Seol Kyung-Gu 설경구

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November 5, 2017

Nominees Announced For 38th Blue Dragon Film Awards

 

Source: Soompi by DY_Kim

 

On November 6, the Blue Dragon Film Awards revealed the nominations for 15 categories of this year’s ceremony.

 

Films released from October 7, 2016 through October 3, 2017 were eligible, and the final nominees were selected through a survey of film industry experts and netizen votes.

 

In addition to the 15 categories listed below, winners for the Popularity Award, Best Short Film, and Most Viewed Picture will be announced at the ceremony. The 38th Blue Dragon Film Awards will take place at 8:45 p.m. KST on November 25 at Kyung Hee University’s Grand Peace Palace. The ceremony will be broadcast live via SBS.

 

Check out the nominees below!

 

 

Best Picture

“The Fortress”

“The King”

“Anarchist from Colony”

“The Merciless”

“A Taxi Driver”

 

Best Director

Kim Hyun Suk – “I Can Speak”

Byun Sung Hyun – “The Merciless”

Lee Joon Ik – “Anarchist from Colony”

Jang Hoon – “A Taxi Driver”

Hwang Dong Hyuk – “The Fortress”

 

Best Actor

Kim Yoon Suk – “The Fortress”

Sol Kyung Gu – “The Merciless”

Song Kang Ho – “A Taxi Driver”

Lee Byung Hun – “The Fortress”

Jo In Sung – “The King”

 

Best Actress

Gong Hyo Jin – “Missing”

Kim Ok Bin – “The Villainess”

Na Moon Hee – “I Can Speak”

Moon So Ri – “The Running Actress”

Yum Jung Ah – “The Mimic”

 

Best Supporting Actor

Kim Dae Myung – “Bluebeard”

Kim Hee Won – “The Merciless”

Bae Sung Woo – “The King”

Yoo Hae Jin – “A Taxi Driver”

Jin Seon Kyu – “The Outlaws”

 

Best Supporting Actress

Kim So Jin – “The King”

Kim Hae Sook – “New Trial”

Yum Hye Ran – “I Can Speak”

Lee Jung Hyun – “The Battleship Island”

Jun Hye Jin – “The Merciless”

 

Best New Actor

Goo Kyo Hwan – “Jane”

Kim Joon Han – “Anarchist from Colony”

Nam Yeon Woo – “Lost to Shame”

Do Kyung Soo (EXO’s D.O.) – “My Annoying Brother”

Ryu Jun Yeol – “A Taxi Driver”

 

Best New Actress

Lee Min Ji – “Jane”

Lee Sang Hee – “Our Love Story”

Lee Soo Kyung – “Yongsoon”

YoonA – “Confidential Assignment”

Choi Hee Seo – “Anarchist from Colony”

 

Best New Director

Kang Yoon Sung – “The Outlaws”

Moon So Ri – “The Running Actress”

Lee Joo Young – “A Single Rider”

Lee Hyun Joo – “Our Love Story”

Jo Hyun Hoon – “Jane”

 

Best Screenplay

Eom You Na – “A Taxi Driver”

Lee Joo Young – “A Single Rider”

Jo Hyun Hoon – “Jane”

Hwang Dong Hyuk – “The Fortress”

Hwang Seong Gu – “Anarchist from Colony”

 

Best Cinematography and Lighting

“The Battleship Island”

“The Fortress”

“The King”

“The Merciless”

“The Villainess”

 

Best Film Editing

“Criminal Conspiracy”

“Confidential Assignment”

“The King”

“The Outlaws”

“The Merciless”

 

Best Music

“The Fortress”

“The King”

“The Merciless”

“A Single Rider”

“A Taxi Driver”

 

Best Art Direction

“The Battleship Island”

“The Fortress”

“The King”

“The Merciless”

“A Taxi Driver”

 

Best Technical Achievement

“The Battleship Island” – Visual Effects

“Anarchist from Colony” – Costumes

“The Outlaws” – Stunts

“The Villainess” – Stunts

“The Mimic” – Sound Effects

 

Source (1)

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November 6, 2017

 

IDOL Begins Filming with HAN Suk-kyu, SUL Kyung-gu and CHUN Woo-hee
LEE Su-jin Begins Follow-up to HAN GONG-JU

 

by Pierce Conran / KoBiz

 

 

LEE Su-jin’s long-awaited Han Gong-ju (2014) follow-up Idol kicked off filming on October 24th. The crime thriller is a star-studded affair featuring SUL Kyung-gu, HAN Suk-kyu and CHUN Woo-hee, who rose to stardom following LEE’s debut.

