Ki Joo-bong wins best actor prize at Locarno Film Festival

Ki Joo-bong won the best actor award at the 2018 Locarno Film Festival that ended Saturday.He won the prize for his performance in Hong Sang-soo’s 2018 film “Hotel by the River.” Ki is a veteran actor of some 40 years, who has performed onstage and starred in films and TV shows. Ki Joo-bong poses with the award for best actor during the 71st Locarno International Film Festival in Locarno, Switzerland, Saturday. (EPA-Yonhap)In the film, Ki played the role of poet Young-wan, who has taken up resid

Aug. 12, 2018

Black Pink’s Jennie shows off archery skills

K-pop group Black Pink’s Jennie stars as a guest in the episode of SBS’ “Running Man” that airs Sunday.The show revealed a number of stills in which the singer showed off a surprising level of expertise in archery.  (SBS) (SBS)In the photos, Jennie celebrates after taking her turn at hitting the mark. Dressed in a sky blue outfit, she closes one eye to zero in on the bullseye target. Marking a change from the last time she appeared on the show in July, Jennie seemed confident as she told the res

Aug. 12, 2018

[Box Office] Movies in theaters this week

Along With the Gods: The Last 49 Days(Korea)Opened July 1Action, Drama, Fantasy Directed by Kim Yong-hwaGangrim (Ha Jung-woo), an agent of the afterlife, attempts to clear his client Kim Su-hong’s (Kim Dong-wook) charges in a trial after death, while his colleagues Haewonmak (Ju Ji-hoon) and Lee Deok-choon (Kim Hyang-gi) try to bring an elderly man living past his due time to the underworld. But the trio’s past threatens both missions.The Spy Gone North (Korea)Opened Aug. 8DramaDirected by Yoon

Aug. 12, 2018

Hong Sang-soo, Kim Min-hee together in Locarno

Filmmaker Hong Sang-soo and actress Kim Min-hee were spotted together in Locarno, Switzerland. The two were invited to the 71th Locarno Film Festival 2018 for the film “Hotel by the River,” which marks their sixth time working together. They posed together at a photo call Thursday. Hong Sang-soo (left) and Kim Min-hee (AP-Yonhap)After the photos were released, the Korean press focused on Kim’s style change. Before admitting her relationship with Hong, Kim used to wear tight, colorful dresses wit

Aug. 10, 2018

Korean adaptation of ‘Luther’ to go on small screen in winter

MBC will present a remake of the BBC drama “Luther” this winter. For the Korean adaptation of the drama, actor Shin Ha-kyun will play the main lead character. David Belshaw, an international scripted producer at BBC Studios, recently visited Korea and met with the production team.  David Belshaw (left) and Shin Ha-kyun (MBC)“‘Luther’ is a great drama with a tight plot and interesting characters,” Belshaw said, showing his anticipation for the Korean remake. “Korean viewers will experience an int

Aug. 10, 2018

BTS releases teaser video ‘Epiphany’ for album ‘Love Yourself: Answer’

BTS has released a trailer for its upcoming album, raising fans’ expectations. At midnight on Thursday, the group revealed a teaser video titled “Epiphany” for its upcoming album “Love Yourself: Answer” through its official YouTube channel.  Big Hit Entertainment)The video features the group’s member Jin sitting in the middle of a room alone, while “Epiphany,” a track from the album plays in the background. Then another image of Jin appears, showing various images of him in the same place. The r

Aug. 10, 2018

CL body-shamed, Ailee tears up on diet, revealing harsh side of K-pop

Singer CL was bombarded with headlines and comments on her appearance after pictures emerged in which she appeared to have gained weight while traveling to Singapore last week. She was photographed at Incheon Airport on her way to the Southeast Asian country. The singer from now-disbanded 2NE1 was even labeled as “XL” by a local media outlet, an abbreviation of the “X-large” size, which was intended to rhyme with her stage name.Despite the ridicule over her weight gain, CL delivers a powerful pe

Aug. 10, 2018

[Herald Interview] Psycho horror ‘Braid’ shows life is what you make it

Making headlines as much for its novel cryptocurrency funding as its content, “Braid” delivers thought-provoking, mind-bending material that explores the interdependent, perhaps psychotic, relationship of three female friends in what may be a make-believe world. The film screened in July at the Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival, the nation’s premier genre cinema event, in the World Fantastic Red section, created this year especially for enthusiasts of the most b

Aug. 10, 2018

‘Lovely Horribly’ PD sits out press conference after controversy

The producer of the upcoming drama “Lovely Horribly” absented herself from the drama’s press conference in the aftermath of controversy surrounding her previous remarks on the 2014 Sewol ferry accident. The drama’s chief producer Bae Kyung-soo, who attended the event, said that producer Kang Min-kyung had decided not to participate in the event after receiving harsh criticism from the public.  (KBS)“We agree that a producer not attending a drama’s press conference is a rarity. We suggested that

Aug. 9, 2018

[Video] Hyun Bin, Son Ye-jin talk about remote-acting in ‘The Negotiation’

With over a decade of acting experience under their belt, it’s almost surprising that Hyun Bin and Son Ye-jin, veteran actors of the same age, met for the first time while making upcoming crime flick “The Negotiation.” (Shot and edited by Park Ju-young / The Korea Herald)And it’s striking that the actor and the actress, who have respectively been imprinted in people’s minds as a fraudster in “The Swindlers” and a romance queen in “Something in the Rain,” transformed into a psychopathic villain a

