Noticias

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...

Picture: Lost in Starlight – Netflix

Netflix’s first South Korean animated feature, Lost in Starlight, is coming in Q2 2025, with Revenant pair Kim Tae Ri and Hong Kyung reuniting to play the lead roles. We’ll be keeping track of everything you need to know about Lost in Starlight, including the plot, cast news, trailers, and the Netflix release date.

Lost in Starlight is an upcoming animated South Korean Netflix Original film directed and co-written by Han Ji-won. Kang Hyun-joo co-wrote the story alongside Han Ji-won. Climax Studio is the production studio behind Netflix’s first South Korean animated feature.

Kim Tae-ri and Hong Kyung will voice an astronaut-musician couple in the longest distance relationship ever in #LostinStarlight, Netflix's first ever Korean animated film! pic.twitter.com/OfUfBTdiYf

— Netflix K-Content (@netflixkcontent) August 16, 2023

When can we expect to see Lost in Starlight on Netflix?

Netflix has revealed that Lost in Starlight...

“Jeongnyeon: The Star is Born” breaks the ground as the first Korean drama that takes the historical or sageuk genre beyond palace walls and onto the theatre stage. The series achieved both commercial and critical acclaim, reaching an impressive 18% viewership rating.

Set after the Korean War in the late 1950s, the series introduces the audience to gukgeuk, an all-female traditional opera that thrived during the time. The plot follows Jeong-nyeon, a young woman from a seaside village with a passion for pansori, a traditional Korean musical storytelling. Her raw talent catches the attention of Moon Ok-gyeong, the star of Maeran Gukgeuk Troupe, who trains her for an audition with the team. Then, what follows is Jeong-nyeon’s transformation from an unpolished talent to Maeran’s next leading performer.

Check also this video

Ahead of its premiere, “Jeongnyeon” garnered a lot of anticipation for its untapped plot, which is adapted from...

The Twenty-Five Twenty-One ending is a bittersweet completion of the 16-episode romantic arc between Na Hee-do (Kim Tae-ri) and Baek Yi-jin (Nam Joo-hyuk). One of the best Korean dramas streaming on Netflix, Twenty-Five Twenty-One is a one-season show that premiered in 2022. Set in the present day, Hee-do's daughter Kim Min-chae (Choi Myung-bin) finds her mother's old diary, and it's from this diary that the story is told in flashbacks, jumping back and forth to the present.

In the previous episodes of the K-drama, Hee-do and Yi-jin's lives are shown, first as they begin to fall in love in high school, then through an unseen breakup that pushes the pair far from each other. Both end up living successful lives, and Na Hee-do goes through a few relationships before ending on one that seemingly gave her a daughter, though who Min-Chae's father is, is carefully obstructed from the audience. It's a...

The best K-drama series can charm audiences with compelling conflicts and plot lines, but it all depends on how well the cast fits the characters. The K-dramas, like passionate romances and emotional storylines, risk falling flat when the actors aren't the right fit for the show. Incredible K-drama actors can elevate the show with their portrayals of their characters. From heartbreaking tragedies to action-filled thrillers, masterclass acting in K-dramas is essential to making the series believable and engaging.

K-drama actors and their performances are a major factor in whether a series is a hit or a flop. Not even immaculately planned and executed masterpiece K-dramas can be salvaged if the main cast's acting ability isn't compelling or doesn't quite match what the story needs. Ranging from lighthearted romantic comedies to thrilling crime dramas, shows with skilled actors and remarkable and authentic acting have skyrocketed the popularity of K-dramas.

Twenty-Five Twenty-One...

Two-part extravaganzas have always been huge gambles for their creative teams. Hollywood is no stranger to shooting back-to-back sequels, from “The Matrix” to “The Hobbit” to Netflix’s recent “Rebel Moon” saga, and Asian cinema has followed a similar path. John Woo split his expansive Han Dynasty battle epic “Red Cliff” in two for much of its worldwide distribution, while Bollywood’s “Gangs of Wasseypur“(with its initial 319 minute runtime) has seen many iterations, first as two films, then as eight much shorter episodes for its Netflix distribution. In all of these cases, there is a gravitas that comes with the filmmaker’s vision, bursting with ideas and flourishes that cannot be contained in the average one-off cinema experience. Yet with that comes a crucial hope for the goodwill of the audience, that they’re willing to come back, buy another ticket and sit back down to see the conclusion of the story.

Streaming service Netflix unveiled its lineup of Korean movies scheduled for release in 2025 at a recent event during the Busan International Film Festival. The selection includes both movies from experienced directors and new talent.

One of the highlighted projects is Netflix’s first original Korean animated feature called “Lost in Starlight.” Directed by Han Ji-won, it will be her first full-length film. The movie explores a long-distance relationship through an astronaut voiced by Kim Tae-ri and a musician voiced by Hong Kyung.

