Jung Woo-sung’s ‘A Man of Reason’ sells to 153 countries

Actor Jung Woo-sung’s directorial debut film, “A Man of Reason,” will be available at cinemas in 153 countries around the world, according to the distributor Acemaker Movieworks. Jung directed and acted in the film, playing the role of protagonist Soo-hyuk. The movie is slated for release on Aug. 15 in South Korea. “A Man of Reason” follows the story of Soo-hyuk, who has spent 10 years in prison in place of his gangster boss, Eung-gook (Park Sung-woong). After he is

July 18, 2023

[New on the Scene] Director delves into 12-year-old’s complex world

We have all experienced a time when we wanted to keep a secret from our school friends -- especially if it pertained to feelings of embarrassment about our parents’ work. Director Lee Ji-eun, who made her feature film debut with “The Hill of the Secrets” which opened Wednesday, remembers her time at elementary school when teachers would conduct surveys about the jobs of students’ parents. “It’s a single piece of paper but it contains a complex world of social

July 17, 2023

Top film distributors compete with summer blockbusters

Four new blockbusters are set to hit local cinemas this summer, complete with large production budgets and star-studded lineups. Film distributors hope to attract large audiences in the aftermath of the pandemic, but moviegoers' expectations remain low. With the abundance of high quality content available on streaming platforms and soaring ticket prices, Korean audiences have shown a growing trend of consuming content at home, only venturing to cinemas if the ticket is truly worth the price

July 16, 2023

[Box office] Movies in theaters this week

“Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One” (US) Opened July 12 Adventure/Action Directed by Christopher McQuarrie The seventh installment of this “Mission” series follows Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) and the Impossible Mission Force team as they try to prevent a new weapon falling into the wrong hands in order to save all of humanity. “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” (US) Opened June 21 Animation Directed by Joaquim Dos Santos The Multiverse opens

July 15, 2023

‘Father’s Heart’ shows journey of dad who lost son meeting son who lost dad

Director Kim Sang-cheol, an established filmmaker here focusing on Christian films, returns with new documentary film “The Father’s Heart,” which shows the journey of Hwang Tae-hwan, an influencer also known as Hajun Papa on YouTube and Instagram, through the Philippines, South Korea, Rwanda and the US. Hwang, whose followers on YouTube and Instagram surpass 500,000, lost his second son at just 6 months old in 2020. He died of sudden cardiac arrest. The film starts with Hwang v

July 15, 2023

Kim Seo-hyung feels empathy, sadness for her character in ‘Greenhouse’

Actor Kim Seo-hyung explores why bad things happen to nice people in the thriller "Greenhouse," in which she stars as the protagonist. The story of “Greenhouse” revolves around a nurse and caregiver, Moon-jung, who lives in a greenhouse. It delves into the character's downfall as she tries to cover up the accidental death of an old couple in her care. Kim said she cried after reading the movie's script for the first time. “I did not ask myself whether or not

July 12, 2023

[Herald Review] ‘I Haven’t Done Anything’ a viral-chasing, fast-paced mystery comedy

A blistering 80-minute comedy made for the digital age, in which there seems to be no greater goal than going viral, “I Haven’t Done Anything” comes to the big screen this week after premiering at the Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival on June 30. The film begins with a YouTube-style video documentary about former child actor Oh Tae-kyung, better known as “Little Oh Dae-su” for his role as the younger version of Choi Min-sik‘s character in “Ol

July 11, 2023

‘Concrete Utopia’ sets itself apart with grand-scale, realistic set designs

Director Um Tae-hwa’s upcoming black comedy disaster thriller “Concrete Utopia” is expected to wow moviegoers with its grand-scale, realistic set designs. The film -- based on the second part of a webtoon about an earthquake and its aftermath, “Pleasant Neighbor” -- tells the story of apartment residents whose homes threaten their lives. Focusing on depicting the reality of an apartment complex in Seoul destroyed in a large earthquake, the production team spent five

July 11, 2023

[New on the Scene] Kang Tae-ju on giving 100 percent for acting roles

After rookie actor Kang Tae-ju beat 1,980 candidates to land one of the main roles in the action noir flick "The Childe," all he could think about was being able to deliver a stellar performance for his first-ever film project. “It was important for me fulfill my duty. There were so many things that I had to complete in a short period of time, so there was no time to worry (about how to do well) but to focus on what was in front of me,” the 28-year-old actor told The Korea

July 11, 2023

Director Uchida Eiji believes B-movies lower hurdle for filmmakers

Uchida Eiji, the Japanese filmmaker who helmed the award-winning “Midnight Swan” (2020), visited this year’s Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival, which kicked off June 29, with the crime black comedy flick, “Life of Mariko in Kabukicho.” The movie's plot follows Mariko, a private investigator who runs a small bar in Shinjuku’s red-light district. One day, she receives a request to find an alien living among the people in Kabukicho. With the help

