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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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Belittling Hangeul: Indiscriminate use of borrowed words hurts cultural pride

This is the last in a two-part Hangeul Day article series revisiting the meaning of the Korean alphabet in the age of artificial intelligence._ EDGovernment draws criticism for inaccurate use of pandemic-related terms By Kwak Yeon-sooThe indiscriminate use of inaccurate words ― some of which don't even make sense at all ― have drawn focus as a problem lately as the nation is set to celebrate the 575th anniversary of the invention of Hangeul, the Korean alphabet, by King Sejong the Great on Oct. 9th. The government, which is expected to right the wrongs in the misuse of Hangeul, has initiated the wrongful use of Korean, drawing criticism from concerned experts. The government and public institutions started to move away from using Korean words and rather employing clumsily crafted hybrid terms or “Konglish” ― English inspired vocabulary instead.The pandemic exacerbated the phenomenon. Since the outbreak of coronavirus, terms like “untact” (a combination of the prefix “un” and the word “contact” ― essentially “contactless”) an

Oct 7, 2021By Kwak Yeon-soo
Belittling Hangeul: Indiscriminate use of borrowed words hurts cultural pride
Films

26th BIFF opens with Im Sang-soo's 'Heaven: To the Land of Happiness'

From left, director Im Sang-soo and the cast of “Heaven: To the Land of Happiness” attend a press conference held at Busan Cinema Center in Busan, Wednesday. Yonhap By Kwak Yeon-sooBUSAN ― The 26th Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) kicked off Wednesday for a 10-day run with director Im Sang-soo's “Heaven: To the Land of Happiness.”A year after a scaled-down event due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this edition promises to be attract 1,000-plus participants. A raft of stars have been confirmed to attend the festival, including Song Joong-ki of “Space Sweepers,” Jeon Jong-seo of “Mona Lisa and The Blood Moon,” Han So-hee of “My Name” and Yoo Ah-in of “Hellbound.” Strict health protocol measures include a 50 percent screening capacity are in place and all public and professional attendees must show a pass, proving they are either fully vaccinated or have tested negative for COVID-19.A total of 223 films from 70 countries will be screened at BIFF, slightly higher than

Oct 7, 2021By Kwak Yeon-soo
26th BIFF opens with Im Sang-soo's 'Heaven: To the Land of Happiness'
Shows & Dramas

Not just 'Squid Game,' now 'Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha' gains worldwide popularity

Actors Kim Seon-ho, right, and Shin Min-a in a scene from tvN's rom-com series, "Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha" / Courtesy of Studio Dragon By Kwak Yeon-sooTvN's drama, “Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha,” starring Shin Min-a and Kim Seon-ho, has been gaining popularity on Netflix streaming charts worldwide, following the global success of the dark survival drama, “Squid Game.” While it might not have captured the throne on the list of the most-watched TV shows on Netflix, the romantic comedy has made history by making the top 10.According to streaming analytics platform FlixPatrol, “Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha” was ranked ninth on the daily top 10 list on Friday. It was listed on the Netflix Top 10 shows in about 20 countries, including Australia, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Japan and Qatar. Netflix's Korean original series, “Squid Game,” has been topping the list for days, making it two K-dramas that have achieved a similar feat on the Netflix series chart. Directed by Yoo Je-won, whose previous

Oct 1, 2021By Kwak Yeon-soo
Not just 'Squid Game,' now 'Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha' gains worldwide popularity
Films

Daniel Craig promises thrilling finale to Bond series in '007 No Time to Die'

Actor Daniel Craig in a scene from "007 No Time to Die" / Courtesy of Universal PicturesBy Kwak Yeon-sooActor Daniel Craig said he has mixed emotions about leaving James Bond behind after starring in five installments of the epic spy film series over 15 years. “It's been an incredible journey for me. I've spent a large part of my life making these movies. I'm incredibly proud of this movie as I am with all of the films, but this one especially. We did our absolute best and this movie is no better way to top off my years into James Bond,” he told Korean reporters during an online press conference, Wednesday. The 53-year-old actor confessed that by the end of “Spectre” (2015), he was ready to pack it in and leave his role. He was in the process of figuring out a story to end it and then director Cary Joji Fukunaga came on board, putting his “magic into it.”“The job was to complete the story and it made me look back at the first film, Casino Royale (2006). If that's sort of the starting chapter, how does the final chapter relate to that? What is

Sep 29, 2021By Kwak Yeon-soo
Daniel Craig promises thrilling finale to Bond series in '007 No Time to Die'
Films

Family drama 'Bigwang,' starring Ha Ji-won and Ryu Seung-ryong, wraps up filming

Actress Ha Ji-won, second from left, and Ryu Seung-ryong, second from right, pose with the cast of “Bigwang” after finishing shooting. / Courtesy of Contents NandakindaBy Kwak Yeon-sooDirector Lee Ji-won's family drama film, “Bigwang” (working title) recently wrapped up three months of filming before moving into post-production.The film tells the story of a celebrity couple whose life is turned upside down after the sudden arrival of a teenage girl named Dong-ju (Kim Sia), who claims to be their daughter. The couple face a family struggle as Dong-ju gets herself into trouble. Lee, the winner of Best New Director Award at 2019 Baeksang Arts Award, for his debut feature, “Miss Baek,” will craft a more realistic portrayal of family issues. Ryu will play the role of former baseball player Jung-goo, who would do anything to protect his daughter. Ha will appear as once-famous celebrity Nam-mi who has fallen into obscurity. Revealing that it will be her most dramatic acting transformation, she said, “I loved every moment on the set. I will remember

Sep 28, 2021By Kwak Yeon-soo
Family drama 'Bigwang,' starring Ha Ji-won and Ryu Seung-ryong, wraps up filming
Entertainment

