Meet Directors in Seoul TheatersBy Lee Hyo-won Staff Reporter This weekend in Seoul, movie buffs can re-watch a handful of contemporary classics of Korean cinema on the big screen and meet directors: Hong Sang-soo and Song Il-gon. The Korean Film Archive is hosting a retrospective of 10 films by the minimal realist Hong through Jan. 24 at Cinematheque KOFA, Sangam-dong, Seoul, while ``The Magicians,’’ by artsy experimentalist Song, will reopen Sunday in Daehango. Hong has established an international reputation as a unique minimalist with video journal-style movies reminiscent of the late Eric Rohmer. The retrospective lineup includes his 1996 directorial debut piece, ``The Day the Pig Fell Into the Well,’’ to his latest works ― ``Like You Know It All’’ and the short ``Lost in the Mountains.’’ Following Sunday’s 4:30 p.m. screening of ``Night and Day,’’ which competed at the 2008 Berlin Film Festival, Hong will join the audience. He will give a special talk with film critic Huh Moon-young, director of Cinematheque Busan, who produced ``Night and Day.’’ Two of 10 films will be shown with English subJan 13, 2010
Kim Yun-jin Sings in Harmony OnscreenBy Lee Hyo-won Staff Reporter Not long after ``Executioner,'' the first movie to be filmed in a real prison, and ``The Actresses,'' featuring a rare all-female cast, comes ``Harmony,'' about women living behind bars in tune to a different synchronization. Kim Yun-jin returns to the local screen two years after starring in the hit thriller ``Seven Days.'' The ``Lost'' star has shed her serious image to wear an unfading smile and a blue jail uniform in the tearjerker family drama. ``It's a movie for which we had to reshoot scenes because we cried too much,'' the actress said Monday in Seoul following the film's press preview. Produced by ``Haeundae'' director Yun Je-kyoon and directed by newcomer Kang Dae-gyu, the movie is indeed designed to draw out tears ― and despite some oddly placed musical moments and mainstream superficiality, it works. Kim stars as Jeong-hye, who, after killing her abusive husband, is sentenced to serve 10 years in Cheongju Women's Prison. She gives birth to a baby boy during the stint and tries to cherish every bit of the 18 months she has with MJan 12, 2010
Frog Princess Is Contemporary ClassicBy Lee Hyo-won Staff Reporter It’s mellifluously musical and brims with every bit of timeless fairytale beauty. Evoking an aura of a time long gone yet thoroughly modern in language, it’s Disney at one of its finest, crown jewel moments. Coming to local theaters at the end of the month is the much anticipated ``The Princess and the Frog,’’ the first Disney franchise to feature an African-American protagonist. The animation spices things up by creating characters with an attitude amid the exotic backdrop of the Jazz Age ― though without compromising the hallmarks of good old Disney classics. The modern spinoff of the girl-meets-frog story is rightfully Time Magazine’s Best Movie of 2009. Joining Disney’s cast of fairytale princesses is Tiana, who is brought to life by the sweet-voiced Anika Noni Rose (``Dreamgirls’’). Our working-class heroine comes from a modest but loving home, where she would make gumbo with her father and hear fairytales from her mother, including the movie’s eponymous tale. But unlike her friend Charlotte, who is enamored with the idea of kissing a Jan 7, 2010
Avatar Becomes Fastest Selling Foreign FilmBy Lee Hyo-won Staff Reporter It's a ``blue'' winter in Korea, with ``Avatar'' garnering the largest number of moviegoers ever over a given timeframe among foreign films. The 3D alien movie swept holiday ticket sales with unstoppable momentum, attracting a total of almost 6.4 million viewers in just 17 days, as of Monday, according to the Korean Film Council. It is the first imported film to achieve such a rate. During the long weekend over New Year's Day (Jan. 1 to 4), 1.2 million or 42.7 percent of moviegoers saw ``Avatar'' in 725 theaters across the country. ``I think that when you look at James Cameron as a filmmaker, and his history, he's always proven himself,'' said producer Jon Landau when he visited Seoul in October 2009. Cameron and Landau joined hands in the 1990s worldwide hit ``Titanic.'' Michael Bay's extraterrestrial robot franchise ``Transformers 1'' and `` Transformers 2'' stand as the highest grossing foreign flicks in Korean box office history, having each sold some 7.4 million tickets. ``Avatar'' currently ranks third but considering that advance Jan 4, 2010
On Mother-Daughter BondingBy Lee Hyo-won Staff Reporter Amid the speedy, adventure-packed film releases, ``Wedding Dress,’’ a mellow family drama with an andante tempo, seeks to provoke a different sensibility ― to gently pull at the heartstrings of sometimes over-stimulated viewers. The teary mother-daughter story may be more appropriate for a May release in time for Family Month, and it would have greatly benefitted from some heavy editing to speed up the painful crawling pace and straight-to-DVD movie quality. Nevertheless, compelling child actress Kim Hyang-gi turns cliched predictability into something tastefully classic, and the movie will undoubtedly become a steady cable TV movie listing for the general audience. Song Yoon-ah plays the role of Go-un, a wedding dress designer who is more often seen frantically running around to correct mistakes than working with chiffon. (The amiable actress, who is more familiar in more elegant roles, is at times surprisingly irritating as the scatterbrained woman). Nevertheless, the young widow manages to make ends meet for herself and her loving, thougDec 31, 2009
