The Korea Times

'Cyber Hell' director tells of disturbing 'Nth room' crime

A poster for Netflix's latest crime documentary, “Cyber Hell: Exposing an Internet Horror” / Courtesy of Netflix By Kwak Yeon-sooDirector Choi Jin-seong belatedly learned about the “Nth room” crimes that triggered shock waves in Korea in early 2020. The crimes were of a new type that he had never heard of; they used hacking techniques to get private information, blackmail many young women and minors to send sexually exploitive images and videos and trade them with thousands of users via cryptocurrencies through the encrypted messaging service, Telegram. What's more shocking is that these perverted and sadistic perpetrators were mostly young men in their late teens and early 20s. After some research and interviews with “Team Flame” (college students who first broke the story), journalists and police, Choi realized the crimes were more horrendous and systematic than he had imagined. So he decided to make a documentary about them. His alarming film, “Cyber Hell: Exposi

May 22, 2022By Kwak Yeon-soo

'Cyber Hell' director tells of disturbing 'Nth room' crime

Shows & Dramas

TvN drama 'Rose Mansion' criticized for animal abuse scene

In this screenshot uploaded by Korea Animal Rights Advocates (KARA) on Instagram, a cat is attacked by a man with a knife in the fourth episode of “Rose Mansion,” which aired on tvN, May 13. Screenshot from KARA's Instagram By Kwak Yeon-sooThe production team for tvN's drama, “Rose Mansion,” apologized over allegations that a cat was abused during filming. It has been under fire since the Korea Animal Rights Advocates (KARA) raised questions of animal abuse, addressing the scene from the fourth episode of the series aired on May 13 where a man stabs and kills a stray cat. “The cat appears several times in the scene and it is unclear which was shot with the real cat and which was CGI (computer-generated imagery),” KARA wrote on Instagram, Wednesday. “Animal abuse crimes are getting crueler and many cats are actually killed in real life ... it is unnecessarily sensational to show such a scene of abuse in detail in a drama,” it said, adding that the act of killing and

May 20, 2022By Kwak Yeon-soo

TvN drama 'Rose Mansion' criticized for animal abuse scene

Films

Seo Hyun-jin offers stunning performance as lawyer with Alzheimer's in 'Cassiopeia'

Actors Seo Hyun-jin, left, and Ahn Sung-ki in a scene from the film, “Cassiopeia” / Courtesy of Triple PicturesBy Kwak Yeon-sooIn family drama film “Cassiopeia,” Seo Hyun-jin plays Soo-jin, a self-made lawyer in her 30s who raises her daughter, Ji-na, alone. Soo-jin often asks her widowed father, In-woo (Ahn Sung-ki), to pick up her daughter from “hagwon,” or private academy, and look after her until she returns home. One day, she angrily lashes out at him saying, “Where did you take my daughter?” only to find out a few moments later that her daughter is already at home. She apologizes, smiles and after a long pause, says she got “confused.”Soo-jin sends her daughter to her ex-husband in the U.S., but shortly after, she calls In-woo to say, “Hurry up, dad! We're running late for Ji-na's flight.” After a car accident, she is diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's disease.The film vividly depicts Soo-jin's struggle to stay connected with her family and her own self as the disease progresses rapidly over a few month

May 19, 2022By Kwak Yeon-soo

Seo Hyun-jin offers stunning performance as lawyer with Alzheimer's in 'Cassiopeia'

Films

INTERVIEW Son Suk-ku portrays different villain in 'The Roundup'

