'Portrait of a Family' delivers warmth amid dark realitiesFilmmaker Lee Ji-won, who earned critical acclaim with her 2018 movie "Miss Baek," is expanding her thematic scope from isolated individuals to nontraditional family ties in "Portrait of a Family," crafting a story that explores resilience in the face of harsh realities. The film follows baseball star Joong-goo (Ryu Seung-ryong) and high-profile actor Nam-mi (Ha Ji-won), whose lives fall apart when Joong-goo's secret daughter Dong-joo (Kim Si-a) appears. Eight years after their public downfall, the estranged family must reunite, as Dong-joo becomes embroiled in a middle school student's death. While the movie tackles uncomfortable social issues, such as power imbalances and prejudice, its strength lies in its emotional core. Rather than leaving audiences in despair, Lee offers a message of hope and tries to show how broken people can find solace by choosing to stand by one another. Ryu brings deep emotional weight to the lead role. He captures the quiet pain of a fallen star who finds his sole motivation in his drive to protect his daughter. "Even when everything collapsed, the small bac1h agoBy Baek Byung-yeul
'The Intern' remake to offer fresh Korean twist on hit Hollywood filmRemaking a beloved Hollywood film was a daunting task, but director Kim Do-young focused on highlighting the unique charm of her Korean cast and adapting the story to reflect modern Korean sentiment. Speaking during a press conference in Seoul on Monday, the director, known for her empathetic storytelling in films like "Kim Ji Young: Born 1982" (2019) and "Once We Were Us," (2025) shared her approach to bringing the 2015 hit film "The Intern" to Korean audiences. "Because the original was so widely loved, remaking it was not easy," Kim said. She said her focus was on making the original narrative feel relevant to modern Korean viewers. "Since the original came out over a decade ago, times and perspectives have changed. I tried to reflect Korean cultural nuances, such as modern workplace slang, while capturing a relatable office life story for audiences across all generations." The upcoming film, scheduled to hit local theaters on Sept. 16, follows Sun-woo (Han So-hee), the passionate CEO of a fast-growing fashion startup. The story unfolds as Gi-ho (Choi Min-sik), a veteran worker with 3723h agoBy Baek Byung-yeul
Admissions for 'Spider-Man' top 8 mil., 'The Odyssey' at 7 mil.: dataAdmissions for the latest Spider-Man film and Christopher Nolan's "The Odyssey" were each nearing the 10 million mark in South Korea, data showed Sunday. "Spider-Man: Brand New Day," the fourth installment starring Tom Holland, surpassed the 8 million mark, 26 days after its release, its local distributor, Sony Pictures, said. "The Odyssey" is closely following the latest Spider-Man film, with its admissions topping 7 million on Sunday, according to its distributor Universal Pictures. As of 2 p.m., 'The Odyssey" was the No. 1 most reserved film in South Korea, with a reservation rate of 71.5 percent, far outpacing that of "Spider-Man: Brand New Day" at 9.2 percent.1d agoBy Yonhap
Korean stories becoming Hollywood's favorite sourcesHollywood is showing a growing interest in Korean storytelling that goes beyond K-dramas and K-pop, and the latest adaptation project highlights this expanding focus. While Hollywood previously focused on acquiring finished series for streaming platforms or remaking proven box-office hits, major studios and publishers are now reaching further upstream. Instead of relying solely on mainstream hits, they are trying to secure rights to original literary works and older cult properties to rebuild stories from the ground up. "The DallerGut Dream Department Store," a fantasy novel written by Korean author Lee Mi-ye, is being developed into a live action movie by Disney, U.S. entertainment news outlet Deadline reported Aug. 12. Screenwriter Patrick Ness, known for adapting young adult works, including the "Chaos Walking" trilogy and "A Monster Calls," will write the screenplay for the adaptation. The story follows a protagonist Penny who sells dreams to sleeping customers at a department store, only to face a mystery when strange things begin to happen to the customers. Lee's novel sold more thAug 22, 2026By Baek Byung-yeul
'The Odyssey' tops 6 mil. admissions in KoreaChristopher Nolan's "The Odyssey" surpassed 6 million admissions in Korea on Friday, 16 days after its release, the film's local distributor said. The film, released on Aug. 5, reached the milestone four days later than "Spider-Man: Brand New Day," which was the fastest film this year to exceed 6 million admissions, according to Universal Pictures. The new Spider-Man film passed the threshold on the 13th day after its release. "The Odyssey" crossed the mark three days earlier than the Korean historical drama "The King's Warden," which reached 6 million admissions on the 20th day after its release. The film has drawn more than 16 million viewers since its release on Feb. 4. The achievement moved "The Odyssey" into third place among this year's highest-grossing films in Korea, overtaking director Yeon Sang-ho's zombie thriller "Colony," which attracted about 5.95 million viewers. Based on Homer's epic poem "The Odyssey," the film follows the perilous homecoming journey of Odysseus (Matt Damon), the Greek king of Ithaca, after winning the Trojan War. Its star-studded cast also includes AnneAug 21, 2026By Yonhap
