Adaptation of Baek Hee-na's 'Magic Candies' lands Oscar nomination

Animation made Academy shortlist after New York festival jury prize win "Magic Candies," the Japanese adaptation of South Korean author Baek Hee-na's beloved children's books, was nominated for Best Animated Short Film at this year's Academy Awards Thursday. The 20-minute Toei Animation production, directed by Daisuke Nishio, weaves together two of Baek's works to tell the story of a boy who discovers magical candies that unlock the inner thoughts of people, pets and even objects around him. The

Jan. 24, 2025

KOFIC to invest in medium-budget films to revitalize local cinema

The Korean Film Council on Thursday laid out a plan to bolster the production of mid-budget films this year, aiming to revitalize the struggling local film industry. The state agency will allocate approximately 10 billion won ($6.94 million) to support films with budgets ranging from 2 billion to 8 billion won, emphasizing their pivotal role in the Korean cinema landscape. Selected projects must begin production within six months of signing the contract and can receive up to 30 percent of their

Jan. 23, 2025

Hit webtoon 'Stagtown' to be made into film

Naver Webtoon rides wave of popular big-screen adaptations Popular horror series "Stagtown" will be expanding from phone screens to the big screen with its own live-action adaptation, Naver Webtoon announced Wednesday. "Stagtown" was discovered through Naver Webtoon’s global amateur creator platform, Canvas. Since its official 2021 serialization on the company's English-language platform Webtoon, the series gained significant popularity in North America, surpassing 18 million views. The story fo

Jan. 22, 2025

Director Hong Sang-soo's latest makes sixth straight Berlinale run

South Korean arthouse icon Hong Sang-soo's latest feature "What Does Nature Say to You" will compete at the 75th Berlin International Film Festival, which opens Feb. 13 in Berlin. This is Hong's sixth consecutive Berlinale nomination. The auteur has had a notable presence at Berlinale. "On the Beach at Night Alone" earned Kim Min-hee Best Actress in 2017, "The Woman Who Ran" won Best Director in 2020, "Introduction" received Best Screenplay in 2021, "The Novelist's Film" claimed the Grand Jury P

Jan. 22, 2025

At 'Mickey17' preview, death on repeat in outer space

Robert Pattinson visits Seoul as disposable space worker in Oscar winner Bong Joon-ho's latest "How did I survive that?" asks a frost-covered Mickey (Robert Pattinson), lying mangled in an icy pit. His supposed friend, played by Steven Yeun, approaches with an unsettling grin, only to ask with morbid fascination: "What does it feel like to die?" The chilling scene, unveiled Monday at Seoul's Yongsan CGV in a first-look preview of Bong Joon-ho's "Mickey17," suggests something more grotesque than

Jan. 20, 2025

Korean cinema tests AI waters

From AI-restored classic to virtual actors, industry ventures into machine learning technology The AI revolution that's been shaking up Hollywood for the past few years has made its way to South Korean shores. From remastering classics to creating productions entirely through generative AI, the local film industry is starting to test out using AI tools for experimental projects. This week brings a remastered version of "Leafie, a Hen into the Wild." The 2011 animated feature gets new life throug

Jan. 19, 2025

Bong Joon-ho's 'Mickey 17' invited to 75th Berlinale

South Korean auteur Bong Joon-ho has been invited to the 75th Berlin International Film Festival, which takes place in mid-February. According to festival organizers, "Mickey 17" will be featured in the Special Gala section, traditionally known for showcasing popular genre films. At the 74th Berlinale, the Korean crime film "The Roundup: Punishment" was screened in the same section. The upcoming "Mickey 17" is a sci-fi film adapted from the novel "Mickey 7" by American author Edward Ashton. It s

Jan. 17, 2025

Kim Min-hee expected to give birth to Hong Sang-soo's child in spring

Actor Kim Min-hee is reportedly expecting a child with South Korean auteur Hong Sang-soo, with whom she has reportedly been in a relationship for nine years, according to local media reports Friday. Entertainment outlet Dispatch revealed that Kim is expected to give birth this spring. She reportedly learned of the pregnancy last summer and is said to be some six months along. Kim and Hong reside together in Hanam, Gyeonggi Province. Hong moved out of his marital home in Seoul’s Gangnam district

