Kong Soo-chang (공수창)

In Jeonju, spring brings wonderful films

2008/04/19 | Source | Permalink |

By Nigel D'Sa
Contributing Writer

The 9th Jeonju International Film Festival (JIFF) is nearing, and an impressive line-up of films has been announced for this year's event.

Set in its picturesque namesake city in Jeollabuk-do (province), JIFF runs May 1-9, bringing together innovative and independent films and filmmakers from around the world.

This year's program boasts a record total of 169 films with opening night going to Manda Kunitoshi's The Kiss in its International Premiere.

Japanese writer-turned-director Manda has already gained notice and won prizes at Cannes for his previous films, making this latest work highly anticipated.

JIFF's curtain-closer will be the Korean omnibus film "If You Were Me 4", produced by the National Human Rights Commission.

Each film in the series has a human rights issue as its theme with past concerns ranging from discrimination to forced surgery and bringing together a group of talented directors.

This year's project fe...| More

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Jeonju Welcomes World Cineastes

2008/04/17 | Source | Permalink |

9th Jeonju International Film Fest Opens May 1-9

By Lee Hyo-won
Staff Reporter

Before Busan welcomes Asia's largest film event Pusan (Busan) International Film Festival (PIFF) each fall, Jeonju, the traditional arts hub of the nation, becomes a cinephile's paradise in the spring.

The 9th Jeonju International Film Festival (JIFF) brings 195 movies from 40 nations beginning May 1 through 9. JIFF, while large in scale like PIFF, offers a more intimate and homey environment.

While most international film festivals usually boast the number of world or international premieres, JIFF focuses on sharing high quality films, both old and new, that moviegoers may not be able to see outside of a film festival, festival programmer Jeon Su-wan said in a press conference earlier this month.

Film Feast

The opening and closing ceremonies will be held at Sori Arts Center. This year's opening film is "The Kiss" by Kunitoshi Manda. On May 1, local film buffs will be able to appreciate t...| More

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Movie industry struggling with slowdown

2008/04/10 | Source | Permalink |

"The Chaser" (Chugyeokja), a Korean thriller directed by Na Hong-jin, has turned out to be a surprising hit in the slump-laden local film industry in the first quarter. Released on Feb. 14, it is still showing strong performances at the box office, outsmarting other Korean and foreign competitors.

If the current trend continues, the ticket sales of the thriller is now expected to reach the 5-million landmark soon, possibly emerging as the most successful Korean film in the first half of 2008.

The trailblazing success of "The Chaser" at the box office reflects the dearth of successful Korean flicks. Even foreign films are not faring so well, with Hollywood blockbusters mysteriously absent in the box office slots.

The problem with the film lineup in April has been compounded by the current downturn hitting local productions and distributors hard.

Discouraged by the poor showings of major Korean films last year, production houses are delaying the release dates of some of the m...| More

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9th JIFF Announces Stellar Line-up

2008/04/09 | Source | Permalink |

The 9th edition of the Jeonju International Film Festival (JIFF), second only to Pusan among Korea's top movie-going events, will take place May 1 – 9, 2008 in its picturesque namesake city, in North Jeolla province. At a press conference held in Seoul last week, JIFF announced an impressive line-up of 169 films.

Festival opener will be MANDA Kunitoshi's The Kiss in its International Premiere. Japanese writer-turned-director MANDA has already gained notice and won prizes at Cannes for his previous films, making his latest work highly anticipated.

Korean anthology film If You Were Me 4 will close the festival, this time featuring five shorts on the theme of contemporary Korean youth. Rising Korean directors including BANG Eun-jin ("Princess Aurora"), KIM Tae-yong ("Family Ties" - "The Birth of a Family"), and YOON Seong-ho ("Milky Way Liberation Front") participated.

JIFF has renamed its 'Indie Vision' section the 'International Competition' section, raising its profile...| More

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Mystery, massacre mark this movie

2008/04/09 | Source | Permalink |

Get yourself ready for a two-hour thriller that takes place among the guard posts on the southern side of the demilitarized zone.
Director Kong Soo-chang is back with his second feature "The Guard Post".
Kong's film — released last Thursday — focuses on a mysterious massacre that occurs in the DMZ one rainy day. Twenty armed soldiers at a guard post have been mysteriously killed. One is left alive, but unconscious.

The Defense Ministry dispatches an investigation team. Sergeant Major Noh Seong-gyu (Cheon Ho-jin) is given 24 hours to find the body of Yu Jeong-woo (Jo Hyeon-jae), who was in command of the guard post.
Kong's previous feature, "R-Point", also takes place in a military setting. It's about a Korean unit dispatched to the Vietnam War that receives a strange radio transmission from a group of soldiers previously thought missing in action.
"I served in the army under Korea's military regime", Kong said. "During that time, the government was in total control".
Kong was a...| More

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