Get Ready for 'Revenge Week' on MKC!

UPDATE: Some unexpected plans have forced me to move REVENGE WEEK on MKC back two weeks. It will now take place July 8-14. Sorry for the delay but this does give everyone more time to contribute! We have already received some great stuff and plenty more is on the way. Please don't be shy and contact us if you would like to take part!

A while back we held a 'Jopok Week' on MKC, focusing on Korea's colorful output of gangster cinema. With reviews, features and guests galore, it was the most fun and engaging week we ever had. It's high time we put on a new event so I'm thrilled to announce that at the end of this month (June 24-30) it'll be 'Revenge Week' here on MKC.

Perhaps more than any other genre, the revenge thriller or drama is ubiquitous with Korean cinema, particularly in the eyes of foreign viewers, many of whom were introduced to the nation's output through classic vengeful fare such Oldboy (2003) and A Bittersweet Life (2005). From Park Chan-wook's highly stylized Vengeance Trilogy and commercial films such as The Man From Nowhere (2010) to independent films such as the austere Bedevilled (2010), there's never been a shortage of revenge-themed films in South Korean cinema.

So why does Korea produce so many revenge narratives? Many theories exist and we hope to explore these during 'Revenge Week' and maybe even throw in a few of our own.

Just like 'Jopok Week' I would like extend an invitation to anyone who would like to contribute a piece on Korean revenge films. Feel free to drop me a line at pierceconran [at] gmail [dot] com.

Reviews and features on Korean film appear regularly on Modern Korean Cinema.  For film news, external reviews, and box office analysis, take a look at the Korean Box Office Update, Korean Cinema News and the Weekly Korean Reviews, which appear weekly on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday mornings (Korean Standard Time).

To keep up with the best in Korean film you can sign up to our RSS Feed, like us on Facebook, or follow us on Twitter.

Korean Cinema News (06/21-06/27, 2012)

Lots of great news pieces this week, chief among them the fantastic lineup for next month's PiFan!

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT

PiFan Unveils Lineup!

Far too much to go through here but upcoming Korean omnibus Horror Stories will be opening the proceedings and the week will close with Takashi Miike's latest, For Love's Sake. Lots of interesting films in competition and plenty of Korean films will be screened over the 11 days. James and Marsh and I will be breaking down the program over the coming days over at Twitch and we will both be onsite, providing the most comprehensive coverage you're likely to find! (Modern Korean Cinema, June 27, 2012)

16th PiFan - Full Schedule

Click to read more»

Korean Cinema News (05/17-05/23, 2012)

Some sales in Cannes this week but not too much else to report though there are some great interviews and a new trailer for incoming summer zombie feature Deranged.  Next week should yield some more Cannes news and hopefully a Korean film will pick up a prize though at this point I don't think they'll get anything in the main competition unless The Taste of Money suddenly received a better welcome than in Korea where it opened last week.

KOREAN CINEMA NEWS

Korean Movies Sell at Cannes
A number of high-profile pics have sold at Cannes, including the hotly anticipated The Thieves which was bought by firms in China, Hong Kong and Thailand.  The year's biggest local hit to date, Nameless Gangster, also secured distribution in some territories such as Japan, China and Hong Kong in Asia as well as Eastern Europe, Spain and the French-speaking portion of Europe.  So Ji-sub's hitman film A Company Man, which is scheduled to open next month, was sold to Japan, Indonesia, Thailand, and French and German-speaking Europe.  The Scent was also taken by a few Asian markets, including Thailand, Hong Kong and Singapore.  Lastly, Love On-Air, the first wide Korean release of 2012, was sold to Thailand.  (Modern Korean Cinema, May 23, 2012)

Click to read more»

Korean Cinema News (04/26-05/02, 2012)

I had a lot of news in my mailbox when I returned from Italy this week so there's plenty of big announcement in this Korean Cinema News update!  Also a huge amount of exciting trailers below, including As One, In Another Country, Taste of Money and The Thieves.  Remember if you have any news relating to Korean film feel free to email me and I'll be happy to include it in the nest update.

Enjoy!

KOREAN CINEMA NEWS

Ahn Sung-ki and Lee Byung-hun to Cast Handprints in Hollywood
The inaugural Look East: Korean Film Festival will be taking place this June, on the weekend of the 23-24, at the famed Grauman's Chinese film theatre in the heart of Hollywood.  Numerous Korean films, old and new, will be showcased but the focal point of the event will the casting of the hand and foot prints of two major Korean actors.  This marks the first time that any Asian performers have been honoured in such a fashion in Los Angeles.

