Seol Kyung-Gu 설경구

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April 30, 2018

 

MEMOIR OF A MURDERER Picks Up Prizes in Beaune and Brussels
Jury and Thriller Awards for Serial Killer Thriller in Continental Europe

 

by Pierce Conran / KoBiz

 

 

Korean serial killer thriller MEMOIR OF A MURDERER (2017) from director WON Shin-yun has become a festival hit in Europe, where it recently picked up prizes from two events in April. The film was awarded the Jury Prize at the 10th International Thriller Film Festival of Beaune, in France, as well as the Thriller Prize at the 36th Brussels International Fantastic Film Festival. Meanwhile, LEE An-kyu’s crime drama A Special Lady (2017) received a special mention in the thriller competition at Brussels.

 

Starring SUL Kyung-gu (The Merciless, 2017) and based on a novel by acclaimed Korean author KIM Young-ha, ‘Memoirs of a Murderer’ focuses on an aging serial killer who suffers from Alzheimer's disease and attempts to save his daughter from another serial killer he detects in their midst. The film is the latest from The Suspect (2013) director WON Shin-yun and also stars KIM Nam-gil (Pandora, 2016).

 

WON’s film has also screened at several other events, including the BFI London Film Festival and the Frankfurt Korean Film Festival. Last year, SUL Kyung-gu earned the Best Actor Award for his part at the Director’s Cut Awards. 

 

Released in Korea on September 6, MEMOIR OF A MURDERER welcomed 2.66 million viewers during its domestic run in theaters. The film is represented internationally by Showbox.

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January 23, 2019

 

Korean Film Invited to Screen at Berlin Film Festival
 

Source: The Chosun Ilbo

 

Director Lee Su-jin's new film "Idol" has been invited to screen at the Berlin International Film Festival next month. The festival's executive committee unveiled the titles for the non-competitive Panorama section on Monday. 

The film stars top veteran actors Han Suk-kyu and Sol Kyung-gu as well as actress Chun Woo-hee.

 

 

Lee’s 2013 debut "Han Gong-ju," which made Chun a star, swept a host of film awards at home and abroad, including the International Film Festival Rotterdam in the Netherlands, the Sitges International Fantastic Film Festival in Spain and the Marrakech International Film Festival in Morocco.

 

Famed American director Martin Scorsese, who headed the Marrakech jury in 2013, said at the time, "'Han Gong-ju' is outstanding in mis-en-scene, image, sound, editing and performance. I have a lot to learn from this movie and I can't wait to see Lee Su-jin's next film."

 

This year marks the 40th anniversary of the Panorama section, whose lineup is carefully selected to give audiences a range of perspectives and social messages. Previous Korean films invited to this section include "The Unjust" (2011), "Ode to My Father" (2015) and "The Bacchus Lady" (2016).

 

"Idol" is about a provincial politician whose career is threatened when his son commits a crime, causing the victim's father to try to obtain something he cannot have, while the life of a woman who was with the victim at the time spirals out of control.

 

The film is slated for commercial release this year. 

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February 20, 2019

 

Ferry Disaster-Inspired Film Set for Release in April

 

Source: The Chosun Ilbo

 

A film inspired by the 2014 ferry disaster that took the lives of over 300 people is set to be released in April to coincide with its anniversary.

 

The film "Birthday," starring actor Sol Kyung-gu and Cannes award-winning actress Jeon Do-yeon, deals with the struggles faced by a couple who lose their son in a tragic accident.

 

The film has stirred much excitement ahead of its release, as it is themed after the worst tragedy in Korea's modern history.

 

Source: CINE21

 

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March 6, 2019

 

Stars of movie 'Birthday'

 

Seol Kyung-gu (L) and Jeon Do-yeon, stars of the new movie "Birthday," pose for photos as a press event in Seoul on March 6, 2019. The movie follows the story of a mother and father struggling with the memories of their dead son. (Yonhap)

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March 7, 2019

 

A somber birthday

 

Source: INSIDE Korea JoongAng Daily

 

 

The stars of the upcoming movie “Birthday” meet with local press on Wednesday at Apgujeong CGV in southern Seoul, from left: actors Seol Kyung-gu, Jeon Do-yeon, Kim Bo-min and director Lee Jong-eon. The movie revolves around a couple who lost their child in the sinking of the Sewol Ferry in 2014 and must get through the birthday of their son without him. [YONHAP]

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Source: CINE21

 

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March 28, 2019

 

Im Si-wan finishes military service

 

Source: INSIDE Korea JoongAng Daily

 

Spoiler

 

Singer-turned-actor Im Si-wan was discharged from his 21-month mandatory military duties on Wednesday morning, and he is eager to return to the small screen.

