'Top Gun: Maverick' soars to over 1 million views in Korea Tom Cruise flies a fighter jet in a scene from “Top Gun: Maverick.” Courtesy of Lotte EntertainmentBy Kim RahnTom Cruise's latest blockbuster “Top Gun: Maverick” has drawn more than 1 million viewers in four days since its release in Korea. According to the ticket sales compiled by the Korean Film Council, the Hollywood movie attracted some 472,000 filmgoers on Saturday, with the accumulated number of moviegoers since the release on June 22 standing at over 1.08 million.Another 220,000 tickets were also booked for Sunday's screenings, according to the council.The film has topped the box office ranking every day since its release. The pace of the ticket sales is similar to that of “Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol” (2011), which attracted the largest audience for a Tom Cruise film in Korea, some 7.57 million in total.“Top Gun: Maverick” is the sequel to the 1986 film “Top Gun.” Legendary pilot Pete “Maverick” Mitchell (Cruise) is called back to the naval flight academy to train young pilots and prepare them for Jun 26, 2022By Kim Rahn
Sci-fi fantasy film 'Alienoid' brings director's childhood imagination to screen Actor Kim Woo-bin, center, speaks during a press conference for the film “Alienoid” at Conrad Seoul Hotel, Thursday. On the left is actress Kim Tae-ri and on the right is actor Ryu Jun-yeol. Yonhap By Kwak Yeon-sooDirector Choi Dong-hoon, who is returning to movie theaters this summer with the release of “Alienoid,” explained that his latest project is about bringing his childhood imagination into reality. “As a child, I was always fascinated by aliens. I thought it would be interesting to infuse cultural elements of Korean folklore with sci-fi and fantasy stories about aliens. Overall, it's an action-adventure film,” he said during a press conference for the film at the Conrad Seoul Hotel, Thursday.Choi, whose previous films “The Thieves” (2012) and “Assassination” (2015) each attracted over 10 million domestic viewers, recalled that it took him two and a half years to finish the script for “Alienoid” and its sequel, which were created together. The pre-production Jun 23, 2022By Kwak Yeon-soo
INTERVIEW Jung Eun-hye, artist and actor with Down's syndrome, paves own path Caricature artist and actor Jung Eun-hye, right, poses with her mother Jang Cha Hyun-sil, center, and stepfather Seo Dong-il. Courtesy of Jin Jin Pictures'Our Blues' actor to hold caricature exhibition By Kwak Yeon-sooJung Eun-hye, a caricature artist who got her big break as an actor playing a character with Down's syndrome who has a talent for drawing, said she was excited to star alongside Han Ji-min and Kim Woo-bin in the recent tvN drama “Our Blues.” “Young-hee (Jung's character) was like a real projection of myself. Screenwriter Noh Hee-kyung and I met up a few times, and she took inspiration from me when creating the character,” she said during a recent interview with The Korea Times at a cafe in Seoul. Following her appearance in the TV series, Jung has been receiving a lot of attention. Her YouTube channel has more than 50,000 subscribers who enjoy her artwork and outgoing personality.Because her role was kept a secret during the filming of “Our Blues,” a documentary film that shows how Jung goes about her daily routine and connects to socJun 21, 2022By Kwak Yeon-soo
Netflix to make crime film 'Believer' sequel From left, actors Cho Jin-woong, Cha Seung-won, and Han Hyo-joo will star in Netflix's crime film, "Believer 2."By Lee Gyu-leeThe sequel to the crime action film, “Believer,” which was released in 2018, will be made into a Netflix original film, the streaming platform announced Monday. Netflix also revealed the cast members for its upcoming film, which include actors from the first series, Cho Jin-woong and Cha Seung-won, as well as the new ones, Han Hyo-joo and Oh Seung-hoon.“Believer” revolves around a detective, Won-ho (Cho), who is determined to bring down the unseen kingpin of a drug cartel, nicknamed Teacher Lee, who runs Asia's biggest drug ring. With the help of revenge-thirsty, low-level drug dealer Rak (Ryu Jun-Yeol), Won-ho meets the vicious Korean Chinese drug boss (Kim Joo-hyuk) and ambitious member of the cartel, Brian (Cha), who leads him to clues that help him find the drug lord. The first film sold over 5.2 million tickets after hitting local theaters. The sequel will pick up on the story after the bloody, violent fight at the end of the firstJun 21, 2022By Lee Gyu-lee
Paul Haggis held at hotel ahead of Italian hearing in sex case In this file photo taken on October 16, 2015 Canadian film director Paul Haggis poses on the red carpet during the Rome Film Festival in Rome. - Oscar-winning Canadian director Paul Haggis was arrested in southern Italy on suspicion of aggravated sexual assault, Italian news agencies reported on June 19, 2022, citing local prosecutors. AFP-YonhapFilm director Paul Haggis was being held in a hotel room in southern Italy on Monday pending a court hearing while prosecutors press their investigation of a woman's allegations he had sex with her without her consent over the course of two days.Prosecutors in Brindisi, a port town in Puglia, the region that forms the ``heel'' of southeastern Italy, announced on Sunday that police had detained the 69-year-old Canadian-born director, screenwriter and producer for investigation of alleged aggravated sexual violence and aggravated personal injuries.They described the alleged victim as a ``young foreign woman.'' State TV and other Italian media said she is a 30-year-old Englishwoman who had known Haggis before he came to the tourist town of OstunJun 20, 2022
