Hwangjin-y - Movie - 2007 (2007) - 황진이 (Hwang-jin-i)

The Chaser Top Winner at Grand Bell Awards

2008/07/01 | Source | Permalink |

Hit thriller, "The Chaser", the top Korean film at the box office for the first half of 2008, was also tops last Friday at the nation's annual film awards fest, the 45th Daejong (Grand Bell) film festival, held in southern Seoul. Director NA Hong-jin's debut feature picked up six awards including Best Picture, Director, Cinematography and Actor for KIM Yoon-seok).

Actor KIM, known for numerous supporting roles, won for his first lead performance as the cop-turned-pimp who is hot on the trail of a serial-killer played by the equally gifted HA Jeong-woo. KIM also won the BMW Popularity award at Daejon. "The Chaser" went on to captured the Best Production award as well.

The Best Actress award went to KIM Yoon-jin for her role in another successful thriller, "Seven Days", a tale of kidnapping and blackmail. KIM is known to American audiences for her role in the hit TV sevies "Lost", for which she has also won acting awards. The fast-paced plot-twister also won awards for Best...| More

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Daejong Film Fest Showcases Trends

2008/06/29 | Source | Permalink |

By Lee Hyo-won
Staff Reporter

South Korea's esteemed 45th Daejong (Grand Bell) Film Festival held in southern Seoul, showcased the latest local box office trends, with its stronghold of original thrillers, stylistic period pieces and experimental projects. While superstars grabbed the limelight as expected, hitherto overlooked veteran actors and young debutant directors shined the most, suggesting that blatant star power, be it a reputed director or ravishing screen beauty, don't always guarantee ticket sales or awards.

The red carpet event took place outside the COEX Convention Hall in a sea of blinding camera flashes as glamorous cineastes filed in. Screen beauties like Han Chae-young, Park Jin-hee and Sin-Ae were elegant in cleavage-bearing, long evening gowns while others such as Kim Yoon-jin and Ko Ah-ra chose mini-dresses to show off their figures.

Actress Kim Ah-joong, who won last year's award for Best Actress ("200 Pounds Beauty"), and popular announcer Choe Gi-hwan...| More

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YOO Ji-tae's short film to Tokyo and Seoul fest

2008/06/05 | Source | Permalink |

Actor YOO Ji-tae – well known for his roles in PARK Chan-wook's "Old Boy" and JANG Yoon-hyeon's "Hwangjin-y - Movie - 2007" – is successful with the short film "Out of My Intention" (Nado Moreuge) which he directed. "Out of My intention" is invited by the Tokyo based Short Shorts Film Festival (SSFF), and the Mise en Scene Short Film Festival (MSFF) in Seoul.

The Tokyo Short Shorts Film Festival, one of the major short film festivals, opens on June 6 and YOO's short film will feature in the competition section. Afterwards, from June 26 until July 2, "Out of My Intention" will be back in Korea in the imaginative power section of the 7th Mise en Scene Short Film Festival.

Out of My Intention stars JO An ("Project Makeover" - "Go Go Sister"/Eonniga Ganda) and LEE Dae-yon (Camel(s)/Nakta(deul)). The two share a car, but seem to be in different worlds when they try to communicate.

YOO debuted as a short film director in 2003 with "The Bike Boy" (Jajeongeo Sonyeon). His next shor...| More

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SONG Hye-kyo to Star in John Woo's 1949

2008/05/28 | Source | Permalink |

Taking journalists by surprise at a press conference on May 20 at the 61st Cannes Film Festival, director John Woo and popular Korean actress SONG Hye-kyo appeared together to announce that she would star as the heroine in his next big budget production, '1949'.

With them were the film's producer, Terence Chang, and SONG's co-star, Taiwanese actor Chang Chen. Chang, who will play SONG's lover in the film, starred last year in maverick director KIM Ki-duk's Cannes entry "Breath" and has a lead role in Woo's soon to be released 2-part epic Red Cliff.

Actress SONG is adored both locally and across Asia for her endearing TV roles in dramas such as "Full House" (2004) and "Autumn in my Heart" (2000). Along with numerous commercials, the actress has made several features, including 2007's period drama "Hwangjin-y - Movie - 2007" which drew director Woo's attention to her. She also starred in "My Girl and I" (2005) and has just completed her US debut in the upcoming indie-feature "...| More

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[Interview] Song Hye-kyo "I got to do a movie like a first love"

2008/05/22 | Source | Permalink |

Top star Song Hye-kyo was at the 61st Cannes International Film Festival. She agreed to star in Director John Woo's next work "1949", and although she arrived in Cannes on the 17th, she had to hide in her hotel room.

On the 20th around 10:30 am, Director Woo and Producer Terence Chang held a press conference for their next work, and when Song Hye-kyo appeared, the Chinese journalists were shocked. It was because Director Woo did not even mention Song Hye-kyo in a briefing session on the 19th.

She wore a white dress and arrived with her opposing character, Chinese actor Chang Chen. She seemed flushed to be working with big names.

Song Hye-kyo said, "Director Woo contacted me after watching "Hwangjin-y - Movie - 2007", It's my honor to be able to work with a director that I respect". Her popularity is high in China because of "Autumn in my Heart" and "Full House" and many journalists were asking more questions toward Song Hye-kyo than the director or Chang Chen.

The following...| More

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