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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

Jecheon music film fest gears up for 22nd edition with new hosts, award finalists

The 22nd Jecheon International Music & Film Festival (JIMFF) is gearing up for its six-day run this September with a fresh hosting lineup and an eclectic music competition. Comedian Jang Do-yeon and actor Moon Sang-min will host the opening ceremony on Sept. 3 at the city in North Chungcheong Province, event organizers said Tuesday. This marks Jang’s second consecutive year as host, following her performance alongside film director and festival executive director Jang Hang-jun last year. "I remember laughing much more than expected while hosting last year's ceremony," Jang said. "I am relieved and grateful to be invited back this year." Moon, who gained prominence through TV series such as "Under the Queen's Umbrella" (2022) and "Wedding Impossible” (2024), expressed his excitement for his festival hosting debut. "It is an honor to join so many people who love both film and music," Moon said. Launched in 2005, JIMFF stands as Asia’s premier music-themed international film festival, combining cinematic screenings with live outdoor music performances. Surrounded by Jecheon's beautiful

Jul 28, 2026By Baek Byung-yeul
Jecheon music film fest gears up for 22nd edition with new hosts, award finalists
Films

'Okay! Madam: Bon Voyage' delivers bigger action, laughs on high seas

The 2020 action-comedy hit "Okay! Madam" returns with a grander scale as former secret agent Mi-young (Uhm Jung-hwa) takes her high-octane moves on a luxury cruise ship. "Okay! Madam: Bon Voyage" follows the former agent and her family whose peaceful ocean vacation turns into a chaotic rescue operation after a ruthless criminal syndicate hijacks their vessel in the middle of the ocean. Expanding on the original setup, the sequel mixes fun physical humor with even more exciting action scenes. Uhm delivers a standout performance as she performs sharp martial arts and underwater scenes that go beyond plain slapstick. Director Lee Cheol-ha expressed deep relief and joy while introducing the sequel. "I had planned a three-part series from the very beginning, and it took six full years to present this second installment," Lee said after the premiere on Monday. "I am deeply grateful and moved that our actors joined us again to enrich this film, and I sincerely hope it performs well so we can realize our dream of making the third installment." Uhm also expressed her excitement about reprising the

Jul 28, 2026By Baek Byung-yeul
'Okay! Madam: Bon Voyage' delivers bigger action, laughs on high seas
Travel & Food

No. of foreign tourists exceeds 10 mil. in 1st half

Korea is on track to achieve its ambitious annual target of attracting over 22 million overseas visitors this year, driven by a strong rebound in travel numbers for the first half of the year and aggressive government measures to stamp out unfair business practices targeting tourists. On Tuesday, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism released data showing that the nation welcomed 10.71 million foreign visitors from January to June. The milestone was buoyed by a sharp monthly surge in June, when 1.99 million overseas tourists visited the country, up 23.1 percent from the same month last year. The steady influx bolsters prospects for reaching the government’s target of 22 million to 23 million foreign tourists for this year. A report released by the Korea Culture and Tourism Institute last month projected foreign arrivals to reach 22 million this year, marking a 16.2 percent increase from 2025. Visitor numbers from key markets grew strongly in June. China led the arrivals with 650,000 visitors, followed by Japan with 350,000 and Taiwan with 220,000. Southeast Asian nations, the Am

Jul 28, 2026By Baek Byung-yeul
No. of foreign tourists exceeds 10 mil. in 1st half
Films

'The Journey to Gyeong-ju' takes family on road trip for revenge

Director Kim Mi-jo described her new movie "The Journey to Gyeong-ju" as a story about enduring grief and the deep strength of family love. "I was curious about how those left behind overcome the pain of loss and deal with emotional rupture. I wanted to tell a story about people who push forward until the very end," Kim said during a press conference in Seoul, Monday. “Ultimately, it is a story about intense love, and I believe it will reach anyone who has someone they love." "The Journey to Gyeong-ju" revolves around a mother, Ok-sil (Lee Jeong-eun), and her three daughters as they embark on a road trip to the historic southeastern city of Gyeongju to avenge their youngest family member, Gyeong-ju, who went missing during a school trip eight years ago. The upcoming revenge drama is Kim's commercial feature debut. She previously earned critical acclaim at domestic and international film festivals with her award-winning debut film "Gull” (2021). "The story stems from a setup where four women who have never killed even an insect set out to deliver their own justice," Kim said. "I wanted

Jul 27, 2026By Baek Byung-yeul
'The Journey to Gyeong-ju' takes family on road trip for revenge
Films

Nolan reinterprets ancient myth as deeply human drama in 'The Odyssey'

Renowned director Christopher Nolan has returned to the big screen with "The Odyssey," taking on one of humanity's oldest epics and reinterpreting it into an immersive, deeply human drama. Based on Homer's ancient Greek epic poem, the 172-minute film follows Odysseus (Matt Damon) on his grueling 20-year journey back to his homeland of Ithaca after leading the Greeks to victory in the Trojan War. Along the way, Odysseus faces tough challenges from gods and monsters, including the giant Polyphemus, the witch Circe and the sea goddess Calypso. Meanwhile, back in his home of Ithaca, his wife Penelope (Anne Hathaway) stands up against dangerous men trying to take his throne, while his son Telemachus (Tom Holland) struggles with growing up without a father. Nolan uses his signature nonlinear storytelling to condense the vast 20-year narrative into a tight, compelling structure. Instead of showing Odysseus as an unbeatable mythic hero, the film focuses on the mind of a lonely, tired soldier. He is driven not by victory, but by trauma and a deep longing to find redemption and return home. The dir

