Korean Film News.
Sector 7: from 733 screens to 7
It's become clear that despite all the hype it generated prior to release, Sector 7/ 7광구 has been one this year's flops, and arguably the biggest. I suspect producers had a target of around at least 7 million admissions given that it stars Ha Ji-won (하지원) - one of Korea's biggest names - and the fact that it is Korea's first 3D film. And given the similarities to The Host / 귀물, director Kim Ji-hoon (김지훈) would have wanted to emulate the success of Bong's superb monster movie. But despite a relatively strong opening - it attracted 200,000 admissions in its first day - once word had got out that this is was probably the worst Korean film in recent memory, it's box office ranking sank like the Titanic. As of the 24th August, it was put down to 235 screens then on the 24th, it was reduced again to 30 screens on the 35th, and on the 26th Sector 7 practically disappeared from sight as it was screened on only 7 screens. Last weekend it made a merely 1,372 admissions.
If I am honest, I was rather dubious from the start, not least because director Kim's last film, May 18th, at least in my eyes, was a bitter disappointment despite its commercial success at around 7 million admissions or so. So what went wrong? While some of the visual effects are somewhat satisfactory the lack of any story and tension results in a film you would want to walk out of halfway through. For me, it seemed that director Kim wanted to build up tension within the oil drilling platform - the film follows a number of workers on an oil drilling platform as they attempt to stay alive and kill the monster - but it's so poorly executed that even Kim resorts to moving to the upper decks and create tension that way by being more expansive, but the motorbike sequences on the top deck are, frankly, awful. If a film is enjoyable I tend to excuse a lack of depth, but this film is neither enjoyable, nor is it intelligent - it's atrocious, and this is what has been conveyed through word-of-mouth, both online and offline, and hence the box office flop. Hopefully director Kim will learn from the mistakes of this film, and work on them for his next film, which is called Tower / 타워 starring Seol Kyeong-gu (설경구) and Son Ye-jin (손예진) about a fire that occurs in a high rise building on Christmas Eve.
Images from director's Kim next film Tower / 타워.
Source: Hancinema
Kim Jee-woon's latest 'I Saw the Devil' has been delayed
One of the summer's eargerly awaited films, I Saw the Devil / 악마를 보았다, has been pulled from it's original release date because it failed to meet censorship guidlines. The Korea Media Rating Board gave the film a "restricted" rating, which effectively banned the film because only special theatres are able to screen the film, but no such theatres exist in Korea.
The rating board were concerned that some scenes "severely damaged the dignity of human values" while the film's producer, Kim Hyun-woo argued that the film was made from the perspective of the victim and was deliberately realistic.
The film had already been resubmitted in the hope that it would recieve the 18+ rating and will now be forced to cut more of the problematic scenes in question. The film was scheduled to be released on August 11th, which will probably delight those who have been working on The Man from Nowhere, which is currently No.1 in the Korean box office.
Can you spot Kim Jee-woon?
I Saw the Devil is the latest film from director Kim Jee-woon, who is popular in Korea as well as on the international market, not least because his last three feature films have starred Lee Byung-heon - one of Korea's most popular actors. His last film, The Good, The Bad, The Wierd is currently the most expensive film ever made and director Kim has earnt a strong reputation for being able to tackle a variety of different genres. His films also tend to do well commercially, both home and abroad. This film is going to be screened at Toronto and no doubt, everyone who has worked on the film will want to have it cleared by the censorship board before its screening in Toronto.
This problem with the censorship board may end being a hidden blessing as it creates more publicity - even though they can't market the film because it has a "restricted" rating - and when it is finally released, it may end up attracting more viewers and might be a good selling point at international film markets, not least for those looking for a bit of 'extreme' violence.
The film, which stars Choi Min-sik as well as Lee Byung-heon as the main protagonist, Dae-woon, seeks revenge following the killing of his fiance by the psychopath, Kyung-chul (Choi Min-sik). It is not difficult to see why it may have encountered problems with the censors.
