Number of moviegoers hits 16-year low in Feb. over coronavirus fears

The number of moviegoers in South Korea last month dropped to its lowest level for a February in 16 years, as people stayed home over growing fears of the novel coronavirus. According to the Korean Film Council on Sunday, just over 7.34 million people went to the movies in February, the lowest for the month since 3.11 million watched films in February 2004. In February 2019, almost 22.3 million tickets were sold across the nation. The outbreak of the coronavirus in South Korea and the recent

March 1, 2020

Hong Sang-soo wins best director at Berlin film fest for 'The Woman Who Ran'

Renowned South Korean director Hong Sang-soo on Saturday (Berlin time) won best director at the Berlin International Film Festival for his latest film, "The Woman Who Ran." At the awards ceremony held at Friedrichstadt-Palast in Berlin, the director's 24th feature film was awarded the Silver Bear prize for best director at the 70th edition of the Berlin film fest, which kicked off Feb. 20 and closes Sunday. Hong is the second South Korean filmmaker to earn the prize in the category,

March 1, 2020

‘Train to Busan’ sequel ‘Peninsula’ confirms summer release

“Peninsula,” the sequel to hit zombie flick “Train to Busan,” will be released this summer, distributor NEW said Friday. Though the company did not reveal the release date, the film may hit theaters in August. Taking off from where the story ended in “Train to Busan,” the upcoming movie is expected to have the same setting as the first film. According to Yeon Sang-ho, director of both films, “Peninsula” will take place four years after the z

Feb. 28, 2020

CGV to halt service in Daegu

South Korea’s largest cinema chain CJ CGV said Thursday it will temporarily shut down its screens in the Daegu area from Friday. 　 Due to the rapid increase of the COVID-19 infections in Daegu, the nine CGV outlets in the area will temporarily be closed due to concerns about the safety of customers and staff, CGV said on its webpage. The cinema franchise said reserved tickets will be canceled automatically and it will further notify about the reopening dates. By Im Eun-byel (silvers

Feb. 28, 2020

[Box Office] Movies in theaters this week

The Gentlemen (US) Opened Feb. 26 Action, Comedy, Crime Directed by Guy Ritchie American expat Mickey Pearson (Matthew McConaughey) starts selling marijuana as he enters college in London, coming to build a highly profitable marijuana empire in the city. When word gets out that he is looking to cash out of the business for good, it triggers plots, schemes, bribery and blackmail in an attempt to steal his domain out from under him. A War of Memories (Korea) Opened Feb. 27 Documentary Directe

Feb. 28, 2020

Korean films opening despite coronavirus crisis

With the fear of the novel coronavirus driving moviegoers away from cinemas, Korea has witnessed mass cancellations of new film releases in recent few days. However, changing plans at the last minute is not a privilege all filmmakers enjoy, and a few Korean films, especially indie flicks produced by small companies, are biting the bullet and rolling out on schedule. Although prospects for such films may be not be the brightest, following is a short list of Korean films to hit local theaters i

Feb. 26, 2020

Hong Sang-soo's latest film gets premiere at Berlinale

Korean auteur Hong Sang-soo’s “The Woman Who Ran” got its world premiere at the 70th Berlin International Film Festival on Tuesday. Three more screenings of the film are expected through Friday at the annual film festival, where it is competing for the Gold and Silver Bear prizes, the highest honors of the event. Hong’s film is competing against 17 other titles from 17 countries. This is Hong’s fourth time in competition at the Berlinale, following “Night

Feb. 25, 2020

Coronavirus empties theaters, box office

The film industry continues to suffer as people stay away from cinemas amid the increasingly rapid spread of COVID-19, and scheduled movie releases are now being put on hold. The number of theatergoers, which saw a small recovery in the second week of February, plummeted again over the weekend, with 474,979 people going to the movies on Saturday and Sunday, according to the Korean Film Council. The figure represents a steep drop of almost 60 percent from the previous weekend. The total number

Feb. 24, 2020

Film industry slump continues amid virus fears

Snowballing coronavirus infections have continued to cast a pall over the film industry, with new releases delayed and events canceled. Thriller flick “Time to Hunt” will tentatively postpone its release and cancel all promotional events, including premieres, the film’s distributor Little Big Pictures said Sunday in a statement. The company made the decision in response to the government’s call to refrain from mass gatherings. “Time to Hunt” was slated to

Feb. 23, 2020

[Video] Chungmuro, the heart of Korean cinema, goes beyond ‘Hallyuwood’

The movie district often epitomizes the fame, power and money that comes from the show-biz industry. Known as the mecca of Korea’s big screen, Chungmuro has been home to many theaters and movie studios. It used to be the stomping grounds for hordes of local stars and filmmakers in Korea as well. Surprisingly, the area has a humble background, despite its eventual prominence. Long ago, it was an ideal place to start a career because the cost of living was relatively low compared to other

