The Korea Herald

Foreign film fest chiefs, directors back BIFF chief

Heads of major international film festivals and renowned Asian filmmakers have expressed support for the Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) and its director against the Busan city government's "oppression," activists said Tuesday. The BIFF organizing committee has been feuding with the host city government after it demanded the resignation of the festival's executive director Lee Yong-kwan, citing "problems" found in the city's recent audit of the festival organization. Lee has one year

Feb. 24, 2015

Birdman’s kimchi line sparks controversy in Korea

The satirical comedy flick “Birdman,” which won big at the Academy Awards, created a stir in Korea over a line involving the country’s traditional dish, Kimchi, in the run-up to its release here. 　In the Oscar-winning film, Emma Stone criticizes the smell of kimchi at a flower shop owned by a Korean. Her father, played by Michael Keaton, asks for flowers that smell nice, and Emma says, “It all smells like f**king kimchi.” 　The controversy swirled with some critics and moviegoers in the U.S. acc

Feb. 24, 2015

Birdman’s kimchi line sparks controversy in Korea

[Newsmaker] ‘Birdman’: a satire about world of showbiz

HOLLYWOOD ― “Birdman,” which won the best picture Oscar on Sunday, is a quirky black comedy about the dark side of fame in the entertainment industry, starring Michael Keaton in the performance of his career.The film directed by Mexico’s Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu was the big winner of the night, taking four Oscars out of nine nominations ― including best director and best original screenplay.Alejandro G. Inarritu accepts the award for best director for “Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ign

Feb. 23, 2015

[Newsmaker] ‘Birdman’: a satire about world of showbiz

Berlin Film Festival chief decorated with S. Korean cultural medal

The Berlin Film Festival director Dieter Kosslick received a cultural medal from the South Korean government Monday for his contributions to increasing awareness of Korean films in Europe, the South Korean Embassy in Berlin said. The embassy awarded the Eungwan Order of Cultural Merit on behalf of South Korean President Park Geun-hye at the embassy building. "Kosslick has provided opportunities to let the world know more about Korean films in the festival, including a special retrospective of

Feb. 23, 2015

S. Korean midfielder Ki Sung-yeung's celebrity wife expecting

South Korean midfielder Ki Sung-yeung's celebrity wife, who is eight years his senior, is expecting their first baby, her management agency said Sunday.Han Hye-jin, a South Korean actress in her 30s who wed the Swansea City midfielder in 2013, is in the "early stages of her pregnancy," Namoo Actors said, without elaborating on how many weeks in she was.(OSEN)Their wedding attracted much attention from the South Korean public as older-woman-younger-man relationships are just gaining traction in t

Feb. 22, 2015

S. Korean midfielder Ki Sung-yeung's celebrity wife expecting

Korean short wins top honor at Berlin film festival

The graduation film of a Korean university student won a top honor at the Berlin International Film Festival on Saturday. Na Young-kil, 32, won the Golden Bear for best short film at the German film festival for “Hosanna,” his graduation project at the Korea National University of Arts. The 24-minute-long horror-fantasy film centers on a boy living in a remote village who has the power to heal the sick and raise the dead. The villagers get a new lease on life through the boy’s help, yet find the

Feb. 15, 2015

Korean short wins top honor at Berlin film festival

Is Oscar’s curse real?

By Ahn Sung-miWhat do Reese Witherspoon, Kate Winslet and Sandra Bullock all have in common?They are the latest in a long string of actresses who split with their husbands immediately after taking home the Best Actress Award at the Oscars. According to the popular myth of the “Oscar curse,” the winners of the award are destined for misfortune as soon as they bag the coveted award. However, a recent study found that male Oscar winners were more likely to get divorced than their female counterpart

Feb. 15, 2015

[Weekender] Lunar New Year entertainment guide

After eating a bowl of tteokguk (rice-cake soup) and giving older family members a big bow on Seollal, chances are you will consider seeing a movie, a TV show or both, during the five-day holiday.From local family-friendly flicks to beloved animations and star-studded variety shows, here’s the handy guide to this year’s Seollal holiday entertainment on the small and silver screens.Movies For those searching for local films to watch with their family, the comedy flick “Detective K: Secret of the

Feb. 13, 2015

[Weekender] Lunar New Year entertainment guide

Box Office

Stand by Me Doraemon (Japan)Opened Feb. 12Animation. Directed by Takashi Yamazaki and Ryuichi YagiBased on the famous Japanese manga series Doraemon, the animation “Stand by Me Doraemon” will be released as the first-ever 3-D version of the series, to celebrate the 80th anniversary of Doraemon creator Fujiko Fujio’s birth. The film loosely connects seven episodes from the series to tell a story involving Jingu and Doraemon -- one of Japan’s most well-known and beloved cartoon characters -- from

Feb. 13, 2015

Fifty Shades of dissatisfaction

Curious? The posters for “Fifty Shades of Grey” coyly ask. Whether or not you’re one of the 100 million who bought, and presumably read, E L James’ kinky book, the buzz alone surrounding this “Twilight” fan fiction turned international phenomenon is enough to pique the interest of a rock. “Fifty Shades of Grey” is inherently spectacle.With all that irresistible anticipation, how could a movie about BDSM be so run of the mill? The short answer: fear and money. It’s one thing to read about the bon

