Il Mare (2000) - 시월애 (Si-wol-ae)

Jeon Ji-hyeon hoping to rise as Hollywood star

2008/06/11 | Source | Permalink |

Korean Actress Jeon Ji-hyeon, one of the top stars of Hallyu (or "Korean Wave" referring to an explosive popularity of Korean pop culture) is now finally ready to rise in Hollywood as an Asian star in as her Hollywood-made movie Blood: The Last Vampire is to be released worldwide soon.

Her management agency SidusHQ said Monday (June 9) that the film in which Jeon plays the leading role of vampire hunter Saya who is half-human and half-vampire is to be released in the U.S., Canada, Central and South America through the Universal Studio in September.

In addition, France's largest independent film studio and the film's financial backer Pathé, as well as Hong Kong-born world-renowned producer Bill Kong are planning to release the American adaptation of Kitakubo Hiroyuki's "Blood: The Last vampire" in France and Hong Kong respectively this Fall.

Based on the anime movie and series, the film is about the adventures of Saya, a half-vampire employed by the U.S. government to hunt d...| More

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Books Map Out Korean Film History

2008/04/25 | Source | Permalink |

By Lee Hyo-won
Staff Reporter

Korea is increasingly becoming an important film market ― ranking sixth and seventh in the world in terms of audience size and ticket sales, respectively, according to the Korean Film Council.

Last week, the Asia junket for the anticipated blockbuster "Iron Man" took place in Seoul ― the second big Hollywood event to be held here the one for since last summer's "Transformers".

In international film festivals, more and more Korean filmmakers and actors are stealing the limelight, notably actress Jeon Do-yeon (2007 Cannes Best Actress) and directors Kim Ki-duk (2004 Best Director awards at both Venice and Berlin), Park Chan-wook (2004 Cannes Grand Prix) and Im Kwon-taek (2002 Cannes Best Director, 2007 Dubai Lifetime Achievement Award).

Local production companies and investors are now out to play in the big league. Last year, Shim Hyung-rae's "D-War" marked the first widely released Korean film in the United States, while domestic ...| More

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In Jeonju, spring brings wonderful films

2008/04/19 | Source | Permalink |

By Nigel D'Sa
Contributing Writer

The 9th Jeonju International Film Festival (JIFF) is nearing, and an impressive line-up of films has been announced for this year's event.

Set in its picturesque namesake city in Jeollabuk-do (province), JIFF runs May 1-9, bringing together innovative and independent films and filmmakers from around the world.

This year's program boasts a record total of 169 films with opening night going to Manda Kunitoshi's The Kiss in its International Premiere.

Japanese writer-turned-director Manda has already gained notice and won prizes at Cannes for his previous films, making this latest work highly anticipated.

JIFF's curtain-closer will be the Korean omnibus film "If You Were Me 4", produced by the National Human Rights Commission.

Each film in the series has a human rights issue as its theme with past concerns ranging from discrimination to forced surgery and bringing together a group of talented directors.

This year's project fe...| More

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Korean Films Premiering at 9th JIFF

2008/04/16 | Source | Permalink |

Ten Korean features will have their World Premiere at the Jeonju International Film Festival (JIFF) this spring. Now in it's 9th edition the festival will run May 1st – 9th in the attractive and historical city of Jeonju, in North Jeolla province.

Korean highlights include documentary director KIM Dong-won's latest, "63 Years On", about the 'comfort women' enslaved by the Japanese military in stations across Asia during WW2. The film provides an historical investigation along with interviews with victims still living in Korea, China, and the Philippines. KIM is best known for his 2003 film Repatriation which raised the documentary genre to commercial prominence in South Korea.

In the Korean Cinema on the Move section, presents 10 new independent features mostly by debut directors. Among the most interesting are "Synching Blue" by SEO Won-tae, a director whose shorts films have garnered praise for their visual arrangements. This HD feature is about a man who seeks comfort i...| More

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Dining With The Stars

2008/03/27 | Source | Permalink |

A Taste of Celebrity-Owned Restaurants in Seoul

By Cathy Rose A. Garcia, Han Sang-hee
Staff Reporters

In celebrity-crazed Korea, stars can hawk everything from ramyeon to cell phones to vitamin drinks. So it is no wonder that some celebrities have started their own businesses such as clothing brands and restaurants, using "star power" for their own benefit.

Hallyu superstar Bae Yong-joon, K-pop group Shinhwa, singer Kim Jong-min and actors Lee Jeong-jae and Hong Seok-cheon are some of the celebrities who have entered the restaurant business.

Some of these stars generate hype for their restaurants by placing their names and photos prominently inside the restaurant. Others play down the star factor and concentrate on the quality of the food and service.

The Korea Times takes a look at some of the celebrity-owned restaurants.

Actors Turned Restaurateurs

If you are a big fan of Bae Yong-joon (star of "Winter Sonata" and recent hit epic drama, "Taewangsasingi" ('The Fo...| More

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