Acclaimed director Yeon Sang-ho, known for “Train to Busan” and the Netflix series “Hellbound,” is working on the thriller “Revelations.” Ryu Jun-yeol plays a pastor searching for his missing son alongside detective Shin Hyun-been. Yeon, who co-wrote the script with Choi Gyu-seok from “Hellbound,” notes the changing expectations of audiences. He stated audiences now decide how streaming films differ from those in theaters.

Other anticipated titles include disaster...

Netflix showcased its Korean film slate for the coming year at an event in Busan, including Lost In Starlight, the first Korean-language animated feature to be produced by the streamer.

Directors from seven films set to release on the platform next year attended the event, held during Busan International Film Festival, to discuss their upcoming projects.

Lost In Starlight will mark the feature debut of director Han Ji-won and follows the long-distance relationship between an astronaut, voiced by Kim Tae-ri of The Handmaiden, and a musician, voiced by Hong Kyung of TV’s Revenant.

Also on the slate is Revelations,...

Netflix has unveiled an extensive lineup of Korean films set to debut on the streaming platform in 2025, showcasing the streaming giant’s continued investment in Korean content.

The diverse slate, revealed at an event on the sidelines of the Busan International Film Festival, which opened with Netflix’s “Uprising,” includes projects spanning genres from action and sci-fi to romance and animation, featuring both established and emerging talent in the Korean film industry.

Acclaimed director Byun Sung-hyun, known for his work on “The Merciless” and “Kill Boksoon,” returns with “Good News” (working title), a 1970s-set thriller centered around a hijacked airplane. The film stars Sul Kyung-gu, reuniting with Byun for a fourth collaboration, alongside Hong Kyung and Ryoo Seung-bum. Sul takes on the role of a mysterious fixer, with Hong playing an Air Force lieutenant and Ryoo portraying a government official overseeing a covert operation.

In the sci-fi disaster genre, “The...

The 19th edition of the London Korean Film Festival (Lkff), organised by the Korean Cultural Centre UK (Kccuk) and supported by the Korean Film Council, is proud to unveil its 2024 programme. The London Korean Film Festival will take place at BFI Southbank, Ciné Lumière, and Institute of Contemporary Arts (Ica) from 1 November to 13 November. It will feature two strands; Cinema Now and Women’s Voices, as well as a programme from the BFI Echoes in Time: Korean Films of the Golden Age and New Cinema.

Opening Gala Film: Park Beom-su‘s Victory

Closing Gala Film: E.oni‘s Love In The Big City

Special Screening: Choi Dong-hoon‘s Alienoid: Return To The Future

Victory by Park Beom-su will open the festival on the 6 November at BFI Southbank with the director in attendance. In 1999, two rebellious teenagers start a cheerleading squad for their provincial high school, bringing confidence and solidarity to themselves,...

Pachinko is a sweeping historical drama series created by Soo Hugh. Based on a 2017 novel of the same name by author Min Jin Lee, the Apple TV+ series follows four generations of a Korean family, beginning with Sunja as she leaves her family in Korea under Japanese rule to move to Koreatown, Osaka to start a new life but struggles with discrimination in Japanese society. Pachinko stars Youn Yuh-jung, Soji Arai, Kim Min-ha, Yu-na, Jin Ha, Han Jun-woo, Jeong In-ji, Jung Eun-chae, Lee Min-ho, Kaho Minami, Steve Sang-Hyun Noh, Anna Sawai, Jimmi Simpson, and Kim Sung-kyu. So, if you loved the historical drama, epic romantic stories, and complex characters in Pachinko, here are some similar shows you should check out next.

Little America (Apple TV+) Credit – Apple TV+

Little America is an anthology drama series developed by Lee Eisenberg, Emily V. Gordon, and Kumail Nanjiani. Based on true stories of...

The ReportImage: Amazon

Even if it might be harder to navigate than any of its top-tier streaming peers, Amazon Prime Video still boasts a wide selection of films, including plenty of older movies that places like Netflix simply don’t care to host. That said, its turnover is frequent and subtle.

Kim Ji-won's performances in dramas like Queen of Tears and Fight For My Way showcase her range and sincerity. Her portrayal of characters like Yoo Rachel in The Heirs and Choi Ae-ra in Fight For My Way are unforgettable. Kim Ji-won's nuanced acting in My Liberation Notes and Descendants of the Sun highlights her emotional depth and talent.

Though Queen of Tears has become one of the biggest K-dramas of the year so far, Kim Ji-won has a number of great performances under her belt that deserve just as much attention. Initially trained as a singer under the name JessicaK, Kim Ji-won changed career paths to debut as an actor in 2008. Since her acting debut in the sitcom High Kick 3, Kim Ji-won has continually proven that she excels in any genre as she continues to build on her already impressive filmography and deliver performances that only seem to get better.

