Weekly Review Round-up (07/28-08/03, 2012)

It's been a few weeks since the Weekly Review Roundups have been up but I've gone back and added them all now. Lots of PiFan reviews of course and plenty more!

I also wanted to take a moment to say that I will be a little more selective about what appears on WRR from now on. Up until now I've been happy to feature anything on Korean film as long as it was legible but over time I've come across some major outlets that don't always present honest opinions. I'm not here to name and shame but I have removed a few sources from my list that I believe do not respect their audience by giving false opinions for ulterior purposes. Anyway, shouldn't change much going forward!

Thanks for reading and WRR should be back to its weekly status for the foreseeable future.

CURRENT FILMS

Deranged

(allkpop, July 31, 2012)

(The Los Angeles Times, August 3, 2012)

The Thieves

(Seongyong's Private Place, July 28, 2012)

Click to read more»

Weekly Review Round-up (07/21-07/27, 2012)

Lots of PiFan reviews this week!

FUTURE FILMS

90 Minutes

(Modern Korean Cinema, July 23, 2012)

(Twitch, July 23, 2012)

Click to read more»

Weekly Review Round-up (06/09-06/15, 2012)

Lots of reviews for new releases this week, including As One and Arirang which are currently screening in various English-language territories.  Sector 7 was also just released in the US on Blu-ray.

CURRENT FILMS

All About My Wife

(Between Wor(L)ds, June 10, 2012)

(The Korea Times, June 6, 2012)

As One

(allkpop, June 9, 2012)

(Film Smash, June 14, 2012)

(k-pop girl, June 9, 2012)

(The Los Angeles Times, June 8, 2012)

Talking Architect

(The Korea Blog, June 8, 2012)

The Emperor's Concubine

(Seongyong's Private Place, June 14, 2012)

The Taste of Money

(Reuters, June 13, 2012)

Click to read more»

Weekly Review Round-up (05/19-05/25, 2012)

A bevvy of reviews this week for Hong Sang-soo's latest as it vies for the Palme d'Or at this year's Cannes Film Festival.  Also a lot of great pieces on current Korean films and for Helpless which recently opened on limited in the US.

FUTURE FILMS

In Another Country - Out 03/31

(Cine Vue, May 24, 2012) 

(gulfnews.com, May 22, 2012)

(Indiewire, May 21, 2012)

(Plume Noir, May 24, 2012)

(Screen Daily, May 21, 2012)

(The Guardian, May 21, 2012)

(The Hollywood Reporter, May 21, 2012)

(The Huffington Post, May 22, 2012)

(The Telegraph, May 22, 2012)

(Variety, May 21, 2012)

(Village Voice, May 21, 2012)

The Emperor's Concubine - Out 06/06

(The Korea Times, May 22, 2012)

Click to read more»

Weekly Review Round-up (05/12-05/18, 2012)

A lot of reviews this week and many of them for a trio of action/war film which are currently making the rounds in North America, either in theatres or on the home video market.  I'm thrilled to see such interest in these titles but the fact that they all stem from the same genre doesn't really give me high hopes for expanding English-language consumers interest in the broader Korean film industry.  THese titles just confirm that Korean cinema, at present, is still viewed as a niche genre industry abroad, which couldn't be further from the truth.  Sigh...

Also from now on you may notice a few more Twitch reviews as I have been taken on as their Korean correspondent.

Enjoy!

FUTURE FILMS

Dangerously Excited

(Twitch, May 12, 2012)

Click to read more»

Weekly Review Round-up (04/28 - 05/04, 2012)

More review this week for My Way, various films screened at the Udine Far East Film Festival and Song Il-gon features from the KCCUK's retrospective.

FUTURE RELEASES

Dangerously Excited

(koreanfilm.org, May 2012)

(Modern Korean Cinema, April 29, 2012)

(Wildgrounds, May 1, 2012)

Click to read more»

Weekly Review Round-up (04/21-04/27, 2012)

A number reviews for My Way as it plays in limited release across the US and some reviews from the recent Terracotta Far East Film Festival and the current Udine Far East Film Festival.

