The Korea Times

INTERVIEW Jung Eun-hye, artist and actor with Down's syndrome, paves own path

Caricature artist and actor Jung Eun-hye, right, poses with her mother Jang Cha Hyun-sil, center, and stepfather Seo Dong-il. Courtesy of Jin Jin Pictures'Our Blues' actor to hold caricature exhibition By Kwak Yeon-sooJung Eun-hye, a caricature artist who got her big break as an actor playing a character with Down's syndrome who has a talent for drawing, said she was excited to star alongside Han Ji-min and Kim Woo-bin in the recent tvN drama “Our Blues.” “Young-hee (Jung's character) was like a real projection of myself. Screenwriter Noh Hee-kyung and I met up a few times, and she took inspiration from me when creating the character,” she said during a recent interview with The Korea Times at a cafe in Seoul. Following her appearance in the TV series, Jung has been receiving a lot of attention. Her YouTube channel has more than 50,000 subscribers who enjoy her artwork and outgoing personality.Because her role was kept a secret during the filming of “Our Blues,” a documentary film that shows how Jung goes about her daily routine and connects to soc

Jun 21, 2022By Kwak Yeon-soo

[INTERVIEW] Jung Eun-hye, artist and actor with Down's syndrome, paves own path

Films

'Emergency Declaration' cast aims to fly high at summer box office

From left, actors Song Kang-ho, Lee Byung-hun, Jeon Do-yeon, Kim Nam-gil and Im Si-wan attend a press conference for the film, “Emergency Declaration,” at Westin Chosun Seoul hotel in central Seoul, Monday. YonhapBy Kwak Yeon-soo“Emergency Declaration,” which premiered out of competition at the 2021 Cannes Film Festival, is finally set to land in theaters in August and the cast promised the film will not disappoint. The disaster film stars Lee Byung-hun as a man trapped in an airplane with his daughter while a terrorist threatens to release a deadly virus. As tensions rise onboard the plane, the government launches an operation to protect the passengers. Song Kang-ho, who won the Best Actor award at this year's Cannes for “Broker,” plays a detective who tries to stop the attack, while Jeon Do-yeon stars as the transport minister who discovers what the virus is and fears what might happen when the plane lands.Director Han Jae-rim explained that he came up with the concept of a terrorist threat against a plane 10 years ago. “There was a product

Jun 20, 2022By Kwak Yeon-soo

'Emergency Declaration' cast aims to fly high at summer box office

Films

'Top Gun' actor in Seoul

Actor Tom Cruise fist bumps with Korean fans after hitting the red carpet to promote his latest movie, “Top Gun: Maverick,” at Lotte World Tower in Seoul, Sunday. The movie hits theaters in Korea on June 22. Yonhap

Jun 19, 2022By Kwak Yeon-soo

Films

'My Perfect Roommate' shows how family transcends blood ties

Actors Na Moon-hee, right, and Choi Woo-sung in a scene from the film, “My Perfect Roommate” / Courtesy of Twin Plus PartnersBy Kwak Yeon-soo“My Perfect Roommate” gives veteran actress Na Moon-hee a role designed to break audiences' hearts: a role with an aftertaste of betrayal and loneliness, but also versatility and humor.With a career that spans over six decades, Na has solidified herself as one of Korea's most beloved stars. She has wowed audiences time after time with memorable performances in films like “Miss Granny” (2014), which sold more than 8.6 million tickets in local theaters, and “I Can Speak” (2017), for which she won the Blue Dragon Film Award for Best Actress.At the age of 81, Na has taken a lead role in “My Perfect Roommate” as grumpy old woman Keum-boon. She comes to live with a college student, Ji-woong (Choi Woo-sung), through a home-share program that pairs older adults who have extra space in their homes with students who need to rent spaces affordably.The film addresses social isolation and loneliness

Jun 19, 2022By Kwak Yeon-soo

'My Perfect Roommate' shows how family transcends blood ties

Trends

Centuries-old artifact with thinner-than-hair engraving unveiled to public

Seen above is an ancient gilt relic, thought to be from the eighth century Silla Kingdom (57 B.C.-A.D. 935). The gold leaf artifact, first discovered in two pieces at Donggung Palace and Wolji Pond, respectively, in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, in 2016, has bird and flower patterns that are 0.05 millimeters in width. Courtesy of the Gyeongju National Research Institute of Cultural HeritageBy Kwak Yeon-sooAn ancient gilt relic with ultra-precise patterns, presumed to be from the eighth century Silla Kingdom (57 B.C.-A.D. 935), was made public for the first time on Thursday after it was unearthed in Gyeongju, the ancient capital of Silla, in November 2016.According to the Gyeongju National Research Institute of Cultural Heritage (GNRICH) and the Cultural Heritage Administration, the gold leaf artifact was initially discovered as two separate pieces that were approximately 20 meters from one another, which made it difficult for archeologists to identify. Following the preservation work, they came to the conclusion that the two pieces form a single artifact.The institute announce

Jun 16, 2022By Kwak Yeon-soo

Centuries-old artifact with thinner-than-hair engraving unveiled to public

Entertainment

Story-based audio content resonates with Gen Z, Millennials

IT giants bet on series, movies for earsBy Kwak Yeon-sooThe popularity of audiobook-style content has surged in recent years amid fierce competition between streaming services, with Gen Z and Millennials as its leading consumers.The medium resonates with the younger generation who are accustomed to multitasking. Unlike video content that requires visual focus, audio dramas can be listened to while working or studying.Also, these generations' love for nostalgia may explain the sharp increase in audio content, specifically audio dramas and pictureless movies. According to Spotify's Culture Next Report 2022, more than 73 percent of Gen Z respondents said they like retro products or content.“Developments in technology, such as smartphones and smart speakers, have helped contribute to the recent rebirth of audio content. The so-called 'video call fatigue' during the COVID-19 pandemic also led to the audio content boom,” said Kim Chi-ho, a professor at the Department of Culture Contents at Hanyang University.According to Statista, the size of the local audio content market is e

