Hwang Jung-Min 황정민 [Upcoming Movies: “12.12: The Day”, “Mission Cross”, “Veteran 2”, “Hope”]

[Helena]

https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/art/2021/12/689_321126.html
Hwang Jung-min, Jung Woo-sung to reunite in political drama film 'Spring of Seoul'

By Kwak Yeon-soo | 2021-12-25 09:14

 

From left, actors Hwang Jung-min, Jung Woo-sung and Park Hae-joon / Courtesy of SEM Company, Artist Company and PLEO ent.

Actors Hwang Jung-min and Jung Woo-sung will reunite with director Kim Sung-soo for the political thriller film, "Spring of Seoul" (working title), six years after the three collaborated on the 2016 film, "Asura: The City of Madness."

 

Based on a real-life story, "Spring of Seoul" follows an event that occurred during a short period of political freedom set at the end of the 1970s.

Kim is known for his darkly cynical crime thrillers, such as "Beat" (1997), "City of The Rising Sun" (1999) and "The Flu" (2013). His next film will be produced by Hive Media Corp., the production company behind "Inside Men" (2015), "The Man Standing Next" (2019) and "Deliver Us From Evil" (2020).

"Spring of Seoul" refers to the period that began on Oct. 26, 1979, when former President Park Chung-hee was assassinated by his close aide, and lasted until May 17, 1980, when coup leader Chun Doo-hwan extended martial law to the whole nation and violently suppressed mass pro-democracy protests.

"Hwang and Jung decided to join the project based on their trust in director Kim and the script, which they both found enthralling," the production team said. Veteran actor Ahn Sung-ki and Park Hae-joon, who shot to fame with JTBC drama, "The World of the Married" (2020), will also star in the film.

"Spring of Seoul" will begin filming in February 2022. The release date has not yet been announced.

 

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[ kofic ] KIM Sung-soo / Director

In early '90s, director KIM started in the film industry by working on such films as <BLUE IN YOU>, <BERLIN REPORT>, <THEY WERE LIKE US> as a writer, prop master and assistant director among other roles. His 1993 exceptionally made noir debut <SCREAM CITY> was highly praised and won the Critic's Award at 20th Seoul Independent Film Festival. In 1997, <BEAT> catapulted JUNG Woo-sung and KO So-young into stardom, and in 1998, <CITY OF THE RISING SUN> became his back-to-back hit and confirmed the mega star status of JUNG Woo-sung and LEE Jung-jae. Period actioner <MUSA-THE WARRIOR> was regarded for tightly knitted story, massive scale and stylish visuals. And now he's back after 10 long years of absence with Korean cinema's first ever viral outbreak film <THE FLU>. Director KIM's visual flair and refusal to abide to genre conventions is a breath of fresh air for Korean cinema. Massive scale, and realistic depiction of humanity are cinematic elements that are rarely seen in local blockbusters. Teaming up with his yesteryear muse JUNG Woo-sung once more, KIM’s next project was the big-budget cops and gangsters action-thriller <The City of Madness>, which also featured heavyweight stars such as HWANG Jung-min, JU Ji-hoon, KWAK Do-won and JUNG Man-sik.

[Helena]

https://zapzee.net/2021/12/27/top-10-movies-in-domestic-box-office-for-2021/

Top 10 Movies in the Domestic Box Office for 2021

by krishkim

 

Credit: Lotte Entertainment, Showbox

Every year, movies that attract 10 million moviegoers were released. But in the face of the persistent COVID-19, even the film industry couldn’t keep up the pace. In 2021, the second year of the pandemic, works that can be called “hit movies” have only mobilized 2 million audiences. 

Among the Korean movies released this year, Escape from Mogadishu has mobilized 3.61 million moviegoers. Escape from Mogadishu depicts details of the dangerous escape plan of North and South Korean ambassadors during the Somali Civil War in 1991. It was originally scheduled to be released last year, but due to COVID-19, it was released this summer. In fact, many considered the release of the movie, which cost about 25.5 billion KRW (about $21.5 million) to make, impossible this summer as well. However, ahead of the peak summer season, the KOFIC agreed to fully support the distributors of the two big-budget films, Escape from Mogadishu and Sinkhole, guaranteeing them a 50 percent recovery of the production costs. As a result, the break-even point for Escape from Mogadishu reduced from 6 million to 3 million. In the end, the movie generated profits beyond the break-even point.

In the case of Sinkhole, the original break-even point was about 3 million moviegoers. However, just like Escape from Mogadishu, it has also surpassed the break-even point when it attracted 2 million viewers. Sinkhole begins when a man’s house, which took him 11 years to obtain, falls into a sinkhole in a minute. Cha Seung Won, Lee Kwang Soo, and Kim Sung Kyun starred in the movie.

 

Credit: NEW, CJ Entertainment

Third place went to Hostage: Missing Celebrity, which challenged the box office in the summer alongside Escape from Mogadishu and Sinkhole. It has mobilized more than 1.63 million people. The movie is about Hwang Jung Min, who has been kidnapped without witnesses or any trace on one fine morning. The fact that Hwang Jung Min played the role that has the name and job as he became a hot topic. Rookie actors such as Ryu Kyung Soo and Lee Yu Bi also received attention for their solid performances. 

On the Line and Hard Hit landed at No. 4 and No. 5, attracting 1.42 million and 950,000 moviegoers, respectively. On the Line, released during the Chuseok season, is a crime film about voice phishing. Byun Yohan and Kim Mu Yeol starred in the movie. Hard Hit follows a bank branch manager who faces a crisis when he receives a call from an unknown caller, saying, “The moment you get off from the car, a bomb will explode.” Jo Woo Jin played his first leading role in a feature film.

The Medium, the first horror movie to join the summer box office, successfully drew attention and garnered more than 830,000 audiences, ranking sixth on the chart. Miracle: Letters to the President, released in the Chuseok season alongside On the Line, ranked seventh, garnering 710,000 viewers. Among the three Korean films that were released side-by-side in November, Spiritwalker, in which the production team of The Outlaws and Yoon Kye Sang met again, drew more than 800,000 viewers, achieving the best result. Son Seok Koo and Jeon Jong Seo’s rom-com Nothing Serious mobilized 590,000 viewers, while Ryu Seung Ryong’s comedy movie Perhaps Love attracted 510,000 moviegoers.
 

1. Escape from Mogadishu 3,613,981 moviegoers
2. Sinkhole 2,195,673 moviegoers
3. Hostage: Missing Celebrity – 1,638,437 moviegoers
4. On the Line – 1,426,357 moviegoers
5. Hard Hit – 955,809 moviegoers
6. The Medium – 834,338 moviegoers
7. Spiritwalker – 808,900 moviegoers
8. Miracle: Letters to the President – 715,819 moviegoers
9. Nothing Serious – 596,189 moviegoers
10. Perhaps Love – 515,111 moviegoers

 
Source (1)
Translator Kim Hoyeun: If you are a fan of K-drama, K-movie, and K-pop, I am your guy. I will continue to provide you with up-to-date K-entertainment news.

 

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https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20211224002700315
S. Korean film distributors report poor results in 2021 amid pandemic

By Kim Boram (brk@yna.co.kr) | December 24, 2021

SEOUL, Dec. 24 (Yonhap) -- South Korean film distribution companies went through hard times this year as the local cinema industry has been still suffering from a sharp drop in attendance amid the COVID-19 pandemic.  A combined 18 films, including "A Year-End Medley" slated for Wednesday next week, has been distributed in 2021 by six major film distributors, including CJ ENM and Lotte Cultureworks.  The yearly number is nearly unchanged from some 20 homegrown movies shown in theaters last year but fell sharply from about 35 film in 2019.

Lotte Cultureworks, an entertainment unit of retail giant Lotte Group, presented three films in 2021 and received the best attendance results thanks to the box office hit "Escape from Mogadishu."  "Mogadishu," about a life-and-death escape by South and North Korean diplomats during the Somali civil war in the 1990s, is the most-watched film in 2021 with a total audience of 3.61 million.  The coming-of-age film "Miracle" attracted 690,000 people and the drama film "I" was seen by 37,000 moviegoers.

