Kim Hee-jung (김희정)

SENEF'07 Draws Top Directors

Source | 2007/09/04 | Permalink |

Now in its 8th year, the Seoul International Film Festival, known as SENEF (the acronym comes from its original title, the Seoul Net and Film Festival) has evolved into Korea's most advanced cinematic event. It is also inviting some of the world's most innovative and renowned directors to its 10-day run which opens September 6th.
Japanese director Naomi Kawase, winner of the Grand Jury Prize at this year's 60th Cannes festival for The Mourning Forest, will make her first visit to Korea to present her film as the festival opener. After the screening the director will answer questions and talk with respected feminist film critic KIM Soyoung.

Other directors invited to present their films at the festival include Hollywood effects specialist Alan Chan with his own short film, Postcards from the Future, which is jointly opening the festival. Argentinean director Inés de Oliveira Cézar will attend with his feature, Foreigner, shot in the 2K HD format. Directors Pedro Aguilera (La I...| More

Feature Film Directorial Debut of Cannes Residence Program Selectee

Source | 2007/06/19 | Permalink |

Female Korean directors are in short supply, but their ranks gained a valuable addition with director KIM Hee-jung's debut feature film. "The Wonder Years" (YeolSesal, Sooa) depicts a high school girl who is unsatisfied with her life and mother, and creates an alternative take on her life.

KIM's short films got her noticed by the renowned Cannes Residence Program which selected her for their 2005 edition. There she developed "The Wonder Years", her first feature film.

The film premiered last week and offers an alternative for the big-budget summer fare. "The Wonder years" opened at ten in last weekend's box office.

Teenage actor LEE Se-yeong plays the protagonist girl. Her credentials include "Lovely Rivals" and "When I Turned Nine". The mother is played by CHOO Sang-mi ("On the Occasion of Remembering the Turning Gate", "A Smile"").

Yi Ch'ang-ho (KOFIC)...| More

Week's New Movie Premieres

Source | 2007/06/15 | Permalink |

Time now to check on this week's new movies.
A new Korean film has cast a teen in the lead in a rare move, plus the latest from Hollywood and other countries.
Here's Son Heekyung.
The Korean drama, "The Wonder Years", is a film that conjures up memories of the good ole' teenage years.
Thirteen-year old Suah lives an unhappy life with her single mother.
Suah feels her mom takes no interest in her, and has no idea about what she's going through.
The only thing that keeps Suah going is the knowledge that a famous pop singer is her real mother.
The girl eventually leaves for Seoul to find her.
Director Kim Hee-jung has broken with Korean film convention in casting a teenager in the lead.

Next up is the second sequel to the popular Hollywood crime comedy thriller "Ocean's 11".
"Ocean's 13" is similar to the two previous films being based on a team who seeks revenge for their friend against a hotel tycoon.
A-list actors George Clooney, Brad Pitt and Matt Damon reprise their role...| More

'Wonder' Explores Nostalgic Realm of Teen Years

Source | 2007/06/14 | Permalink |

By Lee Hyo-won
Staff Reporter

A small gem of a film with subdued charms, "The Wonder Years" portrays the peculiarities of adolescence with a keen eye. The family drama brings to life endearing characters as it intricately weaves together the mundane, comical and dramatic aspects of everyday life.

Sullen and silently rebellious, 13-year-old Su-ah (Lee Se-yeong) is about to enter junior high school. Her mother, Yeong-ju (Choo Sang-mi), widowed and desperately trying to make ends meet by running an eatery, does not have much time to tend to Su-ah's hushed dilemmas.

Each day is uneventful but life is otherwise good, until the two lose their restaurant which doubled as their house and are forced to move in with Yeong-ju's friend. Feeling misplaced and ostracized by her friends, Su-ah has nowhere to go -- except one place.

Her father's diary reveals that her idol, star singer Yun Seol-yeong (Kim Yoon-ah, lead vocal of rock band Jaurim) is her real mother. As Su-ah ventures off t...| More