“Revolver” (South Korea) Opened Aug. 7 Crime Directed by Oh Seung-wook Former detective Soo-young (portrayed by Jeon Do-yeon) is released from prison after being convicted of crimes she did not commit. With one goal in her mind -- getting her some 700 million won back -- she visits the people who owe her one by one. “Pilot” (South Korea) Opened July 31 Comedy Directed by Kim Han-gyeol Han Jung-woo (Jo Jung-suk) who, after getting fired from his job and divorced by his w

Korean American filmmaker Lee Isaac Chung of the latest American disaster film “Twisters” said what scared him has made him grow, in terms of his first-ever production of a blockbuster film. “Twisters” is Chung's work to be released after “Minari,” an autobiographical family drama that won the Golden Globe Award for Best Foreign Language Film in 2021. “One of the reasons I wanted to do this movie was that I got scared. How do I make a movie like t

Kang-moo (Hwang Jung-min) is a stay-at-home husband who cooks and cleans while his wife Mi-seon (Yeom Jung-ah) is a veteran crime squad team member who was once an Asian Games silver medalist in shooting. Kang-moo, a warm-hearted man, helps Mi-seon by putting his past as a former agent behind and keeping it a secret from her – until he accidentally bumps into his former agent colleague Hee-joo (Jeon Hye-jin). After the encounter, he often goes out of contact and leaves the house all messy.

“Revolver” may give you a sense of an action-packed revenge noir, but the movie is about a former policewoman on the trail of vengeance. It’s a thriller -- or even a psychodrama -- revolving around a fearless woman obsessed with one goal: Getting her money back. Though ex-cop Ha Soo-young’s (Jeon Do-yeon) motive behind chasing after the some 700 million won ($509,447) she was promised in return for taking the rap and going to prison remains unclear to viewers, director Oh

Hidden in a back alley of Namyeong-dong in Seoul's Yongsan-gu or near subway line No. 4 Sookmyung Women’s University station, Nampark truly stands out from other restaurants down the road – a street filled with trendy restaurants that open and also close down without fanfare. Nampark, which takes its name from the family names of married head chefs Nam Joon-young and Park Ji-eun, sells Vietnamese pho and other Vietnamese food that locals enjoy during the day, something light and

Netflix's upcoming action comedy film “Mission: Cross” featuring a detective wife and stay-at-home husband with secret pasts, will exude entertaining energy, said the movie’s director and actors on Monday. Hwang Jung-min stars as Kang-moo, a stay-at-home husband who hides his past as a former agent, and Yeom Jung-ah plays veteran crime squad team member Mi-seon, who was once an Asian Game silver medalist in shooting. After learning about her husband’s past, Mi-seon g

“Pilot,” a South Korean comedy flick about an unemployed former pilot disguising himself as a woman to get a new role, has attracted over 1 million moviegoers since the movie’s release on July 31. According to the Korean Film Council data, the movie has attracted an accumulated 1.33 million moviegoers in four days since its opening here. The movie attracted 441,537 moviegoers on Saturday alone, leading the local box office. A trusted name in comedy flicks, actor Jo Jung-suk sta

“Pilot” (South Korea) Opened July 31 Comedy Directed by Kim Han-gyeol Han Jung-woo (Jo Jung-suk) who, after getting fired from his job and divorced by his wife, is now searching for a new job. Out of desperation, he disguises himself as a woman to get a position at Han Air, a company seeking a female pilot. “Deadpool & Wolverine” (US) Opened July 24 Action/Comedy Directed by Shawn Levy A retired Deadpool (Ryan Reynolds), who lives an ordinary life as a car dealer, s

CGV Arthouse is running a special exhibition and screenings highlighting Taiwanese filmmaker Edward Yang and his works from Aug. 7 to 20. CGV Arthouse theaters screen independent and art films as part of South Korean multiplex chain CGV. Celebrating the first-ever screening of his 1994 action comedy “A Confucian Confusion” in Korea, CGV Arthouse will also screen six other works by Yang -- “In Our Time” (1982), “That Day, on the Beach” (1983), “Taipei Sto

The ticket reservation rate for “Heartsping: Teenieping of Love,” the film prequel to South Korean hit animation series “Catch! Teenieping,” has recorded 95 percent well before its opening at theaters on Aug. 7, according to ShowBox, the film’s distributor. The record is raising anticipation on whether the Korean animated film will become the next “Frozen,” a 2019 hit Disney animated film that saw the presales of tickets top 1.1 million -- the first anim