 

The 30-year-old actor greeted his fans and the press in front of the Army’s 25th division training center in Yangju, Gyeonggi. According to Yonhap News, around 100 fans from around the world were on hand waiting for him.

 

“I still cannot believe [that I’m discharged],” Im said. “I will only believe it after I wake up late tomorrow without having to hear an alarm.”

 

He added, “My friends, fellow soldiers and my officer were all a great support during my enlistment. I’m also thankful to my fans who waited for me. I’ve also met a lot with my senior colleague, Seol Kyung-gu, while I was out for break, and I received a lot of good comments and help.”

 

When asked about his most memorable experience while in the military, Im said that it was when he made bungeo-ppang (fish-shaped bread stuffed with red bean) and shared it with his fellow soldiers. 

 

Im, who debuted as a member of the boy band ZE:A in 2010, became famous for his acting roles in such hit TV shows as MBC’s “Triangle” (2014) and tvN’s “Misaeng” (2014). 

 

Im is set to return to the small screen in OCN’s upcoming thriller “Strangers from Hell” (translated) which is an adaptation of a web comic series that goes by the same title. 

 

The series tells the story of Jong-u (Im), who meets strange people and faces mysterious circumstances after he moves into a small dormitory to concentrate on his studies.

 

By Yeo Ye-rim

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Source: Jason Bechervaise

 

I saw the Sewol drama BIRTHDAY earlier this week, and it left me in tears. It’s sensitively staged beginning quite subtly before becoming more intense as the narrative progresses. Jeon Do-yeon and Sol Kyung-gu are fantastic. Haven’t stopped thinking about it since.

 

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Source: ARTINFO Korea

 

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April 9, 2019

 

Sewol-Themed BIRTHDAY Selected as Udine Far East Film Festival Opener
JEON Do-yeon and SUL Kyung-gu Drama Goes to Italy

 

by Pierce Conran KOFIC

 

 

The new drama Birthday, featuring veteran stars JEON Do-yeon and SUL Kyung-gu, has been selected as the opening film of this year’s 21st Far East Film Festival (FEFF), which will take place from April 26 to May 4 in Udine, Italy. From debut director LEE Jong-un, the Sewol Ferry-themed drama is produced by acclaimed filmmaker LEE Chang-dong.

 

JEON and SUL play parents who try to keep their family together after one of their children is involved in the Sewol Ferry tragedy, an incident that claimed the lives of over 300 passengers on April 16, 2014. Almost five years after the events, Birthday debuted in Korea on April 3 to a strong critical reception and will have its international premiere in Udine on April 26.

 

One of Korea’s most respected performers, JEON is known for her many leading roles, which include LEE Chang-dong’s Secret Sunshine, for which she earned the Best Actress Award at the Cannes Film Festival in 2007. SUL is also known for his works with Director LEE, which include A Peppermint Candy (2000) and Oasis (2002).

 

Director LEE Jong-un previously served as an assistant director on LEE Chang-dong’s Poetry (2010). As a producer, LEE Chang-dong has also made films such as A Brand New Life (2009) and A Girl at My Door (2014). His most recent work as a director was last year’s acclaimed BURNING (2018).

 

Speaking of the film, FEFF president Sabrina BARACETTI explained, “In order to recount the dynamics of a family that lost its eldest son on the Sewol, LEE Jong-un constructs an uncompromising narrative: suffering speaks the language of petit-bourgeois everyday life, of normality without normality, and has no room for facile cinematographic manipulation.”

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April 15, 2019

 

Film about Sewol ferry disaster wins box office ahead of major anniversary

 

By Kim Boram

 

SEOUL, April 15 (Yonhap) -- A Korean film about the tragic Sewol ferry sinking rose to the top spot of the weekend box office with the approach of the disaster's fifth anniversary, data showed Monday.

 

"Birthday" sold 231,089 tickets from Friday to Sunday for a cumulative total of 761,807, according to the data from the Korean Film Council (KOFIC).

 

Directed by Lee Jong-eon, the film starring Seol Kyung-gu and Jeon Do-yeon climbed a spot to top the chart in its second weekend, while the previous No. 1, "Shazam!" was pushed down to fifth.

 

The drama revolves around a family coping with the loss of their son in the ferry accident.

