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

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The NG clip with English subs  

September 27, 2016

Song Kang-ho and Lee Byung-hun reunite in 'Age of Shadows'

SEOUL, Sept. 27 (Yonhap) -- Song Kang-ho and Lee Byung-hun have reunited after their 2008 film "The Good, The Bad, The Weird."

Song and Lee meet again in one of the most memorable scenes in "The Age of Shadows" as the Korean-born Japanese policeman Lee Jeong-chul and leader Jeong Chae-san of "Uiyeoldan," the notorious Korean anti-Japanese resistance group.

Actor Lee playfully ad-libs his lines introducing himself as "Park Chan," the name of his previous role in the 2008 movie. He also jokes around telling his henchman to bring some mojitos, re-enacting his famous line in the film "Inside Men."

Set in 1920s' Shanghai and Seoul, the film tells the story of the Korean-born Japanese police officer who makes friends with a key leader of Uiyeoldan, with the purpose of gathering crucial information on the group.

Korea was a colony of Japan from 1910 to 1945.

The two actors first met in the film "Joint Security Area" (2000) and showed off their teamwork in "The Good, The Bad, The Weird."

   

yujeoungkr@yna.co.kr

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 OFFICIAL WEBSITE

September 27, 2016

Sitges Invites 14 Films for 49th Edition
Five Features Selected for Official Fantastic Competition

by Pierce Conran / KoBiz

The Sitges International Fantastic Film Festival of Catalonia is leaning particularly heavily on Korean films this year, with 14 titles peppered throughout its 2016 program, including 13 features and one short. Five Korean films will compete in the festival’s signature Official Fantastic Competition.

Big names will be featured in the competition lineup, including NA Hong-jin, with THE WAILING, PARK Chan-wook’s The Handmaiden and both YEON Sang-ho’s animation Seoul Station and live action smash TRAIN TO BUSAN. A new name at the festival also competing will be KIM Sang-chan with Karaoke Crazies.

KIM Jee-woon will feature in the Orbita section with his new Colonial Era smash The Age of Shadows along with IM Sang-soo’s Intimate Enemies, PARK Hoon-jung’s The Tiger and KIM Seong-hun’s Tunnel.

Also playing in the coastal town will be LEE Hae-young’s The Silenced in Seven Chances, the horror omnibus Horror Stories III in Panorama Fantastic and KIM Ji-hyeon’s Throttled in Anima’t Shorts. Finally, the open air Brigadoon section will also feature NA Hong-jin’s The Chaser and KIM Jee-woon’s The Good, The Bad, And The Weird, both from 2008.

Among the Korean guests at Sitges this year will be Tunnel actress BAE Doo-na, along with director KIM Seong-hun and Karaoke Crazies director KIM Sang-chan.

The 49th edition of the Sitges International Fantastic Film Festival will unspool from October 7th to 16th.

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September 29, 2016

Song Kang-ho sets total ticket sales record

Source: INSIDE Korea JoongAng Daily

Actor Song Kang-ho has set a new record as the first Korean celebrity whose movies have sold a total of 100 million tickets.

The veteran actor reached this new milestone in Korean cinema history as his film “The Age of Shadows” surpassed 7 million viewers on Tuesday.

Song has starred in a total of 22 films since his first leading role in 1998, including the internationally renowned “The Host” (2006), “The Good, The Bad, The Weird” (2008), “Snowpiercer” (2013) and “The Attorney” (2013). Last year also marked the actor’s 20th year since his acting debut. With his recent appearance in “Age,” the actor shows no signs of slowing down.

“The Age of Shadows” is a spy thriller set during the Japanese colonial era. Song plays a Japanese officer working as a double agent whose motivations are revealed throughout the movie. The film also marked the fourth working collaboration between Song and director Kim Jee-woon. Their teamwork played a big role in the success of Song’s extensive film career.

“The Age of Shadows” is in theaters now.

By Chung Jin-hong

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September 29, 2016

Song Kang-ho Sets Record for Drawing Over 100 Million Moviegoers

By Park Don-kyoo The Chosun Ilbo

Films starring Song Kang-ho have attracted over 100 million moviegoers in the combined numbers of audiences, according to Warner Brothers Korea on Wednesday.

In 2015, veteran actor Oh Dal-soo became the first actor to achieve the feat with supporting roles in a string of box-office hits, but Song is the first leading actor to do so.

Song started as a stage actor and made his film debut in "The Day a Pig Fell into the Well" in 1996.

He appeared in a number of hit films including "Swiri" in 1999, "The Host" in 2006, "Snow Piercer" in 2013 and "The Attorney" in 2013.

His latest movie "The Age of Shadows" has attracted some 7.02 million viewers.

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September 29, 2016

'The Age of Shadows' to be released in 43 more countries

SEOUL, Sept. 29 (Yonhap) -- South Korean espionage film "The Age of Shadows" will open in 43 more countries, including Brazil, Australia and Spain, its local distributor said Thursday.

"The film's distribution rights have been sold to 45 countries, including Brazil, Australia, Taiwan, Singapore, Philippines, Spain, Portugal and Turkey," Warner Bros. Korea said. "Moreover, all contracts had a precondition guaranteeing the movie's release in theaters in the countries concerned."

The espionage thriller opened in U.S. and Canadian theaters on Friday and raked in US$165,685 in its first weekend.

