The 13th Puchon International Fantastic Film Festival (PiFan) kicks off July 16 – 26 with an exciting range of new Korean independent genre films, commercial hits and rare classics. Among the 12 films vying for the Puchon Choice competition section's top prizes are Korean low-budget omnibus feature "The Neigbor Zombie", by four Korean directors,
Oh Young-Doo,
Ryoo Hoon,
Hong Young-Guen, and
Jang Youn-Jung and the spring released detective thriller "
Private Eye" starri...
MoreKorean movies playing in theaters have no English subtitles and thus cater mostly to Korean audiences only, despite the rising number of non-Koreans living in the country.
But that picture is about to change, albeit slowly.
The Seoul Metropolitan Government has picked two theaters to provide English subtitled Korean movies to give people who lack Korean language skills a chance to enjoy Korean movies.
The selected theaters in Seoul are two branches of local cinema chain CINUS.
One is in Myeong-dong, central Seoul, and the other in Gangnam-gu (district), the southern part of the city.
The films to get English subtitles this year will be those with appeal to international audiences, giving them a chance to watch major Korean films during their first runs.
The full list has not been finalized yet, but Seoul officials say that about 10 Korean movies released this year will be s...
More
By Lee Hyo-won
Staff Reporter
Debutant director
Park Dae-min brings a delicious mix of drama, comedy and adventure in "
Private Eye", which, moreover, paints rosy prospects for South Korean cinema as it signals the potential of homegrown detective films.
Set against the Japanese colonial period (1910-45), the movie invites viewers to hop on coolie-drawn carts and join an accidental Sherlock Holmes (
Hwang Jeong-min) in tracking down a serial killer on the loose.
If 2007's "
Shadows in the Palace" hinted at the possibility for an Agatha Christie-style suspense, "
Private Eye" promises something more solid, and perhaps even a serial franchise. It keeps things smart and intriguing rather than mind boggling or cryptic, and leads the audience half a step ahead in the cat and mouse game. The movie also manages to be entertaining without being too light ...
More
A new kind of Korean film has been born with "
Private Eye". As you can guess from the title, this film is about the adventures of
Private Eye Hong Jin-ho and his two assistants: med student Gwang-su and inventor Sun-deok. Let's follow them as they delve into a mysterious murder case.
As Joseon Dynasty draws to a close, a mysterious incident occurs at the home of a top official, leaving a room soaked in blood, but without a body. Gwang-su, a medical-student-in-training, is appalled when he sees a photo of the missi...
More
