‘Oldboy’ Choi Min-sik to return to big screen as genius mathematician

Korean actor Choi Min-sik is returning to the big screen for the first time in three years as a genius mathematician in “In Our Prime” directed by Park Dong-hoon. The historical drama “Forbidden Dream” which was released in 2019 was actor Choi’s most recent work. Director Park’s new film started shooting in March 2020 and was originally set to be released during the first quarter last year. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it had had to delay its openi

Feb. 9, 2022

[Herald Interview] Park Ji-hu believes ‘All of Us Are Dead’ is pivotal moment

Starring in Netflix‘s latest zombie thriller “All of Us Are Dead” has impacted actor Park Ji-hu, 18, in many ways. “‘All of Us Are Dead’ was my first long-series project. It was an experience that I did not have before, but with the help of my colleagues, I have learned about being a lead character both on and off the camera,“ Park said during an online interview with a group of reporters Tuesday. “While shooting the series, I was preparing for t

Feb. 8, 2022

‘Love and Leashes,’ Girls’ Generation Seohyun’s debut film is about sex

Seohyun of K-pop girl group Girls’ Generation has shed her image as a girl-next-door in her debut film “Love and Leashes,” a rom-com directed by Park Hyun-jin. “When I first read the script, it was fresh and shocking. It was a role that made me want to take up the challenge as an actor,” Seohyun said during an online press conference held on Tuesday. “Not only did it (the script) have a unique topic, it also showed how a man and a woman come to understand the

Feb. 8, 2022

[Herald Interview] ‘All of Us Are Dead’ director Lee Jae-kyoo hopes to return with season 2

The international attention and excitement for the latest Korean zombie series “All of Us Are Dead” took director Lee Jae-kyoo by surprise, but also filled Lee’s heart with anticipation for a possible season two. “Many directions, settings and scenes were intentionally produced to expand the story into an additional season, including the introduction of the new races of zombies -- immune and immortal. If the first season can be seen as having presented humanity‘s s

Feb. 7, 2022

Korean content is rising to cultural mainstream: HFPA president

Korean media content will continue to grow in popularity and become a staple in the global market, according to Helen Hoehne, chief of the organization running the Golden Globes.  In an exclusive interview with The Korea Herald, the president of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association congratulated Korean veteran actor Oh Yeong-soo for winning the best supporting actor in television trophy at the 2022 Golden Globes Awards for his role in the smash-hit drama series “Squid Game.”

Feb. 7, 2022

[Herald Interview] Netflix’s ‘Midnight Asia’ director brings Asian nightlife to light with personal stories

For Joe Evans, 34, the creator and director of Netflix’s travel documentary series “Midnight Asia: Eat. Dance. Dream.,” anyone with an inspiring story was welcome in his six-part series presenting the vibrant nightlife of Asia’s metropolises. “We were able to tell stories across the series from various social strata, ages from 18 to late 80s. It was a very inclusive cast and we were open to anyone as long as they had a great story,” Evans said in a Zoom

Feb. 6, 2022

Hong Sang-soo, Kim Min-hee to attend Berlinale together

Filmmaker Hong Sang-soo and actor Kim Min-hee will participate in the 72nd Berlin International Film Festival, which will take place from Feb. 10 to 20 as an in-person event. In January, the auteur’s 27th feature, “The Novelist’s Film,” was listed along with 17 other movies that will vie for the Gold and Silver Bear awards at the Berlinale. Kim, who is in a relationship with Hong and also considered his muse, is a lead actor and co-producer for “The Novelist&rsqu

Feb. 5, 2022

Florence Korea Film Fest to kick off in April

Taegukgi Toscana Korea Association on Thursday announced that this year’s Florence Korea Film Fest will take place at Cinema La Compagnia in Florence, Italy, from April 7 to 15. Some of the movies also will be screened online on the platform Piu Compagnia during the festival. Although the event organizer has not revealed the full list, it said 12 Korean actors, directors and producers will attend the film festival to mark its 20th anniversary. During the last 20 years, over 2,000 Korea

Feb. 4, 2022

[Box Office] Movies in theaters this week

The Pirates: The Last Royal Treasure (Korea) Opened Jan. 26 Action, Comedy Directed by Kim Jung-hoon Set in the Joseon era, pirate captain Hye-rang (Han Hyo-joo) and her crew go on a journey to look for hidden treasures of the Goryeo Kingdom that no longer exist. Troublemaking swordsman Muchi (Kang Ha-neul) and his followers also decide to join them. However, on their way, they are met with all sorts of adversities.  Kingmaker (Korea) Opened Jan. 26 Drama Directed by Byun Sung-hyun Oppositi

Feb. 4, 2022

‘All of Us Are Dead’ tops global charts, fuels Korean zombie sensation

Global streaming platform Netflix mesmerized drama fans around the world by circling back to yet another zombie hit, “All of Us Are Dead,” after the service’s South Korean market debut with period zombie drama “Kingdom” in 2019. The Korean zombie thriller topped Netflix’s streaming chart around the globe, reaching the top spot in 58 countries as of Wednesday, including Korea, Australia, Japan, Kuwait, Germany, Canada and more, according to US-based streaming