Competition has become intense to buy the film's rights among distributors within the same country in Germany, England and Japan, to name a few, according to Warner.

Set in 1920s' Seoul and Shanghai, the movie depicts the story of a talented Korean-born Japanese police officer who works as a double agent for Japan within a Korean resistance group during Japan's 1910-45 colonial rule. It features renowned actors Song Kang-ho as the police officer and Gong Yoo as a key leader of the resistance group "Uiyeoldan."

In South Korea, the film has attracted an audience of more than 7 million since Sept. 7.

This photo, provided by Warner Bros. Korea, is the official overseas promotional poster of "The Age of Shadows." (Yonhap)

deserts@yna.co.kr

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October 10, 2016

SONG Kang-ho’s Career Exceeds 100 Million Viewer Mark

First Korean Lead Actor to Reach Milestone

by Pierce Conran / KoBiz

Legendary star SONG Kang-ho has become the first leading actor in Korean cinema to record over 100 million admissions throughout the course of his career. The actor crossed the mark with the success of his latest hit, KIM Jee-woon’s Chuseok smash The Age of Shadows, which is currently just over the 7.4 million viewer mark and is still screening in theaters.

Formerly a stage actor, SONG debuted in cinema 20 years ago in The Day A Pig Fell Into A Well (1996), the first film by indie director HONG Sang-soo. His first box office success were the 1997 gangster dramas No. 3 and Green Fish and KIM Jee-won’s debut film The Quiet Family in 1998. In 1999 he scored his first blockbuster success with Swiri, the film heralded with ushering in the modern era of the Korean film industry, and the actor has been knocking out smash hits ever since. 

The star’s biggest titles include his collaborations with PARK Chan-wook, such as Joint Security Area / JSA (2000), Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance (2002) and Thirst (2009), those with BONG Joon-ho, which comprise Memories Of Murder (2003), The Host (2006) and Snowpiercer (2013), as well as diverse titles such as Secret Reunion (2010), The Face Reader (2013), The Attorney (2013) and last year’s The Throne.

Prior to SONG, the first actor to record over 100 million admissions at the box office was supporting star OH Dal-su, who achieved the feat early in 2015. SONG is now working on several projects, including the currently filming Gwangju massacre drama Taxi Driver alongside German star Thomas Kretschmann.

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October 15, 2016

[interview] Kim Jee-woon with The Lady Miz Diva

Source: Hancinema.net

In the 5 years since our last chat with Director Kim Jee-woon, he made a full-fledged Hollywood film and then returned to South Korea to create his latest box office smash, "The Age of Shadows". Director Kim spoke with me about his spy thriller, based on real events during the Japanese occupation of Korea, as it premiered in New York City as part of Korean Movie Night. 

We talked about his 20-year collaboration with acting legend Song Kang-ho, Oscar consideration, the influence of John Cassavetes and James Coburn, and he revealed the name of the lead actor for his long-awaited adaptation of Jin-Roh. Oh, and his leading lady, Han Ji-min, makes a cute cameo.

The Lady Miz Diva: Congratulations on being chosen to represent South Korea at the Oscars. How do you feel about the consideration?

Kim Jee-woon: First of all, I would say that I'm glad and happy to have the honor. However, because we are not the final candidate, I guess I would be more happy if we were chosen as the final candidate. {Laughs} I don't really have much expectations as to whether we are going to get that, but we will see about that. What I would like to say, though, is that because this movie depicts the painful history of Korea, I hope that sort of empathy can be communicated, as well as "The Age of Shadows" being an entertaining movie.

LMD: Watching Han Ji-min's character, who is one of the most important spies in the resistance, is amazing with a gun and stands up to brutal torture, made me want a Kim Jee-woon film with a female protagonist. Is that a possibility? 

Kim Jee-woon: In response to your question, one of my favorite scenes from "The Age of Shadows" is the scene where Han Ji-min's character, at the Gyeongsan train station, is shooting towards the Japanese policemen. There is a word in Korean called "cheo yeon" {처연}, which I will translate into "an exquisite sadness", or "a cold, chilling sadness". I felt that. And I felt this amazing grace in the action scene.  

I'm going to veer to the side and talk about a film by John Cassavetes called Gloria, where Gena Rowlands starts shooting toward the Mafia. In that scene, I felt there was the same kind of explosiveness and sadness that was depicted - if I'm bold enough to say - in the scene in "The Age of Shadows". I feel that is one of my favorite scenes of mine. For me, I feel that scene was not only one of the most powerful in the movie, but also one of the most solitary and lonely scenes.

And looking back on my career, I do feel that I have done quite enough of male-centered films, so I do think it's time to start looking into possibilities of films with stronger and more main female protagonists.

LMD: Song Kang-ho's character, Lee Jeong-chool, is a Korean who doesn't think things are going to change under Japanese rule: There will be no Korean independence; this is the way it's going to be. We're seeing a lot of films about the crimes of Japan against Korea, but this is the first time I've seen a character who was as resigned and pragmatic as that. Was that an important part of that character's presentation?

Kim Jee-woon: I feel like you very well pointed out about Song Kang-ho's character. I would think it was one of the first, if not the first, to ever be depicted in Korean cinema, because most of these films deal with either the resistance, or the evil nature of the Japanese rule. So, having this character, Lee Jeong-chool, a person who is actually in the middle of the two sides, and who is a person who is constantly wavering; I feel like that actually speaks to the identity of this film, and also is the distinguishing factor of this film.

