Song Kang-Ho 송강호 [“Broker”, “Emergency Declaration”]

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Published on October 13, 2017 by TheBusanilbo 'Btube'

 

 

 

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October 24, 2017

 

Song Kang-ho says ‘Drug King’ is unique film
 

From left: Director Woo Min-ho, Jo Jung-suk, Song Kang-ho and Bae Doo-na pose for a photo on the set of “Drug King” on Oct. 10 in Busan. (Showbox)

 

Actor Song Kang-ho called his upcoming project “Drug King” unprecedented in Korean cinema.

 

“I think (people) will discover a unique aspect that hasn’t been seen in any genre of Korean cinema,” Song said in a press release Tuesday.

 

In the crime thriller, Song will star as Lee Doo-sam, a character based on a real-life infamous drug kingpin in the 1970s. 

 

The film is helmed by Woo Min-ho, who previously directed the hit 2015 political thriller “Inside Men.” 

 

Song most recently starred in director Jang Hoon’s “A Taxi Driver.” 

 

Shooting for “Drug King” began in May and wrapped up Oct. 10 in Busan, according to the film’s distributor Showbox. 

 

Bae Doo-na stars alongside Song as Kim Jeong-ah, a lobbyist. “It is the first time I’ve worked with (Song) in 10 years since ‘The Host,’” said Bae, referring to Bong Joon-ho’s 2006 creature thriller. “Every moment on set was joyful.” 

 

The film also stars Jo Jung-suk. It is set to hit local theaters next summer. 

 

By Rumy Doo (doo@heraldcorp.com) 

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October 25, 2017

 

'A Taxi Driver' wins best picture at Daejong Film Awards 

 

By Shim Sun-ah

 

SEOUL, Oct. 25 (Yonhap) -- "A Taxi Driver," a local box office hit about a pro-democracy uprising in the country, won best picture at the 54th annual Daejong Film Awards on Wednesday.

 

The movie, directed by Jang Hoon, is inspired by the real-life story of a Seoul taxi driver who takes the late German correspondent Jurgen Hinzpeter to the southwestern provincial city of Gwangju for a large offer of money and witnesses the horrors of the bloody military crackdown on the pro-democracy people's uprising of May 1980. Hinzpeter, helped by the taxi driver, becomes the first western reporter to send out footage of the bloodshed. The film starring Song Kang-ho and German actor Thomas Kretschmann sat on the box office throne for a long time, selling more than 12 million tickets after it opened in August.

 

A poster for the 54th Daejong Film Awards (Yonhap)

 

"I think this award to 'A Taxi Driver' is a consolation for the country's painful modern history and support for the role of the press," said Park Eun-kyung, head of the film's studio The Lamp, on her last of two trips to the podium at the Sejong Center for Performing Arts in central Seoul. She thanked the film's director, cast and crew members.

 

While "A Taxi Driver" received only two prizes -- best picture and best planning, it was a big night for "Anarchist from Colony" which landed five prizes, including best director and best actress.

 

"Anarchist from Colony" earned Lee Joon-ik the best director award while its heroine Choi Hee-seo picked up both best rookie actress and best actress for her performance as Kaneko Fumiko, comrade and Japanese wife of Park Yeol, a Korean anarchist who fought for Korean independence from Japanese colonial rule. The film also received art direction and costume design awards.

 

Spoiler

Actress Choi Hee-seo and director Lee Joon-ik walk on the red carpet at the 54th Daejong Film Awards in Seoul on Oct. 25, 2017. (Yonhap)

 

"The King" received four prizes -- best screenplay, best supporting actor and actress and best editing.

 

Seol Kyung-gu got best actor for playing the underboss of a large-scale drug trafficking ring in "The Merciless" by director Byun Sung-hyun.

 

Park Seo-jun was honored as best supporting actor for his police university cadget role in "Midnight Runners." Um Tae-hwa received best rookie director for "Vanishing Time: A Boy Who Returned," a story about a boy who mysteriously disappears when he goes to the mountains with his friend, only to return as a full-grown adult a few days later.

 

A Special Award for film industry people who greatly contributed to the development of the industry went to late actress Kim Young-ae who died of pancreatic cancer in April.

