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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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Films

Busy actor Lee Sung-min has spent a third of his life in character

Actor Lee Sung-min / Courtesy of Acemaker MovieworksLee plays old man seeking revenge in new film “Remember”By Kwak Yeon-sooLee Sung-min is among the most diligent actors in the entertainment industry. Not only does he play lead roles, but makes frequent guest appearances in various films and television series.This summer he made cameo appearance on Lee Jung-jae's directorial debut film, “Hunt,” and Netflix series “Narco-Saints.” This month he plays a man in his 80s suffering from dementia looking for belated revenge in crime action film “Remember.” He has more projects already under his belt ― Disney+'s “Shadow Detective” and JTBC's “Reborn Rich.”“I can't say no to people. I spend long periods of time pretending to be somebody else, so I feel emotionally comfortable when acting. As long as it doesn't ruin my career, I am willing to help out fellow directors,” he said during an interview with The Korea Times at a cafe in Seoul, Monday. Lee said it is important for him to work with the director who he

Oct 20, 2022By Kwak Yeon-soo
Busy actor Lee Sung-min has spent a third of his life in character
Films

Yeo Jin-goo takes break from heavy material with light-hearted time travel-romance 'Ditto'

Actor Yeo Jin-goo in a scene from the film "Ditto" / Courtesy of CJ CGVRemake of 2000 film 'Ditto' features different dialogue, themesBy Kwak Yeon-sooYeo Jin-goo, who is returning to the big screen after five years with time travel-romance film “Ditto,” said he has always wanted to do a romantic comedy while he is still in his 20s. “I had been filming heavy material, mainly portraying mature and serious characters. I wanted to try fun, lighthearted acting roles and include romance in my filmography while I'm in my 20s,” the 25-year-old said during a press conference for the film, Monday.“I grew up watching movies set in the 1990s and 2000s, and the 90s rom-coms were always so enjoyable and heartwarming that they even made me envious of the older generation.” “Ditto” is a remake of the 2000 fantasy romance of the same title about two college students living in different eras who are able to communicate with each other using an old radio following a lunar eclipse. It involves a blend of fantasy, romance and drama.Yeo plays Yong, a mechani

Oct 17, 2022By Kwak Yeon-soo
Yeo Jin-goo takes break from heavy material with light-hearted time travel-romance 'Ditto'
K-pop

K-pop fans gather in Seoul to compete in finals of 2022 K-Pop Cover Dance Festival

Finalists of the 2022 K-Pop Cover Dance Festival perform in a flash mob at the Cheong Wa Dae compound in Seoul, Friday. Courtesy of KCDFBy Kwak Yeon-sooK-pop fans from around the world gathered in Seoul this month to compete in the finals of the annual K-Pop Cover Dance Festival (KCDF). A total of 87 contenders from 12 countries, including the U.S., Australia, Mexico, Indonesia and Turkey, advanced to the final round of the competition that was held on Saturday.The KCDF, which began in 2011, is designed to grow global interest in “hallyu,” or the Korean wave, as well as K-pop. “K-pop cover dancers, mostly in their late teens and early 20s, will be staying in Seoul until Oct. 17 to perform flash mobs, compete in the final competition and experience Korean culture,” the festival’s organizer said.In the days prior to the final round of competition, the participants performed flash mobs at popular tourist attractions around Seoul, such as Gwanghwamun Square, Banpo Hangang Park and Dongdaemun Design Plaza.While participants of the festival in previous ye

Oct 14, 2022By Kwak Yeon-soo
K-pop fans gather in Seoul to compete in finals of 2022 K-Pop Cover Dance Festival
Entertainment

As K-drama goes global, cultural sensitivity issues arise

An “X” mark is drawn on a scene from the eighth episode of “Little Women,” which includes controversial dialogue about the Vietnam War / Screenshot from TwitterSome dramas face backlash in certain countries over disrespectful scenesBy Kwak Yeon-sooKorean drama series are going global as they have become available to a wider range of viewers due to streaming platforms that offer subtitles in multiple languages. While enjoying global popularity, the Korean drama production industry now faces the new task of becoming culturally sensitive.Several dramas have come under fire for containing racist stereotypes and undertones, sparking a backlash from foreign viewers and forcing their governments to take action.“Little Women” was removed from Netflix in Vietnam for its depiction of the Vietnam War. Following a written request from the Authority for Broadcasting and Electronic Information in Vietnam, Netflix removed the series from its service in the Southeast Asian country.The controversial scenes appeared in episodes three and eight, where a Korean vetera

Oct 13, 2022By Kwak Yeon-soo
As K-drama goes global, cultural sensitivity issues arise
Entertainment

'Extraordinary Attorney Woo' wins top prize at Asia Contents Awards

Actress Park Eun-bin poses on the red carpet of the fourth Asia Contents Awards ceremony held at the Busan Cinema Center in Busan, Saturday. Yonhap By Kwak Yeon-sooKorea's hit drama series “Extraordinary Attorney Woo” and “Squid Game” each picked up two awards at the fourth edition of the Asia Contents Awards (ACA).The award ceremony, held on the sidelines of the Busan International Film Festival, recognize excellence in TV, OTT and web content. The event was hosted by actor Jung Hae-in and Kim Sae-yeon, a participant of Miss Korea 2019, who co-hosted ACA since its first edition. The ceremony was held in Busan on Saturday evening in hybrid format where Korean participants attended the event in person, while international winners joined remotely.ENA's legal series, “Extraordinary Attorney Woo,” about an autistic lawyer named Woo Young-woo (Park Eun-bin) tackling challenges in and beyond the courtroom, was named best content and picked up an additional win for best ac

Oct 9, 2022By Kwak Yeon-soo
'Extraordinary Attorney Woo' wins top prize at Asia Contents Awards
Films

