Journalist
최송희
alfie312@ajunews.com
-
Producer Lim Eun-jung on 'The Man Who Lives With the King' and Gen Z repeat viewings Two years after the last Korean film to hit 10 million admissions, “The Man Who Lives With the King” has kept building momentum. The period drama drew audiences through word of mouth, passed 10 million moviegoers and has continued to climb, topping 13 million admissions — an unusual run for a traditional historical film. At the center is Lim Eun-jung, CEO of the new production company Onda Works. “Director Jang Hang-jun said in an interview that he joined because I persuaded him. So on opening day, I worried, ‘What if I end up looking like a con artist?’” Lim said. “I’m deeply grateful that this small spark I set off has received such big love. I’m thankful to everyone I met along the way — and above all, to audiences.” Lim said she founded Onda Works after years of thinking about how to better support creators and see projects through. While she found producing rewarding, she said there were moments inside a company when it was hard to take full responsibility to the end. “I majored in Korean language and literature, and since high school I thought I should make stories,” she said. “As I studied the film industry, I realized what I’m good at is recognizing what people do well, so I focused on producing. Even when I worked at CJ ENM, my biggest goal was getting writers’ work out into the world, but I felt there would be limits inside a company. I thought I needed to be in a position where I could keep my promises if I wanted to keep working in film.” She said the industry was struggling when she considered leaving, and people around her tried to stop her. Still, she said the uncertainty made her decision clearer. “At the time, the industry situation wasn’t good, so everyone told me not to quit,” Lim said. “I heard a lot of, ‘No one is investing — what are you going to believe in?’ It was a livelihood issue for me, too. But I quit and traveled to Portugal for about a month. I love surfing, and when waves start coming in, surfers get excited and say, ‘Onda, onda.’ I thought it was cute and figured if I ever started a company, I’d use the name ‘Onda.’ Then the first surf shop I visited in Portugal was actually named ‘Onda.’ I asked what it meant, and they said it means ‘wave.’ In that moment I thought, ‘This is fate.’ That’s how, on April 1, 2023 — April Fools’ Day — I founded Onda Works, like a lie that came true.” “The Man Who Lives With the King” was a project Lim had carried since before launching the company. She said she was especially attached to it as an original period film without a source work, and she wanted to tell a personal story alongside a major historical moment. “I planned this project when I was at CJ ENM,” she said. “It’s an original work with no source material, and it was an item I really wanted to make with meaning. I’m not enough of a period-drama fanatic to call myself one, but I wanted to tell the story of an individual standing next to a big historical event. My favorite films are ‘The Lives of Others’ and ‘The King’s Speech,’ and I wondered if we could tell that kind of story in a Korean historical film. I started planning from the idea: What story would unfold if Eom Heung-do watched Danjong up close and began to feel something different?” The project stalled during the pandemic, she said, and at one point she told writer Hwang Seong-gu to take the screenplay rights and proceed elsewhere if an opportunity arose. “Hwang delivered the first draft in early 2020,” Lim said. “But it was the pandemic, and for several reasons production stopped. I told Hwang to take the rights and move forward at another company if there was a chance. But I think Hwang felt it would be inappropriate to do that because the script began with my proposal. So I said I would look for the right timing within five years. After that I started my own company and prepared this as our first film.” Lim said she chose Jang to direct because she believed the film’s core was the characters’ emotions and point of view, not the events themselves. “I thought the key was the perspective on the characters and the theme,” she said. “It was important how Danjong, seen through Eom Heung-do’s eyes, and Danjong’s emotions in that situation intersect. I thought about who could express those feelings most warmly, and I decided Director Jang Hang-jun was right. The warm tone I felt in ‘Rebound’ was also a big reason.” She said it was difficult for a new company to mount a period drama, given the high costs and uncertain commercial prospects. Lim said she needed to persuade experienced partners