Thriller 'Intruder' to be released in May after COVID-led delay The thriller mystery “Intruder” will be released on May 21. Courtesy of Acemaker Movie WorksBy Lee Gyu-leeThe film “Intruder” will hit local theaters on May 21, about two months after its original premiere date was canceled due to concerns over the coronavirus. The distributor Acemaker Movie Works announced the new release date Monday, picking up the promotional work for the upcoming thriller. The movie, starring Song Ji-hyo and Kim Mu-yeol, was supposed to be released on Mar. 12. However, the distributor postponed the release and related promotional events, saying, “The release is delayed indefinitely due to COVID-19.”Directed by Sohn Won-pyung, known for her best-selling novel “Almond,” the mystery thriller revolves around a grieving widower Seo-jin (Kim) who recently lost his wife in an accident. One day, his missing sister reappears at his door ― 25 years after she disappeared ― and strange events start to occur to the family.Apr 27, 2020By Lee Gyu-lee
INTERVIEW 'Time to Hunt' director discusses crafting dystopia A scene from film “Time to Hunt” / Courtesy of NetflixBy Kwak Yeon-sooIn crime thriller film “Time to Hunt,” director Yoon Sung-hyun has meticulously crafted fictional dystopian Korea following an economic collapse. The country's currency is regarded worthless, so people become reliant on U.S. dollars as a means of exchange.The director explained that such a setting was inspired by his travel memories. “I remember being shocked by the hyperinflation in South America when buying a soft drink at a store. I also got a glimpse of slums in the U.S., which allowed me to portray streets full of graffiti in the film,” Yoon said in a video interview with The Korea Times, Friday.Along with taking reference from real-life experiences, the director built his version of a dystopian world in order to indirectly highlight “Hell Joseon” ― a term used by young people in Korea to describe the country as a hell-like place due to the hopelessness of their futures. “I've always been interested in the younger generation. There are people around me who Apr 26, 2020By Kwak Yeon-soo
Richard Gere, 70, and wife Alejandra Silva, 37, welcome second baby Hollywood actor Richard Gere and his wife Alejandra Silva. APHollywood actor Richard Gere and Spanish activist Alejandra Silva have welcomed their second son together.Hola! reported Thursday that Silva, 37, gave birth to the baby at their home in upstate New York.People.com and E! News confirmed the news.The pregnancy was announced in November.The couple married in April 2018 and have a 1-year-old son Alexander together.Gere, 70, also has a 20-year-old son Homer from his previous marriage to actress Carey Lowell and Silva shares a 7-year-old son Albert with her ex-husband, businessman Govind Friedland. (UPI)Apr 26, 2020
CGV to reopen 36 theaters next week after coronavirus shutdown A CGV movie theater / Korea Times fileSouth Korea's largest multiplex chain CGV said Friday that next week it will reopen 36 theaters that have been shut down for about a month due to business disruptions stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic."We will restart operations in a bid to overcome the crisis by revitalizing the virus-hit film industry and our neighborhood economy," an official from the company said.Theaters, including those in Myeongdong and Daehangno, central Seoul, will resume operations from Wednesday, she said.CGV, an affiliate of entertainment giant CJ Group, closed the 36 cinemas ― out of 116 nationwide ― March 28, to deal with a sharp drop in ticket sales.With the spread of COVID-19 peaking in March, the number of moviegoers fell to an all-time low of 1.83 million, down from 14.67 million tickets sold nationwide in the same month last year."We are still struggling with decreasing moviegoers and mounting expenses such as rent," the CGV official said. "But we decided to reopen the theaters in consideration of the whole industry including investors, producers and distribuApr 25, 2020
'Beyond That Mountain' depicts late Cardinal's childhood Child actor Lee Kyung-hoon, left, and actress Lee Hang-na in a scene from “Beyond That Mountain” / Courtesy of Little Big PicturesBy Kwak Yeon-soo“Beyond That Mountain” is a biopic that portrays the early life of the late Stephen Kim Sou-hwan, Korea's first Roman Catholic cardinal.Kim (played by Lee Kyung-hoon) was born in the city of Daegu in 1922, the youngest of eight children. His father Kim Young-seok (played by Ahn Nae-sang) was a pottery dealer, and so poor that he was often unable to provide food for his family. In the film, Kim's father dies because he cannot be given proper care as the family is unable to afford herbal medicine. This triggers young Kim to dream of becoming a dealer of ginseng, one of the most frequently used ingredients in herbal medicines.However, Kim's devoted mother Seo Jung-ha (played by Lee Hang-na) expresses her wish for her two younger sons to become priests. Kim begins to look deep into his heart and moves on towards the priesthood. Overall, the film focuses on Kim's relationship with his mother, and how he makes the decisionApr 22, 2020By Kwak Yeon-soo
