David Opie
Verified- Freelance Entertainment Journalist, Digital Spy
- Entertainment Journalist, Freelance
- Freelance South Korea Correspondent, Screen Daily
- Freelance Entertainment Journalist, GamesRadar+
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Articles by David Opie
Majid Majidi’s ‘Midday Meal’ wins Busan Award as festival hits biggest audience since 2015
Source: Busan International Film Festival ‘Midday Meal’ Majid Majidi’s Iranian drama Midday Meal won the Busan Award for best film at the 31st Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) on Thursday (October 15) as the festival reported its biggest audience figures since 2015. The film, about a teacher who becomes an oil smuggler to save his village school, wins a prize of $37,000 (KRW50m) and qualifies for submission to the Academy Awards in the best international feature film category.
‘The Assassin(s)’ backlash will reduce risks in Korean filmmaking, say sellers in Busan
Source: Courtesy of TIFF ‘The Assassin(s)’ Controversy sparked by South Korean drama The Assassin(s) will see fewer risks taken by local filmmakers in future, according to industry executives. Sales agents at the recent Asian Contents & Film Market (ACFM) in Busan said that production companies and financiers will be more hesitant to develop stories perceived as “left-wing” in future due to the protests and furore generated by the film.
The Diplomat season 4's premiere twist sets the tone for a chaotic but addictive season
The Diplomat season 4 spoilers won't be found in this review. If the success of diplomacy is measured by a lack of conflict, it's safe to say that Ambassador Kate Wyler (Keri Russell) isn't exactly good at her job. It's these tensions, however, that make The Diplomat itself such an addictive watch, each season more ludicrous than the last.
Korea’s Lotte partners with Japan’s Toei on push into Vietnamese films
Source: Lotte / Toei (l-r) Kim Jong Ryul, Kim Jin Keun, Fumio Yoshimura EXCLUSIVE: South Korea’s Lotte Cultureworks, Lotte Entertainment Vietnam and Japan’s Toei Company are joining forces to make a concerted push into Vietnamese films. The three companies have signed a memorandum of understanding to work together on developing and co-producing films in the Southeast Asian country.
South Korea’s Aa Films makes ACFM debut with ‘Lost Boys’
Source: Aa Films ‘Lost Boys’ South Korea’s Aa Films is making its debut at Busan’s Asian Contents & Film Market (ACFM) with a slate of 17 titles The burgeoning sales and distribution company, which was launched in January by sales executive Inho Jeong, has a lineup led by Lost Boys, an upcoming mystery drama from director Choi Beom-seok.
My Screen Life: Korean exec Paul D Kim talks industry challenges and Sean Baker ambitions
Source: Hive Filmworks Paul D. Kim Paul D Kim is CEO of South Korea’s Hive Filmworks, which works across production, sales and distribution. At Busan International Film Festival, the company handles Competition drama Beach Fictions and Korean Cinema Today title Sapiens. Kim has more than two decades of experience across the industry, working as head of domestic and international business at Mirovision before founding Hive Filmworks in 2019.
Showbox launches Yeon Sang-ho’s Devotion’ and ‘Exorcism Chronicles’ sequel at ACFM
Source: Netflix Yeon Sang-ho EXCLUSIVE: South Korea’s Showbox has secured world sales rights to upcoming mystery horror Devotion, co-directed by Yeon Sang-ho, and an animated sequel to ‘Exorcism Chronicles’. The sales agent is introducing international buyers to both titles as part of its new slate at the Asian Contents & Film Market (ACFM) in Busan. Devotion follows two sister influencers, Su-a and Min-a, who run into trouble when Min-a vanishes while on a camping trip.
Bong Joon Ho’s ‘Ally’ sets South Korea release for July 2027
Bong Joon Ho’s debut animated feature Ally has been set for release in July 2027 in South Korea, according to production company Barunson C&C. An exact release date is yet to be disclosed for the underwater-set feature but it was previously confirmed that it will open theatrically in France on July 14, 2027. It further fuels speculation that the film is aiming for a premiere at Cannes, where director Bong won the Palme d’Or with Parasite in 2019.
