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

Helena · June 2, 2022

https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20220531010800315
(Movie Review) Another unconventional family, another award-winning farce for Kore-Edamers

By Kim Boram (brk@yna.co.kr) | June 02, 2022

SEOUL, June 2 (Yonhap) -- Japanese auteur Hirokazu Kore-eda is famous for bittersweet and nuanced dramas about unconventional families in his critically acclaimed films like "Still Walking" (2008), "Like Father, Like Son" (2013) and "After the Storm" (2016). His 2018 movie "Shoplifters," which brought him the Cannes Film Festival's highest honor of the Palme d'Or, depicts a group of thieves learning how to take care of each other with an acute and realistic eye. Four years later, the director returned with another family-themed film, "Broker," this time with a Korean production and cast. It also revolves around a group of criminals -- baby traffickers and a murderer -- becoming a family.

This image provided by CJ ENM shows a scene from "Broker." (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

The movie begins with a young mother dropping off her infant at a baby box operated by a church in the pouring rain. The baby is snatched up by Dong-soo (Gang Dong-won), a part-time babysitter at the church, to sell him to desperate parents in a conspiracy with Sang-hyun (Song Kang-ho), a middle-aged man who owns a small, old laundromat. Sang-hyun and Dong-soo feel no guilt, thinking they are good guys in helping abandoned kids find decent families, pocketing some money for their troubles. But their secretive plan gets complicated as the baby's mother, So-young (Lee Ji-eun, also known as the K-pop star IU), has a change of heart and shows up a day later. Sang-hyun decides to let So-young take part in his plan to sell the newborn named Woo-sung, saying buyers tend to like having the baby's biological mother there.

This image provided by CJ ENM shows a scene from "Broker." (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

So the team, including a small, football-crazed boy who later hitches a ride, sets off in a beat-up van in search of ideal adoptive parents who can give the baby a loving home and them a good sum of money. As their journey goes in a funny and knotty style, they are closely tailed by a pair of police detectives led by Su-jin (Bae Doo-na), who keeps probing into Sang-hyun and Dong-soo on charges of human trafficking.

Predictably, the small clique becomes a family, although they don't admit it. After meeting several candidate parents, Sang-hyun and Dong-soo feel they don't want to let the baby go, while So-young increasingly thinks it's OK to live with them together this way. The plan to sell Woo-sung for a good price goes off the rails due to their developing emotions and relationships.

"Broker" keeps showing contradictory behaviors of the main characters and asking questions about life, motherhood and family. Sang-hyun plots to kidnap Woo-sung and sell him for the best price but always says he wants the kid not to live a life of need like himself. So-young joins Sang-hyun's journey to sell her child and shows no care or affection for him throughout the trip. But she turns down the first potential buyer who complains of the baby's not-so-good appearance.

Actor Song Kang-ho deservedly won the Best Actor prize at this year's Cannes Film Festival for his portrayal of Sang-hyun, an avuncular but cold-blooded criminal, in such a subtle way that people cannot easily judge whether he is right or wrong. But the narrative is discursive and meandering as each character's secret motives, which play an important role in revealing their mixed feelings of rejection and affection, are not sophisticatedly woven into the main theme of creating a makeshift family of outlaws. Some people, however, may feel uncomfortable watching a crime turn into a form of salvation and the characters being easily forgiven.

"Broker" will hit South Korean screens Wednesday. (END)

Helena · June 2, 2022

https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20220602009500315
Kore-eda praises Song Kang-ho for performing fresh in every take

By Kim Boram (brk@yna.co.kr) | June 02, 2022

▲ This photo provided by CJ ENM shows Japanese director Hirokazu Kore-eda of the Korean film "Broker." (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

SEOUL, June 2 (Yonhap) -- Japanese auteur Hirokazu Kore-eda said Thursday that Song Kang-ho is an actor he hasn't experienced before and that wants to keep all scenes Song has appeared in. "During filming, I thought he is more than just a man of high caliber. For a scene, he comes up with different, fresh performances, even in repetitive takes," the director said in an interview with Korean media. "I've never experienced this kind of actor before. I was amazed by his performance and curious about how that is possible."

Song received the Best Actor prize at this year's Cannes Film Festival for his role of Sang-hyun in Kore-eda's latest family-themed drama about a road trip of people who search for possible adoptive parents of a newborn left at a baby box. It is the Japanese director's first Korean project, for which he teamed up with a Korean cast, including Song, Bae Doo-na and Lee Ji-eun, also known as the K-pop star IU, and Gang Dong-won.

Kore-eda, who won the Cannes' top prize of Palme d'Or for "Shoplifters" in 2018, said Song's presence stood out when he was filming a scene in which Sang-hyun and his ragtag team find out that a small boy named Hae-jin from a local orphanage has hitched a ride on the beat-up van and wants to join the group. "I shot a number of takes for that scene. But in every take, Song's reactions were different and his lines were fresh. It was amazing," he said. "If this movie is released later on DVD, I want to put all takes of this scene to let viewers enjoy Song's performance."

Consequently, Kore-eda said he felt so pleased with the award for outstanding performance at Cannes given to Song. It was the veteran actor's first Cannes prize, although he has starred in several Cannes-winning titles, including Bong Joon-ho's "Parasite" (2019) and Park Chan-wook's "Thirst" (2009). "I was really happy that Song was awarded," he said. "As a film director, I'm doubtful about compliments on myself, but when my actors get prizes, I'm always happy. No doubt."

"Broker" is his second film to bring a lead actor the Best Actor prize at Cannes after "Nobody Knows" (2004), for which Japan's Yuya Yagira became the youngest winner of the award at the age of 14.

The Japanese director said he does not mind some media criticism against the movie for depicting a group of kidnappers stealing a newborn and putting it up for sale on the adoption black market as "lovable rogues." "I don't want to make a film that clearly draws the line between what is right and wrong. I want to feature the world in a gray zone," he said, referring to his previous Cannes-winning film "Shoplifters," which also revolves around a group of thieves becoming an unconventional family. "If the plot doesn't go the way viewers expect from the beginning, that's what I really intended," he said.

"Broker" will hit Korean theaters next Wednesday. (END)

—

https://www.donga.com/en/List/article/all/20220603/3423502/1
Park Chan-wook says he is still nervous even after winning Cannes

By Hyo-Ju Son (hjson@donga.com) | June. 03, 2022

“I am more nervous to wait for feedbacks from Korean audiences than winning three times at the Cannes,” said director Park Chan-wook, who was named Best Director at this year’s Cannes Film Festival for his latest movie “Decision to Leave.” “Compared to my previous works, ‘Decision to Leave’ has more elements that only Koreans can understand. This is why I am more anticipated to find out how Korean audiences see this film, even more so than I was about winning an award at a foreign film festival.”

The views over Park’s previous works have been polarizing, mainly because of the film’s highly violent and sexual scenes, which are almost trademark of the Park Chan-wook movie. Unlike those previous films, “Decision to Leave” was promoted as a gentler, less provocative work, and winning the Cannes Film Festival is stoking up Korean audiences’ attention for the film even more. “The movie invites the audience to focus on the changes in characters’ emotions, so other provoking elements were removed,” said Park. Lead actors Park Hae-il and Tang Wei also attended the press conference on Thursday. “[Director Park’s prior works] tasted like heavy kimchi, but this time, it is more like light and refreshing, like the food I ate back in my hometown in China,” said Tang Wei.

Director Hirokazu Koreeda of the movie “Broker,” which brought actor Song Kang-ho the Best Actor award at this year’s Cannes Film Festival after seven ~~nominations~~ visits, also had an interview with Korean journalists at a café in Jongno, Seoul. “I was truly joyful when Song won the best actor prize. It was truly the best award,” said Koreeda. “When I get praises, I become suspicious, thinking, ‘Isn’t that just an empty compliment?’ But when my actors get compliments, I am absolutely happy,” the Japanese director said. Back in the 2004 Cannes Film Festival, Japanese actor Yuya Yagira became the youngest winner of the Best Actor award in the history of the Cannes in the movie “Nobody Knows.” Koreeda is well-known for making his actors shine in the film.