Tom Cruise 'very excited' to be back in Korea for 'Top Gun: Maverick' From left, actors Jay Ellis, Miles Teller and Tom Cruise, producer Jerry Bruckheimer, actors Glen Powell and Greg Tarzan Davis pose during the press conference for the action blockbuster film, “Top Gun: Maverick,” at Lotte Hotel World in southeastern Seoul, Monday. YonhapBy Lee Gyu-leeTom Cruise made his 10th visit to Korea to promote his latest movie, “Top Gun: Maverick,” with the film's co-stars, enjoying the red carpet event and the local premiere over the weekend.“It's been four years since I've been here. And I could just feel the energy. We were all connecting again and adding a level of joy … I felt very excited (to meet fans in Korea) and I also felt that from the crowd,” the star said during a press conference at Lotte Hotel World in Songpa District, Seoul, Monday. He came with actors Miles Teller, Glen Powell, Jay Ellis and Greg Tarzan Davis, and the film's producer, Jerry Bruckheimer.“(Korea has) such a beautiful culture. It's such a privilege to be here. Last night, all of us sat through the premiere and watched the film &hJun 20, 2022By Lee Gyu-lee
'Emergency Declaration' cast aims to fly high at summer box office From left, actors Song Kang-ho, Lee Byung-hun, Jeon Do-yeon, Kim Nam-gil and Im Si-wan attend a press conference for the film, “Emergency Declaration,” at Westin Chosun Seoul hotel in central Seoul, Monday. YonhapBy Kwak Yeon-soo“Emergency Declaration,” which premiered out of competition at the 2021 Cannes Film Festival, is finally set to land in theaters in August and the cast promised the film will not disappoint. The disaster film stars Lee Byung-hun as a man trapped in an airplane with his daughter while a terrorist threatens to release a deadly virus. As tensions rise onboard the plane, the government launches an operation to protect the passengers. Song Kang-ho, who won the Best Actor award at this year's Cannes for “Broker,” plays a detective who tries to stop the attack, while Jeon Do-yeon stars as the transport minister who discovers what the virus is and fears what might happen when the plane lands.Director Han Jae-rim explained that he came up with the concept of a terrorist threat against a plane 10 years ago. “There was a productJun 20, 2022By Kwak Yeon-soo
'Chun Tae-il,' 'Persona' win at Annecy animation film festival A scene from Korean animated film, “Chun Tae-il: A Flame That Lives On” / Captured from Annecy International Animation Film Festival websiteTwo Korean animated films, "Chun Tae-il: A Flame That Lives On" and "Persona," have won awards at this year's Annecy International Animation Film Festival.According to the winner's list Monday (KST), "Chun Tae-il," a biopic on the Korean workers' rights activist directed by Hong Jun-pyo, received the Contrechamp Jury Distinction prize at the 46th edition of the festival that kicked off June 13 and ran through Saturday.The 109-minute feature was competing with nine other animations in the Contrechamp section, which was inaugurated in 2018 to showcase unique full-length films.In the 2020 edition, Korean director Ahn Jae-huun's animated film "The Shaman Sorceress" won the same prize.A scene from Korean animated film, “Persona” / Captured from Annecy International Animation Film Festival websiteIn the Graduation Short section, "Persona," directed by Moon Su-jin, won the top prize of Cristal for a Graduation Film.The six-minuteJun 20, 2022
Film fest sheds light on new aesthetics of Argentine films A scene from Argentine film “Karnawal,” which revolves around a teenager who has a passion for Malambo, the national dance of Argentina. Courtesy of Bikini FilmsBy Kwon Mee-yooOn the occasion of the 60th anniversary of diplomatic ties between Korea and Argentina, the Embassy of Argentina in Korea has joined hands with the Korean Film Archive (KOFA) and Directores Argentinos Cinematograficos (Directors Argentina) to host the first-ever Argentine film festival in Korea at Cinematheque KOFA in western Seoul from June 14 to 30.With the theme, "Visions from the other side: Panorama of Contemporary Argentine Cinema," the festival will showcase 12 Argentinian films directed by prominent directors who made their debuts in the mid-2000s. Among the films, "Karnawal" and "For the Money" will premiere in Korea.Ambassador of Argentina to Korea Alfredo Bascou thanked the KOFA for organizing the film festival jointly during his remarks at the opening ceremony at the Cinematheque, Thursday. "It is my pleasure and honor to inaugurate the first Argentinian film festival in Seoul... This yeJun 20, 2022By Kwon Mee-yoo
'Top Gun' actor in Seoul Actor Tom Cruise fist bumps with Korean fans after hitting the red carpet to promote his latest movie, “Top Gun: Maverick,” at Lotte World Tower in Seoul, Sunday. The movie hits theaters in Korea on June 22. Yonhap Jun 19, 2022By Kwak Yeon-soo
