Korean movie news

Top directors assemble for short film fest's jury

2008/06/13 | Source | Permalink |

The Mise-en-scène Short Film Festival (MSFF) assigned a high profile jury consisting of Korea's leading mainstream and independent directors. PARK Jin-pyo heads a jury further comprised of: KIM Tae-yong, KIM Yong-hwa, JO Chang-ho, KIM Hyeon-seok, KIM Tae-sik, KIM Han-min, JEON Gye-soo, CHOI Dong-hoon, and NA Hong-jin.

The Mise-en-scène Short Film Festival will open its doors on June 26 at Yongsan CGV in Seoul. The festival will finish on July 2. Among the upcoming directors, the festival also screens actor YOO Ji-tae's directorial short film effort "Out of My Intention" (Nado Moreuge) in the competition section.

PARK Jin-pyo directed "You Are My Sunshine" (Neoneun Nae Woonmyeong) and "Voice of Murderer" (Geu Nom Moksori). KIM Tae-yong received acclaim for his "Family Ties" ("The Birth of a Family", Gajokui Tansaeng). KIM Yong-hwa was the man behind the box office hit "200 Pounds Beauty" (Minyeoneun Gwereoweo). CJO Chang-ho competed at several international film festivals with "Th...| More

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KIM Yong-hwa directs HA Jeong-woo in sports drama

2008/06/13 | Source | Permalink |

Director KIM Yong-hwa –two years after his hit comedy "200 Pounds Beauty" – will direct Gookkadaepyo (English translation: "national representative") about a group of ski jumpers vying for the Korean national team. Next Hallyu star HA Jeong-woo has been cast in the leading role.

"Forever the Moment" showed the potential of Korean sport films earlier this yearand Koreans have a passion for their national representative athletes. Like LIM Soon-rye's "Forever the Moment", Gookkadaepyo also seems to concentrate on the emotional side of top sport and character development.

HA will play a Korean-American adoptee who returns to Korea in search of his roots. In the confusion of his visit to his unfamiliar birth country, he finds himself trying to make it into the Korean national ski jump team while in search of his identity.

The other main characters are competing athletes and are played by television actors KIM Dong-wuk – from the popular television series "Coffee Prince", and KIM Ji...| More

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Complete KIM Ki-young Retrospective to Screen in Seoul

2008/06/13 | Source | Permalink |

A complete retrospective of the late director KIM Ki-young, nicknamed "Mr. Monster" for his eccentric genius, will be held at the Korean Film Archive from June 20-29.

Although retrospectives of KIM'swork have been held before in Pusan, Paris and New York, this will be the first time that all of his 23 surviving films, including those with missing reels, will be presented.

The event will open with a screening of the newly restored print of KIM's masterpiece The Housemaid (Hanyo), which was featured in the "Cannes Classics"section of the most recent Cannes Film Festival last month. The restoration, funded by Martin Scorsese's World Cinema Foundation, has vastly improved the image quality of the print, and restorers will continue to work on erasing the handwritten subtitles that appear on two reels by the end of this year.

Other highlights will be the rarely-presented Hyeon-hae-tan Knows (1961), a highly praised war film made right after The Housemaid which exists in incomplete ...| More

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Kang Ta and Yang Dong-geun to Star in Military Musical

2008/06/12 | Source | Permalink |

Former H.O.T. member Kang Ta and rapper/actor Yang Dong-geun will star in a musical celebrating the 60th anniversary of Korean military. The two singers have started their military duty in April and May, respectively.

The 60th anniversary musical is overseen by the Ministry of National Defense and produced by noted musical producers and staff members. The production team selected Kang Ta in a military-wide audition. The Defense Ministry insiders said that over 300 soldiers showed up for the audition and the final 35 were selected for various parts. However, it has not been decided which roles these star wannabes and Kang Ta will play.

On the other hand, Yang was not able to attend the audition because of his training, but he was included in the cast after he informed the producer that he wanted to take part in the musical as well. Yang has not been assigned a role, either. A production team member said the female lead will probably be played by a musical actress or a singer.

T...| More

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[Interview] Han Ji-min, who finished filming "Yi San", interview "I wouldn't love a real king"

2008/06/12 | Source | Permalink |

MBC historical drama "Yi San", which has been a top drama for nine months, has two episodes left from its total 77 episodes. Han Ji-min, who played Seong Song-yeon, the woman that the king loved, matured as an actress through this drama.

Song-yeon, who became a royal concubine, left the world on the 2nd by a disease, and made Yi San and all the viewers sad. The viewers' board overflowed with messages like "Please revive Song-yeon" and "If Song-yeon dies, what pleasure is there in watching?" It's because they were empathizing with the character of Song-yeon.

