INTERVIEW Why Japanese media won't cover sex slavery issues Takashi Uemura in a scene from Shinji Nishijima's documentary “Target” / Courtesy of BIFFBy Kwak Yeon-sooFilmmaker Shinji Nishijima was a Korea correspondent for TBS-JNN when Kim Hak-sun, a former sex slave, broke the silence and testified about Japan operating an organized military brothel program during the World War II.One of his colleagues, The Asahi Shimbun correspondent Takashi Uemura, first reported on Kim's testimony on August 11, 1991, three days before the victim told her story at a press conference.More than 20 years later, the truth-seeking reporter became the target of Japan's right wing activists, scholars and journalists. In 2014, right-wing tabloids accused him of fabricating his 1991 report on women being forcibly taken to provide sex to Japanese soldiers. They branded him a traitor and threatened to kill his family. Uemura, who retired from journalism to start a teaching job at a university, lost his position due to mounting complaints from haters. His teenage daughter's photo and personal information were exposed online. He separated from his family as Oct 14, 2021By Kwak Yeon-soo
Ryu Seung-ryong eyes another hit with romantic comedy, 'Perhaps Love' Actors Ryu Seung-ryong, left, and Kim Hie-won in a scene from the film, "Perhaps Love" / Courtesy of NEWBy Kwak Yeon-sooAfter the massive success of the film, “Extreme Job” (2019), actor Ryu Seung-ryong is aiming for another hit with the romantic comedy film, “Perhaps Love,” which follows six different people as they deal with their lives and complex relationships to each other.Ryu's other film, “Life is Beautiful,” was supposed to premiere in December of last year, but was delayed indefinitely.Among the characters explored is Hyun (Ryu), a best-selling author who is going through a seven-year slump preparing for his next book. He attempts to reboot his stalled career by co-writing one with aspiring novelist, Yu-jin (Moo Jin-seong).Hyun's personal life is also chaotic. His ex-wife, Mi-ae (Oh Na-ra), falls for his close friend, Soon-mo (Kim Hie-won), and his cranky teenage son, Sung-kyung (Sung Yu-bin), gets on his nerves. Meanwhile, Sung-kyung develops an unlikely friendship with his neighbor, Jung-won (Lee You-young).“This was my first time Oct 12, 2021By Kwak Yeon-soo
Jinyoung of GOT7 to star in psychological thriller 'Christmas Carol' Actor-singer Park Jin-young / Courtesy of BH EntertainmentBy Kwak Yeon-sooActor and singer Park Jin-young, better known as Jinyoung of K-pop boy band GOT7, will play the lead role in the psychological thriller “Christmas Carol” (working title), which is scheduled to begin filming early next year.An adaptation of writer Joo Won-kyu's book, the upcoming film tells the story of Joo Il-woo, who enters a juvenile detention facility to get revenge for the death of his twin brother, Wol-woo. Park will play the dual role of the twin brothers, a first for him. “I'm both excited and anxious ahead of filming because I have to lead each scene by myself. Since it's a book-to-movie adaptation, I will do my best to portray the character as described in the original work,” he said. The screen play for “Christmas Carol” will be written by Kim Sung-soo, the director behind the first season of OCN's “Save Me,” and the films “Running Wild” (2006) and “Genome Hazard” (2014).“This film is a coming-of-age revenge tale of a teenagOct 10, 2021By Kwak Yeon-soo
Lashana Lynch on making history as 007 in 'No Time to Die' This image released by Metro Goldwyn Mayer Pictures shows Lashana Lynch in a scene from "No Time To Die." AP-YonhapLashana Lynch was in stunt training when she found out she was going to play a 00 agent in the James Bond film ``No Time to Die.''Lynch had already been cast by director Cary Joji Fukunaga and the producers, Barbara Broccoli and Michael Wilson. But who she was to play had remained a mystery to her. She was doing her best to prep for an undetermined but apparently butt-kicking role.``Nothing made sense. I'm plunged into stunts and they're teaching me everything under the sun,'' Lynch said in an interview. ``And I'm like: Why are you teaching me this? What does it mean?''Instead, Lynch just heard bits and pieces as she went. It felt, she says, like a TV series that carefully reveals a little each episode. Only when she was in the midst of summersaulting and firing fake guns did the full reveal come. Lynch would be the first Black woman to play a 00 agent in the six decades of James Bond movies.Not only that, Lynch's character, Nomi, takes the codename 007, with Daniel CraiOct 10, 2021
Actress Jeon Jong-seo visits Busan fest with her Hollywood debut film Actress Jeon Jong-seo / YonhapSouth Korean actress Jeon Jong-seo said Friday it was a fresh experience to play a wordless character with supernatural powers as a foreign actor in her first English-language film "Mona Lisa and the Blood Moon.""This was my first American project, and it required all the actors go through audition," Jeon said during a special talk at the 26th Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) that kicked off Wednesday. "I also joined the cast through an audition. I sent my clips to producers and had an online meeting with the director."Directed by Ana Lily Amirpour, "Mona Lisa" is about Mona, a girl with supernatural powers who escapes from a mental hospital and meets a stripper who tries to profit from Mona's unusual powers. First shown at this year's Venice International Film Festival, the movie was invited to BIFF's Open Cinema section for screening new and internationally acclaimed films. The science-fiction thriller has drawn additional attention from Korean movie fans, as Jeon, who made an impressive silver screen debut with Lee Chang-dong's thriller "BurniOct 9, 2021
