Film follows Korean high school seniors who chose the mountains over collegeBeing a high school senior and not knowing what to do with your life is considered a major problem in Korea. When four students submit blank career-planning forms ahead of their counseling sessions, they immediately find themselves under special supervision. Their teacher, determined to rehabilitate these wandering souls and send them to universities in Seoul, begins preparing them for admissions interviews. The students are forced to give all the right answers, down to what they like and what they want to do with their lives. The exercise does little to lift their spirits. They already spend most of the school day sleeping and see their school as a lifeless place. But when the school farm where they used to raise rabbits, chickens and ducks is slated to close, the students begin to realize what they want. Unveiled at a press screening last Wednesday, "The Mountain Goats," the tentative title of the independent film, follows four students who begin building a life in the mountains with their college entrance exams looming. Each student has a different reason for moving to the mountains.Jul 30, 2026By Hankookilbo
Lee Chang-dong becomes first Korean to win TIFF Ebert Director AwardKorean auteur Lee Chang-dong has become the first Korean director to win the TIFF Ebert Director Award, a lifetime achievement honor presented at the Toronto International Film Festival. Netflix said Thursday that Lee will receive the prize at the festival's annual Tribute Awards ceremony on Sept. 13, recognizing his original vision and cinematic innovation in a career spanning nearly three decades. The award, named after the late U.S. film critic Roger Ebert, has previously gone to Mexican director Guillermo del Toro; British filmmakers Mike Leigh and Sam Mendes; American director Spike Lee; Canadian director Denis Villeneuve; and Chinese director Chloe Zhao. The recognition comes as "Possible Love," Lee's first feature in eight years following the critically acclaimed "Burning" (2018), is set to make its North American premiere at the festival, which runs from Sept. 10-20. Starring Jeon Do-yeon, Sul Kyung-gu, Zo In-sung and Cho Yeo-jeong, the Netflix-backed film centers on the intertwined lives of two married couples — a laid-off worker and his wife and an affluent documentary filmmaJul 30, 2026By Yonhap
'Spider-Man 4' draws over 680,000 moviegoers on opening day, tops Korean box officeThe latest Spider-Man film drew more than 680,000 moviegoers in Korea on its opening day to claim the top spot at the box office, data showed Thursday, setting a new high for any release this year. "Spider-Man: Brand New Day," the fourth installment starring Tom Holland, attracted about 688,000 viewers Wednesday, accounting for 83.2 percent of all ticket sales, according to the data from the Korean Film Council. The figure surpassed the opening-day attendances of Na Hong-jin's sci-fi thriller "Hope" with 333,000 and Yeon Sang-ho's zombie thriller "Colony" with 199,000, both released earlier this year, according to Sony Pictures, the local distributor of the Spider-Man film. It also exceeded the first-day results of previous entries in the franchise: "Spider-Man: Homecoming" (2017) with 540,000, "Spider-Man: Far From Home" (2019) with 670,000 and "Spider-Man: No Way Home" (2021) with 630,000. The new film follows an adult Peter Parker (Tom Holland) as he confronts new threats while grappling with having been forgotten by everyone who knows him, including his girlfriend MJ (Zendaya), and bJul 30, 2026By Yonhap
Director of award-winning animated film dies ahead of releaseHur Bum-wook, the director of the acclaimed animated feature "Pig That Survived Foot-And-Mouth Disease," passed away following a fire, according to the movie’s distributor Indiestory on Tuesday. He was 43. Hur passed away Tuesday morning while receiving medical treatment following an accidental fire on July 23. A press screening for "Pig That Survived Foot-And-Mouth Disease," which was originally scheduled for July 24, was abruptly canceled on the morning of the event due to the accident. The film was slated to open in local theaters on Aug. 5, but its release has been tentatively postponed. "We will announce future release schedules after the bereaved family and production crew have time to grieve and process this loss," Indiestory said in a statement. Born in 1983, Hur established himself as a distinct filmmaker in the local independent animation scene starting with his 2009 short "Ordinary Meals," followed by "City of Good People" (2011), “On the White Planet” (2014) and "Galapagos" (2019). "On The White Planet" won the Grand Prix for Best Feature Film at the Holland Animation FilJul 28, 2026By Baek Byung-yeul
Jecheon music film fest gears up for 22nd edition with new hosts, award finalistsThe 22nd Jecheon International Music & Film Festival (JIMFF) is gearing up for its six-day run this September with a fresh hosting lineup and an eclectic music competition. Comedian Jang Do-yeon and actor Moon Sang-min will host the opening ceremony on Sept. 3 at the city in North Chungcheong Province, event organizers said Tuesday. This marks Jang’s second consecutive year as host, following her performance alongside film director and festival executive director Jang Hang-jun last year. "I remember laughing much more than expected while hosting last year's ceremony," Jang said. "I am relieved and grateful to be invited back this year." Moon, who gained prominence through TV series such as "Under the Queen's Umbrella" (2022) and "Wedding Impossible” (2024), expressed his excitement for his festival hosting debut. "It is an honor to join so many people who love both film and music," Moon said. Launched in 2005, JIMFF stands as Asia’s premier music-themed international film festival, combining cinematic screenings with live outdoor music performances. Surrounded by Jecheon's beautifulJul 28, 2026By Baek Byung-yeul
