Kwon Sang-woo‘s comic action ‘Hitman’, returns with a sequel... Opening in January next year

Actor Kwon Sang-woo‘s ’Hitman‘ comic action sequel ’Hitman 2‘, which attracted 2.4 million viewers in 2010, has confirmed its theatrical release in January 2025 and unveiled its launching poster. ’Hitman 2‘ is a comic action film about Jun, who suddenly fell from being a blockbuster hit writer to a ’brainless writer‘, when a terrorist attack imitating his ambitious new webtoon occurs and he is branded a criminal overnight. Kim Sung-oh has newly joined the original cast including Kwon Sang-woo, Jung Joon-ho, Lee Yi-kyung, Hwang Woo-seul-hye, and Lee Ji-won. The unveiled launching poster features the back of Jun (Kwon Sang-woo) shrouded in darkness against the backdrop of a splendid city night view.

Japanese actress Lily Franky to appear as Hirobumi Ito in ‘Harbin’

Japanese top actress Lily Frankie will be appearing as Ito Hirobumi in this winter‘s most anticipated movie, ‘Harbin’, raising the expectations of movie fans. ‘Harbin’, which will be released on December 24, is a film about the righteous deed of Ahn Jung-geun, and depicts the breathtaking pursuit and suspicion between those who head to Harbin for a single purpose and those who pursue them in 1909. Among the Korean actors Hyun Bin, Park Jung-min, Jo Woo-jin, Jeon Yeo-bin, Park Hoon, Yoo Jae-myung, and Lee Dong-wook, Japanese top actress Lily Frankie is drawing attention. Lily Frankie is a best-selling author and columnist.

Park Gyu-young or Jo Yu-ri… Who will be the Cinderella of ‘Ogame2’ and the ‘Second Jeong Ho-yeon’?

Who will be the ‘2 Jung Ho-yeon’? With the release of season 2 of ‘Squid Game’, a representative K-content and the most popular drama in the world, just 3 weeks away, fans are paying attention to who will be the next Cinderella in ‘Squid Game’ after Jung Ho-yeon. Jung Ho-yeon, who had no acting experience before ‘Squid Game’, played the role of Sae-kyeok, a pickpocket from North Korea, in season 1, and became a global star who received love calls from Hollywood in an instant. Jung Ho-yeon also won the SAG Award for Best Actress in a TV Drama Series from the Screen Actors Guild (SAG).

From large-scale fan events to fan events… ‘All-out promotional offensive’ to surpass ‘Squid Game 2’ Season 1

The global mega hit ‘Squid Game’ has entered into a full-scale countdown for the pre-release of Season 2 on the 26th. As Season 1 was the first work to achieve the #1 viewership ranking in all countries (94 countries) where Netflix is providing its service, Netflix has launched a true ‘all-out promotional offensive’ by gathering its ‘global capabilities’ for Season 2. ○From promotions to events, ‘largest scale ever’ Since August, pre-promotions have been conducted in various countries around the world, including Seoul, Paris, France, LA, USA, Bogota, Colombia, Buenos Aires, Argentina, and Mumbai, India, to promote ‘Squid Game’ globally.

‘Father of Two’ Song Joong-ki, ‘Cold Father’ Appearance… ♥Shared Refrigerator with Wife Revealed [Official]

Actor Song Joong-ki will be appearing on JTBC‘s ‘Please Take Care of My Refrigerator’. JTBC revealed to Donga.com on the 9th, “Song Joong-ki will be participating in the recording of ‘Please Take Care of My Refrigerator’ today. He is the second guest to record ‘Please Take Care of My Refrigerator’, which is returning after a long hiatus. ‘Please Take Care of My Refrigerator’, which first aired in November 2014, is an entertainment program in which guests bring their refrigerators to the studio and famous chefs compete to make dishes using ingredients from their refrigerators in 15 minutes. It seemed to have been canceled after its last broadcast in November 2019, but it will be revived this time. As if it was a hiatus rather than an ending, it will continue as much as possible in the form of previous programs rather than a new season. And after the resumption of broadcasting on the 15th, it will be reborn and return to viewers. The first guests are Calm Man and Young Tak. The second gu

