Park Chan-wook, then and now

With his breakout film “Oldboy” in 2003, director Park Chan-wook has led the surge of Korean directors spotlighted in the international cinemascape in the past two decades.For his next work, Park will be helming a BBC television drama series revolving around an international intrigue that involves multiple countries. The series will also air on US channel AMC. The six-episode drama is an adaption of John Le Carre’s “Little Drummer Girl,” a 1983 novel about an actress who, seeking to escape the d

Jan. 1, 2018

Cinema attendance hits record high in 2017: data

The cumulative number of moviegoers in South Korea reached a record high of nearly 220 million last year on the back of success in large-scale Korean films, industry data showed Monday. The figure came to 219.8 million at the end of December, up by 2.84 million from a year earlier, according to the data by the Korean Film Council. The annual attendance tally had been stalled at around the 210 million mark for the past five years, with the number recording a slight downtrend in 2016 before it reb

Jan. 1, 2018

[Box office] Movies in theaters this week

1987(Korea)Opened Dec. 27Historical drama. Directed by Jang Joon-hwan The year is 1987. Former Army Gen. Chun Doo-hwan is in power, and a harrowing series of events follow the torture and death of student activist Park Chong-chul. In an attempt to cover up the crimes that led to the killing, corrupt officials list Park’s cause of death as an unlikely heart attack. Investigator Park Cheo-won (Kim Yoon-seok) staunchly fends off reporters, believing cruelty is justified for the sake of bettering th

Dec. 29, 2017

Best Korean movies of 2017

Another year has come to a wrap in the Korean film industry. Genres continue to be limited to political thrillers and crime flicks, and the scarcity of female roles persists. Despite the relative lack of diversity, however, 2017 turned out to be a year that offered several pleasant, unexpected surprises for moviegoers. Quieter, more pensive films excelled this year, offering insight into humanity and the everyday. Okja (Netflix/NEW)OkjaAdventure, fantasy Directed by Bong Joon-ho Distributed by N

Dec. 26, 2017

[Box office] Movies in theaters this week

Along with the Gods: The Two Worlds(Korea)Opened Dec. 20Fantasy, drama. Directed by Kim Yong-hwaKim Ja-hong (Cha Tae-hyun), who has died, finds himself being escorted to the next world by three officials from the afterworld. He is appointed a lawyer, and instructed that everyone must face the seven judges, who rule on a person’s lifelong deeds based on sins such as violence, betrayal, laziness and hurting family, and decide whether they proceed to heaven or hell. Ja-hong and the three officials

Dec. 26, 2017

[Herald Interview] Ha Jung-woo talks about tackling first fantasy role

Ha Jung-woo has come to be known for his intensely natural performances, from the dejected taxi driver in “The Yellow Sea” to the exasperatingly optimistic slacker in “My Dear Enemy.” 　Though he had debuted years earlier on television, Ha began garnering attention with Na Hong-jin’s 2008 thriller “The Chaser,” which achieved box office success and was invited to screen at the Cannes Film Festival. In the film, Ha gives a forcible performance as a psychopathic serial killer. In past interviews, H

Dec. 20, 2017

‘Okja’ makes shortlist for VFX Oscar

Bong Joon-ho’s latest film “Okja” has advanced to the 10-film shortlist in the visual effects category for the 2018 Oscars race.The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced Monday the 10 films that are to compete for the five nomination spots Best Visual Effects at the 90th Academy Awards.Shot with a budget of under $50 million, “Okja,” along with Guillermo del Toro’s “The Shape of Water,” stands out on the list dominated by tentpole Hollywood blockbusters like “Dunkirk” and “Star W

Dec. 20, 2017

Gang Dong-won cast in Hollywood film ‘Tsunami LA’

Korean actor Gang Dong-won is set to make his stateside debut with “Tsunami LA,” a disaster action film to be directed by Simon West.Gang’s agency YG Entertainment said Monday that the actor had been cast for the leading role in the new feature by West, who directed blockbuster action films “Lara Croft: Tomb Raider” and “Con Air.”According to Variety magazine Sunday, “Tsunami LA” is set in Los Angeles, which is hit by a massive tidal wave. The movie is currently in pre-production in the UK. In a

Dec. 18, 2017

Film on sex worker's death wins best virtual reality award

Virtual reality film "Bloodless" by South Korean filmmaker Gina Kim won best VR film award at the Bogota International Film Festival, the movie's production company Crayon Film said Monday.Earlier this year, the film won the best virtual reality story award at the 74th Venice International Film Festival and the best VR film award at the 58th Thessaloniki International Film Festival. The 12-minute-long film is based on a real-life murder case in 1992 where an American soldier killed a Korean bar

Dec. 18, 2017

'Steel Rain' beats 'Star Wars' at weekend box office

“Steel Rain,” a new North Korean-themed action blockbuster, took the No. 1 spot at the South Korean box office on its opening weekend, data showed on Monday.The movie, starring Jung Woo-sung and Kwak Do-won, sold 1.09 million tickets across the country from Saturday to Sunday, accounting for 54.9 percent of all tickets sold over the weekend, the Korean Film Council said. The film’s accumulated audience has reached 1.62 million since opening last Thursday.In “Steel Rain,” Jung plays a North Korea

