Director Kim Jee Woon 김지운 Kim Ji Woon

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Thanks to the highlight by cacao-lovelbh.com

GBW debut in Japan, August 2009

Official Japanese website gbw.jp

Similar article at the Korea Herald

June 4, 2009

S. Korean western to hit Japanese theaters this summer

SEOUL, June 4 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's spaghetti western "The Good, the Bad, the Weird" will be released in Japan this summer with a domestic distributor directly handling the film's marketing, Korea's CJ Entertainment said Thursday.

"The Good, the Bad, The Weird" will be screened at over 100 theaters in Japan beginning Aug. 29 with CJ Entertainment and Japan's Show Gate jointly handling the distribution, the Korean distributor said in a press release.

This marks the first time a domestic firm has formed a consortium with a foreign distributor for a local film's overseas release.

"The Good, the Bad, the Weird," directed by Kim Jee-woon, has been well received by audiences in Korea and abroad, debuting at the Cannes Film Festival and topping last year's box office sales at home with 6.8 million viewers.

A comedy inspired by Italian director Sergio Leone's "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly," the film depicts a battle between three men over a treasure map in Japanese-occupied Manchuria in the 1930s.

Credits: hayney@yna.co.kr via yonhapnews.co.kr, spn.edaily.co.kr l mydaily.co.kr l asiae.co.kr l eto.freechal.com

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June 11, 2009

The Good The Bad and The Weird to be Released in Japan

After success at home, last year’s Cannes Film Festival and at festivals around the world, KIM Ji-woon’s The Good, The Bad and the Weird is finally opening in Japan. The film, released almost a year ago in Korea July 17 2008 will open in Japan August 29. In Japan it will play on 100 screens including the high profile Toho Cinemas Chanter in Ginza and T-Joy Shinjuku Wald 9. Distribution is being handled jointly by CJ Entertainment and Japan’s Show Gate, the first time a consortium has been created to handle the international release of a Korean film. Even though the film has garnered much attention worldwide its success in Japan remains to be seen given the portrayal of the Japanese army who pursue the lead characters throughout the film during the annexation of Manchuria in the 1930s. Japan is also famous for its own unique blend of avante guarde, spaghetti style, kung fu cult movies.

The Good, The Bad and the Weird is set during the early part of the century when Korea too was in the hands of the Japanese. An eccentric thief, a dark, anime like hit man and a bounty hunter each embark on an action filled race, across the dusty expanse of Manchuria to liberate a treasure map, often from each other. The film stars current ‘it’ actor SONG Kang-ho who recently played the vampire in PARK Chan-wook’s Thirst. LEE Byeong-heon who played in the same director’s A Bittersweet Life (2005) and currently in U.S. adventure flick G.I Joe also appears in the film.

After it debuted at Cannes last year the film went on to attract 6.8 million audiences when it was released in Korea. The film then appeared in a myriad of international film festivals and won the best director award at the 2008 Sitges International Film Festival. The Good, The Bad and The Weird was also released in the U.S. at the beginning of the year.

Credits: David Oxenbridge (KOFIC)

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July 17, 2009

gbw 1 year

Thanks to the highlight at lovelbh.com, captures courtesy fan-sharing

at GBW-cafe.daum 419 l 418 l 417 l 416 l 415 l 414 l 413

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GOSH!

Don't get me wrong.. Denzel Washington is really an amazing actor (which we could not ask for more, an award-winning talent) but seriously, how can they create another BSL and Sunwoo? It's just unbelievable.. BSL is perfect, in the real Korean Byunghun version.

First Will Smith is doing 'Old Boy'.. now Denzel on BSL.. the inevitable has happened..

Denzel Washington To Star In US Remake Of Kim Ji-Woon’s A BITTERSWEET LIFE

Posted by Todd Brown at 9:34pm.

No word yet on who will direct but word is that Denzel Washington is slated to star in a US remake of Kim Ji-Woon’s A Bittersweet Life. The project has been in development at Fox and it’s hard to imagine them hitting the same tone as the original with Washington in the lead, he is just such a different style of actor than original star Lee Byung-Hun.

Source: twitchfilm.net

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August 1, 2009

Denzel is Bittersweet?

Source: Twitch by: Dave Davis

This slipped by me amidst the Comic Con chaos, but Twitch says that Denzel Washington (himself a Con attendee for THE BOOK OF ELI) is planning to star in an American remake of the outstanding South Korean film A BITTERSWEET LIFE.

No director or other info has been revealed, but the project has apparently in development at Fox (*shudder*).

