Moon So-ri 문소리

[Helena]

Versatile actress

Moon So-ri (문소리)

DOB: July 02, 1974

Height: 164cm (5'5")

School: Sungkyunkwan University, Education Major

Hobbies: Pansori, Violin, Gayageum

Nickname: Snack Manager, Head of Dining

Marriage: Married to filmmaker Jang Jun-hwan

Web Site: http://cafe.naver.com/ansthfld

FILMS

Forever The Moment (2008)

Family Ties (2006)

Bewitching Attraction (2006)

Bravo, My Life! (2005)

Sa-kwa (2005)

The President's Barber (2004)

A Good Lawyer's Wife (2003)

Oasis (2002)

Peppermint Candy (2000)

TV

Legend (MBC - 2007)

Golden Age Of My Life (MBC Weekend Drama / Premieres August 30 at 7:55pm)

AWARDS

2002: 23rd Blue Dragon Awards - Best New Actress

2002: 59th Venice Film Festival - Marcello Mastroianni Award {Best Newcomer} (Oasis)

2002: 22nd Korea Choice Critics Awards - Best Actress

2002: 10th Choonsa Film Arts Festival - Best Actress (Oasis)

2002: Director's Cut Awards - Best New Actress

2002: Okgwan Cultural Medal in Film Development

2002: 1st MBC Film Awards - Best Actress/ Best New Actress

2003: 14th Stockholm International Film Festival - Best Actress (A Good Lawyer's Wife)

2003: Seattle International Film Festival - Best Actress (Oasis)

2003: 4th Pusan Film Critics' Awards - Best Actress (A Good Lawyer's Wife)

2003: 11th Choonsa Film Arts Festival - Best Actress (A Good Lawyer's Wife)

2003: 2nd Korea Film Awards - Best Actress (A Good Lawyer's Wife)

2004: Grand Bell Film Awards - Best Actress (A Good Lawyer's Wife)

2006: 47th Thessaloniki {Greece} International Film Festival - Best Actress (Family Ties)

3rd Women in Films Annual Awards - Best Acting

.....

(source: tour2korea, koreanfilm.org, KOFIC, www.showeast.co.kr)

MOON So-ri

The discovery of MOON So-ri was a great fortune to the world of Korean Films.

In <Bravo, My Life>, she is the jewel who helps director PARK realize his long-time dream. Debuting in 1999 with <Peppermint Candy>, she went on to star in acclaimed films such as <Oasis>, <A Good Lawyer's Wife>, and <The President's Barber>. The phenomenal actress who won Best Actress at the 2002 Venice Film Festival and took her name straight to the top of the list of talents in the film world now returns as an uncouth make-up seller in the 80's. She sets out to humorously draw out the life, love, and sacrifice of the average Korean woman of the 80's.

Filmography

Movie :<Peppermint Candy>, <Oasis>, <A Good Lawyer¡¯s Wife>, <Sorry Apple>, <The Attractive Professor>

Awards

Best New Actress at 59th Venice International Film Festival

Best Actress/ Best New Actress at 1st MBC Film Awards

Best New Actress at 23rd Blue Dragon Film Awards

Best Actress at 22nd at Young-Pyung Awards

Best Female Actress at 10th Choon-sa-na-woon-kyu Film Arts Festival

Best New Actress at 2002 Director¡¯s Cut Awards

Best Acting at 3rd Women in Films Annual Awards

from http://www.showeast.co.kr/eng/movie/bravomylife/cast.jsp

Koreanfilm.org

Moon So-ri (b. July 2, 1974) first appeared in plays and short films such as Black Cut and To the Spring Mountain before finding fame as a leading actress. Her first film role was in Lee Chang-dong's acclaimed Peppermint Candy, however her acting skills were not really showcased until she appeared in her second film Oasis, also by Lee Chang-dong. Her powerful portrayal of a woman with cerebral palsy earned her strong praise as well as the Marcello Mastroianni Award for Best New Actor or Actress at the 2002 Venice International Film Festival. Best Actress honors at many domestic awards ceremonies followed.

The following year she again found fame in Im Sang-soo's third film A Good Lawyer's Wife. A 180-degree turn from her previous screen image, this film featured her as a free thinking woman in a decaying marriage who starts an affair with the teenage boy next door. This film was also invited to the Venice film festival, and she later won a Best Actress award from the Stockholm International Film Festival.

In 2004, Moon played opposite Song Kang-ho in The President's Barber, a film that illustrates 20 years of modern Korean history through the eyes of president Park Chung-hee's personal barber. She took a more central role in her next feature Sa-kwa (2005), about a woman who embarks on a new relationship after being dumped by her long-time boyfriend. Also from 2005, Mommy, Dearest sees her return to the historical era of the late 70s/early 80s in a family drama set against the political upheaval of those times.

Korea Times 2006/03/14

Award-Winning Actress Moon So-ri Thrives on Risks and Versatility

By Kim Tae-jong

Staff Reporter

Actress Moon So-ri plays a temptress in her upcoming film "Bewitching Attraction", a totally different spectrum from that which she showed in the 2002 melodrama "Oasis" in which she played a woman with a cerebral palsy.

A poster for an upcoming movie immediately catches people's attention. A woman wearing a short skirt is bending over revealing her cleavage. Its title reads "Bewitching Attraction (Yogyosu-ui Unmilhan Maeryok)".

It might take you time to recognize the actress and it may take you even more time to recognize her as the woman with cerebral palsy from the 2002 melodrama "Oasis".

A range of spectrums that Moon So-ri, 31, has shown playing all walks of life in her acting career is surely her true "bewitching" attraction.

In the new adult comedy, she plays an attractive professor who has a talent for seducing men, but finds herself in trouble when she encounters a man who knows a naughty secret from her past.

But even for the versatile character actress, this role was challenging because of its sexually explicit nature.

"I think I've done this without thinking of the consequences and I may have to emigrate to another country", Moon said jokingly during a news conference on March 8 after a preview screening of the movie at Daehan Theater in Seoul.

"But I'm happy that I was able to play a unique character. Although this kind of movie is not something that people can easily watch, I hope people will see this as a funny film", Moon said.

She made her debut as a film actress in the 1999 movie "Peppermint Candy", and she left moviegoers with a strong impression in her role in "Oasis". Due to her impressive role in "Oasis", she won a huge reputation as well as awards from renowned local and international film festivals, including MarCello Mastroianni Award for Best Young Actor or Actress at the 60th Venice Film Festival.