Actor Son Suk-ku, right, in a scene from the film, “The Roundup” / Courtesy of ABO Entertainment By Kwak Yeon-sooActor Son Suk-ku had second thoughts about joining “The Roundup,” the sequel to “The Outlaws” (2017), because the first installment in the franchise was a huge success that secured a solid fan base in Korea and internationally.Son opened up about comparisons with actor Yoon Kye-sang, who took up the villainous role of Jang Chen in “The Outlaws,” and left a strong impression on audiences, and how he chose to portray a different kind of villain.Son described his character, Kang Hae-sang, as a villain with a short temper. “He is aggressive and reckless. He is dangerous and ready to kill anyone who gets in his way. He is incapable of rational thought,” he said during an interview with The Korea Times via Zoom, Wednesday. “I know comparison is inevitable, but there was no intention of portraying a striking difference between Kang Hae-sang and Jang Chen because

May 18, 2022By Kwak Yeon-soo

[INTERVIEW] Son Suk-ku portrays different villain in 'The Roundup'

Shows & Dramas

Veteran entertainer Song Hae considering leaving 'National Singing Contest'

Veteran entertainer Song Hae / Courtesy of KBSBy Kwak Yeon-sooVeteran entertainer and emcee Song Hae is reportedly leaving “National Singing Contest,” a talent show broadcast from a different location each week, which has been on the air since 1980. The 95-year-old has hosted the show since May 1988. According to the Korean Broadcasting System (KBS), Song expressed his intention to leave the show, citing his deteriorating health. “It's true that Song is considering leaving the show. He thinks now is a good time to leave the show due to health reasons. However, the production team is still in discussions with Song about his possible departure and the future of the program,” the broadcaster told local media.Recently, Song has had health problems. In January, he was hospitalized due to a severe cold. In March, he tested positive for COVID-19. On Monday, he was admitted to a hospital with an undisclosed illness.The “National Singing Contest,” which used to be held in outdoor venues in various regions with thousands of residents gathering, stopped touri

May 17, 2022By Kwak Yeon-soo

Veteran entertainer Song Hae considering leaving 'National Singing Contest'

Films

'Broker,' 'Decision to Leave' to kick off summer blockbuster season

Posters for the films “Decision to Leave,” left, and “Broker” / Courtesy of CJ ENMBy Kwak Yeon-sooWith “Broker,” “Decision to Leave” and “The Witch: Part 2. The Other One” all due out soon, movies are back in full force this summer. Film studios have been storing up some of their biggest movies over the past two pandemic-plagued years due to concerns over the lagging box office business. However, movies have been trending upward since late April when theaters were allowed to sell popcorn again, as part of the easing social distancing measures. Marvel's “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness,” which opened on May 4, has already earned 52.4 billion won ($40 million) at the box office, selling nearly 5 million tickets as of Monday.“The Roundup,” which is about to open on Wednesday, is expected to be a box office hit as it has already sold more than 110,000 tickets, with two days still to go before its release. A mix of franchise films and high-concept movies are expected to hit theaters this summer

May 16, 2022By Kwak Yeon-soo

'Broker,' 'Decision to Leave' to kick off summer blockbuster season

Arts & Theater

Kim Seon-ho to play male lead in 'Touching the Void' this July

Actor Kim Seon-ho / Captured from Instagram By Kwak Yeon-sooActor Kim Seon-ho will return to the stage with the play, “Touching the Void” in July. The actor's agency Salt Entertainment confirmed that Kim has been cast as Joe Simpson in “Touching the Void,” based on the 1988 mountaineering memoir of the same title. The play is about the mental battle Simpson faces when fighting for survival in the Andes in 1985. The docudrama immerses the audience in Joe's frightening experience as he makes life-and-death decisions.A film of the same name was released in 2003 and a play premiered in the United Kingdom in 2018.Kim has removed himself from the spotlight since October last year, when he was accused of coercing his ex-girlfriend into having an abortion. Kim was removed from his leading role in films such as “Dog Days” and “Date at 2 O' Clock,” but later his acquaintances sided with him to provide evidence to prove the allegations were untrue. Kim debuted as a theater ac