 

Spoiler

A poster of "Escape from Mogadishu" by Lotte Cultureworks (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

Disaster-comedy film "Sinkhole," depicting people swallowed by a massive sinkhole along with a multifamily house, was the biggest hit among films presented by Showbox in 2021. The flick garnered a total of 2.19 million people, marking the second most box office numbers after "Mogadishu."  Another Showbox 2021 title was the Thai-Korean horror film "The Medium," which drew 830,000 moviegoers in total.

 

Spoiler

A poster of "Sinkhole" by Showbox (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

Industry leader CJ ENM, an entertainment and media affiliate of CJ Group, came up short in 2021.  Out of the five titles under its belt, "Seobok," "Hard Hit," "The Cursed: Dead Man's Prey," "On the Line" and "A Year-End Medley," the crime action film "On the Line" is its top slate with 1.41 million viewers.  But as part of its strategies to survive the pandemic, it adopted a new scheme for hybrid theater-and-digital releases in collaboration with its sister online streaming platform, Tving.  CJ ENM released the sci-fi actioner "Seobok" in theaters and on digital streaming at the same time, and the upcoming romantic comedy "A Year-End Medley" will follow the suit.

Megabox Plus M released four titles -- "The Book of Fish," "Kids Are Fine," "Pipeline" and "Spiritwalker." Among them, the action crime film "Spiritwalker" is the most-viewed film with 800,000 moviegoers.

The Next Entertainment World, or known as NEW, saw the crime film "Hostage: Missing Celebrity" attract 1.63 million people and the comedy "Perhaps Love" with 510,000.

Acemaker Movieworks, a mid-sized distributing company, came up with only one film this year, "New Year Blues," which posted 170,000 in total attendance.

The South Korean film industry was regarded as one of the biggest losers of the protracted pandemic, as it saw the total number of moviegoers in the country plunge 75 percent on-year to a record low of 59.5 million in 2020 from 226.7 million in 2019.  The downside trend continued in 2021, with a cumulative 52 million people coming to theaters over the first 11 months of the year. (END)

[Helena]

http://english.chosun.com/site/data/html_dir/2021/12/23/2021122301002.html
Jeon Do-yeon to Reunite with Hwang Jung-min in Upcoming Netflix Film

english.chosun.com | December 23, 2021

Actor Hwang Jung-min will reunite with actress Jeon Do-yeon as he will briefly appear in Netflix's upcoming film "Kill Bok-soon."  Their reunion comes more than a decade-and-a-half years after they starred in the 2005 tearjerker "You Are My Sunshine," which saw Hwang shoot to fame.

"Kill Bok-soon," also starring Sol Kyung-gu, is about a mysterious female killer and will be the first action film in Jeon's long and prolific acting career. The action thriller is slated for release sometime next year.

 

[2005-12-04] The 4th Korea Film Awards: Best Actor & Actress (You are My Sunshine)


[Helena]

http://www.koreanfilm.or.kr/eng/news/features.jsp?blbdComCd=601013&seq=546&mode=FEATURES_VIEW
Welcome 2022, Big 5 are Returning

by Park Hyeeun | Dec 20, 2021

 

Spoiler

Director Ryoo Seungwan of Escape from Mogadishu, Returning with a Female Thriller Smuggle.

 

Director Ryoo Seungwan's 2021 film Escape from Mogadishu did not simply leave the big number with the title, ‘the biggest box office hit Korean movie of the year.’ His film once again confirmed to us the reason why we should watch Korean movies in theaters. It also reminded us of the catharsis only ‘genre movies’ can convey. If the answer to the question, "What kind of movie does Director Ryoo Seungwan enjoy most and make best?" is the film Veteran, which attracted 10 million viewers to the theater, Escape from Mogadishu is the film Director Ryoo Seungwan showed the way he wants to take. As much as the ‘car escaping scene’, which makes us awe, ‘Ryoo Seungwan is the best!’, some scenes leave long lingering impressions; the scene people from South Korea and North Korea sharing food at the dark table, or the scene showing the silent last greeting they send to each other after escaping from the land of death. The genre pleasure and universal consensus of the film are expected to shine more on the global stage. Especially, if Escape from Mogadishu, which was selected as a Korean entry for the best international feature category at the Academy Awards, is nominated, the possibility of ‘Korean film syndrome for three consecutive years’ is high enough. The Oscars especially love humanistic movies based on real stories, right? 

 
Director Ryoo Seungwan, who recreated significant moments of modern and contemporary Korean history into movies, from The Battleship Island to Escape from Mogadishu, is returning with his new film Smuggle in 2022. Even before recovering from the fatigue of shooting in Africa, he started shooting again in June 2021. There are two reasons why this movie raises expectations. One is that this film is an authentic action thriller genre, a hometown to the director. The other is that it is his first ‘Buddy Movie’ of the two female protagonists in 20 years after No Blood No Tears (2002).

 
As the title suggests, Smuggle contains the veiled enmity of two women who dominate the rough smuggling world and the desires of the people surrounding them. Actors Kim Hyesoo and Yum Jungah are playing the two main characters. In Korean cinema, it could be an adventure to make an action thriller where a female actor in her 50s plays the main character, but it is possible when Ryoo Seungwan directs it. On top of that, Zo Insung, who worked with Ryoo in Escape from Mogadishu, has joined early, and a young character actor, Park Jeongmin will also appear. "I have great fun at the filming site every day. Since most of the staff, who made Escape from Mogadishu together, are participating in Smuggle, the teamwork is fantastic. In this movie, I purely pursue cinematic fun." He plans to start his next work Veteran 2 right after Smuggle. "We have so many ideas. The production company run by his wife, CEO Kang Hyejung has made many great films besides the movies I made. We also have an idea for a ‘multi-universe,’ which connects completely different movies. For example, why don't we connect Veteran starring Hwang Jungmin and SVAHA : THE SIXTH FINGER starring Lee Jungjae? We are currently planning a scenario and aim to shoot in the second half of 2022.” Ryoo Seungwan's universe is expanding very happily.

 

 

Director Kim Younghwa, Opening the Space Age with The Moon

 

After finishing the fantastic ‘hell tour’ with the Along with the Gods series, Director Kim Yonghwa flies to the moon in 2022. He already finished filming The Moon (working title) in October and started working on the postproduction. The Moon is a touching ‘space blockbuster’ depicting the people struggling to save a crew left alone in space. Doh Kyungsoo plays the role of a young crew fighting for survival in space, Sul Kyunggu plays the role of the space center chief on Earth struggling to return the young crew home safely, and Kim Heeae plays the head of NASA's space station, who holds the important key to the incident. Director Kim Yonghwa expressed expectations for his first SF movie, saying, "I was excited and thrilled as if I were filming my debut film."

 
Director Kim Yonghwa's film is also evidence of the development of Korean VFX technology. Starting with Mr. Go, featuring the 3D character ‘Gorilla,’ which was completed with motion capture technology, the director created the ‘movie series with 10 million viewers’ with Along with the Gods, the first fantasy blockbuster in Korean cinema. Curiosity is growing over what kind of visual images Director Kim Yonghwa will show in Korea's first ‘moon exploration movie.’ Through The Moon, Director Kim will take his first step into the era of ‘virtual production’ in earnest. Much of the movie was filmed at ‘Virtual Production Studio’ D1, which opened at Dexter Studio, a VFX company. It is also known that the entire movie will be produced in 4K. You can look forward to the ‘space age’ of Korean films that Director Kim Yonghwa will pioneer.

Look forward to Director Yim Soonrye’s Scale in The Point Men

 

Director Yim Soonrye has been to Jordan with Actors Hwang Jungmin and Hyun Bin. Based on the kidnapping of Koreans in Afghanistan in 2007, The Point Men depicts the story of a diplomat and an NIS agent who struggle hard to save 23 Koreans kidnapped by terrorists. Hwang Jungmin, the most beloved actor of Korean directors, plays the role of the diplomat, and Hyun Bin, who returned to the screen after a long time since the zombie historical drama Rampant (2018), plays the role of an NIS agent. Particularly, attention is focused on the fact that it is Yim Soonrye and Hwang Jungmin’s first new film in 20 years after Waikiki Brothers (2001).
 