The character, Lee Jeong-chool, because he is in the middle of these two sides; he is constantly wavering and in this gray area of good and evil, so I felt like having that character as the main protagonist was an effective way to depict the contradiction of that era and that time in history. And that also goes back into the theme of this film, as well.

LMD:  After speaking with Ms. Han Ji-min, she said very complimentary things about your direction, so can you say a few words about her performance and what she brought to the character of Yeon Gye-soon that might not have been in your script?

Kim Jee-woon:  She's just a marionette! {Laughs} 

Han Ji-min:  I had a lot of ideas on set, but they all got rejected. {Laughs}

Kim Jee-woon: I am a person who gets a lot of ideas on set, so there are a lot of things that were being added onto her character as we were filming. Because this character was based on a real life person in history, in real life, actually her role wasn't huge; she was one of the main transportation means to get the goods to Seoul. But I feel like in the film, she acts as a very important emotional turning point for Song Kang-ho's character, Lee Jeong-chool, and Gong Yoo's character, Kim Woo-jin, because they really feel for her, and that causes an emotional turning point for them. And also she is depicted as a lot more proactive than in real life, so I feel like there were a lot of things were added on while on set.

LMD: What sort of research did you do into the lives of those in the Korean resistance?

Kim Jee-woon: When I first received the screenplay, I first relied on a book that actually dealt with the real life event that it was based on, and also I researched about the resistance group which was called Eui Yeol Dan {의열단}. There were many resistance groups in Korea at that time, like the one that we are dealing with, so I researched about those.

LMD: Please talk about some of the points of acting or research references that you gave your actors regarding their performance?

Kim Jee-woon: {Regarding Han Ji-min's response that Director Kim had asked her to study "small acting" in films like A Most Violent Year and Margin Call} I want to elaborate a little more on the "small acting", the reason I recommended those movies to Ms. Han Ji-min was because the premise is … Let's say there was a spy among us, and if you are going to communicate or if you are going to try and figure out who the spy is, everything - the way you communicate - has to be very meticulous; your gaze, the way you look at someone. How will you communicate in a very unassuming, subtle way? So that was where I was going for references. For the film, Margin Call, you can see these people in the face of this really traumatic event; they are constantly subduing or repressing their feelings and going about planning their lives in a very cold-mannered way.

Also, one of the other reasons I asked for "small acting", is because I feel there is a tendency for Korean actors to over-emote sometimes, and veer a bit toward sentimentality. So, I also wanted to try and step back a bit from that.

LMD:  Much has been made of "The Age of Shadows" being Warner Brothers' first foray into Korean cinema. What exactly did that mean to this film? Was there a difference with their involvement as opposed to making any other movie? 

Kim Jee-woon: There wasn't really much difference in the production process. I think it was a highly effective process. This may sound a little bit like I'm tooting my own horn, but because in the past I had achieved somewhat moderate box office success, as well as good reviews, coming into this production, I had a pretty calm attitude. I do feel, though, because this film, funded by Hollywood, has been a success, that it will inject a sense of healthy tension into the Korean cinema market. Especially for me as a director, the fact that this film has been a success means that directors have another route or avenue to go to to express their creativity. 

There are concerns from the Korean market about splitting profits between Korea and Hollywood, but I feel that if Warner Bros. and Fox keep on setting these good precedents in Korean film, that this trend will continue.

LMD: After almost 20 years of working together, what, if anything, surprises you about Song Kang-ho's performance, or what did he add to the character of Lee Jeong-chool that wasn't in the script?

Kim Jee-woon: I feel like it's very, very difficult for an actor or actress to maintain his or her position as a top talent for more than 20 years and Song Kang-ho is a living example of that sort of person. I do think it's remarkable, because every single time Song Kang-ho comes out with a new film, critics say that 'This is the film. This is his film' - and it happens every single time, so I think that is pretty remarkable.

I would say in terms of specific scenes, there is a scene where Song Kang-ho's character and Gong Yoo's character meet for the first time in the antique shop, and they are playing this psychological game, and they're trying to hide their true intentions, but the moment that I was most surprised by was when Song Kang-ho's character reveals that he is a Japanese policeman. So in that particular moment, when he is revealing his identity, a lot of us think that because the tensions are so high, a lot of actors tend to go at it with a certain nervousness. However, when you look at that scene, he really counterintuitively sort of lets go of his breath and his gaze relaxes and he really just relaxes into that moment of revealing himself. So I really feel that that's a sign of high calibre acting, because it was surprising to me that I could see that sort of acting in a Korean actor, as well as in my film.

So in the Sam Peckinpah film, Cross of Iron - I last saw the film a long time ago, so I'm a little blurry with the details - but there's a scene where James Coburn is aiming a gun at someone, and all of a sudden he releases his breath and relaxes into his breath and then shoots. At the time, I only really considered James Coburn as an action hero or action star, but when I saw him acting that way; delivering a moment of tension in such a counterintuitive way, I was very surprised and I felt that different kind of acting was what made him very, very special.

I will elaborate by saying that Song Kang-ho is an actor who is capable of just setting the scene or just changing the atmosphere of a particular scene just by a small glance or certain look. I feel that that represents his depth and his spectrum as a versatile actor.

