The Korea Times

'We don't want to know': Netizens trash Korea's 'unhinged' reality shows

A scene from Channel A's “Doomed Marriage” / Captured from Channel A websiteBy Kwak Yeon-sooStar-studded reality shows about dating and child rearing have long been a staple part of Korean television programming. However, as viewers have been getting tired of watching the same old shows with similar formats, a number of them have gone a step further to tackle what have up until recently been taboo subjects: sex and divorce.Through an “observational” format, a panel of celebrities and viewers get a sneak peek at celebrities' unscripted lifestyles and spontaneous reactions to given situations. However, netizens and critics remain uncertain about the purpose of the reality shows that depict celebrities' sex lives and unhappy marriages.Sky Channel and Channel A's reality show “Doomed Marriage,” which premiered in July, follows couples' relationships and sexual activity in excruciating detail.The weekly 90-minute program is divided into two parts ― actors reenact real situations that married couples face and celebrity couples share their own relationshi

Dec 3, 2020By Kwak Yeon-soo

'We don't want to know': Netizens trash Korea's 'unhinged' reality shows

Films

INTERVIEW 'Festival' actor talks about fate of laughing in the face of despair

Actor Ha Jun / Courtesy of Thursday MorningBy Kwak Yeon-sooActor Ha Jun said “sincerity” was most important when playing the role of Kyung-man in “Festival,” an empathetic story about ordinary people caught up in emotional extremes.Helmed by Kim Lok-kyoung, who made his directorial debut with the short film “Samcheonpo Garbage” in 2016, “Festival” portrays ill-fated part-time host Kyung-man, who is required to put on a brave face to earn money, even after the tragic loss of his father. “Our film is not a light-hearted story, so it was important to sincerely portray the character,” he said during a recent interview with The Korea Times via Zoom. “I believe that most of us have had the experience of having to laugh or joke at times we weren't in the mood to do so.”In the film, Kyung-man and his younger sister Kyung-mi (So Joo-yeon) take care of their ailing father, who has been hospitalized for a long time. One day, their father dies, but there is no time to grieve because the siblings have no money to pay for his

Dec 2, 2020By Kwak Yeon-soo

[INTERVIEW] 'Festival' actor talks about fate of laughing in the face of despair

Films

Multi-star rom-com 'New Year Blues' brings holiday cheer

From left, director Hong Ji-young poses with actors Kim Kang-woo, Lee Yeon-hee, Yoo Yeon-seok, Yeom Hye-ran, Lee Dong-hwi, Choi Soo-young and Yoo Teo after an online press event held for the film “New Year Blues” in Seoul, Tuesday. / Courtesy of Acemaker Movieworks By Kwak Yeon-sooChristmas and New Year's Eve films always bring a special dose of holiday cheer to audiences. This year, movie lovers can ring in the festive season with “New Year Blues” which tells the cutesy tale of four couples.The upcoming film is a star-studded romantic comedy that revolves around the lives of four couples who break up and fall in love on New Year's Eve. Helmed by Hong Ji-young, the director behind “Marriage Blue” (2013) and “Will You Be There?” (2016), the film's cast includes Kim Kang-woo, Yoo In-na, Yoo Yeon-seok, Lee Yeon-hee, Lee Dong-hwi, Chen Du Ling, Yeom Hye-ran, Choi Soo-young of Girls' Generation and Yoo Teo.“If 'Marriage Blue' was about romantic relationships, 'New Year B

Dec 1, 2020By Kwak Yeon-soo

Multi-star rom-com 'New Year Blues' brings holiday cheer

Entertainment

Kim Hye-soo, Yoo Yeon-seok to host 2020 Blue Dragon Awards

Kim Hye-soo, left, and Yoo Yeon-seok will host the 41st Blue Dragon Film Awards ceremony, which will take place at Paradise City Incheon, Dec. 11. / Korea Times file By Kwak Yeon-sooActors Kim Hye-soo and Yoo Yeon-seok will host the 41st Blue Dragon Film Awards ceremony set to be held on Dec. 11. This is the third year in a row that the two have been selected to host the country's most prestigious film awards event.This year marks Kim's 27th time hosting the event since 1993. “It's been a tough year for everyone because of COVID-19. I'm thankful for filmmakers and moviegoers who continued to show their support of films despite these difficult times,” the actress said. “I hope films can provide comfort and hope to everyone who is struggling. I hope that a day will come soon when this pandemic comes to an end and we can all enjoy films in theaters again.”Yoo, who has hosted the show for three consecutive years, said, “It's my honor to have been emceeing the Blue Drago

