my timesThe Korea Times
jinhai

Park Jin-hai

Korea Times K-Culture Reporter

Park Jin-hai primarily focuses on K-dramas, entertainment shows and actor interviews. Beyond that, she also pens articles covering the broader arts scene, with a particular emphasis on classical music, dance and various aspects of lifestyle. Since joining The Korea Times in 2013, she has made significant contributions in the realms of hallyu (Korean wave), industry news and international affairs.

Go to Email

Read more

Arts & Theater

Photography, Jeju give new meaning of life to retired couple

Choi Jae-young, left, and Kim Mee-hee pose in front of the large display cabinet full of cameras at the couple's Juju home. / Provided by ChoiBy Park Jin-haiFormer elementary school teacher Kim Mee-hee, 63, says she had never imagined she would pick up photography as a hobby after retirement. “It wasn't on my to-do list. Probably moreso, because of my husband,” she said. Her husband, photographer Choi Jae-young, who has worked for local newspapers Dong-A Ilbo and JoongAng Ilbo, has been either away from home taking photos or coming home very late after having drinks with his colleagues. “I had been literally sick and tired of all the cameras in the house,” she said. Settling down in Jeju in 2014 after retirement, which has been her husband's long dream for almost 15 years, changed all that. “If we had stayed in Seoul, we would have had our separate cars and hung out with each other's friends. But when we came down here, owning just one car, we had to go around together,” Kim said. Her husband used to hang out with his new artist friends in the neig

May 28, 2019By Park Jin-hai
Photography, Jeju give new meaning of life to retired couple
Sports

S. Korea looking for 1st point vs. South Africa

Players of the South Korean men's under-20 football team train in Katowice, Poland, on May 26, 2019, in preparation for the FIFA U-20 World Cup. (Yonhap)South Korea will chase their first point of the FIFA U-20 World Cup when they face South Africa this week.Their second match of Group F will kick off at Tychy Stadium in Tychy at 8:30 p.m. Tuesday, or 3:30 a.m. Wednesday (Seoul time).Both teams are reeling from losses last Saturday. South Korea fell to Portugal 1-0, as their second-half surge on the offensive end came up short. South Africa played the final 25 or so minutes with 10 men, as Argentina came out on top 5-2.With Portugal and Argentina favored to occupy the top two spots of Group F, South Korea and South Africa will duke it out for third place and a chance to squeeze into the knockouts.The top two seeds from each of the six groups, plus the four best third-place teams, will reach the round of 16. Given the history of third seeds getting through since the expansion of the tournament to 24 nations in 1997, teams will most likely need at least four points to qualify.Against P

May 28, 2019By Park Jin-hai
S. Korea looking for 1st point vs. South Africa
Films

Bong Joon-ho: 1st Korean winner of Cannes' top prize

Director Bong Joon-ho, holding Cannes Palme d'Or award, reacts after winning the top prize for his latest film “Parasite” during the closing ceremony of the 72nd Cannes Film Festival in southern France, Saturday night. The director became the first Korean director to bring home the top prize at the world's most prestigious film festival. / Courtesy of Reuters-YonhapDirector becomes first Korean director to bring home top prize from CannesBy Park Jin-haiKorean auteur Bong Joon-ho won the Palme d'Or, with his black comedy “Parasite” at Cannes Film Festival in France, Saturday night. With that feat, Bong became the first Korean director to win the top prize at the world's most prestigious film festival, with a unanimous decision by its jury members. It was the second time for the 49-year-old director competing for the Palme d'Or award; his previous was with the 2017 film “Okja.” “I'm sorry I didn't prepare this speech in French, but I didn't expect to win the Palme d'Or. I am truly honored. I've always been inspired by French cinema. I'd like to

May 26, 2019By Park Jin-hai
Bong Joon-ho: 1st Korean winner of Cannes' top prize
  • PHOTOS Guess 'Parasite' plot with 12 still images
Films

