Park Kwang-soo (박광수)

MOON Seong-geun Cast in SONG Il-gon Horror

Source | 2008/02/26 | 0 comments | Permalink |

Acclaimed actor MOON Seong-geun will take the lead role in "Sahwa" (meaning 'Royal Massacre') a horror from Cannes winning director SONG Il-gon. MOON has been a notable figure in the Korean film industry since the 1990's, when he starred in films by top new wave directors, PARK Kwang-soo ("Black Republic"), JANG Sun-woo ("Road to the Racetrack"), and in LEE Chang-dong's debut film "Green Fish".

MOON also provided memorable performances in such films as HONG Sang-soo's "Virgin Stripped Bare by Her Bachelors" and PARK Chan-ok's "Jealousy is My Middle Name". He came late to his acting career, having first spent time as a business man in Saudi Arabia. Throughout the 90's he was deeply involved in supporting the Korean film industry and served as Vice-chairman of the Korean Film Council in 1999.

In SONG's fifth feature, a Chosun dynasty-set tale of bloody power games between rival families, MOON will play the central role of a king beset by curses and vengeful murders. Supporti...| More

PARK Kwang-soo's "Meet Mr. Daddy" ("Shiny Day") Awarded at Rome

Source | 2007/10/31 | 0 comments | Permalink |

Drama "Meet Mr. Daddy" ("Shiny Day") won the Young Audiences Award at the 2007 Rome Film Festival. Director PARK Kwang-soo's drama revolves around a selfish man – played by PARK Shin-yang – who finds out that he has a young daughter. Because it's financially beneficial, he decides to keep her. Later he finds out that the girl suffers from a serious disease.

PARK Kwang-soo is a veteran writer/director whose credentials includes "Chilsoo and Mansu" (1988), featuring PARK Joong-hoon and AHN Seong-gi. He is also the director of the Asian Film Market (AFM) of the Pusan International Film Festival (PIFF).

PARK Shin-yang's numerous roles include "Hi, Dharma" and the sequel "Hi, Dharma 2: Showdown in Seoul". He played a gangster who ends up hiding at a Buddhist temple; the Buddhist monks and the gangsters inevitably clash in the comedies.

Rome Film Festival's second edition was held this year after Pusan International Film Festival. Rome awarded Juno (Ivan Reitman) with the best fil...| More

Movies Reflect on Contemporary Fathers

Source | 2007/04/24 | 0 comments | Permalink |

By Kim Tae-jong
Staff Reporter

There have been many films that have shed light on motherly love such as "Running Boy" ("Marathon" - 2005), "Herb" (2006) and "Sunflower" (2007), where single mothers raised their children overcoming hardships.

Now it's the fathers' turn. This spring, local filmmakers are paying a particular attention to fathers, as many new films portray the contemporary father.

At the box office, the audience can choose from a range of films that center on fatherly love. These fathers have different jobs according to their social class. But what they share in common is, of course, the devotion and affection they have for their family.

"Meet Mr. Daddy" ("Shiny Day" - at theaters)

Directed by Park Kwang-soo, the film is a story of a man who learns about fatherly love, something he never experienced as a child himself.

Jong-dae is a ruthless and selfish man. One day, after a fight, he is placed in a police cell. He receives a visitor, a former love.

S...| More

Fathers take center stage in Korean films

Source | 2007/04/19 | 0 comments | Permalink |

Melodramas, horror flicks, gangster comedies and thrillers have one thing in common for Korean moviegoers: they are not so popular at the box office. To find a breakthrough, filmmakers have been exploring other alternative genres and themes, one of which turns out to be the father.

Not a traditional Korean father who symbolizes the paternal authority, though. The latest cinematic Korean fathers are usually depicted as middle-aged, increasingly powerless, anxious to survive, lonely, and willing to admit their vulnerability.

In-gu, a mid-level mob boss in "The Show Must Go On", is a case in point. The character represents many Korean fathers who feel threatened by the worsening conditions in Korean society.

In-gu, played by veteran actor Song Kang-ho, wants to get a decent house for his family - one of the key issues for most Korean households - but does not make enough money. After all, he's just a gangster-cum-worker stuck on the lower rung of the social ladder.

Unlike trad...| More

LEE Chang-dong's New Film Opens In May

Source | 2007/03/06 | 0 comments | Permalink |

Director LEE Chang-dong's next film is in the post-production stage after filming finished on February 10th. The film will be released in Korean cinemas in May.

The Korean title has been changed from "Secret Sunshine" to "Milyang", after the place where the love story unfolds. JEON Do-yeon plays a woman who settles in Milyang with her young son after her husband's death. SONG Kang-ho is the head of a car center who develops an interest in her and assists the two when they endure hardship.

Previously, LEE directed three critically acclaimed films: "Green Fish" (1997), "Peppermint Candy" (2002) and "Oasis" (2003). He's also the writer of the PARK Kwang-soo films "To the Starry Island" (1993) and "A Single Spark" (1995).

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