News

Overseas studios constantly look to Hollywood for inspiration in making their own movies and television shows, and South Korean K-dramas are no exception. Among the more surprising K-drama remakes is the 2016 fantasy crime procedural "Signal," which is a loose adaptation of the 2000 American movie "Frequency." And while the Korean version maintains the broader narrative premise, it definitely moves in its own unique direction. A popular show worldwide, "Signal" is currently available to stream on Netflix, Paramount+, Apple TV Channel, and The Roku Channel.

"Frequency" is a sci-fi thriller that centered on John Sullivan (Jim Caviezel), a detective who is able to communicate with his father Frank (Dennis Quaid) in the past through a radio. Through their time-bending conversations, the two men not only prevent Frank's premature death, but they also take down a serial killer menacing their family. "Signal" retains the concept of a radio linking two men separated by decades facing the same mystery.

Jun Ji-Hyun Comments On Co-Star(Photo Credit –Instagram)

During the press conference for the film, The Thieves, Jun Ji-Hyun had said something shocking regarding her co-star Kim Hye-Soo’s bust size that caused a lot of fuss back then. Now, a YouTube shorts video titled ‘Jun Ji-Hyun: Between Cuteness and Rudeness’ has been surfacing online, bringing back that clip where what seemed like a light-hearted joke between the two actresses can be seen.

The clip was from the press conference of their movie, The Thieves. It released in 2012 and is still considered as one of the biggest box-office hits with more than 10 million views. It even got a lot of appreciation and the Legend of the Blue Sea actress rose to fame because of this film. Scroll ahead to read more about the banter between the two actresses from press preview.

During the conference, one of the reporters present there...

The Korean medical thriller Hyper Knife is set to deliver an intense blend of high-stakes surgeries, ethical dilemmas, and gripping human drama. Starring Ji Sung (Doctor John) and Kim Hye-soo (Juvenile Justice), the series follows a maverick surgeon with a mysterious past who pushes the boundaries of modern medicine.

Here’s everything you need to know about Hyper Knife’s release schedule, plot, and where to watch.

Release Date & Schedule of Hyper Knife Episodes

Season 1 of Hyper Knife consists of 8 episodes, releasing 2 every Wednesday. The series will premiere on March 19, 2025, and will continue airing through April 09, 2025.

Full Release Timeline: Episodes 1 & 2 – Wednesday, March 19, 2025 Episodes 3 & 4 – Wednesday, March 26, 2025 Episodes 5 & 6 – Wednesday, April 2, 2025 Episodes 7 & 8 – Wednesday, April 9, 2025 Plot Overview

Dr. Han Joon-hyuk (Ji Sung) is a gifted but controversial neurosurgeon known for his revolutionary techniques and unorthodox approach to medicine. After a scandal forces him out of Seoul’s most prestigious hospital, he joins an underground...

Did Blackpink Jennie Plagiarize A Bollywood Song Featuring Alia Bhatt? ( Photo Credit – Instagram )

Jennie, who debuted her musical career with the South Korean girl band Blackpink, has enjoyed her solo venture since leaving their label, Yg Entertainment. As she is garnering a lot of attention globally with her vocal range and dance skills, she is also getting embroiled in controversy. On one hand, the K-pop singer is gearing up for her upcoming solo studio album, Ruby; on the other, one of her tracks has sparked debate online.

The singer is set to release her album Ruby with the title track, Like Jennie. When the teaser was dropped, people quickly pointed out the similarities between her music track and a Bollywood song. Netizens have brought in allegations against her name and accused her of plagiarism. Scroll ahead to find out more about it.

The controversy began after a snippet of Jennie’s new track,...

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The Resort is a mystery dark comedy-drama series created by Andy Siara. The Peacock series follows Noah and Emma, a young couple on a vacation for their 10th anniversary in the Mayan Riviera. They feel their marriage is in a rut, but they soon come across an exciting mystery involving a disappearance fifteen years ago. The Resort stars William Jackson Harper, Cristin Milioti, Luis Gerardo Méndez, Skyler Gisondo, Nina Bloomgarden, Gabriela Cartol, and Nick Offerman. So, if you loved the thrilling mysteries, biting drama, and compelling characters in The Resort, here are some similar shows you should check out next.

Signal Credit – Netflix

Signal is a South Korean supernatural crime drama series created by Choi Jin-hee and Park Ji-young. The tvN series is set in two different time periods, and it follows Park Hae-young, a criminal profiler who comes across a mysterious walkie-talkie,...

