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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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Shows & Dramas

Kim Young-kwang to star in Netflix thriller 'Somebody'

Actors Kim Young-kwang, left, and Kang Hae-lim will star in Netflix's new series, "Somebody." Courtesy of Wide-S Company, FantagioBy Kwak Yeon-sooModel-turned-actor Kim Young-kwang and rookie actress Kang Hae-lim will star in Netflix's new thriller series, “Somebody.” Directed by Jung Ji-woo, well-known for his previous films, “Eungyo” (2012) and “Tune in For Love” (2019), the series follows the story of a gruesome murder surrounding a social media app called “Somebody.”Kim, who was last seen in the action film, “Mission Possible” (2020), will play the role of Yoon Oh, a seemingly apathetic architect whose identity is revealed slowly. Rookie actress Kang will appear as Seom, an app developer who feels more comfortable interacting with computers and machines than with humans. “I'm more excited than anxious to be participating in such a big project. I'm happy to be playing such an attractive character as Seom, and I'm currently already shooting for 'Somebody.' I've been working very hard on the project, so please look fo

Sep 23, 2021By Kwak Yeon-soo
Kim Young-kwang to star in Netflix thriller 'Somebody'
Films

Big-name auteurs, stars to attend 26th Busan film festival

From left, filmmakers Bong Joon-ho, Hamaguchi Ryusuke and Leos Carax will attend the 26th Busan International Film Festival. Courtesy of BIFF By Kwak Yeon-sooWith less than two weeks left until the scheduled start of the 26th Busan International Film Festival (BIFF), an impressive line-up of filmmakers and stars have confirmed their participation in the event. Organizers expect the film festival to return to normal as the film industry anticipates that it will be able to shake off the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.French auteur Leos Carax will visit Busan with his latest film, “Annette,” for the first time in nine years, since his last screening at the festival with “Holy Motors” (2012). “Annette,” which opened this year's Cannes Film Festival and won the best director award, has been selected to premiere in the Gala Presentation section at this year's BIFF. Carax will conduct a masterclass on filmmaking on Oct. 10.Japanese filmmaker Hamaguchi Ryusuke, who won th

Sep 23, 2021By Kwak Yeon-soo
Big-name auteurs, stars to attend 26th Busan film festival
Entertainment

'Uncanny Counter' actor returns to screen after bullying scandal

Actor Cho Byeong-kyu / Courtesy of HB EntertainmentBy Kwak Yeon-sooActor Cho Byeong-kyu will star in a new film titled, “Even If I Die, One More Time” (working title), seven months after becoming embroiled in a school bullying scandal.Cho's agency, HB Entertainment, confirmed that he will be playing the role of Jeon Woo-suk, a stunt performer who dreams of becoming an actor. The 40-year-old mysteriously regains his physical appearance as a high school student and earns another chance to chase his dream.After his breakout role in JTBC's 2018 hit series, “Sky Castle,” Cho shot to fame after appearing in OCN's series, “The Uncanny Counter” (2020-2021). However, he halted all his activities after being mired in a controversy concerning claims that he committed violence against another student while in school.In February, a person who claimed to be his high school classmate, accused Cho of bullying him while they were attending Westlake Boys High School in New Zealand. The 25-year-old actor was faced with similar bullying accusations in 2018, when an un

Sep 17, 2021By Kwak Yeon-soo
'Uncanny Counter' actor returns to screen after bullying scandal
Entertainment

INTERVIEW Kim Mu-yeol on playing a voice phishing villain in 'On the Line'

Actor Kim Mu-yeol / Courtesy of CJ ENM By Kwak Yeon-sooAs an actor, Kim Mu-yeol tries to make the villain as well-rounded and as likeable as possible. However, his latest efforts failed, as his character in “On the Line” is among the most evil villains he has played so far.In the film, Kim plays Mr. Kwak, the mastermind behind a massive criminal gang that runs a voice phishing team in China. He boasts extraordinary charisma that makes him look like a leader of a cult. He confronts Han Seo-joon (Byun Yo-han), a voice phishing victim who comes to China to take revenge against his crime ring, and tries to get rid of him.“Normally I try to locate something that draws sympathy with and displays the humanity in each of my characters, even if he is a villain or an antagonist. But I could hardly relate to my character in 'On the Line.' He is the type of person I hate the most. So I relied on my imagination to craft the character,” he said during a recent interview with The

Sep 17, 2021By Kwak Yeon-soo
[INTERVIEW] Kim Mu-yeol on playing a voice phishing villain in 'On the Line'
Films

INTERVIEW 'The Bad Man' zooms in on child soldier in Myanmar

A scene from the film, “The Bad Man” / Courtesy of Lee Yong ChaoBy Kwak Yeon-sooMyanmar has one of the world's longest-running civil wars and is estimated to have one of the largest numbers of child soldiers in the world. The Kachin Independence Army (KIA), a non-state armed group most vehemently opposed to the ruling military junta, is infamous for forcibly recruiting children to serve in the armed forces. Director Lee Yong Chao's documentary, “The Bad Man,” examines the aftermath of Myanmar's decades-long civil war and how it shaped the life of a boy, who was taken by the KIA while working at a gold mine. Making 30 dollars a month, the protagonist, whose name is not given in the film, was raised to be a killing machine. It was after losing his leg to a landmine that he came back to his senses and felt responsible for the atrocities. Realizing his mistakes, he enters a rehabilitation center to wipe out traumatic memories and become a pastor. Director Lee, who was born in Myanmar and educated in Taiwan, said making his latest documentary was the most painful e

Sep 16, 2021By Kwak Yeon-soo
[INTERVIEW] 'The Bad Man' zooms in on child soldier in Myanmar
Films

