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Kwak Yeon-soo

Korea Times Digital Content Reporter

Kwak Yeon-soo is a digital editor at The Korea Times creating, editing and curating digital content for the newspaper’s website, mobile app and social media. She previously covered a diverse array of cultural, political and business topics.

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Films

'Splinters,' 'Kim Min-young of the Report Card' win big at 22nd Jeonju film festival

A scene from “Splinters,” the grand prize winner of the 22nd Jeonju International Film Festival / Courtesy of JIFFBy Kwak Yeon-sooJeonju International Film Festival (JIFF) has awarded its Grand Prize to Argentinian director Natalia Garayalde's film “Splinters,” which depicts an Argentinian political scandal through the lens of a 12-year-old girl. The festival held its awards ceremony at Korea Traditional Culture Center, Wednesday, with 50 people in attendance, including festival director Lee Joon-dong, jury members and directors and actors with films in the Korean competition. Overseas guests were unable to attend the event due to a mandatory two-week quarantine required of all foreign visitors entering the country.The Best Picture Prize went to Marta Popivoda's “Landscapes of Resistance,” which tells the story of Sonja, one of the first female partisans in Serbia during World War II who helped lead the resistance in Auschwitz-Birkenau. The Special Jury Prize went to James Vaughan's “Friends and Strangers,” which revolves around two you

May 6, 2021By Kwak Yeon-soo
'Splinters,' 'Kim Min-young of the Report Card' win big at 22nd Jeonju film festival
Entertainment

Trot singer Lim Young-woong under fire for violating no-smoking rule

Singer Lim Young-woong / Courtesy of Mulgogi Music By Kwak Yeon-sooTrot singer Lim Young-woong has come under fire for violating a no-smoking rule and not wearing a mask in a public area. On Tuesday, the local media outlet, Sports Kyunghyang, disclosed photos of Lim smoking inside a building that was designated as a smoke-free zone, during a break while filming TV Chosun's variety show, “Ppong School.” The singer was also photographed walking around without a mask when celebrities and production staff are required to wear masks to avoid COVID-19 infection. The photos have fueled outrage, as the country continues to take heightened precautions when the daily number of infections remains in the triple digits. It has been reported that a citizen filed a civil complaint to Mapo District, saying that it should slap a fine on the singer for violating the National Health Promotion Act. “Lim Young-woong is a well-known celebrity, so his influence on society cannot be ignore

May 5, 2021By Kwak Yeon-soo
Trot singer Lim Young-woong under fire for violating no-smoking rule
Films

Park Jeong-min and Yoona realize lofty dream in 'Miracle'

Actors Park Jeong-min, left, and Im Yoon-a, right, in a scene from “Miracle” / Courtesy of Lotte EntertainmentBy Kwak Yeon-sooPark Jeong-min and Im Yoon-a, better known by her stage name, Yoona, of Girls' Generation, are set to star as best friends who passionately encourage each other's big, lofty dreams in the upcoming moving drama, “Miracle.”Set in 1986, “Miracle” tells the story of math prodigy Joon-kyung (Park), who lives in a remote town in North Gyeongsang Province. His five-hour commute to school weighs on him, and that encourages him to come up with a plan to build a train station in his hometown. Joon-kyung joins hands with townspeople to obtain approval for the project to create a train station. The film is based on a true story ― Yangwon Station located in Bonghwa County, North Gyeongsang Province, which was built by townspeople in 1988 and is recorded as Korea's first private train station. Director Lee Jang-hoon, who previously directed the romance drama, “Be With You,” explained that the upcoming film is about people who

May 5, 2021By Kwak Yeon-soo
Park Jeong-min and Yoona realize lofty dream in 'Miracle'
Films

