https://www.scmp.com/rss/507634/feed en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Pierce Conran Pierce Conran Cha Eun-woo fans had to temporarily bid farewell to their beloved idol in July 2025, when he began his obligatory military service. Fortunately, the star completed one show before heading off to the barracks – the superhero comedy-drama The Wonderfools, which launched worldwide on May 15. While the Netflix series can rely on the rest of its cast to market it to fans, including lead Park Eun-bin, losing access to Cha’s Instagram account – which boasts more than 46 million followers and has... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-drama/k-drama/article/3353644/who-cha-eun-woo-handsome-k-pop-idol-starring-netflix-k-drama-wonderfools?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-drama/k-drama/article/3353644/who-cha-eun-woo-handsome-k-pop-idol-starring-netflix-k-drama-wonderfools?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 16 May 2026 04:45:05 +0000 James Marsh James Marsh 3/5 stars Korean superstar Jun Ji-hyun makes her long-awaited return to the big screen in Colony, an action-packed zombie thriller that sees director Yeon Sang-ho revisit the undead mayhem that made his name. The film just had its world premiere in the Midnight Screenings section of the Cannes Film Festival – a prestigious bow that neatly mirrors the debut of Yeon’s genre-defining blockbuster Train to Busan exactly 10 years prior. Set apart from the wider Train to Busan franchise, which also... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-drama/k-movies/article/3353564/cannes-2026-colony-movie-review-jun-ji-hyun-returns-slick-empty-zombie-thriller?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-drama/k-movies/article/3353564/cannes-2026-colony-movie-review-jun-ji-hyun-returns-slick-empty-zombie-thriller?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 16 May 2026 01:00:10 +0000 Daniel Eagan Daniel Eagan With more than 16 million tickets sold, The King’s Warden has almost single-handedly resurrected a sluggish South Korean film industry. In telling the story of the young king Yi Hong-wi, deposed by his uncle and sent into exile, the film has struck a chord with audiences of all ages. Producer Lim Eun-jung, whose film company Onda Works developed the movie, tells the South China Morning Post that financing the production was extremely difficult. “I developed the very first treatment in 2018 while... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-drama/k-movies/article/3353226/how-kings-warden-sold-16-million-tickets-and-saved-korean-box-office?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-drama/k-movies/article/3353226/how-kings-warden-sold-16-million-tickets-and-saved-korean-box-office?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 12 May 2026 09:15:04 +0000 James Marsh James Marsh 3.5/5 stars The Russian city of Vladivostok provides the setting for Humint, the latest globe-trotting thriller from South Korean action specialist Ryoo Seung-wan. Set in the high-stakes world of international espionage, the film features Zo In-sung (Escape from Mogadishu) and Park Jeong-min (Uprising) as agents from South and North Korea, respectively, who attempt to foil a human trafficking ring. After opening in South Korean cinemas during the Lunar New Year holiday, Humint launches globally... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-drama/k-movies/article/3348472/netflix-movie-review-humint-dynamic-korean-spy-thriller-ryoo-seung-wan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-drama/k-movies/article/3348472/netflix-movie-review-humint-dynamic-korean-spy-thriller-ryoo-seung-wan?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 31 Mar 2026 15:00:09 +0000 Pierce Conran Pierce Conran Since the pandemic, the once-mighty South Korean film industry has struggled to return to its former glory. The year 2025 proved particularly trying, as it failed to produce a large-scale breakout capable of reminding audiences what they were missing. That dry spell finally came to a decisive end over the past few weeks, thanks to the staggering success of the Lunar New Year holiday title The King’s Warden, a broadly appealing period drama that continues to defy expectations on its... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-drama/k-movies/article/3347651/10-most-watched-korean-films-ever-kings-warden-draws-nearly-15-million-film-goers?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-drama/k-movies/article/3347651/10-most-watched-korean-films-ever-kings-warden-draws-nearly-15-million-film-goers?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 Mar 2026 09:15:07 +0000 Pierce Conran Pierce Conran South Korea’s vibrant independent-film community produces waves of movies that travel to festivals around the world, delighting viewers, picking up awards and adding a social counterpoint to the broader pleasures of its mainstream counterparts. Even though most of these indie films struggle to find screens, and thus audiences at home, over the years, art-house breakouts have become more frequent. With Yoon Ga-eun’s The World of Love, the latest Korean indie to conquer the charts, set to hit Hong... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-drama/k-movies/article/3341326/10-most-successful-korean-art-house-films-all-time-including-world-love?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-drama/k-movies/article/3341326/10-most-successful-korean-art-house-films-all-time-including-world-love?