But delving into various roles didn't stop there.

She played a charming married woman who enjoys a relationship with a young boy next door in the 2003 movie "A Good Lawyer's Wife", a mother and wife in the 2004 black comedy "The President's Barber", and a stubborn single mother who takes care of her only son in the 2005 melodrama "Saranghae Malsunssi (I Love Ms. Malsun - Mommy, Dearest)".

Given the various characters she has played, it seems she is very bold and enjoys challenges, but she says it's not true at all.

"The reason I take roles that people try to persuade me not to take is that those roles are not weighty enough", Moon told monthly film magazine Cine 21. "An actress shouldn't avoid a movie because she has to shoot explicit scenes, if they are necessary for the film".

It seems she believes actresses should cope with various characters even if there are risks to their career, and her faith has made her grow into a versatile actress in comparatively few movies.

"When I was first offered a role in `Oasis', director Lee Chang-dong told me that it might be my last movie and I might not get any more roles. But I just said O.K"., Moon recalled.

She has recently finished shooting her next comedy film "Kajokui Tansaeng (Birth of Family)". She plays a single woman who reunites with her long-separated younger brother.

Now she is in a play titled "Sulpun Yonguk (Sad Play)". She debuted as a theatrical actor in 1996 with "Classroom Idea", often saying she wanted to come back to the stage.

"Acting is a job where your ability has to be exhausted. I am often scared when I think about my own strengths. I learn a lot from acting in a play. I think I have to keep performing on stage", Moon said.

"Bewitching Attraction" will be released at local theaters on March 16.

12th Pusan International Film Festival (10/2007)

4th Korea Film Awards (12/03/2005)

42nd Grand Bell Awards (7/1/2005)

3rd Korea Film Awards

[images from starnews]

[Guest kdramafanusa]

The Korea Herald 2008.01.16

[movie REVIEW]Handball flick headed to achieve 1 million mark

[photo=spnedaily]

"Forever the Moment," directed by Lim Soon-rye, has rolled to victory at the box office, striking a positive note for Korean films ahead of the crucial lunar New Year holiday season.

The film, based on the true story of the Korean women`s handball team which competed in the 2004 Athens Olympics, is gaining momentum in ticket sales, reflecting its appeal to local moviegoers as a rare sports drama.

Released on Jan. 10, "Forever the Moment" has sold 854,000 tickets as of Monday, according to its production house, MK Pictures. If the current trend continues, the film is expected to break the 1 million mark as early as today.

The sports film`s strong performance comes amid lingering skepticism about the Korean film industry`s declining competitiveness. Latest statistics show that the overall number of moviegoers declined, local filmmakers lost ground and Hollywood blockbusters flexed stronger muscles last year.

The movie`s strength comes from Lee, an award-winning female director known for her sophisticated storytelling, as well as from a star-studded cast including Moon So-ri and Kim Jung-eun.

Notably, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism is pitching in to promote the film. On Friday, Culture Minister Kim Jong-min, and other ranking officials attended a special screening of the film at a theater in Myeongdong, downtown Seoul, along with other sports-related figures including Kim Jong-ha, president of the Korea Sports Council, and Jung Hyung-kyun, vice president of the Korea Handball Federation.

The film features the Korean squad which grabbed the silver medal in Athens, overcoming all obstacles, including public indifference to handball. The team eventually lost to Denmark in the final game but they did not go down easily. They held on for 80 minutes until the final game, with two periods of extra time.

The Korean team lost in a penalty shootout following a 34-34 tie, a heartbreaking loss, but loudly and passionately applauded by spectators, reflecting the competitors` unwavering spirit and teamwork. "Forever the Moment" depicts the dramatic moments realistically, with celebrity actresses showing a decent level of handball skill honed during an intensive three-month training period.

In a country where handball is regarded as an unpopular sport, the Korean women players have been putting in enormous amounts of time and energy to practice, and the film is said to steer some public attention to the poor conditions facing Korean handball players.

Meanwhile, a host of Korean films are expected to be released in the following weeks, ahead of the lunar New Year season, which is widely recognized as the crucial period for local filmmakers to secure revenues in an increasingly intensifying battle against Hollywood blockbusters.

By Yang Sung-jin (insight@heraldm.com)

[photo=spnedaily]

[Guest kdramafanusa]

(source: http://www.koreanfilm.or.kr/ )

Weekly Box Office 2008.01.11 ~ 2008.01.13

1. Forever the Moment (South Korea)

http://www.foreverthemoment.co.kr/

3-day Adm / Total Adm : 609,626 / 892,914

3-day Gross / Total Gross (won) : 4,043,218,500 / 5,809,679,000

Screen : 493

Opening Date : 2008/01/10

Director : Lim Soon-rye

Main Cast : Moon So-ri, Kim Jung-eun, Uhm Tae-woong

2. Open City (South Korea)

http://www.open-city.co.kr/

3-day Adm / Total Adm : 449,669 / 641,792

3-day Gross / Total Gross (won) : 3,015,368,000 / 4,235,158,000

Screen : 412

Opening Date : 2008/01/10

Director : Lee Sang-ki

Main Cast : Son Ye-jin, Kim Myung-min

3. Bee Movie (U.S.)

3-day Adm / Total Adm : 234,317 / 765,464

3-day Gross / Total Gross (won) : 1,415,679,500 / 4,559,349,000

Screen : 296

Opening Date : 2008/01/03

Director : Stephen Hickner, Simon J. Smith

Main Cast : Jerry Seinfeld, Renee Zellweger, Kathy Bates, Oprah Winfrey, Matthew Broderick

4. The Mist (U.S.)

3-day Adm / Total Adm : 198,296 / 280,302

3-day Gross / Total Gross (won) : 1,304,896,500 / 1,825,846,000

Screen : 256

Opening Date : 2008/01/10

Director : Frank Darabont

Main Cast : Thomas Jane, Marcia Gay Harden, Laurie Holden, Andre Braugher, Toby Jones

5. Enchanted (U.S.)

3-day Adm / Total Adm : 150,342 / 222,450

3-day Gross / Total Gross (won) : 983,254,000 / 1,440,398,500

Screen : 322

Opening Date : 2008/01/10

Director : Kevin Lima

Main Cast : Amy Adams, James Marsden, Idina Menzel, Susan Sarandon, Patrick Dempsey

