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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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Entertainment

Culture ministry vows to boost OTT industry

Culture, Sports and Tourism Minister Park Bo-gyoon / Korea Times fileBy Kwak Yeon-sooThe government will provide financial, systematic and infrastructural support to boost production of dramas and films for over-the-top (OTT) platforms, according to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Thursday.The plan, which is a part of the ministry's key policy directives for 2023, comes with an aim to solidify Korea's reputation as a cultural powerhouse.Under the scheme, the ministry plans to increase its fiscal spending on Korean cultural content, especially that to be released on OTT. It will offer 45.4 billion won ($35.7 million) in financial support to productions making films and dramas for OTT services, and another 30 billion won for post-production work such as subtitling and dubbing.It plans to introduce a self-rating system for streaming services in March so the platforms can reduce the time needed to circulate new releases and respond quickly to fast changes in global audiences' demand. A relevant law was passed at the National Assembly last September.As to infrastructure, the

Jan 5, 2023By Kwak Yeon-soo
Culture ministry vows to boost OTT industry
Films

Veteran actor Na Moon-hee continues to push boundaries to reach younger audiences

Veteran actor Na Moon-he / Courtesy of CJ ENMBy Kwak Yeon-sooNa Moon-hee is a tireless actor who has worked steadily on the stage, in film and television for over six decades. At the age of 81, she is still eager to do something new. Last October, she debuted as a TikTok creator to reach younger audiences.“I post at least one video per week, and I'm having a lot of fun with TikTok because I get to interact with young people, who know me better for the 'Unstoppable High Kick.' As much as my fans love my character from the 2006 sitcom, I love it too,” she said in an interview with The Korea Times, Wednesday. In 2022, she debuted as the television host of Channel S' “Real Granny” and challenged herself to sing a score from the musical film, “Hero.” In the film, now playing in theaters, Na plays the role of Jo Maria, the mother of Korean independence movement activist Ahn Jung-geun.Ahn was executed in a Japanese prison in China in March 1910 after he assassinated Hirobumi Ito, Japan's prime minister and the first resident general of Korea, in October 1

Jan 5, 2023By Kwak Yeon-soo
Veteran actor Na Moon-hee continues to push boundaries to reach younger audiences
Films

'Slam Dunk' creator Takehiko Inoue on bringing comics to big screen

Manga artist-filmmaker Takehiko Inoue / Courtesy of SMF HoldingsBy Kwak Yeon-sooIt was an extraordinary challenge for Takehiko Inoue, the creator of the all-time favorite manga, “Slam Dunk,” to turn the basketball-themed sports story into the animated film, “The First Slam Dunk.” The original comic, which sold more than 170 million copies worldwide, is the seventh best-selling manga series in history.Inoue revealed that he had received many offers to adapt his anime into a movie more than 10 years ago. However, he initially declined them all because he wasn't satisfied with the pilots sent to him. Then in 2014, he finally approved the film adaptation of “Slam Dunk.”“The pilot video I received in 2014 contained the spirit of the creator. The animator's enthusiasm and devotion appealed to me rather than the computer-generated imagery and the quality of the video. So I decided to give it a go,” he said in a written interview released by the production company, SMF Holdings. Inoue decided to get involved in the filmmaking process as well to

Jan 4, 2023By Kwak Yeon-soo
'Slam Dunk' creator Takehiko Inoue on bringing comics to big screen
Books

Genre fiction likely to lead book trend in 2023

Novelists Bora Chung, left, and Yun Ko-eun / Courtesy of Arzak, Hyundae Munhak By Kwak Yeon-sooWith new works from genre-fiction authors Kim Un-su, Chung Bora and Yun Ko-eun, the year 2023 looks exciting for Korean literature. Kim will release his new novel “Big Eye” this year, completing his so-called “repugnance” trilogy of novels following “The Plotters” (2010) and “Hot Blooded” (2016).Set in the early 20th century, the upcoming novel is about deep-sea fishing workers. To write this book, Kim was aboard a deep-sea fishing vessel that operated in the Pacific Ocean for over six months from December 2017 to June 2018. Fantastical crime novel “The Plotters” has been translated into several languages and published in dozens of countries, including the U.S., France, Australia and Russia. In 2016, the book was shortlisted for the Grand Prix de Litterature Policiere ― the most prestigious award for crime and detective fiction in France. “Hot Blooded,” about a third-rate

Jan 3, 2023By Kwak Yeon-soo
Genre fiction likely to lead book trend in 2023
Entertainment

Global rise of Korean soft power

'K' in K-content has become indicative of 'premium': culture experts By Kwak Yeon-sooThere is no doubt that Korean cultural content has taken the world by storm.Netflix's smash hit drama, “Squid Game,” won major Emmys, including Lee Jung-jae's Outstanding Lead Actor award; director Park Chan-wook and actor Song Kang-ho brought home Cannes awards for films “Decision to Leave” and “Broker,” respectively; a K-pop category has been newly added to the American Music Awards; and BTS member Jungkook participated in the official soundtrack of the FIFA World Cup in Qatar and performed at the opening ceremony of the global sporting event. With the global reach of online platforms like Netflix and YouTube, Korean dramas, films and pop music continued their dominance in 2022, and are likely to maintain their popularity in the coming years. According to data provided by the Korea Creative Content Agency, exports of “K-content,” including Korean pop music, dramas, movies, entertainment TV shows and games, set a new record in 2021. They jumped 13.9 pe

