Home44th Grand Bell Award Nominations
Kong Hyeon-joo
44th Grand Bell Award Nominations
One of South Korea's top two annual film awards ceremonies will take place June 8th in the city of Daejeon. The 44th Grand Bell Awards, which is televised nationally, will be accompanied by the week long Daejeon Film Festival which will showcase 66 domestic films including last year's sensational "The Host" and international film festival familiar "Family Ties" ("The Birth of a Family").
Last year, Lee Joon-ik's breakthrough commercial success "The King and the Clown" swept the awards. Popularity is an important factor in the Grand Bell Awards, and this year's nominations for Best Film are "Radio Star", "A Dirty Carnival", "200 Pounds Beauty", "The Host", and "Family Ties" ("The Birth of a Family"). The latter three also received Best Director nominations for Kim Yong-hwa, Bong Joon-ho, and Kim Tae-yong respectively, along with Ryoo Seung-wan for "The City of Violence" and Choi Dong-hoon for Tazza: The High Rollers" ("The War Of Flower").
In the Best New Director category were Kwon Hyeong-jin ("For Horowitz" ("My Piano")), Kim Han-min ("Paradise Murdered" ("Paradise 1986")), Kim Tae-sik (Driving With My Wife's Lover), Kim Sang-woo ("Seducing Mr. Perfect"), and Kim Seok-yoon (Old Miss Diary - Movie).
Source : http://www.koreanfilm.or.kr
Korean Movie to be Remade in Hollywood
Korean film “Die Bad” directed by Ryu Seung-wan will be remade in Hollywood by Universal Studios. Released in 2000, “Die Bad” earned critical acclaim for director Ryu with its incomparable atmosphere and realistic action sequences. Composed of ...
'Good, Bad, Weird' Revamps Cinema for Fall Lineup
When you hit rock bottom, there's no other way but up. After hitting a record low in May, Korean cinema is slowly emerging from the slump with a string of box office hits like ``The Good, the Bad, the Weird.'' An alternative version of this ``kimc...
‘My Love is Far Away’ Attracts 1 Mil. Movie-Goers in A Week
‘My Love is Far Away’, a brand new film by director Lee Jun-ik, which opened in theaters nationwide on July 23, has attracted more than one million movie-goers as of July 29. According to film distributor Show Box, the film, which is currentl...
Watch Sun-heui Become 'Sunny'
By Lee Hyo-won Staff Reporter ``Sunny,'' a love story set amid the Vietnam War, epitomizes South Korean director Lee Jun-ik's cinematic endeavors by bringing together the period detail of ``King and the Clown'' (2005) and musical inspirations...
Movie-Based Dramas to Fill TV Screens
Amid the ongoing search for catchy, stylish, attractive ideas for local dramas, many drama-makers have turned to themes that have already been seen to be popular. Movie-based dramas are no longer new, but the race for the best-made remake is expe...
'Sunny' offers a woman's Vietnam War
Director Lee Jun-ik built up a lofty reputation with "The King and the Clown," a surprise hit which sold more than 10 million tickets in 2005. Naturally, expectations are high for his latest project, entitled "Sunny" (Nim-eun meongose)." But Le...
'Sunny' to Bring New Light to Vietnam War
South Korean director Lee Jun-ik, 48, who marked an important chapter in Korean cinema with ``King and the Clown'' (2005), shows off a different cinematic theme through the Vietnam War love story ``Sunny,'' coming to theaters at the end of the mo...
Daejong Film Fest Showcases Trends
South Korea's esteemed 45th Daejong (Grand Bell) Film Festival held in southern Seoul, showcased the latest local box office trends, with its stronghold of original thrillers, stylistic period pieces and experimental projects. While superstars gr...
"The Host" Sequel Set for China
"The Host" was a Korean box office blockbuster directed by Bong Jun-ho and, while its Korean sequel is in the works, a Chinese sequel is also in its early stages. Last week, Chungeorahm Films met with director Ning Hao, his production company ...
