Hong Sang-soo's new work invited to Berlin film fest's Panorama section"The Day She Returns," Hong Sang-soo's latest project, has been invited to screen at the Berlin International Film Festival, the film's distributor said Thursday. The film, Hong's 34th feature, is set to screen in the Panorama section, a category that showcases independent and art house films addressing contemporary social issues and new cinematic trends, according to Finecut. The movie follows an actress (Song Sun-mi), who, after a break from acting following marriage, returns to work and enrolls in acting classes. The festival praised the film for delicately observing human emotions and compassion with a touch of humor. "Master director Hong Sang-soo offers a subtle reflection on the acting profession itself," the festival said on its website. The invitation marks the Korean auteur's seventh consecutive year at the prestigious event, starting in 2020 with "The Woman Who Ran." The 65-year-old director has so far won five awards at the festival, starting with "On the Beach at Night Alone" in 2017, which earned its lead actress, Kim Min-hee, the Silver Bear for Best Actress. In 2024, Hong rJan 15, 2026By Yonhap
Trailer for late Kim Sae-ron’s final film ‘Everyday We Are’ sparks bittersweet emotionsThe final on-screen performance by the late Kim Sae-ron has been revealed in a new trailer, sparking an emotional response from fans and moviegoers across Korea. A teaser for the youth romance film “Everyday We Are” was released this week, marking Kim’s final completed project before her death on Feb. 16, 2025. Starring Kim opposite rising actor Lee Chae-min, the film centers on the awkward, fragile emotions of first love at age 17 — a theme that now carries a bittersweet weight for viewers. The story begins with Ho-soo (Lee Chae-min) suddenly confessing his feelings to his longtime childhood friend Yeo-ul (Kim Sae-ron) just before their middle-school graduation. Shocked, Yeo-ul drops the hot dog she is eating and starts avoiding him, creating an uneasy tension as the two enter high school. Although Yeo-ul keeps telling herself that she only sees Ho-soo as a friend, she begins to feel her heart race whenever she looks at him. Their fragile balance is disrupted when it becomes known that Yeo-ul has feelings for Ho-jae (Ryu Eui-hyun), a senior on the basketball team, turning theirJan 15, 2026By Xportsnews
How 'Once We Were Us' wins over weary souls to lead box office“Once We Were Us,” a romance film released on the last day of 2025, has defied expectations by taking the No. 1 spot at the Korean box office, winning over audiences with a relatable story of love and loss rather than flashy visual effects and action. Directed by director Kim Do-yeong, the film recorded over 1.5 million admissions, edging out the Hollywood blockbuster “Avatar: Fire and Ash,” according to data from the Korean Film Council, Sunday. The movie also topped the overall reservation rate for the first time, Wednesday, in 75 days for a domestic film, which is a feat not seen since “The First Ride” led the charts on Oct. 31, 2025. As a remake of the 2018 Chinese film “Us and Them,” the movie follows Eun-ho (Koo Kyo-hwan) and Jeong-won (Mun Ga-yeong), who were once deeply in love but forced to part due to the harsh realities of life. The story happens 10 years later when they meet again by accident and start to remember their past love. The film’s growing popularity appears to be driven by strong word of mouth. Viewers have praised the movie for its emotional depthJan 15, 2026By Baek Byung-yeul
'The Great Flood' dominates Netflix chart for 4th weekThe sci-fi disaster film "The Great Flood" held the No. 1 spot for the fourth consecutive week on Netflix's non-English movies chart, the streaming service said Wednesday. Directed by Kim Byung-woo, the Netflix original garnered 5.2 million views for the week ending Jan. 11, outperforming the Indian courtroom drama "Haq," which logged 4.5 million views. The film's popularity propelled it to No. 7 on Netflix's all-time top 10 most popular non-English movies, becoming the only South Korean entry on the list. "The Great Flood," released Dec. 19, depicts the struggles of An-na, played by Kim Da-mi, a single mother of a 6-year-old son who suddenly wakes up in the middle of a devastating flood that engulfs her apartment complex and, by extension, the planet. She fights to protect her young son as she navigates the inundated building. Meanwhile, Yeon Sang-ho's mystery drama "The Ugly" entered the weekly chart at No. 5, garnering 2 million views in its debut week. Based on Yeon's 2018 debut graphic novel of the same name, the low-budget film follows Dong-hwan (Park Jeong-min), the only son of bliJan 14, 2026By Yonhap
Director Ryoo Seung-wan expands spy universe with 'Humint'The upcoming espionage action film "Humint" is a gripping tale set in Vladivostok, Russia, a city where lethal secrets and hidden truths sink into the cold sea, according to its director Ryoo Seung-wan. "The core keywords for this film are fun and tension," Ryoo said during a press conference in Seoul, Monday. "Even while reviewing the footage after filming, I found myself flinching, unwillingly. The suspense is so intense that I’d recommend audiences take a warm bath to relax their muscles before coming to the theater." The film follows four individuals who gather in the border area between North Korea and Russia to learn more a mysterious incident. The narrative unfolds around a South Korean intelligence agent (Zo In-sung), a North Korean security official (Park Jeong-min), a North Korean consul general (Park Hae-joon) and a North Korean waitress neamed Seungwha who becomes an informant (Shin Sae-kyeong). The film continues the director’s genre work in spy thrillers, drawing on his experience with "The Berlin File" (2013). While "Humint" shares a similar atmosphere with his previouJan 12, 2026By Baek Byung-yeul
