Weekend box office guide Nov. 21-22

Headed to the box office? The Korea Herald offers a weekend guide to what's in theaters. Inside Men (Korea)Opened Nov. 19Crime drama. Directed by Woo Min-hoThe stink of corruption is everywhere in “Inside Men,” where top players in politics, media, and the criminal world intertwine their fates together through mutual support. Together, they are unstoppable, but when one side turns traitor the house of cards comes tumbling down.Citizenfour (U.S.)Opened Nov. 19Documentary. Directed by Laura Poitra

Nov. 20, 2015

[Herald Review] 'Inside Men' sees darkness everywhere

“Inside Men” is a scathing, absorbing work about the dirty tricks that manipulate public opinion and power in Korean society.That might seem like nothing new. This year, the Korean box office has seen its fair share of movies discussing the corruption and collusion rampant in Korean society. But “Inside Men” is different because there is no good guy to root for. There is no justice-seeking lawyer as in “The Unfair” or righteous cop like in “Veteran.” Politician, prosecutor, columnist and mobster

Nov. 19, 2015

CGV seeks 10,000 screens by 2020

CJ CGV, Korea‘s largest cinema chain, is targeting 10,000 screens and 700 million moviegoers worldwide by the year 2020, its chief executive said Wednesday.  Speaking to press at the chain’s Cheongdam branch in southern Seoul on Wednesday, CEO Seo Jung said that his company will be focusing on overseas expansion through active mergers and acquisitions, rather than the saturated domestic market. In Korea, the cinema unit of local conglomerate CJ has 128 theaters and 971 screens, controlling nearl

Nov. 19, 2015

‘The Priests’ tops 3m moviegoers

The exorcism thriller “The Priests” topped 3 million ticket sales as of Saturday, box-office data showed Sunday. 　Since its release on Nov. 5, the film was watched by 3.12 million viewers as of Saturday, including a daily viewer count of 460,160 registered on that day, according to the state-run Korean Film Council.  Kang Dong-won in "The Priests" (CJ E&M)　The record is on the same pace as box-office hits “Masquerade” (2012) and “Ode to My Father” (2014), which both crossed the coveted 10 millio

Nov. 15, 2015

Weekend Box Office Guide: 11/14-11/15

Headed to the box office? The Korea Herald offers a weekend guide to what's in theaters. For something a bit out of the ordinary, catch the Chinese film "Monster Hunt," a mix between live-action and animated comedy. Those looking for a more realistic laugh should opt for "Burnt." If thrills and mystery are more your speed this weekend, check out the latest 007 movie "Spectre," the Spielberg offering "Bridge of Spies" or the first commerical occult movie to hit Korean cinema, "The Priests."Monste

Nov. 15, 2015

H.K. director breaks Chinese box office

This year, Chinese box offices were shaken up by a Chinese film -- and that’s unusual.As the second-largest film market in the world, China is a precious source of sales revenue for globally released Hollywood blockbuster series such as “The Fast and the Furious,” “Avengers” and “Terminator.” In fact, this year’s “Furious 7” reigned as the highest-grossing film of all time in China up until 52-year-old Hong Kong-born Raman Hui showed up with the dark horse “Monster Hunt.” Raman Hui (Edko Films)I

Nov. 12, 2015

[Herald Review] ‘Priests’ experiment falls short

“The Priests,” from award-winning short film director Jang Jae-hyun, is undoubtedly the most experimental commercial movie of the year, taking on the occult -- a genre that is still largely unfamiliar to Korean audiences.The film follows a priest surnamed Kim (Kim Yun-seok), a thorn in the side of the Korean Catholic community who scoffs at the church’s efforts to become a universally respected and beloved institution. When a young girl named Yeong-shin (Park So-dam) begins to exhibit signs of p

Nov. 11, 2015

Weekend box office guide: Nov. 7-8

Heading to the movies this weekend? The Korea Herald offers a guide of what's playing on the big screen.Thrill abounds at this weekend's box office in Korea. Crime thriller "The Phone" draws fans in with its fast-paced plot, while "The Fatal Intutition" is riding strong, with Asian heartthrob Joo Won as the main character. New openers include Steven Spielberg's thriller "Bridge of Spies" starring Tom Hanks, and a rare Korean exorcism movie "The Priest," starring Kang Dong-won.  Bridge of Spies (

Nov. 6, 2015

Busan climate action film festival kicks off

The Busan Climate Action Film Festival is returning for a second year with three films with messages about sustainability, two of them local. The festival begins Friday with a bring-your-own-cup-and-plate “Veggie Fest” party. The opening film is “An Omnivorous Family’s Dilemma,” which follows director Hwang Yun as she befriends a family of pigs on a farm and starts to think about the pigs’ family and her own family in parallel. (BCAFF)The second Korean film, which also closes out the festival, i

Nov. 5, 2015

Korean classic films streaming for free in November

The Korean Movie Database is providing free streaming of 421 classic Korean films on its mobile website for the month of November.Users who log into the site through a smartphone or tablet PC will be able to view free classic Korean films. The streaming service will be available through paid subscriptions starting in December. Still from "Insect Woman" (KMDb)Some classic films that will be streaming for free include Im Kwon-taek’s 2000 film “Chunhyang,” Kim Ki-young’s 1972 film “Insect Woman,” a

Nov. 4, 2015

[Herald Interview] Lee Chun-hee: Mutant movie shows hardships of being ordinary

“Collective Invention” is a movie about a fish man -- or more accurately, a man who turns half-fish after an experimental drug wreaks havoc on his body. Inspired by the eponymous painting by Belgian painter Rene Magritte and directed by Kwon Oh-kwang, who became the first Korean screenwriter to win the short film Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival in 2013 with “Safe,” the film is just as bizarre as it sounds.“When I was first handed the script, they told me, ‘It’s a story about a fish man.’