Feb. 13, 2015

U.S. veterans of Korean War attend special screening of 'Ode to My Father' in Washington

Dozens of American and South Korean veterans attended a special screening Wednesday of a South Korean box-office hit that chronicles the Korean War and other hardships South Korea has gone through to rebuild itself from the war's ashes."Ode to My Father" has become a sensation in South Korea since its opening on Dec. 17, surpassing the 10 million viewer mark in less than a month, as it struck a chord with older generations who have witnessed how South Korea overcame poverty and other hardships t

Feb. 12, 2015

'Ode to My Father' grosses over $2 million in North America

"Ode to My Father," a South Korean box-office hit, grossed more than $2 million in ticket sales in just five weeks of screening in North America, according to the film's distributor on Tuesday. The movie, which tells the story of an ordinary father who sacrificed himself to support his family through the country's turbulent modern history since the 1950-53 Korean War, topped the $2 million mark on Monday, the U.S. arm of CJ Entertainment & Media said. The film is so far the fourth-highest gros

Feb. 11, 2015

Date night or moms night off: Moviegoers plan for ‘Fifty’

NEW YORK (AP) ― Brittany Brown wouldn’t miss the opening of the “Fifty Shades of Grey” movie for anything. She has read and reread all three books, uses the app, follows a FSOG role-play on Twitter and set her DVR to record trailers for the highly anticipated Valentine’s weekend release. But ditching her boyfriend for her gal gang of superfans was problematic. Dakota Johnson and James Dornan star in “Fifty Shades of Grey.” (Universal Pictures)“Feb. 14 is actually his birthday. He’ll go out with

Feb. 10, 2015

Date night or moms night off: moviegoers plan for `Fifty'

Brittany Brown wouldn't miss the opening of the ``Fifty Shades of Grey'' movie for anything. She has read and re-read all three books, uses the app, follows FSOG role play on Twitter and set her DVR to record trailers for the highly anticipated Valentine's weekend release. But ditching her boyfriend for her gal gang of superfans was problematic. "Feb. 14 is actually his birthday. He'll go out with his guy friends and I'll see FSOG with my friends. Later that evening we'll all meet up to pa

Feb. 7, 2015

Box Office

Box OfficeDetective K: Secret of the Lost Island (Korea)Opening Feb. 11Comedy, Adventure. Directed by Kim Seok-yoonThis comedy, a sequel to the 2011 box office hit “Detective K: Secret of the Virtuous Widow,” is set in Korea during the 18th-century and follows the genius detective Kim Min (Kim Myung-min) and his witty assistant Seo Pil (Oh Dal-su). The unlikely duo -- dubbed the Joseon-era Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson -- becomes involved in a life-threatening case that involves counterfeit sil

Feb. 6, 2015

‘Jupiter Ascending’ a soupy cosmic fairy tale

Within the warped wardrobe of the Wachowskis latest sci-fi extravaganza, “Jupiter Ascending,” there are some fantastical feasts of intergalactic ridiculousness. Channing Tatum as a combination elf and speed skater. Space dinosaurs in leather jackets. A robed Eddie Redmayne as the universe’s overlord, who so gravely whispers his lines that you fear he is, for the length of the movie, being castrated just off camera. That, at least, would explain his sporadic shrieking. Eddie Redmayne in a scene

Feb. 6, 2015

‘Jupiter Ascending’ a soupy cosmic fairy tale

Oscar-tipped 'Leviathan' gets major release in Russia defying criticism

Russia's Oscar-tipped "Leviathan" was released in its home country on Thursday, showing on hundreds of screens in a censored version following harsh criticism from officials and Orthodox clerics. Andrei Zvyagintsev's bleak social drama, widely predicted to win best foreign-language film at this month's Oscars, was released on 650 screens across Russia, several months after it came out in the West. The film, a searing critique of Vladimir Putin's Russia, was set for release in November but was

Feb. 6, 2015

Sony says studio hack cost $15 mln, trims loss forecast

Sony Corp. trimmed its forecast of losses and estimates the Sony Pictures hack cost it about $15 million, but expects no significant harm from the cyberattack in the long run. Sony also issued new earnings forecasts for the fiscal year ending in March and said it was benefiting from strong sales of the PlayStation 4, other devices and network services. The hack became public in December when the Hollywood studio's computers were crippled and sensitive documents were posted online. "We don't exp

Feb. 5, 2015

Disney has magical 1st quarter on 'Frozen,' parks revenue

Disney might be lapping the hugely successful theatrical release of "Frozen," but magic lives on in its media networks and parks and resorts. Revenue from Disney parks and resorts rose 9 percent to $3.9 billion in the last three months of 2014, as more people visited its California and Florida properties than in any quarter and spent more money there. In an interview with CNBC, CEO Bob Iger said the entertainment company is seeing no discernible impact on attendance or bookings from the measle

Feb. 4, 2015

Local film industry passes W2tr milestone

The Korean film industry enjoyed the most vibrant year in its history, raking in over 2 trillion won ($1.84 billion) in box-office sales for the first time. The sales increased by 7.6 percent from the previous year thanks to box office revenues and overseas and digital sales, according to the state-run Korean Film Council’s yearly report. The record-breaking figure was mainly buoyed by the robust box office sales, which accounted for about 82 percent of the total sales, and a rapidly growing dig

Feb. 3, 2015

Local film industry passes W2tr milestone