‘By the Stream' Review: A Korean Drama of Life, Art and Soju
I offer this brief history of a scandal not to catch up readers on the Korean tabloids, but because it unmistakably shadows and shapes Mr. Hong's new film, 'By the Stream.' One could, simplistically, call it a cancel-culture drama, though it lacks the fiery temper or aggrieved bitterness that might be expected of such a work. Instead, it's a graceful, unassuming portrait of relationships old and new as a handful of characters consider their pasts and look wonderingly toward their futures, soju flowing freely all the while.
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Boston Globe
an hour ago
- Boston Globe
At Jacob's Pillow, Eun-Me Ahn's hologram-enhanced ‘Dragons' glitters
Advertisement In her director's note, Ahn described the symbolic significance of the Korean dragon as 'aspiration toward … truly unlimited potential.' For the premiere of 'Dragons' in Becket, Ahn collaborated with the Gen Z dancers and used projection technology to create 'a new time-space of the dragon, guiding us into a future we have never seen before.' When developing the piece during the pandemic, her original dancers were unable to practice together in a physical space, so Ahn moved rehearsals to Zoom and choreographed from a distance. As the show evolved, seven Korean dancers joined the production, and Ahn worked holograms of the original dancers into the piece, projecting them alongside the live performers throughout the show. Advertisement "Dragons" by Eun-Me Ahn was performed twice during week six at Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival. Jean Marie Chabot. For Ahn's choreography, behind a translucent fabric projection screen, the Duke's stage was lined with giant silver foil springs that resemble HVAC tubing. One shiny tube snaked out beyond the rest, and Ahn floated onto stage in a sparkling empire-waist gown reminiscent of the traditional Korean Hanbok. Two short sticks dangling little rainbow ribbons jutted out of her fluffy hat like antennas. She began rhythmic vocalizations, as a bare-chested dancer wearing a black skirt kicked and flipped through the air to the beat of her accompaniment. Although she won't return to the stage until the end of the piece, Ahn started the show with a playful unpredictability that persisted through the piece. Ahn's choreography is distinct in its athletic and detailed blend of traditional Korean and pan-Asian dance techniques with contemporary dance forms and sensibilities. It is also a spectacle. In addition to the textured, undulating set, Ahn designed 150 costume pieces — there seemed to be a costume change nearly every other minute — that outfitted dancers in skirts and dresses that became increasingly elaborate over the 75-minute performance. Later, after leaping through the air with sweeping kicks, a dancer in an impossibly long black dress careened to the floor, then sprang back to their feet. They snapped the hem of their skirt to the floor with a flourish, and thousands of light specks exploded from the ground beneath them. Dancers moved about inside digitally created soap bubbles, images of clouds drifted across the stage, and rainbows formed on glistening circle skirts. For the most part, the dance and digital art enhanced each other, but a few moments that used the scrim as a video screen without live dancers onstage felt gratuitous. An extended montage of dramatic underwater portraits demonstrated the exceptional image quality the theater's projectors can produce, but was far less compelling than the charismatic dancers that had leapt weightlessly moments before. Advertisement A dance with a digitally created "bubble" in "Dragons" by Eun-Me Ahn. Jean Marie Chabot Over the course of the night, the audience learned quite a bit about the virtual dancers through audio recordings accompanied by projected subtitles — who they are, why they started dancing, and their hopes for the future — but gained no insight into the identities of the spectacular performers in the room with us. It conjured a sense of memorial for the isolation of lockdown, but left the current company's identity anonymous. The technical demands of this maximalist production included quick shifts of light, expertly mapped and timed projections, and numerous props along with the outfit changes. Wednesday's opening performance appeared seamless — thanks to the Pillow's Director of Technical Production Jason Wells and crew. The ever-changing costumes, lights, and projections contributed more style than substance, but the result was whimsical and eye-catching. Toward the show's end, in an especially beautiful moment, the live dancers sat downstage with their legs folded beneath them. Between each performer was an original dancer's hologram. With elbows folded, the dancers moved their arms decisively and slowly unfurled their hands. Bringing palms to thighs: slap-slap-slap, clap-clap-clap — everyone moved in perfect unison. The piece was a perfect showcase for the spectacular new Advertisement One foot stands on tradition, the other on innovation — just like Eun-Me Ahn. DRAGONS At Jacob's Pillow's Doris Duke Theatre, Becket, July 30 Sarah Knight can be reached at sarahknightprojects@
Newsweek
2 hours ago
- Newsweek
Sydney Sweeney's Net Worth Is Set To Radically Change
