| 'Secret Reunion" Offers Bittersweet 'Bromance' (Source) |
2010/01/21 |
By Lee Hyo-won
Staff Reporter
A story about North and South Korean spies called "Secret Reunion" may initially seem like mawkish cliche capitalizing on the tragic divide of the peninsula.
But pleasantly surprising, bona fide entertainment is on offer ― an incisive observation of modern Korea that is tastefully packaged as a humorous and gripping story of a budding "bromance" between foes.
North Korean secret agent Ji-won (Kang Dong-won) crosses the 38th Parallel on a big mission to assassinate a comrade who has betrayed the regime. When the National Intelligence Service (NIS) led by Han-gyu (Song Kang-ho) intervenes, a shooting rampage ensues in the heart of Seoul.
Both parties suffer losses but the adept Northerner completes his assignment and escapes, while Han-gyu, having failed miserably, is fired. Ji-won, however, is suspected as having manipulated the operation and is also deserted by his agency.
Six years have passed and Han-gyu makes a living running a th... |More
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| 'Woochi' Marks Birth of Korean Superhero (Source) |
2009/12/17 |
By Lee Hyo-won
Staff Reporter
He might be offended if you call him the Korean Harry Potter, and pull a Taoist magic trick on you.
Jeon U-chi's genealogy can be traced back to the Joseon Kingdom (1392-1910) but he comes to life onscreen, with a modern edge, as "Woochi" ("JEON WOO CHI : The Taoist Wizard")― an exciting new superhero everyone's been waiting for.
Novel character-driven films have recently made their mark in South Korean cinema such as "Private Eye" starring an accidental Joseon-style Sherlock Holmes or "Descendants of Hong Gil-dong" featuring modern-day descendants of the Korean Robin Hood, Hong Gil-dong.
Director Choi Dong-hoon, who demonstrated a knack for creating lively characters in "Tazza: The High Rollers" ("The War of Flower"), brings a superhero who, though quintessentially Korean, can inspire laughter and exhilarating adventure even in those who didn't grow up eating kimchi.
The movie takes viewers back 500 hundred years when a magic flute ... |More
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| Film Council Names Most Popular Movies of 2009 (Source) |
2009/12/07 |
Korea's most popular film of 2009 is the disaster blockbuster "Haeundae", the Korean Film Council said yesterday.
Released July 22, the film opened at 753 screens nationwide and drew 11.3 million spectators. Many more, however, are expected to watch the movie via online video download or DVD or videotape rental.
The DVD of the movie will see a February release.
According to a council report on the film industry's performance in the first 11 months of the year, the popularity of a movie differs by distribution channel. That means each movie has different numbers of spectators at the theater, online video download, and DVD and videotape rental.
The popularity of movies between July and November through three distribution channels is follows:
○ Most popular movies online: "A Frozen Flower" and "Portrait of a Beauty"
GOM TV, the largest video clip portal service in Korea, said "A Frozen Flower" was first in the number of paid downloads, followed by "Take Off (comple... |More
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| Korea culture to be on the screen at 4th London Korean Film Festival (Source) |
2009/11/06 |
The fourth London Korean Film Festival 2009 runs from Nov. 1 to 18 and already some of the big name directors in Korea have flown to the United Kingdom to promote Korean movies. Prior celebrations and functions aside, the actual first screening was on Thursday (Nov. 5).
This year's film festival, with 25 feature films and four animations from Korea, is organized by the Korean Cultural Center in the United Kingdom and the Korea Creative Content Agency, with the support of the Korean government.
The films will be screened at the BFI (British Film Institute) from Nov. 1 to 14; the London Barbican Centre from Nov. 5 to 12; Manchester Cornerhouse from Nov. 7 to 9; and Nottingham Broadway Cinema from Nov. 16 to 18.
Some award-winning directors from Korea, namely director Park Chan-wook and Bong Joon-ho will visit London with their respective works, "Thirst" (2009) and "Mother - 2009" (2009). The Thirst, which won a Jury Prize at the 62nd Cannes International Film Festival this year,... |More
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| Actor Lee Expanding Horizons (Source) |
2009/09/28 |
By Lee Hyo-won
Staff Reporter
Lee Byeong-heon continues to expand his horizons. After his "kimchi Western" flick "The Good, the Bad, the Weird" featured at the Cannes Film Festival last year, he made his Hollywood debut in "G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra". In the fall he will appear in the U.S.-France joint production "I Come With the Rain", and his anticipated blockbuster TV soap "Iris" will hit screens at the end of the year.
All these works were shot overseas. "I Come With the Rain" is particularly drawing much attention: directed by esteemed Vietnamese-French auteur Tran Ahn Hong, the movie stars Lee opposite Hollywood heartthrob Josh Hartnett and Japanese superstar Takuya Kimura. It will be screened at the 14th Pusan (Busan) International Film Festival (PIFF) next month before hitting theaters nationwide Oct. 15.
"I deliberated for a year for this piece", Lee was quoted as telling Yonhap News, explaining that "choosing this piece was an experiment".
"When I first receiv... |More
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