For her debut feature film Pierce, writer and director Nelicia Low (Freeze, Let Her Eat Cake) took a look back to her past a member of the national Singapore fencing team, and her curiosity at the complicated relationship between her and her older brother who is autistic, to craft a technically impressive and emotionally dynamic story about a very intensely dysfunctional relationship between two brothers that share a love of fencing and mistrust of each other.
Image courtesy of Magnify
There’s no one that can understand you and frustrate you like a sibling can, and for Zi-jie (Liu Hsui-fu) these are emotions he wishes he felt for his older brother Zi-han (Tsao Yu-Ning), whose reappearance into his and their mother Ai-Ling’s (Ding Ning) life brings feelings of fear an uncertainty. Spending most of his childhood and adolescence building up a fantasy in his head about who his brother truly is, Zi-jie against the warnings of Ai-ling, pays a visit to his brother at the supermarket where he works after being released from a juvenile detention facility. He excitedly, but still apprehensively expresses that he’s missed having Zi-han around and wants them to get to know each other again. But unbeknownst to him, this one act, just like the one that Zi-han had committed all those years ago, starts a chain reaction of events that will ripple across the family’s lives and those of everyone around them.
Pierce is a psychological thriller that pushes its characters to their emotional limits where the bonds of familial relationships are stretched, misshapen and pierced. As Zi-jie begins to questions his own beliefs about his brother, Zi-han tries to convince himself that he’s capable of love, and Ai-ling does her best to hold onto what vestiges of a normal life she’d managed to weave together for herself and Zi-jie, the audience is taken on a thrilling ride of fantastic performances by the cast, particularly its two main leads, and Nelicia’s excellently crafted story about mistaken identity and misdirection.
Image courtesy of Magnify
The characters of Zi-han and Zi-jie would demand a lot of any actor selected to play them, but to be perfectly honest, not every actor could’ve played these two characters the same way and make their dynamic work the way that Yu-ning and Hsui-fu do. As Zi-han, Yu-ning perfectly portrays his charming side, the side that endears people to him and see the potential in this young man his mother has told people will be a doctor one day. A lie that she tells for the safety and social preservation of her and Zi-jie to hide the truth about their family. It’s this charm that Zi-han uses to slyly ease his way back into Zi-jie’s life in a way that should have caused alarm, but doesn’t for the brother who wants to believe him to be something he’s not. But underneath that carefully crafted facade lies a dangerous nature that Zi-han is unable to hide when he’s on the fencing mat facing his opponents. Yu-Ning is impressive in how he lets Zi-han’s aggression slip out with each parry of his sabre, but carefully masks it once he lifts off the fencing hood.
Hsui-fu’s Zi-jie is an excellent foil for Zi-han’s intensity as it off-balances him with Zi-jie’s openness and unfortunate naivete. Though this naiveness can be frustrating for Ai-ling and the audience alike to witness, it’s understandable because Zi-jie just wants his brother back. He believes that his love of fencing, perhaps inspired by wanting to form some sort of connection with a brother he doesn’t really know, will be the way to forge that bond. But it proves to be anything but. It’s all of these layers and so much more that Nelicilia Low has truly done a brilliant job of building such a wonderfully complex and highly entertaining film.
Image courtesy of Magnify
In my interview with her for the films screening at the 2024 Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival, she discussed her through process in using her own experiences to build the story and characters, how sound, water, and wind were important visual and auditory elements, and why a dinner scene involving a little boy is the personal favorite for both of us. It’s so good. And that ending!
Pierce which is a multinational production between Singapore, Taiwan, and Poland, won Nelicia the Crystal Globe Award for Best Director at the 2024 Karlovy Vary International Film Festival, and the Grand Jury Prize for Best Film at the La Roche-sur-Yon International Film Festival. The film also won the Dipchand LLP Best Feature Award at Reel Asian.
Image courtesy of Magnify
Carolyn Hinds
Freelance Film Critic, Journalist, Podcaster & YouTuber
African American Film Critics Association Member, Tomatometer-Approved Critic
Host & Producer Carolyn Talks…, and So Here’s What Happened! Podcast
Bylines at Authory.com/CarolynHinds
PTwitter & Instagram: @CarrieCnh12
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A second official teaser for BTS’s V “Winter Ahead” seasonal track is out.
V is collaborating with Park Hyo Shin to give ARMY and Hyo Shin’s fans a Christmas to remember. The collaboration’s “Winter Ahead” track is scheduled for release on 29 November.
Park Hyo Shin is a renowned legendary Korean ballad singer. The collaboration is expected to set the Christmas mood as two exceptional voices blend into a fusion of delight. V is still undertaking his mandatory military service scheduled to finish in June 2025.
—-Karen Mwenda
#V #BTSV #ParkHyoShin #BalladSinger #kcrush #Visstillawaitingtheconclusionofhismandatorymilitaryservice #kpop #koreanpop #hallyucollaboration #kcrushamerica #kcrushmagazine #WinterAheadTeaser #MVTeaser #newsingle
Stray Kids has released teaser images for the upcoming ‘HP’ mixtape.
Stray Kids is gearing up to release the ‘KZHOP HIPTAPE’ in December 13. The mixtape’s “Walkin On Water” track is said to be composed by some of the group’s members.
The band recently entered UK charts thanks to the recently released “Giant” track. Stray Kids also charted on the Billboard World Albums chart as their “ATE” track scoped position No. 6 this week.
Stray Kids is currently on their ‘DOMINATE’ world tour which kicked off in August 2024.
The band recently added Latin America, North America, and Europe Stops to the tour which is set to spill over to 2025.
—-Karen Mwenda
#StrayKids #StrayKidsHOPMixtape #StrayKidsConceptPhotos #StrayKidsAddedLatinAmericatotheirtour #kcrush #kpop #koreancelebrity #koreankpop #DOMINATEWorldTour2024and2025 #ATE #Giant #BillboardAlbumChart #UKCharts #WalkingOnWatertrack #KZHOP HIPTAPE #kcrushamerica #kcrushmagazine #koreanboygroup
Song Joong Ki will return to the screens in December with a Colombian vibe.
