The Korea Times

Netflix to make crime film 'Believer' sequel

From left, actors Cho Jin-woong, Cha Seung-won, and Han Hyo-joo will star in Netflix's crime film, "Believer 2."By Lee Gyu-leeThe sequel to the crime action film, “Believer,” which was released in 2018, will be made into a Netflix original film, the streaming platform announced Monday. Netflix also revealed the cast members for its upcoming film, which include actors from the first series, Cho Jin-woong and Cha Seung-won, as well as the new ones, Han Hyo-joo and Oh Seung-hoon.“Believer” revolves around a detective, Won-ho (Cho), who is determined to bring down the unseen kingpin of a drug cartel, nicknamed Teacher Lee, who runs Asia's biggest drug ring. With the help of revenge-thirsty, low-level drug dealer Rak (Ryu Jun-Yeol), Won-ho meets the vicious Korean Chinese drug boss (Kim Joo-hyuk) and ambitious member of the cartel, Brian (Cha), who leads him to clues that help him find the drug lord. The first film sold over 5.2 million tickets after hitting local theaters. The sequel will pick up on the story after the bloody, violent fight at the end of the first

Jun 21, 2022By Lee Gyu-lee

Netflix to make crime film 'Believer' sequel

Films

Tom Cruise 'very excited' to be back in Korea for 'Top Gun: Maverick'

From left, actors Jay Ellis, Miles Teller and Tom Cruise, producer Jerry Bruckheimer, actors Glen Powell and Greg Tarzan Davis pose during the press conference for the action blockbuster film, “Top Gun: Maverick,” at Lotte Hotel World in southeastern Seoul, Monday. YonhapBy Lee Gyu-leeTom Cruise made his 10th visit to Korea to promote his latest movie, “Top Gun: Maverick,” with the film's co-stars, enjoying the red carpet event and the local premiere over the weekend.“It's been four years since I've been here. And I could just feel the energy. We were all connecting again and adding a level of joy … I felt very excited (to meet fans in Korea) and I also felt that from the crowd,” the star said during a press conference at Lotte Hotel World in Songpa District, Seoul, Monday. He came with actors Miles Teller, Glen Powell, Jay Ellis and Greg Tarzan Davis, and the film's producer, Jerry Bruckheimer.“(Korea has) such a beautiful culture. It's such a privilege to be here. Last night, all of us sat through the premiere and watched the film &h

Jun 20, 2022By Lee Gyu-lee

Tom Cruise 'very excited' to be back in Korea for 'Top Gun: Maverick'

Shows & Dramas

Female-centric series, stars' small screen comebacks set for July

A scene from MBC's crime series, “Big Mouth," where actor Lee Jong-suk will make his small-screen return after three years / Courtesy of MBC By Lee Gyu-leeA string of new series, from crime thriller dramas to female-oriented stories, are set to roll out in the upcoming month. Actor Lee Jong-suk is returning to the small screen with MBC's crime series, “Big Mouth,” about three years since his last series, “Romance Is a Bonus Book,” in 2019. Led by popular director Oh Choong-hwan, whose previous work includes hit series like “My Love From the Star” (2013) and “Hotel Del Luna” (2019), the upcoming series revolves around lawyer Park Chang-ho (Lee), who barely makes a living with his low win rate of about 10 percent.Despite his struggling career, he has a tendency to boast about himself, earning him the nickname, “big mouth.” One day, he takes on the job to defend a client on murder charges. But the case bites him back when he is mistaken as the king of the criminal worl

Jun 17, 2022By Lee Gyu-lee

Female-centric series, stars' small screen comebacks set for July

Shows & Dramas

Paramount+ joins hands with Tving to launch service in Korea

Mark Specht, Paramount's executive vice president and managing director for Central and Northern Europe and Asia, speaks during the media day event for the streaming service's launch in Korea with the partnership of Tving, held at Four Seasons Hotel in Jongno District, central Seoul, Thursday. Courtesy of TvingBy Lee Gyu-leeParamount+, the streaming service of Paramount Global, has set foot in the competitive streaming market in Korea through a partnership with the local streaming platform, Tving, Thursday, taking a step toward expanding into the Asian market. “South Korea is a vibrant market for both streaming, the subscription business and content, as we all know. Therefore (the launch of Paramount+) is a milestone for our premium streaming business,” Mark Specht, Paramount's executive vice president and managing director for Central and Northern Europe and Asia, said during a media day event held at Four Seasons Hotel in Jongno District, central Seoul. “Asia is the future ― the future of the population, technology and creativity. Asia is the continent to be on if

