When choosing a film to see, the lead actor often plays a major part in cinemagoers’ decisions. Lead actors take up much of the screen time, and thus their performances greatly influence how much the audience enjoys the picture. In rare cases, however, the main narrative can have less impact than the overall atmosphere of the film and the subplots. Director Choi Kook-hee’s drama “Default” is one that exceeded expectations in unexpected aspects.The film takes us back to 1997, to the eve of the wo

Korean film “Burning” was nominated best international film at the Independent Spirit Awards 2019, Pine House Film announced Tuesday.The Independent Spirit Awards, founded in 1984, are dedicated to independent films or movies that are not produced by major film studios. The awards are often seen as indicators of which films could win prizes at other prominent awards ceremonies, including the Oscars. (Pine House Film)“Burning,” a mystery drama released in May, was directed by Lee Chang-dong and s

Song Kang-ho, arguably the best actor in Korean cinema today, is definitely an artist of range. But many of his iconic roles are as the everyman caught up in extraordinary situations, which is why upcoming crime drama “Drug King” will be an intriguing change of pace.“The audience is used to seeing (me portray) characters that look like an everyday man, the guy next door, so I think ‘Drug King’ will feel different,” Song said, during a press conference for the film in Seoul on Monday. “It is an u

The third annual “French Cinema Tour 2018” kicked off Thursday, featuring eight French films that will be screened prior to their official opening here. Eight Movies: “Family is Family (La Ch‘tite famille),” “Taxi 5” “Diving(Plonger),” “Treat Me Like Fire(Joueurs),” “Non-fiction(Doubles Vies),” “A Paris Education,” “The Nation” and “Dilili in Paris” . (French Cinema Tour)The opening ceremony was held at Hotel Shilla in central Seoul, where the festival’s “Etoile du cinema” awards were given to F

Director Choi Nak-hee’s first major film “Memsore” is a film that I would have loved to love. A film with beautiful scenery, mouth-watering visuals and ear-pleasing sound -- a flick to soothe a person fed up with hectic city life with its calming lull.Yes, it did calm me down. And it lulled me to deep sleep near the end. This is one flick that pains me to bash, as I can clearly see the potential it had as a kind of cute, innocent and feel-good movie.The film starts with young woman Se-hee -- pla

Stan Lee, co-creator of Marvel Comics, passed away in Los Angeles on Monday at the age of 95, prompting a number of Korean fans to mourn the loss of the legendary icon. The creator of Marvel characters such as Spider-Man, the Fantastic Four, Hulk, Iron Man, the X-Men, Black Panther, Thor and many more had been suffering from pneumonia, according to media reports.  Stan Lee arrives at the Activision E3 Preview Event in Los Angeles June 14, 2010. (REUTERS)As his death was confirmed, the name “Stan

‘Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald’ has nice elements, but feels like detour en route to grand adventure“Empire Strikes Back” really is a wonder, isn’t it? In a cinema world where so many middle films in trilogies seem to bite the dust, caught between exposition and setup for the final episode, and plots moving only half-way forward, the iconic film really hit the spot with its beyond-awesome twist and gripping storyline.No, “Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald” is not on par w

Intimate Strangers(Korea) Opened Oct. 31Drama, ComedyDirected by Lee Jae-kyooA married couple made up of Seok-ho (Cho Jin-woong) and Ye-jin (Kim Ji-soo) invite a group of lifelong friends to their housewarming party: Tae-soo (Yoo Hae-jin), Soo-hyun (Yum Jung-ah), Joon-mo (Lee Seo-jin), Se-kyung (Song Ha-yoon) and Young-bae (Yoon Kyung-ho), with their seemingly perfect lives. However, a series of life-altering events unravels after Ye-jin suggests they reveal the contents of their phones. Bohemia

The fact that Cha Sung-duk’s independent film “Youngju” is finally getting a theatrical release is welcome news for Korean cinema, currently saturated with an over-the-top, tear-jerking, poorly acted excess of cinematic jumble. The fact that it will screen at a solitary theater in Gwangju is a tragedy.Cha’s drama stars Kim Hyang-gi playing a young girl named Young-ju who is orphaned after her parents die in a car crash. When her younger brother Young-in -- Tang Jung-sang -- is involved in a crim

At the outset, Noh Kyu-yeob’s “Unfinished” looks as if it will turn out to be another political thriller about inter-Korean relations. Its gloomy atmosphere and gritty visuals suggest, perhaps, another thinking man’s thriller like “The Spy Gone North.”In essence, however, the film is a drama about a man and his family. The story centers on Oh Young-min, a South Korean-born economist who lived in Cold War-era West Berlin until he was tricked into moving to North Korea and forced to work as a spy.

What are your chances of running into a Hollywood superstar casually dining with her children at a local restaurant in South Korea? Angelina Jolie was one of the least expected guests at Maple Tree House, a Korean barbecue diner in Samcheong-dong, downtown Seoul, on a Friday night. Yet, there she was, leaving the locals in her vicinity with gaping mouths and disbelieving camera snaps.Instagram and Twitter were abuzz with people demanding to know if the rumors were true, and photos were posted in

Prolific actor, one-time legislator integral part of Korean cinema’s growth

What is Angelina Jolie doing in Seoul? American actress Angelina Jolie has been spotted in a restaurant in Samcheong-dong, a traditional area in central Seoul, by a number of people who shared her photos on social media on Friday. 　　According to the witnesses, the mega star was having samgyeopsal, the famous Korean style grilled pork dish, inside the restaurant at about 10 p.m.(Reader contribution/The Korea Herald)　“I just bumped into Angelina Jolie. She was eating Samgyepsal,” a Korean shared o

When I first learned that Apink’s Son Na-eun was going to star in “The Wrath,” a remake of the 1986 horror classic of the same name, I thought that K-pop star’s acting would ruin the film. I was clearly wrong. It wasn’t just Son that brought the whole film down.It was everything, from the corny dialogue and nauseating camerawork to the director’s decision to directly bring an 80s-style horror film into the 2010s without proper adaptation.Director Yoo Young-sun’s film takes place in the household

Intimate Strangers(Korea) Opened Oct. 31Drama, ComedyDirected by Lee Jae-kyooA married couple of Seok-ho (Cho Jin-woong) and Ye-jin (Kim Ji-soo), invite a group of lifelong friends to their housewarming party: Tae-soo (Yoo Hae-jin), Soo-hyun (Yum Jung-ah), Joon-mo (Lee Seo-jin), Se-kyung (Song Ha-yoon) and (Yoon Kyung-ho) all join with their seemingly perfect lives. After Ye-jin suggests they all reveal contents of their phone, however, a series of life-altering events unravels.Bohemian Rhapsody