The legendary Song Joong Ki will be appearing in the highly anticipated ‘Bogota: The Land of Last Chance’ film. The film is set to be released to theaters on December 31, 2024.
‘Bogota: The Land of Last Chance’ revolves around characters seeking new opportunities on foreign soil only to be bombarded by an array of uncertainties.
The film’s teaser and trailer are out. Song Joong Ki will work with Lee Hee Jun, Kwon Hae Hyo, Park Ji Hwan, and Jo Hyun Chul. A few days ago, Song Joong Ki and his wife, Katy Louise Saunders, welcomed their second baby, a girl.
—-Karen Mwenda
#SongJongKi #LeeHeeJun #KwonHaeHyo #ParkJiHwan #JoHyunChul #newmovierelease #kcrush #koreanmovierelease #BogotaTheLandofLastChance #SongJongKinewbabygirl #congratulations #kcrushmagazine #kcrushamerica #koreanactor #koreanSongJongKi
Download & streaming links:
https://ohashitrio.lnk.to/goldhour
Japanese musician ohashiTrio released his latest album ‘GOLD HOUR’ on November 13. This is ohashiTrio’s first original full-length album in about three years, and follows his 2023 EP ‘Karatachi no Yume’, which included the opening theme to Season 2 of the hit drama series ‘What Did You Eat Yesterday?’, as well as the theme song for the NHK Saturday drama series ‘Tantei Romance’. Last year he also released the collaboration album ‘Trio & Charm’ with Japanese group THE CHARM PARK.
‘GOLD HOUR’ contains a total of 10 songs, including four songs taken from last October’s digital-only EP and self-covers of ‘Karatachi no Yume’ and Japanese singer lily’s song ‘Chiisana uta’ (which ohashiTrio produced), as well as unreleased new songs. The album is a treasure trove of rich music that blends various styles and genres into complex pop music, a product of ohashiTrio’s unique musical sense and meticulous sound production.
The first-pressing limited edition video set includes live footage from ohashiTrio’s 15th anniversary performance ‘TRIO ERA 2’, which was held at the Tokyo International Forum in November 2022 with lily (Yuriko Ishida) as a guest.
ohashiTrio profile
ohashiTrio debuted in 2007. This multitalented musician is also active under another guise as a composer for TV shows, commercials and movies, including such works as 2009’s ‘April Bride’, 2010’s ‘The Lightning Tree’ and 2017’s ‘Policeman and Me’. He is also the composer on NHK’s children’s animation ‘Nyanbo!’ and TBS Television’s ‘The World Heritage’.
Recently, ohashiTrio has produced music for Mone Kamishiraishi and lily (Yuriko Ishida). In November 2023, he released the EP ‘Karatachi no Yume’, and in February 2024 he released the collaboration album ‘Trio & Charm’ under the name ohashiTrio & THE CHARM PARK. His album ‘GOLD HOUR’ released in November 2024.
Further information
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Japanese boyband WATWING held their first solo concert, titled WATWING LIVE TOUR 2024 – Get Em Back – at Makuhari Messe, on November 9 and 10 at the huge Makuhari Messe venue in Chiba, just outside of Tokyo.
WATWING are the first boyband from Japanese agency Horipro. The group features six members who won the Star Boys Audition: Ryo Furuhata, Asahi Suzuki, Fu Takahashi, Rintaro Hachimura, Ryuta Kuwayama and Noa Fukuzawa Nozomi.
This year marks the 5th anniversary of their formation; the group kicked off the year with a sold-out show at the revered Tokyo venue Nippon Budokan in February.
They also held their first nationwide seven-city hall tour this year, titled WATWING LIVE TOUR 2024 – Get Em Back -, starting with a concert in Saitama Prefecture in August – a reminder of the group’s massive popularity in Japan right now.
On the final day of their pair of solo performances at Makuhari Messe, WATWING announced they are moving to a new label, +WHAX (pronounced “Plus Wax”). The group announced the release of their first digital single in winter 2024 and an EP next spring. They also unveiled an awesome new group photo.
WATWING profile
WATWING formed in June 2019, featuring six members who won the Star Boys Audition held to create Japanese agency Horipro’s first boyband. The members are Ryo Furuhata, Asahi Suzuki, Fu Takahashi, Rintaro Hachimura, Ryuta Kuwayama and Noa Fukuzawa Nozomi.
The group’s name is a portmanteau of “WAT” (slang for “what”) and “WING” as in the wings of a bird, expressing their desire to “stick to their true selves and soar no matter what anyone says”.
Further information
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#WTWING #AT #WING #Horipro #RyoFuruhata #AsahiSuzuki #FuTakahashi #RintaroHachimura #RyutaKuwayama #NoaFukuzawaNozomi #kcrush #Japanesekpop #JPop #Kcrushamerica #+WHAX #Jidol #Japaneseboygroup #newmusic #JNews #Japanesecelebrity #kcrushmagazine #StarBoysAudition #TokyovenueNipponBudokan #newagency #MakuhariMessevenueinChiba
Download hi-res artwork HERE
Following their bold self-titled debut, MEOVV prowls back with two new singles and music videos that further showcase the breadth of their musical spectrum: “TOXIC,” an emotional pop/R&B anthem, and “BODY,” a vibrant, dance-inducing hit – now available via THEBLACKLABEL / Capitol Records.
“TOXIC,“ which was co-written by MEOVV members GAWON and NARIN, features a minimalist rhythm that spotlights the unique vocal tones of MEOVV’s five members. With honest, delicate lyrics that capture the inescapable feeling of being caught in an emotional whirlwind, the song immerses listeners in its captivating atmosphere. “TOXIC” was written by Billy Walsh, 24, KUSH, TEDDY, Zikai, GAWON, NARIN and Claudia Valentina. The song was produced by 24. Listen HERE.
With an addictive chorus, “BODY” exemplifies MEOVV’s confidence, ambition, and vibrant energy as they prepare to make a bigger leap into the world. Combining a bouncy beat and memorable rap and vocal sections, “BODY” exudes a fresh, rhythmic energy. The track was written by TEDDY, Tommy Brown, Marqueze Parker, Theron Thomas, Steven Franks, Amanda Ratchford, Aliyah Scott and 24. Tommy “TB Hits” Brown, Leather Jacket and 24 produced the track. Listen HERE.
