The Korea Times

Presidential campaigns go digital with games, influencers

As the presidential election campaign officially began Monday, candidates are moving beyond traditional rallies by adopting creative digital strategies, such as gaming, influencer marketing and viral content, to win over young voters ahead of the June 3 vote. These new campaign tactics signal a broader shift in Korea’s political marketing, with candidates increasingly highlighting how online engagement is now as crucial as traditional policy debates. Lee Jae-myung, the Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) candidate, has embraced digital culture by appearing as a character in a PC game set against the backdrop of the National Assembly. This game, released on the party’s youth policy platform Blue Quest, references the Dec. 3 martial law declaration issued by now-impeached former President Yoon Suk Yeol. The game clearly reflects Lee’s core campaign theme of ending the insurrection conducted by the impeached president and achieving political reform. The interactive format is designed to engage younger voters by blending political messaging with entertainment, making complex policy issues

May 15, 2025By Baek Byung-yeul

Presidential campaigns go digital with games, influencers

Films

Despite no feature invited to Cannes, Korea strives to make presence felt at Film Market

The 78th Cannes Film Festival opened on Tuesday without a single Korean feature film in its official selection for the first time in 12 years, but Korean filmmakers and distributors are still hoping to make their presence felt in the Cannes Film Market, a marketplace for films held alongside the festival, presenting a diverse slate of high-profile projects to woo global buyers. The Cannes Film Market is the world’s largest marketplace for film rights. Each year, it brings together film industry officials from all over the world. Throughout the festival, participants actively engage in buying and selling film rights, co-productions, remakes and a wide range of business deals, making it a central hub for global film industry transactions and collaborations. On its Tuesday edition, Screen Daily, a British news outlet covering the Cannes Film Festival, introduced a wide range of upcoming Korean films. In its Buzz Titles South Korea section, the newspaper said, “South Korean sellers arrive in Cannes with an electric selection of titles, including the latest from 'Train to Busan's' Yeon

May 14, 2025By Baek Byung-yeul

Despite no feature invited to Cannes, Korea strives to make presence felt at Film Market

Films

K-dramas, films grapple with ‘actor risk’

The global rise of K-content has brought unprecedented attention and investment to Korea’s entertainment industry, but it has also magnified the disruptive force of so-called "actor risk" — the potential for an individual performer’s misconduct to jeopardize big budget productions. Recent controversies surrounding prominent actors Yoo Ah-in and Kim Soo-hyun highlighted the risk, sparking debates over the fate of completed works starring them and how responsible stars should be for their actions. Yoo’s ongoing legal battle over alleged habitual drug use is a prominent case study. Yoo was released on probation in his second trial in February and films starring him are now being released. His movie "The Match," was delayed for around two years as a result of the investigation but finally had a theatrical release in March. While promotional efforts minimized his presence, the film surpassed its break-even point. Yoo even received a Best Actor nomination at the Director's Cut Awards, hosted by the Directors Guild of Korea, for his performance in the film, highlighting the complex inte

May 13, 2025By Baek Byung-yeul

Films

Superhero flick 'Hi-Five' gears up for release amid Yoo Ah-in's drug scandal

Director Kang Hyoung-chul, best known for his 2011 comedy-drama "Sunny," described his upcoming film "Hi-Five" as an entertaining movie that blends the fantasy elements of superpowers with a fun narrative. "I've had the opportunity to make several films and I'm fortunate to be a movie director. This time, I wanted to make an enjoyable film. I've always wanted to make movies that people can watch comfortably and have fun with," the director said Monday at a press conference in Seoul. "Hi-Five" is a comedic action film revolving around five individuals who unexpectedly gain different superpowers after receiving organ transplants. The story unfolds as they encounter people who covet their newfound abilities. "It's a comedy, but it incorporates the unrealistic element of superpowers," Kang explained. "Because of this, we focused more on the stories that arise when characters acquire these powers." Filming for "Hi-Five" commenced in June 2021 and wrapped up in around five months. However, its release faced significant delays due to the drug scandal involving lead actor Yoo Ah-in, who was unde

May 12, 2025By Baek Byung-yeul

Superhero flick 'Hi-Five' gears up for release amid Yoo Ah-in's drug scandal

Films

Will Lotte Cinema-Megabox merger revive Korea’s slumping film industry?

