Warfare: Trailer, certificate and where to watch
Alex Garland's grittily authentic portrait of life under fire for Navy SEALs in Iraq
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The Review Geek
2 hours ago
- The Review Geek
Our Unwritten Seoul – K-drama Episode 11 Recap & Review
At The End of the Sentence Episode 11 of Our Unwritten Seoul begins with Mi-ji getting rejected for numerous different jobs. Ho-su tries to cheer her up though, heading out and getting rings for them before heading to Ro-sa's restaurant. Then it happens. Ho-su loses hearing in both his ears but Mi-ji and Ro-sa are obviously unaware of this. In fact, Ho-su heads back home and he doesn't tell Mi-ji the truth when she shows at his apartment, worried about him. In fact, he slams the door and tells her he's tired. It's clear Ho-su is struggling though and simple things like getting a taxi to the hospital are monumental tasks for him, given his hearing loss. He does eventually get there and heads to the ENT department. They diagnose that he has sudden sensorineural hearing loss. The doctors give him steroids to help his hearing but it's still touch and go. His charts don't look good and his hearing is down across all frequencies. A full recovery is very unlikely and the doctor warns that he needs to brace himself and prepare for the worst. Meanwhile, suits from the Fair Trade Commission show up at KFMC looking for Gyeong-min. They're investigating the Sihan Construction Case and it even makes the press too. The CEO is pissed and lashes out at Director Choi, telling him to handle this. While Tae-i is happy with how things are going, Mi-rae is ready to quit and turn away. Hanging about just to see the management punished is not her style and she admits that coming to work still fills her with anxiety. Ho-su shows up to see Chung-gu and asks for his help in handling the Mi-rae sexual harassment case. He wants a lawyer like Chung-gu who will take no prisoners and win no matter what. Ho-su knows that Chung-gu has a soft spot for him, even with the bullying and Ro-sa restaurant fiasco, and Chung-gu does eventually agrees to do this for him. Ho-su also says goodbye to Ro-sa here too, explaining about his hearing… kinda. He shields her from the worst of it but Ro-sa explains that he can't hide this from Mi-ji. Ho-su explains though that Mi-ji has just starting to spread her wings, and he doesn't want her to see him as a weight holding her down. The thing is, even hiding this from her isn't going to be a simple task. At dinner, he doesn't hear the waitress switch the ingredients around and he can barely hear Mi-ji as she excitedly chirps on. Eventually he decides to hit the classic penultimate episode K-drama trope – he's going to break up with Mi-ji. She calls him out for it though and Ho-su eventually comes clean and explains that he may lose his hearing completely. He knows he'll change and it may be too much of an adjustment for her. He doesn't want her to compromise for him anymore as she of all people knows that being pitied sucks. Ironically, the words she uses to plead with Ho-su actually echo how she felt when she could no longer run. Unfortunately, just like in the past, it ends in heartbreak. Back home, Mi-rae is shocked about the break-up and tries to be there for her sister. It's Gyeong-gu who actually serves as a best friend though, and when he finds out about the break-up, he teases her about the reasons and tries to cheer her up. Elsewhere, Wol-sun has sodium deficiency and she's not eating much. Ok–hui shows up to see her in hospital but Wol-sun raves on about how her husband is beating her daughter. Now it makes more sense why she was so sensitive about Ok-hui being rough with Mi-ji, and what she's been so ashamed to keep from hr daughter. Wol-sun never told her any of this because she didn't want Ok-hui to live a bad life and follow in her footsteps. When she composes herself, Wol-sun apologizes to her daughter, prompting Ok-hui to break down in tears. At work, Mi-rae walks out with her head held high, ignoring all the badmouthing from her colleagues. She also leaves something for Tae-i to give to Su-yeon too. On the way out, Director Choi tries to intimate her but it doesn't work. In fact, one of the girls shows up and apologizes to Mi-rae for staying