James Cameron says 'Avatar 2' is allegory of ecological threats

Director James Cameron of “Avatar: The Way to Water,” on the screen, and producer Jon Landau, center, take part in an event at a theater in Busan after a special screening of an 18-minute video footage of the film during the Busan International Film Festival (BIFF), Thursday. Courtesy of BIFFBy Kwak Yeon-sooBUSAN ― James Cameron, the director of “Avatar: The Way to Water,” said his forthcoming film is an allegory of marine ecological threats.Director James Cameron of “Avatar: The Way to Water” / Courtesy of BIFFFollowing a special screening of an 18-minute video footage of “Avatar 2,” which was shown to a limited number of audiences during the 27th Busan International Film Festival (BIFF), he and producer Jon Landau, who is visiting Busan, discussed creative and technical improvements in the sequel.“In the first film, we saw a mining operation on Pandora. In the new film, we will see damage being done to the marine ecosystem. It's an allegory of what indigenous people are experiencing,” Cameron said during a press conference

Oct 7, 2022By Kwak Yeon-soo
James Cameron says 'Avatar 2' is allegory of ecological threats
Films

Tony Leung says he is willing to star in Korean film if language barrier is overcome

Hong Kong actor Tony Leung Chiu-wai listens to a reporter's question during a press conference held at KNN Theater in Busan, Thursday, during his visit to the Busan International Film Festival. YonhapHong Kong actor reflects on 40-year acting careerBy Kwak Yeon-sooBUSAN ― Hong Kong actor Tony Leung Chiu-wai said he is willing to appear in Korean films or series if given a chance and if the language barrier can be overcome.“I've been a big fan of Korean cultural content and actors like Jeon Do-yeon and Song Kang-ho. If I can overcome the language barrier, I would love to star in Korean films and dramas. Recently, I watched 'CODA,' a film about a hearing daughter in a deaf family. Maybe if given a role that doesn't have barriers of language, I would seriously consider it,” he said during a press conference held at the KNN Theater in Busan, Thursday.Leung is well known for his roles in “Chungking Express” (1994), “Happy Together” (1997) and “In the Mood for Love” (2000), all directed by Wong Kar-wai. He has also appeared in three Golden Li

Oct 6, 2022By Kwak Yeon-soo
Tony Leung says he is willing to star in Korean film if language barrier is overcome
Films

27th Busan Int'l Film Festival kicks off attracting stars, huge crowds of fans

The opening ceremony of the 27th Busan International Film Festival is held at the Busan Cinema Center in Busan, Wednesday. YonhapFestival opens in full scale with Iranian film on human kindnessBy Kwak Yeon-sooBUSAN ― The 27th Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) kicked off Wednesday for a 10-day run, with thousands of actors, directors, other film industry members and fans packing the Busan Cinema Center for the opening ceremony.After two years of scaled-down events due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this edition promises to be fully normalized for the first time in three years. A raft of stars have been confirmed to attend the festival, including actors Tony Leung Chiu-wai, Daniel Dae Kim and producer Jon Landau.A total of 242 films from 71 countries, including 89 world premieres, will be screened at this year's BIFF, slightly more than 223 films showcased last year.“Tickets for the opening ceremony have been sold out. We hope the total attendance fully recovers to pre-pandemic levels, but certain audiences are still hesitant about coming to theaters. We expect seat occupancy r

Oct 5, 2022By Kwak Yeon-soo
27th Busan Int'l Film Festival kicks off attracting stars, huge crowds of fans
Films

Busan International Film Festival opens Wednesday

A poster for the 27th Busan International Film Festival / Courtesy of the BIFFBy Kwak Yeon-sooThe 27th Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) starts on Wednesday, returning to its full configuration after being held in a scaled-down format during the COVID-19 pandemic. Film screenings and other related events will take place mostly offline in the southeastern port city of Busan through Oct. 14.The opening ceremony will be held in the outdoor theater of the Busan Cinema Center with some 4,000 film industry members taking part in the event. Actors Ryu Jun-yeol and Jeon Yeo-been will be the co-hosts of the ceremony.“Scent of Wind” by Iranian director Hadi Mohaghegh will be the opening film at this year's BIFF, followed by the cinematic works of some 240 directors from 71 countries, including the closing film, “A Man,” by Japanese filmmaker Ishikawa Kei. The number of selected films in 2022 rose slightly from the 223 films at the 2021 festival.While many foreign actors and directors were unable to come to Asia's biggest film festival during the last two years, d

Oct 4, 2022By Kwak Yeon-soo
Busan International Film Festival opens Wednesday
Films

'New Normal' invited to three overseas film festivals

Scenes from the film, “New Normal” / Courtesy of the Bucheon International Fantastic Film FestivalBy Kwak Yeon-sooDirector Jung Bum-shik's new film, “New Normal,” has been invited to three film festivals: the BFI London International Film Festival, the Warsaw International Film Festival and the Leeds International Film Festival. Jung is best known for his 2018 horror thriller, “Gonjiam: Haunted Asylum.”Suspense thriller “New Normal,” the closing film of the 26th Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival, follows six people whom each bear their loneliness and exhaustion in strange tales of everyday horror during the social media-obsessed pandemic era. The film stars Choi Ji-woo, Lee Yoo-mi, Choi Min-ho, Jung Dong-won, Pyo Ji-hoon and Ha Da-in.At the 66th BFI London International Film Festival, which will take place Oct. 5-16, Jung's film will be screened in the “Cult” section. Director Park Chan-wook's “Decision to Leave” has been invited and will be screened in the “Headline Gala” section.The 38th

Oct 3, 2022By Kwak Yeon-soo
'New Normal' invited to three overseas film festivals
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