The South Korean box office jumped nearly 78 percent in March from a year earlier on the back of the strong performance of Oscar-nominated "Minari," data showed Friday. The number of moviegoers reached 3.26 million last month, up 77.5 percent from 1.83 million tallied in the same month last year, when the COVID-19 pandemic hit the film industry at its early stage, according to the data compiled by the Korean Film Council (KOFIC). From a month earlier, the March figure gained 4.7 perc

Seobok (Korea) Opened April 15 Science fiction Directed by Lee Yong-joo Ki-hun (Gong Yoo) is a former intelligence agent. One day, he receives his last mission from the director of the intelligence agency (Cho Woo-jin), to move Seo-bok (Park Bo-gum) -- the first-ever human clone, who possesses the secret to eternal life -- to a safe location. Seo-bok has never known life outside of the laboratory and was raised by Lim Se-eun (Jang Young-nam). Nobody (US) Opened April 7 Comedy Directed by Ilya

Many local movies since last year have decided to skip theaters to release on Netflix due to the spread of COVID-19, which has kept moviegoers away from theaters. “Night in Paradise”also took this path, being released in 190 countries through Netflix on April 9. Five days after its release, lead actor Eom Tae-goo said he is curious about the response from global viewers, during a joint media interview held via Zoom on Wednesday. “To me, it is amazing that the movie is bein

When actor Gong Yoo first read the script for his upcoming film “Seobok,” he felt like it was asking him a question. “I felt like it was asking me ‘So, what is the purpose of your life?’,” Gong Yoo told local reporters during a joint media interview Tuesday via Zoom. “I could not give an answer to that question. This experience stunned and interested me.” He explained that he decided to perform for “Seobok” because it was not only wri

Director Lee Yong-joo, who is known for “Architecture 101,” a hit romance film that came out in 2012, has returned with a science fiction film about the first human clone “Seobok.” “I changed the genre of movie that I make, and this was not done on purpose,” Lee said during a press conference held at CGV Yongsan in central Seoul. “My first film was the horror film ‘Living Death,’ and it was about human fears. After that, I have always wante

Bong Joon-ho, the Oscar-winning director of South Korean black comedy "Parasite," will be part of a 15-member "ensemble cast" that will present at the Academy Awards later this month. Bong, who directed the 2019 film that fetched four Oscars, including best picture and best director, will join former winners and nominees to present at the 93rd Academy Awards ceremony slated for April 25 (US time). The list of the first round of presenters, released on the Academy of Motion

In the film “Minari,” Korean grandmother Soon-ja, played by Youn Yuh-jung, arrives in the US with her luggage packed with seeds for Korean vegetables and other home goods for her daughter. Youn’s own bag has been overflowing with trophies from the US for her acting in “Minari” alone, and on Monday, she added another feather to her cap with one from the British Academy of Film and Television Arts awards. At the BAFTA ceremony at London’s Royal Albert Hall, Yo

Nobody (US) Opened April 7 Comedy Directed by Ilya Naishuller Hutch Mansell (Bob Odenkirk) is a seemingly ordinary man. Hutch does his best both at work and home, but he and his wife Becca (Connie Nielsen) have not been intimate in years, and his son Blake has no respect for him as a father. One night, a man and woman break into his house. Instead of stopping the burglars, Hutch lets them get away, worsening his relationship with his family. Book of Fish (Korea) Opened March 31 Drama Direc

After watching Lee Joon-ik’s “Book of Fish” along with only a couple of other moviegoers at Dongdaemun Megabox in Seoul on Tuesday, Culture, Sports and Tourism Minister Hwang Hee promised to support the local film industry, which is suffering financially due to COVID-19. “This film is directed by a renowned movie director, who made films ‘The King and the Clown’ and ‘The Throne,’ but there are not many in the audience. This weighs on me,” H

10-day hybrid event to screen 186 films from 48 countries

Inches closer to Oscars in what would be a first for a Korean actor

The Seoul Independent Film Festival will show 25 short films and eight feature films from April 23- 25, during the Seoul leg of its annual screening tour, Indie Picnic 2021. Indie Picnic, which kicked off in 2004, screens selected independent films around the country with the goal of supporting local theaters and indie films. This year‘s screening tour will focus on short films. “As the changing movie distribution environment makes it harder for short films to be screened, we hope

South Korean actress Youn Yuh-jung won an award at the US Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Awards for her supporting role in the drama film "Minari." At the televised ceremony of the 2021 SAG Awards on Sunday (US time), Youn was named the winner of Outstanding Performance By a Female Actor in a Supporting Role, beating Maria Bakalova for "Borat Subsequent Moviefilm," Glenn Close for "Hillbilly Elegy," Olivia Colman for "The Father" and Helena Zengel for "Ne

The organizers of the Asiana International Short Film Festival on Wednesday announced that this year’s festival has been canceled, after Asiana Airlines decided to drop its sponsorship. “Asiana International Short Film Festival closes its doors, as the sponsorship of the Asiana Airlines has been discontinued due to various circumstances such as COVID-19,” the Asiana International Short Film Festival secretariat office said in a statement. Established in 2003, the short film

Multiplex chain CJ CGV will screen 11 films nominated for this year’s Academy Awards at its 35 theaters starting Saturday. “Nomadland” directed by Chloe Zhao, “Judas and the Black Messiah” directed by Shaka King and “Quo Vadis, Aida?” directed by Jasmila Zbanic will be screened before their official release as part of the special screening program that will give theatergoers an opportunity to watch Oscar nominated films, the cinema operator said. &ldq