and investors, and the project took shape after multiple revisions. “I told BA Entertainment CEO Jang Won-seok that I wanted to co-produce on the condition that Director Jang Hang-jun would direct,” she said. “At first, he saw it as a commercial risk. So I showed him revised versions three times, and through that process he recognized the potential and joined. Showbox also listened to my project, and they agreed with the judgment that audiences can look for meaningful stories, not only provocative ones.” After release, Lim said she was struck by repeat viewings among Gen Z audiences — especially middle and high school students. “I think a long-built longing for theaters may have played a role,” she said. “Recently, several films have helped people feel the fun of watching in theaters again. This film also has many elements audiences can enjoy together in a theater, and it’s a film that makes it possible to talk with different people afterward. The experience itself — audiences laughing and reacting together — seems to have reminded people of the appeal of theaters. What surprised me most was Gen Z repeat viewing. I’ve often seen repeat viewing among die-hard fans, but it was truly welcome to see middle and high school audiences doing it. For someone like me who wondered whether the next generation would even exist for theaters, I think this is very meaningful.” Lim pointed to actor Park Ji-hoon as a key factor in connecting the character of Danjong to today’s audiences. “In the end, the combination of actor Park Ji-hoon and the character Danjong played a big role,” she said. “The CEO of the production company behind ‘Weak Hero’ told me good things about Park, so I had been watching him with interest. From the casting stage, I had a strong feeling he could become a Danjong that stays in people’s memories for a long time.” Lim said she has multiple projects in development and plans to move between period and contemporary stories. “First of all, I have a lot of film ideas,” she said. “I’ve built a long friendship with director Kim Eui-seok of ‘After My Death,’ and we’re preparing a genre film set in Gyeongseong that takes place on a train. Another is an action film with director Ahn Tae-jin of ‘The Night Owl,’ set in a border area during the Joseon era. The films I can talk about right now happen to be period pieces. The series projects I’m planning are almost all contemporary.” 2026-03-16 00:05:10 -
'Man Who Lives With the King' Tops 13 Million Moviegoers, Enters Korea’s All-Time Top 10 영화 '왕과 사는 남자'가 누적 관객수 1300만 명을 돌파하며 한국 영화 흥행 기록 상위권에 올랐다. 15일 배급사 쇼박스에 따르면 '왕과 사는 남자'는 이날 오전 9시 기준 전국 누적 관객수 1300만 명을 넘어섰다. 지난달 4일 개봉한 뒤 지난 6일 개봉 31일째에 1,000만 관객을 돌파했고, 9일 만에 1,300만 명을 추가로 넘어섰다. 쇼박스는 이 영화가 '명량'(1761만), '극한직업'(1626만), '신과 함께: 죄와 벌'(1441만), '국제시장'(1425만), '베테랑'(1341만), '서울의 봄'(1312만), '괴물'(1301만)에 이어 역대 한국 영화 가운데 여덟 번째로 1,300만 관객을 동원한 작품이라고 밝혔다. 흥행세도 이어지고 있다. 개봉 한 달이 지난 뒤에도 평일 관객이 15만 명 안팎을 유지하고 있으며, 지난 13일에는 22만 1000명, 14일에는 55만 4000여 명을 동원했다. 영화계 안팎에서는 현재 추세가 이어질 경우 2,000만 관객을 돌파할 가능성도 거론되고 있다. '왕과 사는 남자'는 1457년 청령포를 배경으로 유배된 어린 선왕과 그를 맞이한 촌장의 이야기를 그린 작품이다. 탄탄한 서사와 배우들의 연기로 호평을 받으며 장기 흥행을 이어가고 있다.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-03-15 17:36:15 -
Park Hae-joon on 'Humint': Director Ryoo Seung-wan eased his concerns Park Hae-joon, who recently drew viewers in with an everyday, emotionally grounded performance in Netflix’s “When Life Gives You Tangerines,” returns with a sharply different role in the film “Humint.” In the movie, he plays Hwang Chi-seong, North Korea’s consul general in Vladivostok, a man driven by power and profit who keeps a wary eye on Park Geon, who suspects him. Instead of warmth, Hwang projects cold tension and suspicion. Park keeps his emotions tightly controlled while letting the character’s anxiety and ruthlessness show through. “Director Ryoo Seung-wan is someone everyone wants to work with, so I was genuinely happy when he asked to meet,” Park said. “The ‘Humint’ script was a great read and really entertaining, so I was excited. But I’d done ‘When Life Gives You Tangerines’ last year, and I felt pressure about taking another villain role. I wondered, ‘Do I have anything more to show?’ and worried it might overlap with what I’d done before. After meeting the director, that concern was resolved. It was different — different from my previous roles — and I felt he understood Hwang Chi-seong in detail, so I committed to the project with confidence.” Park described Hwang’s action scenes as less like carefully planned moves and more like the reflexes of someone cornered. He said the overall intensity was not high, but he tries to do as much physical