Feb. 3, 2022

'The Pirates' tops S. Korean box office over Lunar New Year holiday

"The Pirates: The Last Royal Treasure" has topped the South Korean box office over the Lunar New Year holiday but its total admissions were lower than expected amid omicron owes, data showed Thursday. The fantasy action blockbuster attracted a combined 649,000 moviegoers to bring its cumulative total to 881,000 during the five-day holiday that started Saturday, according to the data by the Korean Film Council. The political drama "Kingmaker" drew 358,000 people over the cit

Feb. 3, 2022

Busan International Film Festival aims to connect Asia’s film industry

Busan International Film Festival announced its vision and goals to expand its presence in Asia on Tuesday. Established in 1996, BIFF is the first international film festival in Korea, held annually in the local theaters of Busan. According to the BIFF secretariat, it held the first general meeting of 2022 on Jan. 27 at BIFF Hill of the Busan Cinema Center. Following the meeting, it announced its new vision to hold an event to link filmmakers and moviegoers in Asia. BIFF‘s previous visi

Feb. 2, 2022

Films produced by actors you should check out over Seollal

The Seollal holiday is usually one of the busiest times of the year at movie theaters with many new works being released. It is also the time when local broadcasters present special films for viewers who are staying home during the holidays. Despite the plethora of options on offer, there are times when it feels like there is nothing to watch. For those people, it might be a good idea to check out some of the films produced by familiar stars. These vary from series on streaming platforms to s

Jan. 30, 2022

‘The Beatles’ Get Back: The Rooftop Concert’ to hit local IMAX theaters

A documentary film on the Beatles featuring the group’s final performance will hit local theaters next month. “The Beatles’ Get Back: The Rooftop Concert” will be screened Feb. 11-13 at IMAX theaters, according to Walt Disney Company Korea on Friday, The one-hour movie is the edited highlights of Peter Jackson’s documentary series “The Beatles: Get Back,” which was released on Disney+ last month. Jackson completed the documentary series based on 60

Jan. 28, 2022

[Box Office] Movies in theaters this week

The Pirates: Goblin Flag (Korea) Opened Jan. 26 Action, Comedy Directed by Kim Jung-hoon Set in the Joseon era, pirate captain Hye-rang (Han Hyo-joo) and her crew members go on a journey to look for hidden treasures of the Goryeo Kingdom that no longer exist. Trouble-making swordsman Muchi (Kang Ha-neul) and his followers also decide to join the pirates. However, on their way, they are met with all sorts of adversities.  Kingmaker (Korea) Opened Jan. 26 Drama Directed by Byun Sung-hyun O

Jan. 28, 2022

Director Jang Cheol-soo returns after nine years with provocative romance film

Director Jang Cheol-soo has returned after nine years with a provocative romance film titled “Serve the People.” Jang is known for creating “Bedevilled,” which was invited to the 63rd Cannes International Film Festival, and hit film “Secretly, Greatly” which drew over 6.9 million moviegoers. “Every director’s dream is to create a movie that can be screened in front of an audience. But it was not easy. I think I grew up a lot during the last nine

Jan. 27, 2022

Netflix's 'All of Us Are Dead' brings a different class of zombie

For 51-year-old director Lee Jae-kyoo of Netflix’s “All of Us Are Dead,” adapting a classic zombie webtoon was a high-pressure project, but he was certain that the thriller would entertain viewers with its fascinating storyline and heart-pounding action sequences. “I would be lying if I said I felt no pressure in reproducing the legendary webtoon into a 12-part Netflix series. However, I consulted with author Joo Dong-geun numerous times to create the series and I am ex

Jan. 27, 2022

[Feature] What do you know about Korean zombies?

From their bloody makeup to bone-breaking motions, the zombies in Korean films and drama series have been satisfying viewers’ lust for the zombie apocalypse. But zombies were never the favored choice for films and drama series at first, as local horror fans were much more drawn to evil-possessed characters or ghosts. However, the spine-tingling zombies in horror-thriller “Train to Busan” (2016) and Netflix’s “Kingdom” (2019) have changed all that, with the

Jan. 26, 2022

Korean Theater Association urges government aid amid COVID-19

The Korean Theater Association on Tuesday released a statement to urge the government to give assistance to local theaters that have been suffering since COVID-19 broke out two years ago. The Korean Theater Association’s members include the top three local multiplex operators -- CGV, Lotte Cinema and Megabox. “We have been complaining about the financial difficulties caused by the pandemic and asked for support for the survival of our film industry, but we have not received any c

Jan. 25, 2022

[Herald Interview] Veteran actor, journalist join hands to create political documentary

Veteran actor Kim Eui-sung and journalist Choo Chin-woo’s political documentary about the monthslong candlelight protests in Korea that led to former President Park Geun-hye’s ouster, titled “Candlelight Revolution,” is finally set for release, a month ahead of presidential election. “I proposed this project to Choo,” Kim said during an interview with a group of reporters on Monday. “When I was traveling back in 2018, I was listening to the radio and h

Jan. 24, 2022