“Human touch” remains essential to film in the age of AI, says Netflix panel
Source: Netflix Creative Asia panel More than 300 Netflix titles use AI “in many different formats”, a panel hosted by the streaming giant in Busan revealed. Sung Q Lee, senior director of APAC production at Netflix, discussed how the technology is used in several areas including pre-visualisation, production, editorial and VFX. “AI can help accelerate everything and at the same time, it can help us address realistic issues we face,” he told an industry audience at the Creative Asia forum.
Busan 2026: The buzz titles from South Korea
An AI-themed film from Yeon Sang-ho and an occult thriller from the team behind blockbuster Exhuma are among the titles being launched in Busan by Korean sellers. Source: Hive Filmworks ‘Beach Fictions’ Festival Dir. Lim Ha-yeon This drama, playing in Busan’s Competition section, follows a young woman who flees to a seaside town, meeting strangers on her journey including a novelist, a street magician and a fortune teller.
July Jung on the challenges of making ‘Dora’ and taking the film from Cannes to Busan
Source: Busan International Film Festival July Jung July Jung made history as the first South Korean female director to have three titles invited to the Cannes Film Festival. With her third feature, Dora, Jung sets out to reshape history, giving the subject of Freud’s famous case study a perspective and agency of her own. Set over one summer at a Korean seaside village, Dora follows a young woman who begins to recover from her physical and emotional struggles after finding love.
Folk horror ‘Maiden Home’ starring Asmara Abigail heads to Busan market with Plus M
Source: Courtesy Plus M Entertainment Asmara Abigail EXCLUSIVE: South Korea’s Plus M Entertainment has boarded sales of upcoming folk horror Maiden Home, starring Indonesian scream queen Asmara Abigail, and will introduce international buyers to the feature at Busan’s Asian Contents & Film Market (ACFM). Directed by South Korean filmmaker Sinn Kirin, the feature is scheduled to begin shooting in January 2027 across a variety of locations in South Korea and Indonesia.
Your future faves revealed in a Newfest 2026 special — Plus Avatar, VisionQuest and dom Gillian Anderson
Cinema — 9 min read Coward. Credit: Newfest Hey! David here. The LGBTQ+ film festival Newfest kicks off in New York City from October 15-25 and trust me when I say it's a good un. Credit: Newfest If you're in the vicinity of Carrie Bradshaw's city, go get tickets for at least some of the 144 titles scheduled to screen including the biggest queer titles from Cannes, Venice and more. If you're not there, some films will stream virtually on NewFest's on-demand platform from October 15-30.
A Halloween hit: Netflix's mystery-thriller Below is perfect autumn viewing
Following Mike Flanagan's migration to Prime Video, where has all the decent original horror gone on Netflix? The answer, it turns out, is below. No, really. Ahead of Halloween this year, showrunner Jesse McKeown (Umbrella Academy, The Sinner) is taking the helm on his own horror series named, you guessed it, Below, which combines the monster thrills of Jaws and Meg, with the Lovecraftian horror of old John Carpenter movies like The Fog.
Alfonso Cuaron shares hopes and fears for the future of theatrical
Source: Owen Kolasinski / ©Academy Museum Foundation Alfonso Cuaron Alfonso Cuaron has revealed his optimism for the future of the theatrical experience but also said he is “very afraid” about how it will develop. The Oscar-winning director of Roma, who is at Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) to present a special Imax screening of 2013’s Gravity, addressed the challenges facing the film industry at a press conference today (October 8).
Michelle Yeoh honoured on starry opening night of Busan film festival 2026
Source: Busan International Film Festival Michelle Yeoh The 31st Busan International Film Festival opened in glamourous style on Tuesday (October 6) with appearances from Michelle Yeoh, Charlotte Gainsbourg and Fan Bingbing alongside filmmakers Hirokazu Koreeda, Alfonso Cuarón, Na Hong-jin and Lee Chang-dong.
