Lee Soon-jae (이순재)

Film Review - "Good Morning President" PIFF's Opening Film

Source | 2009/11/12 | 0 comments | Permalink |

By Lee Komeda
Staff Writer

"Good Morning President", the most recent film by writer and director Jang Jin ("Guns and Talks", "Righteous Ties") may have been a safe choice as the opening film for the Pusan International Film Festival (PIFF) held last month: humorous and unthreatening. Tickets to the screening of the film at the largest international film festival in Asia were sold out within two minutes of their availability, possibly aided by the hallyu (Korean wave) powers of Jang Dong-gun.

The film skips stones across the domestic and foreign politics of Korea, without fully taking a plunge into the murky waters of ties between the two Koreas or the ethical dilemmas that politicians face during their tenure. Instead, we are left with a few great comedic moments in the movie that leave you feeling like you just witnessed a hybrid between Love Actually and a Korean sitcom.

The movie is vaguely divided into vignettes of three fictional Presidents. The first of these anecdotes ...| More

[ChanMi's star news] Kim Jeong-hyeon happily wed!

Source | 2009/11/07 | 0 comments | Permalink |

Kim Jeong-hyeon and Kim Yoo-joo couple are posing for the camera!

The two have held their wedding ceremony with Lee Soon-jae leading the ceremony. Kim's friend Lee Min-woo was the MC for the whole program and the special song was by Hong Kyung-min!

Congrats to the newly weds!...| More

JANG Jin turns JANG Dong-gun into president

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

Director JANG Jin is a peculiar filmmaker who has a gift for approaching subjects from an alternative angle with a typical JANG Jin style of humour. This time JANG delivers his latest film about three fictitious Korean presidents titled Good Morning President.

The biggest name attached to the project is pan-Asian star JANG Dong-gun who will soon enter the international market outside Asia with the film "The Warrior's Way". "The Warrior's Way" also stars Kate Bosworth and Geoffrey Rush.

JANG Dong-gun will play a young president who is also a single father. LEE Soon-jae's character is JANG's character's predecessor in charge of Korea. KO Doo-sim tackles the role of the first female Korean president. All three struggle to combine the demanding position and private life.

Writer/director JANG Jin's filmography includes films like "Guns and Talks" and "Someone Special", and he wrote the scenario for "Welcome to Dongmakgol". "Good Morning President" is the opening film of the 14th ...| More

'President' Offers Politically Correct Drama, Flawed Politics

Source | 2009/10/09 | 0 comments | Permalink |

By Lee Hyo-won
Staff Reporter

BUSAN ― Choosing Jang Jin's "Good Morning President" ost morale for South Korean film industry, festival director Kim Dong-ho said. The film is a feel good, albeit blemished, drama that lightheartedly throws in ethical questions and personal dilemmas into state affairs.

But choosing "President" seemed to be a more nominal choice for opening Asia's largest cinema event. The film skims the surface of Northeast Asia geopolitics, including some red-hot North Korea issues, but laughter and emotional reactions that it aims to draw from viewers are easy to miss for non-Koreans (though Jang Dong-gun's hallyu power will certainly draw attention from fans scattered around the globe, from Japan to Mexico).

The film takes viewers to the private quarters of the Blue House set amid the terms of three fictional presidents. Kim Jong-ho (Lee Soon-jae) is an elderly head-of-state who wins, just before retiring, the lottery he bought as part of a photo-op. ...| More

Stars Fall Upon Haeundae for Busan Film Festival

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

By Lee Hyo-won
Staff Reporter

The red carpet is ready to be unrolled for the opening tonight of the 14th Pusan (Busan) International Film Festival (PIFF).

Haeundae Beach in the southern port city will sizzle with the longest ever lineup of 355 films from 70 countries and a VIP guest list featuring more than the usual number of high profile stars and cineastes from near and far.

Fans are invited to take part in not only star-studded screenings and events but also concerts, exhibitions and other eye-catching sideline events.

Star-Gazing

The opening ceremony takes place at 7:30 p.m. tonight at Suyoung Bay Yacht Marina. The 1970s screen siren Jang Mi-hee and "The Chaser" star Kim Yoon-seok will host the event, while top South Korean actors plan to grace the red carpet. The list includes heartthrobs Jang Dong-gun and Lee Byeong-heon, and actresses Jeon Do-yeon, Uhm Jung-hwa, Eom Ji-won, Ha Ji-won, Kim Ha-neul and Kim Hyo-jin, among others.

Before the ceremony, actors Lee...| More