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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

Hong Sang-soo's 'In Front of Your Face' is about finding romance in the tedious

A scene from the film “In Front of Your Face” / Courtesy of Jeonwonsa Film By Kwak Yeon-sooLike many of his other films, director Hong Sang-soo 26th feature “In Front of Your Face” is about finding the extraordinary within the ordinary, and romance in the tedious. The auteur brings attention to the otherwise mundane events of everyday life with a sharp sense of humor. The film begins with middle-aged actress Sang-ok (Lee Hye-young) waking up in her sister's house. She is visiting her sister Jeong-ok (Cho Yun-hee) in Korea after years of living in the U.S. Most of this segment tracks Sang-ok as she sits in the living room, waiting for her sister to wake up.The next segment of the film focuses on her spending the day with her sister and taking a stroll around the neighborhood. The conversations between the two reveal how barely they know each other as Sang-ok shares that she has acrophobia and ran a liquor shop in the U.S. Tension arises when Jeong-ok asks her to sett

Oct 18, 2021By Kwak Yeon-soo
Hong Sang-soo's 'In Front of Your Face' is about finding romance in the tedious
Shows & Dramas

'BTS In the Soop' returns for 2nd season

A poster for “BTS In the Soop” season 2 / Courtesy of Bighit Music By Kwak Yeon-soo“BTS In the Soop,” a reality show featuring the seven members of BTS taking a break in a remote forest area, is returning for a second season.Following the first season, which aired in 2020, BTS members ― RM, J-Hope, Suga, Jin, Jungkook, V and Jimin ― will go on a trip together to PyeongChang, Gangwon Province, to enjoy a getaway in a high-end residence built just for them in a woodland area. According to the unveiled teaser, the house and amenities, including a tennis court, took roughly a year to plan and build, which means the production team had started preparing for the second season while its first season was still being aired. “To me, it's important to rest because it's time to let my body and mind recover,” Jimin said. Jin stated, “I like to spend the whole day playing games or doing pointless things.”“BTS In the Soop 2” will premiere on Oct. 15. It will air on Fridays at 9 p.

Oct 15, 2021By Kwak Yeon-soo
'BTS In the Soop' returns for 2nd season
Films

Jang Hyuk, Yu Oh-seong team up again for new gangster film

Actors Yu Oh-seong, left, and Jang Hyuk pose during an online press conference for the film “Tomb of the River,” Friday. Courtesy of Studio Santa Claus EntertainmentBy Kwak Yeon-sooActors Yu Oh-seong and Jang Hyuk, both who made their names through action movies, have teamed up for the new crime thriller “Tomb of the River,” which tells the story of two rival gangs' schemes and betrayals as they fight over ownership of Gangneung City's newest and largest resort. The two starred previously in KBS's drama “Gaekjoo” in 2015.Yoon Young-bin, who is making his feature directorial debut with “Tomb of the River,” described the upcoming film as a highly predictable action noir drama. The story consists of a criminal organization, gangsters and the cops who try to chase them down. However, he noted that the versatile actors elevated the material.“Even if the plot is banal or cliche-ridden, I believe the actors' performances can give new life to the film. What differentiates this story from other action noir movies is the strong lineup of ac

Oct 15, 2021By Kwak Yeon-soo
Jang Hyuk, Yu Oh-seong team up again for new gangster film
Shows & Dramas

Ko Hyun-jung's new drama, 'Reflection of You,' depicts twists and turns of two women's lives

Actors Ko Hyun-jung, right, and Shin Hyun-been pose during an online press conference for JTBC's new series, “Reflection of You.” / Courtesy of JTBCBy Kwak Yeon-sooJTBC's new series, “Reflection of You,” which kicked off on Wednesday with a 3.6 percent viewership rating, follows the complex lives of two women ― a wealthy, middle-aged woman who has lost meaning in her life, but who is inspired by a poor, talented, younger woman ― who struggle to find their own happiness through insecurity and chaos. Ko portrays Hee-joo, who grew up poor but became a successful painter and essayist. Despite her success, Hee-joo feels miserable until she meets Hae-won (Shin Hyun-been), a young woman that reminds her of her youthful self.“I'm so happy to return to the small screen after two years. I actually received a few scripts when I wasn't in a good condition. I initially thought, 'I'll read them later,' but this one caught my eye. After I began reading, I instantly liked it,” she said during the online press conference for the series, Wednesday.Describing her cha

Oct 14, 2021By Kwak Yeon-soo
Ko Hyun-jung's new drama, 'Reflection of You,' depicts twists and turns of two women's lives
Films

INTERVIEW Why Japanese media won't cover sex slavery issues

Takashi Uemura in a scene from Shinji Nishijima's documentary “Target” / Courtesy of BIFFBy Kwak Yeon-sooFilmmaker Shinji Nishijima was a Korea correspondent for TBS-JNN when Kim Hak-sun, a former sex slave, broke the silence and testified about Japan operating an organized military brothel program during the World War II.One of his colleagues, The Asahi Shimbun correspondent Takashi Uemura, first reported on Kim's testimony on August 11, 1991, three days before the victim told her story at a press conference.More than 20 years later, the truth-seeking reporter became the target of Japan's right wing activists, scholars and journalists. In 2014, right-wing tabloids accused him of fabricating his 1991 report on women being forcibly taken to provide sex to Japanese soldiers. They branded him a traitor and threatened to kill his family. Uemura, who retired from journalism to start a teaching job at a university, lost his position due to mounting complaints from haters. His teenage daughter's photo and personal information were exposed online. He separated from his family as

Oct 14, 2021By Kwak Yeon-soo
[INTERVIEW] Why Japanese media won't cover sex slavery issues
Politics