Kim Ji-Woon's original gangster noir starred Lee Byung Hun (soon to be best known to US audiences as G.I. JOE foe Storm Shadow) as a crime lord's chief enforcer, assigned to look after his boss' young mistress. This leads him into trouble, followed by his own dismissal and ultimately just pure bloody revenge.

It's a layered, surprising and darkly poetic film with some masterful orchestration of carnage... and something tells me the US version won't quite achieve the same success, Oscar-winning actor or not. The eventual director could make all the difference.

Extra Tidbit: Between this and Will Smith remaking OLDBOY, is black the new Korean?

Source: joblo.com

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August 13, 2009

Jecheon International fest kicks off with music, films from 35 countries

By Shin Hae-in

SEOUL, Aug. 13 (Yonhap) -- The fifth Jecheon International Music and Film Festival kicked off its six-day schedule Thursday in the central Korean province featuring cinema and music from 35 different countries.

The annual festival, Asia's first music-oriented film event, will feature some 90 films and 30 music performances through Aug. 18 at major theaters and art houses in Jecheon, located some 168 kilometers from Seoul in North Chungcheong Province.

Data picture

The event opens with "The Soloist" by Joe Wright, which tells the real-life story of a homeless Julliard trained musician starring Oscar winner Jamie Foxx and Oscar nominee Robert Downey Jr.

World Music Film Today, the event's sole competition section, will present 10 films from around the world this year.

Five jury members, including Korean director Lee Myeong-se, Japanese producer Iseki Satoru, Taiwanese composer Lim Giong, and French director Dominique Brenguier, will award two outstanding films with the grand prize and special jury prize among a selection of contemporary works of all genres that share music as a main theme.

"Anvil's Heavy-metal Story" and "Dancing Zoo" are among the candidates this year, with the winner to be screened as the closing film. The grand prize winner will receive 10 million won (about US$ 7,700).

Sections also include Music Shorts on Track, which screens 14 Korean and 14 international short films, and Cinema Concert, which will feature German silent film classic "The Golem" and Austrian string quartet "Naked Lunch."

Family Fest will feature films for younger audiences such as "Sergeant Keroro," while 16 music documentaries will be screened in the Music in Sight section.

The Korean Music Film Now section revisits four features and five documentaries portraying local indie bands. The Theme and Variations section will offer five music films featuring classical music composers and orchestras including "Kurt Mazur: A Life in Music" and "El Sistema."

Korean music director Chung Sung-jo will receive the Jecheon Film Music Award, established to honor the accomplishments of local film music masters who have had significant influence on the film and music culture of Korea. Three of Chung's representative works -- "Yeong-Ja's Heydays," "Deep Blue Night" and "Lee Jang-ho's Baseball Team" -- will be screened during the event.

The opening ceremony, hosted by TV series "Boys over Flower" heroine Koo Hye-sun and singer Alex, will be attended by several big names in the local film industry including directors Im Kwon-taek, Lee Jang-ho, Kim Ji-woon, actresses Han Chae-young, Kang Soo-yeon, and actors Ahn Sung-kee and Park Joong-hoon.

Credits: hayney@yna.co.kr via yonhapnews.co.kr

[melusine]

@ JIMFF '09 opening ceremony with Shim Eun-Kyung, who starred in the JIMFF trailer <streaming|download> that KJW directed.

[Video]

10Asia

http://twitchfilm.net/site/view/clive-owen...nd-the-junkmen/

Clive Owen and Sienna Miller for Kim Ji-Woon’s Max and the Junkmen?

Posted by X, August 26, 2009 11:47 AM

Fresh off the Manchurian escapades of his kimchi western 좋은놈, 나쁜놈, 이상한 놈 (The Good, The Bad, The Weird) and last seen producing the trailer for the latest Jecheon International Music & Film Festival (starring Chungmuro’s new prodigy, the insanely talented Shim Eun-Kyung), Kim Ji-Woon is now ready to embark on his next project, which will mark his International debut. His first choice outside Korean shores is quite eclectic and interesting, considering he will helm a remake of Claude Sautet’s 1971 heist classic Max et les Ferrailleurs, which starred Michael Piccoli in the leading role. If you’ve seen Kim go all Melville noir on us with 달콤한 인생 (A Bittersweet Life), you should already know what to expect, but let’s just say that a caper noir with Kim at the helm sounds like gold, even without taking a look at the cast.

In his latest interview (mostly JIMFF-related), Kim revealed a few bits about the film, which will be entitled Max and the Junkmen. Kim already finished the script, and hopes to start shooting around January 2010 - since we’re dealing with a noir, he wants to shoot in winter, and missing the all important January window would push things to around September-October 2010. Shooting will take place in Philadelphia, Kim’s reasoning being that he needed a dreary look reminding of Europe’s oldest cities (which is why he first wanted to opt for London), but since producers wanted to shoot in the US, his last decision was Philly. As for casting, let’s hear it straight from Kim’s mouth:

10ASIA: Any actor in mind?