Click to read more»

Korean Cinema News (04/12-04/18, 2012)

Some great trailers and a fantastic from Park Chan-wook on Stoker this week but much of the last seven days' Korean Cinema news revolves around the Kickstarter project behing Remember O Goddess, an upcoming Korean film that is looking for crowdsourced funding.  Lee Yoon-jung has been working hard to get the word out as she seeks to turn her excellent short film of the same title into a feature.  Last week there was a post promoting the project here on MKC:

Wanna Help Make a Korean Film? Here's Your Chance!
(Modern Korean Cinema, April 10, 2012)

She has also had a few interviews with some of MKC's favorite Korean cinema resources:

Hangul Celluloid (April 11, 2012)

Han Cinema (April 14, 2012)

You can watch Lee's fantastic short below:

KOREAN CINEMA NEWS

District 9 star Sharlto Copley offered bad guy role in Spike Lee’s Oldboy
Those of you who have seen District 9 can attest that Sharlto Copley should be in a lot more movies.  Now Variety reports that the actor has just been offered the villain role in Spike Lee’s American remake of Oldboy, a 2003 Korean thriller from director Chan-Wook Park that holds the distinction of being one of the most disturbing movies I’ve seen in a long time.  (Filmonic, April 12, 2012)

Korean Film Downunder 3: Longing for a Ko-production
The time has come for Australia to look to the powerhouse of the Asia Pacific region in regards to the entertainment industry.  No longer can our focus simply be locked on to the lustrous billions of potential opportunities that China seems to hold over us. The real leader in the region, the real leader in the industry, is South Korea.  (Tully's Recall, April 16, 2012)

Preview: 14th Udine Far East Film Festival

This Friday, the 14th Udine Far East Film Festival gets underway presenting one of the best lineups of Asian cinema to be found outside of the continent. MKC will be onsite covering the event though since I only get there on Sunday night I will have missed the first few days, which sadly include some of the films I was most excited about. Long have I known about the FEFF and wanted to go so I'm thrilled to have the opportunity to attend this year and sample the many films on offer.  (Modern Korean Cinema, April 17, 2012)

Upcoming Berlin Begins Production

Ryoo Seung-wan's highly anticipated film Berlin, featuring a bevy of stars, began production on the 16th in Korea and will move to Europe next month for the majority of its shoot.  Berlin stars Ha Jeong-woo, Han Seok-kyu, Rioo Seung-beom and Jeon Ji-hyeon.  It a spy action drama about three men and a woman who chase after each other after getting involved in an unexpected plot based in Berlin.  (hancinema.net, April 17, 2012)

INTERVIEW

Park Chan-wook Stalks a Thriller With Stoker

Acclaimed director Park Chan-wook, who is renowned for daring films such as Oldboy (2003), Sympathy for Lady Vengeance (2005) and Thirst (2009) recently wrapped production on his English-language film debut, a thriller called Stoker.  The film, which stars Nicole Kidman, Mia Wasikowska and Matthew Goode, is slated for release later this year and there is already talk of a possible Cannes premiere.   (Joong Ang Daily, March 29, 2012)

TRAILERS

As One

Don't Click

Everything About My Wife

Red Maria

POSTERS

Don't Click

The Scent

The Taste of Money

BOX OFFICE

Battleship Sinks the Competition

(Modern Korean Cinema, April 15, 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. 

To keep up with the best in Korean film you can sign up to our RSS Feed, like us on Facebook, or follow us on Twitter.

Korean Cinema News (03/08-03/14, 2012)

Lots of interesting news this week, including reports of a Korean director being fired from a Chinese produciton, numerous great interviews, a new Lee Hae-jun (Castaway on the Moon) film, and the great fortunes of the Korean box office.  Loads more trailers, posters and other tidbits to boot.

But first, the final round-up of the Korean Cinema Blogathon which was an enormous success and accumulated almost 200 posts.  A treasure trove of Korean cinema content!

2012 KOREAN CINEMA BLOGATHON

KOREAN CINEMA NEWS

Mixed Reaction for Fox’s Foray Into Local Market
Following Fox International Productions’ announcement of its foray into the Korean film market as a distributor and investor last month, there are mixed reactions here to the possible changes to be brought to the scene.  An international production umbrella unit of America’s major film production house Fox Filmed Entertainment, FIP produces and distributes local language films around the globe.  (The Korea Herald, March 6, 2012)

Kanryu Currents in Japan, Past and Present
Tokyo-based journalist, translator and filmmaker Jason Gray examines the ebb and flow of the Korean Wave (Kanryu in Japanese) in Japan over the past ten years, pinpointing the highs and lows.  (Korean Cinema Today, March 6, 2012)

Why Can't Korean Films Ever Break Into the Academy Awards?
On February 27, The Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film went to an Iranian film, A Separation.  The Academy Awards started giving out Best Foreign Language Film awards in 1956.  South Korea has been submitting films for nomination every year since 1963.  Korea's first submission was Mother and the Houseguest by director Shin Sang Ok.  However, Korea has been unlucky all those years as no Korean films have ever been a final nominee for the Academy awards.  (soompi.com, March 7, 2012)

Cha Tae-hyeon Attempts at Historical Gone With the Wind
Cha Tae-hyeon has completed 5 months or so of making the movie The Grand Heist, the film will be released within the year.  The Grand Heist is the story of thieves who get together to plot and break into an ice storeroom in the Chosun times.  The cast of this movie includes: Cheon Bo-geun, Kim Hyang-ki, Min Hyo-rin, Lee Chae-yeong, Oh Ji-ho, Seong Dong-il, Ko Chang-seok and more.  (hancinema.com/daum.net, March 8, 2012)

New Lee Hae-jun, Jeon Soo-il and Kim Baek-jun projects get Financing in Hong Kong
Carrying on a tradition that includes directors such as Bong Joon-ho, Park Chan-wook and Im Sang-soo, this year three Korean projects will be participating in the 10th Hong Kong - Asia Film Financing Forum (HAF).  The three Korean projects - Jeon Soo-il’s Another Country, Kim Baek-jun’s Monsters and Lee Hae-jun’s My Dictator, will be at HAF looking for co-producers, financiers, sales agents and pre-sales.  (Korean Cinema Today, March 8, 2012)