In addition, The Point Men makes us look forward to Director Yim Soonrye's new challenge in many ways. She has been making delicate and warm humanistic films since her feature debut Three Friends (1996), Forever The Moment (2008), and her latest film Little Forest (2018). The Point Men, worth 20 billion won, is the largest-scaled film ever made by Director Yim. This is also the first time for her to shoot an overseas location. However, Director Yim Soonrye will never miss ‘humanism’ in Jordan's unfamiliar landscape.

 

Spoiler

Director Han Jaerim’s Super Luxury Aviation Disaster Movie, Emergency Declaration

 

Emergency Declaration, which was invited to the non-competitive section of the 74th Cannes International Film Festival in 2021, has been confirmed to be released in the first half of 2022. The release date has been postponed several times due to the Pandemic, but expectations for Director Han Jaerim's Emergency Declaration do not cool down. First of all, super-luxury casting we have never seen anywhere raises such expectations. Representative actors in the Korean film industry, including Song Kangho, Lee Byunghun, Jeon Doyeon, Kim Namgil, Yim Siwan, Kim Sojin, and Park Haejoon, boarded the director’s plane. With both thumbs up, Director Han Jaerim said, "As the story takes place in a closed space called an airplane, we focused on showing the dense acting of the best actors. I can't brag too much about the actors' acting." Especially, the 74th Cannes Film Festival, where Emergency Declaration was invited, was staged by Actor Song Kangho as a judge while Actor Lee Byunghun was a presenter for the closing ceremony. "Since it is a very commercial movie whose goal is to entertain the audience, I had little expectation of being invited to the Cannes Film Festival. However, I felt the vibe that ‘Korean movies are considered important’ at the Cannes Film Festival. I think I felt more comfortable visiting there with Actors Song Kangho and Lee Byunghun." 
 

The title of the movie ‘Emergency Declaration’ is an aviation term that refers to an emergency in which the captain of the airplane declares an unconditional landing if he determines that the aircraft cannot operate normally. The director came up with the idea of the movie 10 years ago. "We meet disasters without any preparation just because we are at the wrong place at the wrong time. I thought if the place was an airplane, the ironic situation could be further maximized.” At a time when a disaster is no longer a ‘fiction in the movie’ but reality, the power of empathy Emergency Declaration has is likely to grow even more.

 

 

Director Choi Donghoon’s Blockbuster Beyond Imagination, Alien

 

Director Choi Donghoon is returning six years after Assassination, which attracted 10 million viewers. Having always shown his genius imagination, the director challenges a blockbuster that crosses the past and the present this time. It is a movie about an extraordinary story that unfolds as the door of time opens in 2021, when gurus and aliens appear to occupy the divine sword in the rumors of the late Goryeo Dynasty. The director depicted the world of sorcery, which didn’t exist in his previous film Woochi. As Director Choi’s The Thieves and Assassination attracted more than 12 million viewers in a row, his new SF action fantasy film also drew a lot of attention from the production stage. The encounters between aliens and humans and the stories with unique characters crossing the modern times and Goryeo Dynasty evoke admiration that ‘Choi Donghoon never lets us down as expected.’ The casting of Alien is also very special. Stars appear, such as Ryu Junyeol, Kim Taeri, Kim Woobin, Lee Hanee, and Yum Jungah, who is one of Director Choi's long-standing personas.

Alien began filming in March 2020 and finished it in April 2021. It took more than a year for the filming alone because the first and second episodes were produced at the same time, like the Along with the Gods series. After finishing the filming, Director Choi Donghoon said, "The filming ended in 387 days. It is the most difficult movie I’ve ever filmed and had a lot of twists and turns. However, looking back after the filming, this movie is the greatest joy to me." It is clear that the Alien series, which features all of SF, fantasy, action, and even 'aliens', will be beyond our imagination no matter what we imagine.

 

[Helena]

http://www.koreanfilm.or.kr/eng/news/features.jsp?blbdComCd=601013&mode=FEATURES_VIEW&seq=551
Settling Korean Cinema 2021 & Forecasting 2022

by KIM Subin | Jan 04, 2022

Settling Korean Cinema 2021 & Forecasting 2022

 

In 2021, a total of 60.52 million moviegoers visited movie theaters. It is a slight increase from 59.52 million viewers in 2020. However, the era of having 60 million viewers is still unfamiliar compared to the boom that exceeded 200 million viewers for the seventh consecutive year before the COVID-19. 2021 was the year when all workers in the film industry struggled amid uncontrolled variables. As if to relieve the thirst of moviegoers, the lineup of movie distributors in 2022 is full of Korean films.

 

Spoiler

The Efforts to Protect Movie Theaters

 

Escape from Mogadishu(2021), SINKHOLE(2021)

The year 2021 dawned without any promise to end the Pandemic. As a result, on January 11, the total number of moviegoers was 10,776, the lowest since 2004. However, the mood at the end of the year was a little different. On December 15, it recorded 634,948 viewers, the largest daily audience number since the Pandemic. Over the year, variables related to COVID-19, such as the start of COVID-19 vaccination, the emergence and spread of mutant viruses, changes in social distancing stages, and restrictions on movie theater business hours, have continuously affected the theater business. Especially, the recent resumption of restrictions on theater business hours led by the government policies caused the film industry workers to appeal for countermeasures. Major multiplexes such as CGV, Lotte Cinema, and Megabox tried to reduce the deficit by raising ticket prices. Korea Film Council made several attempts to attract audiences, including distributing 6,000 won discount tickets. The theater industry also joined forces with paid media services to release Korean tent pole movies. While both sides guaranteed 50% of the production cost, Escape from Mogadishu and SINKHOLE were released, attracting more than 2 million audiences respectively, recording meaningful results. In particular, attracting a total of 3.61 million viewers, Escape from Mogadishu was recognized for its cinematic quality, becoming the most popular Korean film of the year, while sweeping so many awards, including the Best Film, the Best Director, and the Best Art Direction at the Blue Dragon Film Awards.

 

Powerful Hollywood Movies & Good Fight of Korean TentPole Movies

Img3
On the Line(2021), The Three Sisters(2021), Aloners(2021), Everglow(2021)

2021 was a year when overseas blockbuster films were powerful. In 2020, Korean films accounted for 68% and foreign films 32%, but in 2021, Korean films accounted for 32% while foreign films 69.9%, showing the opposite pattern. The fact that 8 out of the top 10 box office films were foreign films shows the aspect. Among foreign films, Hollywood blockbusters, which had delayed their release, were released one after another, chosen by the audience. Spider-Man: No Way Home surpassed 6 million viewers in Korea on the first weekend of January 2022, recording the largest number of the audience in the shortest time among the foreign movies released during the Pandemic. According to Box Office Mojo, the film earned $1.217.54 billion (about 1.4494 trillion won) worldwide by December 31, serving as a hero not only in Korea but also in global theaters. The Eternals, the third top among the last year's releases, was particularly popular in Korea with the merit of the Marvel series and Actor Don Lee's appearance, followed by Black Widow, Fast & Furious 9 THE FAST SAGA, Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba the Movie: Mugen Train, Venom: Let There Be Carnage, Soul, and Cruella, making Top 10 in Korean box office hits.

2021 was also the year when special theaters such as IMAX were in the spotlight, proving the power only movie theaters have. The ticket sales and audience share of those premium theaters increased compared to 2019. The movie Dune, released in October, recorded sellouts every day at the IMAX theaters at the time of its release and surpassed 1 million viewers by re-screening at the IMAX theaters at the end of November. The popularity of large-scale blockbusters and special theaters proved the possibility of theaters in the Pandemic era and gave homework in terms of film diversity at the same time.

