my timesThe Korea Times
yeonskwak

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.

Go to Email

Read more

Films

Director Joung Yumi's 'House of Existence' selected for Berlinale Shorts

By Kwak Yeon-sooThe poster for the film, “House of Existence” / Courtesy of KOFICDirector Joung Yumi's “House of Existence” was selected for the Berlinale Shorts competition of this year's Berlin International Film Festival, the Korean Film Council said Friday. The 72nd edition of the film festival is scheduled for Feb. 10-20. There have been 20 other short films selected for the competition, including: “A Story for 2 Trumpets” by Amandine Meyer and “Retreat” by Anabela Angelovska. Joung's films have been invited to the Berlinale three times so far. Two of her earlier works, “Math Test” (2010) and “Love Games” (2013), competed in the Shorts Competition. Her eight-minute animation tells the story of what happens when our belief systems collapse. Using a “house” as a metaphor to represent one's inner mind, the artist shares how the process of shattering one's rigid ego is painful, but can lead to the discovery of something new and meaningful amid the ruins. Joung gained international acclaim after direc

Jan 21, 2022By Kwak Yeon-soo
Director Joung Yumi's 'House of Existence' selected for Berlinale Shorts
Shows & Dramas

Seo Kang-jun, Kim A-joong hunt down mysterious assailant in Disney+ series 'Grid'

Actor Seo Kang-jun in a scene from Disney+ series “Grid” / Courtesy of Disney+By Kwak Yeon-sooActor Seo Kang-jun is currently serving his mandatory military service, but his absence from the entertainment industry is hardly noticeable, as his works are being released one after the other.Earlier this month, he starred in director Kwak Jae-yong's new romantic comedy, “A Year-end Medley.” In February, he will be returning with the Disney+ series, “Grid,” a mystery thriller that follows a government official and a police officer who tenaciously delve into the secrets behind a mysterious being that saved humanity from a deadly crisis, but then reappears as the collaborator of a serial killer 24 years later. Seo plays government official Kim Sae-ha, who joins forces with police officer Jung Sae-byeok (Kim A-joong) to investigate the mysterious being, which vanishes into thin air after committing a crime. The two stand at odds with Song Eo-jin (Kim Moo-yul), a senior official who denies the existence of the “grid.” Kim Sung-kyun, who played a

Jan 20, 2022By Kwak Yeon-soo
Seo Kang-jun, Kim A-joong hunt down mysterious assailant in Disney+ series 'Grid'
Shows & Dramas

SNL Korea becomes popular platform for actors to show off their goofy sides

Actress Shin Hae-sun in a scene from the comedy show “SNL Korea” / Screenshot from Coupang Play's YouTube channel By Kwak Yeon-sooThe second season of the revived “Saturday Night Live (SNL) Korea” on Coupang Play has become an emerging platform for actors to perform hilarious comedy sketches and connect with wider audiences, as they face fewer opportunities to promote their work and themselves during the COVID-19 pandemic.In-person events, such as red carpets and post-film talk sessions, have been largely reduced, leading many to flock to popular YouTube channels or web shows to expand their reach to more viewers. “Squid Game” star Heo Sung-tae will lead a Lunar New Year holiday special episode of SNL Korea that will include several sketches where he parodies some of the iconic characters he has played. The dramatic actor, known for playing mostly villains and gangsters in films like “The Outlaws” (2017) and “The Divine Move 2: The Wrathful” (2019), has promised to provide a side-splitting performance.“It's an honor to

Jan 20, 2022By Kwak Yeon-soo
SNL Korea becomes popular platform for actors to show off their goofy sides
Films

