Jeon Do-yeon (전도연)

Choi Min-sik Escapes Oncreen to 'Himalaya'

Source | 2009/05/31 | Permalink |

By Lee Hyo-won
Staff Reporter

Actor Choi Min-sik has returned to local screens to take the audience on a faraway journey to "Himalaya, Where the Wind Dwells", which opens in theaters June 11.

The actor is virtually synonymous with contemporary Korean cinema, with the so-called "first" domestic blockbuster "Shiri" (Swiri) (1998) to Im Kwon-taek's award-winning "Chihwaseon" ("Strokes of Fire", 2002) and Park Chan-wook's international breakthrough "Old Boy" (2003). He was also accused of upping guarantees for high-profile actors, though Kang Woo-suk later rescinded the statement and apologized.

The 47-year-old may have been absent from the silver screen for four years, but his presence remained strong ― in 2007, he showed off his theatrical streak in the play "Pillow Man" while last year the 14th Lyon Asian Film Festival held a retrospective on Choi.

"Expression (acting) itself is important, but the process of absorbing things before taking part in a project is vital. ...| More

'Thirst' Wins the Jury Prize at Cannes

Source | 2009/05/25 | Permalink |

Director Park Chan-wook's latest film "Thirst" has won the Jury Prize at the Cannes International Film Festival. The award is his second honor at Cannes, following the Grand Prix in 2004 for his cult classic "Old Boy". At its Cannes presentation the powerful and enigmatic story of a priest-turned-vampire received mixed reviews. Some have rated it the best film of the year, while some were skeptical about the overly complex symbolism of the film. Nonetheless, all members of the jury agreed that the film left a very powerful and lasting impression on the audience.

"Thirst" is one of four Korean movies that won awards in the festival's competitive section. The first one was venerable director Im Kwon-taek's "Strokes of Fire", which garnered the Best Director Prize in 2002. Two years later director Park Chan-wook won the Grand Prix for "Old Boy", followed by actress Jeon Do-yeon's Best Actress Award in 2007 for her impressive performance in "Secret Sunshine".

Meanwhile, the Palme d'O...| More

Korean film 'Thirst' wins Jury Prize at Cannes Film Festival

Source | 2009/05/25 | Permalink |

Korean film "Thirst" ("Bakjwi" in Korean), directed by Park Chan-wook, clinched the Jury prize at the 62nd Cannes Film Festival.

"Thirst", the story of a priest-turned-vampire struggling with his physical desires, won the third-highest honor in the French movie contest, which closed on May 24.

This is director Park's second award at Cannes, one of the world's most renowned film festivals.

Park Chan-wook had previously won the Grand Jury Prize in 2004 for his film "Oldboy".

Following his acceptance of the award, Park told the audience at the awards ceremony that he enjoys filmmaking from beginning to end and he is just happy to be able to make films.

He added that he wishes to share the award with his dearest friend and colleague, Song Gang-ho, who played the lead in "Thirst".

"Thirst" tells the story of a Catholic priest who becomes a vampire after being given a strange blood transfusion during a medical experiment, and who starts a dangerous love affair with his frie...| More

'Thirst' Wins Jury Prize

Source | 2009/05/25 | Permalink |

By Cathy Rose A. Garcia
Staff Reporter

The dark vampire thriller "Thirst", directed by Park Chan-wook, won the Jury Prize at the prestigious Cannes International Film Festival in France, Sunday.

Park shared the festival's third place award with British director Andrea Arnold's teen drama "Fish Tank". The festival's top prize Palme d'Or was given to "The White Ribbon", a film about brutality in a 20th-century German town by Austrian director Michael Haneke.

"I think I still have a long way to go before I become a true artist. I must admit I have yet to experience the pangs of creation. All I have experienced is the joy of creation. When my first two films bombed at the box office, it was a long time before I could make this third feature. So this is an immense pleasure for me, from the conception of the film to its release ― except for the interviews. It's the last step for a film to be screened at the Cannes Festival", Park said after receiving his award.

The win was...| More

Korean Movies Draw Attentions at Cannes Film Festival

Source | 2009/05/15 | Permalink |

Korean films have never been this prolific at the world-renowned French film festival in Cannes before. At this year's 62nd Cannes Film Festival (May 13 to 24) a total of 10 Korean films will be screened.

One of the most attention-grabbing films from Korea is director Park Chan-wook's "Thirst" about a priest-turned-vampire. This film once again, highlights Park's unique storytelling and sensational imagery. The movie premieres on Friday (May 15). It will be competing for the Palme d'Or, the highest honor at Cannes along with 19 other candidates and the winner will be announced on May 24.

Park already won the Grand Prix with his movie "Old Boy" in 2004. "Thirst" was sold to foreign buyers from Brazil, Spain and Turkey upon its second day at the festival. The film was sold to 10 nations including France and Greece prior to its release at home, where it attracted nearly 2 million viewers.

Director Bong Joon-ho will also take part in the festival with his new film "Mother - 2009" ...| More