The number of Korean movies available in theaters decreased. Only two Korean films, Escape from Mogadishu and SINKHOLE, were ranked in the Top 10 in the box office. Although the films were released in the fourth stage of social distancing due to the re-proliferation of COVID-19, they attracted 3.61 million and 2.19 million viewers, respectively, serving as support for the theaters. Director Pil Gamsung's debut film Hostage: Missing Celebrity, and Directors Kim Gok and Kim Sun's crime thriller On the Line also surpassed 1 million viewers. Many Korean films delayed their release due to the theater conditions in the Pandemic or continued to be sold to the OTT market in 2021. Among them, independent art films such as The Three Sisters, Aloners, Everglow, Gull, A Long Way to School, and SNOWBALL received the spotlight, showing the power of good stories.

Active Roles of Creators in Chungmuro

 

Img4
Last Night in Soho(2021), Mona Lisa and the Blood Moon(2021)

Following Korean content, 2021 was the year of keen interest in Korean film creators. The best example is that Actor Youn Yuhjung won the Best Supporting Actress for Minari at the Academy Awards in April. Five days after the prize-winning news was reported, Minari surpassed 1 million viewers, which is a rare case for diversity films. Director Bong Joonho served as the president of the International Jury of the Competition at the 78th Venice International Film Festival following the announcement of the opening of the 74th Cannes International Film Festival, where Actor Song Kangho participated as a judge. Director Hong Sangsoo's In Front of Your Face and Director Han Jaerim's Emergency Declaration were both invited to Cannes's Premier and Non-competitive section, respectively.

We also could meet Korean actors and staff members in many films in various languages. The Eternals, Actor Don Lee co-starred in, and Last Night in Soho, Director of Photography Chung Chunghoon participated in, were released, while Mona Lisa and the Blood Moon, starring Actor Jeon Jongseo, entered the competition section at the Venice International Film Festival. Although the casting news has not been officially announced, Actor Park Seojoon is taking on a new challenge by listing his name on IMDb credit for The Marvels, while Actor Yoo Teo was cast in Past Lives, which is invested and produced by A24 that produced Minari.

Meanwhile, OTT content made by the creators, who have strengthened their careers in Chungmuro, was also widely loved. Squid Game established itself as Netflix's top box office series, with 142 million households watching it for 28 days after its release. Subsequently, Hellbound and The Silent Sea drew attention, and the names of the creators who have strengthened their careers in the film industry, including Director Hwang Donghyuk, Director Yeon Sangho, Art Director Chae Kyungsun, and Music Director Jung Jaeil, were mentioned worldwide.

 

Korean Films That Will Fill Theater Screens

 

The Point Men(2021), Bogota(2021)

In the new year, masterpieces of Korean films are about to be released. According to the 2022 lineups revealed by distributors, Director Yim Soonrye will return with The Point Men, starring Hwang Jungmin and Hyun Bin. It is the story of a diplomat and an NSA agent trying to save a Korean kidnapped in the Middle East. Director Kim Sungjae's Bogota, who directed Minority Opinion, is a crime movie set in Bogota, Colombia. Both films suffered difficulties in overseas filming due to COVID-19 but were listed in the new lineup in 2022. Director Han Jaerim presents the aviation disaster movie Emergency Declaration. It is a blockbuster that required more than 20 billion won for its production, and Jeon Doyeon, Song Kangho, Lee Byunghun, and Kim Namgil form an ensemble. After Escape from Mogadishu, Director Ryoo Seungwan returns quickly with Smuggling, a crime film of the two women set in the 1970s. Kim Hyesoo, Yum Jungah, Jo Insung, and Park Jungmin will appear in the film.

We can also see the new films of film masters. Director Park Chanwook's Decision to Leave is a story that begins when a detective who investigates the death case in the mountain meets the wife of the deceased, starring Park Haeil and Tang Wei. Director Hirokazu Koreeda presents Broker, a story based on 'Baby Box,' which leaves a baby behind. Korean actors such as Song Kangho, Kang Dongwon, Bae Doona, Lee Jieun, and Lee Jooyoung star in, raising expectations. Director Choi Donghoon completed Alien, a story that unfolds as the door of time opens between the end of Goryeo and 2022 when aliens appear. Expectations are high only with the names of the cast, including Ryu Junyeol, Kim Woobin, Kim Taeri, So Jisub, Yum Jungah, Jo Woojin, and Kim Euisung.

New films with unique concepts will also add vitality to the theater district. Director Kang Yikwan's Virus (working title), starring Kim Yoonseok and Bae Doona, is set in the world where an unidentified virus spreads, which kills people who feel love within a few days. Director Kim Yonghwa's new film The Moon (working title) is the story of a man left alone in space and a man on Earth desperately trying to save him, starring Sul Kyunggu and Do Kyungsoo. Director Kim Taeyong's WONDERLAND features an artificial intelligence service that allows video calls with people who do not exist in the world. Park Bogum, Suji, Gong Yoo, Tang Wei, Jung Yumi, and Choi Woosik will star in the movie. Director Kang Hyungchul's new film High Five is a story about five people who accidentally gain superpowers. They bump into those who covet their superpowers. Lee Jaein, Yoo Ahin, , Ra Miran, and Kim Heewon star in the movie.

We can also expect the release of the sequels of the box office hits. Confidential Assignment, Hyun Bin and Yoo Haejin starred in, attracting 7.81 million viewers, will return with Confidential Assignment 2: International. Daniel Henney participates in a joint investigation as an agent from the US FBI in the film. Honest Candidate, which surpassed 1 million viewers in the Pandemic era, continues its sequel on the subject of the protagonist's return to politics. In The Pirates: Goblin Flag, the sequel to The Pirates, new cast members such as Kang Haneul and Han Hyojoo continue the adventures of the pirates in the Joseon Dynasty. Director Park Hoonjung is directing The Witch 2: The Other One, following The Witch: Part 1. The Subversion. Director Kim Hanmin completed the trilogy of Admiral Yi Sunshin, including Roaring Currents: The Road of the Admiral, Hansan, and Noryang.

What will the debut films made by actors look like? Actor Lee Jungjae will make his directorial debut with Hunt. It is a spy action film that takes place as NSA agents chase after a North Korean spy director sent to South Korea, starring Lee Jungjae and Jung Woosung. Actor Jung Woosung also directs Guardian and plays the main character in the movie. Guardian depicts the protagonist's struggle to protect only one person.

In addition, Director Kang Jekyu's 1947, Boston, Director Yoon Jekyun's Hero, Director Lee Wontae's The Devil's Deal, Director Lee Haeyoung's Ghost, Director Min Yonggeun's Soulmate, Director Kim Taegon's Silence, Director Lee Yosup's Accident, and Director Kim Hyungjoo's The Match have been announced to be released. The film industry workers and audiences are waiting in unison for the films to arrive safely on the screen.

 

—

 

https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/art/2022/01/689_321738.html
Upcoming Korean movies to watch in 2022

By Kwak Yeon-soo | 2022-01-05

 

Posters for the film "Emergency Declaration," left, and "The Point Men" / Courtesy of Showbox, Megabox Plus M

 

The year 2022 is shaping up to be a big year for the film industry, with an enormous lineup of movies coming to theaters. These include a number of delayed blockbusters rescheduled for release in 2022 because of the pandemic, such as "Emergency Declaration," "Life is Beautiful" and "Hero."

New releases by directors like Kim Han-min, Choi Dong-hoon and Kim Yong-hwa will provide viewers with a wider selection. Some actors will also expand their talents behind the camera for their feature directorial debuts.

Long-awaited movie sequels will be among the biggest releases of 2022.

"The Pirates: Goblin Flag," a sequel to the 2014 action film, "The Pirates," will be coming to theaters on Jan. 26. The upcoming film, featuring Kang Ha-neul and Han Hyo-joo, promises a new adrenaline-pumping storyline and a cast of fresh faces. The previous movie, starring Son Ye-jin and Kim Nam-gil, garnered about 8.7 million in ticket sales in 2014.

"The Roundup," the sequel to the 2017 crime action film, "The Outlaws," is slated for release in the first half of 2022. Ma Dong-seok, also known as Don Lee in the U.S., will appear in a reprise of his iconic role as Ma Seok-do, while Son Suk-ku will newly join the cast as the villain. "The Outlaws" attracted more than 6.9 million moviegoers in 2017. 