The Japanese director continued to praise actor Song Kang-ho. “Actors tend to show a stock performance after filming the same scene several times. However, Song showed different acting every time we shoot the same scene. His acting was as fresh as the first time. I’ve never experienced this type of actor. ‘How can this be possible?’ I thought to myself.”

“Broker” is about brokers who sell babies abandoned in a baby box. While dealing with a tough subject matter, the director has added a light touch and humor here and there in the film. “I wanted to give the crowd a sense of some interesting twists. Song Kang-ho is an actor who is very good at acting out subtly funny moments, so I inserted those scenes more,” said Koreeda. Having been created by a Japanese director, “Broker” stars all Korean actors, and the movie’s investment and distribution companies are also Korean. It is a Korean film, but many perceive it as a Japanese movie since the film’s director is a Japanese. “Regardless of where the movie was filmed, what a director does is the same,” said the director. “So I’m not so sure about the discussion of the movie in terms of nationality.”

“When you go to Cannes, you don’t take national flags like the Olympics. Being able to work beyond one’s nationality is one possibility that a movie can give,” director Koreeda said with a smile. “There are so many Korean actors I want to work with. I will not tell you the names at this time.”

Helena · June 2, 2022

[2022-06-02] Movie “Broker VIP Premiere

Movie “Broker VIP Premiere at CGV Yongsan I'Park Mall in Yongsan District, central Seoul

Spoiler

GUESTS

Actors Kim Soo-hyun, Tang Jun-sang, Lee Hyun-woo, Bae Jung-nam, Lee Min-ho, Lee Byung-hun, Oh Jung-se, Anupam Tripathi, Yoon Jun-ho, Yang Hyun-min
Actresses Lee Re , Kim Hee-jung, Jung Yoo-jin, Kang Han-na, Yoo In-na, Im Soo-jung, Bae Hae-sun, Kim Si-a, Han Jae-in, Choi Chamsarang,
Singers Bi, Yoon Sang, Jung Yein, Im Nayoung, Ji-yeon (T-ara), V (BTS), Lee Chan-hyuk (AKMU), Kim Jin-ho (SG Wannabe), Shin Su-hyun,
Athletes Kim Min-jae (soccer player),

Spoiler

Names mentioned..will translate later
jtbc.joins | sports.chosun | osen

Helena · June 3, 2022

Cine21 No.1359 (2022-06-07~2022-06-14)
Cover | <Broker> Song Kang-ho (송강호) . Gang Dong-won (강동원) . Lee Ji-eun (이지은)

Spoiler

Articles: 1 + 2(SKH) + 3(KDW)

[#MovingCover] Cine21 No.1359 <Broker> SongKangho GangDongwon LeeJieun #shorts

#Broker #SongKangho #GangDongwon #LeeJieun #shorts #Cine21

More contents
http://www.cine21.com/

cine21 Official: http://m.cine21.com/
cine21 Instagram: https://instagram.com/cine_21
cine21 Twitter: https://twitter.com/cine21_editor
cine21 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cine21/

Helena · June 5, 2022

https://k-odyssey.com/news/newsview.php?ncode=1065577717428831
'Men in Cannes' Song Kang-ho·Park Chan-wook's next moves

YonhapNews / 2022-06-05 10:48:42

▲ This photo, shows actor Song Kang-ho (left), who won the Best Actor Award at the Cannes Film Festival, and director Park Chan-wook (right), who won the Best Director Award, at the Incheon International Airport on the afternoon of the 30th posing with their trophies as they return home. (Yonhap)

SEOUL, June 5 (Yonhap) -- The films “Broker” and “Decision to Leave,” which won trophies for actor Song Kang-ho and director Park Chan-wook at the Cannes Film Festival, are preparing to be released in Korea this month. As much as the two movies are directed by the representative actors and directors of Korea, more interest has been leaned on to their next moves.

 Following “Broker,” Song Kang-ho is meeting the audience with works that he has completed during COVID-19 while director Park chose an American drama for his next project.   
 

▲ This photo, shows Song Kang-ho (left), who received the Best Actor Award for his role in the movie "Broker" at the 75th Cannes Film Festival held at the Lumière Grand Theater in Cannes, France on the 28th (local time).Song Kang-ho became the first Korean actor to win Best Actor at the Cannes Film Festival this day. (Yonhap)

Song Kang-ho’s next project is expected to be a disaster film “Emergency Declaration.” This story revolves around a plane that has declared an unconditional landing due to an unprecedented disaster. This movie boasts a strong cast including Song Kang-ho, Lee Byung-hun, Jeon Do-yeon, Kim Nam-gil, and Im Si-wan. Director Han Jae-rim of “The King” caught the megaphone for this movie. Song Kang-ho will be taking on the role of a veteran detective, In-ho. “Emergency Declaration” was invited to the non-competitive section of the Cannes Film Festival last year after it completed its filming in 2020. However, the release was delayed in Korea due to the pandemic and now, its distributor, Showbox is planning to release the film in August.

  Song Kang-ho is then expected to transform into a coach of a women’s volleyball team. “One Win” depicts the story of a volleyball coach who has never been successful in his life. However, he takes on the challenge of becoming the coach of a women’s volley ball team that only needs one win. In this movie, Song Kang-ho plays the volleyball coach Kim Woo-jin. Director Shin Yeon-sik’s “One Win” has also finished its production, but the release has been delayed. The distributor, Contents Nandakinda, stated that the release date was still “undecided.”

  While the release of “One Win” is delayed, Song Kang-ho is filming “Spider’s House,” where he acts as a film director. This movie shows the story of a director who is obsessed with the idea that the ending of the 1970s movie “Spider’s House” will be better if re-filmed and forces himself to film even in the worst conditions. After “The Good, the Bad, the Weird (2008),” and “The Age of Shadows (2016),” Song Kang-ho is working again with director Kim Jee-woon.
 

▲This photo, shows director Park Chan-wook, who received the Best Director award at the 75th Cannes Film Festival, wearing earphones prior to the press conference of the movie 'Decision to leave' held at JW Marriott Dongdaemun Square Seoul in Jongno-gu, Seoul on the 2nd. (Yonhap)

 On the other hand, director Park Chan-wook is returning with a drama in four years after the BBC drama “The Little Drummer Girl (2018).” “The Sympathizer” is a 7-episode drama based on the novel of the same name by Viet Thanh Nguyen. This is the story of a man who lives as a double agent in the United States after the Vietnam War. Robert Downey Jr. from “Iron Man” will also be appearing in the movie.

  As a showrunner in charge of the drama, Director Park is in charge of the screenplay and the directing of some episodes. "My dream is to take turns with English works and Korean works," he said at the recent “Decision to Leave” press conference. (END)

twinkle_little_star · June 5, 2022

On 6/2/2022 at 11:31 AM, Helena said:

**************************

SEOUL, June 2 (Yonhap) -- Japanese auteur Hirokazu Kore-eda is famous for bittersweet and nuanced dramas about unconventional families in his critically acclaimed films like "Still Walking" (2008), "Like Father, Like Son" (2013) and "After the Storm" (2016). His 2018 movie "Shoplifters," which brought him the Cannes Film Festival's highest honor of the Palme d'Or, depicts a group of thieves learning how to take care of each other with an acute and realistic eye. Four years later, the director returned with another family-themed film, "Broker," this time with a Korean production and cast. It also revolves around a group of criminals -- baby traffickers and a murderer -- becoming a family.

