Director Kim Jee Woon 김지운 Kim Ji Woon

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July 4, 2012     Kim Ji-woon talks Arnold, Hollywood debut filmBy Lee Kyeong-min Korea JoongAng Daily
Director Kim Ji-woon makes his Hollywood debut with action film “Last Stand.” [JoongAng Ilbo]
LOS ANGELES - Film director Kim Ji-woon, 48, is often dubbed a “cinematic stylist” in the Korean film industry. With a filmography that spans a variety of genres, from the horror film “A Tale of Two Sisters” (2003) to noir film “A Bittersweet Life” (2005) to the Korean spaghetti western “The Good, the Bad, the Weird” (2008), Kim has shown the Korean public a versatility as an auteur and a talent for stylish cinematography. 
With his latest film, “Last Stand,” to come out early next year, Kim makes his foray into Hollywood. The action film, distributed by Lionsgate with a $50 million budget, has also grabbed headlines as the comeback film for actor and former governor of California Arnold Schwarzenegger. 
In “Last Stand,” Schwarzenegger plays Ray Owens, who leaves the Los Angeles Police Department after an unsavory operation and becomes a sheriff in a small border town in New Mexico. The film follows the action-packed chase between the police and a notorious drug baron and his gang, who try to cross the U.S. border. The JoongAng Ilbo met with Kim in Los Angeles during final production for the film.
Q. Can you describe what it’s like shooting your first Hollywood film?
A. Hollywood has wanted new blood to inject a fresh take on films for a while now. Making it to Hollywood was not necessarily my goal as a director, but somehow I got here doing something I like. But I don’t think of my role here as a representative of Korea. I just want to give the audience a chance to enjoy a film that speaks of a universal experience. 
The film feels almost like a western.
The plot revolves around ordinary people along the U.S.-Mexico border who risk their lives to fight off a strong enemy. It’s a character-based action film. I think that the film’s lighthearted spectacle can be enjoyed in the same way as “The Good, the Bad, the Weird.” 
“Last Stand” has already created a lot of buzz.
Maybe it’s because it’s an entertaining, commercial film. I like the fact that it’s a commercial action film that deals with ordinary, universal situations. 
Arnold Schwarzenegger, center right, poses with fellow cast members on the set of “Last Stand.”
How was it working with Schwarzenegger and the rest of the cast?
Schwarzenegger is always full of energy. He is a diligent and smart actor. Regardless of the nationality, I felt lucky to be working with good actors and being able to achieve an end result with them. I also realized that there is something that reaches beyond language in the art of cinema. 
Did you have any trouble communicating?
There are a lot of talented experts in Hollywood and they have a logical, scientific system. I don’t expect to have an emotional bond here like I do in Korea. In Korea, the filmmaking process is centered on the director, but not in Hollywood. You need to constantly request things and appeal to those you work with. I felt the need to form my own logic in how to persuade others. 
You must have been lonely in Hollywood.
I found I was just another foreign worker here. [Laughs] I don’t have a lot of friends here and all I did was work, so in a way, I felt empathy toward foreign workers. I felt myself getting stronger when I set the goal for myself not to give up and to endure this loneliness. I liked the fact that here I had more time to read books and think more. 
You must feel a mix of a sense of accomplishment as well as anxiety.
I feel the same way as when I debuted in Korea. Like then, it’s difficult and I feel nervous about my debut. Also, I feel pleasure in the fact that I was able to make a film with top actors in Hollywood, the center of the global film industry.
You’ve made noir, action, thriller and even horror films. What’s next?
When I finished shooting the crime thriller “I Saw the Devil” (2010), I spent a lot of time just thinking. After a lonely year in the U.S., I thought a lot about love. Maybe that’s why, but I think I’ve changed a lot. I now like beautiful melodramas rather than cruel ones.