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 27 Jan 2026 08:15:07 +0000 James Marsh James Marsh Celebrated South Korean actor Ahn Sung-ki died on January 5, just four days after celebrating his 74th birthday. Known affectionately as “The Nation’s Actor”, Ahn starred in more than 100 feature films over the course of a career that spanned almost his entire life. After making his screen debut at age five in Kim Ki-young’s 1957 film Twilight Train, Ahn went on to appear in The Housemaid in 1960, widely regarded as the finest Korean film ever made. After a hiatus for education and mandatory... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-drama/k-movies/article/3338768/ahn-sung-kis-5-best-movies-remembering-iconic-korean-film-actor-who-died-aged-74?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-drama/k-movies/article/3338768/ahn-sung-kis-5-best-movies-remembering-iconic-korean-film-actor-who-died-aged-74?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 05 Jan 2026 11:45:16 +0000 Pierce Conran Pierce Conran Earlier this year, Kim Woo-bin graced the small screen in Netflix’s splashy fantasy romance Genie, Make a Wish, reuniting with his Uncontrollably Fond co-star Bae Suzy and Kim Eun-sook, the writer behind The Heirs – one of the actor’s earliest projects. While the series received mixed reviews, it was nevertheless a compelling showcase for Kim’s chiselled features and magnetic screen aura. Yet Kim’s biggest moment of 2025 is still to come: on December 20, he is set to tie the knot with girlfriend... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-drama/k-drama/article/3336170/who-kim-woo-bin-steely-eyed-star-k-dramas-our-blues-and-genie-make-wish?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-drama/k-drama/article/3336170/who-kim-woo-bin-steely-eyed-star-k-dramas-our-blues-and-genie-make-wish?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 13 Dec 2025 04:15:08 +0000 James Mottram James Mottram Park Chan-wook, the celebrated South Korean auteur behind such esteemed works as Oldboy and The Handmaiden, is not a filmmaker one typically associates with comedy. It came as a surprise, then, even to his lead actor, Lee Byung-hun, when the script for his latest film, No Other Choice, turned out to be funny. “There were so many comical elements to it, so I was a little bit puzzled,” Lee admits at a recent interview with the Post. “The very first question I asked Director Park was, ‘Did I read... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-drama/k-movies/article/3328905/no-other-choice-why-korean-auteur-park-chan-wook-reunited-lee-byung-hun-comedy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-drama/k-movies/article/3328905/no-other-choice-why-korean-auteur-park-chan-wook-reunited-lee-byung-hun-comedy?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 14 Oct 2025 11:15:08 +0000 Pierce Conran Pierce Conran After kicking off the year opposite Park Bo-young in the Netflix romance series Melo Movie, Korean actor Choi Woo-shik is back on screens this weekend in another romantic tale, this time alongside Jung So-min in Would You Marry Me. While Choi has increasingly become known for his small-screen roles, mostly stories about love, he earned his early fame for his big-screen parts. After drawing acclaim for roles in hard-hitting independent films and gaining notice through scene-stealing supporting... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-drama/k-drama/article/3328522/who-choi-woo-shik-handsome-parasite-actor-knack-romance-k-dramas?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-drama/k-drama/article/3328522/who-choi-woo-shik-handsome-parasite-actor-knack-romance-k-dramas?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 11 Oct 2025 09:15:08 +0000 James Marsh James Marsh 3/5 stars Noisy neighbours are an all-too-common scourge of Asia’s overcrowded cities, but what do you do when their intimate nocturnal antics become too loud to ignore? For the protagonists of Ha Jung-woo’s The People Upstairs, which just premiered at the 30th Busan International Film Festival, a direct approach backfires spectacularly, leading to an uncomfortable and frequently hilarious dinner party between two wildly different couples. This relocated adaptation of Cesc Gay’s Sentimental is... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-drama/k-movies/article/3326457/busan-2025-people-upstairs-movie-review-ha-jung-woo-excels-cheeky-sex-comedy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-drama/k-movies/article/3326457/busan-2025-people-upstairs-movie-review-ha-jung-woo-excels-cheeky-sex-comedy?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 23 Sep 2025 02:45:07 +0000 Pierce Conran Pierce Conran The crown jewel of the Asian film festival circuit, the Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) returns this year for a landmark 30th edition, running from September 17 to September 26. Coming a few weeks earlier than usual, the festival held in South Korea’s second-largest metropolis has welcomed record temperatures as well as a dizzying array of star guests to its red carpets. It also features a new festival director, with Jung Han-seok, formerly a programmer at the festival, stepping up to... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-drama/k-movies/article/3326383/can-busan-international-film-festival-help-korean-cinema-stay-top?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-drama/k-movies/article/3326383/can-busan-international-film-festival-help-korean-cinema-stay-top?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 22 Sep 2025 10:22:26 +0000 James Marsh James Marsh 2/5 stars Drowning in ambition but narratively adrift, Kim Byung-woo’s latest high-concept blockbuster opens with an apartment complex being consumed by a giant tsunami before morphing into a science-fiction thriller that defies simple explanation. Kim’s filmography boasts a string of audacious genre-bending experiments, from The Terror Live to Omniscient Reader: The Prophecy. The Great Flood, which premiered last week at the 30th Busan International Film Festival, is an action-packed puzzle box... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-drama/k-movies/article/3326331/busan-2025-great-flood-movie-review-kim-da-mi-cant-save-puzzling-netflix-fantasy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-drama/k-movies/article/3326331/busan-2025-great-flood-movie-review-kim-da-mi-cant-save-puzzling-netflix-fantasy?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 22 Sep 2025 08:15:08 +0000 James Marsh James Marsh 4/5 stars Good News is the new film from Byun Sung-hyun, director of The Merciless and Kill Boksoon, and opens with the caption: “Inspired by true events, but all characters and events portrayed are fictional,” before asking “What is the truth then?” The event in question is the March 1970 hijacking of Japan Airlines flight 351 by members of the Red Army Faction of the Japan Communist League. What unfolds is a riotously entertaining black comedy about the nature of truth, the power of propaganda... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-drama/k-movies/article/3326068/busan-2025-good-news-movie-review-hilarious-korean-farce-based-real-life-hijacking?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-drama/k-movies/article/3326068/busan-2025-good-news-movie-review-hilarious-korean-farce-based-real-life-hijacking?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 19 Sep 2025 04:15:08 +0000 James Marsh James Marsh 3/5 stars The true measure of humanity’s beauty, or lack thereof, is explored in The Ugly. It marks the first cinematic release in five years from Train to Busan director Yeon Sang-ho, who has recently put most of his energy into making films and TV dramas for Netflix, such as Revelations and Hellbound. Returning to the more grounded social dramas upon which he first made his name, this adaptation from Yeon’s own graphic novel, Face, reopens a cold case of murder that reaches back decades into... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-drama/k-movies/article/3325571/ugly-movie-review-yeon-sang-hos-dark-mystery-proves-both-intriguing-and-frustrating?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-drama/k-movies/article/3325571/ugly-movie-review-yeon-sang-hos-dark-mystery-proves-both-intriguing-and-frustrating?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 15 Sep 2025 09:15:08 +0000 James Mottram James Mottram 3.5/5 stars Not since the US version of the sitcom The Office, with its mock-doc focus on the fictional company Dunder Mifflin, has there been such a high-profile worshipping of the art of manufacturing paper. Maybe Korean director Park Chan-wook has been bingeing on episodes, though that show never got as dark as this pleasing adaptation of Donald Westlake’s 1997 novel The Ax. A black comedy set in the world of (un)employment, No Other Choice starts as family man Man-su (Lee Byung-hun) is let... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-drama/k-movies/article/3323852/venice-2025-no-other-choice-movie-review-park-chan-wook-takes-corporate-culture?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-drama/k-movies/article/3323852/venice-2025-no-other-choice-movie-review-park-chan-wook-takes-corporate-culture?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 01 Sep 2025 02:50:07 +0000 The Korea Times The Korea Times South Korean actress Go Min-si has denied allegations of school bullying, saying that while she was a reckless pupil who enjoyed youthful misbehaviour, she was never a perpetrator of violence. Go posted a statement on her social media account addressing the controversy at the weekend. “For months I endured countless waves of anxiety while waiting for the investigation results. But I believe it is my duty to speak up now for those who have been waiting,” she wrote. Go, 30, acknowledged that she... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3323848/south-korean-actress-go-min-si-denies-school-bullying-allegations?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3323848/south-korean-actress-go-min-si-denies-school-bullying-allegations?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 31 Aug 2025 23:42:24 +0000 Pierce Conran Pierce Conran The new Netflix K-drama series Aema takes us back to 1980s Korea, when the film industry, egged on by a government keen for cultural distractions, was gearing up to make Madame Aema, Korea’s first erotic film. The film ushered in a decade of erotic content, paving the way for classics that are memorable for themes and ideas that go beyond mere titillation. Below, we rank the 13 best erotic films from 1980s Korean cinema. Alas, Madame Aema did not make the cut. 13. The Parrot Cries with Its Body... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-drama/k-movies/article/3323169/intrigued-netflix-k-drama-aema-13-best-1980s-korean-erotic-films-ranked?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-drama/k-movies/article/3323169/intrigued-netflix-k-drama-aema-13-best-1980s-korean-erotic-films-ranked?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 26 Aug 2025 10:15:14 +0000 James Marsh James Marsh 2/5 stars Zombies have become so ubiquitous in recent years that their infectious reach extends well beyond the realm of horror cinema. Pil Gam-sung’s hit comedy My Daughter Is a Zombie is a prime example of this phenomenon. Adapted from a bestselling webtoon, the film chronicles the efforts of a single father (Jo Jung-suk) to protect his daughter (Choi Yoo-ri) from extermination after she succumbs to a zombie virus. Rather than a horror movie, the film lurches wildly from broad comedy to... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-drama/k-movies/article/3322226/my-daughter-zombie-movie-review-hit-korean-family-comedy-displays-few-signs-life?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-drama/k-movies/article/3322226/my-daughter-zombie-movie-review-hit-korean-family-comedy-displays-few-signs-life?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 18 Aug 2025 11:45:07 +0000 Pierce Conran Pierce Conran Korean heartthrob Kim Nam-gil remained as hot as ever this year, performing double duty on global streaming platform Netflix as the lead of the topical action-drama Trigger and in a cameo role in the dark thriller Karma. Like many others, Kim made his acting debut in the KBS anthology series School, a programme that has become a training ground for many small-screen stars over the years. He appeared in the very first iteration of the show, back in 1999, when he was still a teenager. Among his... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-drama/k-drama/article/3321964/who-kim-nam-gil-korean-actor-best-known-k-dramas-trigger-and-fiery-priest?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-drama/k-drama/article/3321964/who-kim-nam-gil-korean-actor-best-known-k-dramas-trigger-and-fiery-priest?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 16 Aug 2025 04:15:08 +0000 James Marsh James Marsh The Busan International Film Festival in South Korea celebrates its 30th anniversary in September with an expanded and revamped programme. Notable among the new sections is one called “A Little History of Our Own, ‘Take Care of Our Future!’”, which focuses on five rising female filmmakers within the Korean industry: Kim Se-in, Kim Cho-hee, Yoon Ga-eun, Yoon Dan-bi and Lim Oh-jeong. Each director will screen a film of their choice that helped influence their artistic perspective, after which they... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-drama/k-movies/article/3321571/busan-film-festival-2025-5-korean-female-filmmakers-and-classics-shaped-them?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-drama/k-movies/article/3321571/busan-film-festival-2025-5-korean-female-filmmakers-and-classics-shaped-them?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 12 Aug 2025 09:15:07 +0000 James Marsh James Marsh 2/5 stars Based on a hit Korean webtoon, director Kim Byung-woo’s ambitious science fiction fantasy Omniscient Reader: The Prophecy stars Ahn Hyo-seop as a reclusive loner who discovers that his favourite online novel has become a reality. Lee Min-ho and Chae Soo-bin also appear, as do K-pop starlets Nana and Blackpink’s Jisoo, but they all take a back seat to the film’s polished, if generic, spectacle. It is impossible to conceive that a feature film like this would exist without the success of... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-drama/k-movies/article/3319292/omniscient-reader-prophecy-movie-review-korean-fantasy-glossy-uninspired?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-drama/k-movies/article/3319292/omniscient-reader-prophecy-movie-review-korean-fantasy-glossy-uninspired?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 23 Jul 2025 11:45:09 +0000 James Marsh James Marsh 3/5 stars The general Hong Kong audience will find the premise of Netflix’s latest Korean thriller Wall to Wall all too relatable. Kang Ha-neul stars as a professional who buries himself in debt to acquire his dream flat, only to experience an avalanche of grievances from his new neighbours from the moment he moves in. Directed by Kim Tae-joon, Wall to Wall, which is titled 84m² in Korean, is a marked improvement on his insipid debut feature, Unlocked, and manages a few pointed jabs at the... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-drama/k-movies/article/3319021/netflix-movie-review-wall-wall-homeowning-living-nightmare-korean-thriller?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-drama/k-movies/article/3319021/netflix-movie-review-wall-wall-homeowning-living-nightmare-korean-thriller?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 21 Jul 2025 09:45:46 +0000 James Marsh James Marsh One of the most recognisable and successful performers in South Korea, Lee Byung-hun is back on our screens this week in the dramatic conclusion of Netflix’s global K-drama phenomenon, Squid Game. Since his television debut in 1991, Lee has found sustained critical and commercial acclaim on the big and small screen, overcome tabloid scandals, and even appeared in Hollywood action blockbusters like G.I. Joe, Terminator Genisys and The Magnificent Seven. Lee will also be the subject of a 10-film... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-drama/k-movies/article/3316487/12-best-movies-squid-games-front-man-lee-byung-hun-ranked?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-drama/k-movies/article/3316487/12-best-movies-squid-games-front-man-lee-byung-hun-ranked?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 02 Jul 2025 09:15:09 +0000 James Marsh James Marsh 2/5 stars Long-delayed superhero fantasy Hi-Five finally sees the light of day, almost four years after wrapping principal photography. The film was put on hold indefinitely when one of its stars, Yoo Ah-in, became embroiled in a drug scandal, for which he subsequently served a one-year prison sentence. In Hi-Five, five strangers – played by Yoo, Lee Jae-in, Ahn Jae-hong, Ra Mi-ran and Kim Hee-won – who all received new organs from the same anonymous donor, unite upon discovering they have... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-drama/k-movies/article/3314621/hi-five-movie-review-korean-superhero-fantasy-yoo-ah-fails-meet-its-potential?