 

The Sewol ferry sank in waters off the southern coast on April 16 in 2014, killing 304 of the 476 passengers, most of whom were high school students on a school trip. It was one of South Korea's worst maritime disasters.

 

Superhero film of "Hellboy" finished second with an additional 155,584 tickets sold during the three-day period, with a total of 220,245 moviegoers on its first week at the box office.

 

South Korean movies "Another Child" and "Money" came in third and fourth, garnering a fresh 113,981 and 93,466 views, respectively, over the weekend.

 

The image provided by distributer Next Entertainment World shows a poster for Korean movie "Birthday" directed by Lee Jong-eon. (Yonhap)

 

brk@yna.co.kr

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April 16, 2019

 

‘Birthday’ wins weekend ahead of anniversary: Film about a family that lost a son in Sewol tragedy tops box office

 

Source: INSIDE Korea JoongAng Daily

 

Ahead of the five-year anniversary of the Sewol ferry tragedy, “Birthday,” which tells the story of a family that lost their son in the incident, topped the weekend box office. [NEXT ENTERTAINMENT WORLD]

 

Today marks the fifth anniversary of the tragic sinking of the Sewol ferry. As if to commemorate the coming day, the top spot at the box office this weekend was taken by “Birthday.” 

 

From Friday to Sunday, “Birthday” sold 231,000 tickets at 865 screens, pushing the film to the No. 1 rank from last week’s second place. According to the Korean Film Council, the film made up 21.9 percent of the weekend’s ticket sales. 

 

“Birthday” takes place after the accident, and tells the story of a family trying to cope with losing their loved one. Although he is no longer around, his parents, played by actors Seol Kyung-gu and Jeon Do-yeon, decide to celebrate their son’s birthday with his friends to share their memories of him. 

 

“Hellboy,” the third reboot of the character from Dark Horse Comics, fared nicely in its first week, selling 156,000 tickets at 726 screens. The film’s director, Neil Marshall, was behind “The Descent” in 2005, and more recently, two episodes of popular U.S. TV series “Game of Thrones” in 2012 and 2014. 

 

Unlike the two previous iterations of “Hellboy,” this version is R-rated and doesn’t hesitate to include grim, gory and violent scenes.

 

Actor-turned-director Kim Yun-suk’s debut film “Another Child” managed to finish the weekend in the top three after its April 11 release. The film sold 114,000 tickets while playing at 673 screens. The film tells the story of how two families become interconnected when two adults become involved in an affair. 

 

As the title suggests, the film humorously portrays adults childishly while their children end up being more mature than their parents. Although the situation is not a happy one, audiences seem to appreciate the director’s portrayal of the frailty and hypocrisy of adults from the children’s perspective. 

 

Due to competition from new releases, “Money,” which was in the top three for three successive weeks, slid to fourth. 

 

Superhero flick “Shazam!” had the steepest fall of the weekend, dropping from the top of last week’s box office all the way down to fifth. 

 

To commemorate the anniversary of the Sewol incident, KBS1 radio (97.3 FM) will air a special documentary “Fifth Spring, First School Trip” (translated) at 11:30 a.m. and 9:30 p.m. today. The documentary follows a survivor of the tragedy as they venture to Jeju Island to complete the school trip that she was not able to go on with her friends five years ago. The documentary is narrated by singer Yozoh, who is also holding a photo exhibition in Jeju for the anniversary. The broadcast will also be available through the KBS application “KONG,” or “myK.”

 

BY LEE JAE-LIM [lee.jaelim@joongang.co.kr]

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Source: Jason Bechervaise

 

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May 21, 2019

 

CJ Entertainment targets European film market with English remake version of film 'The Merciless'
 

Source: AJU Business Daily

 

[Courtesy of CJ Entertainment]

 

SEOUL -- CJ Entertainment, The entertainment wing of South Korea's CJ Group, will collaborate with a Swiss production company to create an English remake version of South Korean film "The Merciless".

 

"The European filmmaker felt attracted toward the strong storyline of 'The Merciless'," CJ Entertainment said in a statement on Monday, adding the South Korean entertainment giant will collaborate with Swiss filmmaker Pathe Films to create an English remake of the 2017 film to target the American and European markets simultaneously.

 

"The Merciless", a crime-action film starring veteran actor Sol Kyung-gu and popular singer-actor Im Siwan, depicts a story about loyalty and betrayal between an inmate leader and an undercover cop. "The Merciless" was released in South Korea in May 2017 and failed to garner one million viewers before the film came off the silver screens.

