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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

Brad Pitt to visit Korea to promote new film 'Bullet Train'

Actor Brad Pitt in a scene from the film, “Bullet Train” / Courtesy of Sony Pictures By Kwak Yeon-sooHollywood star Brad Pitt will visit Korea this month to promote his new movie, “Bullet Train,” the film's distributor said Friday. It would mark his fourth visit to the country since the first visit in 2011 to promote “Moneyball.”He will make the visit together with actor Aaron Taylor-Johnson, best known for his roles in films like “Avengers: Age of Ultron” (2015), “Tenet” (2020) and “The King's Man,” Sony Pictures said. This is Taylor-Johnson's first time coming to Korea. In Seoul, the two will engage in various promotional activities for the film ahead of its Korean release set for Aug. 24, according to the company.“Brad Pitt, who has deep affection for Korean fans, expressed his intention to visit Korea by adjusting his busy schedule. He will meet with the press and fans on Aug. 19,” a Sony Pictures official said. “Bullet Train” revolves around Ladybug (Pitt), a t

Aug 5, 2022By Kwak Yeon-soo
Brad Pitt to visit Korea to promote new film 'Bullet Train'
Films

INTERVIEW Jung Woo-sung was initially hesitant to take on role in 'Hunt'

Actor Jung Woo-sung / Courtesy of Megabox Plus M By Kwak Yeon-sooKorea's A-list actors Jung Woo-sung and Lee Jung-jae have been best friends for decades, but the duo had only starred in one film together, “City of the Rising Sun” (1999), until teaming up again for the spy drama film, “Hunt.”“We've been longing to work together on a film, but time was the big issue for us. We were always busy filming with other directors. So we founded a company together and we have been working on a lot of projects together,” Jung said in an interview with The Korea Times, Wednesday.“Whatever decision I make about acting, directing or producing a film or a series, I talk to him [Lee Jung-jae] about it and vice versa. So, I knew from the beginning how desperate he was to bring the 'Hunt' screenplay to life.” In Lee's spy thriller, Jung portrays Kim Jung-do, a soldier-turned-espionage agent who faces a moral dilemma under the military regime in the 1980s. Although Kim is against the m

Aug 5, 2022By Kwak Yeon-soo
[INTERVIEW] Jung Woo-sung was initially hesitant to take on role in 'Hunt'
Films

INTERVIEW Lee Jung-jae had sleepless nights writing, directing, acting in 'Hunt'

Actor Lee Jung-jae / Courtesy of Megabox Plus M By Kwak Yeon-sooLee Jung-jae, who rose to global stardom after appearing in Netflix's most-watched series, “Squid Game,” said he suffered sleepless nights while writing, directing and acting his directorial debut feature, “The Hunt.” Set in the turbulent 1980s, the action-packed film centers on two rival agents, Park Pyong-ho (Lee) and Kim Jung-do (Jung Woo-sung), who are tasked with uncovering a North Korean spy inside the Korean Central Intelligence Agency (KCIA). They investigate each other in the process of discovering a larger plot to assassinate the president. The 50-year-old found acting and directing at the same time daunting and he barely managed to keep up his energy levels to complete the project. “From writing a screen adaptation to directing and acting, I was sleep-deprived. Some people think transitioning to directing can be risky for an actor, so I felt a greater sense of responsibility,” he said. “I was

Aug 4, 2022By Kwak Yeon-soo
[INTERVIEW] Lee Jung-jae had sleepless nights writing, directing, acting in 'Hunt'
Films

Joo Won undergoes physical transformation for action film 'Carter'

Actor Joo Won in a scene from the film, “Carter” / Courtesy of NetflixBy Kwak Yeon-sooActor Joo Won has gone through an extreme transformation to portray his character in intense action film “Carter.” The 35-year-old actor gained 7 kilograms, shaved his head and went through a four months of watching his diet and training to prepare for his challenging role. “It was a difficult but exciting ride. Carter's role was unlike any of my previous characters. I've done plenty of action in TV dramas like 'Bridal Mask' and 'Alice,' but they cannot be compared to 'Carter,'” he said during a press conference for the Netflix film at a hotel in Seoul, Tuesday.Directed by Jung Byung-gil, “Carter” follows the story of Carter (Joo), an agent who wakes up with no memory, but is told through a concealed earpiece that he needs to take a child named Jang Ha-na to North Korea amid a viral apocalypse. Realizing that the child is a cure for the deadly virus, Carter sets off a risky mission to rescue the child.Jung, best known for 2017's “The Villainess,&

Aug 2, 2022By Kwak Yeon-soo
Joo Won undergoes physical transformation for action film 'Carter'
Films

Movie sequels take over Korean box office

A scene from the film, “Hansan: Rising Dragon” / Courtesy of Big Stone PicturesBy Kwak Yeon-sooSome movie theaters are starting to show more signs of life, with one of the major trends at Korea's box offices being a lot of sequels to major action franchises, including “The Roundup,” “Top Gun: Maverick” and “Hansan: Rising Dragon.” Also, the easing of social distancing measures that limited the size of private gatherings and the operating hours of multi-use facilities in mid-April, helped major movie theaters see higher ticket sales for the May and June periods.According to a report from the Korean Film Council, the total number of ticket sales for the first half of this year was 452.9 billion won ($345.7 million), 48.7 percent of the same period in 2019. Compared to the first six months of 2021, ticket sales have increased by 143 percent.Most box office hits in the first half of this year were sequels in well-known franchises. In fact, eight out of 10 highest-grossing films at Korea's box offices in 2022 fell into these categories. Movi

