Dec 17, 2018

[Herald Review] ‘The Drug King’ has strong acting by Song, but not much more

“The Drug King” is not a flop by any means. On the contrary, it is probably one of the better South Korean films of the year.But when you have masterful Song Kang-ho as the protagonist, plus the brilliance of Bae Doo-na, Jo Jung-suk, Lee Sung-min and so many other talented actors and let it all go to waste, that just doesn’t cut it.Woo Min-ho’s upcoming crime drama about a 1970s drug lord is funny, visually impressive and well-acted by the always-dependable Song, but it suffers from a weak story

Dec 14, 2018

[Box Office] Movies in theaters this week

Default(Korea)Opened Nov. 28DramaDirected by Choi Kook-heeAs the 1997 financial crisis hits Korea, Bank of Korea analyst Han Shi-hyeon (Kim Hye-soo) warns senior government officials. But her call for immediate action and the need to alert the public falls on deaf ears, as the high-ranking officials are more focused on covering up everything. Meanwhile, investment consultant Yun Jeong-hak (Yoo Ah-in) looks to make money off the crumbling economy.Door Lock(Korea) Opened Dec. 5Thriller, DramaDirec

Dec 13, 2018

[Herald Review] ‘Aquaman’ goofy but fun and visually stunning

It’s apparently a backward day in DC town; its crown jewels, including the iconic fight between Batman and Superman, turned into a snore-fest, while one of its least beloved heroes exceeds expectations and could herald a Warner Bros. comeback after a series of superhero flops.Let me clarify one thing: I do not think James Wan’s “Aquaman” is even remotely close to being a superhero masterpiece, or even on par with “Wonder Woman,” the highest-rated movie on Rotten Tomatoes that is based on charact

Dec 7, 2018

[Herald Review] ‘Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse’ dazzles in its own way

When you’ve been told the same story for the umpteenth time, is it possible for it to still feel original? Apparently yes, as yet another take by Sony Pictures’ on the wildly popular Spider-Man character hit it out of the ballpark for a well-animated, witty, dazzling and, most importantly, fun superhero movie in “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.” caption: “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” (Sony Pictures Korea)I’d first like to point out the filmmaking duo of Phil Lord and Christopher Miller,

Dec 7, 2018

[Box Office] Movies in theaters this week

[Box Office] Movies in theaters this weekDefault (Korea)Opened Nov. 28DramaDirected by Choi Kook-heeAs the 1997 financial crisis hits Korea, Bank of Korea analyst Han Shi-hyeon (Kim Hye-soo) warns senior government officials. But her call for immediate action and the need to alert the public falls on deaf ears, as the high-ranking officials are more focused on covering up everything. Meanwhile, investment consultant Yun Jeong-hak (Yoo Ah-in) looks to make money off the crumbling economy.Door Loc

Dec 5, 2018

CJ ENM seeks to crack the US market with thriller remake

The American remake of the Korean horror thriller “Hide and Seek” has commenced filming, according to officials at CJ ENM, along with another film by director Drake Doremus. “Hide and Seek,” originally released in 2013, is a flick by director Huh Jung featuring a family who believe strangers are hiding in their home. It was recently reported that actor Jonathan Rhys Meyers was cast as the lead in the film directed by Joel David Moorem, joined by Jacinda Barrett, Joe Pantoliano and Mustafa Shakir

Dec 4, 2018

Period piece ‘Mal-Mo-E’ shows fight to keep alive Korean identity

After colonizing Korea, Japanese Empire in 1938 tried to squash out the identity of Korea as a nation, forcing its colonial subjects to pledge allegiance to the Japanese emperor, take up Japanese names and accept Japan’s history as part of its own under the claim that the two countries share the same roots. Perhaps the worst among such attempts is the policy in 1938 to ban education of the Korean language and gradually phase out its use. “Mal-Mo-E: The Secret Mission” depicts 1940s Gyeongseong –