This image provided by CJ ENM shows a scene from "Broker." (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

The movie begins with a young mother dropping off her infant at a baby box operated by a church in the pouring rain. The baby is snatched up by Dong-soo (Gang Dong-won), a part-time babysitter at the church, to sell him to desperate parents in a conspiracy with Sang-hyun (Song Kang-ho), a middle-aged man who owns a small, old laundromat. Sang-hyun and Dong-soo feel no guilt, thinking they are good guys in helping abandoned kids find decent families, pocketing some money for their troubles. But their secretive plan gets complicated as the baby's mother, So-young (Lee Ji-eun, also known as the K-pop star IU), has a change of heart and shows up a day later. Sang-hyun decides to let So-young take part in his plan to sell the newborn named Woo-sung, saying buyers tend to like having the baby's biological mother there.

This image provided by CJ ENM shows a scene from "Broker." (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

So the team, including a small, football-crazed boy who later hitches a ride, sets off in a beat-up van in search of ideal adoptive parents who can give the baby a loving home and them a good sum of money. As their journey goes in a funny and knotty style, they are closely tailed by a pair of police detectives led by Su-jin (Bae Doo-na), who keeps probing into Sang-hyun and Dong-soo on charges of human trafficking.

Predictably, the small clique becomes a family, although they don't admit it. After meeting several candidate parents, Sang-hyun and Dong-soo feel they don't want to let the baby go, while So-young increasingly thinks it's OK to live with them together this way. The plan to sell Woo-sung for a good price goes off the rails due to their developing emotions and relationships.

"Broker" keeps showing contradictory behaviors of the main characters and asking questions about life, motherhood and family. Sang-hyun plots to kidnap Woo-sung and sell him for the best price but always says he wants the kid not to live a life of need like himself. So-young joins Sang-hyun's journey to sell her child and shows no care or affection for him throughout the trip. But she turns down the first potential buyer who complains of the baby's not-so-good appearance.

Actor Song Kang-ho deservedly won the Best Actor prize at this year's Cannes Film Festival for his portrayal of Sang-hyun, an avuncular but cold-blooded criminal, in such a subtle way that people cannot easily judge whether he is right or wrong. But the narrative is discursive and meandering as each character's secret motives, which play an important role in revealing their mixed feelings of rejection and affection, are not sophisticatedly woven into the main theme of creating a makeshift family of outlaws. Some people, however, may feel uncomfortable watching a crime turn into a form of salvation and the characters being easily forgiven.

"Broker" will hit South Korean screens Wednesday. (END)

*bowed head* hai @Helena .. thank you for sharing article with us, Helena. it's an interesting story.

Helena · June 6, 2022

http://www.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20220606000171
‘Broker’ director Kore-eda aims to break prejudice against mothers who give up kids

By Song Seung-hyun (ssh@heraldcorp.com) | Jun 6, 2022

Japanese director Hirokazu Kore-eda (CJ ENM)

Japanese director Hirokazu Kore-eda’s new film “Broker” does not hide the key question that the director wants to ask the audience: Should mothers take all the blame for abandoning their children in “baby boxes”?

  “At the beginning of the movie, Soo-jin (played by Bae Doo-na) says ‘if you are going to abandon a newborn, you should not have given a birth to him.’ This shows that there is a kind of prejudice toward mothers. The film starts from there,” the director said during an interview with a group of local reporters at a cafe in Samcheong-dong, central Seoul. “The film shows how much Soo-jin’s prejudice changed.” 

 Kore-eda said he found out about the prejudice while talking with a man who grew up in an orphanage that had harbored some resentment toward his mother.

Japanese director Hirokazu Kore-eda (CJ ENM)

“He said he had contemplated the question: Did my mom want me to be born?” Kore-eda said.

It was at that moment that it occurred to Kore-eda that the blame should not be solely on mothers, and that society should also share the responsibility.

Kore-eda’s “Broker” centers on relationships formed through baby boxes installed at churches or institutions in Korea where desperate parents can leave their newborns anonymously.

The fictional story begins with So-young (IU) leaving her baby in a box in front of a church. Sang-hyun (Song Kang-ho) and Dong-soo (Kang Dong-won) secretly steal the baby to sell him to a family who cannot legally adopt. So-young, who returns to the church the next day to retrieve the baby, finds out that Sang-hyun and Dong-soo have taken her child. Soon, So-young and the two men are looking for the right parents for the baby.

Meanwhile, police officer Soo-jin is investigating the two men.

The 60-year-old director said he heard negative feedback on some lines that were deemed “too direct” in conveying another underlying theme of cherishing life, such as a scene when So-young says, “Thank you for coming into this world,” to everyone in the room. But this was intentional, he emphasized.

“I also strongly believed that my film should look at every human’s life positively,” he said.

During the interview, the Japanese director also revealed how he created the framework of the new film.

“I created this film with three boxes,” Kore-eda said. “The first box is the smallest one that the baby is being abandoned in, and then the second box is the van that brokers in the film travel in with the baby. The last box is symbolic and invisible -- the society that surrounds the baby.”

Since Kore-eda cannot speak Korean, he noted that he got some help from veteran actor Song. Kore-eda highlighted that there was a particular moment when the star impressed him the most during this process.

“Song Kang-ho suggested cutting out some of the lines that his character says. I tried cutting it out accordingly and it was indeed a whole lot better. But it is really rare for an actor to ask the director to cut out his own lines. In fact, it was the first time,” he said. “That was when I realized that Song Kang-ho is the actor that truly cares about creating a better film.”

Kore-eda also shared his recent participation in the 75th Cannes Film Festival at which Song won the best actor award for his role in “Broker.”

“It is the eighth time that I was invited to Cannes and every time it is different,” he said. “The most evident difference that I have noticed this time was that there were billboards for ‘Broker’ everywhere, which made me realize the power of CJ ENM. I was proud, but at the same time it was a lot of pressure seeing the poster of my work hung at the hotel I am staying at. I did take photos with it though,” Kore-eda said jokingly.

When asked to talk about the decline of the Japanese film industry in the global standing, Kore-eda carefully said that he did not want to compare the current situation with the heyday of the Japanese film industry.

“It is the same with the Italian and French film industries, there can be ups and downs, so I do not take it as a negative phenomenon,” Kore-eda said.

“But it is true that the Japanese film industry is stagnant when looking at it from an outsider’s perspective. I know that there are a lot of talented actors and creators who are willing to do something fun. I think it is the old production environment that is making them difficult to take on challenges. There is not enough capital to develop something new so original works are rare. There are things that I learned while working in Korea and France. I learned what we have to work on, so I want to go back to Japan and make some improvements.”

Kore-eda worked with French actors and staff for his previous project, “The Truth.”

“Broker” (CJ ENM)

“Broker” hits local theaters Wednesday.

Helena · June 7, 2022

https://zapzee.net/2022/06/07/after-a-year-long-wait-emergency-declaration-confirms-august-release/
After a Year-Long Wait, ‘Emergency Declaration’ Confirms August Release

By KRISHKIM

Emergency Declaration has confirmed the August release and unveiled two launching posters.

Emergency Declaration is an aviation disaster film about a plane that declared an emergency landing amid an unprecedented disaster. It was previously invited to the non-competitive section of the 74th Cannes Film Festival.

The movie boasts an A-list cast, including Song Kang Ho and Jeon Do Yeon, the first Korean actors to win the Best Actor and Best Actress at the Cannes Film Festival, as well as Lee Byung Hun, Kim Nam Gil, Im Si Wan, Kim So Jin, and Park Hae Joon.

The two released launching posters show those on the ground struggling to prevent the disaster and those in the sky panicked amidst the chaos. The people enduring breathtaking moments on the ground include veteran detective In Ho (Song Kang Ho), Minister of MOLIT (Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport) Sook Hee (Jeon Do Yeon), and Director of National Center for Crisis Management Tae Soo (Park Hae Joon).