 

Her son ascended to the podium to pick up the prize on her behalf. "I realized how much affection she had for films and how diligently she lived only after she passed away," he said. "Please keep remembering her."

   

As South Korea's equivalent of the Academy Awards, the Daejong Film Awards was launched in 1962 to boost the quality of Korean films and to support the industry.

 

Spoiler

Actor Seol Kyung-gu receives flowers from his fans at the 54th Daejong Film Awards in Seoul on Oct. 25, 2017. (Yonhap)

 

sshim@yna.co.kr

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October 26, 2017

 

'Anarchist from Colony' Sweeps Daejong Awards

 

By Lee Tae-hoon The ChosunIlbo

 

"Anarchist from Colony" had a roaring night at this year's Daejong Film Awards at the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts in Seoul on Wednesday. The period drama swept five trophies including best director, best actress, best new actress, best costume design, and best art direction.

 

Choi Hee-seo won both best actress and best new actress for her performance as independence activist Park Yeol's Japanese lover Fumiko Kaneko. 

 

Sol Kyung-gu (left) and Choi Hee-seo

 

Choi, who looked confident and well-prepared when she gave her speech accepting the best new actress award, burst into tears when her name was called as the winner of the best actress award.

 

But it was "The Taxi Driver" that claimed the award for the best film. Park Eun-kyung, the producer of the film, said, "This movie resurrects painful memories in Korea's modern history. I sometimes think that some movies will outlive the people who make them."

 

Sol Kyung-gu won best actor award for his performance in "The Merciless." He said, "As I get older, there are fewer new things I can show the world. I will do my best to show new side of me in every film I do."

 

Kim Young-ae, who died of cancer in April, was given a special award posthumously in honor of her long and illustrious acting career.

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October 27, 2017

 

October Movie Actor Brand Reputation Rankings Revealed

 

Source: Soompi by A. Kim

 

On October 28, the Korean Business Research Institute announced the October brand reputation rankings for movie actors.

 

Ma Dong Seok topped the list following the success of his movie “The Outlaws,” which reached five million in attendance, and ahead of the November release of his new movie, “Brother.” Analysis of Ma Dong Seok’s brand revealed he is highly associated with the keywords “cool,” funny,” and “surprising,” with an overall 76.41 percent positive rating.

 

Lee Jong Suk took second place, and Gong Yoo followed in third. The brand reputation rankings for movie actors factor in participation index, media index, communication index, and community index when analyzing consumers’ brand consumption patterns.

 

The top 25 rankings are listed below:

 

1. Ma Dong Seok
2. Lee Jong Suk
3. Gong Yoo
4. Moon Geun Young
5. Yoon Kye Sang
6. Kim Soo Hyun
7. Lee Byung Hun
8. Choi Hee Seo
9. Jo Jin Woong
10. Yoo Ji Tae
11. Lee Je Hoon
12. Song Seung Heon
13. Ryu Jun Yeol
14. Park Sung Woong
15. Kim Sung Kyoon
16. Choi Min Sik
17. Song Joong Ki
18. Park Seo Joon
19. Son Ye Jin
20. Hyun Bin
21. Jang Dong Gun
22. Song Kang Ho
23. Lee Jung Hyun
24. Kim Hye Soo
25. Kim Yun Seok

 

Source (1)

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October 27, 2017

[USA] "A Taxi Driver" Arrives on Digital November 7

 

Source: HanCinema.net

South Korea's Foreign Language Oscar® Submission
 
"A richly imagined tribute to a working-class hero". ~ Sheri Linden, THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER
 
"… a heartfelt appreciation of ordinary people turned heroes in extraordinary circumstances".
~ Barbara VanDenburgh, ARIZONA REPUBLIC
 
"Song's brilliantly layered performance … is almost certain to garner the actor serious awards attention". ~ James Marsh, SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST
 
"A Taxi Driver"
 
Directed by Jang Hoon and Starring Song Kang-ho & Thomas Kretschmann
 
Available on Digital November 7
 
Based on a true story, "A Taxi Driver", which will represent South Korea as its official entry in the 2018 Academy Awards® best foreign-language film category, debuts on digital November 7 from Well Go USA Entertainment. Described by Rob Hunter of Film School Rejects as a "powerful film set in the relatively recent past, but with messages and themes that remain every bit as relevant in today's world", the film follows "A Taxi Driver" from Seoul, who accidentally gets involved in a German journalist's reporting of the events of the Gwangju Uprising in 1980. Directed by Jang Hoon ("The Front Line"), the fifth-highest-grossing domestic film of all time in South Korea stars Song Kang-ho ("Snowpiercer"), Thomas Kretschmann (King Kong, Wanted), Yoo Hae-jin ("Veteran", "Pirates") and Ryu Jun-yeol ("The King").
 