Will Korea's next cinema giant be "Lottebox" or "Mega Cinema"? Lotte Cinema, Korea's No. 2 multiplex cinema chain, and its No. 3 rival Megabox have begun merger talks, a significant shake-up as the industry grapples with a prolonged downturn, hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic and the rise of streaming platforms. On Thursday, Lotte Group, operator of Lotte Cinema, and JoongAng Group, which runs Megabox, signed a memorandum of understanding to merge their cinema operations. They said the joint venture will be managed collaboratively by their parent companies, Lotte Shopping and Contentree JoongAng, respectively. If the two merge, their combined number of screens will surpass industry leader CJ CGV, which has 1,346. According to the Korean Film Council (KOFIC), Lotte Cinema had 915 screens and Megabox had 767 screens as of 2024. Lotte said the strategic decision to pursue a merger was made for sustainable growth amid a rapidly changing content industry, characterized by declining film production and a lack of blockbuster hits, creating a vicious cycle. JoongAng Group said the main purpose of

May 12, 2025By Baek Byung-yeul

Will Lotte Cinema-Megabox merger revive Korea’s slumping film industry?

Films

Jeonju film festival sees surge in visitors despite funding challenges

The Jeonju International Film Festival concluded its 10-day run on Friday, once again coloring the North Jeolla Provincial city’s spring season with cinema and reaffirming its identity as the nation’s premier independent and alternative film festival. The 26th edition saw significant audience engagement, with an average seat occupancy rate of 81.6 percent, marking a 2.3 percent increase from last year’s 79.3 percent, according to the organizing committee. Out of 586 screenings, 448 were sold out— an increase of 67 sold-out screenings compared to the previous year. Over 70,000 attendees were recorded at official events alone. Off-screen events also saw significant growth. The Street Screening session, which showcased films in outdoor spaces around the city, attracted around 4,500 people, a roughly 2.5-fold increase in viewers compared to the previous year. The organizing committee said that the "100 Films 100 Posters" session, a unique side event of the festival where 100 graphic designers created posters for 100 of the films being screened and displayed them throughout the city,

May 11, 2025By Baek Byung-yeul

Jeonju film festival sees surge in visitors despite funding challenges

Films

'Pressure is privilege': Tom Cruise shows enduring dedication in Korea

Hollywood icon Tom Cruise, during his 12th visit to Korea, offered insights into his enduring work ethic and philosophy of embracing challenges in producing movies as he promotes the upcoming film “Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning.” "We have a saying, which is 'pressure is a privilege'," the 62-year-old actor told reporters Thursday in Seoul. "The thing I also have realized about myself is how much I enjoy the pressure, how much I enjoy the responsibility of making movies." The movie star said he acknowledged the fear involved in his daring stunts but emphasized his willingness to confront it. "People ask if I'm not scared when facing various difficulties. Honestly, I am," Cruise said. "It's okay to feel those emotions and I'm not afraid of them. I don't just look for what's safe." Cruise, whose career has been a lifelong pursuit since first dreaming of making movies at age four, emphasized his deep gratitude and commitment. “It’s not what I do, it’s who I am,” he said. "There hasn't been a day that I have not felt privileged, a day that I have not felt very gratefu

May 8, 2025By Baek Byung-yeul

'Pressure is privilege': Tom Cruise shows enduring dedication in Korea

Films

AKMU's Lee Chan-hyuk makes music director debut with 'Midnight Sun'