'Okay! Madam: Bon Voyage' delivers bigger action, laughs on high seasThe 2020 action-comedy hit "Okay! Madam" returns with a grander scale as former secret agent Mi-young (Uhm Jung-hwa) takes her high-octane moves on a luxury cruise ship. "Okay! Madam: Bon Voyage" follows the former agent and her family whose peaceful ocean vacation turns into a chaotic rescue operation after a ruthless criminal syndicate hijacks their vessel in the middle of the ocean. Expanding on the original setup, the sequel mixes fun physical humor with even more exciting action scenes. Uhm delivers a standout performance as she performs sharp martial arts and underwater scenes that go beyond plain slapstick. Director Lee Cheol-ha expressed deep relief and joy while introducing the sequel. "I had planned a three-part series from the very beginning, and it took six full years to present this second installment," Lee said after the premiere on Monday. "I am deeply grateful and moved that our actors joined us again to enrich this film, and I sincerely hope it performs well so we can realize our dream of making the third installment." Uhm also expressed her excitement about reprising theJul 28, 2026By Baek Byung-yeul
Lee Chang-dong's 'Possible Love' to hit Korean theaters ahead of Netflix releaseDirector Lee Chang-dong's upcoming Netflix original film "Possible Love" will open at Korean theaters in September before its release on the global streaming platform two months later, the streaming platform said Tuesday. The Korean film will hit selected local theaters Sept. 23 and will be made available on Netflix on Nov. 6, according to the company. "Possible Love" is Lee's first feature film in eight years following the critically acclaimed "Burning" (2018). It features a star-studded cast, including Jeon Do-yeon, Sul Kyung-gu, Zo In-sung and Cho Yeo-jeong. The film centers on the intertwined lives of two married couples — a laid-off worker and his wife and an affluent documentary filmmaker and her husband — and the story that unfolds as they meet. "Possible Love" will premiere at the 83rd edition of the Venice International Film Festival, scheduled for September, and later have its North American premiere at the 51st edition of the Toronto International Film Festival the same month.Jul 28, 2026By Yonhap
Korean government moves to curtail actor pay, but industry remains waryAs the Korean government unveils a new plan to rein in skyrocketing actors' fees, the initiative has been met with caution from industry officials who largely support its aim but remain uncertain whether it will prove effective in practice. The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korean Film Council recently signed a trilateral agreement with production companies and talent agencies to place a cap on actors’ pay. Under the agreement, government-subsidized mid-budget films with net production costs between 2 billion won ($1.36 million) and 8 billion won will be encouraged to keep actors’ fees below 10 percent of those costs. The measure is based on voluntary cooperation rather than binding rules, according to government officials. To prevent the initiative from becoming a one-off measure, the government also announced plans to form a consultative body to discuss ways to improve production conditions across the film industry. The signing ceremony was attended by representatives from major talent agencies, including BH Entertainment, Management SOOP and J-Wide Company, alongJul 27, 2026By Hankookilbo
'The Journey to Gyeong-ju' takes family on road trip for revengeDirector Kim Mi-jo described her new movie "The Journey to Gyeong-ju" as a story about enduring grief and the deep strength of family love. "I was curious about how those left behind overcome the pain of loss and deal with emotional rupture. I wanted to tell a story about people who push forward until the very end," Kim said during a press conference in Seoul, Monday. “Ultimately, it is a story about intense love, and I believe it will reach anyone who has someone they love." "The Journey to Gyeong-ju" revolves around a mother, Ok-sil (Lee Jeong-eun), and her three daughters as they embark on a road trip to the historic southeastern city of Gyeongju to avenge their youngest family member, Gyeong-ju, who went missing during a school trip eight years ago. The upcoming revenge drama is Kim's commercial feature debut. She previously earned critical acclaim at domestic and international film festivals with her award-winning debut film "Gull” (2021). "The story stems from a setup where four women who have never killed even an insect set out to deliver their own justice," Kim said. "I wantedJul 27, 2026By Baek Byung-yeul
'Hope' breaks 3 mil. admissions, tops weekend box officeThe sci-fi epic "Hope" extended its chart-topping run on the weekend box-office chart in Korea, drawing more than 3 million admissions since its release earlier this month, data showed Monday. The Korean film added 767,365 admissions over the weekend, bringing its total admissions to 3,415,709 as of Sunday, according to the data released by the Korean Film Council, which compiles admissions from Friday through Sunday for its weekend chart. "Hope," which competed at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival this year, follows police officers and villagers in the remote coastal town of Hopo as they become embroiled in a series of spiraling events after encountering powerful yet mysterious extraterrestrial beings. Marking director Na Hong-jin's return a decade after "The Wailing" (2016), it features a star-studded cast, including Hwang Jung-min, Zo In-sung and Jung Ho-yeon, as well as Hollywood actors Michael Fassbender and Alicia Vikander. Two other Korean films reached the top 10 on the weekend chart, with the mystery thriller "The Eyes" starring Shin Min-a ranking sixth and the zombie blockbuJul 27, 2026By Yonhap
