South Korean women filmmakers will screen their works at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in Los Angeles this month, the second K-film project to be held in the American museum. According to the Korea Foundation, this special screening series, titled “A New Wave of K-Cinema: Korean Women Directors,” will run from Thursday until June 29th. The list of films includes contemporary films directed by Korean women such as Yim Soon-rye’s “Waikiki Brothers” (2001) and

In the poignant social realism film “Dream Palace,” Hye-jung (Kim Sun-young) hopes to begin a new life in an apartment building named Dream Palace with her son Dong-wook (Choi Min-young). The block stands tall in the middle of nowhere, located in somewhat awkwardly new suburb that this family feels unsuited to. But this new home is priceless to Hye-jung, because she has bought it with the compensation she received after her husband was killed in an industrial accident. After fighting

South Korean crime action franchise “The Roundup: No Way Out” starring Don Lee, also known as Ma Dong-seok, has attracted 4 million ticket sales just four days after the film’s opening on May 31, the record among local box office hits over the last seven years. According to the Korean Film Council, the highly anticipated sequel to "The Roundup" (2022) recorded 4.5 million ticket sales on the opening weekend, after surpassing the 2 million mark on Friday. The film has

South Korean baritone Kim Tae-han won the Queen Elisabeth Competition on Sunday, becoming the first Asian to win since the competition’s singing category was established in 1988. He will receive the award from Queen Mathilde of Belgium, along with prize money of 25,000 euros ($26,811). Kim clinched South Korea’s second consecutive win at this prestigious competition after cellist Cho Ha-young ranked in first in 2022. Named after Queen Elisabeth of Belgium, the competition is one of w

The first image that’s normally associated with action star Don Lee, also known as Ma Dong-seok in South Korea, is his powerful punch in action flicks. He smacks down zombies with his bare hands in “Train to Busan” (2016) and delightfully brings a group of gangsters under his control in “The Roundup” series. Yet, the 51-year-old action star was also an average man who struggled to make ends meet by cleaning stairs and delivering takeout by motorcycle. Doing so many

“The Last 10 Years” (Japan) Opened May 24 Romance/Drama Directed by Michihito Fujii Twenty-year-old Matsuri Takabayashi learns that she only has 10 years to live due to an incurable disease. She decides not to dwell on her life and not to fall in love, but then she meets Kazuto Manabe at a school reunion. “The Little Mermaid” (US) Opened May 24 Fantasy/Musical Directed by Rob Marshall Ariel, a spirited young mermaid with a thirst for adventure, discovers a world beyond

A former staff member of the Busan International Film Festival has alleged sexual abuse by ex-BIFF Executive Director Huh Mun-young, who offered to resign on May 11. According to a local news report, the former staff member reported Huh to the Center for Gender Equality in Korean Film for sexual abuse. The staff member reportedly received counseling from the center until recently. Huh is alleged to have ordered the staff member to perform unfair tasks at work, as well as using inappropriate lang

As a first-generation Korean fashion designer, Songzio founder and Chairman Song Zio still does sketches and designs patterns – work he has been doing already for 30 years. Despite the pandemic that had kept people at home and led them to spend less on fashion, Songzio saw better-than-expected sales, recording 70 billion won ($53 million) in 2022. Song said creativity is behind the brand’s growth. “No matter what, a fashion brand should prioritize fashion design, although the

From cosmetics to shampoo, global luxury brands have been labeling products as “clean beauty,” a buzzword that has proved popular in recent years. While the term itself may not be new, its definition is largely subjective, and differs for each brand in the ever-evolving luxury industry. Clean beauty has become a major selling point in the market, with brands like Chanel entering the fray, and industry giant Sephora creating dedicated sections on their websites for brands that meet sp

Seoul National University, located at the foot of Gwanaksan, has a signature food alley -- Sharosugil. The “Sha” comes from how the word resembles the shape of the main gate at the university, while the rest is a nod to Garosugil, an upmarket shopping street in Southern Seoul. From delightful, cheap eateries for students to fancy restaurants for couples, the neighborhood of Seoul National University has become one of the most visited places in Seoul for foodies. Because the area is i

