Happening – Arts

Wordy morass drowns out the bright spots

Philosophical ideas may be gripping on a page or challenging to discuss over endless cups of tea, but they make for inert drama, especially when accompanied by the declamatory style of acting much beloved in Chinese theatre. Director and co-writer Goh Boon Teck seems to have bitten off more than he can chew in this […]

Trauma beneath breezy tunes

ART ROCK REWARD Cate Le Bon Mexican Summer 4 stars Perhaps it is about doing something tactile with your hands. Or is it the routine, focus and discipline required? Yes, I am talking about the allure of carpentry here. Actor Daniel Day-Lewis studied woodworking and apparently built a kitchen table for his role as a […]

Telemad: From taut to warm and fuzzy

Following the success of JTBC’s Sky Castle (2018), about the competitive South Korean education system, the cable channel is offering another school-themed K-drama. School violence comes under the spotlight in Beautiful World, which begins with the unsettling scene of Seon-ho (Nam Da-reum from 2018 series Radio Romance), a sweet-faced, third-year middle school student, falling in […]