‘My Name Is Kim Bok-dong’ tells tale of comfort women, champion of human rights

In January, human rights activist Kim Bok-dong passed away just shy of 93.With her death, all but 21 identified Korean women who were sexually enslaved by the Japanese during World War II -- euphemistically called comfort women -- had passed away. At the same time, the prospect of Japan’s Shinzo Abe administration formally apologizing for the country’s past sins grow ever dimmer. Upcoming documentary “My Name Is Kim Bok-dong” focuses on Kim’s life and struggles

July 25, 2019

[Herald Review] Hopes of cinematic universe may be too ambitious for ‘Divine Fury’

A cinematic universe is not something that has earnestly been tried in the Korean film industry, which makes Jason Kim’s attempt to start one via an occult film border on risky. Occult-themed flicks have rarely been major hits at the box office here.So how does “The Divine Fury” – the supposed “Iron Man” of the crudely named “Holy Universe” -- measure up? While it has some good elements and can be fun from time to time, the unoriginal plot and conc

July 23, 2019

Cannes-winning 'Parasite' tops 10 m admissions in S. Korea

"Parasite," the winner of the Palme d'Or at this year's Cannes Film Festival, has surpassed 10 million admissions in local theaters, data showed Monday.The comedy-thriller film by Bong Joon-ho drew 10,000,249 moviegoers as of Sunday, the 53rd day of its run, according to the data from the Korean Film Council.It became the 26th film that reached the 10 million milestone in ticket sales in South Korea. This year alone, four films have achieved the feat: "Extreme Job," "Ave

July 22, 2019

Portman is Thor, Ali is Blade and more from Marvel's Phase 4

SAN DIEGO (AP) -- “Avengers: Endgame” may have closed a chapter in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but the blockbuster factory is not slowing down and only expanding in scope and diversity. Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige led a marathon presentation at San Diego Comic-Con Saturday night, announcing plans for the first two years of “Phase Four,” which will include Natalie Portman taking up the hammer as Thor, making Angelina Jolie an immortal for “The Eternals&rd

July 21, 2019

[Box Office] Movies in theaters this week

Spider-Man: Far From Home(US) Opened July 2Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi Directed by Jon WattsPeter Parker (Tom Holland), aka Spider-Man, is unsure of himself and is torn between wanting a normal life as a high school student and shouldering his responsibilities as a superhero. Peter decides to use a school field trip to Europe to get close to Michelle “MJ” Jones (Zendaya), but troubles follow, as well as a run-in with a mysterious superhero, “Mysterio” Quentin Beck (Jake Gyl

July 19, 2019

[Herald Review] Despite a few flaws, ‘Exit’ a fun, action-packed film with likable characters

As the credits rolled, there was a feeling of deja vu. This was not a Ryu Seung-wan film, yet it was oddly reminiscent of his signature style: likable characters written to be compatible with each actor, unforced humor, clever lines and suspenseful action. Then I discovered director Lee Sang-geun used to work as an assistant director for Ryu.Lee is not a Ryu-wannabe, of course. In his first feature effort, Lee managed to create a film that is both fun and suspenseful, with protagonists that are

July 18, 2019

Chemistry between leads the key in ‘Tune in for Love’

When director Jung Ji-woo talks about the two romantic leads in his upcoming film “Tune in for Love,” he uses a Korean expression equivalent to “reading the phone book and making it sound good.” Kim Go-eun and Jung Hae-in work so well together, he said, they could make “reading from a textbook entertaining.” “Working with such good actors, it’s as good as it gets,” Jung said of the cast during a press conference for the film in Seoul on Monda

July 15, 2019

[Herald Review] ‘Lion King’ to roar on screen once again

Twenty-five years since the release of Disney’s “The Lion King,” the story of Simba and his journey to his rightful place on the throne has entertained fans through various media -- from a smash-hit Broadway musical to animated series like “The Lion King’s Timon & Pumbaa” and “The Lion Guard.”The animated classic can arguably be said to have influenced superhero films too, with many seeing traces of it in the 2018 film “Black Panther,&rdq

July 14, 2019

[Box Office] Movies in theaters this week

Spider-Man: Far From Home (US) Opened July 2Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi Directed by Jon WattsPeter Parker (Tom Holland), aka Spider-Man, is unsure of himself and is torn between wanting a normal life as a high school student and shouldering his responsibilities as a superhero. Peter decides to use a school field trip to Europe to get close to Michelle “MJ” Jones (Zendaya), but troubles follow, as well as a run-in with a mysterious superhero, “Mysterio” Quentin Beck (Ja

July 12, 2019

[Herald Interview] Bucheon film fest winner presents personal mental horror

Shotgun blasts rip through the tranquil scene of a coffeehouse to open “Daniel Isn’t Real,” a psychological horror film that recently debuted at the genre-focused Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival. The portrayal is horrific in its intensity and brevity, cutting away quickly and returning moments later with police tape up and haphazard sheets unable to contain the crimson carnage draining down the floor. From the other side of the tape, an 8-year-old Luke who has jus

