Youn Yuh-jung receives Korea Popular Culture and Arts Awards' highest order of merit Actress Youn Yuh-jung will receive the Geumgwan Order of Cultural Merit at this year's Korea Popular Culture and Arts Awards. Reuter-YonhapSeveral other stars recognized in annual awards hosted by gov't By Lee Gyu-leeOscar-winning actress Youn Yuh-jung was named as the winner of the highest cultural order, the Geumgwan Order of Cultural Merit, for her contribution to Korea's film industry. Several others in pop culture industries, including actors and musicians, will be awarded at the 2021 Korea Popular Culture and Arts Awards, hosted and organized by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism in collaboration with Korea Creative Content Agency (KOCCA), Thursday. The ceremony will be held online at 6 pm. The poster for the awards ceremony / Courtesy of KOCCAYoun became the first Korean actor to win an Oscar for her performance in the critically acclaimed film, “Minari.” On Thursday, she became the first star to win the highest cultural order. Until last year, there had been no Geumgwan order category ― the highest recognition ― in the pop culture awards, so there are no Oct 28, 2021By Lee Gyu-lee
Actress Youn Yuh-jung to receive highest order of cultural merit Youn Yuh-jung / AFP-YonhapOscar-winning actress Youn Yuh-jung will be awarded the highest national cultural medal for her contributions to the promotion of the Korean film industry, the government said Thursday.The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism said it will give Youn the Geumgwan Order of Cultural Merit, the highest class of the South Korean cultural decoration, during the 2021 Korea Popular Culture and Arts Awards ceremony to be held at the National Theater of Korea later in the day. The 74-year-old won best supporting actress at this year's Academy Awards for her performance in the U.S. immigration film "Minari," becoming the first Korean to win an acting Oscar.Singer-songwriter Lee Jang-hee and late film producer Lee Choon-yun will receive the second-highest Eungwan medal, while the third Bogwan honor will be granted to three artists, including veteran actor Park In-hwan.The 12th edition of the annual awards ceremony is designed to recognize contributions of people in the pop culture and arts industry, and encourage them.Two years ago, director Bong Joon-ho and actor SonOct 28, 2021
'Nothing Serious' is a quirky rom-com about finding love via a dating app Jeon Jong-seo, left, and Son Suk-ku pose during an online press conference for the film, "Nothing Serious," Wednesday. Courtesy of CJ ENM By Kwak Yeon-soo“Nothing Serious,” a romantic comedy about relationships in the digital age, fuses elements of traditional rom-coms with modern-day technology.The story follows Ja-young (Jeon Jong-seo) and Woo-ri (Son Suk-ku) after the two Millennials meet through a dating app. Against the romantic backdrop of Seoul, the pair continues to explore their relationship as “friends with benefits” or two people who enjoy spending time with each other, but with no strings attached.Throughout the film, Ja-young and Woo-ri, who don't want to put a label on their relationship, conflict on defining their commitment to one another. Jeon, who is known for her roles in the films, “Burning” (2018), “The Call” (2020) and “Mona Lisa and the Blood Moon,” explained that the film touches upon both the humor and anxiety that come with dating.“It's an Oct 27, 2021By Kwak Yeon-soo
Thoughtful Korean documentary films arouse empathy this fall A poster for the documentary film, “Burning Flower” / Courtesy of Triple PicturesBy Kwak Yeon-sooWhile interest in Korean films is somewhat on the wane due to the arrival of Hollywood blockbusters such as “No Time to Die,” “Venom 2” and “Dune,” as well as Marvel's upcoming “Eternals,” domestic documentaries are aiming to fill the void when they hit cinemas.Two domestic films, “Voice” and “Miracle,” opened more a month ago and are currently screening in theaters, giving audiences the chance to choose, but they aren't doing so well at the box office.Meanwhile, a handful of documentaries are getting substantial attention for showing how others live and stimulating our sense of empathy.Director Won Ho-yeon's “Burning Flower,” which won the Audience Award at this year's DMZ International Film Festival, centers on the life of illiterate rural resident, Lim Seon-nyeo, 68, who has never left her mountain village in Samcheok, Gangwon Province. After her husband dies, Seon-nyeo decides to learn to rOct 26, 2021By Kwak Yeon-soo
Korean movie industry mogul Lee dies Movie producer Lee Tae-won / YonhapLee Tae-won, a renowned South Korean movie producer, died Sunday after his health waned following an accidental fall last year, according to his aides. He was 83.Lee died in the afternoon at Yonsei University's Severance Hospital in Seoul, where he has been under treatment following the accident in May last year. His memorial altar is expected to be set up at the same hospital.Lee first started his career as a movie producer with a film, entitled "A long affection," in 1959. But his maiden production did not fare well. He returned to the film industry in 1973 when he started running a theater in Uijeongbu, on the outskirts of Seoul. In 1984, Lee acquired a film production company, giving rise to unique Korean movies such as "Come, Come, Come Upward" (1989) and "Seopyonje" (1993).In the 2000s, Lee also carried on his successful career in the industry, producing such iconic movies as "Chihwaseon" (2002) and "Raging Years" (2004). (Yonhap)Oct 24, 2021