The music video for “TOXIC” captures the girls’ coming-of-age journey across diverse visual landscapes and storylines. As each character’s story unfolds, the visuals add depth and conviction to the song, making for a stunning and emotionally resonant experience. View video HERE.
(Clockwise from left: GAWON, SOOIN, NARIN, ELLA, ANNA)
Download hi-res photo here
Photo Credit: THEBLACKLABEL
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About MEOVV:
MEOVV (pronounced “meow”) are the first ever girl group launched by THEBLACKLABEL and represents the vision of label founder and mega-producer Teddy Park (a.k.a. TEDDY). TEDDY, who has played an integral role in shaping the overall direction and creative for BIGBANG, G-Dragon, 2NE1 and BLACKPINK, hand-picked the members of MEOVV and directed all facets of the creative and production.
The members of MEOVV were revealed one at a time in September with individual “EYES OF MEOVV” visuals, which amassed over 100 million combined views – all before the group had even released a single song. Watch the trailers for idols SOOIN (HERE), GAWON (HERE), ANNA (HERE), NARIN (HERE), and ELLA (HERE). Word quickly spread about the multidimensional group posed to break from the conventional K-Pop mold with signing stories in Billboard, Variety, and HITS.
“MEOW” debuted at No. 10 on Billboard’s World Digital Song Sales chart. Teen Vogue said, “MEOVV are entering the scene claws out with new fierce single ‘MEOW'” and hailed the track as one of the “Best New Songs of September 2024.” UPROXX noted, “‘MEOW’ instantly shows why MEOVV is K-pop’s next enticing girl group. The five members … [have] seamless chemistry while delivering bilingual catchy lines…It shouldn’t take long for MEOVV to make their presence known on the charts.” Hypebeast observed, “MEOVV’s ability to effortlessly shift between languages and styles highlights their versatility and star power.” Listen to “MEOW” HERE. Watch the visual HERE.
In their native South Korea, MEOVV launched the single with performances on a trio of major national TV shows. Check out their performances on “M COUNTDOWN” (the world’s No. 1 K-Pop chart show), “SBS Inkigayo” and “NPOP LIMITED EDITION – SIDE A.”
With their ascension story continuing to unfold, the MEOVV takeover has only just begun.
About THEBLACKLABEL:
THEBLACKLABEL is a South Korean Entertainment Company, Record Label & Creative Agency founded by TEDDY. THEBLACKLABEL was established in 2016 and is home to acts such as TAEYANG, JEON SOMI, ROSÉ, MEOVV, & Vince.
LISTEN TO “TOXIC” HERE – VIEW VIDEO HERE
LISTEN TO “BODY” HERE
#MEOVV #TheBlackLabel #TOXICbyMEOVV #BODYbyMEOVV #kcrush #koreankpop #kpop #kidol #music #koreancelebrity #kfashion #kmusic #kcrushamerica #kcrushmagazine #hallyufivemembergirlgroup #knews #GAWON #SOOIN #NARIN #ELLA #ANNA #Asiantopentertainmentmagazine #kcrushannouncement
ROSÉ’S FIRST STUDIO ALBUM ‘rosie’ ARRIVES DECEMBER 6TH “APT.” WITH BRUNO MARS CONTINUES TO SMASH GLOBALLY
WATCH “number one girl” VIDEO: LINK
STREAM “number one girl”: LINK
Global icon ROSÉ has released new single “number one girl‘ – available now via Atlantic Records/THEBLACKLABEL alongside an official music video directed by ROSÉ.
“number one girl” (co-penned/produced by Amy Allen, D-Mile, Omer Fedi, Carter Lang, Bruno Mars & Dylan Wiggins) marks the second release off ROSÉ‘s first studio album rosie, arriving December 6th and available for pre-order now (link). The 12-track collection marks ROSÉ‘s most personal and candid release to date with her co-writing the project in its entirety.
The album’s lead single “APT.” with Bruno Mars has proven a worldwide sensation, debuting at #8 on the Billboard Hot 100, making ROSÉ the first female Korean artist to reach the top 10 of the chart. Meanwhile the single has held the #1 spot on the Billboard Global 200 chart for the past 4 weeks and has amassed over 1 billion global streams to date.
As a member of BLACKPINK, one of the best-selling girl groups of all time, ROSÉ has shattered records, performed on the most heralded stages, and amassed millions of fans around the world. On her own, the Korean-New Zealand superstar’s 2021 single “On The Ground” debuted at #1 on the Billboard Global 200 chart and became the highest-charting song by a female Korean artist on the Billboard Hot 100 (a record she has now since broken with single “APT.“). Simultaneously, ROSÉ has been an unstoppable force in fashion as global ambassador for renowned brands including Saint Laurent, Tiffany & Co, Rimowa and Puma. Her influence in music, fashion and philanthropy has proven her to be a testament to the growth of Korean influence in music and fashion on a global scale.
CONNECT WITH ROSÉ:
RosesAreRosie.com | Instagram | TikTok | X | YouTube | Press Assets
#ROSE #BLACKPINKROSE #NumberOneGirl #AtlanticRecords #BlackLabel #kcrush #kpop #kidol #koreankpop #hallyu #kidol #kcrushamerica #kcrushmagazine #asiantopicmagazine #ROSEKFashion #kmusic #topasianentertainmentmagazine #kmedia #ROSENewSingle #ROSEFirstStudioAlbum #AmyAllen #DMile #OmerFedi #CarterLang #BrunoMars #DylanWiggins
TWS is the latest member to join the CELINE French luxury brand family even as they celebrate wins at the MAMA Awards US.
On November 22, CELINE announced that the TWS band had joined its ambassadorship family. The Pledis Entertainment boy band will join Park Bp Geum and BTS’s V. Suzy Bae also joined the family days ago.
TWS band also took home 2 MAMA Awards on November 21 during the MAMA Awards US at the Dolby Theatre, Los Angeles. TWS won the Best Male Rookie award and Best Dance Performance – Male Group award.
The rookie band’s latest release is the “Last Bell” single on November 25. TWS debuted in January of last year under Pledis Entertainment with the ‘Sparkling Blue’ EP. They released their second ‘Summer Beat’ EP in July 2024.
