Actor Song Joong-ki attended the 76th Cannes Film Festival for the first time in his 15 year acting career with his action thriller flick “Hopeless.” Invited as part of the Out of Competition category, the low-budget “Hopeless” is director Kim Chang-hoon's long feature debut film. Rookie actors Hong Sa-bin and Kim Hyeong-seo, also known as singer Bibi, were next to Song during the film's world premiere and the red carpet event prior to the screening on Wednesday

Film May 25, 2023

Global attention for Korean cinema reached a peak when director Bong Joon-ho won the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival for his darkly comic thriller “Parasite” in 2019. He was the first Korean director to win the top award at Cannes, after last appearing in competition with “Okja” (2017). He was also the second Asian winner in consecutive years, following Japanese director Hirokazu Kore-eda’s triumph with “Shoplifters” (2018). After skipping a

Film May 24, 2023

Don Lee is undoubtedly top dog when it comes to the crime action genre in Korea, and does little to disappoint fans with the third film starring combative detective Ma Seok-do. Just like its smash-hit predecessors “The Outlaws” (2017) and “The Roundup” (2022), threequel “The Roundup: No Way Out” diligently adheres to the action comedy formula -- action-packed scenes and a simple but satisfying plot line of a lead character knocking down villains -- of course i

Film May 23, 2023

Two Korean films invited to noncompetition categories at the 76th Cannes Film Festival each held screenings with the directors and main actors receiving the spotlight on the red carpet and at the theater after their world premieres. Director Kim Tae-gon’s “Project Silence” was scheduled for 12:30 a.m. Monday in Cannes, as it was invited to the Midnight Screening, an out-of-competition section dedicated to films with popular appeal and artistic value. Main actors Lee Sun-kyun, J

Film May 22, 2023

Actor Kim Seon-ho, who had been keeping a low profile after being embroiled in a scandal in 2021, is making his silver screen debut with director Park Hoon-jung’s new noir action film “The Childe.” Before starting the press conference to promote his new film on Monday, Kim apologized for the inconvenience caused due to earlier rumors surrounding his personal life. His ex-girlfriend in 2021 claimed he coerced her into getting an abortion. He admitted to pressuring her. “I&

Film May 22, 2023

From “Time To Hunt” (2020) to “Jung_E” (2023), Netflix has worked on a number of Korean dystopian movies, but not all audience were so fascinated by it. With “Black Knight,” which talks about a deliveryman in a violent desert wasteland in 2071, Netflix has pushed things forward, with strong characters and sophisticated CGI. Based on the webtoon “Delivery Knight,” director Jo Ui-seok said he reorganized the list of characters to add dynamics between

Film May 21, 2023

“Fast X” (US) Opened May 17 Action/Adventure Directed by Louis Leterrier The tenth film in the Fast & Furious Saga, the film tells a story of Dominic Toretto (Vin Diesel) who must protect his crew and family from Dante Reyes, the son of drug lord Hernan Reyes, seeking revenge over the loss of his family's fortune. “The Super Mario Bros. Movie” (US) Opened April 26 Animation/Adventure Directed by Aaron Horvath, Michael Jelenic A 2023 computer-animated adventure

Film May 20, 2023

Seek artistic tranquility in nature-inspired crafts For those with an appetite for the intersection of art and nature, Culture Station Seoul 284 in Jung-gu, Seoul is hosting the Korea Crafts and Design Foundation's exhibition, "Another Letter to Nature." Reimagining the 2022 Milan Korean Crafts Exhibition, this display blends human creativity and natural purity, showcasing over 300 works crafted from traditional and modern materials. On entry, Jang Sung's "Given (2023)&q

Culture May 19, 2023

Netflix's dystopian drama “Black Knight” is actor Kim Woo-bin’s third project since he returned to acting in 2022 after being diagnosed with nasopharyngeal cancer and ceasing all activities in 2017. It was director Jo Ui-seok who, having filmed the 2016 action flick “Master” with Kim, led the actor to star in his first-ever Netflix project. The two reportedly exchanged ideas during the planning stage for “Black Knight.” “I was thinking about

Film May 18, 2023

One of South Korea’s most significant cultural heritage sites turned into a runway for Italian fashion house Gucci on Tuesday night. Gucci showcased its 2024 cruise collection in front of Geunjeongjeon, the main hall of Gyeongbokgung, marking the first Gucci show in South Korea. It was also Gucci’s first ever cruise collection show in Asia. The 15-minute runway show kicked off with an appearance from top model Choi So-ra, as the soundtrack from Park Chan-wook’s “Old Boy

Arts & Design May 17, 2023

Busan International Film Festival, Asia’s largest, has come under fire for a string of leadership changes that has exposed internal differences over how the festival should be run. BIFF Executive Director Huh Mun-young and BIFF Chairperson Lee Yong-kwan submitted their resignations in the space of a week, following the appointment of Cho Jong-guk as head of operations on May 9. Huh, who had been appointed to lead the festival in March 2021, turned in his resignation on Thursday, less than

Film May 16, 2023

Five Korean films have been invited to this year’s Cannes International Film Festival, which kicks off in the French resort town on Tuesday. Kim Chang-hoon’s “Hopeless,” Kim Jee-woon’s “Cobweb,” Hong Sang-soo’s “In Our Day,” Kim Tae-gon’s “Project Silence” and Jason Yu’s “Sleep” will be shown at the festival. No South Korean film has been selected to compete for the main prize, the Palme d’Or, a

Film May 15, 2023

“The Super Mario Bros. Movie” (US) Opened April 26 Animation/Adventure Directed by Aaron Horvath, Michael Jelenic A 2023 computer-animated adventure film based on Nintendo's Mario video game franchise tells a story of Mario and Princess Peach getting ready to square off against the all-powerful Bowser to stop his plans from conquering the world. “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol.3” (US) Opened May 3 Action Directed by James Gunn The American superhero franchise conclude

Film May 13, 2023

Restaurants near college campuses are known to be especially cheap. Considering students' low budgets, eateries there tend to offer affordable food that is quick-to-serve and caters to all tastes. Serving one, signature dish is often a sign of the owner's confidence in the taste and quality of food. Built on years of know-how, there is no sophisticated technique involved. Such dishes do not rely on sophisticated ingredients. Instead, it’s the homely taste that pulls in customers.

Food May 13, 2023

Huh Mun-young, the executive chair who had been appointed in March 2021 to lead the country’s largest and one of Asia‘s most significant film festivals, the Busan International Film Festival, has decided to resign from the post less than five months before this year’s festival, raising concerns about the event proceeding as planned. This year’s BIFF will kick off on Oct. 4. Market insiders said Huh resigned to show his frustration over the recent transformation of the BIF

Film May 12, 2023