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

[rubie]

Published on February 2, 2018 by ARIRANG K-POP
 

The acclaimed star of this week is Korea's renowned and unrivaled actor Song Kang-ho. Let's find out more about what other celebrities said about this naturally talented actor.

 

 

[rubie]

February 14, 2018

 

Winners for the 2017 HanCinema Awards!

 

Source: HanCinema.net

 

What an exciting year 2017 was and the perfect way to round it off was with your votes in the 2nd Annual HanCinema Awards. We couldn't have done it without you. Thank you!! And congratulations to all of the winners.

 

Here is a list of your winners of 2017:

 

Best Film of 2017 - "A Taxi Driver" 

Best Drama OST of 2017 - "Goblin"

Best Drama Villain of 2017 - Dong Ha as Jeong Hyeon-soo in "Suspicious Partner"

HanCinema's Top Film Picks of 2017 - "A Taxi Driver" 

HanCinema's Top Drama Picks of 2017 - "Goblin"

Best Scene Stealer in a Drama of 2017 - Yook Sung-jae in "Goblin"

Best Secondary Couple of 2017 - Lee Dong-wook and Yoo In-na in "Goblin"

Best Actress in a Film for 2017 - Na Moon-hee for "I Can Speak"

Best Actor in a Film for 2017 - Song Kang-ho for "A Taxi Driver" 

Best Historical Drama of 2017 - "Queen for 7 Days"

Best Actor in a Drama of 2017 - Gong Yoo for "Goblin"

Best Actress in a Drama of 2017 - Nam Ji-hyun for "Suspicious Partner"

Best Drama of 2017 - "Suspicious Partner"

Best Couple in a Drama of 2017 - Ji Chang-wook and Nam Ji-hyun in "Suspicious Partner"

Best Kiss in a Drama of 2017 - Ji Chang-wook and Nam Ji-hyun in "Suspicious Partner"

 

Thank you for an unforgettable 2nd Annual HanCinema Awards. You have made it special with your voting and comments. Until the 3rd Annual HanCinema Awards, happy film and drama watching!

 

-Yours, the HanCinema Team

[rubie]

February 26, 2018

 

Showbox Shops Five Genre Titles at EFM
From DETECTIVE K to THE DRUG KING

 

by Pierce Conran / KoBiz

 

 

Korean distributor Showbox, which scored one of its biggest ever hits last summer with the release of the political drama A Taxi Driver (2017), is shopping five titles at this year’s European Film Market (EFM), ranging from their current Lunar New Year hit Detective K: Secret of the Living Dead to their major summer tentpole The Drug King.

 

Released in Korea on February 8, the new Detective K: Secret of the Living Dead, which is the third title in the period sleuth comedy franchise, reunites stars KIM Myung-min and OH Dal-su as they tackle a new case with a supernatural angle. After 11 days in theaters, the film has accumulated 2.08 million viewers (USD 15.75 million) and is still going strong.

 

Next month will see the release of the found footage horror film GONJIAM: Haunted Asylum. From Epitaph (2007) filmmaker JUNG Bum-shik, the film follows a group of youths investigating a haunted mental asylum for a live web program.

 

Later this year, PARK Nu-ri, formerly an assistant director on RYOO Seung-wan’s The Berlin File (2013), will make her feature directorial debut with the stock market caper Money, featuring rising star RYU Jun-yeol (A Taxi Driver, 2017), alongside YOO Ji-tae (The Swindlers, 2017). 

 

Following his 2015 hit Inside Men, director WOO Min-ho returns with the period gangland crime drama The Drug King. The title features A Taxi Driver (2017) stars SONG Kang-ho as a rising drug king-pin in 1970s Busan. The film co-stars BAE Doo-na (Tunnel, 2016) and JO Jung-suk (MY ANNOYING BROTHER, 2016).

 

Finally, Spring, Snow (2012) filmmaker KIM Tae-gyoon will return with the thriller Dark Figure of Crime, which features KIM Yun-seok of 1987: When the Day Comes (2017) as a detective who enters a dangerous game of cat-and-mouse with a jailed murderer played by JU Ji-hoon, recently seen in the fantasy epic Along with the Gods: The Two Worlds (2017).