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Thanks to Felicia for the fabulous transcript, interview compilation atEverythingLBH.com 

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June 23, 2012
Look East Asian Film Festival 2012A Bittersweet Life with Dir. Kim Ji Woon and Lee Byung Hun

Clips compilation at EverythingLBH.com

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August 2, 2012
First Look at Arnold Schwarzenegger's 'Last Stand'by Sandy Schaefer Screen Rant
Arnold Schwarzenegger is celebrating his 65th year of living by working faster and harder than ever (as far as acting goes). He spent a few days reprising his role as “Bigger” Trench Mauser in Expendables 2 last year, before moving on to The Last Stand (where Ah-nuld returns to leading man position), following that with the long-awaited co-headlining vehicle with Sylvester Stallone, The Tomb. Schwarzenegger begins working on Breacher this fall, with Unknown Soldier on his docket thereafter (along with the Twings sequel,  Triplets, possibly).
The Expendables sequel opens in a matter of weeks (from the time of writing this), but it’s Last Stand that fully transitions Schwarzenegger into the fourth quarter of his career. Scroll on down for the official first still of Arnie as Sheriff Ray Owens in the film.
The story revolves around Schwarzenegger as the aging Sheriff Owens, a disgraced LAPD officer who gave up his post and exiled himself to the Mexican border town of Sommerton Junction (as penance for screwing up an operation that left his partner permanently disabled). A chance for redemption presents itself in escaped drug cartel head Gabriel Cortez (Eduardo Noriega) racing to cross the border, with a hostage for leverage, a small armada of thugs (including, Peter Stormare), and a “specially outfitted car.” Owens assembles a ragtag crew of officers that includes the “rookie” Sarah Torrance (Thor‘s Jaimie Alexander), and comically-inept Lewis Dinkum (Johnny Knoxville), to stage (you guessed it) a last stand against Cortez.
Early word of mouth pegs Last Stand as a mixture of (south)western genre tropes with Fast and the Furious high-octane thrills, blended together with a dash of off-kilter comedy provided courtesy of Korean director Jee-woon Kim (similar to his cult western The Good, the Bad, the Weird). Professionally-untested screenwriter Andrew Knauer penned the original screen story and script draft, with a subsequent rewrite from Jeffrey Nachmanoff (Traitor). George Nolfi (Adjustment Bureau) is also credited on IMDb as a “writing supervisor” on the project.
Last Stand, at one point, was taking shape as a Liam Neeson action flick. It’s an interesting choice of comeback vehicle for Arnold, who’s hoping for a second wind-career an a greying screen hero (similar to Neeson). We say “interesting” because Kim’s storytelling tendencies vary from relentlessly brutal and unnerving (I Saw the Devil) to quirky and off-beat. He’s adept at mixing violence with comedy – a skill that should serve well on his Hollywood debut.
Look for The Last Stand to open in U.S. theaters on January 18th, 2013.
Source: USA Today

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August 2, 2012
Not too sure if it was already aired on August 2 or going to be aired on August 3, a National Geographic (+ Movieweek Korea) feature on Director Kim Ji Woon.
This preview clip features the 3 top actors fromGBW.. JWS, LBH (worked with Dir. Kim in BSL as well) and SKH (who worked with the director twice prior, The Foul King and The Quiet Family.
Thanks to the highlight at PlanetBH0712 and Korean article 
Master Stylist Kim Ji Woon, Korea's Top Box Office Director (Sendspace)

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Source

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Thanks to ylin at LBH thread for the highlight
National Geographic Channel feat. Korea's Top Box Office Directors

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August 8, 2012
Korea's 'Doomsday Book' Top Winner at Fantasia International Film Festivalby Etan Vlessing THR l Nate

TORONTO – The South Korean horror sci-fi anthology film series Doomsday Book by Kim Jee-woon and Yim Pil-sung picked up the top Cheval Noir Award at the Fantasia International Film Festival on Wednesday.
The Canadian genre festival’s other big winner was Jason Banker’s Toad Road, which won for best director and best actor for James Davidson.
The top Fantasia jury was led by Gabriel Pelletier, with Jay Baruchel, Sylvain Krief and Maggie Lee also sitting in judgement.
Korean films shined elsewhere in Montreal as the Satoshi Kon Award for achievement in animation went to The King of Pigs, by Yeon Sang-ho, which also received a special mention from the first feature jury.
Other Fantasia award winners included the best screenplay award going to Alberto Marini for Sleep Tight, while the best actress prize went to Majiana Jankovic for her star-turn in the Danish film Beast by director Christoffer Boe.
And the New Flesh Award for best first feature went to Charles de Lauzirika’s crime thriller Crave, and the best animated short film was snagged by Don Hertzfeldt’s It’s Such a Beautiful Day.
Elsewhere, the best international short trophy went to Videoboy, by director Stian Kristiansen, a coming-of-age story that pays homage to 1980s horror films.

