Korean Cinema News (03/15-03/21, 2012)

Lots of big sales at the HK Film Market and some interesting casting news.  Also many new trailers and posters this week, including one for the hotly anticipated As One.

KOREAN CINEMA NEWS

'Movie Director' Park Joong-hoon is Now a Writer Too

Park Joong-hoon is currently writing the scenario for his director-debut movie with a professional writer.  He has been officially announcing his debut as a director and the preparation process on his Twitter regularly.  He said on his Twitter, "I have officially started filming. I will put my heart into it".  Previously, he revealed that he was working with a professional writer on the scenario and truthfully revealed the pain and joy in writing out the story.  (hancinema.net, March 14, 20120

Early Works Return to Life at Korean Film Archive
Moviegoers today are accustomed to glossy, high-definition images that indiscriminately reveal slight skin blemishes of actors known for flawless complexions. Bass-heavy, surround-sound audio has also become the norm.  (The Korea Times, March 15, 2012)

Jane Birkin Wants to Work with Director Hong Sang-soo
French actress and singer Jane Birkin talked to Yonhap News ahead of her Korean concert at AX-Korea on March 22.  During the email interview, the chanteuse wondered if she was too old to give acting a go in Korea.  “There’s always a bit of a risk when you start something new, but I think working on a Korean movie would be worth it. The question is though, would Hong Sang-soo want to hire me?” joked Birkin. (Joong Ang Daily, March 16, 2012)

Lost’s Yunjin Kim Gets A Lead In ABC’s Mistresses
Lost alumna Yunjin Kim has landed a lead opposite Rochelle Aytes and Jes Macallan in Mistresses, ABC’s drama recently greenlighted straight to series for a summer 2013 launch.  The soap, written by KJ Steinberg and based on the British format, is described as a provocative drama about four women — three of them played by Kim, Aytes and Macallan — with scandalous romantic lives, caught in storms of excitement and self-discovery, secrecy and betrayal.  (Deadline Hollywood, March 16, 2012)

Buyers Run Off With Showbox's Thieves
The Thieves, a big-budget heist movie, has been a strong seller for integrated South Korean film giant Showbox/Mediaplex Inc.  The company has pre-sold the film to Dream Movie Entertainment Overseas Ltd for Singapore and Malaysia, Queen International Pictures Pte Ltd for Indonesia and Catchplay Inc for Taiwan.  (Film Business Asia, March 18, 2012)

KOFIC Eyes Global Market at H.K. FILMART
Korean Film Council (KOFIC) announced on Monday that it is currently participating in Hong Kong International Film & TV Market (FILMART), to promote local films worldwide and launch more foreign projects in Korea.  The Hong Kong-based event, which kicked off Monday and runs through Thursday, is considered one of the biggest film markets in Asia.  KOFIC said they will have their own lounge, titled “Korean Film Center,” during the event.  (The Korea Herald, March 19, 2012)

Start Date Set and The Host Stars join Bong Joon-ho’s Snow Piercer
A-list director Bong Joon-ho (Mother, 2009) is bringing back a couple of stars from one of his biggest hits, The Host (2006), for his newest project, Snow Piercer, which sounds like quite the large-scale sci-fi/thriller/action venture.  In it, Go Ah-sung (God of Study) and Song Kang-ho team up to play a father-daughter duo, as they did six years ago in The Host.  The film is set to begin shooting on March 26 and expected to run through to July 1.  (dramabeans, March 19, 2012)

5 Points to Do Right by CJ
US-based Asian entertainment group Right Stuf Inc has struck a deal to handle seven titles from South Korea's CJ Entertainment Inc in North American home entertainment markets.  Titles include Bleak Night (2010), Finding Mr Destiny (2010), Moss (2010), Penny Pinchers, Punch, The Suicide Forecast and Tazza: The High Rollers (2006).  (Film Business Asia, March 19, 2012)

