Lee Chang-jae (이창재)

Documentary Film Feast on EBS

2007/08/15 | Source | Permalink |

By Seo Dong-shin
Staff Reporter

From an all-girls ice hockey team in the Himalayas initiated by a Buddhist teen ("Thin Ice"), to a passionate Australian artist whose life was tragically cut short by a mysterious illness ("Girl in a Mirror"), to the cheerful Orchestra of Piazza Vittorio in Italy ("The Orchestra of Piazza Vittorio"), life's stories from around the globe are colorful. And audiences can soon catch a glimpse of them all at the upcoming EBS International Documentary Festival (EIDF) scheduled Aug.27-Sept.2.

The annual festival, the fourth of its kind, will take place under the theme "People to People, Communication for Coexistence" this year.

A total of 292 documentary films from 74 countries will be screened in categories such as "Festival Choice", "Forefront of Documentary", "Meaning of Family", "Challenge of Hope", "Art and Life", "Portrait of an Era", and "Korean Independent Documentaries".

A special focus is given to five Asia-Pacific rim countries, Australi...| More

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Number of Moviegoers Watching Indie Films On the Rise

2007/06/07 | Source | Permalink |

Interest in low-budget and indie films are rising slowly but surely in Korea.
And now there's a movement to ensure that indie films don't get swamped amid the flood of commercial movies.
Son Heekyung has more.
Low-budget Korean films barely register a pulse when compared to their brethren in Hollywood or Bollywood.
But figures released by one of Korea's leading multiplex chains show that interest is rising.
In 2006, this indie theater in Seoul attracted more than 300-thousand filmgoers.
That's up 37-percent from a year before.
One screen here among a dozen is dedicated to showing productions made on a shoestring.
The theater's owner says it's in search of a new audience for independent features.

"Low-budget and independent films don't usually draw huge crowds, and that's also the case in Korea. But the state-run Korean Film Council hopes to change that by opening a small movie theater in Seoul later this year, solely dedicated to screening indie films".

Seeking to draw mo...| More

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Bi-sang Breaks Documentary Record

2007/01/29 | Source | Permalink |

Director IM Yoo-cheol's football documentary "Bi-sang" has set a new record for Korean documentaries by attracting 25,000 viewers, according to its production company Emotion Pictures and the Korean Film Council confirmed that Bisang surpassed the previous record-holder "Between" (Sa-i-eseo) by filmmaker LEE Chang-jae.

Bisang follows the Korean football team Incheon United, a team in the lower ranks of the Korean Football League. Director IM was fortunate with the developments that season in the performance of the team and emotionally. The documentary coincides with the arrival of a new coach who sets the bar as high as the championship. The team does shape up and makesit to the playoffs. There they face the one team they don't want to lose against, a former employer who got rid of the Incheon coach and some players.

"Between" documents Shamanism in Korea. Both "Between" and "Bi-sang" were released in 2006. 2006 was a relative good year for documentaries in Korea with six releas...| More

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2nd Chance to See The Magicians, Host & Guest and More

2006/12/26 | Source | Permalink |

Hypertech Nada's annual Nada's Final Proposal (Nada Majimak Peropojeu) aims to re-introduce to the audience films that in general only enjoyed a short cinema run, but arguably - deserve greater exposure. This year the line-up includes the independent Korean films: "The Magicians" (Mabeobsa), "Host and Guest" (Bangmoonja), "Between" (Sai-eseo), "No Regret" (Hoohwehaji anha) and the Korean-Chinese co-production "Grain in Ear" (Majong). The more mainstream film "Dasepo Naughty Girls" (Dasepo Sonyeo - "Dasepo Girl") is also included.

Writer/director SONG Il-gon showed great skill, inventiveness and imagination by filming "The Magicians" in one take, even more when considering that the storyline moves between past and present. The plot revolves around former band members who come together to commemorate the suicide of one of them. The ghost of the deceased is also present and observes how they still struggle with the loss and their feelings of guilt.

"Host and Guest" is the feature f...| More

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This Week's Cultural News

2006/12/01 | Source | Permalink |

Welcome back.
On Today's Talk, we look at the week's cultural news.
This week we have an expo on Korean pop culture, a historical musical, and as always, new movie releases.
For more, our Son Heekyung joins me in the studio.

MIN SUNHEE, ANCHOR: Good morning Heekyung.

SON HEEKYUNG, REPORTER: Good morning, Sunhee.
Thousands of tourists from across Asia are expected to visit Korea in the next three months or so.

MIN SUNHEE, ANCHOR: So I've heard, and I do believe it will prove to be a great opportunity to promote Korea and its culture.
But first do tell us more about this special occasion, Heekyung.

SON HEEKYUNG, REPORTER: Okay, Sunhee.
The southern resort island of Jeju is hosting the first Hallyu Expo in Asia.
The 100-day expo aims to further spread Korean pop culture and boost cultural exchanges across Asia.
It's a rare opportunity for visitors to enjoy Korean TV dramas, movies and pop music.
Organizers say they hope to raise foreign awareness of Korean pop culture...| More

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