Bong praises art of filmmaking at Oscars

Director Bong Joon-ho made an appearance at the 93rd Academy Awards, as a presenter for the best director award. Bong, whose film “Parasite” last year won four Oscars, spoke in Korean with his interpreter, Sharon Choi, from Dolby Cinema at Megabox Coex in southern Seoul. “If you have to explain to a random kid on the street what directing is in 20 seconds, what would you say?” Bong said, saying the five nominees were asked the same question. “Their replies were

FilmApril 26, 2021

Youn Yuh-jung’s storied 5-decade career culminates in Oscars win

Veteran actor Youn Yuh-jung clinched the best supporting actress award at the 93rd Academy Awards on Monday for her performance in US film “Minari” as an eccentric grandmother. With the win, Youn became the first South Korean to win an Oscar for acting. No other Korean actor, including those in the Oscar-winning “Parasite,” has ever been nominated for an Academy Award. The four other actors vying for the prize were Maria Bakalova for “Borat Subsequent Moviefilm,&

FilmApril 26, 2021

Youn Yuh-jung wins Oscar

Veteran actor Youn Yuh-jung, 73, won the best supporting actress prize at the 93rd Academy Awards on Monday for her portrayal of eccentric grandmother Soon-ja in the US film “Minari.” Youn became the first Korean to win an Oscar trophy in an acting category. No other Korean actor, including those from last year’s breakthrough Oscar winner “Parasite,” had received any trophies from the Academy Awards. “Tremendous thanks to Academy members who vote for me,&rdq

FilmApril 26, 2021

'Minari’ awaits big Oscar wins

The film “Minari” is awaiting its big night at the Oscars. Directed by Korean American Lee Isaac Chung, the film has been nominated for best picture, best directing, best original screenplay, best actor, best supporting actress and best score at the 93rd Academy Awards. It has garnered the second most nominations following “Mank,” directed by David Fincher, which has been shortlisted in 10 categories, including best picture.   Actor Youn Yuh-jung has been nomina

FilmApril 26, 2021

The Oscars bring back red carpet glam in whites and gold

NEW YORK (AP) -- Red carpet glam was back Sunday at the Oscars with Andra Day and Carey Mulligan shimmering in award-worthy gold and Maria Bakalova among several stars in bright white princess gowns during the pandemic era's first big parade of fashion. Day dressed all the way up in a sexy look cut to the thigh on one side with a cutout at the waist. It was custom Vera Wang made of actual metal. Mulligan stunned in gold Valentino couture, a midriff look with a tiny metallic top and a huge

FilmApril 26, 2021

[Herald Interview] Kang Ha-neul says he enjoyed filling in blanks in ‘Rain and Your Story’ script

Actor Kang Ha-neul said he liked the script of “Rain and Your Story” because it had blanks that he could fill in. “I like that the script did not have precise directions about the character‘s emotions and reactions,” Kang told local reporters during a joint media interview Thursday via Zoom. “It only had a minimum amount of words that are required to proceed with the story.” Set mostly in 2003, “Rain and Your Story” introduces Young-ho, w

FilmApril 25, 2021

Royal Culture Festival to kick off Saturday

The seventh Royal Culture Festival will begin Saturday in Seoul and bring a variety of cultural experiences both to online and offline spaces. The theme is relaxation. The annual festival will run through May 9 at Seoul’s five royal palaces -- Gyeongbokgung, Changdeokgung, Changgyeonggung, Gyeonghuigung and Deoksugung -- as well as the shrine Jongmyo and the altar Sajikdan. The 23 on-site events will include “Cinema in Palace” at Gyeongbokgung, “Self-Discovery Time&rd

CultureApril 25, 2021

Will Youn Yuh-jung of 'Minari' become first S. Korean to win Oscars' acting trophy?

One day before the 93rd Academy Awards ceremony, veteran actress Youn Yuh-jung is grabbing attention over whether she will become the first South Korean to win an acting award at the Oscars. The 73-year-old screen veteran was nominated for best supporting actress for her role in the immigration film "Minari." Youn plays Soon-ja, an eccentric grandmother who flies to rural Arkansas from South Korea to help her daughter's family striving to build a new life in America. Youn is competi

FilmApril 25, 2021

[Eye plus] Children's Grand Park reopens for festive spring

Just as spring is a season of rebirth, a 49-year-old amusement park in Seoul has also been given a new lease on life.  Reopening to the public after eight months of renovation, the Children’s Grand Park located in Neung-dong, Gwangjin-gu is a popular picnic spot that has been loved by generations of Seoulites since 1973.  Covering a total of 530,000 square meters, the park has a zoo, botanical garden, outdoor performance venue and many other fun attractions.  The public p

TravelApril 24, 2021

Bean-to-chocolate at Cacaodada

Chocolate crafter Yoon Hyung-won summed up Cacaodada’s approach to craft chocolate when he said, “While the term ‘bean-to-bar’ has long been used in the industry, one could say the term ‘bean-to-chocolate’ is actually easier to understand.” This is certainly true for Cacaodada, which from its inception in 2016 not only makes chocolate bars from scratch but also brownies, cakes, drinking chocolate and more recently, chocolate jam.  Chocolate craft

