Director Sin Dong-il, who recently made Host and Guest (LJ Films), was recently invited to the Forum Category of the Berlin International Film Festival, held on Nov. 2, where peers warmly nicknamed him "Korea's Woody Allen".

Just as Woody Allen, "forever New Yorker", delivers sharp satires and caricatures of himself, Shin also questions social issues such as political situations and discrimination against religious minorities with Ho-Joon (Kim Jae-rok), a man of the so-called "386 generation", who has become a snob, as his mediator.

With humor as its backdrop, the film accurately delivers its message in an easy-to-understand language, which is the best virtue of the Host & G...More

A number of Korean feature film projects were awarded production support and cash awards at the Asian Film Market (AFM) which ran for four days during this year's 11th Pusan International Film Festival (PIFF). The main event at AFM is the Pusan Promotion Plan (PPP), a project market where selected Asian film projects are presented to investors. Out of 130 projects submitted this year, 36 were selected for the market, an increase from last year's 27.

Among Korean awardees, director ...More

By Ines Cho

BUSAN ― With silver waves rippling beside the sandy beach and a balmy ocean breeze gently caressing the cinephiles strolling around town, Haeundae, the sunny side of South Korea's second-largest city, proved a perfect setting for Asia's best-known film festival. The Pusan International Film Festival, or PIFF, which celebrated its 10th anniversary by throwing a big bash last year, is more subdued this year but nevertheless shows an unfaltering spirit.
"This is a new beginning of the next decade to come for the festival, built on a 10-year strong foundation", said Kim Dong-ho, the globe-trotting director, who was never left alone by the camera-thrusting press whenever he appeared on the seaside lawn of the Paradise Hotel.
The goal for the festival's second decade is to return to its original mission of promoting Korean films, and such emphasis was evident on the red carpet as well as in the choice of the opening film, "Trace of Love", a Korean melodrama to be released later this month.
"The Busan festival promotes Asian and Korean films, and based on both the director's and the three main actors' previous performances, we decided unanimously to show this film", Mr. Kim said, adding that the movie's theme of Korean autumn fits perfectly with the season.


Over the years, enthusiastic support by local fans has been said to be the vital force in the success of Korean films both at home and abroad, and now they are preparing to reach audiences far beyond Asia. Going local in Korea's film industry no longer means being unglamorous; the star-studded red carpet moments staged by Lee Joon-ki of "The Royal Jester" (originally released as "The King and the Clown"); lead actors Yoo Ji-tae, Kim Ji-soo and Eom Ji-won of the opening film; and Ahn Seong-gi and Moon Geun-yeong, who hosted the ceremony; were enough to generate heat that warmed the hearts of cheering fans on a chilly night last Thursday. If star power hiked up the festival's glamour index, a silent procession by members of the Korean Screen Quota Action Alliance also sent out a ripple of austerity.


Overlooking the aqua Pacific Ocean, the first official event allowed fans and the media to meet the festival's two most celebrated actors, Daniel Liu and Ahn Seong-gi. When asked the secret behind his lon...More

This year's Chuseok or Korean Thanksgiving holiday will be the longest ever since it comes right after the Foundation Day holiday. Theaters will not miss this golden opportunity to draw as many viewers as possible by showing the best movies. Competition will be fiercer than ever.

Clockwise from left, "Marrying the Mafia III: The Rebirth of Family", "The War Of Flower", "Radio Star", "Our Happy Time", "Strange Circus", "The Ant Bully", "The Banquet", and "Rob-B-Hood, Project BB".

How Many Will Come?

Most film distributors estimate that they will draw some 10-12 million viewers for the 11 days from Sept. 28 until Oct. 8 when a host of interesting movies are released. Although the period accounts for 3 percent of total screening days, the number of viewers during the period will take up 7.5 percent of the estimated total of 160 million viewers for the year. Last year, 3.9 mil...More

The movie "Our Happy Time", starring Lee Na-young and Kang Dong-won and directed by Song Hae-seong, will open in Japan in April next year.

The movie's production firm, LJ Film, said September 1 that the Japanese firm Amuse will distribute the film in Japan.

Kang has already gai...More