April Snow (2005) - 외출 (Wi-chool)

Bae Yong-joon rekindles Korean wave

2008/07/11 | Source | Permalink |

By Lee Ji-yoon

Asia's heartthrob Bae Yong-joon visited Japan last month to promote his latest TV drama "The Legend" ( "Taewangsashingi" - "The Four Guardian Gods of the King"). Since the premiere of the movie "April Snow" three years ago, it was his first official visit to the country where he is affectionately known as "Yonsama".

Bae and other co-stars participated in the premium event held in Osaka on June 1, attracting more than 35,000 people and keen interest from the Japanese media.

The epic blockbuster drama, aired by Japanese public broadcaster NHK, is about the life of the King Gwanggyeto of the Goguryeo Dynasty (37 B.C.-A.D. 68). While King Gwanggyeto is considered the most charismatic conqueror controlling neighboring territories in Korean history, Bae played the king with a soft side.

Bae made an opening remark in Japanese, saying "It's good to see you Japanese, who are like a family to me. It's been a long time. I'm here to introduce my new drama to you. You've ...| More

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KIM Ki-duk's "Dream" to compete in San Sebastian

2008/06/26 | Source | Permalink |

"Dream" (Korean title: "Bimong"), the fifteenth film by director KIM Ki-duk, has been selected to compete at the 56th San Sebastian International Film Festival, to be held from September 18-27.

The film, which stars Japanese heartthrob ODAGIRI Joe and Korean actress LEE Na-young, centers around a man who experiences a startlingly realistic dream about a car accident, and later discovers that the accident occurred in real life.

KIM's previous films have premiered at Cannes, Venice, Berlin, Locarno, Karlovy Vary and Moscow, but this will be the first time for him to compete at the prestigious Spanish festival. Other Korean films that have competed at San Sebastian in recent years include BONG Joon-ho's "Memories of Murder" (2003), SONG Il-gon's "Spider Forest" (2004), HEO Jin-ho's "April Snow" (2005), LIM Sang-soo's "The Old Garden", and KIM Mi-jeong's "Shadows in the Palace" (2007).

In 2003, KIM's Spring, "Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter... And Spring" screened out of competiti...| More

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"M" and "Happiness" Picked Up by Japan

2008/02/05 | Source | Permalink |

Major local film player Showbox has sold rights to LEE Myeong-Se's "M" and HEO Jin-ho's "Happiness" to music and film giant Avex Entertainment in Japan. Avex, known as one of the largest independent record-labels in the world, made a move into the film industry last year, picking up its first Korean title "Highway Star" (2007).

Both LEE's "M" and HEO's Happiness premiered last September at the Toronto International Film Festival. They feature prominent Korean Wave stars with KANG Dong-won as the bemused lead in director LEE's stylish mystery and actress IM Soo-jeong along with HWANG Jeong-min as the ill-fraught lovers in HEO's melodrama.

Both LEE and HEO have had their previous films released in Japan. LEE's "Duelist", also starring actor KANG, opened on about 200 screens across Japan in 2006. HEO's "April Snow", starring Korean Wave sensation BAE Yong-joon, became the top grossing Korean film of all time in Japan, with earnings of over US$26 million in 2005.

Overall K...| More

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[MOVIE REVIEW] Erotic crime thriller falls flaccid

2008/01/10 | Source | Permalink |

There is nothing special about the genre of "Open City", opening nationwide today. It is easily categorized as a crime thriller. But the subject of pickpockets operating in broad daylight is fairly unusual, perhaps the first ever Korean flick devoted entirely to the street-smart thieves.

Doubly unusual -- or strange -- is director Lee Sang-gi's attempt to incorporate a femme fatale theme into the film in a bid to turn it into an erotic crime thriller. There's no question about the beauty of Son Ye-jin ("April Snow", "The Classic") but it is an open question whether she is really up to the task of a tantalizing seductress.

Son plays Baek Jang-mi, which means "white rose" in Korean. If the name is too tacky, so be it. After all, her role is tackier -- a female boss of a small pickpocket ring keen to expand its territory in Seoul.

Baek Jang-mi draws some attention from authorities in both Korea and Japan by staging a series of high-stakes pickpocket forays in Osaka. Once she retu...| More

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Osaka Korean Film Week Begins Dec. 8

2007/11/30 | Source | Permalink |

The Osaka Korean Cultural Center will hold the Korean Film Week festival again this year (Dec.8-14). Korean films introduced to the Kansai region for the first time will be screened at downtown Shinsaibashi theaters.

The event also marks the center's reopening and will feature the latest film 'Happiness' by Heo Jin-ho, who directed 'April Snow' starring Bae Yong-joon and Son Ye-jin. Director Kim Tae-sik of 'Driving with My Wife's Lover' and a Korean Film Council official will attend a related forum for discussions.

The film list includes 'Barefoot Ki-bong', 'The Show Must Go On', 'Heart is..'., 'My Boss, My Teacher' and 'My Wife is a Gangster 3' as well as the omnibus special film '20 Identities'....| More

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