 

HAN plays a politician who faces a crisis due to his son’s mistake. Meanwhile, SUL plays another father who has lost his son and CHUN is a woman who was there on the day of the accident.

 

SUL is wrapping up a busy year, which saw him star in Lucid Dream, the Cannes-invited thriller The Merciless and the hit serial killer thriller Memoir of a Murderer. He recently earned the Best Actor prizes from the Daejong and Korean Film Critics Association Awards for his part in The Merciless.

 

Following a quiet few years, HAN returned in the hit thriller The Prison this year. He is known for leading classics such as Green Fish (1997), Swiri (1999), The President’s Last Bang (2005) and more recently The Berlin File (2013).

 

CHUN took home several Best Actress and Best New Actress awards for her role in Han Gong-ju and quickly became a household name through appearances in The Piper (2015), The Beauty Inside (2015) and last year’s The Wailing, as well as several major TV roles.

 

Han Gong-ju debuted at the Busan International Film Festival where it received a strong response. LEE’s film went on to be one of the most successful Korean films on the festival circuit, earning the top awards from the Marrakech, Rotterdam and Fribourg International Film Festivals, among other prizes.

 

Vill LEE Film, director LEE’s company, is producing the title while CGV Arthouse will distribute it next year.

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November 6, 2017

 

‘Merciless,’ ‘King,’ ‘Taxi Driver’ nominated for Blue Dragon awards

 

By Rumy Doo The Korea Herald

“The Merciless,” “The King” and “A Taxi Driver” swept nominations for this year’s Blue Dragon Film Awards, the awards’ organizers said Monday.

 

Nominees for the awards’ 15 categories are selected based on film critics’ and online votes. 

 

Director Byun Sung-hyun’s thriller “The Merciless” has been nominated in nine categories, including best film, best director, best actor and best supporting actor. 

 

The film starring Sol Kyung-gu and Im Si-wan was invited to the Cannes Film Festival’s midnight screening in May. 

 

Han Jae-rim’s political crime thriller “The King” and Jang Hoon’s drama “A Taxi Driver” based on the Gwangju Democracy Uprising were each nominated in eight categories.

 

Hwang Dong-hyuk’s period piece “The Fortress” received nominations in seven categories. 

The nominees for best film are “The Fortress,” “The King,” “The Merciless,” “A Taxi Driver” and Lee Joon-ik’s historical drama “Anarchist From Colony.” 

 

All nominated works are available for viewing in a special screening taking place from Nov. 13-22 at CGV Yeouido.

 

The awards ceremony will take place on Nov. 25 at Kyung Hee University Grand Peace Hall. It will be broadcast live on SBS at 8:45 p.m.

 

(doo@heraldcorp.com) 

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November 7, 2017

 

Blue Dragon Award nominees announced

 

Source: INSIDE Korea JoongAng Daily

The 38th Blue Dragon Awards announced its nominees on Monday. 

 

“The Merciless” from director Byun Sung-hyun and starring Seol Kyung-gu and Im Si-wan has been nominated for nine awards including Best Film, Best Director, Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor.

 

“The King” starring Zo In-sung and Jung Woo-sung and “A Taxi Driver” of Song Kang-ho were each nominated for eight categories, and “The Fortress” starring Lee Byung-hun and Kim Yun-seok was nominated for seven awards.

 

All local movies that premiered between Oct. 7, 2016 and Oct. 3, 2017 were eligible as the nominees. 

 

The nominated movies will be screened during a special screening event to be held at CGV Yeouido in western Seoul from Nov. 13 to 22. 

