[Herald Interview] Park Jeong-min is puzzled by global attention to ‘Hellbound’

For actor Park Jeong-min, the global popularity of “Hellbound” was unexpected. “Because I was simply a huge fan of the original webtoon, I was excited to play the television producer Bae Young-jae. Though I never took the role lightly, I did not have the pressure of turning the project into a smash hit series. I enjoyed working with amazing colleagues and director Yeon Sang-ho,” Park said in an online interview with a group of reporters on Tuesday. “Hearing the n

Dec. 1, 2021

‘Squid Game’ wins breakthrough series prize at Gotham Awards

“Squid Game” was announced the winner of the breakthrough series’ long format category at the 2021 Gotham Awards on Tuesday. Five other TV series, including Amazon Studios’ “Small Axe” and HBO Max’s “It’s A Sin,” vied for the prize in the over 40-minute category at the annual US awards ceremony for lower-budget indie movies and TV series. The award ceremony took place on Tuesday in New York and “Squid Game” director Hwan

Nov. 30, 2021

Actor Lee Chae-young returns as gambler in 'Tazza: The Poker Queen'

When Korean actor Lee Chae-young first heard the title of the upcoming film “Tazza: The Poker Queen,” it immediately reminded her of Korean film “The War of Flower,” which had the Korean title “Tazza.” Lee said she was hesitant to accept the role out of worry she could not outperform the 2006 hit. “However, after reading Kim Se-young’s comic that the film is created based on, I became to think that there is a story about woman gamblers that could

Nov. 27, 2021

[Well-curated] For the cold days: Indie film marathon, esports in person and soothing teas

As the cold winter blast is expected to continue this weekend, how about checking out indie movies at the 47th Seoul Independent Film Festival at CGV Art House Apgujeong and CGV Apgujeong in Seoul. The film festival kicked off Thursday and will run through Dec 3. Those who missed the opening film “Sprinter,” directed by Choi Seung-yeon that premiered on Thursday, can catch it at 3:20 p.m., Sunday. The film centers around three track athletes -- Hyun-soo, Jun-seo and Jung-ho --who

Nov. 27, 2021

Jeon Jong-seo praises ‘Nothing Serious’ director’s unique style, humor

Jeon Jong-seo has attracted attention for her character’s frank comments about sex in romantic comedy “Nothing Serious,” but for her the role was all about the director’s wit. Jeon plays Ham Ja-young, a 29-year-old single woman who often talks about her sex life with her friends and even makes sexual jokes to Park Woo-ri, a man she just met on a dating app.  “I think quirky and honest lines are director Jung Ga-young’s style. If I didn’t like t

Nov. 26, 2021

[Eye interview] ‘Squid Game’ VIP actors address criticism of their performance

John D. Michaels and Daniel C. Kennedy faced harsh criticism after appearing on the Netflix global sensation “Squid Game” as two of the VIPs. They addressed that criticism during a recent interview with The Korea Herald. Critics said the foreign actors’ performances were over the top and did not fit the tone of the series. Although they are aware of the criticism, Michaels and Kennedy said they would not do it much differently even if they had the chance. They al

Nov. 26, 2021

[Herald Interview] 'Hellbound' portrays my views about Korean society and humanity: Yeon Sang-ho

“Hellbound,” Netflix’s latest Korean original series directed from Yeon Sang-ho, presents a concrete observation on humans in a dystopian world, where moral principles and beliefs give way to religious zealotry. Yeon, who has been issuing his social criticism by depicting worlds in chaos, does not seem to limit himself in a single profession. The 43-year-old director’s love for fantasy horror has been presented in animation and as a film director, illustrator and scree

Nov. 25, 2021

Documentary film on people who are neither South nor North Koreans

One of the frequently asked questions of Koreans traveling abroad is: “Are you from the North or the South?” The protagonists of Kim Cheol-min’s independent documentary film, “I Am From Chosun,” would answer the question by saying they are from both, or perhaps neither. Kim’s documentary depicts his journey of learning about the Zainichi people in Japan, who are ethnic Koreans who moved to Japan mostly during the early 1900s before the Korean Peninsula was

Nov. 24, 2021

[Herald Interview] Yoo Teo shares his most personal stories in ‘Log in Belgium’

For director and actor Yoo Teo, releasing “Log in Belgium” as his debut film was never part of the plan. “Shooting a video was a way for me to endure the self-quarantine period in an unfamiliar city of Antwerp, Belgium, shortly after the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, when countries closed their borders and locked themselves down,” Yoo said in a press conference Tuesday at CGV Yongsan in central Seoul. He was in Antwerp working on the joint German-Japanese drama prod

Nov. 24, 2021

Renowned Japanese filmmakers head to S. Korea for new projects

Prominent Japanese filmmakers, including Cannes-winning Hirokazu Kore-eda, have been joining hands with South Korean productions amid the country's increased presence in the global cinema scene. Kore-eda, who won the top prize of the Palme d'Or at the 2018 Cannes Film Festival for "Shoplifters," is working on the drama film "Broker" (working title) in South Korea with CJ ENM, the entertainment unit of South Korean conglomerate CJ Group. The film is now in post production.