Jun 16, 2022By Kwak Yeon-soo

Story-based audio content resonates with Gen Z, Millennials

Films

Showbox unveils 27 upcoming Korean films, TV shows

Showbox CEO Kim Do-soo speaks during a press conference held at Seoul Dragon City in Seoul, Wednesday. Courtesy of ShowboxBy Kwak Yeon-sooBuoyed by the success of Korean cultural content, Showbox, one of the country's largest film production and distribution companies, has unveiled its plans to premiere 27 new films and TV dramas in the latter half of this year. The company, which has been at the forefront of the Korean film industry for 20 years, also promised to provide solid support for filmmakers to create compelling and entertaining content.“Last year, 'Squid Game' and 'Hellbound' proved inventive and gripping Korean storytelling that can cater to global audiences successfully. We will continue to invest in Korea's creative filmmakers and, together, we will keep on developing our original intellectual property (IP) into 'super IP,'” Showbox CEO Kim Do-soo said during a press conference held at Seoul Dragon City in Seoul, Wednesday. Super IP refers to IP that can be expanded into other formats, for example a movie that can be transformed into a drama, game, webtoon or

Jun 15, 2022By Kwak Yeon-soo

Showbox unveils 27 upcoming Korean films, TV shows

Travel & Food

'Visit Korean Heritage' campaign spotlights Korea's unique tourist attractions

Choi Eung-chon, head of the Cultural Heritage Administration, speaks during a press conference for the “Visit Korean Heritage” campaign at Cheong Wa Dae's Young Bin Gwan Hall, Seoul, Tuesday. YonhapBy Kwak Yeon-sooThe government's “Visit Korean Heritage” campaign this year will use the former presidential office and residence of Cheong Wa Dae as a center of attraction for inbound tourists. The historic space was opened to the public last month after President Yoon Suk-yeol relocated the presidential office to the defense ministry building in Yongsan District. Co-organized by the Cultural Heritage Administration (CHA) and the Korea Cultural Heritage Foundation, this year's campaign will feature 10 routes centered on UNESCO World Heritage sites and Masterpieces of Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity in the country. Cheong Wa Dae will host the “Korea On Stage” concert featuring K-pop singers and performers of “gugak” or traditional Korean music, on National Liberation Day, which falls on Aug. 15. In October, digital media art shows wi

Jun 14, 2022By Kwak Yeon-soo

'Visit Korean Heritage' campaign spotlights Korea's unique tourist attractions

Films

INTERVIEW Korean animators discuss bringing 'Toy Story' spin-off 'Lightyear' to life

A scene from the film, “Lightyear” / Courtesy of Walt Disney Company Korea By Kwak Yeon-soo“Lightyear,” which follows the origin story of Buzz Lightyear, a legendary space ranger in the “Toy Story” franchise, boasts all-ages storytelling with boundary-pushing animation.In the film, Buzz (voiced by Chris Evans), along with his robot companion cat, Sox (Peter Sohn), and three cadets, embarks on a dangerous mission to find his way back home through space and time. However, he is confronted by a mysterious conqueror named Zurg who threatens the universe.Two Korean animators ― layout artist Chun Sung-uk and 3D animator Lee Chae-yeon at Pixar Animation Studios ― participated in creating the “Toy Story” spin-off. Both said they were honored to join the project as they grew up watching the “Toy Story” film series. Layout artist Chun Sung-uk at Pixar Animation Studios / Courtesy of

Jun 12, 2022By Kwak Yeon-soo

[INTERVIEW] Korean animators discuss bringing 'Toy Story' spin-off 'Lightyear' to life

Films

INTERVIEW Rom-com queen Seo Hyun-jin talks about family relationship in her new film

Actress Seo Hyun-jin / Courtesy of Triple PicturesActress takes silver screen with 'Cassiopeia,' small screen with 'Why Her' By Kwak Yeon-sooBreaking viewers' hearts and making them cry with laughter as the queen of romantic comedies in tvN's “Another Miss Oh” (2016) and JTBC's “Beauty Inside” (2018), actress Seo Hyun-jin has lit up every small screen she has appeared on.However, appearing on the big screen was a whole new challenge for her.“This is my first lead role in a motion picture, so I'm anxious to see how the audience would react,” she said during a recent interview with The Korea Times held via Zoom.The 37-year-old said she received the script for “Cassiopeia” about two years ago and saw it as an opportunity to come out of her comfort zone and do something incredibly different, vulnerable and raw. In the harrowing family drama, Seo plays a 30-something lawyer named Soo-jin who succumbs to Alzheimer's disease. After sending off her daughter to her ex-husband in the U.S., Soo-jin is left alone with her emotionally distant father

Jun 2, 2022By Kwak Yeon-soo

Kwak Yeon-soo

Read more

INTERVIEW Jung Eun-hye, artist and actor with Down's syndrome, paves own path

'Emergency Declaration' cast aims to fly high at summer box office

'Top Gun' actor in Seoul

'My Perfect Roommate' shows how family transcends blood ties

Centuries-old artifact with thinner-than-hair engraving unveiled to public

Story-based audio content resonates with Gen Z, Millennials

Showbox unveils 27 upcoming Korean films, TV shows

'Visit Korean Heritage' campaign spotlights Korea's unique tourist attractions

INTERVIEW Korean animators discuss bringing 'Toy Story' spin-off 'Lightyear' to life

INTERVIEW Rom-com queen Seo Hyun-jin talks about family relationship in her new film

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