'Mulan' drops at Korean box office shortly after opening on top Disney's live-action remake of the animation “Mulan” has earned about 965 million won ($829,000) at the Korean box office since its release Thursday. Courtesy of Walt Disney KoreaBy Lee Gyu-leeDisney's new blockbuster “Mulan” fell to second place at the Korean box office Saturday, just two days after it hit the theaters, while Christopher Nolan's latest film “Tenet” snatched back the top spot.The live-action remake of the 1998 animation of the same name sold about 51,000 tickets that day, earning more than 515 million won ($443,000). A total of 109,000 tickets have been sold, grossing more than 965 million won. The film landed on top of the box office on its opening day with about 31,000 ticket sales, almost double those of “Tenet,” which had topped the chart for three consecutive weeks. However, “Tenet” caught up with sales the next day and eventually regained top spot with about 54,000 tickets. The action-thriller saw grossed about 10 billion won ($11.8 million) from about 1.5 million tickets sold.A protester in Seoul holdSep 20, 2020By Lee Gyu-lee
Jang Hyuk stars in 'Swordsman,' packed with spirited action scenes From left, actors Jang Hyuk, Kim Hyeon-soo, Lee Na-kyung and Jeong Man-sik pose during an online press event for the film “The Swordsman” in Seoul, Thursday. / Courtesy of Opus PicturesBy Kwak Yeon-sooPeriod action film “The Swordsman” boasts stylish action scenes with sword fights, martial arts and horseback riding. Set in the Joseon Kingdom (1392-1910) after King Gwanghae was dethroned in a coup, the story follows Tae-yeul (Jang Hyuk) ― a former royal guard and swordsman ― who goes in search of his teenage daughter after she gets kidnapped by Qing Dynasty warriors. Jang, who is known to regularly practice jeet kune do (a martial art), boxing and horseback riding, fills the big screen with breathless action sequences. “Handling the sword when filming action scenes was difficult. However, I managed to move the sword with me when I did my flips, turned and jumped and everything,” he said during an online press event for “The Swordsman” in Seoul, Thursday. “Tae-yeul is a character who is slowly losing his eyesight, so I had to portrSep 18, 2020By Kwak Yeon-soo
INTERVIEW Shin Min-ah plays winning-obsessed diver in psychothriller 'Diva' Actor Shin Min-ah / Courtesy of AM EntertainmentBy Kwak Yeon-sooWith an acting career spanning 20 years, Shin Min-ah has proved her versatile talent by effortlessly molding herself into a variety of roles. After debuting as the captain of the school's kendo (Japanese martial art) team in “Volcano High School” (2001), the actor endeared herself with the public in roles in rom-coms such as “My Girlfriend Is a Gumiho” (2010) and “My Love, My Bride” (2014). As a result, she is now regarded as equally capable as both serious and light-hearted characters. Shin has now taken on a new challenge to play a professional diver who strives for perfection in the psychological thriller “Diva.” “It felt important to try something completely new and do something that breaks the barrier. I was drawn to the script's intense and female-centric storyline. The subject of diving was also intriguing,” she said during an online interview with The Korea Times, Thursday. “If there's anything that can be taken away from this film, I'd like the auSep 18, 2020By Kwak Yeon-soo
Disney's 'Mulan' gets cold reception in boycott-leading Hong Kong Live-action remake of "Mulan" / Courtesy of Walt Disney Co. KoreaWalt Disney Co's live-action remake of "Mulan" opened on Thursday to a lacklustre reception in Hong Kong, where pro-democracy activists have been leading calls to boycott the movie. Based on a Chinese folk story, the film has provoked a backlash in the Chinese-ruled city and elsewhere over its star's comments of support for Hong Kong police during protests last year and for being partly filmed in the Xinjiang region. "I will not watch Mulan because of its cast and filming location," said 24-year-old clerk Cherry Lee as she passed by the Mong Kok Broadway Theatre screening the film. Hong Kong activist Joshua Wong and internet users in Taiwan and Thailand have been among those promoting hashtags "#BoycottMulan" and "#BanMulan" on Twitter, following this month's launch of the film on Disney's streaming platform. Most Hong Kong cinemas had their first showing of Mulan on Thursday morning. At Mong Kok Broadway Theatre, in a popular protest area, Mulan sold one third of the tickets at its debut according to frontdesk staff, aSep 17, 2020
BIFF reveals changes to slimmed-down event From left, BIFF programmer Nam Dong-chul, BIFF Chairman Lee Yong-kwan and BIFF Executive Director Jay Jeon speak during an online press conference, Monday. / Courtesy of BIFFBy Kwak Yeon-sooThe 25th edition of the Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) will be held two weeks later than initially planned. Due to COVID-19, the festival will be scaled back and the number of films to be screened in the main competition will inevitably be reduced.Organizers said Monday the festival will run Oct. 21-30, and they added that they would push for the show to go on despite the virus. Due to infection worries, there will be no opening and closing ceremonies, red carpet, receptions or parties. On-stage greetings and other guest meetings will either be canceled or held online.The judging of all films and Q&A sessions will also take place online. The Asian Contents & Film Market, Asian Project Market, Forum BIFF and Asian Film Awards will be held entirely online. According to the organizing committee, the Asian Contents & Film Market will involve 110 film screenings.The film selectionSep 15, 2020By Kwak Yeon-soo