Jan. 17, 2025

Taiwanese teen classic 'Secret' gets fresh Korean spin

Musical romance that inspired a generation returns with new notes for contemporary audiences For many Korean millennials who grew up in the 2000s, Jay Chou's "Secret" brings back memories of grainy bootleg downloads and impromptu music class screenings. The 2008 Taiwanese romance about young musicians at an elite conservatory carved out an unlikely niche here, where Chinese-language films rarely break through. Even those who couldn't tell their Chopin from their Liszt know the film's famous pian

Jan. 15, 2025

'Thunderstruck Cop' press event a final bow for beloved screen mother

Shin Hyun-joon pays tearful tribute to late co-star Kim Soo-mi At Monday's press event for "Thunderstruck Cop" at CGV Yongsan in Seoul, emotional tributes to the late actor Kim Soo-mi overshadowed the typical prerelease discussions. "Mom always hoped this would open during Lunar New Year," said Shin Hyun-joon, who consistently referred to Kim as "mom" throughout the conference ― a testament to their bond forged through multiple on-screen mother-son pairings. Kim, who passed away in October at 75

Jan. 13, 2025

South Korea's year-end blockbusters face box office headwinds

High-profile ‘Harbin,’ ‘Bogota’ falling short of breakeven goals despite star power The commercial viability of South Korea's two major year-end film releases is being tested by streaming platforms and pandemic aftershocks that continue to threaten theatrical prospects. Even with star power and heavyweight promotion, these productions are struggling to recoup their large-scale investments in an increasingly risk-averse market. "Harbin," CJ ENM's period epic starring Hyun Bin, has accumulated 3.8

Jan. 10, 2025

Bong Joon-ho's 'Mickey 17' to hit Korean theaters next month

Lead star Robert Pattinson to kick off global press tour in Seoul on Jan. 20 Bong Joon-ho's highly anticipated sci-fi adventure "Mickey 17" is set to premiere in Korea on Feb. 28, a week ahead of its global release, Warner Bros. Korea announced Friday. The $150 million blockbuster marks Bong's first directorial project since his Oscar-winning masterpiece, "Parasite." Adding to the buzz, lead star Robert Pattinson will visit Seoul on Jan. 20 for the first major promotional event for the film. The

Jan. 10, 2025

Adaptation of Baek Hee-na's 'Magic Candies' makes Oscars shortlist

Japanese animation based on Korean author‘s tale of magical sweets and hidden voice among 15 international contenders for Academy Award A Japanese adaptation of acclaimed Korean children's author Baek Hee-na's work has landed on the Academy Awards shortlist. "Magic Candies," directed by Daisuke Nishio of Toei Animation, joins 15 entries from 13 countries competing for Best Animated Short Film. The film qualified for Oscar consideration after winning the Jury Prize at the New York International C

Jan. 9, 2025

Asian submissions surge for Jeonju International Film Festival

Chinese entries lead with 91 films among 328 Asian submissions Jeonju International Film Festival has received 662 submissions from 86 countries for its upcoming International Competition, organizers announced Wednesday. Asian films dominated the entries with 328 submissions, followed by Europe (269) and North America (110). China led individual countries with 91 entries, while India and Iran submitted 65 and 48 films, respectively. Narrative films made up the majority with 380 entries, while 21

Jan. 8, 2025

Korean historical drama 'Harbin' sold to 117 countries

The Korean historical drama film "Harbin" has been sold to 117 countries, its distributor said Wednesday. "It is meaningful in that the movie with a distinctly Korean narrative achieved successful international sales," CJ ENM said in a press release. The movie has already premiered in several markets, including the United States, Singapore and Indonesia, with releases scheduled in Australia, New Zealand and Taiwan later this month. The distributor attributed the strong global interest to multipl

Jan. 8, 2025