“Master” boasts stellar cast

(From left) Kang Dong-won (CJ E&M), Lee Byung-hun (BH Entertainment), Kim Woo-bin (SBS) Upcoming crime action flick “Master” boasts a stellar cast featuring Lee Byung-hun, Kang Dong-won and Kim Woo-bin, three of the most in-demand actors in the Korean film scene today. 　“Master,” set to start shooting in early 2016, tells the story of an investigative team chasing after a wanted scammer and his posse. 　Kang Dong-won, who recently appeared in the box-office hit “The Priests,” will take on his fir

Dec. 18, 2015

Weekend Box Office Guide: Dec. 19-20

Star Wars: The Force Awakens (U.S.)　Opened Dec. 17　Action, fantasy. Directed by J.J. Abrams　　Many of the cast from the original “Star Wars” series return to reprise their roles in the seventh installment of the franchise, taking place 30 years after the death of the Sith Emperor. Despite his death, the Empire is still strong and under the new command of Kylo Ren (Adam Driver), a mysterious Sith, who is threatening the peace the Rebels fought so hard to achieve.　　Our Little Sister (Japan)　Opened

Dec. 18, 2015

[Herald Review] ‘The Force Awakens’ an ode to original ‘Star Wars’

The seventh episode of Star Wars -- “The Force Awakens” -- will certainly appeal to audiences who have never seen, but only heard or watched bits and pieces of, the previous space movie series on TV or on video-sharing sites such as YouTube. For those who grew up watching the sci-fi epic on the big screen or reading books of the Star Wars expanded universe, “The Force Awakens” will bring back childhood memories. But it could fall short of the pent-up hype following Disney's takeover of Lucasfilm

Dec. 17, 2015

BIFF denies illegal commission charges

Protesters in front of the Busan Metropolitan City Hall hold up a banner urging the city government to drop charges of illegal commission fees against the Busan International Film Festival’s executive committee on Wednesday. (Yonhap) The Busan International Film Festival disputed allegations that it paid commissions illegally, saying in a statement released Tuesday that it is responsible for only minor administrative omissions. 　The festival organizers claimed the complaints filed against them a

Dec. 16, 2015

Weekend Box Office Guide: Dec. 12-13

Heading to the movies this weekend? The Korea Herald provides a guide to what's playing on the big screen.Legend (U.K.)Opened Dec. 10　Action. Directed by Brian Helgeland　Tom Hardy plays Ronald and Reggie Kray, identical twin gangsters who ruled the East End of London during the 1960s. “Legend” shows how the two brothers built their criminal empire, touching upon their internal struggles as well as their run from the detective Nipper Read (Christopher Eccleston).　Timing (Korea)Opened Dec. 10　Anim

Dec. 11, 2015

Abrams to tell new space tale in ‘The Force Awakens’

The latest “Star Wars,” which will hit theaters Dec. 17 in Korea, will introduce an entirely new story with fresh characters colliding and bonding emotionally with old characters like Han Solo and Luke Skywalker, who appeared in the original trilogy. J.J. Abrams (right) poses for a photo with actors from “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” ahead of a press conference in Seoul on Wednesday. From left: Adam Driver, Daisy Ridley, and John Boyega. (Yonhap)J.J. Abrams, the director of the new space saga,

Dec. 10, 2015

[Herald Review] ‘The Tiger’ tries to do too much

“New World” screenwriter and director Park Hoon-jung brings his brooding, solemn style to “The Tiger,” which uses the rough terrain of Mount Jirisan and the weathered face of veteran actor Choi Min-sik to unfold the story of “Joseon’s last tiger.” The film is a technical triumph. Thanks to the reunion of the production staff from “New World,” the actors give strong performances, the music is stirring, the lensing is carefully controlled and, most importantly, the computer-generated tiger turned

Dec. 9, 2015

[Herald Review] ‘Himalayas’ is its own mountain climb

Lee Seok-hoon’s “The Himalayas” is one of the most anticipated films of the year, bringing together “Ode to My Father” director JK Youn as producer and star actor Hwang Jung-min (“Ode to My Father,” “Veteran”) to recreate the true story of mountaineer Uhm Hong-gil.So it may come as a surprise that, compared to other mountain-climbing films like Hollywood’s “Everest,” which came out earlier this year, “The Himalayas” is decidedly less dramatic. That may be because of director Lee’s hope that the

Dec. 9, 2015

Independent and art-house films opening this week

This week, small Korean indie films are trying to get a head start at the box office before blockbuster-scale films like “The Himalayas” and “The Tiger” hit the screens. Three films -- a documentary, psychopath thriller and youth drama -- will each try to attract niche audience members when they open simultaneously on Dec. 10.  The Korea Herald offers a brief guide for those looking for something a little different on the silver screen.The Anxious Day OutDocumentary. Directed by Kim Cheol-min　“T

Dec. 6, 2015

Weekend Box Office Guide: Dec. 5-6

Here's our weekly update on what films to catch at the theaters this weekend.Love Guide for Dumpees (Korea)Opened Dec. 3Romantic comedy. Directed by Ha Ki-ho　Jeong-hun (Yoon Kye-sang) pretends to be cool as he goes to his ex-girlfriend’s wedding, but it doesn’t last long. He ends up getting drunk and taking a girl (Han Ye-ri) home, who turns out to be the ex-girlfriend of the groom. They reach an agreement to console each other’s heartbreak as “friends with benefits,” but they end up developing

