The Good, the Bad, the Weird (Movie - 2008)

PARK Chan-wook Retrospective at Asian Film Fest in Germany

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

The Asia Film Fest which in 2007 held a KIM Ki-duk retrospective is this time focusing on Korean master director PARK Chan-wook. The retrospective will play 4 of his films from "JSA - Joint Security Area" (2000), "Old Boy" (2003), "Sympathy for Lady Vengeance" (2005) through to "I'm a Cyborg, but that's OK" (2006). Director PARK's "Thirst" which premiered to rave reviews at Cannes and did good business at the box office in Korea will also play in the Korean section. Other films in the Korean section include current films "Chaw", "The Sword with No Name", "A Frozen Flower" (2008), KIM Ji-woon's "The Good, The Bad, The Weird" (2008) and Lee Chang-dong's "Secret Sunshine". Also of note, playing in the Special Presentation section is "Blood: The Last Vampire" staring Korean Gianna Jun (Jeon Ji-hyeon).

The Asia film festival which began in Munich in 2004 has enjoyed a 10% growth rate in audiences every year. It begins this year October 28 through to November 8 and then moves to Be...| More

Sold to 9 countries, 'Jeonwoochi' sets to dominate box office

Source | 2009/11/16 | 0 comments | Permalink |

"JEON WOO CHI : The Taoist Wizard" has been sold to 9 countries. It is due to release in December. Stars in the film industry gathered together to make the movie. It was produced by director Choi Dong-hoon famous for "The War of Flower" and "The Big Swindle" and it starred actors such as Kim Yoon-seok, Kang Dong-won, Im Soo-jeong, Yoo hae-jin and Yeom Jeong-ah.

Its production cost of around 10 billion won has become hot news. Its 5 min promotion film was unveiled on Nov. 4, the opening day of the 30th American Film Market (AFM). It is one of the biggest film markets in the world. The film alone was enough to make possible pre sale of its full version to a total of 9 countries including 4 from Europe (Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg) and China as well as East Asia such as Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia and Brunei.

This achievement was meaningful given that the pre-sale was made with good conditions attached amid falling exports of Korean films. Moreover the de...| More

Production Starts on John Woo Movie Starring Jeong Woo-seong

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

By Lee Hyo-won
Staff Reporter

The shooting of John Woo's new movie "Rain of Swords", starring South Korean heartthrob Jeong Woo-seong, started Wednesday in Shanghai, Taurus Film announced Thursday.

The 36-year-old actor stars opposite Michelle Yeoh ("Memoirs of a Geisha") in the film which is being co-directed by Woo, the famous Hong Kong helmer of "Mission:Impossible II", and Taiwan's Su Chau-bin.

Renowned producer Terence Chang, who has partnered with Woo for big Hollywood projects such as "Face/Off", is taking part in the movie, which he calls "`Face/Off' meets `Mr. & Mrs. Smith' set in the Ming Dynasty", according to the Hollywood Reporter.

"Rain of Swords" is a "wuxia" or martial arts film that follows a love affair between a retiring assassin (Yeoh) and a messenger (Jeong) whose father was killed by the assassin's former associates.

The assassin is initially oblivious of her lover's history and the fact that he is well-trained in martial arts. Meanwhile a charact...| More

Nominees for Grand Bell Awards Stir Controversy

Source | 2009/10/26 | 0 comments | Permalink |

The Grand Bell (Daejong) Awards, a prestigious film award in Korea, have stirred controversy yet again. The list of Best Leading Actress nominees that was announced October 21 includes Kim Min-seon ("Portrait Of A Beauty"), Soo-ae ("Sunny"), Kim Hye-ja ("Mother - 2009"), Choi Kang-hee ("Ae-ja") and Jang Nara ("Sky And Sea").

Nominees for the Best Picture award are "Mother", "Sky And Sea", "The Divine Weapon", "Haeundae" and "Take Off".

The controvery arose because actress Ha Ji-won of "Closer to Heaven" and "Haeundae", which drew more than 10 million vieiwers, and actress Kim Ha-neul of the hit movie "My Girlfriend is an Agent" were not included on the list. Morever, the movie "Thirst", which received the Jury Award at this year's Cannes Film Festival, and Kim Ji-woon's "The Good, The Bad, The Weird" also failed to be nominated for the Best Picture or the Best Director awards.

"Sky And Sea", which is to open on October 28 just a week before the awards ceremony, has been nomina...| More

46th Annual Daejong Film Awards Nominees

Source | 2009/10/23 | 0 comments | Permalink |

46th Annual Daejong Film Awards Nominees

- Best Movie: "Take Off", "Mother - 2009", "The Divine Weapon", "Sky and Sea", "Haeundae"

- Best Director : Kim Yong-hwa ("Take Off"), Yoon Je-kyoon ("Haeundae"), Jeon Yoon-soo ("Portrait of a Beauty"), Jeong Gi-hoon ("Ae-ja"), Bong Joon-ho ("Mother - 2009")

- Best Actor : Kim Myeong-min ("Closer to Heaven"), Kim Yoon-seok (Running Turtle), Seol Kyeong-gu ("Haeundae"), Jeong Jae-yeong ("The Divine Weapon"), Ha Jeong-woo ("Take Off")

- Best Actress : Kim Min-seon ("Portrait of a Beauty"), Kim Hye-ja ("Mother - 2009"), Soo-ae ("Sunny"), Jang Nara ("Sky and Sea"), Choi Kang-hee ("Ae-ja")

- Best Supporting Actor : Kim In-kwon ("Haeundae"), Jin Goo ("Mother - 2009"), Jeong Kyeong-ho ("Sunny"), Jang Geun-seok ("The Case of Itaewon Homicide"), Kim Nam-gil ("Modern Boy")

- Best Supporting Actress : Kim Bo-yeon ("Living Death"), Kim Hae-sook ("Thirst"), Kim Yeong-ae ("Ae-ja"), Choo Ja-hyeon ("Portrait of a Beauty"), Nam Neung-mi ("Clos...| More