Most Popular
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Korean labor force to shrink by 10 million by 2044: report
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[AtoZ Korean Mind] Does your job define who you are? Should it?
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Allegations surrounding BTS resurface, enraged fans demand apology
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Students with history of violence will be barred from becoming teachers
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Probe of first lady on Dior bag allegations set to begin
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'Super Rich in Korea' will leave viewers appreciating Korea more: producers
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Top prosecutor pledges 'speedy, strict' probe into first lady's luxury bag allegations
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Medical feud leaves hospitals in financial crisis
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'Queen of Tears' riding high on Netflix chart
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Chip up cycle won’t stay long: SK chief
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Bae Doo-na to make her Netflix return with ‘Rebel Moon’
South Korean movie star Bae Doo-na returns to the small screen with yet another Netflix project “Rebel Moon -- Part One: A Child of Fire” in two years. Helmed by American filmmaker Zack Snyder, “Rebel Moon” is a sci-fi fantasy, unfolding the stories of interstellar heroes in a far-flung corner of the galaxy. The story centers on Kora (played by Sofia Boutella), who decides to fight against the brutality of Imperium -- a ruthless interstellar empire bent on controlling the
Nov. 8, 2023
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From Itaewon to Hollywood, Park Seo-joon enters Marvel universe
Upcoming American superhero film “The Marvels” director and co-writer Nia DaCosta said she cast Park Seo-joon after watching the 2020 hit TV drama “Itaewon Class” during the pandemic. Park Seo-joon plays the role of Prince Yan of Aladna in "The Marvels," making his debut in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and Hollywood. “I was really into Korean dramas, films and K-pop when I was younger at 17, 18 and I just fell in love with this Korean pop culture. I watch
Nov. 7, 2023
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From horror to romance, November is new battlefield for local films
With various genres of Korean films slated to hit theaters this month, November has become a new battlefield, a season that had been regarded as relatively less competitive compared to summer and winter holiday seasons. Last November, rookie director Ahn Tae-jin’s 9 billion-won budget “Night Owl” attracted 2.5 million moviegoers, becoming a box office hit. The film grabbed attention for combining thriller elements in a period setting. Actor Ryu Jun-yeol starred as a blind acupu
Nov. 6, 2023
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[Herald Review] ‘Iron Mask,’ a rare kendo film filled with wordless yet powerful scenes
“Iron Mask,” which has the Korean title of “One-Ten-Thousandth of a Second,” follows the story of Kim Jae-woo (Joo Jong-hyuk), who joins the boot camp to be selected for the national kendo team. The film centers around Kim's encounter with Tae-su (Moon Jin-seung), who killed Jae-woo's older brother when he was young. The movie’s Korean title is intended to show how the competition’s victory is decided within a very short amount of time. Throughout th
Nov. 4, 2023
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Shin Min-a turns from professor to countryside eatery owner in ‘Our Season’
Actor Shin Min-a turns into eatery owner Jin-joo, who sells homecooked food based on her mother’s recipes in “Our Season,” which confirmed its release in local theaters on Dec. 6. Veteran actor Kim Hae-sook appears as Shin’s mother, Bok-ja, who has come to visit her as part of her “vacation from heaven,” following the lead of a guide who has arranged the visit down from heaven, played by Kang Ki-young. While Bok-ja can see her daughter from a close distance, J
Nov. 3, 2023
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[Box office] Movies in theaters this week
“Brave Citizen” (South Korea) Opens Oct. 25 Drama/Action Directed by Park Jin-pyo Substitute teacher So Si-min (Shin Hae-sun), a former boxer, dons a cat mask and takes justice into her own hands when she notices the bullying antics of Han Soo-gang (Lee Jun-young), dubbed "crazy dog," who constantly gets into fights with other students. “Killers of the Flower Moon” (US) Opened Oct. 19 Drama/Crime Directed by Martin Scorsese A series of murders target the Osa
Nov. 3, 2023
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Hong Xa-bin of ‘Hopeless’ wins Rising Star award at London East Asia Film Festival
Hong Xa-bin, who plays 18-year-old high school student Yeon-kyu in rookie director Kim Chang-hoon’s feature debut film “Hopeless,” won the Rising Star Award at the London East Asia Film Festival on Monday. In this noir film, Hong showed a detailed emotional buildup and sensitive acting performance to portray Yeon-kyu who lives with an abusive stepfather and an enervated mother. His character is even asked to leave the Chinese restaurant where he works part-time. Then, he meets
Oct. 31, 2023
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‘Cenozoic Life’ to open 49th Seoul Independent Film Festival
The Seoul Independent Film Festival, the country’s one and only independent film festival with a competition showcase, has chosen director Im Jeong-hwan’s “The Cenozoic Life” for this year’s edition as its opening film. “The Cenozoic Life” follows Kim Min-joo, played by Kim Sae-byuk, who goes to Lithuania to find her missing husband. She stays with Oh-young, her college friend who emigrated to the country long ago, but she gets kicked out upon Oh-young
Oct. 31, 2023
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‘Iron Mask’ wins best picture at London East Asia Film Festival
Director Kim Sung-hwan’s feature debut film “Iron Mask” won the best picture award at the London East Asia Film Festival, the film’s distributor The Coup Distribution said Monday. Launched in 2016, LEAFF aims to support collaboration in East Asian filmmaking amid a shift in the cinematic landscape of East Asia, as well as to move away from cultural and cinematic borders. The festival introduces films from over 13 countries including Korea, China, Japan, Taiwan and Hong Ko
Oct. 30, 2023