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August 12, 2012
Excerpt from full article at The Wall Street Journal
Mr. Schwarzenegger also is holding out to work with directors he finds especially compelling, like South Korean director Kim Jee-woon, who will make his Hollywood debut with "The Last Stand."
"As soon as we heard that there was the potential for him coming back into the business, we definitely wanted to find a movie for him," said Mr. Feig, . "To me, he definitely transcends time and he transcends place."

[Guest lala111]

Trailer for the last stand

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This is an awesome update of the movie screening in LA last week. Though there're no pics so far, Dir. KJW attended the LA screening.. so cool! No wonder we didn't see him at the Seoul VIP Premiere.
September 18, 2012
'Masquerade' Screened in L.A. with 'Film Independent'CJ E&M enewsWorld Oh, MiJung Translation Credit: Erika Kim  
Masquerade has made its way into Hollywood.
The film was screened on September 14 at the Film Independent, hosted by the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA), in a red carpet premiere.

LACMA′s director Michael Govan, Eva Chow, Hollywood officials, critics, members of LACMA Film and the New York Times Club and more than 600 L.A. citizens were present at the event.
As soon as Lee Byung Hun arrived on the red carpet, many local reporters and fans flashed their cameras at the star. For 20 minutes the actor remained on the red carpet, signing autographs and posing for photos.
The screening of Masquerade then followed. The audience laughed aloud at the film′s story and at times sniffled in tears. A loud applause burst out when the ending credits started rolling.
Elvis Mitchell, an esteemed film critic, said after an interview with Lee Byung Hun, "I′ve kept an eye on him ever since Joint Security Area. In I Saw the Devil he was heavy and serious, but in Masquerade he successfully pulled off two roles at once. Lee Byung Hun is a great actor."
Other officials also stated, "It′s a well-made film that goes beyond national borders. We laughed and cried along with not only Lee Byung Hun, but the other members of the cast. We couldn′t take our eyes off of the Hanbok and traditional Korean architecture because they were so beautiful."
Director Kim Ji Woon, who attended due to his ties with Lee Byung Hun, said, "Masquerade is a film by Lee Byung Hun, for Lee Byung Hun, of Lee Byung Hun. Director Choo Chang Min′s sensitive directing, the actors′ skills and the strong story helped not only Koreans, but also Americans relate to the film."
Lee Byung Hun said after the screening, "Korean pop culture, including films and K-Pop, has been stretching out to America and Europe. Thanks to that I was able to come here. I′m proud that we can make something [from Korea] more known. That′s why it′s more meaningful."
Masquerade will continue to screen in New York, Seattle, Dallas, Houston, Chicago, Atlanta, Philadelphia and Honolulu in America, and Vancouver and Toronto in Canada.
Film Independent is a non-commercial art group that first came into being in 1981 with the aim of supporting independent production companies and artists. It screens all kinds of films from classics to more modern pieces. It also holds international showcases or brings in special guests, and at times invites artists, curators and rookie directors to talk with their audiences. George Clooney′s The Descendents and Brad Pitt′s Money Ball have all been introduced through this program.
Photo credit: CJ Entertainment

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Pierce Conran wrote a piece on this at Twitchfilm. Now it doesn't mention Denzel Washington or any specific lead for the role. Just have to wait and see.. sigh..
September 21, 2012
A BITTERSWEET LIFE to Be Remade, Albert Hughes Takes the ReignsPierce Conran TwitchFilm