Kwak Jae-yong Fired From Yang Gui Fei
The film production team of Yang Gui Fei has fired South Korean director Kwak Jae-yong (My Sassy Girl, 2001), confirming earlier media speculation about his departure during the filming of the historical drama, Sina Entertainment reports.  (china.org.cn, March 9, 2012)

Korean Film The Man From Nowhere To Get American Remake
Remaking foreign films for the American market is no new dance, and it continues with the announcement by Dimension Films that they will be remaking the South Korean hit The Man From Nowhere (2010).  The movie tells the story of a quiet, reclusive pawn shop owner with a dark, painful past.  (Geeks of Doom, March 10, 2012)

Korean Indie Films Beckon Fans
Local independent cinema has not seen many blockbuster hits like 2009’s Old Partner lately but smaller films have slowly yet surely been receiving wider exposure.  This month sees a particularly strong lineup of low-budget movies in theaters across the country, including international film fest-verified pictures.  Indie flick enthusiasts and moviegoers looking for alternatives to mainstream fare can appreciate this genre, not only in local arthouses, but also at larger venues.  (The Korea Times, March 12, 2012)

Out of Jail, Ex-Professor and His Crossbow Fight South Korea’s Judiciary
On Monday, Kim Myung-ho, holding his book, revisited the scene of the 2007 crossbow shooting that landed him in prison: the judge’s apartment building.  Judge Park Hong-woo emerged from the elevator, and the two shared eye contact for a second.  Mr. Kim’s outrage has resonated with South Koreans, with a movie about his dispute with the South Korean judicial system selling more than 3.5 million tickets since it was released in January.  (The New York Times, March 12, 2012)

Silent Film Narrator Returns to Modern Stage
What would it have been like to watch a silent film with live narration and music?  Today’s moviegoers were given an opportunity to watch Korea’s oldest surviving silent film, Crossroads of Youth, last week, accompanied by live music and narration – all in the 1930s style.  Just like the “silent era” in the 20s and 30s, they saw and heard a “byeonsa” – Korean term for silent-film narrator – “performing” each and every action of the histrionic piece first released in 1934.  (The Korea Herald, March 12, 2012)

Emma Watson Picks a Korean Film Among Her Favorites
Harry Potter actress Emma Watson recently named a 2008 Korean film as one of her favorite movies.  According to reports from local news agencies, the actress best known for playing Hermione Granger in the Harry Potter films picked Breathless as one of her favorites in an interview with Vogue Magazine.  (soompi.com, March 13, 2012)

Tribeca Film Festival Takes Planet of Snail
The 8th Tribeca Film Festival has announced its upcoming selection to include South Korean director Yi Seung-jun’s Planet of Snail, a documentary about a deaf and blind man, his wife with a spinal disability, and their unique story.  Planet of Snail has been selected to Tribeca’s World Documentary Feature Competition.  The film will be making its North American premiere there.  The festival will be held in New York City, April 18 – 29, 2012.  (KoBiZ, March 14, 2012)

Finecut Dials Up Love 911
Seoul-based sales company Finecut has announced it will be selling the upcoming film Love 911 starting at the Hong Kong Filmart next week.  Starring Ko Soo and Han Hyo-joo, the film is about an unlikely romance between a dedicated firefighter with a painful past and a cold-hearted emergency room (ER) doctor who is solely focused on her career.  (KoBiZ, March 14, 2012)

Kang Woo-suk Returns with Legend Punch
Director Kang Woo-suk is prepping a new film, his first since last year's GLove.   Legend Punch is based on a webcomic and follows a man who enters a reality fighting show. Him and other conttestants vie for the 20 million won prize.  Filming is scheduled to commence in July and this likely means that the next installment in the Public Enemy franchise will be delayed until 2014 unless Kang hands the reigns of the franchise to someone else.  In any case Sol Kyeong-gu is busy shooting Lee Myung-se's new film Mister K. (Asian Wiki, March 2012)

INTERVIEWS

Planet of Snail Director Yi Seung-jun
Top prize winner at the 24th International Documentary Festival Amsterdam (IDFA), director Yi Seung-jun’s Planet of Snail is a documentary about deaf and blind husband Cho Young-chan and his wife Kim Soon-ho, who has a spinal impediment.  The film will soon be screened at the Tribeca Film Festival and head of its March 22 release in Korea, Kim Seong-hoon met with Yi to talk about Planet of Snail for Korean Cinema Today (KCT).  (Korean Cinema Today, March 7, 2012)

HAF Feature Interview with Lee Hae-jun, My Dictator
Set to participate in the 10th Hong Kong – Asian Film Financing Forum (HAF), director Lee Hae-jun’s My Dictator is about three dictators.  One is Park Chung-hee in the South and the other is Kim Il-sung in the North – the two dictators who ruled the split Korean peninsula in the 1970s; the other dictator is a father and the main character of this film.  Lee's previous film was Castaway on the Moon (2009).  (Korean Cinema Today, March 8, 2012)

