'The Birth of Korea' sequel to be released next year

The sequel to the box office hit political documentary film “The Birth of Korea” will be released next year, while director Kim Deok-young plans to produce up to five installments for the detailed portrayal of South Korea's first president Syngman Rhee. Director Kim said “The Birth of Korea 2” will open in local theaters on March 26 next year, marking the 150th anniversary of Rhee’s birth. “I have so many stories to tell. Because I have covered so many th

Feb. 29, 2024

Germany probes Berlin film festival in anti-Semitism row

BERLIN - German officials will investigate how Berlin film festival winners made "one-sided" comments condemning Israel's war in Gaza at the awards gala, a government spokeswoman said on Monday. At Saturday's ceremony, several winners were accused of making anti-Semitic remarks on stage in relation to Israel's military assault, which began after an attack by the Palestinian militant group Hamas. US filmmaker Ben Russell, wearing a Palestinian scarf, accused Israel of com

Feb. 27, 2024

[Herald Interview] Kim Go-eun aimed to perfect portrayal of Korean shamans in 'Exhuma'

South Korean actor Kim Go-eun said she aimed to perfect her performance of a Korean traditional shaman in "Exhuma," an occult flick directed by Jang Jae-hyun. Jang popularized the occult genre in Korea with hit occult mystery movies such as "The Priest" and "Svaha: The Sixth Finger." "Exhuma" unfolds as a group of exorcists, an undertaker and a feng shui specialist relocate a tomb. In the movie, Kim plays the role of Hwa-rim, a young shaman who is assign

Feb. 27, 2024

BIFF struggles to fill director post

The Busan International Film Festival is once again accepting applications for the post of festival director after failing to fill the position, which has been vacant since last year. According to the organizing committee of Asia’s largest film festival, there were no qualified candidates who suited the generational change that the committee seeks. A total of seven people submitted applications in the most recent round which ended Feb. 13. “Although many candidates with expertise and

Feb. 27, 2024

Song Joong-ki says ‘My Name is Loh Kiwan’ was emotional, fresh work for him

Actor Song Joong-ki, who appears as North Korean defector Loh Ki-wan in the new Netflix film “My Name is Loh Kiwan,” said playing Loh was an emotionally overwhelming, fresh work for him. “I read the script for the first time six or seven years ago. I didn’t know anything about the story, but the first thing that came to my mind after completing reading was that this was a heartbreaking story, but at the same time, something that I could try for the first time with a fresh

Feb. 27, 2024

[Herald Interview] Choi Min-sik brings to fore charisma of shamanistic practitioners in 'Exhuma'

A veteran actor with 35 years of experience in films and TV, Choi Min-sik sought to bring to the screen the charisma of Korean practitioners of shamanistic beliefs such as geomancers, to push people to think about how our perceptions of land impact society, in "Exhuma," his first occult film. Directed by the master of K-occult, Jang Jae-hyun, "Exhuma" follows the story of a feng-shui expert, an undertaker and two shaman exorcists who try to find a new resting place for a dece

Feb. 26, 2024

Theaters come to life in Feb. with opening of ‘Exhuma,’ ‘Dune: Part Two’

South Korean theaters are experiencing a much-needed boom in February with the release of two much-anticipated films -- “Exhuma” by the so-called K-occult genre master Jang Jae-hyun, and the global sci-fi blockbuster sequel “Dune: Part Two.” According to box office data from the Korean Film Council, “Exhuma” attracted 2 million theatergoers within four days of the movie opening on Feb. 22. “Dune: Part Two,” which is set for release Wednesday, is cu

Feb. 26, 2024

Hong Sang-soo wins Berlin Silver Bear Grand Jury Prize with 'A Traveler's Needs'

South Korean director Hong Sang-soo clinched the Silver Bear Grand Jury Prize with his new film "A Traveler's Needs" at the 74th Berlin International Film Festival on Saturday. The jury announced the award at the ceremony held at the Berlinale Palast. The Silver Bear is the festival's second-highest prize after the Golden Bear. It is Hong's second Grand Jury Prize, following his win for "The Novelist's Film" in 2022. "I’d like to thank the jury.

Feb. 25, 2024

Occult thriller 'Exhuma' reaches 1m ticket sales in record time

"Exhuma," a supernatural mystery thriller, surpassed 1 million in attendance Saturday, becoming the fastest film released this year to reach the milestone, the film's local distributor said. The thriller, also known as "Pamyo" in Korean, has set the record on the third day of its release, Showbox said. Starring Choi Min-sik, the film revolves around mysterious events affecting a geomancer, an undertaker and a young shaman duo after they exhume the grave of an ancestor fr

Feb. 24, 2024

‘Picnic’ surpasses breakeven point, in first such feat by indie film in 5 years

“Picnic,” a low-budget independent film from director Kim Yong-gyun, had recorded 281,000 tickets sold as of Friday, becoming the first Korean indie film to surpass its breakeven point in five years. “Picnic” also became the first film this year to surpass to get over the hump. With a production cost of just some 1.2 billion won ($900,000), the movie’s breakeven point came at 270,000 admissions. Since the movie’s opening on Feb. 7, “Picnic” has dom

Feb. 23, 2024

[Herald Review] ‘Dune: Part Two’ an Imax-ready masterpiece of messiah and sandworms