quiet all this time. She explains that Mi-rae's actions have helped give her the courage to stand up and speak out against the company. Meanwhile, Bun-hong is shocked when she receives a call and finds out about Ho-su's hearing loss. She breaks into his apartment and demands the truth. She's livid and eventually speaks plainly, pointing out how his dad brought them together so they can hold onto each other. Her love for him is the reason for her to carry on, reinforcing that they're family and as far as she's concerned, he's her son. At the hospital, Mi-rae reveals to Ok-hui that she's quit her job and the true reason for the switch-over with her twin. Having come clean, she shows at the strawberry farm and speaks to Se-jin next. She explains that his offer was a dream come true for her… but she's turning it down. She doesn't think she's ready and needs to prepare. Mi-rae is not sure on herself and she wants to see things through to the end where she is. Specifically, in being his replacement at the farm. She's following her heart, even if it's wrong, for once in her life. At Ro-sa's restaurant, Mi-ji finds a letter from the family court regarding the registry but it's signed from Ho-su, which makes her feel emotional. Of course Ro-sa and Mi-ji both know what's up with Ho-su here and eventually move over to the topic of the break-up. Ro-sa encourages her to be by his side and do what she's best at, just like she was all those episodes ago. Despite not knowing the answer to their relationship woes, just being there for him is enough. The thing is, Ho-su comes to the same conclusion thanks to a chat with Bun-hong about his father's words of encouragement. These resonate with him, offering encouragement to stick it out no matter what, even if you're on the losing team. Ho-su heads over to Mi-ji's and throws his arms around her, pleading with her to stay by his side and apologizing. As the episode closes out, Su-yeon finally looks set to leave her room, while Ho-su and Mi-ji look like they're going to be alright after all. The Episode Review So the 'we're going to break up in the penultimate episode before getting back together' trope is in full swing here. The difference here though, is that the execution is solid and grounded in reality, leaning into those aforementioned themes about courage, taking a leap of faith and pushing through your fears. The show dodges those miscommunications that usually comes with this, and lays all the cards out on the table first before slamming into the emotional crux of the relationship. Both Ho-su and Mi-ji know they're not going to have the perfect relationship and it's going to have a lot of ups and downs. They each have a reason for their motivations and across the episode, they're both helped along by the supporting characters, who have had their own journeys of self discovery and perserverance. Ro-sa's past speaks for itself, given the tragedies that have befallen her, and if anybody knows a thing or two about living with a 'burden' it's her. Meanwhile, Bun-hong finally gets through to Ho-su and there's some lovely moments between them as they reflect on Ho-su's father's words. 'Love isn't about winning or losing. It's about remaining on the same team until the very end even if you lose. Love isn't about staying together… even if you lose a hundred or a thousand times.' This quote is so powerful and works incredibly well, especially for those who know relationships are hard work at times! The break-up scene though is so eerily parallel to Mi-ji's past too and it shows how far she's come from all those years ago. Meanwhile, Mi-rae leaves work with her head held high. The moment she says 'My heart still pounds anxiously every time I come to work,' is going to relate to anybody who has been stuck in a toxic workplace, and thankfully Mi-rae has managed to bow out on a high. She's already won and no amount of badmouthing from management can change that now. Ultimately though, Our Unwritten Seoul has been a great watch and it's easily one of the best acted K-dramas of the year. Park Bo-young is absolutely killing it as the twins and if she's not up for some awards this year, I'd be shocked. Roll on tomorrow's finale! Previous Episode Next Episode Expect A Full Season Write-Up When This Season Concludes!
