'Avatar 2' becomes 2nd-highest-grossing movie in S. Korea Posters for "Avatar: The Way of Water" hang in a movie theater in Seoul, Dec. 28, 2022. Yonhap"Avatar: The Way of Water" has become the second-highest-grossing movie of all time in South Korea, overtaking "The Admiral: Roaring Currents," the Walt Disney Company Korea said Monday. The sequel to James Cameron's 2009 sci-fi flick "Avatar" has raked in 136.1 billion won (US$106 million) in Asia's fourth-biggest economy since its release on Dec. 14, according to the data from the Korean Film Council."The Admiral: Roaring Currents" posted 135.7 billion won in sales. "Extreme Job" maintains its leading status with sales of 139.6 billion won. The original "Avatar" posted 128.4 billion won in domestic ticket sales in 2009 and still remains the most-viewed foreign movie released here in terms of the audience number with 13.6 million admissions.The Avatar sequel had marked 10.67 million admissions as of Monday after topping 10 million admissions on Jan. 24. In the country with a population of some 50 million, films that sell more than 10 million tickets are considered huge successes. (Yonhap)Feb 13, 2023
INTERVIEW Yoon Si-yoon attributes success to good-natured roles Actor Yoon Si-yoon / Courtesy of Contents ZoneBy Kwak Yeon-sooActor Yoon Si-yoon got incredibly lucky when he debuted in MBC's hit sitcom “Hick Kick through the Roof” (2009). He subsequently landed lead roles in TV series such as “Bread, Love and Dreams” (2010) and “Psychopath Diary” (2019) as well as films like “A Birth” (2022). Yoon credits his career boom to the good-natured roles that have been made available to him.“I was lucky. Because many of my memorable roles are of naive, good-natured guys, people often associate me with that same persona,” he said during a recent interview with The Korea Times. “For me, personally, it's exactly what I would have hoped for. But I'm afraid of being typecast as the good guy because it hinders me from playing more diverse roles.”With a filmography that encompasses comedy, horror, drama, and adventure, Yoon isn't bound to any role or genre. He expressed his desire to keep jumping into empathetic and interesting stories.“I want to do films or TV series that can resonatFeb 12, 2023By Kwak Yeon-soo
Bae Doona borrows her character's words to speak out on social issues Actress Bae Doona / Courtesy of Twinplus PartnersBy Kwak Yeon-sooBae Doona said the thriller drama film “Next Sohee” is an emotional tribute to victims of institutional abuse.Inspired by a real-life event, the film revolves around Sohee (Kim Si-eun), a high school student who starts job training at a call center. Sohee cannot bear the highly stressful work culture, which leads to her suicide. Detective Oh Yu-jin (Bae) starts to follow the traces to reveal the truth behind Sohee's death. The film accuses the company and school of negligence. “There are still many Sohees out there who are barely clinging to life after societal exploitation,” she said during a recent interview with The Korea Times. “I want to say to those who are hanging in there: 'thank you for not giving up and holding on.'”“When I was in my 20s, life seemed vague at times. I could have been happy, but I was not. I want people who are going through tough times to feel less pain. I just hope for a better world for young people. The social issues that involve children or adolescFeb 9, 2023By Kwak Yeon-soo
Director Hong Sang-soo to attend Berlin film festival with actor Kim Min-hee Korean director and screenwriter Hong Sang-soo, left, and Korean actress Kim Min-hee pose on the red carpet with their Silver Bear for Grand Jury for the film 'So-seol-ga-ui Yeong-hwa' (The Novelist) after the Awards Ceremony of the 72nd annual Berlin International Film Festival (Berlinale) in Berlin, Germany, in this Feb. 16, 2022 file photo. EPA-YonhapKorean director Hong Sang-soo will attend the 73rd Berlin International Film Festival later this month together with actor Kim Min-hee to promote their new film, "In Water," his production company said Tuesday.Hong will stay for a week in Paris from Feb. 13 to attend his retrospective at the Cinematheque Francaise and move to Berlin to Feb. 19 to attend the Berlinale, which runs from Feb. 16-26, an official at Jeonwonsa Film said. Kim, a Korean actor widely known as his lover and production manager of the film, will accompany him during the trip, according to production officials.Hong's 29th feature film, "In Water," has been invited to the festival's Encounters selection, which introduces documentaries and fiction works that are out Feb 7, 2023
Director Jung Joo-ri sheds light on labor exploitation in 'Next Sohee' Jung Joo-ri, also known as July Jung, director of Korean film "Next Sohee," is seen in this photo provided by production company Twin Plus Partners. YonhapJung Joo-ri, director of Korean film "Next Sohee," said Monday she was struck by a tragic incident of a high school girl's death amid her assignment to a call center and wanted to focus on what pushed her into a dead end.The film follows Kim So-hee (Kim Si-eun), a vocational high school student who works at an internet service provider's call center as part of a job training program and grapples with the harsh work environment.The teenage girl growingly feels alienated at work and takes her own life months after the job training. In the two-part story, police official Oh Yoo-jin (Bae Doona) tries to get to the bottom of her death and uncovers that uncomfortable truth behind the company and school. Although the film was based on a 2016 incident, the director, also known as July Jung, thought the story was worth telling because problems related to vocational schools' job training programs still remain. Jung unfolds the story from a lFeb 6, 2023
