'Oppenheimer' crowned best picture at an Academy Awards shadowed by war

LOS ANGELES (AP) — “Oppenheimer,” a solemn three-hour biopic that became an unlikely billion-dollar box-office sensation, was crowned best picture at a 96th Academy Awards that doubled as a coronation for Christopher Nolan. After passing over arguably Hollywood’s foremost big-screen auteur for years, the Oscars made up for lost time by heaping seven awards on Nolan’s blockbuster biopic, including best actor for Cillian Murphy, best supporting actor for Robert Down

March 11, 2024

Occult thriller 'Exhuma' tops 7m in admissions

The supernatural flick "Exhuma" has extended its strong box-office performance, topping 7 million in admissions, its distributor said Saturday. Released Feb. 22, the film topped 1 million admissions on its third day of release and hit the new milestone Friday, according to Showbox. Starring Choi Min-sik and Kim Go-eun, the movie follows two shamans, a feng shui expert and a mortician, who team up to get to the bottom of a series of mysterious events plaguing a wealthy U.S.-based fa

March 9, 2024

‘Exhuma’ leads local box offices, more K-occult films coming later this year

“Exhuma,” directed by acclaimed "master of K-occult" Jang Jae-hyun, continues its strong performance at the box office, likely to surpass 7 million total viewers this weekend -- the third weekend since the movie’s release on Feb. 22. According to Korean Film Council data, “Exhuma” accumulated a total of 6.7 million ticket sales as of Friday. The movie, which cost 1.4 billion won ($1 million) to produce, reached the breakeven point of 3.3 million ticket sal

March 8, 2024

Just one K-blockbuster helmed by female filmmaker in 2023: data

Of the 35 Korean blockbuster films that opened last year, just one film was directed by a female filmmaker, according to data. Korean Film Council data showed that director Yim Soon-rye of the action drama flick "The Point Men" was the only female filmmaker to have directed a movie with a budget of more than 3 billion won. Representing 2.7 percent of the 35 blockbusters, the figure is the lowest since KOFIC began gathering data in 2017. There was no female cinematographer for any Korea

March 8, 2024

[Herald Interview] Song Joong-ki crafts his own kind of North Korean defector in 'My Name is Loh Kiwan'

Song Joong-ki, whose Netflix original film "My Name is Loh Kiwan” ranked 3rd on Netflix's non-English chart this week, said he was hesitant to play the character of North Korean defector Loh Ki-wan when he first received the script for the movie seven years ago. “I initially turned down the offer to play Loh Ki-wan seven years ago, because Ki-wan and Marie’s love affair didn't resonate with me. I told the production company that I didn’t think it was right

March 8, 2024

[Box office] Movies in theaters this week

“Dune: Part Two” (US, Canada) Opened Feb. 28 Action/Sci-fi Directed by Denis Villeneuve In the year 10,191 on Arrakis, recently outcast heir to the throne of House Atreides Paul (Timothee Chalamet) finds a path to revenge against the emperor and, without knowing his choice could spell doom for the entire galaxy, he embarks on a holy war. “Exhuma” (South Korea) Opened Feb. 22 Mystery/Thriller Directed by Jang Jae-hyun A feng-shui expert, an undertaker and two shaman ex

March 8, 2024

[Herald Interview] Director Celine Song, actor Yoo Teo say ‘Past Lives’ was ‘inyeon’ for them

Korean Canadian director and playwright Celine Song’s directorial debut, “Past Lives,” is finally opening in Seoul, after winning 75 awards and over 200 nominations at film festivals around the world. “I honestly cannot predict how the Korean audience will react to my movie. While ‘inyeon’ is an unusual concept abroad, the term is used in daily life here in Korea. I just hope the Korean audience will enjoy the movie with an open mind,” director Song told

March 6, 2024

Son Suk-ku confronts internet trolls as an investigative journalist in ‘Troll Factory’

“A Killer Paradox” and “My Liberation Notes” star Son Suk-ku plays an investigative journalist who digs up the truth behind internet trolls and seeks justice in the upcoming crime flick “Troll Factory.” Son plays Im Sang-jin, a passionate investigative journalist who is suspended from work after revealing a conglomerate’s wrongdoings. He then decides to learn more about a team of three young men who manipulate public sentiments by leaving hate comments o

March 4, 2024

[Herald Interview] 'K-occult master' Jang Jae-hyun explores 'invisible' concepts in 'Exhuma'

Director of "Exhuma," a supernatural mystery thriller that became the quickest film to attract 1 million theater-goers so far this year, aimed to discuss "invisible" concepts through the movie, such as religion and belief, at a time when addressing such topics is increasingly shunned. "While engaging in society, there was nowhere else but the church to discuss intangible concepts like love, loyalty and righteousness," said Jang, during an interview held with reporte

March 4, 2024

[Herald Review] ‘My Name is Loh Kiwan’ a weak drama with soppy ending

Even the presence of Korean megastar Song Joong-ki in its titular role couldn’t sustain interest in director Kim Hee-jin’s “My Name is Loh Kiwan." Song, who plays a North Korean defector for the first time in his 15-year career, referred to his acting in the film as "refreshing and satisfactory." Despite the actor's confidence, however, the 133-minute movie based on the 2011 novel “I Met Loh Kiwan” by Cho Hae-jin, fails to portray the North Korea

