The Korea Times

Gov't to inject W17 billion into virus-hit film industry

A movie theater foyer in Seoul is empty amid growing fears over the spread of COVID-19, April 20. / YonhapBy Kwak Yeon-sooThe Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism announced Tuesday that it had formulated additional plans to give financial support to the virus-hit film industry. The culture ministry said it will provide a 90 percent exemption from charges for a film development fund as the industry suffers cinema closures and all-time box office lows amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The exemption will be applied from February to December this year. Conventionally, Korea levies a 3 percent tax on ticket sales that goes into the film development fund. With the latest measure, however, movie theaters are required to pay 0.3 percent of monthly ticket sales to the fund.The number of moviegoers dropped to a record low of 1.83 million in March, the lowest for the month since local box-office data was first compiled in 2004. Total revenue nose-dived 88 percent year-on-year to 15.2 billion won ($12.5 million) in March. Multiplex chain CGV temporarily closed 35 branches across the country in a fi

Apr 21, 2020By Kwak Yeon-soo

Gov't to inject W17 billion into virus-hit film industry

Entertainment

Multiplexes rent out theaters to revive dying business

Faced with theater closings and plunging ticket sales due to COVID-19 outbreak, several multiplex chains are holding events to rent out entire theaters for movie screenings. / GettyImagesbankBy Kwak Yeon-sooFaced with theater closings and plunging ticket sales due to COVID-19 outbreak, several multiplex chains are holding events to rent out entire theaters for movie screenings.The film industry has been hit hard by the coronavirus and is grappling with a host of problems, including competition with online streaming services, studios delaying release dates and the uncertainty of how long it will take for audiences to return to theaters.Amid such difficulties, Korea's largest movie theater chain CGV has rolled out an event titled “I Watch Alone ― Rent a Theater and Watch a Movie Alone” in order to bring back moviegoers.The theatrical rental for a two-hour movie costs 30,000 won ($25) for two people at three CGV branches ― Gangbyeon, Sangbong and Junggae. Up to 10 people can join them for an additional cost of 10,000 won per person. This is a lot cheaper than normal rental f

Apr 20, 2020By Kwak Yeon-soo

Multiplexes rent out theaters to revive dying business

Films

'Time to Hunt' coming to Netflix after dispute resolved

A scene from “Time to Hunt.” The film will now be released on Netflix. / Courtesy of Little Big PicturesBy Kwak Yeon-sooKorean crime thriller “Time to Hunt,” whose debut on Netflix was halted after a court injunction, will be heading back to the streamer after the dispute was resolved.The film was originally scheduled for theatrical release in Korea, Feb. 26, but this was canceled due to COVID-19 concerns.The film's distributor Little Big Pictures struck a deal with Netflix, which set the premiere for April 10 in 190 countries. It was to become the first Korean film to go to a third-party streaming service after skipping theaters.But the film's overseas sales company Contents Panda filed a lawsuit against the distributor, claiming the film's debut on Netflix would invalidate sales contracts it had signed in more than 30 countries. A Seoul court then ruled in favor of Contents Panda, banning the premiere of the film outside Korea. As a result, Netflix halted the film's domestic and international release. On Thursday, Little Big Pictures and Contents Panda issue

Apr 17, 2020By Kwak Yeon-soo

'Time to Hunt' coming to Netflix after dispute resolved

Shows & Dramas

Lee Min-ho returns to small screen with 'The King: Eternal Monarch'

By Kwak Yeon-sooActors Lee Min-ho, left, and Kim Go-eun pose for a photo during a press conference for the new drama series “The King: Eternal Monarch” held in Seoul, Thursday. Courtesy of SBS“The King: Eternal Monarch,” featuring a star-studded cast including Lee Min-ho and Kim Go-eun, is a new drama written by Kim Eun-suk, who is widely known for “Descendants of the Sun” and “Guardian: The Lonely and Great God.”It is a fantasy romance that tells the story of two parallel universes ― one universe is a republic that resembles modern-day Korea while the other is an alternate universe in which Korea is a constitutional monarchy. Lee stars as King Lee Gon, who tries to fight the force of evil and close the door between two separate worlds, while Kim Go-eun appears as detective Jung Tae-eul. The two join forces and end up developing a romantic relationship. This is Lee's first drama since his completion of his mandatory military service.“I received a call from Kim Eun-suk when I was contemplating over which character I should play aft

