Lee Young-ae is not the most prolific of actresses, but she has left lasting impressions with memorable characters in her few works, such as “Sympathy for Lady Vengeance” (2005), “One Fine Spring Day” (2001) and “Joint Security Area” (2000) “I expect and want this (film) to be a turning point (in my career) as much as ‘Sympathy for Lady Vengeance’ had been,” Lee said at a press conference for up...

Terminator: Dark Fate (US) Opened Oct. 30 Action, Sci-fi Directed by Tim Miller More than two decades have passed since Sarah Connor (Linda Hamilton) prevented Judgment Day. Dani Ramos (Natalia Reyes) is living a simple life in Mexico City when a highly advanced and deadly new Terminator -- a Rev-9 (Gabriel Luna) -- travels back through time to hunt and kill her. Dani must join forces with G...

Chrysanthemum Exhibition of the Garden of Morning Calm Visitors to the chrysanthemum festival can enjoy the blazing fall foliage of nearby Chungnyeongsan and the golden waves created by the pine trees, as well as the myriad fully bloomed chrysanthemums covering just about every corner of the 330,000-square-meter outdoor garden. The festival runs through Nov. 24 and is open to visitors of all ag...

When “Aida” landed in Korea in 2005, musicals were not as popular as they are now, talent not as abundant and licensed local productions of hit Broadway shows not as big a business. Fourteen years, 732 performances and 730,000 audience members later, anticipation for the musical’s final run -- to kick off Nov. 13 at Blue Square Interpark Hall in central Seoul -- is running high. It runs through ...

“The Divine Move 2: The Wrathful” is flamboyant, preposterous and exaggerated, taking viewers on a wild ride. Directed by Lee Khan and starring Kwon Sang-woo, the sequel to the “The Divine Move” (2014) -- about high-stakes gambling via the game of Go -- has an obvious premise and plot as well as one-dimensional characters. But it manages to provide fun and action. The film starts by tracing the...

There is a certain risk in making a movie based on a true story: The creator takes sides and ends up having an agenda. When the audience is on board with the idea, it’s great. Otherwise, it becomes a problem. “Black Money” is a movie that has a clear purpose and a message to get across, which is to raise awareness about the ongoing multibillion-dollar investor-state dispute between the South Kor...

Everland ‘Horror Club: Fear the Night’ festival Everland theme park is presenting the horror-themed party “Horror Club: Fear the Night” on each Saturday of October. The event, held as part of its annual zombie-themed festival “Blood City,” will feature DJs like Bequz and Cream, along with performances by rock band Devil’s Rock. Around 100 staff are dressed as zombies, clowns and monsters, crea...

Maleficent: Mistress of Evil (US) Opened Oct. 17 Adventure, Family, Fantasy Directed by Joachim Ronning Maleficent (Angelina Jolie) and her goddaughter Aurora (Elle Fanning) begin to question the complex family ties that bind them as they are pulled in different directions by impending nuptials, unexpected allies, and dark new forces at play. Their relationship has flourished, yet the hatred...

Actress Lee Elijah is a well-known name to fans of Korean TV, but her acting chops have been limited to the small screen. Yet director Lee Jang-hee cast Lee Elijah as lead character Hye-jin in the upcoming romantic comedy “My Bossy Girl.” “There is a certain excitement and tension that comes from the word ‘first.’ Since this is my first (movie role), I just focused on having fun, doing the best...

Pro: “Terminator: Dark Fate” is the best in the “Terminator” franchise other than the first two films, which were both amazing. Con: That’s not saying much considering what followed those two magnificent flicks. The upcoming sci-fi action film by Tim Miller packs good action, a solid message and ample story for quite some fun. The problem is that it rehashes the old formula that has been done ...

The early 2000s in Korean cinema was marked by an onslaught of gangster comedies, which ranged in quality but soon came under fire for glorifying criminals through their affectionate depiction of the mob. This was followed by a period of gritty realism, with ruthless, 19-rated stories. Director Song Chang-yong’s upcoming crime drama “The Faceless Boss” looks to maintain the realism but open it ...

The final South Korean production of the beloved musical “Aida” will kick off next month, wrapping up a run that spans 732 performances, 14 years and 730,000 audience members. The local promoter for “Aida,” the Seensee Company, said the musical will be performed Nov. 13 to Feb. 23, 2020, at the Blue Square Interpark Hall in central Seoul. Yoon Gong-ju and Jeon Na-young have been cast as the tit...

Joker (US) Opened Oct.2 Drama, mystery & suspense Directed by Todd Phillips A clown-for-hire by day, Arthur Fleck (Joaquin Phoenix) aspires to be a stand-up comic at night. But finds the joke always seems to be on him. Caught in a cyclical existence between apathy and cruelty, Arthur makes one bad decision that brings about a chain reaction of escalating events in this gritty character study...

Everland ‘Horror Club: Fear the Night’ festival Everland theme park is presenting a horror-themed party “Horror Club: Fear the Night” on each Saturday of October. The event, held as part of its annual zombie-themed festival “Blood City,” will feature DJs like Bequz and Cream, along with performances by rock band Devil’s Rock. Around 100 staff are dressed as zombies, clowns and monsters, creati...

Old soldiers never die; they simply fade away. And old heroes die hard, leaving a bitter taste in our mouths. I always thought of the “Rambo” franchise as one of those series that went downhill after the iconic first film, and “Rambo: Last Blood” -- which seems to be the last one -- does nothing to change that. While the ’80s action by one of my childhood heroes was somewhat satisfying, it becam...