Ko Ah-seong (고아성)

LEE Chang-dong production to premiere at Cannes

Source | 2009/03/25 | Permalink |

"A Brand New Life" – a film produced by Korea's leading director LEE Chang-dong – will be unveiled at this year's Festival de Cannes. "A Brand New Life" is the first Korean-French co-produced film.

The project originated in Korea before French debuting director Ounie LECOMTE was appointed as the helmer. Korea's NOW FILMS Co., Ltd. joint hands with French Gloria Film production company.

KO Ah-seong (the girl captured by the monster in "The Host") plays the lead role as one of the older children at a nursery in a story about adoption.

After its exhibition at Cannes, "A Brand New Life" is tentatively scheduled for a release in May.

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

Ryoo Seung-beom and Kim Sa-rang bewitch audiences

Source | 2008/01/25 | Permalink |

"Radio Dayz" is a feel-good comedy set during the Japanese colonisation of Korea in the early 20th century and revolves around a group of radio employees who develop a radio drama that captures the heart of Korean audiences.
Ryoo Seung-beom ("Arahan", "Crying Fist") plays a laid-back and resourceful radio producer who decides to hire a writer for a radio drama format. However, the radio drama encounters numerous problems before it succeeds in captivating audiences.

A major problem is the character portrayed by KIM Sa-rang (Who Slept with Her ("Sexy Teacher")), a famous singer with star attitude, who – while broadcasting live – decides to create some more lines for herself whenever she feels she isn't quite in the spotlight; resulting in a plot turned upside down and everybody else confused.

KIM's character envies HWANG Bo-ra's character who has the female lead role in the radio drama. KO Ah-seong – the girl captured by the monster in "The Host" – plays a quirky girl who helps ...| More

[MOVIE REVIEW] Upbeat spin on Korean men

Source | 2007/08/30 | Permalink |

For the family. For the company. For the future. There is almost always some excuse for not doing something that we really want to do. We proudly call it "sacrifice" that is necessary for our happiness. After all, our true wishes will be realized some day if we gladly persevere present suffering.

The only embarrassing truth is that such a dream-come-true, suffering-well-endured day never comes for working-class people who are often forced to confront one painful challenge after another.

"The Happy Life", directed by Lee Joon-ik ("The King and the Clown" and "Radio Star") starts off to a slow start, toying with the idea of the sadness and loneliness that grip middle-aged Korean men beset by a variety of troubles at home and in the workplace.

Worse, Ki-young (Jeong Jin-yeong) does not have a workplace to complain about. He's laid off from a financial company and has to get by on just 10 bucks a day, a meager allowance from his wife Sun-mi (Kim Ho-jeong). Even his teenage daughte...| More

American Viewers Enticed by Korean Movie "The Host"

Source | 2007/03/19 | Permalink |

In a strong showing for a foreign film, the Korean movie "The Host" opened in the United States on 74 screens and grossed $320,000 in its first weekend. It has also received very strong reviews from the nation's leading film authorities, including The New York Times, Chicago Tribune, Associated Press, and Variety.

The film follows a family of three thirty-something siblings and their aging father in search for one of the clan's 13 year-old daughter who is taken by a mutated amphibian beast who lives in the sewers of the Han River in Seoul. This horror-comedy teeters on the brink of parody but remains sufficiently serious to keep the viewer grounded enough to appreciate the gravity of the situation. Manohla Dargis from the Times calls it "a snapshot of a modern South Korea bordering on social anarchy, one in which a fatalistically obedient old-timer and his three preternaturally immature adult children face down a rampaging beast along with clueless doctors, Keystone Kops, faithless ...| More

Director's Cut Awards Diversity of Films

Source | 2006/12/28 | Permalink |

The Director's Cut Awards bestowed the Best Director Award upon HONG Sang-soo for the film "Woman on the Beach" (Haebyeonui Yeoin), the film depicts the struggle of relationships between men and women. Lee Song-hee-il was awarded the Best Independent Director Award, his gay themed "No Regret" (Hoohwehaji Anha) broke box office records for independent films. SON Jae-gon was voted Best New Director, he directed the successful comedy "My Scary Girl" (Dalkom, SalBeolhan Yeoin).

The Best Performers Award went to the cast of "The Host" (Gwemool), The main cast of Korea's most popular film includes: SONG Kang-ho, BAE Doona, KO Ah-seong and BYEON Hee-bong. CHOO Ja-hyeon received the Best New Actress Award and RYOO Deok-hwan was recognized with the Best New Actor Award. CHOO Ja-hyun starred in the crime film "Bloody Tie" (Sasaeng Gyeoldan) and "RYOO Deok-hwan" in the coming of age film "Like a Virgin" (Cheonhajangsa Madonna).

Korean Association of Film Art and Industry's director LEE Chun...| More