'The Odyssey' tickets selling for over $70 in KoreaChristopher Nolan's latest blockbuster, "The Odyssey," has created a severe ticket scalping frenzy in Korea, prompting the state-run Korean Film Council to begin collecting reports from the public on illegal resales. "The Odyssey" is the first feature film shot entirely on IMAX film cameras. Korea has no theater equipped with 70-mm film projection to display the movie in its full 1.43:1 aspect ratio. The closest venue is the CGV theater at Yongsan Station, Seoul, making its tickets among the most sought-after in the country. When ticket sales opened on Aug. 5, CGV's website and mobile application experienced severe slowdowns due to massive traffic. The first two screenings on opening day sold out within minutes, except for wheelchair-accessible seats and front-row spots. The surge in demand shifted to online secondhand marketplaces. On platforms such as Bunjang and Karrot Market, tickets originally priced between 17,000 won and 21,000 won appeared for nearly 100,000 won ($72). On Thursday, listings on Karrot Market showed a pair of side-by-side seats at the CGV theater in Yongsan being rAug 21, 2026By Baek Byung-yeul
Moon Geun-young to return as film lead after 9 yearsActress Moon Geun-young will return to the big screen in a leading role after nine years, with director Yeon Sang-ho's upcoming film "Yeto," the film's distributor said Friday. According to Showbox, the film follows influencer sisters Su-a and Min-a after they embark on a camping trip and Min-a disappears at the former site of a pseudo-religious group. Moon plays Su-a, the elder sister who puts her life with Min-a on display. Her last leading role in a film was in "Glass Garden," released in 2017. Kim Si-a, known for her roles in "Miss Baek" (2017) and "Kill Boksoon" (2023), will play Min-a. Go Ah-sung joins the cast as Deok-hee, a mysterious figure encountered by the sisters. Yeon is co-directing the film with Yoon Young-woo, an emerging filmmaker who worked as an assistant director on Yeon's Netflix series "Parasyte: The Grey" and "Hellbound." The film is now in post-production after completing shooting.Aug 21, 2026By Yonhap
Why does this Korean film couple shun the spotlight at home as awards pile up overseas?Actor Kim Min-hee won praise in Locarno for her performance in her first film shot since giving birth to her first child with director Hong Sang-soo. While she continues to garner critical acclaim abroad, she and Hong have kept a low profile in Korea, where their relationship remains controversial. Kim won the Pardo for Best Performance for her work in Hong's 35th feature film, "Nowhere to Lay My Eyes," at the closing ceremony of the 79th Locarno Film Festival on Saturday. Kim previously won the award for Hong's "By the Stream" in 2024, marking her second win in two years. Kim took the stage to thank Hong and her colleagues. "I am deeply grateful to the director, who made a film as beautiful as poetry, and to our colleagues," Kim said. "I'd like to share the award with them." Kim, who went public with her relationship with Hong in 2017 and gave birth to their son last year, also mentioned her baby during her acceptance speech. "Thank you so much. I am with my baby right now," Kim said, choking up. "From now on, I will act with nothing but genuine love," she said. "Whenever I feel troubledAug 19, 2026By Xportsnews
BIFF taps 'The Table: Day and Night' as opening filmThe Korean film "The Table: Day and Night" will open this year's Busan International Film Festival (BIFF), organizers said Wednesday. Directed by Kim Jong-kwan, the film follows four couples and their lively yet tender conversations that take place at a single cafe, according to BIFF. Its ensemble cast includes Kim Min-ha, Han Sun-hwa, Lee Hee-jun, Shim Eun-kyung and Kim Dong-hwi. "'The Table: Day and Night' is an elegant and assured film in which the cinematic interests, style, perspective, and world that Kim Jong-kwan has persistently explored as a filmmaker reach a provisional culmination," BIFF said in a release. Kim, who made his directorial debut with the acclaimed short film "How to Operate a Polaroid Camera" (2004), has also helmed "Come, Closer" (2010), "The Table" (2017) and "Shades of the Heart" (2021). He also took part in the Netflix original series "Persona" (2019) by producing one of its segments "Walking at Night." The 31st edition of BIFF is scheduled to run from Oct. 6-15 in the southeastern port city of Busan.Aug 19, 2026By Yonhap
Why Korean animation studios tap screen starsActors Kim Hyang-gi, Park Bo-gum, Jung Hae-in and Kang Ha-neul are lending their voices to animated features. As A-list actors increasingly take on voice acting roles, Korean animation studios are reshaping how they market their original features. Jung will lend his voice to the Korean animated film "Gill," scheduled to hit theaters Sept. 9. Adapted from author Gu Byeong-mo's novel of the same name, "Gill" follows Gon, a boy who develops gills one day when he is thrown into deep water, and the characters who inhabit his new world. Kang, Lee Chung-ah, Yoo Jae-myung and Kim Sun-young join Jung in the voice cast. The casting reflects a growing industry trend of Korean animation studios recruiting popular live-action stars to voice their original characters. Kim Hyang-gi, Park Ji-hu and Lee Joo-young previously led the voice cast for the animated film "Pilgrims," which opened in June. In July, actor Park Bo-gum voiced the protagonist in the animated feature "David," which drew significant attention and topped the specialty box office. Celebrity casting serves as a highly effective promotional tAug 19, 2026By Hankookilbo
