Sa-Kwa (Movie - 2005)

PARK's Paju to Open Rotterdam Film Festival

Source | 2009/11/19 | 0 comments | Permalink |

PARK Chan-ok's second feature "Paju" has been selected as the opening film at 39th International Film Festival Rotterdam (IFFR), set to run Jan. 27 – Feb. 7 next year in the Netherlands' port city. Rutger Wolfson, the festival's director, called "Paju" a "triumph of resilience and a powerful female voice from Asia, ambitious and intimate at the same time".

Director PARK is no stranger to Rotterdam. In 2003, her feature debut "Jealousy is My Middle Name", won the IFFR's Tiger Award for best film. In 2006, her project "Paju" was launched at IFFR's co-production maket, CineMart. PARK and the film's two leads will attend the upcoming IFFR to introduce the film to the opening night audience.

Starring LEE Seon-gyoon ("Sa-kwa"), SEO Woo ("Crush and Blush"), SIM I-yeong, and KIM Bo-kyeong, it is an atmospheric tale of a schoolgirl (SEO) in love with her sister's husband (LEE). When her sister dies mysteriously, she suspects him of murder and complex emotions arise between them.
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Malaysia Hosts Korean Film Fest

Source | 2009/11/05 | 0 comments | Permalink |

In Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, the 2009 Korean Film Festival ran Oct 30 to Nov 4 at the GSC Mid Valley's International Screens venue. The six-day festival brings together four diverse titles: family drama "My Mother, the Mermaid" (2004), critically praised independent drama, "Sa-Kwa" (2008), suspense-driven thriller "Seven Days" (2007) and comedy "Our School E.T" (2008).

The festival, co-sponsored by the Republic of Korea Embassy, will make an allotment of free tickets available to the public. KANG Yi-kwan's "Sa-kwa" stars actress MOON So-ri as a career-woman in a troubled marriage. "Seven Days", by director WON Sin-yeon, tells the story of Ji-yeon, a successful lawyer and single mother to a seven-year-old girl who has been kidnapped.

Nigel D'Sa (KOFIC)...| More

"Paju" To Be Released Oct 29

Source | 2009/10/22 | 0 comments | Permalink |

Korean distributor MK Pictures is to release PARK Chan-ok's second feature, "Paju", which recently had its World Premiere in competition at the Pusan International Film Festival where it won the NETPAC award. A release date on select screens across the nation is set for October 29.

Starring LEE Seon-gyoon ("Sa-kwa"), SEO Woo ("Crush and Blush"), Sim I-yeong, and Kim Bo-kyeong, it is an atmospheric tale of a schoolgirl (SEO) in love with her sister's husband (LEE). When her sister dies mysteriously, she suspects him of murder and complex emotions arise between them.

The film played to positive and highly impressed reviews during the festival with SEO's performance a highlight. The Hollywood Reporter wrote that "Seo delivers one of the most believable depictions of conflicted female emotion as has ever been put on film in Korea".

Screen International said of director PARK, "This should help to cement Park's reputation as one of Korea's most talented art-house directors" ...| More

Manilla's Korean Film Festival Kicks Off

Source | 2009/10/01 | 0 comments | Permalink |

Manilla's 2009 Korean Film Festival opened Sept 23, offering free screenings to the public during its one week run. Sponsored by the Korean Embassy and held at Shangri-La Plaza, the fest showcases seven Korean features and celebrates the "Philippines-Republic of Korea Friendship Year".

The program features some of the most artistically accomplished films in Korean cinema over the last 9 years, including renowned and emerging directors. Korean TV dramas are already popular in the Philippines, but audiences have yet to be exposed to Korean feature filmmaking.

The seven films in the program are "Old Boy" (PARK Chan-wook), "Barking Dogs Never Bite" (BONG Joon-ho), "Sa-Kwa" (KANG Yi-kwan), "Beyond the Years" (IM Kwon-taek), "The Show Must Go On" (HAN Jae-rim), "Forbidden Quest" (KIM Dae-woo) and "Driving with My Wife's Lover" (KIM Tae-sik).

Nigel D'Sa (KOFIC)...| More

SIN Min-ah in romantic lead

Source | 2009/01/07 | 0 comments | Permalink |

SIN Min-ah has been cast in "The Naked Kitchen", directed by HONG Ji-young. SIN's character is married, but falls in love with her husband's friend who temporarily moves in with them. JOO Ji-hoon and KIM Tae-woo take on the male leading roles.

SIN played in 2008 in the music film "Go Go 70s" and she broke through with the teenage martial arts comedy "Volcano High". In 2008, JOO was seen in "Antique", while KIM appeared in "Sa-kwa" alongside MOON So-ri.

HONG previously directed short films and her "Herstory" competed at Clermont-Ferrand Short Film Festival. "The Naked Kitchen" is scheduled for a release in February.

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