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Baek Byung-yeul

Korea Times K-Culture Reporter

Baek Byung-yeul is a journalist at The Korea Times focused on cultural content, including films and cultural events in South Korea. You can contact him at baekby@koreatimes.co.kr to share your insights.

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Films

'The Assassin(s)' tackles 1974 first lady killing through journalist eyes

"The Assassin(s)," an upcoming historical thriller, revisits the 1974 assassination of first lady Yuk Young-soo by focusing on capturing the emotional weight of living in a cruel era. Director Hur Jin-ho explained he chose to tell the story through the eyes of investigative journalists to reflect the political climate of that time realistically. "I didn't approach this film with the goal of solving a hidden secret all at once," Hur said after the premiere of the movie in Seoul, Tuesday. "While it follows the format of a mystery thriller, I wanted to show the atmosphere of 1974. Journalists naturally became the central medium to ask questions about that society." "The Assassin(s)” opens with the Aug. 15, 1974 shooting of the first lady during a Liberation Day ceremony. Although official records concluded that second-generation Korean-Japanese gunman Moon Se-kwang acted alone, the movie delves into long-standing doubts about unaccounted-for bullets and missing audio evidence. Beyond the mystery, the movie clearly shows how the government abused its power at the time. It shows how authori

1d agoBy Baek Byung-yeul
'The Assassin(s)' tackles 1974 first lady killing through journalist eyes
Films

Korean content companies look beyond box office to IP rights

Korean intellectual properties (IP) are increasingly generating revenue not just from the original films or shows, but from secondary markets years after their initial release. A clear example of this trend is "Miracle in Cell No. 7," a 2013 Korean hit film that drew over 12 million viewers. The movie is now making money through a remake of a remake. On Tuesday, NEW, the media company behind the original film, announced that "2nd Miracle in Cell No. 7" — a sequel to its Indonesian remake — will be remade again for the Philippine market with a release set for Dec. 25. This marks the first time rights to a sequel created entirely outside Korea have been resold to a third country. The deal allows the original Korean rights holder to collect additional royalties without writing or filming the sequel in Korea. "Miracle in Cell No. 7" has already been remade in Indonesia, Turkey and the Philippines. The first Philippine version earned more than 1.1 billion won ($8.2 million) at the local box office in 2019. Lee Jung-ha, head of NEW’s subsidiary Content Panda, called the movie "a massive c

1d agoBy Baek Byung-yeul
Korean content companies look beyond box office to IP rights
Films

Can 'Possible Love' win Lee Chang-dong top prize at Venice film festival?

Filmmaker Lee Chang-dong’s "Possible Love" received a seven-minute standing ovation at the Venice International Film Festival on Sunday (local time), with early reviews praising the director's strong comeback. The positive response builds hope that Lee might win the top prize he missed two decades ago. Twenty-four years after winning the Silver Lion for best director with "Oasis" in 2002, Lee is back at the Italian film festival, this time vying for the festival's top prize, the Golden Lion. "Possible Love” is his first film since 2018's "Burning.” The Hollywood Reporter called it "a profound meditation on trauma, loss of dignity, yearning and class envy," describing the film as "a sad but beautiful chamber piece, fleshed out by a superlative ensemble." The International Cinephile Society gave it 4.5 out of 5 stars, calling it "an absolute knockout of a film about love having the possibility to bridge divides and deliver freedom, even for a brief moment." At the film's press conference the same day, Lee addressed the eight-year gap since "Burning.” “I felt our lives themselves

2d agoBy Baek Byung-yeul
Can 'Possible Love' win Lee Chang-dong top prize at Venice film festival?
Films

'Perfect Shoot' captures triumph of Korea's first developmental disability handball league

Taking the court for the first time in their lives, athletes with developmental disabilities are redefining what it means to compete. The new sports documentary "Perfect Shoot" offers an intimate look at the nation's first handball league All Win Peak, created specifically for players with developmental disabilities. Directed by Oh Kyu-ik, the film was originally produced to be released on MBC Chungbuk, a local branch of major broadcaster MBC, but the project expanded into a feature-length theatrical release after it gained widespread recognition. The documentary traces the origin of the league back to 2021, when the Sports Support Center for the Disabled at Seowon University launched an initiative to establish developmental disability handball teams. Backed by corporate sponsorship and local welfare funding, 10 teams were formed across the country. Handball was officially designated as a demonstration sport by Special Olympics Korea in 2022, paving the way for the historic launch of the national league in 2023. Oh captured the journey over a three-year period, following players from the

Sep 5, 2026By Baek Byung-yeul
'Perfect Shoot' captures triumph of Korea's first developmental disability handball league
Arts & Theater

Gwangju Biennale chief calls for separating China-Taiwan politics from art

As diplomatic tension over the Taiwan Pavilion threatens to overshadow the Gwangju Biennale, organizers of Asia’s premier contemporary art event appealed for the exhibition to be viewed separately from political disputes. The controversy centers on the decision by the organizers to use the name "Taiwan Pavilion" for a project organized by the National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts. The move prompted Chinese artists and organizers to announce their withdrawal from the exhibition on Thursday, arguing that the title brought political issues into the cultural field. Youn Bum-mo, president of the Gwangju Biennale Foundation, expressed deep regret over the situation while defending the foundation’s original administrative process. "It is truly regrettable that we have reached this situation, and I am deeply sorry," Youn said during a press conference held at the Gwangju Biennale Exhibition Hall in Jeonnam-Gwangju Special Metropolitan City, Friday, the day before the 72-day event opens. "We wanted the Chinese Pavilion to participate until the end, and it is very disappointing that it led to the