Source: KOFIC
More Korean titles to hit UK Market
Here is some news on some forthcoming releases to DVD and to the cinema. I will provide more info on each as when more details are released.
Most notable is the announcement that Mother / 마더 has been sold to Optimum Releasing. They have now acquired all Bong Joon-ho’s (봉준호) feature films with the exception of Barking Dogs Never Bite / 플란다스의 개 (2000). They also hold the rights to his most recent short, Tokyo! / 도쿄! (2008) Mother has caused a storm amongst the public and critics alike and is by far the best Korean film of the year, at least from the films I have seen. Therefore, it is not a surprise it has been submitted as Korea’s entry to the Academy Awards. You can see my review here.
The film, I imagine will have a selected theatrical release and then be released on DVD shortly after. When I have more news, I will let you know.
Some of you will know Bong Joon-ho was in London and Nottingham answering questions about Mother and his other films. I am currently doing a feature on director Bong and will incorporate some of what he said into this feature. I am also using this an opportunity to review all his films, including his shorts as well as writing some kind of biography. Keep watching this space.
Thirst / 박쥐 is to be released on DVD on 25 January 2010. There will be an audio commentary by director Park Chan-wook and a UK exclusive interview, which I imagine he did while he was in London a couple of weeks ago. You can read my review on the film here, which includes some of what he said at a Q&A at the Korean Cultural Centre.
The other four films, which will see releases in the near future, are Breathless / 똥파리, Missing /실종, The Sword With No Name / 불꽃처럼 나비처럼 and Chaw / 차우. Though, of course, there may be others I am not aware of.
Breathless is probably the strongest of these releases. Directed and starring Yang Ik-june (양익준), it provides a vivid and authentic insight into some of the social problems Korea faces, such as domestic violence and family breakdown. This is no easy watch and Yang Ik-june must be commended for his couragous and uncompromising approach together with his extraordinary ability as a filmmaker. It will be released in January and I will post a review on release. I have also interviewed the director, so this will be posted with the review. Watch this space.
Missing directed by Kim Seong-hong (김성홍) and starring Moon Seong-geun (문성근) and Choo Ja-hyeon (추자현), it follows Hyun-jung as she searches for her sister who hasn’t been seen for several days. Whilst it opened with a satisfactory opening of 249,691 admissions, it struggled to hit a total of 650,00 admissions. But commercial success is not everything. It will be distributed by Showbox (not to be confused with the Korean distributor who have distributed the film in Korea) and expect a DVD release.
The Sword with No Name also a showbox release was a highly anticipated action flick with its fair share of melodrama set in the Joseon Dynasty. Starring Jo Seung-woo (조승우), Soo-ae (수애) and Cheon Ho-jin (천호진) and directed by Kim Yong-gyoon (김용균), it follows a headhunter who falls in love with a beautiful noble lady, but she gets married to the King, so what does he do? Becomes her bodyguard – recipe for disaster? Whilst it looks stunning, I think it failed to please audiences in Korea with the total admissions thus far (it is still on release) of 1,681,640. But that is not to say it is a load of rubbish, so we will have to wait and see what UK audiences think of it. Of course, westerners are quite partial to traditional action epics, so while it may not hit the jackpot in Korea, it might actually do better abroad.
Chaw, which is being released by Optimum Releasing seems to have divided audiences and critics. Some have liked it, while some have hated it. Directed by Sin Jeong-won (신정원) and starring Eom Tae-woong (엄태웅) and Jeong Yu-mi (정유미), the narrative is hardly complex: a wild boar is hungry and people go missing, so a team go into the mountains and try to kill it. Korean monster flicks are rare, which is quite ironic given the success of Bong Joon-ho’s The Host / 괴물. Like The Sword with No Name, it opened quite well and then excited the box office with just fewer than 1.8 million admissions. But this film did have to compete with Haeundae / 해운대 and Take off / 국가대표– both extremely successful in Korea. Whatever the film’s quality, a film of this kind will always find a place in the UK DVD market.
