Sin Se-kyeong (신세경)

Horror debut drowns in stale images

2006/10/24 | Source | Permalink |

For many ambitious film directors in Korea, the genre of modern horror flicks has become something of an Aladdin's lamp, which they think of as a magical turning point in their cinematic careers able to certify their aesthetic taste with a single granted wish.
In fact the directors of "K-horrors" usually have a few things in common. Often they have never directed horror films before; somewhere in the special features section of their DVDs their commentary implies that horror was never their favorite genre; and their films make grand and sweeping statements about human psychological concerns such as jealousy, resentment and homoeroticism.
In the case of Bong Man-dae's "Cinderella", it's clear he pushed too hard to try to rehabilitate his reputation from that of a best-selling director of soft-porn adult videos to the only slightly more respectable genre of B-grade cult horror films.
It was a worth a try, I guess.
The film, though is flooded with tasteless lines and once again recycl...| More

Child actors come of age in Korea

2006/09/25 | Source | Permalink |

Four years ago, a small boy moved the hearts of more than 4 million Koreans. He was Yoo Seung-ho, the young star of director Lee Jeong-hyang's movie "Jiburo", or "The Way Home" in English, a heartwarming story about a boy and his deaf-mute grandmother.
Seung-ho played the grandson in the movie, earning the title of "forever the young boy".
But four years have passed and the 10-year-old has grown up.
He will soon return to the cinema with a main role as a teenager whose only family is his dog "Maumy".
The film "Maumy" ("Heart is ..".) is coming to theaters late next month, but moviegoers are already excited to see their favorite boy actor coming back to screens, entertainment Web sites show.
It seems that he has gained a lot of teenage girl fans as well.
"He has a million-dollar smile", wrote "Ruelo" on the bulletin board of Interpark, a Web site for film ticketing. Another article posted by a female fan read, "He has grown up to become so handsome and so cute".
He was voted to b...| More

On celluloid, plastic is murder

2006/08/29 | Source | Permalink |

Who would refuse to look beautiful if it could easily be done? All it takes, after all, is a knife, a talented doctor and a wad of cash.
Apparently, not many would refuse, particularly in Korea, where it's a badge of honor to be counted as an eoljjang ("face king", a person with a great face) or a momjjang ("body king").
A recent survey conducted by the movie magazine Movie Week found that 71 percent of its respondents said they would have plastic surgery if they could afford it. The magazine said its survey showed that plastic surgery was no longer just for celebrities, a point that would surprise few people here.
Chungmuro, the street in Seoul that houses Korea's biggest filmmakers and one of the most sensitive places to social changes in the country, didn't need a survey to know that plastic surgery is a big issue. Two films released this month revolve around the issue of cosmetic surgery, and another film to be released soon features a girl who succeeds in life after having plas...| More

Summer for Horror Film Buffs

2006/05/31 | Source | Permalink |

By Kim Tae-jong
Staff Reporter

While film is an old Western tradition, Koreans have long relied on horror flicks to cool the summer heat. And as the summer season lurks just around the corner, serial killers, freaks and ghosts are out in full force to chill moviegoers.

Compared to ghosts and schizophrenic psychos that predominantly figure in Western horror films such as "The Omen", "Creep" and "Silent Hill", what can local moviegoers expect from the domestic horror films? The following are some of Korean horror films slated for this summer.

"Arang" (on June 28)

This is the first local horror film, which opens the summer season.

As it is based on a Korean folk tale in which a ghost visits a district governor to ask him help her pay off her grudge, the film aims to put Korean touches to maximize fear for local audiences.

Directed by Ahn Sang-hoon and starring Song Yoon-ah and Lee Dong-wook, the film revolves around two detectives who encounter mysterious accidents whil...| More