—-Karen Mwenda
#TWS #LastBell #PledisEntertainment #SparklingBlueEP #kpop #kcrush #SummerBeatEP #kidol #MAMAAwards2024 #BestMaleRookie #BestDancePerformanceMaleGroup #kcrushmagazine #kcrushamerica #recentarticles #hallyuboygroup
Written and directed by Heo Sung-wan, All the Days feels like a series of snapshots of the ordinary days in the lives of three 20-something young people trying to figure out what the next steps in their lives are.
All the Days which had its world premiere in the Country program of the 2024 Ulju Mountain Film Festival, in South Korea, is a film that would be perfectly described by the phrase “still waters run deep”, because on the surface the story being told about three young people seems very calm and ordinary, but the closer you lean in to take a closer look and listen to the sounds around, you realise that these waters have hidden depths.
There’s Ye-eun (Jeon Ryeo-eun), her best friend So-young (Lee Yeon-sil), and Sung-bin, Sung-bin (Sung-bin) who are each at personal and professional crossroads in their lives where the decision to prioritise what’s socially expected of them, clashes with what they want for themselves order to feel fulfilled.
The film begins with Ye-eun and So-young quietly walking around the abandoned and dilapidated country home of Ye-eun’s maternal grandmother’s house quietly speaking about the times spent there as a child and pondering the idea of homes becoming imprinted over time with the memories of the people who once filled them with laughter and conversation. Having left her job in the corporate field to pursue her dream of writing films, Ye-un wonders what she should to feel more secure at a time when success might not be guaranteed, at least not as quickly as she’d like.
Similarly, So-young who has followed her passion of animation spends her time walking around a village now gone quiet with age, thinking about how events in her childhood such as the IMF crisis which crippled to South Korean economy in the late 90s, left a deeper impact on her than she realised.
And for Sung-bin, whom the spend time with in the city, ponders about how his own actions as a creator can impact the people close to him and the environment he lives in. See? Still waters run deep.
Just like for these three characters that Seun-seo created, for many people all over the world, the thought that this life we’re living is too short to spend it being unfulfilled when the opportunity to reach for what others tells us not to or meet the expectations of others no matter how unfair they may be to us personally.
In my interview with him, Sung-wan, he spoke about coming to the realization that All the Days, while being about the ordinary days of ordinary people, there’s something profound that happens in each day that stays with us. He shared how the film brought to mind his own summers spent in his grandmother’s house, the same house Ye-eun walks through, the characters being unintentional reflections of his own past and memories, and what “sustainable love” means to him as a filmmaker and individual.
Note: This interview was conducted with the assistance of a Korean-English interpreter and has been edited for clarity and length.
All the Days begins very quietly with Ye-eun and So-young in the yard of Ye-eun’s grandmother’s house. Here they have a very mundane conversation about the state of the yard covered in grass, the condition of the house slowly falling apart, and the bathroom which would be called an “Outhouse” where I’m in Barbados.
I’d like us to start discussing the film with this scene because it’s an interesting way to introduce the audience to the characters.
What I wanted to express the most were the things that happen in daily life, what happens in a day, so that when you add all these things together, they add up to mean something.
The film consists of three separate days, and the film opens the first day and in it I wanted to show that this day starts off the same as it would for anyone else and for the characters be an ordinary day.
It is an ordinary day, but the situation isn’t necessarily, ordinary, but kind of still is because it’s a position a lot of young people are finding themselves in these days where they’ve left their jobs to find a life that’s more fulfilling for them. Ye-eun quits her job because she’s not being fulfilled by it, so she decides to pursue her passion writing screenplays for films.
So, while the film may start out rather mundanely, I think they’re having pretty deep conversations. I’d like to ask you about that. About making a film that on the surface seems to be about very mundane and ordinary situations, but the conversations the characters have reveal a lot about where they are in their lives, and the questions they have.
Thank you for seeing that, because that was my intention. I wanted to show that even in the small moments of our daily lives…even amidst the mundane and the ordinary there are moments that stand out that are not normal. Like sparkling moments in our daily lives.
One example of that is when Ye-eun talks about spending time at her grandmother’s house when she was younger and the sound of cars driving by outside sounding like waves. When she’s talking about this, narrating this story, the audio is overlaid with the imagery of So-young walking around the village.
I wanted to have a sense of rhythm where you go from small daily life activities to these sudden peaks, these moments that stand out, then despite having these moments you go back once again to the ordinary moments being experienced, then peak moments once again. That what I wanted to show.
I wanted to ask you about that sequence with the narration by Ye-eun because the sound design in this film is very interesting. She speaks about the sound of the cars passing by sounding like waves, and that line of dialogue comes right after a scene of So-young walking in a greenhouse filled with tall grass, and when wind blows over and through the leaves it also sounds a lot like ocean and waves on a shoreline.
Talk about how the sound design in the film plays into the peaks and valleys of the overall story being told. The sound design and the score really do support the rhythm of the film.
That was actually something that I paid a lot of attention to because I wanted to make sure the dialogue is heard very clearly. So, my main focus for the sound design (by Baek Seung-seo) was to create an environment where everything that is said can be heard, and for that particular scene you referred to, I made sure that there’s always this underlying sound of cars passing by. The viewer doesn’t really think about it, but subconsciously they have this sound in the background of their mind, and then when they get to the part with Ye-eun’s narration of cars sounding like waves, at that moment the audience should have a lightbulb moment of “Oh! It does sound like waves.”, then they’ll think differently about the sound from then on.
I wanted that to act as a way for the audience to think “All of the sounds I’ve heard until now, they were also waves.”, because I also wanted it to be a refreshing moment for them.
I have to give you a thumbs up for that because audio mixing is becoming a challenge in films now for audiences because sometimes you can’t really hear the dialogue. When I watch a film where I can actually hear what the characters are saying clearly, I’m always very happy, so I have to give you thumbs up just for that alone for making it a priority that your characters are distinctly heard.
It’s a major problem now especially with a lot of Western made films.
Thank you. Thank you very much.
