[Box office] Movies in theaters this week

Insidious: The Last Key(US)Opened Jan.31Horror, Mystery, Thriller The fourth installment of the “Insidious” series follows parapsychologist Elise Rainier (Lin Shaye) on her voyage into the “further.” During her work, Rainier receives a call from a client asking for help on paranormal activities in his house. It is revealed that the client is living in Rainer‘s childhood home. While hesitant at first, she decides to investigate.Psychokinesis(Korea)Opened Jan.31Action, Adventure, ComedyOrdinary mi

Feb. 2, 2018

[Herald Review] ‘Detective K: Secret of the Living Dead,’ formulaic, funny, but not super-fun

It’s a bit of a stretch to compare director Kim Sok-yun‘s “Detective K” series to Marvel’s “Iron Man” franchise. In both cases, the first movie was a pleasant surprise, the second was a disappointment, and the third was not bad, but leaves viewers scratching their heads.The third installment “Detective K: Secret of the Living Dead” takes the audience on a ride to uncover a mystery surrounding a vampire legend and a strange serial murder case. There were no vampire lores in the Joseon Dynasty, bu

Jan. 30, 2018

French director Sylvain Chomet to cinematize novelist Hwang Sok-yong’s ‘Familiar Things’

Korean author Hwang Sok-yong’s novel “Familiar Things” is expected to be cinematized by French animator Sylvain Chomet, who directed “Triplets of Belleville” and “The Illusionist.”The Susijn Agency, a London-based literary agency that represents Hwang, on Tuesday said that the firm is currently “in mid-negotiation” with Chomet over the cinematization of the novel. Details will be revealed after contracts have been signed, it added. Chomet had expressed hopes to make an animation with Seoul as a

Jan. 30, 2018

How much 'Along With the Gods' has grossed?

With the Korean film "Along With the Gods: The Two Worlds" expected to surpass a cumulative audience of 14 million, attention is now being paid to how much it has earned in and out of its home country.According to the real-time based box office tally from the Korean Film Council, the movie has garnered 13.85 million views as of Saturday. The fantasy action movie is currently the third most-viewed film of all time in South Korea after "Roaring Currents" (2014, 17.6 million) and "Ode to My Father"

Jan. 28, 2018

[Box office] Movies in theaters this week

Maze Runner: The Death Cure (2018)(US) Opened Jan. 17Action, sci-fi, thriller. Directed by Wes BallIn the epic finale to the Maze Runner saga, Thomas (Dylan O’Brien) leads his group of escaped Gladers on their final and most dangerous mission yet. To save their friends, they must break into the legendary Last City, a WCKD-controlled labyrinth that may turn out to be the deadliest maze of all. Anyone who makes it out alive will get answers to the questions the Gladers have been asking since they

Jan. 26, 2018

Song Kang-ho’s ‘Drug King’ set for summer release

Versatile actor Song Kang-ho will take on the role of a 1970s drug lord in the upcoming film “Drug King,” set for release this summer.Producers of the film on Thursday released a still that showed Song as the movie’s protagonist Lee Doo-sam.  A film still from “Drug King” (Showbox)The photo shows Song sitting in what appears to be his office, which has lavish decorations and guns hanging on the wall. The shot is somewhat reminiscent of an iconic scene from the 1983 movie “Scarface,” starring ico

Jan. 25, 2018

‘Golden Slumber’ portrays an ordinary man caught up in extraordinary events

The novel “Golden Slumber” by Isaka Kotaro, follows a man caught up in a politics-based conspiracy, fighting for his life. While this may sound Jason Bournesque, it is really a tale about humanity.Noh Dong-seok, director of the Korean movie adaptation of the “Golden Slumber,” said that his movie’s focal point is that the hero -- framed as a terrorist -- is an everyman. “The person embroiled in such a massive incident is not an action hero, but just an ordinary guy. The point of my directing was

Jan. 21, 2018

[Box office] Movies in theaters this week

[Box office] Movies in theaters this weekMaze Runner: The Death Cure (2018)(US) Opened Jan. 17Action, sci-fi, thriller. Directed by Wes BallIn the epic finale to the Maze Runner saga, Thomas (Dylan O’Brien) leads his group of escaped Gladers on their final and most dangerous mission yet. To save their friends, they must break into the legendary Last City, a WCKD-controlled labyrinth that may turn out to be the deadliest maze of all. Anyone who makes it out alive will get answers to the questions

Jan. 19, 2018

Hong Sang-soo’s new film to have world premiere at Berlin Film Fest

Korean filmmaker Hong Sang-soo’s latest work “Grass” will be screened at the upcoming 68th Berlin International Film Festival, the film’s overseas distributor said Friday.According to the distributor Finecut, “Grass” will be screened in the festival’s Forum section, which introduces avant-garde and experimental works, accompanied by discussions and workshops.  A still from “Grass” by director Hong Sang-soo (Finecut)No official awards are presented in the Forum section. Instead, independent jurie

Jan. 19, 2018

‘Black Panther’ cast, director to visit Korea

“Black Panther,” the latest edition of the multibillion-dollar Marvel superhero universe -- will premiere in Korea next month, with its director and cast set to visit the country.Walt Disney Korea announced Monday that Chadwick Boseman, Michael B. Jordan and Lupita Nyong’o will visit alongside director Ryan Coogler. Boseman plays the titular character -- whose real name is T’Challa and is the king of the fictional African country of Wakanda -- while Jordan takes on the role of his nemesis, Kilmo