New technological step in Korean animation
After Ryoo Seung-wan's "The City of Violence" (Jjakpae) and Park Chan-wook's "I'm a Cyborg, But That's OK" (Cyborgjiman Gwaenjanha), "Life is Cool" (Geunyeoneun Yeppeotta, English translation: "She was beautiful") will be the next instalment of CJ En...
Film adaptation of French comic to go global: Bong
Even with only three feature films to his name, Bong Joon-ho has become one of the few Korean directors who have been able to "catch both hares" -- commercial success and critical acclaim. After directing short films, he made his feature film ...
Drama 'Iljimae' has tough act to follow
New historical drama "Iljimae," airing tonight on SBS, will be hard pressed to live up to its predecessor, "On Air." "On Air," featuring Kim Ha-neul and Park Yong-ha, topped viewer ratings last Thursday, when its final episode was broadcast. A str...
Five Korean films join Cannes fest
The 61st Cannes Film Festival has begun with fanfare, spicing up the festive mood for moviegoers all around the world. The ebullient mood remains largely the same here in Korea, but one thing is palpably different: There's no chance of a Korean movie...
Actress Kim to Star in Bong’s Film
Veteran actress Kim Hye-ja and hallyu star Won Bin will star in a new film directed by Bong Joon-ho, renowned for local blockbuster ``The Host.'' Titled ``Mother,'' the film has been cast and shooting will begin this fall, with an early 2009 o...
Korean filmmakers bet on large-scale projects
Many local movie productions suffered setbacks last year, due to increased costs and the strengthened position of Hollywood blockbusters. In 2008, leading filmmakers are betting on large-scale projects to turn things around for the embattled local fi...
Cheonggye Stream to be Backdrop for 'The Host 2'
The sequel to the number one summer blockbuster film of 2006 'The Host' will be made. The story of 'The Host 2' will take place in the Cheonggyecheon area in Seoul, which was restored by the newly elected president Lee Myung-bak. The president...
`The Host 2' Features Monsters in Cheonggye
For people who visit the Han River, some may have wondered if there is anything living under the deep waters. That fantasy was brought to life in the 2006 hit movie ``The Host,'' and for fans that enjoyed the thriller, news of a sequel will indee...
Actresses Gain Presence Onscreen
While the female persona Korean entertainment remains largely reminiscent of Hollywood during the 1950~60s, a few in recently released or upcoming films are beginning to reflect, with some realism, Korean women today. Women onscreen tend to be...
A film that requires patience to enjoy
Everything goes well when you have a happy family, according to an old Korean saying. A happy family, however, can be quite a challenging goal, especially because you can’t choose your parents and children. Korean society has long seen the cla...
'D-War' Breaks Korean Box Office Record in U.S.
"D-War", the Korean-made monster movie from director Shim Hyung-rae, earned US$1.55 million on its opening day Friday in the U.S. According to U.S. entertainment industry newspaper Variety and box office reporter Box Office Mojo (www.boxofficemojo...
Middle-Aged Men Escape, Onscreen
By Lee Hyo-won Staff Reporter A lineup of heartwarming family movies await audiences with Korea's thanksgiving holiday Chuseok around the corner. Among them, ``Bravo My Life,'' ``The Happy Life'' and ``Wild Hogs,'' show that one can never be too ...
Tazza Closes Asian Film Fest in Dallas
Featuring Korean beauty KIM Hye-soo on the front cover of its program guide, the 6th annual Asian Film Festival of Dallas (AFFD) wrapped August 30th with closing film Tazza: The High Rollers. With the film’s lead actress KIM striking a glamorous pos...
`Father’ Paints Many Faces of Family Love
They say here that familial love flows downstream like a river, from parent to child. The depths of parental love for one's own child are universally deemed unconditional and immeasurable. While one cannot quantify love, love traveling upstream f...
Jang Geun Suk, "I'm living a 'Happy Life.'"
The movie 'Happy Life' directed by Lee Jun Ik draws the story of three normal men in their forties who reunite to form a rock band and rediscover their dreams. Amongst the three normal looking men with exceptional acting skills is one youthful an...
