Lee Sang-gi (이상기)

New York Korean Film Festival this August

2008/07/18 | Source | Permalink |

The seventh edition of the New York Korean Film Festival is set to run August 22 – 31. Sponsored by KOFIC and The Korea Society, the event will screen more than 15 recent Korean features, of which 14 have been finalized for the line-up.

Highlights include one of the top-grossing Korean films of 2008, "Forever the Moment", a sports-redemption-themed film directed by LIM Soon-rye and starring MOON So-ri and KIM Jeong-eun. Other 2008 releases in the line-up are "Hellcats" by KWON Chil-in, "Once Upon a Time" by JEONG Yong-ki, "Open City" by LEE Sang-gi, "Spare" by LEE Seong-han, and the Korea-Japanese co-production "Virgin Snow" starring LEE Joon-ki and Aoi Miyazaki.

Films in the program from 2007 include such high-profile films as the Chosun-set popular tale, "Hwangjin-y - Movie - 2007", starring SONG Hye-kyo, the Kwang-ju-set historical tragedy, May 18th, a Chosun-set tale of high stakes cooking, "Le Grand Chef", and Daniel Henney vehicle and tear-jerker, "My Father".

Othe...| More

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Korean films sought after by Europe and Asia

2008/02/13 | Source | Permalink |

European and Asian buyers closed deals on several Korean films' rights at the Berlin Film festival's market. JEON Ji-hyeon's star power in Asia resulted in "A Man Who Was Superman" being sold to Hong Kong (Golden Scene), Thailand (J-Bics), and Singapore (Festive Films) by CJ Entertainment. The human interest drama was directed by JEONG Yoon-cheol and stars HWANG Jeong-min as a traumatised man.

German Splendid pre-bought the rights for "The Divine Weapon" and "Fate". CJ Entertainment also sold "Open City" and "Our Town" to Splendid.

"Fate" is an action noir starring Korean star KWON Sang-woo and SONG Seung-heon. KIM Hae-gon directs the story about friends who turn to crime.

The historical drama "The Divine Weapon" stars JEONG Jae-yeong and is about the invention of an advanced weapon to defend a former Korean dynasty. JEONG frequently collaborated with celebrated director JANG Jin and his latest film is the comedy "Going by the Book". "Wild Card"'s director KIM Yoo-jin helme...| More

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[MOVIE REVIEW] Erotic crime thriller falls flaccid

2008/01/10 | Source | Permalink |

There is nothing special about the genre of "Open City", opening nationwide today. It is easily categorized as a crime thriller. But the subject of pickpockets operating in broad daylight is fairly unusual, perhaps the first ever Korean flick devoted entirely to the street-smart thieves.

Doubly unusual -- or strange -- is director Lee Sang-gi's attempt to incorporate a femme fatale theme into the film in a bid to turn it into an erotic crime thriller. There's no question about the beauty of Son Ye-jin ("April Snow", "The Classic") but it is an open question whether she is really up to the task of a tantalizing seductress.

Son plays Baek Jang-mi, which means "white rose" in Korean. If the name is too tacky, so be it. After all, her role is tackier -- a female boss of a small pickpocket ring keen to expand its territory in Seoul.

Baek Jang-mi draws some attention from authorities in both Korea and Japan by staging a series of high-stakes pickpocket forays in Osaka. Once she retu...| More

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"Open City": Freshness Turns Stale

2008/01/10 | Source | Permalink |

By Lee Hyo-won
Staff Reporter

Loaded with action and marked by sexual tension, "Open City" is yet another urban crime story set in the gritty streets of Seoul. But what sets it apart is that the cat and mouse game involves a network of professional ― and really scary ― pickpockets.

Lee Sang-gi makes a big directorial debut with a high-profile cast and a novel subject matter. He zooms into the world of "corporate" pick pocketing, but the story soon turns sour with some poorly crafted "Basic Instinct" elements and cliched family tragedies that are inherent to Korean dramas.

Son Ye-jin ("A Moment to Remember", 2004) trades in her innocent image for a dangerous persona, going all out with the hint of sex appeal she showed as a perky playgirl in "The Art of Seduction" (2005). She's ravishing, but like her character's cheesy name Baek Jang-mi (homonym for "white rose" in Korean), the new role seems to be an awkward fit.

Jang-mi is the boss of an organized gang of pi...| More

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SON Ye-jin and KIM Myeong-min tangle in "Open City"

2008/01/09 | Source | Permalink |

"Open City" is the feature film directorial debut of LEE Sang-gi who is also responsible for the scenario. The film stars SON Ye-jin as the leader of a pick pocketing gang and KIM Myeong-min plays a police detective working on her case. Unaware of each other's identity, the situation becomes more complicated when they meet by accident and feel attracted towards each other, and both are yet unaware of a shared incident from the past.

"Open City" is a stylish crime film set in a modern city with criminals who enjoy the fast life, and includes several clashes between rival gangs, and between criminals and the police. The film juggles fast paced action scenes with romance and drama, often filmed in atmospheric night scenes.

SON plays a headstrong and bold character body guarded and admired by SHIM Ji-ho's character. SON's character is equally matched in boldness and stubbornness by KIM's character. The two clash, but KIM's character can't resist SON's advances.

KIM also starred...| More

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