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-drama/k-movies/article/3314621/hi-five-movie-review-korean-superhero-fantasy-yoo-ah-fails-meet-its-potential?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 16 Jun 2025 10:45:08 +0000 The Korea Times The Korea Times Guitar Man, the final film featuring late actress Kim Sae-ron, is set to be released on May 30, offering fans a glimpse of her radiant on-screen presence one last time. Guitar Man is a musical film that follows the emotional journey of a gifted guitarist who seeks hope through music and relationships, even amid life’s hardships. Kim plays Yoo-jin, the keyboardist of a live band called Volcano, which the main character Ki-chul, played by co-director Lee Sun-jung, joins. The story portrays the... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-drama/k-movies/article/3311314/watching-kim-sae-ron-while-editing-her-final-film-guitar-man-heartbreaking-co-star-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-drama/k-movies/article/3311314/watching-kim-sae-ron-while-editing-her-final-film-guitar-man-heartbreaking-co-star-says?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 22 May 2025 05:45:08 +0000 James Marsh James Marsh 2/5 stars Supernatural thriller Holy Night: Demon Hunters might better have been titled “Ma Dong-seok: Demon Puncher”. This lowbrow exercise in low-rent exorcism offers little more than the hulking Korean superstar, also known as Don Lee, throwing down against an assortment of sketchily drawn spirits. Produced and co-written by Ma together with first-time director Lim Dae-hee, the film is the latest, and certainly weakest, in a string of recent Korean horror titles that delve into the dark realm... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-drama/k-movies/article/3309223/holy-night-demon-hunters-movie-review-ma-dong-seok-tiring-korean-action-horror?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-drama/k-movies/article/3309223/holy-night-demon-hunters-movie-review-ma-dong-seok-tiring-korean-action-horror?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 07 May 2025 09:45:08 +0000 Leopold Chen Leopold Chen South Korean films are absent from this year’s Cannes Film Festival for the first time in more than a decade, and observers say it highlights a brain drain plaguing the industry. According to the line-up released by the Cannes Film Festival, which runs from May 13 to 24, no Korean films will be screened in its official selection. A short South Korean animated film, Glasses, directed by Jung Yoo-mi, will be screened as part of Critics Week, an event organised by the French Union of Film Critics... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-drama/k-movies/article/3308873/why-are-korean-films-absent-cannes-film-festival-brain-drain-netflix-and-more?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-drama/k-movies/article/3308873/why-are-korean-films-absent-cannes-film-festival-brain-drain-netflix-and-more?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 02 May 2025 23:45:08 +0000 The Korea Times The Korea Times Actor and producer Ma Dong-seok, best known for his bone-crunching action in The Roundup series, is set to captivate audiences once again, this time venturing into the occult with his latest film, Holy Night: Demon Hunters. In the movie Ma plays Bau, a formidable troubleshooter using his fists to exorcise demons as a leader of the “Holy Night” team. The 54-year-old actor, also known as Don Lee, expressed his enthusiasm for the project in a recent interview, highlighting the action sequences made... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-drama/k-movies/article/3308141/ma-dong-seok-new-action-horror-movie-holy-night-demon-hunters-and-its-dark-hero-energy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-drama/k-movies/article/3308141/ma-dong-seok-new-action-horror-movie-holy-night-demon-hunters-and-its-dark-hero-energy?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 28 Apr 2025 08:15:07 +0000 Lee Kwang-soo is back in the spotlight with not one but two major dramas currently on screens. The Korean actor shows his range in workplace comedy The Divorce Insurance – streaming globally on Amazon Prime – alongside Lee Dong-wook and in the twisty Netflix thriller series Karma, in which he shares the limelight with Shin Min-a and Park Hae-soo. Lee has been a draw on big and small screens for well over a decade but he is far from your typical leading man, not least because, at over 190cm (6ft... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-drama/k-drama/article/3306078/who-lee-kwang-soo-running-man-founding-member-and-star-many-films-and-k-dramas?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-drama/k-drama/article/3306078/who-lee-kwang-soo-running-man-founding-member-and-star-many-films-and-k-dramas?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 12 Apr 2025 11:15:07 +0000 More South Korean celebrities are speaking openly about their divorces, but many still wait years before making their break-ups public. Even as social perceptions around divorce have changed, stars remain cautious for a variety of personal and professional reasons. Singer Park Ki-young recently made headlines for revealing her second divorce – years after it happened. She first married a lawyer in 2010 but divorced in 2015. In 2017, she married a tango dancer and choreographer she met on KBS2’s... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3305534/why-do-south-korean-celebrities-reveal-divorces-years-later-despite-shifting-social-views?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3305534/why-do-south-korean-celebrities-reveal-divorces-years-later-despite-shifting-social-views?