Lee Jun-ki Wins Rising Star Award
o Actor Lee Jun-ki has won the Rising Star award of the 27th Hawaiian International Film Festival. Lee rose to stardom for his role in the movie "King and the Clown." His popularity has soared in Asia after the joint Korean-Japanese movie "Firs...
Happy Life: By Simply Realizing What You Want to Do.
The opening of “Happy Life,” the most recent movie by Lee Jun-ik – director of “The King and the Clown” and “Radio Star” – is just around the corner. The story of a rock band consisting of 40-year-old men is scheduled for release on September 13....
[MOVIE REVIEW]Upbeat spin on Korean men
![[MOVIE REVIEW]Upbeat spin on Korean men](/kmovie_news/thumbnail/070830_upbeat_thumb.jpg){kind=small}
For the family. For the company. For the future. There is almost always some excuse for not doing something that we really want to do. We proudly call it "sacrifice" that is necessary for our happiness. After all, our true wishes will be realize...
Lee Jun Ki visits Japan for 'My Girl' promotion
Actor Lee Jun Ki is promoting in Japan. Capturing audiences both on screen and television through the 2005 'My Girl' and movie 'The King and the Clown,' he will now reach out to Japan amidst his popularity in the current drama series 'Time Betwee...
[Talk of the town]Japan, France, Korea team up
![[Talk of the town]Japan, France, Korea team up](/kmovie_news/thumbnail/070829_yuaoi_thumb.jpg){kind=small}
Yu Aoi, a top Japanese actress, has recently been asked to appear on an episode of a joint film project titled “Tokyo!” It is a production of three movie companies from Korea, France and Japan. The directors are Bong Joon-ho of Korea and Leos Car...
Jung Jin Young, Uhm Tae Woong, Jung Kyung Ho to join Director Lee Joon Ik
The male cast for Director Lee Joon Ik's new film has been determined. With Soo Ae as the female lead, Jung Jin Young, Uhm Tae Woong, and Jung Kyung Ho will join. Jung Jin Young who has appeared in three out of four films by the director wi...
Aoi Yuu to appear in Director Bong Joon Ho's film
The movie production company Sponge announced on the 23rd that Japanese actress Aoi Yuu will appear in Director Bong Joon Ho's episode of 'Unstable Tokyo' which is part of the Korean, French, Japanese collaboration film 'Tokyo (tentative)'. 'T...
Family, History Surface in `Underground’
With the two Korean leaders slated to meet for talks in late August, the release of the heartfelt drama ``Underground Rendez-vous'' is most timely. Free of political commentaries, the film celebrates universal values of love with a delightfully c...
[Talk of the town]Hair raising refusal causes loss of face
![[Talk of the town]Hair raising refusal causes loss of face](/kmovie_news/thumbnail/070808_kim_thumb.jpg){kind=small}
The chance of a lead role in a promising soap opera or movie is unquestionably a golden opportunity for actors to demonstrate their potential. Thus Kim Ah-joong and Cha In-pyo must have felt awful for declining such offers on account of their hai...
‘D-War’ Sets Local Box Office Record
``D-War,'' a science fiction blockbuster produced by comedian-turned director Sim Hyung-rae, attracted a total audience of 2.95 million in the first five days of its release, breaking the local box office record set by ``Pirates of the Caribbean: At ...
Jo In Sung to act out homosexual love in Director Yoo Ha's upcoming historical film
Director Yoo Ha of 'A Dirty Carnival' and Jo In Sung are partnering once again. This time it is a historical film set in Goryeo and is a melodrama following homosexual love. Jo In Sung has been turning down numerous offers for movie and drama ...
May 18 off to a Promising Start
May 18 opened strong, taking in US$ 10.1 million in its first weekend. The CJ Entertainment title took the top spot at the box office with over 2 million viewers in its first week. May 18 also broke another deadlock by becoming the first Korean f...