March 3, 2024

[Herald Review] ‘Past Lives’: First love and its many ‘what ifs’

It is not unheard of for people to imagine what would happen if a childhood sweetheart showed up after years apart. This is the story that unfolds on screen in Korean Canadian director Celine Song’s directorial debut romance film “Past Lives.” The film, which received 75 awards and over 200 nominations at film festivals around the world, including best director and screenplay nominations at the Academy Awards, revolves around the story first love, admittedly something of a clic

March 2, 2024

'Exhuma' tops 5 mln admissions in 10 days since release

Director Jang Jae-hyun's occult flick "Exhuma" continues its strong box-office performance, surpassing 3 million cumulative viewers in just one week since its release. According to the distributor Showbox on Saturday, the supernatural thriller topped 5 million cumulative viewers earlier in the day, becoming the most-viewed film released this year. Starring Choi Min-sik and Kim Go-eun, it follows two shamans, a feng shui expert and a mortician, who team up to get to the bottom of a

March 2, 2024

[Box office] Movies in theaters this week

“Exhuma” (South Korea) Opened Feb. 22 Mystery/Thriller Directed by Jang Jae-hyun A feng-shui expert, an undertaker and two shaman exorcists pull together to find a new resting place for a deceased person for a hefty sum of money and discover a supernatural phenomenon a dark omen related to a wealthy Los Angeles family. “Dune: Part Two” (US, Canada) Opened Feb. 28 Action/Sci-fi Directed by Denis Villeneuve In the year 10,191 on Arrakis, recently outcast heir to the thron

March 1, 2024

'The Birth of Korea' sequel to be released next year

The sequel to the box office hit political documentary film “The Birth of Korea” will be released next year, while director Kim Deok-young plans to produce up to five installments for the detailed portrayal of South Korea's first president Syngman Rhee. Director Kim said “The Birth of Korea 2” will open in local theaters on March 26 next year, marking the 150th anniversary of Rhee’s birth. “I have so many stories to tell. Because I have covered so many th

Feb. 29, 2024

Germany probes Berlin film festival in anti-Semitism row

BERLIN - German officials will investigate how Berlin film festival winners made "one-sided" comments condemning Israel's war in Gaza at the awards gala, a government spokeswoman said on Monday. At Saturday's ceremony, several winners were accused of making anti-Semitic remarks on stage in relation to Israel's military assault, which began after an attack by the Palestinian militant group Hamas. US filmmaker Ben Russell, wearing a Palestinian scarf, accused Israel of com

Feb. 27, 2024

[Herald Interview] Kim Go-eun aimed to perfect portrayal of Korean shamans in 'Exhuma'

South Korean actor Kim Go-eun said she aimed to perfect her performance of a Korean traditional shaman in "Exhuma," an occult flick directed by Jang Jae-hyun. Jang popularized the occult genre in Korea with hit occult mystery movies such as "The Priest" and "Svaha: The Sixth Finger." "Exhuma" unfolds as a group of exorcists, an undertaker and a feng shui specialist relocate a tomb. In the movie, Kim plays the role of Hwa-rim, a young shaman who is assign

Feb. 27, 2024

BIFF struggles to fill director post

The Busan International Film Festival is once again accepting applications for the post of festival director after failing to fill the position, which has been vacant since last year. According to the organizing committee of Asia’s largest film festival, there were no qualified candidates who suited the generational change that the committee seeks. A total of seven people submitted applications in the most recent round which ended Feb. 13. “Although many candidates with expertise and

Feb. 27, 2024

Song Joong-ki says ‘My Name is Loh Kiwan’ was emotional, fresh work for him

Actor Song Joong-ki, who appears as North Korean defector Loh Ki-wan in the new Netflix film “My Name is Loh Kiwan,” said playing Loh was an emotionally overwhelming, fresh work for him. “I read the script for the first time six or seven years ago. I didn’t know anything about the story, but the first thing that came to my mind after completing reading was that this was a heartbreaking story, but at the same time, something that I could try for the first time with a fresh

Feb. 27, 2024

[Herald Interview] Choi Min-sik brings to fore charisma of shamanistic practitioners in 'Exhuma'

A veteran actor with 35 years of experience in films and TV, Choi Min-sik sought to bring to the screen the charisma of Korean practitioners of shamanistic beliefs such as geomancers, to push people to think about how our perceptions of land impact society, in "Exhuma," his first occult film. Directed by the master of K-occult, Jang Jae-hyun, "Exhuma" follows the story of a feng-shui expert, an undertaker and two shaman exorcists who try to find a new resting place for a dece

Feb. 26, 2024

Theaters come to life in Feb. with opening of ‘Exhuma,’ ‘Dune: Part Two’

South Korean theaters are experiencing a much-needed boom in February with the release of two much-anticipated films -- “Exhuma” by the so-called K-occult genre master Jang Jae-hyun, and the global sci-fi blockbuster sequel “Dune: Part Two.” According to box office data from the Korean Film Council, “Exhuma” attracted 2 million theatergoers within four days of the movie opening on Feb. 22. “Dune: Part Two,” which is set for release Wednesday, is cu

Feb. 26, 2024