Apr 16, 2020By Kwak Yeon-soo

Lee Min-ho returns to small screen with 'The King: Eternal Monarch'

Films

'After the Wedding' is subtle drama on motherhood, family dynamic

Michelle Williams, left, and Julianne Moore in a scene from film "After the Wedding" / Courtesy of JINJIN PicturesBy Kwak Yeon-soo“After the Wedding” is a gender-swapping English-language remake of Susanne Bier's 2006 Danish drama of the same title. The movie shows the sharp contrast in the setup of the two main characters and their positions in society.Isabel (Michelle Williams) helps run an orphanage in India with scarce financial resources. She receives an offer from a potential donor, Theresa (Julianne Moore), and flies to New York to receive a $2 million donation.The two meet on the eve of Theresa's daughter's wedding, to which Isabel receives an invitation. Isabel gets frustrated by the delay over the donation but decides to stay and attend the wedding party because she is “not going back without a suitcase full of money.”As the title suggests, most of the drama takes place after the wedding with some revelations that are best kept in the dark. “The story starts subtle and then becomes incredibly dramatic,” Billy Crudup, who plays Theresa's

Apr 14, 2020By Kwak Yeon-soo

'After the Wedding' is subtle drama on motherhood, family dynamic

Films

Korean films gearing up for summer blockbuster season

A scene from film “Peninsula” / Courtesy of NEWBy Kwak Yeon-sooThe COVID-19 pandemic has sent the Korean film industry into unprecedented crisis, but several big name film studios are sticking to their original plans to release new movies this summer.In the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak, which has infected more than 10,000 and claimed more than 200 lives in Korea, the film industry is grappling with a sharp drop in audiences. The number of moviegoers has hit an all-time low as people avoid multiplexes due to fear of contracting the disease.The summer season is expected to include a lot fewer blockbuster films as many companies are postponing the release of their movies ― a slate of Hollywood films have had their release dates pushed back.Paramount Pictures has postponed the release of “Top Gun: Maverick” from June to December, and Sony Pictures pushed back the release dates of “Ghostbusters: Afterlife” and “Morbius” to 2021 from July this year.Amid such a crisis, however, film studio Next Entertainment World (NEW) has initiated its mont

Apr 13, 2020By Kwak Yeon-soo

Films

Ex-4Minute member talks about her transition from singing to acting

Actress Heo Ga-yoon poses for a photo after an interview with The Korea Times at a cafe in Seoul, April 9. / Courtesy of D&YBy Kwak Yeon-sooDespite numerous films that have delayed their opening as the COVID-19 pandemic has drastically diminished the number of moviegoers, “Search Out” will hit the big screen on April 15.Inspired by the deadly “Blue Whale Challenge” that incited participants to commit suicide, the story follows Joon-hyuk (Kim Seong-cheol) and Sung-min (Lee Si-eon) investigating their neighbor's apparent suicide.The two later discover that the deceased had been suffering from depression and had been groomed online by a mysterious perpetrator. With the help of a skilled hacker, they dig through the victim's social media account to uncover the truth behind her death and the mystery behind the deadly game.Former 4Minute member Heo Ga-yoon plays one of the main roles in this film, appearing as a skilled hacker, named Nu-ri, to track down cybercriminals on social media. “Nowadays, it's hard to find a person who does not have a social media

