Indie filmmakers called for President Park’s immediate resignation and the reform of the Culture Ministry and the Korean Film Council on Monday.　“The Park administration has emphasized culture and cultural enrichment ever since Park’s inauguration,” said producer Ko Young-jae, head of the Association of Korean Independent Film and Videos. “But now, three years later, never has the term ‘culture’ received so much ridicule,” he said, referring to the culture-related projects that allegedly misused

Film Nov. 21, 2016

Classical music has begun seeping into the household recently. New platforms are connecting classical performers and listeners directly, allowing consumers to customize the music they listen to. Mini-concerts are now being held inside homes, returning classical music to its salon origins. Last week, string trio Armonia Ensemble performed at a child’s birthday party at a kids’ bookstore in southwestern Seoul. Surrounded by toys and coloring books, the trio broke away from the conventional classic

Performance Nov. 21, 2016

Members of the 5.4 Club, a group of prominent figures aiming to promote culture in Korea, gathered to discuss the aftermath of Korea’s recently enforced antigraft law Thursday evening at the InterContinental Seoul Coex.　The law is one that stipulates globally unprecedented guidelines, according to Jai Lee, senior foreign counsel at Yulchon LLP. “The whole world is paying attention,” he said. “(This law) affects more than 40,000 organizations and over 4 million people in Korea ... including profe

Culture Nov. 18, 2016

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them(US)Opened Nov. 16Fantasy. Directed by David Yates Eccentric, timid British wizard Newt Scamander (Eddie Redmayne) arrives in New York with a magical suitcase full of fantastical creatures. The city is in chaos over a mysterious force that wreaks havoc everywhere, and a movement calling for the obliteration of all witches and wizards. It is up to Newt and Tina Goldstein (Katherine Waterston) to stop the shadow of evil. Vanishing Time: A Boy Who Returned(Kor

Film Nov. 18, 2016

Who’s up for a little escapism at the multiplex? J.K. Rowling, embarking on her new, post-Potter blockbuster franchise with “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them,” has said herself that her screenplay, which she began several years ago, was informed by world events -- particularly, she noted, a rise in populism around the globe.And so there’s definitely some darkness in “Fantastic Beasts,” despite its being a family film, complete with the sweetest little beasts (and bigger ones) imaginable -

Film Nov. 18, 2016

An apparently innocent traditional item has found its way to the center of the influence-peddling scandal surrounding President Park Geun-hye and her longtime confidante Choi Soon-sil. 　Obangnang, a multicolored pouch that is a traditional symbol of good fortune, featured in Park’s inauguration ceremony in February 2013 -- a giant obangnang setup at Gwanghwanun Plaza opened up to reveal a tree with dozens of mini obangnang hanging from its branches.Almost four years later and the pouch has come

Culture Nov. 17, 2016

Last year, pianist Cho Seong-jin caused a sensation when he became the first Korean to win the International Chopin Piano Competition at the age of 21. Over 90,000 copies of his two live albums were sold in Korea within a month. Classical music experts around the world lauded the “expressive nuance” of Cho’s interpretations. Naturally, Korean parents wondered how he had been educated.“My parents never pressured me. My mom didn’t even expect I would keep playing the piano. My dad told me to quit

Performance Nov. 16, 2016

The hotly anticipated crime flick “Master” features three characters, played by a trio of top stars, who are each “masterful” at what they do. Lee Byung-hun portrays a criminal organization’s maniacal leader who dons a myriad of disguises; Kim Woo-bin is an unpredictable genius hacker and the mastermind behind the organization’s operations; and Kang Dong-won stars as the head detective of a white collar crime investigation unit who doggedly pursues elusive villains. “Things that shouldn’t happen

Film Nov. 14, 2016

“The K2,” a star-studded political drama that delved into the essence of power and people’s hunger for it, wrapped up Saturday with a 6.2 percent viewership, according to Nielsen Korea. 　The 16-episode show presented the tangled web of power involving political parties, presidential secrets, the opulent wealth of Korea’s chaebol families and the media. Saturday’s final episode topped all cable channel viewership during its 8 p.m. time slot.  Ji Chang-wook stars in "The K2." (tvN)“The K2” stars a

Television Nov. 13, 2016

“The Sound of Your Heart,” a web series based on the popular eponymous webtoon, is off to a good start, reaching nearly 10 million views in just six days after its release.　Short snippets of the series are being uploaded on Naver TV Cast since Nov. 7. Two new clips each will be uploaded Mondays and Thursdays until Dec. 9, when the full series will begin airing on KBS. As of Sunday, the show had reached over 9.68 million views. The number is the highest for web dramas launched on Naver TV Cast so

Television Nov. 13, 2016

The 12th Jeju Film Festival opened Saturday on Korea’s southernmost island.The annual film festival is being held through Saturday at Lotte Cinema Jeju in Jeju City. This year’s opening film was English director Ken Loach’s social drama “I, Daniel Blake,” which nabbed the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival in May. An exhibition is highlighting Korean director Kim Jee-woon’s works, including “A Bittersweet Life,” Kim’s 2005 crime drama featuring actor Lee Byung-hun as a gangster who starts a

Film Nov. 13, 2016

Susan Boyle“A Wonderful World”(Syco/Columbia)How to properly harness the skill of Susan Boyle is something of a pop riddle. What’s the best way to deploy the soaring voice that comes out of this shy, British, middle-aged woman? Jazz? Broadway show tunes? Christmas songs?Producer Steve Anderson thinks he’s cracked it: Give Boyle an old pop tune, surround her with an orchestra and let her start quietly before the musicians crank up and she ends up belting behind a gale of music.His approach seemed

Performance Nov. 11, 2016

Split(Korea)Opened Nov. 9Drama. Directed by Choi Gook-heeChul-jong (Yoo Ji-tae) is a former bowling superstar who has lost his skills to an unfortunate accident. While scraping by as a gambler and a swindler, he meets genius bowler Young-hoon (Lee David). The two partner up to make big money against gamblers in the bowling scene.Ouija: Origin of Evil(US)Opened Nov. 9Horror. Directed by Mike FlanaganWidowed mother Alice Zander (Elizabeth Reaser) invites a spirit of evil into her house by accident

Film Nov. 11, 2016

The alien spacecraft in “Arrival” arrive by the dozen, each of the looming, egg-sliced-in-half-shaped wonders looking like the latest in KitchenAid gadgetry. All around the globe, their contents a mystery to paranoid earthlings, the visitors hover just above the planet’s surface. Why have they come? Do they come in peace? Will the US military and other nations’ leaders give peace a chance?True to the spacecraft, director Denis Villeneuve is one sleek craftsman. Every subtle camera crawl, each da

Film Nov. 11, 2016

A banner at the door of children’s modeling and acting agency Olive Entertainment, located in western Seoul, features the recognizable faces of young trainees who have gone on to star in ads, films and TV shows. It also reads, “Make your dreams come true.”The rising fame of child actors on the big and small screen has led to growing numbers of children seeking stardom from an early age. Hand-in-hand with their mothers, hundreds flock to large-scale acting academies, many of which function as one

Television Nov. 10, 2016