One half of the directing duo behing Menace II Society, From Hell and The Book of Eli, Albert Hughes, is set to direct a fast-tracked remake of the seminal Korean gangster film A Bittersweet Life. Anthony Peckham, recently behind Invictus and Sherlock Holmes, has been brought in to polish the script. No word yet on cast or possible release date.
There's been a awful lot of news surrounding Korean films being remade in Hollywood or Korean directors making their mark in Tinseltown lately but this is one development I can't get excited about. I'm generally not a fan of foreign films being remade (much less Korean ones) so I'm not one of the people who is excited for Spike Lee's take on Oldboy. However, I do recognize the potential that such an original premise has in a new market. The same goes for the upcoming remake of Castaway on the Moon, one of the very best films made in the last decade. Last I heard, Mark Waters (of Mr. Popper's Penguins fame) was at the helm, and while I don't think that'll amount to much I do concede that it is property with a fantastic premise, ripe for the remake treatment.
However, as great as Kim Jee-woon's A Bittersweet Life is, and it really is, it's not based on the most original of conceits. Were you to take away its magnetic star (Lee Byung-hun), flamboyant (and very Korean) mise-en-scene, and its auteur director, I'm not sure that a whole lot would be left behind. At least not enough to warrant a remake. Perhaps I'm wrong about this and they have an angle that will set it apart from the original, but I have my doubts.

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September 23, 2012

'Bittersweet Life' set for remake
Source: juliejackson@heraldcorp.com The Korea Herald

The Korean thriller, “Bittersweet Life,” which starred iconic actor Lee Byung-hun, is poised to be remade in Hollywood. Writer and director Kim Ji-woon’s 2005 crime thriller was about the turmoil involving family rivalries in the Korean mob.
Allen Hughes, producer of the popular Jack the Ripper horror film “From Hell,” which starred Hollywood actors Johnny Depp and Heather Graham, will be in charge of the film’s remake, according to an online news outlet. Huges also directed the post-apocalyptic tale, “The Book of Eli,” with Denzel Washington.
In 2009, there were rumors circulating that the legendary actor Washington was interested in starring in the lead role of this English remake; however, the cast members for this upcoming production have yet to be announced. 

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September 25, 2012
Abu Dhabi Film Festival Announces Full Line-upBy NAZIA KHAN AhlanLive l Abu Dhabi Film Festival
The best of Arab and world cinema as well as Hollywood hits to feature at the sixth edition of the fest
The Abu Dhabi Film Festival [ADFF] has announced the full line-up of its sixth edition, running from 11 October to 20 October, and while it's not super-high on star power there's a fine selection of movies to catch. 
As we'd reported earlier, Richard Gere-starrer Arbitrage will open the fest and our fave silver fox will walk the red carpet with fellow actor Nate Parker, executive producer Mohammed Al Turki and director Nicholas Jarecki. The movie's got great reviews and there's already a strong Oscar nomination buzz around Gere.    
Also confirmed to attend opening night are South Indian megastar Mammootty and Iranian actress Golshifteh Farahani. And then are the icons. ADFF will be presenting two Lifetime Achievement Awards this year, and the recipients are Egyptian screen legend Sawsan Badr and Italian star Claudia Cardinale. 
Overall, a total of 81 feature length films and 84 short films representing 48 countries will be screened at ADFF. The 10-day fest will also have master classes and workshops by regional and international film experts targeting emerging and established Arab filmmakers. 
Movies from the UAE include short film Murk Light, short narrative film Afwah and A Ride to Hell in the student short narrative competition. You'll also get a chance to see Palestine's Oscar entry When I Saw You, along with world premieres from Qatar, Lebanon and Egypt. 
Among the interesting Hollywood films showing at the fest are The Company You Keep starring Shia Le Bouf and Robert Redford, Zoe Kazan's quirky Ruby Sparks and Sparkle, starring Whitney Houston and Jordin Sparks.  This year’s Special Programmes include a Spotlight on South Korea, with all-time top flicks like Park Chan-wook’s Joint Security Area, Kim Ki-duk’s Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter… and Spring and Kim Jee-won’s The Good, the Bad, the Weird as well as exciting new works like Choo Chang-min’s Masquerade, Hong Sang-soo’s In Another Country and Jo Sung-hee’s A Werewolf Boy. There's also a celebration of the 50th anniversary of Algerian independence that includes The Battle of Algiers and Harraga Blues. 
Apart from this, restored prints of classics including Lawrence of Arabia (1962), 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea (1954) and Singin’ in the Rain (1952) will also be screened at the festival.