Synopsis: 
In this powerful true story set in 1980, a down-on-his-luck taxi driver from Seoul is hired by a foreign journalist who wants to go to the town of Gwangju for the day. They arrive to find a city under siege by the military government, with the citizens, led by a determined group of college students, rising up to demand freedom. What began as an easy fare becomes a life-or-death struggle in the midst of the Gwangju Uprising, a critical event in the history of modern South Korea.
 
Country of Origin: South Korea
 
"A Taxi Driver" has a runtime of approximately 137 minutes and is not rated.

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October 27, 2017

 

1st Seoul Awards 2017 Winners in Film

Source: HanCinema.net

 

 

1st Seoul Awards 2017 winners in film.

 

Grand Prize

"Anarchist from Colony"

Nominees
"A Taxi Driver"
"The Battleship Island"
"The King"
"The Merciless"

 

Best Actor

Song Kang-ho - "A Taxi Driver" 

Nominees
Hwang Jung-min - "The Battleship Island"
Jung Woo-sung - "The King"
Sul Kyung-gu - "The Merciless"

 

Best Actress

Nah Moon-hee - "I Can Speak"

Nominees
Kim Ok-bin - "The Villainess"
Kim Yoon-jin - "House of the Disappeared"
Moon So-ri - "The Running Actress"

 

Best Supporting Actor

Kim Joo-hyuk - "Confidential Assignment"

Nominees
Bae Seong-woo - "The King"
Kim Dae-myeong - "Bluebeard"
Park Hyuk-kwon - "The Mimic"

 

Best Supporting Actress

Lee Jung-hyun - "The Battleship Island"

Nominees
Jeon Hye-jin - "The Merciless"
Kim So-jin - "New Trial"
Kim Suh-hyung - "The Villainess"

 

Best New Actor

Ryu Jun-yeol - "The King"

Nominees
Kim Joon-han - "Anarchist from Colony"
Lee Won-geun - "Misbehavior"
Park Seo-joon - "Midnight Runners"

 

Best New Actress

Choi Hui-seo - "Anarchist from Colony"

Nominees
Yoona - "Confidential Assignment"
Seolhyun - Memoir of a Murderer
Lee Sang-hee-II - "I Can Speak"

 

Popularity award

Im Si-wan - "The Merciless"

Yoona - "Confidential Assignment"

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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 5, 2017

 

“A Taxi Driver” Takes Home 3 Awards, Including Best Picture, At The 2017 Asian World Film Festival

 

Source: Soompi by J. Lim // Asian World Film Festival

 

 

“A Taxi Driver” has come home with three awards from the Asian World Film Festival (AWFF), including the award for Best Picture.

 

The AWFF is a film festival that is in its third year and is held in Los Angeles every year to highlight Asian films ahead of the Academy Awards and the Golden Globes. “A Taxi Driver” was one of 16 nominees for Best Picture, 13 of which were also submitted to be considered for the Academy Awards.

 

Song Kang Ho won a special mention award for his excellent acting, described as “dynamic and leaving a lasting impact,” and the movie also won the “Dr. Kim’s He Can Do, She Can Do” award, which was set to be awarded to the production that most respected the value of human dignity.

 

CEO Park Eun Kyung of the production company behind “A Taxi Driver” stated, “The film is one that was made thanks to the hard work of so many people, and we want to thank them all. This is an unforgettable night.”

 

“A Taxi Driver” was the film submitted by Korea to be considered at the upcoming Academy Awards. With the film having already garnered accolades in various film festivals across the world, it will be interesting to see if the film will become Korea’s first movie to be nominated for the Academy Awards’ Best Foreign Film category.

 

Congratulations to “A Taxi Driver”!

