Tom Cruise confirms 12th visit to Korea for final ‘Mission Impossible’Hollywood star Tom Cruise has confirmed his 12th visit to Korea as part of promotional efforts for his latest movie "Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning." Lotte Entertainment, the Korean importer and distributor of the film, said Monday that the 62-year-old actor is scheduled to visit Korea on May 8. Also, this will be his sixth visit to Korea for the "Mission: Impossible" series alone. Cruise's special connection with Korea began in 1994 with "Interview with the Vampire," and has continued with visits for films like "Mission: Impossible 2" (2000), "Vanilla Sky" (2001), "Valkyrie" (2009), "Top Gun: Maverick" (2022) and "Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning" (2023). During his visits, Cruise had always responded warmly to the overwhelming reception from fans here, impressing them with his exceptional fan service and friendly demeanor. "Hello Korea, I am so excited to share that I'll be returning to Seoul with the cast of 'Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning' in May," Cruise said in a video announcing his visit, posted on Monday. "I look forward to seeing you all very, veApr 14, 2025By Baek Byung-yeul
'The Match' tops box office for 3rd straight weekend"The Match," starring Lee Byung-hyun and Yoo Ah-in, topped the weekend box office for the third consecutive week, data showed Monday. The Korean sports drama, which premiered March 26, attracted over 300,000 moviegoers from Friday to Sunday, bringing its total audience to 1.8 million, according to the Korean Film Council. Based on the real-life rivalry between South Korea's two legendary Go players, the movie follows the mental journey of Cho Hoon-hyun (Lee), who discovers the young genius Lee Chang-ho (Yoo) and takes him under his wing at the height of his professional career. "The Match" was followed by Rami Malek's spy thriller "The Amateur," which drew 47,963 viewers, and Ha Jung-woo's black comedy "Lobby" with 41,512.Apr 14, 2025By Yonhap
Korean animation 'The King of Kings' strikes gold in US box officeAnimated film "The King of Kings," crafted by Korean studios and filmmakers, has taken North American box offices by storm, debuting at No. 2 in North America on Friday, marking a milestone for local animation on the global stage. "The King of Kings" raked in $7.01 million on its opening day across 3,200 theaters in North America, according to data from the U.S. tracking site Box Office Mojo. This unexpected success places the Korean production ahead of Hollywood releases like "Amateur" and "Drop," second only to the video game adaptation, "A Minecraft Movie." Media outlets in the U.S., including Variety, project the film's opening weekend earnings to reach about $18 million. The film's Easter release in Korea on April 20 is anticipated to further fuel its box office momentum. "The King of Kings" is a 3D animated feature produced by Korea's Mofac Studio. The film is directed, written and produced by Mofac CEO Jang Seong-ho, with cinematography by Kim Woo-hyung. The film reimagines the life of Jesus Christ through the lens of Charles Dickens' children’s book "The Life of Our Lord," a stApr 13, 2025By Baek Byung-yeul
Singer Kim Heung-guk denies affair rumors with actor Kim Boo-sunSinger Kim Heung-guk, 66, has denied rumors of an affair with actor Kim Boo-sun, 63, after she announced plans to take legal action against people spreading the claims online. “I had no idea about these rumors until today. This is something Kim Boo-sun needs to address herself. The claims are completely baseless," Kim Heung-guk told the Hankook Ilbo on Thursday. He said that he has never been in contact with Kim Boo-sun. “She hasn’t contacted me about this at all. I don’t know how she’s going to handle it, but the truth is, we’re not in touch and we don’t meet. It’s ridiculous. I know nothing about this, yet all this happened," he said. “This came out of nowhere, and I’m just baffled. I don’t think it’s my place to respond. I just hope she handles it well.” Earlier that day, Kim Boo-sun said on her YouTube channel that she plans to take legal action against those claiming she had an affair with Kim Heung-guk. “On April 9, I met with a lawyer for legal advice. I was told that if the suspects are based in Korea, we can track them down. I’m preparing the materialApr 11, 2025By KTimes
Film on justice’s mentor gains attention post-impeachmentIn the wake of the impeachment of former President Yoon Suk Yeol, a 2023 documentary titled "A Man Who Heals the City" is set to return to screens this month. The film chronicles the philanthropic endeavors of entrepreneur Kim Jang-ha, including his influence on the Constitutional Court’s acting Chief Justice Moon Hyung-bae, who delivered the decisive impeachment ruling. The film's distributor Cinema Dal said Thursday that the documentary about Kim, who dedicated over 60 years to helping the less fortunate, will be screened in CGV movie theaters and independent cinemas nationwide this month. While the specific release date is yet to be confirmed, the decision comes amid overwhelming public demand for the film to return to theaters. The surge in interest followed the Constitutional Court's unanimous ruling on April 4 to impeach Yoon, who abruptly declared martial law in December, plunging the nation into political turmoil. Kim developed a bond with Moon when he was a struggling high school student from a poor farming family, and supported him with scholarships until he graduated from uApr 10, 2025By Baek Byung-yeul