 

[rubie]

Source: bluray_collector

 

[rubie]

Source: Rhythm @thisgenius

[rubie]

March 16, 2018

 

"A Taxi Driver" Arrives on Blu-ray April 17 @WellGoUSA

 

Source: HanCinema.net

 

 

South Korea's Foreign Language Oscar® Submission
 
"A richly imagined tribute to a working-class hero". ~ Sheri Linden, THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER
 
"… a heartfelt appreciation of ordinary people turned heroes in extraordinary circumstances".
~ Barbara VanDenburgh, ARIZONA REPUBLIC
 
"Song's brilliantly layered performance … is almost certain to garner the actor
serious awards attention". ~ James Marsh, SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST
 
"A Taxi Driver"
 
Directed by Jang Hoon and Starring Song Kang-ho & Thomas Kretschmann
 
Available on Blu-ray™ April 17
 
Based on a true story, "A Taxi Driver", which represented South Korea as its official entry in the 2018 Academy Awards® best foreign-language film category, debuts on Blu-ray April 17 from Well Go USA Entertainment. Described by Rob Hunter of Film School Rejects as a "powerful film set in the relatively recent past, but with messages and themes that remain every bit as relevant in today's world", the film follows "A Taxi Driver" from Seoul, who accidentally gets involved in a German journalist's reporting of the events of the Gwangju Uprising in 1980. Directed by Jang Hoon ("The Front Line"), the fifth-highest-grossing domestic film of all time in South Korea stars Song Kang-ho ("Snowpiercer"), Thomas Kretschmann (King Kong, Wanted), Yoo Hae-jin ("Veteran", "Pirates") and Ryu Jun-yeol ("The King").
 
Synopsis: 
In this powerful true story set in 1980, a down-on-his-luck taxi driver from Seoul is hired by a foreign journalist who wants to go to the town of Gwangju for the day. They arrive to find a city under siege by the military government, with the citizens, led by a determined group of college students, rising up to demand freedom. What began as an easy fare becomes a life-or-death struggle in the midst of the Gwangju Uprising, a critical event in the history of modern South Korea.
 
Country of Origin: South Korea
 
"A Taxi Driver" has a runtime of approximately 137 minutes and is not rated.

 

[Upcoming Blu-ray Release] Korean Movie "A Taxi Driver"

 

Source: HanCinema.net

 

Spoiler

 

Korean movie "A Taxi Driver" is available to preorder on a Blu-ray limited edition with English subtitles from YESASIA.

 

Scanavo Full Slip Outcase + Scenario Book + Script Card + Postcard + Photos

 

[rubie]

March 19, 2018

 

SONG Kang-ho and PARK Hae-il to Reunite for Period Drama

JEON Mi-sun to Co-Star in Directorial Debut of THE THRONE Screenwriter

 

by Pierce Conran / KoBiz

 

 

Twelve years after appearing in the blockbuster monster movie The Host (2006) together, actors SONG Kang-ho and PARK Hae-il are set to reunite on screen in the upcoming period drama Naratmalssami (Korean title), to be financed and distributed by Megabox Plus M, the film will mark the directing debut of experienced producer CHO Chul-hyun.

 

SONG will take on the role of King Sejong, the fourth King of the Joseon Dynasty, who is credited with creating Hangul, the Korean writing system. PARK will play a monk that assisted the King in his aims but whose contributions are not properly recognized in historical records.

 

Filming will kick off for the project during the second half of this year. Before that, SONG will take part in the production of Parasite, the new film by BONG Joon-ho, which begins filming in April. Meanwhile, PARK Hae-il is currently filming the drama High Society with Su Ae. SONG and PARK have acted together in both The Host and Memories of Murder (2003).

 

Appearing alongside the former collaborators will be JEON Mi-sun, recently seen in Hide and Seek (2013) and THE LAST RIDE (2016).

 

Though CHO Chul-hyun is new to the director’s chair, he has been active as a producer for 20 years with several hits to his name, including Hi, Dharma (2001) and several films by LEE Joon-ik. He also wrote LEE’s period drama The Throne (2015).