Busan film festival director talks Oscars impact, A-list status and future of Korean cinema
Source: BIFF Busan International Film Festival While Busan International Film Festival (BIFF, October 6-15) has changed considerably over the past three decades, last year’s 30th edition was particularly transformative in ways that pushed the festival to new heights. What started out as the dream of South Korea film professionals and academics has evolved into one of Asia’s most significant film events, expanding from 173 titles in 1996 to 246 this year — its biggest programme since 2019.
Hitchcock's Rebecca and Park Ji-hoon as the saddest, sexiest king — Plus a rather jazzy Mother of the Week
Hi! David here. I've just arrived in Busan for Asia's biggest film festival where I will watch a billion movies and try not to die from sleep deprivation. To celebrate the Korean film industry's biggest event of the year, I wanted to bring Korea's biggest film of the year to your attention. Jang Hang-jun's The King's Warden is a record-breaking historical drama that stars Park Ji-hoon as the saddest king you've ever seen.
Korean film industry rallies around ‘The Assassin(s)’ team after historical inaccuracy claims
Source: Toronto Film Festival ‘The Assassin(s)’ The makers of South Korean drama The Assassin(s) are under fire over claims of historical inaccuracies, leading the country’s culture minister and local film bodies to speak out in support of the cast and crew. The film revisits the 1974 assassination attempt on then Korean president Park Chung-hee, which led to the death of first lady Yuk Young-soo.
What is Avatar: Seven Havens? The Last Airbender sequel explained
Long ago, the four nations lived together in harmony, but what about the Seven Havens? Avatar: Seven Havens is almost upon us... but what is it? And do you have to watch other Avatar stories for it to make sense? Below, you'll find a mini guide that explains what the new show is, how it connects to the wider Avatar world, and when new episodes will be released on Paramount+. For more, dive into our previous coverage on the Avatar franchise and our guide for Avatar's Magic: The Gathering set.
Carrie, Josh Hartnett and Fancy Dance — Plus The Mummy turned me bi
Cinema — 8 min read Credit: Universal Pictures Hey! David here. It's Josh Hartnett week at Cruising Cinema because he's starring in a camp thriller named Verity... ...and the Netflix horror series Below. Let's just say I would verity like to go somewhere below with this man. Preferably in a room where there are no others. Shout out to young Josh who awakened many a 90s gay in The Faculty. Want to support my writing?
New look at future Oscar winner La Bola Negra — Plus Welsh gay film Pride and a Mother of the Week who loves to Cruise
Hi! David here. Before coming to cinemas in October and Netflix this December, La Bola Negra is back with another perfect trailer sculpted by the gay gods themselves. Blonde Penélope Cruz? Spanish Glenn Close? Beautiful, anguished men who look like they stepped out of a Renaissance painting? What Spanish directors Javier Calvo and Javier Ambrossi have crafted here is nothing short of a masterpiece, one that belongs up there with the greats (and could even surpass some of them too).
‘The Assassin(s)’ rules Korea’s Chuseok holiday box office with 40% share
Source: Courtesy of TIFF ‘The Assassin(s)’ Hur Jin-ho’s The Assassin(s) led South Korea’s box office over the Chuseok holiday weekend, amid a slate of new releases including a long-awaited Tazza sequel and Lee Chang-dong’s Possible Love. Hur’s historical thriller drew 1,119,154 admissions and earned $8.2m over the three-day weekend (September 25-27) with a revenue share of almost 41%, according to Korean Film Council tracking service Kobis.
