Korean Film News.

Crossing to be put forward as Korea's nomination for Foreign Language Academy Award

Despite its poor performance in the domestic box office Crossing may see a nomination at the academy awards - lets hope so. It has recieved very positive reviews and its subject matter of a North Korean man who travels to China in order to obtain medication for his sick pregnant wife  will strike a cord with non-Korean viewers. Korea has failed to recieve an academy nomination, which is quite surprising, but Korea has to find a film that both delivers quality and also something that the Academy can in some way relate to its content.



But currently, Crossing is facing a lawsuit because the director Kim Tae-gyoon has been accused by Leee Kwang-hoon of effectively copying his scenario, which was originally titled "The Conditions of Human, which is based on North Korean defector Yoo Sang-joon. Lee Kwang-hoon has claimed that he had signed a contract with Kim Tae-gyoon and has spent 3 years preparing the film. Big Vantage Holdings, who distributed the film are arguing that the director nor the film company has not violated Lee's copyright and added that they are looking into taking legal measures themselves.

If found guilty, the film could potenitally be withdrawn from cinemas and another film will be put forward for the academy award nomination. This case will enter the courts in three weeks and I will let you know of the outcome.

Sources: Screendaily.com
            KBS World


The Chaser headed for award glory at the Korea Grand Bells




Well, it is that time of year again when Korea awards ceremony hits the headlines. It may not come as a surprise that The Chaser (추격자) (above) came out top, since it has been the biggest domestic hit of the year thus far. It took most of the top awards, including Best Film and Best Director for Na Hong-jin. It also took some technical awards including Best Cinematography. It took a total of 5 awards out of a record 11 nominations.

The remaining awards seem to be given to a whole selection of films, though Seven Days (세븐 데이즈) went away with 3 awards including Best Leading Actress for Kim Yun-jun. Unsurprisingly, Best Visual Effects went to D-War (디 워) and M (엠) managed to get an award for Best Art Direction, which will be a conciliation for its disastrous performance in the box office. Danny Henney went away with Best New Actor, which will no doubt help his increasingly popular profile in Korea - he is from the U.S.  Babo (바보) managed to get Korean Wave Popularity Award, which is interesting seeing that it didn't do too well in Korea. But it does star two of Korea's most popular actors'/actresses': Cha Tae-hyeon (차태현) and Ha Ji-won (하지원).

The ceremony was presented by A 200 Pound Beauty (미녀는 괴로워) star Kim Ah-joong (김아중) and SBS announcer Choi Ki-hwan.

But the award ceremony didn't go without its problems. A lack of organisation meant it ran late - to be honest all Korean events run late - and therefore, speeches were restricted. It also didn't manage to get the attention the organisers were looking for; SBS recorded a 11.9% viewer rating, which is quite low, not least for a high profile event. Speeches by award winners and presenters were also quite negative about the industry, highlighting the current problems the industry is facing.  Yoo Joo-ho who won the award Best Art Direction for M (엠)said " With investment going down, the first thing to go these days is usually the art budget. But I think M was a good example of cost efficiency, and this award should be a reason for us to take heart."


List of awards

Best Film – The Chaser (dir. Na Hong-jin / prod. Bidangil Pictures)

Best Director – Na Hong-jin (The Chaser)

Best Leading Actress – Yunjin Kim (Seven Days)

Best Leading Actor – Kim Yoon-suk (The Chaser)

Best Supporting Actress – Kim Hye-sook (Open City)

Best Supporting Actor – Yoo Joon-sang (Wide Awake)

Best Cinematography – Lee Sung-je (The Chaser)

Best Creative Planning/Development – Sujin Kim, Yoon In-beom (The Chaser)

Best Editing – Shin Min-kyung (Seven Days)

Best Script – Park Yoon (Viva Love)

Best Lighting –Park Sae-moon (Shadows In The Palace)

Best Music – Won Il (Hwang Jin Yi)

Best Art Direction – Yoon Sang-yoon, Yoo Joo-ho (M)

Best Visual Effects – Younggu Art (D-War)

Best Sound Effects – Lee Eun-joo, Lee Seung-cheol (Seven Days)

Contribution to the Development of Cinema – Yoo Dong-hoon

Best Costumes – Jeong Ku-ho (Hwang Jin Yi)

Best New Director – Oh Jeom-gyun (Viva Love)

