Korean crime action flick “The Prison” outpaced “Beauty and the Beast” at the Korean box office Tuesday, according to the Korean Film Council. “The Prison” topped the list of films, selling 60,713 tickets Monday, followed by “Beauty and the Beast,” which sold 49,484 tickets.  Han Suk-kyu (left) and Kim Rae-won star in “The Prison.” (Showbox)The two films have been competing for the top spot at the local box office since “The Prison” opened in theaters on March 23. The Korean movie stars Han Suk-

Film April 4, 2017

Seoul is a vibrant megalopolis with modern high-rises crowding the city’s major arteries. Nestled among the gleaming buildings are maze-like alleys that appear to have escaped the passage of time. The Korea Herald explores the many nooks and crannies of Seoul, proclaimed the capital of Joseon in 1392, that reveal a multifaceted city. -- Ed. Murals line the Kang Full Cartoon Alley in Seongnae-dong, Gangdong-gu, Seoul, in these photos taken Wednesday. (Park Hyun-koo/The Korea Herald)On the wall of

Culture April 3, 2017

Kim Yoon-seok, Ha Jung-woo, Yoo hae-jin and Kim Tae-ri will star in the historical drama film tentatively titled “1987,” which draws on the democratization movement of 1987, a watershed event in the history of Korean democracy, the film’s distributor CJ Entertainment announced Monday.The film will chronicle the anti-government protests that took place from June 10-29, 1987, sparked in part by the death of Park Jong-chul, a Seoul National University student killed while being interrogated and tor

Film April 3, 2017

One Line(Korea)Opened March 29Crime, thriller. Directed by Yang Kyung-moUniversity student Lee Min-jae (Im Si-wan), struggling in poverty, seeks out loan brokerage services to borrow money from banks. The head of the operation is Jang Seok-goo (Jin Goo), who helps people fabricate documents and identities in order to obtain loans they do not qualify for. The two, both savvy at reading people and with a knack for numbers, eventually team up to funnel huge sums of fraudulent loans. The Prison(Kore

Film March 31, 2017

One of the most striking sequences in “Ghost in the Shell,” a dystopian noir-thriller with no shortage of striking sequences, shows a female cyborg being assembled in mid-air, piece by piece. The circuitry pulses exquisitely. A fleshy pink brain snaps neatly into place. The body, once built, is submerged in a milk-white liquid, forming a hard, glossy shell that splinters open to reveal the impeccably sculpted form and features of Scarlett Johansson.While this “birth” sequence closely follows the

Film March 31, 2017

A small child lifts his arms so that he can be lifted up into a waiting train. There is an innocence in the youngster’s eyes revealing no knowledge of the horrific fate that lies ahead.He’s followed by another child and then another. Finally the last child is placed on the train and the Jewish youngsters begin their trip to death at the hands of the Nazis. Only the mix of looks of anguish, loss of hope and hatred on the face of Jan Zabinski (Johan Heldenbergh) reveals the heartbreaking truth of

Film March 31, 2017

K-pop behemoth S.M. Entertainment has become the largest shareholder of Mystic Entertainment after strategically investing in 28 percent of the management agency’s shares, S.M. stated Thursday.Helmed by producer Yoon Jong-shin since 2010, Mystic is known for fostering artists with folksier, alternative sounds such as Eddy Kim, Puer Kim and former 2AM member-turned-rocker Jeong Jin-woon. Mystic recently strengthened its video content department by recruiting Yeo Woon-hyuk, the producer of variety

Performance March 31, 2017

Kim Nam-gil and Chun Woo-hee team up for an unlikely romance in “Oneday,” a quiet drama about death and the grief of those who survive.　“It felt like a fairy tale for adults. I wasn’t sure how the fantasy elements would be used in the film,” said Kim on Thursday at a press conference in Wangsimni, Seoul.　“My biggest concern is always how to convey characters as naturally as possible.”　 A still from “Oneday” (Opus Pictures)In the film, Kim plays Kang-soo, an insurance company employee who struggl

Film March 31, 2017

Over 30 Korean TV networks and production companies will attend this year’s MIPTV, the world’s largest TV and online content trade show next month in France, a state-run content agency said Thursday.　 This file photo provided by Korea Creative Content Agency shows the exhibition floor of the MIPTV 2016 in Cannes, France. (Yonhap)A total of 19 networks and production firms -- including KBS, MBC, SBS and CJ E&M -- and 15 animation studios, including Samg Animation, Synergy Media and Aurora World,

Television March 31, 2017

Following the hit office drama series “Good Manager” will be the romantic comedy show “Mystery Queen,” featuring Kwon Sang-woo and Choi Kang-hee as leads.　The 16-episode show will air Wednesdays and Thursdays at 10 p.m., beginning April 5, KBS announced Thursday. Kwon will be portraying the hardened, charismatic detective Ha Wan-seung, while Choi will play Yoo Seol-ok, a spunky civilian who has a huge interest in solving mysteries.　Kwon Sang-woo (left) and Choi Kang-hee star in the upcoming TV s

Television March 30, 2017

In the upcoming horror film “House of the Disappeared,” actress Kim Yun-jin portrays a mother fiercely protective of her children, inside a house that appears to be haunted by uneasy spirits. She plays two versions of her character Mi-hee -- as a 40-something housewife, and a much older, grey-haired woman who has lost her children through unexplainable causes. The younger Mi-hee has already been through a lot at the start of the film, having lost her first husband to heart disease and putting up

Film March 30, 2017

The new Netflix series “Iron Fist” is an atypical superhero story in many ways, focusing on the budding stage of the hero’s development and taking on a more optimistic tone, according to its cast and creator.Compared to darker shows featuring brooding, burdened heroes, this rendition of the original Marvel Comics is “a much lighter show,” said writer and showrunner Scott Buck at a press conference Wednesday in Gwanghwamun, Seoul. Buck and three members of the cast -- Finn Jones, Jessica Stroup a

Television March 29, 2017

Kiha & The Faces will be playing its brand of quirky music for audiences in North America in its first tour there beginning April 1, the band’s management agency announced Wednesday. The six-member act will perform in 14 cities in Canada and the US, including New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Boston, Seattle, Chicago and Vancouver as part of a tour running until April 26. The band will be joined by Japanese rock musician Miyavi and Thai rock band Slot Machine in the tour, title

Performance March 29, 2017

Taking up the baton from the hit SBS series “Defendant,” which ended its 18-episode run last week, the new revenge drama “Whisper” is off to a strong start, leading in ratings with 13.9 percent, according to Nielsen Korea.Its first episode, aired Monday at 10 p.m. on SBS, set the tone for a dark tale of ambition and vindication. Actress Lee Bo-young returns to the small screen after her role as a feisty prosecutor in the 2013 show “I Can Hear Your Voice,” this time as policewoman Shin Young-joo,

Television March 28, 2017

Girl group Sistar’s lead vocalist Hyolyn is gaining recognition abroad, according to reports. US music media outlet Billboard lauded the singer as “one of the most recognizable voices in K-pop” in an interview at the South by Southwest festival in Austin, Texas, which took place March 10-19.“Her husky, airy tone has resulted in multiple appearances on a variety of Billboard charts, both through her solo work and collaborative efforts,” Billboard said last week. 　 Hyolyn (Starship Entertainment)H

Performance March 27, 2017