[rubie]

March 24, 2018

 

[Guest Film Review] "Secret Sunshine"

 

Source: HanCinema.net

 

 

Drama and, quite frequently, melodrama seems to be the genre Koreans love the most. Lee Chang-dong has proven himself, repeatedly, to be the contemporary master of the genre through his deep explorations of human soul and "Secret Sunshine" is another testament to the fact. The film won the award for Best Film at the Asian Film Awards and at the Asia Pacific Screen Awards and sold 1,710,364 tickets nationwide in South Korea alone.

 

The script is based on the short fiction "The Story of a Bug" by Lee Cheong-joon and revolves around Lee Sin-ae, a woman whose husband recently died instigating her somewhat baseless decision to move to his hometown, Miryang (the literal translation of the town's name is Secret Sunshine) along with her little boy. On their way there, her car breaks down and Kim Jong-chan, a local mechanic comes to her help, with the two of them immediately becoming friends, although he seems to want much more from her. Sin-ae soon manages to adapt to her new environment, as much as her son does, despite some minor incidents of gossip, particularly with the help of Kim, who follows her around like a puppy. Soon though, another tragedy hits her already fate-stricken life, when on a night she is out drinking, her son is abducted. After the shocking events, Lee finds herself completely devastated, joining a local cult after the repeated pleas of a local pharmacist, and trying to fight grief that reaches the borders of madness. All the while, Kim stays by her side.

 

Lee Chang-dong directs a highly insightful, heart-breaking drama about a woman who finds herself completely unable to control her fate, and subsequently, her life, with devastating consequences. As the director deconstructs her, he makes a point of highlighting the fact that the disasters finding her are not only instigated by fate, as a general concept, but also by her poor decisions. In this manner, Lee avoids the reef of the melodrama, instead presenting a highly realistic drama.

 

Spoiler

 

The portrait of a woman that gradually succumbs to madness, not being able to fathom her misery and her responsibility, is definitely the focal point of the film, but is not the only one. Dealing with grief is another one, with Lee highlighting the fact that this is not always possible, particularly when combined with loneliness, which is another state-of-mind that seems to permeate Sin-ae. These two concepts benefit the most by the outstanding performance of Jeon Do-yeon, who presents her deconstruction and the fact that she is not completely logical from the beginning of the story, in the most impressive manner. Lee Chang-dong, as is his usual tactic with his protagonists, demanded a lot from her, having her present a number of psychological statuses and different behaviors, and she delivers to the fullest, anchoring the film in the process.

 

Another focal point of the film, although on a secondary level, is religion and particularly the concept of the cults, with Lee portraying it with documentary-like realism. The fact the Sin-ae finds some temporary solace in the cult, after some hard proselytizing from the pharmacist who seems to perceive her blights as an opportunity to draw her in, but does not avoid succumbing to madness in the end, presents Lee's comment on the matter, subtly, but rather obviously.

 

 

Song Kang-ho as Kim Jong-chan does, once more, what he does better than any Korean actor, presenting a character that lingers between the dramatic and the comic with his trademark gusto, with his performance providing a much needed relief from the dramatic nature of the movie.

 

Regarding the production values, Lee Chang-dong aims at simplicity here with Jo Yong-kyu's cinematography implementing his will to the letter, mostly composing the film with "plain" shots. The same applies to Kim Hyun-II's editing, which allows the film to flow smoothly, stripped of complex narrative mechanisms and the surrealism of Lee's previous films, thus allowing the focus to be on the story.

 

"Secret Sunshine" is another great film by the Korean master, and a truly shuttering portrait of a woman, stripped though, by the forced instigation of sentimentality so frequently associated with the melodrama.

 

Review by Panos Kotzathanasis

[rubie]

March 30, 2018

 

tvN Movies To Keep The Best Korean Action Films Coming In April 2018

 

By Adrian | HelloKpop

tvN Movies, best known as the world’s first and only Korean Blockbuster movie channel, is giving Singapore audiences a stronger-than-ever line up with the latest award-winning, top grossing blockbuster premiere, iconic works by established actor Song Kang-Ho, as well as a series of action movies this April. Make room for every night at 10:00pm SGT from Saturday to Monday for Blockbuster Premieres, Star Stunts and Action Gala!