"Confidential Assignment 2," a follow-up to the 2017 action comedy flick, "Confidential Assignment," will be arriving this year. It revolves around North Korean detective Lim Cheol-ryung (Hyun Bin) who joins hands with South Korean police detective Kang Jin-tae (Yoo Hai-jin) to complete a secret mission. The first installment racked up 7.8 million ticket sales in 2017. 

A few films that involved overseas filming during the pandemic will finally be released.

"The Point Men," featuring actors Hwang Jung-min and Hyun Bin, is based on a real event in Afghanistan that took place in 2007, when 23 South Korean missionaries were captured and held hostage. The film production of the hostage crisis drama, shot at least partly in Jordan, had been delayed due to the spread of the coronavirus. It is scheduled to hit theaters in the second half of 2022.

Crime drama film "Bogota: City of the Lost," featuring Song Joong-ki, will be unveiled this year. It experienced production disruptions due to the pandemic. As the film tells the story of Koreans who migrated to Colombia in the 1990s in search of a better life, the filming began in January 2020 in Colombia. However, the production team shut down production a few months later, as the pandemic forced film and TV shoots to pause their work. The production resumed in June of last year in Korea and finished filming in October. 

 

New releases by directors like Kim Han-min, Choi Dong-hoon and Kim Yong-hwa

Choi Dong-hoon, the director behind the commercially successful films, "The Thieves" (2012) and "Assassination," (2015) will present sci-fi crime flick "Alien," a two-part blockbuster about aliens living in Korea that travel back in time to the Joseon era (1392-1910). The leading cast includes Kim Tae-ri, Ryu Jun-yeol and Kim Woo-bin.

Director Kim Han-min, the mastermind behind "Roaring Currents" (2014), is returning with another naval epic, "Hansan: Rise of the Dragon," that centers on the legendary historical figure, Admiral Yi Sun-sin. "Roaring Currents" (2014) is by far the highest-grossing film in Korea, having garnered over 17 million moviegoers.

 

Kim Yong-hwa, the director behind the success of the "Along with the Gods" franchise, will return with "The Moon," a sci-fi blockbuster that features an all-star cast, including Seol Kyung-gu, Kim Hee-ae and EXO's D.O. 

Kang Je-kyu, whose early film, "Taegukgi: Brotherhood of War," (2004) drew 10 million viewers, will bring out a new film, "Boston 1947," which chronicles the stories of Korean athletes during the Boston Marathon in 1947.

 

Actors expanding their talents behind the camera for their feature directorial debuts.

"Squid Game" star Lee Jung-jae and actor Jung Woo-sung, who most recently produced Netflix's original series, "The Silent Sea," will make their directorial debuts this year, respectively. 

In his debut action film, "Hunt," set in the 1980s when the authoritarian regime was at its peak, Lee will play elite agent Park Pyung-ho, who chases after a North Korean spy while coming to terms with the truth about his country.

Jung's debut film, "Guardian," follows the story of a man who tries to protect his estranged daughter, who is kidnapped by a killer for hire.

[Helena]

https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/art/2022/01/690_321741.html
The most anticipated theatrical shows of 2022

By Park Ji-won | 2022-01-05

This year's event schedule for theatrical performances is filled with large-scale musicals, as well as new works that have been waiting for the right time to be presented during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The original musical, "Lion King," of Disney fame, one of the most successful stage shows in history, will embark on its Seoul tour between Jan. 26 and March 18 at the Seoul Arts Center, followed by Busan in April. The original songs of the musical, composed by Elton John and lyricist Tim Rice, and featuring other works by musicians, such as African composer Lebo, first presented its international tour in Korea in 2018 and tickets sold out. This tour will be the musical's first international run since it was presented in Auckland, New Zealand, last year.

The original French production of the musical, "Notre Dame de Paris," which has been running since November of last year, will hit the stage again in Korea between February and April at Blue Square Shinhancard Hall in Seoul as an encore show. Cirque du Soleil's "Alegria" will be also presented at Jamsil Olympic Stadium from Oct. 21 to Jan. 3.

EMK, one of the leading production companies here, will premiere the musical, "Frida," portraying the life of painter Frida Kahlo, at the Sejong Center for the Performing arts from February to May, as part of its efforts to make more musicals for smaller theaters.

The licensed musical, "Jekyll ＆ Hyde," based on the 1886 novel by Robert Louis Stevenson, has been running from Oct. 19 to May. 8 at Charlotte Theater in Jamsil, Seoul.

The Korean production of "West Side Story," the landmark musical inspired by William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, will premiere in November at Chungmu Arts Center in Seoul. Kim Dong-yeon will direct the performance jointly with Julio Monge.

The musical adaptation of "Crash Landing on You," the megahit Netflix original Korean series, will also premiere at COEX Artium, Seoul, from Sept. 15 to Nov. 6. "Hotel del Luna," the tvN drama, will also be adapted into musical format within this year.

The play, "Freud's Last Session," by Mark St. Germain will be performed at TOM in Seoul, from this Friday, January 7 to March 6. Oh Young-soo, a veteran actor who rose to stardom after acting in the Netflix's original series, "Squid Game," will take the lead as Freud, with Shin Goo, another veteran actor, also playing the founder of psychoanalysis.

The play, "Richard III," will be led by Hwang Jung-min, who is better known as a screen actor, at the Seoul Arts Center from Jan. 11 to Feb. 13. He will be acting in the play for the first time in four years. Actor Jung Kyung-ho, who has appeared in megahit TV drama series such as "Crash Landing on You" and "Hospital Playlist," will make his play debut with Tony Kushner's 1991 play, "Angels in America, Part Two: Perestroika," the Part One of which premiered in November. The four-hour show will run at Myeongdong Theater from Feb. 25 to March. 27.

"King Lear" by Shakespeare will be turned into a changgeuk (a Korean traditional opera) by the National Changgeuk Company of Korea, and performed at the theater from March 17 to 27.

"Kim Ji-young, Born 1982," a play adaptation of the best-selling novel of the same title, will be premiered at Baekam Art Hall from Aug. 30 to Nov. 13.

Han Kang's award-winning novel, "The Vegetarian," will be adapted into a play by the National Theater Company of Korea (NTCK). The adaptation will open at the theater from Sept. 2 to Sept. 25.

[Helena]

http://www.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20220110000650
All the world’s a stage: Success of ‘Squid Game’ opens doors for Korean actors

By Song Seung-hyun (ssh@heraldcorp.com) | Jan 10, 2022 

The influence of global OTT platforms was once again proven with Netflix original series “Squid Game” supporting actor Oh Young-soo‘s win at the 79th Golden Globes on Monday.  International successes like Oh’s are increasingly likely in the near future as more Korean actors have started working on projects targeting global audiences.  Many big-name stars are choosing to appear in Netflix’s original series, which are made available in 190 countries.

Kim Hye-soo and “Parasite” star Lee Jung-eun are starring in the upcoming Netflix show “Juvenile Justice,” about a judge who hates juvenile criminals suddenly being appointed to the juvenile department of a district court.

“Money Heist,” an upcoming South Korean television series based on the Spanish heist crime drama series of the same title, will feature stars like Kim Yun-jin, Yoo Ji-tae and Jeon Jong-seo.

Veteran actor Hwang Jung-min, who led multiple megahit films like “Ode to My Father” and ”Veteran,” will also appear in the Netflix original series “Suriname,” along with another prolific actor, Ha Jung-woo, who has appeared in three megahit films that have sold more than 10 million tickets domestically -- “Assassination” and two flicks in the “Along With the God” series.

Netflix is not the only OTT that is aiming to produce the next “Squid Game” with big-name Korean stars.  Disney+, who entered the Korean market last year, is working with “Old Boy” star Choi Min-sik who will appear in its original series, “King Of Savvy.”   Oscar-winning Youn Yuh-jung and Hallyu star Lee Min-ho will appear in Apple TV+’s “Pachinko,” a Korean, Japanese and English-language drama based on the novel by Korean American author Lee Min-jin. 

