Journalist

Choi Song-hui
  • Review: Kim Tae Yong’s ‘Number One’ Finds Quiet Comfort in Family Meals
    Review: Kim Tae Yong’s ‘Number One’ Finds Quiet Comfort in Family Meals “It’s romantic. This lighting, the temperature, the humidity …” a guest on a variety show once said. The point was that place, weather and even how you feel combine to create a mood. Movies work the same way: your day and your experiences can become the yardstick. “Choi’s Review” introduces films through the writer’s perspective, in a more relaxed, everyday tone. Mother, family and home-cooked food can be a sure-fire formula in South Korean cinema — and also a reason some viewers brace for another tear-jerker, especially around the Lunar New Year holiday. “Number One” seems to invite that assumption, but it largely avoids squeezing emotions for effect. Instead, it turns into a quiet mirror held up to everyday life. The premise is simple and cruel: Whenever Ha-min (Choi Woo-shik) eats his mother’s cooking, he starts seeing an unexplained number. As it drops, he learns, death is getting closer. The meals prepared by his mother, Eun-sil (Jang Hye Jin), become not comfort but a countdown. Ha-min pushes away the table with excuses to protect her time, while Eun-sil responds by cooking with even more care. The film focuses on the sad irony of two people who love each other but feel forced to create distance, capturing subtle shifts in the air between them. The movie is based on Uwano Sora’s Japanese novel, “You Have 328 Chances Left to Eat Your Mother’s Home-Cooked Meals,” reworked with a distinctly Korean sense of family conversation at the dinner table. Director Kim Tae Yong, known for probing characters’ inner lives in films such as “Giant” and “A Girl at My Door,” softens that sharp gaze here into something closer to understanding. One of the film’s key choices is how it sidesteps melodrama. At moments that could tip into heavy sadness, Kim often pulls back — slipping in humor or letting grief dissolve into the noise of ordinary life rather than putting it on display. The dialogue stays grounded in how people actually speak, and that plain tone carries much of the film’s sincerity. Locations also do narrative work. The contrast between Busan and Seoul reflects the story’s split emotions: Busan, where Ha-min spends time with Eun-sil, is portrayed as warm and familiar; Seoul, where he imagines a new start with Ryeo-eun (Gong Seung-yeon), is framed as a place of hard-edged working life. Kim, who is from Busan, uses local dishes such as beef radish soup and pickled bean leaves not as props but as emotional connectors, and fills scenes with eateries tied to memories shared by the director and cast. Performances are central. Jang and Choi, who played mother and son in “Parasite,” reunite with a deeper ensemble. Choi plays Ha-min with a restrained, matter-of-fact emotional register as he carries his secret through daily life. Jang gives Eun-sil a realistic face — hurt by her son’s distance but continuing on without spectacle. Gong’s Ryeo-eun, portrayed as someone capable of steady love, becomes a turning point that broadens the story. “Number One” aims less for a dramatic feast than for the feeling of a simple home meal: understated, but warming. It opens in theaters on Feb. 11. Running time is 104 minutes, and it is rated for ages 12 and older. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-11 00:03:00
  • Lim Young Woong’s 2025 Seoul Tour Concert VOD to Stream Exclusively on TVING
    Lim Young Woong’s 2025 Seoul Tour Concert VOD to Stream Exclusively on TVING Singer Lim Young Woong’s Seoul concert will be available to watch from home. A VOD of his 2025 national tour concert, “I’m Hero (IM HERO),” filmed at the Seoul stop, will be released exclusively on TVING starting at 7 p.m. on Feb. 13. The video captures the show held Nov. 30, 2025, at KSPO DOME. Lim opened with “Wonderful Life” and performed a set list spanning hit songs and tracks from his second full-length album. The concert also featured stage production and official light sticks that changed color by song, along with performances and moments available only at the live show. He also interacted with fans through “Hero Singing Contest,” a segment in which he took requests on the spot. Audience sing-alongs and responses helped drive the atmosphere. The VOD includes multi-angle camerawork and live sound, aiming to recreate the concert experience for viewers and bring back memories for those who attended. Lim is also set to hold “2026 I’m Hero Concert: The Stadium 2 (2026 IM HERO CONCERT : THE STADIUM 2)” in September.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-10 09:24:00