 

Source (1)

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November 6, 2017

 

SONG Kang-ho and BAE Doo-na Wrap DRUG KING in Busan
WOO Min-ho’s INSIDE MEN Follow-up also Features JO Jung-suk

 

by Pierce Conran / KoBiz

 

 

Production on DRUG KING, one of next year’s most anticipated releases, concluded on October 10th in Busan. Starring SONG Kang-ho, BAE Doo-na and JO Jung-suk, the crime thriller is director WOO Min-ho’s follow-up to his 2015 hit Inside Men with LEE Byung-hun.

 

Set in the southern port city Busan during the 1970s, DRUG KING chronicles the rise of real life drug dealer LEE Doo-sam, to be played by SONG, while BAE plays an influential government lobbyist. 

 

Lead SONG is fresh off the year’s biggest hit, after starring in JANG Hun’s Gwangju drama A Taxi Driver, which drove post 12 million viewers at the box office this summer. BAE most recently appeared in last year’s hit disaster film Tunnel alongside HA Jung-woo, as well as this year’s popular TV show Strangers. She is currently preparing for the two-hour series finale of Netflix show Sense8. SONG and BAE have appeared together before, both in PARK Chan-wook’s Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance (2002) and BONG Joon-ho’s The Host (2006).

 

Meanwhile JO has been busy graduating to leading man status since 2014’s My Love, My Bride, having starred in Time Renegades and My Annoying Brother last year, while also being active on the small screen.

 

Following his earlier films Man of Vendetta (2010) and The Spies (2012), director WOO struck box office gold with Inside Men, which was released in two versions in late 2015. Combined, the releases welcomed 9.16 million spectators (USD 65.2 million) and bagged several prizes from the Blue Dragon, Daejong, Korean Film Critics and Asian Film Awards, among others.

 

Distributor Showbox will release the film at some point next year.

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November 6, 2017

 

'A Taxi Driver' wins best picture in Asian World Film Festival

SEOUL, Nov. 6 (Yonhap) -- South Korean box office smash film "A Taxi Driver" took home three prizes, including best picture, at this year's Asian World Film Festival, which recently closed in Los Angeles, the film's local distributor said Monday.

 

The film also received the "He Can Do, She Can Do, Why Not Me" Humanitarian Award and the Special Mention Award for its lead actor Song Kang-ho with a comment that he showed a "dynamic, intricate and compelling performance."

 

The festival began in 2015 to draw greater recognition to the region's wealth of filmmakers ahead of the United States' film awards season. The 3rd edition of the festival was held from Oct. 25 to Nov. 2.

 

The Korean period drama will represent South Korea in the foreign film category of the 90th Academy Awards, to be held in March.

 

Directed by Jang Hoon, the movie was inspired by the real-life story of a Seoul taxi driver who takes the late German correspondent Jurgen Hinzpeter to the southwestern provincial city of Gwangju for a large amount of money and witnesses the horrors of the bloody military crackdown on the pro-democracy people's uprising of May 1980. Hinzpeter, helped by the taxi driver, becomes the first western reporter to send out footage of the bloodshed.

 

The film sat on the local box office throne for a long time, selling more than 12 million tickets after it opened in August.

 

This image released by Showbox shows a promotional poster for "A Taxi Driver." (Yonhap)

 

sshim@yna.co.kr

 

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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 6, 2017

 

‘A Taxi Driver’ wins best picture at Asian World Film Festival

Source: KBS Global

 

 

Box office hit “A Taxi Driver” has taken home three prizes at this year’s Asian World Film Festival including Best Picture.

 

The film received “He Can Do, She Can Do, Why Not Me” Humanitarian Award and the Special Mention Award for its lead actor Song Kang Ho along with Best Picture at the festival which recently closed in Los Angeles.

 

The Korean period drama will also represent South Korea in the foreign film category at the 90th Academy Awards which will be held in March next year.

 

The film was a huge hit at the local box office, selling more than 12 million tickets after it opened in August.

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November 11, 2017

 

THE AGE OF SHADOWS Opens In Japan

 

Photo: 0426takak0

 

 

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November 14, 2017

 

A TAXI DRIVER Takes Top Prize at Asia World Film Festival
Gwangju Democracy Drama Also Earns Accolades for SONG Kang-ho

 

by Christopher Weatherspoon / KoBiz

 

A Taxi Driver picked up several awards and accolades at the 3rd edition of Asia World Film Festival. 

