The actors of action thriller “The Villainess,” invited for the Cannes Film Festival’s midnight screening this year, will walk the red carpet of the prestigious event that kicks off May 17.Kim Ok-vin, Sung Joon (credited as Bang Sung-jun) and Kim Seo-hyung, along with the film’s director Jung Byung-gil, have confirmed they attend the Cannes screening and other events there. It is unclear whether Shin Ha-kyun, who is currently recovering from a leg injury obtained while shooting the film, will be

JEONJU, North Jeolla Province -- Women’s ties to social institutions and the anxiety of modern society are two of the themes that stand out among films in the international competition category at the Jeonju International Film Festival’s 18th edition, which kicked off Thursday.Compared to works in the Korean competition which took a more personal, microscopic approach, according to JIFF’s programmers, the international competition films explored human beings in a broader social context.  “In Bet

The Mayor(Korea)Opened April 26Political drama. Directed by Park In-jeIn the turbulent world of politics, where elections are about fishing for a pearl in a pool of dirt, beloved Seoul mayor Byeon Jong-gu (Choi Min-sik) will stop at nothing to win a third term and gear up for the presidency. His right hand man Shim Hyeok-su (Kwak Do-won) harbors ambitions of his own. Byeon’s eager supporter Park Kyung (Shim Eun-kyung) joins his camp as a public relations official and witnesses the lengths Byeon

JEONJU, North Jeolla Province -- Ildiko Enyedi’s ethereal tale of romance “On Body and Soul” begins with a stag and a doe rubbing against each other in a snow-covered forest. The stag advances, and the doe steps away.The scene is later revealed to be the collective dream of Maria and Endre, the romantic leads in the Hungarian film invited to open this year’s Jeonju International Film Festival.“We were looking for birch trees, like pillars of a cathedral, very high above eye level, no bushes,” sa

Devoted to all things food, Hyundai Card’s latest project is an establishment where visitors can eat, cook and read about eating and cooking. Called Cooking Library, it is a space that offers an in-depth look into the craft of cooking, where the “production, literature and experience of food come together,” said Lee Mee-young, vice president of the credit card company’s brand division, at the press opening Wednesday. “The idea is that the visitor can indulge in all five senses.”Open exclusively

Lee Je-hoon has taken on various roles such as the sweet boyfriend in the recent time-travel tvN drama “Tomorrow With You” alongside Shin Min-ah. But the actor becomes almost unrecognizable in the upcoming historical film “Park Yeol” (unofficial translation).Lee is seen sporting much stubble and a maniacal grin in posters released by the film’s distributor Monday. Written is the film’s tagline, “Joseon Dynasty’s biggest rebel.” Lee Je-hoon is depicted in a poster for the upcoming film “Park Yeol

In the 2011 film “Sunny,” the nostalgic coming-of-age flick about a group of friends at an all-girls high school in the 1980s, Shim Eun-kyung plays a shy, possessed student. When the spirit inside her manifests itself, Shim’s character becomes comically violent, scaring off the school’s bullies and rescuing her friends. Bursting onto the Korean film scene with this role, Shim has since become a symbol of innocent youth and sprightly whimsy. In her breakout role in the 2014 comedy “Miss Granny,”

“Mom’s Diary: My Ugly Duckling” has risen to become the most-viewed Sunday variety show, according to Nielsen Korea. The show, which began airing on SBS in August last year, features male celebrities’ moms who view their sons’ daily lives on camera. The show achieved an 18.5 percent viewership Sunday, according to the company that provides television audience measurements.The episode followed singer Lee Sang-min, who fell into debt after a failed business venture and began renting a room in his

Recommended if you enjoy intense, serious characters, their turmoil and their schemes; the bleak depiction of Korea’s powerful lawyers and their disregard for the law.Not recommended if you seek even a modicum of comic relief or a gripping legal thriller.The SBS TV series “Whisper,” currently leading in the Monday-Tuesday night time slot, offers tension upon tension in its tale of vengeance, carried by actress Lee Bo-young as its harangued heroine.At work at Jongno Police Station, Shin Young-joo

K-pop group Sechskies will be releasing an album marking the 20th anniversary of its debut Friday, the group’s agency YG Entertainment announced Saturday. “Sad Song,” one of the two main tracks of the album, was produced by rapper Tablo and YG’s producing team Future Bounce. Contrary to its name, “Sad Song” is an upbeat, rhythmical tune about not wanting to listen to any more sad songs, YG said.  A promotional image for Sechskies’ upcoming release “Sad Song” (YG Entertainment)Sechskies is curren

Colossal(US)Opened April 20Science fiction, thriller. Directed by Nacho VigalondoGloria (Anne Hathaway) has lost her boyfriend, along with all her acquaintances and bustling life in New York. She moves back to her hometown and drinks and parties the days away, meeting Oscar (Jason Sudeikis), a childhood friend who now owns and runs a bar. After a night of drinking together, the two wake up to realize that somehow an enormous monster set loose in the streets of Seoul, Korea is mysteriously connec

Lotus root (yeongeun) is the underwater stem of the lotus plant, which is rich in fiber and essential nutrients such as vitamin C and potassium. My favorite way to eat this crunchy and starchy root is to simply stir-fry (bokkeum) it with some other vegetables. To prepare the lotus root for cooking, peel the skin, slice or cut into bite size pieces, rinse, and then soak in the vinegar water. This will remove any impurities inside and the slight bitterness of the lotus root and prevent discolorati

A new Hilton hotel, along with a small village of boutique shops, is currently undergoing construction on a secluded block of land jutting out into the sea in Gijang County.The location is just north of Busan’s Haeundae Beach, one of Korea’s busiest coasts famed for its lively nightlife. The new five-star Hilton Busan, however, seeks to offer a quieter getaway, introducing a more refined type of tourism to the seaside city. “We think there is a large market for both locals and tourists who want

On the heels of his successful portrayal of the comical office manager Kim Sung-ryong in the recently ended TV series “Good Manager,” actor Namgoong Min will be returning in the upcoming series “Fabrication” (unofficial translation).The show, written by Kim Hyun-jung and directed by Lee Jung-heum, revolves around reporters who strive to uncover the injustices of society.Namgoong will be taking up the role of Han Moo-young, a reckless reporter who, after watching a colleague die while on a corrup

The Jeonju International Film Festival, Korea’s second-largest film event, is set to host its 18th edition this year from April 27 to May 7.　Here what to look out for during the festival, which will screen a total of 229 films from 58 countries. Opening, closing filmsHungarian director Ildiko Enyedi’s “On Body and Soul” will open the JIFF on Thursday evening. The film follows a cautious woman bored with life, who meets a man, falls in love, shares his dreams, and becomes curious about deeper hum