July 7, 2019

[Box Office] Movies in theaters this week

Spider-Man: Far From Home(US) Opened July 2Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi Directed by Jon WattsPeter Parker (Tom Holland), aka Spider-Man, is unsure of himself and is torn between wanting a normal life as a high school student and wanting to shoulder his responsibilities as a superhero. Peter decides to use the school field trip to Europe to get close to Michelle “MJ” Jones (Zendaya), for whom he has developed affection, but troubles follow him, as well as a run-in with a mysterious super

July 5, 2019

Disney live-action ‘Little Mermaid’ to star a black Ariel

R&B singer Halle Bailey is to play Ariel in a live-action version of “The Little Mermaid,” she said Wednesday, in a rare casting of a black actress as a Disney princess.Bailey, 19, who rose to fame under the wing of pop queen Beyonce, said it was a “dream come true” to play the lead role. She tweeted a cartoon image of the princess in which the traditionally red-headed Ariel has dark skin, brown eyes and black hair. Director Rob Marshall said Bailey had been cast afte

July 4, 2019

'Spider-Man: Far From Home' opens in S. Korea with 674,000 admissions

The latest Marvel film "Spider-Man: Far From Home" earned a solid 674,000 views on its first day of release in South Korean cinemas, data showed Wednesday.The superhero flick dominated the daily box office charts on Tuesday, dethroning the long-time leading Disney live-action film "Aladdin" seen by about 72,000 people on the 49th day of its release, according to the data from the Korean Film Council. The figure 674,000 beats the 545,000 opening total for the 2017 film "S

July 3, 2019

[Herald Review] Good acting eclipsed by rookie directing in ‘The Culprit’

Both Song Sae-byeong and Yoo Sun are quality actors, but it has been quite some time since either of them benefited from a good script or decent directing. One more unfortunate example of this is the upcoming mystery thriller “The Culprit” by director Go Jung-wook, a jumbled pile of pretentious plots that are convoluted and confusing for all the wrong reasons. A twist for twist’s sake is never the right choice, a note that the director apparently didn’t get for his first

July 2, 2019

[Herald Review] ‘Spider-Man: Far From Home’ may not be epic, but it’s a delightful teen flick

How do you follow up after “Avengers: Endgame,” the pinnacle of a multibillion-dollar movie franchise built up over 11 years and 22 films that was epic, flamboyant, dramatic and even nostalgic? You don’t try to top it -- you build on the new world with a charming and relatable hero.Jon Watt’s “Spider-Man: Far From Home” is a delightful teenage coming-of-age tale with great characters, good humor and an upgrade in action, serving both as a wistful epilogue to t

July 1, 2019

Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival to kick off

The 23rd annual Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival will commence later on Thursday with the opening ceremony in Bucheon, Gyeonggi Province, kicking off 11 days of festivities that will showcase 288 films from 49 countries.Under the theme of “Love, Fantasy and Adventure” and with a focus on science fiction, Korea’s largest genre film festival will continue until July 7. A total of 170 feature films and 118 short films will be screened at theaters across the city just

June 27, 2019

[Box Office] Movies in theaters this week

Toy Story 4(US)Opened June 20Animation, Adventure, Comedy Directed by Josh Cooley When Bonnie’s (Madeleine McGraw) beloved new craft-project-turned-toy, Forky (Tony Hale), declares himself “trash” and not a toy, Woody (Tom Hanks) takes it upon himself to show Forky why he should embrace being a toy. But when Bonnie takes the whole gang on her family’s road trip excursion, Woody ends up on an unexpected detour that includes a reunion with his long-lost friend Bo Peep (Anni

June 27, 2019

‘The Divine Fury’ eyes start of occult-themed film universe

Director Jason Kim’s upcoming film “The Divine Fury” seeks to break ground in Korean cinema by starting a cinematic universe, though the concept has not arrived here yet. Even more daring is Kim’s attempt to do so with an occult film -- a genre that has been a hit and miss when it comes to Korean movies.“During my visit to France, I saw a statue of an angel suppressing the devil. (The statue) embodied an enormous struggle, which got me thinking (about the possibilit

June 26, 2019

[Box Office] Movies in theaters this week

Toy Story 4(US)Opened June 20Animation, Adventure, Comedy Directed by Josh Cooley When Bonnie’s (Madeleine McGraw) beloved new craft-project-turned-toy, Forky (Tony Hale), declares himself “trash” and not a toy, Woody (Tom Hanks) takes it upon himself to show Forky why he should embrace being a toy. But when Bonnie takes the whole gang on her family’s road trip excursion, Woody ends up on an unexpected detour that includes a reunion with his long-lost friend Bo Peep (Anni

June 21, 2019

Commemorative Resistance Film Festival to kick off next month

The 2019 Resistance Film Festival will be held in Seoul from July 4-7, commemorating the spirit of the Korean independence fighters during Korea’s 1910-45 Japanese colonization, screening 27 films depicting resistance movements around the world.Preparing for the festival’s second edition, organizers expressed their hopes the film festival will become an annual event, eventually to be held at the National Memorial of Korean Provisional Government, slated to open in 2021. This year, it

June 18, 2019