The Korea Times

K-pop concert for Jamboree to take place at Seoul World Cup Stadium

Workers set up a stage at Seoul World Cup Stadium, Tuesday, for the K-pop concert and closing ceremony for the World Scout Jamboree slated for Friday. YonhapNew Jeans, other K-pop artists will make finale of global youth eventBy Kwak Yeon-sooThe much-anticipated K-pop concert for the World Scout Jamboree closing ceremony will take place at Seoul World Cup Stadium on Friday, giving participants something to look forward to. The "K-Pop Super Live" show was originally slated for Aug. 6 at the Jamboree campsite's outdoor stage in Saemangeum, a reclaimed tidal flat in North Jeolla Province. However, due to heat safety concerns, it had been rescheduled initially to Aug. 11 at Jeonju World Cup Stadium, about a 50-minute drive away.Yet, the venue was changed again to the Seoul World Cup Stadium after all participants of the 25th World Scout Jamboree moved from the Saemangeum campsite to eight other cities and provinces ― mostly in the Seoul metropolitan area ― ahead of Typhoon Khanun's arrival. The show will begin at 7 p.m., right after the closing ceremony.The majority of the original lineu

Aug 8, 2023By Kwak Yeon-soo

K-pop concert for Jamboree to take place at Seoul World Cup Stadium

NewJeans, NCT Dream, ITZY among performers in K-pop concert for World Jamboree

Films

INTERVIEW Park Seo-jun took inspiration from father in his role for 'Concrete Utopia'

Actor Park Seo-jun / Courtesy of Awesome ENTBy Kwak Yeon-sooActor Park Seo-jun is coming off his biggest year yet. The star played the role of a cranky football coach in the sports film “Dream” and is poised to appear in the disaster thriller “Concrete Utopia” and the Netflix series “Gyeongseong Creature.” Park will make his Hollywood and MCU debut in “The Marvels,” which will be out this November. “Some film releases have been delayed by the pandemic. I feel so grateful to finally present my works to audiences. Each time I release a new film, I get really nervous because, unlike television viewers, moviegoers actually purchase tickets to watch my performance on screen,” Park said during a recent interview with The Korea Times. Park chose to star in “Concrete Utopia” after he finished filming “Dream.” He opened up about how tricky it was for him to play the role of Min-seong, a man who does everything to protect his wife Myeong-hwa (Park Bo-young) in a disaster situation.“Min-seong always puts h

Aug 4, 2023By Kwak Yeon-soo

[INTERVIEW] Park Seo-jun took inspiration from father in his role for 'Concrete Utopia'

Films

Jason Yu's horror thriller 'Sleep' invited to Toronto film fest

A scene from the film "Sleep" / Courtesy of Lotte EntertainmentBy Kwak Yeon-soo“Sleep,” a horror mystery thriller starring actors Lee Sun-kyun and Jung Yu-mi, has been invited to the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), the film's distributor Lotte Entertainment said Friday.The film has been invited to the Midnight Madness section of the festival's 48th edition taking place from Sept. 7 to 17. “Sleep” tells the story of newlyweds Hyun-su (Lee) and Soo-jin (Jung) whose lives turn into horror as the husband begins exhibiting strange behaviors while asleep. It is written and directed by Jason Yu, previously assistant director to Bong Joon-ho on “Okja” (2017). “We're excited to be showcasing Jason Yu's debut feature film 'Sleep' at TIFF's Midnight Madness program. Yu skillfully subverts genre expectations through suspense, wit and ambiguity,” TIFF International Programmer Peter Kuplowsky said.“Sleep is the most unique horror film and the smartest debut film I've seen in 10 years,” director Bong said of the film.The horror

Aug 4, 2023By Kwak Yeon-soo

Jason Yu's horror thriller 'Sleep' invited to Toronto film fest

Arts & Theater

INTERVIEW Sejong Center's 'One Dance' mesmerizes New Yorkers

Ahn Ho-sang, CEO of Sejong Center for the Performing Arts / Courtesy of Sejong Center for the Performing ArtsSejong Center CEO talks about giving modern twist to old traditionsBy Kwak Yeon-sooWhen watching the performance of “One Dance,” created by the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts, one is truly mesmerized by the ability of the dancers to perform elaborate choreography while being perfectly in sync with each other.In July, the Seoul Metropolitan Dance Theater (SMDT), one of the nine resident companies at Sejong Center, wowed New York's performing arts scene by presenting “One Dance,” or “Ilmu” in Korean, at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts during Korean Arts Week.“One Dance,” which debuted in May last year, is a contemporary reinterpretation of the Korean traditional dance from “Jongmyo Jeryeak,” a royal ceremonial performance that combines instrumental music, singing and dancing.Sejong Center CEO Ahn Ho-sang appointed Jung Ku-ho, a creative director who has made a name for himself in fashion and the arts,