LMD: Now that you've mentioned James Coburn, our mutual friend Mr. Lee Byung-hun, just played a role originated by Mr. Coburn in The Magnificent Seven. When I interviewed him in July, I asked him when you two would work together again and he gave away nothing his cameo appearance about this film, but he said he hoped your time apart from each other would make a great collaboration possible in the future. Are there plans for such a larger collaboration? 

Kim Jee-woon: Well, no, we don't have any specific plans to work on a particular project, yet. My next project is a live-action movie of Jin-Roh, which I think we will be working on with Kang Dong-won. Which is not yet confirmed, but he's pretty much in there. But I will say working with Song Kang-ho or Lee Byung-hun; that is something I would not hesitate to do once the opportunity presents itself.

LMD: You are so closely associated with action pieces and thrillers. However, in the past couple of years, you made a short film called One Perfect Day, which was a rom-com, and a science fiction short called The Heavenly Creature from The Doomsday Book anthology. So now having made a rom-com, spy movies, action, thrillers, a western and a sci-fi film, is there a genre you haven't yet tried, or would like to explore further?  

Kim Jee-woon: So, I think with the film, Jin-Roh, that I will be working on in the future, with that I will be touching upon the genre of sci-fi noir, or sci-fi/thriller. I feel like a genre that I would like to work with if possible in Korea, but if not, that I would still like to work on in the US, would be an antihero film. People keep telling me to work on a romantic drama film, so I might work on that. And then I would also like to work on a film that's based on real-life events.

LMD: "The Age of Shadows" is based on real-life events, isn't it?

Kim Jee-woon: Well, yeah, that is true, but we did sort of work with the characters and tweak a little bit of the circumstances, but yeah, you're right.

LMD: You also made another short called "The X", which I understand was in part to work with a new technology, ScreenX, which is similar to IMAX. How closely do you watch technological trends and have you considered doing something in 3D? 

Kim Jee-woon: To answer your question about 3D filmmaking, I don't really have any intention of making a 3D film for the sake of making a 3D film. I mean, if 3D is the best way to convey a certain theme or certain aesthetic that I want to convey, and if that is the most effective way, I will consider it, but I don't really have any intention just for the sake of it.

I will say with "The X", that was a new projection technique, and so I felt that it was going to open new horizons in terms of filmmaking. So, rather than that being something I that was focusing on much in terms of the story, I was focusing more on the experimental aspect of it. So I would like to think of that more of as a technical experimentation film. But I will say that if I feel like something is meaningful, and I feel like that particular technique contributes to a certain way of filmmaking, I will consider using new technology.

LMD: You've spoken about your experience making The Last Stand in Hollywood. Is there anything from your time in the States would like to see in South Korean filmmaking?

Kim Jee-woon: I wouldn't say there is something particular that I would want to adopt, because Korea has already started to adopt the Hollywood production system, itself. I feel like in that sort of system that we've adopted, we are sort of making it work within Korean culture and Korean sentiment, so there is nothing particular that I would like to try to add on. It is quite effective, I feel.

I will say one thing that the US system is very, very strict and very good about, is being very meticulous about accounting. For example, residuals: Once something goes out, it's very clear-cut; you get this much when it goes on the networks - they stick with principles on that one.

LMD: Do they not do that in Korea?

Kim Jee-woon: It's a little blurry, I feel. Rather than focusing on the profits I'm making through the residuals; that's not really what's on my mind. What's on my mind is that through those residuals, I'm constantly being reminded that my work is being shown in the US and across the world. So, for me, it gives me more of an emotional satisfaction, rather than the satisfaction of making money.

~ The Lady Miz Diva

Sept 20-21st, 2016

Special praise and thanks to the wonderful folks at Korean Movie Night/Korean Cultural Center NY and CJ Entertainment for making this interview possible, as well as our eternal blessings for the wonderful translation of Ms. Estelle Lee.

Original article on The Diva Review

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October 14, 2016

Top Korean directors, actors on government blacklist

BY JEAN NOH | ScreenDaily

Park Chan-wook and actor Song Kang-ho are reportedly on a blacklist created by president Park Geun-hye’s office denying them government support.

Top Korean directors, actors on government blacklist

South Korean politicians are up in arms over allegations that president Park Geun-hye’s office created a blacklist of artists to be denied government support.

The list is reported to include Cannes-awarded director Park Chan-wook (Old Boy) and top stars such as Song Kang-ho (Snowpiercer), who was made a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) last year.

Korean daily newspaper Hankook Ilbo broke the news Wednesday (October 12) that it had obtained the 100-page document, listing a total of 9,473 artists. The president’s office reportedly sent the list to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism in May 2015, requesting that the artists should be denied financial and logistical support.

On Monday (October 10), in the midst of the Korean National Assembly’s ongoing annual inspection of government offices, representative Do Jong-hwan of the Minjoo Party, a former poet, made public transcripts of conversations at the Arts Council Korea, which appeared to acknowledge the existence of the blacklist.

The document lists artists who either protested against the government’s handling of the 2014 Sewol ferry disaster that resulted in the deaths of 304 people; supported Minjoo Party leader Moon Jae-in in his 2012 presidential bid; or supported current Seoul mayor Park Won-soon in his 2014 election.

