| Korean Movies Dominate Box Office (Source) |
2007/08/27 |
Eight Korean movies are among the top ten box office draws heading into the last week of August.
According to box office statistics, the films "May 18" and "D-War" have made the strongest showing.
The historical drama "May 18", which tells the story of the May 18 Gwangju Democratization Movement, took a 17-point-eight percent share of the domestic market and recaptured first place for the first time in four weeks.
The market share of "D-War" dipped to 17-point-four percent but the monster blockbuster continues to create a box office sensation.
Newly released romantic comedy "The Houseguest and My Mother" ranked third in the list. The combined market share of the eight Korean films stood at a whopping 79-point-two percent.
Reported by KBS WORLD Radio ... |More
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| 'The Houseguest and My Mother' Double-Crosses Drama (Source) |
2007/08/06 |
"Swindler in My Mom's House", left, is a comic remake of a 1961 classic "Mother and the Guest in the Room of Master ", right, that traces the unspoken love between a gentleman lodger and a widow, played by actress Choi Eun-hee. But in the modern version, a pigtail-wearing mother and precocious teenage daughter both try to win the heart of a conniving Casanova staying at their house.
/ Courtesy of Taewon Entertainment/Courtesy of Korean Film
By Lee Hyo-won
Staff Reporter
The family drama "The Houseguest and My Mother" brings to the screen a comic reinterpretation of the 1961 film, starring two notoriously funny actors that spices up the romantic love story of the original version. "The Houseguest and My Mother" delights viewers with lovable characters and warm scenes capturing the comical and dramatic moments of everyday life. But alas, remakes, especially that of classic films, tend to be risky, and this film is no exception.
"The Houseguest and My Mother" is a modern versio... |More
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| [MOVIE REVIEW] 'The Houseguest' overstays its welcome (Source) |
2007/08/02 |
Chu Yo-sup (1902-1972) wrote the memorable short story "Saranbang sonmin-gwa eomeoni (The Guest in My Mom's House)". Published in 1935, the creative tale portrays the subtle emotional tension between a widow and a house guest from the perspective of a six-year-old girl. Emotions are intentionally suppressed, reflecting the strict social norms placed on Koreans at the time.
"Sarangbang seonsuwa eomeoni" ("The Houseguest and My Mother"), directed by Lim Yeong-seong, borrows the title from the famous short story, but does not follow the original plot. In contrast to Chu's refined storytelling, "The Houseguest and My Mother" pursues a shamelessly trite Korean filmmaking format: Different cinematic elements are crammed onto the big screen not because they are essential but because the director wants to rescue a deplorable script.
In the film, Deok-gun (Jeong Joon-ho) is 100 million won in debt to gangsters thanks to his irresponsible father who is now behind bars. Desperate to pay bac... |More
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| Jeong Joon-ho Meets A Woman He Wants To Marry (Source) |
2007/07/25 |
The most eligible bachelor in the Korean movie industry, Jeong Joon-ho, has recently declared that he wishes to marry within the year, and now confessed that he has met a woman who he wishes to marry.
On the 25th, before the release of "The Houseguest and My Mother", Jeong Joon-ho said in an interview, "Lately through my acquaintances, I have been introduced to some people, and among those who I've met, there is one woman who makes me want to get married. I have only met her a few times, but I get along with that woman very well, so I plan to try seeing her seriously".
Jeong Joon-ho did not reveal the woman's exact age or name. He said, "It is still in the early stages of our meeting, so I honestly do not know if I will marry this person in the end. Just as I had declared that I will marry within this year, if things do not go well with this person, then I plan to meet other people". Jeong Joon-ho said that his ideal woman "should be someone he relates and connects to very well, ... |More
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| Korean films' diverse genres pursue summer season niche (Source) |
2007/07/23 |
With the crucial summer season in full swing, Korean filmmakers are getting ready to mount counterattacks against Hollywood blockbusters in August. This time around, what is noticeable is Korean films' strategic discretion in selecting and diversifying genres.
In recent years, a handful of the so-called Korean blockbusters clashed with American counterparts, only to end up with not-so-spectacular results. "The Host", for instance, garnered a rare success at box office, while the majority of hit wannabes withered helplessly.
To find some niche ground and increase the odds for survival, major films releasing in August zoom in on selective genres such as sex, monster and horror. Of course, these genres are hardly groundbreaking, but considering the uniformity in genres of Korean films during the past summer seasons, the latest penchant for diverse genres is a welcome development.
"Temptation of Eve", for example, is not aiming to hit it big at box office. This four-piece ("Tempta... |More
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