How music shapes a city and accords identity: Scenes of 19th Jecheon International Music and Film Festival JECHEON, North Chungcheong Province -- The 19th edition of the Jecheon International Music & Film Festival -- the only internationally recognized festival that encompasses both music and film -- came to a close Tuesday with dampened festivities and controversy. The festival got off to a rocky start this year, suffering from budget cuts and leadership changes. This year's budget was

Homegrown blockbuster films are vying for viewers this summer, with their distributors hoping to see consecutive releases bring back moviegoers. But moviegoers’ taste for “something new” over impressive visuals and star-studded casting have determined the fate of major film releases. Director Ryoo Seung-wan’s female-led crime action “Smugglers” passed its breakeven point in its third week of release on Sunday, having pulled in 4.35 million moviegoers nationwid

Actor-turned-director avoids looking for references to focus on finding film’s true tone

Actor Yoo Hae-jin, who took his first-ever romantic comedy lead in “Honey Sweet,” a delightful rom-com that tells the love story of a couple in midlife, called his film an adult version of Korea’s timeless classic short story “The Cloudburst” (“Sonagi”). “Just like other actors, I prioritize the storyline of the film. I found the screenplay of ‘Honey Sweet’ very entertaining. I got the feeling that the story is like an adult version of

“Concrete Utopia” (South Korea) Opened Aug. 9 Thriller/Disaster Directed by Um Tae-hwa Residents of Hwanggung Apartment building No. 103, the only building that has survived a destructive earthquake, initially see their building as a “utopia,” but it soon devolves into a nightmare. “Ransomed” (South Korea) Opened Aug. 2 Adventure/Action Directed by Kim Seong-hun A diplomat named Min-jun (Ha Jung-woo) and a local taxi driver named Pan-su (Ju Ji-hoon) are on a

Um says his No. 1 rule in directing is to find great actors, and then trust them

This unassuming film shows the power of a strong plotline, good actors and clear directing

For Ju Ji-hoon, his latest action comedy, “Ransomed,” means something different compared to his previous works because it was a project with two of his favorite colleagues, director Kim Seong-hun and actor Ha Jung-woo. Ju and Kim have worked together on the global hit Netflix series “Kingdom” and with Ha on another megahit film, “Along with the Gods.” “For the first time in my acting career, I decided to star in ‘Ransomed’ without even readin

New York-based director, Indian star depict gritty thriller in closely watched Mumbai

“Smuggler” (South Korea) Opened July 26 Crime/Action Directed by Ryoo Seung-wan Jo Choon-ja (Kim Hye-soo) returns to her old town after three years away. Her best buddy, Um Jin-sook (Yum Jung-ah), who spent time in prison on a smuggling conviction during that time, feels betrayed when Choon-ja reappears. But they soon resolve their misunderstanding and collaborate on a mutual goal. “Elemental” (US) Opened June 14 Animation Directed by Peter Sohn Four different anthropom

Actors Park Seo-joon and Park Bo-young said the characters they played in upcoming disaster thriller “Concrete Utopia” are similar to their actual personalities. Park Seo-joon plays Min-sung, a reliable, seemingly good-hearted neighbor who is sometimes shy and reserved. He is one of the residents of Hwanggung Apartment building No. 103, the only building to have survived a major earthquake. Min-sung quietly supports Young-tak (Lee Byung-hun) to keep things in order and establish a sy

When it comes to ‘living in an apartment,’ or specifically ‘owning an apartment,’ many Koreans perceive that differently from simply having a place to live. An apartment could be someone’s life goal or another’s deep grudge. In that context, “Concrete Utopia” raises questions about the contradictions humans face when put in extreme situations -- such as when your apartment building becomes the only place in Seoul that has survived a devastating ear

Lee Byung-hun finds acting in black comedy flicks exciting, as there is room for him to suggest creative ideas and improvisation, or even slapstick action sequences. According to Lee, his upcoming “Concrete Utopia” is not a mere disaster flick, but a black comedy that realistically depicts human nature in an extreme environment. “For some comic scenes in the movie, not just me but the entire staff really enjoyed shooting. I think the black comedy genre gives me room to suggest

Do Kyung-soo, the main vocalist of K-pop idol group EXO, said his idol background was especially helpful in playing an abandoned astronaut in “The Moon.” “I have been doing choreography as a singer and I’m good at memorizing body movements in a short period of time. I personally think action sequences are like memorizing choreography, so it was very helpful to shoot action scenes using wires with movements like swimming in space,” Do said in an interview with The Ko

After several attempts, the spaceship finally rises high in the sky. Despite small errors and an unfortunate accident losing two fellow spaceship crew members, the youngest and the most unprofessional astronaut inside the damaged spaceship pushes ahead with the mission to land on the moon. But will he be able to get back to Earth safely? This kind of imaginative story taking place in outer space is nothing new to moviegoers these days, with moon-themed sci-fi movies from around the world such as