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Claudia Kim to host BIFF closing ceremony
The Busan International Film Festival has tapped actor Claudia Kim as solo host for its closing ceremony on Sept. 26, organizers announced Monday. Kim will present the inaugural Busan Awards to winners of the festival's new competitive section — marking BIFF's historic shift to competitive status after 29 years as a non-competitive event. Kim bookends the festival's 30th edition, whose opening ceremony will be hosted by actor Lee Byung-hun. The festival runs Sept. 17-26 at the Busan Cinema Cente
Aug. 11, 2025 -
Park Chan-wook expelled from Writers Guild of America over 2023 strike violations
The Writers Guild of America has expelled director Park Chan-wook and writer Don McKellar for continuing work on HBO's "The Sympathizer" during the 2023 writers' strike. The announcement, made public Friday, marks one of the most high-profile disciplinary actions stemming from the 148-day work stoppage. The expulsion carries significant professional consequences for the "Oldboy" director as it encompasses virtually all scripted content produced by Hollywood's major players. Park is now barred fr
Aug. 11, 2025 -
BIFF unveils Asian cinema retrospective for 30th edition
The Busan International Film Festival announced Friday its special program "Defining Moments of Asian Cinema," featuring retrospective screenings and talks with major Asian filmmakers for its 30th anniversary edition. The program marks the third iteration of the festival's Asian Cinema 100 initiative, first launched in 2015. It follows previous editions surveying the best Asian films (2015) and best Asian films by female directors (2021). Festival organizers selected 119 titles through a survey
Aug. 8, 2025 -
Interview: Ahn Bo-hyun trades tough for tender
Ahn Bo-hyun has played his share of tough guys. An alpha male par excellence of Korean dramas, he has terrorized Park Seo-jun as the sneering chaebol heir in "Itaewon Class" and thrown punches alongside Han So-hee in Netflix's "My Name." On the big screen, Ahn has nearly battled Jung Hae-in to the death in "I, Executioner." Meeting him at a Samcheong-dong cafe on Thursday, it's clear why he gets cast this way. The guy stands nearly 190 centimeters tall with a muscular and imposing boxer's frame
Aug. 8, 2025 -
Movies in theaters this week
"Ballerina" (US) Opened Aug. 6 Action/Thriller Directed by Len Wiseman A ballerina-turned-assassin (Ana de Armas) hunts down those responsible for her father's death in this John Wick universe spin-off. "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 c
Aug. 8, 2025 -
Interview: Yoona becomes the devil she fakes
"I think I have both sides in me — that's why I was drawn to these characters," Lim Yoona says at a Samcheong-dong cafe on Thursday. She's talking about her dual role in "Pretty Crazy," where she plays a picture-perfect bakery owner who transforms into a demon every night with no memory of it come morning. For nearly two decades, Yoona has been Korea's sweetheart. She's been the face of dozens of brands and the star of TV dramas everyone's mother watches, all while perpetually glowing with a cel
Aug. 7, 2025 -
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 -
Actor Song Young-kyu found dead at 55
Actor Song Young-kyu was found dead Monday morning inside a parked vehicle in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province, police said. He was 55. Authorities said there were no signs of foul play. An investigation is ongoing, with plans to question family members to determine the circumstances surrounding his death. The veteran actor, best known for his supporting role as the gruff squad chief in the 2019 box office hit "Extreme Job," had been under scrutiny since late July, when it was revealed he had been arre
Aug. 4, 2025 -
Park Chan-wook’s ‘No Other Choice’ to open this year's Busan International Film Festival
Park Chan-wook’s latest film, "No Other Choice," will open the 30th Busan International Film Festival on Sept. 17, festival organizers announced Monday. The black comedy marks Park’s return to feature filmmaking three years after "Decision to Leave." Based on Donald Westlake’s 1996 novel "The Ax," the film follows a laid-off middle-aged man who begins eliminating rival job seekers in a desperate bid to secure employment and support his family. Park reportedly spent 17 years developing the screen
Aug. 4, 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