Jun 16, 2022By Lee Gyu-lee

Paramount+ joins hands with Tving to launch service in Korea

Shows & Dramas

INTERVIEW Kim Young-dae calls 'Shooting Stars' gift to his career

Actor Kim Young-dae played the role of global star Gong Tae-sung in tvN's rom-com series, “Shooting Stars.” Courtesy of tvNKim takes first lead role in rom-com seriesBy Lee Gyu-leeRising star Kim Young-dae's acting career took off fairly quickly since debuting with a supporting role in a web series just months after stumbling across the entertainment industry through his current agency, Outer Korea. Making himself known through the rom-com series, “Extraordinary You” (2019), Kim made a strong impression on viewers throughout all seasons of the hit series, “The Penthouse: War in Life,” last year, finally landing his first lead role in tvN's rom-com series, “Shooting Stars,” which wrapped up last week.“'Shooting Star' is the best gift that came to me at the most appropriate time (of my career),” the actor said during a recent interview with The Korea Times. “As this was the first work I got to lead as the main character, I felt very anxious and was under great pressure, but there was a lot that I've learned from this ser

Jun 16, 2022By Lee Gyu-lee

[INTERVIEW] Kim Young-dae calls 'Shooting Stars' gift to his career

Films

INTERVIEW Shin Si-a makes debut with major role in 'The Witch: Part 2'

Shin Si-a makes her acting debut with the lead role in the sci-fi action film "The Witch: Part 2. The Other One,” which hit local theaters Wednesday. Courtesy of NEWRookie actress leads sequel to 2018 hit blockbuster By Lee Gyu-leeAbout four years after the action blockbuster “The Witch: Part 1. The Subversion” propelled rookie actress Kim Da-mi to stardom, the film's sequel has discovered another newcomer Shin Si-a, who bagged the lead role through a competitive audition process. Actress Shin Si-a / Courtesy of NEWDirected by Park Hoon-jung, whose previous work includes the 2010 gory thriller film "I Saw the Devil,” "The Witch: Part 2. The Other One,” which premiered Wednesday, picks up on the plot from the first series of a top-secret project that engineers human to have superpowers. A girl (Shin), who wakes up in the project's laboratory, goes out into the world after becoming the lone survivor. While she tries to adapt to her new environment with the help of Kyung-hee (Park Eun-bin), different forces go after her, each with different motives. The 24-

Jun 15, 2022By Lee Gyu-lee

[INTERVIEW] Shin Si-a makes debut with major role in 'The Witch: Part 2'

Shows & Dramas

INTERVIEW 'Rose Mansion' director makes everyday life horrors into suspense thriller

Chang director of Tving's original series "Rose Mansion," which hit the platform last month Courtesy of Tving Spine-chilling series revolves around residents of eerie apartmentBy Lee Gyu-leeThe mononymous Chang, who directed local streaming platform Tving's recent original series "Rose Mansion," shared that his latest work is intended to portray the realistic horrors and suspense of people's everyday lives. “I wanted to portray the horror in everyday life that is closely related to us. So I came up with the idea to use an apartment building as the setting (of the story). In other horror flicks, like 'Whispering Corridors,' there are ghosts and sometimes zombies. But unlike those, I wanted to create a horror that could happen in real life on an ordinary day,” the director said in a recent interview with The Korea Times. The mystery thriller series, which hit the streaming site last month, revolves around hotelier Ji-na (Lim Ji-yeon) who seems to have a normal life bu

Jun 12, 2022By Lee Gyu-lee

[INTERVIEW] 'Rose Mansion' director makes everyday life horrors into suspense thriller