6. National Treasure: Book of Secrets (U.S.)

3-day Adm / Total Adm : 59,825 / 1,733,961

3-day Gross / Total Gross (won) : 393,590,500 / 11,207,715,500

Screen : 233

Opening Date : 2007/12/19

Director : Jon Turteltaub

Main Cast : Nicolas Cage, Diane Kruger, Ed Harris, Helen Mirren

7. His Dark Materials: The Golden Compass (U.S.)

3-day Adm / Total Adm : 50,199 / 2,824,095

3-day Gross / Total Gross (won) : 316,354,000 / 17,870,644,500

Screen : 210

Opening Date : 2007/12/18

Director : Chris Weitz

Main Cast: Nicole Kidman, Dakota Blue Richards, Eva Green, Daniel Graig

8. The Jacket (U.S.)

3-day Adm / Total Adm : 46,871 / 67,204

3-day Gross / Total Gross (won) : 317,305,000 / 445,282,500

Screen : 179

Opening Date : 2008/01/10

Director : John Maybury

Main Cast: Adrien Brody, Keira Knightley, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Kelly Lynch, Kris Kristofferson

9. 30 Days of Night (U.S.)

3-day Adm / Total Adm : 45,389 / 65,877

3-day Gross / Total Gross (won) : 311,214,000 / 438,369,500

Screen : 144

Opening Date : 2008/01/10

Director : David Slade

Main Cast: Josh Hartnett, Melissa George, Danny Huston, Jon Bennett, Mark Boone Jr.

10. Crazy Waiting (South Korea)

http://www.crazy4wait.co.kr/

3-day Adm / Total Adm : 30,257 / 440,762

3-day Gross / Total Gross (won) : 196,775,500 / 2,835,668,500

Screen : 237

Opening Date : 2008/01/03

Director : Ryu Seung-jin

Main Cast: Jang Geun-suk, Son Tae-young, Danny Ahn

[Guest kdramafanusa]

Yonhap News 2008/01/16 07:30 KST

(Yonhap Feature) S. Korea's Olympic handball players rallied by hit movie about their athletic struggles

By Sam Kim

Moon So-ry, a top actress who plays a comeback Olympic handball medalist in the film, "Forever the Moment," throws the ball at a gymnasium in Andong, Gyeongsang Province.

SEOUL, Jan. 16 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's Olympic handball players got a big boost this week when they attended a screening of a popular movie based on the performance of a 2004 Athens Olympic women's squad, amid encouraging remarks by top actors who starred in it.

South Korean men's and women's teams were deeply demoralized and frustrated last year when they failed to win berths to the Beijing Olympics during the Asian qualifying rounds that were tainted by biased officiating.

The Asian Handball Federation-organized qualifiers were declared invalid in December by the higher International Handball Federation, which last week rescheduled the matches for Jan. 25-31 in Japan.

Tuesday's complimentary screening of "Forever the Moment," sponsored by South Korea's sports governing body, was attended by scores of handball players and other Olympic athletes at a theater in Seoul.

"This was a great time to heal our wounds and step up our resolve ahead of the rematches," said Kang Il-gu, 31, captain of the men's team. "The movie was touching and exciting."

The flick revolves around South Korea's 2004 Athens Olympic women's team, which came short of beating Denmark and winning a gold medal despite a grueling series of overtime plays.

The squad -- made of many formerly retired players in their 30s -- finished second, but their dramatic and unrelenting performance moved the hearts of many sports fans around the world, prompting media to hail the match as one of the most exciting Olympic moments in the year.

A South Korean handball player throws the ball past a Danish player at a cup match held in her country in 2005.

Released last week and rated for a general audience, the rare handball movie sold more than 520,000 tickets as of Saturday, topping the box office and easily rolling over Hollywood competitors.

"Starring in the movie was a great opportunity for me to understand the challenges facing handball athletes and develop tremendous respect for them," said Moon So-ry, who plays a comeback Olympic gold medalist in the film.

"You have taught us so much," the 34-year-old actress told the players before the movie started.

"Our handball players have touched the hearts of not only Koreans but the world," said Uhm Tae-woong, who plays a male coach in the two-hour flick. "Now, go win their hearts again at the Beijing Olympics."

Players expressed their gratitude by applauding the actors and the movie.

"They really helped us gain more confidence, and I have a good feeling that we'll claim our Olympic berths in next week's rematches," said Yoon Kyung-min, a 29-year-old male player.

Despite the growing support for the Olympic squads, handball experts say South Korea's domestic handball league continues to suffer from low popularity.

The country's largest nationwide competition began Tuesday in the city of Andong, Gyeongsang Province, but reportedly attracted only about 200 spectators despite free admission and a host of prizes.

"I had high hopes because our pain and efforts during the Asian qualifiers were largely publicized. But our popularity at home appears the same," said Chung Hyung-kyun, a senior official at the Korea Handball Federation.

"I'm not disappointed yet. Who would've thought a movie about us would be made?" said Jeong Su-young, a 24-year-old handball athlete. "We'll play harder in the Olympics, and we'll eventually win support at home."

samkim@yna.co.kr

(END)

http://english.yonhapnews.co.kr/Features/2...007500315F.HTML

-----

Pictures from the screening event on January 15

[photos=NEWSIS/CHOSUN]

[Guest kdramafanusa]

http://www.variety.com/index.asp?layout=pr...p;categoryid=13

Posted: Tue., Jan. 15, 2008, 4:40pm PT

'Handball' scores top spot in Korea

Yim film based on women's Olympic team

By DARCY PAQUET

[photo=starnews/chosun]

SEOUL -- Korean cinema has produced its first hit of 2008 in "Women's Team Handball," a sports pic from femme helmer Yim Soon-rye.

Based on the story of the Korean team that competed in the 2004 Athens Olympics, pic bowed at No. 1, earning $5.3 million in its opening weekend thanks to strong word of mouth. With its release expanding from 410 to 440 prints over the weekend, new distributor Sidus is predicting a lengthy run.

"Handball" is produced by MK Pictures, which last year transferred ownership to a consortium headed by regional broadcaster Kangwon TV. With MK having shuttered its international sales division, pic is repped internationally by Hong Kong-based Golden Network.