Signal 2 Confirms Lee Je Hoon, Kim Hye Soo, and Jo Jin Woong’s Return ( Photo Credit – Instagram )

Get ready, fans, because Lee Je Hoon, Kim Hye Soo, and Jo Jin Woong are set to join hands once again for the second season of Signal. The smash-hit series is finally returning after 9 years. In 2016, it was first released, narrating the story of a group of police detectives who mysteriously connect with the past to solve a cold case. Back in February, the series was confirmed for another season; now it has been officially announced that the lead cast will be reprising their respective roles.

On March 5, tvN, the network channel that broadcast Signal back in 2016, shared a post on social media featuring the lead trio: Lee Je Hoon, Kim Hye Soo, and Jo Jin Woong. “Signal, a drama which received great love, will be returning with ‘The Second Signal’ (literal translation),” the caption read.

Was Kwon Sang-Woo ranked no. 1 in the February Film Actor Brand Reputation list? ( Photo Credit – YouTube )

The Korea Corporate Reputation Research Institute announced the Film Actor Brand Reputation rankings on February 18, 2025. While Kwon Sang-Woo took the first place, several big names from the South Korean entertainment industry followed in the list. From Jung Hae-In to Song Hye-Kyo, many were ranked accordingly. Even though Sang-Woo didn’t have any latest releases, he displayed a strong brand competitiveness.

Sang-Woo is a popular South Korean actor who rose to fame with the romantic comedy film My Tutor Friend in 2003. He later featured in the melodrama series Stairway to Heaven and gained massive recognition for his role. However, it was his last film, Hitman 2, that put him on a global map. Now, scroll ahead to know all about the February Film Actor Brand Reputation Rankings.

Kwon Sang-Woo secured the no. 1 spot among the...

One of the things that has helped make the South Korean Netflix series such a success is its universal story of people crushed under the financial weight of capitalism. The story, about a secret game show of sorts that pits 456 strangers against one another in a life-or-death struggle for a massive payout, is ultimately relatable to anyone who's ever struggled financially. Even if a viewer wouldn't be willing to put their life on the line for billions of won/millions of dollars, they should be able to understand the characters' reasons for doing so. It's incredibly compelling stuff anchored by great performances, especially lead actor Lee Jung-jae, who plays Seong Gi-hun, who in the first season managed to survive the games and defeat more than just the other players.

There are some things that are distinctly South Korean, however, which can leave international viewers just a tiny bit confused. While...

The fascination with legal dramas and lawyer shows is a worldwide obsession, one that has only continued to grow in popularity as TV audiences have shifted to streaming services like Netflix. Series like Law & Order and its many spin-offs, as well as hit comedies like Ally McBeal and Boston Legal, have humanized the public servants who work in the legal system. Whether it’s a murder trial, a sexual assault case, or attempting to take down a mob boss, the dramatic suspense inside a courtroom is just plain undeniable.

Because lawyer shows are such guaranteed crowd-pleasers, there are a plethora of them in various genres across all kinds of networks. Streaming has been a revolutionary medium in how much it’s changed the way people watch TV, so there’s no surprise that Netflix is the king of digital entertainment, including shows about lawyers. Providing not only the classic...

New month, new horror recommendations from Deep Cuts Rising. This installment features five selections reflecting the month of August 2024.

Regardless of how they came to be here, or what they’re about, these past movies can generally be considered overlooked, forgotten or unknown.

This month’s offerings include a horror take on a classic fairy tale, a creature-feature, and more.

Dead Kids (1981)

Dead Kids a.k.a. Strange Behavior (1981)

Directed by Michael Laughlin.

While College Colors Day (August 30) is a time to be proud of your alma mater, the students and faculty of Galesburg University likely feel less spirited after the events of Dead Kids. In this sci-fi/horror chiller, college experiments on a Midwestern community’s young people result in murder. Several, in fact. The guinea pigs’ homicidal impulses amount to a few rather creepy sequences in this “bad science” slasher.

Dead Kids, also known as Strange Behavior, is...

Actor In Focus

Recently, confirmed to star in Park Chan-wook’s new film “The Ax,” Korea’s Son Ye-jin is set as the subject of the Bucheon International Fantastic Festival (BiFan)’s annual actor focus. Previous honorees include Jeon Do-yeon, Jung Woo-sung, Kim Hye-soo, Seol Kyung-gu, and Choi Min-sik.

