The Korea Times

INTERVIEW Will AI replace human composers?

K-pop musician and Enterarts CEO Park Chan-jae poses during an interview with The Korea Times at his office in Seoul, Tuesday. / Korea Times photo by Choi Won-sukBy Kwak Yeon-sooIn 2018, the K-pop musician and Enterarts CEO Park Chan-jae made a bold prediction. “I feel AI is going to disrupt the music industry,” he said during the launch of new label A.I.M. (which stands for Arts in Mankind) that is developing an artificially intelligent (AI) music composer. “Under the slogan 'music is for all,' I want everyone to experience the joy of creating music.” Two years have passed since then, and music made by AI is starting to be taken a lot more seriously in the music industry. In October, Hayeon, the younger sister of Girls' Generation member Taeyeon, debuted with a song called “Eyes on You,” which was composed by AI. The AI first composed the song and then it underwent revision by producer NUVO, according to Park. On Nov. 17, K-pop girl group aespa made its official debut with the release of its single “Black Mamba.” The group members each

Nov 19, 2020By Kwak Yeon-soo

[INTERVIEW] Will AI replace human composers?

Films

'Actor's life begins at 40:' Jung Woo says turning 40 affected his outlook on acting

Jung Woo poses after an interview with The Korea Times at a cafe in Seoul, Tuesday. Courtesy of Little Big PicturesBy Kwak Yeon-sooIt's been a long and winding road for the film “Best Friend” to ultimately land in theaters, but even amid the pandemic, it's a big moment for Jung Woo who has been out of the public eye for nearly three years.“I shot three films ― 'Hot Blooded,' 'Best Friend' and 'Dirty Money' ― after 'Heung-boo: The Revolutionist' (2018), but all of their release dates got pushed back due to internal and external circumstances. I'm relieved that the film could come out right now,” he said during an interview with The Korea Times, Tuesday. “After wrapping up shooting for three films, I went on a one-year hiatus because I experienced a burnout. During that period of time, I tried to use my time wisely ― waking up early, working out regularly and reviewing scripts.”The upcoming film is set in the 1980s when the country was still under authoritarian rule. It follows an undercover surveillance team tasked with monitoring an opposition poli

Nov 19, 2020By Kwak Yeon-soo

'Actor's life begins at 40:' Jung Woo says turning 40 affected his outlook on acting

Entertainment

After 'Extreme Job,' Ryu Seung-ryong returns with musical film

Actor Ryu Seung-ryong / Courtesy of Lotte EntertainmentBy Kwak Yeon-sooRyu Seung-ryong, the versatile actor who starred in “Masquerade” (2012), “Miracle in Cell No. 7” (2013), “Roaring Currents” (2014) and “Extreme Job” (2019) ― each of which surpassed 10 million box office tickets sold ― is returning with a musical film.With this latest offering, the actor is aiming to continue his onscreen success and entice audiences back to cinemas. In the upcoming “Life is Beautiful,” Ryu plays Jin-bong who reluctantly agrees to help his terminally ill wife Se-yeon (Yum Jung-ah) find her first love as her birthday wish. The couple embarks on a countryside journey. Park Se-wan plays the younger version of Se-yeon and singer-turned-actor Ong Seong-wu stars as Jung-woo, Se-yeon's first love.Describing Jin-bong as someone who constantly complains but has a warm heart, Ryu said it was a challenge to star in a musical film because he hadn't sung in such a long time.“If Extreme Job portrayed the meaning of love and justice in the workpla

Nov 17, 2020By Kwak Yeon-soo

After 'Extreme Job,' Ryu Seung-ryong returns with musical film

Films

'Minari' star Youn Yuh-jung nominated for best actress at Gotham Awards

Youn Yuh-jung / Courtesy of Hook EntertainmentBy Kwak Yeon-sooYoun Yuh-jung, who stars as loving grandmother in director Lee Isaac Chung's “Minari,” has been nominated for Best Actress at the 30th Gotham Awards, which honors independent films. The other nominees in the category are Jessica Buckley (“I'm Thinking of Ending Things”), Nicole Beharie (“Miss Juneteenth”), Carrie Coon (“The Nest”) and Frances McDormand (“Nomadland”). The ceremony is scheduled for Jan. 11, 2021. “Minari” tells the story of a Korean-American family that moves to rural Arkansas in the 1980s, as Jacob (Steven Yeun) and his wife Monica (Han Ye-ri) attempt to grow crops on the land that they've purchased. In the film, Youn plays the grandmother Soon-ja, who moves to America to live with Jacob's family.The film has garnered tremendous critical acclaim, winning both the Grand Jury Prize and the Audience Award at the Sundance Film Festival in January. In October, it won the Ensemble Award and Audience Award for Best Narrative Film at the Middle