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September 10, 2019

 

SUL Kyung-gu, CHO Jin-woong Face Off in MAN OF MEN
Showbox’s Terminal Illness Buddy Comedy Scheduled for October

 

by Pierce Conran KOFIC

 

 

Stars SUL Kyung-gu and CHO Jin-woong will share the screen next month in the upcoming comedy-drama Man of Men. The terminal illness-themed tale marks the debut of director and writer Yong-su and will be released nationwide by distributor Showbox in October.

 

SUL plays Jang-su, a lawyer who used to do anything for money but has now been diagnosed with a terminal illness. His dull daily routine takes a turn when he is assigned the minder Young-ki, a low-level hoodlum doing court-ordered community service. As the odd pair gradually get to know each other, Young-ki decides to ask Jang-su to help him complete his bucket list, in return for part of his life insurance settlement.

 

Known for world-renowned Korean films such as A Peppermint Candy (2000), Oasis (2002), Public Enemy (2002) and Cold Eyes (2013), SUL started out the year in the Berlinale-invited thriller Idol and was top-billed with JEON Do-yeon during the spring in the drama Birthday. Star of A Hard Day (2014), Believer (2018) and Intimate Strangers (2018), CHO Jin-woong was seen in cinemas as recently as August in the period comedy-drama Jesters: The Game Changers.

 

Man of Men also stars HUH Joon-ho (Default, 2018), JIN Seon-kyu (Extreme Job), JI Seung-hyeon (SVAHA : THE SIXTH FINGER) and KIM Sa-rang (Radio Days, 2008).

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September 17, 2019

 

Herald Review 

‘Man of Men’ is a film that shouldn’t work but does, through power of character

 

By Yoon Min-sik The Korea Herald

Director Yong Soo’s first feature film, “Man of Men,” is a film that by all accounts shouldn’t work: It is far too familiar, far too obvious and far too sappy for a movie that came out in 2019.

 

Yet surprisingly, the buddy flick starring Sol Kyung-gu and Cho Jin-woong turns out to be pretty fun, buoyed by a mix of drama and comedy -- albeit pretty much by the book -- from the accomplished actors.

 

The film kicks off with gangster Yeong-gi, who embezzles his boss’s money to use in a stock investment that goes horribly wrong. Desperate for cash, he encounters Jang-su, a rich, terminally ill man who is paralyzed from the shoulders down. 

 

Man of men (Showbox)

 

Jang-su offers Yeong-gi a deal in which he proposes handing over his life insurance policy -- worth more than enough to cover Yeong-gi’s blunders -- provided that Yeong-gi take care of him for the two months he has left to live. With the deal struck, the unlikely pair embark on a wacky journey.

 

The film reeks of the same odor as beloved films of the past. The plot is right out of the French film “The Intouchables,” while the idea of a wacky man setting out to fulfill his dreams before he dies smells like “Scent of a Woman” or the “The Bucket List.” The film is just covered in the fingerprints of others before it.

 

It is by no means a masterpiece, but it is pretty enjoyable based on a few elements that definitely work.

 

It starts with the cast. The supporting cast of Jin Seon-kyu and Heo Jun-ho is dependable, as always. Despite both of them having been stuck with one-dimensional characters, they manage to portray their traits effectively.

 

Sol was as effective as ever. By convincingly depicting someone standing on the edge while desperately trying to maintain his dignity, the veteran actor proved that his acting was not the reason for a series of recent flops.

 

Conflicted with the weight of his past sins, emotional scars from his loss, his character could very well have been predictable and dull, doused with sappy cheap emotions. But Sol’s presence and demeanor bring charisma and a relatable quality to the character.

 

While Sol is solid as a rock, it is Cho’s acting that I think will be the ultimate yardstick to measure whether the audience enjoys the film. While Sol -- who has had a tendency to erupt with emotion in his past works -- keeps it under control, Cho just lets it go. 

 

Man of men (Showbox)

 

The part of Yeong-gi seems like it was made for Cho: an oversized thug from Busan who looks tough but has a secret soft spot. Cho is an actor with a face that can look threatening and friendly at the same time, and it helps that he is from Busan. Busan men have a reputation for being straightforward, bold and somewhat insensitive, yet kindhearted. Both Cho and his character are typical Busan men, which speaks to the Korean audience in particular.

 

The audience saw his potential in the 2011 picaresque “Nameless Gangster: Rules of Time,” in which he most convincingly depicted a Busan-based gangster.