Jeon Jong-seo, Son Suk-ku star in rom-com 'Nothing Serious' By Kwak Yeon-sooPoster for the film, “Nothing Serious” / Courtesy of CJ ENMAfter playing indelible characters, ranging from a vulnerable yet outwardly confident girl in “Burning” to a psychopath in “The Call,” Jeon Jong-seo is set to portray the girl-next-door in the new romantic comedy film, “Nothing Serious.”Jeon, who was most recently seen in the Hollywood movie, “Mona Lisa and the Blood Moon,” plays Ja-young, who is dumped by her boyfriend after dating for a month. Broken-hearted, Ja-young joins a dating app to ease her loneliness. Son, who is known for his roles in the dramas “Sense 8” (2016-17), “Be Melodramatic” (2019) and “D.P.” (2021), plays Woo-ri, a sex columnist who dreams of writing his own novel. He still hasn't recovered from a breakup and is bad at dating, but also decides to join the dating app.Under an agreement not to share personal information, such as their real name, reason for joining the dating app and feelings for each other, they meet and find they have a lot to tOct 24, 2021By Kwak Yeon-soo
'We were like one big family,' Ma Dong-seok says of 'Eternals' cast Actors Ma Dong-seok, right, and Angelina Jolie pose during an online press conference for the film, “Eternals.” Courtesy of Walt Disney Company KoreaBy Kwak Yeon-sooMa Dong-seok, also known by his English name Don Lee, said the “Eternals” cast were like one big family. He plays Gilgamesh, who he described as “the most powerful and strongest character” in “Eternals.” Ma's various roles, ranging from a brutal gangster to a homicide detective to an arm wrestler, have paved the way for him to become the first Korean actor to play a superhero in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.The 50-year-old actor revealed that he didn't go through any audition process for “Eternals.”“After Train to Busan became increasingly popular abroad, I received numerous offers from Hollywood. I got a call from the casting director of Eternals, who offered me the role of Gilgamesh. It turned out that director Chloe Zhao and producer Nate Moore had already seen many of my films and analyzed my character,” he told Korean reporters at a recent onlinOct 24, 2021By Kwak Yeon-soo
Shin Sae-kyeong steps out of comfort zone with documentary 'Another Record' Actress Shin Sae-kyeong, left, and director Kim Jong-kwan pose during an online media conference for the documentary, “Another Record,” Friday. Courtesy of SeeznBy Lee Gyu-leeActress Shin Sae-kyeong has taken on a new challenge to star in streaming platform Seezn's upcoming original documentary, “Another Record,” which will shed light on an unknown side of the actress. Directed by Kim Jong-kwan, who led the romance film, “Josee” (2020), and the drama film, “The Table” (2016), the documentary will follow Shin's journey through Seochon, one of the oldest neighborhoods of Jongno-gu in northern Seoul. Exploring the neighborhood, the actress meets different people for genuine conversation and shares a part of her life that she has never shown to the public. “I loved the purpose of this project, and I had faith in the director,” Shin said during the online media conference for the documentary, Friday. “And personally, I've been thinking that this time, I need to take on a new challenge. I've always wanted to do something outOct 24, 2021By Lee Gyu-lee
Guns on film: How are they used safely? An aerial view of the film set on Bonanza Creek Ranch where Hollywood actor Alec Baldwin fatally shot cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and wounded a director when he discharged a prop gun on the movie set of the film "Rust" in Santa Fe, New Mexico, U.S., in this frame grab taken from Oct. 21 television footage. Reuters-YonhapThe fatal shooting of a crew member by actor Alec Baldwin during the making of a movie in the western United States has raised questions over the use of guns on film sets.Hollywood armorer Guillaume Delouche ― who has been supplying weapons to filmmakers for three decades, with 75 titles to his name ― says there are usually multiple safeguards against tragedy.Here are some of his insights into the use of guns in the movie business.Why are guns used on a movie set?Even though adding digital effects in post-production is relatively easy and cheap nowadays, a lot of directors and actors prefer to use real guns, says Delouche, citing added authenticity."The problem with dummy weapons is that you take away the recoil and the smoke, which adds something to the acting," Oct 23, 2021
Documentary on first Korean immigrants to Hawaii celebrates difference Journalist-turned-director Lee Won Jin-young interviews writer Gary Pak, a third-generation descendant of Korean immigrants to Hawaii, in this scene featured in the documentary project, “Words of Wisdom from the Rainbow State” / Courtesy of Now ProductionBy Park Han-solThe official poster for the documentary, “Words of Wisdom from the Rainbow State” (2021) / Courtesy of Now ProductionOn January 13, 1903, a ship with 102 Korean passengers landed on Hawaiian soil so that they could work on sugarcane plantations, marking the start of the first wave of Korean immigrants to America.Many members of these first-generation immigrants ― who initially hoped to return home with money in a few years ― eventually began to settle down, after toiling in plantations under the grueling heat, as they formed families and established schools and churches on the islands. Some even supported Korea's independence movement during the 1910-45 Japanese colonial era from afar.Today, 118 years later, more than 50,000 Koreans living in Hawaii continue to carry on their legacy.The documentOct 22, 2021By Park Han-sol
