PARK Chan-wook’s next film, BAKJWI [박쥐], finally has a leading lady: KIM Ok-bin [김옥빈]. Fresh off from the shoot of a period action-comedy GIBANG RIOT IN 1724 [1724 기방난동사건], KIM Ok-bin’s role in BAKJWI will require her to do a number of revealing sex scenes - she will portray a married woman that ends up having an affair with SONG Kang-ho’s man-turned-vampire character.
KIM is a rising young actress, previously known for her roles in E. J-Yong’s DASEPO NAUGHTY GIRLS [다세포소녀] (where she played “poor girl"), AHN Sang-hoon’s horror ARANG [아랑], and a number of TV dramas.
BAKJWI is scheduled to start filming in March.
HAN Suk-kyu [한석규] vs. CHA Seung-won [차승원]. A relentless cop vs. a brilliant criminal. Directed by KWAK Kyung-taek [곽경택] (Typhoon, Friend) and AHN Kwon-tae [안권태](My Brother), Eye for an Eye, Tooth for a Tooth promises to inject much needed life into Korean action cinema. HAN Suk-kyu simply owns the trailer with his presence, exhibiting a new found intensity (and gray hair!). If this one turns out to be good, I might even be willing to forgive KWAK for Typhoon.
Released in 1976, the original Robot Taekwon V (known as Voltar the Invincible in the U.S.) was the first Korean animated feature film. In 2005, it also became the first Korean film to undergo full digital restoration – a process that took three years to complete. The newly restored film premiered at the 10th Pusan International Film Festival, and enjoyed a successful theatrical release on 170 screens in 2007.
Now, this iconic, taekwondo-kicking robot is set for the live action/CGI update. Planned to be released in 2009 (and to go head-to-head with The Transformers 2 in the Korean market), Robot Taekwon V (2009) is directed by WON Shin-yeon [원신연] of Seven Days and A Bloody Aria fame. Production is handled by Shin Cine [신씨네] (My Sassy Girl), and the budget is estimated at 20 billion Korean Won (over 20 million USD). CGI and visual effects are done by a consortium of Korean VFX companies, including macrograph [매크로그래프], mofac [모팩], Insight Visual [인사이트비쥬얼], DTI (Digital Tetra Inc.) [디티아이], and EON Digital Films[이오엔].
For those of you in New York area, a rare opportunity to see LEE Myung-se’s 1988 debut feature Gagman (개그맨) on the big screen: this Thursday (Jan 24), 6:30pm at the ImaginAsian Theater. The admission is free, and all you have to do is RSVP at 212-759-9550.
Gagman provides the basis for a core theme in Lee Myung-se’s films – that there is no difference between dreams and reality. Extraordinarily inventive for its time, Gagman was praised for overcoming the staid conventions of Korean cinema in both style and narrative structure, and laid the foundation for director Lee’s subsequent works in the exploration of dream space, of which his latest film “M” could be considered the culmination.
This screening is part of Korean Cultural Service’s new film program, Chungmuro Express: Classic Korean Cinema.
Serbia moves slowly towards modern genre filmmaking, with director Dejan Zecevic (T.T. Syndrome) being the main force in this movement. His fourth feature film, aptly titled 4th Man (Četvrti čovek), is a contemporary political thriller set in Belgrade, which reflects on the climate of transitional anxiety in Serbia after Yugoslav wars. Nikola Kojo plays a military intelligence Major who is suffering from amnesia after waking up from a two-month coma. He soon learns that his wife and son were killed during the same incident that left him comatose, but not much else is known. Traumas of the past, unresolved disputes, and conspiracies collide as the major attempts to piece together the puzzle of his past life. On one level, Major’s amnesia is representative of Serbian society’s collective amnesia, and struggle to return to a normal life after the turbulent 90’s. While there’s nothing groundbreaking here in world cinema terms, the movie is a step in the right direction for the struggling domestic industry.
Kim Yong-hwa (김용화), director of the 2003 hit-comedy Oh! Brothers (오! 브라더스), is back with 200 Pounds Beauty (미녀는 괴로워) – a romantic comedy based on Japanese manga by Suzuki Yumiko, “Does Beauty tell your fate or what?”
Synopsis: “Hanna is a lip sync vocalist for Ami, the famous Korean pop singer. Hanna suffers from having extremely poor self-esteem, as she has been ignored because of her appearance. At last, she makes the decision of a lifetime to have full-body plastic surgery. However, life being as it is, something unexpected awaits her…” (KOFIC)
Hana is played by Kim Ah-joong (김아중), who portrayed Bong Tae-gyu’s girlfriend in When Romance Meets Destiny (광식이 동생 광태). Other cast includes Joo Jin-mo (주진모), Kim Yong-geon (김용건), Im Hyun-shik(임현식), Lee Won-jong (이원종), Sung Dong-il (성동일), etc.
