Kim Soo-hyun denies dating allegations involving late actress Kim Sae-ron

Actor's agency says allegations of far-right channel HoverLab Inc. 'clearly false and baseless' "Queen of Tears" star Kim Soo-hyun has denied allegations linking him romantically to the late actress Kim Sae-ron. The controversy deepened recently with the emergence of what a YouTube channel claims was a message showing the actress begging for more time to settle a debt. The channel suggested more accusations would follow. Kim's agency Gold Medalist stood by its denial of all allegations on Wednes

March 12, 2025

Web comics industry faces contraction, adult content surges

Number of titles down 6.7 percent as new releases plunge 14.6 percent across platforms South Korea's once-thriving web comics industry has shown signs of cooling down. New data shows the digital comics market shrank nearly 7 percent last year, with adult content now making up over half of all titles. According to data released by the Korea Manhwa Contents Agency (KOMACON) on Wednesday, the total number of web comics available across domestic platforms dropped to 18,792 in 2024. This marks a 6.7

March 12, 2025

French Film Week to showcase award-winners in Seoul, Busan

Festival brings Berlin Golden Bear winner, Cannes laureates to Korean screens French Film Week is set to return to South Korea from April 4-13, the festival organizers announced Monday. Organized by the French Embassy's cultural service alongside Megabox's arthouse cinema Artnine and the Busan Cinema Center, the event has become a fixture for French cinema enthusiasts in Korea. The fifth annual festival brings a curated selection of recent French films to Artnine in Seoul as well as the Busan Ci

March 11, 2025

Disney taps Suzy for 'Snow White' theme song

Former Miss A singer joins Disney's lineup of Korean collaborators in $200m remake Actor-singer Suzy has been tapped to perform the Korean version of "Waiting On A Wish," the main theme song for Disney's upcoming "Snow White" remake, Walt Disney Company Korea announced Monday. A 44-second teaser video released Monday on Disney Korea's official YouTube channel shows Suzy braving a snowstorm in a red cape as she ventures into an enchanted forest setting. The song captures Snow White's (played by R

March 10, 2025

Ghost on baduk board

Troubled production heads to cinemas after co-star's fall from grace The press conference for "The Match" at Seoul's CGV Yongsan Friday convened with a conspicuous absence. The film's co-lead, Yoo Ah-in, was nowhere to be found — not in the posters decorating the venue, not in the carefully edited trailer shown to reporters, not on the stage alongside director Kim Hyung-ju and the cast. The erasure wasn't unexpected. Yoo, who was sentenced to one year in prison last September for drug use, was g

March 7, 2025

Landmark Korean blockbuster 'Shiri' gets 4K remaster

1999 spy thriller that sparked Korean cinema's blockbuster era returns to theaters March 19 "Shiri," the 1999 spy thriller that marked a watershed in Korean cinema, is set to return to theaters on March 19 in a 4K remastered version, distributor CJ ENM announced Thursday. Directed by Kang Je-kyu, "Shiri" follows South Korean intelligence agents Yu Jung-won (Han Suk-kyu) and Lee Jang-gil (Song Kang-ho) as they track North Korean operatives led by commander Park Mu-young (Choi Min-sik). The film b

March 7, 2025

Movies in theaters this week

"Mickey 17" (US) Opened Feb. 28 Sci-Fi/Drama Directed by Bong Joon-ho Mickey Barnes (Robert Pattinson), an expendable clone whose job is to die repeatedly on an outer-space expedition, survives a deadly assignment only to discover his replacement has already been printed. "Exorcism Chronicles" (South Korea) Opened Feb. 21 Animation/Fantasy Directed by Kim Dong-cheol An exorcist priest teams with a Buddhist monk to protect a child from a power-hungry sect leader performing forbidden rituals for d

March 7, 2025

Selling sex, selling dreams: Sex workers in Korean cinema

From "Western princesses" to hostesses — trace Korea's turbulent modern history through the stories of those who bore its heaviest costs When Sean Baker took home four statuettes at this year's Oscars—a feat unmatched since Walt Disney in 1954 —it cemented the director's reputation as cinema's preeminent chronicler of the sex worker community. His film "Anora," about a Brooklyn stripper whose fairy-tale marriage to a Russian oligarch's son unravels spectacularly, won five Oscars, with four going

March 6, 2025

Rising talents get spotlight at Korean Academy of Film Arts graduation film fest

38 works by academy graduates to be screened March 7-15 in Seoul and Busan The Korean Academy of Film Arts will host its annual Graduation Film Festival March 7-9 at Megabox Seongsu in Seoul, with an additional screening day on March 15 at the Korean Film Council's headquarters in Busan, organizers announced Tuesday. Under the slogan "Like a Movie," this year's festival will present 38 films from KAFA's latest graduates, offering audiences a first glimpse at Korea's emerging cinematic talents. T

March 4, 2025

Chanel X BIFF Asian Film Academy opens applications

Film training program seeks 24 emerging Asian filmmakers for collaboration during Busan International Film Festival Applications are now open for the 2025 Chanel X BIFF Asian Film Academy, a cornerstone educational program designed to nurture Asia's next generation of cinematic talent. Running Sept. 7-26, the initiative invites aspiring filmmakers from across Asia to apply before April 4. This year's program will welcome 24 participants from across Asia who will collaborate on short films slated

March 4, 2025