Youn Yuh-jung continues winning streak at film critics circle Youn Yuh-jung / Courtesy of PANCINEMABy Kwak Yeon-sooYoun Yuh-jung was named Best Supporting Actress by the Columbus Film Critics Association (COFCA) for her performance in the film “Minari,” raising the hope that she might become Korea's first actor to win an Oscar nomination.The 73-year-old actress was also a runner up in the National Society of Film Critics' Supporting Actress category, following winner Maria Bakalova of “Borat Subsequent Moviefilm,” and Amanda Seyfriend of “Mank.”Directed by Korean American Lee Isaac Chung, “Minari” depicts the experiences and struggles of first-generation immigrants from Korea in the 1980s, who settle in the U.S. in pursuit of their own American dream. Yoon plays the role of an eccentric grandmother named Soon-ja who changes the life of her family after moving to the U.S. Youn is enjoying a second heyday by expanding her screen presence in Hollywood. The latest COFCA award is Youn's eighth best supporting actress trophy from U.S. film critics associations and festivals.She was awarded by the Los AnJan 10, 2021By Kwak Yeon-soo
Could 'Minari' actress Youn receive Oscar? Youn Yuh-jung / Korea Times fileAs the immigration film "Minari," directed by Korean American Lee Isaac Chung, has been on a roll in the award season, hopes are high that its supporting South Korean actress Youn Yuh-jung could get an Oscar nod. Youn, who took the role of the eccentric grandmother in Chung's semi-autobiographical film, has won a total of seven best supporting actress trophies in U.S. film critics circles and festivals including the Oklahoma Film Critics Circle, the North Carolina Film Critics and the Boston Society of Film Critics."Minari" depicts first-generation immigrants from Korea in pursuit of their own American dream from the point of view of a 7-year-old boy named David (Alan Kim) and his parents, Jacob (Steven Yeun) and Monica (Han Yeri). The family's life faces some changes after Youn arrives in the United States from Korea.According to U.S. entertainment media outlet Variety, Youn is leading the race for the Oscars' best supporting actress award over Maria Bakalova for "Borat Subsequent Moviefilm" and Amanda Seyfried for "Mank."It picked five potential candJan 8, 2021
Bae Doo-na shows off her linguistic skills in French movie '#Iamhere' Actors Bae Doo-na, left, and Alain Chabat in a scene from the film “#Iamhere” / Courtesy of NEW By Kwak Yeon-soo“#Iamhere” is an endearing adventure movie that offers pure escapism. Mostly set in Seoul, the film is an ode to the city ― seen through the eyes of a first-time French visitor. The film begins with divorced French chef Stephane (played by Alain Chabat) preparing a wedding feast for his son Ludo (Jules Sagot). On the wedding day, however, he spots his son kissing a young man in the kitchen and feels shocked when he discovers that everyone else, including Ludo's wife, was aware that Ludo is gay. Feeling estranged from his family members, he becomes obsessed with Instagram and befriends a Korean woman named Soo (Bae Doo-na), who speaks fluent French and lives in Seoul. Developing romantic feelings for Soo, he impulsively heads off to Seoul to meet her because she told him “it would be nice to watch cherry blossoms together.” Soo agrees to pick him up at the Jan 7, 2021By Kwak Yeon-soo
Blockbuster 'Space Sweepers' to debut on Netflix Feb. 5 Netflix will release the sci-fi film “Space Sweepers” on Feb 5. Courtesy of NetflixBy Lee gyu-leeThe sci-fi blockbuster “Space Sweepers,” one of the most anticipated local films originally slated for a 2020 release, will premiere on Netflix, Feb 5.The streaming giant confirmed the film's release date Wednesday, saying it will be available in 190 regions from that date. It also unveiled a poster and trailer for the film. Directed by Jo Sung-hee, known for “A Werewolf Boy" (2012), the film follows a group of space scavengers ― played by Yoo Hai-jin, Song Joong-ki, Kim Tae-ri, and Jin Sun-kyu ― who collect debris to make money in 2092.One day, the crew comes across the humanoid "Dorothy,” designed to be a weapon of mass destruction, and decides to make a risky, yet lucrative deal.The 24 billion won ($22 million) budget project was originally planned to hit theaters in the summer of last year. However, the release was put off several times due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Two months ago, the film's distributor Merry Christmas decided to release it throughJan 6, 2021By Lee Gyu-lee
'Wonder Woman 1984' continues to top box office amid record low ticket sales “Wonder Woman 1984” has topped the local box office for 12 consecutive days since its release. Courtesy of Warner Bros. KoreaBy Lee Gyu-leeSuperhero blockbuster “Wonder Woman 1984” has continued to top the Korean box office since its Dec. 23 premiere, despite ticket sales plunging to a record low as the country grapples with the COVID-19 pandemic.The sequel to the 2017 hit film “Wonder Woman” sold about 51,000 ticket sales on its opening day, grossing 447.6 million won ($411,430). It has accumulated more than 467,000 ticket sales, garnering 4.2 billion won ($3.85 million).The film, which opened with $16.7 million in the United States alone, has so far collected more than $118.5 million globally. It also debuted on HBO Max in North America simultaneously. Directed by Patty Jenkins, the latest of the DC Comics' franchise revolves around Diana Prince (Gal Gadot) who breaks her low-profile superhero life when archeologist Barbara Minerva (Kristen Wiig) gains superhuman strength and turns into a villainess, The Cheetah. Despite “Wonder Woman 1984&Jan 5, 2021By Lee Gyu-lee