Park Chan-wook and Song Kang-ho both participated in a group declaration on May 1, 2015 protesting against the handling and aftermath of the Sewol disaster, along with directors Kim Jee-woon (Age Of Shadows) and Ryoo Seung-wan (Veteran) and producer Kang Hye-jung.

All the 594 arts and culture personages who signed that same declaration are reported to be on the blacklist.

Actors who also signed the declaration include Kim Hye-soo (Coin Locker Girl), Park Hae-il (The Host) and Kim Tae-woo (Like You Know It All).

According to Yonhap news agency, ruling party legislators are saying the blacklist is a “dubious document…pieced together” from documents which were already made public on the internet, and that some of the names on the list have actually received support from the government.

Opposition party legislators are calling for further investigation and possible impeachment of the president.

In recent years, international film festival organisers have shared stories about being under pressure from Korean government agencies to not invite certain films and people. It is understood travel support and other funding has been withdrawn, although those reached for comment declined to go on the record.

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October 18, 2016

Asian film festival launches in London

By Shim Sun-ah

SEOUL, Oct. 18 (Yonhap) -- An inaugural Asian film festival will open in London this week to increase Europeans' awareness of mainly Korean films, the South Korean culture ministry said Tuesday.

The London East Asia Film Festival will screen 40 films from eight Asian countries, including South Korea, Japan and China at various theaters in the city.

Since this year's festival focus is on Korean films, more than half of the films invited were from South Korea.

They include the opening film, director Kim Jee-woon's double agent film "The Age of Shadows," Park Chan-wook's erotic thriller "The Handmaiden," and "Tunnel," a disaster flick by Kim Seong-hun. Among other Korean films on the list are Kang Woo-suk's "The Map Against the World" and "Sprits' Homecoming" by Cho Jung-rae, and "The World of Us" by Yoon Ga-eun.

In addition, the lineup also includes the latest works by Asian master directors such as "Beautiful 2016" co-directed by China's Jia Zhangke and "Creepy" by Kiyoshi Kurosawa of Japan.

After the screening of some of the films, there will be guest visit events involving 12 helmers, six actors and six producers. A retrospective for award-winning director Park Chan-wook was also prepared for fans of Korean films.

"Three" by Hong Kong director Johnnie To will close the 11-day festival on Oct. 30.

The film festival was organized by Jeon Hye-jung, former executive director of the London Korean Film Festival who currently leads the Korean Artists Development Agency, with help from the British cultural scene, including the British Academy of Film and Television Arts.

"Britain, the biggest film market in Europe, is like an advance base for the world film market," said Jeon, director of the London East Asia Film Festival who has made various efforts to increase the British people's awareness of Korean films over the past 10 years. "Korean films are now taking a central role in the Asian film market but now is the time to ponder over accompanied growth of Korean and other Asian films considering the fast growth of Chinese capital," she said of the reason for launching the Asian film fest.

The official poster of "The Age of Shadows" by director Kim Jee-woon. (Yonhap)

sshim@yna.co.kr

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October 18, 2016

Actor Song gets top artist award

By Baek Byung-yeul The Korea Times

Actor Song Kang-ho has been awarded the top honor by the Shin Young Kyun Foundation, Tuesday. 
/ Courtesy of Shin Young Kyun Foundation

Actor Song Kang-ho will receive the top artist award given by the Shin Young Kyun Arts and Cultural Foundation for his role in the 2016 film "The Age of Shadows," the foundation announced Tuesday.

The foundation was established by veteran actor Shin Young-kyun in 2010 and has been recognizing individuals for outstanding performances in films and plays, awarding them from a prize pool of 100 million won ($88,400). Song, the winner of the top award, will receive 40 million won.

Song is one of the country's most influential actors with a slew of smash-hit films. Debuting in 1996 in "The Day a Pig Fell into the Well," the 49-year-old actor has played major roles in hit movies, including "Shiri" (1999), "Joint Security Area" (2000), "Memories of Murder" (2003), "The Host" (2006) and "Secret Sunshine" (2007). "Snowpiercer," "The Face Reader" and "The Attorney," three of his movies which hit the box office in 2013, boosted Song to stardom as they became huge successes.

Song also shined in the recently released film "The Age of Shadows." Directed by Kim Jee-woon, known for "A Bittersweet Life" (2004) and "The Good, The Bad, The Weird" (2008), the film revolves around Korean-born naturalized Japanese police officer Lee Jung-chul played by Song, who befriends the leader of a notorious Korean independence group during the Japanese occupation in the late 1920s.

Veteran actor Jeong Jin-gak has been named as best stage actor and film director Yoon Ga-eun, known for her 2015 film "The World of Us," has been chosen as the recipient in the film sector. Sean of hip-hop duo Jinusean and his wife, actress Jung Hye-young, will share the beautiful artist award for their involvement in charity work.

The awards ceremony will be held at Myungbo Art Hall in Seoul on Oct. 25.

baekby@ktimes.com

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Published on October 18, 2016 by K STAR 생방송 스타뉴스

October 20, 2016

Song Kang-ho Honored for His Devotion to Film

Source: The Chosun Ilbo

Actor Song Kang-ho has received the top cultural award given by the Shin Young-kyun Arts and Culture Foundation.