When I get more information on each release, I will, of course, let you know. Whilst some films will invariably be better than others, it does go to show how priviledged we are here in the UK to have a whole range of Korean DVDs hitting retaliers; from the more commerical flare to the more independent films that are emerging out of Korea. And of course, films from the more prolific Korean directors: Bong Joon-ho and Park Chan-wook.
Im Sang-soo (임상수) to direct and Jeon Do-yeon (전도연) to star in a remake of Kim Ki-young's (김기영) classic, The Housemaid / 하녀
Last week it emerged that The Housemaid / 하녀 is going to being remade, starring Jeon Do-yeon (전도연) and directed by Im Sang-soo (임상수). The Housemaid is seen as one of the greatest films to come out of Korean cinema directed by Korea’s cinematic genius Kim Ki-young (김기영). The film was recently digitally re-mastered for a DVD that came out earlier this year. The Housemaid has been massively influential, not least to Bong Joon-ho (봉준호) who actually does a commentary on the DVD.
So remaking a classic…. What do you think? Invariably this will be met with mixed reactions; some may be intrigued, not least because it starts one of Korea’s most prolific actresses and directed by one of Korea’s great contemporary directors. Some, however, may be less impressed. But, I am actually quite enthusiastic about it. Im Sang-soo is an extremely talented director, whom I assume is very excited about remaking one of Korea’s cinematic masterpieces. His previous films include the intriguing and controversial A President’s Last Bang / 그때 그사람들 (2004) and the brilliant A Good Lawyer's Wife / 바람난 가족 (2003). Like Bong Joon-ho, he has the ability to make intellectual films, whilst also retaining its commercial appeal. His remake of The Housemaid will be one of the biggest films next year, I imagine.
Jeon Do-yeon now commands a great deal of respect both at home and on the world stage after her Best Actress win at Cannes for Secret Sunshine / 밀양 (2007). Her powerful and resonating performance will last in your memory for a very long time. Of course, she has been around for a while with impressive performances in films such as You are My Sunshine / 너는 내 운명 - (2005), Untold Scandal / 스캔들 - 조선남녀상열지사 (2003) and The Harmonium in My Memory / 내 마음의 풍금 (1999). She seems ideal to take on the role as the housemaid and is no doubt looking for a high profile role after giving birth to her child.
The film is being made to mark the 50th anniversary of the film and is being produced by Microvision. Shooting starts at the end of this year and is scheduled for release in May 2010.
Sources: Screendaily
Kwak Gyeong-taek (곽경택) is set to direct Korea's first feature length live-action 3D film.
With 3D film coming more popular across the globe and piracy being such a big problem in Korea - the recent uploading of Haeundae / 해운대 on to the web and the subsequent prosecutions by CJ Entertainment are illustrative of this - it is inevitable that the Korean film industry is going to search for ways to combat piracy and releasing films in 3D is a promising solution. And set to be the first director to make a feature length live-action film in 3D is the one and only Kwak Gyeung-taek (곽경택), who is very well known in the industry and wider world following his record breaking film, Friend / 친구 (2001). His films tend to be more of the commercial flare that comes out of Korea, but I always enjoy watching his films, even if they are a little light. If you want to watch an enjoyable Korean film, go no further than Kwak Gyeung-taek. His recent film, Eye for an Eye / 눈에는 눈 이에는 이 (2008) is characteristic of this.
His next film currently titled The Battle of Yellow Sea will be about the explosive Naval engagement between North and South Korea, which takes place on the second-to-last day of the 2002 World Cup. He has, of course, explored the relationship between North and South Korea in Typhoon / 태풍 (2005), which although took 3 million admissions - which is fairly successful when compared to other Korean films - because of its huge budget, its overal performance was very disappointing. But with this being the first 3D feature length film and Kwak's action experise, it will no doubt make the money it needs to.