Another reference to the sound of the waves and So-young is walking through the green house is the story that she tells Ye-eun about the IMF crisis which happened in the late 1990s beginning in 1997. I thought it was very interesting that you again used the memories of waves as a prompt, but for So-young, it reminded her of that time during the crisis of family not being able to go to the beach because of their financial situation.
To me that scene indicates the ways children are aware of what’s happening in the world around them even if they don’t fully understand the circumstances. Even at the young age she would’ve been then, the IMF crisis left a significant impact on So-young, Ye-eun, and other children in Korea at the time.
This has to do with my own personal experience. When I was young, in my teenage years, that’s when the IMF crisis struck, and this was a very, very difficult time when families were being torn apart and everyone’s life drastically changed.
That time had a huge influence on my early years. During that period, I spent time at my grandmother’s house, my mother’s mother, and the house that you see in the film is her house. I went there and I would do the same thing of listening to cars sounding like waves passing by, and I think that the world of children and the world of adults are completely separate, but, because of the ambiance…there’s something in the air that only children are able to pick up on.
I didn’t intend to do it, but maybe it was something subconsciously I wanted to say about that time.
Yes. Children are much more aware of the world than adults give them credit for. Children are extremely smart, and I think your film kind of speaks to that in a very subtle way. That was just one conversation between Ye-eun, and So-young, but as you said what happened in the past had a significant impact on you and while you may not have thought about it in years, you remembered enough about it to put the way you felt in the film.
Yes. Thank you.
Another thing about children and adults, and it’s funny to say because we were all children before we grew up, is the expectations that parents place on children. For Ye-eun, she has a phone conversation with her mum, and her mum talks about Ye-un’s father being “sinful”, in reference him not being a good husband and father and not being Christian. But she wants Ye-eun to visit him at the hospital because Ye-eun performing that duty would make her “beautiful” in her mother’s eyes. I saw that as the mum placing an unfair burden of guilt on Ye-eun.
As I’ve had similar conversations with my own parents, I really related to Ye-eun in that moment because I’ve also said, “Can’t I just not go?” because I don’t want to and not be judged for it?
In Korea, the relationships between parents and children are not easy and in a way kind of bizarre.
From the child’s point of view, when you’re young you’re totally dependent on your parents, you’re on the receiving end for everything. But then, once you grow up and you start seeing flaws in your parents…or the negative aspects to them, there’s this moment where you go “Oh! They’re just regular people. They’re humans, too.” There is a limit I think, to how many negative aspects or faults a child can deal with though, and then once they reach that maximum limit, something becomes the last straw and they can’t take it anymore, they face a dilemma.
They can’t break off ties with their parents completely, but they can’t continue this relationship either, so they’re stuck in between these two choices. My father wasn’t a terrible father at all, but still, I had several types of clashes with him. These are things I think everyone can identify with at some point, and these are the types of small moments of daily life I wanted to show.
The main sentiment that underlines the entire movie is a sense of people not being sure what to do or what they’re capable of doing.
In hearing you say that about how children can become disillusioned with their parents the older they get; as we grow, we start to notice more flaws, as you said, is that where the idea for Ye-eun’s story about the house being old and collecting the remnants of the people who lived in it came from? Because when you were younger, you saw your grandmother’s house as a place of refuge, where you went for the summers and had happy moments. But as you aged, and the house aged you began to see more flaws in its structure.
Is it possible that the house and the story are a metaphor for that? That Ye-eun seeing the flaws in the hose are representative of her seeing the flaws in her parents?
Yes. There are some connections because when I was young my grandmother was just my grandmother, but then like you said, as I grew older, I began to see shortcomings in her and in my parents, but at the same time I also realized my grandmother was getting older so I experienced this sense of loss thinking that I’m going to lose this person that I deeply care about. That they’re all going to be gone soon at some point as I saw my grandmother age before my eyes. As a result, I was thinking that once they’re gone, how can I remember and hold onto them.
So, my experiences with that are kind of melted into the story of the film as well.
In your biography on the UMFF website, you said All the Days “was planned and created with the consideration of “sustainable love”. Is that what you mean with your intention to do the best you can to hold on to the memory of your grandmother and the people you love in a healthy way? In a conservative way in terms of preservation, by seeing them for who they are but still being able to appreciate them with their flaws and all?
That was my main goal while working on the film, and depending on how you see it there can be many interpretations of it, but the reason I set that as my goal was because in one way, making a film is an activity that could have a huge impact on myself or the people and environment around me, and if it has a negative effect it could destroy myself and others.
For instance, if I’m overzealous, too passionate or if I put in too much money into the project then there could be negative effects. Filmmkaing itself destroys a lot of the environment as well so I’m always conscious of that.
When I’m making a film, I’m always very aware of the fact that I need to remember not to do this. So, “sustainable love” for me means thinking about how I can sustain my filmmaking which is something I love, and how can I keep making movies without hurting others and those connected to my life outside of filmmaking, the people that I interact with daily and the world that I live in.
I’m always asking myself “Is this possible? Is this sustainable love?”
That’s great! So, is the character of Sung-bin, Ye-eun and So-young’s friend representative of you then? That’s the conversation he has with them where he says that he wants to do the things that he’s most interested in without hurting himself, others, and his surroundings. He wants to be sustainable in the way that he lives his life.
I think that’s a great ambition to have now in the world that we live in. Especially here in North America where filmmaking is becoming such an excessive process with regards to how much money is being spent, and as you mentioned it can have a very negative environmental and social impact too, I think, when filmmakers aren’t necessarily cognizant of the impact of the stories they’re telling could have socially.
In that regard, I kind of see Sung-bin as being an avatar for you because he’s speaking of having balance in all things…the way he lives his life for fun and for work.
Yes, Sung-bin is me [laughs].
I’m aware of the impact of the film industry especially in North America and the effects it has on the environment, and I’ve seen some research on it and when I was working on this film I constant thought about sustainable love and in a way, I thought the film had gotten a little too big than I expected. So, I’m always thinking of how I can tell the richest story within the smallest environment and will be something I continue to think about.
Something else that’s said in that conversation by Ye-eun which I think ties-in, is that if she tries to hold onto things that are too big, they’ll break, so she tries to do trivial things. Can you talk about that a bit and explain what she meant?