Daily Mail
4 hours ago
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE BBC staff in 'open revolt' against top bosses 'out of touch with reality': Channel 4 says it will air award-winning filmmakers' documentary about medics in Gaza that Beeb chiefs refused to show
BBC staff are in 'open revolt' about top bosses meddling with the channel's journalism 'for political reasons', MailOnline can reveal. Yesterday, it emerged that Channel 4 will show a documentary about Gaza commissioned and then scrapped by the BBC. Gaza: Doctors Under Attack, which was made by two Emmy award-winning filmmakers, was originally commissioned by the BBC more than a year ago. However, the corporation paused its production in April following the launch of an investigation into another documentary Gaza: How to Survive a War Zone, which starred the son of a leader of Hamas - a fact that film failed to mention. Now, Channel 4 has announced it will instead be broadcasting Gaza: Doctors Under Attack on Wednesday, July 2, at 10pm. But BBC staff are said to be in uproar over the decision not to show the programme on its channels, which is thought to have been made by director general Tim Davie. More than 300 people have allegedly signed an open letter directed at the corporation's bosses, which raises concerns about 'censorship' at the BBC when it comes to reporting about Israel. The letter also branded the decision not to show the documentary about medics in Gaza as 'political' and 'nothing to do with the journalism of the film'. An insider with knowledge of the situation told MailOnline: 'The people at commissioner level who are experienced journalists and take these decisions on an almost daily basis are being overruled by people who are pretending to be journalists. There's open revolt [at the BBC]. '[Bosses] approved the film multiple times and then delayed it at least five times but confirmed in emails that it would go out and that the delays were not due to the Johnstone report into Gaza: How to survive in a war zone. 'They said this [new documentary] was a vital film that exemplified ''public interest journalism'. 'After these multiple delays over six weeks they then apologised and said, ''Sorry, it is because of the Johnstone report''.' Gaza: Doctors Under Attack is a one off-documentary that examines allegations that Israeli forces have repeatedly targeted hospitals in breach of international law. The programme was made by two-time Emmy-winning journalist Ramita Navai, fellow two-time Emmy-winning director Karim Shah and ex-Channel 4 News Editor Ben De Pear, who is the executive producer of Basement Films, which was commissioned by the BBC to create the film. The source said more than 40 people from BBC Eye, who were involved in the documentary, had signed a letter of protest against the corporation's. They said the open letter had more than 300 signatures. The insider continued: 'We had to handle the duty of care for a dozen doctors and medics we had spoken to who couldn't understand why their interviews - in which they talked about the deaths of their children when their homes were bombed, or colleagues when their hospitals were attacked, had not gone out. 'We made this point repeatedly and at length to the BBC but they ignored these concerns.' Channel 4 said it had fact-checked and compiled the documentary, Gaza: Doctors Under Attack, to ensure that it meets its editorial standards and the Ofcom Broadcasting Code. The film reports that every one of Gaza's 36 main hospitals has now been attacked or destroyed by Israel, with people forced to evacuate and healthcare workers reportedly killed, imprisoned and tortured. Louisa Compton, Channel 4's head of news and current affairs and specialist factual and sport, said: 'We are showing this programme because we believe that, following thorough fact-checking and verification, we are presenting a duly impartial view of a subject that both divides opinion and frequently provokes dispute about what constitutes a fact. 'Channel 4 has a strong tradition of putting uncomfortable reporting in front of our audiences. 'In doing so, we know we will antagonise somebody somewhere sometime. But we do it because we believe it is our duty to tell important journalistic stories – especially those that aren't being told elsewhere.' Basement Films added: 'This is the third film we have made about the assault on Gaza since October 7th at Basement Films, and whilst none of them have been easy this became by far the most difficult. 'As ever we owe everything to our Palestinian colleagues on the ground; over 200 of whom have been killed by Israel, and the doctors and medics who trusted us with their stories. 'We want to apologise to the contributors and team for the long delay, and thank Channel 4 for enabling it to be seen.' The BBC announced that it would not be broadcasting Gaza: Doctors Under Attack on June 20. 'We wanted the doctors' voices to be heard,' the broadcaster said in a statement. 