Budgeted at $16.65 million, this is no small budget, but Kwak has worked on expensive films before. It is being invested by IM pictures which produced box office hit My Sassy Girl /엽기적인 그녀. With more screens being adapted for the 3D experience - there are currently over 60 screens, which will increase to more than 100 next year - this film is potentially going to be a defining moment as it moves on to new technology. It will be interesting to see if and when 3D Korean films will be sold abroad.
Source: Screendaily.
Haeundai / 해운대 is hitting the Korean box office like a Tsunami....
Korea's answer to Hollywood's The Day After Tomorrow is looking to break the 10 million admission mark - only four films have broken this mark: Silmido (실미도 - 2003), Brotherood/Taeguki (태극기 휘날리며 - 2004), The King and The Clown (왕의 남자 - 2005) and The Host (괴물 - 2006). Since its premiere on July 22, it has amassed 7 million admissions, which is staggering. There are suggestions that it will break the all time record of just over 12 million admissions - currently held by The Host.
Set in Busan (the southern port of Korea and home to the Pusan International Film Festival), it focusses on the lives of four protagonists - "seaside-eatery proprietor Man-sik (Seol Kyeong-gu (설경구)) and girlfriend Yeon-heui (Ha Ji-won (하지원)); his coast-guard brother and his sultry counterpart; and a divorced couple, one of whom is a workaholic ocean geologist (Park Joong-hoon (박중훈)) and the other a political adviser (Uhm Jung-hwa (엄정화))." (Korea Times)
Clearly it has a stellar cast, though, this doesn't always guarantee success. Given that the film seems to appeal to a mass-audience - both younger and older generations - the films focus on class issues and human relations is perhaps instrumental in its success. Furthermore, the special effects have been created by the same team behind The Day After Tomorrow, so the strong CGI is arguably another reason for its popularity.
Director Yoon Je-kyoon (윤제균) who has directed Sex Is Zero (색즉시공 - 2002) & Miracle on 1st Street (1번가의 기적 - 2006) have both starred Ha Ji-won (하지원) who is massive in Korea and clearly, they have a strong working relationship, given this is the third film they have worked together as director & actress. The director also knows how to attract audiences - both Sex is Zero and Miracles on 1st Street have performed well at the box office. It also good to see the legendary Park Joong-hoon back working in film - his last performance was in 2006 with Radio Star (라디오 스타 - 2006).
The film has been bought by Optimum Releasing - also behind UK releases of The Host. No suggestion as of yet when it will be released, or whether it be released in cinemas. But given that the Host was released theatrically and most mainstream audiences like a good disaster film, I wouldn't be too surprised to see this film in the cinemas later on in the year.
Sources: Korea Times
Some news in brief....
Cannes Film Festival
Some of you will know Park Chan-wook's Thirst / 박쥐 won the jury award in Cannes last week. In fact it ended in a tie, so he shared the award with UK film maker Andrea Arnold for her film Fish Tank. Although not the most prestigious award in Cannes, Park will be delighted to take back his second award from the Cannes Film Festival. The first being, obviously, the Grand Prix in 2004 for Oldboy.
Park Chan-wook (박찬욱) posing with his Jury award to the press.
Cannes 09 has been a very good year for Korean cinema with the big guns out in force demonstrating that Korean cinema is getting stronger and stronger - although some will disagree with this. But regardless of where you stand in terms of the quality of these films, buyers are certainly taking to them with a flurry of sales for both Mother / 마더 and Thirst. You can find more information on where films have been sold here.
A standing ovation was reported following the screening of Mother and people were forced to sit on the steps due to the volume of people in the screen. So, it is very difficult not to raise one expectations, but I don't think many people will be disappointed following the rave reviews, though, of course, there have been some that have not liked it, but you can't please everybody. After all, film is a very subjective medium.
Mother / 마더 starring Won Bin (원빈) (above)
But it appears that the big guns have overshdowed the other Korean films that have been screened in Cannes - this is something I am also guilty of. A total of ten films were screened including the likes of of Hong Sang-soo (홍상수) with Like you know it at all / 잘 알지도 못하면서, which screened in the non-Director's fortnight selection. I am going to do a post on all the films that were screened in the coming week or so, which will highlight some of the less high profile films.
