South Korea in the 1980s is often described as an era of violence and chaos. The period was marked by numerous major events in South Korean history, among them: the Gwangju Democratic Uprising in 1980 in which the military cracked down on civilians leading to a massacre; one of the largest fraud cases to date involving Jang Young-ja, a woman associated with then-President Chun Doo-hwan’s wife’s family in 1982; the Oct. 9, 1983 assassination attempt on Chun in Yangon, Myanmar in which

Film Oct. 21, 2024

Amid the ongoing slump of Hollywood blockbusters at the local box office, attention is focused on whether any of the upcoming mega-scale films can break the trend or struggle to compete against a diverse lineup of Korean movies. First on the list is “Venom: The Last Dance,” an American superhero film. The final installment in the Venom trilogy, opening in Korea on Oct. 23, sees Tom Hardy return to his role as Venom, one of Marvel’s most complex characters. The previous films

Film Oct. 20, 2024

“Love in the Big City” (South Korea) Opened Oct. 1 Drama Directed by Lee Eon-hee Jae-hee (Kim Go-eun) and Heung-soo (Noh Sang-hyun), young Seoulites who have known each other since college, find themselves and come to understand one another better than anyone else. “The Wild Robot” (US) Opened Oct. 1 Animation Directed by Chris Sanders Roz (Lupita Nyong'o), a newly manufactured robot shipwrecked on an uninhabited island with no human inhabitants, learns to adapt to

Film Oct. 18, 2024

The short-form thriller “4 minutes 44 seconds” will hit local theaters next month, following the unusual success of the short film “Night Fishing” starring Son Suk-ku in June. As the title suggests, “4 minutes 44 seconds” is an eight-episode horror-thriller with each story lasting 4 minutes and 44 seconds. The short-form film follows residents and visitors of the mysterious Bukchon Apartment, where someone disappears at 4:44 p.m. every day. The movie will ex

Film Oct. 16, 2024

Director Kim Sang-man, whose last film was 2004’s “The Tenor - Lirico Spinto,” was hesitant at first to make a period action flick set in Joseon (1392-1910). He said it was because of the massive amount of historical evidence and ancient records he would have to reference, which might have limited his creativity when directing. What, then, led him to direct the period action film “Uprising”? The film, which follows the friendship, fate and rebellion of a young maste

Film Oct. 15, 2024

Booking tickets online for a K-pop idol concert or a top-selling musical show, which sell out in several minutes or even seconds, is stressful. The high ticket prices, hovering above 100,000 won per ticket, are also agonizing. But at multiplex cinemas here, you can enjoy the exact same concert or musical on a large screen right in front of you and on an even-better sound system at just one-third of the price. In recent years, local multiplex cinema chains CGV and Megabox have been screening conc

Film Oct. 14, 2024

The 29th Busan International Film Festival ended Friday after a 10-day run during which it hosted 145,238 guests and screened 224 films from 63 countries. The BIFF organizers said the seat occupancy rate at its 28 screens in seven Busan theaters reached 84 percent, a slight increase over last year's 82 percent. This marks the highest seat occupancy in the festival’s history, surpassing even the pre-pandemic years when it featured more than 300 films. This year’s New Currents Awa

Film Oct. 13, 2024

Whether you have it for lunch at your desk, in the car on your way to a meeting, or even save it for the end of the day, a Japanese lunch box, or bento, is a great mid-day meal option, especially for busy office workers. Bento is not only economical, it's a healthy and fun way to treat yourself to a variety of meats, vegetables and soups. Goaji — a Seoul restaurant whose name in Japanese is suggestive of deep flavors — specializes in grab-and-go bento lunch boxes, which are prep

Food Oct. 12, 2024

“The Wild Robot” (US) Opened Oct. 1 Animation Directed by Chris Sanders Roz (Lupita Nyong'o), a newly manufactured robot shipwrecked on an uninhabited island with no human inhabitants, learns to adapt to the local wildlife and becomes the adoptive mother of an orphaned goose. “Joker: Folie a Deux” (US) Opened Oct. 1 Crime/Musical Directed by Todd Phillips Arthur Fleck (Joaquin Phoenix), a failed comedian, is institutionalized at Arkham, awaiting trial for his crime

Film Oct. 11, 2024

“A Taxi Driver,” a 2017 action drama flick by Jang Hoon (“The Front Line,” “The Secret Reunion”), is not the first movie to have depicted the Gwangju Democratic Uprising of May 18, 1980. But unlike other movies cover the student-led democratization movement — “Peppermint Candy,” “May 18,” “26 Years” — “A Taxi Driver” sets itself apart by following the day’s events from an outsider’s point

Film Oct. 8, 2024

Global streaming platforms like Netflix, Apple TV+ and Disney+ have been applying loose ratings, violating the Promotion of the Motion Pictures and Video Products Act, according to a report from a lawmaker on Monday. According to Korea Media Rating Board data obtained by Rep. Cho Gye-won of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea, Netflix led in violating the law by applying lax ratings for provocative content, recording 76 such violations since the government approved the self-rating sy

Film Oct. 7, 2024

BUSAN -- Written and directed by Malaysian director Amanda Neel Eu, “Tiger Stripes” follows carefree 12-year-old Zaffan who starts to experience unexpected bodily changes as she is the first to get her period among her group of friends. For Zaffan, puberty becomes something she fights for in front of others after being publicly ostracized at school and in the community. Later, she embraces her anger and wrath to show everyone the beauty of her changing body. “Going through pube

Film Oct. 7, 2024

BUSAN -- South Korean entertainment conglomerate CJ EJM said it would continue to invest 1 trillion won in content production and operation, its CEO Yoon Sang-hyun said Friday at the CJ Movie Forum held on the sidelines of the 29th Busan International Film Festival. “Despite the growing uncertainty in the film industry, we will continue to support creators and enable their imaginations to come to life and shine bright,” Yoon said. Yoon stressed that such investment will support its s

Film Oct. 4, 2024

BUSAN -- Kiyoshi Kurosawa, who gained international attention with the psychological horror thriller “Cure” (1997), said he still hasn’t discovered his style or overall theme, expressing his pure interest and motivation in filmmaking. The 69-year-old veteran filmmaker was in Busan on Thursday as the recipient of the 29th Busan International Film Festival’s Asian filmmaker of the year award. “Making films for over 40 years, people in Japan call me a veteran director.

Film Oct. 4, 2024

‘Culinary Class Wars’ meets intimate yakitori Nestled in a quieter part of Seongsu-dong, eastern Seoul, Atari is a hidden treasure for yakitori lovers. Run by "Chicken President," a food researcher and contestant on Netflix’s “Culinary Class Wars,” this intimate yakitori spot has built a loyal following thanks to its exceptional course-style dining experience. While the restaurant boasts a large sign, it doesn’t display its name, adding a touch of m

Culture Oct. 4, 2024