IU says she was excited to share screen with Park Seo-joon in 'Dream' From left, actors Park Seo-joon, IU and director Lee Byeong-heon pose during a press conference for the film, “Dream” in Seoul, Thursday. YonhapBy Kwak Yeon-sooSinger-actress IU expressed how excited she was to be paired with Park Seo-joon for her first major movie role in the sports drama film “Dream,” which they filmed three years ago.Directed by Lee Byeong-heon, whose 2019 comedy film “Extreme Job” surpassed the 10 million viewers mark, it tells the story of a football coach training a team of homeless people to compete in the Homeless World Cup.In the film, IU plays the role of a TV director who wants to make a documentary on Korea's first homeless football team. “After playing serious roles in drama series, I wanted to take on lighter roles,” she said during a press conference for the film, Thursday. “I actually shot 'Dream' earlier than 'Broker.' This film took so long to finally hit the big screen.” The budding actress joins Park Seo-joon, who portrays a former football player who became a coach after his retirement.PMar 30, 2023By Kwak Yeon-soo
INTERVIEW Ahn Jae-hong on playing underdog basketball coach in 'Rebound' Actor Ahn Jae-hong / Courtesy of Barunson E&ABy Kwak Yeon-sooActor Ahn Jae-hong said “Rebound” is a feel-good sports movie that reminds viewers to cherish every moment in life. Based on the true story of JungAng High School basketball team in 2012, the drama follows Ahn who takes on the role of enthusiastic basketball coach Kang Yang-hyun (Ahn Jae-hong), trying to rally a struggling basketball team.Under Kang's guidance, undersized and under-skilled players defy the odds and naysayers to rise to the finals of the national high school basketball league.“I think today's generation doesn't appreciate the present moment so much. Many sacrifice the present for the future. Our movie conveys a message of 'Let's cherish the moment,'” he said during an interview with The Korea Times, Wednesday. To capture the spirit of his real-life counterpart, Ahn studied the coach's mannerisms; the way he moved and talked. He even gained 10 kilograms in a week to fully embody the character.“I wanted to look and sound like coach Kang, so I watched every video of his interviMar 29, 2023By Kwak Yeon-soo
Will April releases revive Korean cinema? Films to look out for in April A scene from the film "Dream" / Courtesy of Plus M EntertainmentBy Kwak Yeon-sooKorean cinema is lagging behind Hollywood and Japanese titles which have continued high records at the local box office in the first quarter of 2023. The number one and two films in February were Japanese anime “The First Slam Dunk” and Marvel superhero film “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania.” They racked up ticket sales while homegrown films failed to break even.According to the Korean Film Council's (KOFIC) monthly report on the local film industry, Korean films accounted for 19.8 percent of total box office sales last month at 13.4 billion won ($10.3 million). That is the lowest level since KOFIC started compiling data in 2004. By contrast, foreign films posted stronger performances, posting 55.6 million won in sales.One notable factor in the poor Korean score was the lack of hit films, along with changing audience tastes, fragmentation in viewership between theaters and streaming services and expensive ticket prices. Much anticipated films like “The Point Men” and Mar 27, 2023By Kwak Yeon-soo
Lee Sun-kyun, Lee Ha-nee reunite in new rom-com 'Killing Romance' A scene from the film, "Killing Romance" / Courtesy of Lotte EntertainmentBy Kwak Yeon-sooActors Lee Sun-kyun and Lee Ha-nee are reuniting in the upcoming film, “Killing Romance,” 13 years after starring together in hit TV series “Pasta.” The comedy film is directed by Lee Won-suk, who helmed the 2013 romantic comedy, “How to Use Guys with Secret Tips.” The script was penned by “The Beauty Inside” (2015) writer Park Jeong-ye. The story follows a retired actress named Yeo-rae who marries a chaebol family member named Jonathan (Lee Sun-kyun) and meets her avid fan Beon-woo (Gong Myung) who lives next door to her. Lee Ha-nee said, “Killing Romance” captures something never seen before in a Korean film. It has a bit of every genre in it, including drama, comedy, romance and thriller, she added.“This film is so unusual and unique in a way that takes viewers on a hilarious journey,” she said during a press conference for the film, Friday. “For the first time, I had to look beautiful on screen because Yeo-rae is aMar 26, 2023By Kwak Yeon-soo
Jeon Jong-seo discusses her first Hollywood role in 'Mona Lisa and Blood Moon' A scene from the film, "Mona Lisa and the Blood Moon" / Courtesy of Pan CinemaBy Kwak Yeon-sooJeon Jong-seo said she found it liberating to play Mona Lisa Lee in her Hollywood debut feature “Mona Lisa and the Blood Moon.”The sci-fi thriller film follows a mysterious woman named Mona Lisa Lee (Jeon) with supernatural abilities, who escapes from a closed psychiatric ward and makes her way to the streets of New Orleans. Once out in the world, she befriends Bonnie Hunt (Kate Hudson), a local stripper and single mother.“It was liberating to star alongside Hollywood actors. Because music plays an important role in our movie, there was always a big speaker on set playing punk music. We were all in a festive mood,” she said in a written interview released by distributor Pan Cinema, Wednesday.Her audition process was rigorous, with Jeon going a week without sleep to prepare for the audition.“I submitted an audition tape and was cast without any in-person meeting. I had to join the cast right after I finished filming 'The Call,' so there was a lot of anxiousness. Mar 22, 2023By Kwak Yeon-soo
