Kim Ji-woon (김지운)

PARK Chan-wook Retrospective at Asian Film Fest in Germany

Source | 2009/11/19 | 0 comments | Permalink |

The Asia Film Fest which in 2007 held a KIM Ki-duk retrospective is this time focusing on Korean master director PARK Chan-wook. The retrospective will play 4 of his films from "JSA - Joint Security Area" (2000), "Old Boy" (2003), "Sympathy for Lady Vengeance" (2005) through to "I'm a Cyborg, but that's OK" (2006). Director PARK's "Thirst" which premiered to rave reviews at Cannes and did good business at the box office in Korea will also play in the Korean section. Other films in the Korean section include current films "Chaw", "The Sword with No Name", "A Frozen Flower" (2008), KIM Ji-woon's "The Good, The Bad, The Weird" (2008) and Lee Chang-dong's "Secret Sunshine". Also of note, playing in the Special Presentation section is "Blood: The Last Vampire" staring Korean Gianna Jun (Jeon Ji-hyeon).

The Asia film festival which began in Munich in 2004 has enjoyed a 10% growth rate in audiences every year. It begins this year October 28 through to November 8 and then moves to Be...| More

The Busan Film Festival Visits the U.S.

Source | 2009/11/13 | 0 comments | Permalink |

The Busan Film Festival and the Chapman University Dodge College of Film and Media Arts have formed a partnership to screen Korean films at the U.S. campus. The university, located in Orange California, will screen a select number of contemporary and classic films designed to introduce U.S. audience to Korean culture and its burgeoning repertoire of high quality films. The Dodge College of Film and Media Art, one of the best film schools in the U.S. already has a student exchange relationship with the Seoul Institute of Arts and has just signed a similar agreement with the IM Kwon-taek College of Performing Arts in Busan.

For the inaugural showcase, some of Korea's best known directors will attend. "A Bittersweet Life" director KIM Ji-woon will present the director's cut of the film at the event. PARK Chan-wook, whose film "Sympathy for Lady Vengeance" has just made it into Britan's The Times' top 100 list, will be presented with the First, Pusan West Icon award. The director'...| More

Nominees for Grand Bell Awards Stir Controversy

Source | 2009/10/26 | 0 comments | Permalink |

The Grand Bell (Daejong) Awards, a prestigious film award in Korea, have stirred controversy yet again. The list of Best Leading Actress nominees that was announced October 21 includes Kim Min-seon ("Portrait Of A Beauty"), Soo-ae ("Sunny"), Kim Hye-ja ("Mother - 2009"), Choi Kang-hee ("Ae-ja") and Jang Nara ("Sky And Sea").

Nominees for the Best Picture award are "Mother", "Sky And Sea", "The Divine Weapon", "Haeundae" and "Take Off".

The controvery arose because actress Ha Ji-won of "Closer to Heaven" and "Haeundae", which drew more than 10 million vieiwers, and actress Kim Ha-neul of the hit movie "My Girlfriend is an Agent" were not included on the list. Morever, the movie "Thirst", which received the Jury Award at this year's Cannes Film Festival, and Kim Ji-woon's "The Good, The Bad, The Weird" also failed to be nominated for the Best Picture or the Best Director awards.

"Sky And Sea", which is to open on October 28 just a week before the awards ceremony, has been nomina...| More

'Haeundae' Director Set for International Shores

Source | 2009/10/16 | 0 comments | Permalink |

"Haeundae" writer and director Yoon Je-kyoon will direct an English language adventure comedy. The project will be produced by Youn's JK Film which also produced the mega-hit tsunami film that went on to screen at a number of territories around the world as well as pulling in 12 million admissions at home. To further guarantee a Western audience the film will come complete with an American cast and a (U.S) $10 million budget; big by Korean standards but hardly recognizable by Hollywood's.

The unique American/Korean story focuses on children who stay at a temple where ancient Korean ghosts come to visit and statues of Buddha come to life. This true, family film has been compared to other similar films such as Jumanji and the Night at the Museum franchise.

Director Yoon follows the footsteps of other Korean directors like KIM Ji-woon, who after the success of "The Good, The Bad, The Weird" has been recruited to direct an English version of Max et les Ferrailleurs in Philadelphi...| More

On heels of PIFF, festival featuring short films set to grab spotlight

Source | 2009/10/07 | 0 comments | Permalink |

Grab some popcorn and a soda, sit back and relax, as the season of film is upon us.

Fall is a great time for movie buffs in Korea, as the country plays host to the prestigious Pusan International Film Festival, one of the most influential movie events in all of Asia. Also known as PIFF, the event kicks off today in the southern port city of Busan, providing its biggest lineup ever.

While PIFF gets the lion's share of the attention, another film festival later in the fall is increasingly grabbing the spotlight as well.

This year's Asiana International Short Film Festival (AISFF), which runs from Nov. 5 to 10 at the Cinecube theater in Gwanghwamun, central Seoul, will feature 79 films from 32 countries - an impressive tally by any measure.

"I urge moviegoers to turn their attention to AISFF as soon as PIFF ends", veteran actor Ahn Seong-gi, who is serving as director of the short film event for a fifth year, said in a press conference Tuesday.

The short film festival doe...| More