Lim Soon-rye (임순례)

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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Public Enemy Returns third to reach 4 million mark

2008/07/17 | Source | Permalink |

KANG Woo-seok's third instalment of Public Enemy (Gangcheoljoong: Gonggongui Jeok 1:1) – "Public Enemy Returns" attracted over 4 million spectators. After LIM Soon-rye's "Forever the Moment" (Woori Saengae Chwegoui Soongan) and HA Nong-jin's "The Chaser" (Choogyeokja), "Public Enemy Returns" is the third Korean film to reach the 4 million mark this year.

Public Enemy 3 reached the landmark in less time than his predecessors, only 25 days. CJ Entertainment – the producer of the film – expects that the film will go on to reach 5 million viewers; so far this year, only "The Chaser" managed to achieve that feat.

Public Enemy 3 will see tough competition from this week, with the release of "The Good, the Bad, and the Weird" (Joheun Nom, Nappeun Nom, Isanghan Nom) on over 600 screens.

Public Enemy 3 is this time written by JANG Jin who fed it some of his characteristic humour. SEOL Kyeong-gu ("Oasis") returns as a law enforcer, this time he battles a criminal played by JEONG Jae-...| More

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KIM Yong-hwa directs HA Jeong-woo in sports drama

2008/06/13 | Source | Permalink |

Director KIM Yong-hwa –two years after his hit comedy "200 Pounds Beauty" – will direct Gookkadaepyo (English translation: "national representative") about a group of ski jumpers vying for the Korean national team. Next Hallyu star HA Jeong-woo has been cast in the leading role.

"Forever the Moment" showed the potential of Korean sport films earlier this yearand Koreans have a passion for their national representative athletes. Like LIM Soon-rye's "Forever the Moment", Gookkadaepyo also seems to concentrate on the emotional side of top sport and character development.

HA will play a Korean-American adoptee who returns to Korea in search of his roots. In the confusion of his visit to his unfamiliar birth country, he finds himself trying to make it into the Korean national ski jump team while in search of his identity.

The other main characters are competing athletes and are played by television actors KIM Dong-wuk – from the popular television series "Coffee Prince", and KIM Ji...| More

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Cinema Bridges Korea, Vietnam

2008/05/19 | Source | Permalink |

By Lee Hyo-won
Staff Reporter

In celebration of the 16th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Korea and Vietnam, the Second Korean Film Festival took place May 8-10 in Hanoi, drawing hordes of local fans. The pop culture exchange is expected to thrive even more with a possible joint project to build a huge studio in Vietnam as well as the establishment of a major Korean multiplex movie theater's first Vietnamese branch.

The three-day film festival featured five popular Korean movies: "Forever the Moment", based on the dramatic women's handball game at the 2004 Athens Olympics; "Marathon", a tearjerker about a disabled man championing marathons; "Hwangjin-y - Movie - 2007' starring hallyu star Song Hye-kyo as a ravishing Joseon (1392-1910)-era entertainer and artist; "Over the Rainbow", a melodrama starring top actors Lee Jeong-jae and Jang Jin-yeong; and "Cube".

Some 40,000 tickets for the screenings were sold before the inauguration, according to Seoul Daily Newspape...| More

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KOFIC to promote Korean films at Cannes

2008/05/15 | Source | Permalink |

The Korean Film Council (KOFIC) will be engaged in diverse efforts to promote Korean cinema at the upcoming Cannes Film Festival.

With five titles screening in various sections of the festival including KIM Ji-woon's "The Good, the Bad, the Weird" (Official Selection, Out of Competition), NA Hong-jin's "The Chaser" (Midnight Screenings), omnibus film Tokyo! (Un Certain Regard) which contains a contribution by BONG Joon-ho, PARK Jae-ok's animated short "STOP" (Cinefondation), and KIM Ki-young's 1960 masterpiece "The Housemaid" (Cannes Classics), KOFIC will be doing its best to provide advance publicity for the screenings. At the same time, it will exert efforts to support sales companies in the Cannes Market who are selling Korean films.

As usual, representatives will also operate the KOFIC Pavilion (Booth #122) in the International Village. The large booth next to the beach will provide a space where festival visitors can collect promotional materials and learn more about Kore...| More

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