Son who was the star of breakout TV series “Crash Landing on You,” has wide-ranging credits that include “A Moment to Remember,” “The Art Of Seduction” in 2005; an eccentric woman married to two husbands in “My Wife Got Married” in 2008; and as a spirited pirate in “The Pirates” and the 2016 hit “The Last Princess.”

These have earned her more than 50 awards including the Prime Minister’s Commendation, three Grand Bell Awards, six Baeksang Arts Awards, five Blue Dragon Film Awards, and two Korean Association of Film Critics Awards. She was also named best actress at the Asia-Pacific Film Festival for her performance in 2005’s “April Snow.

Netflix has released a trailer for Irish Wish, a movie rom-com starring Lindsay Lohan, Jane Seymour, Ayesha Curry (Black Lady Sketch Show), Ed Speleers (Star Trek: Picard) and Alexander Vlahos (Outlander), and premiering Friday, March 15.

The premise: When the love of her life gets engaged to her best-friend, Maddie (played by Lohan) puts her feelings aside to be a bridesmaid at their wedding in Ireland — until a spontaneous “wish for true love” causes her to wake up as the bride-to-be!

More from TVLineRatings: NCIS Grows With Ducky Tribute, Ties The Bachelor for Monday Demo WinRatings: CSI: Vegas Grows on New Night,...

Streaming platform Disney+ will add four new Korean-language original series to its 2024 lineup.

Its “Blood Free,” “Unmasked,” “The Tyrant” and “Gangnam B-Side” land in addition to a third season of “The Zone: Survival Mission” and the previously announced “Uncle Samsik” and “Light Shop” from webtoon pioneer and creator of the platform’s 2023 series hit “Moving.”

“Blood Free,” which is to star Ju Jihoon (“Kingdom”) and Han Hyojoo (“Moving”), follows a former bodyguard haunted by the failures of his past. He finds himself recruited to protect the CEO of a controversial lab-grown meat company who is also a survivor of the fateful attack that changed his life.

Set in modern-day Seoul, “Unmasked” follows a group of investigative journalists who are fighting for their careers after broadcasting a controversial story. With time running out, the team are given an impossible task if they want to save their jobs – solve a twenty-year-old cold...

Disney+ has unveiled a slate of Korean originals, as the streaming platform opts for a more targeted strategy in Asia.

Bolstered by successful Korean tentpoles last year like Moving and Big Bet, the streamer has ordered seven new titles to premiere in 2024, in addition to previously-announced shows including Light Shop, from Moving creator Kangfull, and Uncle Samsik, starring Parasite actor Song Kang-ho.

One of the biggest titles in the Disney+ announcement is Blood Free, which stars Ju Jihoon (Kingdom) and Han Hyojoo (Moving). It follows a former bodyguard haunted by the failures of his past. After following several leads, he finds himself recruited to protect the CEO of a controversial lab-grown meat company, who is also a survivor of the fateful attack that changed his life.

Unmasked stars Kim Hyesoo and is set in modern-day Seoul. The series follows a team of investigative journalists who are fighting for their careers after broadcasting a controversial story.

Disney+ is steadily boosting its output of high-end Korean drama. The streaming service on Monday revealed a growing slate of star-driven Korean originals for 2024, building on the momentum achieved last year with the critical and commercial popularity of hit shows like Moving and Big Bet.

Newly announced titles joining the company’s Korean slate include thriller Blood Free, mystery series Unmasked, actioner The Tyrant, crime drama Gangnam B-Side, and a season three renewal of reality show The Zone: Survival Mission. These series add to Disney’s previously announced 2024 tentpole shows Lightshop, created by hit-making webtoon creator turned screenwriter Kang Full, and period drama Uncle Samsik, starring Korean film icon Song Kang-ho (Parasite) in a rare TV series role. Disney says more Korean titles will join its slate throughout the year. (Summaries of the Korean shows unveiled so far are below.)

“The new Korean originals announced today really builds on the...

Originally titled Milsu, Seung-Wan Ryu’s 2023 Korean film, Smugglers, sheds light on the lives of haenyeos, who turned to illegal means to earn their livelihood. The film chronicled the lives of two female haenyeos, Choon-Ja (Kim Hye-su) and Jin-Sook (Yum Jung-ah), who earned their daily bread by scouring the deep sea for seafood and selling it on the open market. Most of the time, their luck delivered, and they earned enough to get by, but there were also days when they didn’t earn even a single penny. However, lately, luck hasn’t been on their side, as a nearby chemical factory is directly threatening their livelihoods.