Two-part extravaganzas have always been huge gambles for their creative teams. Hollywood is no stranger to shooting back-to-back sequels, from “The Matrix” to “The Hobbit” to Netflix's recent “Rebel Moon” saga, and Asian cinema has followed a similar path. John Woo split his expansive Han Dynasty battle epic “Red Cliff” in two for much of its worldwide distribution, while Bollywood's “Gangs of Wasseypur”(with its initial 319 minute runtime) has seen many iterations, first as two films, then as eight much shorter episodes for its Netflix distribution. In all of these cases, there is a gravitas that comes with the filmmaker's vision, bursting with ideas and flourishes that cannot be contained in the average one-off cinema experience. Yet with that comes a crucial hope for the goodwill of the audience, that they're willing to come back, buy another ticket and sit back down to see the conclusion of the story.

"Whatever's inside you, just leave it alone." Well Go USA has revealed the official US teaser trailer for the sci-fi sequel Alienoid: The Return to the Future – Part 2 of this epic Korean production. We posted multiple trailers for the original Part 1 - Alienoid back in 2022 when it first opened in theaters in the US and in Korea. Filming originally began in March 2020. Both first & second part were filmed simultaneously for 13 months. Alien + Human: Part 2, as it's also known, will open in US theaters later in January this winter. This is the second part to Alienoid, which will center on ancient Taoists traveling through time and space in an effort to obtain the Divine Sword. After locating the Divine Blade, a shaman and a modern-day woman race through time to battle a powerful alien commander intent on destroying mankind in this sci-fi follow-up, Part 2 of Choi Dong-hoon's epic action series.

Following the story of a wealthy man in 1945, Netflix’s Gyeongseong Creature is a period drama that combines history with horror and brings about an intriguing show that poses questions about humanity and the perils of survival in a monster-infested world. South Korea has been well known for making some incredible thrillers over the years, and Gyeongseong Creature does not disappoint on that front either. Although it’s a plot that is rather predictable, there are a lot of thrills to keep one occupied. The show is also set in Japan-occupied Korea, a dark time for the country, and does a decent job of representing the time period. Whether you’re looking for something historical or monstrous, this list will serve you well.

Sweet Home

The most obvious choice when it comes to a double feature with Gyeongseong Creature would be Sweet Home, the TV show about a virus that turns humans into monsters.

Choi Dong-hoon unleashed his vision for the future last year with “Alienoid”, a sci-fi time-jumping epic that was his dream project, told in both the present time and the Joseon era. Though the multi-starrer large-scale production, starring Kim Tae-ri, Ryu Jun-yeol and Kim Woo-bin, failed to light up the box-office, Choi did manage to set up his expansive world with the first part of a tale that he shot simultaneously as a two-parter and the second part, now titled “Alienoid: The Return to the Future” is gearing up for release.

Synopsis

Ean and Thunder have become trapped in the distant past while trying to prevent the escape of alien prisoners who are locked up in the human brains. She eventually locates the Divine Blade. which can open a door through time. Meanwhile Moo-reuk who helps Ean escape is unnerved when he begins sensing the presence of a strange being in his body.

The Creator is a sci-drama film directed by Gareth Edwards, who co-wrote the film with Chris Weitz. Set in a dystopian future where a war between the humans and the artificial intelligence rages on, Joshua an ex-special forces agent is recruited to capture and kill the Creator, who is known as the architect of advanced AI. The Creator stars John David Washington, Gemma Chan, Ken Watanabe, Allison Janney, and Madeleine Yuna Voyles. So, if you loved the original sci-fi film here are some similar movies you could watch next.

Space Sweeper (Netflix) Credit – Netflix

Synopsis: Set in 2092, spaceship Victory is one of the many that live off salvaging space debris. Crewed with a genius space pilot Tae-ho(Song Joong-ki), a mysterious ex-space pirate Captain Jang(Kim Tae-ri), an spaceship engineer Tiger Park(Jin Sun-kyu), and a reprogrammed military robot Bubs(Yoo Hai-jin), Spaceship Victory surpasses all other space sweepers. After...

It’s not every day that we get an excellent horror show that is an all-rounder. We have pining romance, family drama, heartbreak, commentary on the class divide, and suicide all in this one show called Revenant that is entertaining (for lack of a better word) from its first minute to its last. San-Yeong is played by the amazing Kim Tae-Ri, who happens to be at her peak in this one for sure. She does an incredible job of switching from the fear of being possessed to being possessed within seconds. It’s probably all her theatre skills working to her benefit. All her life, San-Yeong has struggled with money and, inevitably, everything else that comes with it. She worked hard at part-time jobs from a young age and continued to do so because she couldn’t afford not to and was giving her civil exam. Because of this, San-Yeong...