'Parasite' subtitle translator becomes Busan honorary citizen Darcy Paquet, left, subtitle translator of the Oscar-winning film "Parasite," poses for a photo after receiving a certificate of honorary citizenship from Busan Vice Mayor Byun Seong-wan at Busan City Hall, Monday. YonhapBy Kwon Mee-yooDarcy Paquet, American film critic and subtitle translator of the Oscar-winning film "Parasite," became an honorary citizen of Busan for his contributions to the city's film education.Paquet, 48, has been lecturing at the International Film Business Academy of the Busan Asian Film School as an adjunct professor since 2017. He teaches courses such as Asian Film Industry and Cinema Genres and guides student's films, discovering and educating budding film students in Asia."I am honored to be appointed as an honorary citizen of Busan. Busan is a great city to work on films. We will see Busan more often in international films when our students, who are the future of their country's movie industry, return to the city as producers," Paquet was quoted saying after receiving the honorary citizen certificate.Established in 2016, the Busan Asian Film School aims Apr 21, 2020By Kwon Mee-yoo
Gov't to inject W17 billion into virus-hit film industry A movie theater foyer in Seoul is empty amid growing fears over the spread of COVID-19, April 20. / YonhapBy Kwak Yeon-sooThe Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism announced Tuesday that it had formulated additional plans to give financial support to the virus-hit film industry. The culture ministry said it will provide a 90 percent exemption from charges for a film development fund as the industry suffers cinema closures and all-time box office lows amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The exemption will be applied from February to December this year. Conventionally, Korea levies a 3 percent tax on ticket sales that goes into the film development fund. With the latest measure, however, movie theaters are required to pay 0.3 percent of monthly ticket sales to the fund.The number of moviegoers dropped to a record low of 1.83 million in March, the lowest for the month since local box-office data was first compiled in 2004. Total revenue nose-dived 88 percent year-on-year to 15.2 billion won ($12.5 million) in March. Multiplex chain CGV temporarily closed 35 branches across the country in a fiApr 21, 2020By Kwak Yeon-soo
'Time to Hunt' coming to Netflix after dispute resolved A scene from “Time to Hunt.” The film will now be released on Netflix. / Courtesy of Little Big PicturesBy Kwak Yeon-sooKorean crime thriller “Time to Hunt,” whose debut on Netflix was halted after a court injunction, will be heading back to the streamer after the dispute was resolved.The film was originally scheduled for theatrical release in Korea, Feb. 26, but this was canceled due to COVID-19 concerns.The film's distributor Little Big Pictures struck a deal with Netflix, which set the premiere for April 10 in 190 countries. It was to become the first Korean film to go to a third-party streaming service after skipping theaters.But the film's overseas sales company Contents Panda filed a lawsuit against the distributor, claiming the film's debut on Netflix would invalidate sales contracts it had signed in more than 30 countries. A Seoul court then ruled in favor of Contents Panda, banning the premiere of the film outside Korea. As a result, Netflix halted the film's domestic and international release. On Thursday, Little Big Pictures and Contents Panda issueApr 17, 2020By Kwak Yeon-soo
Korean film 'Search Out' takes back local box office amid coronavirus void Thriller movie “Search Out” topped the local box office on Wednesday, becoming the first local film to dominate the chart since February. Courtesy of Storm Pictures KoreaBy Lee Gyu-leeSouth Korean movie “Search Out” topped the local box office on its opening day Wednesday, becoming the first local film to soar on the chart since February. The thriller film saw over 5,100 ticket sales, earning 47 million won ($38,300). Action comedy “Guns Akimbo,” starring Daniel Radcliffe, was a close second on the same opening day with about 5,000 ticket sales. When coronavirus cases began spiking in Korea in February, distributors decided not to release many local films, fearing they would screen in empty theaters as people started to avoid crowded places. This left crime film “Beasts Clawing at Straws,” released on Feb. 19, as the last local film to top the box office, before it slipped down the chart a week after its premiere. Directed by newcomer Kwak Jung, “Search Out” revolves around social media influencer Joon-hyuk (Kim Sung-cheol) Apr 16, 2020By Lee Gyu-lee
'After the Wedding' is subtle drama on motherhood, family dynamic Michelle Williams, left, and Julianne Moore in a scene from film "After the Wedding" / Courtesy of JINJIN PicturesBy Kwak Yeon-soo“After the Wedding” is a gender-swapping English-language remake of Susanne Bier's 2006 Danish drama of the same title. The movie shows the sharp contrast in the setup of the two main characters and their positions in society.Isabel (Michelle Williams) helps run an orphanage in India with scarce financial resources. She receives an offer from a potential donor, Theresa (Julianne Moore), and flies to New York to receive a $2 million donation.The two meet on the eve of Theresa's daughter's wedding, to which Isabel receives an invitation. Isabel gets frustrated by the delay over the donation but decides to stay and attend the wedding party because she is “not going back without a suitcase full of money.”As the title suggests, most of the drama takes place after the wedding with some revelations that are best kept in the dark. “The story starts subtle and then becomes incredibly dramatic,” Billy Crudup, who plays Theresa's Apr 14, 2020By Kwak Yeon-soo
