K-pop idols lackluster on big screen Irene in a scene from “Double Patty” / Courtesy of kth, Pan Cinema By Kwak Yeon-sooA growing number of K-pop idols are taking up the challenge of appearing on the silver screen, but their transitions are having to weather harsh evaluations. Red Velvet leader Irene's film debut in “Double Patty,” which hit theaters Feb. 17, drew criticism for her unnatural acting. The feature attracted 4,450 people over the Friday-Sunday period, raising its total admissions to 11,268, according to box office data from the Korean Film Council. But the star, who previously had a lead role in the 2016 web drama “Game Development Girls,” reacted humbly, saying she “learned a lot” from her first movie role. Park Jeong-hwa, right, in a scene from “Dragon Inn Part 2: The Night of the Gods” / Korea Times file Park Jeong-hwa of girl group EXID hit the silver screen in “DragoFeb 22, 2021By Kwak Yeon-soo
'Train to Busan' getting US remake A scene from “Train to Busan” / Courtesy of NEW By Kwak Yeon-sooYeon Sang-ho's zombie thriller, “Train to Busan,” which attracted more than 10 million moviegoers at local theaters, will be remade into a Hollywood film, according to foreign news reports. Indonesian director Timo Tjahjanto, known for Netflix's action thriller “The Night Comes for Us” (2018), is currently in talks with the U.S. production company New Line to helm the film, Deadline reported. Atomic Monster's James Wan and Michael Clear and Gaumont's Nicolas Atlan and Terry Kalagian will produce alongside Coin Operated's Gary Dauberman, who is adapting the screenplay. Judson Scott, Sidonie Dumas, Christophe Riandee and Johanna Byer are executive producing, it added. The cast and production schedule have not been revealed yet. The apocalyptic horror film, which premiered at the 2016 Cannes Film Festival, is set inside a train headed to the southern city of Busan. A strange virus spreads from one person wFeb 21, 2021By Kwak Yeon-soo
'Last Letter' director Iwai Shunji on his obsession with letters Filmmaker Iwai Shunji / Courtesy of Media Castle By Kwak Yeon-sooJapanese filmmaker Iwai Shunji, who is best known among Korean cineastes for his hit 1995 melodrama “Love Letter,” is returning with another sentimental film that tells a story through letters. Letters have been a fixture in his films, adding an element of narrative and inducing a retro feeling that blends well with his nostalgic plots.“Back in my school days, it was common to exchange letters with friends and express one's feelings through love letters. In my mid-20s, I thought that someday I would tell a tale about the beauty of written words. I wanted to portray letters as something special, not simply an element that brings back old memories,” Iwai said during an online press conference with Korean reporters, Wednesday. “We now live in an era of social media, where we talk to or join conversations with complete strangers. Just like the evolution of social media has been fueled by human will to commFeb 18, 2021By Kwak Yeon-soo
2 Korean indie films invited to 71st Berlin Film Festival A poster for the film “Short Vacation” / Courtesy of Film Dabin By Kwak Yeon-sooTwo Korean independent films have been invited to the youth-centered Generation competition of this year's Berlin International Film Festival, distributors said Wednesday. According to the 2021 lineup for the Berlinale, which will be held online from March 1-5, “Short Vacation” and “Fighter” will be presented in the Generation's Kplus and 14plus sections, respectively. Berlin's Generation films target children and youth audiences.“Short Vacation” from directors Kwon Min-pyo and Seo Han-sol, who are making their feature directorial debut, is about four middle school classmates who embark on a journey together to finish their summer assignment, which is to capture “the end of the world” on their cameras. “It is not a film about girls going on a picnic. It explores the unknown in life by following a short journey. It gives insight into trivial and banal things instead of having a dramatizedFeb 17, 2021By Kwak Yeon-soo
Meet the guy playing lead role opposite Red Velvet's Irene in 'Double Patty' Shin Seung-ho / Courtesy of King Kong by StarshipBy Kwak Yeon-sooActor Shin Seung-ho may not sound familiar to many viewers, but his works are. Since debuting as actor in 2017, he has built up an impressive acting career by appearing mostly in teen romance series, such as web drama, “A-teen,” JTBC's “Moments of 18” and Netflix's “Love Alarm.” The football player-turned-actor has finally landed his first lead movie role opposite Bae Joo-hyun, better known by her stage name, Irene, of girl band Red Velvet, in the coming-of-age drama, “Double Patty.”In the film, Shin stars as Kang Woo-ram, a gifted ssireum (Korean traditional wrestling) athlete who goes through a slump, while Irene plays the role of aspiring anchorwoman Lee Hyun-ji, who juggles multiple part-time jobs to achieve her dream.The two get along when Kang becomes a frequent customer of the burger restaurant where Lee works the night shift. The two share late-night snacks together and support each other in their dreams. “When it came to conditioning my body for the role, I Feb 17, 2021By Kwak Yeon-soo
