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Lee Chang-dong returns with Netflix's 'Possible Love'
Acclaimed director Lee Chang-dong returns to marquee filmmaking with Netflix's "Possible Love," the streamer announced Tuesday. The project marks Lee's first feature since his acclaimed psychological thriller "Burning" (2018). The Netflix film reunites Lee with powerhouse actors from past critically celebrated works. Jeon Do-yeon, who won for best actress at the Cannes Film Festival for Lee's "Secret Sunshine" (2007), will star alongside Sul Kyung-gu, the leading actor from Lee's loved earlier f
Aug. 5, 2025 -
Box office suffers historic first-half decline as theaters adapt survival strategies
It's almost a truism at this point to say that movie theaters are in deep trouble, and Thursday's midyear report from the Korean Film Council confirmed that yet again with hard numbers. According to the report, box office revenue declined 33 percent year-on-year to 408 billion won ($293 million) in the first half of 2025, with attendance dropping 32.5 percent. Only two films managed to break the 30 billion won threshold: Tom Cruise's Hollywood blockbuster "Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoni
Aug. 3, 2025 -
Movies in theaters this week
"My Daughter is a Zombie" (South Korea) Opened July 30 Comedy/Drama Directed by Pil Gam-seong Devoted father Jung-hwan (Jo Jung-seok) flees to his rural hometown with his zombie-infected teenage daughter (Choi Yu-ri), enlisting his mother (Lee Jung-eun) and childhood friend (Yoon Kyung-ho) in a comedic scheme to hide and rehabilitate her. "The Fantastic Four: First Steps" (US) Opened July 24 Action/Fantasy Directed by Matt Shakman In this 1960s-set MCU entry, four scientists (Pedro Pascal, Vanes
Aug. 1, 2025 -
Interview: Jo Jung-suk gets personal in his latest role
Jo Jung-suk has, in recent years, built a career on beating the odds. His 2019 disaster comedy "Exit," made on a modest budget, became that year’s breakout hit with 9.4 million viewers. Even more impressive was last year’s cross-dressing satire "Pilot," which drew 4.7 million admissions in a brutal post-pandemic market where even big-budget blockbusters were falling flat. Now he’s back with "My Daughter is a Zombie," a family-friendly zombie comedy that sounds like a tough sell — until you remem
July 25, 2025 -
Why 'My Daughter is a Zombie' could be summer's pleasant surprise
Korean cinema showed up fashionably late to the zombie party. But when it finally arrived with 2016’s "Train to Busan," it more than proved it could hold its own. Now we’re dealing with an even quirkier subspecies: The so-called zom-com, a hybrid genre as awkwardly constructed as its shambling subjects. From cult favorites like "Shaun of the Dead" to "Warm Bodies" and "Zombieland," this mash-up of horror and comedy has staked out real cinematic territory — one that turns blood-soaked chaos into
July 24, 2025 -
Cue the popcorn — Korea is giving out 6,000 won discounts on movie tickets
Moviegoers in South Korea can receive discounts of 6,000 won on regular admission prices starting Friday at 10 a.m. The joint initiative by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korean Film Council, aims to revive the struggling cinema industry and boost consumer spending. The ministry allocated 27.1 billion won ($19.6 million) of the second supplementary budget to the program, which passed a National Assembly vote on July 4. Moviegoers can claim up to two coupons each through the
July 23, 2025 -
Yoon Ga-eun's 'The World of Love' selected for Toronto's Platform competition
South Korean director Yoon Ga-eun's latest feature "The World of Love" has been selected for the Platform section at the 50th Toronto International Film Festival, the film's local distributor Barunson E&A said Wednesday. The selection marks the first time a Korean film has competed in the festival's prestigious auteur-focused competition. The Platform section, founded in 2015, primarily showcases distinctive works from early-to-mid-career filmmakers. It serves as the festival's only competitive
July 23, 2025 -
Park Chan-wook’s ‘No Other Choice’ heads to Venice competition