During the press conference, Director Lee Byeong-hoon said that Han Ji-min was "a bright actress with a clean appearance". Her small body frame incites men to protect her, her soft and pretty face, and the tears that flow from her sad eyes are still in viewers' memories. We had a phone interview with Han Ji-min as she was moving to her last filming on the 7th.

-You're filming even though Song-yeon is dead?
-Although she is...| More

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"East of Eden", Song Seung-heon, Lee Da-hae, and Yeon Jeong-hoon confirmed cast

2008/06/12 | Source | Permalink |

Actor Yeon Jeong-hoon has decided on MBC drama "East of Eden" as his comeback work after being released from the army. His management company officially announced his participation in "East of Eden" following Song Seung-heon and Lee Da-hae.

His management company, J-Tune, revealed on the 4th that Yeon Jeong-hoon signed the contract and will start filming. There was as much interest for the cast as for the blockbuster that drew 25 billion won in investment.

When Yeon Jeong-hoon, who had been going back and forth about his participation, decided to sign, the filming officially began. Until now, they have been filming the younger actors for "East of Eden".

"East of Eden" is a story about the twisted fate and revenge of two men who were born in the same hospital. Yeon Jeong-hoon plays Dong-hoon, an attorney who must live his life with a backward fate. The main character, Dong-chul, is played by top star Song Seung-heon. Lee Da-hae plays the female lead, who shakes the relationshi...| More

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'New husband' Jang Hyeok, Crazy about pictures after getting role of photographer

2008/06/12 | Source | Permalink |

'New husband' Jang Hyeok is coming back to the screen after four years and is crazy about pictures.

Jang Hyeok is studying photography, for he will play a photographer in the movie "Penthouse Elephant", which starts filming in June.

In order to fully get into the role, he has been receiving private tutoring in photography.

He is showing his passion for photography, for the pictures he took himself will appear in the movie.

The movie "Penthouse Elephant" is about the friendship and the love of three men, and will reveal it in a fantastical and sensational sense. Lee Sang-woo and Jo Dong-hyeok were also cast.

Jang Hyeok had a private wedding with ballerina Kim Yeo-jin, two years his senior, on June 2, at Imperial Palace Hotel in Seoul....| More

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'Kang Cheol-jung' Seol Kyeong-gu, next work is 10 billion won project "Haeundae"

2008/06/12 | Source | Permalink |

Seol Kyeong-gu has returned in seven years as detective Kang Chul-joong in "Public Enemy Returns" which premieres on the 19th. His next work will be the blockbuster "Haeundae".

The movie "Haeundae" will start test filming in August.

A representative of "Haeundae" said, "Seol Kyeong-gu's role has been confirmed. We will start filming in Haeundae in August, when people start gathering there".

"Haeundae" is a blockbuster prepared by Director Yoon Je-kyoon, who directed "Sex Is Zero" and "Miracle on 1st Street". It is about a tsunami that covers Pusan Haeundae. Ten billion won has been invested, and Ha Ji-won will be in it.

Seol Kyeong-gu plays a father with two children, and will act as a father once again following "Voice of Murderer" and "Public Enemy Returns".

Hans Uhlig, the computer graphic supervisor for "The Perfect Storm" and "The Day After Tomorrow", will help in "Haeundae". There is anticipation for a realistic portrayal....| More

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Kim Jeong-hwa "Made my decision based on loyalty to Kim Seon-ah"

2008/06/12 | Source | Permalink |

Kim Jeong-hwa, who was the last to join the cast of MBC "When It's At Night", revealed that she decided to join because of her loyalty to Kim Seon-ah and Director Son Hyeong-seok.

She joined filming late last month. She said, "It was very last-minute, but I took it positively, and looking over the synopsis, I realized the character was fun".

Kim Jeong-hwa has always showed her close relationship with Kim Seon-ah, and she has worked with Director Son on the cable drama "The Devil that Drinks Wine".

Kim Jeong-hwa plays sly Wang Joo-hyeon, who enters the cultural bureau with the thought of finding a potential husband who will succeed as a high government official. She and Kim Seon-ah compete for Lee Dong-geon. Lee Soo-kyeong and Park Ji-yoon were cast in this role but did not go through with it.

Kim Jeong-hwa explained, "Wang Joo-hyeon is an innocent character. She is completely different from me but we have something in common. We say anything without thinking but that becom...| More

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Jeong Joon-ho, Postpones his wedding a month before "Early next year"

2008/06/12 | Source | Permalink |

Jeong Joon-ho was planning to get married on July 2 with 'P', seven years his junior. But he revealed, "I have postponed my wedding plans".

Representatives said, "After the end of his drama "Last Scandal", there are many things to take care of. Due to the filming of "YuGamDo", Hawaii hotel business, commercials, and other business, there was no choice but to postpone the wedding".

Both families have agreed to set a date early next year for their wedding.

About the rumors that they are on bad terms, he said, "It's not true at all. There is nothing wrong with their relationship".

...| More

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