Park Chan-wook (박찬욱)

44 Korean Films at the 2009 Marrakech International Film Festival

Source | 2009/11/19 | 0 comments | Permalink |

In a celebration of Korean film, a record 44 will screen at this year's 2009 International Film Festival of Marrakech. In addition, representatives from Korean government organizations, the Korean film industry: producers, directors, actors and film festival delegates will be in attendance. The festival, which began in 2000 has in the past focused on the national cinemas of Italy, Egypt and Spain. This year, signaling the growing importance of Korean film and certainly spurred by recent successes such as BONG Joon-ho's "Mother - 2009" and PARK Chan-wook's "Thirst", the festival turns its eyes to South Korea.

A whole host of Korean directors will accompany their films to the festival: IM Kwon-taek, the godfather of Korean cinema with "Surrogate Mother" (1986), "Seopyeonjae" (1993) "Chihwaseon" ("Strikes of Fire" - 2002) and more; LEE Do-yong "The Oldest Son" (1984); LEE Chang-ho "The Man with Three" Coffins (1988); JANG Sun-woo "Lies" (1999) and other directors; PARK Chan-wook "T...| More

PARK Chan-wook Retrospective at Asian Film Fest in Germany

Source | 2009/11/19 | 0 comments | Permalink |

The Asia Film Fest which in 2007 held a KIM Ki-duk retrospective is this time focusing on Korean master director PARK Chan-wook. The retrospective will play 4 of his films from "JSA - Joint Security Area" (2000), "Old Boy" (2003), "Sympathy for Lady Vengeance" (2005) through to "I'm a Cyborg, but that's OK" (2006). Director PARK's "Thirst" which premiered to rave reviews at Cannes and did good business at the box office in Korea will also play in the Korean section. Other films in the Korean section include current films "Chaw", "The Sword with No Name", "A Frozen Flower" (2008), KIM Ji-woon's "The Good, The Bad, The Weird" (2008) and Lee Chang-dong's "Secret Sunshine". Also of note, playing in the Special Presentation section is "Blood: The Last Vampire" staring Korean Gianna Jun (Jeon Ji-hyeon).

The Asia film festival which began in Munich in 2004 has enjoyed a 10% growth rate in audiences every year. It begins this year October 28 through to November 8 and then moves to Be...| More

Actresses to Present Off-Screen Personas Onscreen

Source | 2009/11/17 | 0 comments | Permalink |

By Lee Hyo-won
Staff Reporter

It was no red carpet event but cameras flashed without cease as some of the country's highest-profile actresses appeared at a theater in southern Seoul, Tuesday morning.

It was a promotional event for E J-yong (Lee Jae-yong)'s new movie, appropriately titled "Actresses", which brings together six screen beauties, each representing different generations: charismatic veteran actress Yoon Yeo-jeong, 62; Lee Mi-sook, still sultry at 49 and indeed looking sexy in a sequin mini dress; headline-making divorcee Ko Hyeon-jeong, 38; hallyu star Choi Ji-woo, 34, who appeared before the press after a one-year hiatus in a chic white pant suit ensemble; fashionable starlet Kim Min-hee, 27, who strut out wearing all black and glamorous jewels; and rising "Thirst" (Park Chan-wook) heroine Kim Ok-bin, 22, who sported a short, red-dyed haircut matching her red dress.

The project is sort of like a Korean, female version of "Ocean's Eleven", but goes a step further...| More

The Busan Film Festival Visits the U.S.

Source | 2009/11/13 | 0 comments | Permalink |

The Busan Film Festival and the Chapman University Dodge College of Film and Media Arts have formed a partnership to screen Korean films at the U.S. campus. The university, located in Orange California, will screen a select number of contemporary and classic films designed to introduce U.S. audience to Korean culture and its burgeoning repertoire of high quality films. The Dodge College of Film and Media Art, one of the best film schools in the U.S. already has a student exchange relationship with the Seoul Institute of Arts and has just signed a similar agreement with the IM Kwon-taek College of Performing Arts in Busan.

For the inaugural showcase, some of Korea's best known directors will attend. "A Bittersweet Life" director KIM Ji-woon will present the director's cut of the film at the event. PARK Chan-wook, whose film "Sympathy for Lady Vengeance" has just made it into Britan's The Times' top 100 list, will be presented with the First, Pusan West Icon award. The director'...| More

Love Lurks in Shadows in 'White Night'

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

By Lee Hyo-won
Staff Reporter

In his first feature film, "White Night"' ("Baekyahaeng" translation Walking the White Night), director Park Shin-woo does a compelling job of condensing Keigo Higashino's best-selling Japanese mystery novel ("Byakuyako" in Japanese) into a solid two-hour melodramatic thriller. And the noteworthy cast, including Son Ye-jin, Ko Soo and Han Seok-kyu, keeps things highly intriguing.

The film explores some classic themes ― the loss of innocence, traumas that haunt one for life like a phantom limb and how self-sacrifice weighs in when it comes to love. The movie invites some comparison to the indie flick "Lala Sunshine" as it poses some ethical questions about justifications for murder ― or at least whether it is worthy of sympathy ― when victims of violence become perpetrators.

Everything begins ― again ― with a murder.

When a man is brutally killed not long after being released from prison, detective Dong-su (Han) i...| More