Will Park Chan-wook Go to Cannes With Nicole Kidman?
Will director Park Chan-wook step on the red carpet at Cannes with Hollywood actress Nicole Kidman?  Director Park Chan-wook's Hollywood project Stalker is likely to be submitted in the 65th Cannes International Film Festival that is opening on the 16th of May.  Recent Hollywood reports and movie expert media have been looking positively at the possibilities of Stalker entering Cannes, along with the coming together of a Korean director and famous Hollywood actress.  (hancinema.net, March 20, 2012)

INTERVIEW

Heartthrob Determined to Go Beyond His Image
More than a decade into his career, Joo Jin-mo, 37, is still considered one of the best-looking faces in Korean cinema. He is also a victim of that image, however, incarnating one virile leading man after another.  Even in his newest film Gabi that opens today, he plays that tough-guy role again.  (The Korea Times, March 13, 2012)

TRAILERS

As One (via Naver)

Eungyo


Mother


The Scent

POSTERS

Doomsday Book

Eungyo

Mother

The Scent

The Thieves

BOX OFFICE

Helpless Repeats at the Expense of Russian Coffee
(Modern Korean Cinema, March 18, 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.

Preview: 26th Fribourg International Film Festival

I'm thrilled to report that I will be covering the upcoming Fribourg International Film Festival which gets underway this Saturday and runs through to the 31st.  This major European event is now in its 26th year and has remained true to its focal points, namely Latin American, Asian and African films, and it continues to be committed to showcasing some of the very best of truly international cinema, much of which passes us by by without much chance of exposure.  The festival will feature 118 films from 47 countries.

The FIFF has been a significant promoter of Korean cinema over the last few years, having showcased Lee Chang-dong in 2008 and awarded its top prize (Le regard d'or) to Jeon Soo-il for The Bird Who Stops in the Air in 2000 and Lee Chang-dong again for Poetry during last year's edition.  Sadly there won't be much in terms of Korean cinema at this year's event but there is still a mighty program on offer.

This event will mark the first time that Modern Korean Cinema actively covers content beyond the site's core focus of Korean cinema, though it certainly won't be the last!  That being said, there will be some Korean cinema on offer at this year's FIFF including the European premiere of Countdown (2011), starring Jeong Jae-yeong and Jeon Do-yeon, which will be vying for the top prize alongside 11 other films.  Director Huh Jong-ho will be attending the festival and MKC will have the opportunity to sit down with him so look out for an interview which will likely appear in early April.  Also on offer will be Park Jee-youn's short animation Camels (2011).  Beyond the traditional schedule there will be a co-located program for schools and children which will be presenting the Seong-yun Oh animation Leafie, A Hen Into the Wild (2011).

I grew up near Fribourg and always wanted to attend the festival but was never able to as it clashed with school and college and subsequently I moved away, so I am particularly glad for a chance to sample what's on offer at my local festival.  The program is broad and features many exciting projects and some fascinating sections,  I only wish that I could see everything.  As it stands I am going to try and squeeze in about 45 films but of course things can always slip through the cracks.  The morning after each day I will post a recap of the films that I saw with brief impressions until we get to the prize-giving on Sunday, the 1st of April.

The highlights that I am most looking forward to are Asmaa (Egypt, 2011) Good Bye (Iran, 2011), Guerilla (Bangladesh, 2011), Tatsumi (Singapore, 2011), The Raid (Indonesia, 2011),  The Rambling Guitarist (Japan, 1959), and This Is Not a Film (Iran, 2011).

I hope you will join me as I make my way through the programme of the 26th edition of the Fribourg International Film Festival!

Day I Report

Day II Report

Day III Report
Day IV Report
Day V Report
Day VI Report
Day VII Report
Day VIII Report
Final Thoughts, Top 10 and Awards
Huh Jong-ho Interview

Full Programme

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.

Interview: 'The Front Line' Director Jang Hoon

With three big films under his belt, Jang Hoon is now seen as one of Korea's top directing talents.  His films have met with great success but they have also been critically acclaimed.  His male-centric, dual protagonist narratives explore ambiguous but often familiar territory.  They are films that have highlighted the paradoxical social ills of Korea but they are also engaging thrillers that have attracted droves of spectators to the theatres with their potent mix of wry humour and sharp plotting.

