| Korea's Prolific Production of Gay Themed Cinema Continues (Source) |
2009/10/09 |
A soon to be released feature is about to join the ranks of Korea's burgeoning cannon of queer cinema. "Hello My Love", KIM Aaron's debut feature, comes at an end of a decade that has seen a relative explosion of new queer cinema. In this short space of time highlighted by such films as "Bungee Jumping of Their Own" (2001), "The King and the Clown" (the number one box office hit of 2005) and even "No Regret" (2006) the first gay film directed by and out gay director, Korean audiences have embraced this relatively taboo topics at least on a cinematic level.
"Hello My Love", like a lot of other Korean gay themed films presents the thorny issue of homosexuality through the well worn romantic comedy genre with a generous amount of melodrama and acceptable, comic stereotypical characters. This typical trendy take on the familiar threesome happens when popular radio host Ho-jeong welcomes back her childhood sweet heart, Won-jae from a two year trip in France. In tow however, is Won-jae... |More
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| 'Sunshine' Sheds Light on Dark Themes (Source) |
2009/10/08 |
By Lee Hyo-won
Staff Reporter
Kim Aaron's noted feature debut "Lala Sunshine" opens Oct. 22 ― just a week after his romantic comedy "Hello My Love". This is the first time that a newcomer's works are being released in theaters back to back.
"Sunshine" toured several film festivals, from Jeonju to Hong Kong and Lyon, France. In short, it showcases Kim's raw style before he got his feet wet in the mainstream cinema pool.
The movie mostly succeeds in creating something highly atmospheric with a meaningful experimental structure. Weighty subject matters such as rape, revenge and redemption spin out through a deliberate sense of disjointedness.
But flaws lie in its very strengths.
Deeply affecting scenes are often diluted by anticlimactic moments that are clearly not intended to reflect the protagonist's fragmented mind. The script's rawness often leads to the realization that the movie is a student project ― albeit bonus points for crafting a very professional-... |More
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| 'Hello My Love' Sugarcoats Sensitive Subject (Source) |
2009/10/01 |
By Lee Hyo-won
Staff Reporter
In "Hello My Love", girl falls in love with boy, but boy falls in love with boy, breaking girl's heart. The movie adds an exotic twist with things Parisian as well as a touch of something trendy with wine lessons to sugarcoat the sensitive subject matter of homosexuality in South Korea.
One may think of the sexually explicit epic "A Frozen Flower", but this feature film debut by Kim Aaron is more akin to Hong Ji-young's trendspotting romance "The Naked Kitchen". It is essentially a romantic comedy with a rather unconventional love triangle strewn into strictly mainstream themes of heartbreak, loss and growing pains.
Everything seems rosy for popular radio personality Ho-jeong (Jo An). She is about to be promoted, evoking the wrath of her unsmiling senior colleague, and is about to welcome back her perfect boyfriend Won-jae (Min Seok) from his two-year sojourn in Paris.
The two childhood friends-turned-lovers have been dating for 10 years, and... |More
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| Jeonju Unveils Korean Competition Films (Source) |
2009/04/09 |
The 10th Jeonju International Film Festival (JIFF), one of Korea's three major cinema showcases along with PIFF and PiFan, has revealed a selection of 11 new films for its Korean Feature Competition section that will vie for the JJ Star Award for top film, a cash award of 10 million Won.
Among the films selected are director SIN Dong-il's third feature, "Bandhobi", which tells about the relationship between a Bangladeshi laborer and a Korean high school girl. SIN debuted with the award-winning "Host and Guest" (2005) and followed it up with the critically praised "My Friend and His Wife" (2006).
Other notables include LIM Soon-rye's latest, "Fly, Penguin", a human-rights themed drama starring MOON So-ri; KIM Eung-su's HD feature "The Origin of Water" about a mysterious painting and a man who goes in search of the scenery depicted in it.
Feature debut directors are many, including CHO Kyeong-duk with "Sex Volunteer", SIM Sang-kook with "Where is Ronny... ", KIM Aaron with ... |More
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