Friend (2001) - 친구 (Chin-goo)

'Eye' Spies Perfect Crime

2008/07/24 | Source | Permalink |

By Lee Hyo-won
Staff Reporter

Korea's favorite leading men Han Seok-kyu and Cha Seung-won team up in "Eye for an Eye", an urban action flick that slithers with speed, style and substance.

Perfect crimes unfold in the tradition of the "Ocean's 11" trilogy, launching a "Public Enemy"-style cat and mouse game. Han dyes his hair silver and wears a matching gray suit and shiny Hermes belt to play the role of a suave yet gum chewing, foulmouthed detective ― the film is worth watching just to see the "Shiri" (Swiri) (1998) star drive like a madman and mercilessly interrogate suspects.

Similar to the recent box office smash "Public Enemy Returns", veteran detective Baek is about to resign so he can set up his own business. But he has to postpone it when 1.8 billion won is stolen from a bank truck in broad daylight and then 600 kilograms of trafficked gold vanishes from an airport ― all under police surveillance. Someone had ingeniously impersonated Baek, and this proves ...| More

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JANG Dong-gun and LEE Myeong-se Return to Earth

2008/07/11 | Source | Permalink |

Korean wave star JANG Dong-gun is collaborating again with auteur director LEE Myeong-se on his latest project, simply titled Earth. JANG, who last worked with LEE 9 years ago, acting in his 1999 classic "Nowhere to Hide", will be doing voice-over narration for the new film this September.

"Earth" is said to be an atmospheric contemplation of life on earth, capturing beautiful and thought-provoking images with shooting taking place in Europe, Japan, and exotic locals around the world. JANG's deep, resonant voice was selected to enhance the meditative depth of the film.

Director LEE is known for his visually striking and meticulously choreographed features such as his recent films "M" (2007) and "Duelist" (2005), as well as his early work "Gagman" (1988) and "First Love" (1993). JANG has starred in numerous features including the hit film "Friend" (2001), "The Coast Guard" (2002) and his recently completed Hollywood debut in the upcoming fantasy-western "Laundry Warrior".

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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 Director Chang, a high school horror story about a bloody college entrance exam, makes its world pre...| More

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Blockbuster 'Friend' to Be Reproduced as TV Series

2008/07/04 | Source | Permalink |

By Hwang Jin-hwan (Intern)

Will a TV drama version of the blockbuster "Friend" be as thrilling as the original movie?

Avid fans certainly hope so. The mega-hit, which garnered a record-high 8.2 million ticket sales in 2001, will be remade as a 16-episode TV series titled "Friend: the Untold Story", said to be aired in the first half of 2009.

"I have decided to direct the drama with untold episodes added to the original movie. The scenario is in the process of being written", said Kwak Kyung-taek, who catapulted into stardom as the film director and scenario writer.

"All the episodes will be shot in Busan, just like the original film", Kwak said, refusing to reveal which TV broadcaster will show it.

Kim Min-joon, 32, who starred in Kwak's 2007 film "a Love", will replace Yoo Oh-seong as the gangster Jun-sok, and Hyeon Bin, 26, will replace Jang Dong-gun as Jun-sok's friend Dong-su. Oh and Hyun Bin will play the two leading characters among the four friends in the movie, ...| More

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2008 Sees Korean Stars Swarm Hollywood

2008/06/28 | Source | Permalink |

by Nigel D'Sa

While Hollywood seems to be gaining ground at the Korean box office in 2008, a growing number of Korean stars are invading Hollywood's home turf this year, bringing Korean talent into view on the world stage. Local celebrities such as Jeon Ji-hyeon, Lee Byeon-heon, Jung Ji-hoon ("Rain"), Jang Dong-gun, and Korean-American Daniel Henney are currently filming or have already wrapped roles in major US studio productions.

Actress Jeon, going by her English name Gianna Jun, recently completed the shooting of her lead role in "Blood: The Last Vampire", a US – Hong Kong co-production set in the Tokyo of 1970. Jeon plays Saya, a vampire working for a covert US government agency that hunts and destroys demons. She is assigned to a military school where she must find out which of her fellow classmates is a demon in disguise.

The English-language horror-thriller will be model-turned-actress Jeon's Hollywood debut. Rising to celebrity status with her 2001 Korean feature...| More

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