Despite the high number of Korean films in Cannes and the global media attention surrounding them, there is a sense that following the unexpected death of ex-president Roh Moo-hyeon, the achievements in Cannes have been forced to take a back seat. The increasingly hostile situation in North Korea has not helped either.
Box Office
Moving on to the box office. I am currently working on a big review over the last year, so I won't go into too much depth. Mother has opened very well indeed with over a million (1,039,358) admissions in the opening weekend. Given the country is now in seven days of mourning, there was a sense that Mother wasn't going to perform as well as first hoped, but it has become the biggest opener of the year and consequently beaten the opening of Thirst. It has also done very well given the competition - Terminator Salvation is performing very well with 2,777,204 admissions already. It is only in its second week. It clocked up a screen average of $9,377 in its opening week, which is very high. Most films that hit number one will have an average of around $5,000. But following strong reviews and lets face it, Koreans' love robots, so it is hardly surprising it has done so well. One only has to look at the success of Transformers in Korea to illustarte this.
Meanwhile My Girlfriend is an Agent / 7급 공무원 is doing very well. It is now into its sixth week in the box office - it is now situated in the No.3 spot with a total of 3,785,6074 admissions. Directed by Sin Tae-ra (신태라) and starring Kim Ha-neul (김하늘), Kang Ji-hwan (강지환), Ryoo Seung-yong (류승용) and Jang Young-nam (장영남), it has become a sleeper hit. With a modest budget and very stiff competition, there was a lot going against this film, but quite often it those films that one would expect to fail are the ones that please audiences.
My Girlfriend is an Agent / 7급 공무원 directed by Sin Tae-ra (신태라)
Thirst, whilst it had a very impressive opening weekend, it has slipped considerably - it is now in ninth position with just over 2 million admissions, which suggests audiences are not reacting too kindly to it - perhaps it is the excessive violence and sex. Not a flop, but it hasn't exactly hit the jackpot either, but it is an 18 rating. Mother, too, is an 18 rating, so it will be interesting to see how Mother performs in the coming weeks.
Like I said, there will be more analysis on the coming weeks - it will take me a while to compile the dats and write the piece, but hopefully it will be worth the wait.
Blood: The Last Vampire
Jeon Ji-Hyun's (전지현) first Hollywood starring role hits the cinemas at the end of the month in the UK with Blood: the Last Vampire. It opens worldwide on June 11, so I will be on the look out for some early reviews. It is difficult to gauge how well it will do and what it will do for her career. On paper, it sounds encouraging - it is is produced by by Bill Kong (Couching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and Hero) and director Chris Nahon (produced Kiss of the Dragon). I don't think it will be hailed by the critics, but its sophisticated acton and the glamour of Jeon Ji-Hyun may be enough to please audiences.
Jeon Ji-Hyun's (전지현) pulsating glamour
The film doesn't appear in this months Empire, but I will keep an eye on their website and keep you posted. It will be interesting to see if she comes to the UK to promote the film.
Upcoming Korean DVDs.
One final bit of news... Third Window are releasing Dasepo Naughty Girls / 다세포 소녀, which stars Kim Ok-bin (김옥빈) (Thirst) and Kick the Moon / 신라의 달밤 on 8th June. I will do a post/review of these films in the coming days, so do keep an eye on my site.