Nov 16, 2020By Kwak Yeon-soo

'Minari' star Youn Yuh-jung nominated for best actress at Gotham Awards

Entertainment

K-pop stars' performances shine light on Korean heritage, museums

Rapper and singer-songwriter CL showcases Korean culture in a video for her latest single “HWA” filmed for CBS's “The Late Late Show with James Corden” in front of Jongchinbu, or the office of royal genealogy during the Joseon Kingdom (1392-1910). / Captured from YouTubeBy Kwak Yeon-sooThe COVID-19 pandemic has pushed the global music industry into uncharted territory where artists are playing live concerts from their homes or featuring remote performances.K-pop artists, who now make recurring appearances on late night shows in the U.S., have been pre-recording gigs from Korea. But some have been taking this as an opportunity to introduce Korean heritage and museums by filming performances at the country's major tourist attractions.Last month, rapper and singer-songwriter CL shared a performance of her latest single “HWA” filmed CBS's “The Late Late Show with James Corden.”Because the singer wasn't able to physically be on the show due to the prolonged coronavirus pandemic, her rendition of the song was filmed at the National Museum of

Nov 12, 2020By Kwak Yeon-soo

K-pop stars' performances shine light on Korean heritage, museums

Films

Labor activist Chun Tae-il reborn in animated movie

By Kwak Yeon-sooActor Jang Dong-yoon stars as labor activist Chun Tae-il in the animated film “Chun Taeil.” / Courtesy of Myung FilmThe life of Chun Tae-il, a labor activist who immolated himself to raise awareness about the poor labor conditions of garment workers in 1970, will be retold through an animated film named after him. Chun (1948-1970) was born in the southern city of Daegu. His father was a tailor who ran a small family business. Due to his underprivileged upbringing, he was forced to quit school and did not receive a proper education. Chun left home and started working as an assistant to a tailor at age 16.In an attempt to improve garment workers' conditions, Chun became a master tailor and began to study the Labor Standards Law. He then visits a labor supervisor and raises the issue of the poor conditions of workers. But conditions did not improve until Chun set himself on fire during a demonstration for workers' rights.The voice actors cast for roles in “Chun Taeil” include actors Jang Dong-yoon as Chun, Yeom Hye-ran as Chun's mother Lee So-sun,

Nov 10, 2020By Kwak Yeon-soo

Labor activist Chun Tae-il reborn in animated movie

Entertainment

Han Ji-min, Nam Joo-hyuk's 'Josee' coming out in December

By Kwak Yeon-sooA poster for the upcoming romance drama “Josee” / Courtesy of Warner Bros. KoreaThe romance drama “Josee,” starring Han Ji-min and Nam Joo-hyuk, is set to hit theaters in December. The two actors are reuniting after appearing together as husband and wife last year in “The Light in Your Eyes.”A remake of the 2003 Japanese film “Josee, the Tiger and the Fish” directed by Isshin Inudo, the film follows an ordinary college student named Young-seok falling for a woman with physical disabilities named Josee, who is wheeled around town in a baby carriage. Despite social prejudice, the two fall in love. With the support of Young-seok, Josee learns to step out of her comfort zone to face the outside world.The film was directed by Kim Jong-kwan, who has created films including “Worst Woman” (2016) and “The Table” (2017). “The story of two characters' deep emotional connection will move the hearts of fans and audiences,” the production team said in a release. Han made her debut in SBS' “All

Nov 6, 2020By Kwak Yeon-soo

Han Ji-min, Nam Joo-hyuk's 'Josee' coming out in December

Films

INTERVIEW Kim Hye-soo on inner struggle, criticism, role in 'The Day I Died'

