Korean movie news

HA Jeong-woo in Korea-Japan co-production

2008/06/05 | Source | Permalink |

HA Jeong-woo will star together with the Japanese actor Satoshi Tsumabuki in a film tentatively titled House. KIM Young-nam is at the helm of the project and Aya Watanabe writes the scenario.

HA and Tsumabuki will portray smugglers who work together while they are based at each side of the East Sea. Complications arise when they receive the order to kidnap a Korean woman together.

HA commanded attention with his role in YOON Jong-bin's "The Unforgiven" (Yongseo Batji Mothan Ja). He extended his name internationally with Gina KIM's "Never Forever" (Doobeonjjae Sarang). With his latest film "The Chaser" (Choogyeokja) he also scored a major box office hit.

KIM directed the film "Don't Look Back" (Nae Cheongchunaegae Goham) which was invited by the Locarno International Film Festival for its 2006 international competition section where it received the FIPRESCI and NETPAC awards. His debut film Outcry of Youth was selected for KOFIC's 2005 Production Support Program for Internatio...| More

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KIM Ji-woon's kimchi western sells like hot cakes

2008/06/05 | Source | Permalink |

Innovative director KIM Ji-woon presented with "The Good, the Bad, the Weird" one of the most anticipated and applauded films at Festival de Cannes, which is reflected in the slate of international distribution right sales at the Cannes market by CJ Entertainment.

The kimchi western – a reference to the influence of Sergio Leone's spaghetti western The Good, the Ugly, the Bad – stars LEE Byeong-heon, SONG Kang-ho and JEONG Woo-seong, three star actors with international appeal.

So far, most interest was expressed by European and Asian buyers. Icon Film obtained the UK rights and Huayi Brothers bought the rights for the Chinese market. Innoform (Singapore) Maywin Media (Russia), Horizon International (Turkey), Independenta (Romania), and Farabi (Iran) also successfully pursued the distribution rights for The Good, the Bad, and the Weird.

KIM said that the Cannes version was not yet fully finalized. He also spoke of different versions of the film. The international version holds...| 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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Rotoscoped Film Shows Life in '4D'

2008/06/05 | Source | Permalink |

By Lee Hyo-won
Staff Reporter

Director Choe Ik-hwan ("Whispering Corridors 4: 'Voice Letter"') brings "Life Is Cool", South Korea's first rotoscoped film. In this HD film project by CJ Entertainment, local production company DNA, which whipped up animation and graphics for "The Animatrix", creates hip visuals for a friendly love story.

Rotoscoping is a process in which animators trace over a live action sequence, frame by frame. It goes beyond computer-generated imagery for larger than life effects. By utilizing what's only possible in animation, it gives 3D action added dimension ― it's tech savvy and digital but breathes life into the film.

"Life" took only a month of actual shooting but almost two years and 140 artists for rotoscoping. One may wonder, why go through the trouble, as leading lady Park Ye-jin said. The director said he was inspired by "Waking Life", a rotoscoped film that captures human life despite being digital.

The movie takes advantage of the be...| More

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Hollywood producer joins robot film team

2008/06/04 | Source | Permalink |

'There's an emotional touchstone in the story'.

One image captured the mind of William Teitler, a Hollywood producer known for his work on "Jumanji" (1995) and "The Polar Express" (2004).

That image was of a 60-meter tall robot ? and in his mind, Teitler was controlling it.

"It's a delightful fantasy just picturing the scene", he said.

Teitler, 57, is the executive producer of the Korean live-action film, "Robot Taekwon V", which starts shooting in September.

The animated film, directed by Won Sin-yeon, is based on the legendary 1976 Korean animated film, "Robot Taekwon V".

As the film's co-producer, Teitler visited Korea last week to meet with Shin Chul, the head of film company Shin Cine Communications; Kim Cheong-gi Kim, the director of the 1976 version; and Won.

They discussed the upcoming film's story and the use of computer graphics with seven local visual effects studios.

According to Robot Taekwon V Company, which is in charge of the filmmaking, this is...| More

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SM Introduces Super Junior-Happy

2008/06/04 | Source | Permalink |

Super Junior-Happy, the latest unit of the popular idol group Super Junior, is ready to make its debut.

Super Junior is the fourth in a line of Super Junior units put together by SM Entertainment after Super Junior-K.R.Y, Super Junior-T and Super Junior-M. The six-member Super Junior-Happy is made up of E Teuk, Ye Sung, Kang In, Sin Dong-hee, Sung Min and Eun Hyuk.

