Actor Kang Ha-neul said he liked the script of “Rain and Your Story” because it had blanks that he could fill in. “I like that the script did not have precise directions about the character‘s emotions and reactions,” Kang told local reporters during a joint media interview Thursday via Zoom. “It only had a minimum amount of words that are required to proceed with the story.” Set mostly in 2003, “Rain and Your Story” introduces Young-ho, w

Film April 25, 2021

The Korea Creative Content Agency on Thursday announced plans to expand support for local companies hoping to export and promote media content overseas. “The KOCCA has been conducting diverse online projects that reflect different demands to support the local industry that cannot continue their offline businesses due to COVID-19,” KOCCA official Lee Do-hyung said in a statement. “Through online support programs, we will further diversify the current exporting markets and hold

Television April 24, 2021

Recalled (Korea) Opened April 21 Thriller Directed by Seo You-min Soo-jin(Seo Yea-ji) wakes up after an accident but she lost part of her memory. Fortunately, her husband Ji-hoon (Kim Kang-woo) is there to take care of her. After returning home, Soo-Jin realized that she now has a special power to see the future of people, the moments when they are about to face dangerous situations. 　 Seobok (Korea) Opened April 15 Science fiction Directed by Lee Yong-joo Ki-hun (Gong Yoo) is a former intell

Film April 23, 2021

The Social and Labor Affairs Committee of the Jogye Order, the nation’s largest Buddhist sect, was denied special entry permits into Myanmar for three Korean monks. The Ven. Jimong, chairperson of the committee of the Jogye Order, submitted documents to the Myanmar Embassy to Korea on April 1, requesting special permits to visit the beleaguered country. The permit request was for three monks -- the Ven. Jimong, Hyedo and Jongsu. “This morning, we officially heard from the Minis

Culture April 21, 2021

Kang Ha-neul is returning to the big screen for the first time in three years, teaming up with actor Chun Woo-hee in the romance film “Rain and Your Story,” directed by Jo Jin-mo. The movie begins with a narration by Young-ho (Kang Ha-neul): ”This is a story about waiting.” Set mostly in 2003, “Rain and Your Story” introduces Young-ho who is studying for his third Suneung, the national college entrance exam, in Seoul. One day, he suddenly decides to write a

Film April 21, 2021

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the World Intellectual Property Organization on Monday announced the joint publication of webtoon “Let’s draw a dream” about the importance of copyrights, created by Korean lawyer Lee Young-wook. “We are glad that we could work with a professional from our country to create a webtoon that can increase the understanding of the importance of copyrights,” a Culture Ministry official said in a statement. Lee is currentl

Books April 19, 2021

Pianist Cho Seong-jin released a new album “Im Abendrot” -- meaning “at sunset” -- on Friday with German baritone Matthias Goerne, according to Universal Music‘s classical music label Deutsche Grammophon. The new album contains songs composed by three German composers of the Romantic era --Wilhelm Richard Wagner (1813-1883), Hans Erich Pfitzner (1869-1949), and Richard Strauss (1864-1949). “It’s almost impossible to describe the experience of explor

Performance April 16, 2021

Seobok (Korea) Opened April 15 Science fiction Directed by Lee Yong-joo Ki-hun (Gong Yoo) is a former intelligence agent. One day, he receives his last mission from the director of the intelligence agency (Cho Woo-jin), to move Seo-bok (Park Bo-gum) -- the first-ever human clone, who possesses the secret to eternal life -- to a safe location. Seo-bok has never known life outside of the laboratory and was raised by Lim Se-eun (Jang Young-nam). Nobody (US) Opened April 7 Comedy Directed by Ilya

Film April 16, 2021

Many local movies since last year have decided to skip theaters to release on Netflix due to the spread of COVID-19, which has kept moviegoers away from theaters. “Night in Paradise”also took this path, being released in 190 countries through Netflix on April 9. Five days after its release, lead actor Eom Tae-goo said he is curious about the response from global viewers, during a joint media interview held via Zoom on Wednesday. “To me, it is amazing that the movie is bein

Film April 15, 2021

When actor Gong Yoo first read the script for his upcoming film “Seobok,” he felt like it was asking him a question. “I felt like it was asking me ‘So, what is the purpose of your life?’,” Gong Yoo told local reporters during a joint media interview Tuesday via Zoom. “I could not give an answer to that question. This experience stunned and interested me.” He explained that he decided to perform for “Seobok” because it was not only wri

Film April 14, 2021

Director Lee Yong-joo, who is known for “Architecture 101,” a hit romance film that came out in 2012, has returned with a science fiction film about the first human clone “Seobok.” “I changed the genre of movie that I make, and this was not done on purpose,” Lee said during a press conference held at CGV Yongsan in central Seoul. “My first film was the horror film ‘Living Death,’ and it was about human fears. After that, I have always wante

Film April 13, 2021

In the film “Minari,” Korean grandmother Soon-ja, played by Youn Yuh-jung, arrives in the US with her luggage packed with seeds for Korean vegetables and other home goods for her daughter. Youn’s own bag has been overflowing with trophies from the US for her acting in “Minari” alone, and on Monday, she added another feather to her cap with one from the British Academy of Film and Television Arts awards. At the BAFTA ceremony at London’s Royal Albert Hall, Yo

Film April 12, 2021

Nobody (US) Opened April 7 Comedy Directed by Ilya Naishuller Hutch Mansell (Bob Odenkirk) is a seemingly ordinary man. Hutch does his best both at work and home, but he and his wife Becca (Connie Nielsen) have not been intimate in years, and his son Blake has no respect for him as a father. One night, a man and woman break into his house. Instead of stopping the burglars, Hutch lets them get away, worsening his relationship with his family. Book of Fish (Korea) Opened March 31 Drama Direc

Film April 9, 2021

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korea Craft & Design Foundation announced on Thursday that 2021 Hanbok Culture Week kicks off Friday and will run until April 18. Established in 2018, the event has been held annually in the third week of October to promote the beauty of Korean traditional costume. This year it will be held twice, once in spring and once in autumn, according to the Korea Craft & Design Foundation. “2021 Hanbok Culture Week is prepared as a safe

Arts & Design April 8, 2021

After watching Lee Joon-ik’s “Book of Fish” along with only a couple of other moviegoers at Dongdaemun Megabox in Seoul on Tuesday, Culture, Sports and Tourism Minister Hwang Hee promised to support the local film industry, which is suffering financially due to COVID-19. “This film is directed by a renowned movie director, who made films ‘The King and the Clown’ and ‘The Throne,’ but there are not many in the audience. This weighs on me,” H

Film April 7, 2021