Meanwhile, the people trapped inside the plane have desperate and precarious expressions on their faces. There are Jae Hyuk (Lee Byun Hun), who is on board with his child, first officer Hyun Soo (Kim Nam Gil), who struggles to ensure the safety of the passengers, and passenger Jin Suk (Im Si Wan), who is keeping a close eye on the people. Their vivid expressions give a glimpse into the urgent situation happening 28,000 feet above the ground.

Credit: Showbox

—

https://k-odyssey.com/news/newsview.php?ncode=1065603023830574
'Emergency Declaration' starring Cannes-winning actors Song Kang-ho·Jeon Do-yeon to be released in August

YonhapNews / 2022-06-07 17:50:36
(This article is translated from Korean to English by Kim Sun Min.) 

▲ This photo, provided by ShowBox, shows "Emergency Declaration." (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

SEOUL, June 7 (Yonhap) – S. Korean actor Song Kang-ho will meet the audience through the movie “Emergency Declaration,” following “Broker,” with which he won Best Actor at the 75th Cannes Film Festival last month. The film distributor ShowBox announced on Tuesday that it has confirmed to release “Emergency Declaration” in August.

  “Emergency Declaration” is a disaster movie that depicts the story of passengers being forced to evacuate as an unprecedented terror occurs mid-flight. The film, directed by Han Jae-rim of “The Face Reader”(2013) and “The King”(2017), stars two Cannes-winning actors. Song will play a veteran police detective In-ho, while Jeon Do-yeon will play the role of Sook-hee, minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport. Jeon was named Best Actress for her performance in film director Lee Chang-dong’s “Secret Sunshine” at Cannes Film Festival in 2007.

The film also stars Lee Byung-hun, who plays Jae-hyuk, a passenger who boarded a plane with a kid, and Kim Nam-gil, who plays the pilot Hyun-soo. Park Hae-joon plays the role of Tae-su, Blue House Crisis Management Center director, while Im Si-wan plays the passenger Jin-seok.

“Emergency Declaration” finished filming in 2020 and was invited to screen at Cannes under the category of films out of competition last year. The release in local theaters was postponed due to the spread of COVID-19. (END)

twinkle_little_star · June 8, 2022

Broker (Movie, release on June 8, 2022. 브로커) - stills.

source :

Helena · June 8, 2022

https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/2022/06/08/entertainment/movies/Broker-interview-Hirokazu-Koreeda/20220608155734356.html
Director Hirokazu Kore-eda has nothing but good words for the actors in his latest film 'Broker'

BY LEE JAE-LIM [lee.jaelim@joongang.co.kr] | June 8, 2022

Director Hirokazu Kore-eda [CJ ENM]

Director Hirokazu Kore-eda had nothing but singsong praises for actor Song Kang-ho who took home the Best Actor Award for his performance in the director's first Korean-language film “Broker.”

“Broker” revolves around two baby brokers Sang-hyun and Dong-soo, portrayed by Song Kang-ho and Gang Dong-won, as they discreetly take a baby from a baby box, where babies can be anonymously dropped off to be cared for by others. When they are discovered by the baby’s mother So-young, the three embark on a journey to find a proper home for the baby.

Kore-eda has repeatedly mentioned throughout press events that the narrative of “Broker” had stemmed from Song.

Director Hirokazu Kore-eda and actor Song Kang-ho pose for photos at the 75th Cannes International Film Festival for the film "Broker." [CJ ENM]

“I loved him in the roles of films such as ‘Joint Security Area’ [2000], ‘Memories of Murder’ [2003], ‘Secret Sunshine’ [2007] — oh, and I can’t leave out ‘A Taxi Driver’ [2017],” Kore-eda said at a press interview Friday at a cafe in Samcheong-dong, central Seoul. “Fundamentally, Song’s greatness lies in the humanities of the characters he portrays without ruining the narrative in each of the films. I think Song is exceptionally delicate when bringing out the person’s secularity. And Song’s mundaneness even conclusively leads to salvation. For instance, in ‘Secret Sunshine,’ Song’s presence becomes a redemption [for others], but his capacity to help stays within a very humane and mundane level. The materialism and sanctity co-exist harmoniously in his characters, which I think is Song’s greatest and most astonishing appeal.

“At every take of the shooting, Song always showed fresh performances,” Kore-eda elaborated. “This is an enormous talent and takes a great deal of concentration. For most actors, when you shoot the same scenes, their performance, too, becomes repetitive. But for Song, no matter how much we repeat the scenes, his acting stays fresh.”

For actor Lee Ji-eun, also known as singer IU, the director was captivated by her performance in tvN drama series “My Mister” (2018), which he said he came across as he was binging on Netflix during the Covid-19 pandemic. “To tell you the truth, ‘My Mister’ isn’t the type of genre that I would generally watch,” he said. “But there is this camera director with whom I’ve worked for a long time — he’s an 83-year-old man who insisted that I had to watch the series. He kept emphasizing that ‘IU is the best, you can’t help but cry [at her scenes].’ I thought he’d cried because he’s grown soft with age, but I found myself crying too as I watched the series.”

In “Broker,” the distinction between good and bad is unclear. From the third person perspective, none of the characters may be conventionally “good” — Sang-hyun and Dong-soo take babies and sell them for profit, and So-young is a mother who abandoned her baby. Kore-eda peels off the exterior layers of the characters and invites the audience to look into their individual narratives.

Kore-eda wanted to dive into the social problem of baby boxes and researched the facilities in Japan and Korea. For the film, Kore-eda also met with and interviewed people who grew up in orphanages, the parents of adopted children, lawyers and police detectives who worked on cases related to baby brokers.

“What I noticed through my research is that the strict labeling and criticism was directed toward the mother,” he said. “Through my film, I wanted to discuss who is truly responsible for such happenings. In Japan, too, there are facilities similar to baby boxes, and there certainly are differences of opinions toward them as well. However, I felt that regarding issues revolving around children, especially regarding domestic violence and babies left at baby boxes, society tends to criticize the mother. There are no mentions of the other parent, the father, in such news.”

The cast of "Broker" and Kore-eda after the closing ceremony of the 75th Cannes International Festival on May 28. [CJ ENM]

Kore-eda’s next film takes him back to Japan again, but the director said that there are still many Korean actors that he’s itching to work with in the future.

“My next project is a Japanese film set in an elementary school, and as for now, there are no other projects [besides that] set for the future,” he said. “There are still many actors in Korea with whom I hope to work, and if there is an opportunity, I wish to work in Korea again. But I don’t want to peg names. It’s more likely to happen, I think, if I refrain from saying anything.”

Helena · June 8, 2022

http://www.koreanfilm.or.kr/eng/news/features.jsp?blbdComCd=601013&mode=FEATURES_VIEW&seq=581
Korean Moviegoers Surpassed 14 million in May 2022, Returning to Pre-COVID-19

by Hellen Park | Jun 07, 2022

The Highest Number of Audiences in 28 months Since January 2020, When It Recorded 16.84 Million Viewers Just Before the Pandemic

In May 2022, the Korean theater district returned to its pre-COVID-19 level. According to the Korean Box Office Information System (KOBIS) of the Korean Film Council (KOFIC) on June 1 (Wed), the number of moviegoers for 1 month from May 1 to 31 was 14.55 million. It’s a signal of hope that the number of viewers has almost recovered to the same level before the COVID-19 Pandemic.

In February 2020, the number of Korean moviegoers dropped sharply as the Pandemic spread in Korea. From January to June 2020, the total number of moviegoers recorded 32.41 million, the lowest since 2005. Considering that the number of audiences was 16.84 million in January 2020, just before the Pandemic, the total number of audiences from February to June 2020 was smaller than the number of audiences for just 1 month in January.