Spoilers Ahead

Why Did The Haenyeos Start Smuggling Illegal Goods?

The factory dumped its chemical waste directly into the sea, resulting in dead fauna. The sight of dead fish, with their bellies facing up, had become commonplace. Thus, left with no choice, the...

Smugglers offers a hilarious and brutal tone with a kick-ass female cast, combining friendship, family, betrayal, and intense fight choreography. The film provides a fun adventure with high stakes and slick action scenes, showcasing a talented ensemble cast without a weak link. Smugglers successfully blends genres, including heist, crime, and drama, and delivers a healthy dose of chemistry, context, and comedy among its characters.

Smugglers has something for everyone — friendship, family, betrayal, and a kick-ass female cast. The tone of the film is hilarious and brutal and director Seung-wan Ryu (Veteran), who co-wrote the film with Cha-won Choi, Seung-wan Ryu, and Kim Jung Youn, is in full control of both. Smugglers plays like a heist film but the character development brings so much more to the table than the average caper. By the time the fight choreography begins, the film is exploding with energy. Everyone from the leads to the...

Back in the 1970s, when Korea was closed to the outside world, locals relied on black market dealers to get their hands on everything from American cigarettes to Ritz crackers. Though this illicit import racket was run mostly by men, it wouldn’t have been possible without half a dozen uniquely talented women — skilled divers known as haenyeo who fished the loot from the sea. At least, that’s the fresh girl-power premise floated by action maven Ryoo Seung-wan (“The Battleship Island”) in his snappy, retro-styled crime saga, “Smugglers.”

Featuring a funky Lalo Schifrin-esque score (from composer Chang Ki-ha) and more wide-collared polyester pantsuits than a “Charlie’s Angels” costume contest, the movie presents itself as a lost relic of less enlightened times, but boasts gender dynamics that are very much of this moment. In early scenes, the divers earn their living fetching oysters off the ocean floor — or at...

When a chemical factory is built in the peaceful seaside town of Guncheon, the women lose their jobs overnight. While looking for a way to make ends meet, Jo Choon-Ja (Kim Hye-Soo) learns that you can make money simply by picking up the objects thrown into the sea, and makes an enticing proposal to Eom Jin-Sook (Yum Jung-Ah), the leader of the Haenyeos (women divers who are able to dive without equipment). And so Jin-Sook got involved in a smuggling operation that grew in earnest when she met Master Sergeant Kwon (Zo In-Sung), a smuggling king in the national district. One day, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to make a fortune arrives, and the loyalties of the group are about to be severely tested…...

Streaming platform Paramount+ has set a release date for Korean series “Yonder” that is one of the first titles flowing from Paramount Global’s alliance with Cj Enm.

The show will premiere on April 11 in the U.S., Canada, U.K., Australia, Latin America, Brazil, Italy, Germany, Switzerland, Austria and France.

Set in 2032, “Yonder” is a science fiction-drama series about a man who receives a message from his deceased wife inviting him to a mysterious space. The space is designed for the dead to be able to live on by uploading memories of their lifetime from their brain. The show raises questions about life and death and what it means to have eternal happiness as humanity faces a world altered by advancements in science and technology.

It was directed by Lee Joon-ik who has numerous hit film credits including “The King and the Clown,” “Dongju: The Portrait of a Poet” and “The Book of Fish.

Ryoo Seung-wan likes to keep busy. Even as his film “Escape from Mogadishu” was still ruling the box office in 2021, he was already busy shooting his next, “Smugglers”. His third period film in a row, “Smugglers” is a change of sorts for him. Where all his films are sometimes labelled as too macho, with female characters and actresses serving a secondary, almost throwaway part, “Smugglers” is the first time a Ryoo Seung-wan production is centred around female characters.

Synopsis

In 1970s, at Guncheon (a small village near sea), there were Haenyeos (women divers who are able to dive w/o equipments), including two best friends Chun-ja and Jin-sook, Jin-sook`s brother and Jangdori. They always collected seafood under water for living. But, as few factories started to be built near beach, Haenyeos started to have trouble with what they were doing for living. Without any choice, the ship crews decided...

South Korean entertainment heavyweight Cj Enm has unveiled the 2023 recipients of its annual Visionary awards, which recognize talent across the Korean film and television landscape for their contributions to “leading trends and spearheading innovations.”

Cj Enm says the 10 Visionary honorees were selected via a process combining opinions from a panel of 60 entertainment “specialists” from within the company and a data analysis conducted by Endeavor Analytics. Endeavor Analytics developed and implemented a proprietary judging methodology, utilizing an array of data resources including celebrity tracking services and social media measurements.