HAF Feature Interview with Jeon Soo-il, Another Country
Director Jeon Soo-il is due to participate in the upcoming Hong Kong – Asia Film Financing Forum (HAF) with the project Another Country.  At the time of writing, he was shooting his latest film El Condor Pasa in Busan and Peru.  Another Country will be his next film after El Condor Pasa.  Produced by Dongnyuk Film, Jeon’s Another Country has a budget of KW1 billion (US$889,000), with plans for half of that to come from Korea and half from a foreign partner.  (Korean Cinema Today, March 8, 2012)

HAF Feature Interview with Kim Baek-jun, Monsters
Director Kim Baek-jun (born in 1970) is preparing his third film Monsters with production company JK Film (Haeundae).  The project’s budget is set at about KW 800 million (US$711,000).  He made his directorial debut with My Dear Diary, which was invited to the Jeonju International Film Festival (JIFF) competition.  Monsters will be taking part in the 10th Hong Kong - Asia Film Financing Forum (HAF) this month.  (Korean Cinema Today, March 8, 2012)

TRAILERS

Home Sweet Home


My Way


The Scent

POSTERS

As One

Home Sweet Home

My Way

The Grand Heist

The Scent

BOX OFFICE

Helpless Continues Korean Hot Streak With First Place Finish

(Modern Korean Cinema, March 11, 2012)

Domestic Films Dominate Box Office in February

Domestic movies dominated the South Korean box office last month.  The Korean Film Council said domestically produced films captured a 75-point-nine percent market share in February, up 26-point-four percentage points from 49-point-five percent in January.  (KBS, March 7, 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. 

To keep up with the best in Korean film you can sign up to our RSS Feed, like us on Facebook, or follow us on Twitter.

2012 Korean Cinema Blogathon

Modern Korean Cinema is very proud to be involved with this year's Korean Cinema Blogathon.  All of the event's links will be mirrored here throughout the week.

This post will remained stickied to the top during the week and can also be found as a tab in the above menu.

Hope you all enjoy this great event and please submit your own content!

This year's Blogathon is run by Rufus over at cineAWESOME! and all of the event's links can also be found at at KOFFIA, VCinema, Hangul Celluloid, New Korean Cinema, HanCinema and Far East Films.

Link Submissions Rules (from host cineAWESOME!):
-Please submit links with the author of the article, the title/topic of the article and the link to that article.  If in another language please indicate that in the submission as well!
-Submit links to [email protected], or on our Facebook page.

March 5, 2012

Richard Gray writes “Korean First: Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance” over at KOFFIA!

Cho Seongyong reconsiders The Yellow Sea over at his blog!

Amy watches Spring Bears Love (with cineAWESOME! favorite Bae Doona) over at YAM Magazine.

Paul Bramhall writes about his first experiences with Korean cinema in the article Hammer & Tooth: My First Encounter with Korean Cinema over at KOFFIA.

Our very own Jeff Wildman takes on one of the strangest romantic comedies in years: I’m A Cyborg, But That’s Okay.

Sarah Ward writes about one of the best actors in the industry today with her article Song Kang-ho: An adaptable icon over at KOFFIA

Giacomo Lee reviews highschool indie drama Bleak Night and our first tumblr entry!

DBBorroughs watches the war film 71-Into the Fire over at Unseen Films.

Martin Cleary starts a great list with Film Recommendations – Fifteen Films of the New Korean Cinema (Part One) over at New Korean Cinema.

Pierce Conran gives us the skinny on Korean ticket sales with Korean Box Office Update (03/2-03/4, 2012) over at Modern Korean Cinema.

Wildgrounds takes us on a tour of Korea with South Korean Film Locations.

Milo writes Mighty South Korean Thrillers: The Yellow Sea and The Chaser over at Blog of the Northstar

Connor McMorran contributes three! Hong Sang-soo articles Woman is the Future of Man HaHaHa and The Day He Arrivesover at Rainy Day Movies.

Pierce Conran reviews Song Il-gon’s latest film Always over at Modern Korean Cinema.

Ghost writes KOREAN FILMS: WE AREN’T ALL ABOUT VENGEANCE over at Yam Magazine! (So true)

Orion looks at sci-fi omnibus film Doomsday Book in Doomsday Book-Where is your Sci-fi Korea? over at Orion’s Ramblings.

Alua writes Korean Cinema…Outside of London over on the blog Otherwhere.

Dini R. takes a look at Bleak Night over at We Eat Lemon.

James Schergen reviews Come Rain, Come Shine over at Flying Guillotine.

Ki Mun reviews Helpless over at Scene in Korea.

Kenneth Brorsson, Rufus de Rham, Paul Quinn begin What’s Korean Cinema Season 2 with Castaway on the Moon over at the Podcast on Fire network.

Kenneth Brorsson reviews Oasis at Podcast on Fire Network.

Adam D. looks at the classic North/South feud in the form of kaiju films YONGARY and PULGASARI over at VCinema Show.

Pierce Conran reviews Countdown for the fine folks at VCinema.

Christopher Wheeler takes a look at Xtreme Korea with The Man From Nowhere over at KOFFIA.

Colleen Wanglund looks back at A TALE OF TWO SISTERS over at VCinema.

James Brown looks at his own experience with Korean cinema with Audacious and Refreshing: Discovering Korean Cinemaover at KOFFIA.

Julyssa continues from last year with MY LOVE FOR KOREAN CINEMA PART. 2 – SUNNY SIDE UP over at Yam Magazine.