work himself as possible. He also focused on showing Hwang’s instability and unpredictability in how he handles a gun. “It’s a role where he dies in a frenzy, so the action intensity was low, and the gun work turned out well thanks to Tae Sang-ho, a military specialist reporter, who paid close attention to it,” Park said. “When it comes to action, I try not to hold back. Hwang is a character with a sense of freedom. With the gun, I used it more freely than rigidly — holding it this way or that, using it however I could in a hurry. Because he’s cornered, there was more room to express things others might not. It can look ridiculous, like when he’s startled and falls, but I wanted to show he’s truly backed into a corner. I thought it suited me. He’s scary because you don’t know how he’ll attack. I wanted that sense that he could do something unexpected to come through.” Park said he starts preparing by getting comfortable in the spaces where a character lives and works, arguing that understanding a role is tied to how a person occupies a place. Before filming, he visited sets such as a North Korean restaurant and the consul general’s interrogation room, imagining how Hwang would stand and move there. “When I work, space is very important,” he said. “I need time to get used to it, so before shooting I go early and make it feel familiar. The North Korean restaurant wasn’t literally my space, but I thought it was a place Hwang could control, so I visited places like that and the interrogation room in advance. I thought he needed to be overwhelming, comfortable and in a position of advantage, and that acting as if nothing bothered him could read as confidence.” Asked about filming overseas, Park recalled his time in Latvia with an easy smile. He said the cold was manageable, though outdoor shoots — including an airport scene — were difficult. Off set, he said, the cast built memories that contrasted with the film’s tense mood. “People say it was freezing, but it wasn’t the kind of cold that makes your bones ache,” he said, laughing. “But when we shot the airport scene, it was so cold that outdoor filming was tough. The Latvia location shoot left a lot of memories. We’d have dinner and drink beer, and during travel it snowed heavily, so we’d have snowball fights. People over 30, like little kids,” he said, laughing. “It felt like we got close again by running around like children.” Park said the teamwork on set also came quickly. While “When Life Gives You Tangerines” brought actors together through affection and connection between characters, he said “Humint” bonded the cast through a demanding schedule in an unfamiliar environment over three months. “On ‘When Life Gives You Tangerines,’ the story itself has deep affection between people, and that builds into a point where feelings cross and connect, so the actors got very close and opened up,” he said. “This time, filming was hard and there was no one else to rely on, so over three months it felt like we got close fast. We ended up sharing everything — what we ate, what happened that day. Our rhythm on set got good, too. There was a sense of urgency like, ‘If I can’t trust that person, even before being an actor, I have nowhere to lean myself,’” he said, laughing. “Jung-min liked it so much he said he wants to go back to Latvia. The teamwork shows even more during promotion than during filming.” Park has built a career across major projects — including the dramas “My Mister,” “The World of the Married,” “When Life Gives You Tangerines” and “First, For Love,” and the films “4th Place,” “Believer,” “12.12: The Day” and “Humint” — often showing markedly different sides of himself. He said it has been less strategy than luck. “These are projects you might meet only once in a lifetime, and I’m grateful they sent them to me and I got to meet those roles,” he said. “It’s luck — the fact that I can do work like that,” he said, laughing. “My wife once said, ‘You’re really unusual. How can someone who played Lee Tae-oh in “The World of the Married” be given the role of Gwan-sik in “When Life Gives You Tangerines”?’ She said she was jealous, and that I did well to show that range. I deeply agreed. I felt proud, and it felt strange, too. I can only say I’m lucky.” Asked which project he feels most attached to, Park pointed to the film “4th Place.” It may not be widely known, he said, but it reminded him that acting can be fun and helped open doors for later work. “I’m grateful for every project and feel attached to them, but ‘4th Place’ comes to mind,” he said. “I had a really fun, comfortable time on set, and it made me feel, ‘Acting is fun.’ It was like a starting gun telling me, ‘Keep filming in a fun way.’ Directors and production staff later sought me out after seeing that film. Even now, many people tell me they really like ‘4th Place.’ It’s not a well-known movie, but I’m thankful there are still people who watched it, loved it and remember me. Personally, it gave me hope that I could keep working.” Near the end of the interview, Park spoke carefully about movie theaters. Rather than urging audiences to show up, he said he hopes going to the cinema can again feel like a natural part of life. “There was a time when going to the theater with family during holidays was just normal,” he said. “If there were about four weekends in a month, it felt natural to go at least once. I hope that kind of normal returns. I won’t say, ‘Come to the theater,’ like you’re being pushed, but I hope people can again feel that going to the cinema is something enjoyable. And I hope you’ll show love for ‘Humint,’ too.”* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-03-15 14:45:12 -
Netflix Unveils Main Poster for BTS Comeback Live Stream Netflix has released the main poster for the group BTS’ comeback live show, fueling anticipation among fans worldwide. The poster for “BTS Comeback Live: Arirang,” unveiled by Netflix on the 15th, highlights the group’s presence and adds to expectations for a full-group return. Netflix has said it will exclusively livestream “BTS Comeback Live: Arirang” from the area around Gwanghwamun Square in Seoul, delivering the event to fans around the world in real time. The company said the broadcast is also its first live event and music performance transmitted from South Korea to a global audience. Netflix, known for films, series and unscripted programming tailored to members’ tastes, said the livestream will expand its entertainment offerings by presenting a way for viewers worldwide to experience the same stage at the same time. The show will be overseen by director Hamish Hamilton, described as a leading live-event director whose credits include the Emmys, Grammys, Oscars, the U.S. Super Bowl halftime show, the opening ceremony of the 2012 London Olympics, and performances by Madonna, Beyonce and Rihanna. Netflix said the production aims to offer a new way to watch a live concert, beyond a standard broadcast. The event will be exclusively livestreamed worldwide on Netflix at 8 p.m. on the 21st.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-03-15 10:24:14 -
Kang Chan-hee on ‘Method Acting’: Clashing With Lee Dong-hwi Made the Film Work Actor Kang Chan-hee is taking on a new screen persona in the film 'Method Acting,' playing Taemin, a top star who can be irritating but not easy to hate. Director Lee Ki-hyeok and cast members Lee Dong-hwi, Kang and Yoon Kyung-ho attended a press screening and news conference Friday afternoon at Megabox COEX in Seoul’s Gangnam district. '’Method Acting’ is a black comedy about actor Lee Dong-hwi, who is eager to be recognized for sincere acting rather than being boxed in as a comedy performer, and the chaos that follows as he becomes overly immersed in a role. Kang, who plays Taemin, Lee’s on-screen rival, said he was struck by the premise when he first read the script. “It felt really fresh and surprising that senior actor Lee Dong-hwi would play ‘Lee Dong-hwi’ under his own name,” he said, adding that he chose the project because he wanted to work with the veteran actors. Known largely for upright, “model student” roles, Kang said he focused on making Taemin “annoying, but not simply hateful,” as he built the character. Kang, who is active as both an idol and an actor, said he related to Taemin’s background of having started acting young and staying in the business. He said he anchored the character in feelings of loneliness and emptiness, and viewed Taemin’s small acts of revenge and on-set sparring as “minor deviations.” Kang also described a warmer off-camera dynamic with Lee despite their sharp exchanges in the film. He said it was difficult because he is not the type to speak harshly on set, but credited Lee’s consideration for helping him finish the shoot smoothly. Kang said the film captures a range of emotions and situations in ways that are both entertaining and moving, and he hopes audiences enjoy the novelty of watching Lee portray himself. 'Method Acting' opens in theaters March 18.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-03-13 17:01:31 -