 

tvN Movies continues to present audience with a special thematic stunt in April – Monday Action Gala at 10:00pm kicking the Monday Blues away! Solve crimes with detectives who are investigating horrific murders in Wild Card (Jung Jin-Young, Yang Dong-Geun, Han Chae-Young; 2 Apr); see how four childhood friends reunited and became rivals in the world of crimes in Friend (Yu Oh-Seong, Jang Dong-Gun, Seo Tae-Hwa, Jung Woon-Taek; 9 Apr); compete with the two cops who are trying to make the most number of arrests in Officer of the Year (Park Joong-Hoon, Lee Sun-Kyun; 16 Apr); catch the face off among three nemesis in Fist of Legend (Hwang Jung-Min, Yu Jun-Sang, Yoon Jea-Moon, Lee Yo-Won; 23 Apr) and do some jail time with a troubled ex-cop in The Prison (Han Seok-Kyu, Kim Rae-Won; 30 Apr).

 

The highly anticipated eye-catcher Saturday Blockbuster Premiere Block at 10:00pm is giving audience a great variety of genres from comedy to thriller and must-watch titles in April. Have a good laugh watching the crown prince gets switched with a slave who shares much resemblance in I am the King (Ju Ji-Hoon, Honey Lee, Baek Yoon-Sik; 7 Apr); see what would happen when a broke college student joins a legendary swindler’s team in One Line (Im Si-Wan, Jin Goo, Park Byung-Eun; 14 Apr); watch the No. 1 blockbuster with over 12 million admissions in Korean, which is based on the true story of Gwangju Democratization Movement in 1980 – A Taxi Driver (Song Kang-Ho, Thomas Kretschmann, Yu Hae-Jin; 21 Apr); catch North Korean serial murderer committing crimes around the world in V.I.P (Jang Dong-Gun, Kim Myung-Min, Park Hee-Soon, Lee Jong-Suk; 28 Apr).

 

This April, tvN Movies dedicates it Sunday Star Stunt Block at 22:00 to the prolific acclaimed Best Actor Song Kang-Ho, featuring some of his most iconic works from the silver screen. Dive in the intense period thriller The Age of Shadows (1 Apr), which is a contender for the 89th Academy Awards for the Best Foreign Language Film; follow the story of a priest turned vampire in Thirst (8 Apr), the movie also won the Jury Prize at the 2009 Cannes Film Festival; watch the journey of a tragedy-struck mother as she fights for her life in Secret Sunshine (15 Apr); see the power play between princes in the Joseon period in The Face Reader (22 Apr); and take on an adventure to the Pole in Antarctic Journal (29 Apr).

 

Watch tvN Movies on StarHub Channel 818/819 or catch it on-demand on StarHub GO and Viu Singapore this April!

[rubie]

Published on April 22, 2018 by Klockworx VOD

 

 

[rubie]

Super thanks to Alexandria for the compilation on IG ~

 

May 8, 2018

 

Top 5 Korean Movie Lead Actors with highest total admission ~

1. Song Kang Ho (109,654,383)

2. Ha Jung Woo (93,223,570)

3. Hwang Jung Min (92,761,555)

4. Lee Byung Hun (70,056,057) 

5. Kang Dong Won (61,788,907)

 

 

Compilation: xandria05

 

[rubie]

May 25, 2018 

 

Spain Hails Theatrical Release for A TAXI DRIVER
Gwangju Drama with SONG Kang-ho Continues Global Ride

 

by Pierce Conran / KoBiz

 

JANG Hun’s smash hit political drama A Taxi Driver (2017) is revving up for a theatrical release in Spain next month. Featuring SONG Kang-ho, the critically-acclaimed work will screen in Iberian theaters from June 8 under the local title A Taxi Driver: Los héroes de Gwangju, which translates to ‘A Taxi Driver: The Heroes of Gwangju’ in English.

