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'Conclave' viewership surges in Korea following death of Pope Francis
The death of Pope Francis on Monday has triggered a spike in viewership for "Conclave" in South Korea, where the movie continues its theatrical run nearly two months after its March 5 local release. According to the Korean Film Council's latest box office data, "Conclave" sold 1,507 tickets on Tuesday, a 63.8 percent jump from the previous day. The film climbed to fifth place in daily ticket sales, having largely remained outside the top 10 throughout the previous week. Cinema chains across Kore
April 23, 2025 -
Busan International Short Film Festival returns with sound-focused theme
South Korea's oldest and longest-running short film festival returns Thursday for its 42nd edition, featuring 157 films from 41 countries at Busan Cinema Center and BNK Busan Bank Art Cinema through April 29. This year's edition explores cinema's sonic elements under the theme "Cinema & Sound," focusing on dialogue, sound effects and music as core components of short films. The competitive lineup features two main categories: the International Competition with 40 entries from overseas and the Ko
April 21, 2025 -
Why actor Park Jeong-min became a publisher and put audiobook first
Actor Park Jeong-min has introduced a new initiative as the head of his publishing company Muze, aiming to make literature more accessible to readers with visual impairments. The project, titled the “Listening Novel Project,” launched with the release of Kim Keum-hee’s new full-length novel "First Summer, Wanju" as an audiobook. Departing from the conventional practice of releasing print editions first, the audiobook version was completed and distributed ahead of the print release. On April 4, c
April 18, 2025 -
Director Joung Yu-mi's 'Glasses' invited to Cannes Film Festival
Director Joung Yu-mi’s short animated film “Glasses” has been invited to compete in the short film category at the 78th Cannes Film Festival, making it the only South Korean work selected for this year’s prestigious event so far. “Glasses” will be showcased in the Critics’ Week short film competition, a parallel section of the Cannes Film Festival dedicated to highlighting emerging voices in global cinema. The 15-minute animation follows Yu-jin, who, after breaking her glasses, visits an opticia
April 18, 2025 -
DMZ Docs, Seoul Art Cinema to present 1960s-70s docu retrospective
The DMZ International Documentary Film Festival (DMZ Docs) announced Tuesday it is teaming up with Seoul Art Cinema to present "Museum of Reality: Innovations in Documentary of the 1960s-70s," a special screening series running Friday to May 4. Held on weekends at Seoul Art Cinema in Jung-gu, Seoul, the three-week program will feature 10 feature-length documentaries rooted in direct cinema and cinema verite — landmark movements that helped reshape the genre through their emphasis on spontaneity
April 15, 2025 -
Korean films absent from Cannes' official selection for first time in 12 years
For the first time in 12 years, no South Korean films have been included in the official selection of the Cannes Film Festival. According to the festival’s organizing committee, which announced the lineup for the 78th Cannes Film Festival on Thursday evening, no Korean films were named among the invited works. Korean films were not only excluded from the main competition section, where the Palme d’Or and other top honors are awarded, but also from out of competition categories and sidebars such
April 11, 2025 -
Jeonju film fest announces ticket sales timeline
Festival offers priority booking for Jeonju locals and accessibility options ahead of April 30 opening The 26th Jeonju International Film Festival has announced a timeline for ticket sales ahead of its April 30 opening. The festival, running through May 9 under the slogan "Beyond the Frame," will screen 224 films from 57 countries across Jeonju's cinema district. Tickets for the opening and closing ceremonies will go on sale April 16 at 2 p.m. via the festival's official website. General screeni
April 10, 2025 -
KOFA presents nature-focused film series for Earth Day