 

The event will take place on Nov. 25 at Grand Peace Hall on the campus of Kyung Hee University in eastern Seoul. SBS will air the ceremony at 8:45 p.m. 

 

By Hong You-kyoung
 

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November 9, 2017

 

Winners Of 37th Korean Association Of Film Critics Awards

 

Source: Soompi by J. K 

 

 

The Korean Association of Film Critics Awards has celebrated this year’s winners at their annual ceremony!

 

On November 9, the ceremony for the 37th Korean Association of Film Critics Awards was held in Seoul. The evening was hosted by Seo Kang Joon and Lee Sun Bin.

 

“The Fortress” was the biggest winner of the night, taking home the Best Film award as well as many other awards. The film did not have great success in the box office when it was released in October, but has been given the highest honor from the Korean Association of Film Critics.

 

 

Na Moon Hee and Sol Kyung Gu took home the awards for Best Actress and Best Actor.

Jun Hye Jin was awarded the Best Supporting Actress award, while the Best Supporting Actor award went to Yoo Hae Jin, who was not present.

 

Park Seo Joon was named as the Best New Actor, while Choi Hee Seo won the Best New Actress award.

 

Check out the full list of winners below!

 

Best Film: “The Fortress”

 

Best Director: Hwang Dong Hyuk (“The Fortress”)

 

Best Screenplay: “Anarchist from Colony” (Hwang Sung Goo)

 

Best Actor: Sol Kyung Gu (“The Merciless”)

 

Best Actress: Na Moon Hee (“I Can Speak”)

 

Best Supporting Actor: Yoo Hae Jin (“A Taxi Driver”)

 

Best Supporting Actress: Jun Hye Jin (“The Merciless”)

 

Best New Actor: Park Seo Joon (“Midnight Runners”)

 

Best New Actress: Choi Hee Seo (“Anarchist from Colony”)

 

Best New Director: Kang Yoon Sung (“The Outlaws”)

 

Lifetime Achievement in Film Award: Jun Jo Myung, director of photography

 

FIPRESCI (International Federation of Film Critics) Award, Korean branch: Director Bong Joon Ho (“Okja”)

 

Filming Award: Kim Ji Yong (“The Fortess”)

 

Technical Award: Lee Hoo Kyung (“The Battleship Island”)

 

Best Music: Ryuichi Sakamoto (“The Fortess”)

 

Best New Critic: Choi Jae Hoon, Nam Yoo Rang

 

Best Independent Film: Director Lee Young (“Troublers”), Director Cho Hyun Hoon (“Jane”)

Korean Association of Film Critics Awards Top 10: “A Taxi Driver,” “The Fortress,” “Anarchist from Colony,” “I Can Speak,” “The Battleship Island,” “The Outlaws,” “On the Beach Alone at Night,” “The Merciless,” “Missing,” “Midnight Runners”

 

Congratulations to all the winners!

 

Source (1) (2) (3)

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November 10, 2017

 

‘The Fortress’ wins big at Film Critics Awards

 

Source: INSIDE Korea JoongAng Daily

 

 

Filmmaker Hwang Dong-hyuk’s period epic “The Fortress” took home four awards, including Best Picture and Best Director, at the Korean Association of Film Critics Awards held on Thursday evening. 

 

Hosted by actor Seo Kang-jun and actress Lee Sun-bin, the 37th edition of the film awards took place at the Press Center in downtown Seoul at 6:30 p.m.

 

“The Fortress,” set in 1636, when China’s Qing Dynasty invaded Korea, also took home the Best Cinematography and Best Score awards. 

 

Other winners at the event included Na Muni, pictured left, who won the Best Actress award for her role in heartwarming drama “I Can Speak” and Seol Kyung-gu, pictured right, who nabbed the Best Actor award for his role in crime action movie “The Merciless,” which headed to the prestigious Cannes Film Festival in May to be screened under Midnight Screening section. Actress Jeon Hye-jin was honored with the Best Supporting Actress award for her role in the same movie while Yoo Hai-jin received the Best Supporting Actor award for his character in the period epic “A Taxi Driver,” which has sold more than ten million tickets.

