Son Suk-ku is the kind of actor who doesn’t rest on his laurels -- from melancholic stranger Mr. Gu in a remote town in “My Liberation Notes” to psychopathic kidnapper Kang Hae-sang who perfectly fits the slasher cinematic universe in “The Roundup,” he is one of the busiest, hottest stars in the Korean entertainment scene. This time, his versatility has landed him in another experimental and unprecedented story – documentary-style crime flick “Troll Fact

Film March 21, 2024

South Korean actor Choo Ja-hyun, who enjoys greater acclaim as an actor in China than in her home country, returned to the silver screen after 13 years with “While You Were Sleeping.” In recent years, she starred in Korean dramas in various genres such as “Green Mother’s Club,” “My Unfamiliar Family” and “Little Women.” Most of her roles in her 20s were fierce, wild characters which made it difficult to land roles in melodramas, according to

Film March 20, 2024

Director Jang Jae-hyun’s occult mystery flick “Exhuma,” which is expected to surpass 10 million in audience numbers here this week, has also caught the attention of moviegoers in several Asian countries. “Exhuma” opened in Indonesia on Feb. 28 and sold 180,000 tickets in 20 days, becoming the most successful Korean film in Indonesia to date. The movie has also surpassed the animated franchise flick "Kung Fu Panda 4" in terms of the total number of screens

Film March 19, 2024

Director Yoon Je-kyoon’s 2014 hit drama flick “Ode to My Father,” which drew crowds of 14.2 million upon its release, is the fourth most successful film in South Korea's history. The movie is still talked about as a work that helped foster a deeper understanding of Korea’s modern history and how people lived through the post-war era. The movie follows the journey of Deok-soo (Hwang Jung-min) and his efforts to protect his family, spanning from his early adulthood to

Film March 18, 2024

The admission by South Korean actors Ryu Joon-yeol and Han So-hee Saturday that they have been in a relationship since early this year has led to mixed reactions from the public, with some speculating that Ryu had met Han before breaking up with Hyeri, a popular singer-turned-actor. Ryu and Hyeri starred in the hit 2015 TVN drama “Reply 1988” and began dating in 2017. Han wrote on her blog on Saturday that she started dating Ryu after he had ended his relationship with Hyeri. “

Film March 17, 2024

HBO original series “The Sympathizer,” marking auteur director Park Chan-wook’s return to the small screen, will be available in Korea via the local streaming platform Coupang Play in April. The exact date of the Korean release has not been confirmed, but the series will hit HBO and its streaming platform, Max, in the US on April 14. The small-screen adaption of the 2016 Pulitzer Prize-winning novel of the same title by Vietnamese American author Viet Thanh Nguyen boasts a stel

Television March 17, 2024

The success of London Bagel Museum has opened a new phase in Seoul’s bakery scene, with numerous unprecedented "styles" of bagels being enjoyed more like a dessert with a distinct Korean style than a simple breakfast bite topped with cream cheese. Seongsu-dong, a former industrial complex and an area known for shoemakers' shops, is a must-stop area for people on a "bread pilgrimage" seeking sweet and savory bagel variations. Some of the trendiest bakeries take rese

Food March 16, 2024

“Past Lives” (US) Opened March 6 Drama/Romance Directed by Celine Song Deeply connected childhood friends Hae-sung (Teo Yoo) and Nora (Greta Lee) are pulled apart when Nora's family emigrates from Korea to Canada. Time passes and the two are finally reunited for a fateful week after 24 years. “Poor Things” (US) Opened March 6 Comedy Directed by Yorgos Lanthimos Bella (Emma Stone), a Frankenstein-like woman brought back from the dead by scientist Godwin Baxter (Will

Film March 15, 2024

Moviegoers will have to wait a little bit more to finally see Oscar-winning director Bong Joon-ho’s upcoming work "Mickey 17." The movie distributor Warner Bros. Pictures said Thursday that Bong’s first new work in six years will first release in theaters here on Jan. 28, 2025, before opening in other countries around the globe. “Mickey 17,” which completed production in England in December 2022, will be Bong’s first movie since “Parasite.” The

Film March 14, 2024

Director Bae Du-ri came up with the original idea for her feature debut film “Dolphin” back in 2018. The movie centers on Na-young (Kwon Yu-ri), a 35-year-old woman in a seaside town whose only joy is caring for her mother and younger brother. After a troubled childhood, she is now settled into a calmer life, working as a journalist at a local newspaper. When her mother decides to sell the house and her brother insists on moving to Seoul, Na-young, struggling to accept these changes,

Film March 12, 2024

Friday marked International Women's Day, a day to appreciate the accomplishments of women and promote gender equality. Why not celebrate the day by watching films that highlight the spirit of womanhood? A cinematic experience of women’s strengths, diversity, achievements and their incredible stories is a good way to mark the day. "Dolphin" Directed by Korean female filmmaker Bae Du-ri, “Dolphin” marks the feature directorial debut of Bae, who wrote and directed

Film March 12, 2024

South Korea’s mega-hit crime action franchise “The Roundup” will return next month with its fourth installment, “The Roundup: Punishment,” just 11 months after the third one. The movie, this time, will see the reappearance of an old character as well as the addition of two new, stronger villains. “I’m just full of gratitude to be able to create the fourth in this action crime franchise, which I came up with the idea for while brainstorming 11 years ago i

Film March 11, 2024

“Exhuma,” directed by acclaimed "master of K-occult" Jang Jae-hyun, continues its strong performance at the box office, likely to surpass 7 million total viewers this weekend -- the third weekend since the movie’s release on Feb. 22. According to Korean Film Council data, “Exhuma” accumulated a total of 6.7 million ticket sales as of Friday. The movie, which cost 1.4 billion won ($1 million) to produce, reached the breakeven point of 3.3 million ticket sal

Film March 8, 2024

Of the 35 Korean blockbuster films that opened last year, just one film was directed by a female filmmaker, according to data. Korean Film Council data showed that director Yim Soon-rye of the action drama flick "The Point Men" was the only female filmmaker to have directed a movie with a budget of more than 3 billion won. Representing 2.7 percent of the 35 blockbusters, the figure is the lowest since KOFIC began gathering data in 2017. There was no female cinematographer for any Korea

Film March 8, 2024

Song Joong-ki, whose Netflix original film "My Name is Loh Kiwan” ranked 3rd on Netflix's non-English chart this week, said he was hesitant to play the character of North Korean defector Loh Ki-wan when he first received the script for the movie seven years ago. “I initially turned down the offer to play Loh Ki-wan seven years ago, because Ki-wan and Marie’s love affair didn't resonate with me. I told the production company that I didn’t think it was right

Film March 8, 2024