‘A Minecraft Movie’ moves up release date amid global box office successThe upcoming “A Minecraft Movie” has moved up its domestic release date to April 26 due to overwhelming global demand and strong presales, its distributor said. The film, which is the first live-action adaptation of the world’s best-selling video game, was originally slated for release on April 30 but will now open four days earlier. The film follows four characters — Garrett, Natalie, Dawn and Henry — who are unexpectedly sucked into the Overworld, a blocky world where everything imaginable becomes reality. There, they meet Steve, a seasoned adventurer, and embark on an epic and unpredictable journey. After opening in North America on Friday, the film grossed $157 million (229.4 billion won) in just three days. It has since opened in 72 countries across more than 40,000 screens and reached No. 1 at the box office in 69 of them. The movie has also set impressive milestones, including the highest opening score in Europe this year and the best opening ever for a film starring Jason Momoa. Its worldwide cumulative revenue has reached $313.45 million, drawing attention to its recorApr 10, 2025By KTimes
Rami Malek's 'The Amateur' offers fresh take on spy genre with underdog heroActor Rami Malek, star of the new espionage film “The Amateur,” believes the movie stands out from traditional spy thrillers by featuring an underdog protagonist, promising audiences the unique satisfaction of seeing an ordinary person achieve extraordinary things. "I think what resonated so much about ('Bohemian Rhapsody') was an underdog story, someone you least expect and is overlooked, who goes on to do something really special, extraordinary and moves people. And there is a real underdog story here with this film that I think if you like watching someone rise above all the obstacles to achieve something special, you can relate ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ to ‘The Amateur,’" Malek told Korean media during an online press conference on Wednesday, referencing his Academy Award-winning role as Freddie Mercury in “Bohemian Rhapsody” (2018). "The Amateur," which hit theaters here Wednesday, follows Charles Heller (Malek), a CIA cryptographer with no field experience, embarking on a mission to avenge the murder of his wife, Sarah (Rachel Brosnahan). He uses his exceptional intelleApr 9, 2025By Baek Byung-yeul
Kim Min-hee and Hong Sang-soo welcome baby boyActor Kim Min-hee, 43, and director Hong Sang-soo, 65, recently became parents to a baby boy. According to sources on Tuesday, Kim gave birth at a hospital and later stayed at a postpartum care center in Hanam, Gyeonggi Province. Speculation about her pregnancy had circulated in January, when reports emerged that Kim was expecting a child with Hong and was due to give birth this spring. Witnesses also claimed to have seen the couple visiting an obstetrics clinic in Hanam for regular checkups. In February, the heavily pregnant Kim was spotted at Incheon International Airport with Hong, en route to attend the Berlin International Film Festival. Kim and Hong first met while working on the 2015 film "Right Now, Wrong Then," and later began dating. Hong publicly acknowledged their relationship at a press conference for the 2017 film "On the Beach at Night Alone." Hong remains legally married to a woman he wed in 1985 while studying in the United States. In 2016, Hong filed for divorce mediation, but the process fell through after his wife refused to receive the court documents. He later filedApr 9, 2025By KTimes
REVIEW ‘YADANG: The Snitch’ takes viewers on gritty ride through Korea’s drug underworld"YADANG: The Snitch" is a crime thriller that delves into the shadowy side of "yadang," a Korean slang term for informants who provide information about drug dealers and buyers to the police or law enforcement authorities. The film plunges viewers into the murky depths of Korea's drug trade as it follows the intertwined stories of Lee Kang-su (Kang Ha-neul), a yadang who has a name in Korea's drug scene, Koo Kwan-hee (Yoo Hae-jin), a prosecutor seeking to climb the ladder using Lee's information, and Oh Sang-jae (Park Hae-joon), a detective determined to crack down on drug crimes. The film follows the successful formula of Korean crime thrillers like "Inside Men" (2015) and "The Unjust" (2010), skillfully weaving in elements from real-life news stories about the collusion between crime syndicates and powerful figures. While using familiar elements found in crime thrillers, “YADANG: The Snitch” adds stylish visuals, exciting action, and a well-crafted plot that keeps the tension high throughout. At the center of the gripping story are the outstanding performances of the leading trio.Apr 8, 2025By Baek Byung-yeul
Why films starring Yoo Ah-in, Kwak Do-won are defying odds at box officeTwo Korean films, "The Firefighters" and "The Match," have unexpectedly become box office hits despite production delays, scandal-plagued stars and fears they would bypass theaters altogether. Both were filmed during the COVID-19 pandemic but were shelved due to their lead actors becoming embroiled in controversies. As rumors of direct-to-streaming releases swirled, few expected them to succeed once they finally hit theaters. Yet both have proved otherwise. "The Firefighters," which opened earlier this year, has drawn 3.85 million viewers, while "The Match" has attracted 1.35 million moviegoers as of Sunday. "The Firefighters," directed by Kwak Kyung-taek of "Friend" (2001) and "The Classified File" (2015), is based on a real-life arson incident in Seoul’s Hongje-dong in 2001. The film wrapped shooting in 2020, but plans for release were derailed in September 2022 after lead actor Kwak Do-won was caught drunk driving, causing a public outcry. The film was eventually released on Dec. 4 last year. Despite the stigma of being labeled a “shelved film” and the additional burden of its leApr 8, 2025By KTimes