July 8, 2023

[Box office] Movies in theaters this week

“Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny” (US) Opened June 28 Adventure/Action Directed by Danial Rifky The legendary archaeologist Indiana Jones returns, and welcoming him back are his goddaughter Helena and Jurgen Voller, a former Nazi who now works for NASA. Jones heads for another adventure to retrieve a dial that can change history. “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” (US) Opened June 21 Animation Directed by Joaquim Dos Santos The Multiverse opens up in front of S

July 7, 2023

‘The Hill of the Secrets’ cast attracted to atypical characters

Set in 1996, director Lee Ji-eun’s feature debut film “The Hill of Secrets” follows 12-year-old Myung-eun’s growing pains through her relationships with her family, teacher and friends. Starring actors Moon Seung-a, Kang Gil-woo, Im Seon-woo and Jang Sun, the film vividly depicts the adolescent life of Myung-eun (Moon), who compares her ill-fated family to those of her friends and feels an attachment with her homeroom teacher Ae-ran (Im). She pours all her secrets into he

July 5, 2023

Bucheon film fest shines spotlight on Korean genre films

BUCHEON, Gyeonggi Province – Now in its 27th year, the Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival has long held a special place in the hearts of film buffs for the unique experiences it provides – sometimes gruesome, sometimes strange, always different. This year’s festival opened June 29 with Ari Aster’s “Beau is Not Afraid,” and runs for 11 days, presenting 262 films from 51 countries – 109 of which are making their world or international premiere a

July 5, 2023

[Herald Interview] Actor-director Kai Ko uses experience to guide actors

A decade after Taiwanese acting heartthrob Kai Ko, also known as Ko Chen-tung, attended Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival for the first time, he is returning this year not as an actor, but for his directorial debut. “I’ve been to various film festivals around the world but I really like Bifan’s vibrant and dynamic mood as well as its concertlike opening ceremony. As I have visited this time as a director, I feel like I’m showing my baby to the world,” Ko

July 4, 2023

Margot Robbie says so much to discover in ‘Barbie’

Award-winning filmmaker Greta Gerwig, along with actor and producer Margot Robbie and actor America Ferrera of American film “Barbie” held a press conference in Seoul to promote their film, which will be released in Korea on July 19. Director Gerwig, who starred in “Frances Ha,” (2012) and won a Golden Globe as producer of her debut film, “Lady Bird,” (2017) returned as a screenwriter and the producer of “Barbie,” after Robbie suggested the two wor

July 3, 2023

‘The Roundup: No Way Out’ draws 10m admissions as other movies struggle to break even

South Korean crime action franchise “The Roundup: No Way Out” starring Don Lee, also known as Ma Dong-seok, has attracted a record-setting 10.9 million moviegoers as of Saturday, according to the movie’s distributor ABO Entertainment. "The Roundup: No Way Out" is the 21st local film and the 30th film released in South Korea to reach the milestone. It is also the first film this year to set such a record. The film opened on May 31. This comes as a significant feat amid

July 2, 2023

Exhibition gives Choi Min-sik ‘chance to reflect’ on 34-year career

The 27th Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival that kicked off Thursday for an 11 day-run is holding a special exhibition on celebrated South Korean veteran actor Choi Min-sik called “I Saw Choi Min Sik” in Bucheon, Gyeonggi Province. Choi said he is grateful but also feels embarrassed to be featured in the exhibition. “This special exhibition comes at a pivotal time for me, as I had wished to take time off after my latest work ‘Big Bet.’ Since I do not belo

June 30, 2023

[Box office] Movies in theaters this week

“The Childe” (South Korea) Opened June 21 Adventure Directed by Park Hoon-jung Gwi Gong-ja (Kim Seon-ho) -- a name that roughly means "the nobleman" -- goes on a mysterious, mad chase after a boxer, Marco, from the Philippines to Seoul. Rookie actor Kang Tae-joo plays Marco, a Kopino -- mixed Korean Filipino -- in search of his father. “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” (US) Opened June 21 Animation Directed by Joaquim Dos Santos The Multiverse opens up i

June 30, 2023

Tom Cruise focused on bringing cinematic journey in 7th ‘Mission Impossible’ film

Tom Cruise, the “Mission Impossible” franchise star, urged fans to watch the seventh installment of the world famous spy series in the cinema for a “shared experience.” “I love cinema. I love the people and people from all cultures and walks of life. We sit down at cinemas and share community experience. I think it’s one of the joys in the life for me,” Cruise told reporters during a press conference in Lotte Cinema World Tower on Thursday. “I don&

June 29, 2023

Ari Aster makes ‘unhomelike’ home in his movies

The masterful filmmaker behind hit horror films “Hereditary” (2018) and “Midsommar” (2019) arrived in South Korea on Tuesday for the release of “Beau Is Afraid,” another film that deals with the protagonist’s darkest fear becoming a great adventure. Written and directed by Ari Aster, the American surrealist tragicomedy horror film starring Joaquin Phoenix revolves around Beau, a paranoia-ridden middle-aged man. His epic journey begins as he heads home to

June 28, 2023