'Our aim was to find a way to air some of the material in our news programmes, in line with our impartiality standards, before the review was published. The BBC documentary, Gaza: How to Survive a Warzone, was broadcast on BBC Two with the aim of showing a 'vivid and unflinching view of life' in the enclave 'For some weeks, the BBC has been working with Basement Films to find a way to tell the stories of these doctors on our platforms.' But, the corporation added: 'Yesterday it became apparent that we have reached the end of the road with these discussions. 'We have come to the conclusion that broadcasting this material risked creating a perception of partiality that would not meet the high standards that the public rightly expect of the BBC. 'Impartiality is a core principle of BBC News. It is one of the reasons that we are the world's most trusted broadcaster. 'Therefore, we are transferring ownership of the film material to Basement Films.' Previously, critics were enraged by the BBC's failure to disclose that the narrator of Gaza: How to Survive a War Zone was the son of a senior member of the Hamas terrorist group. It was originally broadcast on February 17 on BBC Two with the aim of showing a 'vivid and unflinching view of life' in the strip. The documentary was made by two producers based in London who remotely directed two cameramen on the ground over nine months. However, independent investigative journalist David Collier claimed one of the child narrators, Abdullah, was the son of a Hamas government minister and grandson of one of Hamas's founding members. Using Facebook and publicly available data online, Mr Collier claimed the show's young star is the son of Gaza's deputy minister of agriculture Dr Ayman Al-Yazouri. This would mean his grandfather would be the Hamas founder Ibrahim al-Yazouri, who has previously been jailed by Egypt and Israel for involvement in proscribed groups. The BBC apologised for the inclusion of the documentary's young star, with a spokesperson for the corporation saying: 'Since the transmission of our documentary on Gaza, the BBC has become aware of the family connections of the film's narrator, a child called Abdullah. 'We've promised our audiences the highest standards of transparency, so it is only right that as a result of this new information, we add some more detail to the film before its retransmission. We apologise for the omission of that detail from the original film.' MailOnline has approached the BBC for comment. The open letter to the BBC in full An open letter to BBC Management, written by BBC Journalists and signed by media industry professionals We're writing to express our concerns over opaque editorial decisions and censorship at the BBC on the reporting of Israel/Palestine. We believe the refusal to broadcast the documentary 'Gaza: Medics Under Fire' is just one in a long line of agenda driven decisions. It demonstrates, once again, that the BBC is not reporting 'without fear or favour' when it comes to Israel. We understand that a decision not to broadcast the investigation has been taken by senior BBC management despite the film's content being signed off in accordance with BBC guidelines and editorial policy. This appears to be a political decision and is not reflective of the journalism in the film. A recent statement from the BBC said broadcasting the film 'risked creating the perception of partiality'. This illustrates precisely what many of us have experienced first hand: an organisation that is crippled by the fear of being perceived as critical of the Israeli government. We are not asking the BBC to take a side. We are asking to be allowed to do our jobs in delivering facts transparently and with due context. For many of us, our efforts have been frustrated by opaque decisions made at senior levels of the BBC without discussion or explanation. Our failures impact audiences. As an organisation we have not offered any significant analysis of the UK government's involvement in the war on Palestinians. We have failed to report on weapons sales or their legal implications. These stories have instead been broken by the BBC's competitors. This hasn't happened by accident, rather by design. Much of the BBC's coverage in this area is defined by anti-Palestinian racism. The inconsistent manner in which guidance is applied draws into focus the role of Sir Robbie Gibb, on the BBC Board and BBC's Editorial Standards Committee. We are concerned that an individual with close ties to the Jewish Chronicle, an outlet that has repeatedly published anti-Palestinian and often racist content, has a say in the BBC's editorial decisions in any capacity, including the decision not to broadcast 'Gaza: Medics Under Fire'. This conflict of interest highlights a double standard for BBC content makers who have themselves experienced censorship in the name of 'impartiality'. In some instances staff have been accused of having an