 

The Best Rookie Director award was handed to Kang Yun-seong, the director of action flick “The Outlaws,” which has become the third best-selling R-rated film in Korean history and is on its way to surpass 2015’s “Inside Men.” 

 

By Jin Min-ji

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November 14, 2017

 

THE MERCILESS Leads Nominations for 38th Blue Dragon Film Awards
THE KING, THE FORTRESS and A TAXI DRIVER Receive 8 Nods Apiece

 

by Pierce Conran / KoBiz

 

 

BYUN Sung-hyun’s crime thriller The Merciless, which was screened in the midnight lineup of this year’s Cannes Film Festival, is leading the nominations for the upcoming 38th Blue Dragon Film Awards with nods in nine categories. Close behind with eight nominations apiece are JANG Hun’s Gwangju uprising hit A Taxi Driver, HAN Jae-rim’s prosecutor saga The King and HWANG Dong-hyuk’s period drama The Fortress. Joining the four titles in the Best Picture category is LEE Joon-ik’s Colonial Era trial drama Anarchist from Colony, which has six nods.

 

The Best Director Nominees are almost the same, with the exception of The King which was swapped out for KIM Hyun-suk of the hit drama I Can Speak. The Best Actor category is also closely aligned with Best Picture, and includes SUL Kyung-gu(The Merciless), SONG Kang-ho(A Taxi Driver), ZO In-sung(The King) and both KIM Yun-seok and LEE Byung-hun of The Fortress.

 

Meanwhile there was no overlap with the Best Actress category, which includes nominees KONG Hyo-jin(Missing), NA Moon-hee(I Can Speak), MOON So-ri(The Running Actress), KIM Ok-vin (The Villainess) and YUM Jung-ah(The Mimic).

 

Other films up for multiple awards include RYOO Seung-wan’s big-budget period action epic The Battleship Island, with four nods in mostly technical categories, KANG Yun-sung’s sleeper hit crime debut THE OUTLAWS, also with four, while I Can Speak, JUNG Byung-gil’s The Villainess, LEE Zoo-young’s A Single Rider and CHO Hyunhoon’s Jane all received three nominations a piece.

 

Winners of the 38th Blue Dragon Film Awards will be announced during a ceremony to be held on November 25th at Kyung Hee University’s Grand Peace Palace in Seoul.

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Clip: highcutstar

 

Who will win the Best Actor and Best Actress top prizes at the 38th Blue Dragon Awards tomorrow?

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November 27, 2017

 

[Just out on DVD] Korean Movie "The Merciless"

 

Source: HanCinema.net

Korean movie "The Merciless" is available to order on DVD with English subtitles from YESASIA.

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November 27, 2017

 

MyDaily-MaxMovie: Song Kang Ho with highest ticket power for second consecutive year; Sul Kyung Gu and Ma Dong Seok round up the top 3

 

Source: MyDaily (ELBH Google-gist)

 

Celebrating its 13th anniversary, Korean news portal MyDaily, along with movie site MaxMovie, conducted an online survey on movie actors with the best ticket power. A total of 12,690 people participated in the survey that was held from November 3 to November 20. 

 

 

The final ranking:

 

1. Song Kang Ho   (25.49%)

2. Sul Kyung Gu   (10.8%)

3. Ma Dong Seok   (5.6%)

4. Ha Jung Woo   (5.4%)

5. Hwang Jung Min   (5.4%)

6. Kang Dong Won   (5.2%)

7. Lee Byung Hun   (4.0%)

8. Choi Min Sik   (3.5%)

9. Ryu Jun Yeol   (2.3%)

10. Lee Je Hoon   (1.9%)

 

 

Details of survey participants:

 

The list in 2016

Spoiler

 

MyDaily-MaxMovie list for movie actresses with the highest ticket power (here)

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Source: 맥스무비 (maxmovie)

 

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December 13, 2017

 

Koreans Choose Top Film Actors Of 2017

 

Source: Soompi by J. K 

 

Spoiler

 

Gallup Korea has released the results of their poll to determine Korea’s favorite big screen actors in 2017!