Angelina Jolie says filming 'Those Who Wish Me Dead' was therapeutic

Actors Angelina Jolie, bottom left, and Finn Little, bottom right, talk during an online press conference for “Those Who Wish Me Dead,” Tuesday. Courtesy of Warner Bros. KoreaBy Kwak Yeon-sooAngelina Jolie, who plays a traumatized firefighter risking her life to protect a 12-year-old boy in the thrilling crime drama, “Those Who Wish Me Dead,” told Korean reporters in an online press conference on Tuesday, that she found the film to be a therapeutic experience.Based on Michael Koryata's book of the same title and directed by Taylor Sheridan, “Those Who Wish Me Dead” tells the story of Hannah, who struggles with PTSD after failing to save three children from a fire. She then comes across Connor (Finn Little), who witnesses his father's murder and is pursued by the assassins as she tries to protect him from the dangers that follow.In the press conference, held via Zoom, Jolie explained that her experiences of parenting and directing helped her portray the character better. “I loved that this character (Hannah) is so broken and overwhelmed, and w

May 5, 2021By Kwak Yeon-soo
Angelina Jolie says filming 'Those Who Wish Me Dead' was therapeutic
Films

Jin Goo discusses playing father figure to deaf-blind child in 'You're So Precious to Me'

Actor Jin Goo / Courtesy of Fine StoryBy Kwak Yeon-sooJin Goo, who has worked closely with some of the big-name directors and writers like Bong Joon-ho in thriller film “Mother” (2009) and Kim Eun-sook in tvN's romance series “Descendants of the Sun” (2016), is back with a tear-jerker about a difficult subject: deafblindness.His upcoming drama film “You're So Precious to Me” tells the story of a man named Jae-sik (Jin) who runs a small entertainment company and lends money to his employee Ji-young. After Ji-young's sudden death, Jae-sik visits her home trying to get his money back. However, he finds a child all alone there named Eun-hye (Jung Seo-yeon), who is both deaf and blind.Jae-sik initially pretends to be her dad with an aim to intercept housing deposits, but grows fond of the child as he spends more time with her. Describing “You're So Precious to Me” as an authentic story of human connection, Jin said the story's emphasis on the value of empathy resonated with him. “To be honest, it wasn't a sense of social responsibility

May 3, 2021By Kwak Yeon-soo
Jin Goo discusses playing father figure to deaf-blind child in 'You're So Precious to Me'
Films

JIFF opening film: Despite system, father struggles to get children back

Serbian filmmaker Srdan Golubovic / Courtesy of Maja MedicIs a poor father unqualified for parenting? Serbian filmmaker Srdan Golubovic sparks discussion about the material base of fatherhood By Kwak Yeon-sooSerbian filmmaker Srdan Golubovic, whose film, “Father,” was the opening film of the 22th Jeonju International Film Festival, said his film is designed to provoke debate about social issues that are often overlooked in his country.Inspired by a true event, the filmmaker tells the story of Nikola (Goran Bogdan), a penniless Serbian day worker who struggles to get back custody of his children after they were taken away by social services. He sets out on a 300-km walk to Belgrade, determined to present his case to the Ministry of Labor and reunite with his family. Golubovic explained that the basic premise of the man making the cross-country journey is based on a real-life story, but the rest of the circumstances, such as where the main character lives and how he fights the bureaucracy, are fictional. Although corruption, the weak social system and injustice are themes h

May 2, 2021By Kwak Yeon-soo
JIFF opening film: Despite system, father struggles to get children back
  • Serbian film opens 22nd Jeonju International Film Festival
Films

Serbian film opens 22nd Jeonju International Film Festival

A movie fan takes a photo of the film poster for “Father,” which was chosen as the 22nd Jeonju International Film Festival's opening film on Jeonju Film Street, Saturday. YonhapBy Kwak Yeon-sooJEONJU ― The Jeonju International Film Festival (JIFF), an annual celebration of indie films, kicked off its 10-day run Thursday and will run through May 8, featuring nearly 200 films. Under the slogan, “Film Goes On,” a total of 194 films from 48 countries will be screened during the festival at four local theaters. For those unable to attend, 142 films are also available on the local streaming platform Wavve. The opening ceremony was held on Thursday at Sori Arts Center in Jeonju, in front of an audience of filmmakers, actors and other industry members.“What is familiar to us is easy, but that cannot change the world. So far, JIFF has supported experimental and alternative films. Social distancing is unavoidable, but I believe the audience members will feel connected through the films,” said Jeonju Mayor Kim Seung-su, who serves as chairman of JIFF's organi