agenda because they have posted news articles critical of the Israeli government on their social media. By comparison, Gibb remains in an influential post with little transparency regarding his decisions despite his ideological leanings being well known. We can no longer ask license fee payers to overlook Gibbs' ideological allegiances. Since October 2023 it has become increasingly clear to our audiences that the BBC's reporting on Israel / Palestine falls short of our own editorial standards. There is a gulf between the BBC's coverage of what is happening in Gaza and the West Bank and what our audiences can see is happening via multiple credible sources including human rights organisations, staff at the UN and journalists on the ground. Whilst there has been some exceptional content from some areas of the BBC (within documentary and from some individual correspondents for example), news in particular has failed to report the reality and the context of the war on Palestinians. All too often it has felt that the BBC has been performing PR for the Israeli government and military. This should be a cause of great shame and concern for everyone at the BBC. Despite these failings, there has been a major shift within public discourse in recent months. Increasingly the scale of Israel's crimes against the Palestinians are being understood by the public as well as many of our parliamentarians. The BBC's editorial decisions seem increasingly out of step with reality. We have been forced to conclude that decisions are made to fit a political agenda rather than serve the needs of audiences. As industry insiders and as BBC staff, we have experienced this first hand. The issue has become even more urgent with recent escalations in the region. Again, BBC coverage has appeared to downplay Israel's role, reinforcing an 'Israel first' framing that compromises our credibility. We, the undersigned BBC staff, freelancers and industry figures are extremely concerned that the BBC's reporting on Israel and Palestine continues to fall short of the standards our audiences expect. We believe the role of Robbie Gibb, both on the Board, and as part of the Editorial Standards Committee, is untenable.
BBC News
6 hours ago
- BBC News
Bain: The K-pop star who came out to the world on stage
Bain was halfway through his band's Los Angeles concert on a crisp April night when the music stopped. In an oversized fur coat and black sunglasses, the 24-year-old K-pop star told thousands of fans: "Before I start the next song - I want to share something with you guys."A brief pause and then: "I'm [expletive] proud to be part of the LGBTQ community!"The crowd erupted in applause and screams as Bain broke into Lady Gaga's pride anthem: "Just put your paws up, 'Cause you were born this way, baby". In that moment, as he came out to the world, he was not nervous, he tells the BBC in an interview at his studio in Seoul - rather, he had been trying to "sound cool". A handful of K-pop artists have come out as gay in recent years - but none as publicly as Bain. Even in 2025, that is a bold move in South Korea's entertainment industry, where stars are held to impossible standards. Admitting to even a heterosexual relationship is scandalous. "There were some people in the industry who knew [I was thinking of coming out] and warned me against it, saying it would be a risk," Bain says. "And of course I thought about the risk - that we might lose fans."But then I thought, society is changing… I might gain more than I might lose."That's the big question: has he thrown open the door to change in an industry that has become global but remains deeply rooted in a conservative South Korea? 'I thought I could just pretend' Bain, whose real name is Song Byeonghee, says he was in secondary school, about 12 years old, when he realised he was afterwards, he decided to become a K-pop trainee but he kept his sexuality a secret - he felt like being gay was "not allowed"."It wasn't something I questioned… I just thought I had no choice," he says. "There was no-one else [around me that was gay]. I thought I could just pretend and keep going." Wealthy, modern South Korea is still traditional in many ways. Powerful yet conservative churches often see homosexuality as a disability or sin. And same-sex marriage is not legally 2021, Bain made his debut as part of a six-member boyband, Just B. They have released several albums and have taken part in reality shows, earning a dedicated audience. But through it all, the years of hiding a part of himself took a toll on Bain. "I was so overwhelmed, I thought maybe I can't be an idol at all. I felt I'd been hiding so much. I decided to talk to Mom."That was about three years ago. His mother was the first person in his family to find out: "We talked for an hour, and I finally said, 'I like men more than women.' That's when she knew."Her reaction was difficult for him. "Honestly, she didn't like it - not at first. She