Apr 12, 2020By Kwak Yeon-soo

Ex-4Minute member talks about her transition from singing to acting

Music

'King of ballad' Shin Seung-hun celebrates 30 years of singing

Singer Shin Seung-hun poses in this photo provided by Dorothy Company, April 7. / Courtesy of Dorothy CompanyBy Kwak Yeon-sooBallad singer Shin Seung-hun has released a special album, “My Personas,” to celebrate the 30th anniversary of his debut. The new album comes nearly four-and-a-half years after the release of “I am…& I am” in 2015.The 54-year old debuted in 1990 with “Reflection of You in Your Smile,” taking the music scene by storm and selling 1.4 million copies of his debut album. With accumulated album sales of 17 million, he still holds the record for most sold. “When I think of my music career as a marathon, commemorating 30 years feels like a big turning point for me,” Shin said during an online interview with The Korea Times, Tuesday.“Instead of looking back on past glories and reflecting on the trophies, I'd like to focus on my next project and upcoming concert tour.”He confessed that his music goals have changed since the 1990s.“In the 1990s, I wanted to be a star, I wanted to be popular. In t

Apr 8, 2020By Kwak Yeon-soo

'King of ballad' Shin Seung-hun celebrates 30 years of singing

Entertainment

Actor So Ji-sub marries former announcer Cho Eun-jung

So Ji-sub, left, and Cho Eun-jung / Courtesy of 51kBy Kwak Yeon-sooActor So Ji-sub is now a married man. The 43-year-old actor has officially tied the knot with Cho Eun-jung, a former television announcer, in a small ceremony. According to So's agency, 51k, the couple held a private wedding recently with only family members attending and registered their marriage on April 7.The newlywed couple will donate 50 million won ($40,900) to local charity Good Neighbors to “help people fight through this difficult time,” referring to the nationwide effort to curb the spread of COVID-19. So and Cho will also provide tablet PCs and smart devices to help underprivileged children with their online learning.“Today, I have started a new beginning with my life partner. I'm afraid that everyone is very surprised by this news. However, this is one of the most important decisions in my life that took me so long to make,” So wrote on Instagram. “I'm careful because I think it's not a perfect time to announce my marriage, but I'd like to say that I will always live thankfull

Apr 7, 2020By Kwak Yeon-soo

Actor So Ji-sub marries former announcer Cho Eun-jung

Films

COVID-19 prompts theaters to increase on-screen diversity

Donnie Yen Ji-Dan in film “Ip Man 4: The Finale” / Courtesy of Ziness CommunicationVirus-hit movie theaters see strong presence of international films By Kwak Yeon-sooWhile major domestic and Hollywood films are being postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Japanese, European and South American films are filling the void to keep movie goers happy. The number of people going to see a film here fell to a 16-year low last month due to lingering fears over the spread of the virus. According to data provided by the Korean Film Council, 1.83 million went to the cinema in March, down 87 percent from 14.67 million a year ago.A total of 80,180 people visited movie theaters Saturday and Sunday, down sharply from 86,274 the weekend before.Hong Kong martial arts film “Ip Man 4: The Finale,” which was released April 1, topped the local box office over this weekend, drawing in 15,866 viewers. It is a biopic of legendary Wing Chun grandmaster Ip Man, best known as the teacher of Bruce Lee.“What's shocking is that a slew of domestic films attracted audiences of less tha

Apr 6, 2020By Kwak Yeon-soo

Kwak Yeon-soo

Read more

Gov't to inject W17 billion into virus-hit film industry

Multiplexes rent out theaters to revive dying business

'Time to Hunt' coming to Netflix after dispute resolved

Lee Min-ho returns to small screen with 'The King: Eternal Monarch'

'After the Wedding' is subtle drama on motherhood, family dynamic

Korean films gearing up for summer blockbuster season

Ex-4Minute member talks about her transition from singing to acting

'King of ballad' Shin Seung-hun celebrates 30 years of singing

Actor So Ji-sub marries former announcer Cho Eun-jung

COVID-19 prompts theaters to increase on-screen diversity

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