Award-winning director
Kim Ki-duk has built up an international reputation with his films that starkly differ from other mainstream movies in Korea and elsewhere. He stands out largely because he never veers off from his obsessive pursuit of provocative styles and thought-provoking themes.
For better or worse, Kim did not pull any punches in making his 15th feature,
"Dream" (Bi-Mong), to be released on Oct. 9. The movie is drawing keen media attention by signing on high-profile actors --
Lee Na-young from Korea and
Joe Odagiri Japan -- but viewers should be aware of the cinematic puzzles director Kim routinely inserts in his films in order to grasp what is really going on in this mixture of reality and fantasy.
In the film, Odagiri plays Jin, an artist who sees himself causing a car crash in his dream. What he discovers, however, is that his dream is not a mere creation of his brain because all the details he witnessed while sleeping tu...
MoreThe Korean movie industry got off to a shaky start this year, due to the weakened market position of local flicks versus Hollywood blockbusters, but it received a big shining ray of hope from director
Lee Chang-dong's thought-provoking drama, "
Secret Sunshine".
Jeon Do-yeon, the heroine of "
Secret Sunshine", grabbed the prestigious Best Actress award at the 60th Cannes Film Festival in May, setting the upbeat tone for the domestic film industry.
The 34-year-old actress won international acclaim for her brave and inspiring depiction of a grieving Korean woman struggling to rebuild her life in a new city in "
Secret Sunshine", the first picture in four years by
Lee Chang-dong, a former Korean culture minister.
Despite the positive turn on the filmfest front, the local movie market faced increasing pressure this year. Although the market volume of the Korean film industry remains relatively solid, with 104 films released between January and November this year, the number of moviegoers is steadily declining, and the profitability of major production houses is worsening, leaving a slew of projects stranded.
"The number of Korean movies with box-office influence is going down, and the campaign to export Korean films to foreign markets is nowhere near the target level", said Shim Young-seop, a leading movie critic. Meanwhile, Hollywo...
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Film magazines have lauded the Korean film "
Secret Sunshine", which is competing for the top prize at the Cannes Film Festival.
Director
Lee Chang-dong's movie is considered a contender for the top prize. His female lead
Jeon Do-yeon is also a candidate for the top actre...
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The Korean director
Kim Ki-duk screened his movie
"Breath" on Saturday in competition at the 60th Cannes Film Festival. The official screening and press conference were held at the Lumiere Theatre in the French resort town.
Kim, wearing dark sunglasses at a press conference, joked, "The sunglasses I'm wearing now are the ones I wore when I appeared as a prison official in the film. You may be still watching the movie right at this moment".
"Breath", which ...
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