Films

INTERVIEW 'Broker' actor Song Kang-ho says winning award was never his goal

Actor Song Kang-ho plays the role of a baby broker in the new drama film, “Broker.” Courtesy of Sublime Artist AgencyBy Lee Gyu-leeActor Song Kang-ho, who recently won the Best Actor award at the 75th Cannes Film Festival for his performance in the film, “Broker,” said accolades have never been his goal in acting.“As an actor, the purpose of acting and taking part in films is not to win a trophy. The only goal is to communicate with audiences through a good piece of work,” the actor told The Korea Times during an online interview, Wednesday. “Screening at film festivals and winning just happens to be part of that whole process of working hard and making a good film. I'm very thrilled and honored but this has not been my goal and won't be in the future. It always has been this way and nothing will change,” he said.Recalling when his name was called as the winner at the festival's closing ceremony, he said it was more meaningful to share the moment with his family. “This was the first time my son came with me (to Cannes) … I'

Jun 8, 2022By Lee Gyu-lee

[INTERVIEW] 'Broker' actor Song Kang-ho says winning award was never his goal

INTERVIEW Gang Dong-won focuses on portraying feelings of orphan in 'Broker'

Films

INTERVIEW Gang Dong-won focuses on portraying feelings of orphan in 'Broker'

Actor Gang Dong-won plays a lead role in director Hirokazu Kore-eda's new drama film, “Broker,” which was released Wednesday. Courtesy of YG EntertainmentActor participates in film from script-developing stage By Lee Gyu-leeActor Gang Dong-won has been building a wide repertoire across genres, taking on various roles: from a sneaky con artist in the crime film, “A Violent Prosecutor” (2015), to a heroic soldier in the apocalyptic blockbuster film, “Peninsula” (2020). In Palme d'Or-winning director Hirokazu Kore-eda's latest film, “Broker,” the actor portrays baby broker Dong-soo who grew up in an orphanage without knowing his parents. Teaming up with debt-ridden dry cleaner owner Sang-hyun (Song Kang-ho), he steals babies from a baby box, a place where people can anonymously abandon their newborns, with the “well-intentioned justification” of taking a shortcut to find them a new home while making money himself.“As I've mostly done (dynamic) genre films until now, it felt much more comfortable to portray an everyday cha

Jun 8, 2022By Lee Gyu-lee

[INTERVIEW] Gang Dong-won focuses on portraying feelings of orphan in 'Broker'

INTERVIEW 'Broker' actor Song Kang-ho says winning award was never his goal

Shows & Dramas

So Ji-sub returns to small screen with 'Doctor Lawyer'

Actor So Ji-sub poses during an online press conference for the MBC's new medical legal series, “Doctor Lawyer,” Friday. Courtesy of MBCBy Lee Gyu-leeActor So Ji-sub has made his return to the small screen with MBC's new medical legal series, “Doctor Lawyer,” about four years since the action series, “My Secret Terrius,” which won him the grand prize at the 2018 MBC Drama Awards. The new series, which kicked off on Friday with a 5.2-percent viewership rating, revolves around a genius surgeon, Han Yi-han. About five years after one of his patients died during surgery, he becomes a lawyer, specializing in medical litigation. While helping those suffering from medical malpractice and negligence, he tries to find the truth behind the surgery that changed his life and seek revenge on whoever is responsible for it. The 16-part series is led by director Lee Yong-suk, who helmed the hit historical drama, "Iljimae," (2008), and is scripted by Jang Hong-cheol, who wrote the suspense series, "Class of Lies" (2019).“Not only was the script intriguing, bu

Jun 7, 2022By Lee Gyu-lee

Lee Gyu-lee

Read more

Netflix to make crime film 'Believer' sequel

Tom Cruise 'very excited' to be back in Korea for 'Top Gun: Maverick'

Female-centric series, stars' small screen comebacks set for July

Paramount+ joins hands with Tving to launch service in Korea

INTERVIEW Kim Young-dae calls 'Shooting Stars' gift to his career

INTERVIEW Shin Si-a makes debut with major role in 'The Witch: Part 2'

INTERVIEW 'Rose Mansion' director makes everyday life horrors into suspense thriller

INTERVIEW 'Broker' actor Song Kang-ho says winning award was never his goal

INTERVIEW Gang Dong-won focuses on portraying feelings of orphan in 'Broker'

So Ji-sub returns to small screen with 'Doctor Lawyer'

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