Na Hong-jin (나홍진)

Mise-en-Scene Short Film Festival Starts Wednesday

Source | 2009/06/23 | Permalink |

The Mise-en-scene Short Film Festival, which has discovered and launched career of several new film directors and actors, marks its eighth season from Wednesday until next Tuesday at CGV Yongsan in Seoul.

It features 57 films in five genres in the official selection, and a total of 120 films including the non-competition selection. Festival alumni include Na Hong-jin of "The Chaser", Yang Ik-jon of "Breathless", and Lee Kyoung-mi of "Crush and Blush". Many film directors show affection to the festival, with director Bong Joon-ho acting as the committee chair, and director Kim Dae-seung as the head of jury.

The homepage of the festival can be found at http://www.msff.or.kr
...| More

Master of the remake eyes Korean hits for Hollywood

Source | 2009/04/23 | Permalink |

'I develop the kind of movies I would normally see myself'.

What do the movies "The Uninvited", "My Sassy Girl" and "The Lake House" have in common?

Most cinephiles probably know that they are all remakes of hit Korean films, but what is less well publicized is the role of Korean-American film producer Roy Lee.

The man they often call the "King of the Asian box-office remake" made his name with his first remake, "The Ring", the U.S. version of the Japanese horror "Ringu".

The film that made him a player in Hollywood was "The Departed", which won Best Picture at the 79th Academy Awards starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Matt Damon.

"My first remake, The Ring, was a hit. If that movie failed, or was terrible, I wouldn't have continued [in the movie industry]", said Lee, a Korean-American who was born in New York, in a recent interview with the JoongAng Daily.

He was in town a few weeks ago to give a lecture on how Korean movies can advance into the U.S. and overseas market...| More

Korean Films to Return in April

Source | 2009/03/26 | Permalink |

By Lee Hyo-won
Staff Reporter

South Korean cinema offers only a handful of releases this month, but a big lineup of homegrown films awaits moviegoers in April.

Some 10 domestic titles are slated for release next month, of which a majority are mainstream franchises that will play in theaters nationwide.

Leading the pack is "Private Eye", coming to screens April 2, starring Hwang Jeong-min as a private detective and Ryoo Deok-hwan as a young medical trainee who try to solve a serial murder case during the Japanese colonial era (1910-45). A special preview of the film with English subtitles is taking place at 7 p.m. tonight at CINUS Myeongdong Theater. The subtitled film will be available on the official release date at the venue, as well as CINUS Gangnam.

A week later, Kang Hye-jeong, the charming heroine of "Welcome to Dongmakgol", will return to the big screen opposite Park Hee-soon ("Seven Days") in "Urijibe Wae Watni" ("Why Did You Come to My House - Movie"), a quirky t...| More

Daytime Drinking, The Chaser, A Frozen Flower's internationally release

Source | 2009/03/25 | Permalink |

With support from the Korean Film Council (KOFIC), the three Korean films "The Chaser", "Daytime Drinking", and "A Frozen Flower" will soon be available to international audiences.

NOH Young-seok's "Daytime Drinking"'s U.S. distribution rights have been acquired by Eleven Arts Inc. and tentatively scheduled to enter U.S. cinemas on 10 April. The humorous independent film revolves around an unfortunate man who is dumped by his girlfriend, stood up by his friends, and the 'victim' of Korea's drinking culture.

Belgian Cineart pursued the rights to NA Hong-jin's "The Chaser". Belgians will be able to view last year's multi-awarded gritty thriller from 22 April.

YOO Ha's "A Frozen Flower" will premiere in Taiwanese cinemas on 27 March. The epic historical drama's distribution rights were coveted by Infinity International.

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

Jeong Woo-seong Wins at Asian Film Awards

Source | 2009/03/23 | Permalink |

Top Korean movie star Jeong Woo-seong won best supporting actor's award at the third Asian Film Awards for his role in kimchi-western "The Good, the Bad, the Weird". Directed by Kim Ji-woon, the star-studded blockbuster was the highest grossing film in Korea last year. The film received eight nominations at the Asian Film Awards – best film, best director, best actor (Song Kang-ho), best supporting actors (Lee Byeong-heon, Jeong Woo-seong), cinematography, visual effects and best composer. Na Hong-jin's thriller hit "The Chaser" followed with three of its own nominations, but the film failed to win any. Another Korean film "Rough Cut", directed by Jang Hoon and starring So Ji-sub, also came away empty, but its star So did garner international attention by being nominated in the category of best newcomer.

In the meantime, Japanese films swept top honors at the Asian Film Awards, winning best film for "Tokyo Sonata", best director for Hirokazu Koreeda of "Still Walking", and best acto...| More