Nov. 4, 2015

[Herald Interview] Sung Yu-ri finds comfort on camera

Singer-turned-actress Sung Yu-ri has been living in the limelight for half her life. The 34-year-old actress debuted in 1998 with girl group Fin.K.L, and debuted as a TV actress in 2002. Despite her long successful career, she says it’s only now she truly feels she‘s found her comfort zone as an actress.“I really didn’t have enough confidence in the past,” she said in an interview at a restaurant in Seoul. “I‘m sure there are points where I’m lacking even now, but I‘ve realized that the audience

Nov. 3, 2015

Local thrillers rule weekend box office

"Fatal Intuition" (CGV Arthouse)Local thriller flicks were the winners at the weekend box office, outdoing hit Hollywood films. According to data from the Korean Film Council on Sunday, actor Joo Won’s “Fatal Intuition” stayed at the top of the box office for four straight days, drawing a total of 450,000 viewers during the period. Prior to the release of “Fatal Intuition,” veteran actor Son Hyun-joo’s “The Phone,” which hit theaters on Oct. 22, was ranked in first, so far drawing 1.2 million mo

Nov. 1, 2015

[Herald Interview] Joo Won pursues endless change

Actor Joo Won is one of the hottest rising stars in Korea today, having built an impressive repertoire crossing the stage, TV and the silver screen.He is best known for his roles as a doctor suffering from autism in the drama “Good Doctor” and his current role across actress Kim Tae-hee in the drama “Yong-pal.”The Korea Herald sat down with the 28-year-old actor for an interview at a restaurant in Seoul to talk about his acting goals and his first thriller film, “Fatal Intuition.” Joo Won (Yonha

Nov. 1, 2015

Weekend Box Office Guide: 10/31-11/1

Heading to the movies this weekend? The Korea Herald offers a guide of what's playing on the big screen.Thrill and adventure abound at this weekend's box office in Korea. "The Martian" starring Matt Damon continues to ride strong, with moviegoers recommending the 3D theater experience. Crime thriller "The Phone" draws fans in with its fast-paced plot, while "The Exclusive" is gaining traction with its well-crafted balance between comedy and thriller. New openers are the dizzying "The Walk" starr

Oct. 30, 2015

[Herald Interview] Peanuts to hit theaters in 3-D this winter

Snoopy and the Charlie Brown gang from Charles Schulz’s timeless comic strip “Peanuts” are some of the most recognized characters in the world, which made it no small task to translate the four-panel strip into a feature-length 3-D movie. After running tests with various production agencies, the Schulz family, who still own the rights to the characters, decided to give that task to Blue Sky Studios -- a small but strong U.S. production company that created the “Ice Age” and “Rio” films. “(The fa

Oct. 26, 2015

[Herald Interview] Bae Sung-woo leaps forward in 2015

At 43, Bae Sung-woo is no newbie to acting.He says he’s always been working since he graduated from college at 29 -- but it wasn’t until this year that he made his mark with the general public. Bae was the face of a distraught office worker driven to murder in the Cannes-invited “Office.” He played Woo-jin, the man who wakes up with a different appearance every morning in “The Beauty Inside.” He was the leader of an illicit international car dealership in the runaway hit “Veteran.” On Oct. 22, h

Oct. 25, 2015

Weekend box office guide

Heading to theaters this week? The Korea Herald gives you a rundown of what's playing on the big screen.This weekend's box office in Korea is full of thrills and action, with Korean flicks such as "The Exclusive: Beat the Devil's Tattoo" and "The Phone" featuring murder, intrigue and mystery. For fist-clenching drama, check out "Collective Invention," which involves a pharmaceutical experiment gone awry.The Exclusive: Beat the Devil’s Tattoo (Korea)Opened Oct. 22　Mystery. Directed by Roh Deok　Su

Oct. 23, 2015

Korean theaters wrap up October with thrillers

After a summer of blockbuster action movies and dramas over the Chuseok weekend, the Korean box office is opening its fall-winter lineup with a healthy dose of thrillers. Three Korean films are poised to open in the last two weeks of October and keep you on the edge of your seat, each with a different kind of story and vibe.　Action thriller: “The Phone”Opening Oct. 22　Presented by new director Kim Bong-joo, time-travel suspense flick “The Phone” offers a cast with excellent thriller credentials

Oct. 21, 2015

Actor Lee Joon-gi currently shooting ‘Resident Evil’ franchise

Lee Joon-gi with Milla Jovovich (Instagram)Korean actor Lee Joon-gi is currently shooting the final installment of the “Resident Evil” franchise to mark his Hollywood debut, his Korean agency confirmed Saturday. “Lee is shooting (the film) in South Africa,” Namoo Actors said. The firm, however, refused to give more details about Lee’s role in “Resident Evil: The Final Chapter.”The confirmation came after “Resident Evil” star Milla Jovovich on Friday posted a photo with Lee to her Instagram, reve

Oct. 19, 2015