Jimi reviews Kim Ki-duk classic The Isle over at Oriental Film House

Anna reviews Drifting Away over at Korean Indie (one of my favorite Korean music blogs)

Jacob Feltner reviews Bleak Night in an episode of Podcast Without Honor and Humanity.

Brad Gullickson watches The Good, The Bad and The Weird right here on cineAWESOME!

Wasim Hossain writes four! reviews: I’m a Cyborg, But That’s Okay, Poetry, Feather, and A Dirty Carnival.

Rufus talks about how he got started in the Korean film scene with The Beginnings: or how a joke changed Rufus’ life right here on cineAWESOME!

"The Emergence and Growth of Sexual Content in Korean Cinema" essay/paper that formed the basis for Hangulcelluloid's talk at the 'East Winds' symposium (Coventry university) in March 2012.

"Love, Loss and Laughter" essay/paper that formed the basis of Hangul Celluloid's talk at the 'Asian Exposure' symposium at CUEAFS last year.

March 6, 2012

Lynn Shipp reviews Bichunmoo over at Wolves In Winter.

Mark talks about The Problem of Movie Soundtracks over at Korean Indie!

Sung Moon reviews Take Care of My Cat for Yam Magazine.

Julian Buckeridge takes a look at Director Ryoo Seung-wan’s career with More Than Just an Action Kid over at KOFFIA.

Hieu Chau finds Korean film in Cinema with a Vengeance at KOFFIA.

Paul Bramhall writes Going International: A Look at ‘Ninja Assassin’ & ‘The Warrior’s Way’ for KOFFIA.

Martin Cleary continues his Film Recommendations – Fifteen Films of the New Korean Cinema (Part Two) over at New Korean Cinema.

DB Borroughs reviews Showdown over at Unseen Films.

Pierce Conran gives us his Top 10 Korean Films of 2010 over at Modern Korean Cinema.

Andrew Saroch reviews War of The Arrows for Far East Films.

Phil Mills reviews Death Bell for Far East Films.

Andrew Skeates reviews The Front Line for Far East Films.

Dini R. reviews 2011′s smash hit Sunny over at We Eat Lemons.

Orion writes Hollywood Invasion: the End of Korean Cinema? over at Orion’s Ramblings.

Mr. C reviews Miss, Please Be Patient (1981) over at Planet Chocko.

Marc Raymond gives us a “A Hong Sang-soo Primer” over at Cinephile Foreigner in Korea.

Rebo Luistro reviews Hello Ghost over at Rebzombie Reviews.

Marc Saint-Cyr reviews Lee Chang-dong’s Green Fish at VCinema.

Kimchi Soul talks about DVD Bang Experience over at, well, her blog Kimchi Soul.

Connor McMorran graces us with three reviews of Ryu Seung-wan films: No Blood, No Tears, Crying Fist, and The City of Violence over at Rainy Day Movies.

Pierce Conran reviews Champ at VCinema.

Dr. Stan Glick highlights the Hong Sang-soo retrospective at MoMI, and points to older reviews of Secret Reunion, Aachi and Ssipak, Poetry, and Secret Sunshine. As well as linking to an interview with Lee Chang-dong, and highlighting a very special issue of Asian Cult Cinema.

Alua reviews Crossroads of Youth over at Otherwhere.

Colleen Wanglund reviews Phone for VCinema.

Samson Kwok writes A Special Film: Bong Joon-ho’s Mother for KOFFIA.

Richard Grey talks Violence Meets Violence: I Saw The Devil over at KOFFIA.

Raelene L. talks about Discovering Korean Cinema: Redefining Storytelling and Kim Ki-duk’s 3-Iron for KOFFIA.

Mini Mini Movie Review posts a piece on an E J-Yong interview.

March 7, 2012

Dini R. Starts the day with a review of indie coming of age story Eighteen on We Eat Lemons.

Matthew J. Constantine returns to review the Blade Runner rip-off Natural City right here on cineAWESOME!

DB Borroughs reviews Children at Unseen Films.

Pierce Conran gives us the Korean Cinema News from 3/1-3/7 over at Modern Korean Cinema.

Paul Quinn posts two of his essays on Korean film done for the East Winds Symposiums over at Hangul Celluloid.

Amy writes about her love for Bae Doona (we love her too) over at Yam Magazine.

Paul Bramhall writes Hollywood Bound: Korea’s Trio of Talent Head West for KOFFIA.

Orion reviews Jeon Woochi over at Orion’s Ramblings.

Kimchi Soul reviews Crossroads of Youth and Handphone over at Kimchi Soul.

Ki Mun gives an overview of Korean cinema for March 2012 over at Scene in Korea.

Mr. C. reviews Armless Swordsman over at Planet Chocko. (I keep wondering where he gets all these great classic films!)

FilmPuff reviews Haunted Village aka Arang over at Not A Film Critic (in Portuguese but you should all be using Google Chrome which will translate)

Christopher Bourne reviews Tale of Cinema (part of the Love Will Tear Us Apart series at Japan Society NYC) over at The Bourne Cinema Conspiracy.

Pierce Conran reviews one of my favorite films Chilsu and Mansu over at Modern Korean Cinema.

DB Borroughs reviews The Man Who Was Superman over at Unseen Films.

Our own Jeff Wildman reviews Oasis and The Chaser right here on cineAWESOME!

Alua reviews Treeless Mountain at Otherwhere.

John Berra covers Dream for VCinema.