  • Stray Kids Concert Film ‘The Dominate Experience’ Tops Global Box Office
    Stray Kids Concert Film ‘The Dominate Experience’ Tops Global Box Office Stray Kids’ concert film “Stray Kids: The Dominate Experience,” which captures the group’s largest-ever world tour, has topped the global box office. According to U.S. outlet Deadline, the film, which opened on Feb. 6 (local time), grossed a total of US$19.1 million across 61 markets during the first weekend of February, ranking No. 1 worldwide. In North America, it earned about $5.6 million from 1,724 theaters in its opening weekend. In Mexico, it took in about $2.1 million to rank No. 1. In Germany, it grossed about $1.6 million, marking the biggest opening for a K-pop film in that market. In the U.K. and Ireland, it earned about $1.4 million, becoming the top-grossing K-pop film there. The film also posted solid results in Italy, Spain, Brazil, France, Peru, Chile and Australia. “Stray Kids: The Dominate Experience” documents Stray Kids’ “Stray Kids World Tour ‘Dominate,’” held from August 2024 through October the following year, spanning 56 shows in 35 regions. The film also includes the group’s concert at Los Angeles’ SoFi Stadium — billed as a first for a fourth-generation K-pop group — along with behind-the-scenes footage. Stray Kids are set to continue activities in 2026 and are scheduled to appear as headliners at the Governors Ball Music Festival in New York on June 6 and Rock in Rio in Brazil on Sept. 11. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-10 08:06:00
  • Review: Ryoo Seung-wan’s ‘Humint’ hits a new peak of classic spy-action elegance
    Review: Ryoo Seung-wan’s ‘Humint’ hits a new peak of classic spy-action elegance “It’s romantic. The lighting, the temperature, the humidity …” a guest on a variety show once said. The point was that place, weather and how you feel combine to create an atmosphere. Movies work the same way: your mood and experience can become part of how you judge what you see. “ChoiCine Review” is a column that introduces films through the writer’s own perspective, in a more relaxed, everyday voice. Director Ryoo Seung-wan’s films arrive with a recognizable rhythm. If his earlier work moved like upbeat disco or punk, his new film, “Humint,” shifts into something closer to a full orchestra — heavier, colder and more controlled. The result is a polished new high point for Ryoo’s brand of action, refined even beyond “The Berlin File.” The story follows Jo, a National Intelligence Service black-ops agent known as Manager Jo (Zo In-sung), who is tracking an international crime case in Southeast Asia when he picks up a clue left by an informant killed during his earlier human-intelligence operation. He heads to Vladivostok, where he makes contact with Chae Seon-hwa (Shin Se-kyung), an employee at a North Korean restaurant, and selects her as a source for a new operation. Elsewhere, Park Geon (Park Jung-min), a State Security Department team leader sent to investigate disappearances near the border, senses that North Korea’s consul general, Hwang Chi-seong (Park Hae-joon), is involved. Using the pasts of Chae and Park as leverage, Hwang pressures them, and the players begin a dangerous balancing act. Rather than replaying power struggles head-on, Ryoo focuses on what is left unsaid — the gaps between records. The film keeps the poise of classic spy cinema while stripping away excess technique, making “Humint” one of the most tightly constructed espionage entries in his filmography. That control shows in the locations and staging. A Latvia shoot stands in for Vladivostok, bringing a chill texture to the screen. Buildings marked by Russia’s past create an unfamiliar mood, while heavy concrete surfaces help visualize the harsh reality surrounding the characters. The camera alternates between wide landscapes and tight close-ups at key moments, holding on faces to capture emotional shifts. The contrast between the weight of the setting and the instability in the characters’ expressions helps regulate tension scene by scene. The action is designed to match character and tempo, not just deliver thrills. Movements shaped through actual NIS training add professional detail, and the direction counts bullets in gunfights to give scenes a realistic weight. The texture of each fight reflects the characters’ circumstances and temperaments, pushing the story forward. Zo handles firearms with a composed, agentlike presence, using his physicality to give the action a measured style. Park Jung-min brings contained movement with bursts of energy, from his first appearance throwing darts to a car chase. Park Hae-joon tightens suspense with a coldness that turns everyday tools into weapons, while Shin anchors the film with a forceful performance built around decisive choices for survival. Together, the cast’s physical performances lock into an ensemble, building individual arcs within shared spaces and drawing a clear line between harsh reality and human conflict. “Humint” opens in theaters on the 11th. It runs 119 minutes and is rated for viewers 15 and older.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-10 06:03:00