 

Originally released in Korea by Showbox in the high summer season on August 2 last year, the film became one of only two films in 2017 to breach the ten million viewer threshold (the other being the fantasy epic Along with the Gods: The Two Worlds, released in December). JANG’s film ended its theatrical run with 12.19 million admissions (USD 88.32 million).

 

SONG Kang-ho stars as a real-life taxi driver who drove a German reporter, played by German actor Thomas Kretschmann of The Pianist, from Seoul to Gwangju in May 1980 in order to cover the student protests taking place there. The film co-stars YOO Hae-jin as a taxi driver in Gwangju and rising star RYU Jun-yeol as a student protester.

 

A Taxi Driver has received awards around the world after screening at dozens of events, including the Best Actor Prize at the Fantasia International Film Festival. It was also selected as Korea’s submission to the foreign language category of this year’s Academy Awards, though it ultimately did not secure a nomination. The drama has screened theatrically in several markets, including North America, where it grossed USD 1.53 million, and Australia, where it generated ticket sales in excess of USD 200,000.

[rubie]

May 28, 2018

 

Summer box-office preview: the 5 most highly anticipated Korean movies

SEOUL, May 28 (Yonhap) -- Summer is typically the peak season for the Korean film industry, the time when roughly one quarter of all moviegoers hit theaters. Major distributors have already competed fiercely to set the best timing for their new release.

 

Last year, "A Taxi Driver" about the 1980 Gwangju pro-democracy uprising was the most-viewed movie of the summer, drawing more than 10 million views. At the same time, "The Battleship Island," one of the most anticipated films of the year, was a box-office flop while "Midnight Runners" was a surprise sensation with more than 5 million views.

 

Here is a list of this summer's five most anticipated Korean films.

 

Spoiler

A still from "Along With the Gods: The Two Worlds" (Yonhap)

 

Along With the Gods 2 (Tentative title)

 

"Along With the Gods 2" is a sequel to the successful 2017 fantasy blockbuster "Along With the Gods: The Two Worlds," the second-most-viewed film of all time in South Korea seen by 14.41 million moviegoers.

 

Directed by Kim Yong-hwa, the first installment of the two-part series was about a righteous firefighter (played by Cha Tae-hyun) who is judged in seven hells for 49 days after his death, guided by three grim reapers played by Ha Jung-woo, Ju Ji-hoon and Kim Hyang-gi. Part two, set to open in early August, has actor Ma Dong-seok as Seongju God (House Guardian God) helping people in addition to the three main characters. The film will be released by Lotte Entertainment.

 

Spoiler

A promotional poster for "Inrang" (Tentative title) (Yonhap)

 

Inrang (Tentative title)

 

Warner Bros. Korea recently decided to release "Inrang," (English title pending) the new feature from director Kim Jee-woon of "The Age of Shadows" (2016) and "A Bittersweet Life" (2004), in late July.

 

The sci-fi thriller is a Korean live-action adaptation from the Japanese animated film masterpiece "The Wolf Brigade" by Hiroyuki Okiura.

 

Set in the distant future where South and North Korea agree to launch a unified government, the movie features confrontation between an anti-reunification terrorist group called "Sect" and a special police unit formed to stop them.

 

Gang Dong-won plays Im Joong-kyung, an officer assigned to quell the terrorists and Han Hyo-joo plays Lee Yoon-hee, elder sister of "the girl in red cape" who detonates a suicide bomb right in front of Im's eyes. Jung Woo-sung appears as Jang Jin-tae, chief of the training camp for the police unit.

 

Spoiler

A still from "The Spy Gone North" (Yonhap)

 

CJ Entertainment will open spy thriller "The Spy Gone North" on Aug. 9.

 

Directed by Yoon Jong-bin of "Nameless Gangster: Rules of the Time" (2012), "The Spy Gone North" premiered to a standing ovation in the Midnight Screenings section of the 71st Cannes Film Festival held earlier this month.

 

Starring Hwang Jung-min, Lee Sung-min, Cho Jin-woong and Ju Ji-hoon, the film tells the story of a South Korean spy who goes undercover as a businessman in North Korea in the 1990s to infiltrate its nuclear facilities using the codename "Black Venus." He is plagued by an inner conflict after observing the two Koreas' leaders making a secret deal to prevent liberal candidate Kim Dae-jung from winning the 1997 South Korean presidential election.

