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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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Music

Jannabi, Baek Ye-rin lead Korean Music Awards nominations

From left are KMA committee members Jung Min-jae, Kim Chang-nam, Park Hee-a and Ko Jong-seok, at Korea Press Center in Seoul, Wednesday. / Courtesy of Korean Music AwardsBy Kwak Yeon-sooThe Korean Music Awards (KMA) committee has announced the nominees for this year's event, with Jannabi and Baek Yerin leading the pack with five nominations each.At the press conference held at the Korea Press Center, Wednesday, to unveil the list of nominees for a total of 24 categories, the organizing committee said they put a focus on singers' musical achievements and artistic merits rather than album sales and fame.“We really believe music should be judged upon artistic merit, not its windowing strategy or popularity,” committee head Kim Chang-nam said. “We also aim to go beyond the barrier between mainstream and non-mainstream music.”Despite violence and corruption scandals involving two group members, indie rock band Jannabi has been nominated for five categories, including Album of the Year, Song of the Year and Artist of the Year. Baek Ye-rin has been nominated for five

Jan 22, 2020By Kwak Yeon-soo
Jannabi, Baek Ye-rin lead Korean Music Awards nominations
Films

Theaters to screen Oscar-nominated films ahead of big night

A scene from “Jojo Rabbit,” which will officially hit local theaters on Feb. 5 / Courtesy of Walt Disney Company KoreaBy Kwak Yeon-sooPoster for CGV Arthouse's special screening event, which will be held from Jan. 23 to Feb. 12. / Courtesy of CGVAs the Academy Awards ceremony is approaching and the lists of nominees have been finalized, movie theaters are rushing to provide moviegoers with opportunities to watch the acclaimed films nominated for the 92nd Oscars, scheduled to be held Feb. 9 at Hollywood's Dolby Theater.CGV, the country's largest multiplex operator, will kick off an event featuring Oscar-nominated films from Jan. 23 to Feb. 12 at CGV Arthouse branches, which focus on arthouse and indie films. Sixteen films nominated for the awards will be screened in 18 theaters nationwide.Some of the films will be screened here for the first time, including Sam Mendes' “1917,” which was nominated for 10 Oscars in total, including Best Cinematography and Best Picture, and “Judy,” in which Renee Zellweger portrays iconic singer and actress Judy Garlan

Jan 21, 2020By Kwak Yeon-soo
Theaters to screen Oscar-nominated films ahead of big night
K-pop

EXO's Chen's marriage announcement leaves fans divided

Fans of Korean boy band EXO protest in front of SM TOWN Coex Artium in Seoul, Sunday, demanding Chen leave the group. / YonhapBy Kwak Yeon-sooThe surprise marriage announcement by Chen, a member of boy band EXO, has divided fans and critics so intensely that it has not only sparked an internet flame war but a walkout protest.On Sunday, about 30 fans gathered near SM TOWN Coex Artium in Seoul holding banners that read “Chen Out,” demanding the singer leave the group.A self-proclaimed fan surnamed Lee, who participated in the protest, said the star, 28, should apologize to fans for letting them down. “I think Chen owes us an apology,” she said. “He should feel sorry for his fans, who have devoted their time and money for EXO. Disappointingly, he did not utter a single word to express he's sorry in the letter.”The fan community ― who refer to themselves as EXO-L ACE ― released a statement earlier, urging label SM Entertainment to expel Chen from the group.“Such an unexpected move from Chen not only breaks the trust between the singer and the fan

Jan 20, 2020By Kwak Yeon-soo
EXO's Chen's marriage announcement leaves fans divided
Films