Song has worked in films for 20 years and has attracted more than 10 million moviegoers over that time. Most recently he starred in the action film "The Age of Shadows."

The foundation was established by veteran actor Shin Young-kyun in 2010 and has been honoring individuals contributing to the cultural community.

Other recipients included stage actor Jeong Jin-gak and film director Yoon Ga-eun, who directed "The World of Us." Celebrity couple Sean and Jung Hye-young were also honored for their charitable work.

The top award winner receives W40 million, while winners in each category receive W20 million each (US$1=W1,128).

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October 26, 2016

Song Kang-ho wins Grand Prize at "The Beautiful Artist Awards"

Source: Sports Donga via Hancinema.net

Song Kang-ho won the Grand Prize at the "Beautiful Artist Awards" held by the Sin Yeong-gyoon Art and Culture Foundation.

Song Kang-ho was awarded with a plaque and 40 million won.

Seon and Jeong Hye-yeong won the prize for most good deeds. The Beautiful Artist Awards rewards those artists who have been outstanding in achieving the best throughout the year every year.

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Clip: k_bom503 #TheAgeOfShadows

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October 31, 2016

1st London East Asian Film Festival Opens with THE AGE OF SHADOWS
LEAFF Stages PARK Chan-wook Retrospective

by Pierce Conran / KoBiz

Following its soft launch last year with a weekend-long 0th edition, the London East Asian Film Festival held its first official edition this year, which ran from October 20th to 30th. Korean films made up a majority of the program, with some of the highlights including KIM Jee-woon’s The Age of Shadows as the opening gala screening and a full retrospective on the works of PARK Chan-wook. Both filmmakers visited London for their screenings.

The Official LEAFF Selection also featured KIM Seong-hun’s Tunnel and KANG Woo-suk’s The Map Against the World. The Competition section featured three Korean films: KIM Tae-gon’s Familyhood, YOON Ga-eun’s The World of Us and KIM Sang-chan’s Karaoke Crazies. All five titles were accompanied by Q&As with their directors. 

A Special Stories of Women program was opened by The World of Us and also featured Spirits’ Homecoming, with director CHO Jung-rae and actresses SON Sook and KANG Ha-na in attendance. One of LEAFF’s annual strands will be ‘Film Focus Festival’, which this year looked at the Jeonju International Film Festival. Director KIM Jong-kwan and actors HAN Ye-ri and GWON Yool were present for Worst Woman while the section also featured Curtain Call and Breathing Underwater.

The PARK Chan-wook section featured all his films from Joint Security Area /JSA (2000) all the way to his latest work The Handmaiden. Also included were several shorter works, such as Judgement (1999), and DAY TRIP (2012) and Bitter, Sweet, Seoul (2014), both made with his brother PARK Chan-kyong.

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November 3, 2016

Korea’s top 10 movie stars of 2016

HeraldPOP compiled a list of the top 10 Korean movie stars in terms of their films’ box office sales. 

No. 10: Son Ye-jin (5,861,609 viewers)
No. 9: Yoo Hae-jin (5,868,506 viewers)
No. 8: Lee Jung-jae (7,074,714 viewers)
No. 7: Song Kang-ho (7,499,766 viewers)
No. 6: Oh Dal-soo (8,000,421 viewers)
No. 5: Kwak Do-won (9,472,847 viewers)
No. 4: Kang Dong-won (9,706,695 viewers) 
No. 3: Ha Jung-woo (11,408,347 viewers)
No. 2: Gong Yoo (19,268,927 viewers)
No. 1: Hwang Jung-min (21,909,564 viewers)

There are still 2 more months to go in 2016 so the list could still change.

By Lee Sang-won (sangdoze@heraldcorp.com

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November 3, 2016

THE THRONE Up for 2 Awards at APSAs
4 Korean Films among Asia Pacific Screen Award Nominees

by Pierce Conran / KoBiz

A quartet of Korean productions are featured among the nominations of next month’s 10th edition of the Asia Pacific Screen Awards. Chief among them is LEE Joon-ik’s smash hit Joseon Era period drama The Throne, which received two nods, in the Best Achievement in Directing and Best Actor categories, for lead SONG Kang-ho.

Joining the drama at the awards is E J-yong’s The Bacchus Lady, whose star YOUN Yuh-jung is up for the Best Actress prize, while YOON Ga-eun’s The World of Us will compete in the Best Youth Feature Film section and YEON Sang-ho’s zombie film Seoul Station will vie in the Best Animated Feature Film category. YEON was previously up for the same prize in 2013 for his film The Fake while both The Bacchus Lady and The World of Us had their world premieres at the Berlin International Film Festival this year. 

Last year, PARK Jung-bum won the directing prize for Alive while JUNG Jae-young picked up the Best Actor prize at the APSAs for his role in HONG Sang-soo’s Right Now, Wrong Then, after winning the same prize at the Locarno International Film Festival, where the film picked up the top Golden Leopard award.

This year’s APSAs will take place in Brisbane on November 24th. 

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November 6, 2016

[USA] 14th Annual New York Korean Film Festival begins November 11

Source: Hancinema.net

The Korea Society's New York Korean Film Festival returns to New York City's Museum of the Moving Image on November 11 to 13 for its yearly celebration of the best in Korean cinema. This 14th edition of the Festival focuses on the family, as mothers, fathers, children, and grandparents struggle to survive the zombie apocalypse, law school exams, ambitious aristocrats, and secret societies. South Korea's 2016 Oscar submission, "The Age of Shadows", and American premieres make for a not-to-be-missed showcase of one of the world's most dynamic national cinemas.