'Dune' to come back to IMAX in February

A scene from the film, “Dune” / Courtesy of Warner Bros. KoreaBy Kwak Yeon-sooDirector Denis Villeneuve's sci-fi epic, “Dune,” is coming back to IMAX theaters for fans to experience it again on the big screen. According to Warner Bros. Korea, “Dune” will be available for a limited time in 17 IMAX theaters across the country starting Feb. 9, allowing viewers to experience the visually stunning epic film in a format that offers 26-percent more image space than regular widescreen showings.“We are very excited for fans to be able to enjoy this groundbreaking film again in IMAX. We expect tickets to be sold out as soon as they go on sale,” the company official said. “Dune,” which opened last October, attracted over 1.5 million moviegoers and created a significant fan base in Korea. Globally, it crossed the $400-million mark at box offices. The film's success led to the making of a sequel, which will reportedly start filming in July 2022.An adaptation of Frank Herbert's best-selling sci-fi novel, the film tells the story of Paul A

Jan 19, 2022By Kwak Yeon-soo
'Dune' to come back to IMAX in February
Films

INTERVIEW Actor Seol Kyung-gu talks about real-life inspiration for movie role

Actor Seol Kyung-gu / Courtesy of Megabox Plus MBy Kwak Yeon-sooActor Seol Kyung-gu said the characters in “Kingmaker” are fictional, but they are inspired by prominent politicians, including former President Kim Dae-jung who served from 1998 to 2003. Because the film is inspired by the story rather than a factual telling of it, he had more room to take the film in a far more different direction than the true events.In the political drama, Seol plays Kim Woon-beom, an opposition party candidate who has failed in several local elections. He teams up with “Seo Chang-dae (Lee Sun-kyung) to win the local election and run for the presidential election. The ambitious and unprincipled Seo uses all means to subvert the powers that be and put Kim in the position of presidential candidate. The acclaimed actor revealed he was under a lot of pressure because he had to portray a well-known and respected public figure in Korea's modern history. “The first script for 'Kingmaker' had real people's names. Because Kim Dae-jung was loved and admired by many in our country, I tur

Jan 18, 2022By Kwak Yeon-soo
[INTERVIEW] Actor Seol Kyung-gu talks about real-life inspiration for movie role
Films

'The Hill of Secrets' invited to 72nd Berlin film festival

A scene from “The Hill of Secrets” / Courtesy of O SpringBy Kwak Yeon-sooDirector Lee Ji-eun's debut film “The Hill of Secrets” has been invited to the youth-centered competition at this year's Berlin International Film Festival, the film's distributor said, Monday.According to the 2022 lineup for the Berlinale, which will be held from Feb. 10 to 20, “The Hill of Secrets” will be presented in the Generation's Kplus section. The film features 12-year-old Myung-eun who learns more about herself and the meaning of family through writing. “'The Hill of Secrets' is an emotional, artistic and thought-provoking film. It will be a wonderful opportunity for the team to celebrate its world premiere at Berlinale Generation,” said Maryanne Redpath, the head of the Generation section of the film festival. Before creating her first feature film, Lee directed many short films including “I am” (2016), “Arrangement” (2018) and “Santa Claus” (2019).Moon Chang-yong and Jeon Jin's “Becoming Who I Was” won the

Jan 18, 2022By Kwak Yeon-soo
'The Hill of Secrets' invited to 72nd Berlin film festival
Films

Movies based on books spark renewed interest in novels

Haruki Murakami's 2014 short story collection “Men Without Women,” left, and Joh Sasaki's 2017 novel “The Policeman's Lineage” / Courtesy of Munhakdonge Publishing, Viche BookBy Kwak Yeon-sooThe recent release of films based on books has raised interest in the original novels, as fans of these movies often go on to seek a deeper and more layered understanding of the films in their literary form.Haruki Murakami's 2014 short story collection “Men without Women” reached 33rd on the top seller list for fiction, drama and poetry in Kyobo Bookstore, the country's largest bookstore chain, while it previously hadn't even ranked in the top 100. It also rose to 66th and 73rd on Aladin and YES24 bookstores, respectively. The re-entrance on the top seller chart comes after Japanese director Ryusuke Hamaguchi's “Drive My Car,” a film based on the book, drew strong reactions from critics and audiences. The Japanese film, which won the Golden Globe award for Best Picture in the non-English language category, became a rare arthouse hit by exceeding 38,