Highway Star Sold to Japan
The release rights for Korean musical comedy Highway Star has been sold to Japanese firm Avex Entertainment. For Avex, known primarily as one of the largest independent record labels in the world, the pick-up marks its first purchase of a Korean fil...
Sponge to Release Eternal Hearts
Art-house, indie, and foreign importer Sponge Entertainment will release For Eternal Hearts, HWANG Qu-dok’s supernatural melodrama that World Premiered as the curtain raiser for this year’s Puchon International Fantastic Film Festival (July 12-21). T...
Korean films line up for Chuseok holiday
The summer season has been dominated by Hollywood blockbusters, but a wide collection of Korean films are lining up for a release during the Chuseok holiday in September. The holiday, which will effectively last from September 22 to 26, is tradit...
Korean filmmakers face uphill battle
In the second half of 2006, Korean films led by "The Host," "Tazza: The High Rollers" and "200-Pound Beauty" enjoyed strong showings at the box office, outsmarting Hollywood blockbusters. This year, the situation has been completely reversed. B...
Black House Will Screen In Japan
Black House (Geomeun Jib) is currently a hit in Korean cinemas and will next attempt to woe Japanese audiences. The horror film will open in October in 250 Japanese cinemas, a number equaling BONG Joon-ho’s The Host’ Japanese release. Monster and ...
'Black House' to Open in Japan in October
The Korean thriller 'Black House,' starring veteran actor Hwang Jeong-min, will open in 250 theaters in Japan in October. The hit film is based on a best-selling Japanese novel that has sold a million copies. A film official says that Black...
Korean Films Enter Fukuoka Asian Film Festival
The 21st Fukuoka Asian Film Festival opens June 29th and will run through July 8th in Fukuoka, Japan. This film festival started in 1987 to discover and nurture new filmmakers from all over Asia. This year, 14 films from nine nations will be intr...
Secrets of The Host's success revealed by Director Bong
Director Bong, Joon-Ho is revealing the details on the planning and production of The Host. The Cultural Content Planning and Creation Academy by the Korea Culture and Content Agency (KOCCA, CEO: Suh, Byung-Moon) is offering an open lecture by di...
Ko So-young: Never Out of the Public Eye
s an entertainment reporter, I am often asked: “Who is the most beautiful in the flesh?” Even in the world of entertainment, where a fresh drop-dead gorgeous face is making her debut every five minutes, the actress Ko So-young is perhaps the most...
`Black' Is Gore With Suspense
Rusty, run down and remote except for the sporadic purr of a passing train, ``The Black House'' is no haunted mansion but a sinister place ``where lies the darkest secret'' of a psychopath __ a monster devoid of any human feeling or conscience. ...
Lee Jun-ki Approached to Star in Chinese Movie
Lee Jun-ki, star of the movie "The King and the Clown," has caught the eye of acclaimed Chinese director Chen Kaige. MG SHOW, the agency in charge of promoting the actor in China, announced on Tuesday that Lee had met with Chen at the Shanghai ...
Korean Films Attack the Big Apple
Korean cinema will take a big bite of the Big Apple as the 2007 New York Asian Film Festival (NYAFF) begins Friday. The festival will feature more than 30 works from the East, of which almost a third are Korean. The event will take place at the I...
L.A. Newspaper Introduces Daniel Henney to America
The Los Angeles Times newspaper has written a feature story on Daniel Henney, introducing the Korean-American actor and telling his story in last Sunday's entertainment section. The paper gushed over Henney's good looks and told how he came to ...
'The Host' Sequel Planned For 2009
By Seo Dong-shin Staff Reporter Chungeorahm Film, the film production and distribution company of the blockbuster hit ``The Host,'' plans to release a sequel to the film in 2009. But director Bong Joon-ho, the driving force of the original, wi...
Hit movies revisit audiences as musicals
Creating a new catch phrase "moviecal boom" in the country's entertainment industry, a number of musicals based on hit movies will be staged in the coming months. Smash-hit Korean movies, including "200 Pound Beauty," "Singles," "Love, So Divine,...
