Korean movie news

Bae Yong-joon Thanks 60,000 Japanese Spectators

2008/06/09 | Source | Permalink |

Actor Bae Yong-joon has delivered a special message to 64,000 spectators at "+1 Football Match", a charity soccer game held in Yokohama Japan on June 7.

Ahead of the game, Bae said through a pre-recorded video message that he was honored to be a part of such a meaningful event and thanked each and every one of the spectators for taking part in and supporting the special event.

The charity soccer game, led by Japanese and international All Star soccer players, was organized by Hidetoshi Nakata, a former soccer hero-turned environmentalist. All proceeds collected from ticket sales will be used to provide mosquito nets for children in Southeast Asia and Africa.

The event was also attended by a number of Korean celebrities including Bae Yong-jun, Hong Myung-bo and Lee Ho. The soccer match was televised live across Japan. ...| More

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Yet another Joseon Dynasty hero swoops into prime time slot

2008/06/09 | Source | Permalink |

Is it a time for heroes? SBS and KBS think so. Fast on the heels of SBS' masked marauder, Iljimae, KBS' Chil-woo, a veritable Joseon-style Batman, will swoop into the Monday and Tuesday night time slot on June 17.

Originally set to air tonight, the historical-action miniseries called "Choi Kang Chil Woo" (Strongest Chil Woo) got pushed back a week. News reports indicate that the date was delayed to avoid direct competition with MBC's "Yi San", the final episode of which is set for June 16.

But "Yi San" is just one of the many challenges that hero Chil-woo faces. With SBS set to crush Chil-woo before he has a chance to put up a fight, KBS needs to pull out all the stops early on to have a chance of winning.

SBS' currently popular "Iljimae" and its upcoming blockbuster "Sikgaek" are formidable foes in the race to get high ratings. And Chil-woo may not have what it takes to beat its competitors.

But singer-turned-actor Eric Moon, who signed on to play the dark hero, disagrees....| More

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'Crossing' Depicts Plight of NK Defectors

2008/06/08 | Source | Permalink |

By Lee Hyo-won
Staff Reporter

A story that thousands of North Korean defectors share -- one of hunger, desperation and tiptoeing the fine line between life and death -- makes its way to screens this summer. South Korean director Kim Tae-gyoon brings "Crossing", a cross-border film project inspired by true accounts of survivors -- the lucky ones who lived to tell their story.

While big budget action flicks like "Typhoon" (2005) have touched upon the lives of defectors, "Crossing" is the nation's first movie entirely devoted to the matter. It is an unforgettable movie that rouses reflection upon the role of cinema and its power to take people to distant places -- after over half a century of division, the North has become perhaps the farthest place on Earth for South Korea.

The plight of the refugees is not an unfamiliar one here as TV documentaries shine upon the shaded segment of the Korean Diaspora. But "Crossing" achieves riveting, heartfelt drama, making uncomfortable tru...| More

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Seoul and Gyeonggi Province promoted to Japanese filmmakers

2008/06/06 | Source | Permalink |

The third annual Seoul Gyeonggi FAM Tour, intended to promote the capital region as a shooting location for international filmmakers, will take place from June 7-12.

Organized by the Seoul Film Commission, the Gyeonggi Film Commission, and the Korea National Tourism Organization, the tour will be specially targeted at Japanese producers and directors this year.

Taking part will be two directors, including cult filmmaker SABU (Monday, Postman Blues) and YAMAGUCHI Yudai (Battlefield Baseball), and eight producers. The producers include, among others, NEGISHI Hiroyuki of Picnic (Linda Linda Linda), ICHIYAMA Shozo of Office Kitano (international co-production The World), MIZOKAMI Kyoshi (Adrenaline Drive), and SADAI Yuji of Bitters End (Michel Gondry's segment "Interior Design" from omnibus film Tokyo!).

The FAM Tour (which stands for "familiarization tour") will consist of visits to locations, studios, outdoor film sets, and post production facilities. The selected locations ...| More

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Preserving the history of Korean food from her house

2008/06/06 | Source | Permalink |

PYEONGCHANG, Gangwon - The air is filled with the delicate scent of fried organic vegetables that add savory flavor to bibimbap, or steamed rice with assorted vegetables.

Walking closer to the main hanok, a traditional Korean-style house, in Jungkangwon, an institute of traditional Korean cuisine, you see hundreds of reddish-brown jar stands filled with doenjang (soybean paste) or gochujang (hot pepper paste), adding extra aroma to the air.

The jars are buried in salt and charcoal to keep fermented pastes fresh.

What you see here is rustic.

Garlic hangs from the hanok rooftop piled with wooden vessels, and a lotus pond reminds one of a Joseon scene.

In the backyard, Cho Jung-kang, the owner of the 33,058-square meter institute, cultivates some 300 vegetables, including cucumbers, pumpkins, red peppers, lettuce, cabbages and eggplants.

Cho, 70, built the traditional house in 2005 to preserve, develop and educate people about Korean food. There are daily cooking classes...| More

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Actors Voice Opinions on U.S. Beef Import

2008/06/06 | Source | Permalink |

Celebrities have joined a large part of the Korean people in speaking out against the import of U.S. beef. Famed actor Seol Kyeong-gu of "Silmido", "Oasis", and the "Public Enemy" series has voiced his support for anti-U.S. beef protestors, especially high school students. He has said that he realized that the future of Korea is bright when he saw students expressing their opinions in public.