'Mulan' pulls in $23.2 million over weekend at China box offices A man walks past a poster of the Disney movie "Mulan" at a bus stop in Beijing, Sept. 10, 2020. Disney's "Mulan" remake is facing fresh boycott calls after it emerged some of the blockbuster's scenes were filmed in China's Xinjiang, where widespread rights abuses against the region's Muslim population have been widely documented. AFPWalt Disney Co's live-action remake of "Mulan" pulled in $23.2 million over the weekend at box offices in China, a slow start for the big-budget epic about a Chinese folk hero in its most important theatrical market. The debut for "Mulan" fell short of director Christopher Nolan's "Tenet," which grossed $29.8 million in China a week earlier. Unlike "Tenet," "Mulan" was tailored to draw big audiences in the country. But "Mulan," which cost $200 million to produce, was hit by political controversy and received mixed reviews in China. It had been set to debut in March until it was delayed by the coronavirus pandemic, which has limited moviegoing worldwide. "That's a disappointing debut," said Jeff Bock, senior media analyst at Exhibitor Relations Co. "DisneySep 14, 2020
'The Woman Who Ran' centers on interactions between women Actors Kim Min-hee, left, and Kim Sae-byuk in a scene from the film “The Woman Who Ran” / Courtesy of Jeonwonsa FilmBy Kwak Yeon-sooDirector Hong Sang-soo's “The Woman Who Ran” is a situational tale of a bored married woman named Gam-hee (Kim Min-hee) who meets her three old friends over the course of three days while her husband is away on a business trip. As she travels alone for the first time in the five years since her marriage, Gam-hee explores new ways of seeing the world. She first visits Young-soon (Seo Young-hwa), who moved to a quiet town outside Seoul recently after a divorce. Over grilled meat and makgeolli, they catch up along with Young-soon's housemate Young-ji (Lee Eun-mi) until they are interrupted by a neighbor who wants Young-ji to stop feeding a stray cat on account of his wife's fear of the animal.Next, Gam-hee visits Su-young (Song Seon-mi), a pilates instructor who has a crush on her neighbor. This time, their conversation is interrupted by a stalker-like poet, who keeps returning to Su-young's flat after a one-night stand. And finally,Sep 13, 2020By Kwak Yeon-soo
'Boycott Mulan' spreads online in Korea Korean activists hold #BoycottMulan banner during a press conference to boycott Disney's film “Mulan” in front of Disney Korea in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, July 1. Boycotts against the live-action remake film spreads online in Korea once again ahead of its release in cinemas on Thursday after the film's final credits thanked government entities in Xinjiang, which is accused of human rights abuses against ethnic minorities. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-sukBy Park Ji-wonBoycotts against Disney's live-action remake film “Mulan” are spreading online in Korea once again before its release on Thursday after the film's final credits expressed gratitude to government entities in Xinjiang, China, which is accused of human rights abuses against ethnic minorities.The Declaration of Global Citizen in Korea, an NGO working for solidarity with Hong Kong citizens, launched an online boycott campaign last Friday, urging social media users to share images calling for the boycott of the Disney film to raise awareness. On the NGO's website, it said the film overlooked the violence in Sep 13, 2020By Park Ji-won
Vanessa Kirby's Venice win makes her Hollywood royalty Actress Vanessa Kirby poses for photographers at the photo call for the film "The World To Come" during the 77th edition of the Venice Film Festival in Venice, Italy, Sunday, Sept. 6, 2020. APVanessa Kirby's best actress win at the Venice film festival on Saturday confirms her ascension to Hollywood royalty after breaking through playing a real royal in Netflix's "The Crown".The 32-year-old British star was the rebellious Princess Margaret, the British queen's younger sister, in the streamer's flagship series.Kirby had two films vying for the Golden Lion in Venice, the lesbian love story "The World to Come" and the tough drama "Pieces of a Woman", for which she won the prize.Both made big demands on a woman that Variety called the "outstanding stage actress of her generation"."Pieces of a Woman" opens with Kirby in a jaw-dropping 25-minute childbirth scene, which was filmed in one shot.The film was inspired by the grief the film's Hungarian director Kornel Mundruczo and his screenwriter partner Kata Weber suffered when they lost their own child.Kirby threw herself "really deep" into Sep 13, 2020
'Nomadland' wins top prize at Venice film festival Chloe Zhao attends the Telluride from Los Angeles drive-in screening of "Nomadland" on Friday, Sept. 11, 2020, at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif. AP-Yonhap"Nomadland" by director Chloe Zhao scooped the top prize at the Venice film festival on Saturday, the first woman to win the Golden Lion in a decade.The film, an ode to American wanderlust and the highs and lows of the open road, won the top honour in a competition billed as a relaunch of global cinema bruised by the coronavirus crisis.Starring Frances McDormand, it is set among a motley tribe of ageing van dwellers, down on their luck and roaming the West. The double-Oscar winner plays a widow who takes to the road after losing her home.Its Chinese-born director Chloe Zhao picked up the coveted award 10 years after Sofia Coppola's 2010 win for her film "Somewhere", in a year in which nearly half of the films in the main competition were directed by women.Frances McDormand attends the Telluride from Los Angeles drive-in screening of "Nomadland" on Friday, Sept. 11, 2020, at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif. APVia Zoom, Zhao and MSep 13, 2020