Jang burst out on to the scene in 2008 with Rough Cut, penned and produced by his then mentor Kim Ki-duk, a blistering gangster film that cleverly confuses the lines between the gangster and filmmaking worlds.  As well as being one of the most fascinating genre films to come out of South Korea in recent times, Rough Cut is also a supremely entertaining satire.  His next film was the blockbuster Secret Reunion, starring Song Kang-ho and Kang Dong-won as a former South Korean agent and a North Korean spy who form an unlikely partnership.  Humour plays a big part in Jang's sophomore feature despite its weighty subject matter.  It went on to become the second-highest grossing film of 2010.

Jang's latest is The Front Line, a Korean war film that chronicles the interminable final leg of the battle for Aerok hill as armistice talks dragged on for over a year in the waning days of the struggle.  Shin Ha-kyun and Ko Soo headline a top cast and Jang's impressively made feature was last year's official Korean Oscar submission.

Recently, MKC was able to ask him a few questions courtesy of Cine-Asia to coincide with the recent UK release of The Front Line on DVD and Blu-Ray.  He talks about Lee Chang-dong, cinematography, the division of the Korean peninsula and his new film The Front Line:

1. In terms of structure, The Front Line is quite different from other war films.   How did you and writer Park Sang-yeon choose to approach this?

I came onboard to this project after a draft of the script was completed by writer Park and the producer.  Park and I shared lots of ideas while revising the script and during the pre-production, more plot details were ironed out.

2. Over the last decade a number of high profile Korean war films have been released.   With The Front Line, what were you hoping to add to this impressive group of films?

The film tells the story of how the war ended, whereas many other films start from its beginning.  There is still a long road ahead before peace settles in this peninsula and I wanted to show this movie, especially to younger generations, to allow them to question the historic war and the current North-South relationship.

3. Your last two features have explicitly dealt with the rift on the Korean peninsula, do you find yourself particularly drawn to this subject?

Living in the only divided country in the world, we (Koreans) all have some interest in the relationship between the North and the South.  Being one of them and sharing this common interest, I started to develop this story with that in mind.

4. You have worked with different cinematographers (Kim Woo-hyung, Lee Mo-gae, and Kim Gi-tae) on each of your films, which as a result are quite distinct from one another.   Is this a conscious decision to separate the style of each film and how would you describe your working relationship with your directors of photography?

Due to the different circumstances of previous films, I have worked with three different cinematographers and thanks to their distinctive characteristics I was able to accumulate unique experiences and partnerships.  We had many discussions concerning the most suitable cinematographic style for each film.

5. You made your debut as a director at a time when the future of Korean cinema seemed uncertain.  How do you feel the industry has progressed since then and what do you think the future holds in store for Korean film?

Korean audiences are very adept with the internet and social networks, which have become strong media for films.  How they choose and judge a film has drastically changed.  While many Korean films fared well last year, some blockbusters did not come close to reaching their expected outcomes.  It shows that audiences are not drawn to typical dramas or expensive films anymore and in order to be more successful in this market, we have to keep developing new content and constantly evolve.

6. Would you be able to tell us a little about your future projects?

I don’t have any particular project in mind, yet, but some potential projects are being considered.

7. Finally, could you tell us what your favorite Korean films are?

Personally, I like the films of Lee Chang-dong.  All his films are great and my favorites are Secret Sunshine (2007) and Poetry (2010).


Many thanks to Louise Rivers at Cine-Asia for setting up the interview!

Modern Korean Cinema's review of The Front Line.