  • Three Korean Films Target Lunar New Year Moviegoers With Family Drama, Spy Action and Period Tale
    Three Korean Films Target Lunar New Year Moviegoers With Family Drama, Spy Action and Period Tale 설 연휴를 맞아 한국 영화 기대작 3편이 동시에 관객을 찾는다. 가족 드라마부터 첩보 액션, 정통 사극까지 장르가 다른 영화 ‘넘버원’과 ‘휴민트’, ‘왕과 사는 남자’가 극장가에 나란히 걸린다. 가족 관객을 겨냥한 ‘넘버원(Number One)’은 판타지 설정을 더한 휴먼 드라마다. 어느 날부터 엄마의 음식을 먹을 때마다 줄어드는 숫자가 보이기 시작한 아들 하-min(Choi Woo Shik)의 이야기를 그린다. 하민은 그 숫자가 '0'이 되면 엄마 은실(Jang Hye Jin)이 죽는다는 사실을 알게 되고, 이를 막기 위해 애쓴다. 영화는 가족애를 전면에 내세웠으며, 오는 11일(수) 개봉한다. ‘휴민트’는 블라디보스토크를 배경으로, 비밀과 진실이 뒤엉킨 얼음 바다에서 서로 다른 목적을 지닌 인물들이 맞서는 첩보 액션물이다. Jo In Sung과 Park Jung Min 등이 주연을 맡아 거친 액션과 인물 간 앙상블을 내세운다. 정통 사극을 찾는 관객에게는 ‘왕과 사는 남자’가 선택지로 제시된다. 1457년 청령포를 배경으로, 마을의 부흥을 위해 유배지를 자처한 촌장과 왕위에서 쫓겨난 어린 선왕 단종의 이야기를 담았다. 단종과 엄흥도의 실화를 바탕으로 재구성했다. 극장가는 설 연휴 기간 개성이 뚜렷한 한국 영화 3편이 동시에 관객을 만나면서 선택 폭이 넓어지고, 전체 박스오피스 규모도 커질 것으로 보고 있다.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-09 11:09:00
  • Teaser posters for BLACKPINKs upcoming album unveiled
    Teaser posters for BLACKPINK's upcoming album unveiled SEOUL, February 9 (AJP) - Teaser posters for K-pop girl group BLACKPINK's upcoming album were unveiled on Monday, ahead of its release scheduled for late this month. Their management agency YG Entertainment uploaded two posters for "Deadline" on social media, which will mark the quartet's first full-group return in about three years and five months. The posters' vivid contrast in tone and color hints at a wide musical range in the upcoming album, raising excitement among fans. The album, set for release on Feb. 27, contains five songs including the title track "Go." The agency described the album as filled with "the best moments that can't be undone, and BLACKPINK's present at its brightest." 2026-02-09 10:37:04
  • South Korean Film Director Jeong Jin Woo Dies at 88
    South Korean Film Director Jeong Jin Woo Dies at 88 South Korean film director Jeong Jin Woo, who made movies including "Does the Cuckoo Cry at Night" and "The Mugunghwa Flower Has Bloomed," died on Saturday, the film industry and his family said. He was 88. Jeong died at about 8:00 p.m. at a nursing hospital in Seoul’s Gangnam district, they said Sunday. He had been hospitalized after a fall while walking his dog about two months ago and later contracted COVID-19, and he did not recover, they said. Shortly before his death, longtime friend director Im Kwon Taek and Lee Woo Seok, chairman of Dong-A Export Co., visited the hospital to say goodbye. Born in 1938, Jeong debuted at age 24 with the 1962 film "Only Son," starring Choi Mu Ryong and Kim Ji Mi. He went on to direct films including "Betrayal" (1963), starring Shin Seong Il and Eom Aeng Ran, and helped lead South Korean cinema’s resurgence from the 1960s through the 1980s. In the 1980s, he drew critical and popular attention with films rooted in local themes. "Does the Cuckoo Cry at Night" (1980) won nine awards at the 19th Daejong Film Awards, including best actress, best actor and cinematography. "A Parrot Cried in Its Body" (1981) won six awards at the 20th Daejong Film Awards. Jeong also gained international recognition. "Long Live the Island Frog" (1972) was selected for the main competition at the Berlin International Film Festival, and "Janyeomok" (1984) was invited for a special screening at the 42nd Venice International Film Festival. That year, he was also named one of the "world’s 10 greatest directors" at the Venice festival. He directed 54 films through his 1995 movie "The Mugunghwa Flower Has Bloomed" and produced 135 films through his own company, Woojin Film. Jeong also worked as a film administrator focused on welfare and industry development. He helped found the Korean Film Directors Association in 1967, established the Film Welfare Foundation in 1984 and served as chairman of the Korean Film Association in 1985. In 1989, he founded the multiplex Cine House, helping drive changes in theater culture. In 1993, he received France’s Order of Arts and Letters for his contributions. Survivors include his wife, a son and two daughters. A funeral altar will be set up at the mortuary of Samsung Medical Center in Seoul’s Gangnam district.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-09 08:03:00