ALL SCREENINGS WILL BE HELD AT THE MUSEUM OF THE MOVING IMAGE
The Museum is located at 36-01 35 Ave, Astoria, Queens, NY, 11106. 

NYKFF tickets are $12 ($7 for TKS members, MOMI Film Lover and Kids Premium members / free for Silver Screen members and above). Advance tickets will be available online at movingimage.us.

All films are in Korean with English subtitles.

Spoiler

 

OPENING NIGHT
"Train to Busan"
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 7:00 P.M.
Dir. Yeon Sang-ho. 2016, 118 mins. With Gong Yoo, Kim Soo-an, Jeong Yu-mi, Ma Dong-seok.
What's scarier than snakes on a plane? Zombies on a train! Korea's biggest box office hit of 2016 finds fund manager Seo-woo (Gong Yoo) riding the rails with his daughter (Kim Soo-an). But when the undead join the commute, the passengers must fight to make it to the end of the line. Selected for the Cannes Film Festival, Melbourne International Film Festival, Fantasia International Film Festival, and the Stockholm International Film Festival.

"Zombie thriller Train to Busan comes awfully close to greatness"-Simon Abrams, The Village Voice

"As an allegory of class rebellion and moral polarization, it proves just as biting as Bong Joon-ho's sci-fi dystopia Snowpiercer, while delivering even more unpretentious fun". - Maggie Lee, Variety

"The Map Against the World"
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2:00 P.M.
Dir. Kang Woo-seok. 2016, 129 mins. With Cha Seung-won, Yoo Joon-sang, Kim In-kwon, Nam Ji-hyeon. Devoted cartographer Kim Jeong-ho (Cha Seung-won) travels across the land to make the first accurate map of Korea. However, a single-minded pursuit of truth estranges him from his family and ignites political intrigue between the King's regent (Yoo Joon-sang) and the rival house of the Andong Kims. Prolific and crowd-pleasing director Kang Woo-seok ("Public Enemy", "Fist of Legend") captures the beauty of Korea with this retelling of a well-known episode in Korean history.

"Phantom Detective"
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 4:30 P.M.
Dir. Jo Sung-hee. 2016, 125 mins. With Lee Je-hoon, Ko Ah-ra, Kim Seong-gyoon. Private detective Hong Gil-dong (Lee Je-hoon) seeks his mother's killer (played by Park Geun-hyeong), but finds the murderer's granddaughters instead. Together, they set off to find the missing man, and uncover an even bigger secret. Hong Gil-dong, Korea's traditional Robin Hood character, is reborn in this film as a modern anti-hero. Selected for the Fantasia International Film Festival.

"A dazzling, spooky, sometimes comic revenge tale". - Tom Keogh, The Seattle Times

"Director Jo Sung-hee has crafted a winning thriller with a lot of heart here" - David Noh, Film Journal International

"SORI: Voice from the Heart"
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 7:00 P.M.
New York Premiere
Dir. Lee Ho-jae-I. 2016, 117 mins. With Lee Sung-min, Lee Hee-joon, Lee Honey. After achieving sentience, an advanced spy satellite goes AWOL and returns to Earth full of remorse for its role in a military strike. Distraught father Hae-gwan (Lee Sung-min) finds the machine, whose memory-filled with years of recorded phone conversations-may contain clues to the whereabouts of his missing daughter. Together, father and robot-now named "Sori"-must stay a step ahead of intelligence agent Shin (Lee Hee-joon) and aerospace engineer Ji Yun (Lee Honey) to learn the truth. Winner of the 2016 Audience Choice Award at the Udine Far East Film Festival. Selected for The Asian Pop-Up Cinema Festival and Fantasia International Film Festival.

"A creative and oddball meditation on grief and acceptance". - Elizabeth Kerr, The Hollywood Reporter 

"A rewarding, heartwarming film". - Debra Davy, The Splash Magazines

"Familyhood"
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2:00 P.M.
New York Premiere
Dir. Kim Tae-gon. 2016, 119 mins. With Kim Hye-soo, Ma Dong-seok. Spoiled and aging actress Joo-yeon (Kim Hye-soo) decides to secretly adopt a pregnant teen's baby to make up for declining prospects in both her career and love life. But when news of her fake "pregnancy" pushes her back into the public eye, will she betray those who care about her for a few more moments in the limelight?

"The Queen of Crime"
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 4:30 P.M.
North American Premiere
Dir. Lee Yo-sup. 2016, 130 mins. With Park Ji-yeong, Jo Bok-rae, Kim Dae-hyeon. When law student Ik-soo (Kim Dae-hyeon)-who is about to sit for Korea's notorious bar examination-calls home to ask his mother (Park Ji-yeong) to pay off a $1,000 water bill, she smells a big rat. Mom, who immediately travels to Seoul to "help out", vows to get to the bottom of the criminally suspicious water bill. But who among the eccentric law-student residents of her son's apartment complex is really the criminal?

