Auger 'Thunderball' Bond girl, dies aged 78 In this file photo taken on Feb. 19, 1965, Scottish actor Sean Connery (R) and French actress Claudine Auger answer journalists' questions at a hotel in Paris. AFP-YonhapFrench actress Claudine Auger, best known to international audiences playing alongside Sean Connery in the 1965 James Bond film "Thunderball", has died aged 78, her agent said Thursday. She died in Paris, the Time Art agency announced. Born in April 1941 in Paris, Auger began her career as a model and represented France at the 1958 Miss World competition. On the side she was taking acting lessons, winning small cinema parts to gradually earn a reputation as an actress in France, including the 1962 Three Musketeers film "The Iron Mask". But it was Thunderball that made her name as the first French "Bond Girl". The film's trailer introduced Auger as: "Young. Beautiful. Trapped. Could be dangerous".She played the character "Domino" in the film, the fourth in the Bond franchise, which was set in the Bahamas providing ample opportunity for swimsuit action scenes.In a 1965 television interview, she said starring alongside Dec 20, 2019
Movie Review 'Ashfall,' cliched, Hollywood-style disaster blockbuster Mount Paekdu is the highest peak on the Korean Peninsula, located along the North Korea-China border. Its historic eruption in the 10th century, known as the "Millennium Eruption," was one of the most powerful in recorded history, with its ashes flying even to northern Japan.Recently, geologists and volcanologists both at home and abroad have warned of a possible enormous explosion of the 2,744-meter volcano. They say that the unprecedentedly massive eruption could cause a series of earthquakes and tsunamis that could engulf more than half of South Korea.The latest big-budget disaster movie, "Ashfall," which was released on Thursday, dramatizes the realization of the warning with overwhelming scale and a star-studded cast.It starts with breathtaking scenes in which downtown areas of Seoul suddenly turn into ruins due to a huge blast of Mount Paekdu. The experts predict three more explosions to come in a few days, with the last one expected to blow up the entire Korean Peninsula.To prevent another disaster, the Seoul government plans an operation based on a theory by Prof. Kang Bong-rDec 19, 2019
King befriends serf-turned-inventor in period film 'Forbidden Dream' Actor Choi Min-sik, from left, director Hur Jin-ho and actor Han Suk-kyu pose for pictures during a press conference for the historical drama “Forbidden Dream” at Gwangjin-gu, Seoul, Monday. YonhapDirector digs into whereabout of king's buddy after punishment By Lee Gyu-leeTwo prolific actors Han Suk-kyu and Choi Min-sik teamed up 20 years after the box office hit film “Shiri,” to show a very unusual friendship between a king and an inventor with humble beginnings in the upcoming period drama film “Forbidden Dream.”The film unfolds a story of the historical figure King Sejong (1397-1450) ― fourth king of the 1392-1910 Joseon Kingdom ― and his relationship with the genius inventor Jang Yeong-sil (Choi). Han plays the king who is highly respected, to this day, for his scholarship in various fields and instituting the Korean alphabet “Hangeul” during his reign. Jang was an engineer and inventor who was credited with creating several technologically advanced devices such as the celestial globe, the water clock and rain gauge while working fDec 18, 2019By Lee Gyu-lee
UK documentary revisits Diego Maradona Diego Maradona runs onto the field at the Saint Paul Stadium, also known as Stadio San Paolo, in a western suburb of the Italian city of Naples for a football game in this 1984 file photo. He played for the Napoli football club. /Courtesy of Contents PandaBy Kim Se-jeong“Maradona is God.” This is how the football legend Diego Maradona was referred to by people of Naples, the home city of Italian football club S.S.C. Napoli, as well as football fans all across the globe.British filmmaker Asif Kapadia revisited Maradona, zooming in on the rise and fall of one of the greatest football stars of all time, in the documentary “Diego Maradona,” which hit local theaters last week. Born in Argentina in 1960, the Argentine footballer played for FC Barcelona, then moved to S.S.C. Napoli in 1984. He helped the team win Serie A and UEFA Cup in the 1988-89 season. When Maradona joined S.S.C. Napoli in 1984, the team was among the worst performing in the league, on the brink of losing its place in Italy's major league. He led Napoli to clinch the Serie Championship in 1986-87Dec 17, 2019By Kim Se-jeong
Cash-strapped filmmaker admits actress' 'horrible filming' claim “Clean Up” director Kwon Man-ki and the movie's star Yoon Ji-hye. NaverBy Ko Dong-hwanYoon Ji-hye on the "Clean Up" poster. NaverThe filmmaker behind “Clean Up” has admitted to claims made by the movie's star Yoon Ji-hye last weekend that it provided her with an “unsafe, morally hazardous working environment.”The Korean Academy of Film Arts said Monday it “understands with heavy heart what she said about her agony during the filming in 2017” and “regrets having caused her moral hazard and inconvenience.” It also admitted the importance of safety measures and abiding by the law at filming locations, which Yoon had complained about.But the school defended itself, saying: “There were the director and production crew who didn't have the same views as those of Yoon at the time” and “we must respect every crew's voice.”The school is based in Busan and has a separate facility in Seoul's Mapo district. It admitted its graduate film “had a low-budget and inexperienced staff.” The school said it wilDec 17, 2019By Ko Dong-hwan