There is also a notable trend of young Korean actors being cast in Hollywood films.  Park Seo-joon, 32, will star in the sequel to “Captain Marvel,” officially titled “The Marvels.”   Park is widely known to international fans of Korean dramas, having starred in several hit romantic comedies such as “What’s Wrong With Secretary Kim” and “Itaewon Class.” He also made a cameo appearance as a friend of the character Ki-woo (played by Choi Woo-sik) in the Oscar-winning film “Parasite,” directed by Bong Joon-ho.  Jeon, 27, of “Money Heist,” also filmed her first English-language film “Mona Lisa and the Blood Moon,“ which was screened here during the Busan International Film Festival last year.

[Helena]

https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/art/2022/01/690_322320.html
Hwang Jung-min's play, 'Richard III,' renews classical theater for pandemic times

By Park Ji-won | 2022-01-16

 

Actor Hwang Jung-min plays Richard III during a press conference for the play, "Richard III," at the Seoul Arts Center, Thursday. Yonhap

"Richard III," the Shakespeare play exploring the Machiavellian rise to power and short reign of the British king, returns to the stage in Korea for the first time in four years.

Actor Hwang Jung-min plays the lead in the play set in the late fifteenth century depicting King Richard III, who expresses anger, self-pity and revenge, which drives him to take his own life in the end.

"One of the biggest reasons I chose to join this play is that I felt sorry for the disappearing classical plays in the scene. So I wanted to show the greatness and the power of the classical performances, which have been performed by senior actors since the past, to audiences and students who want to become actors," Hwang said during a press conference held at the Seoul Arts Center, Thursday. "Including actor O Yeong-su, who recently won a Golden Globe for the Netflix Korean original series, 'Squid Game,' we actors have been firmly keeping watch over the stage."

 

The poster for the play, "Richard III" / Courtesy of Sem Company

Director Seo Jae-hyung explained the meaning of the play.

"During times of difficulty, I think the works of Shakespeare are classics … (The last time we performed the play in Korea, in) the year 2018, I think that the society around me ― including myself and my friends ― just kept running in a kind of mad dash of endless work towards a certain goal or dream. Maybe something had gone wrong with society or myself, but in 2018, I focused on presenting that reality through the character of Richard III on stage."

"Initially, I was upset when this mad dash stopped (due to the pandemic)," he continued, "But then I realized that it is so precious to have this (pandemic) period, as it has made me think about the reasons why society had made me run like that at that time."

"So I came up with the 2022 version, which is a reflection of the past couple of years, by editing some scenes and slowing down the tempo of some others, so that this year's performance could go along with the period that we are now in," the director added. 

The 100-minute performance will run through Feb. 13 at the Seoul Arts Center.

[Helena]

https://about.netflix.com/en/news/the-next-wave-netflix-unveils-korean-line-up-for-2022
The Next Wave: Netflix Unveils Korean Lineup for 2022

 

By Don Kang [VP, Content (Korea)] | January 18, 2022

 

 

From the iconic jumpsuits of Squid Game to the supernatural beings of Hellbound, Korean shows dominated global popular culture in 2021, and we have the numbers to prove it.

Overall, global viewing hours of our Korean shows grew six-fold last year, compared to 2019. To date, Squid Game is the biggest show we have ever launched, reigning as the most viewed Netflix show in 94 countries at its peak. In fact, 95% of Squid Game’s viewership came from outside Korea, and many of these viewers went on to explore other Korean content.

Two months after Squid Game, we launched Hellbound, whose premiere clocked 43.48 million viewing hours. Hellbound was among the Top 10 Netflix shows in 93 countries, and ranked number one in 34 countries. Sci-fi mystery The Silent Sea also made it to the number one spot on the weekly non-English Top 10 lists for its premiere.

Credit for this growing global interest goes to the talented Korean creators we have been working with for the past few years. From 2016 to 2021, we launched more than 130 Korean titles. As a result, Netflix has become a compelling destination for fans of Korean content, who know that this is the home of diverse and high-quality Korean storytelling.

As this fanbase increasingly includes viewers from all over the world, we are excited to continue collaborating with Korean storytellers to bring the K-wave to new heights.

To do that, we always ask ourselves: what are the kinds of stories that only Netflix can help these creators tell? You’ll find the answers in the more than 25 compelling Korean shows we are launching this year — our largest number to date.

 

Spoiler

Zombie apocalypses and kinky office rom-coms are just the beginning of what's in store for K-dramas on Netflix in 2022. There’s one and more for everyone no matter your taste, so set your reminders—what will you be watching? 

Subscribe to The Swoon: https://bit.ly/2IiIXqV
Follow The Swoon on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theswoonnet... 

 

ALL OF US ARE DEAD starring Park Ji-hu, Yoon Chan-young, Cho Yi-hyun, Lomon, Yoo In-soo, Lee You-mi, Lim Jae-hyeok

LOVE AND LEASHES starring Seo Hyun, Lee Jun-young, and EL

FORECASTING LOVE AND WEATHER starring Park Min-young, Song Kang, Yoon Bak, and Yura

TWENTY FIVE TWENTY ONE starring Kim Tae-ri, Nam Joo-hyuk, Kim Ji Yeon, Choi Hyun Wook, and Lee Ju Myoung

THIRTY-NINE starring Son Ye-jin, Jeon Mi-do, and Kim Ji-hyun

BUSINESS PROPOSAL starring Ahn Hyo-Seop, Kim Se Jeong, Kim Min Gue, Seol In A, and Lee Duck Hwa

JUVENILE JUSTICE starring Kim Hye-soo, Kim Moo-yeol, Lee Sung-min, and Lee Jung-Eun

TOMORROW starring Kim Hee-seon, Rowoon, and Lee Soo-hyuk

CELEB FIVE: BEHIND THE CURTAIN starring Kim Shin-young, Song Eun-i, Shin Bong-seon, and An Young-mi

YAKSHA: RUTHLESS OPERATIONS starring Sul Kyung-gu, Park Hae-soo, Hiroyuki Ikeuchi, Yang Dong-keun, EL, Song Jae-lim, and Park Jin-young 

THE SOUND OF MAGIC starring Ji Chang-wook, Choi Sung-eun, and Hwang In-youp

CARTER starring Joo Won, Lee Sung-jae, Kim Bo-min, and Jeong So-ri

MONEY HEIST: KOREA - JOINT ECONOMIC AREA starring Yoo Ji-tae, Kim Yunjin, Park Hae-soo, Jun Jong-seo, Lee Won-jong, Kim Ji-hun, Jang Yoon-ju, Lee Hyun-woo, Kim Ji-hoon, and Lee Kyu-ho

REMARRIAGE AND DESIRES starring Kim Hee-Seon, Lee Hyun-Wook, Jung Eugene, Park Hoon, and Cha Ji-Yeon

SEOUL VIBE starring Yoo Ah-in, Ko Kyung-Pyo, Lee kyoo-hyung, Park Ju-hyun, Ong Seong-wu, and Oh Jung-se

GLITCH starring Jeon Yeo-been and NANA

THE ACCIDENTAL NARCO starring Ha Jung-woo, Hwang Jung-min, Park Hae-soo, Jo Woo-jin, Yoo Yeon-seok, and Chang Chen 

20TH CENTURY GIRL starring Kim You-jung, Byeon Woo-seok, Park Jung-woo, and Roh Yoon-seo

SOMEBODY starring Kim Young-kwang, Kang Hae-lim, Kim Yong-ji, and Kim Su-yeon

THE FABULOUS starring Chae Soo-bin and Choi Min-ho

A MODEL FAMILY starring Jung Woo, Park Hee-soon, Yoon Jin-seo, and Park Ji-yeon

JUNG_E starring Kang Soo-youn, Kim Hyun-joo, and Ryu Kyung-soo 

LOVE TO HATE YOU starring Kim Ok-vin, Yoo Teo, Kim Ji-hun, and Go Won-hee

BLACK KNIGHT starring Kim Woo-bin, Kang You-seok, and Esom

#TheSwoon #Kdrama 

ABOUT THE SWOON

Welcome to The Swoon, your all-access pass behind the scenes of your favorite Korean and Asian dramas. Get up close and personal with the stars. Tell us what you love to watch, what endings made you want to tear your hair out, and what keeps you coming back for more, ever optimistic that the next one will be The One.

For the fans. Powered by Netflix. All biases welcome.

