South of the Border (2006) - 국경의 남쪽 (Gook-gyeong-aui Nam-jjok)

Daring Movie Tells Plight of N.Korean Refugees

2008/03/17 | Source | Permalink |

Amid growing interest from the global community in the Chosun Ilbo documentary "On the Border", another Korean film about North Korean refugees is set to be released in May.

"Crossing" is the first Korean feature film to deal with the miserable reality faced by North Korean defectors, including laborers in a logging camp and teenagers who survive by begging and stealing. The 2006 movie "South of the Border" dealt with the story of separated North Korean lovers, but "Crossing" focuses on the refugees' struggle to survive.

"Crossing" is a heartbreaking human drama about a man (Cha In-pyo) who escapes from a mining village in North Korea's North Hamgyong Province to find medicine and food for his family. Later the man's 11-year-old son leaves home to find his father.

The work is based on the true stories of dozens of North Korean defectors, including some involved in the March 2002 incident in which 25 defectors pushed their way past Chinese guards into the Spanish Embassy in Bei...| More

"Family Ties" ("The Birth of a Family") Wins Top Prize at Home

2007/06/12 | Source | Permalink |

The nation's oldest film awards ceremony, the Grand Bell Awards, gave its top prize to low-key hybrid-family-drama "Family Ties" ("The Birth of a Family") , directed by KIM Tae-yong. The film, which has toured a number of international film festivals winning the top prize at the International Thessaloniki Film Festival in Greece, also picked up a Grand Bell Best Screenplay award. The win was a happy surprise after many expected last summer's
blockbuster The Host to take top honors. "The Host" did however snatch up a Best Director award for BONG Joon-ho and Best Editing for KIM Sun-min.

Actress KIM Ah-Joong, whose fame is spreading like wildfire across south-east Asia, picked up the Best Actress award for her lead in the cutting-comedy "200 Pounds Beauty". The sleeper-hit also took away the Best Cinematography and Best Music awards for PARK Hyun-cheol and LEE Jae-hak respectively. Veteran star AHN Seong-gi received a Best Actor prize for his role in "Radio Star". "Tazza: Th...| More

Movie With English Subtitles

2006/09/14 | Source | Permalink |

South of the Border (Kukgyongui Namjjok) (2006)

Seoul Selection Bookstore

11:00 a.m. Saturday

Directed by Ahn Pan-seok, the film is the first to deal with the lives of North Korean defectors in Seoul. The film revolves around Kim Sun-ho (played by Cha Seung-won), who defected to the South with his family, while leaving his girlfriend Yon-hwa behind after promising to bring her to Seoul as soon as possible. In Seoul, he tries to save money to help her escape from the North, but one day, hears that Yon-hwa has married another man. He becomes hopelessly depressed but later tries to find a way to adapt himself to life in the South. The venue is located near Anguk Station on subway line 3. Tickets, 3,000 won. For more information, call (02) 734-9565 or visit http://www.seoulselection.com

"Time" (Sigan) (2006)

Sponge House

Roughly until the end of September

Directed by Kim Ki-duk and starring Sung Hyeon-ah and Ha Jeong-woo, the film revolves around a couple who find the...| More

Film producers stampede into musicals

2006/05/08 | Source | Permalink |

The growing local musical industry is attracting major film production companies, which are deemed to be the highest profit makers in cultural industries.

CineLine-II, the production company of "Running Boy" ("Marathon") (2005) and "Friend" (2002) will stage "Fall in Love", a new musical of their own creation, at Yonkang Hall, downtown Seoul, from June 2 to Aug. 27. "With so many foreign-licensed musicals dominating major venues, the local musical market has become a league of its own", said Seok Myung-hong, president of the film production company in explaining the background of his decision to join the theatrical production.

"The Story of Pyeonggang, the Princess of Mirror"
Seok's company has invested 800 million won in the romantic comedy, which will mark its stage debut. Sung Jae-joon, the producer of musical "Music in My Heart", has been leading the cast including rising musical star Kim Da-hyun ("Hedwig") and comedian Lee Jae-hoon, as director, while 2004 Jonathan Larson A...| More

'Border,' Personal Stories of NK Defectors

2006/05/04 | Source | Permalink |

By Kim Tae-jong
Staff Reporter

The situation in the war-torn Korean Peninsula has been an important motif in many local films.

In recent years, however, their main focus has shifted from the severe conflict between the two Koreas to individual tragedies and experiences.

The latest film "South of the Border (Kukkyongui Namjjok)", takes an even more personal look at the tragic situation and moviegoers may find it just another typical melodrama if they don't pay much attention to the fact that it is the first to deal with the lives of North Korean defectors in Seoul.

Directed by Ahn Pan-seok, the film revolves around Kim Sun-ho (played by Cha Seung-won), who is a horn player in an orchestra in North Korea.

As he belongs to a comparatively high class in his country, Sun-ho enjoys his life and has plans to marry his girlfriend Yon-hwa, whom he is very much in love with.

One day, Sun-ho's family receives a letter from his grandfather in Seoul, whom they had thought was dea...| More