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[Herald Interview] Chung Ji-young sheds light on society's forgotten in 'The Boys'
According to filmmaker Chung Ji-young, “The Boys” was originally titled “Accusation,” a stronger and more straightforward title to level accusations against authority. “Changing the title to ‘The Boys’ had to do with the message I wanted to tell through the film. I wanted to show how those with power and authority approach the isolated, poor young boys, and how ordinary people like us don’t even care about those groups of minorities,” directo
Oct. 30, 2023
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‘12.12: The Day,’ story of 1979 Coup, confirms Nov. 22 release
“12.12: The Day,” a political drama revisiting a coup led by a Korean military that took place in 1979, is set to be released Nov. 22 in Korean cinemas, its distributor Plus M Entertainment said Friday. The film covers the nine hours on Dec. 12, 1979, during an attempted coup in Seoul. Although the film’s motif is based on a real event, the names of the characters have been altered to allow for a fictionalized plot line, according to the director Kim Seong-su, who has helmed va
Oct. 27, 2023
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Seoul International Pride Film Festival kicks off on Nov. 2
The country’s largest queer film festival, Seoul International Pride Film Festival, kicks off on Nov. 2 at CGV Myeongdong Cine Library. The weeklong festival will screen queer movies from 39 countries, including 27 world premiere films, 13 Asia premiere films and three Korea premiere films. The British queer thriller flick “Femme” by Sam H. Freeman and Ng Choon Ping will open the festival. “Femme” follows a young man called Jules, who becomes the target of a horrifi
Oct. 27, 2023
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[Box office] Movies in theaters this week
“The Boys” (South Korea) Opens on Nov. 1 Drama/Crime Directed by Chung Ji-young Three young men aged 19 to 20 from a small rural town are falsely arrested for involvement in a murder in 1999. Veteran detective Joon-cheol (Sol Kyung-gu) receives information on the real culprit and throws himself in to reinvestigate the case. “Killers of the Flower Moon” (US) Opened Oct. 19 Drama/Crime Directed by Martin Scorsese A series of murders among the Osage Native American tribe
Oct. 27, 2023
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[Herald Review] Based on true story, 3 boys find justice 16 years delayed in 'The Boys'
In 1999, a small supermarket in the rural town of Samrye in Wanju, North Jeolla Province, was robbed by three assailants. Three young men aged 19 to 20 were apprehended and wrongfully convicted of robbery and murder after forced confessions. Instantly noticing that something had gone wrong after receiving information on the real culprits, Joon-cheol (Sol Kyung-gu), a veteran detective, throws himself into reinvestigating the case. But his efforts are interrupted by Woo-sung (Yoo Jun-sang), the d
Oct. 25, 2023
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[New on the Scene] Lee Jun-young shows new level of villain in latest role
Actor Lee Jun-young, who was recognizable for his villainous roles in “D.P.” and “Mask Girl,” has shown another level of villian in his first film “Brave Citizen” directed by Park Jin-pyo. In "Brave Citizen," Lee stars as a student named Han Soo-gang (Lee Jun-young), dubbed "crazy dog" for his bullying antics, constantly beating up not-so-well-off classmates. His merciless bullying is hard to stomach, such as when Soo-gang puts a plastic ba
Oct. 24, 2023
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'The Boys' director says blending fact, fiction necessary to deliver message
Adding a completely new character to "The Boys" was necessary to make the based-on-a-true-story film more compelling, director Chung Ji-young said Monday. "Some people call me the Ken Loach of South Korea. But I create more dramatic devices than (he does) to share my story with a wider audience," Chung said at a press conference in Seoul. He referred to British director Ken Loach, who is famous for making films based on true events. "The Boys" revisits a 1999 case i
Oct. 23, 2023
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Lee Sun-kyun drops out from ‘No Way Out’
Prolific actor Lee Sun-kyun, who has recently come under police investigation for suspected drug use, is dropping out from his latest project, “No Way Out,” a mystery thriller series that began shooting this month. According to the entertainment industry, the production company notified its actors and staff that shooting would be postponed for two weeks to reorganize the cast. Following the police announcement on Friday concerning the investigation into Lee, staff of “No Way Ou
Oct. 23, 2023
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[Herald Review] 'Brave Citizen,' a delightful comic action flick that punishes school bullies
Director Park Jin-pyo, behind the 2005 romance movie “You Are My Sunshine,” has returned with a delightful comic action hero flick that shows a straightforward tale of a high school teacher seeking vengeance on a school bully. In Park's "Brave Citizen," substitute civic education teacher So Si-min (Shin Hae-sun) silently endures exploitation, having to grade test paper of her peers, and sexual harassment by the vice principal, for the sole purpose of making it as a ful
Oct. 22, 2023
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43 films to premiere at Seoul International Pride Film Festival
The Seoul International Pride Film Festival, focusing on films dealing with LGBTQ+ themes, is set to kick off for a seven-day run from Nov. 2 at the CGV Cine Library in Myeong-dong, central Seoul. This year, a total of 116 films from 39 countries around the world will be screened throughout the festivities. Among the lineup, 27 films will be world premieres. The 2023 SIPFF will open with "Femme," directed by Sam H. Freeman and Ng Choon Ping. "Femme" revolves around around dra
Oct. 20, 2023
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Lotte Cinema to screen NBA game
Cinema operator Lotte Cinema confirmed Friday that it will livestream an upcoming NBA game between Golden State Warriors and Sacramento Kings on Oct. 28. A total of 22 screens, including Lotte Cinema World Tower, Gimpo Airport and more, will feature the basketball showdown between last year’s playoff qualifying teams, according to the cinema chain. Rules have been relaxed so that visitors can cheer while watching the game at the cinema during the match. Those watching will be invited to ma
Oct. 20, 2023