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 Box Office Update (03/16-03/18, 2012)

Helpless Repeats at the Expense of Russian Coffee

	Title	Release Date	Market Share	Weekend	Total	Screens
1	Helpless	3/8/12	36.20%	561,323	1,567,211	521
2	Chronicle (us)	3/15/12	13.10%	205,425	241,290	324
3	John Carter (us)	3/8/12	12.50%	179,449	679,630	355
4	Russian Coffee	3/15/12	8.70%	139,594	170,103	339
5	The Vow (us)	3/14/12	7.10%	110,159	165,079	314
6	Love Fiction	2/29/12	5.80%	89,658	1,653,853	309
7	This Means War (us)	2/29/12	5.30%	81,900	730,029	231
8	Introduction to Architecture	3/22/12	4.30%	64,960	80,900	282
9	Nameless Gangster	2/2/12	2.30%	35,814	4,646,361	210
10	Seeking Justice (us)	3/15/12	1.60%	24,397	29,294	142

While Korea's new release was pretty much dead on arrival, domestic films continued to exert their dominance as the market held at a strong 60% of the weekend's 1.55 million admissions.  This compared very favorably with last year's 16% figure and 1.23 million total.  While the local film industry has been doing well and has put out a number of high profile and quality products, it must be noted that competition from abroad has been weak as no recent Hollywood films were really expected to clinch the top spot.

Top of the pile is the sophomore stint of Helpless which raged on with another 561,323 admissions, a huge weekend that was off a minuscule 7%.  Clearly word of mouth has caught on for this thriller and it may be another early hit for 2012.  It will cross two million admissions before long and unless it suffers a big drop, three million should come along soon after.

The top US offering for the week was Chronicle which pulled in a respectable 205,425.  In its second weekend John Carter dropped a little over 50% for 179,449.  It has a good shot at crossing one million now which, while not a particularly impressive figure for such a huge production, will be seen as a decent result after its calamitous failure in its domestic market.

The expensive period action drama Russian Coffee, starring Joo Jin-mo, Kim Yo-seon and Park Hee-soon was a no-go as it opened in fourth place with a meagre 139,594.  The continued success of Helpless most likely contributed to its disappointing performance but more than that the film presented an awkward image in its marketing and couldn't hope to match the diverse and popular local offerings of the past two months.  I don't expect things to get any better for the film further down the line and it may vanish altogether within a fortnight.

Hollywood romance The Vow, starring Channing Tatum and Rachel McAdams opened with 110,159.  An okay start for a film that has limited appeal in Korea but this performance pales in comparison to the US where it became a big hit.

Love Fiction dropped three spots and lost almost two thirds of its business as it sold another 89,658 tickets.  Last week I said it wouldn't have much trouble crossing two million admissions but now I'm not so sure as it looks to be fading fast.

US action romcom This Means War slowed about 45% for 81,900 in its third weekend.  Though it will likely fall short, it does stand a chance of crossing the one million threshold.

Korean romance Introduction to Architecture played in previews ahead of its opening next Thursday.  It scored a strong 64,960 and considering its positive early notices it could be in for a healthy run.

Nameless Gangster slipped 60% to 35,814 and will likely fall out the top 10 altogether next week.  It won't hit five million but with 4.6 million and counting, it is already by far and away the year's biggest hit.

Rounding out the chart was the new Nicholas Cage revenge pic Seeking Justice as it sold a paltry 24,397 tickets in its opening weekend.  I imagine that this will be the last time we hear about it.

Introduction to Architecture goes wide next weekend and should do strong business but I wouldn't be surprised if it can't muster enough to stand up to Helpless.  Mark Whalberg action-thriller Contraband will also be opening but will likely be playing third fiddle to the aforementioned Korean duo.

Source: kobis.or.kr


The Korean Box Office Update is a weekly feature which provides detailed analysis of film box office sales over the Friday to Sunday period in Korea. It appears every Sunday evening or Monday morning (GMT+1) on Modern Korean Cinema. For other weekly features, take a look at Korean Cinema News 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 (03/10-03/16, 2012)

Another huge Weekly Review Round-up as the Korean blogathon came to an end.  A great wealth of films covered stretching across every time, genre and style you could imagine.

Enjoy!

