Dr. Q's MKC Rants - North Korean Agents: From Creepy Spooks to Pretty Boys

North Korean Agents: From Creepy Spooks to Pretty Boys

By Kyu Hyun Kim, Associate Professor of Japanese and Korean History, University of California, Davis

There were times during my younger days when I wondered whether South Korean filmmakers had to invent North Korean Communists if they did not exist in real life. Of course, the more you actually study the relationship between anti-Communist ideology and the postwar (post-1953, not post-1945) South Korean culture, the more you realize that it was complex, multifarious and full of contradictions. Anti-Communism has never been a monolithic edifice: neither was it a watertight cage from which no fluid leaked. 

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More NYAFF Goodness!!!

Okay, so with the first NYAFF trivia contest announced yesterday and the deadline for that fast approaching MKC has a treat for all you Ryoo Seung-Wan fans in the New York area. This year Subway Cinema not only managed to score a print for the director's latest film The Berlin File as well as his 2010 crime epic The Unjust but they're also going to screen the director's martial arts fantasy film Arahan.

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Edinburgh 2013: The Berlin File (베를린, 2013)

Part of Connor McMorran's coverage for MKC of the Edinburgh International Film Festival (June 19-30, 2013).

Writing in his book 'The Remasculinization of Korean Cinema', Kim Kyung Hyun discusses the male-centric narratives found in Korean cinema of the 1980s and 90s. Discussing the film Shiri (1999), he argues that “The masculinity of Shiri’s protagonist veered away from the Korean male icons of the 1980s, but it did so by simulating Hollywood action heroes.” Shiri could easily be argued as the breakthrough moment for both commercial Korean cinema and genre cinema in general, creating a wave of films which heavily copied its style. The mainstream Korean film industry has thrived off genre cinema for the past decade, with the occasional ‘well-made’ film (films which are both commercially successful and show clear artistic intent, a perfect example being Bong Joon-Ho’s Memories of Murder from 2003) thrown in for good measure.

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Edinburgh 2013: Introduction to Korean Showcase

Part of Connor McMorran's coverage for MKC of the Edinburgh International Film Festival (June 19-30, 2013).

Following last year’s retrospective of the works of the long overlooked Japanese director Shinji Somai, Edinburgh International Film Festival’s artistic director Chris Fujiwara now brings focus onto two likewise overlooked aspects of global cinema: the films of Sweden and Korea. Film festivals are an interesting concept as they bring films from all over the world to one particular town or city, allowing local cineastes to explore and discover a wide variety of directors and works. Yet, unfortunately, their main flaw is often their attempt to house such a diverse range of cinematic voices over the relatively short space of one or two weeks.

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MKC Thought Leaders' Corner: North Korea in South Korean Cinema (May 2013)

North Korea has been in the news a lot lately for its latest round of belligerent actions. Many believe that Western media has been exaggerating the danger the communist state poses to South Korea's national security. I can't say that I've noticed any especial alarm among the local populace yet there's no denying that the oppressive regime casts a long shadow over the country. Cinema is just one of the places where this is readily evident, so this month I asked the experts:

Has Korean cinema's representation of North Korea changed over the years?

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UDINE 2013: The Berlin File (베를린, 2013)

Part of MKC's coverage of the 15th Udine Far East Film Festival.

From North By Northwest (1959) all the way to Tinker Sailor Soldier Spy (2011), spy thrillers have long captured the imagination of filmgoers. Over time they have become more elaborate and their appeal has led to a number of blockbuster franchises. James Bond recently celebrated his most successful outing with the chart-topping Skyfall while both the Mission Impossible and Bourne series have also stirred up some serious business.

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MKC Thought Leaders' Corner: March 2013

This month, the experts chime in on what various things they're noticing in the current Korean film industry. This month's question:

Are you noticing any trends in Korean films these days?

Many to thanks to all the contributors for their time and insightful comments. Responses listed alphabetically, followed by the thoughts of MKC's teammembers.

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KBO: New World Holds Firm During Slow Weekend (03/08-03/10, 2013)

New World Holds Firm During Slow Weekend

	Title	Release Date	Market Share	Weekend	Total	Screens
1	New World	13/02/21	30.90%	508,893	3,369,650	555
2	Miracle in Cell No.7	13/01/23	16.70%	291,884	12,177,983	433
3	Psychometry	13/03/07	14.80%	242,319	297,330	429
4	Oz: The Great and Powerful (us)	13/03/07	13.60%	208,962	228,696	425
5	Jack the Giant Slayer (us)	13/02/28	8.60%	147,478	885,989	364
6	Zero Dark Thirty (us)	13/03/07	3.50%	61,171	72,222	258
7	The Berlin File	13/01/30	3.40%	56,401	7,100,309	287
8	12 Chinese Zodiac Heads (cn)	13/02/27	2.40%	41,665	296,010	187
9	Stoker (us)	13/02/28	2.40%	38,430	343,752	204
10	b (In)	13/02/21	0.90%	17,266	302,550	168

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KBO: New World Repeats up Top, Stoker Unconvincing (03/1-03/03, 2013)