*Shows featured might not be available in all markets.

 

Viewers can look forward to All of Us Are Dead, in which zombies invade a high school; Money Heist: Korea – Joint Economic Area, an adaptation of the popular Spanish series; and the action-packed thrills of Seoul Vibe, a film where the adventures of a special-ops team take place against the backdrop of the 1988 Seoul Olympic Games.

We believe this is a slate that showcases more of the inventive and gripping Korean storytelling that the world has come to love. To do that, we will continue to invest in Korea’s creative ecosystem and, together, we will keep on showing the world that “Made in Korea” means “Well-Made”. This year, we look forward to the new conversations that will be sparked by a new wave of stories, as we help Korean content find homes in the hearts and minds of our global audience.

I hope that there will be many more amazing global moments for Korean content, and we will do our best to ensure that more people can enjoy the best of this content with Netflix in 2022.

 

More details about the new shows can be found here, along with first look images.

Joe Cho 9 (hcho@netflix.com)
Communications

 

 

THE ACCIDENTAL NARCO starring Ha Jung-woo, Hwang Jung-min, Park Hae-soo, Jo Woo-jin, Yoo Yeon-seok, and Chang Chen 

 

Spoiler

 

[Sleepy Owl]

Quick Poll: Top K-pop Artists and Variety shows of 2021

 

Please vote!

 

Now you can also vote for:

• Top K-pop Artists of 2021 
• Top Variety Shows of 2021

 

 

 

Your Event Organizers,

@partyon, @agenth, @confusedheart, @Sleepy Owl

[Helena]

https://k-odyssey.com/news/newsview.php?ncode=1065596316524854
Korean movies enter Ice Age without official release date
연합뉴스 / 2022-02-07 15:58:24

 

▲ This photo shows a movie theater. (Yonhap)

Spoiler

▲ This photo, provided by Showbox, shows a poster of "Emergency Declaration" which was supposed to release last month. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)


SEOUL, Feb. 7 (Yonhap) -- While the Korean box office failed to make headway during the New Year holiday due to the spread of COVID-19, Korean films haven’t scheduled their official releases.  Distributors and theaters explain that great Korean films need to be released to save the movie industry in crisis and the government should support movie openings and abolish restrictions on theater business hours.



A total of 1,364,000 people visited the theater during the Lunar New Year holiday (Jan. 29 ~ Feb. 2), according to the KOREA Box-office Information System. It is about 180,000 less than the number of audiences during the previous Chuseok holiday (Korean Thanksgiving) in September last year.  "The Pirates: The Last Royal Treasure” and the political drama “Kingmaker” attracted about 649,000 and 357,000 audiences, respectively. The two works, ranking first and second in the box office, barely exceeded 1 million viewers.  Considering how the two works are Korean masterpieces that came after a long time, their performances are somewhat disappointing. In the second week of its release, the real-time reservation rate has fallen, making it difficult to expect a big increase in the audience in the future.



The problem is that new Korean films are not expected to be released until next month, even after the end of the first quarter.  In particular, there is no tent pole (a commercial film with a clear success) that has invested more than 7 billion won in production costs for famous directors and actors, so it is estimated that Korean films will be hit by a difficult period.



According to Yonhap News coverage, “Hero” (Director Yoon Jae-kyun), “Hansan” (Kim Han-min), “Alien” (Choi Dong-hoon), “Boston 1947” (Kang Je-gyu), “The Moon” (Kim Yong-hwa), and “Smugglers” (Ryoo Seung-wan) have finished filming but did not schedule the release date.

Upcoming films such as the “Emergency Declaration,” “Confidential Assignment 2: International,” “The Match,” “The Point Men,” “The Roundup 2,” “Bogota: City of the Lost,” and “The Witch: Part 2. The Other One” also don’t have a specific release date. (END)
 

(C) Yonhap News Agency. All Rights Reserved

[Sleepy Owl]

Event: Iconic and Memorable K-drama Moments

 

Chingus, check out the latest event and vote for your favorite iconic and memorable kdrama moments 

re @partyon @agenth @confusedheart @Sleepy Owl 

 

[Helena]

Cannes 2022 - Megabox Plus M Line-up

Spoiler

ACFM & AFM 2021 - Megabox Plus M Line-up

 

http://www.megaboxplusm.co.kr/newupcoming/movie?mcode=DE200050

 

Source: Megabox Plus M

[Helena]

https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/2022/08/01/entertainment/movies/Hwang-Jungmin-Yum-Jungah-Jeon-Hyejin/20220801154838844.html
Action comedy 'Cross' now filming, with actors Hwang Jung-min, Yum Jung-ah, Jeon Hye-jin

BY HALEY YANG [yang.hyunjoo@joongang.co.kr] | August 1, 2022

From left, actors Hwang Jung-min, Yum Jung-ah and Jeon Hye-jin [SEM COMPANY, ARTIST COMPANY, HODU ENTERTAINMENT || Megabox Plus M]

Action comedy film "Cross," starring actors Hwang Jung-min, Yum Jung-ah and Jeon Hye-jin, started filming on July 24, according to distribution company Megabox Plus M on Monday. 

The action comedy is mixed with espionage, centering around the story of a former intelligence agent. Played by Hwang, the ex-agent hides his tumultuous past and is now living as a devoted stay-at-home family man, while his wife, played by Yum, is a key member of the Violent Crimes Investigation Unit. 

The agent leads a normal life until he becomes embroiled in an incident one day, during which he runs into a junior agent from his former agency, played by Jeon.

Hwang is a veteran actor best known for his roles in films “New World” (2013) and “Veteran” (2015).

 

—

 

https://k-odyssey.com/news/newsview.php?ncode=1065575904940807
S.Korean actor Hwang Jung-min to star in spy action movie 'Cross'

YonhapNews / 2022-08-01 10:18:31
(This article is translated from Korean to English by Joonha Yoo.)

 

▲This photo, provided by individual agencies, shows, Hwang Jung-min, Yum Jung-ah, and Jun Hye-jin. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

SEOUL, August 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korean movie “Cross” started its production on July 24 and actor Hwang Jung-min, and actresses Yum Jung-ah, Jun Hye-jin, confirmed their appearances in the movie, announced distributor Megabox Plus M on Monday.



The spy action movie “Cross” is about protagonist Kang Mu, professional house husband acted by Hwang Jung-min runs into a case which he works to solve. “Cross” will be the debut peace of independent director Lee Myung-hoon, who is known for his work “Super Ttareungi” in 2005, as a mainstream movie director.



South Korean actor Hwang Jung-min will act out a house husband with secretive past, Kang Mu, actress Yum Jung-ah will act out Kang Mu’s wife Mi-sun who is tactical ace of crime investigation unit. Hwang Jung-min and Yum Jung-ah will be working with one another for the first time. Also actress Jun Hye-jin will appear as agent Hui-ju throughout the movie. (END)

(C) Yonhap News Agency. All Rights Reserved

[Sleepy Owl]

 Guess the drama - Sageuk version

 

 

Solve the blinds as become Soompi's Queen/King of Gossip! 

 

Your Event Organizers,

@Sleepy Owl @partyon @confusedheart  @agenth

[Helena]

 

https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/art/2022/08/688_334068.html
Netflix's 'Narco-Saints' to be released Sept. 9

By Kim Rahn | 2022-08-08

 

A promotional poster for new Netflix's original series, "Narco-Saints," to be released on Sept. 9 / Courtesy of Netflix

 

A new Netflix original series, "Narco-Saints," created by top director Yoon Jong-bin, will be released on Sept. 9, the streaming service platform said, Monday. 

The much-anticipated series is about a man who has no choice but to take on a secret mission for the National Intelligence Service (NIS) after being framed by a Korean drug lord operating in Suriname.

It has drawn attention since the production was announced last year, as it is helmed by Yoon, who has been recognized for excellence in storytelling and direction in previous films, including "Nameless Gangster: Rules of Time" (2011) and "The Spy Gone North" (2018).

Its star-studded cast also raises expectations, especially because some of the actors have already proven to be good partners with director Yoon.

