby boy

Actor Song Joong-ki has uploaded a photo of his newborn son's hand grasping his finger Thursday. In January, Song announced his marriage to British former model Katy Louise Saunders a month after confirming their relationship. On Thursday, Song wrote on an online fan site that he has “met with the baby boy in Rome” where his wife was also born. Song said both mother and baby are healthy and that he’s been taking care of his family with gratitude and happiness. “(The

June 15, 2023

[Herald Interview] Kim Seon-ho says working on ‘The Childe’ changed how he saw life

Kim Seon-ho is making a silver screen debut through director Park Hoon-jung’s latest noir film “The Childe,” which will open in local theaters June 21. In an interview with The Korea Herald prior to the film's opening, Kim seemed slightly on edge. “It is my first movie. I watched the film for the first time with other staff and reporters on the press screening day. I don’t remember anything except for scenes that I should have done differently and better,&rdquo

June 13, 2023

Star-studded summer blockbuster films to compete in August

A number of star-studded blockbuster films will vie for audience attention this summer, raising expectations that the projects might bring local moviegoers back to theaters after the majority of films released this year have performed worse than expected at the box office. "Unofficial Operation," an action flick starring Ha Jung-woo and Ju Ji-hoon, will open Aug. 2, according to the film distributor Showbox. The film revolves around Min-joon (Ha), a diplomat who departs for war-torn Le

June 12, 2023

Italian Cultural Institute in Seoul to premiere 'Ennio: The Maestro' at Fare Cinema

The Korean premiere of documentary film "Ennio: The Maestro" will take place at Seoul Art Cinema on Wednesday evening as part of Fare Cinema, an event aimed at promoting Italian films around the world. Italian Cultural Institute in Seoul and Jinjin Pictures, the local distributor of the film, are co-hosting the premiere. The documentary film was helmed by Oscar-winning Italian film director Giuseppe Tornatore, the director of 1988 classic "Cinema Paradiso," to celebrate the

June 12, 2023

[Herald Review] ‘The Childe’ signals Kim Seon-ho’s return to golden age

Director Park Hoon-jung, who helmed one of the most-loved Korean noir action films “New World” (2013), said he didn’t want any other actor except Kim Seon-ho for the starring role in “The Childe.” This is Kim's first major starring film role since a scandal in 2021. Watching the film at a press screening on Thursday, it was easy to see why Park chose Kim for the role. Far removed from Kim’s roster of attractive, charming male lead roles the audience is us

June 11, 2023

[Box office] Movies in theaters this week

“The Roundup: No Way Out” (South Korea) Opened May 31 Action Directed by Lee Sang-yong Seven years after the roundup in Vietnam, Ma Seok-do (Don Lee) joins a new squad to investigate a murder case. He soon starts to dig deeper when he finds out the case involves a synthetic drug and a gang of thugs. “Transformers: Rise of the Beasts” (US) Opened June 6 Action Directed by Steven Caple Jr. Optimus Prime and the Autobots take on their biggest challenge yet. When a new thre

June 10, 2023

Star-studded ‘War and Revolt’ confirms Netflix production

The star-studded Netflix film “War and Revolt” confirmed its cast, the first project between award-winning auteur Park Chan-wook and the global contents streaming platform. According to Netflix Korea, this periodic film will star Gang Dong-won, who will play the servant Cheon-young of Jong-ryeo (Park Jung-min). Later, Cheon-young becomes a military officer of the Joseon-era King Seonjo (Cha Seung-won) and encounters Jong-ryeo again. The film will portray the friendship between Jong-r

June 9, 2023

‘The Roundup: No Way Out’ becomes 4th-highest-grossing film globally

South Korean crime action franchise “The Roundup: No Way Out” starring Don Lee, also known as Ma Dong-seok, has become the fourth-highest-grossing film globally by raking in $25.3 million in ticket sales just 10 days after the movie’s opening. According to global box office ranking data aggregator comScore, the third installment of the Korean action franchise ranked fourth globally as of Wednesday. The film has opened not only in South Korean theaters but also in Hong Kong, Mac

June 9, 2023