'Family dynamic is at heart of Asian cinema,' BIFF head juror says Indo-Canadian filmmaker Deepa Mehta, the head juror of the 26th Busan International Film Festival's New Currents Section, speaks via Zoom during a press conference, Thursday. YonhapBy Kwak Yeon-sooBUSAN ― Speaking at a press conference to discuss the 26th Busan International Film Festival's (BIFF) New Currents, the competition for up-and-coming directors, head juror Deepa Mehta said she has witnessed two distinctive characteristics in Asian cinema.“As somebody who comes from India and lives in Canada, there are differences among regions. Perhaps it has something to do with the geography or culture, but I can smell the flavor of Asian cinema more acutely,” she said via Zoom as she was unable to travel to Korea due to health problems.“Family is of paramount concern in most Asian countries. Then there is a strong desire to better ourselves to be accepted (in the society). For instance, we fight poverty and pandemic to be dignified. That's what makes Asian cinema different,” Mehta added.This year's BIFF's New Current Section, which showcases emerging Asian directoOct 8, 2021By Kwak Yeon-soo
26th BIFF opens with Im Sang-soo's 'Heaven: To the Land of Happiness' From left, director Im Sang-soo and the cast of “Heaven: To the Land of Happiness” attend a press conference held at Busan Cinema Center in Busan, Wednesday. Yonhap By Kwak Yeon-sooBUSAN ― The 26th Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) kicked off Wednesday for a 10-day run with director Im Sang-soo's “Heaven: To the Land of Happiness.”A year after a scaled-down event due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this edition promises to be attract 1,000-plus participants. A raft of stars have been confirmed to attend the festival, including Song Joong-ki of “Space Sweepers,” Jeon Jong-seo of “Mona Lisa and The Blood Moon,” Han So-hee of “My Name” and Yoo Ah-in of “Hellbound.” Strict health protocol measures include a 50 percent screening capacity are in place and all public and professional attendees must show a pass, proving they are either fully vaccinated or have tested negative for COVID-19.A total of 223 films from 70 countries will be screened at BIFF, slightly higher thanOct 7, 2021By Kwak Yeon-soo
The 26th Busan International Film Festival kicks off The opening ceremony of the 26th Busan International Film Festival is held at the Busan Cinema Center in Busan, Wednesday. YonhapThe Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) will open its 26th edition in the southern port city of Busan on Wednesday for a 10-day run with a bigger emphasis on offline events and screenings after a pandemic-disrupted year.Asia's biggest film festival will have in-person opening and closing ceremonies and a red carpet event, as South Korea seeks to return to normal life later this year when a vast majority of the population gets fully vaccinated.Last year, the BIFF was held on a smaller scale due to the pandemic with no opening and closing ceremonies as well as other outdoor events and no overseas guests invited. Films were shown only once each at the Busan Cinema Center, the main festival venue in the city, located 450 kilometers southeast of Seoul.But this year, the festival will almost return to normal, at least as far as movie screenings are concerned. All invited features will be shown at six theaters, a normal level, with no online screenings, whileOct 6, 2021
Busan film festival to open in near normal after downsizing in 2020 Workers roll out red carpet at the Busan Cinema Center in Busan, Oct. 5. YonhapThe Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) will open its 26th edition in the southern port city of Busan on Wednesday for a 10-day run with a bigger emphasis on offline events and screenings after a pandemic-disrupted year.Asia's biggest film festival will have in-person opening and closing ceremonies and a red carpet event, as South Korea seeks to return to normal life later this year when a vast majority of the population gets fully vaccinated.Last year, the BIFF was held on a smaller scale due to the pandemic with no opening and closing ceremonies as well as other outdoor events and no overseas guests invited. Films were shown only once each at the Busan Cinema Center, the main festival venue in the city, located 450 kilometers southeast of Seoul.But this year, the festival will almost return to normal, at least as far as movie screenings are concerned. All invited features will be shown at six theaters, a normal level, with no online screenings, while some short films will be streamed online, accordiOct 6, 2021
'Shang-Chi' soundtrack producer promises more collaborations with Korean artists A scene from "Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings" / Korea Times fileAnyone who has listened to the soundtrack for Marvel Studios' latest action film "Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings" will have noticed an unusually large number of Korean artists on the tracklist.But what may seem unusual to some was in fact natural for Sean Miyashiro, executive producer of "Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings: The Album," after spending years listening to Korean music and befriending Korean artists, such as hip-hop and RB singer Zion. T, he said in a recent written interview with Yonhap News Agency."All the artists that were on this record are our friends, people that we've always wanted to do things with, and have really great relationships with," said Miyashiro, 40, whose New York-based company 88rising focuses on producing and promoting music by Asian Americans and Asians in the United States."When we talk about DPR Ian, DPR Live, BIBI and Seori, they are extremely talented and some of the fastest growing Korean artists that are paving the way for the next generation. So yeahOct 4, 2021
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