Review'Steelay' opens new era for AI feature filmsKorea has entered a new cinematic frontier with the release of the science-fiction action movie "Steelay," which hit local theaters on Oct. 21. The movie drew strong interest before its release as it applied artificial intelligence (AI) tools across the entire production process instead of relying on the technology for just a few specific scenes. “Steelay” follows Yoon Kang, a young man who steps into a combat suit left by his father and teams up with the AI Ara to fight a virus and a rogue autonomous robot named AIRA. As AIRA begins to treat humans as threats, the film mirrors contemporary real world discussions surrounding agentic AI and autonomous decision making systems where machines act without human command. Running for 90 minutes, "Steelay" stands out as the longest Korean AI feature film to date, outpacing recent 60-minute AI movies like "I'm Popo" and "Man in Hanbok." Produced by Laon Company Plus on a modest budget of under around 1 billion won ($750,000) within a compact six-month production period, the movie demonstrates how independent imagination can materialize on scre16h agoBy Baek Byung-yeul
'Final Interview' delivers psychological thriller about prejudice, human natureDirector Kim Jung-hoon emphasized that his upcoming mystery thriller film "Final Interview" focuses on capturing the changing emotions and facial expressions of its six main actors as their characters engage in a high-stakes psychological battle. "Rather than just depicting the tense atmosphere inside the interview room, I wanted to focus on the emotional lines of the applicants striving to pass," Kim said after the premiere of the movie at a theater in Seoul, Wednesday. "Even if the overall background looks simple, I tried not to miss a single facial expression of the actors because their faces are the real visual center of this movie." Based on the mystery novel "Six Lying University Students" by Japanese author Akinari Asakura, "Final Interview" follows six job applicants who reach the final round of a corporate recruitment process with a 5,000 to 1 acceptance ratio. Trapped in a room for two hours, the applicants are forced to vote among themselves to choose a single successful candidate after discovering mysterious envelopes containing each other's hidden secrets and past revelation1d agoBy Baek Byung-yeul
At 85, Kim Hye-ja returns to film after turning down role 6 times“I just want to be like a nameless wildflower.” That was what veteran actor Kim Hye-ja told director Song Il-gon last year when he visited her home in Yeonhui-dong, western Seoul, to ask her to star in his new film. Song, whose films include “Picnic” (1999), “Flower Island” (2001) and “Always” (2011), was developing a movie about victims of Japan’s wartime sexual slavery, and Kim was his first choice for the lead role. But Kim turned him down. “I've never played a role like this before, and I'm scared, so I don't want to do it,” she said. Song persisted, even writing her a lengthy letter. After six attempts, Kim finally agreed. The result is “Still Shining,” which opened Wednesday and marks the actor's first film in nine years, since “The Way” in 2017. She turns 85 this year on Oct. 25. What changed her mind was the way the film chose to remember the victims. “Still Shining” follows Sun-ok and Jeong-im, two 18-year-old girls living in a remote mountain village in 1942. Played in their youth by Park Seo-kyung and Choi Ju-eun, the inseparable friends spend theOct 23, 2026By Hankookilbo
InterviewLee Sun-bin embraces comedy, chaos in movie about college entrance examIn the upcoming comedy film "Ugly Duckling Ms. Maeng," actor Lee Sun-bin plays Maeng Bo-ram, an earnest provincial high school teacher who unexpectedly finds herself locked away in a top-secret camp to draft questions for the College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT). Ahead of the movie's theatrical release, Lee expressed both anxiety and anticipation during a recent interview in Seoul, saying the unique subject of the annual exam posed its own challenges. "This moment right before the release is both the time I want to avoid and the moment I look forward to," Lee told The Korea Times at a cafe in Seoul on Wednesday. "I tend to be harsh on myself and worry about my shortcomings. At the same time, I am deeply curious whether audiences will recognize actors’ intentions behind the performance. It feels like I am scared, but also eager to face the verdict as soon as possible." The movie centers on the 40-day isolation period where test developers are completely cut off from the outside world under strict security. Lee said that while the CSAT is an inescapable part of life in Korea, the secreOct 21, 2026By Baek Byung-yeul
Lee Chang-dong's 'Possible Love' wins Korean film critics awardKorean auteur Lee Chang-dong's Venice-winning film "Possible Love" was named the best film of the year by an association of Korean film critics on Tuesday. Jeon Do-yeon, one of the film's leads, was also named best actress, according to the list of winners for this year's Korean Association of Film Critics Awards. "Possible Love," Lee's first feature film in eight years, follows the intertwined lives of a laid-off worker and his wife, and a documentary maker and her affluent husband. The film won the Silver Lion Grand Jury Prize at the prestigious Venice International Film Festival. Director Na Hong-jin's sci-fi blockbuster "Hope" clinched three awards in the categories of best director, best actor for lead Zo In-sung and best cinematography. Also among the winners were Park Ji-hoon, who won best new actor for his performance in "The King's Warden," which has become the most-watched film in Korea this year, and Seo Su-bin, who won best new actress for "The World of Love." In addition to "Possible Love" and "Hope," the films "The Assassin(s)," "The King's Warden," "The World of Love," "SalOct 20, 2026By Yonhap
