. A video entitled ‘Won Bin during his introduction in Japan’ was posted online, showing the actor alongside young actress Kim Sae-ron and director Lee Jong-bum. (allkpop, August 31, 2011)
Sky's the Limit for Kwon Sang-woo as He Targets China, Hollywood
While Kwon Sang-woo has been overlooked in the past he thinks his latest role in the movie
Pain may change all that. The film is directed by Busan-born Kwak Kyung-taek, whose blockbuster
Friend (2001) was a smash hit 10 years ago. Kwon is expecting a positive reaction to his 10th movie when it comes out on Sept. 8. (
The Chosun Ilbo, August 31, 2011)
Stoker Begins Principal Photography
Scott Free Productions, Fox Searchlight Pictures and Indian Paintbrush announced today that principal photography for the psychological thriller
Stoker has begun in Nashville, Tennessee. The film stars Mia Wasikowska, Matthew Goode and Oscar ® winner Nicole Kidman with Dermot Mulroney and Oscar nominee Jacki Weaver.
(Movie City News, September 1, 2011)
The First Theatrical Feature Documentary Made by a Korean in New Zealand
The New Zealand International Film Festival has recently screened the first theatrical feature documentary made by a Korean in the country.
Moving focuses on a Korean couple and the struggles they faced before, during and after the infamous series of earthquakes which systematically devastated Christchurch houses, schools, business and its entire central business district. (Korean Film Biz Zone, September 1, 2011)
Kim Jong-il "Lee Young-ae Is a Great Actress"
North Korean leader Kim Jong-il spoke very highly of actress Lee Young-ae.It seems that he has ordered North Korean artists to watch Lee Young-ae's
Dae Jang Geum and learn acting. A North Korean radio channel reported that Kim said, "Don't say you've watched a movie when you haven't seen
Dae Jang Geum or
Rambo". (Han Cinema, September 1, 2011)
My Sassy Girl Director Takes the Helm of a Chinese Film
The next project for
My Sassy Girl director Kwak Jae Yong is a Chinese historical film starring Fan Bing Bing. The will make him the first Korean director to do so. Kwak will begin shooting
Yang Guifei in October with a 30-man strong Korean staff. The film is scheduled for release early 2012. (Soompi, September 3, 2011)
An Anonymous Island by Yi Mun-yol
Yi Mun-yul's classic short story
An Anonymous Island appears in this week's New Yorker magazine. (
The New Yorker, September 5, 2011 - Paid Subscription Required)
Crossroads of Youth: Korea’s Oldest Silent Film Comes to Stage at the Thames Festival
This year the KCCUK and Korean Film Archive are proud to present
Crossroads of Youth. This film is the oldest surviving cinematic Korean release which premiered in 1934. This print which will be screening has been fully restored by KOFA. The screening time is 8pm on Saturday 10 September 2011. (London Korea Links, September 5, 2011)
Yeonghwa: Korea Film Today @ MOMA
Yeonghwa, or “film” in Korean, is a good word for cinéastes to know, given the Korean film industry’s success at festivals and among critics and audiences worldwide. This second season of Yeonghwa includes eight feature films, opening with
Rolling Home with a Bull, by Lee Soon-rye, and Jean Kyu-hwan’s remarkable
Town Trilogy. (The Korea Society, September 2011)
INTERVIEWS
Director Ryoo Seung-Wan Talks Failure And Success To Han Cinema
Having accumulated a ten-film filmography over the last decade, Ryoo Seung-wan can be considered a veteran director, but his style is still evolving amid a mixture of success and failure. But Seung-wan has kept his eye trained to the future and is now basking in the success of his latest feature,
The Unjust, which has strengthened his footing on the international film scene. (Han Cinema, August 28, 2011)
Ha Jung-woo Confident About Korean-Style Legal Thriller
Actor Ha Jung-woo and the other makers of
The Client are certain that their film will offer something new to local audiences as the country’s first legal thriller. (
The Korea Times, August 31, 2011)
Jeju Filmmaker Captures Local Quirks
O Muel, a Jeju native, has been igniting the local indie scene with a pair of films showing in theaters. Both works capture the spirit of the region, though with a contemporary, modern and humorous edge that won him a jury award at the Jecheon International Music Film Festival. (
The Korea Times, September 5, 2011)
TRAILERS
BOX OFFICE
Arrow Crosses the 5 Million Mark
For a fourth straight week,
Arrow has clinched the no. 1 spot of the Korean box office and although it was off slightly from last week's take, it has now amassed over 5 million admissions and looks poised to cross more milestones in the near future. Meanwhile, the new Song Kang-ho film
Hindsight opened with 259,000 tickets sold over the weekend. A decent start, but it will need to make a lot more to be considered a success. Both
Blind and
Leafie performed well again and they now each have crossed the two million mark. Next week,
Marrying the Mafia IV is likely to unseat this past month's champ and dominate the marketplace. (Han Cinema, September 4, 2011)
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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