Pierce Conran
Seoul, South Korea
Pierce Conran is a film journalist based out of Seoul, where he tries to get the lowdown on the latest and greatest from the Korean peninsula for Twitch and runs the website Modern Korean Cinema. Irish by birth, he has lived in Dublin, Switzerland, New York and Los Angeles. When he's not going to film festivals, writing about and reporting on films or rambling on Twitter (@pierceconran), he mostly stares wistfully out the window.
Review: Though Stylish and Enigmatic, WHEN WINTER SCREAMS Is a Little Too Quiet for Its Own Good
I've made no secret of my admiration for Korea's wonderful film schools, which are responsible for some of the best professionals working in the industry today. One such institution is the Korean Academy of Film Arts (KAFA), a government-sponsored school...
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Chinese Docudrama THREE SISTERS Grabs 4 Prizes at Fribourg Film Fest
Wang Bing's Chinese docudrama Three Sisters, which premiered at last year's Venice International Film Festival, has triumphed at the 27th Fribourg International Film Festival by picking up four awards, including the Regard d'Or, the fest's top prize worth a whopping...
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Updated with EXCLUSIVE English Teaser and Poster - FISTS OF LEGEND to Punch Its Way Into US Theaters
UPDATED: The people at CJ have kindly sent us an exclusive english-subbed teaser trailer and poster. Check out the embed below! The upcoming Korean MMA flick Fists of Legend is set to get in the ring with US audiences April...
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The Sky's the Limit for China as Local Box Office Soars to No.2 in World Rankings
The MPAA released its annual box office report for 2012 and the biggest news was China's higher than expected ranking. Previous estimates had put the size of the market at around $2.3-2.4 billion, which would have been just under Japan's...
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Seattle Intl. Film Fest Reveals First 'African Pictures' Program
Late last year, the Seattle International Film Festival (SIFF) announced that it had received a three-year grant from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to design a program that would highlight the "diverse and burgeoning hotbed of filmmaking...
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HK Filmart 2013: Top HAF Prizes Doled Out To DOOMSDAY - PARTY And BARBER'S TALES
The Hong Kong-Asia Film Financing Forum wrapped up on Wednesday and handed out its awards. The major prizes were picked up by Ho Hong and Jun Robles Lana. 25 projects took part, whittled down from 250 submissions, and the two...
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Character Posters Revealed for Sexy Period Action Comedy THE HUNTRESSES
Not long now before Showbox reveals its period action comedy The Huntresses, which stars some of the most popular young actresses in the business. Following the first teaser that launched earlier this month, five new character posters featuring the trio...
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7th Asian Film Awards Winners Show Depth of Talent in Region
The Hong Kong International Film Festival (HKIFF) got underway this past weekend but that wasn't the only game in town as Monday saw both the opening of this year's Hong Kong International Film & TV Market (FILMART) and the glitzy...
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Review: PERFECT NUMBER Is a Handsome but Frustrating Adaptation
I originally saw Bang Eun-jin's sophomore film Perfect Number at the Busan International Film Festival last October. I am a big fan of the Japanese book (The Devotion of Suspect X by Higashino Keigo) that it was based on and...
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Adventures in Classic Korean Cinema: THE ROAD TO SAMPO
A lot of people are talking about Korean Cinema these days. Whether it be the latest commercial blockbuster to gleefully experiment with genre or the freshest arthouse hit rocking the festival circuit, the industry has a built a well-earned reputation...
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Review: Stylish and Assured, NEW WORLD Is a Solid Korean Gangster Flick
Ever since I discovered Korean cinema, I've been a fan of the industry's frequent experimentations with genre. Almost every film that comes out of the country seems to be an amalgamation of different tropes but there is one genre that...
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Review: DIRTY BLOOD Serves Up Its Revenge Tale with a Twist
Originally seen during the Puchon International Fantastic Film Festival (PiFan) 2012 As a society Korea has been slow to change despite its economic growth. At times it can seem like a gigantic, perpetually simmering pot of discontent that seems dangerously...
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Kim Jee-woon Takes on Multi-Projection Experimental Short HIDE & SEEK
Kim Jee-woon recently signed his Hollywood debut with the Arnold Schwarzenegger vehicle The Last Stand and his next feature project will be a live-action adaptation of the anime Jin Roh: The Wolf Brigade, but it looks like we'll be getting...
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Korean Auteur Park Chul-soo Dies Aged 64
Acclaimed Korean auteur Park Chul-soo died yesterday after being hit by a drunken driver as he crossed the street. The 64-year-old director was returning home after a day on the set of his latest film.I won't pretend to be an...
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Review: Is 26 YEARS the Ultimate Korean Revenge Narrative?
Just like anyone else, I come from a country (Ireland) with historical scars that refuse to completely fade away. These days, the sad fact is that my connection with my home is tenuous at best. Nevertheless, as we approach the...
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Review: MAN ON EDGE, Shaman By Day, Gangster By Night
The gangster comedy, once one of the biggest money-spinners in the Korean film industry, has fallen out of favor recently. Truth is, most high concept comedies struggle in the Korean marketplace these days. What is it about the mix between...
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Well Go to Show North America a NEW WORLD on March 22
Well Go USA has just picked up the Korean gangland saga New World for North American distribution during the European Film Market. Choi Min-sik (Oldboy, Nameless Gangster) stars as a gruff police captain who sends an agent (Lee Jeong-jae, The Thieves) undercover...
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Review: Meaningful Stillness in Jang Kun-jae's SLEEPLESS NIGHT
Of late, Korean Cinema has made for rather bleak viewing. Hushed up sexual violence has been very prevalent but politics, torture and much else besides have also found their way into these recent narratives. For this reason, among many others,...
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First Poster For SNOWPIERCER Rolls In
Bong Joon-ho's Snowpiercer has just revealed its first poster, which offers a teasing glance of the highly-anticipated pic. The film focuses on a train that never stops, as it makes its way through a futuristic world that is in the...
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Review: A Solid Cast Saves the Schmaltzy MIRACLE IN CELL NO. 7
The Korean film industry has many great supporting players but perhaps none more so than the versatile Ryoo Seung-ryong. The dependable, chameleon-like performer has been active for many years, but 2012 was by far and away his biggest. He...
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