Now a household name in the Korean entertainment industry, Kim Tae-Ri’s humble beginnings may come as a shock to many for the actress, who has an impressive resume for just a seven-year career. While technically, she hasn’t been acting for just 7 years, her mainstream film debut was in 2016, and she was clearly set up for success right from the start. The 33-year-old actress, who is known for looking youthful and even played a 21-year-old just last year, discovered her love for acting back in college. She began as a theatre actress in her second year of university and starred in a couple of music videos thereafter. She auditioned with over 1500 other women to play the important role of an orphan in acclaimed director Park Chan Wook’s erotic thriller The Handmaiden. She hasn’t looked back since, won many awards for the role, and proved her place in the industry.

The question is, was the last episode of Revenant the grand finale we needed? The short answer is yes; it lives up to our expectations and gives us the satisfaction we needed. People may say that Kingdom has got to be writer Kim Eun-Hee’s best work, but I’d like to argue that Revenant is just as good or even better in many ways. She’s especially good at balancing an emotional message that packs a punch with the ridiculous lengths human beings can go to in their greed. In many ways, Revenant has a very simple and straightforward plot, but the way it reaches its conclusion is truly delightful to watch. In terms of the best episode, it’s got to be episode 11, but 12 doesn’t fall too far behind, either. It’s a shame we won’t be waiting for new episodes every Friday anymore, but we...

Revenant, like so many horror stories, begins on a rainy night. Disney+’s latest South Korean drama opens as Professor Gu Kang-mo (Jin Seon-kyu) hurries through his front door, past shelves piled with books, and barricades himself in the study. “What went wrong?” he asks himself, flipping through his notes. Behind him, visible through paper windows, flashes of lightning illuminate a shadowy figure — its hair writhing in a wide halo like snakes.

Moments later, Gu is dead and we cut to what appears to be an unrelated scene. Rushing from...

It’s a shame that there are only 2 episodes of Revenant left when we’re just starting to see some new developments. Of course, we can’t expect any less from writer Kim Eun-Hee; she really knows what thrills. We can say without a doubt that Kim Tae-Ri really might be one of the best in the industry. To play an almost depressed woman who is possessed by an evil spirit who is a teenager is not an easy task, but she does an incredible job of dropping our jaws to the floor. It’s been a while since such a gripping show came our way, and we’re so excited to revisit it again.

Spoilers Ahead

What Happens In The Episode?

San-Yeong gets visited by her mother in the house at night. San-Yeong is really worried and tells her mother that it’s dangerous to be around her at night.

This has got to be the most thrilling episode of Revenant by far. Already, so much has happened in this show, and we’re seeing the full effect of Kim Tae-Ri’s impeccable performance skills. The role is ideal for her, and she’s fantastic at playing both the sheep and the wolf! It’s incredible. A horror show like the Revenant is rare to come by because it’s fast-paced, but it doesn’t feel rushed. In Episode 4, we saw Hae-Sang and San-Yeong visit the village that did the ritual to ward off evil spirits. They’re searching for Jangjin-ri, the place where the little girl Lee Mok-Dan was killed by a shaman for a ritual. This week, we learned a lot more about the ritual and why Mok-Dan is tormenting the people of Seoul.

Spoilers Ahead

What Happens In Episode 5?

Hae-Sang finds the dolls used for the ritual...

If you thoroughly enjoyed the first four episodes of Revenant and need something to fill the void while you desperately wait to know what’s going to happen next with San-Yeong, then here’s a list that’ll do just that. The Korean entertainment industry is fantastic at getting a scream out of viewers and has some really innovative and exciting new ideas to do this. Zombies, ghosts, serial killers, cults, and all, this list will contain some or all of your nightmares to make your July viewing extra terrifying. Let’s quickly get into a list of the best K-horror shows to watch while waiting for Revenant.

Save Me (2017)

The now star-studded Save Me includes superstars like Ok Taec-Yeon, Woo Dohwan, and Seo Yea-Ji in pivotal roles as students who are fighting a religious cult that threatens to destroy the leading lady’s life for good. This one is a slow burn,...

Revenant, literally translated to The Demon, is the new Korean drama with mystery, thrills, and long-haired shadow spirits that are here to occupy your nightmares. The show stars Kim Tae-Ri and Oh Jung-Se in pivotal roles, and we love the detective work done by these two already! Last week, they solved the mystery of a vengeful spirit who had some unfinished business in the earthly realm, specifically to save his young sister from their terrible parents. This week, a new mystery with high heels and a purple coat unfolds, and simultaneously, we continue to learn about the spirit that’s taken over San-Yeong’s body too.

Spoilers Ahead

What Happens In Episode 3?