For the next two years, the Korean theater district was almost like a ‘pause’. The number of audiences, which reached 227 million in 2019 before COVID-19, fell 73.1% year on year to 59.52 million in 2020. In 2021, the stagnation continued with 60.53 million viewers in total. Total sales of the Korean film industry in 2019, which reached 2.5093 trillion won (USD 2,002 million), plunged to 1.537 trillion won (USD 840 million) in 2020 and 1.237 trillion won (USD 816 million) in 2021. It means at least 3 trillion won disappeared in those two years.

Doctor Strange and Don Lee Saved Korean Film Theaters

The Roundup

In May 2022, however, the atmosphere was reversed. As social distancing measures were completely lifted and film theaters were operating normally, the films the audience had anticipated started to be released one after another. The first film that led to May’s theatrical success was Marvel’s Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, released on May 4. With 5.8 million viewers in total, the film enjoyed box office success, surpassing the first episode, Doctor Strange, released in 2016, which recorded 5.44 million viewers in total. The Roundup, a Korean film, took over the box office success baton.

Released on May 18, The Roundup has set a new box office record every single day since its release. On the first day of its release, the film mobilized 650,000 audiences, recording the highest opening among Korean films since PARASITE (2019), which drew over 10 million viewers, and surpassing 1 million viewers in just two days. It also surpassed 5 million viewers within 10 days of its release, and on the 11th day of its release, the film proved its box office power by becoming the highest grossing movie in 2022. By June 5, The Roundup recorded about 8.86 million viewers in total, raising expectations that it’ll become the first film that will draw ‘10 million viewers’ in the Korean film industry in 3 years.

Thanks to the good fight of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness and The Roundup, the total number of audiences in May 2022 recorded 14.55 million, the highest in 28 months since January 2020, just before the Pandemic. Compared to 3.12 million audiences in April 2022, it is a remarkable record that increased by 366%. During the Pandemic, the average number of monthly audiences in Korean theaters hit the lowest with 970,000 viewers in April 2020, staying in the millions every month. However, the number of moviegoers in May 2022 showed a rapid recovery, similar to 18.06 million viewers in May 2019 and 15.89 million viewers in May 2018 before the COVID-19 Pandemic.

The Cannes Winners and Hollywood Blockbusters, Expected to Continue Boosting the Theater District in June

Broker

The theater district in June showed a good start, too. While The Roundup is boasting of its box office power, Jurassic World: Dominion, released on June 1, attracted 760,000 viewers on the day of its release. This is the highest opening score since the Pandemic. Also, the winners at Cannes are expected to liven up the Korean theater district in June.

Broker, which won the Best Actor award at the 75th Festival de Cannes, is scheduled to be released on June 8 (Wed). Broker is the first Korean film directed by Kore-eda Hirokazu, who won the Palme d’Or at Cannes 2018 for Shoplifters. Also, Korean actors Song Kangho, Kang Dongwon, Bae Doona, and a K-pop star and actor Lee Jieun (IU) starred in Broker, raising expectations from Korean audiences. On top of that, for the first time among Korean male actors, Song Kangho won the Best Actor award at Cannes, raising the audience’s expectations even more. Broker recorded 32.3% of the sales rate before its release, surpassing the sales rate of The Roundup, the No. 1 box office now.

In addition, Director Park Chanwook’s Decision to Leave, which won the Best Director at the 75th Festival de Cannes, will be released on June 29. It is a romance film directed by Park Chanwook, who received rave reviews unanimously at Cannes, and Park Haeil and Tang Wei’s profound and romantic performances were also praised highly at Cannes. In addition, since Decision to Leave has been given a 15 rating, it is expected to show great synergy in the box office hit. Officials in the film industry predict that winning the awards at Cannes will have a positive impact on the success of the two films. Expressing his expectation, an official said, “Bong Joonho’s PARASITE became a ‘million-viewer movie’ in Korea after it won the Palme d’Or at Cannes. So, Decision to Leave and Broker will perform well for the box office success as their winning awards at Cannes has raised the expectations and interest of Korean audiences.”

Director Park Hoonjung’s The Witch: Part 2. The Other One, which will be released on June 15, and Tom Cruise’s Top Gun: Maverick, which will be released on June 22, are also expected to be the driving force behind the box office success in June. The Witch: Part 2. The Other One is a sequel to The Witch: Part 1. The Subversion, which drew 3.18 million viewers. Top Gun: Maverick is the sequel to Top Gun (1987) in 36 years, recording the overwhelming top at the North American box office hit. On June 18, Tom Cruise will visit Korea to promote Top Gun: Maverick, which is receiving enthusiastic responses from Korean audiences. Also, Korean blockbusters, which have delayed their release due to COVID-19, are confirming their release dates one after another in July. If the green light for the Korean theater district in May continues until the end of 2022, it is expected that the stagnant Korean theater district will recover its previous glory swiftly.

Helena · June 8, 2022

https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20220608007900315
Song Kang-ho says big-name filmmakers want him because he's not handsome

By Kim Boram (brk@yna.co.kr) | June 08, 2022

This photo provided by Sublime shows actor Song Kang-ho. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

SEOUL, June 8 (Yonhap) -- Veteran actor Song Kang-ho said Wednesday he was able to participate in many award-winning projects by renowned filmmakers, like Bong Joon-ho and Hirokazu Kore-eda, because he is not handsome.

With more than 30 years of experience under his belt, Song has become a household name in South Korea, well known for his eclectic acting style and a wide spectrum of roles.

He has also starred in several Cannes-winning titles, including Bong's "Parasite" (2019) and Park Chan-wook's "Thirst" (2009), and "Secret Sunshine" (2007), which earned Jeon Do-yeon best actress that year.

This time, he was cast in "Broker," a Korean-language project written and directed by Japanese auteur Korea-eda, who won the Cannes' top honor of Palme d'Or for "Shoplifters" in 2018.

"I know many people are curious about this. I think it is because I'm not handsome," he said in a media interview. "Filmmaking is part of presenting and looking into our lives, neighbors and ourselves. I think those famous directors may want to tell their stories through an ordinary-looking man."

"Broker," Kore-eda's latest family-themed drama, is about people on a road trip searching for possible adoptive parents of a newborn left at a baby box. Song plays Sang-hyun, who steals an unattended infant left by its parents at a baby box and sells it to parents who need babies.

Song won the Best Actor prize at this year's Cannes, his first acting award from the film festival after his six previous visits. His last Cannes project was "Parasite," which won the top honor in 2019, and he served as a jury member at last year's Cannes.

During the filming of "Broker," Song also played another role in helping the Japanese helmer catch the delicate nuance of Korean language. "I told him about a slight degree of differences in meaning, feeling or tone when I act," he said. "It was just a small piece of advice given to the Japanese director, who may miss those nuances. It's not a big deal."

The 55-year-old actor, who started his career as a theater actor in the late 1980s, said an award or words of praise are hardly an emotional rollercoaster for him. "There will be no actor who performs in order to go to a film festival or get an award," he said. "I shared the honor with directors Park and Bong, and actress Jeon, but I didn't go to Cannes with a goal to win a prize."

Still, he is not satisfied with his performance and wishes he had made more efforts from the beginning. "I always think I needed more or I should have done better," he said. "If I go back to the past to when I started my acting career on stage, I want to say to myself, 'Do more and better.'" (END)

—

[IU's Palette] Let's be happy in June! (With Broker) Ep.13

Helena · June 8, 2022

https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/art/2022/06/689_330668.html
[INTERVIEW] 'Broker' actor Song Kang-ho says winning award was never his goal

By Lee Gyu-lee | 2022-06-08

Actor Song Kang-ho plays the role of a baby broker in the new drama film, "Broker." Courtesy of Sublime Artist Agency

Actor Song Kang-ho, who recently won the Best Actor award at the 75th Cannes Film Festival for his performance in the film, "Broker," said accolades have never been his goal in acting.