 

A still from "Drug King" (Yonhap) A still from "Drug King" (Yonhap)

 

Spoiler

A still from "Changgwol" (Tentative title) (Yonhap)

 

Drug King and Changgwol (Tentative title)

 

"Drug King," starring Song Kang-ho of "A Taxi Driver," and "Changgwol," starring Hyunbin of "Confidential Assignment" (2016), are also expected to get theatrical releases this summer.

 

"Drug King" is the latest from Woo Min-ho, who directed "Inside Men" (2015), a crime thriller seen by more than 7 million viewers nationwide.

 

Led by Song Kang-ho and Bae Doona, the new film is based on the true story of Lee Doo-sam, a drug dealer in Busan who was infamous in the 1970s.

 

"Changgwol," also known as "Rampant" is a zombie flick set in the Joseon era by director Kim Sung-hoon, who also helmed "Confidential Assignment."

   

The two films' distributors Showbox and the Next Entertainment World say the timing for the release of the new films are still under discussion.

 

sshim@yna.co.kr

[rubie]

Source: Pierce Conran

 

Very excited that Bong Joon-ho is back on set so soon after OKJA for PARASITE with Song Kang-ho, his 1st local film in a decade. It's by far his quickest turnaround. Contrary to some reports filming has already been underway for 2 weeks. Shoot began on May 18. #기생충 #패라사이트

 

Source: StarNews

[rubie]

June 11, 2018

 

BONG Joon-ho’s PARASITE Enters Production

Return to Korean-Language Filmmaking for Local Master after 10 Years

 

by Pierce Conran / KoBiz

 

 

Acclaimed Korean filmmaker BONG Joon-ho recently began production on his seventh feature film Parasite, which will be his first fully Korean-set film in a decade. Led by local star SONG Kang-ho, the CJ Entertainment-produced drama kicked off production in mid-May and is due for release in 2019.

 

SONG will play the patriarch in a family of four, but beyond that, little is known about the project. JANG Hye-jin, who had small roles in LEE Chang-dong’s Secret Sunshine (2007) and YOON Ga-eun’s The World of Us (2016), will play the mother of the family unit while PARK So-dam (The Priests, 2015) and CHOI Woo-shik (Okja, 2017) are on board as the children.

 

Following last year’s smash hit A Taxi Driver (2017) from director JANG Hun, SONG will next be seen in The Drug King by Inside Men (2015) director WOO Min-ho, which is due for release towards the end of this year. Also taking part in the production are LEE Sun-kyun (A Hard Day, 2014) and JO Yeo-jeong (The Treacherous, 2015) in unspecified roles. 

 

Known for his rich local genre films such as serial killer thriller Memories of Murder (2003), often considered one of the best Korean films of all time, and his creature feature The Host (2006), which held the title of most successful Korean film of all time for eight years, BONG exploded on the international stage with his English-language sci-fi opus Snowpiercer in 2013. He next partnered with Netflix for the environmental action-drama Okja, which debuted in competition at the Cannes Film Festival last year.

[rubie]

June 13, 2018

 

Korean movies may be headed for one of worst slumps since ’90s

 

Between upcoming Hollywood blockbusters and a lack of home-grown megahits, Korean movies look set for one of the worst years in the box office here since the 1990s, when imported films dominated the industry.

 

As of Wednesday, half of the top 10 films in the box office were made outside of Korea. This may not sound bad, considering that the number of foreign films in the top 10 were four in 2014 and 2015, two in 2016 and three in 2017, but the ticket sales by foreign films currently dominate that of local films. 

 

The Korean box office ranks the movies in the order of tickets sold, not total revenue.

 

In May, foreign films accounted for 67.6 percent of tickets sales, marking the lowest figure since May 2014. 

 

“Avengers: Infinity War” remains the No. 1 film of the year at 11.18 million tickets sold, while its MCU little brother “Black Panther” sits at the No. 4 spot with 5.4 million.  “Avengers: Infinity War” remains the only film of 2018 to surpass 10 million ticket sales. (Walt Disney Korea)

“Along with the Gods: the Two Worlds” and “1987: When the Day Comes” sit at the second and third spot at 5.8 million and 5.29 million tickets sold, although technically they were released last year.