Jan. 15, 2018

[Herald Review] Do ask, do tell

“It looks weird because you’re new here, but just wait and see, sir. It’ll feel natural soon enough.” The military is an odd place. Because of its sheer size and the fact that soldiers are required to obey their superiors without question, it is very difficult for someone to change something, no matter how justified the attempt. This makes it especially hard for someone to blow the whistle on irregularities, even multi-trillion won misappropriations. “The Discloser” -- directed by the late Hong

Jan. 14, 2018

[Box office] Movies in theaters this week

Coco(US) Opened Jan.11Animation, adventure Directed by Lee Unkrich, Adrian Molina Despite his family‘s baffling generations-old ban on music, Miguel (Anthony Gonzalez) dreams of becoming an accomplished musician like his idol, Ernesto de la Cruz (Benjamin Bratt). Desperate to prove his talent, Miguel finds himself in the stunning and colorful Land of the Dead following a mysterious chain of events. Along the way, he meets charming trickster Hector (Gael García Bernal), and together they set off

Jan. 12, 2018

[Trending] #MazeRunner3

The cast of “The Maze Runner” kicked off promotion of the Hollywood action flick here Wednesday with a press conference, radio show and red carpet event.Dylan O’Brien, Thomas Brodie-Sangster and Lee Ki-hong, who play lead roles in the movie, turned up at Incheon Airport early Tuesday, and their visit soon went viral on social media. Dylan O’Brien, Thomas Brodie-Sangster and Lee Ki-hong (Yonhap)A tweet with a link to a news article saying the cast would appear on a radio show was retweeted over 4

Jan. 11, 2018

‘Maze Runner’ film series has its own identity: cast

Though a film adaptation of a popular science fiction novel, the cast of “Maze Runner” series proudly boasts that the film trilogy has successfully meshed the elements of the book with elements of other genres to form its unique characteristics.“One of the things I’m most proud is we formed our own identity. With our cast, and story, (the series) has very much become its own thing, paved its own way with this generation,” Dylan O’Brien -- who plays protagonist Thomas -- said Thursday at a press

Jan. 11, 2018

'The Handmaiden' nominated for best non-English film at British film awards

"The Handmaiden" by Korea's celebrated film director Park Chan-wook has been nominated for best non-English movie at the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA), the organizer said Tuesday.The movie, based on Sarah Waters' Victorian lesbian crime novel "Fingersmith," is among five nominees for the Best Film Not in the English Language category. Other films include "First They Killed My Father" produced by Hollywood actress and director Angelina Jolie.The erotic thriller was one of 21

Jan. 9, 2018

Korean locations spotted in Hollywood films

Korea’s landmarks are being increasingly featured in Hollywood films in recent years. Seoul’s Gangnam area and Garak Market are briefly seen in director Alexander Payne’s upcoming film “Downsizing,” which opens in local theaters Thursday. In the sci-fi drama film, scientists discover how to shrink human beings to ten centimeters tall as a solution to overpopulation and pollution.  A scene from “Downsizing” (Lotte Entertainment)Koreans are depicted responding to the jaw-dropping development in th

Jan. 7, 2018

[Box office] Movies in theaters this week

Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle(US) Opened Jan. 3Comedy. Directed by Jake KasdanFour teenagers are placed in detention together. They find a magical video game in a school basement, and are subsequently sucked into it. They find themselves in the form of their game avatars. Spencer Gilpin is a tough, muscular explorer named Dr. Smolder Bravestone (Dwyane Johnson), Anthony “Fridge” Johnson is a short zoologist named Franklin “Mouse” Finbar (Kevin Hart), Martha Kaply is a gorgeous commando and mart

Jan. 5, 2018

[Herald Review] ‘Keys to the Heart’ delivers predictable, but likeable comedy and drama

The strong chin, sleek look and deep voice of Lee Byung-hun immediately make him a charismatic figure. Whether he is slinging guns in “The Magnificent Seven” or breathing down the neck of Kyle Reese in “Terminator Genisys,” Lee’s character traits in films have mostly been like his image: a man you do not want to mess with.This aura is shattered immediately in “Keys to the Heart” -- co-starring Youn Yuh-jung and Park Jung-min -- where Lee plays a washed-up former boxer who gets by day to day. “Ke

Jan. 4, 2018

Late Kim Joo-hyuk’s ‘Heungbu’ to be released on Lunar New Year

Lotte Entertainment on Wednesday announced its plan to release a posthumous work of the late actor Kim Joo-Hyuk, “Heungbu” during the coming Lunar New Year holidays, which fall on Feb. 15-17.The movie “Heungbu” is a historical period film which mainly focuses on the experience of a brilliant writer Heungbu with a virtuous Joseon Kingdom classical scholar Jo Hyeok and his older brother Jo Hang-ri, on his journey to find his own brother Nolbu. (Yonhap)“Heungbu” revisits a Korean classic novel “Heu

Jan. 3, 2018

Top Hollywood women launch anti-harassment initiative

WASHINGTON (AFP) -- More than 300 top women in Hollywood -- from Meryl Streep and Jennifer Lawrence to Emma Thompson and Cate Blanchett -- unveiled an initiative Monday to tackle pervasive sexual harassment in workplaces, calling special attention to their “sisters” in less than glamorous blue-collar jobs.The initiative, dubbed Time’s Up, caps a year in which the Harvey Weinstein sexual misconduct scandal touched off a deluge of allegations that brought down powerful men in entertainment, politi

Jan. 2, 2018