Best New Actor – Daniel Henney (My Father)

Best New Actress – Han Yeh-seul (Miss Gold Digger)

Most Popular Actor – Kim Yoon-suk

Most Popular Actress – Han Yeh-seul

Korean Wave Popularity Award – Ba:bo (dir. Kim Jung-kwon)

Sources: Screendaily.com
             Korea Times

Posted 1 July 2008



Tartan Films goes in to Administration


The U.K's biggest distributor for Korean films has sadly gone in to administration, it was announced on Friday. There has been speculation growing in the last few months  that the company was experiencing financial problems with several key members of Tartan leaving. The most significant being the managing director Laura de Castro who left following a $6 million cash injection, though it appears now this has fallen through.

Although many expected this to happen, the timing was a little surprising. Only on Monday they released Princess Aurora and Spider Forest on DVD and there were plans to release more titles on DVD, though it is very unlikely this will happen now. I imagine the credit crunch had something to do with the timing with rising costs and being forced to reduce DVD prices and therefore less profit. Hopefully all will come clear in the not too distant future.

Tartan, whilst some may think they have oversaturated the market with poor Korean films, particularly off late - I would agree - but they have to be congratulated for their contribution to the growth of Korean cinema in the UK. Tartan has ultimately made directors such as Park Chan-wook and Kim Ki-duk popular in the UK and although there are many directors out that there warrant attention and to say Korean cinema consists of Kim Ki-duk and Park Chan-wook is rediculous, the interest these directors have gathered has for all intents and purposes provided a spark for the boom in Korean cinema in the UK.

Tartan was founded in 1984 by Hamish McAlpine and it merged with Metro Pictures to become Metro Tartan in 1992 and then later returned back to the Tartan Films logo.

So what now? Apparently many distributors already have their eye on some of Tartan titles so we could see a frantic bidding war. It will all depend on the conditions of the bankruptcy and I will keep you posted - we may see titles such as Oldboy and A Bittersweet Life move elsewehere. For now at least, it is goodbye to Tartan.

Source: Screendaily


Posted: 29 June 2008




Kim Yong-wha (김용화) is to direct National Representative

Kim Yong-wha (김용화) who previoulsy directed the commercial hit, A 200 Pounds Beauty (미녀는 괴로워) that sent Kim Ah-joong (김아중) into the Korean book of fame is to direct National Representative. The film follows a group of ski jumpers who are trying to get into the national team. It stars rising star Ha Jeong-woo (하정우) who has recently starred in domestic hit The Chaser (추격자) and also Kim Ki-duk's Breath (숨). He is playing the leading role as a Korean-American who moves to Korea to try and get into the  National Team, whilst also exploring his own identity, which becomes more ambiguous as he experiences life in Korea. The film also stars Kim Dong-wuk (김동욱) who's previous films include Happy Together Movie (동거, 동락) and No Regret (후회하지 않아), though I think he is more well-known for his role in the popular TV series Coffee Prince (커피 프린스 1호점). The cast also includes Kim Ji-seok (김지석) who stars in KBS daily drama series Likable or not.


I had the pleasure of meeting Kim Yong-wha (김용화) (right) at the Pusan International Film Festival (PIFF) last year.

Following the hit of Forever The Moment (우리 생애 최고의 순간) by Lim Soon-rye (임순례), there seems to be more faith in Korean sport films, which previous held low regard. Forever The Moment stormed the box office with 4,043,293 admissions, which has possibly provided a window for Kim Yong-wha to direct this film, though he has probably had it on his mind for a while.



Can Kim Yong-wha (김용화) follow on from the success from his previous film A 200 Pounds Beauty (미녀는 괴로워) and build on the success from sporting hit Forever The Moment (우리 생애 최고의 순간) by Lim Soon-rye (임순례)?

Director Kim hasn't made a film since A 200 Pounds Beauty and it will be interesting to see where this film takes him and whether it will enjoy the success of his first film. I sincerely hope so. Shooting begins later in the year, so I imagine a release date is due for Spring or Summer next year, but given its winter theme, it may see a release in the winter months of 2009/10 unless he can get it ready for Jan/Feb next year.