'Minari' wins four prizes from US film critics awards Korea Times fileThe drama film "Minari" has won four prizes, including best picture, from a U.S. film critics association, boosting hopes for an award at the upcoming Academy Awards.The North Carolina Film Critics Association announced Monday (local time) that "Minari," directed and written by Korean American Lee Isaac Chung, was awarded best narrative film, beating "Da 5 Bloods," "Nomadland," "Promising Young Woman" and "The Trial of the Chicago 7."It is the first time that Chung's semi-autobiographical film took a top prize during the ongoing award season in the run-up to the Oscars.Director Chung also earned the best original screenplay title, while South Korean actress Youn Yuh-jung, who took the role of the eccentric grandmother in the movie, won best supporting actress.American actor Will Patton, who also stars in "Minari," was given the Ken Hanke Memorial Tarheel Award, honoring a film or performer with a special connection to North Carolina."Minari" depicts first-generation immigrants from Korea in pursuit of their own American dream from the point of view of a seven-year-oldJan 5, 2021
Actress Moon So-ri to star in, produce female-led film 'Three Sisters' Actress Moon So-ri in a scene from the film “Three Sisters”/ Courtesy of Little Big PicturesBy Kwak Yeon-sooAward-winning actress Moon So-ri, known for her filmmaking activities in front of and behind the camera, will debut as a producer in the film “Three Sisters.” She will also star in the family drama as Mi-yeon, a church choir conductor who leads a well-rounded life but has a painful childhood memory buried deep in her mind.Moon performs alongside Kim Sun-young, who plays her eldest sister Hee-sook, a cancer patient, and Jang Yoon-joo, who play an immature, impulsive writer named Mi-ok. In “Three Sisters,” the characters confront their past as they spiral down a dark path caused by family tensions. Moon was involved in every aspect of the film's creative process, according to film distributor Little Big Pictures.Expressing excitement about working alongside producer Kim Sang-su, who often tackles social issues in feature films, Moon explained that “Three Sisters” is an unusual portrayal of sibling relationships that many would be abJan 5, 2021By Kwak Yeon-soo
'Wonder Woman 1984' adds $5.5 million in 2nd US weekend Gal Gadot attends the Vanity Fair Oscar party in Beverly Hills during the 92nd Academy Awards in Los Angeles, Calif., Feb. 9, 2020. ReutersIn its second weekend in U.S. theaters, ``Wonder Woman 1984'' earned an estimated $5.5 million in ticket sales according to studio estimates Sunday. It's a 67% drop for the superhero sequel, which is simultaneously playing on 2,151 screens and streaming free for HBO Max subscribers. ``Wonder Woman 1984'' has made $28.5 million to date from the U.S., where about 39% of theaters are open and most major markets, including New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Boston, Philadelphia and San Francisco, are closed. Internationally, it added $10.1 million, bringing its global total to $118.5 million. While $5.5 million would be a terrible second weekend for a $200 million movie in a pre-pandemic world, under the unique circumstances it was enough to top the domestic charts. In second place is Universal's ``The Croods: A New Age,'' which saw a 25% increase in ticket sales in its sixth week in theaters. It's made $34.5 million since it opened at Thanksgiving and iJan 4, 2021
Netflix film 'What Happened to Mr. Cha?' showcases real Cha In-pyo A scene from the film "What Happened to Mr. Cha?" / Courtesy of NetflixBy Kwak Yeon-sooActor Cha In-pyo has never been too far from the public eye, but his acting career was overshadowed by his personal life and charity work. Cha was enjoying life as one of the biggest stars in the 1990s with his roles in MBC's drama “All My Love For You” (1994) and “Star in My Heart” (1997). But his personal life ― marrying actress Shin Ae-ra, adopting two daughters and actively participating in charity work in and outside the country ― confined him to the “good guy” image and limited his roles. Confessing he was getting tired of the image portrayed on TV shows, Cha chose Netflix to break the mold. The upcoming Netflix film “What Happened to Mr. Cha?” follows Cha's struggle to claw his way back to the top and restore the glory of his heydays as an actor.The eponymous star plays himself in a role that he has never before attempted. He crosses the boundaries between his real self and the fictional character in the film. He showcases his outgoing, relatabDec 29, 2020By Kwak Yeon-soo
K-movie revisited: 'Hit and Run Squad' deserves second chance A scene from the 2019 movie “Hit and Run Squad” / Courtesy of Lotte Entertainment By Kang Hyun-kyungDirector Han Jun-hee's 2019 crime movie “Hit and Run Squad” reminded me of an unknown singer who received the long overdue spotlight on TV Chosun's hit show “Miss Trot 2.” That singer is Kim Eui-young, a contestant who failed to make the cut in Season 1 but chose to try and prove herself again in Season 2. Her courage paid off. She was the star of Thursday night. Her name surfaced as one of the top 10 most searched names on the nation's largest internet portal Naver shortly after her performance. She stole the show, wowing all 15 judges with her perfect performance and she got the green light to advance to the next round. Several judges praised her, echoing views that she's a gifted singer and they didn't understand why she didn't make the cut to become a finalist in Season 1. For them, they went on to say, Kim is Season 2's best singer. Just as Kim Eui-young became tDec 28, 2020By Kang Hyun-kyung
