Ha Jeong-woo (하정우)

Actors Lee Jong-hyuk (left) and Ji Jin-hee of "Parallel Life" [Lee Jin-hyuk/10Asia]

If your life was exactly the same as someone else's from the past, what would you do? Is it a blessing or a curse -- without having to ride a time machine back in time -- to be able to know what your future holds for you by looking at someone else's life? The film "Parallel Life" begins with an anecdote about U.S. presidents Lincoln and Kennedy. Like the two presidents who lived very similar lives but existed 100 years apart, character Kim Seok-hyun (played by Ji Jin-hee) -- who is the youngest person to be appointed chief prosecuting attorney -- becomes increasingly aware that he is caught up in the whirlwind of the parallel theory. Every circumstance surrounding him runs exactly the same as they did for judge Han Sang-joon, whose entire family was murdered thirty years ago, and hence begins the mind games of Kim Seok-hyun who tries to protect his family....More

"The Murderer" director Na Hong-jin

Korean film "The Murderer" has signed on major Hollywood studio 20th Century Fox as one of its co-investors, according to the film's distributor Showbox Mediaplex Co. on Tuesday.

Showbox announced in a press release that the Na Hong-jin helmed pic -- which already has Korean entertainment agency Wellmade Star M as its main investor -- will receive additional funding from Fox, making "The Murderer" the first Korean movie to receive direct investment from the Hollywood studio.

The new business partnership, Showbox explained, will further expand into diverse business opportunities. Fox -- which is owned by media mogul Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation -- will reportedly take part in producing sequels and remakes of the film. In case of a Hollywood remake, Na will be contractually guaranteed to direct the film with original Korean producer Popcorn Films on board as well....More

Interview with the actor who appeared in SBS TV series "Father's House" and played the actor Ko Soo's younger part in SBS TV series "Will It Snow for Christmas??"

Actor Kim Soo-hyeon-I [Lee Jin-hyuk/10Asia]

My name is Kim Soo-hyeon-I. Some people are curious to know why I didn't make a stage name since my name is the same as that of the great scenarist Kim Su-hyun...... What would be good? Kim Soo-gyum? Kim... Carley? Hahahaha.
I was born on February 16, 1988. I major in acting at Joongang University.
I'm an only child but a brusque son at home. I still do call out for my mom though when I get startled.
My first part-time job was at a fastfood restaurant when I was in high school. But I got fired in the first three days because I couldn't get there on time after school. I still got paid for those three days though and how I was happy when I saw the money wired into my account. I heard that you're supposed to buy a pair of socks for your parents when you get paid for the first time so that's what I did... My mom never wore them though. I think I should've bought her socks with lace on it instead.
I once learned how to do mountain climbing. It was back when I was in high school and I used to climb boulders and even took part in competitions. I didn't win because I fell during the second course...... But I've also learned how to scuba dive. I put in an effort to learn sports that aren't usually easy to learn. ...More

 

He was known as the dandy guy with stylish clothes and cute body! Now, in the new movie "Red Sea" he is changed into a new man! Ha Jeong-woo started filming the new movie on December 16th with shaved head and a skinny look wearing a jumper!

Ha Jeong-woo is in a movie where a man has paid all his debts and looks for his wife. The man Koonam becomes a criminal to find his wife and is faced with a dil...More

By Lee Hyo-won
Staff Reporter

The past year represented hope and revitalization for Korean cinema. While problems such as piracy linger on, the forecast for 2010 cinema appears promising with diverse projects in the making.

Cineastes are finding inspiration from the past and are bringing remakes of Korean classics as well as unique period movies. Big action flicks are gearing up for the 60th anniversary of the Korean War (1950-53) while much-anticipated sequels will cater to fans. Furthermore, a couple of Hollywood projects will head here for shoots.

2009 in Review

Both commercial blockbusters and unique indie films pulled the industry out of a three-year slump and cineastes made their mark near and far.

Kim Choung-ryoul's documentary "Old Partner" rewrote box-office history for the genre, while Yang Ik-joon's "Breathless" made waves by sweeping almost two dozen prizes at international festivals. Park Chan-ok's low-budget drama "Paju" was well-received among critics and moviegoers and the micro-budget road movie "Daytime Drinking" gained popularity near and far.

The positivity peaked in the summer. The success of the sports movie "Take-Off" fed directly into the big-time box office scores set by the tsunami blockbuster "Haeundae", which drew over 10 million audience members in Korea for the first time in three years since "The Host" in 2006.

Stars shined strongly through the big screen. Korean actors debuted in foreign works, most notably Lee Byeong-Heon in "G.I. Joe" and Rain in "Ninja Assassin", while Kim Myeong-min made headlines for shedding 20 kilograms for his role in "Closer to Heaven".

Celebrity directors also made long-awaited returns. Park Chan-wook revisited the Cannes Festival with his vampire flick "Thirst" while Bong Joon-ho made a splash with the thriller "Mother - 2009".

On the flip side, illegal online distributions of "Haeundae", before its release in Chinese theaters, and of "Thirst", before DVD sales opened in the United States, led to big financial blows and signaled the red light on piracy. The country's top stars, including Jang Dong-gun and Kim Tae-hee, stepped up as representatives for the anti-piracy campaign: "Good Downloader".

Meanwhile, imported 3D movies tapped into the local theater market. While the number of theaters catering to the genre remains relatively small, there seems to be growing reception for 3D films. Animations such as "Monster vs. Aliens" and "Up" drew family audiences while "Avatar", new in theaters, has drawn over 1 million audiences in the shortest time...More