LA Times Spotlights Daniel Henney
The Los Angeles Times has carried a special story on half-Korean actor Daniel Henney, who has become a major star in Korea in just two years since his debut here. The U.S. daily called his immense popularity interesting because of Henney's con...
Chungeoram to produce sequel to film 'The Host' with different director
By Kim Hyun SEOUL, June 18 (Yonhap) -- The producer of the South Korean monster movie "The Host" said Monday that it is now in preproduction on a sequel to the blockbuster hit, aiming for its release in 2008. Chungeoram Productions said shooting ...
"Family Ties" ("The Birth of a Family") Wins Top Prize at Home
The nation's oldest film awards ceremony, the Grand Bell Awards, gave its top prize to low-key hybrid-family-drama "Family Ties" ("The Birth of a Family") , directed by Kim Tae-yong. The film, which has toured a number of international film festivals...
New York film festival showcases Korean shorts
Award-winning short films of various genres from Korea's Mise-en-scene's Genre Film Festival (MGFF) will be invited to the 6th annual New York Asian Film Festival (NYAFF) from June 22 to July 8 in New York City. Launched by the Subway Cinema in 20...
8 Korean Films Screen at China's Top Fest
Seven South Korean features and one short film will be presented at this year's 10th anniversary edition of the Shanghai International Film Festival. China's top film event opens June 16th for a nine-day run. Of the seven features, two have been ...
LEE Jun-ki Awarded at Shanghai Fest
Young Korean star LEE Jun-ki will be presented with the Overseas Star Award at the 10th Shanghai International Film Festival on June 16th along with Hollywood actress Sharon Stone. LEE became an overnight sensation at home last year after starring a...
The Top Korean Movies by Box Office Takings
As big Hollywood blockbusters start flooding our screens this summer, with every one claiming some box office record or other, the Chosun Ilbo for the first time rates the ticket sales of Korean movies, as opposed to audience numbers. The numbers com...
Lee Joon-ki Wins Overseas Star Award at Shanghai Film Festival
Actor Lee Joon-ki will receive the Top Foreign Star Award at the 10th Shanghai Film Festival on June 16 along with actress Sharon Stone. Lee's agency said the actor will personally attend the festival, which invites top stars from around the world...
Movie '200 Pounds Beauty' to be made into a musical
The movie '200 Pounds Beauty' will be made into a musical production. The production company Shownote revealed on the 5th that they will be creating a musical version of the movie with the movie production company KM Culture. The movie '200 Pou...
Shanghai Selects Radio Star for Its Competition
"Radio Star" has entered the Jin Jue Awards competition section of the 10th Shanghai International Film Festival. Shanghai will host the festival from June 16th until the 24th. "Radio Star" is directed by Lee Joon-ik, and stars Park Joong-hoon an...
Top Stars Win Andre Kim Awards
Top Korean fashion designer Andre Kim gave recognition to Korea's most beautiful and popular stars during his 2007 Best Star Awards at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Seoul, Monday evening. Actress Lee Young-ae, who starred in the hit MBC drama "Dae Jang...
Daniel Henney Gets Serious
The nation's heartthrob Daniel Henney has played perfect Prince Charming roles in his work such as the wildly popular television drama "My Lovely Samsoon" ("My Name is Kim Sam-soon") and last year's romantic comedy "Seducing Mr. Perfect". Now he i...
Kim Hye-soo Celebrated at Int'l Film Festival
Korean actress Kim Hye-soo was praised as the "Monica Bellucci of Asia" at an international film festival on Saturday. Kim was participating in the closing ceremony of the 9th Udine Far East Film Festival in Italy on the weekend. The Udine festival i...
[DVD Review]The heavy price of feminine beauty
Strong images can be tempting, especially in cinematic tradition. The dilemma with commercial films is that no matter how convincingly they try to convey a meaningful message it can easily get lost within the framework of a genre or the style of a fi...
Ken Watanabe Puts Heart In Latest Film
A press conference was held on Monday at Yongsan CGV theaters for Ken Watanabe, the star of the film "Memories of Tomorrow". It was his first visit to Korea. While it's not uncommon for foreign actors to come to Korea to promote their movies, Ken'...