Hong-Sae is on a mission to prove to his senior, Mun-Chun, that he is a great detective and isn’t working just for a promotion. Mun-Chun had told him that he was looking for a connection between suicide cases.

The horror genre is a beloved one in the K-drama industry. We’ve seen many a successful show about ghosts and monsters such as Let’s Fight Ghost and Sweet Home. Kim Tae-Ri returns to the drama world after her successful Netflix show Twenty-Five Twenty-One which was an emotional watch for anyone who saw it. Now, she commands the screen with a ghostly aura in Revenant to unwind a mystery that will connect her to her past and help solve a years-old ghostly encounter. Her long black hair paired with her pale skin and black outfits only add to the eerieness of Revenant and I’m here for it. Oh Jung-Se does yet another unique role where he plays a stoic professor who can see ghosts and wants to figure out how his mother died many years ago. Together they will embark on a journey to get rid of the evil force that is at play.

As K-Dramas become more and more popular in the U.S., audiences are getting to experience unique stories, new cultures, and above all, some of the best romances on television. The following list is ten of the most romantic K-dramas that will make any viewer believe in love. These stories stand out for their sweetness, realism, and depiction of love and relationships.

K-dramas, or Korean dramas, are television series made in South Korea. Since the 1990s, Korean media and pop culture has spread into the West, giving audiences brand-new Korean content from K-pop bands like BTS to K-dramas like those appearing on this list. While K-dramas can exist in any genre, such as Squid Game being a horror/drama series, most K-dramas have a romantic element to them and focus heavily on relationships of all kinds. Romantic K-dramas are some of the most popular among U.S. audiences because of...

The most exciting upcoming K-dramas streaming in 2023 and beyond include brand-new series, long-awaited sequels, and the continuation of hit shows that dominated pop culture in the last couple of years. 2022 saw dozens of hit Korean dramas streaming globally across different platforms, including but not limited to All of Us Are Dead, Extraordinary Attorney Woo, The Glory Part 1, Pachinko, Little Women, and Alchemy of Souls. The first quarter of 2023 also saw some incredible K-dramas, including but not limited to The Glory Part 2, Payback, and Black Knight.

The most anticipated 2023 Korean dramas are mainly new releases, although a few of those are K-dramas based on webtoons. Some hit Korean shows from the past three years are also set to receive a second season in late 2023 and 2024. From new stories to highly anticipated sequels, here are the 10 most exciting upcoming K-dramas premiering in 2023 and beyond.

Bloodhounds

Described as an action-packed drama, Bloodhounds will...

As the search for the next “Squid Game” continues, South Korea brought out the big guns at MipTV, introducing several scripted and unscripted offerings. These includes FormatEast’s intergenerational game show “Gganbu Race,” inspired by the Netflix smash hit.

“It’s a slang term meaning close friends and companions. Kids would say that when forming teams to play games,” said producer Fay Zhang during the K Formats: The Next Big Hits from Korea session, mentioning “Squid Game’s” episode where the main character joined forces with female and older contestants.

“Everyone thought they would lose. They won, because of an unexpected synergy effect. Our main concept is to overcome prejudice and win through cooperation beyond age.”

The show will see juniors and seniors battling for prize money. They have to choose partners not knowing which games they will play, but there is a twist: the bigger the age difference, the bigger the prize.

Image Source: Everett Collection

Nam Joo-Hyuk is definitely the internet boyfriend we deserve! Though fans are missing him dearly while he serves his mandatory service in the Korean military (as all able-bodied Korean men must by age 28), they're relying on his his dreamy roles in hit K-dramas like "Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok-Joo," "Start-Up," and "The Light in Your Eyes" to keep his face fresh in their minds.

Nam took his dreamboat status to a whole new level through his 2022 role as Yi-Jin on Netflix's romance-drama "Twenty-Five Twenty-One." Whether it's his undeniable chemistry with Kim Tae-ri's Na Hee-Do, the way he blushes adorably in the aspiring fencer's presence, his sad eyes whenever they're forced to part ways, or simply his million-dollar smile, Nam is all fans can think about ever since the show aired. And naturally, fans are wondering about the Korean heartthrob's relationship status. Is he still on the market?...

The coronavirus pandemic had a very detrimental effect not just on film production but also distribution and release. Productions with an international shooting schedule in particularly were heavily hit, having to either cancel shoots altogether or wait and change locations to resume production. However, with the ease in movement and the opening of the world, these projects were able to finish and 2022 in particular was a good year for these long-gestating films. Possibly the biggest and longest-delayed project of these is the history-making real-life crime thriller “The Point Men”, which has just released its first trailer and set a January 2023 release date for itself.

Synopsis

Based on the true events of the Korean hostage crisis in Afghanistan.