Feb. 21, 2020

Trump scoffs at 'Parasite's' Oscar win

COLORADO SPRINGS (AFP) -- President Donald Trump on Thursday scorned the best picture Oscar for South Korean film "Parasite," asking how a foreign movie could get the honor. "How bad was the Academy Awards this year?" Trump asked the crowd at a packed reelection campaign rally in Colorado Springs, Colorado. "We got enough problems with South Korea, with trade. On top of it, they give them the best movie of the year?" Trump asked in disbelief. "Parasite,&quo

Feb. 21, 2020

[Box Office] Movies in theaters this week

Corpus Christi (Poland) Opened Feb. 13 Drama Directed by Jan Komasa Daniel (Bartosz Bielenia) experiences a spiritual rebirth during his time in a youth detention center and the 20-year-old decides to become a priest. However, his criminal record prevents him from attending a seminary. Upon being released on parole, he is sent to a small town to work. Here, Daniel dresses up as a priest and inspires the local parish, which had been struggling to heal from a tragic accident. 1917 (US) Opened

Feb. 21, 2020

[Weekender] The ‘Parasite’ impact

  For Jeon Da-jung, a 35-year-old office worker who often commutes through the neighborhood of Buam-dong, central Seoul, the concrete staircase that leads to the nearby Jahamun Tunnel didn’t mean much to her. But “Parasite,” from the acclaimed South Korean director Bong Joon-ho, completely changed her mind. By using the urban landscape as a metaphor for the deepening social divide between the haves and the have-nots, it opened her eyes to the reality of Korea today, she

Feb. 21, 2020

[Herald Interview] Salaryman-turned-director Kim Yong-hoon debuts big

The desperate desire inside Kim Yong-hoon, when he left his stable job at an entertainment conglomerate to realize his dream of becoming a filmmaker, may have led him to his first feature-length film, “Beasts Clawing at Straws.” A crime noir thriller with a trace of black comedy, “Beasts Clawing at Straws” tells the story of how the desire to possess a bag of cash turns ordinary people into monsters. The director caused a buzz even before the film’s release, winn

Feb. 20, 2020

Moon meets Bong Joon-ho, vows govt. efforts against cinema screen monopolies

President Moon Jae-in said Thursday his government would do its best to introduce a legal measure to curb screen monopolies in South Korean cinemas, speaking at a Cheong Wa Dae meeting with Bong Joon-ho, director of the Oscars-winning movie "Parasite." The president pledged "tangible support" for the further development of the local film industry and cited the proposed ceiling on the total number of screens for a certain movie and the expansion of academies. The Ministry o

Feb. 20, 2020

Bong Joon-ho continues commenting on social issues

After a 10-month journey that kicked off at the Cannes Film Festival last year, the “Parasite” team is back in Seoul -- with four Oscars in tow. “It’s been almost a year since we held our preview press conference here. ‘Parasite’ has been around the globe with such strong vitality and we’re glad that we can be back here after all that. It feels very strange,” director Bong Joon-ho said during the film’s final official press conference held

Feb. 19, 2020

[Newsmaker] Actor Ha Jung-woo denies illegal drug use

Actor Ha Jung-woo on Tuesday denied all accusations that he had illegally taken the anesthetic propofol at a plastic surgery clinic in Gangnam, Seoul. Propofol is a short-acting anesthetic that is highly addictive. Plastic surgery clinics normally administer it to patients undergoing surgery. The news first broke last Thursday when a local news outlet reported that prosecutors were looking into about 10 people suspected of abusing drugs, including a famous actor. Although Ha’s name was

Feb. 19, 2020

'Parasite' wins prestigious Italian award

South Korean director Bong Joon-ho's film "Parasite," which won four Academy Awards this month and the Cannes Film Festival's top honor, the Palme d'Or, last year, captured a prestigious Italian award dubbed Italy's Oscars, an Italian news agency said Wednesday. "Parasite" has been selected as this year's winner of best foreign language film at the David di Donatello awards, ANSA said. The South Korean social comedy-thriller beat Quentin Tarantino's "Once Upon A Time

Feb. 19, 2020

Indie film ‘Lucky Chan-sil’ wishes dreamers well

While indie film “Lucky Chan-sil” may seem like a story about cineastes, director Kim Cho-hee is dedicating the movie to anyone pursuing a dream. “There is an underlying pressure in our society that makes people with dreams feel as if they have to achieve something,” the director said during a press conference held Monday to promote the movie. “Small and big twists in life sometimes turn out to be an opportunity leading to a new life. I hope the audience can laugh

Feb. 18, 2020

Oscar-winning 'Parasite' tops Japanese box office

The Oscar-winning film "Parasite" topped the Japanese box office over the weekend, becoming the most-watched Korean movie in the neighboring country in 15 years. According to Japanese box-office tracker Kogyo Tsushinsha, director Bong Joon-ho's black comedy "Parasite" stood atop the box office for the Saturday-Sunday period in Japan. The war film "1917" placed second. "We are calculating its exact box office revenue for the weekend," the film's Japanese

Feb. 17, 2020