[Herald Interview] Portrait of two underdogs and their vain dreams

With methamphetamine worth 2 billion won ($1.6 million), the vain dreams of a young man to stay in South Korea and another young man to flee the country start. The portrayal of how the two hopeless young men try to fly but ultimately fall in the film “Dreamer” is so dry and realistic that it feels too cruel on the characters and the many dreamers they resemble. The film features two dreamers: North Korean defector Geun-soo who has just arrived in the South and is trying to settle i

March 18, 2020

Some films set to hit local screens amid slowdown in virus spread

The virus-hit South Korean film community is gradually regaining vitality, with some movies poised to hit local screens in the coming weeks, as the country's coronavirus infections have been seemingly slowing down. South Korea reported an additional 93 cases of COVID-19 infection on Wednesday, bringing the total to 8,413 with 84 deaths. The Wednesday figure marked the fourth consecutive day of double-digit daily increases. "Judy," a biographical drama film about American singer and

March 18, 2020

[Herald Interview] ‘Acting is about cultivating knowledge’

Actress Shim Eun-kyung won the best actress award at this year’s Japan Academy Film Prize, six years after winning the best acting award at South Korea’s Baeksang Arts Awards in 2014. “I’m truly grateful for all the congratulatory messages. It still doesn’t feel real,” Shim, currently living in Japan, told The Korea Herald through an email. “I’m very thankful to all the staff members who took part in making ‘The Journalist’ and ever

March 17, 2020

[Herald Interview] Women of 40-somethings who still dream, challenge

Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, the film “Lucky Chan-sil” is maintaining a steady performance in the box office, just like the protagonist who endures unexpected hardships in the film. While the release of many films have been postponed due to the historically low turnout at cinemas due the spread of the highly contagious respiratory illness, director Kim Cho-hee said she decided to open her latest film as scheduled because of her belief, which she says is also the main message of &

March 16, 2020

Moviegoers fall to 15-year low in Feb. out of coronavirus fear

The number of moviegoers in South Korea fell to a 15-year low in February out of intensifying fears over the infectious coronavirus, data showed Friday. According to the data by the Korean Film Council (KOFIC), a total of 7.37 million people went to the cinema last month, plunging 66.9 percent from 14.9 million tallied a year ago. It is the smallest February number since 2005, when monthly admissions came to 11.3 million. It is also the first time in 15 years that the February admission dropp

March 13, 2020

Busan film festival to feature fewer movies this year

The Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) will feature about 13 percent fewer movies this year, its organizer said Friday. In a recent general meeting, the secretariat decided to invite about 260 films for its 25th edition, a sharp cut from some 300 screened in previous years. The organizer also decided to hold this year's event from Oct. 7-16 under the slogan of "New Start, Always BIFF." The downsizing came as its funding was slashed 6 percent on-year to 11.95 billion won (US$

March 13, 2020

Film festivals in S. Korea postponed amid coronavirus scare

Local film festivals in South Korea set to open this spring have been rescheduled amid heightening fears over the rapid spread of the infectious coronavirus. Organizers have postponed the opening of the 21st Jeonju International Film Festival (JIFF), the country's largest showcase of indie and art-house films, for one month to May 28. The 2020 JIFF was originally to kick off April 30 and run through May 9 in the southwestern city of Jeonju. Last year, the festival featured 275 films from 53

March 13, 2020

'Parasite' tops W300b in worldwide revenues

The Oscar-winning Korean film "Parasite" has topped 300 billion won ($245 million) in worldwide ticket sales, industry data showed Friday. According to the data by Box Office Mojo, a US film revenues tracker, the black comedy film earned $253.5 million in the world, including $72.6 million in South Korea and $52.8 million in the United States. Released stateside in October last year, "Parasite" is the fourth-highest grossing foreign film in the US, following "Crouchin

March 13, 2020

[Box Office] Movies in theaters this week

Dark Waters (US) Opened March 11 Biography, Drama, History Directed by Todd Haynes Corporate environmental attorney Rob Bilott (Mark Ruffalo) has just made partner at his law firm in large part due to his work defending big chem companies. But he finds himself conflicted after being contacted by two West Virginia farmers who believe that the local DuPont plant is dumping toxic waste in a nearby landfill. Bilott files a complaint that marks the beginning of an epic two-decade fight -- one that

March 13, 2020

Film companies to jointly release new pictures

Korean theaters are seeing the lowest number of cinemagoers in 14 years, and film companies, finding it difficult to postpone new releases any further, are seeking alternative ways to keep the industry going. Moviegoers nationwide were less than 60,000 from Monday to Wednesday, marking the lowest figure seen in the last 14 years, according to data compiled by the Korea Film Committee. With the virus pandemic set to continue for days to come, film producers and distributors are putting their he