A group of Korean tourists is taken hostage by an extremist Taliban group in Afghanistan. The Korean government dispatches Jae-ho (Hwang Jung-min), known as one of Korea’s most skilled diplomats, in order to handle the situation.

Our friends at Texas-based specialty distrbutor Well Go USA have been gracious enough to provide Screen Anarchy with three copies of Korean sci-fi action gem, Alienoid, for giveaway this week! Somehow the film managed to slip through our fingers when it released a few months back, so we don't have a review handy, but here's what they have to say about it: Written & directed by Choi Dong-hoon and starring Ryu Jun-Yeol, Kim Woo-bin (Friend 2), and Kim Tae-ri (The Handmaiden), the time-traveling sci-fi action epic Alienoid debuts on Digital, Blu-ray™ and DVD December 6 from Well Go USA Entertainment and will land on martial arts action streaming channel Hi-yah! on December 23. The first in a...

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

Written & directed by Choi Dong-hoon and starring Ryu Jun-Yeol, Kim Woo-bin (Friend 2), and Kim Tae-ri (The Handmaiden), the time-traveling sci-fi action epic Alienoid debuts on Digital, Blu-ray and DVD December 6 from Well Go USA Entertainment and will land on martial arts action streaming channel Hi-yah! on December 23. The first in a planned series of two epic sci-fi action time-warpers, the film is a tale of two eras, following two Goryeo Dynasty (918-1392) shamans seeking a legendary, time-bending blade as they unexpectedly cross paths with modern-era people hunting down a dangerous alien concealed inside a human’s body. Bonus features include trailers, character trailers, making-of materials and an all-new English dub.

Synopsis:

While seeking a legendary, time-bending blade, two Goryeo-era shamans cross paths with modern-era people hunting down a dangerous alien concealed inside a human’s body.

Cj Enm, which includes Korea’s largest film producer and distributor, is using the Asian Contents & Film Market this week to launch a handful of new titles while basking in its recent box office and festival successes.

“The Boys” gets its premiere as a special screening withing the Busan International Film Festival’s expanded Korean Cinema Today section. This crime drama delves into the lives of three teenage boys, falsely accused and jailed for a brutal robbery-murder case. Fifteen years later, they seek a retrial in a bid to prove their innocence.

The veteran cast line-up includes Seol Kyung Gu (“Kingmaker”), Yu Jun Sang (“Along With The Gods: Two Worlds”), Jin Kyung (“Beasts Clawing At Straws”), Heo Sung Tae and Yeom Hye Ran (“Special Delivery”). “The Boys” was directed by Chung Ji Young, whose notable works include “National Security” and “Black Money.”

History has proven freedom comes at a price.

The world’s longest-running film festival dedicated to Korean cinema, the London Korean Film Festival (Lkff) returns with its 17th edition. Lkff will run from 3 November – 17 November 2022 in cinema venues across London.

With the biggest programme dedicated to Korean cinema outside of the country itself, the festival is proud to return with an exciting programme of 35+ films across strands including Cinema Now, Special Focus, After Dark: K-Horror, Indie Talents, Women’s Voices, Documentary, Shorts and Artist Video.

Korean Sci-fi film, Choi Dong-hoon’s Alienoid opens the festival on 3rd November at the Institute for Contemporary Arts (Ica) with the director in attendance. A box office hit in Korea starring leading talent including Ryu Jun-yeol, Kim Woo-bin and Kim Tae-ri, the Lkff Opening is the film’s UK premiere.

The programme includes a Special Focus strand dedicated to internationally celebrated, acclaimed actress Kang Soo-yeon. Beloved within Korea as a young actor,...

Format

HBO Max in Hungary will stream a local version of hit survival reality format “The Bridge.” The competition sees participants tasked with building a 250-metre-long bridge to an island for the chance to win a large cash prize. Presented by Csaba Magyarósi, “The Bridge Hungary” is produced locally by Free Monkeys Production. This is the sixth adaptation of the format, which was created in Spain by Zeppelin, part of Banijay Iberia and has U.K., Brazil and Australia versions..

Banijay Rights struck multiple deals for the U.K. version with broadcasters in the Netherlands and across Africa and Latin America. The U.K. series also aired on HBO Max in the US, Latin America, and Asia.

The Hungarian agreement was negotiated by Veronique Verges, senior VP German territories, Poland and Hungary, Banijay Rights.

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LA and London based production company The Ats Team have launched competition series “Clash of Trades.

Trying to find the most accurate way to describe Alienoid is like attempting to hold the sands of time in your hands. Directed by Choi Dong-hoon, the South Korean time-traveling action film is one that dips its toe into both science fiction and fantasy, becoming a bit of a glorious mess that is a formidable one to grasp. Telling a story that spans multiple timelines and genres, it can be rather unwieldy in ways that are hard to fully get a handle on. It is a film that feels like it is moving a mile a minute, hardly ever stopping for you to catch your breath as it throws everything at the screen. However, at the core of this is the always outstanding Kim Tae-ri as the older version of Lee Ahn who is tasked with saving the world as we know it.