Action comedy 'Hitman' is contender for genre-confused film

A scene from “Hitman: Agent Jun” / Courtesy of Lotte EntertainmentBy Kwak Yeon-sooAction comedy film “Hitman: Agent Jun” has two different themes embedded in it. On the one hand it is an action movie about Jun (Kwon Sang-soo), a secret service hit man who carries out assassinations based on orders from his long-time superior Deok-gyu (Jung Joon-ho)On the other is the comedy in which Jun later works to have a normal life as a webcomic artist.The contrast between Jun's dual identities ― whether he's killing terrorists or trying to succeed as webcomic artist ― provides amusing visual juxtapositions throughout the film.“Hitman is an eccentric action-comedy that tells a tale about love for family and chasing one's dreams,” Kwon said during a press conference for the film.Disenchanted with his life as a secret service agent, Jun fakes his death to lead a normal life. Despite his efforts to become a top webcomic artist, Jun produces unpopular works that turn readers off. One night, a furious Jun draws a comic based on his life as a hit man and his wife ac

Jan 19, 2020By Kwak Yeon-soo
Action comedy 'Hitman' is contender for genre-confused film
Films

'The Man Standing Next' dramatizes assassination of ex-president

From left, director Woo Min-ho, actors Kwak Do-won, Lee Sung-min, Lee Byung-hun and Lee Hee-jun pose for a photo during a press conference for new film “The Man Standing Next” in Seoul, Wednesday. / YonhapBy Kwak Yeon-sooPolitical thriller “The Man Standing Next” dramatizes the assassination of former Korean president and dictator Park Chung-hee, sparking a debate on how to interpret Park's legacy. People remain sharply divided over the legacy of Park, who ruled the country for 18 years after taking power through a military coup in 1961. Some recall him as a brutal dictator who suppressed Korea's democracy, while others give him credit for accelerating the country's economic development. “It's true that assassination of Park was a major event in the country's modern history, but I don't want politics to get in the way of assessing the film,” Director Woo Min-ho said during a press conference for the film in Seoul, Wednesday. “I want to let the audience decide whether the assassination was an act of high treason or revolution.”Set 40 day

Jan 17, 2020By Kwak Yeon-soo
'The Man Standing Next' dramatizes assassination of ex-president
Companies

Nobel laureate shares tips for healthy diet, aging well

Dr. Louis J. Ignarro speaks at the Herbalife Nutrition's 2020 SPECTACULAR event held in Busan, Jan. 11. / Courtesy of Herbalife Nutrition KoreaBy Kwak Yeon-sooKorean diet and eating habits are widely known to be nutritious, but not all of them focus on healthy behaviors.A typical Korean diet results in excessive intake of carbohydrates and sodium and a lack of essential proteins, according to Dr. Louis J. Ignarro.Ignarro was the co-recipient of the 1998 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine with Robert F. Furchgott and Ferid Murad for discoveries concerning the function of nitric oxide in the cardiovascular system. Since 2003, he has been working with Herbalife Nutrition to advance heart health around the world. The distinguished physiologist is currently a member of the Herbalife Nutrition Advisory Board.During his visit to Korea to speak at the company's 2020 SPECTACULAR event held Jan. 10-11, the Nobel Prize winner gave advice on how Koreans can better balance their meals with essential nutrients such as proteins and vitamins.“Koreans have a tendency to overindulge in high s

Jan 15, 2020By Kwak Yeon-soo
Nobel laureate shares tips for healthy diet, aging well
K-pop

BTS to connect with fans through contemporary art

BTS members pose for a group photo after announcing their global art project “Connect, BTS,” Jan. 14. / Courtesy of Big Hit EntertainmentBTS teams up with artists to redefine art-music relationshipBy Kwak Yeon-sooBTS will connect with fans and share their creative philosophy by funding contemporary artists and curators around the globe.“Connect, BTS” is a global project to connect five cities and 22 artists, each of whom will be financed to create works from their own unique philosophy and imagination, according to Big Hit Entertainment. “This project aims to redefine the relationship between art and music, the material and immaterial, artists and their audiences, artists and artists, theory and practice,” an introductory statement on the project's website reads. Galleries in London, Berlin, Buenos Aires, Seoul and New York will run a series of artistic events from January to March under the theme, “interconnectedness of the world.” The “Connect, BTS” project kicked off at the Serpentine Gallery in London, Jan. 14 (local tim

