Kim Mi-jeong (김미정)

Daejong Film Fest Showcases Trends

2008/06/29 | Source | Permalink |

By Lee Hyo-won
Staff Reporter

South Korea's esteemed 45th Daejong (Grand Bell) Film Festival held in southern Seoul, showcased the latest local box office trends, with its stronghold of original thrillers, stylistic period pieces and experimental projects. While superstars grabbed the limelight as expected, hitherto overlooked veteran actors and young debutant directors shined the most, suggesting that blatant star power, be it a reputed director or ravishing screen beauty, don't always guarantee ticket sales or awards.

The red carpet event took place outside the COEX Convention Hall in a sea of blinding camera flashes as glamorous cineastes filed in. Screen beauties like Han Chae-young, Park Jin-hee and Sin-Ae were elegant in cleavage-bearing, long evening gowns while others such as Kim Yoon-jin and Ko Ah-ra chose mini-dresses to show off their figures.

Actress Kim Ah-joong, who won last year's award for Best Actress ("200 Pounds Beauty"), and popular announcer Choe Gi-hwan...| More

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KIM Ki-duk's "Dream" to compete in San Sebastian

2008/06/26 | Source | Permalink |

"Dream" (Korean title: "Bimong"), the fifteenth film by director KIM Ki-duk, has been selected to compete at the 56th San Sebastian International Film Festival, to be held from September 18-27.

The film, which stars Japanese heartthrob ODAGIRI Joe and Korean actress LEE Na-young, centers around a man who experiences a startlingly realistic dream about a car accident, and later discovers that the accident occurred in real life.

KIM's previous films have premiered at Cannes, Venice, Berlin, Locarno, Karlovy Vary and Moscow, but this will be the first time for him to compete at the prestigious Spanish festival. Other Korean films that have competed at San Sebastian in recent years include BONG Joon-ho's "Memories of Murder" (2003), SONG Il-gon's "Spider Forest" (2004), HEO Jin-ho's "April Snow" (2005), LIM Sang-soo's "The Old Garden", and KIM Mi-jeong's "Shadows in the Palace" (2007).

In 2003, KIM's Spring, "Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter... And Spring" screened out of competiti...| More

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Varied Korean line-up at NYC fest

2008/06/13 | Source | Permalink |

This year's New York Asian Film Festival (NYAFF) will feature: LEE Myeong-se's "M",KANG Woo-suk's "Public Enemy Returns" (Gangcheoljoong: Gonggongui jeok 1-1), HEO Jin-ho's "Happiness" (Haengbok), KIM Mi-jeong's "Shadows in the Palace" (Goongnyeo), JEONG Byeong-gil's "Action Boys" (Woori Aeksyeonbaewooda), and KIM Ji-won's "The Butcher" (Dosalja).

New York City will host the Asian festival from June 20 until July 6. Other main films include the Japanese films Then Summer Came, and Always: Sunset on Third Street and the Chinese Assembly. NYAFF also selected films from Hong Kong, Indonesia, and Thailand.

The seventh NYAFF is organized by Subway Cinema (http://www.subwaycinema.com/), a New York based organization for the increased exposure of Asian cinema through annual events. It was also involved in the establishment of the New York Korean Film Festival in 2001. NYAFF is covered by leading media in the U.S., Europe, and Korea's leading film magazine Cine21.

Yi Ch'ang-ho (KOFIC)...| More

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[DVD review] Hazy plot casts 'Shadows' on film

2008/01/25 | Source | Permalink |

"Shadows in the Palace" (Goongnyeo) is a movie with an identity crisis.

It had the potential to weave in the flavor of "CSI" with the intriguing inner workings of a Joseon Dynasty palace.
The backstabbing, the petty fighting, the balance of power between the various concubines: That's what I imagined when I read the storyline.
Unfortunately, the end result was a lot of wasted potential.
The intrigue begins when Cheon Ryeong (Park Jin-hee), the medic for the court ladies, discovers Wol Ryeong, a fellow court lady, or goongyeo, dead.
While performing an autopsy on Wol, Cheon finds evidence of foul play. But higher court ladies, who fear that the murder will sway the king's affections for them, order Cheon to ignore her suspicions.
Intended to be a mystery thriller , the movie has aspects of horror that come into play out of nowhere about midway through. This just made me scratch my head. The movie tries to do too many things here and there and ends up weak overall.
Director Kim ...| More

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"Shadows in the Palace" Women's film of 2007

2007/12/17 | Source | Permalink |

"Shadows in the Palace" Women's film of 2007

Women in Film selected director KIM Mi-jeong's "Shadows in the Palace" as the 2007 women's film deserving special attention. The court mystery is KIM's directorial debut and PARK Jin-hee was her leading lady.

PARK played a medically skilled court lady who investigates a murder cover-up and becomes entangled in power relations in the Chosun dynasty royal court where the women are suppressed. Shadows in the Palace received praise from the critics and was successful at the box office. The San Sebastian Film Festival selected the film for its competition section.

KIM's debut film was produced by Achim Pictures and distributed by Cinema Service. PARK previously acted in LEE Yoon-ki's "Love Talk", among others.

Yi Ch'ang-ho (KOFIC)...| More

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