'Kill Boksoon' star Jeon Do-yeon talks about why she signed up without reading script From left, actors Seol Kyung-gu, E Som, Jeon Do-yeon, Kim Sia and Koo Kyo-hwan pose during a press conference for the film, "Kill Boksoon," held at the Grand InterContinental Seoul, Tuesday. Courtesy of NetflixBy Kwak Yeon-sooBefore she even got her hands on the script for "Kill Boksoon," Jeon Do-yeon said she had already committed to the Netflix film. Eager to take on different roles and different genres, she agreed to be the co-lead with Seol Kyung-gu. “Kill Boksoon” marks their third collaboration following “I Wish I had a Wife” (2001) and “Birthday” (2019).“I've always wanted to do action movies, so I was intrigued by director Byun Sung-hyun's proposal. But I didn't really know about the specifics of the movie because the script wasn't ready,” she said during a press conference for the film, Tuesday. “After reading the script, I got scared because the action and fight scenes were more intense than I expected.”Director Byun, a self-proclaimed fan of Jeon, admitted that he offered her the role of a professional killer becaMar 21, 2023By Kwak Yeon-soo
Japanese animation 'Suzume' tops 2 mil. admissions in Korea A scene from the Japanese animated film "Suzume" is seen in this photo. Courtesy of Media CastleThe Japanese animated film "Suzume" has garnered over 2 million admissions in the first 13 days of its release in Korea, its local distributor said Tuesday. Japanese director Makoto Shinkai's latest animation surpassed 2 million admissions at around 6:30 p.m. Monday, Media Castle said. It became the second movie released this year that has exceeded the 2-million mark following another Japanese animation, "The First Slam Dunk.""Suzume" has stayed on top of the local box office since it hit local theaters on March 8.It is an adventure road story where a 17-year-old girl named Suzume helps a mysterious young man close magical doors that are releasing disasters all over Japan. (Yonhap)Mar 21, 2023
Park Sung-woong talks about filming 'Woong Nam' with comedian-turned-director Actor Park Sung-woong / Courtesy of CJ CGVBy Kwak Yeon-sooActor Park Sung-woong is well-known for taking roles that are outside of his comfort zone. While most people know him for the 2013 crime thriller, “New World,” Park has appeared in many other noteworthy films such as “Inside Me” (2019), “OK! Madam” (2020) and “Gentleman” (2022).He is also one of the A-list stars who frequently collaborates with first-time filmmakers. Last year, he starred in Lee Han-jong's feature directorial debut “Daemuga.” Park's latest “Woong Nam” is directed by Park Sung-kwang, who is well-known as a comedian. His next project is actor Jung Woo-sung's directorial debut, “A Man of Reason.”In the comedy film, “Woong Nam,” the actor plays the dual role of bear-turned-superhuman Woong-nam and his twin brother Woong-bok who were separated at birth. Woong-nam, raised by his loving stepparents, serves as a police officer, while Woong-bok becomes the second-in-command of a criminal gang. One day, Woong-nam becomes invoMar 20, 2023By Kwak Yeon-soo
Japanese animations rank high at Korean box office A scene from the Japanese animation "Suzume" is seen in this photo provided by its local distributor, Media Castle. YonhapThree Japanese animations were among the top five films on the weekend box-office chart in Korea, industry data showed Monday, proving their unwavering popularity among local audiences.The Japanese animation "Suzume" posted 712,473 admissions from Friday to Sunday to top the box office for the second consecutive week, according to the data compiled by the Korean Film Council (KOFIC). Director Makoto Shinkai's latest film, which is centered on a high school girl and a mysterious young man trying to prevent a series of disasters across Japan, has drawn an accumulated 1.95 million viewers since its release March 9.The Japanese basketball animation "The First Slam Dunk" ranked second with 107,519 admissions over the three-day period. Directed by the original manga writer Takehiko Inoue, the movie has become a cultural phenomenon with its unprecedented streak of box-office hits for a Japanese animation with its captivating story of an undefeated spirit and nostalgia foMar 20, 2023
Film highlights discrimination against Chosun schools in Japan A scene from the film, "Discrimination" / Courtesy of D.O. CinemaBy Kwak Yeon-sooIn 2010, the Japanese government waived high school tuition fees to reduce the burden of household education costs. However, 10 Chosun schools, providers of education for ethnic Koreans in Japan, were excluded from tuition exemptions because of their association with North Korea.The government cited the connection between Chosun schools and Chongryun, a pro-North Korean organization in Japan, as the reason for exclusion. There are roughly 70 Chosun schools in Japan that were founded in the 1940s by ethnic Koreans who came to the country to work in mines and factories. The schools were built and financially supported by the North Korean regime. The documentary film “Discrimination” traces two years of legal battles between Chosun schools in Nagoya, Osaka, Hiroshima and Kita-Kyushu in Fukuoka Prefecture and the Japanese government ― from Osaka District Court's first trial ruling to approve the eligibility of Osaka Korean High School in July 2017 to the Supreme Court's ruling in favor on the govMar 17, 2023By Kwak Yeon-soo