New World Repeats up Top, Stoker Unconvincing

	Title	Release Date	Market Share	Weekend	Total	Screens
1	New World	13/02/21	29.40%	849,376	2,530,048	604
2	Miracle in Cell No.7	13/01/23	25.10%	777,968	11,704,634	577
3	Jack the Giant Slayer (us)	13/02/28	19.40%	545,550	659,854	507
4	The Berlin File	13/01/30	6.40%	189,296	6,997,749	362
5	Stoker (us)	13/02/28	5.80%	165,408	240,639	329
6	12 Chinese Zodiac Heads (cn)	13/02/27	5.20%	162,566	217,242	300
7	Delhi Safair (In)	13/02/21	2.50%	83,606	280,563	263
8	The Giant King (us/th)	13/02/21	1.00%	33,808	149,067	180
9	Sky Force 3D (us, hk)	13/02/28	0.90%	30,991	43,496	183
10	An Ethics Lesson	13/02/21	0.60%	18,065	215,985	147

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KBO: Close Race as New World Beats Miracle (02/22-02/24, 2013)

Close Race as New World Beats Miracle

	Title	Release Date	Market Share	Weekend	Total	Screens
1	New World	13/02/21	35.50%	860,754	1,038,890	671
2	Miracle in Cell No.7	13/01/23	33.10%	855,942	10,386,785	667
3	The Berlin File	13/01/30	12.00%	303,727	6,608,013	440
4	An Ethics Lesson	13/02/21	4.30%	104,494	145,437	302
5	Delhi Safari (In)	13/02/21	3.30%	90,837	110,358	289
6	How to Use Guys With Secret Tips	13/02/14	2.10%	56,007	454,704	223
7	The Giant King (us/th)	13/02/21	1.80%	52,646	66,897	228
8	A Good Day to Die Hard (us)	13/02/06	1.60%	40,442	1,422,089	169
9	The Last Stand (us)	13/02/21	1.40%	34,220	44,280	296
10	Marco Makaco (de)	13/02/14	0.80%	22,656	159,640	131

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KBO: Miracle Stays Flat for 4th Straight Weekend (02/15-02/17, 2013)

Miracle Stays Flat for 4th Straight Weekend

	Title	Release Date	Market Share	Weekend	Total	Screens
1	Miracle in Cell No.7	13/01/23	41.20%	1,129,726	8,867,424	721
2	The Berlin File	13/01/30	24.10%	644,456	5,980,252	579
3	A Good Day to Die Hard (us)	13/02/06	7.80%	210,178	1,297,703	329
4	How to Use Guys With Secret Tips	13/02/14	7.40%	200,891	266,891	367
5	Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters (us)	13/02/14	5.70%	138,407	177,571	297
6	Marco Makaco (de)	13/02/14	2.90%	88,766	96,848	276
7	South Bound	13/02/06	3.00%	84,070	772,586	240
8	The Snow Queen (ru)	13/02/07	1.90%	58,181	245,463	229
9	Silver Linings Playbook (uk)	13/02/14	1.90%	48,935	70,731	223
10	Pororo: the Racing Adventure	13/01/23	1.10%	30,952	867,20	102

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KBO: Miracle, Berlin Dominate Lunar New Year Frame (02/08-02/10, 2013)

Miracle, Berlin Dominate Lunar New Year Frame

	Title	Release Date	Market Share	Weekend	Total	Screens
1	Miracle in Cell No. 7	13/01/23	37.10%	1,308,317	6,281,296	802
2	The Berlin File	13/01/30	33.50%	1,153,414	4,181,031	784
3	A Good Day to Die Hard (us)	13/02/06	14.30%	479,370	625,388	458
4	South Bound	13/02/06	8.30%	292,274	402,602	420
5	The Snow Queen (ru)	13/02/07	1.90%	73,355	84,889	311
6	Pororo: the Racing Adventure	13/01/23	1.70%	59,252	756,564	287
7	Monsters Inc. (us)	1/12/20	1.20%	31,377	34,863	173
8	Les Miserables (uk/us)	12/12/19	0.50%	18,153	5,835,054	51
9	Man on the Edge	13/01/09	0.40%	13,499	3,884,380	64
10	Life of Pie (us)	13/01/01	0.20%	4,728	1,568,566	10

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KCN: Box Office Glory and New Glimpse at Snowpiercer (02/01-02/07, 2012)

2013 couldn't be getting off to a better start for the Korean film industry. It didn't take for local films to swiftly reassert their dominance as The Tower carried through from its December opening while gangster shaman comedy Man on the Edge surprised with a strong performance, However, the fireworks were really set off at the end of the month when prison drama Miracle in Cell No. 7 and spy thriller The Berlin File lit the charts on fire. The month's final weekend was particularly strong as the top two films drew over a million spectators a piece, check out MKC's full report here. February is looking like it will be exceptionally strong as a result of the latter two not to mention a slew of big new releases which are also expected to perform well.

Speaking of blockbusters, the first official poster for Bong Joon-ho's long-awaited Snowpiercer was revealed yesterday. The sci-fi extravaganza is a film I'm particularly excited about.

