Korean Cinema News (05/24-05/30, 2012)

Aside from a new trailer, poster and the Box Office recap, all of this week's news in Cannes-related.  The big films were sold to the major markets but left high and dry at the awards ceremony, though a short did pick up a prize for Korea!

The big news with MKC this week is that the site and I are relocating to Seoul this Sunday, a very exciting devlopment!  Below is yesterday's post about the move:

MKC to Touch Down in Seoul in 5 Days


KOREAN CINEMA NEWS

IFC Midnight to Give US Viewers a Taste of Money With Im Sang-soo's Latest
Im Sang-soo's new film The Taste of Money, which competed in Cannes last week, has been picked up by IFC Midnight for US distribution.  Im's previous film The Housemaid (2010), which also vied in competition at Cannes, was also distributed in North America by IFC Midnight and benefited from a decent amount of exposure.  I recall being surprised when I noticed its availability on Time Warner's On Demand service when I lived in LA.  I'm not sure if a theatrical release will follow and it must be said that it has not received glowing reviews from the Mediterranean fest but this is not always a good indicator for the greater public.

The Taste of Money, which stars Kim Kang-woo (A Better Tomorrow, 2009), Yoon Yuh-jung (Actresses, 2009), Baek Yoon-shik (Save the Green Planet, 2003) and Kim Hyo-jin (Woochi, 2009), brings us inside the lives of one of the richest families in Korea and their tale of greed, lust and violence.  (Modern Korean Cinema, May 30, 2012/Twitch, May 29, 2012)

In Another Country to Visit the US Courtesy of Kino Lorber

Hong Sang-soo's 13th film In Another Country which stars French thesp Isabelle Huppert and is currently competing in the main section of the Cannes film festival where it hopes to nab some accolades this Sunday, has been acquired by Kino Lorber for distribution in the United States.  While Hong has long been a reputable name on the festival circuit his films have not had much theatrical exposure with the exception of France.  However, over the last six months things have started to heat up a little with the DVD release of 2008 feature Night and Day, which was previously unavailable and the theatrical releases of both Oki's Movie (2010) and The Day He Arrives (2011) earlier this year courtesy of Cinema Guild.

With In Another Country Huppert takes on three different roles in a trio of similar stories each time as a different women named Anne who is visiting Korea under different circumstances.  Given her presence and Hong's ever-increasing profile, this film may could easily expose him to a relatively larger audience. While there are been a few negative reviews, word on the pic is mostly good.  (Modern Korean Cinema, May 30, 2012/Twitch, May 26, 2012)

Passerby #3 Director Takes Home Korea's Only 2012 Cannes Prize

Shin Su-won's short film Circle Line was awarded the Canal+ Prize for Best Short Film on Sunday at this year's Cannes Film Festival.  The story, vaguely reminiscent of Tokyo Sonata (2008), is about a man idling time on the subway as he cannot reveal to his family that he has lost his job.  Shin, whose previous effort Passerby #3 (2010) was a success on the festival circuit, is due to begin production soon on a new project called Pluto.  (Modern Korean Cinema, May 30, 2012)

INTERVIEW

Cannes Film Festival: A Return Visit for a Director Fond of Repetition

Another Cannes, another Hong Sang-soo film.  By now a new work by Mr. Hong, the prolific South Korean director, is as much a Cannes ritual as standing in line or drinking a midday glass of rosé. Eight of his 13 features have shown at the festival here, three of them — including In Another Country this year — in the main competition, and he won the top prize in the Un Certain Regard section in 2010 for Ha Ha Ha.  (The New York Times, May 23, 2012)

TRAILER

Dangerous Liaisons

POSTERS

5-Million Dollar Man

The Emperor's Concubine (International 1)

The Emperor's Concubine (International 2)

BOX OFFICE

The Men in Black Score Big After Long Absence

(Modern Korean Cinema, May 28, 2012)

Korean Cinema News is a weekly feature which provides wide-ranging news coverage on Korean cinema, including but not limited to: features; festival news; interviews; industry news; trailers; posters; and box office. It appears every Wednesday morning (GMT+1) on Modern Korean Cinema. For other weekly features, take a look at the Korean Box Office Update and the Weekly Review Round-up. Reviews and features on Korean film also appear regularly on the site. 

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