For Yoo Yeon-seok, it was a clear choice for him to appear in canine-themed film “My Heart Puppy,” as a person who has had dogs from a young age and acted as ambassador of Seoul Animal Film Festival. A chance to act with the four-legged friends and tell stories of the companion animals through the screen were his priorities. “I first grabbed the script with a light-hearted mind because the title was cute. Then after I finished reading it, there was no choice for me (but to appe

Film Feb. 26, 2023

It is rare for a fine dining chef to suddenly close his restaurant for months just to study the ingredients he wants to know about -- especially soon after the restaurant was awarded a Michelin star. Kim Do-yun, head chef at the Michelin-starred Yun Seoul in Mapo-gu, Seoul, reopened his restaurant in March last year, eight months after closing its doors. “I went to France, Germany, Italy and cities like New York just to study ingredients, like food that can give noodle aroma and certain

Food Feb. 25, 2023

“Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania” (US) Opened Feb. 15 Action Directed by Peyton Reed In this sequel to "Ant-Man" (2015) and "Ant-Man and the Wasp" (2018) and the 31st film of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Ant-Man and the Wasp explore the Quantum Realm and interact with strange new creatures. “The Amazing Maurice” (US) Opened Feb. 15 Comedy/Family Directed by Toby Genkel An animated comedy based on Terry Pratchett’s semi-parodic children&rs

Film Feb. 24, 2023

Actor Song Joong-ki, 37, said most of the rumors surrounding his wife are wrong and that he was “angry” about the snowballing gossip concerning his family. In a recent interview with GQ Korea, Song said all the rumors circulating online, except the school from which she graduated, were wrong. On Jan. 30, Song revealed that he had registered his marriage with Katy Louise Saunders on that day and that they were expecting a baby. He did not mention when the baby is due. “At firs

Film Feb. 23, 2023

New Hollywood thriller “Mona Lisa and Blood Moon” starring actor Jeon Jong-seo will hit local theaters on March 22. It is the Hollywood debut for the 28-year-old actor, who made her silver screen debut in award-winning director Lee Chang-dong’s thriller “Burning” (2018). Most recently, she appeared as Tokyo in Netflix series “Money Heist: Korea -- Joint Economic Area” (2022). This thriller fantasy film revolves around Bonnie Hunt (Kate Hudson), a single

Film Feb. 23, 2023

“D.P” star Koo Kyo-hwan will take on his first-ever lead role in the upcoming sci-fi film “Looking for King” (working title), directed by Won Shin-yun of “The Battle: Roar to Victory” (2019). “Looking for King,” set in the 1980s, revolves around an Army surgeon Do-jin (Koo) who encounters an unexpected guest at a town called Punch Bowl, located inside the demilitarized zone. Along with Koo, actor Yoo Jae-myung will star as a righteous town reside

Film Feb. 22, 2023

Anyone who has a dog will experience heartbreak at least once -- letting your beloved companion go. But it’s not so easy to make a film dedicated to your dear dog. Jason Kim, the filmmaker behind the 2017 action comedy hit “Midnight Runners,” is releasing “My Heart Puppy,” a canine-themed film based on his own personal experiences of separation from his 10-year-old Yorkshire Terrier. “I raised two dogs called Rooney and Ray, small Yorkshire Terriers less tha

Film Feb. 21, 2023

Yim Si-wan’s latest thriller film, “Unlocked,” depicts the 34-year-old actor as psychopathic killer Jun-young, who hacks into Na-mi's (Chun Woo-hee) smartphone and later threatens to kill her. It’s hard to imagine the actor, who started out in entertainment as part of idol boy band ZE:A and usually exudes a prince charming image, as a ruthless villain. But Yim said it was not difficult to get into character. It is Yim’s second time playing the villain after &ld

Film Feb. 20, 2023

“Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania” (US) Opened Feb. 15 Action Directed by Peyton Reed In this sequel to "Ant-Man" (2015) and "Ant-Man and the Wasp" (2018) and the 31st film of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Ant-Man and the Wasp explore the Quantum Realm and interact with strange new creatures. “Titanic” (US) Opened Feb. 8 Romance Directed by James Cameron Celebrating the 25th anniversary of James Cameron’s box office phenomenon “Titani

Film Feb. 18, 2023

South Korean star director Bong Joon-ho will attend the Florence Korean Film Fest for the first time in 12 years. Bong will participate in a master class on April 6 at the festival, which introduces Korean films throughout Europe and particularly in Italy, according to festival organizer Taegeukgi Cultural Association. His last visit to the fest, which has been held annually for the past 21 years, was in 2011. “We are pleased to have director Bong, one of the most widely acclaimed filmmake

Film Feb. 18, 2023

Three Korean films have been invited to the 73rd Berlin Film Festival, which kicked off Thursday and runs until Feb. 26. The festival picked director Hong Sang-soo’s “In Water” to compete in the newly established Encounters sidebar competition category. It is the 62-year-old auteur’s 29th project. Hong is competing at Berlinale for the fourth consecutive year, following “The Novelist's Film” (2022), “Introduction” (2021) and “The Wom

Film Feb. 17, 2023

Explore Seoul's vibe with immersive media What's your image of Seoul when you think of the city? A media art exhibition “Seoul Vibe” at Gallery Gwanghwa, located near Gwanghwamun Square, offers a new interactive and immersive experience of the city we know through digital media technology. Ten different sections of the exhibition shed new light on the image of Seoul. When you first enter the space, 12 zodiac animals on the screen will greet you. Scan the barcode of the ti

Culture Feb. 17, 2023

Singer and actor Yim Si-wan said he took a different approach to playing the role of a villain in his new film, “Unlocked,” highlighting the character's child-like nature, rather than portraying him as a ruthless killer. “Unlocked,” a debut film by director Kim Tae-joon, is based on Shiga Akira's award-winning Japanese novel of same title. The thriller tells the story of Na-mi (Chun Woo-hee) and how her life is threatened by Jun-young (Yim Si-wan) after she lose

Film Feb. 15, 2023

Actor Jin Seon-kyu garnered the spotlight through his supporting roles in “The Outlaws” (2017) and “Extreme Job” (2018) after long years of anonymity. The 45-year-old actor finally made his debut as a leading role actor in the comedy film “Count,” which is in some ways a story about Jin himself. In “Count,” Jin plays Si-heon, a former boxing Olympic medalist who now teaches students at a high school in Jinhae, North Gyeongsang Province. A stubborn

Film Feb. 14, 2023

In celebration of the 40th year anniversary of the beloved Korean cartoon character Dooly, the 1996 cartoon series “Little Dinosaur Dooly” is making a return after 26 years on the silver screen remastered in 4K. “Little Dinosaur Dooly” was initially a cartoon series from Kim Ju-jeong and published in a cartoon magazine called Bomulseom, which translates to Treasure Island, from 1983 to 1993. It was made into a TV animation series and later released in cinemas. The story c

Film Feb. 13, 2023