Woman is the Future of Man (Movie - 2004)

'Know': Hong's Realm of Comic Realism

Source | 2009/05/14 | Permalink |

By Lee Hyo-won
Staff Reporter

New in local theaters and currently showing in the out-of-competition section of the Cannes Film Festival is Hong Sang-soo's latest feature "Like You Know It All".

Like Hong's other films, "Know" is told in a live journal-like format that is reminiscent of Eric Rohmer. While it is set in a couple of Korea's top vacation spots, the movie, as typical of its minimalist director, features characterless hotel rooms and drinking spots and showcases more of the mirror-image structures inherent to Hong's stories of frustrated ideals and sexual desires.

Modest, fragmented and meandering it may be, but the low-budget digital franchise stars some of South Korea's most high-profile actors tangled up in mundane yet comic situations and engaged in phony talks about art, philosophy and love.

Like his previous feature "Night and Day", which was shown at last year's Berlinale, "Know" stars another one of the director's archetypal womanizing anti-heroes. Actor...| More

Local Films to Shine at Cannes Fest

Source | 2009/05/10 | Permalink |

By Han Sang-hee
Staff Reporter

A total of 10 Korean movies will be shown at the Cannes International Film Festival from May 13-24, marking the highest number of local films ever to be included in the prestigious event's roster.

The first local film ever to be invited to the event was Lee Doo-yong's "Moul Le Ya Moul Le Ya" for the Un Certain Regard section in 1984, and since then, more than 40 local works have been presented at the southern French port city over the past 20 years.

One of the most anticipated films this year is Park Chan-wook's "Thirst", which is vying for the Palme d'Or, the highest prize given to competing films, as well as the Best Actor and Actress Awards. The movie about the vampire-turned-priest has been captivating audiences here, attracting more than 600,000 fans during the first three days of its release.

The entry to the Palme d'Or is significant, as it was only eight years ago when the first Korean film, "Chunhyang" by veteran director Im Kwon-ta...| More

YOO Ji-tae and LEE Yeon-hee in romantic film

Source | 2008/11/06 | Permalink |

Director RYOO Jang-ha is adapting the popular internet manwha (Korean equivalent of Japanese manga) Soonjeong Manwha by KANG Pool (real name: KANG Do-young), the English title will be "Hello Schoolgirl". The titular role will be played by LEE Yeon-hee and her love interest is a role by YOO Ji-tae.

The story is about a high school girl (LEE) who every morning sees a shy thirty-year-old businessman (YOO) at the elevator. The girl is not afraid to express her feelings for the man who is the first she feels romantic feelings for.

The young actress LEE is still mostly acting the roles of young women encountering their first love. She is currently also playing a similar assertive young woman in the television drama "East of Eden", and portrayed a headstrong young woman in the teenage drama "A Millionaire's First Love". In her previous film "M" (LEE Myeong-se), her character was a shy young woman whose love defied death.

YOO broke through internationally with his role opposite of ...| More

HONG Sang-soo Shoots His Ninth

Source | 2008/08/13 | Permalink |

Director HONG Sang-soo is in production on his ninth feature film, tentatively titled "Like You Know It All" ("You Don't Even Know" - Jal al-ji-do mot-ha-myun-seo). The film, HONG's second to be shot in HD following his previous feature "Night and Day", has an ultra-low budget of only US$100,000.

HONG is one of Korea's leading auteur directors, with many of his films screening at international festivals. Several of his films have been released in France and retrospectives of HONG's oeuvre have been organized in Toronto, San Francisco, Irvine, and Montreal, among other cities.

The new project stars HONG regulars, KIM Tae-woo ("Woman is the Future of Man"), EOM Ji-won ("Tale of Cinema"), and KO Hyeon-jeong ("Woman on the Beach"). KIM plays a film director invited to sit on the jury of the Jecheon International Music and Film Festival. There he meets an attractive programmer for the fest, played by EOM. Later he visits Jeju Island to deliver a lecture and meets the wife of ...| More

RYOO Jang-ha's comeback stars YOO Ji-tae and LEE Yeon-hee

Source | 2008/04/21 | Permalink |

Director/writer RYOO Jang-ha makes his comeback after his 2004 "Springtime" (Kkotbineun Bomi Omyeon) featuring CHOI Min-sik, with the romantic drama Soonjeongmanwha ("Hello Schoolgirl" - English translation: "pure comic strip") starring YOO Ji-tae and LEE Yeon-hee.

The film's about a thirty-year-old office employee and a female student who run into each other every morning at an elevator. Both are secretly in love with each other.

Filming commenced on the first day of April. The film is scheduled for a release in the fall. The romantic drama is produced by Let's Film.

YOO Ji-tae played CHOI Min-sik's character's nemesis in PARK Chan-wook's "Old Boy". He also starred in the period piece "Hwangjin-y - Movie - 2007" and HONG Sang-soo's "Woman is the Future of Man" (Yojaneun Namjaui Miraeda). In addition, YOO directs short films.

LEE Yeon-hee is seen in LEE Myeong-se's "M" opposite of KANG Dong-won and the romantic teen film "A Millionaire's First Love" (Baekmanjangjaui Che...| More