Aug 3, 2023By Kwak Yeon-soo

[INTERVIEW] Sejong Center's 'One Dance' mesmerizes New Yorkers

Films

INTERVIEW Do Kyung-soo says acting, singing not mutually exclusive

Actor Do Kyung-soo / Courtesy of SM EntertainmentBy Kwak Yeon-sooDo Kyung-soo, also known as D.O. of K-pop boy group EXO, mostly performs alone as a stranded astronaut in the sci-fi film “The Moon.” Although he barely interacted with his co-stars while filming, he spent most of his time working closely with director Kim Yong-hwa. “I never met Kim Hee-ae during the filming. I saw her for the first time during press events for the movie. I only met Sul Kyung-gu about three times while filming. There were challenges of performing solo, but I didn't feel like I was on my own because director Kim Yong-hwa was on the set the entire time,” he said during an interview with The Korea Times at a cafe in Seoul, Monday.Set in 2029, the film revolves around Hwang Seon-woo, who is left alone in space after losing two crewmembers during a lunar exploration mission. He tries to survive and find a way back to Earth with the help of the Naro Space Center and its former managing director Kim Jae-kook (Sul).Do recalled that wearing a heavy spacesuit was not a great experience.&ld

Aug 1, 2023By Kwak Yeon-soo

[INTERVIEW] Do Kyung-soo says acting, singing not mutually exclusive

Shows & Dramas

Occult drama 'Revenant' ends with its highest rating

A scene from SBS drama “Revenant” / Courtesy of SBSBy Kwak Yeon-soo“Revenant,” an occult drama written by acclaimed screenwriter Kim Eun-hee of Netflix's apocalyptic series “Kingdom,” ended with its highest rating.The final episode of the 12-part series, starring Kim Tae-ri as the protagonist who is possessed by a demonic spirit, recorded a viewership rating of 11.2 percent nationwide, according to Nielsen Ratings Korea.This marks a successful comeback for screenwriter Kim, who failed to attract fans with her previous work “Jirisan” which aired on tvN in 2021. “Revenant” revolves around Gu San-yeong (Kim), a woman who gets possessed by an evil spirit and gets embroiled in mysterious deaths. Actor Oh Jung-se plays Yeom Hae-sang, a folklore professor who can see demons, seeks the truth behind the mysterious deaths.Actress Kim talked about portraying a demonic-possessed woman as well as the fragile and vulnerable Gu, in the darkly gripping thriller. The character required her to switch between two different characters with comp

Jul 30, 2023By Kwak Yeon-soo

Occult drama 'Revenant' ends with its highest rating

Films

6 filmmakers to reinterpret Hemingway's 'The Killers'

A teaser image of "The Killers" / Courtesy of Studio BillBy Kwak Yeon-sooSix Korean filmmakers have teamed up to adapt Ernest Hemingway's short story “The Killers” for the screen. “The Killers” (working title) will be a collaborative project consisting of six short film thrillers by six different directors. The filmmakers involved in the project are Lee Myung-se of “Nowhere to Hide” (1999) and “Duelist” (2005), Kim Jong-kwan of “Worst Woman” (2016) and “Josee” (2020), Noh Deok of “Very Ordinary Couple” (2013) and “The Exclusive: Beat the Devil's Tattoo” (2015), Yoon Yoo-kyung, who adapted films “The Soul-mate” (2018) and “Stellar” (2022), Jang Hang-jun of “Forgotten” (2017) and “Rebound” (2023), Jo Sung-hwan storyboard artist of “Okja” (2017) and Escape from Mogadishu (2022).“The Killers” revolves around two hitmen who walk into a diner in a small town to kill a former boxer named Ole Andreson, who is a regular custome

Jul 27, 2023By Kwak Yeon-soo

6 filmmakers to reinterpret Hemingway's 'The Killers'

