Kim Ji-woon (김지운)

2008/05/15 | Source | Permalink |  Digg |  del.icio.us | Stumble It! | Share this news

The 61st Cannes Film Festival has kicked off with fanfare, spicing up the festive mood for moviegoers all around the world. The ebullient mood remains largely the same here in Korea, but one thing is palpably different: There's no chance for a Korean movie or actor grabbing an award in the competition section this year.

Last year was special for the Korean film industry. Jeon Do-yeon won the prestigious best actress award for her impassioned role in the heart-wrenching flick "Secret Sunshine". This year, however, such dramatic development is unlikely to occur because no Korean film has been invited to the competition section.

But it is too early to shift attention from Korean filmmakers toward Hollywood stars. After all, five Korean movies are to be screened in various sections at Cannes, and all of them have a potential to charm foreign filmmakers, critics and media in various ways.

At the forefront stands director Kim Ji-woon's big-budget flick "The Good, the Bad, the Weird"...

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2008/04/28 | Source | Permalink |  Digg |  del.icio.us | Stumble It! | Share this news

The Korean Wave has been spreading Korean pop culture across Asia and beyond for more than a decade, although it has barely reached Poland, in the centre of Europe. It is sad to admit, but Korean culture (traditional as well as the "new wave") does not exist in Polish minds as a distinctive identity. It is often mixed in with Chinese and Japanese cultures, which are more defined in Poland yet still often confused with each other.

Still, it is trendy nowadays in Poland to go to an East Asian restaurant, buy Chinese souvenirs, own Japanese-style furniture, follow feng-shui rules, watch an Asian movie or send kids to taekwondo or karate classes.

Although Polish knowledge of Korean culture is minimal, the present article aims to show that there is a gentle Korean wind that is blowing into Poland faster than the mainstream Wave.

There is, however, still no trace of: (1) the Korean entertainment industry invading the Polish media market; (2) any Polish fans adopting the lifestyles o...

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2008/04/27 | Source | Permalink |  Digg |  del.icio.us | Stumble It! | Share this news

By Lee Hyo-won
Staff Reporter

The world's premier film event, Festival de Cannes, will open for the 61st time May 14-25 in the southern French port city. While there are no Korean entrees this year in the main competition section, five films ― including the world premiere of the anticipated blockbuster "The Good, the Bad, the Weird" ― will shine in other sections of the festival.

"The Good, the Bad, the Weird", directed by Kim Ji-woon, will be shown in the Out of Competition section. This "oriental Western" features exciting horseback races and train rides in vast Mongolian plains.

It stars three of the hottest Korean actors ― hallyu star Lee Byeong-heon (TV soap "All In"), heartbreaker Jeong Woo-seong ("Daisy") and bona fide actor Song Kang-ho ("Secret Sunshine").

The film will receive its own gala event, complete with a red carpet event. It is anticipated to be a big highlight along with the premiere of films like Woody Allen's "Vicky Christina Barcelon...

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2008/04/25 | Source | Permalink |  Digg |  del.icio.us | Stumble It! | Share this news

When he was interviewed by The Korea Herald in November 2006, Lee Byeong-heon expressed some doubts about whether he could make it in Hollywood.

His skepticism, which partly reflected his measured approach in entering the world's biggest entertainment market, seems fairly overdone. A string of news items about his Hollywood stint keep coming in, and his acting career is going at a fast clip.

In mid-March, Lee completed his first day of shooting as Storm Shadow in Paramount Pictures' action adventure "G.I. Joe", to be released in October 2008. This week, a couple of photographs have been made public on the Web so that people can see him as one of the most popular characters in the G.I. Joe franchise. Clad in white, Lee seems primed to play a dark, complex character trained by a ninja master.

"G.I. Joe" will mark Lee's full-fledged foray into Hollywood, a crucial development in what has already been a colorful career. Popular in Korea and Japan, Lee has long prepared to broaden ...

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2008/04/24 | Source | Permalink |  Digg |  del.icio.us | Stumble It! | Share this news

The third week of May traditionally equals one of the most prestigious film festivals. This year's Festival de Cannes will include "I Come with the Rain", LEE Byeong-heon's English language film debut. Director BONG Joon-ho will return to Cannes with his short film "Shaking Tokyo", part of a project titled Tokyo!

LEE Byeong-heon might also feature at Cannes with KIM Ji-woon's "The Good, the Bad, and the Weird" (Joheun Nom, Nappeun Nom, Isanghan Nom). However, it is still uncertain whether KIM's film will make Cannes, the much sought after film is still in the final stages of production.

After delivering stellar films as "A Tale of Two Sisters" (Janghwa Hongryeon) and "A Bittersweet Life" (Dalkomhan Insaeng), KIM's star-studded "The Good, the Bad, and the Weird" – the lead actors are LEE Byeong-heon, SONG Kang-ho, and JEONG Woo-seong – promises to be a highlight of 2008.

"I Come with the Rain" is directed by Tran Anh Hung who also makes his English language film debut. The Vi...

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