Slo Pitch, Celebrity Traitors and Captain America's beard — Plus Samantha's best boyfriend in Sex and the City
Cinema — 8 min read Credit: Crave Hey! David here. Avengers Endgame is back in cinemas with a new Encore edition that includes a few bonus scenes. Why should you care? Because this is a rare opportunity to see America's Ass on the big screen once again. That ass had me in 2019 like: I'm kind of living for this janky photoshop of said ass which makes me even more nostalgic for a world before AI. In times like this, I draw comfort from Chris Evans's beard. You know, the one he shaved off in Endgame.
Avengers: Endgame re-release completely changes the ending – and teases surprise Doomsday return
A new game is afoot because Avengers: Endgame is now back in cinemas with an extra five minutes of footage that will act as a bridge between Endgame and Avengers: Doomsday. The footage in question includes an introduction from actors Chris Evans and Robert Downey Jr ("love you 3000!"), an extended ending, plus four mid-credit scenes that will be required viewing ahead of Doomsday.
Action comedy ‘Teen Cop’ heads to Busan’s ACFM with Contents Panda
Source: Contents Panda ‘Teen Cop’ South Korea’s Contents Panda has secured world sales rights to upcoming comedy action feature Teen Cop, starring Yoon Kyung-ho of box office smash My Daughter Is A Zombie and Kim Hye-yoon from hit horror Salmokji: Whispering Water. The sales agent will introduce the film to international buyers at the Asian Contents & Film Market (ACFM) in Busan next month.
‘The Intern’ remake unseats ‘The Odyssey’ at Korea box office
Source: Warner Brothers Korea / Anthology Studios ‘The Intern’ The South Korean remake of The Intern led the local box office on its opening weekend, ending a six-week streak for Christopher Nolan epic The Odyssey. The comedy drama drew 275,183 admissions and earned $1.9m over the three-day weekend (September 18-20), according to Korean Film Council tracking service Kobis. Since its release on September 16, the film has recorded 403,903 admissions and earned $2.9m.
Lanterns introduces one of the best DC characters, but I can't believe how small her role is
This feature contains spoilers for Lanterns episode 6. Make sure you're up to date before reading on. The latest episode of Lanterns finally brings Nathan Fillion's Guy Gardner into the picture, reprising his role from Superman last year. But another key character is also introduced this week, one even more important to Hal Jordan than a fellow Green Lantern.
Lanterns introduces one of the best DC characters, but I can't believe how small her role is
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Monster: Lizzie Borden true story explained – what's real and what's not?
The latest season of Ryan Murphy's Monster takes us back further than usual with the story of Lizzie Borden, a Massachusetts woman who was accused of murdering her father and stepmother with an axe in 1892. This is the first season based on a female perpetrator, just as Lizzie also happened to be America's first celebrity murder suspect at the young age of 32. Lizzie came under fire at the trial of the (19th) century, and over a century later, we're still talking about her.
MobLand Season 2 Review
Crime boss Conrad Harrigan (Pierce Brosnan) escalates the feud with his son, Kevin (Paddy Considine), who enlists new 'fixer' Frankie (Johnny Flynn) to join the mess. Harry Da Souza (Tom Hardy) might be the only one who can keep the Harrigan family together — but most likely at the expense of his own. Streaming on: Paramount+ Episodes viewed: 4 of 10 There's something rather Shakespearean about the evolution of MobLand this season.
Colony review: Train To Busan director returns with another wild twist on zombies
Biotech professor Kwon Se-jeong (Jun Ji-hyun) and a small group of survivors fight to stay alive during a zombie outbreak. But the infected are evolving, and their only hope for a cure lies with Seo Young-cheol (Koo Kyo-hwan), the twisted genius who created this virus in the first place. You’d be forgiven for assuming Korean filmmaker Yeon Sang-ho might be done with zombies.
Why Reacher's shocking season 4 finale was very risky but takes show in new direction
Reacher season 4 finale spoilers follow. Alan Ritchson is a giant mountain of a man. He is built like the mother-f***ing Alps, much like Jack Reacher is in the Lee Child books that Reacher is based on. It's no wonder then that each season finale has thrown increasingly larger men against Jack in a bid to up the ante. But what do you do when you can no longer just go bigger? Season three ended with a brutal showdown between Reacher and a towering bodyguard named Paulie (Olivier Richters).