May 2, 2021By Kwak Yeon-soo
Serbian film opens 22nd Jeonju International Film Festival
  • JIFF opening film: Despite system, father struggles to get children back
Arts & Theater

Samsung owner family donates art collection to national museums

Culture Minister Hwang Hee speaks during a press briefing to announce the late Samsung Group Chairman Lee Kun-hee's family donating his art collection to national museums in Seoul, Wednesday. Courtesy of Ministry of Culture, Sports and TourismBy Kwak Yeon-sooThe family of late Samsung Group Chairman Lee Kun-hee has agreed to donate some 23,000 pieces of artwork from his extensive art collection, according to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism on Wednesday.About 21,600 pieces, including 60 national treasures, will be donated to the National Museum of Korea. They include the Joseon-era landscape painting, “Inwang Jaseokdo,” by painter Jeong Seon, which was designated as National Treasure No. 216 in 1984, and a Buddhist painting from the Goryeo era titled, “Painting of the Bodhisattva of Great Compassion with a Thousand Arms,” which was designated as Treasure No. 2,015 in 2019. Some 1,400 pieces will be donated to the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art (MMCA). They include Korean painters' historic artworks including Lee Jung-seob's “Bu

Apr 28, 2021By Kwak Yeon-soo
Samsung owner family donates art collection to national museums
  • Lee Jae-yong forecast to take father's shares to tighten grip
People & Events

'Omnibus Omnia': Revered Cardinal Nicholas Cheong Jin-suk dies

Cardinal Nicholas Cheong Jin-suk died on Tuesday at the age of 89. Korea Times fileBy Kwak Yeon-sooCardinal Nicholas Cheong Jin-suk, former archbishop of Seoul, passed away late Tuesday at the age of 89. Cheong, who became Korea's second cardinal after the late Cardinal Stephen Kim Sou-hwan, had been receiving treatment for various age-related ailments, according to officials of the Catholic Church.He was hospitalized at St. Mary's Hospital in Seoul in February due to his frail condition. Cheong was in a critical condition due to several illnesses, but opted not to receive life-support treatment. “Cardinal Cheong passed away at 10:15 p.m. on Tuesday while in hospital for his deteriorating health. Medical staff and officials of the Archdiocese of Seoul witnessed the hour of his death. His last words were, 'Thank you and always be happy. God wants us to be happy,'” Huh Young-yeop, a spokesman for the Archdiocese of Seoul said at a news briefing Wednesday. “As the late cardinal dictated his wish to donate his organs including corneas, his body underwent extraction surg

Apr 28, 2021By Kwak Yeon-soo
'Omnibus Omnia': Revered Cardinal Nicholas Cheong Jin-suk dies
Society

Upcycling designer gives wedding dresses, wetsuits new life

Upcycling designer Park So-young poses at the Upcycling EcoFair held in Siheung, Gyeonggi Province, April 4. Courtesy of COHAMCIEBy Kwak Yeon-sooThe recent boom in upcycling is a testament to the sustainable fashion trend. Designer Park So-young, who is based in Daegu, is expanding the horizons of what upcycling looks like, turning wedding dresses and wetsuits of “haenyeo,” or UNESCO-designated female divers of Jeju Island, into funky bags and accessories.Park launched her brand, COHAMCIE, in 2018 after watching a documentary about extravagant gowns being thrown away after only being worn several times.“I was a college student majoring in textile design when I heard that about 1.7 million wedding dresses are thrown away annually because bridal fashion trends are more time-sensitive compared to everyday wear. The discarded items are sent to wedding photography studios or kept in storage,” Park said in a recent interview with The Korea Times.Since launching her own brand, Park has transformed more than 40 wedding dresses into 700 fashion items, such as bags, pou

Apr 27, 2021By Kwak Yeon-soo
Upcycling designer gives wedding dresses, wetsuits new life
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