March 12, 2020

Virus-hit S. Korean movie industry faces grim prospects for summer peak season

The South Korean film industry, struggling with the wide spread of the coronavirus, sees the outlook for its summer peak season remaining bleak even if the epidemic eases. As the number of confirmed cases of the COVID-19 virus has reached nearly 7,900 since the first outbreak on Jan. 20, the South Korean government raised the virus alert to the highest level last month and asked the public to refrain from outdoor activities. The rapidly spreading coronavirus has been keeping people from local

March 12, 2020

[Herald Interview] Oh Ji-ho, director discuss fantasy-thriller ‘The Nightmare’

Actor Oh Ji-ho said he accepted the offer to star in the fantasy-thriller “The Nightmare” because he wanted answers to the many questions that popped into his head as he read the script. “It’s difficult to put it into words, but I was grasped by a mysterious and incomprehensible feeling,” Oh said Wednesday in an email interview conducted ahead of the film’s release on Thursday. “The Nightmare” is a mystery-thriller packed with fantastical elemen

March 11, 2020

Jeonju film fest postponed due to coronavirus

The Jeonju International Film Festival has been postponed, as the novel coronavirus outbreak continues. The organizing committee of the Jeonju IFF announced on Wednesday the decision to move the event to May 28-June 6. The 10-day event was originally slated to kick off April 30. “We made the decision considering the possibility that COVID-19 may be of a grave threat to the health and safety of our guests,” the board of directors said in a statement. “Although we are postpon

March 11, 2020

[Feature] Are Korea’s drama-focused studios ready for film industry’s growth?

In February, the Korean Film Council announced that the biggest and oldest film set in the country, Namyangju Studio Complex, would resume operations following its closure last October by the new owner Booyoung Group. The Namyangju set’s reopening is welcomed by Korean cineastes as the studio complex -- located in Namyangju, Gyeonggi Province, just northeast of Seoul -- is the one of the few large-scale studios in close proximity to Seoul. Since its opening in 1997, 786 films, or more t

March 10, 2020

Women of ‘Parasite,’ Lee Mie-kyung make Variety’s International Women’s Impact Report 2020

Women of ‘Parasite,’ Lee Mie-kyung make Variety’s International Women’s Impact Report 2020 The actresses who starred in the Academy Award-winning “Parasite” made Variety’s annual International Women’s Impact Report on Friday, along with CJ Group Vice Chairwoman Lee Mie-kyung. The list, which includes accomplished women in showbiz from around the globe, was released prior to International Women’s Day on March 8. The five “Parasite&rd

March 9, 2020

Coronavirus spread delays film fests

The COVID-19 spread continues to cast a pall over the Korean film scene, forcing upcoming film festivals to reschedule. The organizers of the Chunsa Film Art Awards on Monday announced that the festival, originally scheduled to take place in April, will now be held in June. The Ulju Mountain Film Fest, which had moved up the event’s date from September to April starting this year, was forced to reschedule the dates back to the fall season. The unique film event taking place in the southe

March 9, 2020

Shim Eun-kyung nabs best actress prize at Japanese film award

Actress Shim Eun-kyung, 26, was honored with the Japan Academy Film Prize for best actress at this year’s awards ceremony for her role in “The Journalist.” Ahead of her victory on Friday at the 43rd Japan Academy Film Prize, Shim had been nominated in January along with Nikaido Fumi, Matsuoka Mayu, Miyazawa Rie and Yoshinaga Sayuri. Upon hearing her name called out, Shim broke into tears of joy and surprise. “I did not expect to win the award, so I could not pr

March 8, 2020

[Box Office] Movies in theaters this week

The Invisible Man (US) Opened Feb. 27 Horror, Mystery, Sci-fi Directed by Leigh Whannell When Cecilia’s (Elisabeth Moss) abusive ex-boyfriend takes his own life and leaves her a large part of his fortune, she suspects his death was a hoax. As a series of coincidences turn lethal, threatening the lives of those she loves, Cecilia’s sanity begins to unravel. She desperately tries to prove that she is being hunted by someone nobody can see. Lucky Chan-sil (Korea) Opened March 5 Dra

March 6, 2020

Korean animation ‘Underdog’ to open in France

South Korea’s hit animation “Underdog” will be screened in France next month under the title “Nous, Les Chiens,” according to the film’s producer-distributor NEW. “The picture’s time-transcending style will bring joy to both adults and children,” The Jokers, which is releasing the film in France, was quoted as saying by NEW. The company also distributed the Korean film “Parasite” in France. The 2018 feature animation “Und

March 3, 2020

Korean films continue winning streak at international film festivals

Korean films continue making history at the three big prestigious film festivals-- Berlin, Cannes and Venice. South Korean director Hong Sang-soo on Saturday in Berlin won best director at the 70th Berlin International Film Festival for “The Woman Who Ran.” Last year, director Bong Joon-ho’s “Parasite” won the country’s first Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival. It might seem like the country’s films have become the toast of the town in the

March 1, 2020