Dec. 4, 2015

[Herald Interview] Yoon Kye-sang on playing the ordinary man

As a member of the sensationally popular band g.o.d, whose success peaked in the early 2000s, Yoon Kye-sang seems anything but ordinary. Yet somehow, ordinary is what many say he does best in his acting, which started after leaving the idol group in 2004.“It’s because of my ordinary looks, and my ordinary body,” Yoon said at a group interview at a Seoul cafe on Tuesday. Yoon is good-looking, but in the scruffy boy-next-door way that lends him authenticity when he plays unglamorous but likeable r

Dec. 3, 2015

[Herald Interview] Korean-Canadian director readies for Korean debut

“In Her Place,” the sophomore feature-length presentation by Korean-Canadian director Albert Shin, has been making its way through the international film festival circuit after premiering at the Toronto International Film Festival last year. Along the way, it has picked up awards at the Montreal Festival du Nouveau Cinema, the Taipei Film Festival and the Abu Dhabi Film Festival. Ironically, the one place that Shin, 31, had not been to show the movie was where it was filmed: Korea.He finally got

Dec. 3, 2015

Three big Korean movies for December

The Korean box office is wrapping up a dynamic year of hugely successful films like “Assassination” and “Veteran“ as well as acclaimed smaller art-house films like “Alice in Earnestland,“ but there is little progress to show for mid-sized commercial films. The last month of 2015 looks to be a continuation of that pattern. Three of Korea’s largest distributors -- CJ Entertainment, Next Entertainment World and Lotte Entertainment -- will be facing off in theaters for the holiday rush.The Himalayas

Nov. 30, 2015

Weekend Box Office Guide: Nov. 28-29

Headed to the movies this weekend? The Korea Herald offers a guide to what's playing in theaters.The Sound of a Flower (Korea)Opened Nov. 25Historical drama. Directed by Lee Jong-pil　In ancient Korea, women were not allowed to perform pansori – Korea’s traditional musical theater. But that doesn’t stop Jin Chae-seon (Bae Suzy) from chasing her dreams. With training and guidance from pansori veteran Shin Jae-hyo (Ryu Seung-ryong), Chae-seon beats the odds and becomes the first woman to publicly p

Nov. 28, 2015

Global forum to debate content ratings for children

The protection of young children will be at the forefront of the International Film Classification Forum 2015 on Thursday.Korea is the only nation in Asia hosting an international conference to discuss classification and rating for video content, according to Lee Kyong-sook, chairwoman of the forum’s host Korea Media Rating Board.  (Korea Media Rating Board)The countries participating in this year’s forum all have different types of organizations for doling out the ratings, including government

Nov. 25, 2015

Ha Jung-woo, Bae Doo-na to star in movie ‘Tunnel’

Actors Ha Jung-woo, Bae Doo-na and Oh Dal-su will star in a new flick called “Tunnel,” the film’s production company announced Tuesday. The new movie is being directed by Kim Sung-hoon, who is behind the 2014 hit “A Hard Day.” From left: Ha Jung-woo, Bae Doo-na and Oh Dal-su (OSEN)“Tunnel” centers on a man Lee Jung-soo, played by Ha (“Kundo,” “The Terror Live”), a car salesman who gets trapped in a collapsed tunnel and struggles to survive. Bae (“Cloud Atlas,” “A Girl at My Door”) plays Jung-soo

Nov. 24, 2015

[Herald Interview] Suzy’s latest movie is her own story

Bae Suzy rose to fame simply as Suzy, debuting as a member of top girl group Miss A in 2010. In 2012, she reclaimed her last name when she caught her big break as an actress in the film “Architecture 101,” where she played the classic girl-who-got-away and earned the nickname “Korea’s first love.”In her latest film, “The Sound of a Flower,” she plays a very different character from that early role. She becomes Jin Chae-seon, the first woman in Korean history who performed pansori -- a traditiona

Nov. 24, 2015

Stars boycott Korea’s top film awards

The 52nd Daejong Film Awards on Friday were not quite a star-studded affair as the nominees for top prizes, including Best Actor and Actress, skipped the annual ceremony. Although many nominees who did not attend gave reasons such as scheduling conflicts, others openly boycotted the awards, criticizing the organizing committee for poor management and lack of independence from the government.The 52nd Daejong Film Awards were held in Seoul on Friday despite nine nominees for best actor and actress

Nov. 22, 2015

[Herald Review] ‘Passion’ loses its way

“You Call It Passion” proclaims to be a “2015 relatable comedy.” And for the first half of the movie, it is.Do Ra-hui, played by Park Bo-young who starred in blockbuster hits such as “A Werewolf Boy” and “Scandal Makers,” is a young woman fresh out of college who has just landed her first job as a junior entertainment reporter. She has high hopes and dreams about being able to support herself, wearing a power suit to work every day and casually introducing herself with her own business card. The

Nov. 22, 2015

Stars absent from Daejong Film Awards

The 52nd Daejong Film Awards on Friday were not quite a star-studded affair as the nominees for top prizes, including Best Actor and Actress, skipped the annual ceremony. Although many nominees who did not attend gave reasons such as scheduling conflicts, others openly boycotted the awards, criticizing the organizing committee for poor management and lack of independence from the government. Daejong Film Awards ceremony at KBS Hall in Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul (Yonhap)The Daejong Film Awards organi

Nov. 22, 2015