Hefty box office returns are a change of pace for director Yim, a favorite among local critics for arthouse works "Three Friends" (1996) and "Waikiki Brothers" (2001). Moon So-ri and Kim Jung-eun headline the ensemble cast.

Performing almost as well was urban pickpocketing drama "Open City" with $3.8 million on 358 screens to take the No. 2 slot. Featuring Son Ye-jin in her first turn as a femme fatale, pic is released by CJ Entertainment.

Hollywood films dominate the rest of the chart, with "The Golden Compass" taking a hefty $20.7 million in four weeks and "National Treasure: Book of Secrets" passing the $12 million mark.

http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117979085.html

[melusine]

Cine21

Vogue via http://blog.naver.com/jloves77/100025116105

Wallpaper 800x600 | 1024x768

[Guest kdramafanusa]

JoongAng Daily

Movie captures Athens Olympics handball drama

January 16, 2008

A still from Yim Soon-rae’s film, “Forever the Moment.”

From left to right, Moon So-ri, Kim Jung-eun and Kim Jee-young. [JoongAng Ilbo]

Mee-suk (Moon So-ri), a 34-year-old veteran handball player, wins a semi-professional handball tournament, but the same day she hears her team’s going to disband. That’s bad enough, but it’s nothing compared to four years ago when she won a gold medal at the Barcelona Olympics in 1992. When Mee-suk came back home proudly wearing her Olympic gold, the rest of the country seemed indifferent. Handball had not captured the imagination of the country.

Mee-suk, starring in Yim Soon-rae’s film, “Forever the Moment,” which was released last Thursday, suffers even more setbacks. Her husband (Park Won-sang), a former handball player, runs away from debts brought on by a failed business, and Mee-suk starts working at a mall as a shop assistant.

Mee-suk’s life takes a turn when Hye-kyung (Kim Jung-eun) takes over as the newly appointed national handball coach for the 2004 Athens Olympics. Hye-kyung persuades Mee-suk to come out of her retirement from the game and join the national team. Mee-suk agrees, only to find more tension when Hye-kyung gets ousted as coach. The younger team members dislike her coaching style. Hye-kyung is replaced by Seung-pil (Eom Tae-woong), her ex-boyfriend.

Forever the Moment is based on the true story of the phenomenal story behind Korea’s women’s handball team. After the indifference to their gold in 1992 in Barcelona, the entire nation was transfixed when the team took on Denmark in the 2004 final in Athens. The game went down to a penalty shootout and the Danes held their nerve to win a famous victory.

According to the Korea Film Commission, 558,213 people have seen the film as of Monday, making it the most popular film in Korea right now. What makes for compulsive sports viewing also makes for compelling cinematic drama, it seems.

In 2004, most of the players were veterans in their early 30s. They were called the “ajumma squad,” or the housewife squad. Despite the gold in Barcelona, the Korean team was pretty much the underdog. There were only five semi-professional women’s handball teams in Korea back then, and players made just 20,000 won ($21.34) a day. The team even had to enlist retired players since there weren’t enough players for the Olympics. On the other hand, their rivals, Denmark, had 1,035 semi-professional teams.

To make the story more authentic, the four lead actors ― Moon, Kim Jung-eun, Kim Jee-young and Cho Eun-ji (the goalkeeper) ― undertook hardcore training. They started last March, training at the Taereung Training Center and Helleniko Stadium in Athens, Greece. They practiced for three months, four days a week, seven to eight hours a day. They began with basic physical training and graduated to dribbling, passing and shooting. They even practiced difficult set plays.

One of Denmark’s players even appears in the film, and when the Danes visited Korea last June to play at an international semi-professional tournament, they helped in the filming at the Samsan World Gymnasium in Incheon.

“The film distinguishes itself from other sports dramas by bringing out the human story,” Yim pointed out. “Conventional sports-related films usually focus more on the dynamics that games provide,” he said.

As coach, Eom also had to research his role thoroughly. “I constantly asked [the real] Coach Lim for advice,” Eom wrote in the film’s press release. “We [the crew and actors] went to many handball games so we could understand how the game works and how to move properly on the court,” Eom said.

Reality was intensified by the involvement of two genuine commentators ― KBS announcer Choi Seung-don and Coach Kang Jae-won. During the 2004 finals, Choi and Kang said, “It’s a heroic battle between David and Goliath.” That struggle is captured in the film.

By Lee Hoo-nam JoongAng Ilbo/ Lee Eun-joo

Contributing Writer [estyle@joongang.co.kr]

http://joongangdaily.joins.com/article/view.asp?aid=2885124

[Guest etoile]

the more i look at this woman, the more gorgeous she seems to get . not to mention shes sucha great actress i cant wait to watch ftm.

[Guest kdramafanusa]

Korean Film Council Jan 02 2008

Women aim for Olympic glory in Forever the Moment

Director LIM Soon-rye is one of the key female directors in Korea and she returns with the sports drama Forever the Moment centred on the Korean women’s handball team from 2004; the women took home the silver medal from the 2004 Athens Olympics after a heroic battle with women hand ball’s leading nation Denmark.

LIM chose to make a character study rather than concentrating on the emotional finale at the Olympics. She even left out the other Olympic matches leading to the finale in favour of fleshing out the characters.

Forever the Moment distinguishes itself in this way from other sports dramas which usually try to exploit the dynamics and excitement that sports games can provide lengthily. In other ways, LIM’s film contains the classic elements of a sports drama.

The film starts out with individuals who are far from Olympic contenders. MOON So-ri plays a former handball star who is now a mother and trapped in an unhappy marriage. KIM Jung-eun is from the same generation, she was also a star player, became a handball team manager of a Japanese professional women’s handball team, and now takes charge of the Korean women’s national handball team.

She soon recognizes the need for an experienced and charismatic figure to lead the team and succeeds in re-recruiting MOON’s reluctant character. However, KIM’s character is soon replaced by UHM Tae-woong’s character. He succeeded as a professional handball player in Europe. His flashy style and European methods clash with the athletes repeatedly.

Another typical element of the genre is friction caused by the generation gap between players which they have to overcome in order to become a team. In traditional fashion the players become close when they stand up for each other against outsiders.

The scenario is written by Na-hyeon who also successfully scripted May 18's characters, bonding and collective uprising; to portray the emotional side of the Gwangju massacre in the 2007 blockbuster.