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October 16, 2012
Revival of Korean movies
By Rachel Lee The Korea Times
This is the 14th in a 15-part series on the stars and trends in “Hallyu” or Korean wave, which is gaining global popularity in Southeast Asia and Latin America. The Korea Times produces this special project in cooperation with the Korean Foundation and CJ E&M. ― ED.
“Old Boy” (2003)
If the 10-million milestone in Korean film industry is a good barometer, the Korean film industry is enjoying yet another renaissance since making it big in the early 2000s. 
The biggest hit of this year is “The Thieves,” which was released in July. The heist film directed by Choi Dong-hoon with an all-star cast including Kim Hye-soo and Jun Ji-hyun currently has been seen by 13.02 million people, beating out “The Host” (2006) that attracted 13.01. 

It’s also the sixth film to surpass the 10 million mark in the history of Korean cinema.Following closely on its heel is “Masquerade” starring Korean heartthrob Lee Byung-hun and directed by Choo Chang-min. After a little over a month since its release, some 9 million have watched the movie and the number is expected to rise.
“The movie simply reaped the success of the Korean-style blockbuster,” Jung Duk-hyun, a popular culture critic, said Monday during a telephone interview. “It’s one of the two major currents in mainstream Korean cinema today along with what we call well-made films. Now, Korean cinema has a full system set up to produce such commercial blockbusters, which audiences love to watch these days.”

Aside from these commercial hits, Korea’s auteur director Kim Ki-duk’s bleak-morality tale won the Golden Lion for best movie at the 69th Venice Film Festival. His film, “Pieta,” has also been submitted as a foreign language candidate for the Oscars. 
Korean films initially appeared on the international cinema circuit around the turn of the 20th century. A number of Korean movies were already enjoying global attention before “hallyu,” or the Korean Wave, took Asia by storm with K-pop songs and television dramas. Quality films like Kang Je-kyu’s “Swiri” (1998), Park Chan-wook’s “Joint Security Area” (2000), and “My Sassy Girl” (2001) are among them. But the big spotlight came particularly with Park’s “Old Boy” (2003). Since then, the world’s attention shifted toward K-pop. 

“Korean culture has received a warm reception from around the world thanks to K-pop that paved the way to enter the world market for films and television miniseries, and it pushed up exports,” film critic Park Woo-sung said Monday.
Also Korean directors are making successful inroads in Hollywood, if the ability to cast A-listers can attest to this. Park and Bong have shot new movies in the United States with big Hollywood names. Park cast stars like Nicole Kidman and Matthew Goode for “Stoker,” which will be released next year. Director Kim Jee-woon also recently shot his new film “Last Stand” (set to be released on Jan. 18, 2013) in the world’s biggest film market with actors Arnold Schwarzenegger and Forest Whitaker.

The rise in K-films is invariably linked to Hollywood as well.
“Hollywood has gradually been losing its monopoly so it is looking for new subject matter from abroad and Korea is one of the attractive markets for remake rights,” said Jung. 
Amid such a spike in the popularity of domestic films, movie exports are booming, reaching $15.8 million in 2011, a 13.8 percent increase year-on-year. A total of 358 movies were exported, 82 more than last year. It reversed a six-year contraction. 

More Korean films are premiering at international film festivals. “The Thieves” has been selected to open the London Korean Film Festival and will close the Paris Korean Film Festival in November. It was sold to such Asian countries as China, Singapore and Thailand even before its release here and is also set to be released in 12 cities worldwide including Los Angeles and New York. 
The country has also been the host of various film festivals. The Busan International Festival, which closed Saturday, has positioned itself as the biggest of its kind in Asia and eighth biggest in the world since 1996. The Jeonju International Film Festival, which debuted in 2001, focuses on digital, independent and art films. Other well-known events include the Puchon International Fantastic Film Festival, the International Women’s Film Festival and the Jechon International Music & Film Festival. 