Jan 15, 2020By Kwak Yeon-soo
BTS to connect with fans through contemporary art
  • Pre-orders for BTS' new album hit all-time high of over 3.4 million copies
Companies

Craft beer maker aims to promote K-beer through expo

Lee In-ki speaks during an interview with The Korea Times at the Beer Post Bar in Seoul, Dec. 19. / Courtesy of the Beer PostBy Kwak Yeon-sooLee In-ki, a craft beer maker, never thought he would be organizing the Korea International Beer Expo (KIBEX), the only beer-specialized fair in Korea.The craft beer enthusiast started getting serious about home brewing as a hobby, and came to love it after tasting a wide variety of homemade beers.Lee currently operates a craft brewery in Seoul and runs the Beer Post, a company that specializes in beer-related media content.“Before shifting my interest to beer, I worked as a producer in the entertainment industry for nearly two decades,” he said. “Based on my content creation and production skills, I wanted to share a wide variety of craft beer with drinkers.”Lee added that the main reason he came to organize the KIBEX was to grow the craft beer industry. According to him, a growing number of drinkers are seeking new flavors and are keen to experiment. “In Korea, a niche yet growing segment of drinkers is showing a

Jan 14, 2020By Kwak Yeon-soo
Craft beer maker aims to promote K-beer through expo
Films

'Beasts Clawing at Straws' is nail-biting crime film

From left, actors Jung Woo-sung, Youn Yuh-jung, Jeon Do-yeon, Shin Hyun-been and Jung Ga-ram pose for a picture during a press conference for new film “Beasts Clawing at Straws” in Seoul, Monday. / YonhapBy Kwak Yeon-sooAward-winning actors Jeon Do-yeon and Jung Woo-sung teamed up to take on a new challenge with a chilling two-sided transformation in crime thriller film “Beasts Clawing at Straws.” In the upcoming film, the two will exhibit how ordinary people turn into hard-hearted beasts for a lump sum of money. It is an adaptation of Japanese detective novel “Wara nimo Sugaru Kemonotachi” by Keisuke Sone, although the ending of the film differs from that of the book.“I loved the script, and the film does not conform to the generic conventions of the typical crime genre,” Jeon said during a press conference for the film in Seoul, Monday.“Beasts Clawing at Straws” by rookie director Kim Yong-hun is a crime film that revolves around eight distinctive characters who chase after a mysterious money bag. Instead of all roads lead

Jan 13, 2020By Kwak Yeon-soo
'Beasts Clawing at Straws' is nail-biting crime film
Films

'Dolittle' storms to top in local box office

A scene from the fantasy adventure film “Dolittle” / Courtesy of Universal PicturesBy Kwak Yeon-sooFantasy adventure film “Dolittle” has dominated the local box office for three consecutive days since its Jan. 8 premiere. It saw 107,986 in ticket sales on the opening day, and had accumulated 210,915 as of Thursday.“Dolittle just opened in its first market on earth. Guess what? Korea. No.1…also opened at No.1. Together we can do anything. Grab a friend or a family member, it's a great movie…Korea is the best,” Robert Downey Jr., who plays Dr. John Dolittle, said in a video posted on Instagram.Directed by Stephan Gaghan, the film revolves around Dolittle, a famed doctor and veterinarian with the ability to talk to animals, embarking on an adventure in search of the Eden tree in a bid to find a cure to save a young queen who falls gravely ill.Based on Hugh Lofting's book “The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle,” the story opens at a point where Dolittle is hding away behind the high walls of the Doolittle Mansion after losing his wif

Jan 10, 2020By Kwak Yeon-soo
'Dolittle' storms to top in local box office
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