Yoo Hae-jin (유해진)

"Public Enemy Returns" to Shake up the B.O.

2008/06/24 | Source | Permalink |

The first Korean blockbuster of the summer, "Public Enemy Returns", opens June 19th, just in time to shake up a national box office that has been dominated by Hollywood fare for several weeks. Director KANG Woo-seok brings forth his third installment in the successful franchise that began with "Public Enemy" in 2002.

Star actor SEOL Kyeong-gu ("Oasis", "Silmido") reprises his original role as Chul-joon, a quick-tempered, tenacious detective on the prowl. SEOL also starred in the 2005 installment, "Another Public Enemy" ("Public Enemy 2"), yet playing a completely different character in that film. The new film was penned by writer-director Jang Jin, bringing his trademark humor and wit to the action feature.

The latest film pits detective Chul-joon against Lee Won-sul (played by JEONG Jae-yeong) the chairman of Geo-seong Group. Lee, an affectionate family man running several seemingly legitimate businesses, is really a longstanding mafia boss at the helm of a criminal ente...| More

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Seol 'Returns' as Kang Cheol-jung

2008/06/19 | Source | Permalink |

By Lee Hyo-won
Staff Reporter

This year has so far marked the return of many screen heroes, such as Indiana Jones and Rambo - and the antihero Kang Cheol-jung. In "Public Enemy Returns", Seol Kyeong-gu ("Public Enemy", 2002; "Another Public Enemy" - "Public Enemy 2" 2005) brazenly exhibits his sixth sense for acting as the diehard detective. Cheol-jung does not let his boss - or the audience - down in this funny, street-smart sequel, which also raises some critical social issues.

With disheveled hair, an unwashed windbreaker and a scar here and there, Cheol-jung is always diving headfirst into crime scenes. After 15 years of close calls with death, he's seen and done it all. The most notorious criminals sheepishly surrender to this thug of a man, who recklessly beats men twice his size, referees duels between schoolboys and openly accepts small bribes.

And of course, when a situation calls for good cop, bad cop tactics, we can guess the role Cheol-jung takes. But it's hard n...| More

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Korean movies leap into box-office fray

2008/05/29 | Source | Permalink |

In late April, Iron Man arrived in the Korean cinema, smashing the box office into very profitable pieces. In mid-May, Prince Caspian took the baton and kept up the pressure on Korean competitors. Last weekend, whip-wielding Indy joined the Hollywood-only party, roped in plenty of movie tickets sales.

The bombardment of Hollywood films dragged down the share of Korean films to a record low. But the bleak development was widely predicted since only a couple of new Korean releases were made. June might be slightly different, as eight Korean movies are set for release.

"Girl Scout", directed by Kim Sang-man, will hit theaters on June 5, featuring well-known actors such as Kim Seon-ah, Nah Moon-hee, Lee Kyeong-sil. The film will test whether the audiences still have an appetite for a chase-the-money drama with fewer funny moments than publicized.

Waiting in line for the June 12 release are four Korean films: "Life is Cool", "Beyond All Magic", "Spare" and "Like Father, Like Son". ...| More

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Kang Dong-won, Kim Yoon-seok, Im Soo-jeong, Meet through "Jeon Woo-chi Story"

2008/05/01 | Source | Permalink |

Director Choi Dong-hoon of "The Big Swindle" and "The War of Flower" has a new movie "Jeon Woo-chi Story", starring Kang Dong-won, Im Soo-jeong, Kim Yoon-seok, and Yoo Hae-jin.

This movie tells the story of a Joseon Taoist Jeon Woo-chi, who comes into the present-day world and faces a ghost that confuses the world. It is based on a Joseon novel with the same name. It copies "Hong Gil-dong Story" and tells the heroism of Jeon Woo-chi, who was a real Taoist. The movie put the background in today's time and gives it a new feeling. Director Choi is in charge of the screenplay and the adaptation.

Kang Dong-won plays the young Jeon Woo-chi, who excels in Taoist magic but is more concerned with elegance and women than self-discipline. He has played serious characters in the past, but he will be showing a new image through this movie. Im Soo-jeong plays the woman Jeon Woo-chi loved in the Joseon era, and a coordinator who wants to be an actress.

Kim Yoon-seok, who played the evil, gre...| More

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'Rivals' Is Funny With Clumsy Story

2007/03/29 | Source | Permalink |

By Kim Tae-jong
Staff Reporter

You might think that the new comedy "Small Town Rivals" was made by those who ought to know the ingredients of a good comedy.

In his new film, director Jang Gyoo-seong, who has shown talent in such previous hit comedies as "My Teacher, Mr.Kim" (2003) and "Lovely Rivals" (2004), teams up with veteran actors Cha Seung-won and Yoo Hae-jin _ well known for their comic performances in the past.

Cha and Yu don't deliver anything especially new _ they are quite comfortable in such roles with Cha playing a corruptive teacher in "My Teacher, Mr.Kim" and Yoo a talkative gambler in "Tazza: High Roller" ("The War of Flower" - 2006). But the two combined to produce satisfying results, eliciting bursts of laughter from audiences in this new film _ a story about rivalry and friendship between two old friends.

But the director may have tried too hard to be smart and ambitious in this movie. He unsuccessfully tries to weave heavy issues, such as politics, int...| More

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