That line by Ye-eun is closely connected to how I feel about filmmaking because if you make a commercial film well it’s going to be a ‘rags to riches’ story. You’ll be famous overnight. Successful overnight. But on the other hand, you could also lose everything, so it’s a huge gamble to make such a film, and my goal in making films is to create these moments that I can value over time. I think of something I want to make a film about, then I make the film, and I get something out of that.
But what she’s saying is how I feel about making movies in that if I set my goals too high, and if I try to do something that’s too big that’s going to require a lot more, I’m going to lose these very small or trivial but very precious moments to me along the way because I’m preparing for that big goal, and I’d rather not do that. Therefore, I’ve chosen to continue filmmaking in the way that I do so that I can continue to move towards the goal that I have in mind.
I think that’s a very smart way to look at filmmaking especially in present times. I have to say “Kudos” to you for recognizing that so early on in your career because I think many filmmakers lose sight of that.
Thank you for saying that.
For my last question, before I mentioned the sound design, now, I want us to talk a bit about the score. There’s a scene in the film that made me think that if you ever wanted to make a horror film, you already have a sensibility of how to do it and could actually make some very creepy horror films.
It’s the sequence where Ye-eun, So-young, and Sung-bin are at the gravesite and they’re using a drone to get a high-up shot of the area, and the music that plays sounds very discordant and foreboding which didn’t seem to fit the film as it was very different to the rest of the score.
I wanted to ask you about it because while the music is different, I think it represented how they felt looking for Ye-eun’s grandmother’s grave as they didn’t know what condition they would find it in had a sense of foreboding about it.
The particular music you’re talking about is used in two scenes, and I purposely asked the music director to make sure the music in these scenes is very different in tone and manner from the rest of the film.
There’s the scene at the grave, and the other is when there’s a blackout and they’re trying to find a light switch. When you’re trying to find something, there’s a sense of being in the dark so to speak, and you feel scared because you don’t know what’s going to happen. You don’t know what you’re going to find, or that you’re going to find it but not like it.
For the characters, each of them is looking for something in their own life and so am I but it’s not easy, because when you’re wandering through the dark you could come across something that’s wrong.
That’s not the thing you’re looking for, and I felt that searching for something is a mysterious and scary thing to experience. That’s the feeling I wanted to convey.
Carolyn Hinds
Freelance Film Critic, Journalist, Podcaster & YouTuber
African American Film Critics Association Member, Tomatometer-Approved Critic
Host & Producer Carolyn Talks…, and So Here’s What Happened! Podcast
Bylines at Authory.com/CarolynHinds
Twitter & Instagram: @CarrieCnh12
#AlltheDays #HeoSungwan #filmakerHeoSungwan #kcrushinterview #kcrush #UIJUMountainFilmFestival2024 #filmfestival #asianfilm #kcrushfeaturedinterview #UMFF #20somethingyoungpeople #film #IMFCrisis #kcrushamerica #kcrushmagazine
PLAVE is a virtual K-pop boy group making millstones in the entertainment world a few months after debuting.
PLAVE is a virtual group that debuted in March 2023 with the “Asterum” single under VLAST. PLAVE is derived from a combination of “Play” and “Rave” which aligns with the members’ purpose of creating a new world to realize their dreams.
The band is made up of avatar members resembling webtoon characters. The real character members include Yejun, Noah, Hamin, Eunho, and Bamby. The virtual AI avatars use body motion suits to capture the gestures, dancing, voices, and body motions of the real characters.
After debuting with the “Asterum” single in March 2023, PLAVE released their first ‘Asterum’ EP in August 2023 and a second ‘ASTERUM 134-1’ EP in February 2024. PLAVE made history by being the first virtual group to top Show Champion & Show! Music Core program thanks to the “Way 4 Luv” single from ‘ASTERUM 134-1’ EP.
PLAVE also held its first fan concert in April 2024. The band recently released their 3rd single, “Pump Up The Volume!” in August 2024.
The “Pump Up The Volume!” single skyrocketed the band’s fame as it charted No. 1 on Melon’s ‘Top 100’ days after release. That month, PLAVE made headlines as the band’s 7 songs, including “Pump Up The Volume!”, landed in the top 10 list of Melon’s ‘Top 100’ chart.
—-Karen Mwenda
#PLAVE #WhoIsPLAVE #PumpUpTheVolume #MelonsTop100Chart #kcrush #koreankpop #animatedboyband #kidol #ASTERUM #MusicCore #virtualkpop #virtualkpopboygroup #kcrushamerica #kcrushmagazine #koreanpop #kfashion #VLASTAgency #virtualAIavatars #membersYejunNoahHaminEunhoBamby #Yejun #Noah #Hamin #Eunho #Bamby #PLAVEanewkpopboyband
Min Hee Jin has officially left ADOR and HYBE after a 5-year work relationship.
On November 20, Min Hee Jin announced that she had parted ways with both ADOR and HYBE. Min Hee Jin has been serving as the CEO of ADOR. Min Hee Jin stated that she has terminated her shareholders’ agreement with HYBE agency and resigned from her ADOR internal director position. Min Hee added that she had done all she could to protect NewJeans, especially throughout the past few months.
Min He Jin’s misfortunes started early this year and escalated during the April audits. Min Hee confirmed that she is proud of her actions. She added rather than repentance, her actions were meant to invoke some human decency from HYBE, at the very least.
Min Hee Jin thanked NewJeans fans for their unwavering support, especially over the last few months. Min Hee also unfollowed NewJeans and ADOR’s official account and removed ADOR’s link from her profile. Before resigning from both HYBE and ADOR, Min Hee was dismissed as the CEO of ADOR in August 2024 and worked only as NewJeans’ producer and member of ADOR’s board of directors.
—-Karen Mwenda
#MinHeeJin #MinHeeJinResignsFromADOR #NewJeans #kcrush #HYBE #koreankpop #kpopagency #kidol #MinHeeJinhadbeenremovedastheCEOofADOR #MinHeeJinunfollowedNewJeansandADOR #kcrushmagazine #MinHeeJinthankedfans #kcrushtopentertainmentmagazine #MinHeeJinnolongerworkswithNewJeans #hallyunews
Fantagio has released the contract status of the remaining WEKI MEKI members who were still under their cover after the band disbanded.