Jan 17, 2022By Kwak Yeon-soo
Movies based on books spark renewed interest in novels
Films

INTERVIEW Han Hyo-joo stars as treasure-seeking hero in 'Pirates 2'

Actress Han Hyo-joo / Courtesy of BH EntertainmentBy Kwak Yeon-sooActress Han Hyo-joo has taken on a new challenge by starring in the stunt-heavy, adventure fantasy film “The Pirates: The Last Royal Treasure.” A sequel to the 2014 blockbuster “The Pirates,” the upcoming film centers on pirate captain Haerang (Han) and her crew joining forces with Muchi (Kang Ha-neul), a bandit leader, and his gangs to discover the long-lost treasure of the royal family of the 918-1392 Goryeo Kingdom. In the rare female-fronted pirate film, Haerang appears as a highly skilled fighter and a charismatic leader. To execute her role to perfection, the 34-year-old actress trained three days a week for three months to become physically stronger and learn swordsmanship.“Apparently there was a lot of sword fighting, big swings and underwater action. It took a while to learn all those things, but I wanted to do them on my own,” she said. To act as the leader of the pirates with a powerful force, she also underwent a visual transformation and practiced vocal exercises. &ldquo

Jan 17, 2022By Kwak Yeon-soo
[INTERVIEW] Han Hyo-joo stars as treasure-seeking hero in 'Pirates 2'
Films

23rd Jeonju film festival to open in April, host offline screenings

The 23rd Jeonju International Film Festival logo / Courtesy of the Jeonju International Film Festival organizing committeeBy Kwak Yeon-sooThis year's Jeonju International Film Festival, scheduled from April 28 to May 7, will host physical screenings and bring its number of selected films back to pre-pandemic levels.The film festival organizing committee announced Friday that it plans to resume normal operations with strict safety regulations in place. The 23rd edition of the festival plans to present around 230 films with 500 screenings in theaters. Last year, it had 186 films in 356 offline screenings. The festival is also planning a showcase of Taehung Pictures films to commemorate the legendary production house and its former CEO Lee Tae-won, who died in October of last year. The retrospective of eight films will include: Im Kwon-taek's “Chihwaseon” (2002), Song Neung-han's “Fin De Siecle” (1999), Kim Yoo-jin's “My Dear Keumhong” (1995), Kim Hong-jun's “Rosy Life” (1994) and Jang Sun-woo's “The Road to Racetrack” (1991).&

Jan 16, 2022By Kwak Yeon-soo
23rd Jeonju film festival to open in April, host offline screenings
Films

Park So-dam on her first female-led action film, lessons learnt from 'Parasite'

Actress Park So-dam in a scene from the film, "Special Delivery" / Courtesy of NEWBy Kwak Yeon-sooAfter the phenomenal success of “Parasite” (2019), Park So-dam had to shoulder the tremendous weight of expectation as an actor. However, handling the onslaught of attention and awards toughened her up mentally and allowed her to appreciate the hard work of the entire team that is needed to make a film. “While filming and promoting 'Parasite,' I've come to realize that there are so many people involved to get the best out of a movie. There is no difference in choosing a project or approaching a character, but I'd love to star in a foreign-language movie,” she said in a recent written interview with The Korea Times.In director Park Dae-min's swift and blood-drenched film “Special Delivery,” Park plays a veteran getaway driver Eun-ha, who gets caught up in a gang war while trying to protect a child.The 30-year-old actress talked about the worries she had of having to carry the film as the female lead. “Although it was exciting to see my face on big

Jan 13, 2022By Kwak Yeon-soo
Park So-dam on her first female-led action film, lessons learnt from 'Parasite'
previous page
7677787980
next page

Top 5 stories

Korea Times
About Us
Introduction
History
Contact Us
Products & Services
Subscribe
E-paper
RSS Service
Content Sales
Site Map
Policy
Code of Ethics
Ombudsman
Privacy Policy
Youth Protection Policy
Terms of Service
Copyright Policy
Family Site
Hankookilbo
Dongwha Group
FacebookXYoutubeInstagram
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.