In celebration of its 15th anniversary, cable channel tvN is scheduled to kick off the new Saturday-Sunday drama series “Jirisan” on Oct. 23, the company announced in a press release Wednesday. The mystery thriller centers around visitors and forest rangers working in Jirisan National Park, the largest national park in Korea. Top actor Jun Ji-hyun, or Gianna Jun, plays ranger Seo Yi-gang. Her last TV project was SBS’ “Legend of the Blue Sea” in 2016. Actor Ju Ji-h

BUSAN -- Four jurors for the Busan International Film Festival’s New Current Award -- Deepa Mehta, Jang Joon-hwan, Jeong Jae-eun and Cristina Nord -- expressed high anticipation for a breakthrough film this year during a press conference held at the KNN theater in Busan on Thursday. BIFF’s New Current Award is given to the two best feature films by new Asian directors presenting their first or second feature, in the New Currents section. The two winners receive $30,000. Eleven films

On Sept. 12, Goyang City unveiled a new tourist attraction after weeks of painting: a mural of K-pop star RM of boy band BTS. The rapper grew up in Ilsan, a district within Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, on the outskirts of the capital. In August, Goyang City Hall said it was partnering with the artist’s fandom, MoNiJunNi, on a special project to celebrate his 28th birthday. The city and MoNiJunNi jointly announced that they would paint an 18-by-12-meter mural on the side of the Goyang Touris

BUSAN -- The 26th Busan International Film Festival held an offline opening ceremony Wednesday night at the Busan Cinema Center. The ceremony was hosted by Hallyu star Song Joong-ki and Park So-dam, who had a breakthrough year in 2019 for her role in the Academy Award-winning film “Parasite.” “It has been a while since we could meet in person,” Song said. “This year’s BIFF will present 223 films from 70 different countries.” “I am also glad that

BUSAN -- The 26th Busan International Film Festival kicked off with the world premiere of “Heaven: To the Land of Happiness" from director Im Sang-soo. The South Korean buddy drama made it to the Cannes Film Festival’s 2020 Official Selection list. Im’s movie centers on two men: No. 203, played by Choi Min-sik, and Nam-sik, played by Park Hye-il. The aging No. 203 is a longtime prisoner who only has a few months left until he is released. One day while he’s still

BTS & Coldplay’s ‘My Universe’ soars to top billboard singles chart

Action film “Escape From Mogadishu” has been chosen as Korea’s entry for the best international feature category of the 94th Academy Awards, the Korean Film Council said Tuesday. Directed by Ryoo Seung-wan, the film is based on true events involving South and North Korean diplomats in Somalia cooperating to escape the country during the 1991 civil war. “Escape From Mogadishu,” starring veteran actors Kim Yoon-seok, Jo In-sung and Huh Joon-ho, is the most-watched

A scene showing a telephone number on a mysterious business card will be deleted from the drama series “Squid Game,” an official of Netflix Korea said, after the number’s owner was bombarded by thousands of calls since the show’s release. In the first episode, actor Gong Yoo makes a cameo, giving Lee Jung-jae the business card and asked him to call the number printed on the back if he is interested in joining the so-called Squid Game contest. The contest turns out to b

After N. Flying teased a snippet of their promotions on social media, the South Korean rap-rock band who hit it big with their megahit song “Rooftop” is back with another album after nearly four months. The five-member rock band dropped “Turbulence,” a repackage of their first full album, which was released Wednesday evening. The repackaged album talks about how one can always take a leap of faith after wandering through reality and confusion. If the first LP, “M

N.Flying held an online talk show on Wednesday to discuss their repacked first full-length album. 　 The bandmates reassured fans that they all are healthy and ready for the upcoming activities. All five of them returned after being infected with COVID-19 last month. 　 “It was (like going through) ‘turbulence’ for the members as is the name of the new album,” said Yoo Hwe-seung. He apologized for worrying many and recalled their first gathering after recovery. 　 As the

Daniel Cho, a 27-year-old Korean American violinist, has been appointed as concertmaster at the Hamburg Philharmonic State Orchestra. String ensemble Sejong Soloists announced Wednesday that Cho had been selected as the concertmaster of the orchestra through an audition attended by the orchestra members and conductor Kent Nagano. The orchestra based in Hamburg, Germany was founded in 1828. Nagano has been leading the orchestra as its chief conductor since September 2015. The American conduct

K-pop girl group aespa is back more ferocious than ever, and ready to expand further into the metaverse in the band’s first EP, “Savage.” The quartet held an online press conference Tuesday morning ahead of dropping the new album at 6 p.m. that day. With the album’s preorder volume surpassing 400,000 copies Monday, the rookie girl group from K-pop powerhouse S.M. Entertainment is off to a good start with their first physical album. “We’re both excited and

Youngjae of GOT7 hosted an online showcase event to introduce his solo debut EP, “Colors From Ars,” Tuesday. 　 He is taking his first steps as a solo musician seven years after debuting as a member of the band. 　 That feels good, said the musician, but makes him nervous at the same time. 　 “But I’d rather take this as a challenge and would like to focus more on the fact that I’ve done it than trying to figure out if it was a failure or a success,” he said.

As the fall foliage is imminent in South Korea, singer Woodz welcomed the golden-orange landscape of October with his warm glow of love. Cho Seung-young, better known by his stage name Woodz, is back with another love song. The singer-songwriter returned after nearly seven months with his third EP, “Only Lovers Left,” which was released Tuesday evening. The six-song package is an album that talks about “emotions of love.” It’s all about being head-over-heels in

Director Kim Jin-min is certain viewers who watch the first episode of his upcoming Netflix series, “My Name,” won’t be able to stop until they finish the rest of the show. “Most of the action scenes are done without a stuntman or stuntwoman. I avoided using computer graphics as well. I am sure that the viewers will be fascinated by the brutal raw action moves by the cast,” Kim said in an online press conference on Tuesday. Director Kim’s second Netflix ser