On November 18, Fantagio announced that Kim Doyeon and Choi Yoojung have decided to renew their contract with the agency after careful consideration. As such, Fantagio added that although WEKI MEKI band disbanded, the agency will support the two artists in whatever future path they choose.
On the other hand, the agency also announced that Ji Soyeon has chosen to end her contract with the agency. Soyeon joins other WEKI MEKI former members Lucy, Lua, Rina, Elly, and Sei who also ended their contract with Fantagio. WEKI MEKI confirmed their official disbandment in August 2024. The band debuted in 2017 as an 8-member team with the ‘WeMe’ EP.
—-Karen Mwenda
#WEKIMEKI #WEKIMEKImembers #Fantagio #WeMeEP #JiSoyeonendscontractwithagency #formermembers #Lucy #Lua #Rina Elly #Sei #koreankpop #kpop #kpopgirlgroup #kpopgirlgroupdisbandment #kcrush #KimDoyeon #kidol #ChoiYoojongrenewscontractwithFantagio #kcrushamerica #kcrushmagazine #koreanhallyu #hallyunews
BTOB released its concept photos for the October 31 comeback album and there is still more in November and December.
BTOB COMPANY label members SEO EUNKWANG, LEE MINHYUK, LIM HYUNSIK, and PENIEL will be releasing their 10th digital single titled “Please Stay”.
The digital single, set for release on October 31, is part of the band’s ‘BECOMING PROJECT’ album which showcases the BTOB members’ charms, in both solo and unit activities, in ensuring the continuity of BTOB’s identity.
BTOB ended its contract with Cube Entertainment in November 2023. The band’s Changsub signed with Fantagio agency the same month. In December 2023, Yook Sungjae signed with IWill Media agency.
In February 2024, it was revealed that the BTOB remaining four members had established their label, BTOB COMPANY. It was also revealed that the 4 members would continue their activities under the same group name after a trademark agreement with Cube Entertainment.
—-Karen Mwenda
#BTOB #BecomingProject #kcrush BTOBCompany #CubeEntertainment #topkpopgroup #kcrushamerica #koreanboygroup #koreankpop #koreancelebrity #kidol #hallyuboyband
MAMA Awards will hold its annual ceremony in the U.S. for the first time this November.
For the 1st time in over a 2-year decade of history, MAMA Awards will hold its annual event in the U.S. before heading to Japan. The event is scheduled to take place in Hollywood Dolby Theatre, Los Angeles on November 21.
At the U.S. event, J.Y. Park is set to collaborate with Anderson .Paak while KATSEYE will collaborate with Los Angeles Rams for stage performances. The Los Angeles ceremony is also scheduled to feature other K-pop acts including ILLIT, TWS, and RIIZE.
After the U.S. event on November 21, MAMA Awards will head to Japan from 22nd to 23rd November. Actress Kim Tae Ri and actor Park Bo Geum are scheduled to host the Japan event. K-Pop acts who will perform in the Japan chapter include ENHYPEN, IVE, TOMORROW X TOGETHER, Aespa, and ZEROBASEONE.
—-Karen Mwenda
#MAMAAwards #MAMAAwardsUSevent #November 21st #KATSEYE #JYPark #kcrush #ILLIT #TWS #RIIZE #kpop #kpopawardevent #LosAngelesMAMAAards #KoreanActressKimTaeRi #KoreanActorParkBoGeum #knews #kcrushamerica #kcrushmagazine #AndersonPaak
13FOUND debuted on November 13, 2024, making it the newest K-pop group in the industry.
13FOUND (13파운드) is a trio group under TAKIEL agency. The boy band members include Kim Seongyeon, Song Chiwon, and Park Minseo.
13FOUND debuted on November 13, 2024, with the ‘Found’ mini album and “Domino” title track. The album consists of 4 tracks including “MMM”, “Domino”, “Retry”, and “MMM (Sped Up)”.
Seongyeon has some experience in the industry as he contested on Produce X 101 and YG Treasure Box, MIXNINE.
—-Karen Mwenda
#13FOUND #Whois13FOUND #kcrush #kpop #kpopgroup #ProduceX101 #YGTreasureBox #MIXNINE #kidol #pop #newgroup #Seongyeon #Foundminialbum #Dimino #Retry #MMM #kcrushmagazine #kcrushamerica #koreanboygroup #TAKIELAgency #koreancelebrity #kfashion #koreankpop #hallyubobgroup
TIOT is a rising force that made its official debut in April 2024.
TIOT (티아이오티)is a quintet group under Redstart ENM agency. The band consists of Kim Min Seong, Kum Jun Hyeon, Hong Keon Hee, Choi Wii Jin, and Shin Ye Chan. TIOT stands for ‘Time Is Our Time’.
Before making the April 2024 official debut, the group had made a pre-debut as a 4-member band with the ‘Frame the Blueprint: Prelude to Possibilities’ EP on August 2023.
After the pre-debut, TIOT held the ‘Blueprint: TIOT’ tour in Japan in October 2023 and released the “Find the Way” single, and held the ‘2023 TIOT Fancon: Find the Way’ concert in December 2023.
Members Min Seong, Kim Jun Hyeon, Hong Keon Hee, and Choi Wii Jin participated in 2023 Boys Planet program before debuting Redstart ENM. The 4 performers joined forces as Redstart Boys and held fan meetings and concerts before the August 2023 pre-debut as TIOT. Shin Ye Chan joined the group during their official debut in April 2024.
—-Karen Mwenda
#TIOT #WhoIsTIOT #kcrush #MinSeong #KimJunHyeon #HongKeonHee #ChoiWiiin #ShinYeChan #RedstartENM #koreankpop #kpop #pop #koreanboygroup #kcrushmagazine #kcrushamerica #kcrusharticle #hallyuboygroup #kidol #kcelebrity #BoysPlanet #FindTheWay #TimeIsOurTime
BABYMONSTER will be having their 1st ever world tour taking off in January 2025.
BABYMONSTER is gearing up for its first tour, scheduled for January of next year. Titled ‘HELLO MONSTERS’, the tour is set to start in South Korea before heading to the US.