Director of photography Hwang Ki-seok brought his experience from modern Korean classics as Friend and Duelist; for which he shot totally different styles of kinetic scenes. He succeeds in capturing some dynamic scenes during the Olympic finale to complement the emotional side of the epic game.

Forever the Moment successfully employs classic elements of sports dramas to develop the characters in order to let the audience empathise with these underdogs. The focus of the story is somewhat shifted, the structure pronounces the characters more than usual and limits the adrenalin filled action scenes. The finale at the end of the film compensates with slickly executed moves, still, it concentrates mostly on emotional aspects.

Yi Ch’ang-ho (KOFIC)

-----

Korea Times 01-03-2008 18:50

`Forever’ Loses Its Own Game

By Lee Hyo-won

Staff Reporter

http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/upload/news/08...p10_forever.jpg

From left, actresses Moon So-ri, Kim Jung-eun and Kim Ji-young in a scene from the handball movie "Forever the Moment.''

It's sweaty and teary, and preaches self-challenge. After a seven-year hiatus, director Lim Soon-rye ("Waikiki Brothers,'' 2001) makes a comeback with "Forever the Moment,'' the world's first handball movie inspired by the women's match at the 2004 Athens Olympics.

So you expect it to be another adrenaline-pumping sports movie, with a coach or athlete nursing some sort of wound (heartbreak, injury, etc.), comic-relief teammates and a big hurdle to overcome. Usually, team spirit magically pumps up muscles and the main character scores the winning point. Add a few slow motion scenes zooming into the sweat and tears with dramatic music.

Lim, however, asks audiences to forget typical Hollywood conventions for sports dramas. The main characters lose the big game at the end, and there is no fancy camerawork.

Korea and Denmark had shared four Olympic titles for women's handball from 1988 to 2000, with the Danes winning the latter two. The two dueling teams met again as finalists in 2004, and the pulsating game continued long and hard with a tie score leading to two killer overtimes and a penalty throw showdown.

Korea lost, but won what many call a silver medal that shines more brightly than the gold. At the time, Korean women's handball was at its worst state ever, and players who should have been retired joined the national team to face the indefatigable Denmark. It was a miraculous achievement ― "the greatest moment of our lives'' (the film's title in Korean).

"Forever'' gives an account of the events leading up to the Olympics that's based on facts, though the characters are fictionalized. Lim focuses on the individual lives of characters, and most of the action does take place outside of the court. This works mighty well in the first half of the movie, as the leading ladies Moon So-ri ("A Good Lawyer's Wife,'' 2003) and Kim Jung-eun ("Marrying the Mafia,'' 2002) give dimension with their solid acting.

Want it or not, however, "Forever'' is deeply rooted in the classic formula. The main drama inevitably involves coach-player conflicts and other problems inherent to the world of sports.

So as the movie kicks and thrashes about to defy conventions of its genre, the painful struggle becomes much too apparent.

Not too long before the Olympics, professional handball teams are disbanded, displacing some of the best players. Mi-suk (Moon So-ri) is one of them, and the Olympics star is forced to sell radishes in a supermarket.

Hye-kyeong (Kim Jung-eun) is called to coach the troubled national team. In desperation, she recruits retired players including her good friend and longtime rival Mi-suk.

But various problems push Hye-kyeong out of her coaching position. To add fuel to the fire, Hye-kyeong's ex-boyfriend and handball star Seung-pil (Uhm Tae-woong) is appointed as the new coach. This time Mi-suk convinces Hye-kyeong to join the team as a player.

Suave, slick and unforgiving, Seung-pil enforces a new "scientific'' training system that directly challenges the traditional methods the elder players have long endorsed. Conflict within the team escalates, but the players soon learn to appreciate one another and prepare for the ultimate challenge.

While traditional sports movies may be formulaic, it makes viewers fall in love with the featured sport. Characters in "Forever'' desperately speak of their love of the game ― Mi-suk shouts at the top of her lungs how she returned to play only three weeks after having a baby while Hye-kyeong foregoes her pride to go from coach to player ― but the film doesn't actually show it.

The most gripping parts of the film are issues rarely seen in sports films, such as discriminations faced by female coaches and the burden of menstruation cycles for female athletes. This is also the source of team bonding, but the film touches upon it rather superficially.

The final game scene is superbly crafted (the actual Danish team makes an appearance) but it's just a striking reenactment of the 2004 game. Ironically, it is dishearteningly realistic, and the film loses its dramatic edge. The most compelling part of the two-hour flick is the snippet of interviews and photos from actual team members that accompanies the film credits.

Nevertheless, the leading ladies also deserve a standing ovation for their convincing jumps and throws (though they remain a bit supermodel thin), and the moment of defeat is beautifully captured.

As the film loses its dramatic edge, it reminds us more of the bitter loss of the gold than the glorious win of the silver. Lim deserves credit for her attempt to make an unconventional sports movie, but she ends up breaking her own game rules.

In theaters Jan. 10.

http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/art/2.../141_16682.html

[rubie]

Hi kdramafanusa, thanks very much for this well-deserved thread for Moon So Ri.

Some previous updates of Ms. Moon to share, her wedding pics. ^^

November 30, 2006

Actress Moon to Wed Film Director

By Han Eun-jung

Staff Reporter

Actress Moon So-ri will tie the knot with film director Jang Joon-hwan on Christmas Eve. "Because Chang is currently in Japan, details will be worked out next week," Yonhap News Agency quoted a representative for Moon as saying. The spokesperson added that the wedding will be held in Kyonggi Province but released no further details.

Both Sungkyunkwan University alumni, the two reportedly met on the set of a 2003 music video in which Moon was cast in the female lead and Jang was the director. Their professional relationship developed off set into a romance.

Moon, 32, is a promising young actress known for performances in "Peppermint Candy," "A Good Lawyer's Wife," and most recently "Family Ties." She garnered international acclaim when she won the Best Actress Award at the Venice Film Festival in 2002 for her portrayal of a polio survivor in the movie "Oasis."

Chang's debut was as the assistant director of "Motel Cactus" in 1996. He also penned the script of the 1999 thriller "Phantom: the Submarine." In 2003, he directed "Save the Green Planet" for which he won the best new director award at both the Moscow International Film Festival and the Blue Dragon Film Awards.