“Cinema is positioned as one of the must-do leisure activities in Korea and audiences tend to go for more popular films like Korean-style blockbusters than art movies or independent films these days,” Park Woo-sung said. “But this phenomenon won’t do anything good to develop the industry. Korean cinema should focus on its quality and content rather than just trying to go global and following trends.”

History of cinema in Korea
Korean cinema dates back to 1903 when people paid to watch moving pictures of scenery from Korea and abroad in Dongdaemun, eastern Seoul. In 1919, the first Korean film was made, a kino-drama “Fight for Justice” directed by Kim do-san. After that such silent Korean movies as “Arirang” (1926) were produced over the next few years with better techniques and production values. 
When the Park Chung-hee administration took office in the 1960s, seen as a golden age, it pushed a program of state-led industrialization and economic development in every area of society and cinema was no exception. It ushered in a more stable system through corporation-style production so companies cranked out films, spanning a wide variety of genres. Notable movies in this era include “Aimless Bullet” (1961) by Yu Hyun-mok, “Mother and A Guest” (1961) by Shin Sang-ok and “Sound of Magpies” (1967) by Kim Soo-yong. Korean film has been through many twists and turns since the golden age and finally regained its momentum.
For more information, visit www. enewsworld.com. rachel@koreatimes.co.kr

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Credit: https://twitter.com/Doug_Tilley

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October 18, 2012
All about K-films
By Claire Lee The Korea Herald
Latest volume in a series on Korean culture Explores the country's rich filmmaking history
Korea's Culture Ministry published an English-language book about Korean cinema and its industry, as the newest addition to its "K-series," a book series featuring Korean culture. The book, titled "K-Movie: The World's Spotlight on Korean Film," features Korea's film industry today, relationship between hallyu and Korean films, prominent directors and actors, as well as notable film festivals held in the country. 
"Korean films enjoyed a 52 percent share of the domestic market in 2011, putting them over the 50 percent mark for the first time in four years, "the book says in its first chapter, emphasizing the achievement of Korean cinema in recent years, It also notes 2011 as the most prolific year for Korean filmmaking with 216 new movies. 
The book's "acclaimed directors" section features "Oldboy" and "Sympathy for Lady Vengeance" Park Chan-wook, "The Day He Arrives" and "In Another Country" director Hong Sang- soo, "Pieta" director Kim Ki-duk and "Oasis" and "Poetry" director Lee Chang-dong 
The book also dedicates two pages to other notable directors, including "The Thieves" director Choi Dong-hoon, "The Taste of Money "director Im Sang-soo and" The Helpless "director Byun Young-joo. 
Readers can also find out about Korea's up-and-coming directors, including "The King of Pigs" director Yeun Sang-ho and "The Bleak Night" director Yoon Seong-hyeon. 
In its "K-Movie Stars" section, readers can learn about the nation's top actors and actresses, including Song Kang-ho, Jeon Do-yeon, Sul Kyoung-gu and Lee Byung-hun. 
Those who are interested in the history of the Korean cinema will find the book's third chapter useful. From the 1920s to the present, the book chronicles how Korean films developed over the past century. 
The featured films include director Na Un-kyoo's 1926 silent film "Arirang," Korea's first talkie "Story of Chun-hyang" (1935) and borderline porn films, such as "Madam Aema" from the 1980s. 
The book also offers an overview on Korean films that have been remade by Hollywood. Local director Kim Ji-woon's 2003 horror "A Tale of Two Sisters" was made ​​into an American remake titled "The Uninvited" in 2009, while director Lee Hyun-seung's 2000 romance "Il Mare," starring Gianna Jun (Jun Ji-hyun ) and Lee Jung-jae, was remade by Warner Brothers in 2006 as "The Lake House," starring Sandra Bullock and Keanu Reeves. 
Readers can also learn more about film festivals in Korea, including the Busan International Film Festival (BIFF), Jeonju International Film Festival (JIFF) and Puchon International Fantastic Film Festival (PIFAN) in the last chapter. This book was written in English first by local film critic Kim Kyung-tae and translated into English by Colin Mouat 