In the meantime, Seol's latest film "Kang Cheol-jung: Public Enemy 1-1" ("Public Enemy Returns") includes a scene in which Seol's character mentions mad cow disease. The scene was filmed in February, before the mad cow disease controversy broke out. He says the day he shot the scene was the day he stopped eating meat. He added that the government should be more judicious in dealing with the public outcry against the U.S. beef import. "Public Enemy Returns" is scheduled to be in theaters on June 19th.

Another hot actor has posted his thoughts on the U.S. beef import deal. Hot actor Kim Rae-wo...| More

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Who is the Real Harold?

2008/06/05 | Source | Permalink |

With his debut lead role as Harold in 2004's "Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle", John Cho is now famously known as the "Asian" comedian, musician, and actor. Born in Seoul, South Korea on June 16th, 1972, Cho and his family immigrated to Los Angeles, California in 1978, where he spent most of his life. After graduating from the University of California, Berkley in 1996 with a degree in English, he became a teacher in West Hollywood at Pacific Hills School.

Not long after, Cho ended his teaching career to pursue his other passion: acting. His small breakthrough role in "American Pie" (1999) was the doorway to where he is today. To the general public, he is an Asian star from both "Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle" and "Harold and Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay". However, to the Korean-American community, he is more than just a new star. Cho has become a new, influential Korean-American icon for many. By this handle, Cho brought forth a different perspective and affirmation of...| More

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Kim Min-seon, Shin Yun-bok casting - acting competition with Moon Geun-yeong

2008/06/05 | Source | Permalink |

Actress Kim Min-seon was cast as artist Shin Yun-bok in "Le Grand Chef" Director Jeon Yoon-soo's next work "Portrait of a Beauty". This movie started with the idea that artist Shin Yun-bok of the Choseon era was really a woman dressed as a man. Although she had great talent, she had no choice but to dress as a man because she was a woman. It is a movie about the love story that surrounds her painting 'Portrait of a Beauty'.

Kim Min-seon, who was cast as Shin Yun-bok, will compete with Moon Geun-yeong, who is currently filming SBS "Painter of the Wind", which is a drama with a similar story.

In order to play the role of the genius artist Shin Yun-bok, Moon Geun-yeong is learning calligraphy and Korean art.

"Portrait of a Beauty" will start filming on May 31, and will aim to premiere this fall around the same time as "Painter of the Wind", which will air in September. 

In the movie, Kim Yeong-ho plays artist Kim Hong-do, the teacher of Shin Yun-bok who begins ...| More

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Bae Yong-joon, Interview in Japan, "I have thoughts of marrying but it's not working out"

2008/06/05 | Source | Permalink |

On the 1st, after the three-hour "The Legend Premium Event 2008 in Japan" held in Osaka Kyocera Dome, Bae Yong-joon held an interview with Korean reporters for about thirty minutes in the waiting room. Director Kim Jong-hak of "The Legend" was also there. The following are questions and answers that were exchanged.

-Thoughts on the event held today, with 35000 fans?
-Even in the disappointment that came with the end of filming, Director Kim and I said that it was over yet. But now, I have a real feeling that it's over. It was nice today. I was able to meet my family in Asia eye-to-eye. And it was better that I was able to come with the director and fellow actors from "The Legend" this time.

-You also referred to your next work at the event today. (Bae Yong-joon said, "I want to give a different kind of feeling with my voice on the animation of "Winter Sonata" and there's nothing certain, but I'm looking into a drama that is a remake of a Japanese comic".)
-I haven't signed anyt...| More

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Yeah right! I want to know :-> I would love to see that book and hope to see you soon and visit korea...take care...from phils. luv yah!!! Mav mav 2008-06-14 20:10:30 fighting 2008-06-07 16:44:19 I would love to see that Book and your photography of Korea. Take care. fromUSA, fighting Marie. i love you eve_eca 2008-06-06 03:43:58

Lee Wan, Cast as main character for movie "Goose's Dream" - transformation into a boxer

2008/06/05 | Source | Permalink |

Actor Lee Wan was cast as the main character for "Goose's Dream" after the movie "Boys Don't Cry", set to come out this fall.

"Goose's Dream" is about the life and dream of a boy Jeong-woo (Lee Wan) who has gambled his life on boxing. It will be a low-budget film, produced by the Korean Film Council, KBS, and the Chonbuk Provincial Government as a HD movie.

Lee Wan plays Jeong-woo, who has been obsessed with boxing since he was young. After meeting Ki-chul (Im Kyeong-eob) who has an inborn talent for boxing, Jeong-woo gives up boxing and lives his own life.

The theme of this movie is that the achievement of a dream starts with not giving up that dream. It is to embrace the hearts of those who have difficulties because of the separation between their dreams of youth and dreams of reality. 

Lee Wan is showing his passion by receiving training every day from a former national boxer. He said, "There is a lot of pressure but I want to learn so I don't look awkwa...| More

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