RECENT RELEASES

Always

(A Girl's Journey to the East, April 27, 2012)

Arirang

(Cine Vue, April 22, 2012)

Chilling Romance

(Hangul Celluloid, April 24, 2012)

Couples

(London Korean Links, April 22, 2012)

Dancing Cat

(Seen in Jeonju, April 22, 2012)

Dancing Queen

(Counting Pulses, April 21, 2012)

(London Korean Links, April 23, 2012)

Moby Dick

(CUEAFS, April 22, 2012)

My Way

(artsandcultruentx.com, April 25, 2012)

(Cinema Eye, April 26, 2012)

(Colourless Opinions, April 26, 2012)

(Init_Scenes, April 26, 2012)

(movietimes.com, APril 22, 2012)

(New York Post, April 22, 2012)

Penny Pinchers

(The One One Four, April 22, 2012)

Perfect Partner

(Modern Korean Cinema, April 26, 2012)

Planet of Snail

(Twitch, April 25, 2012)

Punch

(Modern Korean Cinema, April 25, 2012)

Silenced

(Modern Korean Cinema, April 27, 2012)

(The Bangkok Post, April 27, 2012)

Sunny

(CUEAFS, April 25, 2012)

The Client

(Drama Beans, April 22, 2012)

The Day He Arrives

(Salon, April 21, 2012)

The Front Line

(Rockets & Robots Are Go, April 21, 2012)

The Yellow Sea

(Columbia Daily Tribune, April 26, 2012)

War of the Arrows

(myreviewer.com, April 27, 2012)

PAST FILMS

Castaway on the Moon, 2009

(Japan Cinema, April 27, 2012)

Feathers in the Wind, 2005

(Otherwhere, April 23, 2012)

Flower Island, 2001

(Init_Scenes, April 24, 2012)

Iodo, 1977

(Modern Korean Cinema, April 24, 2012)

Mr. Wacky, 2006

(VCinema Show, April 24, 2012)

Night Journey, 1977

(Modern Korean Cinema, April 25, 2012)

Pollen, 1972

(Modern Korean Cinema, April 24, 2012)

Rainy Days, 1979

(Modern Korean Cinema, April 25, 2012)

Shadowless Sword, 2005

(mihansa.net, April 19, 2012)

The Old Garden, 2006

(Korean Grindhouse, April 21, 2012)

Treeless Mountain, 2009

(Aidy Revies, April 26, 2012)

Wang Sib Ri, My Hometown, 1976

(Modern Korean Cinema, April 27, 2012)

Yeongja's Heyday, 1975

(Modern Korean Cinema, April 27, 2012)

The Weekly Review Round-up is a weekly feature which brings together all available reviews of Korean films in the English language (and sometimes French) that have recently appeared on the internet. It is by no means a comprehensive feature and additions are welcome (email pierceconran [at] gmail [dot] com). It appears every Friday morning (GMT+1) on Modern Korean Cinema. For other weekly features, take a look at Korean Cinema News, and the Korean Box Office Update. 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.

Weekly Review Round-up (04/14-04/20, 2012)

An enormous amount of reviews marking the stateside releases of a few Korean films, particularly WWII blockbuster My Way and Hong Sang-soo's brilliant The Day He Arrives.  No less than three NY Times writeups this week, I particulary like Manohla Dargis' take on the latest Hong.

Enjoy!

CURRENT KOREAN RELEASES

Over My Dead Body

(hancinema.net, April 14, 2012)

Russian Coffee

(The Korea Times, April 15, 2012)

The Scent

(The Korea Times, April 12, 2012)

RECENT RELEASES

71: Into the Fire

(Init_Scenes, April 15, 2012)

Arirang

(Beyond Hollywood, April 18, 2012)

(Corea Korea!, April 16, 2012 - Spanish)

(London Korean Links, April 15, 2012)

I Saw the Devil

(Obsolete, April 11, 2012)

Jesus Hospital

(Seongyong's Private Place, April 19, 2012)

My Way

(Cine Vue, April 16, 2012)

(Dork Shelf, April 19, 2012)

(examiner.com, April 19, 2012)

(Film Journal, April 18, 2012)

(London Korean Links, April 14, 2012)

(New York Post, April 20, 2012)

(San Francisco Chronicle, April 20, 2012)

(Sound on Sight, April 16, 2012)

(The Epoch Times, April 20, 2012)

(The New York Times, April 19, 2012)

(Time Out Chicago, April 19, 2012)

(Trust Movies, April 17, 2012)

(Twitch, April 17, 2012)

Nameless Gangster

(Variety, April 18, 2012)

Oki's Movie

(Film Journal, April 16, 2012)

(Green Cine Daily, April 17, 2012)

(indieWIRE, April 18, 2012)

(The New York Times, April 16, 2012)

Poetry

(Patricia's Wisdom, April 16, 2012)

Punch

(I Heart Korea, April 17, 2012)

Remember O Goddess

(Hangul Celluloid, April 15, 2012)

Spellbound

(Toronto to Tokyo, April 15, 2012)