Director Lee Jang-ho looks back on Korea's motion picture history

This miniature set replicates the shooting site of Lee Chang-dong's “Secret Sunshine” (2007) at Korea Film Museum in Seoul. / Korea Times photo by Park Jin-haiBy Park Jin-haiBack in 1919, the March 1 uprising against Japan's brutal colonial rule of Korea swept the entire nation and over 2 million people took to the streets, calling for Korea's independence.There is another key historic event that celebrates its centennial this year but it has been in the shadow of the national resistance movement. Korea's motion picture marks its 100th anniversary in 2019. Dansungsa Theater in central Seoul premiered Kim Do-san's film “Righteous Revenge” on Oct. 27, 1919. In the form of a kino-drama (play with motion picture inserts), it told the story of a man, played by director Kim, who had suffered cruel abuse at the hands of his stepmother, and fights back against her when she conspires to take all the property his father bequeathed to him and defame the family's name. Director Lee Jang-ho / Korea Times file photoTo mark its significance in Korean film history, the date o

May 23, 2019By Park Jin-hai
Director Lee Jang-ho looks back on Korea's motion picture history
  • Director tells stories behind his films, censorship
Films

Director tells stories behind his films, censorship

Director Lee Jang-ho speaks during a preview event for the U.K. documentary film “The Lovers and the Despot” in this September 2016 file photo. / Courtesy of Atnine FilmBy Park Jin-haiDirector Lee Jang-ho, 74, holds a unique place in the Korean film industry. Of the 100 films selected by the Korea Film Archive in 2014 for their historical value and influence, Lee was the only director who had three films ― “Heavenly Homecoming to Stars” (1974), “A Fine, Windy Day” (1980) and “Declaration of Fools” (1983) ― make the top 10. The director, fondly referred to as the director “with an eye of a child and power of a beast,” said it was because unlike other famous directors he didn't stick to a particular movie style. He just kept conducting cinematic experiments over time. “All three of them are different genres. My debut film was a melodrama that I created in my late 20s, A Fine, Windy Day was a social realist film, and Declaration of Fools was a black comedy,” the director said. Poster for the film “Heavenly Ho

May 23, 2019By Park Jin-hai
Director tells stories behind his films, censorship
  • Director Lee Jang-ho looks back on Korea's motion picture history
K-pop

Jay Park to launch first solo world tour

By Park Jin-haiJay Park/ YonhapRapper Jay Park, a hip-hop icon who has been pursuing his career in Asia and the U.S., will kick off his first solo world tour 11 years after his music debut.Starting in Seoul with concerts on July 6 and 7, Park will launch the “Jay Park 2019 Sexy 4 Eva World Tour,” named after a song on his 2018 EP “Ask Bout Me.”The Korean American musician, 32, debuted as a member of boy band 2PM in 2008, under JYP Entertainment, after four years of training. But he left the band amid controversy and returned to his Seattle home in 2009 to seek his own musical styles.Park is the first Asian artist to sign a contract with American label Roc Nation, home to world-recognized artists including Rihanna, Mariah Carey and DJ Khaled.Park, founder and CEO of independent hip-hop label AOMG, first rose to stardom in Asia and has been experimenting with fresh ideas in the local music scene. Last year, marking his 10th anniversary as a singer, Park held two solo concerts titled “All of Me.” Each day he performed different music genres ― the firs

May 17, 2019By Park Jin-hai
Jay Park to launch first solo world tour
Films

Song Kang-ho wins 'Excellence' award in Switzerland

Song Kang-ho/ Courtesy of ShowboxBy Park Jin-haiVeteran actor Song Kang-ho became the first Asian actor to win the Excellence Award at the Locarno International Film Festival in Switzerland. Referring to Song as an “eclectic, versatile, graceful actor, who has been able to conquer South Korean cinema and then access the world of international stardom,” the film festival announced Thursday that the 52-year-old Korean actor will receive the award during the annual film festival, which will be held from Aug.7 to 17.“The Locarno Film Festival's Excellence Award goes to actors who have followed significant, courageous paths. Thus far the recipients have all been American or European, but for me it was important to open up this prize to Asian cinema,” said Lili Hinstin, artistic director of the festival in a statement. The Excellence Award is given to personalities who, through their work and talent, have enriched cinema. Past winners include Ethan Hawke, Isabelle Huppert, Edward Norton and Juliette Binoche. “Song might not be a household name for audiences in