Nov. 24, 2021

Netflix’s ‘Hellbound’ mesmerizes viewers with different charms from webcomics

Netflix’s latest Korean original “Hellbound” has caught the attention of both local and foreign fans with horrifying depictions of death and episodes full of suspense. The series, directed by the mastermind behind megahit zombie sensation “Train to Busan” Yeon Sang-ho, is an adaptation of a highly rated webtoon of the same title, also by Yeon. Though Yeon said he tried “not to veer much from the original webcomics,” avid readers of the webtoon that end

Nov. 22, 2021

Netflix’s Christmas gift: Star-studded ‘The Silent Sea’

Netflix will ring in the Christmas season with the sci-fi mystery “The Silent Sea,” its last Korean original series of the year. The platform on Monday announced the show’s release on Dec. 24 and unveiled a mysterious poster showing a lone astronaut in outer space. The series, which revolves around a group of space explorers on a classified mission to an abandoned research facility on the moon, is an adaptation of a short film of the same title by director Choi Hang-yong. T

Nov. 22, 2021

[Newsmaker] Netflix’s ‘Hellbound’ may be the next big Korean hit

Netflix’s fantasy thriller “Hellbound” directed by Yeon Sang-ho is off to a good start in following in the footsteps of global sensation “Squid Game.” A day after being released Friday, Yeon’s Netflix series topped the Top TV show on Netlflix chart, according to streaming analytics firm FlixPatrol. “Squid Game” grabbed the No. 2 spot on the chart Saturday. The global hit TV series directed by Hwang Dong-hyuk had stayed atop FlixPatrol’s T

Nov. 21, 2021

‘Nothing Serious’ director creates female character talking openly about sex

Rookie Korean director Jung Ga-young, 31, said she focused on creating a female character with a daring personality when writing the script for romantic comedy “Nothing Serious” “I wanted to make a rom-com. I am a big fan of the genre and on top of that I wanted to create a film that centers around a female character,” the director said during a press conference held at CGV Yongsan in central Seoul on Wednesday. “I also wanted the female character to be honest when

Nov. 20, 2021

Korean films set to hit local screens in time for year-end season

Long-awaited Korean movies are gearing up to hit local screens in the coming months to lure film buffs and holiday shoppers in the year-end winter vacation season. The political drama "Kingmaker," starring Lee Sun-kyun of "Parasite" and Seol Kyung-gu, will forefront the move, as distributor Megabox Plus M has earlier confirmed its public release in December. The film, which revolves around an opposition party politician who dreams of becoming the president and his excellent

Nov. 19, 2021

[Box Office] Movies in theaters this week

Perhaps Love (Korea) Opened Nov. 17 Romantic comedy Directed by Cho Eun-ji Bestselling writer Hyun (Ryu Seung-ryong) is trying to overcome writer’s block after producing a hit novel seven years ago. One day, Hyun reads a rough draft of a novel written by his student, Yoo-jin (Mu Jin-sung), and suggests further developing the work together. Yoo-jin, who is gay and has feelings for Hyun, takes up the offer. Tomb of the River (Korea) Opened Nov. 10 Action Directed by Yoon Young-bin Gangste

Nov. 19, 2021

’Hellbound‘ director Yeon Sang-ho continues observation of humans in apocalyptic world

For director Yeon Sang-ho, 43, producing new Netflix series “Hellbound” felt like creating his own playground. “When I was creating ‘Hellbound’ as a web comic, I was expecting to reproduce the series as a video. The project shows different sides of humans in a desperate situation surrounded by extreme social chaos. I want to keep presenting my views about humanity via ‘Hellbound.’ I will continue to play around by creating unique characters and stories

Nov. 17, 2021

Seoul Independent Film Festival programmers recommend 17 films

Ahead of the 47th Seoul Independent Film Festival, program committee members Huh Nam-woong and Jung Ji-hye on Wednesday recommended 17 films for viewing. Ten recommended features include “Hot in Day, Cold at Night,” directed by Park Song-yeol, which depicts the story of Young-tae and his wife, Jeong-hee, who make ends meet with part-time jobs. The film is a great example of how a minimum amount of directing and acting can be effective, according to the programmers. “The Con

Nov. 17, 2021

French Cinema Week 2021 kicks off with new releases, classics

Great news for French film fans in Korea: French Cinema Week 2021, organized by the French Embassy in Seoul and the association of Korean Buyers & Distributors of Foreign Films in Korea, kicked off Monday with screenings of 40 films. The event, running through Sunday, is being held at 14 local theaters in five different cities, including Seoul, Incheon and Daejeon. This year’s French Cinema Week is held under the theme of “Save Our Cinema.” “We hope to support the

Nov. 15, 2021

'Eternals' retains No. 1 spot on S. Korea box office for 2nd week

Marvel's latest superhero film "Eternals" has topped the South Korean box office for the second consecutive week, data showed Monday. "Eternals" attracted a combined 501,000 people from Friday to Sunday, accounting for 55.9 percent of the period's total ticket sales at local theaters, according to the data from the Korean Film Council. The film topped the 2 million mark in attendance Friday, 10 days after its release on Nov. 3, bringing its total to 2.46 million as of Sunda

Nov. 15, 2021