‘HELLO MONSTERS’ tour will kick off in Seoul and then head to several U.S cities including New Jersey and Los Angeles. After starting in January, the tour will hit Los Angeles stages in March 2025. Additional cities and respective dates will be communicated in time.
—-Karen Mwenda
#BABYMONSTERTour #HelloMonstersTour #BABYMONSTERUS #kcrush #kpop #koreankpop #koreancelebrity #kidol #koreangirlgroup #kcrushamerica #kcrushmagazine #kcrushfilminterview #interview #USTour #firstworldtourannounced
“Luck is what you make of it” is a saying that has been around for generations to describe the work people have to put into to turn situations in their favor, and perfectly encapsulates the dilemma father and reformed poker player Lucky (Terry Chen, The Spiderwick Chronicles) finds himself facing in writer, director, and producer Gillian McKercher’s drama Lucky Star, which screened at the 2024 Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival.
Already struggling financially with a tech repair company that isn’t pulling in as much business as needed, Lucky, desperate to resolve at least one potential issue, falls victim to a phone phishing tax-fraud scam, costing him thousands of dollars his family can’t afford to lose. With his daughter Grace (Connie Miu, The Boys) stressing over her final college exams, and his wife Noel (Olivia Cheng, Warrior) doubting his truthfulness with her, Lucky keeps the truth of just how dire their financial situation has become from his family and ends up making a decision that could cost him everything. In their youth, Lucky was a successful gambler whose luck at the poker table provided some measure of financial stability, but as is the case with habitual gambling, his obsession with proving his skill at playing games put his relationship with Noel in jeopardy, and he made a vow to never play again. A vow he was able to keep…until the new troubles in their life, and he turns to poker games where the stakes are high in more than one way, as a solution.
Knowing that Lucky is in serious trouble, his best friend and accountant Darren, played by Andrew Phung (Run the Burbs), does his best to persuade Lucky to follow his advice to create a solid and manageable financial plan. Darren, knowing what’s at stake for Lucky, does his best but he can only do as much as Lucky allows him to do. And similarly to Darren, Grace tries her best to help her father, but their relationship becomes strained as the line of responsibility between parent and child is blurred with Lucky depending on her for help and asking Grace to keep his secrets of just how bad things have gotten from her mother.
Gillian does a great job of showing how finances can make and break a family as shame and guilt weighs heavily on them. While Noel does love Lucky, she doesn’t fully trust him to be honest with her when it comes to money. This doubt that she doesn’t like feeling for her husband causes Noel to place herself in a precarious situation where she has to consider having her own financial backup plan that may itself jeopardise the stability of her children’s life.
Set in Calgary, Alberta, Lucky Star is a very realistic portrayal of how people can feel unlucky in their lives despite appearing to have everything a person could want in life. Gillian’s direction and the performances of the cast are what makes this story work technically, and emotionally because these characters are people, we either have in our own families, or relatable and familiar to our own experiences. For who hasn’t worried about how to win against our inner demons and vices, been tempted to make a choice we know is morally wrong but could potentially change our lives for the better, or worried about owing money to the government when tax season comes around.
Happy and stable families must be cultivated, nourished, and cherished, and that takes time, effort, and above all, honesty and trust to achieve, not luck, which Lucky learns by coming to the realisation he can’t rely on his skills as a poker player to win at being a husband and father.
In my interview with Gillian and Andrew for the film’s premiere at Reel Asian, we had a great conversation about how people like Lucky could be dealt the best cards in life and still mess up, why and how guilt and shame change the way we see ourselves and loved ones, and what makes luck, luck.
Lucky Star had its world premiere in Gillian’s hometown at the 2024 Calgary International Film Festival.
Carolyn Hinds
Freelance Film Critic, Journalist, Podcaster & YouTuber
African American Film Critics Association Member, Tomatometer-Approved Critic
Host & Producer Carolyn Talks…, and So Here’s What Happened! Podcast
Bylines at Authory.com/CarolynHinds
Twitter & Instagram: @CarrieCnh12
#KCrush #KCrushAmericaMagazine #ReelAsian #TerryChen #OliviaCheng #AndrewPhung #AsianCinema #CanadianFilm #FilmFestival #Toronto #TorontoReelAsianInternationalFilmFestival #ChineseCanadian #kcrushmagazine #kcrushfilminterview #FemaleFilmmaker
The legendary Suzy Bae has joined Celine luxury brand ambassadorship crew
On November 15, Celine brand announced they were pleased to have Suzy join their family. The French fashion house is known for its luxurious high-end designer pieces since 1945.
Celine announced the ambassadorship news with Suzy Bae’s first campaign image. The legendary South Korean artist showcased a bold and elegant look in a black leather coat. The coat is part of Celine brand’s 2024 Winter Collection.
—-Karen Mwenda
#SuzyBae #MissA #JYP #SuzyBaeBrandAmbassadorforCeline #CelineLuxuryBrand #kpop #koreanActress #singer #kcrush #kcrushmagazine #knews #congratulationstoSuzyBae #whatisSuzyBaedoing #2024WinterCollection #kidol #koreancelebrity #SuzyBaeshowcasedwithCelineLuxuyBrand #kcrusharticle #CelineFrenchFashionHouse
JYP Entertainment’s rookie group NEXZ has released the “NALLINA” MV as they prepare for their November comeback.
NEXZ boy band has released the “NALLINA” music video teaser. The track is a part of their upcoming November comeback album. NEXZ will be releasing the ‘NALLINA’ mini album on November 18.
NEXZ debuted in May 2024 with the ‘Ride the Vibe’ single album. The group later made a Japanese debut with the ‘Ride Your Vibe (Japanese Ver.) / Keep on Moving’ EP in August 2024.
—-Karen Mwenda
#NEXZ #JYPEntertainment #RideYourVibe #NALLINA #newmusic #newalbum #novembercomeback #kcrush #kpop #koreanidol #koreancelebrity #kfashion #kcrushmagazine #kcrushtopentertainmentmagazine #KeeponMovingEP #NEXZcomebackinNovember #NEXZteaser #koreanboyband #boygroup #Japanesedebut #hallyuboygroup