'KPop Demon Hunters' wins big at Golden Globes with best animated film, songNetflix’s animated hit "KPop Demon Hunters" emerged as a major winner at the 83rd Annual Golden Globes, Sunday (local time), taking home awards for Best Motion Picture — Animated alongside Best Original Song for its standout track "Golden." The double win cemented the K-pop-inspired film’s status as one of the night’s most successful titles. Directors Maggie Kang and Chris Appelhans, along with producer Michelle Wong, accepted the award for best animated feature on behalf of the team. Kang expressed gratitude to the Golden Globes and to everyone who believed a film so deeply rooted in Korean culture could resonate globally. "Through this film we really wanted to depict female characters the way that we know women, which is really strong and bold, really silly and weird and really hungry for food, and sometimes a little thirsty," Kang said. Appelhans called the project "a love letter to music and the power it has to connect us, to make us see some kind of shared humanity, which we could use in the world these days." "We have to thank the fans for embracing the film, it meant everyJan 12, 2026By Kwon Mee-yoo
'Once We Were Us' dethrones 'Avatar' after 3-week box-office reignThe romance drama "Once We Were Us" topped the weekend box office, breaking the three-week winning streak of Hollywood blockbuster "Avatar: Fire and Ash," data from the Korean Film Council showed Monday. The film, released Dec. 31, attracted more than 340,000 moviegoers from Friday to Sunday, pushing its total to 1.04 million. "Avatar" drew over 316,000 admissions during the same period, with cumulative ticket sales reaching 6.07 million. Starring Koo Kyo-hwan and Moon Ga-young, "Once We Were Us" is a Korean remake of the 2018 Chinese hit film "Us and Them," which stars Jing Boran and Zhou Dongyu. Directed by Kim Do-young, who garnered acclaim for her feature debut, "Kim Ji-young, Born 1982," the Korean adaptation follows a young couple, Eun-ho (Koo) and Jung-won (Moon), as they reflect on their relationship and missed chances in their 20s.Jan 12, 2026By Yonhap
Kwon Sang-woo swaps action for romance in new comedy 'Heartman'Actor Kwon Sang-woo, who previously defined his own brand of action-comedy through the “Hitman” franchise, reunited with director Choi Won-sub for their third collaboration, stepping away from the intense action of his previous hits to show off his romantic comedy chops. “Heartman” follows Seung-min (Kwon), who reunites with his first love Bo-na (Moon Chae-won) and desperately tries to keep her in his life while hiding a secret. The movie delicately balances its focus between humor and sincere emotion. Choi explained that while the “Hitman" series was intentionally hilarious and action-packed, he approached “Heartman” with a commitment to emotions. The movie is based on the 2015 Argentinan comedy film “No Kids,” with the director noting that he put significant effort into adapting the original version to emphasize the theme of first love. "For 'Hitman' I focused on making people laugh through intense energy, but for 'Heartman' I tried not to overdo it and instead prioritized a natural flow and emotions," Choi said during the press conference, Thursday. In the film, KwonJan 8, 2026By Baek Byung-yeul
ReviewSwedish diplomat, North Korean officer fall in love in Pyongyang in 'The Square'In films set in or related to North Korea, certain elements often recur: secret agents and military personnel of the country, deprived civilians, breathtaking chases and graphic brutality. "The Square," an animated feature by director Kim Bo-sol, has none of that. Instead, the film focuses on two civilians in North Korea: Isak Börg, a Swedish diplomat, and Bok-ju, a North Korean traffic safety officer and Börg's lover. This unprecedented plot alone is enough to engage viewers immediately. The film follows how the two navigate their emotions and circumstances as they face an impending, permanent separation, inviting viewers to reflect on isolation, control and the quiet cost of love under surveillance. The plot was inspired by a news story Kim came across in 2016. “It was an interview with a real Swedish diplomat who had returned from North Korea after three years of service. When the reporter asked, ‘What was life like in North Korea?’ the diplomat replied, ‘I was so lonely.’ He explained that due to surveillance and control in North Korea, he could not even share a single beJan 8, 2026By Kim Se-jeong
‘Project Y’ redefines buddy film through gritty tale of ambition, survivalThe highly anticipated crime noir "Project Y" is set to redefine the buddy film genre through a gritty lens of female survival and raw ambition. The film also marks a commercial film debut of director Lee Hwan, who gained attention with his independent films such as "Park Hwa-Young" (2018) and "Young Adult Matters" (2021) that addressed the social vulnerability of young people. The film follows two young women, Mi-seon (Han So-hee) and Do-gyeong (Jeon Jong-seo), who are pushed to their limits. In a desperate bid to change their lives, they attempt a high-stakes heist involving black money and gold bars in the fictional Hwajung Market, a place the director describes as a boiling pot of human greed. Lee said that casting Han and Jeon for the project was very important. "I believe they are the best actors to represent their generation," he said. "I wanted their strong acting to help the audience understand why the characters make such dangerous choices." Both lead actors said they joined the movie because they wanted to work together. Han said she liked that her character looked weak but wasJan 8, 2026By Baek Byung-yeul
