'KPop Demon Hunters’ star Ahn Hyo-seop captivates fans with ‘nerdy yet deadly’ selfiesActor Ahn Hyo-seop has left fans mesmerized with his stunning visuals and charismatic presence. On Sept. 9, Ahn shared several photos on his personal account, capturing attention with behind-the-scenes selfies taken in a studio ahead of a photoshoot. Partnering with French luxury perfume brand Kilian Paris, Ahn showcased a soft, elegant look with his fringe down, exuding a natural charm that drew praise from fans. Another photo shows Ahn taking a mirror selfie while getting his hair styled, offering fans a glimpse into the photoshoot preparations. Even while being styled, Ahn made sure to leave snapshots for his followers, showing his appreciation for their support. Fans flooded the comments with reactions such as "An actor whose face is a national treasure" and "How can he look this deadly handsome?" Meanwhile, Ahn is enjoying global popularity for his role as Jinu in Netflix’s hit animated film “KPop Demon Hunters,” which has become one of the platform’s top-performing titles worldwide. This article from Xportsnews is translated by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea TSep 10, 2025By Xportsnews
Musical 'Frankenstein' makes big-screen debut, aims to expand global reachAfter more than 10 years on stage, the Korean original musical "Frankenstein" is being reborn for the big screen as "Frankenstein: The Musical Live." Shot from a live performance during the musical's 10th anniversary season in summer 2024, the film captures the 19th-century tale of Victor Frankenstein, a scientist who defies divine authority by reviving the dead, and the tragic fate of the Monster born from his experiment, based on the Mary Shelley novel. Over the past decade, the production has become one of Korea's best-known musicals, celebrated for drawing repeat attenders and multiple sold-out runs. The screen version's director Park Jae-seok, cast members Kyuhyun and Park Eun-tae, and EMK Musical Company's vice president and producer Kim Ji-won attended a press screening at Megabox Seongsu in eastern Seoul, Tuesday. "The greatest advantage of filming a live show for theatrical release is that once it's filmed, people can keep watching it," Kyuhyun, who plays Frankenstein, said. "On stage, actors wear down their bodies and voices with each performance, but this preserves the work forSep 10, 2025By Pyo Kyung-min
Can K-animation counter ‘Demon Slayer’ wave?While Japan’s “Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba — The Infinity Castle” is dominating Korean box offices, two highly anticipated homegrown animated films are gearing up for October releases, hoping to reignite interest in Korean animation and demonstrate its creative potential. The Japanese animated film has been a box office juggernaut since its release Aug. 22. Praised for its stunning visuals and fast-paced action, it has now surpassed 4 million cumulative viewers, cementing itself as one of the year’s biggest hits. This comes amid a broader “Japanimation craze” and the global success of the Netflix animated hit “KPop Demon Hunters” — a Sony Pictures Animation production inspired by K-pop and Korean culture. Since its June 20 release, the film has amassed over 266 million views, making it the most-watched Netflix title ever. The release of two distinctly Korean productions — the coming-of-age story “Run, Hany, Bad Girl” and the fantasy romance “Your Letter” — could help draw viewers back to Korean animation. ‘Run, Hany, Bad Girl’ adds twist on classicSep 10, 2025By Baek Byung-yeul
'Love Untangled' hits No. 1 on Netflix non-English movies chartThe Korean romantic film "Love Untangled" has climbed to the top of Netflix's weekly non-English movies chart, the streaming giant said Wednesday. Premiering on Aug. 29, the film jumped from its initial No. 3 debut to the top, garnering 8.2 million views for the week ending on Sept. 7. It significantly outpaced the runner-up, the German erotic thriller film "Fall For Me," which logged 5.4 million views. The Netflix original, "Love Untangled," follows the story of Se-ri (Shin Eun-soo), a lovestruck 19-year-old who is determined to straighten her perpetually frizzy hair. Her goal is to perfect her appearance before making a confession to her high school crush, Kim Hyun (Cha Woo-min). Among non-English shows, three Korean programs landed in the top ten, with "Bon Appetit, Your Majesty," "Beyond the Bar" and "Queen Mantis" ranking 2nd, 3rd and 7th, respectively.Sep 10, 2025By Yonhap
Venice 2025: 10 of the festival's best films, from 'The Smashing Machine' to 'No Other Choice'One of the biggest surprises of the 82nd Venice Film Festival was saved until the very end, when Jim Jarmusch's "Father Mother Sister Brother" took the Golden Lion for best film. Starring Adam Driver, Tom Waits and Cate Blanchett, this slight, minimalist triptych study of familial relations recalled last year's winner, Pedro Almodovar's "The Room Next Door," in the sense that a director who has never won a major festival top prize finally did so with a relatively middling film. The film was presumably chosen as a safe bet. Rumour had it the jury, headed by director Alexander Payne, was split over the festival's most powerful movie, Palestinian drama "The Voice of Hind Rajab." With that film causing a genuine outpouring of emotion, it became the focal point for one of the strongest selections in memory. Here are 10 of the best movies seen at the festival this year. 1. 'Dead Man's Wire' For pure enjoyment, this 1970s-set thriller was right up there. Inspired by the true story of the kidnapping of a mortgage broker in Indianapolis in 1977, it stars a sensational Bill Skarsgard as the abductor,Sep 9, 2025By SCMP