Song Jae-rim‘s last work, ’Plummet‘, to be released on January 15th next year

The late Song Jae-rim‘s posthumous film ‘Plummet’ has confirmed its release on January 15, 2025 and released a teaser poster image. ‘Plummet’ is a crime drama based on the true story of the virtual currency crash that shook the world with the loss of 50 trillion won. Through the chronicle of a young entrepreneur who makes an irreversible choice, it depicts the reality of young people who are addicted to stocks during the day and coin speculation at night. As you can see in the released teaser poster, Song Jae-rim plays the main character Yang Do-hyun, a virtual currency developer named Money (MOMMY) and a self-proclaimed business genius. Movie

‘John Wick’ Universe New Film ‘Ballerina’ To Be Released Next Summer… Global Poster Released

The new beginning of the ‘John Wick’ universe, ‘Ballerina’, is raising expectations for the movie by simultaneously releasing an overwhelming global poster around the world. The new film in the John Wick universe, ‘Ballerina’, which garnered attention for the meeting of actors Ana de Armas and Keanu Reeves, is an action blockbuster about Eve (Ana de Armas), a ballerina and killer at Rusca Roma who trained John Wick (Keanu Reeves) to be an assassin, who gives up everything to avenge her murdered father. It is scheduled to be released next summer. The released global poster is an outstanding visual that is more than enough to satisfy the long-awaited fans, making it a must-see.

‘Harbin’ Meet one day soon… Release confirmed for Christmas Eve on the 24th

The movie ‘Harbin’ will be released in theaters on December 24th, Christmas Eve, a day earlier than its original release date of the 25th. This means that you can now see this winter‘s most anticipated movie a day early. Based on the righteous deed of Ahn Jung-geun, ‘​Harbin​ depicts the breathtaking pursuit and suspicion between those heading to Harbin in 1909 with a single purpose and those chasing them. In particular, this movie is already receiving hot attention from audiences for the atmosphere created by the overwhelming global locations and the life-threatening journey of independence fighters depicted through the eyes of director Woo Min-ho. In addition, Hyun Bin, Park Jung-eun, and Kim Soo-hyun are also featured.

“Reality is more than a movie”…‘Spring in Seoul’, “President, step down”, film industry voices in unison

Amidst the ongoing political and social chaos following President Yoon Seok-yeol‘s declaration and lifting of martial law, a craze for rewatching the film ‘Seoul’s Spring’, which deals with the 12/12 incident, is rising. At a time when other works dealing with modern and contemporary history are being reexamined, filmmakers have come forward to call for President Yoon‘s resignation. ○‘Seoul’s Spring’·‘A Taxi Driver’, etc. Reverse movement ‘Seoul‘s Spring’ rose to No. 1 on Netflix’s most-viewed movies rankings on the 5th, two days after the martial law incident, and has maintained that ranking as of the 8th. ‘Moana 2’ on Kinolights‘ integrated theater and OTT (online video service) content ranking chart

German actor who appeared in ‘A Taxi Driver’ also criticizes martial law situation

German actor Thomas Kretschmann, who appeared in the film ‘A Taxi Driver’, expressed his thoughts regarding President Yoon Seok-yeol‘s declaration of martial law. On the 8th, Thomas Kretschmann posted several photos on his SNS with the caption, “These are set photos from “Taeksi woonjunsa” (A Taxi Driver) 2017, a film about South Korea’s past, …at least, that’s what I thought. The released photos contain a scene from the film where soldiers and civilians confront each other. Meanwhile, ‘A Taxi Driver’ is a film that depicts the story of ‘Man-seop’, a taxi driver in Seoul in May 1980, who takes German reporter ‘Peter’ to Gwangju without knowing anything about it after being told that he would be paid a large sum of money if he went there before curfew. Reporter Choi Yoon-na, Donga.com yyynnn@donga.co

‘Love Letter’ Nakayama Miho, cause of death “Sudden accident while bathing” [DA:Japan]