said she thought I could overcome it, that maybe I'd someday like women. She felt sad... that I'd now face bad reactions from others. But [she] said, 'You're my son, so I love you, I support you, I love you.' It was mixed. I was sad, but in the end grateful she said she loves me." Then his team members and company began encouraging him to take the leap - and tell the this year the band began a world tour, and on the last stop of their US tour, Bain decided to come out on stage. Since then, the band has been thrust into the spotlight - with Bain giving countless interviews as he quickly became the new face of the Korean LGBTQ community."I feel like I've changed a lot since coming out. I feel more confident. When I meet someone new, I show who I am immediately," he says. "But I also feel sad that my identity is such a big deal now." Over time, he hopes, people will stop saying "oh, he's gay, but rather, oh, that's just who he is". The taboos in K-pop When South Korean actor Hong Seok-Cheon came out as gay in 2000, LGBTQ representation truly entered the country's mainstream. He was the first Korean celebrity to open up about his sexuality - and it came at a cost. He was dropped from TV shows and have certainly changed since then. A Pew survey from 2019 showed that the number of people who accepted homosexuality has risen to 44% from 25% in 2002. And yet, only a handful of other celebrities have come out. In 2018, Holland became the country's first openly gay K-pop artist and, in 2020, Jiae, a former member of girl group Wassup, came out as bisexual. Both have said they found it hard to sign with a record label as a announcement, however, has been celebrated by both fans and South Korea's LGBTQ community. "When someone like an idol comes out, it gives people like me a sense that we are not alone," says a 26-year-old Korean transgender woman, who does not want to be named."It brings comfort…makes me think, maybe I'm ok the way I am." Online too, a majority of the comments have been positive. One gay fan in a YouTube comment wrote how he was encouraged by Bain, after feeling "so much despair" over "the hateful comments" and discrimination."But thanks to Bain, I've found the courage to keep going." International fans have especially cheered him on: "After the initial shock, I started to cry," said Lia, a K-pop fan from the US who identifies as lesbian."Knowing that Korea still has some repression against LGBTQ people, the bravery and courage he displayed by coming out…[was] admirable."South Korea's cultural footprint has been growing globally, and that has brought fans from everywhere, with their own perspectives and beliefs. They may well reshape the K-pop that will take time. And that is evident in the range of comments in response to Bain's announcement - disapproval to apathy. For one, the country has seen a rise in right-wing, often avowed anti-feminist beliefs in young men, who seem to oppose any challenge to traditional gender those roles remain strong in South Korea. The government and the church champion conventional family values, encouraging young people to marry and have children so they can boost birth rates, currently the lowest in the world. Given all that, it may not be a surprise that homosexuality is still a taboo, even in a global industry like K-pop. This is a world where even straight couples don't talk about their private lives, says critic Lim Hee-yun."K-pop has spent nearly 25 years avoiding the topic of sexuality [altogether]. Even heterosexual relationships are hidden to protect fan fantasies." Bain, he adds, has "challenged that silence in a symbolic and powerful way. I believe it marks a major moment". But he believes fans may have reacted very differently - "it might have been explosive" - if a member of a global boyband had come out as gay."Bain's case was significant, but his group isn't as famous [so] it didn't cause as much stir domestically," Mr Lim has certainly helped raise awareness, he agrees. "It's a slow process but we're seeing more public figures speaking up or content being created around these LGBTQ issues."But any immediate change in K-pop or the entertainment industry is unlikely, according to him. "It's not just a social issue - it's a market issue. Male idols usually have a much larger female fanbase… [and] if you find out your favourite male idol is gay, that can shatter the illusion that you could one day be the object of his affection," he says."So if they do [come out] they risk shaking the foundation their fandom is built on."Bain, however, says his decision would be worth it if even "one person in K-pop gains strength or interest" from it."I've spent so long pretending… I realised that because I came out, others felt safe to do so too."The day he came out, he recalls, several fans approached him, saying they were gay or lesbian, talking about their own identity. "They thanked me and I thought to myself 'I should have done this sooner'."