 

The highest grossing 2018-released Korean film is “Believer,” which sold 4.6 million tickets, at No. 5. However, it may not be for much longer as “Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom” -- with ticket sales of 3.55 million -- is rising fast by topping the daily tickets sales for two straight weeks.

“Believer” is so far one of the most popular Korean films of 2018. (Cineguru / Kidari ENT)

With “Believer” notably slowing down in terms of ticket sales, it is possible that this year may be the first since 2011 that no Korean film has surpassed the 10 million mark -- the number of tickets needed to be sold to be considered a megahit here. Just three years ago, both “Veteran” and “Assassination” broke the mark, and “The Admiral: Roaring Currents” in 2014 became the biggest hit in the country’s history with a whopping 17.6 million tickets sold.

 

What happened? The simple explanation is that most Korean films have been commercial flops this year. 

 

“Golden Slumber” starring Gang Dong-won and Han Hyo-ju, was a critical and commercial disappointment with just over 1 million tickets sold. “Detective K: Secret of the Living Dead” became the only one in the comical “Detective K” series to lose money with just 2.44 million.

 

“The Princess and the Matchmaker” also ended up losing money after attracting less than 1.4 million viewers to theaters. “Seven Years of Night” had accomplished actors like Jang Dong-gun and Ryu Seung-ryong but ended up a box office tragedy with less than 600,000 tickets sold.

 

After a series of flops, it was reported earlier that 20th Century Fox is pulling away of movie-making business in Korea, although the company swiftly denied that such move was in place.

 

While Lee Chang-dong’s “Burning” received praise from the critics, it completely failed commercially. 

 

With many of the big films underperforming, small-budget films like “Little Forest” -- 1.5 million tickets sold -- and “Gonjiam: Haunted Asylum” -- 2.6 million tickets sold -- were relative jackpots.

 

If the box office scores stay on course, it will mark the first time since 1998 that a Korean film has failed to take the No. 1 spot in the yearly box office. Prior to 2000, foreign films always dominated the theaters. 

 

In order to protect the local film industry, it was decreed in 1967 that theaters are legally mandated to play a Korean film for least 146 days per year. But with a surge of Korean films after the 1999 hit “Shiri,” and master auteurs like Park Chan-wook and Bong Joon-ho becoming hit directors, the screen quota was reduced in 2006 to 73 days.

 

Local filmmakers face further challenges down the road with Hollywood blockbusters “Ant-Man and the Wasp,” “Mission: Impossible -- Fallout,” and “Venom,” set to be released between July and October.

 

The good news for avid fans of Korean films is that movies like “The Spy Gone North” -- directed by Yoon Jong-bin who is behind hits like “The Berlin File” and “Nameless Gangster: Rules of the Time” -- is on the way. Its main attraction Hwang Jung-min definitely sells tickets here, and Cho Jin-woong and Ju Ji-hoon are solid actors.

 

“Drug King,” starring the biggest ticket-seller in the country Song Kang-ho, is also slated for this year, but it may not make much impact on this year’s box office as its release date was pushed back to winter.

 

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

[rubie]

July 27, 2018

 

Netflix to turn Korean sci-fi film 'Snowpiercer' into TV series

 

The poster for the film "Snowpiercer." Netflix is making the movie into a TV series.

 

By Dong Sun-hwa The Korea Times

 

Netflix will remake the science-fiction thriller film "Snowpiercer" into a television series. 

"Snowpiercer" is Korean director Bong Joon-ho's Hollywood debut movie of 2013 that sold over 9 million tickets in Korea. 

 

Hollywood celebrities including Jennifer Connelly and Daveed Diggs will star in the series. It is expected to deal with issues such as class struggle and inequality.

 

Bong and Korean filmmaker Park Chan-wook will be involved in the production. 

 

Based on the French comics of the same name, the 2013 film differentiated itself by devising fresh characters and story. The Netflix drama will have Bong's film as a reference, instead of the original work. 

