In "Time to Be Strong," former K-pop stars find path to healing

Indie gem captures the healing journey of three burnt-out idols The K-pop industry's harsh toll on artists has prompted exposures of life behind the glory -- exploitative contracts, grueling training, body-shaming and psychological trauma that lingers long after the curtain falls. Korean cinema has largely skirted the issue, until "Time to Be Strong" zeroed in. Fresh from a hat trick at May's Jeonju International Film Festival -- which included the Grand Prix and Best Actor awards -- director Na

'Squid Game' Season 2 a shot at human redemption

In second season, Netflix hit trades shock value for moral dilemmas "This money is bought with the lives lost in that game." The weight of survival haunts Gi-hun (Lee Jung-jae) as Netflix's global sensation "Squid Game" returns for a second round. Three years after his harrowing victory from the deadly competition, Gi-hun is driven by more than just vengeance -- a moral obligation to end the sick and twisted games for good. The series' sophomore outing, available on Netflix starting Dec. 26, mar

Day6 ends the year on a triumphant note with Gocheok Sky Dome concert

First K-pop band to perform at Gocheok Sky Dome, Day6 at heart of resurgence of band music This year has been a tremendous year for Day6, a band at the heart of the resurgence of band music in Korea. Released in March after the completion of the member's military service, “Fourever” propelled the band's popularity to new heights. In September, "Band Aid,” the band's ninth mini album, and its title track “Melt Down” reached No. 1 on the Melon Top 100 chart, the first for the band. With a busy yea

'Harbin' aims high, but settles for spectacle

Korean cinema returns to familiar territory with another portrait of Ahn Jung-geun, the legendary independence activist whose 1909 assassination of Japanese statesman Ito Hirobumi has been dramatized countless times. The weight of depicting this near-mythological figure would give any filmmaker pause, especially under the looming shadow of "Hero," the blockbuster musical-turned-film that cemented Ahn's superhuman image in popular consciousness. Director Woo Min-ho's "Harbin" announces its ambiti