The Day He Arrives

(AsianCineFest, April 18, 2012)

(Film Journal, April 18, 2012)

(From the Front Row, April 18, 2012)

(Green Cine Daily, April 17, 2012)

(indieWIRE, April 16, 2012)

(OC Weekly, April 19, 2012)

(The A.V. Club, April 19, 2012)

(The Epoch Times, April 20, 2012)

(The New York Times, April 19, 2012)

(Time Out New York, April 17, 2012)

(Variety, April 17, 2012)

(Village Voice, April 18, 2012)

The Front Line

(All About War Movies, April 18, 2012)

The Journals of Musan

(Beyond Hollywood, April 15, 2012)

(Geek Mecca, April 15, 2012)

The Last Godfather

(Grady Hendrix, April 13, 2012)

The Yellow Sea

(KOFFIA Blog, April 16, 2012)

PAST FILMS

Christmas in August, 1998

(First Order Historians, April 18, 2012)

Feathers in the Wind, 2004

(London Korean Links, April 18, 2012)

Seducing Mr. Perfect, 2006

(Korean Grindhouse, April 14, 2012)

The Divine Weapon, 2008

(Rainy Day Movies, April 16, 2012)

Thirst, 2009

(Cinema Sentries, April 18, 2012)

The Weekly Review Round-up is a weekly feature which brings together all available reviews of Korean films in the English language (and sometimes French) that have recently appeared on the internet. It is by no means a comprehensive feature and additions are welcome (email pierceconran [at] gmail [dot] com). It appears every Friday morning (GMT+1) on Modern Korean Cinema. For other weekly features, take a look at Korean Cinema News, and the Korean Box Office Update. 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 (04/05-04/11, 2012)

A fair amount of news this week and a handful of major announcements.  A short while ago, Darcy Paquet mentioned on his twitter that Jeon Do-yeon may be starring in Lee Chang-dong's next picture.  This would reunite them for the first time since Secret Sunshine (2007) which won Jeon a best actress prize at Cannes.  Darcy also revealed that Jeon may be collaborating with Lee Yoon-ki (This Charming Girl, 2004; My Dear Enemy, 2008; Come Rain, Come Shine, 2011) following that.  If these materialize they will projects to be very excited about!

Another major announcement is the unveiling of the 14th Udine Far East Film Festival (20-28 April, 2012) lineup.  The press conference was streamed yesterday and MKC live-tweeted as much as it could understand (the broadcast was in Italian).  The program looks great and I'm really looking forward to the event which I will covering on site.  Particularly interesting is the European premiere of Dangerously Excited and of course Darcy Paquet's 1970s cinema retrospective.  Lineup is available below:

14th Udine Far East Film Festival Lineup

The other big news this week is the upcoming Terracotta Far East Film Festival in London which will open with a presentation of Kang Je-gyu's My Way.  Below are some great previews of the event, wish I could be there!

London Korean Links

New Korean Cinema

KOREAN CINEMA NEWS

Third Time With Director Lee Myeong-se
Ahn Seong-ki will make an appearance as the senior of Cheol-soo (Seol Kyeong-gu), a National Intelligence agent, in the new Lee Myeong-se film.  He won't appear much but it's a key role that will add weight to the overall film.  It seems that Ahn Seong-ki decided to star in this movie for his friendship with the director.  The two met on the 1999 movie Nowhere To Hide and also in the 2005 movie Duelist.  (hancinema.net, April 4, 2012)

Lectures on Local Films for Foreigners
The Korea Foundation will hold a series of six lectures on Korean films this month. "Open Lectures on Korean Culture for Foreigners: Treasures of Korean Cinema".  The Foundation was established in 1991 by the Korean National Assembly with the aim of enhancing the image of Korea to people around the world who have Internet Explorer and Adobe Flash Player version 10.1.0 or greater installed on their computers.  (The Dokdo Times, April 4, 2012)

Actress Im’s Upcoming Film Revealed to Be Argentinean Remake
Upcoming romantic comedy Everything about My Wife, starring stars Im Soo-jung and Lee Sun-kyun, was belatedly found to be a remake of an Argentinean movie released in 2008.  The production house has never mentioned the flick being an adaptation of Un novio para mi mujer (A Boyfriend for My Wife) by director Juan Taratuto. Some websites have even credited director Min Kyu-dong as the screenwriter.  Zip Cinema, the producer of the film, confirmed the fact Wednesday only when asked by The Korea Herald.  (The Korea Herald, April 5, 2012)

South Korean Company Wants You to Feel, Smell, and Taste Titanic as it Sinks. Have They Gone Overboard?