Rebo Luistro reviews Black Dress over at Rebzombie Reviews.

VCinema drops Episode 40 covering Saving My Hubby over at VCinema.

James Brown takes a Time Out: An appreciative stroll through Promenade over at KOFFIA.

Tim Milfull talks about How Oldboy Changed the Way I view Asian Cinema for KOFFIA.

March 8, 2012

Pierce Conran comes back strong with a review of 2011′s Penny Pinchers over at Modern Korean Cinema.

Over at Unseen Films, DB Borroughs reviews the funny Hi Dharma 2.

Dini R. is back from We Eat Lemon, this time with a look at the ‘sugar, spice and everything nice’ Antique.

Richard Gray over at KOFFIA gives us a look at Lee Young-ae’s career.

Peter Nellhaus gives us a review of Blood Rain at Coffee Coffee and More Coffee.

At Laxante Cultural, Pedro Alfonso takes a look at Chan-wook Park’s controversial Thirst. (In Portuguese)

Over at Robot x Robot, Lynn Shipp compares the good, the bad and the ugly of Korean Comedies in My Sassy Girlfriend Vs. Crazy First Love.

The one and only Dr. Stan Glick writes about Tale of Cinema over at AsianCineFest.

Guest contributor Adam Hartzell writes about two of Martin Scorsese’s favorite films, Park Ki-young’s Camels and Park Chan-ok’s Jealousy Is My Middle Name over at VCinema.

Over at Genkina hito’s J-Film Review, Jason Maher takes a look at Kim Jee-woon’s directorial debut The Quiet Family.

Yogi reviews Joong-Hyun Kim’s Choked over at Yogi’s Movie Consumption Blog.

Pierce Conran reviews Jo Beom-goo’s Quick over at VCinema.

Orion gives us The Promotional Weaknesses of Korean Films (Abroad) over at Orion’s Ramblings.

DB Borroughs of Unseen Films has written a review for the film Cyrano Agency. (If you live in NYC, this coming Tuesday to see it for free)

Over at Life As Fiction, Rahat Ahmed reviews Lee Han’s Punch.

Kim Ki-duk’s 3-Iron is reviewed by L over at La Troisième Chambre. (In French, but you can translate it with Google Chrome)

Christopher Wheeler discusses Revenge: Korean Style over at KOFFIA.

Charles Heidel reviews Kim Jee-woon’s The Good, The Bad, The Weird over at Greetings From Movie City USA.

Jacob Feltner from the fantastic Podcast Without Honor and Humanity has recorded three more episodes, Oishii Man,Marathon and In Between Days.

Colleen Wanglund writes about Epitaph over at VCinema.

Over at our friends at KOFFIA, Sarah Ward is Delving Into the Darkness of Park Chan-wook.

March 9, 2012

Jaime Grijalba reviews I’m A Cyborg, But That’s Okay over at Exodus 8:2 in Spanish.

Paul Bramhall writes yet another great piece for KOFFIA, titled Hwang Jang-lee: King of the Leg Fighters, Hwang Jang-lee is generally awesome so you guys should really read this one.

Michel Boléchala reviews The Cat for our first French entry over at SHINE.

Samson Kwok talks about how he discovered Korean cinema in Original and Incredibly Fun: Discovering Korean Cinema over at KOFFIA.

Pierce Conran gives us the Weekly Review Roundup for 3/5-3/9 over at Modern Korean Cinema.

Ki Mun reviews Eighteen, Nineteen over at Scene in Korea.

DB Borroughs reviews Truck over at Unseen Films.

Antoniya Petkova reviews the DVD of Front Line at Cine Vue and Midnight FM and The Man from Nowhere over at iCov both from Coventry University East Asian Film Society.

Coventry University East Asian Film Society also gives us Spencer Murphy’s interview with Lee Jeong-beom, Sabina Pasaniuc’s review of Bedevilled, and Mihnea Gheorghita’s review of Yellow Sea all at Cine Vue.

Josh Samford reviews Yellow Sea over at Varied Celluloid.

Israel Serralvo writes about Il Asian Cinema Awards in Spanish over at Hola Corea.

Tom Kent-Williams over at VCinema writes about the Korean animation Sky Blue.

Pierce Conran, again from our friends at VCinema, gives us a ‘look’ at the Korean thriller Blind.

March 10, 2012

Jon Jung, head honcho of VCinema, reviews Metamorphosis.

Jimi reviews Power of Kangwon Province over at Oriental Film House.

Dini R. reviews both Christmas in August and Cyrano Agency over at We Eat Lemon.

DB Borroughs reviews Life is Cool and Little Pond over at Unseen Film.

Gail Kavanagh gives us 10 Reasons to Become A Korean Cinema Addict over at Asian Cinema Cafe.

Kimchi Soul reviews The Day He Arrives at Kimchi Soul.

Refresh Daemon reviews Marathon over at Init_Scenes.

James Schergen reviews Ad-Lib Night over at Flying Guillotine.

Mr. C reviews Tigresses over at Planet Chocko.

Paul Bramhall takes a walk In the Footsteps of the Stars: My Trip to the KOFIC Namyangju Studios over at KOFFIA.

Kieran Tully writes about Korean film down under: accessibility for Australian audiences over at KOFFIA

Joseph Sampson gives us 3 Korean Movies for all Seasons at KOFFIA.

Sarah Ward gives us Complex and Compelling: The Yellow Sea over at KOFFIA.