Nov 30, 2018

[Box Office] Movies in theaters this week

Bohemian Rhapsody (US)Opened Oct. 31Biography, Drama, Music Directed by Bryan Singer Bohemian Rhapsody is a foot-stomping celebration of Queen, its music and extraordinary lead singer Freddie Mercury. The film traces the meteoric rise of Queen and its leader Mercury (Rami Malek) through their iconic songs and revolutionary sound, their near-implosion as Mercury’s lifestyle spirals out of control, and their triumphant reunion on the eve of Live Aid, where Mercury, facing a life-threatening illnes

Nov 30, 2018

‘Sunny,’ ‘Miss Granny’ to be remade by Universal Studios, MGM

CJ ENM announced Thursday that the entertainment company is working with Universal Studios and MGM to release US remakes of the Korean movies “Sunny” and “Miss Granny.” (CJ ENM)“Sunny” (2011) attracted over 7 million moviegoers in Korea. The remake will be produced by US comedian Kevin Hart’s production company Hart Beat as “Bye Bye Bye.” Universal Studios will be in charge of investment and distribution.Scriptwriter Amy Aniobi is in charge of the film scenario, according to an announcement Thur

Nov 29, 2018

Lee Si-young says ‘No Mercy’ is different kind of action flick

The plot of “No Mercy,” a new action film starring Lee Si-young, naturally draws comparison to another action film featuring a vengeful master hand-to-hand combatant who has a soft spot for a solitary person under protection. The “Taken” series may pop up more frequently for the audience, but the name buzzing among Korean cinephiles is “The Man from Nowhere” (2009). “No Mercy” / Joy N Cinema“Comments about (our film being) a female version of ‘The Man from Nowhere’ is understandable. But we focu

Nov 27, 2018

Ezra Miller spotted with Claudia Kim in Seoul

American actor Ezra Miller toured Seoul with Korean actress Claudia Kim on Monday. Both actors starred in the recently released film “Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald.”(Instagram)Kim posted on her Instagram account photos of the two eating Korean food together. In the photos, Miller had a long piece of kimchi hanging out of his mouth. (Instagram) (Instagram)In a separate post, Kim also uploaded photos taken at a Line Friends Store, where Kim and Miller posed playfully with life-sized

Nov 24, 2018

T-ara’s Jiyeon signs with Koo Hye-sun, Han Ye-seul’s agency

T-ara’s Jiyeon signed with Partners Park, the same agency that works with actresses Koo Hye-sun and Han Ye-seul, for her domestic activities. Partners Park said Friday that it will exclusively manage Jiyeon’s domestic singing and acting deals. “We will endeavor to assist Park Ji-yeon in bringing great works to you,” the agency said.  Park Ji-yeon (Partners Park)Jiyeon debuted in 2009 as a singer in the group T-ara. She is known for her hits “Lies,” “Bo Peep Bo Peep” and “I Go Crazy Because of Yo

Nov 22, 2018

‘Take Point’ delves into story of privatized military

From James Cameron’s “Avatar” to “Ready Player One,” soldier of fortune characters have made frequent appearances in Hollywood blockbusters. But rarely does one become the subject of a Korean film.The upcoming action thriller “Take Point,” directed by Kim Byung-woo, features a pack of mercenaries operating within an international military corporation, working on an enormous project with potentially catastrophic ramifications.“When we think of combat action, we often think of soldiers. I wanted a

Nov 21, 2018

[Herald Review] ‘Default’ both shines and falls short in unexpected places

When choosing a film to see, the lead actor often plays a major part in cinemagoers’ decisions. Lead actors take up much of the screen time, and thus their performances greatly influence how much the audience enjoys the picture. In rare cases, however, the main narrative can have less impact than the overall atmosphere of the film and the subplots. Director Choi Kook-hee’s drama “Default” is one that exceeded expectations in unexpected aspects.The film takes us back to 1997, to the eve of the wo