'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
Weekend box office sales plunge to new low Ticket sales over the weekend, April 11-12, totaled about 79,000, the lowest weekend figure since 2004. YonhapBy Lee Gyu-leeDespite the falling number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Korea, ticket sales continued to suffer, hitting the lowest weekend figure since 2004.Sales over the weekend, April 11-12, totaled about 79,000 tickets ― 42,000 for Saturday and 39,700 for Sunday. It is the first time weekend box office sales saw below 80,000 in 16 years, according to Korean Film Council's data.Since the coronavirus cases spiked worldwide, the premieres for many big-budget films have been canceled, including Disney's “Mulan” and the latest James Bond movie “No Time to Die.”Among those left in the box office, the war film “1917” took the top spot on the weekend chart with about 14,400 tickets. The film has earned 6.9 billion won ($5.7 million) since its release on Feb. 19. Opening on April 1, action film “Ip Man4: The finale” slipped to the second with 10,500 tickets, grossing 470 million won ($385,000). In an effort to revive falling saleApr 13, 2020By Lee Gyu-lee
Korean films gearing up for summer blockbuster season A scene from film “Peninsula” / Courtesy of NEWBy Kwak Yeon-sooThe COVID-19 pandemic has sent the Korean film industry into unprecedented crisis, but several big name film studios are sticking to their original plans to release new movies this summer.In the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak, which has infected more than 10,000 and claimed more than 200 lives in Korea, the film industry is grappling with a sharp drop in audiences. The number of moviegoers has hit an all-time low as people avoid multiplexes due to fear of contracting the disease.The summer season is expected to include a lot fewer blockbuster films as many companies are postponing the release of their movies ― a slate of Hollywood films have had their release dates pushed back.Paramount Pictures has postponed the release of “Top Gun: Maverick” from June to December, and Sony Pictures pushed back the release dates of “Ghostbusters: Afterlife” and “Morbius” to 2021 from July this year.Amid such a crisis, however, film studio Next Entertainment World (NEW) has initiated its montApr 13, 2020By Kwak Yeon-soo
Ex-4Minute member talks about her transition from singing to acting Actress Heo Ga-yoon poses for a photo after an interview with The Korea Times at a cafe in Seoul, April 9. / Courtesy of D&YBy Kwak Yeon-sooDespite numerous films that have delayed their opening as the COVID-19 pandemic has drastically diminished the number of moviegoers, “Search Out” will hit the big screen on April 15.Inspired by the deadly “Blue Whale Challenge” that incited participants to commit suicide, the story follows Joon-hyuk (Kim Seong-cheol) and Sung-min (Lee Si-eon) investigating their neighbor's apparent suicide.The two later discover that the deceased had been suffering from depression and had been groomed online by a mysterious perpetrator. With the help of a skilled hacker, they dig through the victim's social media account to uncover the truth behind her death and the mystery behind the deadly game.Former 4Minute member Heo Ga-yoon plays one of the main roles in this film, appearing as a skilled hacker, named Nu-ri, to track down cybercriminals on social media. “Nowadays, it's hard to find a person who does not have a social media Apr 12, 2020By Kwak Yeon-soo
Netflix halts 'Time to Hunt' release, promotion after injunction Netflix has suspended the domestic and international release of crime film “Time to Hunt,” scheduled for April 10, after a court granted an injunction Wednesday. Courtesy of NetflixBy Lee Gyu-leeNetflix has suspended the domestic and international release of crime film “Time to Hunt,” set for April 10, after the Seoul Central District Court accepted a request for an injunction to stop it on Wednesday. The streaming giant made the announcement on its social media Thursday. It also said it would put a brake on all promotional events for the film, “in respect of the decision of the court.” “We express our sincere regret to viewers all over the world, including Korea,” Netflix said.The movie's distributor Little Big Pictures signed an exclusive premiere deal with Netflix in March. But the film's former overseas sales agency Contents Panda claimed that the deal violated the contract between it and the distributor.Contents Panda then filed an injunction to stop the film's overseas release, saying it would invalidate sales contracts it had alrApr 9, 2020By Lee Gyu-lee
Coronavirus pandemic pushes distributors to seek ways to release films An empty theater / Korea Times fileWith the film industry struggling with the fallout from the monthslong coronavirus pandemic, South Korean movie distributors have made attempts to release films on multiple platforms.The daily number of moviegoers plunged to a record low of 15,000 this week, as people have been asked to stay home amid the rapid spread of COVID-19.More than 50 domestic and foreign films have put off or canceled their premieres this spring.Korean action comedy "Justice High," about three high school students who learn karate and fight against school violence, was one of the films whose theatrical release had been postponed indefinitely.Gnos, the film's distributor, turned to the internet protocol television (IPTV) platform and released it on March 5.As the film gained popularity, it was given a rare chance to make a theatrical debut Thursday.It became the first South Korean movie to premiere in multiplexes including industry leader CGV, after being released on IPTV channels first, according to Gnos."It's an experimental choice to pick a movie that is popular among at-Apr 9, 2020
Film 'Time to Hunt' faces lawsuit over Netflix debut Contents Panda, the former overseas distributor of the film “Time to Hunt,” has filed a lawsuit against distributor Little Big Pictures over the film's Netflix release. Courtesy of NetflixBy Lee Gyu-leeLittle Big Pictures, the distributor of the new film “Time to Hunt,” and its former overseas sales agency Contents Panda are in a legal battle over the film's Netflix release.Contents Panda ― formerly responsible for the film's overseas sales ― said Wednesday it has filed an injunction against the distributor to suspend the screening of the film, set to hit Netflix on April 10. The dispute erupted when the distributor signed a contract with Netflix in March for an exclusive premiere of the film on the platform. The movie was supposed to hit local theaters in February but its theatrical release was canceled due to rising concerns over the coronavirus. Netflix said that the film will be available in over 190 countries on March 23. However, Contents Panda released a statement soon after the announcement, claiming that this is a violation of the overseas sales contrApr 8, 2020By Lee Gyu-lee
Delayed film productions mess up top actors' schedules Actor Lee Byung-hun. Courtesy of Warner Bros. KoreaAs the South Korean film industry has been battered by the coronavirus pandemic for months, top actors' upcoming projects have been affected by delayed productions and release schedules.More than 50 domestic and foreign films have put off or canceled their premieres slated for the first half of this year since the number of COVID-19 cases started to rise sharply in mid-February.The number of daily moviegoers plunged to a record low of 15,000 this week, compared with some 320,000 admissions on weekdays in January and 200,000 in February.South Korean filmmakers and studios have postponed their shooting plans, including overseas schedules, due to fears over the novel coronavirus and worldwide travel bans.As a result, cast members have had to rearrange their schedules for upcoming movies and dramas. Lee Byung-hun, one of the most acclaimed actors in the South Korean entertainment scene, has a tight schedule this year, as he is poised to star in a film and a TV drama.He was cast for a lead role in the disaster action move "Emergency DeclaApr 8, 2020