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 07 Apr 2025 10:13:27 +0000 By Baek Byung-yeul Renowned for exploring complex social issues in productions such as Train to Busan and Hellbound, director Yeon Sang-ho returns with the Netflix movie Revelations. The movie delves into the dangerous consequences of selective belief in contemporary society. “Nowadays, people only want to see what they want to see and believe what they want to believe. That’s why things like this are happening in Korea right now,” Yeon said in an interview this week. “Coincidentally, the timing... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-drama/k-movies/article/3303757/revelations-director-yeon-sang-ho-his-new-netflix-movie-and-how-desire-shapes-beliefs?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-drama/k-movies/article/3303757/revelations-director-yeon-sang-ho-his-new-netflix-movie-and-how-desire-shapes-beliefs?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 26 Mar 2025 08:15:07 +0000 Actor Kang Ha-neul burst into laughter several times during a recent interview, showing his trademark easy-going charm. While some are saying his latest role in the Korean thriller Streaming shows a refreshing new side of the actor, Kang modestly responded: “If audiences feel that way, I’m grateful”. Streaming follows Woo-sang, a top crime streamer who begins broadcasting his pursuit of a serial killer after stumbling upon key clues. The film is a psychological thriller that explores media,... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-drama/k-movies/article/3303571/actor-kang-ha-neul-his-new-face-korean-film-streaming-and-developing-his-character?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-drama/k-movies/article/3303571/actor-kang-ha-neul-his-new-face-korean-film-streaming-and-developing-his-character?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 24 Mar 2025 08:15:08 +0000 2/5 stars Since transitioning from animation to live action, Korean writer-director Yeon Sang-ho has struggled to recapture the success of his barnstorming breakout hit, the action-packed zombie thriller Train to Busan. He has worked predominantly with Netflix in the years since, on a string of horror-infused series (Hellbound, Parasyte: The Grey) and science fiction films (Psychokinesis, Jung_E), yet nothing has succeeded in recapturing the earlier film’s assured balance of social commentary... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-drama/k-movies/article/3302778/netflix-movie-review-revelations-ryu-jun-yeol-yeon-sang-hos-disappointing-thriller?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-drama/k-movies/article/3302778/netflix-movie-review-revelations-ryu-jun-yeol-yeon-sang-hos-disappointing-thriller?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 18 Mar 2025 12:30:16 +0000 Park Bo-gum became a superstar in his twenties, beloved for his looks and clean-cut image. After a long hiatus, the Korean actor is back on the small screen and segueing into his thirties with a mature and nuanced performance in the Netflix drama When Life Gives You Tangerines alongside singer/actress IU. The critically acclaimed series stars Park as a young man born and raised on the shores of Jeju island in South Korea in the 1950s, who falls in love with and supports a woman whose dreams are... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-drama/k-drama/article/3302395/who-park-bo-gum-ius-boyish-co-star-netflixs-when-life-gives-you-tangerines?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-drama/k-drama/article/3302395/who-park-bo-gum-ius-boyish-co-star-netflixs-when-life-gives-you-tangerines?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 14 Mar 2025 23:15:08 +0000 By Baek Byung-yeul Dahyun, best known as a vibrant member of the K-pop band Twice, has taken a leap into the world of acting, making her debut in recently released teen romance film You Are the Apple of My Eye. Revealing her goal as an actress, she expressed her desire to bring joy and comfort to audiences, adding that she will continue to keep balancing acting and singing. “I always like to watch dramas and movies and have received great energy from actors’ performances. Like these great actors... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-drama/k-movies/article/3300546/twice-singer-dahyun-bringing-joy-her-acting-debut-you-are-apple-my-eye?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-drama/k-movies/article/3300546/twice-singer-dahyun-bringing-joy-her-acting-debut-you-are-apple-my-eye?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 03 Mar 2025 03:15:07 +0000 By Baek Byung-yeul Acclaimed Korean director Bong Joon-ho said his coming film Mickey 17, starring British actor Robert Pattinson, aims to convey that human nature persists even in the face of extreme adversity. Adapted from Edward Ashton’s novel Mickey7, the sci-fi film revolves around Mickey (Pattinson), a disposable clone sent on perilous missions who is regenerated after each death. The narrative intensifies when Mickey’s 18th version is mistakenly created while Mickey 17 is still alive,... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-drama/k-movies/article/3299623/bong-joon-ho-message-mickey-17-first-film-parasite-robert-pattinson?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-drama/k-movies/article/3299623/bong-joon-ho-message-mickey-17-first-film-parasite-robert-pattinson?