Source: KOFIC

Posted: 16 June 2008


Full version of A President's Last Bang will be released on DVD in UK




Great news for those who are interested in seeing the full version of Im Sang-soo's A President's Last Bang as it will see a DVD release in the UK, which will include both the edited version and the unedited version. This is the first release on DVD with English titles for the unedited version of A President's Last Bang anywhere in the world. It was Intended to be released without being edited, but the son of former President Park Chung-hee took MK Pictures (distributor) to court and ordered that the film to be cut at the beginning and end, which is documentary footage of the funeral of Park Chung-hee following his assassination. The decision was reversed in 2006 and has since been screened at several locations across the globe but as of yet has not been released on DVD with English subtitles. This is a truly momentous occasion and congratulations to Adam Torel and Third Window, who are distributing the film. The DVD will also include special features including a recent interview with Im Sang-soo. A DVD release is set for the next couple of months - please watch this space.

Posted 16 June 2008


KOFIC (Korean Film Council) finds new Chairperson




Just thought it might be helpful to give you some backgound info on what KOFIC is. Some of you may or may not know that The Korean Film Council is a government body based in Korea that has been put in place to promote Korean cinema both home and abroad. They have always been very helpful, but particuarly so in the last year or so. They are fantastic. Their website is full of usedul information and it updated reguarly and is even more user friendly than it was, particuarly for those MAC users out there. Furthermore, their publications are absolutely brillliant, most notably their Korean film guides, which feature information on Korean cinema. They have also produced a book on the history of Korean cinema, Korean Cinema from Origins to Renaissance, which documents every movement in Korean cinema, though you could argue its analysis of each movement is rather brief, but it provides you with a vast knowledge of Korean cinema. Unfortunatley, it is not easy to get hold of, but you find it on Amazon at a price of $49.99. Alternatively, you can become a member of SOAS (School of Oriental and African Studies) Library in Central London as they have it in there. The Korean Film Council have also published a series on Korean film directors', which for the most part has been very well researched and written. You can find editions on Park Chan-wook, Lee Chang-dong, Im Kwon-taek, Kim Ki-young and more. Best website I can recommend is Seoul Selection, but it does come at a cost, but since they send it by DHL, it arrives very quickly.

There is also a selection of funds available to Korean filmamakers, distributors (both in the domestic market and abroad) for Korean films, which will be and has been very helpful to those anxious filmmakers and producers seeking additional funding. Funding for KOFIC is as you would expect is sourced from the government, but following the cut of the screen quota, money from ticket sales is actually given back to the Korean Film industry through KOFIC.

Regarding the head of the Head of the Film Council, here is what they had to say about him:

The Korean Film Council (KOFIC) is pleased to announce that KANG Han-sub is appointed as its new chairperson.
KANG is a distinguished film professor and well-known media-policy expert. He has taught in the department of Film Studies at the Seoul Institute of the Arts since 1994 and published several major academic papers on the Korean film industry. He has also served as a member of the Korea Media Rating Board. In 1996 he participated in the establishment of important reform measures for KOFIC.
KANG graduated with a degree in Literature from Kyunghee University, an MA from Sogang Graduate School and wrote his doctoral thesis in the narrative structure of classical Hollywood films at Paris 2nd Graduate School.
Korea's Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Sports selected KANG out of a group of candidates recommended by former KOFIC commissioners and members of the film industry. A new group of commissioners, to be selected by the Ministry of Strategy and Finance and the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Sports, will be announced in mid-June.
KANG replaces former chairperson AN Cheong-sook, who resigned three months short of her three year term in March 2008. She is remembered for her diligence in promoting Korean film overseas and fostering diversity at home. KANG assumed the head position June 2nd and will lead KOFIC forward through a challenging new landscape for a term that will last until 2011.

Nigel D-Sa.

There were concerns given the current political troubles in Korea - President Lee has been heavily criticised for his pro-American stance and seemingly lack of democratic freedom -  that the appointment would be subject to political pressure, but there is no mention regarding that here. Hopefully, it has been a fair appointment that will see Kang Han-sub further develop KOFIC as this will be crucial as he and KOFIC fight the current downturn in Korean cinema, particuarly in the domestic market.

Source: KOFIC website

Posted 16 June 2008


             Le Grand Chef goes global

The domestic hit, Le Grand Chef (식객) , which became the 5th biggest hit last year has been sold to ABC for France, Ayapro Production for Japan, Chungeorahm China for China, Sundream Motion Pictures for Hong Kong, AOE for Malaysia, M-Pictures for Thailand and Festive for Singapore. Therefore, it has been sold for most of East Asia and even to France, but with its subject focussed on food, that is not a surprise.