Kim Hye-soo. / Courtesy of Hodu&U EntertainmentBy Kwak Yeon-sooKim Hye-soo, who started acting in the 1980s, has definitely made her mark on the entertainment industry. She is well-known for her iconic roles in films like “Tazza: The High Rollers” (2006), “The Thieves” (2012) and “Default” (2018).After starring in the recent hit TV series “Hyena” as a quirky yet brilliant lawyer, the actress chose the complete opposite character in the mystery thriller “The Day I Died: Unclosed Case.”In the upcoming film, Kim plays Hyun-soo, a police detective assigned to investigate the suspicious disappearance of a teenage girl named Se-jin (Roh Jeong-eui).While tracing Se-jin's last day before she disappears from a cliff, Hyun-soo finds out about the girl's intimate relationship with a local island resident (Lee Jung-eun), who lost her voice and lives with her comatose niece. With a resident's help, Hyun-soo gets one step closer to the truth.One notable aspect of the mystery thriller is that it dives deeper into Hyun-soo's emotional s

Nov 6, 2020By Kwak Yeon-soo

[INTERVIEW] Kim Hye-soo on inner struggle, criticism, role in 'The Day I Died'

Films

Krystal of f(x) plays first lead role in comedy film 'More than Family'

From left, actors Gang Mal-geum, Jung Soo-jung and Jang Hye-jin pose during a press conference for the film “More than Family” in Seoul, Tuesday. YonhapBy Kwak Yeon-sooAfter a decade in the public eye thanks to her successful music career as a K-pop idol, Jung Soo-jung (a.k.a. Krystal) is betting big on her acting career with her first lead movie role in the comedy drama “More than Family.”In the film, Jung plays To-il, a pregnant college student who heads out on a mission to find her birth father Hwan-gyu (played by Lee Hae-young), whom she hasn't heard from for more than a decade, before her wedding. Once she tracks down her birth father, To-il faces another challenge: her soon-to-be-husband Ho-hoon (Shin Jae-hwi), who is still a high school student, goes completely off the grid. So she wanders from place to place with her family to find him.“When I first heard the role would be a pregnant woman, I sighed deeply,” Jung said during a press conference held in Seoul, Tuesday. “But I read the script in one sitting and was really drawn to it. So

Nov 4, 2020By Kwak Yeon-soo

Krystal of f(x) plays first lead role in comedy film 'More than Family'

Films

Oh Dal-su to return to big screen after being cleared in sexual assault case

Oh Dal-su / YonhapBy Kwak Yeon-sooOh Dal-su will return to the big screen two years after being cleared of sexual assault charges, with an appearance in the soon to be released film “Best Friend.”The actor was removed from the tvN series “My Mister” (2018) and fantasy drama “Along with the Gods: The Last 49 Days” (2018) after accusations of sexual assault surfaced in February 2018. Three films starring Oh ceased production following the allegations. They were all in the post-production stage and have been shelved for years without any release date.But a newly released trailer for “Best Friend,” filmed more than two years ago and set to be released this month, shows Oh was not cut from the film. He will make his first public appearance since “Detective K: Secret of the Living Dead” (2018) at a press conference to promote the film, according to his management agency C-JeS Entertainment“Oh will attend the press screening and news conference scheduled for mid-November. He's also willing to conduct interviews with the press

Nov 3, 2020By Kwak Yeon-soo

Kwak Yeon-soo

Read more

INTERVIEW Will AI replace human composers?

'Actor's life begins at 40:' Jung Woo says turning 40 affected his outlook on acting

After 'Extreme Job,' Ryu Seung-ryong returns with musical film

'Minari' star Youn Yuh-jung nominated for best actress at Gotham Awards

K-pop stars' performances shine light on Korean heritage, museums

Labor activist Chun Tae-il reborn in animated movie

Han Ji-min, Nam Joo-hyuk's 'Josee' coming out in December

INTERVIEW Kim Hye-soo on inner struggle, criticism, role in 'The Day I Died'

Krystal of f(x) plays first lead role in comedy film 'More than Family'

Oh Dal-su to return to big screen after being cleared in sexual assault case

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