Apr 7, 2020

Korean films expected to hit theaters in summer

Though the ongoing coronavirus crisis has stopped the clock for most industries, some big players in the film scene are sticking to their original plans and preparing to release new works this summer. 　　 In recent months, the local film industry has been struggling hard with the ongoing pandemic. Film productions have been postponed or halted. Numbers of cinemagoers have drastically dropped, hitting the lowest point in history, as people refrain from visiting public spaces.　 Meanwhile, amid s

Apr 6, 2020

Indie films set off on screening tour

The Seoul Independent Film Festival on Monday announced the full lineup of its annual screening tour “Indie Picnic,” hosted by the organization. The lineup of 24 independent films that received awards or premiered at last year’s film fest includes five feature-length films and 19 short films. “Evaporated,” by director Kim Sung-min, winner of last year’s award for best long feature, tells the story of the family of a young child who disappears without a tra

Apr 6, 2020

Number of weekend moviegoers plunges to record low

The number of moviegoers dropped to a record low over the weekend as lingering fears of the novel coronavirus keep people staying at home, data showed Monday. A total of 80,180 people went to cinemas on Saturday and Sunday, down sharply from a combined 86,274 tallied a week earlier, according to the data by the Korean Film Council (KOFIC). It is the lowest weekend number since KOFIC started to compile local box office data in 2004. The record-breaking downbeat trend in the number of moviegoer

Apr 2, 2020

Movie series to binge-watch in time of social distancing

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, many people stuck indoors are coming up with ways to spend time at home, and for movie lovers it is an almost welcome chance to watch famous series one never had a chance to start or rewatch a favorite movie series. Two of the best-known series in cinema of the 21st century are “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy and the Marvel Cinematic Universe. “The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring” (2001), “The Lord of the Rings: T

Apr 1, 2020

Filming suspended indefinitely as COVID-19 spreads

The impact of the novel coronavirus on the film industry may continue into early next year, as films not only postpone imminent releases, but suspend shootings and push back entire production schedules. Filming of blockbuster aviation disaster flick “Emergency Declaration,” originally scheduled to start last month, has been postponed, according to the film’s distributor and investor Showbox. “As the film is set inside a plane, it’s a big project in itself and req

Apr 1, 2020

Cinemas get movie development fund reprieve as coronavirus decimates industry

Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Hong Nam-ki on Wednesday announced that the government would exempt cinemas from paying into the movie development fund to help theaters weather the impact of COVID-19. The exemption will apply retroactively from February. The government expects the total amount that will be exempted to reach 54 billion won ($44.28 million), the average amount collected annually as movie development fund since 2016. Under the law, movie theaters are required to cont

Apr 1, 2020

Number of moviegoers falls to record low in March

The number of moviegoers in South Korea dropped to a record low last month as more people stayed home over growing fears of the novel coronavirus, data showed Wednesday. According to the Korean Film Council (KOFIC), just over 1.83 million people went to the movies in March, the lowest for the month since the KOFIC started to compile box-office data in 2004. A year ago, 14.67 million tickets were sold across the nation, while 7.37 million people saw films in February. Moreover, the KOFIC data

Mar 27, 2020

[Box Office] Movies in theaters this week

Judy (US) Opened March 25 Biography, Drama Directed by Rupert Goold Thirty years after starring in “The Wizard of Oz,” beloved actress and singer Judy Garland (Renee Zellweger) arrives in London to perform sold-out shows at the Talk of the Town nightclub. While there, she reminisces with friends and fans and begins a whirlwind romance with musician Mickey Deans (Finn Wittrock), her soon-to-be fifth husband. Move the Grave (Korea) Opened March 25 Drama, Family, Comedy Directed by

Mar 26, 2020

CGV to shut down 35 theaters due to fallout from coronavirus pandemic

CGV, South Korea's largest multiplex chain, said Thursday that it will shut down about 30 percent of its theaters starting this weekend due to the prolonged fallout from the coronavirus pandemic. The company, an affiliate of Korean entertainment giant CJ Group, said 35 out of 116 cinemas under its direct control nationwide will be closed from Saturday, including those in Myeongdong and Daehangno, central Seoul. It will show movies just three times a day on the remaining screens. In addition,

Mar 25, 2020

Commercially successful directors ready to return to screen

  New films by star South Korean directors are poised to hit theaters this year, giving a boost to the movie industry hit hard by the novel coronavirus. Choi Dong-hoon, famous for smash-hit crime thrillers, including "Tazza: The High Rollers" (2006), "The Thieves" (2012) and "Assassination" (2015), will return with a new crime science-fiction film about aliens living in Korea. The film, which stars Kim Tae-ri, Kim Woo-bin and Ryu Jun-yeol, is now in pre-produ

Mar 24, 2020

Shim Eun-kyung wins another best actress prize at Japanese film festival

Korean actress Shim Eun-kyung, 26, on Sunday received the best actress award at the 34th Takasaki Film Festival held in Japan, for her role in the upcoming film “Blue Hour.” This is the second award she has won in Japan this month. On March 6, she became the first Korean to win the best actress award at the 43rd Japan Academy Film Prize Awards for her role in “The Journalist.” Shim played journalist Yoshioka Erika, who digs into a political scandal. Directed by Yuko Ha

Mar 24, 2020

Coronavirus pandemic halts overseas shoots of Korean movies

The coronavirus pandemic is affecting the production of films in South Korea as on-location filming schedules have been canceled due to widening travel bans worldwide. The production team of the crime movie "Bogota," starring Song Joon-ki, has decided to stop shooting at a location in Colombia and return to South Korea. "We've made the decision in consideration of the safety of the cast and crew," said an official from the film's local distributor, Megabox Plus M, last wee

Mar 24, 2020

S. Korean daily box office drops to record low on Monday

The daily number of moviegoers in South Korea dropped to a record low out of fear of the novel coronavirus, data showed Tuesday. According to the data from the Korean Film Council (KOFIC), 25,873 people went to cinemas on Monday, the smallest daily figure since January 2004 when KOFIC started to compile local box office data. Due to the outbreak of the infectious COVID-19 virus, local movie theaters have been struggling with a sharp drop in ticket sales. A daily average of 64,000 people saw

Mar 23, 2020

Netflix to exclusively release ‘Time to Hunt’

Film’s foreign sales company labels as “undone deal”