Cohen Media Group hopes a Spanish film can dent the tough market for foreign language fare, Bleecker Street is out with a hostage drama and A24 presents Owen Kline’s directorial debut about a teenage cartoonist as the arthouse market flexes more muscle than it has in weeks.

The dearth of new releases itself nudged some distributors to grab a window now before a more crowded fall, including Uar’s supersized specialty opening of the Idris Elba, Tilda Swinton-starring Three Thousand Years Of Longing on 2,436 screens, considerably wider than originally anticipated.

George Miller’s fantasy fairytale, written by Miller and Augusta Gore, is based on the 1994 A.S. Byatt short story ‘The Djinn in the Nightingale’s Eye’. Swinton is a complacent academic, Elba is the Djinn (a kind of spirit genie) she encounters at a conference in Istanbul in the 2022 Cannes Film Festival out-of-competition entry. Deadline review here.

The Good Boss...

"The great Controller is locked inside you. Ready to break free?" One last look! Well Go USA has revealed a final official US trailer for the Korean epic action sci-fi movie Alienoid, opening in US theaters this week (starting August 26th). We already posted three other trailers for this movie before, but they keep hyping it up with more more more. A tale of two eras, Alienoid follows two Goryeo Dynasty (918-1392) gurus seeking a legendary, time-bending blade as they unexpectedly cross paths with modern-era people hunting down a dangerous alien concealed inside a human's body. This sounds and looks awesome. The sci-fi action fantasy features a cast including Ryu Jun-yeol as the master swordsman, Kim Tae-ri as "a woman who shoots thunder", Kim Woo-bin, So Ji-seob, Yum Jung-ah, Kim Eui-eung, Lee Ha-nee, and Jo Woo-jin. I totally want to bring everyone I know to the theater to watch this when it plays this week.

When I first was introduced to the South Korean sci-fi action flick Alienoid, I expected a story set in the future, one full of robots, aliens, neon-colored cities, and sleek futuristic hovercraft. Of course, it doesn't take long for you to realize that this is not what Alienoid is. In fact, it's rather difficult to put together what genre the movie really fits into, what kind of tone it's going for, or even what the plot is at times. Directed by Choi Dong-hoon, who saw commercial success with the caper The Thieves and period film Assassination, Alienoid boasts beautiful costumes, talent the likes of Kim Woo-bin and Kim Tae-ri, and splashy special effects.

Alienoid International Trailer 2 — Well Go USA Entertainment has released the second movie trailer for Alienoid / Oegye+in 1bu (2022). View here the first Alienoid international movie trailer. Cast and crew Choi Dong-hoon‘s Alienoid stars Ryu Jun-yeol, Kim Tae-ri, Kim Woo-bin, So Ji-seob, Yum Jung-ah, Kim Eui-eung, Lee Ha-nee, and Jo Woo-jin. Choi Dong-hoon [...]

Continue reading: Alienoid (2022) International Movie Trailer 2: Aliens Place Prisoners in Human Bodies in Choi Dong-hoon’s Sci-Fi Film...

"That blade can wake up prisoners, and it can move you through time." Sounds like one powerful blade! Korea's Cj Entertainment has revealed another official trailer for the epic sci-fi Alienoid, which is finally set for a US release. Well Go USA will drop this one in US theaters at the end of August. We already posted two other trailers for this movie before, but there's always more footage to see. During the Goryeo Dynasty (918-1392), Taoists try to take a mysterious holy sword. Meanwhile in present day (in 2022), aliens appear on Earth. A time door soon connects the late Goryeo period and the present day. The two parties cross paths when a time-traveling portal opens, causing chaos and confusion. The science fiction action fantasy features a cast including Ryu Jun-yeol as the master swordsman, Kim Tae-ri as "a woman who shoots thunder", Kim Woo-bin, So Ji-seob, Yum Jung-ah, Kim Eui-eung,...

Tickets go on sale July 1 for the fully in-theater 20th anniversary edition of the New York Asian Film Festival (Nyaff), presented by the New York Asian Film Foundation and Film at Lincoln Center (Flc), running from July 15–28, 2022 at Flc, as well as on July 23 and July 28–31 at Asia Society, which will be co-presenting a selection of key films and a Hong Kong marathon day. International stars and acclaimed filmmakers will return in-person to grace the Nyaff red carpet at Flc, receive awards, speak at Q&a sessions, and impart wisdom during masterclasses and special talks.