Stray Kids Win Four Japan Gold Disc Awards, Most Ever for Overseas Artist Stray Kids won four prizes at the 40th Japan Gold Disc Awards, setting a record for the most wins by an overseas artist. The Japan Gold Disc Awards said on its official website on the 11th that the group received Best Asian Artist. It also won Album of the Year (Asia) and Best 3 Albums in the Asia category for its third Japanese mini album, “Hollow.” In addition, the live Blu-ray of its 2024 in-person fan event in Japan, “Stray Kids Fan Connecting ‘SKZ TOY WORLD,’” was named Music Video of the Year (Asia). The Japan Gold Disc Awards are hosted by the Recording Industry Association of Japan and marked their 40th edition this year. Winners were selected based on sales of recordings, videos and other products from Jan. 1 through Dec. 31, 2025. Stray Kids have also posted strong results on global charts. In 2025, the group achieved eight consecutive No. 1 debuts on Billboard’s main albums chart, the Billboard 200. On the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry’s 2025 year-end global charts, its fourth full-length album, “KARMA,” ranked No. 2 on the Global Album Sales Chart, the highest placement by a K-pop artist. The group was also the only K-pop act to place in the top 10 of the Global Artist Chart and the Global Album Chart. Stray Kids are scheduled to hold their sixth official fan meeting, “Stray Kids 6TH FANMEETING ‘STAY in Our Little House,’” on March 28-29 and April 4-5 at Inspire Arena in Incheon. In June and September, they are set to appear as headliners at The Governors Ball Music Festival in New York and Rock in Rio in Brazil.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-03-12 14:30:16 -
AMAZE Picks TWS as First 2026 Headliner for VR Concert Series AMAZE, which helped popularize VR concerts featuring third- and fourth-generation K-pop artists last year, has selected fifth-generation idol group TWS to open its 2026 lineup. Choosing a rookie group in its second year since debut signals that VR concerts are taking hold as a mainstream performance format that now extends to newer-generation acts. Because VR concerts are screened in theaters for a set period, they require steady audience demand backed by a strong fan base. TWS has grown quickly since debut and has emerged as one of the most prominent fifth-generation groups. The group established a clear identity early with a bright, youthful concept, while its fandom expanded rapidly. TWS has also shown ticket strength in the live market. Within a year of debut, the group sold out its first fan meetings in South Korea and Japan. Its first Japan fan meeting sold out all seats across three shows, and subsequent Japan and Greater China solo tours also sold out. A recently announced second fan meeting, “2026 TWS Fan Meeting Psy Club,” likewise sold out quickly on the day of presales, underscoring demand. Chart and album results followed. TWS ranked No. 2 on Japan’s Oricon annual rookie ranking and reached No. 1 on the Billboard Japan Hot 100. The group also swept rookie awards at major South Korean ceremonies soon after debut. Industry observers say that combination of fandom scale and marketability aligns with the VR concert model. The group’s dense core fan base, centered on teens and people in their early 20s, is seen as having strong purchasing power for performances and related content. As K-pop performance content expands into theater screenings and XR productions, VR concerts are also drawing attention as an alternative format. In that context, TWS’ participation is being read as a sign that VR concerts are widening to include the next generation of K-pop artists. “TWS VR Concert: Rush Road” sold out quickly after ticket sales opened. Most screenings in the opening week sold out, followed by sellouts in key time slots and weekend screenings in the second week. The production also posted a 9.9 audience rating on Megabox and ranked No. 2 on the chain’s overall movie chart, indicating strong viewer satisfaction. Analysts say TWS’ selection reflects more than a bet on a newcomer, pointing instead to a fast-growing fandom and proven demand that highlight VR concerts’ commercial potential. Attention is now on how the format will evolve as it expands to newer generations of K-pop acts. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-03-12 13:54:32 -
