分类： entertainment

SEOUL, South Korea – The South Korean film industry mourns the loss of its most revered acting legend, Ahn Sung-ki, who passed away on Monday at age 74 after a prolonged battle with blood cancer. His death was confirmed by his management agency, The Artist Company, and Soonchunhyang University Hospital in Seoul.

Ahn’s extraordinary career spanned six decades, establishing him as one of the most accomplished and beloved figures in Korean cinema history. Born in 1952 in Daegu to a filmmaker father, Ahn began his acting journey at just five years old with his debut in “The Twilight Train” (1957). He would go on to appear in approximately 70 films as a child actor before temporarily leaving the industry to pursue a conventional education.

After graduating with top honors in Vietnamese studies from Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, Ahn faced employment challenges during the post-Vietnam War era when his specialized major held limited professional value. Following a period of unemployment, he returned to his true calling in 1977.

His breakthrough arrived in 1980 with Lee Jang-ho’s critically acclaimed coming-of-age drama “Good, Windy Days,” where his portrayal of working-class struggles during Korea’s rapid industrialization earned him the Best New Actor award at the Grand Bell Awards – Korea’s equivalent of the Oscars.

Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, Ahn dominated Korean cinema with an unparalleled series of performances across diverse genres. His remarkable filmography includes transformative roles as a Buddhist monk in “Mandara” (1981), a destitute beggar in “Whale Hunting” (1984), a Vietnam War veteran in “White Badge” (1992), a corrupt police officer in “Two Cops” (1993), and a special forces trainer in the blockbuster “Silmido” (2003).

Ahn’s unprecedented acting prowess earned him five Best Actor awards at the Grand Bell Awards – a record that remains unmatched in South Korean cinema. Beyond his professional achievements, he cultivated a public image as a humble, scandal-free family man who maintained a quiet personal life despite his superstar status. Numerous public surveys consistently identified him as the nation’s most beloved actor, solidifying his nickname “The Nation’s Actor.”

In reflecting on his extensive career, Ahn often noted that his role as a dedicated manager to a fading rock star in “Radio Star” (2006) most closely mirrored his own personality and approach to his craft.

South Korean indie filmmaker Yoon Ga-eun has unexpectedly captured the nation’s cinematic consciousness with her groundbreaking film ‘The World of Love,’ emerging as an unexpected box office phenomenon and cultural touchstone. The film, which has been hailed as “movie of the year” by Korean media, presents a revolutionary approach to portraying sexual violence survivors through the lens of everyday life rather than trauma recreation.

The narrative centers on Joo-in, a high school student navigating typical adolescent experiences—school dynamics, romantic relationships, and family interactions—while carrying the secret of childhood sexual assault by a relative. The film’s tension emerges not from graphic depictions of violence but from Joo-in’s refusal to sign a petition containing the statement: “Sexual violence leaves deep wounds that never heal and completely destroys a person’s life and soul.”

Yoon’s directorial approach deliberately avoids labeling her protagonist, instead focusing on Joo-in’s assertion that her trauma, while significant, does not define her entire identity. The filmmaker personally handwrote letters to journalists requesting they avoid mentioning sexual violence in their coverage, emphasizing her commitment to reframing the narrative around survivors.

The film has achieved remarkable commercial success, grossing over $1.1 million since its October release and earning a 9/10 rating on Naver, South Korea’s largest search portal. It has become the highest-grossing indie film of 2025 in South Korea, with acclaim from industry luminaries including Bong Joon-ho, director of ‘Parasite,’ who declared himself the “head of the Seoul branch of Yoon Ga-eun’s fan club.”

Beyond its artistic achievements, ‘The World of Love’ has sparked crucial conversations in South Korea’s patriarchal society about how survivors are perceived and treated. According to Cho Eunhee, director of Korea Sexual Violence Relief Center, the film arrives at an “incredibly right” cultural moment, building on the foundation of the 2017-2018 MeToo movement while creating space for discussing previously taboo subjects like familial abuse.