 

"The Age of Shadows"
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 7:00 P.M.
Dir. Kim Jee-woon. 2016, 140 mins. With Song Kang-ho, Gong Yoo, Han Ji-min. Lee Jung-chool (Song Kang-ho), a Korean police officer working for the Japanese colonial government, is out to stop a plot by a Korean independence group-or is he? Kim Jee-woon returns to Korean cinema after directing Arnold Schwarzenegger in The Last Stand with this stylish spy thriller. South Korea's 2016 Academy Award entry also stars Gong Yoo as the leader of the resistance and superstar Lee Byung-hun in a cameo role.

"Unfolding in classic action style, this rousing gem has everything one wants for an evening's entertainment" - Jay Weissberg, Variety

"This director is really looking to stage the action sequence". - Ken Jaworowski, The New York Times

More information : koreanfilmfestival.org

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November 14, 2016

THE WAILING Leads 37th Blue Dragon Nominations
TRAIN TO BUSAN Close Behind with 10 Nods

by Pierce Conran / KoBiz
 
The Blue Dragon Awards, the most prestigious awards body of the Korean film industry, has announced the nominations for its 37th edition, which will take place at the end of the month. Leading this year’s crop is NA Hong-jin’s THE WAILING with 11 nominations, while YEON Sang-ho’s TRAIN TO BUSAN isn’t far behind with 10 nods in 9 categories. 

Also heavily nominated were PARK Chan-wook’s The Handmaiden (8), KIM Jee-woon’s The Age of Shadows (7), WOO Min-ho’s Inside Men (6), KIM Seong-hun’s Tunnel (6), JANG Jae-hyun’s The Priests (5), KIM Sung-soo’s Asura : The City of Madness (5) and LEE Joon-ik’s DONGJU; The Portrait of A Poet (4).

In what has been a strong year for commercial Korean films, this year’s Best Film category features The Age of Shadows, TRAIN TO BUSAN, THE WAILING, DONGJU; The Portrait of A Poet, Inside Men and The Handmaiden. Minus TRAIN TO BUSAN, the same films were nominated for the Best Director prize. YEON Sang-ho was nominated for the Best New Director Prize, alongside KIM Tae-gon (Familyhood), LEE Il-hyung (A Violent Prosecutor), JANG Jae-hyun (The Priests) and YOON Ga-eun (The World of Us).

In the Best Actress category, the nominees are SON Ye-jin (The Last Princess), HAN Ye-ri (Worst Woman), KIM Min-hee (The Handmaiden), KIM Hye-soo (Familyhood) and YOUN Yuh-jung (The Bacchus Lady), while the Best Actor contenders are JUNG Woo-sung (Asura : The City of Madness), LEE Byung-hun (Inside Men), SONG Kang-ho (The Age of Shadows), KWAK Do-won (THE WAILING) and HA Jung-woo (Tunnel).

The 37th Blue Dragon Awards will take place on November 25th

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November 22, 2016

Song Kang-ho joins the illegal drug trade for period film Drug King

by tineybeanie | Dramabeans.com

Chungmuro favorite Song Kang-ho (Age of Shadows) has signed on to lead a new period crime film called Drug King. This isn’t too far of a stretch from his usual roles, seeing as four out of his five last movies have been historical films as well. His upcoming Taxi Driver and past hit movie Attorney are even set in the same era as Drug King.

Set in the 1970s, Drug King is about a man who creates an underworld drug empire with its capital in Busan. This particular project has become the focus of much attention because the director in charge is Woo Min-ho of the wildly successful political thriller, Inside Men.

Originally, the offer for leading man was given to Lee Byung-heon (The Magnificent Seven) who collaborated with Woo Min-ho for Inside Men, but he declined. His agency clarified that Lee Byung-heon is currently in consideration for several movies overseas, and would not be able to fit Drug King into his schedule until his prior arrangements were finalized.

Filming for Drug King will begin in the first half of next year. A release date has yet to be announced. In the meantime, watch for Song Kang-ho in Taxi Driver and Fifth Column, coming soon to theaters in Korea.

Via Herald Pop, Sports Donga

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November 23, 2016

‘Snowpiercer’ to be made into US series

Actor Song Kang-ho stars in director Bong Joon-ho’s 2013 thriller “Snowpiercer.” (CJ Entertainment)

Director Bong Joon-ho’s “Snowpiercer” is heading to the small screen.

TNT, a US cable TV network, has ordered an hourlong drama pilot for the 2013 thriller, according to the network this week.

A co-production by Tomorrow Studios and Studio T, the pilot will be created in collaboration with Bong, the film’s original producers Park Chan-wook, Lee Tae-hun and Choi Doo-ho and CJ Entertainment. 

“‘Snowpiercer’ has one of the most original concepts to hit the screen in the last decade, and it’s one that offers numerous opportunities for deeper exploration in a series format,” said Sarah Aubrey, TNT’s executive vice president of original programming, in a statement. 

In addition to the pilot, there are currently multiple scripts in progress, according to Marty Adelstein, CEO of Tomorrow Studios, calling the award-winning film “an incredibly powerful story.”

Inspired by the French graphic novel “Le Transperceneige” by Jacques Lob and Jean-Marc Rochette, “Snowpiercer” stars Song Kang-ho and American actor Chris Evans. Taking place in a post-apocalyptic future, it follows one man’s fight for control in an enclosed society divided by class. 

By Kim Yu-young (ivykim@heraldcorp.com)