Art and Culture

It's Monday and to start the new week with our regular arts and culture segment, we have Michelle Kim here with us now. Today I hear she has a few movie previews for us and a sneak peek at a new magic show.

Hello Michelle

[Reporter : ] Hello Han-ul

So, tell us about the movie previews you have for us today.

[Reporter : ] Well, Korean theaters are flooded with films based on true stories. These films show the sad past and harsh reality of Korean society in order to raise questions about the era we live in now.

Democracy activist Kim Geun-tae is the subject of the new film "National Security", which is based on the memoir he wrote before his death in 2011.
Kim was kidnapped and then tortured for 22 days in 1985 during the Chun Doo-hwan regime.
The majority of the film takes place in a single room in a secret government institution in Namyeong-dong, where many people were tortured during the authoritarian era.
Director Chung Ji-young has said he made the film to raise awareness about this painful part of Korea's past and show how torture affects both the tortured and the torturer.
The film "Don't Cry Mommy" tells a story of rape to right a wrong in society.
The film follows the story of a mother who takes revenge against the group of boys who raped her only daughter.
Filmmaker Kim Yong-han has said that he made the film to raise awareness about the Korean law on sex crimes, which has no clear regulations for underage perpetrators who commit rape.
The film "Juvenile Offender" tackles another social issue: teen pregnancy.
It tells the story of a young teen named Jang Ji-gu, who runs with a rough crowd of boys and is caught stealing one day.
As the child of an absent mother who lives with his sick grandfather, he doesn't have anyone to advocate for him.
So while his friends get lighter sentences, he is thrown into juvenile detention.
The film takes aim at Korea's social structure, which often casts the underprivileged as bad people, not because they did something wrong, but because there's no one to help them out.

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It's amazing to think that these films are all based on true stories I can't imagine what it must have been like for the victims in all three movies.

[Reporter : ] I think that's why it's so important to understand the truth behind each of these stories and why these films are so important. These are issues that aren't really discussed in Korean society, but people need to be aware that these things have happened or are still happening so that we can change things instead of ignoring them.

I agree. I hope people will see these films not just as entertainment, but will think about the issues they present and the consequences of ignoring them. And now moving on, what else do you have for us[Reporter : ] Well, Han-ul, what comes to mind when you hear the word "m agic" Hmm, I don't know I guess famous magicians like David Copperfield.

[Reporter : ] Me, too, but after watching this video clip, I hope you'll add another name to your list of magicians: Korean magician Lee Eun-gyeol. His new show is a spectacular combination of musical and magic show that will capture your imagination. Take a look.

A fiery sword penetrates a box with a beautiful woman inside as the crowd gasps in shock.
Moments later, the woman comes out of a different box, unhurt, as if what the audience saw never happened.
This is a scene from Korean magician Lee Eun-gyeol's "The Illusion", which is running now through December 2nd at the Blue Square Samsung Card Hall in central Seoul.
The show is filled with electrifying illusions and awe-inspiring tricks.
Its second act combines magic with music to tell the story of Lee's life as a magician.
Lee claims that magic isn't about creating a fantasy by fooling the audience with telekinesis or supernatural powers; it's about using the audience's imagination to recreate illusions.
Lee invites the audience to think outside the box, pulling them into a world where only magic can satisfy the imagination.
"Lee Eun-gyeol: The Illusion" will be showing at the Blue Square Samsung Card Hall until December 2nd.

It seems like this show is different from other magic shows, especially with all of those showy sets.

[Reporter : ] Well, the show was produced by the man who produced the Korean version of "Notre Dame de Paris", Kim Dong-hyun, who brought in the designers to create the elaborate sets.
Illustrator Kim Min created the drawings, photographer Lee Dong-wook helped with the graphics and project mapping, and the artists' group Luit created some of the eye-catching visuals that accentuate Lee's magic tricks.

Well, it definitely sounds like a show I'd like to see. Thank you so much for today Michelle, and we'll see you back here again tomorrow.

[Reporter : ] You're welcome. See you tomorrow.

NOV 26, 2012

Reporter : dainee@arirang.co.kr