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Sydney Sweeney's net worth will likely only increase following her controversial American Eagle jeans ad, experts have told Newsweek. The Euphoria and The White Lotus actor made headlines late last month over her partnership with the clothing brand. The tagline of the campaign, "Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans"—a wordplay on genes—sparked a fierce conversation about racism and eugenics. However, some reputation management experts said the debate could boost her future earnings, with one predicting it would provide Sweeney with an "outrage cocktail of $5 million" by the end of the month alone. The 27-year-old says in the advert, released on July 23: "Genes are passed down from parents to offspring, often determining traits like hair color, personality and even eye color. My jeans are blue." While some online critics accused the advertisement of "white supremacy" and "Nazi propaganda," others dismissed the accusations and said the wordplay was simply creative marketing. On August 1, American Eagle defended Sweeney and the advert in a statement posted to social media, which said: "'Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans' is and always was about the jeans. Her jeans. Her story. We'll continue to celebrate how everyone wears their AE jeans with confidence, their way. Great jeans look good on everyone." Newsweek reached out to Sweeney's representative via email for comment on Friday. Experts tell Newsweek Sydney Sweeney's net worth will likely increase despite uproar over her American Eagle jeans ad. Experts tell Newsweek Sydney Sweeney's net worth will likely increase despite uproar over her American Eagle jeans ad. Photo-illustration by Newsweek/Getty Is Sydney Sweeney a Republican? Amid the debate, Newsweek and multiple other outlets confirmed Sweeney is a registered Republican in Monroe County, Florida. The revelation has conservatives associating Sweeney with right-leaning politics, despite her never speaking out about her political affiliation. Republican President Donald Trump told reporters: "She's a registered Republican? Oh, now I love her ad." He later said on his social media platform Truth Social that The Handmaid's Tale star "has the 'HOTTEST' ad out there." Fox News host Jesse Watters, meanwhile, playfully teased that she and Trump's youngest son, Barron Trump, should marry. "It's going to create the greatest political dynasty in American history," he said on The Five. What Is Sydney Sweeney's Net Worth? Sweeney's net worth has not been confirmed, but Celebrity Net Worth estimates it to be approximately $40 million. The Spokane, Washington, native was nominated for two Emmy Awards in 2022 and was named in Forbes' 30 Under 30 list in 2023. Her new film Americana is due to hit theaters on August 15. Increased Visibility and Cash Crisis management and PR expert Edward Segal, author of the upcoming book The Crisis Casebook: Lessons in Crisis Management from the World's Leading Brands, told Newsweek that Sweeney's "future earnings could certainly be helped because of the controversial ad." "That is because companies, brands, movies, Netflix and others might want to take advantage of the recent spike in her name recognition to help increase visibility for their own purposes," he said. Eric Schiffer, CEO of Reputation Management Consultants, went further. "American Eagle's denim blitz could jam an outrage cocktail of $5 million more in Sweeney's wallet before Labor Day. The viral jeans spot is a ruthless napalm-grade cash cannon—every click fires fresh royalty checks at her $40 million pile." "Critics rant, but controversy drives denim sales," he continued. "She's riding a volatile tornado straight to the bank." Schiffer added that the ad could boost roles coming her way as Sweeney's "blend of bombshell and backlash is near lethal catnip for producers." "Hollywood forgives denim puns; it rewards controversial cash. She proved she can take heat—directors love an actress with fierce armor," he said. Additionally, Trump's social media post "gave American Eagle a shocking stock pop," Schiffer said. "She earned that bump without tweeting a syllable." The New York Times reported on Tuesday that American Eagle's stock rose by more than 23 percent after he complimented its campaign. A window display of actor Sydney Sweeney is seen on an American Eagle storefront on August 1, 2025, in New York City. A window display of actor Sydney Sweeney is seen on an American Eagle storefront on August 1, 2025, in New York City. Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images The Downsides However, Segal warned that the advert's controversy could have the opposite effect on Sweeney's career. "Companies, movies and TV shows could shy away from her because a number of people who were offended by the commercial," he said. "Consumers who were turned off by the ad may decide that they will not buy American Eagle's jeans. Or if they already have a pair, will refuse to buy them again. In their eyes, American Eagle's brand has been tarnished, and the company will forever be remembered for sponsoring 'that' ad." Karen J. Kessler, president and CEO Kessler PR Group, told Newsweek that Sweeney "has been walking a marketing tightrope." "Will a marketing campaign define her image? No, but she will need to be strategic as she navigates the 'actress as marketing tool' career," she warned. Sweeney and American Eagle's Futures Segal said the brand's "future is brighter" following the collaboration. "Breaking through the clutter in the marketplace is always a challenge for brands, and the ad certainly was able to do that in a memorable and effective way," he said . "I will not be surprised if American Eagle continues to feature Sweeney in their ads or creates a series of new ones that are based on the headlines generated by the 'great genes' commercial. Nothing succeeds like success." Sweeney has not yet spoken out about the debate, but Kessler said that's a good thing. "She is letting the social media universe chatter, while she is notably silent. Good move, Sydney." As for her future, it's looking just as bright as the brand she collaborated with, Schiffer said. The "ad proves the 'girl next door' can weaponize backlash—she's a savvy PR chameleon," he said. "Sydney Sweeney turned a 15-second denim tease into a blistering wealth accelerator. The moral of Sydney's story is outrage sells jeans, jeans fatten wallets and that Sweeney's playing a ruthless grand-master game."
Bloomberg
3 hours ago
- Bloomberg
Trump Is Writing the Next Chapter of the Xi Jinping Playbook
Trump bullying India is a de facto endorsement of China, Disney adults are taking over theme parks, and there's one good way to teach your kids poker. By Save Welcome to the weekend! American Eagle is facing a PR fracas after its ads touted which blonde-haired, blue-eyed actress for having 'great jeans'? Find out with this week's Pointed quiz.