INTERVIEW How Kim Tae-ri became Korea's most-sought-after actor Kim Tae-ri / Courtesy of Netflix An ascendant actress talks on forging her own pathBy Kwak Yeon-sooThe “Handmaiden” and “Little Forest” star Kim Tae-ri has emerged as one of Korea's most-sought-after young talents through a mix of boldness, curiosity and relentless focus. A mixture of confidence and vulnerability has made Kim a commanding presence since her debut in auteur Park Chan-wook's 2016 erotic thriller “The Handmaiden.” That performance ― she played a pickpocket named Sook-hee who conspires with conman Count Fujiwara (Ha Jung-woo) to swindle the wealthy Lady Hideko (Kim Min-hee) ― earned her multiple awards for best new actress.Her profile has skyrocketed thanks to a string of projects ― including director Jang Joon-hwan's historical drama “1987” (2017) and Yim Soon-rye's “Little Forest” (2018), a film about finding solace in the beauty of the countryside.“I'm neither meticulous nor calculating. I just followed my heart and I was lucky to be given opportunitFeb 16, 2021By Kwak Yeon-soo
Doh Kyung-soo to play lead role in Korean remake of Taiwanese film 'Secret' Doh Kyung-soo /Courtesy of NEWBy Kwak Yeon-sooDoh Kyung-soo, who is better known by his stage name D.O. of K-pop band EXO, has been cast in two forthcoming films less than a month after being discharged from his mandatory military service in January. The singer-actor will play the lead role in the Korean remake of the Taiwanese fantasy romance film “Secret” (2008).“Doh will be featured as the male lead while the female lead will be decided through open auditions. Shooting will begin in the second half of 2021,” the production company Hive Media Corp said in a statement, Monday.“Secret” is a time-travel romance flick in which a piano prodigy Yie Xianglun (Jay Chou) meets and falls in love with a mysterious girl named Lu Xiaoyu (Gwei Lun-mei), while playing the piano in an old practice room. It drew more than 100,000 moviegoers in Korea, which was a first for a Taiwanese film. Director Seo Yoo-min, who wrote screenplays for films such as “April Snow” (2005), “Happiness” (2007) and “You Call It Passion” (2015) and dFeb 15, 2021By Kwak Yeon-soo
Oscars will be broadcast from multiple locations In this file photo an Oscar statue watches over the 91st Oscars Nominees Luncheon at the Beverly Hilton hotel on February 4, 2019 in Beverly Hills. - This year's Oscars will be broadcast live and "in-person" from multiple locations, the Academy said on February 10, 2021, as details of Hollywood's pandemic-delayed big night finally begin to take shape. The Academy Awards in recent decades have taken place at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, but with the United States' second largest city still under Covid-19 restrictions, the ceremony is "adapting to the requirements of the pandemic," said a spokesperson. AFP-YonhapHollywood's Dolby Theatre has been the home of the Oscars since 2001 and the organizers say the upcoming show will keep that tradition, but they will enlist a supporting cast of venues.An academy spokesperson said Wednesday that the ceremony will broadcast live from multiple locations on April 25. The announcement comes as many cities that are important film hubs, including Los Angeles, New York and London, remain under strict coronavirus restrictions.Specific plans have yFeb 11, 2021
'The Man Standing Next' wins best picture at Blue Dragon Awards The winners of the 41st Blue Dragon Awards pose with their trophies during the ceremony held at Paradise City in Incheon, Tuesday. / Yonhap By Kwak Yeon-soo“The Man Standing Next,” a political thriller about the 1979 assassination of President Park Chung-hee, won the Best Picture award at the 41st annual Blue Dragon Awards, Tuesday. Park was assassinated by his right-hand man Kim Jae-gyu, who was the director of the Korean Central Intelligence Agency (KCIA). The film received a total of 10 Blue Dragon nominations, but ended up winning only one award. This is director Woo Min-ho's second Best Picture award following the 2016 political crime-action film “Inside Men.” “The Man Standing Next,” the national contender for the 93rd Academy Awards, failed to make the shortlist of 15 films.Yoo Ah-in won the Best Actor award and the Most Popular Actor award for his role as the mute Tae-in in the crime drama “Voice of Silence.” This is Yoo's second Best Actor award from the BlFeb 10, 2021By Kwak Yeon-soo
'Minari' shortlisted for Oscars' two music categories This image released by A24 shows the actors in a scene from "Minari." APThe drama film "Minari" about a Korean American immigrant family was shortlisted for two music categories in the upcoming Academy Awards, organizers said Wednesday.The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) revealed shortlists for nine categories for the Oscars, including international feature, original score, original song and animated short film.In the original score section, music from the American film "Minari," composed by Emile Mosseri, was among the 15 semifinalists out of 136 eligible scores.Music from "Mulan," "Soul," "Tenet," "Mank" and "The Midnight Sky" will also compete to make the final five candidates for the Oscars to be announced on March 15."Rain Song," the lullaby-like song sung by lead actress Han Yeri in "Minari," was also included among the 15 shortlisted original songs along with "Loyal Brave True" from "Mulan," "Green" from "Sound of Metal" and "Hear My Voice" from "The Trial of the Chicago 7.""Minari," written and directed by Korean American director Lee Isaac Chung, tells thFeb 10, 2021
