The Korea Times

'Mr. Trot' star to release memoir amid assault allegations

Singer Kim Ho-joong performs during TV Chosun's audition show “Mr. Trot.” / Courtesy of TV ChosunBy Kwak Yeon-soo“Mr. Trot” star Kim Ho-joong is set to release an autobiography this week and hold a fan meeting later in August despite allegations that he assaulted his ex-girlfriend and evaded mandatory military service. His book, “Tvarotti Kim Ho-joong,” will be on sale at local bookstores and online bookstores from Thursday. “Tvarotti,” ― a combination of the word “trot” and the name of late legendary Italian opera singer Pavarotti ― is the nickname Kim was given after his dramatic rise to stardom as a trot singer, finishing fourth in the finals of TV Chosun's smash-hit audition show “Mr. Trot” earlier this year. The book covers his troubled childhood and teenage years and his success after the TV Chosun show. Kim first appeared on SBS' talent search show “Star King” in 2009 as an aspiring opera singer when he was still in high school. Along with six other finalists in TV Chosun show, Kim became one o

Aug 12, 2020By Kwak Yeon-soo

'Mr. Trot' star to release memoir amid assault allegations

Films

Jin Goo, Gong Seung-yeon to host Jecheon film fest opening

Actors Jin Goo, left, and Gong Seung-yeon will host the opening ceremony of the upcoming Jecheon International Music & Film Festival. / Courtesy of JIMFFBy Kwak Yeon-sooActors Jin Goo and Gong Seung-yeon will host the opening ceremony of the upcoming Jecheon International Music & Film Festival (JIMFF), which will kick off Aug. 13 in Jecheon, North Chungcheong Province.Under the slogan “Green Again,” the 16th JIMFF will run until Aug. 17 but without the presence of an audience due to the COVID-19 pandemic.“The decision to shift to an online festival has been made due to growing concern about the new wave of COVID-19 infections and the government's strengthened distancing efforts,” the organizing committee said in a press release. However, key events such as support for film productions and a film music academy will proceed as scheduled. These events will be attended by festival-related officials only, in consideration of public health and safety.The film fest will open with director Shim Chan-yang's “Da Capo,” which finds Tae-il (played by I

Aug 10, 2020By Kwak Yeon-soo

Jin Goo, Gong Seung-yeon to host Jecheon film fest opening

Films

Virus-hit Korean cinema prepares for next 100 years

Korean film industry experts attend the “Post-coronavirus Era: Korean Cinema Prepares for the Next 100 Years” forum held in a seminar room at the National Assembly in Seoul, Friday. / Korea Times photo by Kwak Yeon-sooBy Kwak Yeon-sooExperts and government officials met on Friday to analyze the impact of the coronavirus on Korea's film industry and to discuss ways to revive domestic cinema.The “Post-coronavirus Era: Korean Cinema Prepares for the Next 100 Years” forum was organized by the Korean Film Council (KOFIC) and hosted by Rep. Lim O-kyeong of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK).About 100 people attended, including Vice Culture Minister Oh Young-woo, DPK Rep. Do Jong-hwan and KOFIC Chairperson Oh Seok-geun.“Several summer blockbuster films like 'Peninsula' and 'Steel Rain 2' opened in theaters as planned and they're performing pretty well at the box office, but we're still uncertain as to when cinemas will return to normal,” said Choi Jeong-hwa, the head of the Producers Guild of Korea.“Although the number of moviegoers rose for

Aug 7, 2020By Kwak Yeon-soo

Virus-hit Korean cinema prepares for next 100 years

Films

When stage play meets cinema: SAC unveils its first stage movie 'Story of Old Couple'

Cha Yoo-kyung, right, and Kim Myung-gon in a scene from the stage movie “The Story of an Old Couple.” / Courtesy of Seoul Arts CenterBy Kwak Yeon-sooIn a pandemic-stricken world where live-streamed performances have become the norm, the Seoul Arts Center (SAC) has found a new way to deliver its theater performances to audiences not familiar with its work.As part of its “SAC on Screen” project, which aims to record its plays and other theatrical productions for screening in cinemas, the arts center has unveiled its first “stage movie” titled “The Story of an Old Couple.”It follows a couple in their 60s falling in love. Mischievous Park Dong-man (played by Kim Myung-gon) visits foul-mouthed Lee Jum-soon (Cha Yoo-kyung), to rent a room in her home. Park, who lost his wife two decades ago, tries to win the heart of Lee, who lost her husband 30 years ago and raised three daughters on her own, and the two eventually fall in love.SAC CEO Yoo In-taek said the latest move to expand its theater program and use digital technology to engage audienc

