Sa-Kwa (Movie - 2005)

"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

Moon So-ri returns to her salad days

Source | 2008/09/25 | 0 comments | Permalink |

Moon So-ri, an award-winning Korean actress, was a single when she joined the cast for "Sa-kwa", a movie about relationships, marriage and reunion.

While the release date for the film, directed by Kang Yi-kwon, was put back again and again, Moon got married and her perspective about the movie also changed.

Because of the long delay, Moon expressed her special feelings about the film when she joined the press screening of "Sa-kwa" in Seoul on Wednesday.

"It's overwhelming", Moon said. "There are so many good memories and stories about this movie, but I felt a sense of helplessness when the release got delayed".

Moon said the much-awaited movie would bring back the younger image she had in her debut film "Peppermint Candy" (2000). "The image in 'Sa-kwa' is different from how I am today, and I felt as if I was watching myself from the days when I was in 'Peppermint Candy'. I was certainly not sophisticated back then", Moon said.

"Sa-kwa", whose Korean title can be interpret...| More

Nearly 40 movies lined up for October release

Source | 2008/09/20 | 0 comments | Permalink |

It appears there will be no problem deciding what to watch this fall. Nearly 40 local and foreign films are being released in theaters next month.

From Korea, the firsts to open at cinemas include "Modern Boy" and "Go Go 70s", which feature adventures during the Japanese colonial rule and the 1970s. Both films open Oct. 2.

Following the line-up is the phantasmal tale of love "Dream" on Oct. 9, and "Crush and Blush" about a school teacher fighting for affection. "My wife got married" about a too-good-for-me-wife opens on Oct. 23.

"Sa-kwa" meaning apology in Korean and starring award-winning actress Moon So-ri is being released on Oct. 16, four years after its final production.

"Heartbreak Library", an unusual mix of thriller and melodrama, opens Oct. 23, followed by action-thriller "Mandate" and independent film "Summer whispers" later in the month.

"Tokyo!" a triptych feature set in Tokyo, Japan, will premier during October, and on Oct. 30, "26 years diary" opens, based ...| More