Early Summer Horror Titles
Like Koreans enjoy specific dishes and activities in particular seasons, young Koreans have the tradition of being chilled down during the hot summer season by horror films; which compete with the spectacular blockbusters lined-up by Hollywood each s...
Market Share Recovers After March Dip
March, a slow month for ticket sales generally in Korea, marked one of the weakest months for Korean box office share since December of 2004. The domestic market share dropped to 21.6% last month, raising concerns in the wake of last year's reduction...
The Good and the not so good
Deauville Asian Film Festival 2007 By Gautaman Bhaskaran South Asia Correspondent There are a million film festivals through the year, but there are some that sparkle. The Deauville Asian Film Festival on the French Atlantic coast in Normand...
2 Korean Films Awarded at 9th Deuville
Local blockbuster "The King and the Clown" and low-budget drama "Ad-Lib Night" took home two of the four main awards handed out the 9th Deuville Asian Film Festival in France. With a 5-day run this year from March 28 to April 1st, the event has, sinc...
KIM Hye-soo and PARK Hae-il cast in Modern Boy
Top stars Kim Hye-soo ("Tazza: The High Rollers" - ("The War Of Flower")) and Park Hae-il ("Rules of Dating") have recently been cast in an ambitious new film set in 1930s Korea. "Modern Boy" will examine the social phenomenon of the "modern boy"...
"The King and the Clown" Wins Award in French Movie Festival
As yet more proof of the Korean film industry's growing presence in the international arena, the domestic blockbuster "The King and the Clown" by director Lee Joon-ik has won an award at the 9th Deauville Asian Film Festival in France. The movie, ...
Director Is Back, Milder
Famous filmmaker Kim Ki-duk is back with a new film. And he is visibly a lot milder. Kim was at the center of attention last year after his harsh remarks and ensuing apologies about the film industry in Korea touched off controversy when he releas...
2007 Deauville Asian Film Festival Awards
LOTUS DU MEILLEUR FILM | BEST FILM SYNDROMES AND A CENTURY de Apichatpong WEERASETHAKUL (Thaïlande - Thailand) LOTUS DU JURY | JURY PRIZE "The King and the Clown" de Lee Joon-ik (Corée du Sud - South Korea) LOTUS AIR FRANCE | CRITICS' PRIZE...
Japanese Actor Ken Watanabe to Make First Visit to Korea
World famous Japanese actor Ken Watanabe will make his first visit to Korea to participate in the press preview of his latest film "Memories of Tomorrow", scheduled to be released in Korea on April 23. Watanabe has become famous worldwide for his ...
PARK Joong-hoon Retrospective in NY
The Jacob Burns Film Center will hold an "unique and unprecedented mini-retrospective" of Korean actor Park Joong-hoon's films. Renowned director Jonathan Demme (Silence of the Lambs) who worked with PARK on the film The Truth About Charlie (2002), a...
'Rivals' Is Funny With Clumsy Story
You might think that the new comedy "Small Town Rivals" was made by those who ought to know the ingredients of a good comedy. In his new film, director Jang Gyoo-seong, who has shown talent in such previous hit comedies as "My Teacher, Mr.Kim" (20...
Pop star Eugene (Yoo Jin) makes debut on musical stage
Amid the growing interest in musicals based on hit movies, several musical versions of movies and TV dramas will be staged this year. Smash-hit Korean movies including "Singles", "Love So Divine", "My Little Bride" and "Old Miss Diary - Movie" will r...
"Nobody knew me on the island"
A serial killer haunts the 17 residents of a small Island named Geuklakdo (Geuklak Island). Everyone is treated as a suspect, yet no one knows who will be the next victim. The mystery begins to unravel as the islanders launch an investigation of thei...
Kim Ki-duk's New Work Sold to France
Director Kim Ki-duk's 14th film "Breath" has been sold to French distributor ARP before its domestic release. Film marketer CineClick Asia said Tuesday that it sold "Breath" at the Hong Kong Film Market held from March 20 until 23. The French dist...