Films

INTERVIEW Director Ryoo Seung-wan talks about balancing the new and familiar

Director Ryoo Seung-wan / Courtesy of NEWBy Kwak Yeon-sooRyoo Seung-wan, acclaimed director known for the action films such as “Veteran” (2015) and “Escape from Mogadishu” (2022), said he always tries to find a balance between sticking to his established film style and venturing into uncharted territories.“I think there is nothing more dangerous than repeating yourself. As a filmmaker who has made over 10 feature-length films, I have my own style. But my ambition is to keep renewing myself and find the balance between relying on proven methods and exploring new approaches,” he said during an interview with The Korea Times at a cafe in Seoul, Wednesday.His latest film “Smugglers” features an ensemble cast of women characters, which is extremely rare in the action genre. Set in the 1970s in a peaceful seaside village, the film revolves around a group of female divers who unexpectedly become involved in an illegal smuggling scheme.“Female divers are an important set-up for the film, so it seemed natural to have female leads. However,

Jul 26, 2023By Kwak Yeon-soo

[INTERVIEW] Director Ryoo Seung-wan talks about balancing the new and familiar

Films

INTERVIEW Ha Jung-woo describes 'Ransomed' as buddy action comedy

Actor Ha Jung-woo / Courtesy of ShowboxBy Kwak Yeon-sooActor Ha Jung-woo said his newest film “Ransomed” is a buddy action comedy although it deals with the serious subject of abduction and escape. “Ransomed” revolves around a young diplomat named Min-joon (Ha), who is assigned the task of carrying ransom money to help rescue an abducted diplomat in Lebanon, and a local taxi driver named Pan-su (Ju Ji-hoon), who accidentally gets involved in the mission.It was inspired by the true story of a Korean diplomat taken hostage in Lebanon in 1986. However, much of the drama and the characters are fictional.“The original script was more complicated with a grittier tone, but the theatrical version of the film turned out to be more simple and watchable,” he said during an interview with The Korea Times at a cafe in Seoul, Monday.The star recalled that “Ransomed” was a lengthy production. The filming was scheduled to begin in March 2020 but was postponed until February 2022 due to the pandemic. During that time, they changed the script about 50 ti

Jul 25, 2023By Kwak Yeon-soo

[INTERVIEW] Ha Jung-woo describes 'Ransomed' as buddy action comedy

Films

Jung Woo-sung says 'A Man of Reason' is familiar but riveting tale of retired assassin

Actor-director Jung Woo-sung speaks during a press conference for the film “A Man of Reason” held at CGV Yongsan branch in Seoul, Monday. YonhapBy Kwak Yeon-sooJung Woo-sung, whose acting credits include “Beat” (1997), “The Good, the Bad, the Weird” (2008) and “Hunt” (2022), said his feature directorial debut “A Man of Reason” is a familiar but riveting tale of a retired assassin whose plan to lead a normal life is cut short when he becomes targeted by other hitmen. “'A Man of Reason' is an idea brought by film producer Song Dae-chan. He initially asked me to play the lead role in the action film. However, the director, who was supposed to helm the film, quit early in the production stage for personal reasons. So I said to Song: 'Maybe I should direct this film,'” he said during a press conference for the film, Monday.Jung said he tried to revamp a familiar storyline by adding his own touch. “It's a very classic action genre, but as a filmmaker, I managed to add a cinematic twist to it,” he said, addi

Jul 25, 2023By Kwak Yeon-soo

Kwak Yeon-soo

Read more

K-pop concert for Jamboree to take place at Seoul World Cup Stadium

INTERVIEW Park Seo-jun took inspiration from father in his role for 'Concrete Utopia'

Jason Yu's horror thriller 'Sleep' invited to Toronto film fest

INTERVIEW Sejong Center's 'One Dance' mesmerizes New Yorkers

INTERVIEW Do Kyung-soo says acting, singing not mutually exclusive

Occult drama 'Revenant' ends with its highest rating

6 filmmakers to reinterpret Hemingway's 'The Killers'

INTERVIEW Director Ryoo Seung-wan talks about balancing the new and familiar

INTERVIEW Ha Jung-woo describes 'Ransomed' as buddy action comedy

Jung Woo-sung says 'A Man of Reason' is familiar but riveting tale of retired assassin

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