The 2023 honorees range from filmmaker Park Chan-wook, whose latest thriller Decision to Leave is considered an Oscar frontrunner, to Squid Game star Lee Jung Jae, who premiered his directorial debut, Hunt, at Cannes last year. Other recipients include pop star turned actress Iu, star of Hirokazu Kore-eda’s acclaimed drama Broker, and leading man Don Lee, star of The Roundup, Korea’s...

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In early August — two days after David Zaslav terminated his brief honeymoon with Hollywood by dumping the HBO Max film Batgirl — the Warner Bros. Discovery CEO was still sounding confident about the future of one of the studio’s most important properties.

“You look at Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman — these are brands that are known everywhere in the world,” Zaslav told investors. “We have done a reset. We’ve restructured the business where we are going to focus, where there is going to be a team with a 10-year plan focusing just on DC.”

But the declaration of the DC reset was premature. Zaslav is continuing to meet with prospective candidates to lead the effort, but surprising to no one, he has not found a Kevin Feige clone. A negotiation with producer Dan Lin became public (possibly due to a meeting that...

Matthew Vaughn’s upcoming movie Argylle stars Henry Cavill as the world’s greatest spy as he’s caught up in a globe-trotting adventure. The movie is based on the as-yet-unpublished novel by first-time novelist Elly Conway, with Apple reportedly paying 200 million for the rights. That’s certainly not a small chunk of change, but there seems to be a little confusion regarding who Elly Conway is and if the Argylle author even exists.

A new report from THR dives into the mystery of Elly Conway, who doesn’t seem to have much of an online presence, something largely unheard of in this day and age. When you search her name online, you’ll find that most articles/images bring up references to a fictional character on Neighbors, an Australian soap opera. The author’s Instagram account is also vacant, and her extremely short bio on Penguin simply reads, “Elly...

Gal Gadot can be a hero or villain, from Wonder Woman to the Evil Queen. With her latest venture, a new take on Snow White, Gal Gadot put herself into the antagonist’s shoes (heels?–what does that lady wear anyhow?), playing nasty on set.

“I truly felt people were intimidated by me” on the set, Gal Gadot told People. “Everything was very, not aggressive, but it was very intimidating. But to be that character just feels great, because you feel like it’s effective in the story.”

Co-star Rachel Zegler, who plays Snow White, agreed. “It’s very intimidating…And it was also the black lipstick, it was the nails, it was the lashes.”

But there’s more to the Evil Queen than just looks. Gal Gadot wanted to ensure audiences knew there was some dimension to her Snow White character. “I wanted to make sure that we keep her delightful and delicious,...

Following John Legend and Chrissy Teigen's sweet Emmys date night on Sept. 12, Legend added yet another romantic music video to Teigen's filmography! On Sept. 14 - the couple's ninth wedding anniversary - Legend dropped the music video for his song "Wonder Woman" off his new album, "Legend." The song serves as an ode to Teigen. "I married my Wonder Woman 9 years ago today," Legend captioned a snippet of the music video on Instagram. "Happy Anniversary, my love. You never cease to amaze me."

The music video starts with Legend singing lovingly to a pregnant Teigen, who sways sensually in the distance. Later, various shots show the pair and their kids, Luna and Miles, gallivanting through the scenic locales of what looks to be Italy (where the family vacationed in late August).

Teigen responded to Legend's post celebrating their anniversary by posting another clip from the video on Instagram, captioning it:...

John Legend was saved by his Wonder Woman.

Legend premiered the official music video for “Wonder Woman” on September. The release date has major significance to Legend: it’s the nine year wedding anniversary for him and wife Chrissy Teigen.

Read More: John Legend & Saweetie Surprise Dancers Auditioning For Their ‘All She Wanna Do’ Music Video

“I married my ‘Wonder Woman’ nine years ago today,” Legend wrote when sharing the music video on social media. “Happy Anniversary, my love. You never cease to amaze me.”

Legend released his eighth studio album Legend on Sept. 9. “Wonder Woman” is the third track from Act 2 of the album which boasts 24 songs in total. Its release was preceded by three singles: “Dope” featuring Jid, “Honey” with Muni Long and his collaboration with Saweetie called “All She Wanna Do”.

Read More: Megan Thee Stallion Goes On Offence In ‘Ungrateful’ Music Video

Legend and Teigen met...