FoodApril 24, 2021

MMCA sheds light on animation history

The National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea, will explore the history of animation from the 1920s to the 1940s in an exhibition that starts Friday. “Movement Making Movement” runs through Sept. 26 and features works by five representative pioneers of the genre. A total of 24 animations produced by German animators Lotte Reiniger (1899-1981) and Oskar Fischinger (1900-1967), New Zealand animator Len Lye (1901-1980), Czech film director Karel Zeman (1910-1989) and Scott

Arts & DesignApril 24, 2021

KOCCA to support media content exports

The Korea Creative Content Agency on Thursday announced plans to expand support for local companies hoping to export and promote media content overseas. “The KOCCA has been conducting diverse online projects that reflect different demands to support the local industry that cannot continue their offline businesses due to COVID-19,” KOCCA official Lee Do-hyung said in a statement. “Through online support programs, we will further diversify the current exporting markets and hold

TelevisionApril 24, 2021

Maestro Chung Myung-whun reflects on life with new album of piano music

Maestro Chung Myung-whun is returning to the stage as a pianist with the release of his second piano album Thursday. Chung will be on a recital tour of five cities -- Seoul, Gunpo and Suwon in Gyeonggi Province, Gwangju and Daegu -- this month, the first time he is going on a recital tour in seven years. The recitals will focus on late piano works by Haydn, Beethoven and Brahms. In addition to Haydn’s Piano Sonata No. 60, Beethoven’s Piano Sonata No. 30 and Brahms’ 4 Piano P

PerformanceApril 24, 2021

Youn Yuh-jung wins best supporting actress at Spirit Awards

With three days left before the 93rd Academy Awards, Youn Yuh-jung of “Minari” bagged another best supporting actress award at the 36th annual Film Independent Spirit Awards on Friday. The Spirits, a prelude to the Oscars, are dedicated to independent filmmakers. The event is organized by nonprofit arts organization Film Independent, which organizes the LA Film Festival. Youn is considered by many to be the favorite to win the Oscars for best supporting actress on Sunday (local t

FilmApril 23, 2021

COVID-19 hits the musical industry

With the daily number of new COVID-19 cases almost reaching 800, the musical industry is on high alert as actor Son Jun-ho who is to appear in the musical “Dracula” next month tested positive for the coronavirus on Friday. “Son Jun-ho wasn’t feeling well recently, so he voluntarily tested for COVID-19. He tested positive and went into self-quarantine,” Son’s agency Sidus HQ said. “All staff who came in contact with Son have been or will be tested.&rdq

PerformanceApril 23, 2021

[Newsmaker] BTS Jimin’s hanbok pulled out of auction last minute

A traditional Korean outfit worn by BTS’ Jimin that was scheduled to go under the hammer was removed last minute on Thursday. His fans however are calling for the modern “hanbok” suit to be put up for auction as planned. The K-pop superstar wore it for a September performance on NBC’s “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.” Myart Auction on Thursday removed the outfit from its online auction list last minute and it was only available for preview as the a

Arts & DesignApril 23, 2021

[Video] ‘Let’s be someone nature welcomes’

Hiking has become one of the most popular outdoor activities in South Korea. But with the increasing number of hikers, a critical environmental problem arises: litter. While some ill-mannered hikers do not clean up after themselves, one group is trying to change the careless practice of leaving trash and garbage behind after a hike. These people call themselves Clean Hikers. Kim Kang-eun, who identifies herself as a hiking artist, is the founder of Clean Hikers.  “As a mountain l

PeopleApril 23, 2021

[Around the Hotels] Promotions and packages

InterContinental launches Children’s Day promotion InterContinental Seoul Coex in Samseong-dong announced its collaboration with global content company Smartstudy and Pinkfong Baby Shark. The “Kids For-Rest Package” will launch in May ahead of the Children‘s Day holiday. The package offers exclusive concept rooms decorated with Pinkfong characters such as Baby Shark from the world’s most-viewed YouTube video, limited editions of the “Pinkfong Baby Shark Kids

FoodApril 23, 2021

[Travel Bits] Festivals, sights across Korea

Yellow Forest in Kimcheon Kimcheon City in North Gyeongsang Province has set up a forest decorated with yellow furniture pieces and objects, named the “Yellow Forest.” The project was inspired by the Purple Island in Sinan. Two islands in the Sinan area in South Jeolla Province are blanketed in a hue of purple, with all the roofs and streets painted purple. Kimcheon City hopes to attract tourists with its new Yellow Forest. It will feature hands-on activities such as woodcraft cl

TravelApril 23, 2021

[Box Office] Movies in theaters this week

Recalled (Korea) Opened April 21 Thriller Directed by Seo You-min Soo-jin(Seo Yea-ji) wakes up after an accident but she lost part of her memory. Fortunately, her husband Ji-hoon (Kim Kang-woo) is there to take care of her. After returning home, Soo-Jin realized that she now has a special power to see the future of people, the moments when they are about to face dangerous situations. 　 Seobok (Korea) Opened April 15 Science fiction Directed by Lee Yong-joo Ki-hun (Gong Yoo) is a former intell

FilmApril 23, 2021