Cinema to Offer Korean Films With English Subtitles

A promotional poster of the film “Thirst,” a drama/horror directed by Park Chan-wook. CINUS in Gangnam and Myeongdong are to screen latest release Korean films with English subtitles.

By John Redmond
Contributing Writer

For lovers of good cinema, Korea has a wealth of local releases. Some are of the finest quality, showing innovation and moving cinema in a new direction as applauded by Chris Berry on a recent `'Discovery Channel'' program.

While much of Korean cinema has a unique quality, there are also a few local releases that follow the mainstream formulaic romantic, comedy, action plot.

What has been a major problem for film lovers of all Korean cinema who do not speak Korean has been the frustrating wait until the films are released on DVD to watch them with subtitles.

CINUS in Gangnam and Myeongdong are to screen latest release Korean films with English subtitles.

Two films currently being played are ``Thirst'' by noted director of the ``Vengeance Trilogy,'' Park Chan-wook and an action/comedy ``My Girlfriend Is an Agent'' by filmmaker Shin Tae-ra.

My Girlfriend Is an Agent is a Korean version of ``Mr. & Mrs. Smith'' starring Kang Ji-hwan and Kim Haneul. A Russian organized crime group is set out to steal an advanced chemical weapon from Korea and two secret agents are out to stop them.

One is a veteran secret agent named Ahn Soo-ji who is a master of all forms of martial arts and envied by her comrades. Another is a first-timer named Lee Jae-joon who's never been out in the field and always goofs up on the job.

The two agents don't know each other's secret identity. All they know is that they hate each other. As a couple that is... Soo-ji and Jae-joon were once a passionate duo until Jae-joon couldn't take any of Soo-ji's lies anymore. But all Soo-ji was trying to do was hide her secret identity.

Nonetheless, the two went their separate ways and by coincidence bump into each other years later while out on the job. As the two work out their screwy relationship, they go behind each other's backs to fulfill their mission to save the world.

``Thirst'' is a drama/horror. Director Park grew up in Seoul and studied philosophy at Sogang University, where he started a cinema-club called the Sogang Film Community and published a number of articles on contemporary cinema.

Originally intending to be an art critic, upon seeing Vertigo he resolved to try to become a filmmaker. After graduation, he wrote articles on film for journals, and soon became an assistant director of films such as ``Kkamdong,'' directed by Yu Yeong-jin, and ``Watercolor Painting in a Rainy Day,'' by Kwak Jae-yong (My Sassy Girl).

In Thirst, a beloved and devoted priest from a small town volunteers for a medical experiment to find a vaccine against a new deadly infectious disease caused by the Emmanuel virus.

The experiments fails and Sang-hyun contracts the virus. Following a miraculous cure, he returns home where, as news of his recovery spread, people begin to believe that he has the gift of healing and flock to receive his blessings.
However, Sang-hyun has actually become a vampire. These physical and psychological changes lead to his affair with the wife (Tae-ju) of his childhood friend (Kang-woo) who is repressed and tired of her mundane life.

The one-time priest falls deeper into despair and depravity. As things take further turns for the worse, he struggles to maintain what's left of his humanity.

For more information, visit www.cinus.co.kr.

johnredmond@koreatimes.co.kr

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