Dasepo Naughty Girls / 다세포 소녀 directed by Lee Jae-yong (이재용)
Kick the Moon / 신라의 달밤 directed by Kim Sang-jin (김상진)
Park Chan-wook's Thirst is to come to the UK
Pallisades, who have bought the Tartan library (they went into administration last June) have acquired the rights to Park Chan-wook's latest, Thirst. Apparently, it was initally scheduled for an April release, but is ahead of schedule, and apparently, they are extremely happy with the film, which is very encouraging, although how good it will be remains to be seen. So, I can assume its release is not far away. On Darcy's site, it says CJ Entertainment are considering a lunar new year release, which is on Monday, so who knows... And given Korean films are performing well in the box office at the moment (I will do a box office review as soon as I can) it may mean, they will want to cash in on the renewed optimism. The film is also being co-produced by Universial Pictures and London based Focus Features, which is interesting in itself. Focus Features will no doubt be heavily involved in the UK release, so one might assume, it will recieve a fairly high-profile release. When I find out more news on the film's release in the UK and Korea, I will let you know....
Here is a synopsis, which should offer some insight.
Sang-hyun is a priest who volunteers his time conducting his ministry to
patients in a small town hospital. Although well respected for his strong faith
and dedicated service to those around him, he suffers from overwhelming
feelings of doubt and despair about living in a world that seems to be drowning
in suffering and death. With the hope of saving even one life, he volunteers to
participate in an experiment to find a vaccine for the deadly F.I.V. virus and
heads to Africa. But the experiment fails, and Sang-hyun is infected with the
fatal disease. Surprisingly, however, he recovers completely. News of his
miraculous recovery spreads quickly, and devoted parishioners, thinking that
he has the gift of healing, flock to his services. Among the visitors are Kangwoo,
Sang-hyun’s childhood friend, and his family. Later, Kang-woo invites
Sang-hyun to join the weekly mahjong night at his house, and there Sanghyun
finds himself dangerously drawn to Kang-woo’s wife, Tae-ju.
Suddenly, Sang-hyun relapses. He coughs up blood and dies, only to open
his eyes the next day in dire need of shelter from the scorching sunlight: Sanghyun
has become a vampire. Initially he feels a new vitality and is excited by
his urgent bodily desires, but soon he is disgusted to find himself sucking
blood from a comatose patient. After a sinful suicide attempt, he finds himself
drawn almost against his will to human blood, and the symptoms of F.I.V come
roaring back. Desperately trying to avoid committing murder, he resorts to
stealing blood transfusion packs from the hospital.
Living with her sick husband and his over-protective mother, Tae-ju leads a
dreary, unhappy life. She is drawn to Sang-hyun and his strange new
physicality, and he is unable to resist his desire. So they begin an affair. But
when Tae-ju discovers the truth about his new life, she retreats in fear, only at
first. When Sang-hyun asks her to run away with him, she turns him down,
suggesting that they kill Kang-woo instead.
Sources: screendaily.com,
songangho.com, Twitch koreanfilm.org, KOFIC (Korean Film Council)
British Director, Danny Boyle has been asked to direct the remake of Lady Vengeance
Iconic British film director, Danny Boyle who is behind Trainspotting, The Beach and most recently, Slumdog Millionaire has been asked to direct the remake of Lady Vengeance. Hum... In an interview on the populist film magazine website empireonline, he was asked:
What do you think of the Asian Film Industry, mainly South Korea and Hong Kong? A lot of South Korean movies are being made into US Remakes. Would you ever consider remaking a good South Korean movie, maybe OLDBOY?
and responded: Seriously, I was just asked to do a remake of Lady Vengeance, the one after Oldboy.
Given that it has also been reported that Spielberg and Will Smith are interested in collaborating together to make a remake of Oldboy, and Charlise Theron is, apparently, interested in being cast in the remake of Lady Vengeance, Park Chan-wook's remakes are possible going to be high-profile releases. Who knows? Perhaps they are hoping to hit the heights of success that Martin Scorsse hit with The Departed.
Boyle also said he has bought the DVD of Sympathy of Mr. Vengeance, so maybe he is serioulsly considering this offer and he wants to do some research....
KOFIC (Korean Film council) have also reported on this, which goes to show how quickly word spreads! They suggest: "An exciting surmise would be that Spielberg may back Lady Vengeance with Theron starring and producing and Boyle directing." We will have to wait and see...
Sources: Empireonline,KOFIC
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.