 

Director JANG hun’s touching, historical action drama about a Seoul taxi driver who escorts a German correspondent to Gwangju to cover the democracy protests of 1980 won the festival’s Snow Leopard Best Picture Award for best film. In addition, the film was given the “Dr. KIM’s ‘He Can Do She Can Do Why Not Me’ Humanitarian Award” which included a cash prize of $10,000 USD. The festival also gave the film’s lead actor SONG Kang-ho a special mention for his “Dynamic, intricate and compelling performance.”

 

The Asia World Film Festival takes place in Culver City, California and typically limits its selection to films that have either been chosen as Oscar or Golden globe nominees by their respective countries, or that have earned critical acclaim on the festival circuit. The festival was established to strengthen ties between the Asian and Hollywood film industries and to draw greater recognition to Asian filmmakers. This year’s edition was held from October 25th to November 3rd and screened 37 films from 22 countries. 

 

A Taxi Driver has been a hit worldwide. The movie was selected as the opening film for the Korean film festivals of Brussels, Paris, Spain, Frankfurt, and Hungary and picked up the best actor award at the Fantasia International Film Festival (Montreal). Domestically the film has been a blockbuster, having so far sold 12 million tickets and earning major nominations for Korea’s Blue Dragon, Grand Bell, and Buil Film Awards.

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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 25, 2017

Winners Of The 38th Blue Dragon Film Awards

 

Source: Soompi by  C. Hong 

 

 

On November 25, the 38th Blue Dragon Film Awards were held at the Kyung Hee University Grand Peace Palace to honor some of the best films and filmmakers of 2017.

 

The ceremony, which was emceed by Kim Hye Soo and Lee Sun Gyun, got off to an unfortunate start when photographers decided to boycott the red carpet. Because of the heavy rain, reporters had asked permission to take photos inside instead of the usual outdoors red carpet but were denied.

 

Some notable winners included EXO’s D.O. for Best New Actor. He was unable to accept the award in person due to his concert but his former co-star and close friend Jo In Sung accepted it in his place. Jo In Sung himself took home a Popular Star Award for his role in “The King.” Later D.O. arrived at the ceremony just in time to present the Best Film award with Shin Ha Kyun and gave thanks for his own award.

 

Big winners of the night included “I Can Speak,” which picked up both a Popular Star Award and Best Leading Actress award for veteran actress Na Moon Hee as well as the Best Director Award, which was presented by American actor Steven Yeun. “A Taxi Driver” was also well-beloved at the awards, winning Best Film, Audience Choice Award, Best Music, and Best Leading Actor for Song Kang Ho.

 

See the full list of winners below:

 

Best Film – “A Taxi Driver”

 

Best Director – Kim Hyun Suk (“I Can Speak”)

 

Best Leading Actor – Song Kang Ho (“A Taxi Driver”)

 

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

 

Best Supporting Actor – Jin Seon Kyu (“The Outlaws”)

 

Best Supporting Actress – Kim So Jin (“The King”)

 

Best New Director – Lee Hyun Joo (“Our Love Story”)

 

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

 

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

 

Best Screenplay – Hwang Dong Hyuk (“The Fortress”)

 

Best Cinematography and Lighting – Jo Hyung Rae (cinematography), Park Jung Woo (lighting) (both “The Merciless”)

 

Best Art Direction – Lee Hoo Kyung (“Battleship Island”)

 

Best Music – Jo Young Wook (“A Taxi Driver”)

 

Best Editing – Shin Min Kyung (“The King”)

 

Technical Award (given to achievement in visual effects, costume design, or action/stunt choreography) – Kwon Gwi Duk (stunt director, “The Villainess”)

 

Best Short Film – Kwak Eun Mi (“Hand-Written Poster”)

 

Popular Star Award – Na Moon Hee (“I Can Speak”), Sol Kyung Gu (“The Merciless”), Jo In Sung (“The King”), Kim Soo Ahn (“Battleship Island”)

 

Audience Choice Award for Most Popular Film – “A Taxi Driver”

 

Source (1)

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The 5 most popular (more than 7 millions admission) films of the year  announced at the 38th Blue Dragon Awards on Saturday, 11/25.