Aug 7, 2020By Kwak Yeon-soo

When stage play meets cinema: SAC unveils its first stage movie 'Story of Old Couple'

Films

INTERVIEW Hwang Jung-min becomes deadly hitman in 'Deliver Us From Evil'

Hwang Jung-min in a scene from the film “Deliver Us From Evil” / Courtesy of CJ EntertainmentBy Kwak Yeon-sooHwang Jung-min's charisma and inner warmth shines through in his performance in the stylish, hard-boiled action film “Deliver Us From Evil.”The flick tells a story of hitman In-nam, played by Hwang, who is set to retire after carrying out one last hit in Japan. However, he finds out he has a nine-year-old daughter he never knew existed and that she has been kidnapped by a criminal gang in Thailand. In-nam travels to Bangkok to search for his daughter, but finds himself on the run from the ruthless villain Ray, played by Lee Jung-jae, who wants to avenge the death of his brother. Hwang said playing In-nam's character was difficult because he had to repress his emotions in the film, internalizing everything that gets in the way of doing what he has to do. “In-nam feels a sense of remorse and regret, and he's upset about what he's doing. I mainly focused on expressing that anguish and helplessness so audiences would understand that he's not proud of

Jul 31, 2020By Kwak Yeon-soo

[INTERVIEW] Hwang Jung-min becomes deadly hitman in 'Deliver Us From Evil'

Films

Korean cinema, politics entangled in 'cozy relations'

Outpouring of 'left-leaning films' under Moon government By Kwak Yeon-sooIn South Korea, cinema and politics are inseparable. During the rule of the conservative governments, a flurry of films featuring South Korea's dramatic rise from the ashes of the Korean War to become one of Asia's most vibrant economies and productions dealing with the idea of nationalism were released.“Roaring Currents” (2014), “Ode to My Father” (2014) and “Operation Chromite” (2016) are three of the biggest box office hits that were released when conservative President Park Geun-hye was in power.These patriotism-oriented films were replaced with a flurry of retro flicks dignifying democracy fighters in the 1980s after Park was ousted from the presidency and human rights lawyer-turned-President Moon Jae-in took power in 2017.These so-called “leftist films” demonize the previous conservative governments ― particularly the military governments in the 1970s and 1980s. Human rights abuses, the massacre in the southern city of Gwangju in 1980 shortly after President

Jul 30, 2020By Kwak Yeon-soo

Korean cinema, politics entangled in 'cozy relations'

Films

INTERVIEW 'Steel Rain 2: Summit' offers cinematic imagining of 2 Koreas' future

Jung Woo-sung, left, and Shin Jung-geun in a scene from the film “Steel Rain 2: Summit” / Courtesy of Lotte EntertainmentBy Kwak Yeon-sooDirector Yang Woo-suk said he wanted to explore possible futures for the Korean Peninsula, the Cold War's last divide, through his new action blockbuster “Steel Rain 2: Summit.”“In recent years, think tanks and security analysts have presented four possible scenarios on the future of North Korea ― going to war with South Korea, signing a peace treaty to end the Korean War, a military coup or natural calamities,” Yang said during a recent interview with The Korea Times.“I personally believe the North Korean regime is more likely to collapse due to a military-led coup rather than nuclear weapons. However, South Korea is not really prepared for a crisis within North Korea ― a coup and a civil war among warring factions. Therefore, I wanted to offer a cinematic simulation on the future of the two Koreas.”A sequel to “Steel Rain” (2017), “Steel Rain 2” dramatizes a tripartite summit

Jul 27, 2020By Kwak Yeon-soo

[INTERVIEW] 'Steel Rain 2: Summit' offers cinematic imagining of 2 Koreas' future