 

The research survey company Gallup Korea polled 1,700 Korean men and women aged 13 and older from November 8 to 28 to find out who they thought was the most outstanding actor this year. Each respondent wrote in the names of two actors.

 

Song Kang Ho came in first place with 35 percent of the votes. The actor previously took the title in 2008 and 2013, and earned rave reviews once again for his starring role in the 2017 film “A Taxi Driver.”

 

In second place was Ma Dong Seok with 17.8 percent of votes, after he starred in films including “The Outlaws,” “The Bros,” “Wonderful Ghost,” and more this year. This is a significant rise in the poll as he came in No. 10 last year.

 

Lee Byung Hun came in third with 12.6 percent of the votes following roles in films including “The Fortress” and “Single Rider.” Lee Byung Hun previously came in first place in the years 2009 and 2012.

 

Notably, all actors in the top 10 this year were male. Actresses Kim Hye Soo, Na Moon Hee, and Jun Ji Hyun appeared in the top 20.

 

Check out the full top 10 below!

 

1. Song Kang Ho (35 percent)
2. Ma Dong Seok (17.8 percent)
3. Lee Byung Hun (12.6 percent)
4. Hwang Jung Min (8.1 percent)
5. Ha Jung Woo and Sol Kyung Gu (tied with 6.3 percent)
7. Gong Yoo (6.2 percent)
8. Song Joong Ki (5.8 percent)
9. Jung Woo Sung (5.2 percent)
10. Yoo Hae Jin (5.1 percent)

 

Actors who ranked in the top 20 (with some spots tied) included Choi Min Shik, Kim Hye Soo, Hyun Bin, Yoon Kye Sang, Na Moon Hee, Han Suk Kyu, Jo Jin Woong, Lee Jung Jae, Kim Joo Hyuk, and Jun Ji Hyun.

 

Source (1) (2)

 

Top Photo Credit: Xportsnews

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December 15, 2017

 

17th Director's Cut Awards 2017 Winners
 

Source: HanCinema.net

 

Yeon Sang-ho, Sul Kyung-gu, Choi Hui-seo, Na Moon-hee, Choi Gwi-hwa, Bong Joon-ho and Cho Hyun-hoon

 

Winners for the 17th Director's Cut Awards 2017 organised by Directors' Guild of Korea (DGK).

 

Best Director

"Okja" - Bong Joon-ho

 

Best Actor

 

"Memoir of a Murderer" - Sul Kyung-gu

 

Best Actress

"I Can Speak" - Na Moon-hee

 

Best New Director

"Jane" - Cho Hyun-hoon

 

Best New Actor

"A Taxi Driver" - Choi Gwi-hwa

 

Best New Actress

"Anarchist from Colony" - Choi Hui-seo

 

Vision Award

"Criminal Conspiracy" - Choi Seungho

 

Genre Award

"Train to Busan" - Yeon Sang-ho

 

Special Mentions

"I Can Speak" - Kim Hyun-seok
"Anarchist from Colony" - Lee Joon-ik
"A Taxi Driver" - Jang Hoon
"The Age of Shadows" - Kim Jee-woon
"The King" - Han Jae-rim
"Criminal Conspiracy" - Choi Seungho

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December 22, 2017

 

December Movie Actor Brand Reputation Rankings Revealed

 

Source: Soompi by Y. Chang

 

The Korean Business Research Institute has revealed December’s brand reputation rankings among movie actors.

 

The results came after analyzing 178,438,876 sources of data from November 21 to December 22 and measuring the participation, media coverage, communication level, and community awareness of each actor.

 

Ha Jung Woo took the first place in December’s brand reputation rankings with a total score of 8,686,565. Hyun Bin came in second with a total score of 7,532,811 followed by Jung Woo Sung with a score of 7,498,557.