Reacher spin-off Neagley is a binge-worthy, action-packed show – and not just because of the cameos
Jack Reacher is a mountain of a man, but not even those giant fists of his are big enough to whup the ass of every bad guy in America. Not all at once, anyhow. Enter Frances Neagley, the Chicago-based private investigator who started out in seasons two and three of Reacher, before now striking out with her own Prime Video spinoff.
For Harlan Coben fans! Twisty British mystery thriller Forever Home is a lot better than you expect
Home isn't just where the heart is. It's where the bodies are buried too, if Channel 5's new murder mystery is anything to go by. Forever Home isn't quite as old-fashioned as such idioms might suggest, however, even if the plot might seem so at first. Based on Graham Norton's (!!) 2022 novel of the same name, Forever Home stars Emmerdale icon Amy Nuttall as a woman named Carol Crottie who grows fearful of her husband. Robert (Douglas Henshall) is suffering from dementia, but that's not the issue.
Korea boosts production support for 16 projects including Koji Fukada, Um Tae-hwa films
Source: Mehdi Benkler Koji Fukada The Korean Film Council (Kofic) is to share nearly $20m (KRW25.7bn) in production support among 16 mid-budget films, including upcoming features from Cannes award-winner Koji Fukada and Concrete Utopia director Um Tae-hwa. Kofic launched the funding initiative last year to aid the production of mid-budget films in South Korea and help revitalise the country’s box office, which has struggled to recover post-pandemic.
‘Magical Girl Revolution’ starring ‘Train To Busan’s Kim Su-an begins South Korea shoot
Source: Blossom Entertainment Kim Su-an EXCLUSIVE: Production is underway in South Korea on Choi Hana’s Magical Girl Revolution, starring Kim Su-an of Train To Busan. Filming began on August 19 and will continue into October, with a target release of 2027. Shooting is primarily taking place in Andong, a picturesque city in the east of Korea. Further scenes have been filmed at various university campuses in different regions of the country.
‘The Odyssey’ crosses 10 million admissions in South Korea, breaks Imax records
Source: Universal Pictures ‘The Odyssey’ Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey has surpassed 10 million admissions in South Korea and set a new sales record for Imax cinemas in the country. The Universal epic crossed the landmark on Sunday (September 6), 33 days after opening in South Kora on August 5 where it has recorded 10.02 million admissions and $83m to date, according to Kobis, the tracking service operated by the Korean Film Council.
Banjong Pisanthanakun horror ‘Inherit’ scores wave of sales ahead of Toronto premiere
EXCLUSIVE: Horror thriller Inherit from Thai hitmaker Banjong Pisanthanakun has landed a raft of sales across Asia and beyond ahead of its world premiere at Toronto International Film Festival.
Why Leviticus – out now in UK cinemas – is the best horror movie of 2026
Following the success of Obsession and Backrooms, it's tempting to suggest that Leviticus works as an amalgamation of the year's two biggest horror movies. After all, the boys at its centre can't get enough of each other, yet still they must contend with a demonic force that hides in plain sight, one who reflects a funhouse mirror version of the world they once knew. Such a comparison isn't entirely unfounded, but there's so much more to Adrian Chiarella's debut than that.
Huge flops Disney wants you to forget about
Huge Flops Disney Wants You To Forget About Remember when Baloo taught us the bare necessities or that time Aladdin introduced us to a whole new world? Disney has cast a spell over audiences for generations, creating precious childhood memories that are impossible to forget. Unfortunately for Disney, though, some of these memories are actually best left forgotten.