KIM JI-WOON: Nothing has been decided yet, but I was thinking about Clive Owen for the lead detective role, and Sienna Miller for the female protagonist. We’ve been talking and I’ve met Sienna when she came to Korea recently (ed. to promote G.I. Joe). She seemed interested.

Related link: Kim Ji-Woon Remaking Max et Les Ferrailleurs

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Capture credits to LBH VIP Room 712 fan-blog

^ JWS, LBH & Dir. Kim Ji Woon at Haneda arrival - August 25

August 27, 2009

GBW Japan Stage Greeting

[[ 창이 ]] 이병헌, 정우성 <놈놈놈> 일본 무대인사 (사진)

Credits:kejnews.com l GBW-cafe.daum 4703

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Thanks so much melusine-ssi for Dir. Kim's photos at the recent JIMFF and the article at Twitch especially, I've totally missed that.*mwahh!* Ms. Miller would be delighted if she could be in a movie by Dir. Kim as she loved BSL so much.

Source: eul.jp

Since Song Kang Ho-ssi could not be in Japan for the GBW premiere, Dir. Kim had jumped in as the Weird one.. but of course!

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BSL buddies, NomNomNom!

Captures from hollywood-ch.com l GBW-cafe.daum 4715 l hollywood-ch.com, thanks to lovelbhsato & lovebh.com

In 2005, they were in Japan for 'A Bittersweet Life' ,, 4 years later, they're back for 'NomNomNom'. Will there be a third time? *hopehopehope*

Capture from Byunghun blog ^^ GBW August 28, 2009

Source: chosunonline.com

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Director Kim Ji-Woon seeking Clive Owen & Sienna Miller for Heist film remake

Posted on August 27 2009 by (dont)c-this

Kim Ji-Woon, director of “The Good, the Bad, the Weird”, recently divulged that he’s seeking Clive Owen (Children of Men) and Sienna Miller (G.I. Joe) for his new Heist remake named “Max and the Junkmen”. A remake of Claude Sautet’s classic “Max et les Ferrailleurs”. The original “Max and the Junkmen” is a story about a Paris detective who sways a group of petty thieves to rob a bank so he can make an arrest in order to regain his confidence.

Although casting is not final I would love to see Clive Owen in this film. As far as heist films go he was amazing in “Inside Man”, and I’m sure he would be great as the detective role as well. Sienna Miller had a average performance (although brief) in Layer Cake and she was stunning in G.I. Joe (pointless to judge anyones acting in that terrible movie). Hopefully Ji-Woon puts Miller into a role that has heavy emphasis on her sex appeal instead of her acting abilities, I’d hate to see this potentially awesome movie be damaged by an actress with little to no impressive work.

Ji-Woon plans to start filming in January of 2010.

Credits: http://dontcthis.com/?p=191

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August 28, 2009

Kim Ji-woon's First International Outing

Korea’s KIM Ji-woon is set to make his first international film. In conjunction with U.S producers the film will be a remake of Claude Sauted’s Max et les Ferrailleurs (1971). KIM has steadily risen within the ranks of Korean film directors and his last film The Good, The Bad and The Weird (2008) has consolidated his success overseas. In addition, his 2003 thriller A Tale of Two Sisters has just had its international remake with the title The Uninvited. KIM Ji-woon is amongst a handful of directors like counterparts BONG Joong-ho and PARK Chan-wook to be offered international deals.

The film based on the 1971 film with the English title of Max and the Junkmen is itself adapted from a novel. A firmly noir tale, complete with seedy cops immoral cops, thieves and a bank heist seems perfect for a director who already had huge success cementing his own brand of neo noir with A Bittersweet Life (2005). Max is a wealthy, amateur detective, obsessed with catching criminals and continually frustrated by those that escape. Angered by his failures he hatches a scheme to set up a group of petty criminals and ex convicts to rob a bank.

Director KIM has already finished the script and shooting will take place in Philadelphia. Given the need to create a dreary atmosphere filming is to begin in the winter of 2010.

Credits: David Oxenbridge (KOFIC)

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September 4, 2009

Dir. KJW at the funeral service of actress Jang Jin Young on Friday. Thanks to melusine for the highlight & info at JJY thread, He had also attended the funeral wake on Tuesday, the day the actress passed away. The late Jang Jin Young had acted in Dir. KJW's movie 'The Foul King'.in 2000.