CURRENT KOREAN RELEASES

Dancing Queen

(The One One Four, March 14, 2012)

Eighteen, Nineteen

(Scene in Korea, March 9, 2012)

Jesus Hospital

(hancinema.net, March 10, 2012)

Stateless Things

(Scene in Korea, March 10, 2012)

RECENT RELEASES

A Little Pond

(Unseen Films, March 10, 2012)

Blind

(Far East Films, March 11, 2012)

(VCinema, March 9, 2012)

Cyrano Agency

(We Eat Lemon, March 10, 2012)

Ghastly

(Film in Asian, March 12, 2012)

Invasion of Alien Bikini

(cineAWESOME!, March 11, 2012)

Metamorpheses

(VCinema, March 9, 2012)

Oki's Movie

(Unseen Films, March 11, 2012)

Penny Pinchers

(Far East Films, March 11, 2012)

Poetry

(KOFFIA Blog, March 11, 2012)

Punch

(Hanguk Yeonghwa, March 13, 2012)

Quick

(Unseen Films, March 10, 2012)

Silenced

(Hangul Celluloid, March 10, 2012)

Sunny

(YAM Magazine, March 11, 2012)

The Day He Arrives

(The Montreal Gazette, March 8, 2012)

The Last Blossom

(Init_Scenes, March 13, 2012)

The Yellow Sea

(KOFFIA Blog, March 10, 2012)

(Varied Celluloid, March 9, 2012)

War of the Arrows

(Asian Movie Pulse, March 10, 2012)

(Modern Korean Cinema, March 11, 2012)

(Korean Grindhouse, March 11, 2012)

PAST FILMS

200 Pounds Beauty, 2006

(YAM Magazine, March 11, 2012)

A Bittersweet Life, 2005

(John Kreng, March 9, 2012)

(VCinema, March 11, 2012)

Ad Lib Night, 2006

(Flying Guillotine, March 8, 2012)

Another Public Enemy, 2005

(Rainy Day Movies 9, 2012)

Bad Guy, 2001

(Next Projection, March 12, 2012)

Christmas in August, 1998

(We Eat Lemon, March 10, 2012)

Dream, 2008

(Next Projection, March 13, 2012)

Duelist, 2005

(Rainy Day Movies 7, 2012)

Epitaph, 2007

(VCinema, March 8, 2012)

Haeundae, 2009

(Hong Kong Rewind, March 9, 2012)

Hansel and Gretel, 2007

(Orion's Ramblings, March 11, 2012)

In Between Days, 2006

(Podcasts Without Honor and Humanity, March 9, 2012)

Life Is Cool, 2008

(Unseen Films, March 9, 2012)

M, 2007

(Rainy Day Movies 7, 2012)

Marathon, 2005

(Init_Scenes, March 9, 2012)

(Podcasts Without Honor and Humanity, March 7, 2012)

Mother, 2009

(At the Cinema, March 11, 2012)

My Dear Enemy, 2008

(Unseens Films, March 11, 2012)

My Heart Beats, 2009

(Korean Grindhouse, March 5, 2012)

Nowhere to Hide, 1999

(Rainy Day Movies 7, 2012)

Oasis, 2002

(Rainy Day Movies 8, 2012)

Oishii Man, 2008

(Podcasts Without Honor and Humanity, March 6, 2012)

Peppermint Candy, 1999

(Rainy Day Movies 8, 2012)

Public Enemy, 2002

(Rainy Day Movies 9, 2012)

Public Enemy Returns, 2008

(Rainy Day Movies 9, 2012)

Rikidozan, 2004

(VCinema, March 11, 2012)

Sky Blue, 2003

(VCinema, March 9, 2012)

The Good, the Bad and the Weird, 2008

(Greetings From Movie City, March 8, 2012)

The Power of Kangwon Province, 1998

(Oriental Film House, March 10, 2012)

Tigresses, 1977

(Planet Choco Zine, March 9, 2012)

Time, 2006

(Next Projection, March 11, 2012)

Truck, 2007

(Unseen Films, March 9, 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. 

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