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 23 Feb 2025 06:45:07 +0000 4/5 stars Veteran Korean director Hong Sang-soo specialises in delicate character studies, but rarely has he found such a warm ray of humour as he does in his latest film, What Does That Nature Say to You. Premiering in competition at the Berlin International Film festival – a feat Hong seems to manage almost every year without fail – this new work is an incisive domestic comedy-drama that feels like it has the potential to break out of the festival circuit. The story begins as a couple arrive... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-drama/k-movies/article/3299533/berlin-2025-what-does-nature-say-you-movie-review-hong-sang-soos-comedy-drama?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-drama/k-movies/article/3299533/berlin-2025-what-does-nature-say-you-movie-review-hong-sang-soos-comedy-drama?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 21 Feb 2025 01:44:59 +0000 Twenty-five years ago, director Park Chan-wook risked prison to make a film about friendship between North and South Korean soldiers, striking box office gold and beginning his actors’ ascent to global stardom. Relations between the two Koreas have since plunged, with Pyongyang renouncing its long-held goal of unification and last week destroying a venue that traditionally hosted reunions of families separated by decades of division. Park’s smash hit Joint Security Area still strikes a chord a... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-drama/k-movies/article/3299153/sad-reality-why-joint-security-area-korean-hit-film-strikes-chord-25-years?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-drama/k-movies/article/3299153/sad-reality-why-joint-security-area-korean-hit-film-strikes-chord-25-years?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 20 Feb 2025 23:15:07 +0000 Why does this keep happening? This is the question that many have been asking themselves as South Korea reels from the untimely death of actress Kim Sae-ron at the age of 24, yet another celebrity found dead after being mercilessly hounded by hateful online commenters and media figures hungry for scandal. Kim’s death was a shock, but as with many similar deaths in South Korea, the shock was not just at something unexpected but came with dark understanding. It did not matter that initial reports... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-drama/k-movies/article/3299390/actress-kim-sae-ron-latest-korean-public-figure-be-hounded-death?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-drama/k-movies/article/3299390/actress-kim-sae-ron-latest-korean-public-figure-be-hounded-death?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 20 Feb 2025 08:00:32 +0000 2/5 stars Just weeks after steaming up our screens as a sultry siren in the erotic thriller Hidden Face, actress Park Ji-hyun is back in Forbidden Fairytale, but her role here could not be more different. In this bubbly and lighthearted Korean romantic comedy from director Lee Jong-suk (The Negotiation), Park plays Dan-bi, who works for the government’s Youth Protection Team reviewing an endless stream of hard-core pornography. By night, she dreams of following in her late father’s footsteps by... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-drama/k-movies/article/3299067/forbidden-fairytale-movie-review-korean-sex-comedy-park-ji-hyun-too-prudish?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-drama/k-movies/article/3299067/forbidden-fairytale-movie-review-korean-sex-comedy-park-ji-hyun-too-prudish?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 18 Feb 2025 03:15:07 +0000 By Pyo Kyung-min South Korea has become a significant player in the global entertainment scene, and has also recently emerged as a popular filming destination for overseas production teams. Foreign shows and films are increasingly choosing Korea as their backdrop – turning places into globally recognised settings. Last month, season 2 of the Netflix original series XO, Kitty drew quite a buzz upon its release, dethroning Squid Game season 2 to claim the No 1 spot on Netflix’s global TV series... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-drama/k-drama/article/3298533/recruit-xo-kitty-korea-popular-location-filming-can-it-last?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-drama/k-drama/article/3298533/recruit-xo-kitty-korea-popular-location-filming-can-it-last?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 17 Feb 2025 03:15:07 +0000 4/5 stars Korean master Bong Joon-ho is back with his first film since 2019’s Cannes- and Oscar-winning Parasite. Six years is a long time, but the director has not lost any of his storytelling sensibilities when it comes to unpacking Edward Ashton’s cult novel Mickey7. A science fiction parable, one that fits neatly alongside Bong’s earlier works Snowpiercer (2013) and Okja (2017), Mickey 17 is a darkly funny look at humankind’s desire to conquer at any cost. Set in 2054, the film stars... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-drama/k-movies/article/3298927/berlin-2025-mickey-17-movie-review-parasites-bong-joon-ho-back-wild-sci-fi-satire?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-drama/k-movies/article/3298927/berlin-2025-mickey-17-movie-review-parasites-bong-joon-ho-back-wild-sci-fi-satire?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 17 Feb 2025 00:29:55 +0000 By Baek Byung-yeul Netflix aims to solidify its streaming service leadership with various Korean series, shows and movies this year, including the highly anticipated Squid Game season 3, Culinary Class Wars season 2 and Physical: Asia featuring Filipino boxing legend Manny Pacquiao. “Our goal this year is to be there in those special moments when people find their favourite content in their busy lives,” Kang Dong-han, vice-president of Netflix Korea, said, unveiling a release line-up including... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-drama/k-drama/article/3297458/netflix-leans-korean-made-shows-and-films-2025-including-physical-100-follow?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-drama/k-drama/article/3297458/netflix-leans-korean-made-shows-and-films-2025-including-physical-100-follow?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 05 Feb 2025 21:45:08 +0000 2.5/5 stars A pair of mismatched nuns battle the forces of evil, and the Catholic Church itself, in Kwon Hyeok-jae’s film Dark Nuns. An official spin-off of the 2015 supernatural thriller The Priests, which starred Gang Dong-won and Kim Yun-seok, Dark Nuns features Song Hye-kyo and Jeon Yeo-been as habit-wearing heroines who join forces to attempt a dangerous exorcism. The success of The Priests and last year’s shamanistic thriller Exhuma, both from director Jang Jae-hyun, has seen a resurgence... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-drama/k-movies/article/3297437/dark-nuns-movie-review-song-hye-kyo-jeon-yeo-been-korean-exorcism-horror?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-drama/k-movies/article/3297437/dark-nuns-movie-review-song-hye-kyo-jeon-yeo-been-korean-exorcism-horror?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 05 Feb 2025 08:45:08 +0000 By Baek Byung-yeul Korean actor Ha Jung-woo describes his upcoming thriller Nocturnal as a raw and intense take on the familiar theme of revenge, and promises that its director, Kim Jin-hwang, will bring a fresh perspective. “The revenge plot isn’t new, but I believe that even the same theme can provide new enjoyment depending on how the works change in form and background,” Ha said in a recent interview. He expressed great interest in the director’s unique vision, which was a significant factor... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-drama/k-movies/article/3296458/ha-jung-woo-new-thriller-nocturnal-social-media-and-how-he-chooses-roles?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-drama/k-movies/article/3296458/ha-jung-woo-new-thriller-nocturnal-social-media-and-how-he-chooses-roles?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 27 Jan 2025 23:15:07 +0000 Fighting against various prejudices is an unavoidable challenge in an actor’s career. A character’s image can become deeply attached to them, or a casual remark on a variety show can lead to significant misunderstandings. Song Hye-kyo, 43, has not been immune to these challenges. she has even been labelled a “selfish woman”. However, during a recent interview, she came across as both warm and cheerful while discussing her latest film. After the revenge drama The Glory, Song returns to the screen... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-drama/k-movies/article/3295897/glory-actress-song-hye-kyo-taking-darker-roles-such-dark-nuns-and-comedy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-drama/k-movies/article/3295897/glory-actress-song-hye-kyo-taking-darker-roles-such-dark-nuns-and-comedy?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 23 Jan 2025 23:15:08 +0000 Korean actress Kim Min-hee, 42, is expecting her first child with film director Hong Sang-soo, 64, this spring. Kim conceived naturally, and the couple discovered the pregnancy last summer, Korean online entertainment news outlet Dispatch reported. The couple live in Hanam, Gyeonggi province, South Korea, where Hong moved after leaving his previous residence in Seoul to live near Kim’s parents. In December, the couple enjoyed outings together, including dining in Seoul and grocery shopping at a... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-drama/k-movies/article/3295182/korean-actress-kim-min-hee-42-expecting-first-child-director-hong-sang-soo-father?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-drama/k-movies/article/3295182/korean-actress-kim-min-hee-42-expecting-first-child-director-hong-sang-soo-father?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 17 Jan 2025 07:35:31 +0000 4/5 stars For her debut feature, documentarian Nam A-rum takes viewers on a fascinating and surprisingly intimate journey through the last three chaotic decades of South Korea’s political history. Framed by her family’s own experiences, not least her father’s career as a civil servant, K-Family Affairs illustrates how a household of ordinary patriots struggles to stand firm in the face of endless scandals, corruption and national tragedies. A-rum and her twin sister Da-woon were born on December... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-drama/k-movies/article/3294800/k-family-affairs-movie-review-intimate-story-family-amid-koreas-chaotic-politics?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-drama/k-movies/article/3294800/k-family-affairs-movie-review-intimate-story-family-amid-koreas-chaotic-politics?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Jan 2025 08:45:07 +0000 Squid Game season 2 has introduced viewers to a roster of new faces, but fans of Korean cinema will find some of the actors very familiar. Read on as we reveal our favourite previous roles performed by 12 of the Squid Game 2 actors. Note: the final entry is a spoiler. 1. Im Si-wan (#333): The Merciless ZE:A boy band member Im Si-wan is already well known to K-drama fans; some of his best roles came early in his career on the big screen. Among them was his supporting role in The Attorney, the... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3293848/best-movie-roles-squid-game-season-2s-new-players?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3293848/best-movie-roles-squid-game-season-2s-new-players?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 08 Jan 2025 08:15:08 +0000