Taiwan content agency partners with 'The Roundup' producer at Busan film festivalTaiwan’s state content agency signed a partnership with the Korean production house behind “The Roundup” crime-action franchise during the 31st Busan International Film Festival, as part of a push to expand film and TV cooperation between the two sides. The Taiwan Creative Content Agency (TAICCA), established in 2019 under Taiwan’s Ministry of Culture to support the production, financing and overseas expansion of Taiwanese films, series, music, comics and games, signed a memorandum of understanding with B.A. Entertainment on Oct. 12 at the Paradise Hotel Busan, the agency said. B.A. Entertainment also produced “The King’s Warden,” which drew 16.9 million moviegoers this year, and “The Gangster, the Cop, the Devil.” Under the agreement, the two will cooperate on co-planning and co-producing content, talent development, financing and international distribution. “Building international partnerships and connecting resources is essential for Taiwanese content to reach the global market,” TAICCA Chairperson Sue Wang said. The agreement will help Taiwan’s original storiesOct 20, 2026By Jhoo Dong-chan
'Ugly Duckling Ms. Maeng' tackles high-stakes drama of Korea's CSATDirector Lee Yong-jae said he chose the College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT) as the subject of his debut movie “Ugly Duckling Ms. Maeng” because the crucial exam means so much in Korea, even rerouting flights and bringing daily life to a halt across the nation. “The CSAT is a matter of interest for all citizens," Lee said at a theater in Seoul, Monday after the premier of “Ugly Duckling Ms. Maeng.” “I thought taking on this story would easily draw interest from audiences. No matter which part of our society you look at, you can see many different sides of it. As a new director, telling a story in one restricted space also helped save time and money." "Ugly Duckling Ms. Maeng" is a comedy about Maeng Bo-ram (Lee Sun-bin), a Korean language teacher at a high school in a small provincial town. Maeng accidentally becomes test developer for the CSAT due to an administrative error. Inside the locked camp, where the team members developing the test are isolated from the outside world for 40 days, she gets caught up in chaotic clashes with ambitious professors while trying her bestOct 19, 2026By Baek Byung-yeul
ReviewDeceased director offers grim, uncompromising final workThe late director Hur Bum-wook left behind a grim yet compelling cinematic legacy with his second and final animated feature, "Pig That Survived Foot-And-Mouth Disease." The film was originally scheduled for release on Aug. 5, but Hur tragically passed away on July 28 at age 43 due to injuries sustained in an accidental fire days earlier. As a result of his unexpected death, the release of the movie was delayed until this month. His final work stands as an unforgettable testament to his artistic vision, diving deep into the raw violence and dark realities of modern society through its parallel tales of a man and a pig. In "Pig That Survived Foot-And-Mouth Disease,” a pig named H survives a mass burial pit during a disease outbreak and strives to become human after drinking a farm owner's blood. Meanwhile, a young military deserter named Jeong-seok, who suffered relentless abuse from his superiors, rejects his humanity and chooses to become a beast. As the pig learns about human cruelty, power struggles and greed, Jeong-seok falls into deep despair and a cycle of self-destructive actionsOct 16, 2026By Baek Byung-yeul
REPORTER’S NOTEBOOK'Hope,' 'The Assassin(s)' show widening gap between reviews, viewersIs there a right way to enjoy a movie? How a movie makes us feel is personal, and everyone should be free to speak their mind — yet two major Korean movies released this year show how starkly different those reactions can be. As of Wednesday, Na Hong-jin's "Hope" has been seen by 4.59 million viewers, while Hur Jin-ho's "The Assassin(s)" has drawn 3.08 million. Together, the films demonstrate a gap between critics' verdicts and ordinary audience reactions. "Hope" is a classic case of mixed expectations. Made with a massive budget, it arrived in July as Na's first feature since "The Wailing" in 2016. Many viewers walked in expecting a tense thriller and walked out confused or angry. Common complaints were that the story felt thin, the ending felt at odds with the rest of the film and the computer graphics felt awkward. Some felt the movie was not a complete story and just a setup for a sequel. Critics saw something else, lauding Na's films for demanding people engage in interpretation without offering easy clues — something that leaves some viewers frustrated. Renowned critic Lee DongOct 16, 2026By Baek Byung-yeul
Seoul Whistler Film Festival explores stories of injustice, resistanceA whistle is about the simplest instrument there is. It takes one breath to blow, and once it sounds, it's hard to ignore. The Seoul Whistler Film Festival (SWFF) is built around the people who take that breath. For its third year, it's making considerably more noise. The festival will run Oct. 23-25 at Arthouse Momo, the independent cinema located inside Ewha Womans University's ECC complex in western Seoul. It will screen 47 films from 18 countries: 10 features and 37 shorts, animations and experimental works. The "whistler" in the name is the whistleblower. SWFF's mission is to tell the stories of people who resist and speak out for justice, human rights, peace, life, the environment and democracy. It also tells the stories of people who expose the pain, conflict and absurdity they carry inside. "Both threads run through the lineup, often in the same film," said Yoon Sol-ji, the festival's executive programmer. "We don't split these into sections — one person's story can carry both at once, which feels closer to how injustice actually works on people." The opening film exemplifies whOct 16, 2026By Justin Kyle