Aug. 9, 2018

Kim Ki-duk, Cho Jae-hyun refute ‘PD’s Notepad’ report

Filmmaker Kim Ki-duk and actor Cho Jae-hyun have refuted additional allegations made by MBC’s investigative news show “PD’s Notepad.”After revealing allegations of sexual harassment and assault regarding the two in March, the show aired a follow-up story Tuesday. On Wednesday, Kim and Cho, refuted the claims.  Kim Ki-duk (left) and Cho Jae-hyun celebrate winning the Golden Lion at the 69th Venice International Film Festival for “Pieta” on Sept. 13, 2012. (Yonhap)Kim said through his attorney tha

Aug. 8, 2018

Memorable finger hearts by BTS, Black Pink and 6 top stars

“Finger hearts” have become one of South Korea’s biggest cultural exports of late, with celebrities using the gesture as a go-to pose during photo opportunities in Korea and abroad. It usually involves crisscrossing your thumb and index finger to create the shape of a heart. While cynics might think the gesture has been overdone, the growing number of Instagram posts with finger hearts shows it is here to stay for a while.Here are some of the most memorable finger hearts done by celebrities.1. B

Aug. 8, 2018

[Herald Review] ‘On Your Wedding Day’ a lovable coming-of-age tale

“Cute” is the word that best describes romantic comedy “On Your Wedding Day” starring Korean sweetheart Park Bo-young. Park, at the age of 28, is one of those actors who seem never to age. She can pull off both the innocence of a high school girl and complex emotions of a much older woman. Her voice can sound both sweet and shrill depending on the situation, and the range of her facial expressions is impressive every time she is on-screen.These are the impressions from the latest film by Lee Seo

Aug. 8, 2018

[Album review] New era opens with 'Summer Magic'

Red Velvet“Summer Magic”IRIVERUntil now, we all thought that nothing would top “Red Flavor,” Red Velvet’s biggest feat that was even blared at North Korea, where K-pop is forbidden. But with the act’s new seasonal album, Red Velvet proves that it does not linger in the past, but instead takes itself to the next level. Living up to the group’s nickname “summer queen,” Red Velvet’s new EP “Summer Magic” is rife with all the elements that will elevate your mood. Don’t let your expectations get too

Aug. 8, 2018

K-pop duo MXM releases concept photos before debut

Pop duo MXM has released concept photos ahead of the release of its debut album “More Than Ever” next week.The duo, Im Young-min and Kim Dong-hyun, released two sets of photos on Instagram on Monday, as the upcoming album is to be released Tuesday the following week in two different versions.The “More” version showed the duo’s youthful side, with the two in bright clothes and flashing a smile.Members of MXM cut a stylish figure in a new teaser image. (Brand New Music)MXM looked more mature in th

Aug. 8, 2018

Seoul International Drama Awards looks for future of drama industry

Korean dramas “Mother” and “Fight for My Way” are among finalists competing for this year’s Seoul International Drama Awards. The organizing committee of the annual awards announced 28 television dramas from around the world had made it to its list of finalists during a press conference at Korea Press Center in central Seoul on Tuesday. Members of the organizing committee of the Seoul International Drama Awards 2018 speak at a press conference at Korea Press Center in Jongno-gu, Seoul on Tuesday

Aug. 7, 2018

Tevision network censors student’s feminism-related remarks

State broadcaster KBS blurred remarks related to feminism written by a high school student on a show, saying the action was taken to abide by the principles of a public broadcaster. “The Golden Bell Challenge” is a weekly quiz show that features a group of high school students who hold up whiteboards with answers on them in front of the camera. The participating students often decorate the remaining empty space of the whiteboards with various phrases alluding to their aspirations or love for the

Aug. 7, 2018

Hidden messages of Red Velvet’s ‘Power Up’ MV

(Screenshot from YouTube)K-pop powerhouse Red Velvet is famous for its quirky and memorable music videos. While some aspects are pretty obvious, such as featuring the girls in the most stylish and savvy way possible, the videos always contain some multi-layered messages, allowing fans leeway to make various interpretations. Following last year’s chart-topper “Red Flavor,” Red Velvet returned with new summer single “Power Up,” which is also rife with hidden meanings and references. Here are some

Aug. 7, 2018

World Club Dome to land once again in Incheon

The self-proclaimed “biggest outdoor club in the world” is gearing up for this year’s edition at Korea’s port city of Incheon, with BigCityBeats World Club Dome Korea 2018 to be held from Sept. 14-16.The Korea Tourism Organization on Tuesday signed an agreement with the Incheon Metropolitan Government and Peter Pan MPC, the host of the show, to cooperate for the successful operation of the event. Last year’s event brought together over 100,000 fans from Korea and overseas. The organizers of the

Aug. 7, 2018

Mamamoo’s Moonbyul spreads K-pop in Vietnam

Girl group Mamamoo’s Moonbyul is actively promoting K-pop to Vietnamese audiences as a video jockey on a music chart show in the Southeast Asian country.  (RBW Entertainment)Moonbyul already meets with Vietnamese fans every Thursday through Vietnam’s only chart program, “V Heartbeat,” which airs via Naver’s V app. Now Moonbyul is joining “V Heartbeat” as a VJ to introduce K-pop news and music. Mamamoo’s songs have ranked highly on Vietnam’s iTunes chart, and the Vietnamese audiences have been qu

Aug. 7, 2018