Nov 30, 2020By Kwak Yeon-soo

Kim Hye-soo, Yoo Yeon-seok to host 2020 Blue Dragon Awards

Entertainment

Lee Jung-jae, Kim Soo-hyun, TWICE honored at 2020 Asia Artist Awards

Actors Lee Jung-jae, left, and Kim Soo-hyun deliver acceptance speech after winning the award at 2020 Asia Artist Awards held in Seoul, Saturday. Courtesy of AAA Organizing CommitteeBy Kwak Yeon-sooActors Lee Jung-jae, Kim Soo-hyun as well as K-pop groups TWICE and BTS were honored at the 2020 Asia Artist Awards (AAA) ― the icing on the cake for their activities this year.This year's ceremony was streamed online on MyMusicTaste, an online concert platform, Saturday night due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Lee was named best actor in the film category for his role as ruthless villain Ray in hardboiled action film “Deliver Us from Evil.”“Thank you so much for this,” Lee said after receiving the award. “It was fun to play such a unique character in Deliver Us from Evil. I received so much help from fellow actors and the film crew. I'd like to thank the audience for watching the film when it hit the theaters.”Kim Soo-hyun took home the best actor award in the TV series category for portraying Moon Gang-tae, a caregiver who buries his emotions to bet

Nov 29, 2020By Kwak Yeon-soo

Lee Jung-jae, Kim Soo-hyun, TWICE honored at 2020 Asia Artist Awards

Entertainment

Film events, TV productions halted by COVID-19 resurgence

A poster for the film “Festival,” left, and JTBC's drama series “Hush.” / Korea Times file By Kwak Yeon-sooFilm promotional events and TV productions are being halted as the country experiences a COVID-19 resurgence. On Tuesday, the press conference for the film “Festival” was abruptly canceled because actor So Ju-yeon had a COVID-19 test after an extra on a drama series she was shooting tested positive to the virus. “Although So and the crew member weren't in direct contact with the extra from 'City Couple's Way of Love,' they had COVID-19 tests for safety,” an official from the film's distributor said, Tuesday. Their tests came back negative on Wednesday.Another lead actor, Ha Jun, is in quarantine after he was possibly exposed to the virus, and press interviews have been canceled. Since the beginning of November, the number of new confirmed cases in Korea has shot up, prompting authorities to step up restrictions in the Seoul metropolitan area. The government upg

Nov 26, 2020By Kwak Yeon-soo

Film events, TV productions halted by COVID-19 resurgence

Films

Park Shin-hye gained confidence through time-slip thriller 'The Call'

Park Shin-hye / Courtesy of NetflixBy Kwak Yeon-sooPark Shin-hye, well-known for her roles in romantic comedy TV shows including “You're Beautiful” (2009) and “The Heirs” (2013), said she has enjoyed taking on a darker role in “The Call,” a female cast-led thriller.“This film made me feel more confident. It made me think it's okay to be more honest with expressing myself,” Park said in an interview with The Korea Times. The 30-year-old actress revealed that she actually turned down “The Call” because she was both physically and emotionally exhausted at the time she was offered the role.“I received the script by the time I finished filming tvN series Memories of the Alhambra. The script was intriguing and interesting, but I initially declined the project because I was too tired to begin filming right after wrapping up the drama series,” she said. “However, the film studio head asked me to reconsider and I ended up having a meeting with director Lee Chung-hyun. After the conversation, I could feel his confide

Nov 25, 2020By Kwak Yeon-soo

Park Shin-hye gained confidence through time-slip thriller 'The Call'

