Hollywood has always been a clear destination for actors – it’s the “Hollywood dream” that many performers hope for, signifying the height of their career. However, popularity can also be gained in other parts of the world, including Thailand. Although success is measured differently, it is still a noteworthy accomplishment, especially in a country where […]

A hot-headed feminist crosses paths with a misunderstood gentleman in Netflix’s new feel-good romantic comedy Love To Hate You. The 2023 drama spans 10 episodes, with a generous balance of wit and charm between the main characters. Director Kim Jeong-kwon, whose filmography consists mostly of romance works, took the risk of making an unusual pairing […]

Writer-director Anders Walter’s Ivalu is a somber story about childhood trauma. Having made his mark with Helium, which won the Oscar for Best Live Action Short Film in 2014, the 45-year-old Danish filmmaker is now competing for the award once again with his latest short film. The Greenlandic-language film is adapted from an award-winning graphic […]

Should a film that’s groundbreaking for its LGBTQ depiction within its own country be held up to more progressive standards when reviewed by international audiences? This is the central dilemma which comes with assessing the various merits of Joyland, the first Pakistani feature to premiere at Cannes and make the Academy Awards shortlist for Best […]

Most contemporary sci-fi blockbusters proudly wear their influences on their sleeve. In a movie culture where franchises are dominant, any nods to beloved films of the genre’s past can help gravitate an audience’s attention towards any original project; as much as science fiction thrives on originality, when making movies on this scale, it doesn’t hurt […]

Seo Ji-hoon, a 25-year-old South Korean actor, debuted in 2016 in Signal, a drama show that consists of a gripping multilayered plot. Although Seo took on a minor role, he quickly gained recognition and was cast in Matching Boys Archery and The Legendary Shuttle, with the latter giving him his first nomination for KBS Drama […]

What happens after watching Korean dramas for over 15 years? You develop first lead syndrome or second lead syndrome. Of course, this sounds absurd, but it does happen. Throughout the years, a few actors and actresses have really stuck in my head thanks to their acting, and that includes Lee Tae-sung.  Although Lee Tae-sung was […]

Japanese filmmaker Hirokazu Koreeda has long claimed his biggest directorial influence is that of the British social realist master Ken Loach, even though the similarities between the pair prove superficial when examined beyond the surface. Both are most renowned for their humanist dramas that explore the struggles of those living on society’s margins, although their […]

Jung Ryeo-won never really thought of becoming an actress, but fate had other ideas. Korean-Australian Ryeo-won spent her teenage years in Australia, where she graduated from Griffith University with a major in International Business. One day, while visiting Korea, she was picked by a talent agent and relatively quickly became a part of a K-pop […]

Little Women is Korean drama at its best. While we can all agree that 2022 was an extraordinary year for female-based K-dramas, this 12-episode show is a true gem produced by the renowned Studio Dragon.  The title, Little Women, has tricked many into considering it a mere adaptation of the 1868 novel of the same […]