The Big Swindle (Movie - 2003)

JANG Mi-hee and KIM Yoon-seok to Open PIFF

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

Two Korean stars have been named to host the opening ceremony of the 14th Pusan International Film Festival. Actress JANG Mi-hee, who made her debut in 1976 and actor KIM Yoon-seok, who rose to lead status with his role in 2007's The Chaser, will raise curtains for the star-studded ceremony on Oct. 8th at the Busan Yachting Center on Haeundae beach.

JANG was one of Korea's top stars throughout the 80s, starring in films such as BAE Chang-ho's "Hwang Jin-Yi" (1986) and "Deep Blue Night" (1985). She is currently enjoying a renaissance in her acting career though TV drama "Mom Has Grown Horns" ("Mom's Dead Upset") in which she plays the colorful and unique character "GOH Eun-a".

KIM Yoon-seok is a charismatic actor known for his supporting roles in many Korean films including "The Happy Life" (2007), "Tazza: the High Rollers" ("The War of Flower" - 2006), "Like A Virgin" (2006), and "The Big Swindle" (2004). His gritty lead role in "The Chaser" put him in the national spotlight...| More

World Beware: The Wizard is Coming this Summer

Source | 2009/06/05 | 0 comments | Permalink |

Korea's own super hero movie "JEON WOO CHI : The Taoist Wizard" is set for release this summer. The movie is highly anticipated not just because of its colloquial superhero themes but its super star cast and director. Choi Dong-hoon known for the colourfully large "War of the Flower" (2006) and "The Big Swindle" (2004) helms this ambitious Taoist action film feat. Equally as well known as Choi are its actors who are mainstays in Korean cinema. Kang Dong-won, young star of 'M' (2007) and The "Duelist" (2005) plays the mischievous time transported hero fighting against Kim Yoon-seok the detective anti hero in last year's surprise hit, thriller "The Chaser" (2008). Im Soo-Jeong from Kim Jee-woon's "A Tale of Two Sisters" fame and Park Chan-wook's "I'm a Cyborg, But That's Ok" also appears in the film along with Yoo Hae-jin who worked with Choi on "War of the Flower" and a host of other films.

Even though a superhero flick, Cho Dong-hoon has taken the familiar family genre, fu...| More

What's on Cultural Horizon in 2009?

Source | 2008/12/30 | 0 comments | Permalink |

By Han Sang-hee
Staff Reporter

The year 2009 is now finally around the corner, and it is about time to prepare for the New Year. The past year was an interesting one, and readers can now preview what is planned in 2009.

Dramas

Historical Dramas on the Rise: The three major networks are planning to air three distinctive historical dramas next year, MBC with "Queen Seon-deok", KBS with "The Iron Empress" and SBS with "Princess Ja Myung Go".

The three dramas will touch on the lives of powerful women during the period in which the programs are set: the Goryeo Kingdom (918-1392), the Silla Kingdom (668-935) and the Goguryeo Kingdom (37 B.C.-A.D.668), respectively.

Starring Ko Hyeon-jeong and Lee Yo-won, "Queen Seon-deok" will carry the story of the first queen to rule during Goryeo, while "The Iron Empress" will bring back the courageous grand daughter of King Taejo (47-165), played by Chae Si-ra, and her lifelong struggle to protect the country her ancestors built. "Prince...| More

CHOI Dong-hoon's Comic Fantasy: "Jeon Woo Chi"

Source | 2008/08/27 | 0 comments | Permalink |

Director CHOI Dong-hoon, who made a splash in the local film industry with his high stakes thrillers, "The Big Swindle" (2004) and "Tazza: The High Rollers" ("The War of Flower", 2006), is currently in pre-production on his latest project, tentatively titled "JEON WOO CHI : The Taoist Wizard". The big budget US$12 million production now has three quarters of its financing secured and will participate in the Pusan Promotion Plan (PPP) a major project pre-market during the 13th Pusan International Film Festival.

Highly successful producer LEE Eugene ("You Are My Sunshine", "Voice of Murder") and her shingle Zip Cinema will produce the project with financial backing from CJ Entertainment and United Pictures. The star cast includes KANG Don-won ("M") as the title character Jeon, IM Soo-jeong ("Happiness"), and KIM Yoon-seok ("The Chaser").

The story begins in the Chosun Dynasty in 1509 and involves a trio of Taoist wizards, a magician named "Jeon Woo Chi" (KANG Dong-won) and his ...| More

The Korean Gangland Is 'a Dirty Carnival'

Source | 2008/05/26 | 0 comments | Permalink |

Yoo Ha's searing crime melodrama deserves kudos

Kyu Hyun Kim (qhyunkim)

Byung-Doo, lanky and adorable, (played by TV drama star Jo In-Seong from "Something Happened in Bali") is a 29-year-old career criminal working for the middle-rank enforcer Sang-Chul (Yoon Je-Moon, a Molotov-cocktail-loving vagrant in "The Host"). Burdened with a terminally ill mother and taking care of younger siblings, Byung-Doo is feeling financial pressure as a substitute patriarch. When the big boss President Hwang (Cheon Ho-Jin, "The Big Swindle", "Crying Fist") is cornered by a corrupt prosecutor, Byung-Doo volunteers for a whack job and wins the man's trust. However, his real trouble begins when friend Min-Ho (Nam Goong-min), an aspiring movie director, asks him to be a "consultant" for the latter's debut film, a gangster epic not unlike "Dirty Carnival".

Yoo Ha's follow-up to the successful "Once Upon a Tim...| More