Now ShowingNine From the makers of ``Chicago’’ comes a new musical movie. Guido, a world-famous film director (Daniel Day-Lewis), while struggling to find a new script and deal with a mid-life crisis, must balance his relationship with the women in his life: his wife (Marion Cotillard), his mistress (Penelope Cruz), his muse (Nicole Kidman), a journalist (Kate Hudson), his costume designer (Judi Dench), a prostitute from his youth (Fergie) and his mother (Sophia Loren). 15 and over. 118 minutes. Cinus G Gangnam (02-530-8400) near exit 5 of Gangnam Station on subway line 2 CGV Gangdong (1544-1122) near exit 2 of Gangdong-gu Office Station on subway line 8 Primus Sillim (1544-5522) near exit 7 of Sillim Station on subway line 2 Artreon Sinchon (1644-2208) near exit 4 of Sinchon Station on subway line 2 Dec 31, 2009
Sikgaek 2 to Show Creative Kimchi DishesBy Lee Hyo-won Staff Reporter A Korean meal is never complete without kimchi, and the spicy fermented vegetable dish continues to be prepared during the wintertime, when the cold weather provides natural refrigeration. Despite snowy road conditions, reporters flocked to a movie theater in downtown Seoul, Wednesday, for a taste of the most anticipated kimchi product in the making for 2010 ― ``Sikgaek 2: Kimchi Wars’’ (working title), the sequel to the 2007 hit culinary comic-book-turned-film ``Le Grand Chef.’’ Unlike the first film, which featured various episodes from cartoonist Huh Young-man’s ``Sikgaek,’’ ``Kimchi Wars’’ is a spinoff with an original story. Instead of showcasing a wide variety of local dishes, the new movie focuses on the many facets of kimchi, said first-time director Baek Dong-hoon. ``I was initially worried about how I could propel a two-hour-long story with just kimchi, but it wasn’t a problem once I learned how rich and diverse the types of kimchi and kimchi dishes are,’’ he said. ``The movie features not only the common red kimchi made from cDec 30, 2009
2010 Korean Cinema LineupBy Lee Hyo-won Staff Reporter The past year represented hope and revitalization for Korean cinema. While problems such as piracy linger on, the forecast for 2010 cinema appears promising with diverse projects in the making. Cineastes are finding inspiration from the past and are bringing remakes of Korean classics as well as unique period movies. Big action flicks are gearing up for the 60th anniversary of the Korean War (1950-53) while much-anticipated sequels will cater to fans. Furthermore, a couple of Hollywood projects will head here for shoots. 2009 in Review Both commercial blockbusters and unique indie films pulled the industry out of a three-year slump and cineastes made their mark near and far. Kim Choung-ryoul's documentary ``Old Partner'' rewrote box-office history for the genre, while Yang Ik-june's ``Breathless'' made waves by sweeping almost two dozen prizes at international festivals. Park Chan-ok's low-budget drama ``Paju'' was well-received among critics and moviegoers and the micro-budget road movie ``Daytime Drinking'' gained popularity near and farDec 27, 2009
Actors Show No Mercy for VengeanceBy Lee Hyo-won Staff Reporter ``No Mercy’’ opens the New Year box office with a slice of gruesome cadaver-cutting and a dash of heart-thumping chases. Obviously, this murder story is no firework event for families. In the past, the normative formula for box office success had been period epics or action-packed stories highlighting the North-South Korean divide. But lately the focus has shifted to medium-budget, crafty crime thrillers featuring unexpected endings that slap you in the face. Thrills once rooted in ruthless psychopathic terror lately began to take a more dramatic spin with sympathy-provoking homicides, throwing big moral questions into a murky gray zone. ``No Mercy’’ takes the latter to extremes; this tale of revenge may not be as visionary as ``Oldboy’’ but it certainly is a match in terms of shock factor. Indeed, ``it’s so violent, it’s tragic,’’ just as described by first-time director Kim Hyung-joon. Moreover, the two lead actors, Sul Kyoung-gu and Ryu Seung-bum, harness their animalistic acting instincts to artistic ends, creating characters that feDec 24, 2009
Now ShowingWoochi This modern reinterpretation of the Jeon U-chi chronicles takes viewers back to the Joseon Kingdom (1392-1910), when Taoist wizards and evil goblins fought over a magic flute. Woochi (Kang Dong-won) is a troublemaking ascetic in training who abuses his Taoist magic to play pranks. But Woochi and his sidekick Choraengi are framed for murdering their master, who had died trying to protect the magic flute, and are banished inside paintings. But when the goblins return for the flute in modern-day Seoul, Taoist wizards summon Woochi back, promising him the title of a Taoist master if he catches the goblins. 12 and over. 136 minutes. No English subtitles available. Cinecity (02-540-2500) near exit 3 of Apgujeong Station on subway line 3 Cinus G Gangnam (02-530-8400) near exit 5 of Gangnam Station on subway line 2 CGV Gangdong (1544-1122) near exit 2 of Gangdong-gu Office Station on subway line 8 Primus Sillim (1544-5522) near exit 7 of Sillim Station on subway line 2Dec 24, 2009