The Korea Times

Hollywood to remake Korean box office hits

By Park Jin-haiPoster for the film “Extreme Job”Korean hit films “Extreme Job” and “The Gangster, The Cop, The Devil” will be remade by Hollywood studios. The smash box office hit “Extreme Job,” a cop-comedy directed by Lee Byung-heon, has become Korea's second-most-watched film of all time, attracting more than 16 million moviegoers in local theaters, earlier this year.The film's local distributor CJ Entertainment said the company is collaborating with Universal Pictures to produce an English-language remake. Kevin Hart, American comedian, actor and producer, will star in the film's Hollywood reboot, while Tracy Oliver will write the screenplay. Hart will be also producing through his HartBeat production banner for Universal Pictures, which acquired the worldwide rights to the film. “At Hartbeat, we are always seeking fun projects that tell a story for worldwide audiences, and we could not be more excited to be a part of this one,” Hart said in a statement. Writer Oliver said, “The concept of this film is so unique.&r

May 1, 2019By Park Jin-hai

Hollywood to remake Korean box office hits

Entertainment

More Korean actors to appear in Hollywood films, dramas

By Park Jin-haiActor Ma Dong-seok/ Courtesy of MegaboxRecently actor Ma Dong-seok, star of “Train to Busan” (2016), is rumored to be in talks to join Marvel's new film “The Eternals.” Actress Jeon Jong-seo, who took the lead role in her debut film “Burning,” is also in discussion to star in the upcoming Hollywood movie “Blood Moon,” a fantasy film directed by Ana Lily Amirpour.Before them, actors like Kim Yun-jin, known for her role in American television series “Lost,” and Lee Byung-hun who has appeared in the “G.I. Joe” series, successfully expanded their acting careers beyond Korean territory.More actors will follow their footsteps this year. A band of actors and actresses including Gang Dong-won, Han Hyo-joo and Cha In-pyo will appear in Hollywood films and dramas.Gang will make his Hollywood debut, appearing in disaster blockbuster film “Tsunami LA,” playing a Korean-American surfer who confronts a natural disaster. The film was initially slated to begin shooting in April last year and be release

Apr 29, 2019By Park Jin-hai

Films

'Avengers' rekindles screen quota debate

Moviegoers stand in front of a poster for the film “Avengers: Endgame” at a local theater in Seoul, Thursday. / YonhapBy Park Jin-haiThe “Avengers” have no rival. On its opening day, Wednesday, “Avengers: Endgame” attracted 1.34 million viewers at the local box office. On its fifth day, Sunday, the number is nearing 5 million. The superhero film single-handedly raked in 9.7 billion won in sales that day. Social media shows stories of movie fans who said they took a day off work to watch the Marvel film on its premiere. The film was screened 12,545 times in 2,760 local theaters on its opening day, accounting for about 85 percent of all seats at cinemas nationwide and 80.9 percent of all shows available on local screens. The record-smashing performance of the film has rekindled the decade-long dispute over “anti-monopoly” regulations in the local cinema market. The government is moving to pass legislation to prevent a market monopoly. Culture Minister Park Yang-woo, two days before the Avengers' release, said he was mulling over introduci

Apr 28, 2019By Park Jin-hai

'Avengers' rekindles screen quota debate

Films

'Mother roles are diverse enough to make a whole genre'

Actress Kim Hae-sook / Courtesy of June&IActress speaks of mother rolesBy Park Jin-haiActress Kim Hae-sook was given the nickname “National Mother.” Since she earned recognition for her role in the 2000 hit drama “Autumn in My Heart” playing the role of the mother of the lead actress Song Hye-kyo, Kim has garnered so many “mother” roles in dramas and films. The 63-year old veteran actress has at times played the role of a less educated, street smart middle aged mother with short-permed hair in romantic comedies, other times she was a mother who scarifies herself for her children. In the ongoing KBS drama “Mother of Mine,” she plays a down-to-earth mother who always argues with her three daughters. Kim says she once felt that her mother roles were like something that limited her acting spectrum. “When my roles were fixed to mothers, I really wanted to get out of it and play someone else. To me, then, all mother characters were deemed as the same old things. I felt some stress, too,” she said during a recent interview. &ld

Apr 23, 2019By Park Jin-hai

'Mother roles are diverse enough to make a whole genre'

Films

Box office readies for 'Avengers' perfect storm

By Park Jin-haiThe local box office is showing signs of being overheated ahead of the local release of “Avengers: Endgame,” Wednesday. With moviegoers' explosive anticipation for the last “Avengers” sequel, the film's ticket reservation rate reached 97 percent Tuesday. The number of ticket presales neared 2 million, marking a new record, which replaces the previous record set by “Avengers: Infinity War.” Advance ticket sales for “Infinity War,” released in April last year, reached 1.22 million. “Endgame” is also estimated to set a new record in the number of screens occupied in local theaters. The finale of a series of 22, Marvel studio's Infinity series is predicted to begin showing on 2,800 screens. Last year's Infinity War” had 2,460 screens on the opening day, which rose to a peak of 2,553 screens on the fourth day after its release. Fans' expectation for the much-awaited release of “Endgame” is pulling up the box office ranking of “Captain Marvel” as well, as fans crowded out to watch the f

