Save the Green Planet (Movie - 2003)

PIFF to Produce Omnibus Celebrating Pusan

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

Pusan Int'l Film Festival's (PIFF) executive chairman KIM Dong-ho announced the launch of a US $1.3 million omnibus project to capture the sights, sounds and spirit and of the festival's namesake city Busan. Three filmmakers from South Korea, Japan and Thailand will each direct a short in the omnibus with intentions to present it next year at the Cannes Film Festival.

KIM will produce the project backed by PIFF and joined by Korean director JANG Joon-hwan ("Save the Green Planet"), Japan's Isao YUKISADA (Crying out Love, in the Center of the World) and Thailand's Wisit Sasanatieng (Citizen Dog). The project was announced Saturday, Oct 10 during PIFF (Oct 8 -16).

Pan-Asian love is a central theme of the project. JANG's segment will feature a tale of an ex-archery player who searches for love in a hospital. YUKISADA will present a strange love story between a cameraman and a woman who always walks with bare feet. SASANATIENG, meanwhile, will create a film based on the conce...| More

JEON Ji-hyeon and SEOL Kyeong-gu portrayed greatest characters

Source | 2008/12/19 | 0 comments | Permalink |

Major Korean film magazine Movieweek polled to find out who Koreans regard as the ten greatest screen personas. JEON Ji-hyeon's role in "My Sassy Girl" claimed the top spot for greatest female character with 21% of the votes. 25% votes for SEOL Kyeong-gu's character in the "Public Enemy" trilogy secured SEOL the greatest male character title.

In close pursuit of SEOL is CHOI Min-sik's "Old Boy" character (20%). SONG Kang-ho's "Memories of Murder" character came in third (11%).

The top three for women is completed by second placed IM Soo-jeong (19%) for her role in "I'm a Cyborg, but That's Ok", and third seed LEE Young-ae. LEE's performance in "Sympathy for Lady Vengeance" earned her 13% of the votes.

Movieweek compiled another Korea's greatest characters list by itself. This unranked list consists of: SIN Ha-gyoon ("Save the Green Planet"), IM Won-hee ("Dachimawa Lee"), KIM Jeong-eun ("Marrying the Mafia"), KONG Hyo-jin ("Crush and Blush"), MOON So-ri ("A Good Lawyer's Wife...| 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

Universal / Focus Features Slake CJ's Thirst

Source | 2008/09/17 | 0 comments | Permalink |

Universal Pictures (UPI) and London-based Focus Features will invest in and co-produce director PARK Chan-wook's latest film, "Thirst", currently in production. They will join chief investor CJ Entertainment, which has so far driven the project.

The deal, announced Sept. 11th by UPI president Christian Grass, Focus CEO James Schamus and CJ CEO KIM Soo-jung, marks the first time a USstudio has backed a Korean film in production. UPI will also handle stateside distribution while Focus looks to its UK release.

The move is a sign of great confidence in the film's commercial prospects. Director PARK is renowned international for his vengeance trilogy, particularly centerpiece Old Boy which won the Cannes Grand Prize in 2004. Lead actor SONG Kang-ho is a big draw locally and highly regarded internationally for his performances in BONG Joon-ho's "The Host" and LEE Chang-dong's "Secret Sunshine".

"Thirst" (Korean title - "Bakjwi") is the tale of a priest who, while undergoing...| More

Celebrities Attend Anti-U. S. Beef Rally

Source | 2008/06/11 | 0 comments | Permalink |

Acclaimed actress Moon So-ri and famed singers Yang Hee-eun and Ahn Chi-hwan took part in Tuesday's massive rally against the import of U.S. beef. Citizens at the candlelight vigil greeted them with loud cheers and warm applause.

Moon, who came to the rally with her husband Jang Joon-hwan, director of "Save the Green Planet", encouraged the crowd by saying that many more in the film industry are watching and supporting the civic demonstration. She was cheered on by the crowd when she urged the Lee Myung-bak administration to listen to the people and accept public opinion.

Singer Ahn Chi-hwan, who has already attended many rounds of candlelight vigils, sang his songs "In the Wild Plain" and "Freedom", as well as "The Will", written just for the candlelight protest. Once known for her anti-establishment songs, noted singer Yang Hee-eun sang her greatest hit "Morning Dew" with the protestors.

Citizens at the rally were very positive toward the participation of celebrities. They s...| More