Hong Sang-soo's new film sees Kim Min-hee's returnKorean filmmaker Hong Sang-soo's latest film, "Nowhere to Lay My Eyes," will premiere in the main competition of the 79th Locarno Film Festival. The film marks Kim Min-hee's return to acting after giving birth to her first child. International distributor Finecut announced the selection Thursday. The project is Hong's 35th feature and will compete for the Golden Leopard, the festival's top prize. This is Hong's fifth film selected for the festival. His previous entries include "By the Stream" (2024), which won a best performance award; "Hotel by the River" (2018), which also earned a best performance award; "Right Now, Wrong Then" (2015), which won the Golden Leopard and a best performance award; and "Our Sunhi" (2013), which won the best director award. The Locarno Film Festival, founded in 1946 and held annually every August in Locarno, Switzerland, is famous for showcasing artistic and experimental auteur films. Announcing the lineup, the festival said that they were all deeply moved by how the film conveyed the meaning, beauty and complexity of life through the poetic and sophisticatJul 10, 2026By Hankookilbo
Zo In-sung says he chose challenge over playing it safe with 'Hope' roleActor Zo In-sung, who plays Sung-ki in the Korean sci-fi blockbuster "Hope," said Thursday he accepted the role after weighing whether to challenge himself or play it safe. "Hope," directed by Na Hong-jin, portrays local cops and villagers who fight mysterious but powerful creatures that suddenly appear in a remote seaside town near the heavily fortified Demilitarized Zone. Zo leads a crew of young villagers as they get embroiled in a deadly fight for survival, delivering riveting action moves that penetrate through the latter half of the film. "The genre itself is not easy. Korean sci-fi films have gone through their share of ups and downs, and perhaps that is inevitable for the genre. There are hurdles they have to overcome," Zo said in an interview with reporters, referring to the genre that remains a minority sector in Korean cinema. "I thought about whether I should take the safe route or challenge myself, and now that I'm in more of a senior position, I felt it would be better to choose the challenge," he said. "I don't want my career to become dull ... I wanted to keep moving andJul 9, 2026By Yonhap
Can 'Hope' save Korea's bleeding cinema?The Korean film industry currently finds itself in a strange paradox where its global influence is expanding while its domestic foundations are crumbling rapidly. While prominent foreign filmmakers continue to praise the country as a world-class cinema powerhouse, local insiders fear that Korea might repeat the tragic decline of Hong Kong cinema due to an ongoing structural recession. That's is why all eyes are now on director Na Hong-jin and his upcoming sci-fi thriller “Hope,” scheduled to hit theaters on July 15. It is the most expensive project in Korean cinematic history with a budget exceeding 50 billion won ($33 million) and represents what many call the final lifeline of the domestic box office. The global reputation of Korean films remains remarkably high, contrasting sharply with its grim domestic reality. "I have long admired Korean cinema and Korean audiences for their enthusiasm," American director Josh Safdie said during an online press conference with Korean reporters on July 2, introducing his movie “Marty Supreme,” which hit local cinemas the day before. "Korea isJul 9, 2026By Baek Byung-yeul
Lee Byung-hun, Go Youn-jung cast in upcoming Joseon-era action filmLee Byung-hun of "Squid Game" and "No Other Choice" has been cast alongside Go Youn-jung in an upcoming martial arts action film, its production company said Wednesday. The film, titled "Nambeol" in Korean, centers on nine warriors of the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910) who head to the Japanese island of Tsushima to save captives, according to Hive Media. Lee takes on the role of the head warrior, a seasoned fighter known for his sharp judgment and steadfast beliefs. Go plays the role of a woman who lost her family to the enemy and heads out to the battlefield to save her kidnapped sibling. The film marks the directorial debut of Lee Mo-gae, the cinematographer behind the hit films "12.12: the Day," "Exhuma" and "Hunt." Filming is set to begin this year.Jul 8, 2026By Yonhap
ReviewNa Hong-jin reinvents sci-fi thriller in 'Hope' with fierce pace, raw styleNa Hong-jin has returned to the director's chair for the first time in a decade with his highly anticipated sci-fi thriller "Hope," a film that undeniably breaks new ground in the history of Korean cinema. Following its world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival in May, the blockbuster underwent careful editing and visual enhancements to shave four minutes off its runtime, resulting in a tighter 156-minute theatrical cut that delivers a relentless and high-octane cinematic experience. Set in the 1980s in Hopo Port, a fictional small coastal town near the Demilitarized Zone, the movie begins with a scary discovery. A remote outpost chief Bum-seok (Hwang Jung-min) responds to a report of a mutilated cow lying on a rural road. Believing a wild tiger is around, the village people grab their weapons to search for the threat. While tough young men including Seong-gi (Zo In-sung) head straight into the mountains, Bum-seok gets caught in a dangerous encounter with the creature, while staying in touch with a local police officer Seong-ae (Jung Ho-yeon). However, they soon realize that the mysteriJul 7, 2026By Baek Byung-yeul