Sep 4, 2026By Baek Byung-yeul
Gwangju Biennale chief calls for separating China-Taiwan politics from art
Shows & Dramas

Veteran director Lee Joon-ik ventures into vertical short-form drama

Renowned director Lee Joon-ik, best known for historical blockbusters such as "King And The Clown" (2005), "The Throne" (2015) and "Anarchist from Colony" (2017), has made his first foray into vertical short-form drama with "My Father's Table." "I wanted to expand the simple and warm stories we used to capture in traditional movies into the short-form format," Lee said during a press conference in Seoul, Thursday. “I really wanted to try this so that even people who usually do not watch short-form content could enjoy it." Based on the popular webtoon of the same name, "My Father's Table" follows Ha-ung (Jung Jin-young) a traditional husband who has insisted on home-cooked meals for 40 years. When his wife, Sun-ae (Lee Jung-eun), suddenly develops an inability to cook, Ha-ung enters the kitchen for the first time in his life in order to survive. The vertical short-form series will be released exclusively at Lotte Cinema on Sept. 9, followed by its release on Lezhin Snack, a new short-form drama platform launched by the webtoon platform Lezhin Comics, with Part 1 on Sept. 17 and Part 2

Sep 3, 2026By Baek Byung-yeul
Veteran director Lee Joon-ik ventures into vertical short-form drama
  • Korea turns to short-form dramas as mobile viewing takes off
Films

What animated film's BIFF competition debut means

Animation is no longer a peripheral genre in contemporary cinema, as it gains ground in the global film industry. Across Asia, animated features topped the box office in both China and Japan last year. Globally, Netflix's "KPop Demon Hunters" became a cultural phenomenon. It proved that animated storytelling infused with Korean motifs can captivate worldwide audiences. This global shift will be reflected at the upcoming Busan International Film Festival (BIFF), where animated works are prominently featured across various sections. At the center of this trend is "Long Long Night," an animated feature adapted from a bestselling Korean children's novel. It made history as the first animated title ever selected for BIFF's main competition lineup since the section was established last year. Jung Han-seok, director of the festival, said the selection caught even the festival's program committee by surprise. "This is only the second year we have run the competition section, and an animated film has already made it in," Jung said during a press conference in Seoul on Monday. "This is something we

Sep 2, 2026By Baek Byung-yeul
What animated film's BIFF competition debut means
Films

31st BIFF spotlights animation, international icons

The 31st Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) will shine a light on animated films while bringing an impressive array of global cinema icons and top Korean stars to the coastal city next month. Running from Oct. 6 to 15, Asia's premier film festival will present 246 official invitations from 59 countries. The scale makes it the largest event since 2019, reflecting the festival's elevated global standing. BIFF earned A-list accreditation from the International Federation of Film Producers Associations (FIAPF) earlier this year, solidifying its standing among 17 elite global festivals alongside festivals like the Toronto and Berlin International Film Festivals. In addition, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences selected Busan as one of six festivals to send top award winners directly to the International Feature Film category. Park Kwang-su, chairperson of the festival’s organizing committee, emphasized the significance of these milestones. "We introduced the competition section last year and it is making steady progress in its second year," Park said. "The festival is recei

Sep 1, 2026By Baek Byung-yeul
31st BIFF spotlights animation, international icons
People & Events

Korea Times welcomes new cohort of Global Supporters

The Korea Times officially launched the latest cohort of its Global Supporters program on Monday, welcoming 50 students from 41 countries to serve as ambassadors for the English-language daily over the next six months. The program drew record interest, with 281 applicants from 44 countries competing for spots. Applicants were selected based on their social media activity, self-introductions and motivation. The group represents a wide geographic spectrum, spanning 41 countries including France, Italy, Mexico, Morocco, China, India, the United States, Vietnam and Russia. Running through February, the supporters will participate in major events hosted by the newspaper, promote its content and create digital material. The Korea Times launched the program in 2021 in an effort to reach out to prospective readers and to engage with existing readership. During the appointment ceremony held at the newspaper's headquarters in Seoul, Oh Young-jin, president and publisher of The Korea Times, offered a warm welcome to the new members and emphasized long-term engagement. "We welcome you all to The Kor

Sep 1, 2026By Baek Byung-yeul
Korea Times welcomes new cohort of Global Supporters
  • PHOTO Successful completion for Korea Times Global Supporters
People & Events

PHOTO Successful completion for Korea Times Global Supporters

Student supporters from the first half of the 2026 Korea Times Global Supporters program pose during a completion ceremony at the newspaper's headquarters in Seoul, Monday, after finishing a series of global engagement projects. Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul

Sep 1, 2026By Baek Byung-yeul
[PHOTO] Successful completion for Korea Times Global Supporters
  • Korea Times welcomes new cohort of Global Supporters
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