South Korean actor Son Suk-ku’s 13-minute-long experimental film “Night Fishing” received the Best Editing Award at the 28th Fantasia International Film Festival, which kicked off on July 18 and continues through Aug. 4 in Montreal, Canada. The “Night Fishing” story, which unfolds from the perspective of a car’s cameras, revolves around an anonymous agent (Son) on a mission to track down an unidentified creature flying in the sky. As the sun sets, he lies in a

Jo Jung-suk, whose scene-stealing acting entertains viewers on the silver screen, said his realistic, natural and even sly comical acting is based on instinct. In upcoming comedy film “Pilot,” he plays pilot Han Jung-woo, successfully performing the comical role of a man disguising himself as a woman in a way that is neither excessive nor dull. “It’s really important to get a sense (of comical acting.) It’s hard to explain. I think (my acting) is instinctive. &helli

While it’s certainly harder to call Korea’s box office flops “great” movies to watch, some have gained cult followings similar to B-movies, due to being “so bad they’re good.” Korean movies in this vein don’t fall into a particular genre or follow a typical storyline. They are unpredictable and elicit uncontrollable laughs, rather than forced ones. How good these movies actually are is a tricky question to answer. But if you have any love for black

“Deadpool & Wolverine” (US) Opened July 24 Action/Comedy Directed by Shawn Levy A retired Deadpool (Ryan Reynolds), who lives an ordinary life as a car dealer, seeks out Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) for a superhero team-up, as he tries to maintain the existence of all the people important to him. “Despicable Me 4” (US) Opened June 24 Animation Directed by Chris Renaud, Patrick Delage Gru and Gru Jr. face their peaceful life crashing down as criminal mastermind Maxime Le

A trusted name in comedy flicks, actor Jo Jung-suk's unique charm and friendliness maximize the characteristics of any role he takes up, as witnessed once again in upcoming comedy film "Pilot." A remake of the Swedish movie “Cockpit” (2012), “Pilot” revolves around the life of pilot Han Jung-woo (Jo) who, after getting fired from his job and divorced by his wife, is now searching for a new job. Out of desperation, he disguises himself as a woman to get a p

Nudake, an artisanal coffee and dessert shop in bustling Garosugil in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, is more than a bakery. As you step into the museum-like cafe by the eyewear brand Gentle Monster, you will notice the very distinct concept of Nudake Sinsa, with a massive croissant statue and croissant-shaped door handles not to mention the buttery aroma of the flaky delicacy. Next to the giant pastry sculpture are the edible pastries on display. Nudake’s Sinsa-dong outlet, the third of its kind, is b

“Project Silence” (South Korea) Opened July 12 Thriller/action Directed by Kim Tae-gon Trapped on a collapsing bridge shrouded in fog, national security officer Jung-won (the late Lee Sun-kyun), his daughter and other survivors find themselves in a fight for their lives against a mysterious creature. “Escape” (South Korea) Opened July 3 Action Directed by Lee Jong-pil North Korean soldier Gyu-nam (Lee Je-hoon) is about to be discharged after 10 years of service. Faced w

Seoul’s Experimental Film and Video Festival (EXiS), the largest of its kind in Asia, kicked off Thursday for eight days of experimental films, documentaries and moving images from around the world. Under its competition program EX-Now, a total of 21 experimental films will be screened in the international section, selected from 2,008 films from 79 countries, while 11 Korean experimental films will compete in the Korean section. From the 32 films, a jury will select three films for awards.

South Korean actor Byeon Woo-seok has become embroiled in controversy over excessive measures taken by his security team against fans and other travelers at Incheon Airport. Police have said they are considering an investigation into whether the measures undertaken by the actor’s private security were violent or constituted obstruction of business. The incident surfaced online following Byeon’s departure for Hong Kong on Friday for his final Asian fan meeting slated for Sunday. A lar

Singer-actor Lee Hye-ri won the Rising Star Award with the coming-of-age film “Victory” at the 2024 New York Asian Film Festival which kicked off Friday. The festival runs until July 28. “Victory” had its world premiere at the 23rd NYAFF by opening the festival held at New York Lincoln Center. In the movie set in 1999, Lee plays a high-school student Pil-sun who creates a cheerleading group to gain access to the school's dance room. The film marks Lee’s first r