"The Host" Exceeds 1 Mil. in US Earnings
The film "The Host" has earned one million US dollars at the US box office in the three weeks after its release there, its producer Chungeorahm said Tuesday. Having been released in 71 theaters on March 7, the film raked in 320,000 dollars for the...
S. Korean film 'The Host' tops US$1 mln in U.S. box office sales
SEOUL, March 27 (Yonhap) -- Box office sales of the South Korean satiric monster flick "The Host" have broken the US$1 million mark just three weeks after the U.S. release of the film, the film's producer said Tuesday. Ticket sales for the movie, ...
The Host Wins the Most at 1st Asian Film Awards
South Korea's all-time blockbuster "The Host" dominated prizes at the very first edition of the Asian Film Awards which took place March 20th in Hong Kong. The inaugural event aspires to be the Asian film industry's equivalent to the Oscars, recogniz...
Fresh Japanese Wave Threatens Korean Pop Culture
What the film "200 Pounds Beauty", which drew 6.6 million viewers late last year, and MBC's recent hit drama "White Tower" have in common is that they were remakes of Japanese originals. The success of these and other Japanese works in Korea is raisi...
[MOVIE REVIEW] 'Small Town Rivals' puts comic twist on friendship
Rivalry is a double-edged sword: It can be a bitter yet healthy pill to accelerate sound competition, or it can cut into a formerly amicable relationship, driving a wedge between friends. Either way, rivalry is an interesting theme for filmmakers,...
"The Host" Tops Asian Film Awards
South Korea's monster flick "The Host" has dominated Hong Kong's inaugural Asian Film Awards after winning four awards out of its five nominations. The movie, directed by Bong Joon-ho, won the Best Film, Best Cinematographer and Best Visual Effect...
A survival guide for women in films
Old Miss Diary - Movie I always find it interesting that most films that have a single thirty-something woman as the heroine are either romantic comedies or thrillers. This is an alarming sign. It seems that women can no longer survive in films by...
S. Korean thriller towers above all in Hong Kong film festival
SEOUL, March 21 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's record-breaking monster thriller, "The Host", has prevailed in the 1st Asian Film Awards in Hong Kong, winning four prizes, event organizers said. The movie won best film Tuesday night, with its leading ma...
Brussels Fantastic Invites 2 Korean Films
Two of last year's big budget fantasy thrillers have been invited to compete at the Brussels International Festival of Fantastic Film (BIFFF), set to run April 5th – 17th, 2007 in Belgium. Bong Joon-ho's record-smashing monster film "The Host" and Jo...
'The Host' Tops Chinese Box Office for 2nd Straight Week
Korean blockbuster monster movie "The Host" has topped the Chinese box office for a second straight week. The film directed by Bong Joon-ho has raked in some nine-point-two million yuan --- about one-point-one billion won --- in ticket sales since...
Song Kang-ho Wins Best Actor at HK Film
HONG KONG _ The South Korean film "The Host" shone at the Asian Film Awards yesterday, grabbing four awards. "The Host" won Best Film, Best Cinematographer and Best Visual Effects awards. Its main actor Song Kang-ho won the Best Actor Award. The B...
'The Host', 'The Restless' Invited to Brussels Fantastic Film Festival
The movies "The Host" by director Bong Joon-ho and "The Restless" by director Jo Dong-oh have been invited to compete in the international category of the 2007 Brussels International Fantastic Film Festival, according to Pusan International Film Fest...
Korean Competitors at Barcelona Fest
The ninth edition of the Barcelona Asian Film Festival has selected Kim Tae-yong's "Family Ties" ("The Birth of a Family") (Gajokui Tansaeng), Lee Song-hee-il's "No Regret" (Hoohwehaji Anha) and ROH Kyeong-tae's "The Last Dining Table" (Majimak Babsa...