Director Park Chan-wook’s upcoming feature "No Other Choice" has been selected for the main competition at the 82nd Venice Film Festival, festival organizers announced Tuesday evening during a livestream unveiling the official lineup. An adaptation of Donald Westlake’s 1996 novel "The Ax," "No Other Choice" follows a laid-off middle-aged man who begins eliminating rival job candidates to secure employment and support his family. Lee Byung-hun stars alongside Son Ye-jin, Park Hee-soon, Lee Sung-m
July 22, 2025 -
Two Korean titles join Toronto film fest lineup
South Korean films "The Ugly" and "Project Y" have been selected for the Special Presentations section at the 50th Toronto International Film Festival, distributor Plus M Entertainment said Tuesday. Directed by Yeon Sang-ho ("Train to Busan," "Hellbound"), "The Ugly" is adapted from Yeon's 2018 graphic novel of the same name. The mystery thriller follows a blind seal engraving artisan and his son as they investigate the disappearance of their wife and mother. Kwon Hae-hyo plays the blind craftsm
July 22, 2025 -
DMZ Docs unveils International, Frontier Competition selections
The DMZ International Documentary Film Festival (DMZ Docs) has announced the International and Frontier competition lineups for its upcoming 17th edition, presenting works that explore the aftermaths of historical conflict and their broader implications for global communities. A total of 18 titles were selected from over 600 submissions by the festival’s programming committee, which includes chief programmer Jang Byung-won, programmer Kang Jin-seok and film critic Lee Seung-min. Ten films will c
July 22, 2025 -
Megabox to exclusively release Cannes-winning short ‘First Summer’ on Aug. 6
Multiplex chain Megabox will exclusively screen "First Summer," the Korean short film that won top prize at this year's Cannes Film Festival's La Cinef competition, starting Aug. 6, the company announced Tuesday. The 31-minute short from Korean Academy of Film Arts graduate Heo Ga-young will screen across around 50 Megabox theaters nationwide. Tickets will be priced at 3,000 won. "First Summer" made history in May as the first Korean film to win the top award in La Cinef, the Cannes section dedi
July 22, 2025 -
Interview: Lee Min-ho's curious antihero turn
Lee Min-ho needs no introduction in Korea’s entertainment world. Since his breakout as the imperious, poodle-permed Gu Jun-pyo in "Boys Over Flowers" at 22, he’s cornered the market on romantic leads: the tortured chaebol in "The Heirs," the morally ambiguous mogul in "Pachinko," the starry-eyed astronaut in the recent flop "When the Stars Gossip." Always the hero, always front and center. But for a star who’s built his career on main character energy, this latest role marks a left turn. In "Omn
July 20, 2025 -
Movies in theaters this week
"The King of Kings" (US/South Korea) Opened July 16 Drama/Religious Directed by Jang Seong-ho Charles Dickens (Lee Byung-hun) recounts the story of Jesus Christ (Jin Sun-kyu) to his son in this animated adaptation of the New Testament, based on Dickens' book "The Life of Our Lord." "Superman" (US) Opened July 9 Action/Fantasy Directed by James Gunn Clark Kent (David Corenswet) battles tech billionaire Lex Luthor (Nicholas Hoult) as he navigates his dual identity as Superman in this DC Universe r
July 18, 2025 -
Interview: Ahn Hyo-seop on playing everyone and no one
Ahn Hyo-seop sits at the Samcheong-dong cafe looking every inch the K-pop idol he once trained to be — even in glasses and a casual sweater, he carries that unmistakable aura. The kind that makes heads turn. Which presents a problem, considering he's about to promote his role as Kim Dok-ja, who's supposed to be the definitively unglamorous protagonist of the upcoming blockbuster "Omniscient Reader: The Prophet." The film, adapted from the wildly popular web novel and later web comic, follows an
July 17, 2025 -
Finest chillers for summer
Summer in South Korea brings a peculiar cultural tradition: Everyone heads to the cinema for a good scare. It's a seasonal ritual where horror films provide an icy jolt to counter the sweltering heat, trading a cool breeze for shivers down the spine. With scorching heat waves expected, it's the perfect time to explore some home-grown horror that will make you forget just how unbearably muggy it is outside. Korean horror has carved out a distinctive niche in the genre, favoring psychological drea
July 17, 2025