Produced by KM Culture and Genesis Pictures, and distributed by Showbox (쇼박스), the film will open in December.
200 Pounds Beauty Teaser (streaming, Windows Media)
Variety reports that Kim Jee-woon (김지운)’s next film will be “an idiosyncratic western set on the plains of Manchuria.” With a tentative title of “The Good, the Bad, and the Weird,” it is scheduled to start shooting in the spring of next year, in China, Mongolia, and Russia. The role of “the weird” will go to Song Kang-ho (송강호) (The Host, Memories of Murder), who previously worked with director Kim six years ago, on The Foul King (반칙왕).
New Films: The Devil Wears Prada, Traces of Love, Hearty Paws, One Piece.
The box office is still in a post-Chuseok lull. For this weekend’s Top Ten, only seven titles made it on the list, as Koreans chose to do other things instead of going to the movies. With no major domestic releases, a Hollywood film with “Prada” in its title ended up in the first place. The opening film of the 2006 Pusan International Film Festival, Kim Dae-seung’s melodrama Traces of Love (가을로) came in 2nd, but with only 420,100 admission.
Title [country] - Seoul weekend admissions (total national admissions / # of screens):
1. The Devil Wears Prada [USA] – 129,800 (479,000 / 239)
2. Traces of Love (가을로) [Korea] – 101,900 (420,100 / 315)
3. Tazza: The High Rollers (a.k.a. War of Flower) (타짜) [Korea] – 84,000 (6,181,100 / 367)
4. Righteous Ties (거룩한 계보) [Korea] – 79,000 (1,217,000 / 381)
5. Hearty Paws (마음이… ) [Korea] – 76,700 (400,700 / 309)
6. Radio Star (라디오 스타) [Korea] – 39,400 (1,733,700 / 190)
7. One Piece [Japan] – 9,500 (36,300 /140)
Source: [FILM 2.0]
“Two Indians, an American, one Afghan, a Pakistani - on a journey together” is the intriguing premise of Kabul Express, a war drama/comedy written and directed by Kabir Khan. Its trailer has one of the best endings I’ve seen in a while!
The film covers a period of 36 hours in the lives of five people traveling through Kabul, after the fall of the Taliban: two Indian journalists, an American photographer, an Afghan driver, and a Pakistani Taliban fighter. The two Indian journalists are played by John Abraham (Dhoom) and Arshad Warsi (Lage Raho Munnabhai).
Distributed by Yash Raj Films, and produced by Aditya Chopra (director of the landmark Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge), Kabul Express had its World Premiere at Toronto Film Festival (did anyone see it?), and is going next to London and Pusan Film Festivals.
Kabul Express Trailer (streaming, Windows Media)
Kabul Express at TIFF
The Rediff Interview with Kabir Khan
Useless trivia: Kabir Khan is married to Mini Mathur, VJ and host of the Indian Idol.
Coming in at #1 of this weekend’s Top Ten (er… Top Eight!) is War of Flowers (타짜), based on a popular manhwa by Heo Young-Man (허영만), and directed by Choi Dong-Hoon (최동훈) of The Big Swindle (범죄의 재구성) fame.
According to the Korea Times, “the film revolves around Koni, an ordinary factory worker at a furniture company, who loses everything overnight at a gambling table and decides to become a top professional gambler to get back what he lost.” The role of Koni is played by Marathon’s Cho Seung-Woo (조승우), while the rest of the fine cast includes Baek Yoon-Shik (백윤식), Kim Hye-Soo (김혜수), Yoo Hae-Jin (유해진), Lee Soo-Kyeong (이수경), and Kim Yoon-Seok (김윤석). The Chosun Ilbo gives War of Flowers a thumbs up: Another Cerebral Treat From Choi Dong-hoon.
Ranking / Title [country] - Seoul weekend admissions (Total national admissions):
1. War of Flowers (타짜) [Korea] – 267,200 (1,169,400)
2. Marrying the Mafia 3 (가문의 부활-가문의 영광 3) [Korea] – 92,700 (1,923,400)
3. Radio Star (라디오 스타) [Korea] – 70,300 (210,400)
4. Maundy Thursday (우리들의 행복한 시간) [Korea] – 70,200 (2,441,900)
5. The Fox Family (구미호 가족) [Korea] – 28,600 (101,300)
6. Mission: Sex Control (잘 살아보세) [Korea] – 20,400 (105,900)
7. Project BB (BB프로젝트) [HK] – 18,600 (75,400)
8. The Banquet [China] – 12,000 (314,400)
Source: [FILM 2.0]
The third installment in the popular Marrying the Mafia comedy franchise debuted at the top of this weekend’s box office, with a strong opening result of 1,252,200 admissions. Marrying the Mafia (가문의 영광) was the champion of the 2002 box office (over 5 million tickets sold), while Marrying the Mafia 2 (가문의 위기: 가문의 영광 2) was the 3rd best-selling film of 2005, with 5.6 million admissions. Taewon Entertainment has already announced plans for Marrying the Mafia 4.