 

On the downside, the character is extremely over the top and fairly one-dimensional. If viewers can look past this, I think they will find the film hilarious and be able to enjoy it. If it gets under their skins, it’s going to be a cringeworthy 116 minutes.

 

Regrettably, this film has no impressive female characters. The only one with enough screen time to warrant her name on the poster is Kim Sa-rang as Jang-su’s assistant, and her character is essentially pointless. Literally her only role is that of a loyal employee. Frankly, I think the filmmakers just wanted the presence of a gorgeous woman in an otherwise male-dominated film.

 

The director made some rookie choices, and some of the humor was very cheap and out of place. It is hard to say how much of the general public will enjoy the film, as it has definite ups and downs.

 

I’d say the people who will most enjoy the film are those with keen understanding of Korean culture who are not yet fed up with Cho’s acting, which has become pretty standard in the past few years. Speaking as one person, I thought it was pretty fun. Not awesome, but fairly OK.

 

“Man of men” opens in local theaters Oct. 2.

 

By Yoon Min-sik (minsikyoon@heraldcorp.com)

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Source: CINE21

 

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Source: CINE21

 

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October 4, 2019

 

Showbox Launches ‘Sinkhole’ Sales at Busan Market (EXCLUSIVE)

By SONIA KIL Variety.com

Showbox, one of South Korea’s leading studios, is launching sales of disaster comedy “Sinkhole” at the Busan International Film Festival’s Asian Film Market. Helmed by “The Tower” director Kim Ji-hoon, the film is the story of the events that follow the appearance of an urban sinkhole that swallows an entire apartment building.

 

It stars fashion model-turned-actor Cha Seung-won (“Cheer Up, Mr. Lee”), Kim Sung-kyun (“Fengshui”) and Lee Kwang-soo (“Tazza: One Eyed Jack”). Aiming for a 2020 release, “Sinkhole” started shooting in August and is currently in production.

 

Showbox is also handling international sales of “The Man Standing Next,” a film by “Inside Men” director Woo Min-ho. Based on the fact-based novel of the same title, “Man Standing Next” tells an untold story of Korean Central Intelligence Agency and its political maneuvering in the 1970s. With a star-studded cast that includes Lee Byung-hun (“Inside Men”), Lee Sung-min (“Spy Gone North”), and Kwak Do-won (“Steel Rain”), the political drama is in post-production now and is set for a local release later in the year.

Other titles that Showbox is selling at the Busan market include “Man of Men,” and “The Golden Holiday.”

 

“Men,” which opened in local cinemas ahead of the Busan festival, is Yong Soo’s directorial feature debut. It features star actors Sul Kyung-gu (“Birthday”) and Cho Jin-woong (“Intimate Strangers”). The comedy drama is the story of a lawyer who is diagnosed with a terminal illness and asks a low-level hoodlum doing community service to help him complete his bucket list, in return for a large part of his life insurance settlement.

 

“Ordinary Person” director Kim Bong-han’s action comedy “Holiday” revolves around a laid-back countryside detective who takes his family to The Philippines for an anniversary, but does so with a hidden purpose of tracking down an old friend who scammed him and disappeared. Currently in post-production, “Holiday” stars Kwak Do-won, Kim Dae-myeung (“Drug King”), Kim Sang-ho (“The Negotiation”) and Kim Hie-won (“Missing”).

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October 8, 2019

 

CGV to Screen Classic South Korean Films Through October 27th.

 

Source: HanCinema.net

 

 

In recognition of the one hundreth anniversary of South Korea's film industry, CGV will be running screenings from October 14th to October 27th of various classic South Korean films. However, the films in question will skew toward more recent releases, namely major box office performers of recent years, and some of the more well-known titles from the Hallyu Wave period of the late nineties and early two thousands.

 

The box office section will feature "Haeundae", "The Thieves", "Miracle in Cell No.7", "The Admiral: Roaring Currents", "Veteran", "Train to Busan", "A Taxi Driver", "Along With the Gods: The Two Worlds", and "Along With the Gods: The Last 49 Days". The melodrama section will include "The Contact", "Christmas in August", "Bungee Jumping of their Own", and "The Classic". The manly section will include "The Big Swindle", "The New World", "The Unjust", and "Inside Men".

 

Tickets for these movies will only cost six thousand won, half the price of a full priced ticket. Showtimes can be confirmed on CGV's homepage, and free tickets for regular movies will also be handed out to participants in the promotion.

 

Written by William Schwatz