Aug 2, 2022By Kwak Yeon-soo
Movie sequels take over Korean box office
Films

Hyun Bin's 'Confidential Assignment 2' to hit theaters in September

Actor Hyun Bin in a scene from the film “Confidential Assignment: International” / Courtesy of CJ ENM By Kwak Yeon-sooComedic action film “Confidential Assignment 2: International” will be coming to theaters in September during Chuseok (a traditional Korean mid-autumn holiday), its local distributor CJ ENM said Monday. Starring the same main cast members as the first installment, including Hyun Bin and Yoo Hae-jin, “Confidential Assignment 2” tells a story of trilateral cooperation between the two Koreas and the U.S. to catch international criminals. In the new film, the “Crash Landing on You” star will play the role of Lim Cheol-ryung, a North Korean agent who is dispatched to South Korea to track down Jang Myung-joon (Jin Sun-kyu), the leader of a North Korean criminal organization. Yoo will reprise his role as Kang Jin-tae, the South Korean detective who goes on a cooperative investigation mission to capture Jang. The cast also includes Daniel Henney as FBI agent

Aug 1, 2022By Kwak Yeon-soo
Hyun Bin's 'Confidential Assignment 2' to hit theaters in September
Films

'Hansan: Rising Dragon' tops 2 mil. ticket sales; 'Top Gun: Maverick' passes 7 mil. mark

A poster for the film, “Hansan: Rising Dragon,” left, and “Top Gun: Maverick” / Courtesy of Lotte EntertainmentBy Kwak Yeon-soo'Hansan: Rising Dragon' topped a cumulative 2 million ticket sales on the fifth day of its release, the film's local distributor, Lotte Entertainment, said Sunday.Released on July 27, the sequel to the 2014 film, “Roaring Currents,” centers on the Battle of Hansan Island in 1592, where Admiral Yi Sun-sin fends off Japanese invaders with his brilliant war tactics like the “hakikjin” (crane wing maneuver) and the deployment of the “geobukseon,” or turtle-shaped armored battleships covered with iron spikes and a fire-breathing dragon head at the front. The film has topped the box office ranking every day since its release. The pace of the ticket sales is faster than that of several other films that reached the milestone of 10 million ticket sales. “The Attorney” (2013), which passed the 10 million viewer mark, topped 2 million ticket sales in its sixth day of release, and “Ode to My Fa

Aug 1, 2022By Kwak Yeon-soo
'Hansan: Rising Dragon' tops 2 mil. ticket sales; 'Top Gun: Maverick' passes 7 mil. mark
Films

'Kingdom' writer's next project is zero-to-hero sports film 'Rebound'

Director Jang Hang-jun, center in the second row, and the cast of “Rebound” pose after they wrap up filming on July 13. Courtesy of BA Entertainment By Kwak Yeon-sooStar writer Kim Eun-hee, the creative mind behind Netflix's zombie horror series, “Kingdom,” and tvN's crime drama, “Signal,” has set her next project, an inspiring basketball movie helmed by her husband, director Jang Hang-jun. Jang previously helmed the works, “Break Out,” (2002) “Spring Breeze” (2004) and “Forgotten” (2017).She has teamed up with award-winning screenwriter Kwon Sung-hui, who penned the 2018 espionage drama film, “Spy Gone North,” to write a script for “Rebound.” The film, loosely based on the true story of the JungAng High School basketball team in Busan, follows enthusiastic basketball coach Kang Yang-hyun as he tries to rally a struggling team. As undersized and under-skilled players come together for a common purpose under Kang's guidance, they defy the odds and the naysayers to ri

Jul 31, 2022By Kwak Yeon-soo
'Kingdom' writer's next project is zero-to-hero sports film 'Rebound'
Politics

Kim Ki-duk's posthumous film invited to Venice Film Festival

Filmmaker Kim Ki-duk / Yonhap By Kwak Yeon-sooLate director Kim Ki-duk's posthumous film, “Call of God,” has been invited to the out-of-competition section of the Venice International Film Festival, which will run from Aug. 31 to Sept. 10. Kim died from COVID-19-related complications in Latvia in 2020, so the film was completed posthumously by Estonia-based director Artur Veeber. As the two worked on the project together, “Call of God” was classified as a film from Estonia, Kyrgyzstan and Latvia instead of Korea. While the plot details are unknown, “Call of God” stars Kazakh actors Zhanel Sergazina and Abylai Maratov.Kim, known for his depiction of extreme violence and dark content, enjoyed his biggest successes at European film festivals although he failed commercially. In 2004, he won the Silver Bear for best director at the Berlin Film Festival for “Samaritan Girl,” a drama about teenage prostitutes. The same year, he won the Silver Lion for best director at the

Jul 29, 2022By Kwak Yeon-soo
Kim Ki-duk's posthumous film invited to Venice Film Festival
Shows & Dramas

'Spicy' R-rated talk show 'Witch Hunt' returns for season 2

A poster for Tving's talk show, “Witch Hunt 2022” / Courtesy of Tving By Kwak Yeon-soo“Witch Hunt,” an R-rated talk show that received a huge amount of attention among young people by talking frankly about sex and dating while giving out practical relationship advice, is returning for a second season after seven years.The first season, which was aired on JTBC between 2013 and 2015, not only addressed topics that are popular with young people, but also included viewer involvement by inviting audience members on the talk show and letting them share their relationship problems. The term, “green light,” which translates to a “good sign of love,” was popular among young people after being used on the show.“Dating culture is constantly changing, but there is not enough content that deals with two sides of love: one bright side and the other dark side. I wanted to create a show that openly discusses how young people engage in romantic relationships and what makes them happ

Jul 28, 2022By Kwak Yeon-soo
'Spicy' R-rated talk show 'Witch Hunt' returns for season 2
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