Im Kwon-taek reflects on films exploring Koreanness, pressures of expectations

Filmmaker Im Kwon-taek / Courtesy of BIFF Master of Korean film shares glorious past, as well as how it limited his creativity By Kwak Yeon-sooBUSAN ― Having created more than 100 films over his 60-year-long career, Im Kwon-taek is a prolific filmmaker who has focused on exploring the meaning of Koreanness throughout his cinematic oeuvre. With his overseas success during Korean cinema's darker days, he is widely regarded as one of the greatest Korean filmmakers of all time. A pioneer of modern Korean cinema, Im has brought numerous iconic stories to the silver screen, including: “Seopyonje” (1993), “ChunHyang” (2000) and “Chihwaseon” (2002).From his 1962 debut with “Farewell Duman River,” a film about independence fighters in Manchuria during Japanese colonial rule, to 2014's “Revivre,” which explores the subject of death, he has persisted in his desire to make significant films in the industry with his own unique vision. Im recalled that early in his career, he m

Oct 13, 2021By Kwak Yeon-soo
Im Kwon-taek reflects on films exploring Koreanness, pressures of expectations
Films

Ryu Seung-ryong eyes another hit with romantic comedy, 'Perhaps Love'

Actors Ryu Seung-ryong, left, and Kim Hie-won in a scene from the film, "Perhaps Love" / Courtesy of NEWBy Kwak Yeon-sooAfter the massive success of the film, “Extreme Job” (2019), actor Ryu Seung-ryong is aiming for another hit with the romantic comedy film, “Perhaps Love,” which follows six different people as they deal with their lives and complex relationships to each other.Ryu's other film, “Life is Beautiful,” was supposed to premiere in December of last year, but was delayed indefinitely.Among the characters explored is Hyun (Ryu), a best-selling author who is going through a seven-year slump preparing for his next book. He attempts to reboot his stalled career by co-writing one with aspiring novelist, Yu-jin (Moo Jin-seong).Hyun's personal life is also chaotic. His ex-wife, Mi-ae (Oh Na-ra), falls for his close friend, Soon-mo (Kim Hie-won), and his cranky teenage son, Sung-kyung (Sung Yu-bin), gets on his nerves. Meanwhile, Sung-kyung develops an unlikely friendship with his neighbor, Jung-won (Lee You-young).“This was my first time

Oct 12, 2021By Kwak Yeon-soo
Ryu Seung-ryong eyes another hit with romantic comedy, 'Perhaps Love'
Films

Jinyoung of GOT7 to star in psychological thriller 'Christmas Carol'

Actor-singer Park Jin-young / Courtesy of BH EntertainmentBy Kwak Yeon-sooActor and singer Park Jin-young, better known as Jinyoung of K-pop boy band GOT7, will play the lead role in the psychological thriller “Christmas Carol” (working title), which is scheduled to begin filming early next year.An adaptation of writer Joo Won-kyu's book, the upcoming film tells the story of Joo Il-woo, who enters a juvenile detention facility to get revenge for the death of his twin brother, Wol-woo. Park will play the dual role of the twin brothers, a first for him. “I'm both excited and anxious ahead of filming because I have to lead each scene by myself. Since it's a book-to-movie adaptation, I will do my best to portray the character as described in the original work,” he said. The screen play for “Christmas Carol” will be written by Kim Sung-soo, the director behind the first season of OCN's “Save Me,” and the films “Running Wild” (2006) and “Genome Hazard” (2014).“This film is a coming-of-age revenge tale of a teenag

Oct 10, 2021By Kwak Yeon-soo
Jinyoung of GOT7 to star in psychological thriller 'Christmas Carol'
Shows & Dramas

Theater, musical actors relishing small screen opportunities

Actor Kim Seon-ho / Courtesy of tvNBy Kwak Yeon-sooEstablished stage actors have been flocking to the small screen at an accelerating pace, while continuing to maintain their connection to theater.Kim Seon-ho, who debuted as a stage actor in the 2009 play, “New Boeing Boeing,” made the jump to television in 2017 by appearing in KBS2's TV drama, “Good Manager.” He then won both the Best New Actor and Excellence Awards for his performance in MBC's “Two Cops” the same year. In recent years, he has starred in several very highly reviewed series, including tvN's “Start-Up” (2020) and “Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha” (2021). To feel equally comfortable between the screen and the stage, he briefly returned to perform in a play titled, “Ice,” earlier this year. “The stage is where I have much to observe and to learn. Whenever I lose confidence in acting, I think about theater plays,” the 35-year-old actor said of returning to the stage. “There is a direct connection between actors with the audience. It's a place

Oct 10, 2021By Kwak Yeon-soo
Theater, musical actors relishing small screen opportunities
Films

'Family dynamic is at heart of Asian cinema,' BIFF head juror says

Indo-Canadian filmmaker Deepa Mehta, the head juror of the 26th Busan International Film Festival's New Currents Section, speaks via Zoom during a press conference, Thursday. YonhapBy Kwak Yeon-sooBUSAN ― Speaking at a press conference to discuss the 26th Busan International Film Festival's (BIFF) New Currents, the competition for up-and-coming directors, head juror Deepa Mehta said she has witnessed two distinctive characteristics in Asian cinema.“As somebody who comes from India and lives in Canada, there are differences among regions. Perhaps it has something to do with the geography or culture, but I can smell the flavor of Asian cinema more acutely,” she said via Zoom as she was unable to travel to Korea due to health problems.“Family is of paramount concern in most Asian countries. Then there is a strong desire to better ourselves to be accepted (in the society). For instance, we fight poverty and pandemic to be dignified. That's what makes Asian cinema different,” Mehta added.This year's BIFF's New Current Section, which showcases emerging Asian directo

Oct 8, 2021By Kwak Yeon-soo
'Family dynamic is at heart of Asian cinema,' BIFF head juror says
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