 

In "Snowpiercer," Earth is frozen due to abnormal climate changes. The last survivors are on a train called the Snowpiercer ― which travels around the world for eternity ― and are divided into classes.

sunhwadong@gmail.com

[rubie]

Photo: Chungmuro Crumb

 

[rubie]

Photos: HIGHCUT Star

 

[rubie]

September 22, 2018

Past Winners Of Blue Dragon Film Awards Speak About Their Development And The Industry
 

Source: Soompi by esspee

10 winners from the 2016 and 2017 Blue Dragon Film Awards are featured in the latest issue of High Cut Magazine!

 

Actors Song Kang Ho, Na Moon Hee, Jin Sun Kyu, Kim So Jin, EXO’s D.O. (Do Kyung Soo), Choi Hee Seo, Lee Byung Hun, Park So Dam, Park Jung Min, and Kim Tae Ri posed for photos and took part in an accompanying interview.

 

Song Kang Ho was named Best Leading Actor for his role in “A Taxi Driver” at the 38th Blue Dragon Film Awards. When asked what it meant to receive the award, Song Kang Ho explained, “The thing about an award is that you feel both thankful and sorry when you receive it. There are other people you were nominated with, and you also receive the honor alone in front of those who helped to make it with you, including the director, producer, and many actors. I think an award gives an actor courage instead of joy. It is very meaningful and says that even if you’re lacking, you can be encouraged if you try your best and work hard.”

 

When asked which actor he wants to hand the “baton” of Best Leading Actor to next, Song Kang Ho answered, “This year also has really great actors and the competition will be fierce. I don’t know who it will be, but I think there will be a thrill in waiting for it. Thankfully, I’ll only be attending as a presenter this year, so my mind is at ease. I’m looking forward to a moving moment.”

 

Na Moon Hee was given the Best Leading Actress award at the 38th Blue Dragon Film Awards last year for her role in the film “I Can Speak.”

 

On what the award means to her film career, she said, “In one word, it’s an honor. If I had received the award at a time when I thought, ‘Shouldn’t I be receiving an award now?’ then I may have not have thought that way. I’m so happy that I received this big award at an age where I should be happy if I receive a lifetime achievement award. I was happy beyond words and I really thanked the heavens.”

 

Lee Byung Hun won the Best Leading Actor award at the 37th Blue Dragon Film Awards in 2016 for his performance in the film “Inside Men.”

 

“There were much better actors with good performances, so I actually haven’t had a good chance at the Blue Dragon Film Awards,” said the actor. “So I think I was happier than any other time when I received the award.”

 

Speaking about his hopes for the Korean film industry, which will be celebrating its 100th anniversary next year, he commented, “When I talk about Korean films with people in the industry who are from other countries, they give a thumbs-up to things like the various topics in Korean films, the original story structures, and the unexpected story development. I think that Korean films can grow and receive love from lots of people by continuing to try new things.”

 

D.O. was given the Best New Actor award for his acting in “My Annoying Brother” last year. He said, “I want to say thank you again for giving me the Best New Actor award, which you can receive only once in your lifetime. Every time I finish a project, I feel like I have grown. There are many things that I have felt after wrapping up filming for ‘Swing Kids.’ I feel fascination and joy over seeing things I didn’t know about myself while doing a project. I hope that I can find a new part of myself this time as well and grow once again. I’ll continue to work hard.”

 

Kim Tae Ri won Best New Actress at the 37th Blue Dragon Awards in 2016 for her performance in “The Handmaiden.” At the time, she had said, “I’ll show myself growing like Sook Hee in ‘The Handmaiden.'”

 

When asked how much she has grown now, Kim Tae Ri answered, “To be honest, I haven’t really thought, ‘I’ve grown this much.’ I think that sort of thing shows naturally even when you don’t measure it. I just try to do my best at what’s given to me.”

 

About Korean films, she said, “As an audience member, I think it’ll be good if people make diverse films. I hope that bolder projects are created. If I can take part in them, then that would be even better.”

 

This year’s 39th Blue Dragon Film Awards will be held at the end of November. 

 

Source (1)