May 15, 2022By Kwak Yeon-soo

Kim Seon-ho to play male lead in 'Touching the Void' this July

Arts & Theater

Award-winning play explores family longing, aims to go global

A scene from the play, “The Return” / Courtesy of Seoul Arts CenterBy Kwak Yeon-sooActor Kim Soo-ro has returned as the producer of a play titled “The Return,” which whirls the audience into stories of reuniting families that were once separated for different reasons.In a career that spans stage, television and film, the actor has been at the forefront of bringing theater closer to the public.“While musicals continue to break records, traditional plays are struggling. We've been performing this play on Daehangno's (Korea's mecca of performing arts and culture) small stages for six to seven years. I'm overwhelmed that we're finally performing in a large theater equipped with 1,000 seats,” Kim said during the press conference for the play, Thursday. “The Return” revolves around a tavern that welcomes people who miss their loved ones, including a mother who misses her son who is off to the army, a husband who awaits the return of his runaway wife and a foul-mouthed elderly woman who has lost contact with her son. The play, which premiered

May 15, 2022By Kwak Yeon-soo

Award-winning play explores family longing, aims to go global

Films

'The Roundup,' sequel to 'The Outlaws,' boasts expanded cinematic universe

A scene from the film, “The Roundup” / Courtesy of ABO Entertainment By Kwak Yeon-soo“The Roundup,” the sequel to the 2017 crime action film, “The Outlaws,” has expanded the cinematic universe with improved action sequences, according to lead actor Ma Dong-seok. Ma, also known by his English name, Don Lee, promised that his latest action franchise will deliver a more action-packed thrill ride. In “The Roundup,” the actor engages in a reprise of his role as police officer Ma Seok-do, who heads to Vietnam to catch a serial killer named Kang Hae-sang (Son Suk-ku), who commits heinous crimes against Korean tourists and businesspeople in the Southeast Asian country. The first installment, which revolves around Ma bringing down notorious Chinese gang boss Jang Chen (Yoon Kye-sang), sold over 6.8 million tickets here.Director Lee Sang-yon, who is making his directorial debut with “The Roundup,” drew comparisons between the first and second installments of the franchise. H

May 12, 2022By Kwak Yeon-soo

'The Roundup,' sequel to 'The Outlaws,' boasts expanded cinematic universe

Films

'La La Land' composer to perform his first solo concert in Korea

Film composer Justin Hurwitz / Courtesy of JIMFF By Kwak Yeon-sooJustin Hurwitz, the composer who wrote original soundtracks for the 2014 indie breakout film, “Whiplash,” and the 2020 musical drama film, “La La Land,” will hold his first-ever solo concert in Korea in August.The American music director will visit this year's Jecheon International Music and Film Festival (JIMFF), scheduled for Aug. 11 to 16 in the North Chungcheong provincial city of Jecheon. Hurwitz received the Jecheon Film Music Honorary Award, according to the JIMFF organizing committee.From 2006 to 2016, the award was given to film musicians whose achievements have undeniably shaped the history of Korean film music. From 2017 to 2019, the award was presented to outstanding Asian film composers such as Kawai Kenji of Japan, Tan Dun of China, and Lim Giong of Taiwan.Since 2020, the JIMFF organizing committee expanded the scope to include international film composers to recognize the most influentia

May 11, 2022By Kwak Yeon-soo

Kwak Yeon-soo

Read more

'Cyber Hell' director tells of disturbing 'Nth room' crime

TvN drama 'Rose Mansion' criticized for animal abuse scene

Seo Hyun-jin offers stunning performance as lawyer with Alzheimer's in 'Cassiopeia'

INTERVIEW Son Suk-ku portrays different villain in 'The Roundup'

Veteran entertainer Song Hae considering leaving 'National Singing Contest'

'Broker,' 'Decision to Leave' to kick off summer blockbuster season

Kim Seon-ho to play male lead in 'Touching the Void' this July

Award-winning play explores family longing, aims to go global

'The Roundup,' sequel to 'The Outlaws,' boasts expanded cinematic universe

'La La Land' composer to perform his first solo concert in Korea

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