Magician(s) (Movie - 2005)

Indie filmmakers ask: 'Quota for whom?'

Source | 2006/08/28 | 0 comments | Permalink |

The party has just begun for the cast and crew of "Goemul" ("The Host"), and small independent filmmakers are definitely not invited.
The film broke the nation's box office record earlier this month, attracting over 10 million viewers in less than three weeks. It's gotten rave reviews from critics ― some Japanese critics have dubbed the director, Bong Joon-ho, the "Korean Akira Kurosawa". Japanese fans will be able to deny or confirm that on their own: the film will be released in 250 Japanese theaters next month.
So are the movie's producers laughing their way to the bank? Not yet ― the film's success stands on a trap door called the screen quota system, a law that forces owners of theaters to screen a certain number of Korean films. Starting July 1, that number was cut in half, despite a series of heated protests in support of the regulation by those in the industry, including the film's director and the leading actor, Song Gang-ho.
Lost in the debate is the fact that ...| More

Korean wave laps at Norwegian shore

Source | 2006/01/25 | 0 comments | Permalink |

Although it has been 47 years since South Korea and Norway formed diplomatic ties, citizens of the two countries do not know each other very well. According to the Korea Tourism Organization, only 1,645 Koreans visited Norway for business or pleasure last year while 7,274 Norwegians came to Korea.
That may change as cultural ties begin to form ― the Korean wave has been lapping at Scandinavian shores, and now the Norwegian Film Institute will hold "Korean New Cinema", a film festival of 18 works, at the Filmens Hus from Friday to Feb. 19.? The movies include director Lee Chang-dong's "Peppermint Candy", Kim Ki-duk's "Samaria", Hong Sang-soo's "Woman is the Future of Man" and Park Chan-wook's "Sympathy for Lady Vengeance".
"Korean cinema is one of the most exciting national cinemas in the world at this time", said Jan Langlo, the head of the Cinematheque at the Norwegian Film Institute, in an e-mail interview. He said that the institute has been following Korean films for severa...| More