Credits: ejh09@koreatimes.co.kr

http://times.hankooki.com/lpage/nation/200...19403644430.htm

December 24, 2006

Congratulations to Moon So-ri & Jang Joon-hwan!

Source: empas.com

[Guest kdramafanusa]

Magazine T VIP

Melusine, thanks for sharing these pics with us. =)

Some previous updates of Ms. Moon to share, her wedding pics. ^^

Rubie, thanks for the updates. Glad to start this thread for a great actress. =)

KBS World 2008-01-17

“Forever the Moment” Shoot Up to No.1 in Box Office

[photo=chosun]

Sports film “Forever the Moment,” based on the real story about Korean women’s handball team that won silver medal at the 2000 Athens Olympics, drew over 1 million moviegoers in just one week after its release. This is the first Korean film to break past the 1 million mark in 2008.

Its production company MK Pictures announced that 1.04 million viewers came to see “Forever the Moment” as of Wednesday. Even during the weekdays more than 95,000 people are flocking to see this exciting and touching film. What’s more encouraging is that the film is winning rave reviews from all age groups, from the teens to the over-40 set.

Currently running on 410 screens nationwide, “Forever the Moment” received high marks even from the handball players whose lives the film was based on. The members of the 2000 Olympic handball team were invited to a special showing and they were all reportedly moved to tears by the realistic depiction of the games. Ahead of this year’s Olympic Games in Beijing, “Forever the Moment” is doing more than its share of drumming up support for Korean national teams.

http://world.kbs.co.kr/english/entertainme...ail.htm?No=6964

[Guest AlecRuby]

wow, so ri unnie won a lot of awards. many famous and well known awards. i can't believe TWSSG was her first series and I can't believe that people already had a anti-fan base for her because of this series. But I had to say she was pretty evil in there. Which of course was what made her a good actress.

[rubie]

MSR's latest movie in review..

MOVIE REVIEW

January 17, 2008

Forever the Moment (Women’s Team Handball)

Posted by EunWook

Movie: Forever the Moment | Women’s Team Handball | Woori Saengae Chwegoui Soongan

Release Date: January 10, 2008

Country: South Korea

Director: Soonrye Yim

Starring: So-ri Moon, Jung-Eun Kim, Tae-woong Eom

Runtime: 124min.

Editor Rating: 8.5

Personally, I have been anxiously awaiting the release of the Korean film “Forever the Moment. It’s a unique film, centered around the sport of handball and based on a true story. Recently, there has been a dearth of unique films made domestically. Saccharine sweet love comedies abound sure, but anything else has been lacking. In the Korean press, there has been frequent talk about the latter half of 2007 being one of the worst seasons for the Korean film industry. From the audience’s standpoint, I think it’s more of a reflection of the quality of films that has been recently produced. “Forever the Moment” isn’t a “me too” type of film and after watching “Forever the Moment” I came away inspired.

In “Forever the Moment,” Mi-sook (So-ri Moon) is an ex professional handball player that is now working in a grocery store. Hae-kyung (Jung-eun Kim) is Mi-sook’s former teammate and currently works as coach for a handball team in Japan. She then returns home to become the replacement coach for Korea’s national team. The Korean national team is in disarray and to help jump start the team she asks her former teammates, including Mi-Sook, to join the team.

Hae-kyung has the team training hard, but the younger players don’t adapt well to her old school style. Eventually, dissension becomes so strong that that ladies become involved in physical confrontations. Because of this, Hae-Kyung is asked to step down as the coach and a new coach, Seung-pil (Tae-woong Eom), takes her place. With encouragement from Mi-sook, Hae-Kyung now swallows her pride and rejoins the team as a player.

Seung-pil used to be a famous handball player but now is adapting to his role as a coach. He implements a more scientific program and European style training that faces more resistance from the players. The team’s ability to compete in the 2004 Olympics becomes more distant with each passing day.

The team was once thought of as one of the elite teams in the world, but are now considered to be one of the worst. Nobody, including the Koreans, expected the team to reach the gold medal game. The team’s resiliency was displayed throughout the entire Olympic tournament and especially during their epic gold medal match against Denmark (actual Denmark handball players are featured in the movie). After regulation and two overtime periods, the game was still a tie. The gold medal was now staked on one final “shout out” (sudden death) match. This game was considered one of the best matches of the 2004 Olympics. And so we have one of the best films of the early 2008 season.

The ladies, all well known actresses here, gave wonderful performances throughout, with Jung-eun Kim and So-ri Moon standing out in particular. Jung-eun Kim has been identified with cute roles in light hearted comedies throughout her career and perhaps this film marks a turning point for her as an actress. Jung-Eun’s performance as a rational, cool-headed athlete was unexpected, but thoroughly believable. Meanwhile, So-ri Moon is no stranger to dramatic roles (Oasis/Peppermint Candy) and in “Forever the Moment” she just came alive.

“Forever the Moment” isn’t your typical sports film. The movie doesn’t have a Cinderella like ending, but what the film does have is something I would I like to experience again. The movie was riveting and touched me in sincere way, without resorting to wishy washy techniques. The film also offers plenty of comedic scenes which made me laugh. For me that’s a good movie and I hope to see more films of this quality.

Credits to Lunapark6

[Guest liezle]

yeah, thanks kdramafanusa for putting up this thread

i'm so happy that MSR's movie is doing good at the box office. i now wonder how those who said nasty things about her are feeling? i'm sure MSR is happy that they've proven her detractors wrong.

here, let me share with you an article that went out last week and a snippet from the tv show that she guested in last week too ~

***

[Trans] MSR... yonsama's aunt?!

original in japanese: Chosun Online (Japanese) 2008/01/10

translated into english: a sweet sister / bb's blog

Moon Sori The Worst Posting was...

Being Called Yonsamas Aunt

Actress Moon Sori appeared on MBCs popular variety program Goldfish on 1-9 and in the Knee Godsegment talked frankly about the TWSSG miscasting controversy.

The fact that Moon Sori appeared on a variety program itself is unusual, and her appearance to hear her speak in a public forum about the TWSS miscasting controversy to which she has issued a no comment up to now generated a buzz before the show aired.

To satisfy viewers expectations, host Kang Ho Dong brought up the subject about the TWSSG miscasting controversy.