“The Little Mermaid” (US) Opened May 24 Fantasy/Musical Directed by Rob Marshall Ariel, a spirited young mermaid with a thirst for adventure, discovers a world beyond the sea. After falling for the dashing Prince Eric, Ariel makes a deal with Ursula, an evil sea witch, to experience life on land. “The Last 10 Years” (Japan) Opened May 24 Romance/Drama Directed by Michihito Fujii Twenty-year-old Matsuri Takabayashi learns that she only has 10 years to live due to an in

“Cobweb,” director Kim Jee-woon's first feature film in 13 years and his third project, was screened at the 76th Cannes Film Festival Thursday night local time, where it received a 10-minute standing ovation. Starring veteran actor Song Kang-ho, “Cobweb” revolves around the struggles of a film director (Song) in the 1970s when the industry languished due to government censorship and unsupportive actors. The cast includes actors Lim Soo-jeong, Oh Jeong-se, Jeon Yeo-be

Explore history of King Sejong and Admiral Yi Sun-shin Two statues stand at Gwanghwamun Square representing two iconic figures of Korean history: Adm. Yi Sun-shin, a national hero who triumphed over Japanese invaders during the Imjin War (1592-1598), and King Sejong, an ingenious ruler who invented Hangeul, the Korean writing system, in 1443. Two permanent exhibitions have been set up underneath these statues, housed in the basements of Gwanghwamun Square and the Sejong Center for the Performing

Actor Song Joong-ki attended the 76th Cannes Film Festival for the first time in his 15 year acting career with his action thriller flick “Hopeless.” Invited as part of the Out of Competition category, the low-budget “Hopeless” is director Kim Chang-hoon's long feature debut film. Rookie actors Hong Sa-bin and Kim Hyeong-seo, also known as singer Bibi, were next to Song during the film's world premiere and the red carpet event prior to the screening on Wednesday

Global attention for Korean cinema reached a peak when director Bong Joon-ho won the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival for his darkly comic thriller “Parasite” in 2019. He was the first Korean director to win the top award at Cannes, after last appearing in competition with “Okja” (2017). He was also the second Asian winner in consecutive years, following Japanese director Hirokazu Kore-eda’s triumph with “Shoplifters” (2018). After skipping a

Don Lee is undoubtedly top dog when it comes to the crime action genre in Korea, and does little to disappoint fans with the third film starring combative detective Ma Seok-do. Just like its smash-hit predecessors “The Outlaws” (2017) and “The Roundup” (2022), threequel “The Roundup: No Way Out” diligently adheres to the action comedy formula -- action-packed scenes and a simple but satisfying plot line of a lead character knocking down villains -- of course i

Two Korean films invited to noncompetition categories at the 76th Cannes Film Festival each held screenings with the directors and main actors receiving the spotlight on the red carpet and at the theater after their world premieres. Director Kim Tae-gon’s “Project Silence” was scheduled for 12:30 a.m. Monday in Cannes, as it was invited to the Midnight Screening, an out-of-competition section dedicated to films with popular appeal and artistic value. Main actors Lee Sun-kyun, J

Actor Kim Seon-ho, who had been keeping a low profile after being embroiled in a scandal in 2021, is making his silver screen debut with director Park Hoon-jung’s new noir action film “The Childe.” Before starting the press conference to promote his new film on Monday, Kim apologized for the inconvenience caused due to earlier rumors surrounding his personal life. His ex-girlfriend in 2021 claimed he coerced her into getting an abortion. He admitted to pressuring her. “I&

From “Time To Hunt” (2020) to “Jung_E” (2023), Netflix has worked on a number of Korean dystopian movies, but not all audience were so fascinated by it. With “Black Knight,” which talks about a deliveryman in a violent desert wasteland in 2071, Netflix has pushed things forward, with strong characters and sophisticated CGI. Based on the webtoon “Delivery Knight,” director Jo Ui-seok said he reorganized the list of characters to add dynamics between

“Fast X” (US) Opened May 17 Action/Adventure Directed by Louis Leterrier The tenth film in the Fast & Furious Saga, the film tells a story of Dominic Toretto (Vin Diesel) who must protect his crew and family from Dante Reyes, the son of drug lord Hernan Reyes, seeking revenge over the loss of his family's fortune. “The Super Mario Bros. Movie” (US) Opened April 26 Animation/Adventure Directed by Aaron Horvath, Michael Jelenic A 2023 computer-animated adventure