Jan 3, 2023By Kwak Yeon-soo
Global rise of Korean soft power
Shows & Dramas

Song Kang-ho, Jung Woo-sung join top actors appearing on small screen

Actors Jung Woo-sung, left, and Song Kang-ho / Courtesy of Artist Company, Sublime Artist By Kwak Yeon-sooSome iconic movie stars will cross over to the small screen amid the changing landscape of the entertainment industry where content streaming services are now at the forefront of big-budget TV series.Song Kang-ho, who won the Best Actor prize at the 2022 Cannes Film Festival for his performance in the film, “Broker,” will star in a TV series titled, “Uncle Sam Shik” (working title), whose detailed cast and production schedule have not yet been revealed.Set in the early 1960s, the 10-episode series follows two men ― Sam Shik and Kim San (Byun Yo-han) ― through their bromance and the obstacles they face during a turbulent time in the country's history. It is Song's first TV project since his debut in 1990. Song is one of the most iconic movie stars in Korea, with a number of box office hits under his belt, including “Memories of Murder” (2003), “Snowpiercer” (2013

Jan 2, 2023By Kwak Yeon-soo
Song Kang-ho, Jung Woo-sung join top actors appearing on small screen
Films

Six movies to look out for in 2023

From left, actors Lee Byung-hun, Park Seo-joon and Park Bo-young will star in the dystopian film “Concrete Utopia” / Courtesy of Lotte Entertainment By Kwak Yeon-sooDespite the lifting of COVID-19 restrictions, cinema admissions last year were weaker than expected. A total of 986.3 million tickets were sold in the January-November period of 2022, up 89.3 percent from a year earlier. However, the figure remained below half (48.3 percent) of the pre-pandemic level (2019) due to a lack of mega-hit films. Studios latched on to blockbusters including the sequels to “The Outlaws,” “Roaring Currents” and “Avatar” to attract audiences back to theaters. Many of the films conceived and shot during the pandemic have been subject to repeated delays as cinemas saw a big drop in overall attendance.While 2023 still looks somewhat grim, in terms of reaching pre-pandemic attendance levels, there is still room for cautious optimism. Here are six movies to look out for this year, ran

Jan 1, 2023By Kwak Yeon-soo
Six movies to look out for in 2023
Films

Ju Ji-hoon on why he chose mid-budget film after starring in mega-blockbusters

A scene from the film, "Gentleman" / Courtesy of Contents Wavve By Kwak Yeon-sooActor Ju Ji-hoon, best known for his roles in the “Along With the Gods” film franchise and Netflix series “Kingdom,” went against expectations and chose to pursue a mid-budget movie instead of vying for a role in another major franchise. In the crime comedy film, “Gentleman,” Ju plays the role of Ji Hyun-soo, a private detective who is falsely accused of kidnapping his client. He disguises himself as a prosecutor to chase Kwon Do-hoon, an alleged mastermind of kidnapping and sex trafficking crimes.Ju shared his thoughts on starring in mid-budget films and why theaters still need them.“I believe that studios should pump out more quality mid-budget movies because they allow for a wider range of themes and genres to get explored. As long as a film has its own charm and an interesting concept, I am willing to take part in the project,” he said during an interview with The Korea Times at a ca

Dec 23, 2022By Kwak Yeon-soo
Ju Ji-hoon on why he chose mid-budget film after starring in mega-blockbusters
Films

Kang Soo-youn's final movie, 'Jung_E,' to debut on Netflix in January

A scene from the film "Jung_E" / Courtesy of NetflixBy Kwak Yeon-soo“Jung_E,” a dystopian sci-fi film featuring Kang Soo-youn in her final film appearance, will debut on Netflix on Jan. 20. Kang died of a cerebral hemorrhage in May while “Jung_E” was in post-production and eight months before the film's release. She was 55.Set in the post-apocalyptic 22nd century, “Jung_E” follows the story of a researcher at Kranoid Lab who clones the brain of an elite soldier called Jung_E to create a combat AI warrior in an attempt to end a civil war. It is helmed by director Yeon Sang-ho, well known for his previous works such as “Train to Busan” (2016), “Peninsula” (2020) and “Hellbound” (2021).Kang played Seo-hyun, the team leader of Kranoid Lab for brain cloning. Her character is responsible for testing Jung_E's cloned brain and the warrior's combat capabilities.Kim Hyun-joo takes on the role of Jung_E, an elite soldier of the allied forces who becomes the subject of brain-clone testing. This is her second time working clo

Dec 21, 2022By Kwak Yeon-soo
Kang Soo-youn's final movie, 'Jung_E,' to debut on Netflix in January
Films

Hwang Jung-min, Hyun Bin team up for 'The Point Men'

A scene from the film, “The Point Men.” / Courtesy of Plus M EntertainmentBy Kwak Yeon-sooLongtime friends Hwang Jung-min and Hyun Bin expressed their excitement about sharing the screen for the first time in the action film “The Point Men.” Directed by Yim Soon-rye, the film follows a story of Korean diplomat Jae-ho (Hwang) and National Intelligence Service agent Dae-sik (Hyun) who are on a mission to rescue Korean hostages kidnapped by the Taliban in Afghanistan. They must negotiate a settlement within 24 hours or the Taliban will kill the Korean hostages.Hwang, who is collaborating with Yim for the second time since the 2001 film, “Waikiki Brothers,” said he was grateful for the chance to work with the director once more.“Director Yim shaped my early career and I will always be thankful to her,” he said during a press conference for the film, Tuesday. “When I heard that she was directing 'The Point Men,' I said I would do it without hesitation.”Hwang revealed that he convinced Hyun to take the role of Dae-sik.“We ha

Dec 21, 2022By Kwak Yeon-soo
Hwang Jung-min, Hyun Bin team up for 'The Point Men'
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CEO & Publisher: Oh Young-jinDigital News Email: webmaster@koreatimes.co.krTel: 02-724-2114Online newspaper registration No: 서울,아52844Date of registration: 2020.02.05Masthead: The Korea TimesCopyright © koreatimes.co.kr. All rights reserved.