Ha Jung-woo plays the role of Kang In-su, an entrepreneur who wished to make money in Suriname but gets involved in drug crime. Ha partnered with Yoon since the latter's directoral debut, "The Unforgiven" (2005), through which both Ha and Yoon received recognition in the nation's cinema scene. Ha also starred in Yoon's other works: "The Moonlight of Seoul" (2008), "Nameless Gangster: Rules of Time" and "KUNDO: Age of the Rampant" (2014).

Another A-lister in the new series is Hwang Jung-min, who also appeared in "A Violent Prosecutor," (2015) for which Yoon was a producer and "The Spy Gone North" for which Yoon was the director. In the new series, he plays the role of Jeon Yo-hwan, the top boss of a Suriname's drug cartel.

Park Hae-soo, who is nicknamed a "worker at Netflix" because his recent filmography centers on Netflix series such as "Squid Game" (2021) and "Money Heist: Korea ― Joint Economic Area" (2022), takes the role of Choi Chang-ho, an NIS agent who leads the mission to apprehend Jeon.

Yoo Yeon-seok plays David Park, a lawyer who helps protect Jeon's organization, while Jo Woo-jin is transformed into Byun Ki-tae, who is Jeon's right-hand man.

Taiwanese actor Chang Chen, who has strong international foothold with his appearance in "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" (2000), "The Grandmaster" (2013) and "Dune" (2021), will guest-star as the leader of a Chinese crime ring in Suriname.

[Helena]

https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/2022/08/08/entertainment/television/The-Accidental-Narco-netflix-korea-kdrama/20220808142256330.html
Netflix's 'The Accidental Narco' to begin streaming in September

BY HALEY YANG [yang.hyunjoo@joongang.co.kr] | August 8, 2022

 

Netflix will launch its new series "The Accidental Narco" starring actors Ha Jung-woo, Hwang Jung-min, Park Hae-soo and Yoo Yeon-seok on Sept. 9. [NETFLIX]

Netflix will launch its new series "The Accidental Narco" starring actors Ha Jung-woo, Hwang Jung-min, Park Hae-soo and Yoo Yeon-seok on Sept. 9, according to the streaming platform on Monday. 

Directed by Yoon Jong-bin, "The Accidental Narco" tells the story of a businessman who cooperates with the National Intelligence Service (NIS) to arrest a Korean drug lord active in Suriname. 

This is the first Netflix series directed by Yoon, who is known for films “Nameless Gangster: Rules of the Time” (2012) and “The Spy Gone North” (2018). 

Ha plays Kang In-gu, a civilian Korean businessman who risks his life to participate in the NIS’s operation. Hwang plays the conman and drug lord Jeon Yo-hwan. 

The series also stars Park as an agent striving to arrest Jeon, actor Jo Woo-jin as Jeon’s right-hand man and Yoo as Jeon’s attorney who offers him protection. 

Taiwanese actor Chang Chen will also make a special appearance as the head of a Chinese crime ring.

 

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https://zapzee.net/2022/08/08/netflix-drops-a-new-poster-for-narco-saints-starring-park-hae-soo-ha-jung-woo-hwang-jung-min-and-more/
Netflix’s ‘Narco-Saints’ Confirms Its Release Date and Drops Its First Poster Featuring Park Hae Soo, Ha Jung Woo and More

By HANA LEE

Coming to Netflix in September 2022, Narco-Saints recently unveiled its first poster.

Narco-Saints follows a civilian businessman who becomes involved in the National Intelligence Service’s covert operation to bring down a Korean drug lord operating in the South American country of Suriname. The upcoming drama marks the first TV series directed by Yoon Jong Bin, who previously helmed on Nameless Gangster: Rules of the Time and The Spy Gone North. Anticipations are high on how the ordinary entrepreneur and the secret agent will closely partner with each other to arrest the Korean drug lord.

Ha Jung Woo plays an ordinary businessman named Kang In Gu, who gets involved in the secret operation of the National Intelligence Service. Hwang Jung Min stars as Jeon Yo Hwan, the Korean drug lord who operates in Suriname. Park Hae Soo stars as Choi Chang Ho, the team leader of the Americas branch of the National Intelligence Service, who enlists Kang In Goo in his plan to take down Jeon Yo Hwan. Jo Woo Jin will take on the role of Yo Hwan’s right-hand man who takes care of all his dirty business, and Yoo Yeon Seok plays lawyer David Park who works for Yo Hwan and acts as the brains of the crime syndicate. Lastly, Chang Chen joins the cast as Chen Jin, the head of a notorious Chinese gang in Suriname.

Narco-Saints will drop on September 9th.

Source: Netflix

[Helena]

=> https://www.netflix.com/title/81343748 <=

 

N SERIES
NARCO-SAINTS
2022 | TV-MA

 

Narco-Saints
Crime TV Shows
An ordinary entrepreneur joins a secret government mission to capture a Korean drug lord operating in South America. Based on true events.
Starring: Ha Jung-woo, Hwang Jung-min, Park Hae-soo
Creators: Yoon Jong-bin, Kwon Sung-hui

Yoon Jong-bin directs this riveting thriller starring Ha Jung-woo, Hwang Jung-min and Park Hae-soo.

More Details
Cast: Ha Jung-woo, Hwang Jung-min, Park Hae-soo, Jo Woo-jin, Yoo Yeon-seok, Chang Chen
Maturity Rating: TV-MA

Genres: Korean, Crime TV Shows
This show is Suspenseful

 

[Helena]

http://english.chosun.com/site/data/html_dir/2022/08/09/2022080901032.html
Netflix's New Korean Series Set for Release in Time for Chuseok

english.chosun.com | August 9, 2022

Netflix's upcoming Korean series "Narco-Saints" is set for release next month in time for Chuseok, Korea's biggest holiday of the year.

The crime thriller revolves around a man who joins a secret mission to capture a Korean drug lord operating in the South American country of Suriname.

The series is already creating buzz for its star-studded cast, which includes veteran actors Ha Jung-woo and Hwang Jung-min, along with Park Hae-soo, who shot to global fame after starring in Netflix's mega hit Korean series "Squid Game," and Taiwanese actor Chang Chen, who is famous for his appearances in films like "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" and "The Grandmaster."

"Narco-Saints" will be available for streaming on Sept. 9, the first day of the long Chuseok weekend.

 

Spoiler

 

 

[Helena]

Narco-Saints 수리남 TRAILER #1 [eng sub]

 

Netflix dropped #NarcoSaint's first teaser trailer!

About 
Korean Title: 수리남
English Title: Narco-Saints

Synopsis:
The life-threatening journey of Kang In-gu (Ha Jung-woo), a civilian businessman who has no choice but to cooperate with the secret operation of the National Intelligence Service to catch Jeon Yo-hwan (Hwang Jung-min), the Korean drug lord who has taken control of Suriname.
#수리남 #하정우 #황정민 #박해수 #조우진 #유연석 #추자현 #넷플릭스 

Cast:
Ha Jung-woo 하정우
Hwang Jung-min 황정민
Park Hae-soo 박해수
Jo Woo-jin 조우진
Yoo Yeon-seok 유연석
Choo Ja-hyun 추자현

Director: Yoon Jong-bin 윤종빈 (The Spy Gone North, Kundo: Age of the Rampant, Nameless Gangster: Rules of the Time)
Genres: Thriller, Crime, Drama
Release Date: September 9th, 2022 on Netflix
Episodes: 6

 

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#Netflix #수리남
Narco-Saints | Official Teaser | Netflix [ENG SUB]

 

Trust is the deadliest deal
In a place where there is no truth and all faith is lost

Based on a true lie
Narco-Saints | 9 September, only on Netflix

From director Yoon Jong-bin of The Spy Gone North and Nameless Gangster: Rules of the Time
Starring Ha Jung-woo, Hwang Jung-min, Park Hae-soo, Jo Woo-jin and Yoo Yeon-seok
With a special appearance by Chang Chen

#Netflix #Narco_Saints #수리남

Narco-Saints | Official Teaser | Netflix
https://www.youtube.com/NetflixAsia

An ordinary entrepreneur joins a secret government mission to capture a Korean drug lord operating in South America. Based on true events.