The cast from part 2 is back, including Shin Hyeon-Joon (신현준), Kim Won-Hee (김원희), Kim Su-Mi (김수미), Tak Jae-Hoon (탁재훈), Shin Yi (신이), Im Hyeong-Joon (임형준), and Kim Yong-geon (김용건).
The film is directed by Jeong Yong-Ki (정용기), who also helmed Marrying the Mafia 2. His previous work includes writer/director credit for horror The Doll Master (인형사), and the screenplay for Kim Seon-Ah vehicle She’s on Duty (잠복근무).
Produced by Taewon Entertainment (태원엔터테인먼트), and distributed by Showbox (쇼박스), the film opened on September 21.
Marrying the Mafia Trailer (streaming, Windows Media)
Marrying the Mafia Website
Lee Joon-Ik’s King and the Clown (왕의 남자) will be Korea’s official entry for the foreign-language Oscar. Other two films that were considered were Bong Joon-Ho’s The Host (괴물) and Kim Ki-Duk’s Time (시간). CJ Entertainment America is planning to release King and the Clown theatrically, some time early next year. This will be the second direct release in the US market for CJ Entertainment, after Typhoon (태풍).
Source: [KOFIC]
New films: Marrying the Mafia 3 (가문의 부활-가문의 영광 3), The Banquet, Mudori (무도리), and Volver.
Marrying the Mafia 3 takes up the top spot in its opening weekend, while Song Hye-Seong’s Our Happy Time - whose new English title is Maundy Thursday - drops to 2nd place.
Ranking / Title [country] - Seoul weekend admissions (Total national admissions):
1. Marrying the Mafia 3 (가문의 부활-가문의 영광 3) [Korea] – 249,600 (1,252,200)
2. Maundy Thursday (우리들의 행복한 시간) [Korea] - 140,500 (2,055,600)
3. The Banquet [China] – 58,800 (223,600)
4. Between Love and Hate (연애, 그 참을 수 없는 가벼움) [Korea] - 15,000 (645,000)
5. The Puzzle (두뇌유희프로젝트, 퍼즐) [Korea] - 12,500 (258,800)
6. Mudori (무도리) [Korea] – 10,000 (51,000)
7. Like a Virgin (천하장사 마돈나) [Korea] – 6,500 (663,000)
8. The Host (괴물) [Korea] – 4,700 (12,965,700)
9. Volver [Spain] – 4,100 (5,400)
10. The Sinking of Japan [Japan] - 800 (939,600)
Source: [FILM 2.0]
The foxes are coming!
Follow the adventures of a family of supernatural 9-tailed foxes, as they struggle to become human! This comedy/horror (but probably not much of a horror) is directed by Lee Hyung-Gon (이형곤), known for his short film Enjoy Your Summer (엔죠이 유어 썸머).
The cast includes Ju Hyeon (주현) (A Family), Park Joon-Gyu (박준규) (My Wife Is A Gangster 2), Ha Jung-Woo (하정우) (She’s On Duty, Mr Gam’s Victory), Park Shi-Yun (박시연) and Ko Ju-Yeon (고주연).
Produced and distributed by MK Pictures (MK 픽처스), the film is scheduled to be released on September 28.
The Fox Family Trailer (streaming, Windows Media)
The Fox Family Teaser (streaming, Windows Media)
The Fox Family Website
After Failan (파이란) and Rikidozan (역도산), director Song Hye-Seong’s (송해성) new film is a serious melodrama based on the best-selling book by Kong Ji-Young.
Lee Na-Young (이나영), the charming star of Someone Special (아는 여자) and Please Teach Me English (영어완전정복), finds herself in a darker role, portraying a woman who attempts suicide on several occasions. She ends up forming a bond with a death-row prisoner, played by Kang Dong-Won (강동원). Kang was previously seen in Lee Myung-Se’s Duelist (형사), as Sad Eyes.
So it’s a tear jerker with two hot stars, and while it may not be everyone’s cup of tea, it certainly appeals to the Korean audience – the tickets are selling like hot cakes, and the movie already crossed 1.2 million admissions since it opened on September 14.
Our Happy Time was produced by LJ Film (LJ 필름) and is distributed by Prime Entertainment (프라임엔터테인먼트).
Our Happy Time Trailer (streaming, Windows Media)
Our Happy Time Website
Film on Love and Capital Punishment by Kim Tae-Jong (The Korea Times)
A Superior Weepie About the Meaning of Compassion (The Chosun Ilbo)
Happy Hours and Two Complex Stars (The Chosun Ilbo)
