R-Point (2004) - 알 포인트

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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9th JIFF Announces Stellar Line-up

2008/04/09 | Source | Permalink |

The 9th edition of the Jeonju International Film Festival (JIFF), second only to Pusan among Korea's top movie-going events, will take place May 1 – 9, 2008 in its picturesque namesake city, in North Jeolla province. At a press conference held in Seoul last week, JIFF announced an impressive line-up of 169 films.

Festival opener will be 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 his latest work highly anticipated.

Korean anthology film If You Were Me 4 will close the festival, this time featuring five shorts on the theme of contemporary Korean youth. Rising Korean directors including BANG Eun-jin ("Princess Aurora"), KIM Tae-yong ("Family Ties" - "The Birth of a Family"), and YOON Seong-ho ("Milky Way Liberation Front") participated.

JIFF has renamed its 'Indie Vision' section the 'International Competition' section, raising its profile...| More

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Mystery, massacre mark this movie

2008/04/09 | Source | Permalink |

Get yourself ready for a two-hour thriller that takes place among the guard posts on the southern side of the demilitarized zone.
Director Kong Soo-chang is back with his second feature "The Guard Post".
Kong's film — released last Thursday — focuses on a mysterious massacre that occurs in the DMZ one rainy day. Twenty armed soldiers at a guard post have been mysteriously killed. One is left alive, but unconscious.

The Defense Ministry dispatches an investigation team. Sergeant Major Noh Seong-gyu (Cheon Ho-jin) is given 24 hours to find the body of Yu Jeong-woo (Jo Hyeon-jae), who was in command of the guard post.
Kong's previous feature, "R-Point", also takes place in a military setting. It's about a Korean unit dispatched to the Vietnam War that receives a strange radio transmission from a group of soldiers previously thought missing in action.
"I served in the army under Korea's military regime", Kong said. "During that time, the government was in total control".
Kong was a...| More

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"R-point"'s KONG Soo-chang returns with The Guard Post

2008/04/04 | Source | Permalink |

Writer/director KONG Soo-chang's latest film "The Guard Post" (GP506) opens on April 3. Like his previously directed film R-point, the film is a horror film situated in the military. This time the setting is the Demilitarized Zone between North and South Korea.

JO Hyeon-jae and CHEON Ho-jin star in the horror film about a mysterious slaughtering at guard post 506 and the investigating team who gets trapped at the same guard post due to worsening weather. CHEON Ho-jin played in director YOO Ha's crime film "A Dirty Carnival" (Biyeorhan Geori) and alongside JEON Ji-hyeon in "Daisy". JO Hyeon-jae starred in "Untold Scandal" (Scandal).

KONG initially worked as a scenario writer. He wrote the scenario for the JANG Yoon-hyeon directed thriller "Tell Me Something" starring HAN Seok-kyu. He debuted as a director with "R-point" which unfolds in Cambodia where a Korean military unit is dispatched during the Vietnam War.

Yi Ch'ang-ho (KOFIC)...| More

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"The Guard Post" Puts DMZ Back on Map

2008/03/27 | Source | Permalink |

By Lee Hyo-won
Staff Reporter

In his second feature film "The Guard Post" ("GP506"), director Kong Soo-chang ("R-Point") tells another agonizing tale about military life. But this time, he takes viewers to the demilitarized zone (DMZ). In this bloody mystery thriller, Gong explores the ever-so relevant yet alien area, where dark secrets and ghosts of forgotten histories lurk.

But the film does not deal with the ideological conflict between the Koreas. Rather, it fathoms the raw human instinct for survival.

On the 38th parallel, between the two Koreas, lies the last remnant of the Cold War. "Demilitarized" zone is perhaps the most improper name for one of the most heavily fortified places on Earth. On the south side is the tightly contained Guard Post 506 (GP506), where armed soldiers stay alert for possible aggressions from the North.

One rainy evening, sergeant major Noh Seong-gyu is called to attend to an emergency. A massacre has occurred within GP506, leaving 20 dead ...| More

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