Arahan (2003) - 아라한-장풍 대작전

2008/02/05 | Source | Permalink |  Digg |  del.icio.us | Stumble It! | Share this news

Ryoo Seung-wan's action extravaganza draws upon classics of the genre

Kyu Hyun Kim (qhyunkim)

A Seoul cop, Tae-su (Korea's top action choreographer/stunt artist Jeong Doo-hong), receives the shocking news that his childhood friend Wang-jae (a Ryoo Seung-wan regular, Ahn Kil-gang), a retired wise guy, has been stabbed to death by a handful of punks. Tae-su goes back to his hometown, On-sung, to attend Wang-jae's funeral. He immediately smells a rat.

The town is under the thumb of their old buddy Pil-ho (Lee Beom-soo, "Oh! Brothers", "Superstar Mr. Gam"), now a big shot gangster and involved in a citywide real estate development scheme. Tae-su reluctantly teams up with the short-tempered Seok-hwan (director Ryoo Seung-wan) to avenge Wang-jae's murder.

Ryoo Seung-wan, one of the most talented Korean directors and an action film maven, hit the jackpot last time by branching out into the sports drama in "Crying Fist". For the latest endeavor, he consciously returned to his cinem...

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2008/01/25 | Source | Permalink |  Digg |  del.icio.us | Stumble It! | Share this news

"Radio Dayz" is a feel-good comedy set during the Japanese colonisation of Korea in the early 20th century and revolves around a group of radio employees who develop a radio drama that captures the heart of Korean audiences.
Ryoo Seung-beom ("Arahan", "Crying Fist") plays a laid-back and resourceful radio producer who decides to hire a writer for a radio drama format. However, the radio drama encounters numerous problems before it succeeds in captivating audiences.

A major problem is the character portrayed by KIM Sa-rang (Who Slept with Her ("Sexy Teacher")), a famous singer with star attitude, who – while broadcasting live – decides to create some more lines for herself whenever she feels she isn't quite in the spotlight; resulting in a plot turned upside down and everybody else confused.

KIM's character envies HWANG Bo-ra's character who has the female lead role in the radio drama. KO Ah-seong – the girl captured by the monster in "The Host" – plays a quirky girl who helps ...

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2007/11/13 | Source | Permalink |  Digg |  del.icio.us | Stumble It! | Share this news

Seoul Independent Film Festival's (SIFF) 33rd edition will open on November 22 and run until the 30th. The festival will highlight independent films from around the world and awards several awards to support independent filmmakers financially.

SIFF's opening ceremony will feature short films by Korean directors. The festival also includes director RYOO Seung-wan's "Modern People", the winner of the 25th SIFF. RYOO also directed "Arahan", "Crying Fist", and "The City of Violence".

Another prominent program will be Thai director Apichatpong Weerasethakul's retrospective, including his 2004 Cannes winner "Tropical Malady".

The festival will be held at Indie Space, recently opened in Myeongdong, Seoul. Indie Space is unique because it's the first cinema to exclusively cater to independent Korean cinema. The theater is financially supported by KOFIC.

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

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2007/09/13 | Source | Permalink |  Digg |  del.icio.us | Stumble It! | Share this news

Director CHOI Ho assembled an all-star cast consisting of KIM Ah-joong, RYOO Seung-beom and JO Seung-woo for his next film "Gogo 70". The music film will be centered around a band and the first gogo club in Korea in the seventies.

Director CHOI and RYOO join forces again after their collaboration on last year's crime film "Bloody Tie". RYOO also featured in his brother RYOO Seung-wan's acclaimed boxing drama "Crying Fist" and popular martial arts comedy "Arahan".

KIM rose to fame last year through another music film, "200 Pounds Beauty". KIM Yong-hwa's music comedy instantly turned her into a pan-Asian star. She portrayed an overweight singer who chooses drastic cosmetic surgery.

JO starred in the blockbusters "Tazza: The High Rollers" ("The War of Flower") and "MARATHON". He also played in IM Kwon-taek's "Chunhyang" and "Low Life".

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

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2007/03/13 | Source | Permalink |  Digg |  del.icio.us | Stumble It! | Share this news

Director Ryoo Seung-wan's "The City of Violence" has been invited to the competitive "Action Asia" section of the 9th Deauville Asia Film Festival in France.

Its producer Film Makers R&K said Monday that the film's original style and story about a declining city and ill-fated friendship had appealed to the festival. Ryoo's "Arahan" won the Lotus Award at the festival in 2005.

Scheduled to be held from March 28 until April 1, the festival is one of two Asian film festivals in Europe along with Italy's Udine film festival.

"Nowhere to Hide" directed by Lee Myeong-se was the first Korean film to receive the Best Picture award at the French film festival in 2000, followed by "JSA - Joint Security Area" in 2001 and "Failan" in 2002. In 2005, "This Charming Girl" was awarded the Lotus Jury Prize and in 2006 "A Bittersweet Life" was given the Action Asia Award and "The Peter Pan Formula" the Lotus Jury Prize.

Meanwhile, "The City of Violence" has been invited to the Neuchatel Film...

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