Of all the Internet postings, what did you think was the most malicious? she was asked, and she replied, 'It would have to be the one that said, 'Is Moon Sori BYJs aunt?'"

During the time that the drama aired, some of the net users posted responses saying, Damdeok (BYJ) and Kiha (Moon Sori) are playing the part of lovers, but Moon Sori looks older and does not fit the role.

Moon Sori was happy about this posting saying she looks old. But Moon Sori said that she is just happy that net users did not post responses calling her BYJs mother which shows her positive (?) acceptance of the matter.

On the same day, There was the miscasting controversy, so I could not get fully into the role of the lost love heroine, Kiha. Around the same time as this incident the filming of the movie The Best Moment of Our Life overlapped making things difficult, she said speaking frankly.

***

Yoko posted this on BYJ's Quilt.

Moon So -ri confessed the bad words she got from Netizens during the shooting TWWSG was that she had looked like not a woman for YJ's lover but his aunt. She added that but that 's better than his mother. Then someone there said " I doubt it coz sometimes aunts are older than mothers." And everyone went into a big laughter. It was in the program of MBC aired on 10th.

***

some of the netizens are really nasty to her. but honestly, when i saw the clip and read the translation, i admire her for being a sport and professional.

from one success to another, i think that she has gained some respect from her coutrymen.

[Guest kdramafanusa]

(source: http://www.koreanfilm.or.kr/ )

Weekly Box Office 2008.01.18 ~ 2008.01.20

1. Forever the Moment (South Korea)

http://www.foreverthemoment.co.kr/

3-day Adm / Total Adm : 457,074 / 1,658,637

3-day Gross / Total Gross (won) : 3,016,042,000 / 10,787,245,000

Screen : 427

Opening Date : 2008/01/10

Director : Lim Soon-rye

Main Cast : Moon So-ri, Kim Jung-eun, Uhm Tae-woong

2. Open City (South Korea)

http://www.open-city.co.kr/

3-day Adm / Total Adm : 237,387 / 1,066,735

3-day Gross / Total Gross (won) : 1,587,808,000 / 7,030,975,500

Screen : 361

Opening Date : 2008/01/10

Director : Lee Sang-ki

Main Cast : Son Ye-jin, Kim Myung-min

3. Sweeney Todd : The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (U.S.)

3-day Adm / Total Adm : 215,385 / 327,335

3-day Gross / Total Gross (won) : 1,495,443,500 / 2,214,576,000

Screen : 293

Opening Date : 2008/01/17

Director : Tim Burton

Main Cast : Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter, Sacha Baron Cohen, Alan Rickman, Timothy Spall

4. Some Like It Hot / Hellcats (South Korea)

http://www.hot2008.co.kr/

3-day Adm / Total Adm : 176,413 / 275,522

3-day Gross / Total Gross (won) : 1,163,344,000 / 1,741,617,000

Screen : 291

Opening Date : 2008/01/17

Director : Kwon Chil-in

Main Cast : Lee Mi-sook, Kim Min-hee, Ahn So-hee

5. Bee Movie (U.S.)

3-day Adm / Total Adm : 131,050 / 965,697

3-day Gross / Total Gross (won) : 784,085,499 / 5,737,790,499

Screen : 255

Opening Date : 2008/01/03

Director : Stephen Hickner, Simon J. Smith

Main Cast : Jerry Seinfeld, Renee Zellweger, Kathy Bates, Oprah Winfrey, Matthew Broderick

6. Alien vs Predator : AVP2 (U.S.)

3-day Adm / Total Adm : 112,042 / 157,705

3-day Gross / Total Gross (won) : 731,448,500 / 1,015,041,500

Screen : 164

Opening Date : 2008/01/17

Director : Greg Strause, Colin Strause

Main Cast : Reiko Aylesworth, Steven Pasquale, Gina Holden, David Hornsby (II), Johnny Lewis (II)

7. The Mist (U.S.)

3-day Adm / Total Adm : 80,998 / 424,260

3-day Gross / Total Gross (won) : 534,196,500 / 2,760,697,000

Screen : 216

Opening Date : 2008/01/10

Director : Frank Darabont

Main Cast : Thomas Jane, Marcia Gay Harden, Laurie Holden, Andre Braugher, Toby Jones

8. Enchanted (U.S.)

3-day Adm / Total Adm : 63,190 / 341,777

3-day Gross / Total Gross (won) : 404,682,000 / 2,193,432,000

Screen : 255

Opening Date : 2008/01/10

Director : Kevin Lima

Main Cast : Amy Adams, James Marsden, Idina Menzel, Susan Sarandon, Patrick Dempsey

9. Little Prince (South Korea)

http://www.littleprince08.co.kr/

3-day Adm / Total Adm : 26,650 / 41,979

3-day Gross / Total Gross (won) : 166,983,000 / 257,607,000

Screen : 205

Opening Date : 2008/01/17

Director : Choi Jong-hyeon

Main Cast: Tak Jae-hoon, Kang Soo-han

10. 30 Days of Night (U.S.)

3-day Adm / Total Adm : 8,850 / 86,773

3-day Gross / Total Gross (won) : 60,475,000 / 577,109,000

Screen : 72

Opening Date : 2008/01/10

Director : David Slade

Main Cast: Josh Hartnett, Melissa George, Danny Huston, Jon Bennett, Mark Boone Jr.

Forever The Moment ( Woo-ri Saeng-ae Chwe-go-ui Soon-gan )

Director : LIM Soon-rye

Production : MK PICTURES

Main Cast : MOON So-ri, CHO Eun-ji, KIM Jung-eun, KIM Ji-young, UHM Tae-woong

Executive Producer : SHIM Jae-myung

Producer : SHIM Jae-myung, KIM Hyun-chul

Screenplay : HAN Ji-hoon

Cinematography : HWANG Ki-suk

Lighting : PARK Jong-chan

Release Date : JAN 10 2008

Rate : General

Genre : Drama

Synopsis

The Athens Olympics are approaching and Korea is looking for gold in every sport. Korean women in particular have done well in almost areas except for the ignored and looked down upon sport of Team Handball. And when the team is assembled, it doesn’t look when the players who show up are women in their 30s ad teens with piercing. Can this oddball group overcome their personal differences and hardships and somehow come together as a team?

[Guest kdramafanusa]

Korean Film Council Jan 18 2008

Local Sport’s Film First Hit of 2008 at Korean B.O.