Orion gives us Promotional Weaknesses of Korean Movies (Domestic) over at Orion’s Ramblings.

Ki Mun reviews Stateless Things over at Scene in Korea.

March 11, 2012

Elwood Jones writes An Introduction To Korean Cinema over at From the Depths of DVD Hell.

Kimchi Soul gives us the Top 5 Korean Cinema Events in London over at Kimchi Soul.

Bruno Zunino reviews Il Mare over at Asiaphile (in French).

Marc Saint-Cyr reviews A Bittersweet Life for VCinema.

Refresh Deamon writes Commentary: My Korean Cinema Story about his own personal experience with Korean film over at Init_Scenes.

DB Borroughs reviews Quick and Oki’s Movie over at Unseen Films.

Paul Quinn reviews The Crucible (aka Silenced) over at Hangul Celluloid.

FilmPuff reviews Doll Master over at Not A Film Critic in Portuguese.

Pierce Conran reviews War of the Arrows over at Modern Korean Cinema.

Dini R. writes Impressionable and Recommendable Korean Movies over at We Eat Lemon.

Mondocurry reviews Quick at Unseen Films.

Andrew Saroch reviews Penny Pinchers and Blind over at Far East Films.

Orion reviews Hansel and Gretel over at Orion’s Ramblings.

James McCormick reviews Invasion of Alien Bikini right here on cineAWESOME!

Kieran Tully writes Busan Film Festival 2011: The Reviews over at Tully’s Recall. (can also be found on KOFFIA)

THE BIG KOFFIA CATCH UP UPDATE:

Paul Bramhall writes Kim Ji-woon: International or Korean?…Take Your Pick.

Raelene Loong writes Discovering Korean Cinema: J.S.A. Joint Security Area.

Hugo Ozman write about The Won and Only Won Bin.

Christopher Wheeler muses on Poetry: Discover how film can truly be a beautiful creature.

Paul Bramhall wrote Lights, Camera, ACTION! – My visit to the Seoul Action School (posted on the 8th and I missed it!)

Kieran Tully writes So you want to run a Korean Film Festival: The KOFFIA Story. (also posted on the 8th).

Pierce goes over the fortunes of Korean box office in this week's Korean Box Office Update at Modern Korean Cinema.

Brad takes Gullickson a look at The Warrior’s Way for cineAWESOME!.

Refresh Daemon reviews A Moment to Remember and gives us Commentary: Memorable Music Moments in Korean Film over at his blogs init_scenes and init_music.

mondocurry reviews My Dear Enemy for Unseen Films.

Pierce Conran looks at Upcoming Releases over at Modern Korean Cinema!

John Kreng reviews A Bittersweet Life for his self named blog!

Jenna reviews 200 Pound Beauty for Yam Magazine.

Amy and Julyssa LOVE Sunny over at Yam Magazine…seriously. They really love this film.

Colleen Wanglund gives us her 10 Favorite Korean Horror films over at VCinema.

Josh Samford grapples with the biopic RIKIDOZAN: A HERO EXTRAORDINAIRE at VCinema.

Reviews and features on Korean film appear regularly on Modern Korean Cinema.  For film news, external reviews, and box office analysis, take a look at the Korean Box Office Update, Korean Cinema News and the Weekly Review Round-up, which appear weekly on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday mornings (GMT+1).

To keep up with the best in Korean film you can sign up to our RSS Feed, like us on Facebook, or follow us on Twitter.

Korean Cinema News (02/09-02/15, 2012)

Some good features this week and lots of news from the Berlin Film Festival as foreign rights to hot Korean films are getting snatched up.  Lots more news, trailers, interviews, and posters as well.

KOREAN CINEMA NEWS

Finecut Unveils Another Film by Hong
South Korean sales company Finecut Co Ltd has released the first images from In Another Country, the new Hong Sang-soo film that it is representing.  The film is the South Korean debut of leading French actress Isabelle Huppert.  She plays three characters each with the same name who each visit the same seaside town and meet the same local residents.  The rest of the cast, including Yu Jun-san, are South Korean, but much of the dialogue is in English.  (Film Business Asia, February 15, 2012)

Posters That Were Turned Down Because They Were Too Scary or Erotic

The Korea Media Rating Board (KMRB) denied the poster for the movie Gabi for the reason that Kim Min-hee's topless pose is too raunchy.  Therefore, this poster can't be used in theaters or promotional uses.  There have been other cases where posters like these have been denied.  One it has been refused, the production has to go through the process of editing the poster and getting it re-examined by the KMRB.  The posters are usually denied because they are too erotic. 2009 movie Thirst by Park Chan-wook was denied because it was too erotic and was only passed when the KMRB re-examined it after editing.  (hancinema.net, February 8, 2012)

Full Lineup for the 10th New York Korean Film Festival (NYKFF) @ BAM Rose Cinema
This year's New York Korean Film Festival will take place at BAM in Brooklyn and the whole lineup is now available, featuring great films released over the past year including The Servant and Sunny. (BAM, February 8, 2012)

Popular Korean Films Reflecting Social Issues
Korean movies that tackle social issues head on have recently become the center of attention in the country.  They not only portray reality, but also provoke discussions.  Arirang News correspondent Park Ji-won analyzes two films that are now screening here in Korea, which are now raising questions about Korea's political and legal conditions.  (arirang, February 8, 2012)