Kiernan Shipka showed off her abs in a hot pink bra and cape. Pic credit: ©ImageCollect.com/Birdie Thompson/AdMedia

Kiernan Shipka, known for her role as Sally Draper in Mad Men, recently showed off her abs in a hot pink bra and a superhero cape.

The hot pink outfit, which included a bra, skirt, and cape, were all very on trend with the recent rise in Barbiecore. The Barbiecore trend gained popularity amongst news of the upcoming 2023 film with Margot Robbie, Barbie.

Kiernan’s take on the trend had a hot pink bra tied with a bow in the front and a skirt that rose above her belly button — allowing the camera to show off her toned abs.

The cape connected in front of the 22-year-old actress’ collarbone and fell open around her arms. This, in addition to the large yellow headband with a centered red star and black...

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House of the Dragon star Emily Carey has been winning praise for her role as young Alicent Hightower in the Game of Thrones prequel series, navigating the tricky role of the Hand of the King’s teenage daughter who is maneuvered into wedding the king himself — a man at least twice (possibly three times) her age.

The 19-year-old actress says one of her biggest challenges making the HBO fantasy hit paralleled her character’s greatest emotional difficulty during the tale’s opening run of episodes — navigating a romantic relationship with Viserys Targaryen (played by Paddy Considine, who is 49, though his character is made to appear far older as the season progresses). And since Carey was raised by a single mother, she also had to chart new emotional territory to forge a connection with Alicent’s father, Ser Otto Hightower (Rhys Ifans).

“As an actor,...

Featuring a very large budget and some of the best Asian actors, Korea’s take on “Ocean’s Eleven” is mainstream cinema at its best, not to mention a title that is still holding its place as ninth highest-grossing film in Korean film history.

The Thieves is screening on New York Asian Film Festival

Popie, Yenicall, Chewinggum and Zampano are a team of professional thieves who are willing to do everything to achieve their goals. After a successful heist, Popie’s former “associate”, Macao Park contacts him and informs him of a very lucrative job that is to take place in Macau. At the same time, Pepsee, the third member of the previous team and Park’s ex-lover is released from prison. Popie’s current team agrees to take on the new job and they take along Pepsee, without informing Park. When they arrive in Hong Kong, a separate team awaits them,...

Exclusive: Remake rights to mystery thriller also secured in China.

South Korean sales company M-Line Distribution has sold mystery thriller Insane directed by Lee Cheol-ha (Hello?! Orchestra) to King Records for Japan, Long Shong for Taiwan and Yl Pictures for China. Yl also picked up Chinese remake rights.

Starring Kang Ye-won (Love Clinic) and Lee Sang-yun (Santa Barbara), the film has grossed $7.5m since its release April 7, according to the Korean Film Council (Kofic).

The story sees a discredited TV producer who looks to redeem himself by digging into an exclusive on a mental clinic where the sole survivor of a fire is a woman who has been forcefully imprisoned and abused.

M-Line is also selling female gangster action film A Special Lady (working title) starring Kim Hye-soo, Epitaph director Jung Sik’s thriller The Tooth And The Nail (working title) and sports drama Run-off, with Choi Min-ho (a.k.a. SHINee...

Max Movie, the monthly offline movie publication in Korea, has announced its annual Power Creator 30 list.

The list is based on its powerful database which includes real-time movie ticket sales since 1999; the publication has selected 30 people and companies expected to be big influencers in the Korean movie scene this year.

In a press release, Park Hye-Eun, Editor-in-chief for Max Movie, said “These days only powerful creators who break away from the traditional box and standards are valued for its existence. Only the most creative content survive.”

“The 2016 Power Creator 30 list would be the standard by which one can draw the topographical map of this year’s movie contents”, Park said.

How many names do you recognize?

Actors

There are 9 actors that made the cut. From Hwang Jung-Min to Choi Min-Sik, many actors on this list were leading characters in films that sold more than 10-million tickets. Ryoo Seung-Bum made...

On March 17, at Macau’s Venetian Theater the 10th Asian Film Awards will be underway. Winners from nearly 1,600 submissions from 32 countries will be announced. Since its inauguration in 2007, the award has grown in scale and is now largest film awards event in Asia.

This year, The Assassin has the most nominations (best film, director, actress, supporting actress, cinematography, original music, costume design, production design, and sound). This historical drama featuring Shu Qi has been hailed as “the most ravishingly beautiful film Hou [Hsiao-hsien] has ever made, and certainly one of his most deeply transporting” by Variety.