Forever the Moment, a sports film revolving around the Korean women’s national handball team, has become the first hit of 2008 at the Korean box office, debuting at No. 1 and taking in US $5.3 million in weekend ticket sales. Initially opening January 10th on 410 screens nationwide, the film expanded over the next five days to 494 screens as word-of-mouth bolstered turn-out.

Its success confirms the directing talent of LIM Soon-rye, who has returned to feature filmmaking after a six year hiatus. Both her debut effort Three Friends (1996) and her second feature The Waikiki Brothers (2001) were critical favorites, with the latter spawning a cult following and a musical adaptation.

Forever the Moment boasts a strong ensemble cast of actresses headed by MOON So-ri (Oasis) and KIM Jung-eun (Mission Sex Control). It is distributed locally by Sidus FNH and produced by MK Pictures. Hong Kong based Network is handling international sales.

Nigel D’Sa (KOFIC)

[rubie]

January 30, 2008

[Photo News] 'Dynamic Korea' joins in the cheers for handball victory

Two Korean actresses, Moon so-ri (left) and Kim Jeong-eun joined in the cheers for Asian qualifying rematch between Korea and Japan in Tokyo’s Yoyogi National Gymnasium with balloon sticks labeled “Dynamic Korea” on Tuesday (Jan. 29). Dynamic Korea is the national brand of Korea.

The two starred in the movie “Forever the Moment (2007)” adapted from a true story of a retired female handball players who returned back to the court to win silver medal in 2004 Athens Olympics.

Source: Korea.net

http://www.korea.net/news/news/newsView.as..._no=20080130001

[Guest kdramafanusa]

source: http://www.koreanfilm.or.kr/

Weekly Box Office 2008.01.25 ~ 2008.01.27

1. Forever the Moment (South Korea)

http://www.foreverthemoment.co.kr/

3-day Adm / Total Adm : 537,146 / 2,585,508

3-day Gross / Total Gross (won) : 3,500,391,000 / 16,744,460,000

Screen : 493

Opening Date : 2008/01/10

Director : Lim Soon-rye

Main Cast : Moon So-ri, Kim Jung-eun, Kim Ji-young, Cho Eun-ji, Uhm Tae-woong

2. Cloverfield (U.S.)

3-day Adm / Total Adm : 298,647 / 394,369

3-day Gross / Total Gross (won) : 2,010,799,500 / 2,624,458,500

Screen : 344

Opening Date : 2008/01/24

Director : Matt Reeves

Main Cast : Lizzy Caplan, T.J. Miller, Michael Stahl-David, Mike Vogel, Michael Stahl-David

3. Open City (South Korea)

http://www.open-city.co.kr/

3-day Adm / Total Adm : 215,922 / 1,472,034

3-day Gross / Total Gross (won) : 1,427,009,000 / 9,676,211,000

Screen : 318

Opening Date : 2008/01/10

Director : Lee Sang-ki

Main Cast : Son Ye-jin, Kim Myung-min

4. Sweeney Todd : The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (U.S.)

3-day Adm / Total Adm : 150,161 / 628,605

3-day Gross / Total Gross (won) : 1,043,634,000 / 4,251,300,500

Screen : 284

Opening Date : 2008/01/17

Director : Tim Burton

Main Cast : Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter, Sacha Baron Cohen, Alan Rickman, Timothy Spall

5. Some Like It Hot / Hellcats (South Korea)

http://www.hot2008.co.kr/

3-day Adm / Total Adm : 132,380 / 544,287

3-day Gross / Total Gross (won) : 882,464,000 / 3,493,229,500

Screen : 298

Opening Date : 2008/01/17

Director : Kwon Chil-in

Main Cast : Lee Mi-sook, Kim Min-hee, Ahn So-hee

6. Happily N' Ever After (U.S.)

3-day Adm / Total Adm : 117,957 / 163,091

3-day Gross / Total Gross (won) : 697,933,500 / 920,646,500

Screen : 240

Opening Date : 2008/01/24

Director : Paul Bolger, Yvette Kaplan

Main Cast : Sigourney Weaver, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Freddie Prinze Jr., Patrick Warburton, Andy Richard

7. Bee Movie (U.S.)

3-day Adm / Total Adm : 84,305 / 1,113,988

3-day Gross / Total Gross (won) : 501,730,500 / 6,605,229,000

Screen : 226

Opening Date : 2008/01/03

Director : Stephen Hickner, Simon J. Smith

Main Cast : Jerry Seinfeld, Renee Zellweger, Kathy Bates, Oprah Winfrey, Matthew Broderick

8. Alien vs Predator : AVP2 (U.S.)

3-day Adm / Total Adm : 57,627 / 279,617

3-day Gross / Total Gross (won) : 373,287,500 / 1,793,412,000

Screen : 180

Opening Date : 2008/01/17

Director : Greg Strause, Colin Strause

Main Cast : Reiko Aylesworth, Steven Pasquale, Gina Holden, David Hornsby (II), Johnny Lewis (II)

9. The Mist (U.S.)

3-day Adm / Total Adm : 40,923 / 508,597

3-day Gross / Total Gross (won) : 266,554,500 / 3,304,675,500

Screen : 178

Opening Date : 2008/01/10

Director : Frank Darabont

Main Cast : Thomas Jane, Marcia Gay Harden, Laurie Holden, Andre Braugher, Toby Jones

10. Enchanted (U.S.)

3-day Adm / Total Adm : 40,371 / 417,151

3-day Gross / Total Gross (won) : 262,049,000 / 2,668,984,000

Screen : 138

Opening Date : 2008/01/10

Director : Kevin Lima

Main Cast : Amy Adams, James Marsden, Idina Menzel, Susan Sarandon, Patrick Dempsey

[Guest kdramafanusa]

Moon So-ri in Seoul on February 21.

Source: Starnews

[Guest PecanPie02]

thank you so muchh for sharing kdramafanusa!! yes, you are totally right those netizens are so rude for calling her more like an aunt for byj.. and very professionally handled by moon so ri!! shes such a funny personn!!and she seems really nice too!

hehe you guys should defintely check out the episode of her and the cast of the "FOrever the Moment" movie in COME TO PLAY.. so funnyy!! ep. 175 and 176 i think. ehheeh anyways thanks again for sharingg!