 

The top 25 rankings are as follows:

 

1. Ha Jung Woo
2. Hyun Bin
3. Jung Woo Sung
4. Song Joong Ki
5. Gong Yoo
6. Cha Tae Hyun
7. Kwak Do Won
8. Yoon Kye Sang
9. Lee Byung Hun
10. Yoo Ah In
11. Kang Dong Won
12. Kim Moo Yeol
13. Lee Jong Suk
14. Kim Hyang Gi
15. Kim Dong Wook
16. Lee Jung Jae
17. Ma Dong Seok
18. Yoo Ji Tae
19. Han Ji Min
20. Hwang Jung Min
21. Sol Kyung Gu
22. Han Hyo Joo
23. Jun Ji Hyun
24. Kang Ha Neul
25. Na Moon Hee

 

Source (1)

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January 30, 2018

 

'1987' chosen by film reporters as the best film of 2017

 

SEOUL, Jan. 30 (Yonhap) -- A film about historic nationwide protests against the military-backed government in June 1987 won the top film award at the 9th annual Korea Film Reporters Association (KOFRA) Film Awards on Tuesday.

 

"1987: When the Day Comes" also earned Jang Joon-hwan best director honors at the awards ceremony, hosted by the association of film journalists, at the Korea Press Center in central Seoul.

 

Released on Dec. 27, the historical epic has drawn more than 7 million viewers at local theaters.

 

The best actor and actress awards went to Seol Kyung-gu of "Memoir of a Murderer" and Na Moon-hee of "I Can Speak."

   

Jin Seon-kyu scored best supporting actor for his performance in "The Outlaws" while Kim So-jin won best supporting actress for her role in "The King."

   

Park Seo-jun of "Midnight Runners" and Choi Hee-seo of "Anarchist from Colony" picked up the best rookie actor and actress awards.

 

"Jane" by Cho Hyunhoon was named the best independent film of the year. Christopher Nolan's World War II film "Dunkirk" was chosen the best foreign film.

 

The winners were chosen from among all the domestic and foreign films that opened last year through a vote of 90 members from 59 media companies around the country. Non-Korean films are nominated for the best foreign film category only.

 

sshim@yna.co.kr

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January 31, 2018

 

'1987' bags best film at KOFRA awards

 

By Jon Maala International Business Times

 

The hit movie "1987: When the Day Comes" was awarded best movie at the 9th Korea Film Reporters Association (KOFRA) Film Awards held on January 30 in Seoul.

 

Starring Kim Yun-seok, Ha Jung-woo, Yoo Hae-jin and Kim Tae-ri, "1987: When the Day Comes" tells the story of a cover-up of a killing of a college student in 1987. The movie released last December 27 and has sold 7 million tickets and earned $53.29 million at the Korean box office to date.

 

The winners were chosen by KOFRA's 59 reporters from 59 media companies in Korea.

 

Jang Jun Hwan won the best director award for "1987: When the Day Comes" and was bestowed the honorary award.

 

"Gwanghwamun Square in front of City Hall where the award ceremony is taking place is also an important place in our film. It's meaningful because it's the site of history...'1987′ was created like the flow of all history," he said.

 

Sol Kyung-gu bagged the best actor award for his role in "Memoir of a Murderer" and Na Moon Hee won the best actress for "I Can Speak."

 

"Thank you. I received some awards, but this is the first time I received an award given by reporters. I was sad that I didn't receive many for 'Memoir of a Murderer' so thank you. Since last year, I gained some fans. I want to thank fans and my eternal counterpart Song Yoon Ah. I will continue to show you good things in the future," said Sol Kyung-gu.

 

The best supporting actor and actresses are Jin Seon Kyu "The Outlaws" and Kim So Jin "The King."

 

Park Seo Joon took home the best new actor award for "Midnight Runners" and said, "Everyone tries their best, but there's a limited number of films that receive love from the audience. There's no bigger pleasure than many people watching my acting, so I want to become an actor who becomes chosen by moviegoers. I will repay you with good acting in the future."

 

Yoon Kye Sang received the Discovery of the Year award for "The Outlaws" and commented that "the more I act, the more I think about how I can't act well by myself. I want to thank Honey Lee who encouraged me and said I would be discovered one day."