"As an actor, the purpose of acting and taking part in films is not to win a trophy. The only goal is to communicate with audiences through a good piece of work," the actor told The Korea Times during an online interview, Wednesday.

"Screening at film festivals and winning just happens to be part of that whole process of working hard and making a good film. I'm very thrilled and honored but this has not been my goal and won't be in the future. It always has been this way and nothing will change," he said.

Recalling when his name was called as the winner at the festival's closing ceremony, he said it was more meaningful to share the moment with his family.

"This was the first time my son came with me (to Cannes) … I've never had a chance to bring him until now," he said. "So it was even more meaningful (to win the award) during this first time of going to Cannes with all four members of the family."

Japanese award-winning auteur director Hirokazu Kore-eda's drama film, "Broker," revolves around dry cleaner owner Sang-hyun (Song) and his partner, Dong-soo (Gang Dong-won), who steal babies that are abandoned by their mothers, who are unable or unwilling to raise them, and sells them on the adoption black market.

One day, So-young (Lee Ji-eun), a mother who abandoned her baby, comes back to look for it. Despite it being a crime, Sang-hyun persuades her that he can help find her son a good home, and takes her on a journey to find a buyer for the baby.

Song expressed that he wanted his character to be enigmatic and vague.

"I wasn't curious about Sang-hyun's background and didn't want to know it. I wanted to approach the character as if he was a mystery," he said. "I didn't want to try figuring out his exact emotions (throughout the storyline) and portray them, no matter what his past was or his future would be."

The actor, who has starred in almost 40 movies, said this film has a great meaning to his career as the outcome of working together with great artists.

"(Through this film), I came to work with such precious actors like Gang, Lee, Bae Doo-na and Lee Joo-young, the best staff and director Kore-eda. It will be remembered as a hugely meaningful work that I cooperated on with such great artists," he said.

Helena · June 8, 2022

https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/2022/06/08/entertainment/movies/Song-Kangho-Best-Actor-Cannes/20220608184506790.html
'Guy next door' Song Kang-ho first Korean to win Best Actor Award at Cannes

BY LEE JAE-LIM [lee.jaelim@joongang.co.kr] | June 8, 2022

Actor Song Kang-ho [SUBLIME]

Song Kang-ho, often mentioned as director Bong Joon-ho’s inspiration, no longer remains limited by that portrayal after taking home the first Best Actor Award for a Korean actor at this year’s Cannes for his performance in “Broker.”

In “Broker,” directed by Hirokazu Kore-eda, Song portrays Sang-hyun, a man who calls himself a broker of goodwill. Sang-hyun stands on the precipice of good and evil as he takes a baby from a baby box hoping to sell it to adoptive parents, but also understands the hardships that the baby’s single mother So-young is going through and silently stands by her side.

“Sang-hyun’s narrative isn’t completely unraveled in the film,” Song said at an online press interview Wednesday. “Even till the end of the film, it isn’t shown where Sang-hyun ends up. And even for me, it was difficult to define Sang-hyun as a person, but I also wanted him to be predictable [to the audience]. So if Kore-eda had a question, a message he wanted to convey to the audience, I wanted it to be portrayed through Sang-hyun’s emotions, a mysterious character we may not fully understand.”

Spoiler

Song as Sang-hyun, a man who calls himself a broker of goodwill [CJ ENM]

Song also gave his thoughts on him “finally” being named Best Actor, after knocking on the festival’s door for the seventh time.

“Of course, winning an award from such a prestigious festival as Cannes is a great and happy moment, an unforgettable turning point of my life,” Song admitted. “However, I don’t think the action [of receiving an award] itself holds much significance. Because from the perspective of someone creating a film, the ultimate and most important purpose of the film is interaction with the audience. During the process, I have won the award, but that itself cannot become the purpose. […] There is no difference in me, Song Kang-ho, before and after the Cannes award. The meaning lies in unwaveringly doing the best I can [in future projects].”

In a prior interview, Kore-eda praised the actor for bringing out the characters’ secularity in the films. Similarly, Song said that his priority in acting lies in how much empathy he can draw from the audience with his characters.

Actor Song Kang-ho [SUBLIME]

“I believe acting is about reducing the gap between the character and the audience to convey the message of the film, even if the particular character is difficult to understand or unfamiliar to the audience, or the distinct genre of the film makes it so,” Song said. “I believe that being an actor is about depicting humans, and I have seamlessly worked toward studying and contemplating human nature for my profession.”

Throughout his 26-year film career, Song has worked multiple times with film auteurs such as Lee Chang-dong, Park Chan-wook, Kim Jee-woon, Bong Joon-ho and now Hirokazu Kore-eda. When asked what makes him their favorite, the actor says it’s his mundaneness that makes him so approachable to the filmmakers and the audience.

Spoiler

Song Kang-ho poses for the camera as he attends the 75th Cannes International Film Festival for his performance in "Broker." [CJ ENM]

“I think it’s because I’m ordinary,” Song said. “I’m not handsome, and I am like the guy next door who you see every day, which is what I think makes me approachable, and why I have had the chance to work with so many talented people.”

Song says that he’s directly experiencing the worldwide attention Korean content is garnering across the globe as he has attended the prestigious festival for the past three years for “Parasite” (2019), as a Cannes’ jury in 2021 and for “Broker” (2022).

Actor Song Kang-ho [SUBLIME]

“What I felt on the global stage of Cannes is that cinephiles and countless fans worldwide are recognizing Korean content,” Song said. “Wherever I go, they talk about Korean films and content, which is what I was the most proud of and happy about. I don’t think the rise of our content came out of the blue, nor did it come from Bong winning Palme d’Or for ‘Parasite’ or my winning, but it was the fruit reaped from the accumulation of our trials of some two decades since director Im Kwon-taek. I believe in the future, we will have more achievements from wave of great actors, staff and filmmakers.”

Helena · June 8, 2022

Daily Box Office - 2022-06-08 (Wed)  <preliminary numbers>

1. Broker | 2022-06-08 | 146,221 (152,364) | 1,594 | 46.2%

 2. The Roundup | 2022-05-18 | 114,549 (9,575,022) | 1,249 | 37.0%

 3. Jurassic World: Dominion | 2022-06-01 | 39,350 (2,266,203) | 947 | 13.1% 

4. The Red Herring | 2022-05-25 | 2,606 (300,516) | 77 | 0.8%
5. Pokemon the Movie: Giratina and the Sky Warrior | 2022-06-01 | 1,819 (397,784) | 206 | 0.5% 

6. Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness | 2022-05-04 | 1,255 (5,861,675) | 61 | 0.4%
7. After Yang | 2022-06-01 | 678 (17,225) | 49 | 0.2%
8. Operation Mincemeat | 2022-05-11 | 625 (35,596) | 5 | 0.2%
9. Hot Blooded | 2022-03-23 | 500 (393,772) | 1 | 0.1%
9. Ambulance | 202-4-06 | 500 (115,239) | 1 | 0.1%

Source: https://www.kobis.or.kr/kobis/business/stat/boxs/findDailyBoxOfficeList.do

[CJ ENM]

-

https://variety.com/2022/film/asia/broker-korean-box-office-1235288078/
Cannes Film ‘Broker’ Tops Korean Box Office on Opening Day

By Patrick Frater | Jun 8, 2022

“Broker,” the unconventional family drama which appeared in competition at last month’s Cannes Film Festival, topped the box office in South Korea on Wednesday, its opening day.

“Broker” grossed $1.10 million, enough to depose crime actioner “The Roundup” from the top spot that it had enjoyed for the past three weeks and which had made it the highest performing film this year.

According to data from the Kobis tracking service operated by the Korean Film Council, “Broker” played on 1,590 screens and sold 145,000 tickets for Wednesday screenings. Its cumulative total of $1.15 million includes some $44,000 of previews earned on 14 screens.