Han Sun-hwa feels more relaxed after quitting K-pop girl group

Singer-turned-actress Han Sun-hwa / Courtesy of Cine SopaHan Sun-hwa has her first lead movie role in 'Cinema Street'By Kwak Yeon-sooAs a K-pop singer, Han Sun-hwa didn't love every facet of her job. She lived with a high amount of anxiety and struggled with the lifestyle that came with being famous. She couldn't even enjoy a cup of coffee with her friends because she felt guilty about taking time off from work. After working ceaselessly for seven years ― from the time she shot to fame in girl group Secret in 2009, until she left the group to pursue acting in 2016 ― she was exhausted, both physically and mentally.“As a member of the girl group, I was always so busy. I didn't have any time for relationships. There was no time to step back and ask myself, 'How do I actually feel?' I was too hard on myself, believing that my skills would deteriorate if I were to take a break. My biggest fear, at that time, was falling behind my competitors,” she said during a recent Zoom interview with The Korea Times.Luckily, the singer-turned-actress learned how to take steps to care herse

Sep 15, 2021By Kwak Yeon-soo
Han Sun-hwa feels more relaxed after quitting K-pop girl group
Films

From '007' to 'Dune,' Hollywood films to dominate Korean cinemas this fall

A poster for “007 No Time to Die,” “Venom 2: Let There Be Carnage” / Courtesy of Universal Pictures, Sony PicturesBy Kwak Yeon-sooUnlike last fall, when movie fans had fewer options to satisfy their cinematic cravings, 2021 is packed with huge Hollywood titles. Marvel's “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings” kicked off the fall movie season, dominating the local box office with the cumulative number of tickets sold at over 1 million. From the new James Bond flick “No Time to Die” to another “Venom” installment and the long-awaited Denis Villeneuve sci-fi epic, “Dune,” there is plenty for cinephiles to enjoy after Korea's Chuseok holidays this month until Christmas.“007 No Time to Die,” which marks Daniel Craig's last performance as the iconic MI6 secret agent, will open in Korea on Sept. 29, one day before its release in the U.K. The U.S. will have its premiere on Oct. 8. The film revolves around British secret agent James Bond (Craig), who comes out of retirement and teams up with the new 007 (L

Sep 12, 2021By Kwak Yeon-soo
From '007' to 'Dune,' Hollywood films to dominate Korean cinemas this fall
Films

13th DMZ documentary film festival kicks off in hybrid format

The poster for the 13th DMZ International Documentary Film Festival / Courtesy of the DMZ International Film FestivalBy Kwak Yeon-sooThe DMZ International Documentary Film Festival kicked off Thursday with a variety of physical and digital film screenings despite the country currently suffering its fourth wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.The 13th annual festival, which runs until Sept. 16, features 126 documentaries from 39 countries in its official selection. The documentaries will be screened at the Megabox Baekseok branch in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province.Along with in-person screenings, the film festival has created the streaming platform, VoDA, where it will offer an abundance of digital screenings (52 feature-length documentaries and 26 shorts) for the public to view online. Although there will be fewer guests, as the majority of guests from overseas are unable to attend the event, several celebrities are expected to make an appearance, including veteran television host Song Hae, “Parasite” music director Jung Jae-il, actress Ye Ji-won and singer-songwriter Sunwoo Jung-a.Th

Sep 9, 2021By Kwak Yeon-soo
13th DMZ documentary film festival kicks off in hybrid format
Films

Screening of controversial Chinese film about Korean War canceled

A scene from the film, “The Sacrifice” / Korea Times fileBy Kwak Yeon-sooA screening of a Chinese film about the 1950-53 Korean War has been canceled in Korea after facing an enormous backlash from Koreans. The film is accused of glorifying the Chinese troops that fought against South Korea and killed numerous Koreans and U.N. soldiers. “The Sacrifice” revolves around the Battle of Kumsong, the final battle between the Chinese People's Volunteer (CPV) Army and the U.N. Command before the signing of the Korean Armistice Agreement in 1953. It depicts China's victory and the deaths of thousands of South Korean soldiers. The movie drew media attention when the Korea Media Rating Board (KMRB) classified “The Sacrifice” as intended for audiences 15 and older last month. The film was aimed at the internet protocol TV (IPTV) platform, not for cinema release.The KMRB came under fire for giving the controversial movie the green light to be broadcast here. “Withholding or refusing classification due to the content or theme of the video is an act of pre-

Sep 9, 2021By Kwak Yeon-soo
Screening of controversial Chinese film about Korean War canceled
  • Chinese Embassy in Seoul denies campaign against K-pop stars
Films

INTERVIEW Park Jeong-min feels 'lucky' to have good career

Actor Park Jeong-min / Courtesy of Lotte EntertainmentBy Kwak Yeon-sooPark Jeong-min says it feels like a “miracle” that he's finally become a movie star from being an unknown. When he decided to drop out of prestigious Korea University to attend Korea National University of Arts in Seoul, many ― including his parents ― were skeptical of whether he would succeed as an actor.“During the early days of my career, I wasn't able to get any guidance. All I heard were discouraging words like, 'You're not cut out for the movies.' But I always believed that even if I don't have talent, I should at least do the thing I truly enjoy,” he said during an interview with The Korea Times via Zoom, Tuesday. His first opportunity came in 2011 when he made his major film debut with “Bleak Night.” Since then, Park has created memorable characters in a series of films that includes: the historical drama, “Dongju: The Portrait of a Poet,” (2016) the comedy, “Start-up,” (2019) and the hard-boiled action film, “Deliver us from Evil” (202

Sep 8, 2021By Kwak Yeon-soo
[INTERVIEW] Park Jeong-min feels 'lucky' to have good career
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