The cause of death of Japanese actress Miho Nakayama, who starred in the movie ‘Love Letter’, has been revealed. According to multiple Japanese media outlets on the 8th, Nakayama Miho‘s entertainment agency Big Apple announced on their website that the cause of death was an unexpected accident that occurred while bathing. They also added that the police examination results confirmed that there was no cause for death. They did not reveal exactly what the ‘accident’ was, but many local media outlets are reporting that it is presumed to have been caused by drowning. Meanwhile, Nakayama Miho was found dead at her home in Tokyo the previous day, the 6th. The sudden news of her death shocked not only local fans but also domestic fans. It was especially heartbreaking because the movie ‘Love Letter’ is scheduled to be re-released to celebrate its 30th anniversary. Choi Yoon-na, Donga.com reporter yyynnn@donga.com

Bong Joon-ho, Moon So-ri, Cho Hyun-chul, and other filmmakers‘ statement ‘Dismiss and arrest Yoon Seok-yeol’ [Full text]

Amid growing calls for President Yoon Seok-yeol‘s resignation from all sides, 81 organizations and 3,007 individuals have issued an emergency statement. In particular, filmmakers strongly criticized President Yoon Seok-yeol’s declaration and lifting of martial law, saying, “Something that is completely incomprehensible with common sense and something that would be nothing more than a delusion no matter how much cinematic imagination is used has occurred in reality.” ● Below is the full text of the joint emergency statement by 81 organizations and 3,007 individuals, including filmmakers. It has been two days since the sitting president declared martial law at 10:22 p.m. on December 3, and the National Assembly voted to lift martial law 2 hours and 30 minutes later. In addition to the illegal and unconstitutional declaration of martial law, the martial law proclamation reminiscent of the military dictatorship, the lifting of martial law announced three hours after the National Assembly‘s

Filmmakers‘ Solidarity, Urgent Statement on President Yoon “Impeach him” [Full Text]

The Film Industry Overcoming Crisis Filmmakers’ Solidarity issued an emergency statement and raised its voice, saying, “President Yoon Seok-yeol, who is caught in the act of sedition, must be impeached and arrested.” The filmmakers said, “Something that is completely incomprehensible with common sense and something that would be nothing more than a fantasy no matter how much cinematic imagination is used, has happened in reality. The most dangerous person to the existence of the Republic of Korea is Yoon Seok-yeol, and having him step down from the office of president is the most urgent task for protecting the democratic republic.” They continued, “The first prerequisite for overcoming the current chaotic situation and the fallen status of the Republic of Korea is to suspend Yoon Seok-yeol from performing his duties as president.” They added, “If impeachment is the fastest way, then we should choose impeachment, and if there is another way to remove him, then we should find the fastest

‘Hidden Face’, the proportion of audiences in their 20s is soaring… Word of mouth is spreading properly

The movie ‘Hidden Face’ is becoming a word-of-mouth hit among MZ audiences. ‘Sung-jin’ is chasing the whereabouts of his missing fiancée ‘Soo-yeon’, when ‘Soo-yeon‘s junior ‘Mi-ju’ appears in front of ‘Sung-jin’, and when ‘Soo-yeon’, who was thought to have disappeared, is trapped in a secret space closest to them and witnesses her bare face being stripped away, a unique locked-room thriller ‘Hidden Face’ is attracting attention by announcing that it will hold its ‘First Payment Screening’ as it expands its audience base to include those in their 20s. ‘Hidden Face’ recorded 15% of the audience in their 20s at CGV when it was released on November 20, but as of December 4 (Wednesday), in its third week of release, the percentage of viewers in their 20s has risen to 26%, drawing significant interest from audiences in their 20s. Thanks to this increase in the number of viewers in their 20s, ‘Hidden Face’ will hold its ‘First Paid Screening’ at Lotte Cinema Konkuk University Entrance today

Lee Jung-jae‘s side “Not subject to financial authorities’ investigation... Only Wider Planet” (Full text) [Official]