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The Berlin File (베를린, Bereullin) 2013

From North By Northwest (1959) all the way to Tinker Sailor Soldier Spy (2011), spy thrillers have long captured the imagination of filmgoers. Over time they have become more elaborate and their appeal has led to a number of blockbuster franchises. James Bond recently celebrated his most successful outing with the chart-topping Skyfall while both the Mission Impossible and Bourne series have also stirred up some serious business.

Korea is no stranger to the genre. Shiri was the country’s first blockbuster hit in 1999 and the country’s contentious relationship with its Northern neighbor has yielded many a spy narrative since then. Ryoo Seung-wan previously dabbled in spies with his deliriously playful and inventive (but financially poisonous) spoof Dachimawa Lee (2008). He found greater success with his next work, the tense thriller The Unjust (2010), through which he channeled New Hollywood works of the 1970s. Now he’s returned to the spy genre for his most ambitious and commercial work yet.

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KBO: Miracle in Berlin, Record 1-2 Finish at Korean BO (02/01-02/03, 2013)

Miracle in Berlin, Record 1-2 Finish at Korean BO

	Title	Release Date	Market Share	Weekend	Total	Screens
1	The Berlin File	13/01/30	43.40%	1,532,210	2,245,404	897
2	Miracle in Cell No.7	13/01/29	37.50%	1,360,776	4,191,854	869
3	Man on the Edge	13/01/23	6.20%	223,531	659,045	388
4	Pororo: the Racing Adventure	13/01/09	3.80%	137,896	3,826,738	367
5	Hotel Transylvania (us)	13/01/17	2.40%	93,290	868,382	297
6	Les Miserables (uk/us)	12/12/19	1.70%	62,422	5,785,971	208
7	Detective Conan (jp)	13/01/24	1.00%	39,576	165,382	127
8	Life of Pie (us)	13/01/01	1.40%	34,584	1,550,725	89
9	The Impossible (sp/us)	13/01/17	0.70%	25,772	617,916	118
10	The Life of Guskou of Budori (jp)	13/01/30	0.30%	12,778	16,251	113

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New Korean Films: Big Blockbuster In Sight (2013 Week 5)

(by Fabien Schneider)

This week finally offers a little more variety in the cinematic landscape, with no less than four films: a romance, an animated movie for children, an action thriller and a mystery drama.

The Berlin File (베를린)

North Korean secret agent Pyo Jong-seong is on a mission to Berlin to conclude a deal on the sale of weapons when he a price is out on his head and that of his wife by their own government for treason. Jung Jin-soo, a South Korean agent, is also on site to investigate the contract, but faces off with Pyo Jong-seong, an unknown enemy.

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KCN: Jiseul Triumphs while CinDi Bites the Dust (01/24-01/30, 2013)

It's been a little over a month since the weekly Korean Cinema News has appeared on MKC. Apologies for not getting back to it sooner. Work has become a little trickier and I'm still trying to strike the right balance between my personal and work projects.

I've decided to shake things up a little with KCN and try something new. Researching news and then putting them together in an article that is little more than glorified formatting is not the most exciting way to deliver the news (for you as well as myself I imagine). What I will try to do is to sum up what has happened on a weekly basis, give a few of my opinions as well as a couple of links to particularly good articles if there are any. Let's see how it goes, feedback is welcome!

KOREAN CINEMA NEWS

This past week came with both good and bad news for the industry. As you may already be aware, O Muel's Jeju Massacre film Jiseul, which premiered at last October's Busan International Film Festival, has been awarded the Grand Jury Prize in the World Dramatic Competition of the Sundance Film Festival. It's the first time that a Korean film has won an award in Park City and the news concludes a particularly successful week for Korean filmmakers at the event following the positive reception of Park Chan-wook's US debut Stoker.

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KCN: New Projects from Park Chan-wook, Kim Jee-woon and Hong Sang-soo (12/06-12/12, 2012)

Lots of new projects or details of upcoming films announced this week, including the latest on Park Chan-wook, Hong Sang-soo and Kim Jee-woon's cinematic endeavors. The first teaser for Ryoo Seung-wan hotly anticipated spy thriller The Berlin File was also released today.

KOREAN CINEMA NEWS

Kim Jee-woon Plans Live Action Jin Roh: The Wolf Brigade
Get ready for something spectacular. Korea's Kim Jee-woon - soon to make his English language debut with Arnold Schwarzenegger starring The Last Stand - has big plans for his next Korean film and it's something that should leave anime fans very, very happy. (Twitch, December 11, 2012)

Director Hong Sangsoo’s Next Film Gets 19 Rating
Director Hong Sangsoo’s next film, Nobody’s Daughter Haewon, was given the 19 or above rating on December 6. The film finished shooting this past spring and is in the post production stage, awaiting a release date. The film stars Lee Sun-kyun who appeared in Hong Lost in the Mountains and Oki’s Movie. This will be the actor’s third collaboration with Hong. (KoBiz, December 11, 2012)

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