Program features documentary, art films that examine humanity's relationship with natural world The Korean Film Archive, a state-run institution dedicated to preserving and researching film heritage, will present "Perspectives on Nature," a lineup of documentary and experimental films focused on the natural world, from April 22 to May 8 at its Mapo-gu, Seoul headquarters. Timed for Earth Day, the program features works by contemporary filmmakers who explore landscapes and environments through di
April 10, 2025 -
Actor Kim Min-hee and director Hong Sang-soo welcome son
After nine years together, the couple has a child Actor Kim Min-hee has given birth to a son with South Korean auteur Hong Sang-soo. According to a report by entertainment outlet Dispatch, Kim is staying at a postpartum care center in Hanam, Gyeonggi Province, following the birth. Kim reportedly learned she was expecting a child with Hong last summer. The couple met while working together on Hong’s 2015 film "Right Now, Wrong Then" and publicly confirmed their relationship in 2017. The couple li
April 9, 2025 -
'Mickey 17' crosses 3 million mark in Korea in underwhelming theatrical run
Bong Joon-ho's sci-fi gamble heads to streaming in North American markets after falling short of commercial expectations Director Bong Joon-ho's big-budget sci-fi venture "Mickey 17" officially crossed the 3 million admissions mark in Korea Tuesday, a milestone that comes as little consolation for a production struggling to meet financial expectations. According to the latest data from the Korean Film Council, the film reached 3,000,592 viewers after 39 days in theaters as of Tuesday. Daily tick
April 8, 2025 -
61st Baeksang Arts Awards announces nominees
Global hits such as ‘Lovely Runner,’ ‘When Life Gives You Tangerines’ among top contenders Global hits such as “When Life Gives You Tangerines” and “Lovely Runner” are among the top contenders for the 61st Baeksang Arts Awards, one of the country's most prestigious annual entertainment ceremonies . The 61st Baeksang Arts Awards recognize and honor the best content broadcast on terrestrial channels, cable networks and streaming platforms from April 1, 2024 to March 31, 2025, as well as Korean fea
April 8, 2025 -
Kim Soo-hyun's 'Real' rides new wave of infamy amid scandal
Korean cinema's notorious box-office bomb finds new viewership as questions about on-set conduct crop up In a memorable scene from the 2017 film "Real," for some time social media meme fodder here, Kim Soo-hyun, dressed in a garish red suit and mask, spins at hyperspeed like a malfunctioning wind-up toy. Glittering, iridescent water cascades across the screen as his enemies inexplicably collapse without him laying a finger on them. This bizarre sequence epitomizes a film now catching a second wi
April 2, 2025 -
Jeonju film fest unveils full selection under 'beyond the frame' banner
Korea's premier indie film festival returns with 224 films from 57 countries amid global political uncertainty The Jeonju International Film Festival unveiled its lineup for its 26th edition Tuesday at Seoul's CGV Yongsan, showcasing 224 films from 57 countries under the slogan "Beyond the Frame." Opening the festival is Romanian director Radu Jude's "Kontinental '25." The Berlin Silver Bear winner follows a woman who starts to question societal norms after witnessing an unexpected death. Shot e
April 2, 2025 -
CGV to screen Seventeen's concert film
K-pop powerhouse's 'Right Here' world tour will hit silver screens Wednesday Multiplex chain CGV announced Tuesday it will bring Seventeen's "Right Here" world tour to Korean theaters starting Wednesday. The film captures the group's performances at Goyang Stadium in Gyeonggi Province that kicked off their fourth world tour in October. The global trek ultimately included 30 gigs across 14 cities in Asia and North America before wrapping up in Bangkok in February, drawing over 1 million fans in t
April 1, 2025 -
'The Old Woman With the Knife' invited to Beijing film fest
Min Kyu-dong's action thriller continues international festival run after Berlin debut Director Min Kyu-dong's action-thriller "The Old Woman With the Knife" has secured an official invitation to the 15th Beijing International Film Festival's Panorama section, marking another international recognition for the film following its screening at the Berlin International Film Festival and Brussels Fantastic Film Festival. The Beijing International Film Festival, to take place April 18-26, ranks alongs
March 31, 2025