The feat by a local art-house film gives further support to the notion that cinema attendance is rebounding in Korea. The country was formerly the world’s fourth biggest theatrical market, thanks to high per-capita rates of attendance.

The Korean theatrical industry, however, was moribund through much of 2020 and 2021 due to COVID restrictions, a threadbare releasing schedule and aggressive competition from streaming platforms. With the omicron wave hitting Korea between February and April of this year, box office plumbed even lower depths.

Cinema restrictions were completely lifted at the beginning of May, and the Korean release schedule is currently being rebuilt.

Directed by Japan’s Kore-eda Hirokazu, the Korean-language “Broker” scored a best actor prize at Cannes for male lead with “Parasite” star Song Kang-ho. Playing like a scrappy road movie, more than a crime story, the film tells the tale of two chancers who are trying to arrange an adoptive home for an unwanted infant, the child’s mother who tags along, and two women police officers on their trail.

The film’s other performers are also major draws in Korea. Second male lead, Gang Dong-won is a veteran who has starred in hits including “Peninsula,” “Golden Slumber” and “The Priests.” Li Ji-eun, better known as IU, is a major singing star in Korea who has appeared in multiple TV dramas, ~~including Netflix show “Crash Landing on You,”~~ but counts a much smaller feature film tally. Bae Doo-na, who plays one of the police, previously played in the Bong Joon Ho-directed hit “The Host” and “Cloud Atlas.” She is currently shooting Zack Snyder’s “Rebel Moon.” And Lee Joo-young, who portrays the junior police officer, recently came off hit TV series “Itaewon Class.”

The film was produced by Zip Cinema. Finance, local release and international sales are handled by CJ Entertainment.

Helena · June 9, 2022

http://www.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20220610000416
Special screening to be held with Cannes-winning Park Chan-wook, Song Kang-ho movies

By Song Seung-hyun (ssh@heraldcorp.com) | Jun 10, 2022

Posters advertise special screenings for movies from the Korean recipients of prizes at this year’s Cannes Film Festival, director Park Chan-wook and actor Song Kang-ho. (CJ CGV)

South Korea’s biggest cinema chain CJ CGV announced on Thursday it will hold special screenings for seven movies of Cannes-winning director Park Chan-wook and actor Song Kang-ho, beginning Thursday and running to June 29.

“To celebrate director Park Chan-wook and actor Song Kang-ho winning the awards, we created this special screening event to share a meaningful achievement of Korean cinema which raised its reputation,” CGV official Yeo Kwang-jin said in a statement. “I hope audiences can take the time to appreciate the well-made works again in the theater.”

CGV announced the seven selected films are “Oldboy,” “Thirst,” “The Handmaiden,” “Decision to Leave,” “Secret Sunshine,” “Parasite” and “Broker.” All the films have been screened at the Cannes Film Festival at some point.

The films will be presented at CGV Arthouse auditoriums in 15 theaters, including CGV Yongsan and CGV Apgujeong.

Park’s “Oldboy,” starring Choi Min-sik, won the jury grand prize at Cannes in 2004.

“The Handmaiden,” which sold 4.3 million tickets here, was invited to the 2016 Cannes Film Festival. CGV said it will present a reedited version of “The Handmaiden” with a runtime of two hours and 47 minutes, adding about 22 minutes to the original release.

Park won the prize for best director this year for “Decision to Leave” at Cannes. The highly anticipated film releases here June 29.

“Thirst” is a film that Park and Song worked on together. It is also the movie that earned Park the jury prize at Cannes in 2009. The theater operator will also unveil a reedited version of the film running two hours and 37 minutes.

Song won best actor at Cannes this year for “Broker,” directed by Hirokazu Kore-eda. The Japanese director’s film was released Wednesday and is in local theaters now.

“Secret Sunshine,” directed by Lee Chang-dong and starring Song and Jeon Do-yeon, screened at the Cannes Film Festival in 2007. Jeon also won the best actress prize for her appearance.

The Palme d’Or-winning “Parasite” was screened at Cannes in 2019. The eventual winner of the Oscar for best picture attracted more than 10 million local moviegoers when it was released here later that year.

CJ CGV added that it also prepared special discount coupons for cinemagoers to watch the specially screened films. The coupons can be used for watching all the selected movies except the new releases, “Decision to Leave” and “Broker.”

More details about the schedule and coupons can be found on the CJ CGV mobile app and website.

—

https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/art/2022/06/689_330696.html
Special screenings of films by Cannes winners to be offered

By Kim Rahn | 2022-06-09

Spoiler

Cinema chain CGV will hold special screenings of director Park Chan-wook and actor Song Kang-ho's films, which have won awards or been invited to compete at Cannes Film Festival, from June 16 to 29. Courtesy of CGV

Special screenings of films by director Park Chan-wook and actor Song Kang-ho will be held later this month at CGV.

The nation's largest cinema chain said, Thursday, that seven films will be screened at CGV Art Houses nationwide from June 16 to 29 to honor Park's Best Director award and Song's Best Actor award won at the 75th Cannes Film Festival.

The seven movies are those that have been either nominated for or won an award at Cannes festivals ― four films directed by Park and three by other directors and starring Song.

Among Park's films, neo-noir thriller "Oldboy" won the Grand Prix at the 57th festival. "The Handmaiden," the erotic psychological thriller that competed in the 69th edition, will be screened this time in an extended version with some 20 extra minutes added.

"Decision to Leave," the romance noir that earned Park the Best Director award at this year's festival, will premiere in Korea on June 29.

Park's 2009 horror drama, "Thirst," which won the Jury Prize at the 62nd festival, also starred Song. The film will also be screened in an extended edition.

"Broker," for which Song won the Best Actor award, hit local theaters on Wednesday, receiving a positive response from local moviegoers. It is the Korean debut of Japanese director Hirokazu Kore-eda, whose film, "Shoplifters," won the Palme d'Or in 2018.

Another film starring Song is director Lee Chang-dong's "Secret Sunshine," for which actress Jeon Do-yeon won the Best Actress award at the 60th festival. "Parasite," the 2019 Palme d'Or winner directed by Bong Joon-ho, is also in the lineup.

The special screenings are available at eight CGV Art Houses across the country, and audiences will get a 3,000-won discount coupon for all the films except for "Decision to Leave" and "Broker."

"We are presenting the special screenings to celebrate Park and Song's award wins and to share their achievements with moviegoers," a CGV official said in a statement.

Helena · June 9, 2022

http://www.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20220609000653
[Herald Interview] I will not perform overseas: Cannes-winning actor Song Kang-ho

By Song Seung-hyun (ssh@heraldcorp.com) | Jun 9, 2022

Cannes-winning actor Song Kang-ho (Sublime)

After appearing in Oscar-winning “Parasite” (2019), as well as becoming the first Korean to win best actor award at the 75th Cannes Film Festival for his role in “Broker” (2022) in May, Song Kang-ho is now at the center of global attention.

Song, however, said he does not have any plans to do projects overseas, adding that he decided to perform in “Broker” because it is being produced in his home country. “After ‘Parasite’ I got lots of offers from the US. But I don’t think I can perform at my best in those projects. So I politely declined them,” Song said during an interview with a group of local reporters held via Zoom on Wednesday.

“I have always thought that the fastest and most reliable way to reach a global audience is through Korean content rather than overseas works. I probably will not perform outside of Korea.”

Even though he does not have any interest in non-Korean projects, Song noted that he is happy to see Korean content becoming ever more popular in the world.

“At Cannes this year, I noticed that the level of attention on Korean content has changed significantly. Wherever I went, people talked about Korean movies and dramas so naturally,” Song said.
 

Cannes-winning actor Song Kang-ho (Sublime)

The veteran Korean actor believes that this change didn’t happen in a short period of time.