Kim Da-mi, Jeon So-nee team up for coming-of-age film 'Soulmate' From left, actors Kim Da-mi, Jeon So-nee and Byeon Woo-seok pose during a press conference for the film, "Soulmate" in Seoul, Friday. Courtesy of NEW By Kwak Yeon-sooActors Kim Da-mi and Jeon So-nee said they became best friends in real life after the duo starred in the coming-of-age film “Soulmate.”Adapted from the Chinese film of the same title, “Soulmate” centers on the lives of two friends. One is Mi-so (Kim), a free-spirited girl who wishes to travel the world after graduating from high school. The other is Ha-eun (Jeon) who is afraid of heights and a meticulous painter. Despite their differences, the two have been best friends since 1998. Then a handsome boy named Jin-woo (Byeon Woo-seok) turns up and complicates their friendship. The film then takes a unique turn, following not romance but female friendship.The next decade of Mi-so and Ha-eun's lives is traced. They take different routes after graduating from school. No longer bound together, they begin to miFeb 3, 2023By Kwak Yeon-soo
'Ant-Man 3' promises bigger, better action with same family dynamic: cast Actors Paul Rudd, right, and Jonathan Majors pose during an online press conference for the film, "Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania." Courtesy of Walt Disney Company KoreaBy Kwak Yeon-sooTime travel is a common staple of Marvel movies. The upcoming “Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania” will introduce many new Quantum Realm settings and a new villain who is capable of traveling through the multiverse.Directed by Peyton Reed, “Ant-Man 3” follows the story of Scott Lang (Paul Rudd), also known as Ant-Man, who is transported to the Quantum Realm, along with Cassie (Kathryn Newton), Wasp (Evangeline Lilly), Janet van Dyne (Michelle Pfeiffer) and Hank Pym (Michael Douglas). While struggling to escape the Quantum Realm, they face off against a villain called Kang the Conqueror (Jonathan Majors).Rudd, the star of the Ant-Man franchise, talked about what makes his size-shifting character stand out from other Marvel heroes. “One of the things I love about my character is that he is a regular person who doesn't have innate superpowers. He's a dad. From the first AntFeb 3, 2023By Kwak Yeon-soo
Japanese comic series 'Slam Dunk' enjoys resurgence on back of animated film Japanese comic book "Slam Dunk" is displayed at a book store in downtown Seoul, Feb. 1. YonhapThe Japanese basketball comic series "Slam Dunk" has seen a huge resurgence in sales in Korea, boosted by the popularity of its animated film adaptation.About 600,000 copies of the repackaged version of the comic series have been sold since Jan. 4, when the animated film, "The First Slam Dunk," hit local screens, according to publishing company Daiwon C.I. The 20-book series was published in 2018 by shortening an earlier edition composed of 31 volumes. Takehiko Inoue wrote the comic series, which ran from 1990 to 1996, and took helm of the animated film.A scene from Japanese animated film "The First Slam Dunk" is seen in this photo provided by its local distributor, NEW. YonhapThe publisher expected the number of copies to reach about 1 million in early March, considering the additional copies it is currently printing to meet the growing demand. Behind the recent boom of the comic series is the animated film, which has drawn old fans and younger readers with an engrossing story about an undeFeb 1, 2023
Cute canine film 'My Heart Puppy' reunites Yoo Yeon-seok, Cha Tae-hyun Actors Cha Tae-hyun, left, and Yoo Yeon-seok in a scene from the film “My Heart Puppy” / Courtesy of Kidari StudioBy Kwak Yeon-sooActors Yoo Yeon-seok and Cha Tae-hyun are reuniting for a cute canine road film “My Heart Puppy,” 15 years after co-starring in MBC's drama ”General Hospital 2.” “My Heart Puppy” follows the story of avid dog lover Min-soo (Yoo) who lives with his golden retriever named Rooney and faces an unexpected crisis when his soon-to-be-fiancee says she is allergic to dogs. Min-soo's cousin Jin-guk (Cha) suggests that he should find a new caregiver for his beloved dog. The two embark on a journey to meet a new caregiver but end up unintentionally adopting more pets of their own. Director Kim Joo-hwan, known for his 2017 action comedy “Midnight Runners,” said the film was inspired by his own experience of separation from his childhood dog.“I was so caught up with work that I wasn't there when my dog Rooney died. I felt so much guilt over it that I decided to make a film about it. I wanted to say that fJan 31, 2023By Kwak Yeon-soo
'Count' reminds actor Jin Sun-kyu of personal experience From left, actors Go Chang-suk, Oh Na-ra, Sung Yoo-bin, Jang Dong-ju and Jin Sun-kyu pose during a press conference for the film “Count” in Seoul, Monday. Courtesy of CJ ENM By Kwak Yeon-sooJin Sun-kyu, who toiled in obscurity for 13 years before his breakthrough as a villain in the 2017 film “The Outlaws,” is set to play his first lead role in a feature film titled “Count.” The film tells the story of former Olympic boxing gold medalist-turned-school teacher Si-heon who lives in Jinhae, South Gyeongsang Province, and inspires his rebellious students through boxing. It is a story about family, friendship and most of all, making the most out of life.Jin revealed that the script felt like it was written specifically for him.“When I read the script, I thought it was written for me. My hometown is Jinhae and my childhood dream was to be a physical education teacher. I love boxing and movie themes about hope, family and friendship. After reading it, I begged director KwoJan 30, 2023By Kwak Yeon-soo
