Virgin Snow (Movie - 2007)

Pretty boy Lee shows off his introspective side

Source | 2009/07/09 | 0 comments | Permalink |

'King & Clown' star talks about his rise to celebrity, and fall back to earth

There are certain things you might expect when meeting a star actor: crazy good looks, fabulous lifestyle and, perhaps, a bit of attitude.

Such was this reporter's expectation before an exclusive interview with Korean actor Lee Joon-ki on a recent afternoon. Lee, once a young and struggling actor from the port city of Busan, was catapulted to stardom with his impressive portrayal of an androgynous clown in the 2005 hit film "The King and the Clown".

Today, Lee is ranked as one of Korea's biggest box office draws. The few films he has made have attracted almost 20 million people, according to the latest figures.

This puts the 27-year-old actor on par with some of Korea's most successful veterans, like Song Kang-ho, Seol Kyeong-gu and Ahn Seong-gi.

Yes. The looks were there, although many would agree that Lee's androgynous features aren't what you would call typical, bordering somewhere between m...| More

New York Korean Film Festival this August

Source | 2008/07/18 | 0 comments | Permalink |

The seventh edition of the New York Korean Film Festival is set to run August 22 – 31. Sponsored by KOFIC and The Korea Society, the event will screen more than 15 recent Korean features, of which 14 have been finalized for the line-up.

Highlights include one of the top-grossing Korean films of 2008, "Forever the Moment", a sports-redemption-themed film directed by LIM Soon-rye and starring MOON So-ri and KIM Jeong-eun. Other 2008 releases in the line-up are "Hellcats" by KWON Chil-in, "Once Upon a Time" by JEONG Yong-ki, "Open City" by LEE Sang-gi, "Spare" by LEE Seong-han, and the Korea-Japanese co-production "Virgin Snow" starring LEE Joon-ki and Aoi Miyazaki.

Films in the program from 2007 include such high-profile films as the Chosun-set popular tale, "Hwangjin-y - Movie - 2007", starring SONG Hye-kyo, the Kwang-ju-set historical tragedy, May 18th, a Chosun-set tale of high stakes cooking, "Le Grand Chef", and Daniel Henney vehicle and tear-jerker, "My Father".

Othe...| More

Korea-Japan Business Campus Takes Place in Jeju

Source | 2008/07/10 | 0 comments | Permalink |

KOFIC is hosting a 4-day business campus for Japanese and Korean producers at a resort on the balmy island of Jeju, south of the Korean mainland. Taking place July 8 – 11, the campus brings together 5 Korean and 5 Japanese producers each with projects in development.

Highlights of the itinerary include intensive seminars for the producers on Korea-Japanese co-productions, along with expert guest speakers, such as CJ Entertainment's foreign investment manager who will speak on co-production financing.

Among the 5 Korean participants are Jonathan KIM, a leading producer in the industry with films such as "Lies", "Silmido", "Monopoly", and several co-productions including "Virgin Snow" behind his belt. Also attending is KIM Mi-hee of production house Sidus FNH. She has produced such films as the sci-fi action hit "Arahan" and the Chosun mystery "Blood Rain".

KOFIC plans to take the campus a step further in 2009 when it launches a Co-Production Project Market, with the aim...| More

Black House and May 18 to be released in Japan

Source | 2008/04/04 | 0 comments | Permalink |

Japanese Kadokawa announced the release dates of SIN Tae-ra's horror film "Black House" (Geomeun Jib) and KIM Ji-hoon's "May 18" (Hwaryohan Hyooga), the films will open on Japanese screens on April 5 and May 10, respectively.

"Black House", a domestic box office hit, stars HWANG Jeong-min ("You Are My Sunshine"/Neoneun Nae Woonmyeong) in an impressive psychological charged role as an insurance agent who gets drawn in a suicide case in a mysterious house. Director SIN's ("Brainwave") film is based on a Japanese novel of the popular horror writer Yûsuke Kishi.

After his "Mokpo, Gangster's Paradise", director KM Ji-hoon's next film "May 18" was highly anticipated and the film about the Gwangju civilian uprising against the military dictatorship was a box office success of 2007. The film's strong line-up includes AHN Seong-gi ("Silmido") and LEE Joon-ki ("The King and the Clown"). LEE enjoys great popularity in Japan and starred in the Korean-Japanese co-production "Virgin Snow" (C...| More

Hallyu Star KIM in Japanese Feature

2008/02/19 | 0 comments | Permalink |

Popular Korean actor KIM Rae-won, 26, is set to seduce Japanese audiences this Spring with his lead role in Japanese director Hayato Kawai's Flower Shadow, a romantic drama of international love.

Actor KIM is a familiar heartthrob in Korea, starring in comedies such as "Mister Socrates" (2005) and "My Little Bride" (2004) as well as hit TV series "Cat on the Roof" (2003) and the upcoming series "Gourmet" ("Sikgaek").

In Flower Shadow he plays an elementary school teacher who falls in love with a Korean-Japanese jewelry designer played by Mirai Yamamoto. Set in both Korea and Japan, the film also features main theme music by Korean R&B trio SG Wanne Be.

The film is the second to feature a Korean-Japanese romance theme with a Hallyu male lead, following last year's "Virgin Snow", starring LEE Joon-ki. The film is slated for release in Japan March 8.

Nigel D'Sa (KOFIC)...| More