Bajirao Mastani by Sanjay Leela Bhansali follows with five nominations. This Indian historical romance is one of the highest grossing Indian films of all time. It will compete with The Assassin, Three Stories of Love (Koibito Tachi, Japan), Mr Six (Hu Guan, China) and Veteran (Ryoo Seung-wan, South Korea) in the Best film category.

Asian...

In an online free live stream conference the Asian Film Award Academy announced the list of nominees for the 10th Asian Film Awards. The Assassin (Taiwan) by Hsiao-Hsien Hou lead the list with 9 nominations (Best Film, Best Director, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actress, Best Cinematography, Best Original Music, Best Costume Design, Best Production Design and Best Sound), Then comes Bajirao Mastani (India) by Sanjay Leela Bhansali (Best Film, Best Editing, Best Original Music, Best Costume Design and Best Visual Effects) and Port of Call (Hong Kong) by Philip Yung (Best Supporting Actress, Best Newcomer, Best Screenplay, Best Editing and Best Cinematography) with 5 nominations each. Mountains May Depart (China) by Jia Zhang Ke, Mr. Six (China) by Guan Hu and Veteran (South Korea) by Ryoo Seung-wan have 4 nominations each.

Best Film

The Assassin (Nie yin niang) by Hou Hsiao-Hsien

Hong Kong, China, Taiwan | 2015 Bajirao Mastani by Sanjay Leela Bhansali – India...

Hou Hsiao-hsien’s The Assassin leads the nominations for the 10th Asian Film Awards with nine nods, followed by India’s Bajirao Mastani and Hong Kong’s Port Of Call with five apiece.

The Assassin, which won best director in Cannes last year, was nominated for best film, director, actress (Shu Qi), supporting actress (Zhou Yun), cinematography (Mark Lee Ping-bing) and four other technical categories.

Another sumptious period epic, Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Bajirao Mastani, was also nominated for best film, along with best editing, original music, costume design and visual effects.

Philip Yung’s social drama Port Of Call, based on the true story of a mainland prostitute who was murdered in Hong Kong, picked up nods for best supporting actor (Michael Ning), newcomer (Jessie Li), screenplay, editing and Christopher Doyle’s cinematography.

Rounding out the best film category are Jia Zhangke’s Mountains May Depart (France-China); Hashiguchi Ryosuke’s Three Stories Of Love (Japan...

Opening film Antoine Bardou-Jacquet’s Moonwalkers sold out 3000-capacity crowd in 8 seconds.

With South Korea’s Mers scare fading into the past, the 19th Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival (July 16-26) opened today as originally planned.

Director Antoine Bardou-Jacquet was on hand to present opening film Moonwalkers. Starring Ron Perlman and Rupert Grint, the moon landing conspiracy action-comedy sold out in 8 seconds and screened to an enthusiastic audience of around 3,000 people in the Bucheon Gymnasium.

Hong Kong star Simon Yam, who has a retrospective at BiFan this year, was on the red carpet and blowing kisses to a cheering audience inside. He was joined by Korean stars Ahn Sung-ki and Kang Soo-youn. Recently appointed co-director of the Busan film festival, the latter walked the carpet arm in arm with co-director Lee Yong-kwan.

Actor Shin Hyun-joon and actress Lee Da-hee hosted the opening ceremony while Lee Min-ho and Moon Chae-won were presented with this year’s Producers’ Choice...

Following last year's slew of male-driven thrillers, 2015 has so far been a good year for actresses in Korean cinema. Kim Hye-soo and Kim Go-eun went head to head in gangster thriller Coin Locker Girl, Seo Young-hee and Kwon So-hyun bared their souls in the dark drama Madonna, and now Park Bo-young and Uhm Ji-won stalk the halls of Lee Hae-young's creepy period piece The Silenced. In 1938, towards the end of Japan's rule over Korea, a girl is transferred to a remote boarding school lorded over by a stern principal. Upon her arrival she discovers that the girl whose place she has taken had the same name and as she begins to receive treatment for an illness, she starts to uncover a secret lurking...

[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]...

The Thieves

Directed by Dong-Hoon Choi

South Korea, 2012

Philadelphia Film Festival

The second-highest grossing film in South Korean film history, Dong-Hoon Choi’s The Thieves is a fast-paced heist film in the recent American ensemble tradition of Ocean’s 11.