Jul 25, 2026By Baek Byung-yeul
Nolan reinterprets ancient myth as deeply human drama in 'The Odyssey'
Films

'Spirits' Homecoming' returning to theaters

"Spirits' Homecoming," a widely discussed movie addressing the tragedy of Japanese military sexual slavery, is returning to theaters in an extended cut to mark its 10th anniversary, bringing renewed attention to an issue with only five surviving victims remaining. Connect Pictures, the film's distributor, said Friday that the extended version of "Spirits' Homecoming" — subtitled "Sister, Let's Go Home" in Korean — will open in theaters nationwide on Aug. 26. Directed by Cho Jung-rae, the original 2016 film was based on traumatic experiences of the late Kang Il-chul, one of the victims, and her drawing “Burning Women.” Made possible through crowdfunded donations from more than 75,000 citizens, the movie drew more than 3.58 million viewers and sparked nationwide attention upon its release. The updated 132-minute version adds six minutes of previously unreleased footage. By incorporating the stories of women from other Asian nations who suffered under the same system during World War II, the new version expands its narrative scope to emphasize cross-border solidarity and friendship

Jul 24, 2026By Baek Byung-yeul
'Spirits' Homecoming' returning to theaters
Travel & Food

Lotte World's new Kong X Godzilla ride delivers thrills beyond screen

Deep inside Lotte World Adventure in southeastern Seoul's Jamsil, a massive metal door slides open to reveal a dark hallway. Monitors flicker with technical data, while alarms hum faintly in the background. This is Base M-42, a fictional secret outpost of Monarch, the research organization tracking giant monsters known as Titans. The theme park is set to officially open its newest multimedia dark ride, Kong X Godzilla: The Ride, this Friday. Ahead of the grand opening, Lotte World held a special media preview, allowing reporters to step into the boots of a rookie Monarch agent and experience what is arguably the park's most ambitious project to date. The new ride marks the world’s first attraction built around Legendary Entertainment's Monsterverse IP, bringing popular characters Kong and Godzilla to life in an immersive indoor setting. Covering roughly 5,120 square meters on the third floor of Lotte World Adventure, the project represents the largest single-attraction investment in the park’s history. While Lotte World did not disclose the exact cost, officials confirmed that it com

Jul 24, 2026By Baek Byung-yeul
Lotte World's new Kong X Godzilla ride delivers thrills beyond screen
K-pop

What to know about rare ear disorder that side-tracked IU's return

K-pop singer and actor IU is drawing public attention for a rare ear disorder after worsening symptoms of patulous Eustachian tube (PET) dysfunction forced her to postpone her upcoming album release and cancel a scheduled September concert. With news of her ear condition already having disrupted her highly anticipated comeback plans, many are asking what exactly PET dysfunction is and why it poses such a devastating setback for a vocalist. On Monday, the 33-year-old artist opened up about her ongoing struggle on the fan communication platform Berriz. "While it does not affect my daily life, the symptoms persist day and night, making it difficult to maintain my condition when singing," IU wrote, apologizing to fans for the schedule changes. PET dysfunction occurs when the Eustachian tube, which connects the middle ear to the back of the nose and usually remains closed except during swallowing or yawning, stays abnormally open. This allows air and sound to flow continuously into the middle ear, causing autophony, a condition where a person hears their own voice or breathing abnormally loudl

Jul 22, 2026By Baek Byung-yeul
What to know about rare ear disorder that side-tracked IU's return
Films

'Teenieping' sequel dives into maternal love with bigger spectacle

Following the success of “Heartsping: Teenieping of Love,” which drew more than 1.2 million viewers in 2024, the beloved TV animation franchise “Teenieping” is returning to the big screen with a deeper emotional story centered on family and maternal bond. Directed by Kim Su-hoon, CEO of SAMG Entertainment, the new fantasy animated movie “Teenieping: Legend of the Whale Heartstone" follows the miraculous adventure of Princess Romi and her fairy companion Heartsping as they set out to save Romi's mother, Queen Belita. "It took about four years to produce this film," Kim said during a press conference in Seoul, Tuesday. "We received so much love for the first movie that we felt a lot of pressure. I hope audiences will enjoy this new installment as well." Unlike the first movie, which focused on the budding friendship between Romi and Heartsping, the sequel places motherly love at the center of its narrative. The primary setting of the ocean and the symbol of the whale were specifically chosen to reflect this theme. "This film focuses heavily on the relationship between a mother an

Jul 21, 2026By Baek Byung-yeul
'Teenieping' sequel dives into maternal love with bigger spectacle
Films

'Hope' triggers fierce debates among viewers

Director Na Hong-jin's new sci-fi film "Hope" is igniting massive debates online and offline, drawing sharply divided reactions from both critics and moviegoers since its July 15 release. Paradoxically, the polarizing reception has fueled widespread public curiosity, which pushed the movie past the 2 million viewer mark on Sunday, just five days after its premiere. The film tracks the chaos that unfolds when a mysterious monster suddenly invades Hopo Port, a fictional coastal village located near the Demilitarized Zone. The local police station chief (Hwang Jung-min) and village people, including Seong-gi (Zo In-sung), scramble to deal with extraterrestrial entities while residents form a defense group against them. Supporters praise the film as a groundbreaking masterpiece, highlighting its intense action sequences, grand scale and rebellious narrative structure that breaks away from traditional Korean cinema. Prominent movie critic Lee Dong-jin gave the film four out of five stars, praising its raw energy and cinematic ambition. "It is a bold race through a bizarre mess where the entire

Jul 20, 2026By Baek Byung-yeul
'Hope' triggers fierce debates among viewers
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