SM Entertainment recently said, like its name, Super Junior-Happy will debut with bright and upbeat music to bring happiness to K-POP listeners.

The title song of the group's mini album is entitled "Cooking? Cooking!"...| More

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Moscow Honors IM Kwon-taek with Retrospective

2008/06/04 | Source | Permalink |

An impressive 12 film retrospective, surveying the work of legendary Korean director IM Kwon-taek, will be held in the Russian capital of Moscow this June. Running the 19th to the 28th at the Moscow State Central Cinema Museum in Arbat Square. Director IM has completed 100 feature films in his lifetime, winning the best director prize at Cannes in 2002 for Chihwaseon.

Cinema Museum director Naum Kleiman will introduce the retrospective with director IM and his wife especially invited to Moscow for the event. Kleiman, with the help of IM An-cha, vice-chairman of the committee for Korea's Jeonju International Film Festival, selected 12 representative films out of the director's 100-feature oeuvre.

Films included in the program are "Genealogy" (1978), the Buddhist-themed "Mandala" (1981), "Daughter of the Flames" (1983), Venice Best Actress (KANG Soo-yeon) winner "The Surrogate Mother" (1986), North-South family reunion drama "Gilsoddeum" (1986), all-time classic "Seopyeonje" ...| More

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9th Seoul International Film Festival Kicks Off

2008/06/04 | Source | Permalink |

Demur among Korea's more muscular, high profile movie fests in Busan, Jeonju, and Bucheon, the Seoul International Film Festival, known collectively with the Seoul Net Festival as SENEF, kicks off its 9th edition Thursday. SENEF runs June 5 to 11 at Sponge House in the Joong-Ang Cinema, central Seoul.

The festival will this year screen 47 feature films and 22 short films. Under the motto 'Imagine, share, and shift' the SeNefia08 section will present 8 features in international competition for a prize worth US$ 7000. The winning film will also screen as the closing film of the festival.

The opening film this year comes from Russian art house auteur, Svetlana Proskurina, and is titled The Best of Times. Proskurina is the focus of the main retrospective program this which will screen 7 of her films including one of her earliest from 1982.

The Over the Cinema section is always a must-see, presenting often-talked-about films on the festival circuits. This year's program s...| More

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'Chil-woo' to Bring Joseon Hero to TV

2008/06/04 | Source | Permalink |

By Han Sang-hee
Staff Reporter

The Korean Broadcasting System (KBS) is bringing the courageous life of a mysterious, yet heroic assassin to television screens through its new drama "Choigang Chil-woo" June 9.

Along with exciting martial arts scenes, the drama will mainly depict the everyday lives of commoners who lived during the Joseon Kingdom (1392-1910).

Mun Chong-hyok, also known as Eric Moon from the pop band Shinhwa, will act the part of the assassin leading a double life, while actress Koo Hye-seon will be the heroine.

"We had a hard time shooting the drama because of the martial arts scenes, but it was all worth it. This is my first period piece and we worked on creating a Korean hero, instead of those that we already know from comic books and movies", Mun said at the press conference for the drama Wednesday.

The main character Chil-woo is an official working at Euigeumbu, today's equivalent of a courthouse. The rather shy and ignorant Chil-woo leads a quiet li...| More

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KOREAN FILM COUNCIL ANNOUNCES MENTORS AND SUCCESSFUL FINALISTS FOR FILMMAKERS' DEVELOPMENT LAB 2008

2008/06/03 | Source | Permalink |

June 3, 2008 (Los Angeles) - Now in its third year, the Korean Film Council's Filmmakers' Development Lab confirmed today the appointment of this year's Mentors, and also announced the five successful finalists who are this year's Fellows.

The Filmmakers' Development Lab (FDL) is an initiative of the Korean Film Council (KOFIC) to pair industry professionals and emerging filmmakers from Korea and the Korean diaspora to help realize their English language projects. The Fellows are chosen from open application and project submission process.

The program begins with one-on-one mentoring at an intensive one-week script development Lab which will be held in late June in Jeju Island, Korea.

The Fellows and their projects are then brought to Independent Film Week (previously IFP Market) in New York in September, and to the Co-Production Forum at the Pusan International Film Festival and Asian Film Market in Korea in October.

Throughout, Fellows are given opportunities to netwo...| More

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