'Hope' opens strong in Korea, selling over 330,000 ticketsNa Hong-jin's "Hope" attracted more than 330,000 audience members on the first day of its release in Korea, box-office data showed Thursday, reflecting the buzz surrounding the highly anticipated film. The Korean sci-fi epic debuted at No. 1 at the box office, drawing 333,918 moviegoers on Wednesday, according to data from the Korean Film Council (KOFIC). It accounted for 81.3 percent of total box-office sales. "Hope," which competed at this year's prestigious Cannes Film Festival, follows police officers and villagers in the remote coastal town of Hopo as they become embroiled in a series of spiraling events after encountering powerful yet mysterious extraterrestrial beings. Marking Na's return a decade after "The Wailing" (2016), it features a star-studded cast, including Hwang Jung-min, Zo In-sung and Jung Ho-yeon, as well as Hollywood actors Michael Fassbender and Alicia Vikander. The film was pre-sold to around 200 territories worldwide, setting a record for a Korean film. At home, the sci-fi epic accounted for 63.1 percent of all advance ticket sales as of 8:55 a.m. Thursday, with1d agoBy Yonhap
Sci-fi film 'The Fin' explores discrimination in unified KoreaThe new dystopian sci-fi film "The Fin," directed by Park Sye-young, offers a grim look at a post-unification Korean Peninsula where environmental collapse has created a deeply divided society. The movie follows the struggle of the Omegas, a marginalized group of mutants with fins and three-toed feet, who face severe discrimination and labor exploitation by the human population. Park said the inspiration for the film came from his reflections on historical discrimination and modern social issues. "I came up with the idea of the Omegas while thinking about how marginalized people in Korean society face discrimination and how they are altered by government propaganda and image washing," Park said during a press conference for the movie, Friday. "It was a challenging project, where a small team poured everything they had into it for four years, and I think that intense effort and sweat can be felt in the film." The film centers on an unnamed Omega (Goh Woo), who escapes his harsh labor duties at East Colony 114, drawing the attention of Su-jin (Kim Pu-reum), a government official tasked withJul 14, 2026By Baek Byung-yeul
Christopher Nolan, Matt Damon to appear on 'You Quiz on the Block'Renowned filmmaker Christopher Nolan and Hollywood actor Matt Damon will appear on the popular South Korean talk show "You Quiz on the Block" during their upcoming visit to Seoul, the show's broadcaster tvN said Monday. The pair are scheduled to visit South Korea early next month to promote Nolan's new fantasy action epic "The Odyssey." It is known to be Nolan's first visit to South Korea. Damon previously visited the country in 2016 to promote the action thriller "Jason Bourne" (2016). The upcoming episode will feature a candid conversation with Nolan and Damon about "The Odyssey," as well as their views on filming and acting, according to tvN. The broadcaster did not specify when the episode will air. "The Odyssey" follows Greek king Odysseus, played by Damon, on a perilous journey to reunite with his wife, Penelope, after the Trojan War. It is set for local release Aug. 5. Other prominent international figures who have appeared on "You Quiz on the Block" include Nvidia chief Jensen Huang and Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates.Jul 13, 2026By Yonhap
Hit comedy 'Okay! Madam' returns with luxury cruise sequelThe action-comedy film "Okay! Madam," which drew over 1.22 million viewers amid the COVID-19 pandemic in August 2020, is returning with its sequel, "Okay! Madam: Bon Voyage." Director Lee Cheol-ha expressed his deep gratitude and excitement about the sequel, recalling the bittersweet memories of releasing the original film during the height of the pandemic. "I remember looking back at the situation six years ago when the pandemic was spreading and prebooked tickets were being canceled, which made the actors very sad during our promotional events," Lee said during a press conference in Seoul on Monday. "It was heartbreaking that our hard work could not reach more viewers at the time, but we were so grateful that many people still watched it, and the film generated good revenue through streaming platforms, which allowed us to make this sequel." The sequel expands its universe from an airplane in the first movie to a massive luxury cruise ship, following a former secret agent Mi-young (Uhm Jung-hwa) and her family, who get caught up in a cruise hijacking in the middle of the ocean. Lead actoJul 13, 2026By Baek Byung-yeul
'Moana' debuts atop weekend box officeThe Hollywood live-action "Moana" claimed the No. 1 position in its first week on the weekend box-office chart in Korea, data showed Monday. The remake of the 2016 Disney animation added 403,822 admissions over the weekend, bringing its total admissions to 511,078 as of Sunday, according to the data released by the Korean Film Council, which compiles admissions from Friday through Sunday for its weekend chart. "The Eyes," a Korean mystery thriller starring Shin Min-a, extended its quiet-but-strong run to rank No. 2. The movie attracted 257,816 admissions over the weekend, logging accumulated admissions of 1,277,263. The Hollywood animation "Toy Story 5," which debuted at No. 1 in its first week of release, came in at third, adding 238,524 admissions over the weekend and raising its total admissions to 2,580,327. Among other Korean titles, the zombie thriller "Colony" ranked No. 5, adding 37,008 admissions, while the K-pop comedy "Wild Sing" attracted 12,321 admissions to rank No. 7, according to the data.Jul 13, 2026By Yonhap
Interview'Korean cinema's crisis is invisible from NY' says US film fest chief"From New York, and the U.S. in general, the drought is almost invisible," Samuel Jamier, the executive director of the New York Asian Film Festival (NYAFF) said, challenging the prevailing anxiety surrounding the future of Korean cinema. "Film, television and K-pop blur into a single triumphant category — Korean content — and its sheer popularity overshadows the predicament of the industry that produces it." In a recent email interview with The Korea Times, the executive director offered a refreshing global perspective on Korea’s pop culture scene, arguing that while structural bottlenecks are very real in Seoul, the global appetite for Korean storytelling remains as fierce as ever. His insights come as NYAFF kicks off its landmark 25th anniversary edition, running from Friday (local time) to July 26 in New York, featuring a massive Korean cinema spotlight co-hosted by the Korean Cultural Center New York and the nonprofit Film at Lincoln Center. Supported by the Korean Film Council, this year's festival is screening 23 Korean movies across five venues. Opening the festival on FridJul 11, 2026By Baek Byung-yeul
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