Apr 23, 2019By Park Jin-hai

Box office readies for 'Avengers' perfect storm

Films

Award-winning director Bong unveils eerie family tragicomedy

Director Bong Joon-ho speaks during a press conference for his upcoming film “Parasite” at the Westin Chosun Seoul, Monday. The Cannes Film Festival recently announced the film was selected for the 2019 competition. / YonhapBy Park Jin-haiBong Joon-ho, director of the internationally acclaimed films like “Snowpiercer,” “The Host” and “Okja,” has returned with his new movie “Parasite.”The much-anticipated film, starring Song Kang-ho, Lee Sun-kyun and Choi Woo-sik, tells the story of two families with extremely different social backgrounds ― a poor jobless household and a wealthy upper-class one. It is Bong's seventh feature film and first Korean-language movie in 10 years.Expectations for the new film are running particularly high, after the Cannes Film Festival announced its selection of the film for its 2019 competition, Thursday. This is Bong's second time to compete for the Palme d'Or award. The director's 2017 film “Okja” was previously selected. Bong, known for his freewheeling cinematic imagination and crea

Apr 22, 2019By Park Jin-hai

Award-winning director Bong unveils eerie family tragicomedy

PHOTOS Guess 'Parasite' plot with 12 still images

Trends

Senior models rock catwalk

Hottest elderly model _ Kim Chil-doo / Courtesy of TSP ModelBy Park Jin-haiKim Chil-doo's dream has come true after four decades. The tall man who has been interested in fashion from a young age had to compromise his dreams due to economic difficulties. As a father and the main breadwinner of the household, he had forgotten about the goals of his youth. It was only last year when he finally made his dream come true and became a professional model, at age 63. Kim says he always had a unique fashion sense as a young man. “I loved fahion and liked to try clothes that others wouldn't wear. I worked briefly for a small boutique and once entered a modeling contest to win a prize at 21,” he said. But as he grew older and life became more serious, he had to let go of his dream. “I couldn't afford to continue. Modeling was a low-paying job. Unlike today, there were not enough channels for me to promote myself like the internet and social media.”Kim, who used to sell clothes he designed, spent the better days of his life working different jobs selling groceries, fish an

Apr 18, 2019By Park Jin-hai

'Silver is the new black'

Trends

'Silver is the new black'

Elderly models pose for a group photo at the TSP Entertainment in Seoul. / Courtesy of The Show ProjectBy Park Jin-haiMore than a dozen models in their various styles ― some in body-fitting glittering dresses and others in jeans or designer clothes with high heels ― gathered at a modeling school in southern Seoul. After listening to the feedback from their catwalk teacher for their last show, they lined up in a big circle and took turns doing twist turns on the small runway. To the songs of musical “Mamma Mia!” the teacher shouted “Please, pose more slowly, madams!”These models are as passionate as ones at any other modeling school, but the only difference is their average age is north of 60. With people aged 65 and older surpassing 14 percent of the population, Korea is one of the fastest aging societies. The steady rise in the maximum recorded life span enables people to expect to live a century. And with the help of media, portraying the older generations as being as active as young generations, people have begun to perceive aging as not “something to

Apr 18, 2019By Park Jin-hai

Senior models rock catwalk

K-pop

BTS tops US, UK music charts

BTS performs at the NBC Rock Rockefeller Center in New York, last Saturday. The band made their “Saturday Night Live” debut. Courtesy of NBCBy Park Jin-haiK-pop sensation BTS is almost certain to top music charts in the United States and U.K with its latest album “Map of the Soul: Persona,” making K-pop history. In an article published prior to its next listing, Sunday, Billboard said the new album is heading for the top spot on the Billboard 200 Albums Chart. If that is the case, it will be the third time for the seven-member boy band to have accomplished this following “Love Yourself: Tear” last May, and “Love Yourself: Answer” in September.Billboard predicted the album could sell between 200,000 and 225,000 album-equivalent units in the U.S. by April 18. The Billboard 200 ranks the week's 200 most popular albums of all genres.BTS is also set to get first place in the U.K.'s Official Albums Chart as well. Saying that the album has sold over 10,000 copies so far, the music chart added that midweek sales are already more than the first

Apr 16, 2019By Park Jin-hai

Will BigHit go public with BTS fever?

Films

Marvel ends Avengers saga with Endgame

“Avengers: Endgame” directors Joe Russo (left), and Anthony Russo, and stars Brie Larson, Robert Downey Jr. and Jeremy Renner, hold jogakbo, traditional Korean patchwork featuring the Avengers' symbol during the press conference in Seoul, Monday. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-sukBy Park Jin-hai“Avengers: Endgame” cast and the head of Marvel Studios visited Seoul to promote the final installment in the “Avengers” series, which will hit local theaters next Wednesday.With the film's world premiere a little over a week away, actors Robert Downey Jr., Jeremy Renner and Brie Larson, directors Anthony and Joe Russo and producer Trinh Tran visited Korea to promote the final Avengers movie and the 22nd film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.Kevin Feige, Marvel Studios president since 2007, also accompanied the visiting actors. Feige, who came here in 2013 for the “Thor: The Dark World” junket, stressed the significance of the upcoming film. “This film is the culmination of 22 films that we've made up to this point, so the Infinity War was r

Apr 15, 2019By Park Jin-hai

Park Jin-hai

Read more

Hollywood to remake Korean box office hits

More Korean actors to appear in Hollywood films, dramas

'Avengers' rekindles screen quota debate

'Mother roles are diverse enough to make a whole genre'

Box office readies for 'Avengers' perfect storm

Award-winning director Bong unveils eerie family tragicomedy

Senior models rock catwalk

'Silver is the new black'

BTS tops US, UK music charts

Marvel ends Avengers saga with Endgame

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