Artist Company, Lee Jung-jae’s agency, has released its position regarding the financial authorities’ investigation. On the 6th, Artist Company told Donga.com, “It is true that Wider Planet was under investigation by the financial authorities in the past. However, Artist Company and Lee Jung-jae are not subjects of the investigation.” Artist Company stated, “Furthermore, Lee Jung-jae had absolutely nothing to do with any illegal acts such as information leaks or insider trading at the time of Wider Planet’s third-party allocation paid-in capital increase. We will actively respond so that we can clear up any misunderstandings about Lee Jung-jae and Artist United.” They added, “Through Artist United’s own investigation, we will thoroughly respond to prevent any damage to shareholders by suing and reporting those involved in insider buying or information leaks.” Previously, there were reports that financial authorities had investigated Artist Company, the agency founded by Lee Jung-jae an

From special screenings to donation challenges… The sincerity of ‘Firefighters’ that should not be overshadowed by ‘Kwak Do-won Risk’

The movie ‘Firefighter’ is drawing attention with its sincere actions that emphasize the message and meaning contained in the work, despite the ‘Kwak Do-won risk’, the lead actor who caused a drunk driving controversy before its release. The movie depicts the situation of firefighters who were dispatched with the sole goal of putting out the fire and rescuing everyone in a harsh environment during the 2001 Hongje-dong fire disaster in which six firefighters died. ‘Firefighter’, which ranked first at the box office on its first day of release on the 3rd, invited 1,200 active firefighters and their families working in the Seoul and Gyeonggi areas to a special event at the CGV Yongsan I-Park Mall in Seoul on the 25th of last month.

Don‘t trust your neighbor!… ‘Expedition Villa’ Creepy viewing point 3

The viewing point that increases the immersion of the movie ‘Expedition Villa’ with realistic horror has been revealed. ‘Expedition Villa’, which was released on the 4th, depicts the story of a young man trying to protect his family from neighbors who become uncomfortable after illegal flyers are distributed one day in an old villa in the suburbs. The first viewing point of the movie, which has been a hot topic even before its release as a place of horror following ‘Gonjiam’, ‘Oksu Station Ghost’, ‘Neulbom Garden’, is that it is a realistic horror that takes place in a familiar place. The realistic setting of conflict between neighbors centered around an old villa commonly seen around the city adds to the sense of horror. Apartment,

All-time masterpiece ‘Forest Gump’, 4K remastered version, Lotte Cinema exclusive re-release

The masterpiece ‘Forrest Gump’ starring Tom Hanks will be released exclusively in Korea for the first time at Lotte Cinema in a 4K remastered version. ‘Forrest Gump’, which was released in October 1994 and celebrates its 30th anniversary this year, is a human drama that depicts the life story of the protagonist Forrest Gump (Tom Hanks), who has a slightly lower intelligence and unfavorable physical condition than others, and grows up with a warm and pure heart. Directed by Robert Zemeckis, famous for ‘Back to the Future’, ‘Cast Away’, and ‘Flight’, the film won six awards at the 67th Academy Awards in 1995, including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Actor.

CGV, the first domestic theater to screen AI short film ‘M Hotel’

CGV will be the first to screen the short film ‘M Hotel’, produced using generative artificial intelligence (AI), in domestic theaters for the first time. The film ‘M Hotel’ is about a mysterious story that unfolds when a homeless person who has been complaining about his life accidentally finds a hotel key. Despite its short running time of 6 minutes and 31 seconds, it is receiving favorable reviews for containing deep insights into life. The film ‘M Hotel’ has been a hot topic at prestigious international AI film festivals, including the Venice AI International Film Awards Official Selection, the Cannes World Film Festival Best AI Film Winner, and the New York AMT Film Festival Best AI Film Winner.

Song Kang-ho and Kim Yun-seok return cheerfully… ‘1 win’vs‘Big Family’ Box Office Showdown

The ‘godfathers’ of the Korean film industry, Song Kang-ho and Kim Yun-seok, will open the December box office with the films ‘1Win’ and ‘Big Family’, respectively. The two actors are showing their determination to temporarily shed the serious image and heavy charisma they have shown in various works and bring warmth to the year-end theaters with lighter and more cheerful characters. In the film ‘1Win’, which was released on the 4th, Song Kang-ho plays the role of Kim Woo-jin, a former player and coach who struggles to win just one victory for the perennial last-place professional women‘s volleyball team ‘Pink Storm’. A ‘loser’ who has experienced every failure that can be experienced in life, from expulsion, dismissal, bankruptcy, and divorce.