Audience responses have been profoundly emotional, with viewers reporting transformative cinema experiences. One children’s book editor described leaving the theater determined to become “a good adult who can stand beside all the children and teenagers who are trying so hard to grow up.” A survivor expressed feeling empowered, as if Joo-in was telling her, “I am living well, so let’s keep living well together.”

While some critics and survivors have noted the film may downplay the lasting damage of abuse and present idealized family support systems, film critic Min Youngjun emphasizes that the film’s true value lies in creating “a healthy space for talking about sexual violence and its victims.” The film demonstrates that meaningful dialogue emerges not from universal approval but from creating platforms for essential conversations about complex social issues.

Renowned Indian film director Bharathiraja, an iconic figure in Tamil cinema, remains in stable condition after being hospitalized for respiratory issues. The 81-year-old auteur was admitted to MGM Healthcare in Chennai on December 27th after experiencing breathlessness.

Medical authorities at the healthcare facility released an official bulletin on January 4th confirming that the veteran filmmaker is receiving appropriate medical care in the intensive care unit. According to the statement, his clinical condition is stable with vital parameters within normal limits under appropriate medical support. The medical team continues close monitoring while reporting satisfactory response to ongoing treatment.

The hospitalization comes during a difficult period for the acclaimed director, who lost his son Manoj Bharathiraja—also an actor-filmmaker—to cardiac arrest in March last year. Family sources indicate Bharathiraja had been struggling with his health since this personal tragedy. After his son’s passing, the director relocated to Malaysia to stay with his daughter but found little improvement in his condition despite the change of environment.

Bharathiraja’s contributions to Indian cinema have earned him the revered title ‘Iyakkunar Imayam’ (mountain among directors). He revolutionized Tamil filmmaking by abandoning studio sets in favor of authentic outdoor locations—a radical departure from industry norms at the time. His filmography is distinguished by realistic portrayals of rural life and social divisions, notably in works like ‘Vedham Pudhithu’ (1987), which offered critical commentary on societal issues.

Throughout his four-decade career beginning in the early 1980s, Bharathiraja directed numerous critically acclaimed films including ’16 Vayathinile’ (remade as ‘Solva Saavan’ in Hindi), ‘Kizhakke Pogum Rayil’, ‘Muthal Mariyathai’, and ‘Karuththamma’. His 1977 film ’16 Vayathinile’ is particularly celebrated for uniting three legendary stars: Kamal Haasan, Rajinikanth, and Sridevi.

Beyond his directorial achievements, Bharathiraja demonstrated exceptional talent-spotting abilities, launching the careers of actors Revathi (‘Mann Vasanai’), Karthik, Radha, Napoleon, and several others. His mentorship also extended to emerging directors including K Bhagyaraj, Manivannan, and R Parthiban who assisted him before establishing their own successful careers.

An architectural marvel carved from snow has emerged in Northeast China’s Jilin province, where artisans have completed a breathtaking large-scale sculpture depicting a palace seemingly suspended in mid-air. The monumental artwork, constructed within the renowned Changbai Mountain scenic area, required an astonishing 100,000 cubic meters of meticulously compacted snow to achieve its final form.

Soaring to an impressive height of 30 meters and spanning 70 meters in width, the frozen palace represents one of the most ambitious winter art installations created in recent years. The design draws direct inspiration from the popular novel series ‘The Grave Robbers’ Chronicles,’ bringing fictional architecture from the pages of literature into tangible reality through the transient medium of ice and snow.

Since its recent completion, the sculpture has generated substantial excitement among literary enthusiasts and winter tourism advocates alike. The installation forms part of a broader initiative to promote winter tourism and cultural activities in China’s northern regions, where extreme cold weather becomes a canvas for artistic expression rather than a limitation.

The Changbai Mountain area, known for its pristine winter landscapes and abundant snowfall, provides an ideal backdrop for such ambitious frozen architecture. Local tourism authorities anticipate the sculpture will attract visitors from across China and beyond, offering a unique combination of natural beauty, literary homage, and artistic achievement.

This project continues the region’s tradition of snow and ice artistry while pushing the boundaries of scale and thematic complexity, demonstrating how winter conditions can be transformed into opportunities for cultural celebration and tourist attraction.