 

The other winners are:

 

Indie Film Award- Jo Hyun Hoon, "Jane"

Foreign Film Award - "Dunkirk"

Film Person of the Year- Kim Yong Hwa, "Along With the Gods: The Two Worlds"

Promoter of the Year- Lotte Entertainment's Choi Joon Sik

Film Reporter of the Year- Kim Ji Hye

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April 9, 2018

 

JEON Do-yeon and SUL Kyung-gu to Celebrate BIRTHDAY
Stars Reunite for Sewol Ferry Drama

 

by Pierce Conran / KoBiz

 

 

Seventeen years after appearing together in PARK Heung-sik’s romantic drama I Wish I Had a Wife (2001), stars JEON DO-yeon and SUL Kyung-gu are reuniting for the upcoming film Birthday (working title). Marking the feature debut of former LEE Chang-dong assistant director LEE Jong-eun, the film focuses on the events of the Sinking of the MV Sewol on April 16, 2014.

 

The film will follow a wife and her husband who grapple with the sudden passing of their son during the Sewol Ferry Disaster that gripped the nation. JEON plays the wife who tries to support her family after the event by working in a grocery store while SUL deals with the guilt he feels for not having been there for his family when the tragedy occurred.

 

LEE Jong-eun formerly worked as a script supervisor on LEE Chang-dong’s Secret Sunshine (2007), as an assistant director on A Brand New Life (2009), which was produced by LEE, and in the directing department of LEE’s Poetry (2010).

 

JEON’s last film was LEE Yoon-ki’s melodrama A Man and a Woman (2016), following which she returned to the small screen after a long absence for the Korean adaptation of The Good Wife. SUL has been quite busy of late, appearing in four films in 2017 (The Merciless, Lucid Dream, MEMOIR OF A MURDERER and 1987: When the Day Comes), and has several films on the way in 2018, including I Want to See Your Parents’ Faces and Idol.

 

Both actors have garnered enormous acclaim for working with LEE Chang-dong in the past. SUL established himself through the films Peppermint Candy (2000) and Oasis (2002), while JEON earned the Best Actress Award from the Cannes Film Festival for Secret Sunshine in 2007.

 

Birthday will go into production in April and will be financed and distributed by Next Entertainment World and produced by LEE Chang-dong’s company PINEHOUSE FILM, as well as NOWFILM and TRAIN TO BUSAN (2016) outfit REDPETER FILMS.

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Source: Jason Bechervaise @Jasebechervaise

Lee Chang-dong’s stupendous PEPPERMINT CANDY has been digitally remastered in 4K, and will be released on April 26. #박하사탕

 

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April 19, 2018

 

'Memoir of a Murderer' wins 2 international awards

SEOUL, April 19 (Yonhap) -- The 2017 crime thriller "Memoir of a Murderer" has won two awards at international film festivals, its Korean distributor, Showbox, said Thursday.

 

The movie won the Jury Prize at the 10th edition of the Beaune International Thriller Film Festival, which was held from April 4-8 in the French city.

 

It also took home the top prize in the Thriller category at the Brussels International Fantastic Film Festival that ran from April 3-15. A total of 11 Korean films, including the recent box office hit "Along with the Gods: The Two Worlds," were officially invited to the festival.

 

Based on the popular novel by Kim Young-ha with the same name, "Memoir of a Murderer" features actor Seol Kyung-gu as a former serial killer with Alzheimer's disease trying to protect his daughter from another killer. It premiered in September and attracted 2.66 million moviegoers in its local market.

 

This photo released by Showbox is a promotional poster for "Memoir of a Murderer." (Yonhap)

 

jaeyeon.woo@yna.co.kr

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Source: Jason Bechervaise @Jasebechervaise

I saw PEPPERMINT CANDY in 4K yesterday. Absolutely stunning, a true masterpiece that needs to be seen on the big screen. Part of me wants to go back to the early 2000s & rediscover New Korean Cinema. #박하사탕