  • South Korea Women Win First Asia Team Badminton Title Led by An Se Young
    South Korea Women Win First Asia Team Badminton Title Led by An Se Young An Se Young of Samsung Life Insurance led South Korea’s women’s national badminton team to its first title at the 2026 Asia Mixed Team Badminton Championships. South Korea swept host China 3-0 in the women’s final on Saturday at Conson Gymnasium in Qingdao, China. An, who rested in Friday’s semifinal against Indonesia to manage her condition, needed 39 minutes to beat Han Qianxi 21-7, 21-14 in women’s singles. The second game was tied 11-11, but An pulled ahead 15-14 and closed it out by winning the next six points. In women’s doubles, Baek Ha Na (Incheon International Airport)-Kim Hye Jeong (Samsung Life Insurance) defeated Jia Yifan-Zhang Shuxian 24-22, 21-8. Kim Ga Eun (Samsung Life Insurance), ranked No. 17 in the world, then beat Xu Wenjing (No. 127) 19-21, 21-10, 21-17 to clinch the title under the best-of-five, first-to-three format. The men’s team, without ace Seo Seung Jae because of a shoulder injury, finished tied for third after losing 2-3 to China in Friday’s semifinals. Despite missing the final, the men’s team earned a berth in the finals of the BWF World Men’s Team Championship, the Thomas Cup, by reaching the semifinals. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-08 14:30:00
  • Ryu Seung-wan’s ‘Humint’ Tops Advance Ticket Sales Ahead of Release
    Ryu Seung-wan’s ‘Humint’ Tops Advance Ticket Sales Ahead of Release The film ‘Humint’ has climbed to No. 1 in overall advance ticket sales ahead of its theatrical release. According to the Korean Film Council’s integrated box office system, ‘Humint’ ranked first as of 10:24 a.m. on Saturday, with 142,151 tickets reserved. The surge followed the first preview screening, with moviegoers calling it “pure catharsis experienced in a theater.” ‘Humint’ is a term for intelligence work that relies on human networks, meaning an informant. The story is set in Vladivostok, where secrets and truth are buried in an icy sea, and people with different goals collide. Directed by Ryu Seung-wan, the film stars Jo In Sung, Park Jung Min, Shin Se Kyung and Park Hae Joon. It opens in theaters Feb. 11. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-08 11:24:00
  • Actor Kim Seon Ho Says He Paid Additional Income Tax After One-Person Company Questions
    Actor Kim Seon Ho Says He Paid Additional Income Tax After One-Person Company Questions South Korean actor Kim Seon Ho acknowledged he previously received payments through a one-person corporation amid allegations it was used to avoid taxes, and said he has paid additional personal income tax. His agency, Fantagio, said in a statement on Tuesday that Kim established the company in January 2024 for acting work and theater production. It said he received settlement payments through the corporation for activities up to before a new contract with Fantagio began in February 2025. Fantagio said Kim stopped operating the corporation after recognizing it could be misunderstood, adding that there has been virtually no activity through it for more than a year. Since the exclusive contract was signed in February 2025, the agency has paid him directly as an individual, it said, stressing the corporation has no connection to Fantagio’s contract process or his activities with the agency. Regarding the shutdown, Fantagio said Kim returned corporate card records, family salaries and a corporate vehicle as a preemptive step to correct what it described as his earlier lack of understanding about running a corporation. It said he has completed additional personal income tax payments on amounts previously settled through the company, on top of corporate taxes already paid. The agency said the company is in the process of being closed and the administrative steps are expected to be finished soon. Kim had previously said the family corporation, registered at his home address, was created for theater-related work after allegations of tax evasion surfaced. Fantagio issued the new statement after it became known that he temporarily received settlement payments through the corporation during his time with a previous agency. Fantagio said Kim is “deeply reflecting” on establishing and maintaining the corporation for about a year without sufficient understanding, and apologized. The agency also apologized for causing confusion and concern and said it will more closely manage its artists’ overall activities going forward. * This article has been translated by AI. 2026-02-05 09:54:00