American Viewers Enticed by Korean Movie "The Host"
In a strong showing for a foreign film, the Korean movie "The Host" opened in the United States on 74 screens and grossed $320,000 in its first weekend. It has also received very strong reviews from the nation's leading film authorities, including Th...
"The Host" Tops Chinese Box-office
The movie "The Host" by director Bong Joon-ho topped the Chinese box-office last week by grossing around 5.2 million yuan in China. The movie became the first Korean film to ever top the Chinese box-office in the first week since its opening there...
'Radio Star' Tries to Live up to Past
Lee Joon-ik's latest film suffers in comparison to previous hit Mirja Maletzki (jane0815) Having to live up to your own fame is never easy. The elderly rock star Choi Gon (Park Joong-hoon) finds out the hard way in Lee Joon-ik's 2006 movie "Rad...
Reception Held for Youth Film Festival
A reception was held today in Seoul for a forthcoming youth film festival named after the late Korean director Shin Sang-ok. The first Shin Sang-ok Youth Film Festival will run for five days from August 10th in South Chungcheong Province. Mr. Shin ...
LEE Joon-ik's Joyful Life
Director Lee Joon-ik has announced his next project, reprising themes from his previous film "Radio Star" (2006). He is currently preparing to shoot "Joyful Life", a nostalgic tale about three unhappy middle-agers who, some 20 years ago, had a room-s...
Monthly film screening series
The King and the Clown 2005, 119 min Directed by Lee Joon-ik. Starring Lee Joon-ki. Recorded the highest grossing Korean film in history with 12.3 million viewers. Based on the popular play "Yi" ("You"), which was inspired by the diaries of a s...
How to Spot the Real Crowd-Pleaser Movies
Lee Joon-ik's "Radio Star" has earned average ratings of 9.22 out of 10 in a poll of 7,749 Netizens by the portal site Naver late last month, easily topping the popularity chart among those who watched the film. According to the Korean Film Council, ...
Movies revive the dead radio stars
Director Lee Joon-ik turned Park Joong-hoon into a passe rocker from the '80s in his film "Radio Star". Kim Yong-hwa wanted Kim Ah-joong to play an obese understudy singer in "200 Pounds Beauty" and Kim Sang-chan and Kim Hyeon-soo made Cha Tae-hyeon ...
Directors Lee Jun-ik and Kim Hae-gon Make Male-bonding Films
Two of Korea's top filmmakers have chosen to make movies about male bonding. Director Lee Joon-ik of "The King and the Clown" and "Radio Star" fame is preparing to shoot "Joyful Life", a story about three adults and the son of their Dead Friend wh...
Radio star reincarnated by empathy
Anyone who's been to the town of Yeongwol (or as the city calls itself "young world") in Gangwon Province will know that the director Lee Joon-ik ―the same man who created "Royal Jester" ("The King and the Clown") ― has done an astonishing job with h...
Korean netizens choose Radio Star
Online film reservations site Maxmovie and Channel CGV have announced the results of their 4th annual Best Film Awards selections based on voting by internet users. With a total of 425,613 votes cast, the surprise winner for Best Picture was Lee Joon...
Screen 2007: Return of Master Directors
By Kim Tae-jong Staff Reporter The number of films produced last year was 108, the most ever in Korean cinematic history, and many of them were feature debut works by emerging directors. But more familiar names will be seen at the box office this...
Healing Movies
It happened once again. People tear apart my heart countless times all throughout the year and I also unconsciously hurt others. And they are mostly someone very close to me. It is now time to heal these wounds and to prepare for a new year. So, h...
Big stars, small screens and a boom in musicals
The year 2007 is all about major stars and even bigger budgets. Although the Korean pop wave hallyu is losing steam overall, more singers and bands hope to reach all-time high abroad. Local broadcasters have a lineup of top movie stars set to appear...
Funny women break through with a string of hit comedies
Women are enjoying remarkable success on the silver screen thanks to comedy. The movie "200 Pounds Beauty", which stars the actress Kim Ah-joong as an obese pop singer, has drawn more than 2.5 million people since its release on Dec. 14. This is the ...