A group of Korean thieves led by Popeye (Jung-Jae Lee) are brought alongside a group of Chinese thieves with Chen (Simon Yam) at their helm to steal the famous “Tear of the Sun” diamond. Macau Park (Yun-seok Kim) is the mastermind behind it all, but he, Popeye, and Pepsi (Hye-su Kim), recently released from prison, have a history that will be sorted out.

The Thieves has a huge cast and nearly each individual crook receives his or her own share of screentime. Yenicall (Gianna Jun), Chewingum (Hae-suk Kim), and Zampano (Soo Hyun Kim) round out Popeye’s gang, playing the beautiful acrobat, the seasoned impersonator, and the handy technician respectively. On...

Well Go USA has debuted the first trailer and poster for The Thieves, director Dong-hun Choi's Korean blockbuster that debuts stateside this weekend. Jung-Jae Lee, Hye-su Kim, Gianna Jun, Soo Hyun Kim, and Hae-suk Kim star as five master thieves who attempt to pull of their biggest score yet: the theft of a 318-karat diamond. Take a look at the one-sheet and footage from the highest-grossing Korean movie of all time.

The Thieves - Trailer

It's the score of their lives - if they can pull it off. Five thieves at the top of their game, and the crew is assembling for their biggest job yet. Popie (Jung-Jae Lee) is the muscle and brains; Pepsee (Hye-su Kim) is the safecracker. Yenicall (Gianna Jun) climbs walls, Zampano (Soo Hyun Kim) is the strategy man, and Chewingum (Hae-suk Kim) is the master of disguise.

But this new score - it's hot. Maybe too hot.

A casino heist film The Thieves, basically South Korea’s version of Ocean’s Eleven, with edge-of-your-seat moments has become the highest-grossing South Korean film in history.

With U.S. debut right around the corner we’re getting a look at the trailer and poster. The most successful South Korean filmmaker Choi Dong-hun’s (The Big Swindle) latest blockbuster, The Thieves features a ton of exotic locations, huge set pieces, and also a lot of double-dealing.

A gang of 10 thieves panning a heist to steal a precious necklace is played by the likes of Yun-seok Kim, Hye-soo Kim, Hye-su Kim, Gianna Jun, Jung-jae Lee, Simon Yam, Hae-sook Kim, Dal-soo Oh, Kwok Cheung Tsang and Soo Hyun Kim.

A U.S. release is scheduled in limited theaters for this week, October 12th, 2012.

Let’s see if The Thieves can break into America’s imagination as well as it done into Korea’s.

Watch the trailer and see the poster for Dong-hoo Choi's The Thieves, starring Yun-seok Kim, Hye-soo Kim and Gianna Jun The Dong-hoo Choi film (Woochi, The Big Swindle, Tazza: The High Rollers) film is making Korean box office history; selling half a million ticktes on the first day, and over 10 million within the first three weeks.The film had the best opening day ever amd is the highest-grossing movie in Korea to date. Also in the cast of the Well Go USA release which opens in theaters on October 12, 2012, are Jung-jae Lee, Simon Yam, Hae-sook Kim, Dal-soo Oh and Angelica Lee.

Watch the trailer and see the poster for Dong-hoo Choi's The Thieves, starring Yun-seok Kim, Hye-soo Kim and Gianna Jun The Dong-hoo Choi film (Woochi, The Big Swindle, Tazza: The High Rollers) film is making Korean box office history; selling half a million ticktes on the first day, and over 10 million within the first three weeks.The film had the best opening day ever amd is the highest-grossing movie in Korea to date. Also in the cast of the Well Go USA release which opens in theaters on October 12, 2012, are Jung-jae Lee, Simon Yam, Hae-sook Kim, Dal-soo Oh and Angelica Lee.

Every thief for himself. Today's trailer comes from South Korea, a heist film called The Thieves, basically South Korea's version of Ocean's Eleven, with some fun little modern character twists. This one is set mostly in Macau, another casino city, and involves one big diamond and a gang of 10 thieves, played by the likes of Yun-seok Kim, Hye-soo Kim, Hye-su Kim, Gianna Jun, Jung-jae Lee, Simon Yam, Hae-sook Kim, Dal-soo Oh, Kwok Cheung Tsang and Soo Hyun Kim. This looks kind of fun, and interesting, but not necessarily to the levels of Ocean's Eleven. Nonetheless, it's still worth watching today - take a look! Watch the official Us trailer for Dong-Hoon Choi's The Thieves, in high def from Apple: It's the score of their lives--if they can pull it off. Five thieves at the top of their game, and the crew is assembling for their biggest job yet. Popie's...