Busan reveals 14-strong Competition including Nanako Hirose, Majid Majidi, Yosep Anggi Noen
Source: Busan International Film Festival ‘Between Two Lovers’, ‘Midday Meal’, ‘The Sea Speaks His Name’ Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) has unveiled the full lineup for its 31st edition, including 14 titles in Competition and a raft of guests including Maggie Gyllenhaal, Hirokazu Koreeda, Michelle Yeoh, Fan Bingbing and Isabelle Huppert.
Korean animation ‘Guardians Of The Video Game’ lands sales agent ahead of TIFF: The Market
Source: Finecut ‘Guardians Of The Video Game’ South Korea’s Finecut has secured international sales rights to Guardians Of The Video Game, an upcoming animated feature based on the popular webtoon of the same name. The first footage from the 3D animated film will be shown to buyers next week at TIFF: The Market. Directed by Uhm Young-sik, it revolves around an organisation that secretly operates and guards the world of video games.
Lanterns' dark new origin story for John Stewart changes comics canon in a big way
Immediately killing a beloved hero of almost seven decades instantly established that nothing is sacred in HBO's Lanterns. Anyone can die, and the DC comics this show is based on are a mere guideline at best. Yet even so, John Stewart's decidedly dark origin story – explored in episode three – comes as a big surprise to anyone familiar with his start in the source material.
Lanterns' dark new origin story for John Stewart changes DC Comics canon in a big way
Immediately killing a beloved hero of almost seven decades instantly established that nothing is sacred in HBO's Lanterns. Anyone can die, and the DC comics this show is based on are a mere guideline at best. Yet even so, John Stewart's decidedly dark origin story – explored in episode three – comes as a big surprise to anyone familiar with his start in the source material.
The Shards Review: Trashy, Depraved, and Hard to Resist
The Shards: Igby Rigby and Kaia Gerber – Photo: FX It’s said that “All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy,” but what if life is all play and no work? It turns out that the end result can be just as unhinged, if not more so, if the latest thriller from TV super-producer Ryan Murphy is anything to go by. The Shards opens with a fictionalized version of American Psycho author Bret Easton Ellis (Igby Rigney) watching an early screening of The Shining in 1980s Los Angeles.
‘Squid Game’ creator Hwang Dong-hyuk returns to film with sci-fi thriller ‘K.O. Club’ starring Lee Byung-hun
Source: BH Entertainment Lee Byung-hun Hwang Dong-hyuk, the creator and director of hit Netflix series Squid Game, is making his return to film with sci-fi thriller K.O. Club starring Squid Game’s Lee Byung-hun. Set in a dystopian future where rich people can buy their way into a longer life, the story pits an elderly elite class against hopeless younger citizens who are forced to fight for survival. The title is short for “Killing Oldmen Club”.
Why Bookish's big season 2 move has changed the show for the better
Secrets are stock-in-trade for any detective worth their salt, but that's especially true for Gabriel Book (played by Mark Gatiss). This charming gentleman takes great delight in observing everyone around him, sharply honing in on finer details to uncover the truth behind each case that comes his way. Yet in doing so, Book also guards a secret of his own, one which sets him apart from the countless other detectives vying for our attention on screen these days.
South Korea selects Lee Chang-dong’s ‘Possible Love’ for Oscars
Source: Netflix ‘Possible Love’ South Korea has submitted Lee Chang-dong’s Possible Love as its entry for best international feature at the 2027 Oscars, ahead of its world premiere in Competition at the Venice Film Festival. The decision was announced by the Korean Film Council (Kofic) and was chosen by a 15-strong jury, chaired by critic and Cafe Noir director Jung Sung-il.
Nguyen Hoang Diep, Arvin Belarmino films among Busan Vision 2026 lineup
Source: Busan International Film Festival ‘Ria’ Busan International Film Festival (BIFF, Oct 6-15) has unveiled 23 Korean and Asian features for the competitive Vision section of its upcoming 31st edition. Split into two strands – Vision-Korea and Vision-Asia – the titles compete for several awards and recognise independent filmmakers from across Asia.
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