One South Korean company is taking movie-going…to the next level.  The company: CJ 4DPlex Co., which almost certainly boasts an all-robot staff.  The movie: Titanic, of course.  As millions of Americans drink in the sights and sounds of James Cameron’s masterpiece in just three lousy Ds, their thrill-seeking brethren in South Korea, Mexico, China, and Thailand will be enjoying Titanic in 4DX.  (Entertainment Weekly, April 5, 2012)

Emirates Korean Film Fest Begins
The second Emirates Korean Film Festival got underway in Abu Dhabi under the patronage of Shaikh Sultan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President’s Representative and Chairman of the Sultan bin Zayed Centre for Culture and Information.  The festival, which will run until Sunday at the Abu Dhabi Theatre, features a remarkably rich lineup of recent Korean films.  Seven feature films are being shown, providing an opportunity for the UAE’s film audience to experience some of South Korea’s dynamic film culture.  (Khaleej Times, April 7, 2012)

Sports Flick As One Targets Patriots
It was the beginning of 1991, when the South and North Korean governments made an unprecedented attempt to warm relations by fusing their national sports teams together.  After a couple of months, the unified Korean table tennis team broke the Chinese stranglehold on the highest podium of the world championships.  Coming to theaters in May is a film that tries to recreate the gold-medal-winning chemistry, titled As One.  (The Korea Times, April 10, 2012)

ESSAY

Vengeance Violence and the Sentimental in Korean Film - Part I
A man holding a hatchet chases a car full of gangsters down an empty, wide boulevard. He looks down and sees blood pouring from a bullet wound in his abdomen. He approaches the first car he sees. A man on a phone screams and flees. He continues to chase the car of gangsters. But he is bleeding heavily. He must find something to stem the tide of blood before he passes out. He needs to find the girl. But first he needs to get the bullet out. Darkness is closing in. Fade out.  (Heso Magazine, April 9, 2012)

TRAILERS

Dangerously Excited

Don't Click

POSTERS

All About My Wife

A Muse

Dangerously Excited

Forest of Time

Red Maria

Taste of Money

BOX OFFICE

Hunger Games Loses Out to Architecture 101 Threepeat

(Modern Korean Cinema, April 8, 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.

Weekly Review Round-up (03/31-04/06, 2012)

Great cross-section of reviews this week including for a number of new releases.

Enjoy!

CURRENT KOREAN RELEASES

Nameless Gangster

(Film Business Asia, April 6, 2012)

Over My Dead Body

(Hanguk Yeonghwa, April 5, 2012)

Romance Joe

(Variety, March 29, 2012 - Paid Subscription)

Stateless Things

(alivenotdead.com, April 5, 2012)

(The Hollywood Reporter, April 3, 2012)

RECENT RELEASES

Countdown

(Film in Asian, April 2, 2012)

Haunters

(Digital Retribution, April 4, 2012)

In Love and the War

(The One One Four, April 1, 2012)

Jesus Hospital

(Hanguk Yeonghwa, April 1, 2012)

Late Autumn

(China.org.cn, March 30, 2012)

Love On-Air

(Variety, March 30, 2012 - Paid Subscrition)

My Way

(K-Popped!, April 5, 2012)

(Korean Class Massive, April 4, 2012)

Perfect Partner

(hancinema.net, March 31, 2012)

The Yellow Sea

(All Online Universe, March 28, 2012)

(cineoutsider, March 27, 2012)

(DVD Verdict, April 2, 2012)

(MotorBar, March 31, 2012)

PAST FILMS

Dasepo Naughty Girls, 2006

(Init_Scene, March 31, 2012)

Meet Mr. Daddy, 2007

(Korean Class Massive, April 2, 2012)

My Boss, My Hero, 2001

(Init_Scenes, March 30, 2012)

My Love, 2007

(Init_Scenes, April 1, 2012)

Running Turtle, 2009

(Init_Scenes, April 5, 2012)

The Case of Itaewon Homicide, 2009

(Korean Grindhouse, March 31, 2012)

The Heavenly Homecoming of the Stars, 1974

(Seen in Jeonju, April 1, 2012)

The Weekly Review Round-up is a weekly feature which brings together all available reviews of Korean films in the English language (and sometimes French) that have recently appeared on the internet. It is by no means a comprehensive feature and additions are welcome (email pierceconran [at] gmail [dot] com). It appears every Friday morning (GMT+1) on Modern Korean Cinema. For other weekly features, take a look at Korean Cinema News, and the Korean Box Office Update. 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.