“During the press conference held after winning the Palme d’Or at Cannes (for “Parasite”) three years ago, director Bong Joon-ho talked about the attention that Korean cinema is getting. He said that things like this do not happen overnight and it has been building up gradually over 20 years, beginning with the work of Im Kwon-taek,” Song said. “I think the attention on Korean content is also the result of our film industry’s constant creativity.”

During the interview, Song also recalled the first time he accidentally bumped into Japanese filmmaker and the director of “Broker”, Hirokazu Kore-eda, at a hotel in Busan back in 2007.

“We met in front of the elevator and I said ‘hello.’ I love Kore-eda’s films and have a great deal of respect for his work. I really wanted to meet him, so after we bumped into each other, we got talking. That was the origin of ‘Broker’,” he said.

Hirokazu Kore-eda’s “Broker” centers on relationships formed around “baby boxes” which are often installed at churches or institutions in Korea. Here, desperate parents can leave their newborns anonymously.

Song played Sang-hyun, a so-called “broker” who secretly steals babies that are abandoned in baby boxes to sell them to a family who cannot legally adopt.

While filming, Song said he was particularly impressed by how Kore-eda works with child actors.

“I did not expect Yoo Seung-soo (the young actor who played Hye-jin) to perform so well in the ‘Thank you for coming into this world’ scene. I was really shocked,” Song said.

The scene that Song referred to is the one in which So-young (played by Lee Ji-eun) says “Thank you for coming into this world,” to everyone in the room. This scene shows the message that Kore-eda wants audiences to take away from “Broker”, according to the director.

“I think Kore-eda has a talent for directing kids to perform well. All the movies he makes in Japan have kids in them, and they all perform amazingly. Watching those films, I always wondered how he communicates with them,” Song said.

Song Kang-ho stars in Hirokazu Kore-eda’s new film “Broker” (CJ ENM)

The Korean actor added that the Japanese director seems to have a special insight into people which makes him a great communicator.

When Song was asked to compare Kore-eda to “Parasite” director Bong Joon-ho, the actor began by talking about their similarities

“There is a lot in common. They are both geniuses. They both allow actors to feel a sense of freedom and they help actors to be more creative. I think these are qualities that only masters have and I felt it when I worked with them,” Song said.

Before talking about their differences, Song looked a little hesitant and begin by making a joke.

“Well, director Bong Joon-ho does not like ganjang gejang (raw crabs marinated in soy sauce),” he said.

The raw crab dish is known as the Japanese director’s favorite Korean food.

“Just kidding. I think they have different approaches to creating intricately detailed elements in their work. Kore-eda creates detail in his movies by communicating with the actors, whereas Bong Joon-ho has all the details mapped out in his mind before he goes through it with the actors. They both create films with lots of detail but the way they create them is a bit different,” he added.

“Broker” is in local theaters now.

Helena · June 9, 2022

[ENG] 문명특급 MMTG EP.251

Spoiler

Other clips previously released

——

https://k-odyssey.com/news/newsview.php?ncode=1065572640782796
'Broker' starts off No. 1 in box office

YonhapNews / 2022-06-09
(This article is translated from Korean to English by Kim Sun Min.)

(Image)
▲ This photo, provided by CJ ENM, shows "Broker." (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

SEOUL, June 9 (Yonhap) – S. Korean film “Broker” starring Song Kang-ho, Gang Dong-won, and Lee Ji-eun(IU) has started off No. 1 in the box office. “Broker” ranked first place in the box office by attracting 146,000 viewers on June 8, the day of its release, according to data from the Korean Film Council on Thursday.

 "Broker," Kore-eda's latest family-themed drama, is about people on a road trip searching for possible adoptive parents of a newborn left at a baby box. Song Kang-ho won the Best Actor prize through this movie at this year's Cannes last month.

 The Korean action comedy “The Roundup” starring Ma Dong-seok stepped down to the second place. The movie garnered 114,000 viewers on Wednesday, topping 9,575,000 in cumulative attendance since its release on May 18. It is expected to surpass 10 million audiences this weekend. (END)

Helena · June 9, 2022

1. The Roundup | 2022-05-18 | 111,841 (9,686,842) | 1,322 | 42.2%
2. Broker | 2022-06-08 | 105,609 (257,962) | 1,559 | 38.1% 

3. Jurassic World: Dominion | 2022-06-01 | 36,514 (2,302,710) | 936 | 14.0%
4. The Red Herring | 2022-05-25 | 2,616 (303,132) | 78 | 0.9%

 5. Pokemon the Movie: Giratina and the Sky Warrior | 2022-06-01 | 1,798 (399,582) | 205 | 0.6%
6. Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness | 2022-05-04 | 1,372 (5,863,047) | 56 | 0.5%
7. Top Gun: Maverick | 2022-06-22 | 1,252 (1,252) | 2 | 0.7%
8. Good morning | 2022-05-25 | 1,002 (21,316) | 23 | 0.2%
9. Eobuba | 2022-05-11 | 944 (23,795) | 4 | 0.2%
10. I want to know your parents | 2022-04-27 | 793 (407,988) | 3 | 0.2%
Source: https://www.kobis.or.kr/kobis/business/stat/boxs/findDailyBoxOfficeList.do

—

https://k-odyssey.com/news/newsview.php?ncode=1065574928421459
'The Roundup' expected to hit 10 million viewers this weekend

YonhapNews / 2022-06-10
(This article is translated from Korean to English by Kim Sun Min.)

Spoiler

▲ This file photo shows the poster of "The Roundup" in the theater. (Yonhap)

SEOUL, June 10 (Yonhap) -- The Korean action comedy "The Roundup," starring Ma Dong-seok and Son Suk-ku, is expected surpass 10 million cumulative viewers this weekend.   The detective action flick garnered 111,000 more audiences on Thursday, topping 9,686,000 in cumulative attendance, according to data from the Korean Film Council on Friday.

  “The Roundup,” which is in the fourth week of its release, stepped down to the second place following Kore-eda's latest family-themed drama “Broker,” which was released on June 8, but topped the box office again in one day.

  “Broker” recorded 105,000 daily viewers, which was decreased by 27.7 percent, in one day and stepped down to the second place.

  The screening of “Jurassic World Dominion”(Jurassic World 3), which was released on June 1, has nearly halved due to the release of “Broker,” attracting only 36,000 viewers on Thursday.  The cumulative audiences of “Jurassic World 3” has been maintaining in around 2 million. “Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom,” the previous film in the Jurassic World trilogy, has recorded 5,660,000 viewers in the end.

  Ahead of the weekend, family-themed drama “2037,” French movie “The Rose Maker,” and “Missing Yoon” starring Lee Joo-young have been newly released. However, as “The Roundup” and “Broker” has swept the theaters, each of the latest films garnered less than 1,000 viewers. (END)

Helena · June 10, 2022

Daily Box Office - 2022-06-10 (Fri) <preliminary numbers>

2. Broker | 2022-06-08 | 112,539 (370,532) | 1,546 | 34.1% 
3. Jurassic World: Dominion | 2022-06-01 | 51,908 (2,354,621) | 948 | 16.4% 

4. The Red Herring | 2022-05-25 | 3,449 (306,581) | 79 | 1.1%
 5. Pokemon the Movie: Giratina and the Sky Warrior | 2022-06-01 | 2,658 (402,248) | 235 | 0.7% 

6. Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness | 2022-05-04 | 1,894 (5,864,941) | 63 | 0.6%
7. After Yang | 2022-06-01 | 1,850 (19,663) | 51 | 0.4%
8. coda | 2021-08-31 | 610 (74,880) | 5 | 0.2%
9. Stellar | 2022-04-06 | 587 (95,349) | 2 | 0.1%
10. 2037 | 2022-06-08 | 509 (3,089) | 84 | 0.2% 

Source: https://www.kobis.or.kr/kobis/business/stat/boxs/findDailyBoxOfficeList.do

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