'Parasite' shortlisted for Oscars' best international film Bong Joon-ho's black comedy "Parasite" was shortlisted for best international feature film at the upcoming Academy Awards, U.S. media reported Tuesday, raising hopes that it might become the first South Korean film to win an Oscar.According to the Hollywood Reporter and other entertainment news media, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) revealed the list of 10 contenders for the category, previously called the best foreign language film, out of 91 films.The nine other films on the shortlist were "The Painted Bird" by Vaclav Marhoul from Czech Republic, "Truth and Justice" by Tanel Toom from Estonia, "Les Miserables" by Ladj Ly from France, "Those Who Remained" by Barnabas Toth from Hungary, "Honeyland" co-directed by Tamara Kotevska and Ljubomir Stefanov from North Macedonia, "Corpus Christi" by Jan Komasa from Poland, "Beanpole" by Kantemir Balagov from Russia, "Atlantics" Mati Diop from Senegal and "Pain and Glory" by Pedro Almodovar from Spain.For the non-English-language movie category, a country submits a single film as their official representative, and the Dec 17, 2019
Jung Yu-mi, Yoon-ah recognized in 2019 Women In Film Festival Jung Yu-mi won the Best Actress award and Yoon-ah won the Best New Actress award. Korea Times fileBy Cho Hae-minThe award ceremony for the 2019 Women In Film Festival will be held on Dec. 16 at Cinecube Gwanghwamun in Seoul. Actress Moon So-ri will host the event. The winners announced on Dec. 11 include Best Actress Jung Yu-mi for the feminist film “Kim Ji-young, Born 1982” and Best New Actress Yoon-ah from K-pop girl group Girls' Generation for the action film “E.X.I.T.”The awards are chosen from movies released from Nov. 5, 2018 to Nov. 6, 2019 in 10 categories, which include Best Actress, Best New Actress and Women in Film of the Year and Lifetime Achievement Award.Dec 16, 2019
Actress reveals 'horrible' experience filming movie about to open Yoon Ji-hye in "Clean Up" poster. She revealed on social network on Dec. 14 how the filming was mismanaged in so many ways. NaverBy Ko Dong-hwanKorean actress Yoon Ji-hye has condemned a movie in which she plays a lead and which hits theaters this week, calling the movie “misery porn.”The star of the drama “Clean Up” said filming “from more than two years ago still bothers me” and explained in a long social network post how the low-budget film that cost 70 million won ($59,000) was a hodgepodge of slovenly management of sites and local passers-by. She felt her safety threatened and embarrassed while acting, according to the post, which was erased after two days exposure on Dec. 14-15. “I didn't mind about money when I first decided to join this movie,” said Yoon in the post regarding the movie, which was directed by Kwon Man-ki. It was a graduate film from the Korean Academy of Film Arts, a school specially created to nurture filming professionals by the state-funded Korean Film Council. “I wanted to do an arts-focused minimal jobDec 16, 2019By Ko Dong-hwan
INTERVIEW Actor Jung Hae-in takes on challenge with film and reality show Heartthrob actor Jung Hae-in took on the role of a rebellious teenager in new comedy film “Start-Up,” a change from his usual image of a sweet boyfriend figure dramas. Courtesy of FNC EntertainmentBy Lee Gyu-leeThis year has been full for heartthrob actor Jung Hae-in, starring in TV series “One Spring Night” and film “Tune in for Love,” and winning multiple awards. As the year comes to an end, he decided to wrap the year on a different note, breaking out of his comfort zone to challenge himself with new comedy film “Start-Up” and reality show “Jung Hae-in's Walking Report.”Known for his roles as a sweet, romantic boyfriend figure in melodramas, the 32-year-old actor took on the part of a rebellious teenager in the film. “I had so much fun. I am very curious about things I haven't experienced, so this was very exciting,” he said in the interview with The Korea Times, Thursday, at a cafe in Samcheong-dong, central Seoul. Jung plays 18-year-old Sang-pill who lives alone with his grandmother. He has no interest in stDec 15, 2019By Lee Gyu-lee
Actor Park Jung-min talks about his real personality Actor Park Jung-min poses before the interview held at Samcheong-dong, Seoul, Thursday./ Courtesy of NEWBy Jung Hae-myoung Thirty-two year-old actor Park Jung-min has come back to play a rebellious teenage troublemaker in the new film “Start-up.” At a cafe in Samcheong-dong, Seoul, Thursday, Park met with journalists to talk about the film before its release. As a hard-working actor, Park is never settled. He has taken various roles such as an independence movement fighter in “Dong-ju: The Portriat of the Poet,” a servant with Downs Syndrome in “That's Only My World,” and a mysterious technician in “Svaha: The Sixth Finger.”“I usually doubt myself. When I get feedback from people, I only take on negative comments, because that's what helps me improve,” he said. When asked what he liked best about this film, he said: “I think on the set it was great that I worked well with various people. For the film, I focused on showing the relationship with the mother, and thought that went well.”“Like Taek-il, I myself Dec 13, 2019