Record-budget sci-fi 'Hope' gears up for local theaters after CannesDirector Na Hong-jin said his new sci-fi blockbuster “Hope” underwent minor editing changes after its world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival in May to achieve the maximum cinematic effect for audiences. "The film has gone through some changes since its screening at Cannes," Na said during a press conference after the movie's Seoul premiere Monday. "If you saw the movie at Cannes, about five minutes of footage has been deleted. At the same time, around three to four minutes of new scenes were added, bringing the final runtime to a slightly different version." The highly anticipated sci-fi thriller follows Beom-seok (Hwang Jung-min), a small-town port outpost chief in the Demilitarized Zone, who puts the entire village on high alert after receiving reports of what they believe is a tiger sighting from local young men. The film features a star-studded international cast including Korean actors Hwang, Zo In-sung and Jung Ho-yeon, alongside Hollywood stars Michael Fassbender, Alicia Vikander, Taylor Russell and Cameron Britton. The film has already generated immense buzz as Korea's moJul 6, 2026By Baek Byung-yeul
Christopher Nolan to make 1st Korea visit with Matt Damon, Charlize Theron for 'The Odyssey'In a major play for the Asian box office, Universal Pictures has locked in a historic promotional tour for Christopher Nolan’s upcoming cinematic tentpole, "The Odyssey." The Oscar-winning director is set to make his first-ever official promotional visit to Korea on Aug. 3, leading a star-studded delegation that includes actors Matt Damon and Charlize Theron. Korea has long served as an ultra-lucrative stronghold for Nolan, with his collective filmography — including "Interstellar," "Dunkirk," "Tenet" and "Oppenheimer" — raking in a staggering 36 million admissions in the country alone. Local exhibitors have affectionately dubbed the market "Nolan’s country," a reflection of a sophisticated moviegoing public that routinely turns his cerebral, complex narratives into massive cultural events. Yet despite this multidecade fandom, scheduling bottlenecks and tightly wound production timelines had previously prevented the filmmaker from executing a proper local press tour. The upcoming trip was initiated at the direct request of Nolan himself, who personally restructured his global pJul 6, 2026By Lee Kyung-min
No. of moviegoers for Korean films jumps 75 % in H1The number of moviegoers for Korean films jumped 75 percent on-year in the first half of the year, led by the historical film "The King's Warden," which topped 16 million admissions, data showed Sunday. Korean films drew 37.4 million admissions in the January-June period, compared with 21.4 million viewers the previous year, according to the data released by the Korean Film Council. In the cited period, ticket sales of domestic films soared 81.7 percent on-year to 370 billion won ($242 million). In the first half, the number of newly released Korean movies fell to 217 from 240 the previous year, but viewer admissions and ticket sales jumped on the back of the popularity of "The King's Warden." Directed by Jang Hang-jun, "The King's Warden" attracted 16.9 million admissions, becoming the second-most-watched film of all time in South Korea. The Korean zombie thriller "Colony" also broke 5 million admissions, and the supernatural horror film "Salmokji: Whispering Water" surpassed 3 million admissions.Jul 5, 2026By Yonhap
Netflix may be rewriting rules for Korean cinema with 'Possible Love'Lee Chang-dong’s seventh film, "Possible Love," has been confirmed for a theatrical release, a surprising turn from widespread expectations that it would debut on Netflix. Industry observers believe the move was made with major international film festivals in mind, given Lee’s long-standing reputation as one of Korea’s most acclaimed directors on the global stage. According to the Korea Media Rating Board, "Possible Love" received an adults-only rating for directly portraying nudity and sexual acts while depicting the lives of laid-off workers, as well as themes of love, loss, trauma and the restoration of human relationships. "Possible Love" is Lee’s first film in eight years and stars Jeon Do-yeon, Sol Kyung-gu, Zo In-sung and Cho Yeo-jeong. It follows two married couples leading completely different lives whose chance encounter sets off a series of emotional entanglements. With a running time of 164 minutes, it is the longest feature Lee has directed. The project was originally conceived as a theatrical release before shifting to a Netflix-backed production while seeking finanJul 5, 2026By Hankookilbo
'Marty Supreme' director praises Chalamet's intense performanceJosh Safdie, the director of the sports comedy movie “Marty Supreme,” expressed deep admiration for actor Timothee Chalamet, highlighting the unique combination of traits that made him perfect for the lead role. Speaking at an online press conference, Thursday, the filmmaker praised the actor for bringing a rare balance of power and innocence to the character. “One of the things that drew me to Timmy was his intensity, but his intensity was softened by a certain sort of eternal youth and a boyish wonder about the world,” Safdie said. “One of the things I did really admire about him is that he takes things very seriously, obsessively." “Marty Supreme,” which was released in theaters here on Wednesday, is set in the 1950s and follows the journey of Marty Mauser, a young man who tries to become a world champion table tennis player. To achieve his goal, he competes in underground gambling matches and performs circus-style trick shots. Safdie has built a reputation in Hollywood for his distinct filmmaking style, previously directing acclaimed titles such as “Good Time” (2017Jul 2, 2026By Baek Byung-yeul
