Aoi Miyazaki (宮崎あおい)

New York Korean Film Festival this August

2008/07/18 | Source | Permalink |

The seventh edition of the New York Korean Film Festival is set to run August 22 – 31. Sponsored by KOFIC and The Korea Society, the event will screen more than 15 recent Korean features, of which 14 have been finalized for the line-up.

Highlights include one of the top-grossing Korean films of 2008, "Forever the Moment", a sports-redemption-themed film directed by LIM Soon-rye and starring MOON So-ri and KIM Jeong-eun. Other 2008 releases in the line-up are "Hellcats" by KWON Chil-in, "Once Upon a Time" by JEONG Yong-ki, "Open City" by LEE Sang-gi, "Spare" by LEE Seong-han, and the Korea-Japanese co-production "Virgin Snow" starring LEE Joon-ki and Aoi Miyazaki.

Films in the program from 2007 include such high-profile films as the Chosun-set popular tale, "Hwangjin-y - Movie - 2007", starring SONG Hye-kyo, the Kwang-ju-set historical tragedy, May 18th, a Chosun-set tale of high stakes cooking, "Le Grand Chef", and Daniel Henney vehicle and tear-jerker, "My Father".

Othe...| More

Black House and May 18 to be released in Japan

2008/04/04 | Source | Permalink |

Japanese Kadokawa announced the release dates of SIN Tae-ra's horror film "Black House" (Geomeun Jib) and KIM Ji-hoon's "May 18" (Hwaryohan Hyooga), the films will open on Japanese screens on April 5 and May 10, respectively.

"Black House", a domestic box office hit, stars HWANG Jeong-min ("You Are My Sunshine"/Neoneun Nae Woonmyeong) in an impressive psychological charged role as an insurance agent who gets drawn in a suicide case in a mysterious house. Director SIN's ("Brainwave") film is based on a Japanese novel of the popular horror writer Yûsuke Kishi.

After his "Mokpo, Gangster's Paradise", director KM Ji-hoon's next film "May 18" was highly anticipated and the film about the Gwangju civilian uprising against the military dictatorship was a box office success of 2007. The film's strong line-up includes AHN Seong-gi ("Silmido") and LEE Joon-ki ("The King and the Clown"). LEE enjoys great popularity in Japan and starred in the Korean-Japanese co-production "Virgin Snow" (C...| More

Why the Japanese Wave Just Keeps on Coming

2007/11/29 | Source | Permalink |

Armadas of middle-aged Japanese women no longer chase Bae Yong-joon, the biggest star the Korean wave of the early millennium produced; instead, more and more Korean fans are now dying for a glimpse of their favorite Japanese stars. In Korea, some of the so-called J-drama maniacs watch Japanese soaps all night long, and the growing popularity of Japanese novels here already outstrips any enthusiasm for Korean writing.

Obviously pleased with the reversal of fortunes, a Japanese movie magazine hailed the Japanese boom in Korea, saying, "While the Korean wave is on the wane, the Japanese wave is waxing". Many critics agree that while Korean Wave is receding, Japanese culture has been slowly assimilated into the mainstream of Korean culture and has firmly taken root there. So what are the strengths differentiating the Japanese Wave? The Chosun Ilbo asked experts for their views.

◆ Stars

Korea only opened its door to Japanese movies and drama on Jan. 2004, and ever since, the...| More

Asian Movies Dominate Theaters This Week

2007/11/02 | Source | Permalink |

Time now to check this week's new movies.
There's the film version of a bestselling Korean comic book about master chefs and two collaborations between Korean and Japanese filmmakers.
Lee Jeewon has our preview.
"Le Grand Chef", this is a movie for gourmets.
Two apprentices at renowned Korean restaurant Unamjung compete to become the head chef.
Although their food looks and tastes divine, judges at the contest fall out of their chairs poisoned from fish prepared by the apprentice, Sungchan.
The other candidate, Bongju, wins while Sungchan quits cooking altogether.
But fate brings them together again this time for a bigger title.
The film is based on a popular Korean comic strip which later was published as a comic book with 540-thousand copies sold.

Heavyweights in the Korean and Japanese film industries come together in "Virgin Snow".
It's love at first sight for characters played by Lee Joon-ki and Aoi Miyazaki.
But will they end up together despite the language barriers...| More

[MOVIE REVIEW] 'Virgin Snow' contrasts Korea and Japan

2007/10/30 | Source | Permalink |

"Virgin Snow", a Korean-Japanese co-production, is not exactly a seamless integration of Korean and Japanese filmmaking sensibilities. Although Korean director Han Sang-hee helms this ambitious project, the film's overall identity is pretty much Japanese.

The film's key developments take place in the historic Japanese city of Kyoto. Min (played by Korean heartthrob Lee Joon-ki) follows his father, a professor of ceramics, to live in Japan as an exchange student for a while, and encounters a shy Japanese girl named Nanae (Aoi Miyazaki).

From the very beginning, the film defines what's Korean and Japanese in a way that amplifies their contrasting features. Min is portrayed as a very upbeat, carefree and highly competitive Korean high school student. A typical extrovert, he quickly mingles with his Japanese friends, and even beats up some bullies, using his well-honed taekwondo tricks.

Nanae is exactly the opposite character. She's shy and thinks carefully when she is required to...| More