A group of Korean film companies has committed to move to the city of Paju, outside of Seoul. A total of 18 production companies will move to a 170-acre stretch of land being developed in Paju, located 20 miles northwest of Seoul. The city, located close to the North Korean border, has been branded "Book City" thanks to a similar zone that has attracted many book publishers. The new development is expected to be completed by 2008.

Companies making the move include top production houses Sidus FNH, MK Pictures, iFilm Corp., LJ Film, Kim Ki-duk Film, Moho Films (headed by "Old Boy" director ...More

While trailers for Lim Sang-soo's soon to be released period-drama "The Old Garden" are appearing in theaters, news of his next project, to be filmed entirely outside Korea, is already causing excitement. The film, entitled, A Good Woman in Paris, is being described as a loose remake of IM's 2003 Venice competitor "...More

Upcoming films by Bae Hyeong-joon "Once Upon a Time in Seoul", and Jeon Soo-il ("Le regard des ombres") will each receive 200 million won ($210,000) in financing as part of KOFIC's 2006 Production Support Program for International Co-productions.

BAE's film from MK Pictures is a co-production with Japan, while JEON's film from Dongnyuk Films is being co-produced with France.

This is the third year that KOFIC has held its support fund for international co-productions, which is intended to increase cross-border co-operation and exchange while also diversifying the output of Korean cinema. Last year's selection was Korean-Japanese co-production "...More

The growing local musical industry is attracting major film production companies, which are deemed to be the highest profit makers in cultural industries.

CineLine-II, the production company of "Running Boy" ("Marathon") (2005) and Friend (2002) will stage "Fall in Love", a new musical of their own creation, at Yonkang Hall, downtown Seoul, from June 2 to Aug. 27. "With so many foreign-licensed musicals dominating major venues, the local musical market has become a league of its own", said Seok Myung-hong, president of the film production company in explaining the background of his decision to join the theatrical production.

"The Story of Pyeonggang, the Princess of Mirror"
Seok's company has invested 800 million won in the Romantic Comedy, which will mark its stage debut. Sung Jae-joon, the producer of musical "Music in My Heart", has been leading the cast including rising musical star Kim Da-hyun ("Hedwig") and comedian Lee Jae-hoon, as director, while 2004 Jonathan Larson Award-wining Lee Gi-hieh is working on the original scores of the mu...More

The film "Shiri" (1998) produced by Kang Jae-gyu Film (currently MK Pictures), which broke the box-office record of previous domestic films in 1999, will be remade as a TV drama in Japan.

MK Pictures, headed by Lee Eun, said it has signed a contract with GDH Group of Japan in Tokyo on Mar. 28 to plan and develop the TV drama and DVD versions of "Shiri".

Earlier on, the two companies concluded a memorandum of understanding on comprehensive cooperation in the film industry on Feb. 21. As their first joint project, they agreed to produce a total of 20...More