BLACKPINK draws big crowds in China and Japan with 'Deadline' promotions BLACKPINK drew strong interest in China and Japan with large-scale events marking the release of its third mini album, "Deadline." YG Entertainment said Thursday it successfully wrapped up a "Deadline" release promotion held across 20 Chinese cities in partnership with Tencent Music Entertainment Group, or TME. The company said it was planned as TME’s largest offline promotion to date, with a range of events rolled out starting on the album’s release day. Landmarks in cities including Ningbo, Macau, Shenzhen, Zhongshan and Foshan were lit in the group’s signature pink. Major shopping malls in high-traffic cities such as Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou featured album-themed wraps and large installations, while the music video for the title track, "GO," played on giant outdoor screens, turning the areas into "BLACKPINK spots." Pop-up stores in five cities also drew heavy crowds. In Shanghai, Dolby House Shanghai in the Zhangyuan cultural complex offered an immersive Dolby Atmos sound experience and large-screen presentations of the group’s music. The space combined tech-based music content with limited-edition merchandise, drawing positive reviews from visitors. The momentum continued in Japan. A pop-up store in Tokyo’s Shibuya district drew early lines before opening, and some items sold out quickly. Fans also took part in billboard events and promotions tied to major record labels, posting photos from the site on social media to celebrate the group’s comeback. "Deadline" sold 1,774,577 copies in its first week, according to Hanteo Chart, setting a new first-week record for a K-pop girl group. The album also ranked high on the main charts of the U.K.’s Official Charts and the U.S. Billboard, setting a record for the most chart entries by a K-pop female artist, the company said.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-03-12 09:51:20 -
TXT Wins Japan Gold Disc Award for Best 3 Albums in Asia Category 그룹 투모로우바이투게더가 일본 골드 디스크 대상에서 의미 있는 성과를 냈다. The group TOMORROW X TOGETHER earned a major honor at the Japan Gold Disc Awards. According to the Recording Industry Association of Japan on Tuesday, the group’s third Japanese full-length album, “Starkissed,” was selected in the Asia category for “Best 3 Albums” at the 40th Japan Gold Disc Awards. Released in October last year, “Starkissed” topped Oricon’s weekly combined album ranking and weekly album ranking with the group’s highest score to date. As of November last year, cumulative shipments surpassed 500,000 copies, earning a Gold Disc “Double Platinum” certification. In January, the group released the digital single “SSS (Sending Secret Signals,” featuring HYDE, a member of Japanese rock band L’Arc~en~Ciel and a solo artist, drawing a strong response. The group has maintained steady popularity in Japan. Its fourth full-length album released in South Korea in July last year, “The Star Chapter: TOGETHER,” received a Gold Disc “Double Platinum” certification as of February. The album first earned “Platinum” certification in its release month and added the new certification seven months later. The association issues Gold Disc certifications each month based on cumulative album shipments. TOMORROW X TOGETHER will hold its seventh anniversary special concerts, “2026 TXT MOA CON,” across eight shows in four Japanese cities — Aichi, Chiba, Fukuoka and Hyogo — in May and June. The group previously performed for three days at KSPO DOME in Seoul’s Songpa district, drawing about 33,000 attendees. The group will release its eighth mini album, “7TH YEAR: When the Wind Briefly Stopped in the Thornbush,” at 6 p.m. on April 13. It will be the group’s first full-group album since renewing its contract with BIGHIT MUSIC last year.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-03-12 09:01:03 -
'A Man Living With the King' Tops 12 Million Admissions, Holds No. 1 Spot The film "A Man Living With the King" has surpassed 12 million admissions. According to the Korean Film Council’s integrated box office database, the film drew 171,426 moviegoers on March 11, holding the No. 1 spot. Its cumulative total reached 12,055,448. Set in Cheongnyeongpo in 1457, the film follows a village chief who volunteers to live in exile to revive his town and a young deposed king sent into exile. The film has won broad support from both critics and audiences. Disney and Pixar’s animated film "Hoppers," directed by Daniel Chong, ranked No. 2 the same day with 11,605 admissions, bringing its cumulative total to 348,380. The film centers on Pixar’s imagined "hopping" technology, which transfers human consciousness into animal robots, as a girl named Mabel becomes a robot beaver and infiltrates the animal world on an unexpected adventure. "Samakdo," directed by Chae Gi-jun, opened that day and drew 11,185 moviegoers. Its cumulative total stood at 12,000. The film depicts a hellish ordeal witnessed in a sealed-off village where prophecies and secrets surround a pseudo-religion that disappeared after Japan’s colonial rule. It stars Jo Yoon-seo and Kwak Si-yang. 2026-03-12 08:18:16