Entertainment

Megabox launches Korea's first Dolby Cinema

Megabox CEO Kim Jin-sun speaks during a press event for launching Korea's first Dolby Cinema in Seoul, Wednesday. / Courtesy of MegaboxBy Kwak Yeon-sooMegabox, one of Korea's three biggest theater chains along with CGV and Lotte Cinema, has launched the country's first Dolby Cinema to deliver a fully immersive cinema experience to moviegoers.The multiplex operator's decision to open its first Dolby Cinema at its COEX location comes amid its attempts to revitalize the movie theater industry that has been hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic. “It's true that film crew and cinema staff are going through tough times due to COVID-19,” Megabox CEO Kim Jin-sun said during a press event held in Seoul, Wednesday.“Although our talks with Dolby had begun long before the coronavirus broke out, we believe that Dolby Cinema can help revive the virus-hit industry and bring audiences back to movie theaters.” Dolby Cinema is a premium cinema that combines Dolby technologies such as Dolby Vision laser projection and Dolby Atmos moving audio, as well as other signature entrance and

Jul 24, 2020By Kwak Yeon-soo

Megabox launches Korea's first Dolby Cinema

Books

Late US scholar ventures deep into Korean traditional painting 'chaekgeori'

Seen above is a ten-panel trompe l'oeil-type chaekgeori screen created by Yi Ung-nok, probably between 1864 and 1866. The painter used ink and mineral pigments on silk or hemp. Courtesy of National Museum of KoreaBy Kwak Yeon-sooChaekgeori, are Korean folk paintings that refer to “books and things.” They first appeared in King Jeongjo's time, who ruled the country from 1776 to 1800, and were popular during the latter period of Joseon Kingdom. The paintings usually depict scholarly objects such as books, calligraphy brushes and carved jade seals and ornaments such as peacock feathers and ceramic vases.Kay E. Black (1928-2020), who published “CH'AEKKORI PAINTING: A Korean Jigsaw Puzzle” in June, fell in love with chaekgeori when she visited the Emille Museum in Seoul in 1973. The difference in spelling of “ch'aekkori” in the book title versus “chaekgeori” ― the common spelling in modern Korea ― reflects past and present systems of Romanization of the Korean language.Fascinated with Korea's brightly colored folding screens and abstract pat

Jul 23, 2020By Kwak Yeon-soo

Late US scholar ventures deep into Korean traditional painting 'chaekgeori'

Trends

INTERVIEW Designer applies traditional Korean aesthetics to wallpaper

Interior designer Teo Yang poses after an interview with The Korea Times in his studio, Monday. /Korea Times photo by Choi Won-sukBy Kwak Yeon-sooTeo Yang, 39, is a Seoul-based interior designer who brings traditional aesthetics to modern spaces. Under the theme “the past in the future,” he combines the past, present and future in multisensory experiences that include interiors, furniture, scents and skincare. After graduating from the Art Institute of Chicago, he worked under designer Marcel Wanders in Amsterdam and now runs Teo Yang Studio in the Bukchon neighborhood of Seoul. Yang explained that exposure to Western art and working alongside top designers benefited him in ways he could never have imagined. However, he said he often asked himself “What can I offer to the world as a designer?” “That's when I started studying Korean history and tradition. It became a manifesto for me to use traditional Korean artifacts and design in contemporary spaces,” Yang said during an interview with The Korea Times in his studio, Monday. To put his thoughts in

Jul 23, 2020By Kwak Yeon-soo

Kwak Yeon-soo

Read more

'Mr. Trot' star to release memoir amid assault allegations

Jin Goo, Gong Seung-yeon to host Jecheon film fest opening

Virus-hit Korean cinema prepares for next 100 years

When stage play meets cinema: SAC unveils its first stage movie 'Story of Old Couple'

INTERVIEW Hwang Jung-min becomes deadly hitman in 'Deliver Us From Evil'

Korean cinema, politics entangled in 'cozy relations'

INTERVIEW 'Steel Rain 2: Summit' offers cinematic imagining of 2 Koreas' future

Megabox launches Korea's first Dolby Cinema

Late US scholar ventures deep into Korean traditional painting 'chaekgeori'

INTERVIEW Designer applies traditional Korean aesthetics to wallpaper

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