Le Grand Chef (식객) made $20.2m, which equates to 2.9 million admissions when it was released in August.  Directed by Jeon Yoon-soo (전윤수) it stars Kim Kang-woo (김강우), Im Won-hee (임원희), Lee Ha-na (이하나) & Jeong Eun-pyo (정은표). Its synopsis is as follows (from KOFIC):

At a press conference, a cooking knife of a special spirit is being presented to the public. The knife belongs to the last Korean royal chef of the Chosun Dynasty who cut his arms with this knife to show his loyalty to the king and the country. The Japanese bureaucrat at the time was deeply moved by his conviction and returned to Japan with this knife. Now, his son has come to Korea to return the precious knife back to someone who really deserves to own it and announces a cooking contest to find the best cook for this knife. Thus the destined match between the grandsons of the two apprentices of the royal chef has begun…

With the domestic market having a promising start, this is another encouraging sign that 2008 promises to be a prosperous one for the Korean film industry.

        D-War hits the U.S on 2,275 screens

That's right, D-War (aka Dragon Wars) (디 워) had some of the force when it made its way over the Pacific ocean. Although it has recieved mixed reviews - lets face it, a film about any kind of monster that runs around LA will be susceptible to bad reviews - it has broken the record for the opening weekend of a Korean film in the U.S. It made it to 5 in the U.S charts making $1.55 million on Friday alone and generating $5,041,239 in its first weekend. Although it fell behind comedy Superbad, it had a higher screen average and it beat other Hollywood films such as Halloween.



To be honest, I am not so sure a Korean film in English is a good thing, however I sincerely take my hat off to director Shim Hyung-rae (심형래) (above) who has taken a huge risk with this film and stood up to all the criticsim and even laughter in some cases and shown his critics that they were very wrong. Not only has this film been the most successful film of the year sparking off the subsequent success of Korean films in the domestic market with the help of May 18 (화려한 휴가) , but it has broken into the most competative film industry in the world in style, that no other Korean film has. Those who criticsed him (including me) should now eat some serious humble pie. It may not be the finest Korean film to be made, but the director is arguably one the most courageous and he deserves to be credited with his phenominal achievment that few people expected.


Tartan are to release Oldboy on Blu-ray

For all of you that own Blu-ray Machines, you will be pleased to hear that Tartan are to release Oldboy on Blu-ray. It is one of their first titles to hit Blu-ray, which just goes to show how popular Oldboy is. Films on Blu-ray look fantastic, and I am sure Oldboy will look amazing, so if you are fotunate enough to own the necessities - you are very lucky indeed!  Oldboy will be released on Blu-ray on September 24th in the UK and 23rd October in the U.S. Enjoy!

UK Distributor, Tartan Films buys the rights for Breath (숨), Time (시간), I'm a Cyborg, but I'm OK (사이보그지만 괜찮아) and The Good, The Bad, The Weird (좋은 놈, 나쁜 놈, 이상한 놈).

Tartan have been busy in Cannes. Yesterday it ermerged that they bought the UK, Ireland and U.S distribution rights for Kim Ki-duk's competition film, Breath (숨) in addition to his previous film, Time (시간). Unsurprisingly, they also purchased the rights for Park Chan-wook's latest, I'm a Cyborg But that's OK (사이보그지만 괜찮아), and to put the icing on the cake, they have also acquired the rights for Kim-Jee-Woon's film, The Good, The Bad, and The Werid (좋은 놈, 나쁜 놈, 이상한 놈), which he is currently shooting. Cineclick Asia were screening a trailer of the film at their stand in Cannes - evidently it made an impact.


 Seong Hyeon-ah (성현아) in Time (시간) directed by Kim Ki-duk (김기덕)



Park Ji-ah (박지아) and Chang Chen (장첸 (張震 )) in Breath ( 숨)
directed by Kim Ki-duk (김기덕)


So when and where, and indeed, what platforms will they be released on? At present, this is not clear. However, I am confident that Breath, I'm a Cyborg, But That's OK and The Good, The Bad,The Werid will see theatrical releases. Kim Ki-duk's Breath and Park Chan-wook's