May 17, 2019By Park Jin-hai
Song Kang-ho wins 'Excellence' award in Switzerland
Films

Kim Ki-duk to unveil new film in Cannes

By Park Jin-haiKim Ki-duk. Courtesy of Kim Ki Duk FilmFilmmaker Kim Ki-duk, who has been in the hot seat for allegedly sexually harassing and assaulting actresses, will unveil his newest film at Cannes Film Festival. The film, whose title and details have yet to be disclosed, is known to be a 72-minute-long drama created by Kim Ki Duk Film. It will be screened to buyers, film critics and journalists at the Cannes Film Market sometime between May 15 and 16. It has been rumored that Kim's latest film was shot at a resort city in Kazakhstan. The award-winning director, who won a Golden Lion at the Venice International Film Festival for “Pieta” in 2012 and a Silver Lion for Best Director at the 61st Venice International Film Festival for “3-Iron” in 2004, fell from grace last year, after several actresses accused him of sexually assaulting them while filming. But the court in January dismissed the sexual assault charges over lack of evidence. Kim followed up seeking false accusation and defamation suits against the accusers including MBC's investigative TV show &l

May 15, 2019By Park Jin-hai
Kim Ki-duk to unveil new film in Cannes
Shows & Dramas

'Voice 3,' 'Save Me 2' kick off with good starts

By Park Jin-haiOCN drama "Voice 3" / Courtesy of CJ ENMTwo popular TV thrillers “Voice” and “Save Me,” which returned with new seasons last week, both kicked off with good starts. They succeeded in garnering high ratings and attention from drama fans with their first two episodes. OCN's weekend crime thriller “Voice 3,” tells the story of a 112 emergency call center and its dispatch team, and the cable network's Wed-Thurs drama series “Save Me 2,” features a religious cult. The dramas were ranked sixth and seventh, respectively, in last week's Content Power Index rankings, released by CJ E&M and Nielsen Korea. The index reveals TV shows' overall popularity and influence based on searches and social media buzz.“Voice 3,” starring Lee Ha-na as a policewoman gifted with perfect hearing analysis skills, and Lee Jin-wook, as her team leader, came back to the small screen just eight months after its second season. The new season's first episode, where two young female tourists were lured to hotel run by a hammer wielding psych

May 15, 2019By Park Jin-hai
'Voice 3,' 'Save Me 2' kick off with good starts
Films

Korean films ready to strike back on Avengers

A scene from the film "“Inseparable Bros." Courtesy of NEWBy Park Jin-hai As the box-office smash “Avengers: Endgame” enters its third week, Korean films are set to strike back to reclaim their home turf. With the front-running comedy drama “Inseparable Bros,” premiering May 1, more Korean films, based on true stories, will be released in the coming days.“Inseparable Bros,” starring Shin Ha-kyun and Lee Kwang-soo, is a comedy telling the story of two men, one physically and the other mentally handicapped, becoming as inseparable as real brothers. Against the Hollywood blockbuster, the small-budget film ― based on a true story of two men who lived together for over a decade ― is having a meaningful box office achievement. The heartening comedy currently ranks second in the local box office, attracting 920,000 viewers as of Tuesday. On May 15, “Juror 8” and “The Gangster, The Cop, The Devil” will hit local theaters. The former film is inspired by the stories of jurors who participated in the first jury trial right after

May 8, 2019By Park Jin-hai
Korean films ready to strike back on Avengers
previous page
3940414243
next page

Top 5 stories

Korea Times
About Us
Introduction
History
Contact Us
Products & Services
Subscribe
E-paper
RSS Service
Content Sales
Site Map
Policy
Code of Ethics
Ombudsman
Privacy Policy
Youth Protection Policy
Terms of Service
Copyright Policy
Family Site
Hankookilbo
Dongwha Group
FacebookXYoutubeInstagram
CEO & Publisher: Oh Young-jinDigital News Email: webmaster@koreatimes.co.krTel: 02-724-2114Online newspaper registration No: 서울,아52844Date of registration: 2020.02.05Masthead: The Korea TimesCopyright © koreatimes.co.kr. All rights reserved.