Dec. 18, 2017

Lee Young-ae stars in film about air pollution

Lee Young-ae has returned to the movie scene with the short film “The House Below.”　The film, directed by Lee Kyoung-mi (“The Truth Beneath,” 2016), is a project for the JTBC TV show “Suitable for General Viewing,” which follows independent filmmakers and entertainers collaborating on original films.　The role marks Lee’s first film performance since she starred in the 2005 crime thriller “Lady Vengeance,” directed by Park Chan-wook. 　 Lee Young-ae stars in “Suitable for General Viewing.” (JTBC)T

Dec. 17, 2017

[Herald Interview] North Korea is a glass box: Jung Woo-sung

In the new political thriller film “Steel Rain,” Jung Woo-sung lost weight and adopted the Pyongyang dialect to portray his character, the North Korean special agent Uhm Chul-woo. Uhm is tasked with taking care of the injured North Korean leader when his regime is overthrown in a military coup. He manages to flee to the South with the leader, and desperately seeks a way to at once revive his leader, defend his family up North and wade through global politics. Jung, 44, has never been shy to expr

Dec. 17, 2017

[Box Office] Movies in theaters this week

Steel Rain(Korea)Opened Dec. 14Action, drama. Directed by Yang Woo-seokAn attack on the North Korean leader takes place at an event at the Kaesong industrial park, leaving him injured. North Korean special agent Uhm Chul-woo (Jung Woo-sung) is ordered to take him and flee to the South via an underground tunnel to take refuge until the revolt concludes. There, Uhm encounters Kwak Chul-woo (Kwak Do-won), Korea’s senior secretary of foreign affairs and national security. Amid increasingly convolute

Dec. 16, 2017

[Herald Review] Night is darkest just before dawn

Jan. 14, 1987. As Chun Doo-hwan commends his loyal police lapdogs with medals, an ambulance hurries to a shabby building in Namyeong-dong, Seoul. Out comes a doctor who is ordered by a shady man to revive a young man -- clearly dead. After vain attempts, the doctor declares him dead.Jang Joon-hwan’s “1987: When the Day Comes” is based on the real-life story of the democratic movement of 1987 that led to a direct presidential election later that year. It tells of a harrowing series of events that

Dec. 14, 2017

[Herald Review] ‘Along With Gods’ all about spectacular visuals

Hit webtoon series “Along With the Gods,” by Joo Ho-min, offered a whimsical twist on the Korean folklore of the seven gates in the afterlife. 　The series begins as its central character Kim Ja-hong, who has died, finds himself being escorted to the next world via subway train by two officials who are employees of the afterlife. A lawyer is appointed to each of the deceased -- everyone must face the seven judges, who rule on a person’s lifelong deeds based on sins such as violence, betrayal, laz

Dec. 13, 2017

Bromance comedy ‘My World Only,’ starring Lee Byung-hun, slated for January release

Actor Lee Byung-hun is returning with a family-friendly comedy in the upcoming film “My World Only,” slated for a Jan. 17 release, the film’s distributor CJ Entertainment announced Monday.The film, helmed by director Choi Sung-hyun and produced by JK Film, stars Lee as Jo-ha, a former boxer who relies only on his fists to get by in the world.Up-and-coming actor Park Jung-min will play Jo-ha’s brother Jin-tae, an autistic genius who has Savant syndrome.  "My World Only" (CJ Entertainment)The film

Dec. 12, 2017

[Herald Review] Imagining coup d’etat in North Korea

Speculations abound on what action the volatile North Korean regime is to take next following its recent series of missile and nuclear tests. Upcoming political thriller “Steel Rain” takes it one step further, imagining a scenario where the threat of nuclear war on the Korean Peninsula becomes imminent. Viewers witness what unfolds after North Korea’s ruler -- unnamed in the film -- is overthrown in a coup d’etat and an even more belligerent commander takes his place. “I asked myself to brutally

Dec. 12, 2017

'Swindlers' takes box office for third straight weekend

Domestic crime film "The Swindlers" topped the box office for the third straight weekend, data showed on Monday.The film starring Hyunbin and Yoo Ji-tae led all films, selling 417,534 tickets from Friday to Sunday, according to estimates from the Korean Film Council. It has been on top of the daily box office charts since it opened on Nov. 22 and is expected to surpass the 4 million mark in cumulative attendance this week. The tally was 3.722 million as of Sunday.The movie revolves around a team

Dec. 11, 2017

‘Forgotten’ draws 1 million viewers in 12 days

Mystery thriller “Forgotten,” starring Kang Ha-neul and Kim Moo-yeol as brothers, drew over 1 million cinemagoers in the 12 days since its release. “Forgotten” revolves around the two brothers who doubt each other. Kim Moo-yeol plays the older brother who loses his memory and becomes a completely different person after an abduction. Kang Ha-neul plays the younger brother who grows suspicious of his changed brother and subsequently begins to doubt his own memories. Official poster for “Forgotten”

Dec. 10, 2017

[Box Office] Movies in theaters this week

American Assassin (US)Opened Dec. 7Action, thriller. Directed by Michael CuestaAfter losing his fiancee to a violent group which wreaks random violence, Mitch Rapp (Dylan O‘Brien) trains himself everyday vowing revenge. The CIA, impressed by his efforts, scouts him as a new member, and Mitch is taken under the wing of former US Navy SEAL Stan Hurley (Michael Keaton) for training. The two spot a pattern of violence and team up with a deadly Turkish agent in a counterterrorist attack, seeking to p

Dec. 8, 2017