Hong Kong cultural icon Josie Ho will headline Nyaff 2022 with her latest project as producer of the inspiring musical documentary Finding Bliss: Fire and Ice—The Director’s Cut, in which she travels with musicians and students from Hong Kong to Iceland for a transcendent collaboration. As a tribute to the acting superstar, the festival...

The 20th edition of the festival will return as a full in-person event in July.

The New York Asian Film Festival (Nyaff) has unveiled the full line-up for its 20th edition, which will include honorary awards for Japanese horror director Takashi Shimizu, acclaimed Japanese actor Hiroshi Abe and South Korean rising star Kim Hye-yoon.

This year will mark Nyaff’s fully-fledged return to the big screen, following a virtual 2020 edition and a hybrid event in 2021. More than 60 new and classic titles from Asia, including six world premieres, will be presented as in-person screenings at Film at Lincoln Center (Flc) and the Asia Society,...

"For many years, aliens have kept their prisoners locked inside human bodies." Cj Entertainment in Korea has debuted another new "teaser" trailer for an epic sci-fi movie titled Alienoid. We posted a trailer for this a few weeks ago, but this teaser has even better footage. During the Goryeo Dynasty (918-1392), Taoists try to take a mysterious holy sword. Meanwhile in present day (in 2022), aliens appear on Earth. A time door soon connects the late Goryeo period and the present day. The two parties cross paths when a time-traveling portal opens, causing chaos and confusion. The science fiction action fantasy features a cast including Ryu Jun-yeol as a master swordsman, Kim Tae-ri as "a woman who shoots thunder", Kim Woo-bin, So Ji-seob, Yum Jung-ah, Kim Eui-eung, Lee Ha-nee, and Jo Woo-jin. It was shot all together but will be released in two sequential parts, instead of one big movie, which...

Exclusive: Well Go USA Entertainment has expanded its slate of Korean films, acquiring North American rights to titles including Alienoid, Hansan: Rising Dragon, Gangnam Zombie, The Ghost Station and The Assassin. While the international and indie distributor has set theatrical releases in place for Alienoid and Hansan, plans for the other three films have not yet been finalized.

Alienoid is the first in a series of two big-budget sci-fi films from director Choi Dong-hoon. Ryu Jun-Yeol, Kim Woo-bin and Kim Tae-ri star in the pic, which is being distributed in Korea by Cj Enm.

Directed by Kim Han-min and starring Park Hae-il, Byun Yo-han and Ahn Sung-ki, Hansan: Rising Dragon is a follow-up to 2014’s The Admiral: Roaring Currents—the most-watched film in Korean cinema history—which brings to life the historic Battle of Hansan Island. Its Korean distributor is Lotte Entertainment.

In the horror film Gangnam Zombie, from director Lee Soo-sung,...

Alienoid Trailer — Choi Dong-hoon‘s Alienoid / Oegye+in 1bu (2022) international movie trailer has been released by Cj Entertainment and Media. The Alienoid trailer stars Ryu Jun-yeol, Kim Tae-ri, Kim Woo-bin, So Ji-seob, Yum Jung-ah, Kim Eui-eung, Lee Ha-nee, and Jo Woo-jin. Crew Choi Dong-hoon wrote the screenplay for Alienoid. Caper Film produced this film. Plot Synopsis Alienoid‘s [...]

Continue reading: Alienoid (2022) International Movie Trailer: Swordsmen vs. Space Aliens in Choi Dong-hoon’s Scifi Film...

"How long do we have to stay on Earth?" Cj Entertainment in Korea has revealed the first international trailer for an epic sci-fi movie called Alienoid. Actually it's two movies! This "Part 1" will be out in July in Korea, though no US date is set yet. During the Goryeo Dynasty (918-1392), Taoists try to take a mysterious holy sword. Meanwhile in present day (in 2022), aliens appear on Earth. A time door soon connects the late Goryeo period and the present day. The two parties cross paths when a time-traveling portal opens, causing chaos and confusion. The science fiction action fantasy features a cast including Ryu Jun-yeol as a master swordsman, Kim Tae-ri as "a woman who shoots thunder", Kim Woo-bin, So Ji-seob, Yum Jung-ah, Kim Eui-eung, Lee Ha-nee, and Jo Woo-jin. It was shot as one but will be released in two sequential parts; Ryu Jun-yeol & Kim Tae-ri star in...

The movie images that haunt my mind are rarely from places you would expect. For instance, there is a scene in Park Chan-wook's incredible film "The Handmaiden" where Kim Tae-ri's character shares a powerful intimate moment with Kim Min-hee's character by filing her tooth. The intention is clear. One character literally has the other's fingers in her mouth. Their urges coming to the forefront without anything explicitly sexual happening. However, I was horrified by this, as the thought of someone filing my tooth makes me break out into a cold sweat. Park Chan-wook has created plenty of cinematic moments where he wants to unnerve me, but this...

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