Ryoo Seung-wan (류승완)

Bucheon Welcomes Asia's Largest Genre Film Fest

2008/07/06 | Source | Permalink |

By Lee Hyo-won
Staff Reporter

Every summer, Bucheon, the small city sandwiched between Seoul and Incheon, turns into Asia's ultimate paradise for fantastic cinema. From July 18 to 27, the 12th Puchon (Bucheon) International Fantastic Film Festival (PiFan) invites 205 fantasy flicks from 35 countries. Film buffs, get ready to taste the brilliance ― and eerie, fascinating shadows ― of the human imagination.

PiFan will "Waltz with Bashir" for its opening ceremony. The sensitive autobiographical animation by Israelian director Ari Folman appeared at Cannes in May. Sci-fi romance "Cyborg She", a Korea-Japan co-production by "My Sassy Girl" helmsman Kwak Jae-yong, will wrap up the festival.

The main program, Puchon Choice, lists 12 titles including Na Hong-jin's hit thriller "The Chaser" and "Blair Witch Project" director Daniel Myrick's "The Objective". "Death Bell" by Chang, a high school horror story about a bloody college entrance exam, makes its world premiere.

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New technological step in Korean animation

2008/06/05 | Source | Permalink |

After RYOO Seung-wan's "The City of Violence" (Jjakpae) and PARK Chan-wook's "I'm a Cyborg, but that's Ok" (Cyborgjiman Gwaenjanha), "Life is Cool" (Geunyeoneun Yeppeotta, English translation: "She was beautiful") will be the next instalment of CJ Entertainment's HD Project, and the first Korean animation film using the technique rotoscoping. With this procedure, live-action film is being traced by animators frame by frame.

KIM Soo-ro ("Vampire Cop Ricky"/Heuphyeol Hyeongsa Nadoyeol), and television actress PARK Ye-jin are among the actors involved in the project. CHOI Ik-hwan directs this tale about three distinct male friends who fall out with each other when they all fall for the same woman.

Rotoscoping opens new doors in filmmaking. One of the benefits is that it makes facial expressions more realistic than other forms of animation. The animation technique was also used for A Scanner Darkly, starring Keanu Reeves, and the music video Take on Me by A-ha. Also, the procedure i...| More

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No Wave, just a Korean breeze in Poland

2008/04/28 | Source | Permalink |

The Korean Wave has been spreading Korean pop culture across Asia and beyond for more than a decade, although it has barely reached Poland, in the centre of Europe. It is sad to admit, but Korean culture (traditional as well as the "new wave") does not exist in Polish minds as a distinctive identity. It is often mixed in with Chinese and Japanese cultures, which are more defined in Poland yet still often confused with each other.

Still, it is trendy nowadays in Poland to go to an East Asian restaurant, buy Chinese souvenirs, own Japanese-style furniture, follow feng-shui rules, watch an Asian movie or send kids to taekwondo or karate classes.

Although Polish knowledge of Korean culture is minimal, the present article aims to show that there is a gentle Korean wind that is blowing into Poland faster than the mainstream Wave.

There is, however, still no trace of: (1) the Korean entertainment industry invading the Polish media market; (2) any Polish fans adopting the lifestyles o...| More

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Actress Eom Ji-won to Meet with Busan Moviegoes on March 12

2008/02/27 | Permalink |

Actress Eom Ji-won will watch a film she recommended together with the audience and talk about the film with them at the Cinematech Busan on March 12.

It will be the first 'Wednesday Cinema Event' to be organized by Cinematech Busan this year.

The actress recently recommended the theater screen Polish director Krzysztov Kieslowski's most famous film 'La Double Vie de Veronique'. The director is also well-known for his films 'Blue', 'Red' and 'White'.

The film will be screened in the morning and afternoon on March 12.

The 'Wednesday Cinema Club' is a great opportunity for movie lovers to meet with renowned figures in the film industry. So far, directors Park Chan-wook, Ryoo Seung-wan and Kim Ji-woon took part in the event. Film critic Chung Il-sung and actress Moon So-ri have also been invited to the event....| More

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[DVD Review] 'The City of Violence': Lean and Mean

2008/02/05 | Source | Permalink |

Ryoo Seung-wan's action extravaganza draws upon classics of the genre

Kyu Hyun Kim (qhyunkim)

A Seoul cop, Tae-su (Korea's top action choreographer/stunt artist Jeong Doo-hong), receives the shocking news that his childhood friend Wang-jae (a Ryoo Seung-wan regular, Ahn Kil-gang), a retired wise guy, has been stabbed to death by a handful of punks. Tae-su goes back to his hometown, On-sung, to attend Wang-jae's funeral. He immediately smells a rat.

The town is under the thumb of their old buddy Pil-ho (Lee Beom-soo, "Oh! Brothers", "Superstar Mr. Gam"), now a big shot gangster and involved in a citywide real estate development scheme. Tae-su reluctantly teams up with the short-tempered Seok-hwan (director Ryoo Seung-wan) to avenge Wang-jae's murder.

Ryoo Seung-wan, one of the most talented Korean directors and an action film maven, hit the jackpot last time by branching out into the sports drama in "Crying Fist". For the latest endeavor, he consciously returned to his cinem...| More

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