Disney's 'Aladdin' creates storm at box office By Dong Sun-hwaMore than 3.4 million tickets have been sold to see Disney's “Aladdin” as of Saturday. Courtesy of the Walt Disney Company KoreaDisney's musical fantasy film “Aladdin” has created a box office storm since its release in Korea on May 23.As of Saturday, more than 3.4 million tickets had been sold to take No. 2 spot at the box office, behind Bong Joon-ho's black comedy “Parasite,” which won the Palme d'Or at this year's Cannes Film Festival.But in terms of real-time ticket reservations for Sunday, Aladdin beat Parasite. Of all movie tickets reserved, Aladdin had 40.7 percent, while Parasite accounted for 37.8 percent.Word-of-mouth is seen as a key to Aladdin's popularity, with the film receiving 98 out of 100 points from the reviewers who evaluated it on cinema chain CGV's rating platform. Aladdin, a live-action version of Disney's 1992 animated film of the same name, is about a thief who encounters a wish-granting Genie and falls in love with Princess Jasmine.Directed by Guy Ritchie, the film features Hollywood big names, including WilJun 9, 2019By Dong Sun-hwa
Palme d'Or-winning 'Parasite' on its way to topping 7 million admissions The Cannes-winning Korean film "Parasite" has surpassed an accumulated 6.5 million admissions in South Korea and is on its way to topping the 7 million milestone, data showed Sunday.On Saturday alone, the tragicomedy film drew 637,677 moviegoers to local movie theaters, dominating the box-office No. 1 position every day since its official release on May 30, according to the data from the Korean Film Council.As of Saturday, accumulated admissions had reached 6.51 million, and the film is predicted to surely reach the 7 million mark in the very near future.As of early Sunday morning, however, the film came in second after the American musical fantasy film "Aladdin" in terms of ticket reservations, with the U.S. flick accounting for 40.7 percent of all movie tickets reserved. "Parasite" represented 37.8 percent. Despite the slowdown, "Parasite" seems to have enough room to retain its sales power in the local cinema market as many moviegoers opt for second or third viewings of the metaphor-heavy film. Written and directed by Bong Joon-ho, the family satire starring Song Kang-ho revolves Jun 9, 2019
Actress Kim Hye-ja says her past remark did not aim for #MeToo movement Director Bong Joon-Ho, second from the right, poses with actress Kim Hye-Ja, second from the left, prior to the screening of the movie “Taking Woodstock” at the 62nd Cannes International Film Festival in France in this May 16, 2009 file photo. Won Bin, left, and Jin Goo are also captured in the photo. YonhpBy Jung Hae-myoung Veteran actress Kim Hye-ja, 78, said she was quoted out of context in her past remarks regarding the award-winning director Bong Joon-ho, denying the allegation that she is a victim of sexual misconduct. In an interview with local daily Chousun Ilbo released on Wednesday, Kim said her remarks during the guest visit for the screening of Bong's 2009 film “Mother” was not accusing anybody of sexual harassment and she had no intention to hurt the director, either.Her remarks came as a controversy erupted belatedly regarding actor Won Bin going off script in “Mother.” In the film, Won placed his hand on Kim's breast which was not included in the initial script. Earlier, Kim stated that Bong told actor Won Bin to touch Kim's breast, Jun 7, 2019
#MeToo sensitivity tests hero director Bong's sexual imagination Director Bong Joon-ho waves during an appearance at the 2019 Cannes Film Festival last month. Bong won the grand prix Palme d'Or for his film “Parasite” ― a first for a Korean. YonhapBy Oh Young-jin Bong Joon-ho, who has just won the Palme d'Or at the 2019 Cannes Film Festival for his film "Parasite," is facing scrutiny over accusations of “ambushing” an actress for an intimate scene and displaying a perverse sense of sexuality. The ambushing controversy involves veteran actress Kim Hye-ja, the heroine of Bong's 2009 film "Mother." But Kim promptly explained that she had a lapse of memory, director Bong was not at fault and she had apologized to him.It started at last month's meeting with fans, attended by Kim and Bong, when Kim revealed that Bong didn't consult her for a scene in “Mother” in which Won Bin, who played Kim's mentally handicapped son, touched her breasts. "It was the scene in which Won said he wanted to sleep with his mom, came into the room and touched me," Kim said. She said that she let Won touch her, instinctively thinking it wasJun 6, 2019By Oh Young-jin
'Parasite' photographer Hong draws attention Hong Kyung-pyo / 20th Century FoxBy Park Hyong-kiHong Kyung-pyo, the director of photography for director Bong Joon-ho's Cannes winner “Parasite,” is getting the spotlight as much as Bong and the star of the film Song Kang-ho.Bong and Song thanked Hong among the crew, including art director Lee Ha-jun for his “artistic contribution” at press conferences in Cannes, France and Seoul after receiving the Palme d'Or.“Parasite” marks the third collaboration between Hong and Bong, as well as Hong and Song. The relationship between Bong and Song is often compared to that of Martin Scorsese and Robert De Niro.Hong shot Bong's “Snowpiercer” and “Mother,” and served as the director of photography for “The Foul King,” starring Song.The actor had a supporting role in “Snowpiercer” starring Chris Evans, who is known for playing Captain America. Hong is credited for pushing to adopt the Hollywood cinematography system in which a director of photography is in charge of both lighting and photography.He is one of the KJun 6, 2019