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October 18, 2012
Never Mind A Christmas Carol - Open Your Doomsday Book in December By Uncle Creepy Dread Central
The latest anthology on the horror block, Doomsday Book, is coming home to Blu-ray and DVD this December, featuring tales of terror from Korean directors Kim Jee-woon (I Saw the Devil, A Tale of Two Sisters) and Yim Pil-sung (Hansel & Gretel)! Read on for details!
From the Press ReleaseInternationally-renowned directors Kim Ji-woon (I Saw the Devil; The Good, The Bad, the Weird) and Yim Pil-sung (Hansel & Gretel) present three interpretations on an apocalyptic theme in the anthology film DOOMSDAY BOOK, debuting on Blu-ray™, DVD and Digital December 11th from Well Go USA Entertainment. In the first film, director Yim Pil-Sung opens with Brave New World, starring Ryoo Seung-bum (The Servant) as a young man trying to survive in a world infected by biological toxins. The centerpiece of the film, Heavenly Creature, directed by Kim Ji-woon, stars Kim Kang-woo (A Better Tomorrow), Kim Gyu-ri (Portrait of a Beauty) and Park Hae-il (War of the Arrows) as citizens of Seoul who must deal with the innovations of the high-tech modern world, where a religion-practicing robot achieves enlightenment and must escape the evil manufacturer who wants to destroy it. Director Yim Pil-Sung closes the film with Happy Birthday, starring newcomer Song Sae-byoek, Jin Ji-hee (Hansel & Gretel) and Bae Doo-na (Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance). Elementary school student Park Min-seo (Jin Ji-hee) accidentally order a mysterious package off the internet that puts Earth and all its inhabitants at risk of extinction. DOOMSDAY BOOK was named “Best International Film” at the 2012 Fant-Asia Film Festival.
SynopsisDoomsday Book welcomes you to the future with three harrowing individual stories: Brave New World, Heavenly Creature, and Happy Birthday. As one family, one lost billiard ball, and one misguided internet order take on the world, three stories collide to deliver a ground-breaking fearless film of man verses technology.

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October 23, 2012

Korean Films Around the World

Korean Films Praised in the U.S., France and Japan

by Lee Eun-sun KOBIZ

As The Thieves break the 13 million mark and admissions go over 10 million for Masquerade, interest in Korean cinema abroad is going strong. The Korean Cultural Center in Washington D.C. will screen Choo Chang-min, director of Masquerade’s previous film, Late Blossom (2011). It will be shown at 6:30pm on 25th October. Director Kim Ki-duk’s Pieta, recipient of the Golden Lion Award at Venice, will be released across the U.S. through Drafthouse Films until 2013.

The Hawaii International Film Festival has chosen Choi Dong-hoon’s The Thieves as its closing film. The festival will go on until 21st October. The Hawaiian event has also invited Min Kyu-dong’s All About My Wife, Lee Yong-zoo’s Architecture 101, Hur Jin-ho’s Dangerous Liaisons, Kim Jee-woon and Yim Pil-sung’s Doomsday Book, Jung Ji-woo’s Eungyo, Jung Bum-shik, Lim Dae-woong and Hong Ji-young, Kim Gok’s omnibus film, Horror Stories, Yeun Sang-ho’s The King of the Pigs, So Jae-young and Kim Chang-lae’s Let Me Out, Kimjho Gwang-soo’s Two Weddings and a Funeral and Jo Sung-hee’s A Werewolf Boy.

In France, interest on Hong Sangsoo is becoming big. His In Another Country was released on 81 screens across France with Cahier du Cinema running a 38-page special on Hong Sangsoo. French industry professionals are predicting that with the release of Im Sang-soo’s The Taste of Money as well as Kim Ki-duk’s Pieta in the country, interest on Korean cinema will rise.

In Japan, Focus on Asia, Short Short Film Festival will open on 25th October until the 28th and several Korean short films will be screened at the event. Yoo Min-young’s Invitation and Kim Tae-young’s You Are More Than Beautiful as well as Namkoong Seon’s Worst Friends will be screened.