Films

INTERVIEW 'Best Friend' director explains why he keeps making family movies

Director Lee Hwan-kyung poses after an interview with The Korea Times at a cafe in Seoul, Nov. 17. Courtesy of Little Big PicturesBy Kwak Yeon-sooSince “Lump Sugar” (2006), filmmaker Lee Hwan-kyung has continued to explore the themes of family and friendship in titles such as “Champ” (2011) and “Miracle in Cell No. 7” (2013). Gifted in making audiences laugh and cry, the director is back after seven years with new comedy drama “Best Friend.”Originally, the film was scheduled to be released in 2018. Unfortunately, delays and sexual assault allegations against lead actor Oh Dal-su led the distributor to push the release back two years. “After the success of Miracle in Cell No. 7, I stayed in Beijing for two to three years to direct a joint Korean-Chinese film. However, the project fell through because of THAAD. In 2015, I began pre-production for Best Friend,” he said during a recent interview with The Korea Times. Set in the 1980s when the country was still under authoritarian rule, “Best Friend” follows an underc

Nov 23, 2020By Kwak Yeon-soo

[INTERVIEW] 'Best Friend' director explains why he keeps making family movies

Entertainment

Jang Hyun-sung nominated for best actor at Milan Int'l Film Festival

Jang Hyun-sung/ Courtesy of YG Entertainment By Kwak Yeon-sooJang Hyun-sung, who stars as a struggling single father in director Choe Equan's “My Son,” has been nominated for Best Acting Performance Male at the 20th Milan International Film Festival (MIFF). The other nominees in the category are Wolfram Rupperti (“Alive”), Albert Pueyo (“Broken Voices”), Eliz Lao (“Two Komachis”) and Hideki Nagai (“Woman of the Photographs”). The ceremony is scheduled for Dec. 2. “My Son” was also nominated for best directing and best feature film at this year's MIFF, drawing anticipation from Korean film fans. Adapted from Brad Fraser's play “Kill Me Now,” the upcoming film revolves around a hard-working father and widower, who looks after his severely disabled teenage son but dreams of living independently. The two come into conflict, as the son's health condition aggravates and he goes through puberty. The play premiered in Korea in 2016, and since then has been staged three tim

Nov 20, 2020By Kwak Yeon-soo

Jang Hyun-sung nominated for best actor at Milan Int'l Film Festival

Entertainment

Lotte Cinema raises ticket prices after CGV, Megabox

A worker conducts a safety inspection at Lotte Cinema World Tower branch in this June 11 file photo. / Yonhap By Kwak Yeon-sooLotte Cinema has joined CGV and Megabox to raise ticket prices as part of its ongoing attempts to survive the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic. Starting Dec. 2, the average ticket price will be raised by 1,000 won. However, it will keep the 1,000 won discount for seats in the first row. Prices for elderly customers, children, people with impairments and people of national merit will remain unchanged.The theater chain also announced its plan to close 20 percent of its theaters nationwide and reduce stakes in overseas operations within two years as a “self-rescue measure for survival.”The country's leading multiplexes have been suffering huge losses since March after they were forced to temporarily shut down some cinemas and movie studios delayed releases of some blockbusters. Lotte Cinema will reduce 20 loss-making sites of 100 directly run branche

Nov 20, 2020By Kwak Yeon-soo

Kwak Yeon-soo

Read more

'We don't want to know': Netizens trash Korea's 'unhinged' reality shows

INTERVIEW 'Festival' actor talks about fate of laughing in the face of despair

Multi-star rom-com 'New Year Blues' brings holiday cheer

Kim Hye-soo, Yoo Yeon-seok to host 2020 Blue Dragon Awards

Lee Jung-jae, Kim Soo-hyun, TWICE honored at 2020 Asia Artist Awards

Film events, TV productions halted by COVID-19 resurgence

Park Shin-hye gained confidence through time-slip thriller 'The Call'

INTERVIEW 'Best Friend' director explains why he keeps making family movies

Jang Hyun-sung nominated for best actor at Milan Int'l Film Festival

Lotte Cinema raises ticket prices after CGV, Megabox

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