Settings in 'Parasite' highlight sharp contrast between rich, poor Movie "Parasite" / YonhapWith Cannes-crowned "Parasite" crushing the South Korean box office, the film's major settings of two very different houses and their behind-the-scene stories have caught the eyes of audiences here.The movie, directed by eclectic auteur Bong Joon-ho, is a tale of two families, one rich and one poor, who become entangled, leading to a series of unexpected violent mishaps. It starts by depicting the miserable life of Ki-taek (played by Song Kang-ho)'s family, living in a ramshackle, slummy semi-basement, with a strip of window through which the family can see a drunken man urinating against their house.Later, the story moves to the airy, spacious, pristine modernist mansion as Ki-taek's son, Ki-woo (Choi Woo-shik), gets a job tutoring the teenage daughter of wealthy Mr. Park (Lee Sun-kyun), the CEO of an IT firm.The director said he and his staff built the houses from the get-go to embody his main concept of class hierarchy and polarization.The setting was designed and constructed by Bong's art team with all the care and attention to detail that he uses to writJun 5, 2019
'Parasite' to be screened with English subtitles for foreign audiences "Parasite," the winner of the Palme d'Or at this year's Cannes Film Festival, will be screened with English subtitles at South Korean cinemas for foreign audiences starting this week, operators said Monday.CGV, the country's largest multiplex operator, owned by retail giant CJ Group, will screen the black comedy with English subtitles from Monday at its theaters in Yongsan, Yeouido, Shinchon and four other locations in Seoul, as well as two in Gyeonggi Province."We decided to offer the English-subtitled version of the movie as a way to meet demand from foreign movie fans," said an official from CGV.Another multiplex chain, Megabox, will also screen "Parasite" with English subtitles once a day at three of its theaters -- at COEX convention center and Shinchon in Seoul and Incheon's Songdo.The movie, directed by Bong Joon-ho, has dominated the box office since its release in South Korean theaters Thursday.The film added 2,788,972 admissions over the weekend for a cumulative total of 3.36 million, according to the Korean Film Council. (Yonhap)Jun 3, 2019
VIDEO 'Parasite' attracts 3 million viewers in four days The Cannes-crowned "Parasite" smashed the weekend box office in South Korea, surpassing a cumulative 3 million admissions on the fourth day of its run, data showed Monday.Released Thursday, the flick sold 2.78 million tickets from Friday to Sunday for a total of 3.36 million, according to the data from the Korean Film Council (KOFIC).Directed by Bong Joon-ho and starring Song Kang-ho, the family satire won the Palme d'Or at this year's Cannes Film Festival, becoming the first South Korean title to grab the highest honor at the prominent film festival.Unlike unpopular award-winning films in the past, "Parasite" seems to appeal to Korean viewers, with its unexpected plot and a mixture of suspense, horror and humor.Walt Disney's live-action film "Aladdin" retained the second spot with an additional 737,000 viewers over the Friday-Sunday period, totaling 2.15 million admissions.Hollywood monster film "Godzilla: King of the Monsters" soared to third place after attracting 181,000 moviegoers during the weekend.Local crime thriller "The Gangster, the Cop, the Devil," former No. 1, dropped Jun 3, 2019
Elton John slams Russian cuts to 'Rocketman' gay scenes In this Thursday, May 16, 2019 photo, singer Elton John poses for photographers at the photo call for the film 'Rocketman' at the 72nd international film festival, Cannes, southern France. AP-YonhapElton John on Friday criticized Russia's reported censorship of gay sex scenes in the new movie musical based on his life, "Rocketman," calling the decision "cruelly unaccepting of the love between two people."John and the makers of "Rocketman," which depicts the warts-and-all rise to fame of the gay British musician, issued a statement after Russian media reported that scenes involving gay sex and drug taking had been cut from a screening in Russia."We reject in the strongest possible terms the decision to pander to local laws and censor 'Rocketman' for the Russian market," John and the filmmakers said."That the local distributor has edited out certain scenes, denying the audience the opportunity to see the film as it was intended, is a sad reflection of the divided world we still live in and how it can still be so cruelly unaccepting of the love between two people," their statement addedJun 1, 2019
Bucheon Int'l Fantastic Film Festival to open later this month The 23rd Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival's official poster South Korea's largest annual “genre” film festival will open later this month in Bucheon, just west of Seoul, featuring 288 movies from 49 countries.The 23rd Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival (BiFan) will run from June 27 to July 7 under the theme, "Love, Fantasy and Adventure," with special attention to science-fiction movies, according to the organizers, Saturday.Its official poster is inspired by the 1982 sci-fi film "Blade Runner" by Ridley Scott, which is set in a dystopian city in 2019.Audiences can check out “Godzilla” and “Gamera,” and other monster movies in the "Robots: Future Beyond the Human Race" program, where classic robot flicks such as "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" will be shown.Moreover, commemorating the 100th anniversary of the Korean film industry, the festival will screen 13 Korean genre movies on the topics of sci-fi, horror and monsters, titled "A CrJun 1, 2019