Korea’s Most Anticipated Films of 2012

With the start of the new year, the Korean film industry looks to its brightest prospects. Kang Byeong-jin of Korean Cinema Today profiles eight highly anticipated films of 2012, including Ghost Sweeper, The Thieves, Korea, Howling, The Tower, The Masquerade King, and Hoogoong: Jaewang-eui chub.  (Korean Cinema Today, February 7, 2012)

Sports in Korean Films

Tom Giammarco considers the history of sport in Korean film over on Seen in Jeonju.  (Seen in Jeonju, February 5, 2012)

From Korea With Love
Bangkok-based writer and critic Kong Rithdee looks at the influence of Korean moving images in Thailand and gauges the depth of the Korean Wave.  In late January, So Ji-sub and Han Hyo-ju walked down the red carpet at HuaHin International Film Festival, the inaugural edition of the cinefest held in Thailand’s popular resort town.  (Korean Cinema Today, February 6, 2012)

Finecut Launches Sales on Kim Ki-duk’s Pieta
Seoul-based sales agent Finecut has picked up international rights to Pieta, the latest film from prolific Korean auteur Kim Ki-duk.  Scheduled to start shooting this month, the film tells the story of a cruel loan shark, who believes he doesn’t have any family or loved ones, so has no need to fear when committing brutal acts.  But one day a mysterious woman appears in his life claiming to be his mother.  (Screen Daily, February 10, 2012)

Finecut Adds Grand Heist, Ghost Sweepers to Berlin Slate
Seoul-based sales company Finecut has picked up two new Korean genre films – $10m period action adventure The Grand Heist, and $5m comic action horror Ghost Sweepers.  (Screen Daily, February 9, 2012)

Berlin 2012: Universal Pictures International Inks Multi-Territory Pact for My Way
Universal Pictures International Entertainment has taken multiple territories for the Korean war epic My Way, which has its world premiere Friday night at the Berlin international film festival.  UPIE snagged rights in the U.K., Australia and New Zealand for the film, a World War II epic directed by Kang Je-Kyu and featuring Asian stars Odagiri Joe, Jang Dong-gun and Fan Bingbing.  (The Hollywood Reporter, February 10, 2012)

Korea’s M-Line Opens Doomsday Book
Korea’s M-Line Distribution is launching sales on the sci-fi drama Doomsday Book, co-directed by Kim Jee-woon and Yim Pil-sung, at the EFM.  The $5m film comprises three short stories – the first about a robot achieving enlightenment, the second about a zombie invasion and the third about a meteor wiping out mankind.  (Screen Daily, February 11, 2012)

Korean Movies Reflecting Social Issues Fly High at the Box Office
Dancing Queen, a comedy about a middle-aged married couple who each pursue their lost dreams, and Unbowed, a low-budget courtroom drama based on a true story, have both broken the 3-million mark of viewers in less than a month of their release.  According to data compiled by the Korean Film Council, Dancing Queen and Unbowed attracted 3.09 million and 3 million viewers, respectively, as of Saturday since their release on Jan. 18.  (The Korea Times, February 12, 2012)

Drama Producer Son Committed Suicide Jan. 21
Hit drama maker Son Moon-kwon committed suicide last month, a local daily recently reported.  Family members told the Sports Chosun that Son hung himself Jan. 21 from a staircase at his house in Ilsan, Gyeonggi Province.  He was 40 years old. Son was married to famed script writer Im Seong-han, 52.  (hancinema.net, February 13, 2012)

Shout! Factory Takes Korean Creature Feature Sector 7
Shout! Factory announced today a multi-year agreement with CJ E&M, the leading film distribution and production company in Korea, to be the exclusive North American home entertainment distributor for two widely popular Korean motion pictures, including the creature feature Sector 7.  (Shock Till You Drop, February 14, 2012)

INTERVIEWS

Director Kim Joong-hyeon
Ahead of its international premiere in the Berlinale Forum, director Kim Joong-hyeon talks about his debut feature film Choked with Kim Seong-hoon.  A low-budget film made at the Korean Academy of Film Arts (KAFA), Kim Joong-hyeon’s Choked deals with economic troubles and the dissolution of the family in contemporary Korean society.  The film made its world premiere in the Busan International Film Festival’s New Currents competition and is due for an international premiere in the Berlinale Forum section.  (Korean Cinema Today, February 3, 2012)

Lee Na-young Faces Tough Challenge on New Movie
Actress Lee Na-young's latest film Howling, which will be released next Thursday, sees her take on the role of a rookie cop investigating a series of murders by a mysterious wolf-like creature.  In this action-thriller, Lee flexes her muscles as a hard-nosed police detective and even rides a motorcycle.  "This film had so many enticing factors. First of all, I wanted to play a part with many action scenes.  Veteran actor Song Kang-ho was already cast, so I had an even stronger interest in it when I read the script," said Lee.  (The Chosun Ilbo, February 11, 2012)

TRAILERS

Eighteen, Nineteen


Introduction to Architecture


Russian Coffee

POSTERS

Planet of Snail

Russian Coffee

Stateless Things

BOX OFFICE

Nameless Gangster Takes Another Victory Lap

(Modern Korean Cinema, February 12, 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. 

To keep up with the best in Korean film you can sign up to our RSS Feed, like us on Facebook, or follow us on Twitter.