Korean Films Premiering at 14th Pusan Fest

A number of high-profile Korean features will have their World Premiere at the 14th Pusan International Film Festival (PIFF) including opening film "Good Morning President" by writer-director Jang Jin. It stars top Korean actor Jang Dong-gun, who is expected to greet the opening night crowd when the fest kick offs October 8 for a 9-day run.

Making it's Gala World Premiere is "The Fair Love" by director Shin Yeon-shick, a drama starring veteran lead Ahn Seong-gi about an unstoppable romance between an old bachelor in his 50s and a college girl in her 20s. Also in the Gala program is "In My End Is My Beginning" by Min Gyoo-dong, the director of "All for Love" ("My Lovely Week", 2005) and "Antique" (2008). The new film stars Uhm Jung-hwa and Kim Hyo-jin and is an extension of MIN's contribution to the omnibus feature "Five Senses of Eros", released earlier this year.

Another highlight is the return of award-winning director Song Il-gon ("The Magicians", "A Feather"), who will premiere his feature documentary "Dance of Time", in the Wide Angle Documentary Showcase section. Filmed in Cuba, the film follows the generations of Korean-Cubans who have lived there since their ancestors were forcibly relocated to Cuba over 100 years ago.

In competition in the New Currents section with other premiere Asian features is "Paju", the highly anticipated second feature by Park Chan-ok who won the Rotterdam Tiger Award for her debut feature "Jealousy Is My Middle Name"; and a comedy by director So Sang-min titled "I'm in Trouble!", about a love-addicted third rate poet and his women.

Kwon Chil-in, the director of "Singles" (2003) and "Hellcats" (2008) is back with his fourth feature, Loveholic in the Korean Cinema Today - Panorama section. Also here is "Tokyo Taxi", the eagerly awaited second feature by Kim Tae-sik ("Driving With My Wife's Lover") about a singer with a fear of flying who takes a taxi from Seoul to Tokyo.

Another taxi-themed premiere in this section is "Maybe" by Joo Ji-hong, a drama about a taxi driver and an overseas Korean adoptee. Rounding out the section are "The Executioner", a death-row drama by Choi Jin-ho, "Vegetarian" by Lim Woo-seong and "Where Are You Going?" by PARK Chur-woon .

Nigel D'Sa (KOFIC)