 

1. A Taxi Driver

2. Confidential Assignment

3. MA$TER

4. Luck Key

5. The Outlaws

 

Source: kimwoobin_zone

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November 27, 2017

 

History honored at top film awards : ‘

A Taxi Driver’, ‘I Can Speak’ win big at 2017 Blue Dragon Awards
 

Source: INSIDE Korea JoongAng Daily

 

Winners pose for a photo at the end of the 38th Blue Dragon Awards, held on Nov. 25 at Kyung Hee University in eastern Seoul. From left are Jin Seon-kyu, Do Kyung-soo, Na Muni, Song Kang-ho, Kim So-jin and Choi Hui-seo. [JOONGANG ILBO]

 

The 38th Blue Dragon Awards, one of the most prestigious events in the Korean film industry, was held at the Grand Peace Hall of Kyung Hee University, eastern Seoul, on the evening of Nov. 25. 

 

The Best Actor and Best Actress awards went to Song Kang-ho for his role of a taxi driver who witnesses the brutality of the 1980 Gwangju Democratic Uprising after taking a foreign journalist to the region in “A Taxi Driver,” and Na Muni for “I Can Speak,” where she portrayed a surviving “comfort woman,” a euphemistic term for a victim of Japan’s sexual slavery during World War II. 

 

“Even aside all the politics and history, ‘A Taxi Driver’ is about what’s within our hearts; I wanted to get across the feeling of remorse that we all have as humans,” said Song in his acceptance speech. “The trophy is important, and the 10 million tickets sold are important, too. But the biggest honor I’ve had with this movie is that I was able to take a look at my heart with ‘A Taxi Driver.’ I think this [trophy] is given to me by the amazing audience. Thank you.”

 

Na, born in 1941, also thanked her fans and the organizers for granting her the award despite her old age. “I came here thinking that I should not have any expectations. But now that it turned out this way, I’m getting a little greedy. A lot of my peers have left the film industry, but I’m here receiving such a nice award. Thank you for giving this big award to old Na Muni. I’ll stay here like this and keep doing my best.”

 

“A Taxi Driver” also took home the Best Film award, having sold a total of 12,186,001 tickets when it was in theaters this summer, and has become the ninth best-selling movie in Korean film history. The director of “I Can Speak,” Kim Hyun-seok, was named Best Director for his movie.

 

Other winners included Jin Seon-kyu for his supporting role in “The Outlaws,” where he played a Korean-Chinese gang boss. Jin shed tears as he gave his acceptance speech for his first award in his career. Choi Hui-seo took home the Best Supporting Actress award for “Anarchist from Colony,” in which she played the role of Fumiko Kaneko, a Japanese anarchist married to a Korean anarchist named Park Yeol.

 

However, the ceremony wasn’t without its share of troubles, as reporters staged a boycott of the ceremony before it began, a first for the Blue Dragon Awards. 

 

Due to rain on Saturday, the red carpet had to be canceled. The press requested the organizers move the pre-ceremony event, where they can get photos of the movie stars and have short interviews, indoors. 

 

But organizers declined, saying that the inside of the theater could not be used. The press, who had been waiting outside in the rain for hours before the ceremony, decided to leave. Because of this decision, the ceremony was quieter than usual, with no flashbulbs going off or crowds to welcome the glamorous stars as they walked into the ceremony. 

 

Many watching the program at home took to social media to point out the awkwardness of the ceremony’s co-host, actor Lee Sun-kyun. His partner, actress Kim Hye-soo, has hosted the awards show for the past 24 years, and viewers pointed out that next to her, Lee looked quite nervous throughout the night. 

 

Despite the ups and downs, this year’s Blue Dragon Awards consoled many of the pains of Korea’s modern history, by awarding the night’s major prizes to movies that shed light on the past. 

 

“A Taxi Driver” depicted the scenes during the 1980 Gwangju Democratic Uprising, “I Can Speak” showed the life of a surviving victim of Japan’s wartime sexual slavery and “Anarchist from Colony” revolved around the life of independence activist Park Yeol, who organized an anarchist group during the Japanese colonial period (1910-1945).

 

BY YOON SO-YEON [yoon.soyeon@joongang.co.kr]