'Parasite' production house invests in new films, TV series

Kwak Sin-ae, CEO of Barunson E&A, which produced “Parasite” (2019) / Korea Times fileBy Kwak Yeon-sooBarunson E&A, the production company of “Parasite,” vowed to diversify its business portfolio by clinching deals with renowned directors and expanding into other business fields, in particular, producing and financing TV series that have become profitable due to a wider international audience. The company announced on Tuesday that it will collaborate with director Bong Joon-ho on his two additional Korean films. It previously produced Bong's films, including “Mother” (2009) and “Parasite” (2019). The “Parasite” producer also signed with director Kim Seong-hun, known for “Tunnel” (2016) “A Hard Day” (2014) as well as the Netflix series, “Kingdom,” (2019) to make content for OTT platforms. It also signed film projects with renowned directors Lee Yong-ju ― director of sci-fi blockbuster “Seobok” (2020) and romance film “Architecture 101” (2012) ― and Um Tae-hwa,

Sep 28, 2021By Kwak Yeon-soo
'Parasite' production house invests in new films, TV series
Films

'Deliver Us From Evil' director turns to small screen

Director Hong Won-chan / Courtesy of Hive Media Corp. By Kwak Yeon-sooWriter-director Hong Won-chan, who helmed the hard-boiled action film, “Deliver Us From Evil” (2020), is making his small screen debut with “Gangster” (working title), which will start filming next year. Set in the turbulent post-war years of the 1960s, when criminal groups vied for influence, the crime noir series follows the rise and fall, friendship and betrayal of young men who become mobsters. The film delves into the country's precarious justice system and how it falls apart through threats and bribery. It is the first time that Hong, known as the master of action noir films, turned his attention to a different platform. However, the crossover experiment is nothing new to filmmakers. Director Yeon Sang-ho, known for his previous works such as “Train to Busan” and “Peninsula,” directed the new Netflix original series, “Hellbound,” based on web comics. Another popular filmmaker, Hur Jin-ho, wh

Sep 27, 2021By Kwak Yeon-soo
'Deliver Us From Evil' director turns to small screen
Shows & Dramas

Upcoming K-dramas to feature strong female leads

Actress Ko Hyun-jung in a scene from JTBC's series, “Reflection of You” / Courtesy of JTBCBy Kwak Yeon-sooAs TV networks are getting better at producing series that portray female characters to be just as multifaceted as their male counterparts, the fall line-up for K-dramas are poised to tell stories revealing the complexity and nuance of a diverse range of women.Ko Hyun-jung is returning to the small screen with JTBC's “Reflection of You,” which will start airing Oct. 13. In the 16-part series, Ko portrays Hee-joo who grew up poor but became a successful painter and essayist. Despite her success, Hee-joo feels oddly empty and lonely until she meets Hae-won, a young woman that reminds her of her youthful self. Ko, known for playing ambitious and charismatic characters, was last seen in 2019 drama “My Lawyer, Mr. Joe 2: Crime and Punishment.” Jun Ji-hyun, whose Netflix series “Kingdom: Ashin of the North” released in July, will next be seen in tvN's upcoming drama “Jirisan” that will premiere on Oct. 23. Created by “Ki

Sep 27, 2021By Kwak Yeon-soo
Upcoming K-dramas to feature strong female leads
Films

Kim Seon-ho in talks to join cast of 'Dog Days'

Actor Kim Seon-ho / Courtesy of SALT EntertainmentBy Kwak Yeon-sooActor Kim Seon-ho is in talks to join the cast of “Dog Days,” an anthology film about people finding happiness from raising dogs. “Minari” actress Youn Yuh-jung, who won a Best Supporting Actress Oscar this year, and “Lost” actress Kim Yun-jin are set to star in the movie produced by JK Film, known for hit films such as “Haeundae” (2009) and “Ode to My Father” (2014)Once the casting is completed, the film will start shooting either in December or January of next year.Meanwhile, Kim has a busy schedule for 2022. He will make his big-screen debut with director Park Hoon-jung's new film, “Sad Tropics” (working title). The film revolves around a boy with a Korean father and a Filipina mother, who dreams of becoming a boxer.He will also star as the lead character in the romance flick, “Two O' Clock Date,” alongside Lim Yoon-a. It follows a romance between two apartment neighbors ― a woman with a huge secret and a man who lives on the floor a

Sep 27, 2021By Kwak Yeon-soo
Kim Seon-ho in talks to join cast of 'Dog Days'
Shows & Dramas

Netflix reveals original Korean series lineup including 'Hellbound,' 'Juvenile Justice'

Actress Han So-hee in a scene from the series, "My Name” / Courtesy of NetflixBy Kwak Yeon-sooNetflix shared its grand plans for the future at the “Tudum: Korea Spotlight” event, releasing a slew of trailers and clips for upcoming original Korean shows, including the much-anticipated “Hellbound” and “Juvenile Justice.”The streaming service's first-ever Tudum event for global fans introduced 10 pieces of exclusive Korean content. Actors Song Kang, who starred in Netflix's “Love Alarm” and “Sweet Home,” and Jung Hae-in from the military series “D.P.” also appeared during the show to share their special experiences in collaborating with Netflix.Hinting that he will star in a new Netflix project, Song said, “I like to play diverse roles but I'm interested in portraying nerdy characters.”“Paik's Spirit,” a Korean food show starring popular chef and eatery franchise owner, Paik Jong-won, will drop Oct. 1. The noir series “My Name,” about Yoon Ji-woo (Han So-hee) who joins a dru

Sep 26, 2021By Kwak Yeon-soo
Netflix reveals original Korean series lineup including 'Hellbound,' 'Juvenile Justice'
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