Film ‘3670’ gains traction with tale of queer North Korean defectorAn independent queer film is quietly making waves at Korean theaters. Director Park Jun-ho’s debut feature “3670,” which won four awards at the Jeonju International Film Festival in May, has drawn more than 7,500 moviegoers since opening on Sept. 3. The film is on track to easily surpass the 10,000 mark, an indication of success for indie cinema. Its unusual focus on both queerness and issues faced by North Korean defectors has garnered attention, earning praise from critics and the gay community alike. Filmmaker Leesong Hee-il, known for a series of queer films, called it “the most vivid depiction yet of Korea’s gay community” and said it could become “another classic of queer Korean cinema.” The title “3670” comes from slang used in gay circles, shorthand for “meet at Jongno 3-ga Station Exit 6 at 7 p.m.,” with the final digit indicating the number of people gathering. The film follows Cheol-jun (Cho You-hyun), a defector who longs to find his place in the queer community but struggles with hesitation. Though he settled in South Korea after fleeing the North seveSep 9, 2025By Hankookilbo
Foreign actors in K-content: How far will their roles expand?In an era where the word “global” no longer sounds foreign, Korean actors are increasingly venturing abroad, and foreign faces are becoming more common in K-dramas and films. As K-content continues to attract worldwide attention, how far can the diversity of its cast members expand? Indian actor Anupam Tripathi, who rose to fame through his role as Ali in the global hit “Squid Game,” recently landed his first leading role in a Korean commercial film with “Rhapsody for the Dead,” which premiered last month. In the film, he plays Anuwat, a man harboring a secret, and stars alongside former AOA member Lim Do-hwa. Tripathi also portrayed Prince Samir in the drama “King the Land,” further cementing his growing presence in K-content. Taiwanese actress Regina Lei has also drawn attention with her performance in “Twelve,” where she plays Bang-ul, an angel who helps heal others. Starring alongside Ma Dong-seok, Park Hyung-sik, Seo In-guk, Lee Joo-bin and Go Kyu-pil, Lei’s presence brings depth and diversity to the narrative. Actor Greg Hsu (Hsu Kuang-han), widely known amonSep 9, 2025By Hankookilbo
Can Park Chan-wook’s 'No Other Choice' succeed without Venice win?Despite missing out on the Golden Lion at this year’s Venice International Film Festival, celebrated director Park Chan-wook's new film, "No Other Choice," is poised for box office success in Korea, fueled by widespread critical acclaim and a high number of presale tickets that signal a promising start to its theatrical run. Just over two weeks before its domestic premiere, "No Other Choice" has already claimed the top spot in the presale ticket race, surpassing the blockbuster Japanese animation "Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba — Infinity Castle,” which has been dominating the local box office. As of Monday afternoon, Park's film topped the presale ticket chart, recording a 29 percent reservation rate with over 103,906 tickets sold, according to data by the Korean Film Council (KOFIC). This kind of early traction is rare in Korea’s current box office climate, signaling growing anticipation for Park’s first film since "Decision to Leave" (2022). The film's momentum was fueled by its selection for the competition section at the Venice Film Festival, a significant step for KoreanSep 8, 2025By Baek Byung-yeul
Park Chan-wook’s 'No Other Choice' falls short of Golden Lion at VeniceDirector Park Chan-wook’s highly anticipated film “No Other Choice” did not come away with the Golden Lion prize at the Venice International Film Festival Saturday (local time). The prestigious award was instead given to director Jim Jarmusch's "Father Mother Sister Brother." Park’s “No Other Choice” had been considered a front-runner for the Golden Lion after its own premiere in Venice last week received a standing ovation that lasted more than nine minutes. Based on Donald E. Westlake’s novel “The Ax,” “No Other Choice” is a dark satire that follows Man-soo (Lee Byung-hun), a man who resorts to extreme measures to secure a new job and provide for his family after being laid off. The film, which has been a passion project for Park for two decades. While the film ultimately missed out on the festival’s top prize, its run in Venice has already proven to be a financial and promotional success. According to its production company CJ ENM, even before its release, “No Other Choice” has already offset its net production cost of 17 billion won ($12.2 million) throughSep 7, 2025By Baek Byung-yeul
'Golden' from 'KPop Demon Hunters' OST tops British Official chart for 5th week"Golden," the smash hit single from the original soundtrack of the Netflix animation film "KPop Demon Hunters," has topped the British Official Singles Chart Top 100 for a fifth week overall. According to the chart unveiled Friday (local time), "Golden" claimed the top spot for the fourth consecutive week. It first reached No. 1 on the chart, Aug. 1. The song by the film's fictional girl group Huntr/x was sung by Ejae, a composer who trained at SM Entertainment; Korean American singer Audrey Nuna; and South Korean-born U.S. artist Rei Ami. The track is the first K-pop song to reach No. 1 in 13 years since Psy topped the chart with "Gangnam Style" in 2012. "Golden" also topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart of the United States earlier this week. Other songs from the soundtrack also performed high on the British chart, with "Soda Pop" and "Your Idol" ranking fifth and eighth, respectively. "Takedown" also came in at 24th. The animated sensation has officially become Netflix's most-watched movie of all time. The film has amassed 236 million views since its June 20 release, surpassing the previoSep 6, 2025By Yonhap