Following the box office success of director Denis Villeneuve’s “Dune” (2021) at a time when global cinema was humbled by the pandemic, the second half of the director's adaptation of the 1965 epic science fiction novel of the same title by Frank Herbert has finally been revealed. “Dune: Part Two,” which hits local theaters Wednesday, is an Imax-ready blockbuster with a dense, nigh impenetrable storyline that follows the recently outcast heir to the throne of H

Feb. 23, 2024

[Box office] Movies in theaters this week

“The Birth of Korea” (South Korea) Opened Feb. 1 Documentary Directed by Kim Deok-young The film covers the first generation of South Korean politicians and Rhee Syng-man, the country's first president, delving into their efforts to protect the nation. The film looks back on the last 70 years of Korea's history, with a focus on some of Rhee's major achievements like farmland reform. “Wonka” (US) Opened Jan. 31 Fantasy Directed by Paul King "Wonka&quo

Feb. 23, 2024

[Herald Review] 'Exhuma' brings horror with shamanism, but fails to connect stories

Director Jang Jae-hyun, also known here as a "K-occult master" thanks to his hit films "The Priest" and "Svaha: The Sixth Finger," returned with a horror flick that portrays terrifying practices of Korean shamanism, imbued with fine acting of veteran actors such as Choi Min-sik and Kim Go-eun. "Exhuma" follows the events that unfold for a group of exorcists, an undertaker and a feng shui specialist, who take on the job of relocating a tomb of a wealthy fam

Feb. 22, 2024

Timothee Chalamet thankful for Korean fans, promotes ‘Dune: Part Two’ in Seoul

Actor Timothee Chalamet said he is thankful for Korean fans of the "Dune" series during a press conference held to promote his new film, “Dune: Part Two,” in Seoul on Wednesday. Chalamet, director Denis Villeneuve and other cast members including Zendaya, Austin Butler and Stellan Skarsgard were present at the event. Pronouncing the term in Korean carefully, “Dune-chin-ja" -- short for "Dune-e-michin-ja" or one who‘s crazy for ”Dune" in

Feb. 21, 2024

'Exhuma' digs up traumas of Korean land

Director Jang Jae-hyun said he wanted to dig up the traumatic past of Korea through the symbolic act of exhumation in his latest occult mystery film "Exhuma." Starring veteran actors such as Choi Min-sik, Kim Go-eun, Yoo Hae-jin and Lee Do-hyun, "Exhuma" follows the series of mysterious events that occur as a group of exorcists, an undertaker and a feng-shui specialist take on the task of relocating the tomb of a wealthy family. The movie is largely separated into two parts.

Feb. 21, 2024

'The Birth of Korea' sweeps local box office, rarity as documentary

“The Birth of Korea” by Kim Deok-young, a documentary film covering South Korea's first president Syngman Rhee and the country’s first-generation politicians and their efforts to protect the country, is sweeping the local box office, a rarity for a documentary screened in theaters. Looking back on a 70-year history, “The Birth of Korea” reinterprets some of Rhee's major achievements like farmland reform. According to the film distributor Docu Story, the fi

Feb. 21, 2024

Timothee Chalamet to shoot local shows in Seoul to promote ‘Dune: Part Two’

French American actor Timothee Chalamet, who arrived in Seoul Monday evening to kick off his Seoul tour for the promotion of his latest film, “Dune: Part Two,” will appear in local TV shows and meet with Korean TV personalities, according to the industry on Tuesday. Industry sources said that Chalamet will shoot a program with Pengsoo during his stay in Seoul. Pengsoo is a penguin character from the YouTube channel Giant Peng TV, a show run by Korea's Educational Broadcasting Sy

Feb. 20, 2024

[Box office] Movies in theaters this week

“Wonka” (US) Opened Jan. 31 Fantasy Directed by Paul King Willy Wonka (Timothee Chalamet), who dreams of becoming the world’s best chocolatier, encounters a “chocolate cartel” and a plot to kick him out of town as its business is threatened. But next to him are four trustworthy supporters whom he meets at Mrs. Scrubitt’s launderette. “Citizen of a Kind” (South Korea) Opened Jan. 24 Drama Directed by Park Young-ju Duk-hee (Ra Mi-ran), who lives an

Feb. 16, 2024

Five Korean films to be shown at 74th Berlin Film Festival

Five Korean films will be screened at the 74th Berlin International Film Festival, which kicked off Thursday for a 10-day run in Berlin. One of the top three film festivals around the world, along with the Cannes Film Festival and the Venice Film Festival, this year’s Berlin Film Festival opened with Belgian director Tim Mielants’ “Small Things Like These.” South Korean director Heo Myeong-haeng, who debuted recently with Netflix's original film “Badland Hunter

Feb. 15, 2024

[History through films] ‘Taegukgi,’ a tearful story of two brothers in battle that divided Korea

Director Kang Je-gyu’s 2004 war action film “Taegukgi: The Brotherhood of War” follows a simple storyline that revolves around two brothers – Jin-tae (Jang Dong-gun) and Jin-seok (Won Bin) -- who are drafted to the South Korean Army to fight in the Korean War that broke out on June 25, 1950. The brutal and inhumane conditions on the battlefield leave little room for thinking about the implications of the war. Jin-tae, the eldest son in the family, is the breadwinner and r

Feb. 14, 2024