AKMU's Lee Chan-hyuk will make his debut as a music director for the upcoming movie "Midnight Sun," a film that blends music and romance. The movie's distributor, BY4M Studio, said Thursday that Lee will set the tone of the film through music, overseeing its soundtrack. "The movie 'Midnight Sun,' for which Lee is the music director and in charge of the entire original sound track, will immerse viewers by melding Lee Chan-hyuk's unique musical world into the movie's story, characters and scenes," the distributor said. "Midnight Sun,” which will hit theaters on May 28, is a musical romance about Mi-sol (Jeong Ji-so), who can only date at midnight, and Min-jun (Cha Hak-yeon), as they fall in love through music and challenge themselves to achieve their dreams together. Lee wrote and composed four songs for the film, including the main theme. "Venturing into a new field was a meaningful and fun experience. I ask for your great love," Lee said. The film's director, Cho Young-jun, said Lee made a significant contribution to the film. "Music director Lee Chan-hyuk had an exceptional understandin

May 8, 2025By Baek Byung-yeul

AKMU's Lee Chan-hyuk makes music director debut with 'Midnight Sun'

Shows & Dramas

Public preschool teachers angered by drama's disparaging narrative

The preschool teachers' union in Korea protested the negative portrayal of public kindergartens in the KBS drama "Queen's House" on Friday, arguing that it severely undermines the educational value of public early childhood education. The union, under the umbrella of the Korean Federation of Teachers' Unions, issued a statement expressing deep regret over the depiction of public kindergartens in the first episode of the drama, which aired on April 28. The episode depicted the kidnapping of the only child of Kang Jae-in (played by Ham Eun-jung), the eldest daughter of the fictional conglomerate YL Group, and Hwang Ki-chan (Park Yoon-jae), her husband and the group's strategic planning director. While confronting the paternal grandmother after the grandchild's abduction, the child's maternal grandmother questioned, "Why did you send your grandchild to a public kindergarten? If you had sent him to the most expensive private kindergarten, this wouldn't have happened.” "Connecting public kindergartens to child abduction and distortedly portraying them as a 'cheap choice' can foster prejudic

May 2, 2025By Baek Byung-yeul

Public preschool teachers angered by drama's disparaging narrative

Films

'Boy in the Pool' delves into teenage scars, growth

Director Ryu Yeon-su's teenage drama, "Boy in the Pool," offers a tender and nuanced exploration of adolescence, tracing the intertwined journeys of a boy and a girl navigating the ups and downs of friendship, rivalry and self-discovery. "Boy in the Pool" delicately portrays the universal struggles of teenagers grappling with their identities and charting their life's course. Set against the backdrop of a nostalgic summer in 2007, the movie revolves around 13-year-old Seok-young, a girl with a passion for swimming, who moves with her mother and younger sister to her late grandmother's house. There, she encounters Woo-ju, a peculiar boy with webbed toes. Intrigued by Woo-ju's unique feature, they soon become friends and discover the secret behind his remarkable swimming skill. Bonded by their mutual love for swimming, they form a strong connection, cemented further by a childhood promise to swim together always. However, as they grow, Seok-young's lack of talent begins to breed jealousy towards the naturally gifted Woo-ju. Their paths diverge when Woo-ju leaves for Seoul to pursue his dre

May 2, 2025By Baek Byung-yeul

Baek Byung-yeul

Read more

Presidential campaigns go digital with games, influencers

Despite no feature invited to Cannes, Korea strives to make presence felt at Film Market

K-dramas, films grapple with ‘actor risk’

Superhero flick 'Hi-Five' gears up for release amid Yoo Ah-in's drug scandal

Will Lotte Cinema-Megabox merger revive Korea’s slumping film industry?

Jeonju film festival sees surge in visitors despite funding challenges

'Pressure is privilege': Tom Cruise shows enduring dedication in Korea

AKMU's Lee Chan-hyuk makes music director debut with 'Midnight Sun'

Public preschool teachers angered by drama's disparaging narrative

'Boy in the Pool' delves into teenage scars, growth

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