Jang Jin Young (1974-2009)

http://www.soompi.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=310832

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10Asia album recommendations: "Male voices that caught me" (pls correct me if the translation is wrong)

1. Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds <Murder Ballads>

2. Smashing Pumpkins <Adore>

3. The Verve <Urban Hymns>

4. Sigur Ros <Hvarf / Heim (Live)>

5. Tom Waits <Early Years Vol. 2>

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October 7, 2009

Son Ye-jin Picked for Asiana Short Film Fest Jury

Actress Son Ye-jin has been picked as a jury member for the seventh Asiana International Short Film Festival, organizers told reporters Tuesday. She follows Kim Hye-soo, who was on the jury last year. Ku Hye-sun was at the press meet not as an actress but as director of "The Cheerful Caretaker," the official trailer for the festival.

The AISFF will be held for six days from Nov. 5 at Cine Cube in Gwanghwamun, Seoul.

The 7th AISFF committee pose for a photo at a press conference at the Kumho Art Hall

in Seoul on Tuesday. From left, actors Ku Hye-sun, Ahn Sung-ki, Son Sook and

Son Ye-jin, and director Kim Jee-woon.

Credits: englishnews@chosun.com

Source: innolife.net

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October 7, 2009

Asiana short film fest to focus on young talents

The seventh Asiana International Short Film Festival will kick off its six-day run on Nov. 5 at CineCube in Seoul, featuring 79 films from 32 countries in seven sections.

"More than 2,000 short films from 82 countries have applied to join the main competition section this year, up 16 percent from last year, reflecting a heightened position of the Asian film festival in and outside of Korea," said Ahn Sung-ki, chief festival organizer, at a news conference held in Seoul on Tuesday.

Ahn said that 52 competition section finalists from 30 countries are expected to showcase the potentials of up-and-coming filmmakers who are currently nurturing their skills through short film.

The opening films are "The Employment," an imaginative animation directed by Santiago Bou Grasso from Argentina, and "WU," a French comic short by Cecile Vernant. "The Employment," an Asian premiere, features a worker heading for his office in the morning in a city where everything, or anything, is interconnected with each other in an unexpected fashion. "WU," meanwhile, attempts to capture a glimpse into the infinite possibilities of changes and daydreaming when a 50-year-old man gets disillusioned with his own life.

Kim Jee-woon, a Korean filmmaker who has built up his fame with "A Tale of Two Sisters" and "A Bittersweet Life," has assumed the head of the jury for the competition section of the festival. "All of the finalists deal with provocative yet inspiring topics, and the jury members will focus on contenders who have their own breadth, rhythm and color," Kim said.

Kim noted that he feels "a lot of pressure" in selecting a winner in the short film festival because the competition is primarily aimed at discovering new talents who will play a major role in the film industry. "One thing I really hope to see this year is an entirely new film that we've never seen before," Kim said.

Toward the end of the festival, the jury will select the winner in the competition section, which will be the festival's official closing film. Son Ye-jin, a leading actress who paired with Bae Yong-joon in "April Snow" in 2005, has been invited to become a special jury member for the Face in Shorts Award, a prize designed to recognize a promising actor in Korean short films. "I'm very excited to watch and appreciate the performances of actors in short films, though it's a bit awkward to take a jury member's position instead of an actor's," Son said.

Ku Hey-sun, a versatile actress initially known for her role in "Boys Over Flowers," has joined the film events as a director for the official trailer film. "I was looking for different ideas that would fit in with short films, and then chose the universal theme of 'love' that is also likely to raise the audience's curiosity," she said. Ku's short film titled "The Madonna" (2008), a tale about euthanasia, will be screened as part of the festival's special programs. As with previous years, "AISFF In the Air Program" will select about 10 films to be screened on Asiana flights in the first half of 2010, an alternative distribution channel for innovative filmmakers and a new revenue source.

Aside from the main competition section, the festival has four special programs. First, the Focus on Directors section will feature short films from both well-known international filmmakers and up-and-coming directors. The entries include "All the Boys are Called Patrick" by Jean-Luc Godard, "Camera" by David Cronenberg, "Justice" by Yukisada Isao, and "The Submerged Rock" by Yi Sang-il. The second special program, titled "Shorts with Theme: Understanding & I" will screen six Korean films tackling the intrinsic difficulty in communicating with others at a deeper level, including actor-cum-director Yoo Ji-tae's "Invitation" and award-winning director Min Byung-kook's "Magic Candy."

The third special program is "Shorts with Theme II: 8," featuring eight foreign films that explore serious topics such as hunger, education, childbirth and AIDS in a witty and creative fashion. The fourth program, "Mix Planet: Ola! Brazil," is dedicated to the representative Brazilian short films, featuring talented filmmakers such as Giberto Scarpa, Esmir Filho and Julia Zakia.

For further information about the film festival, which runs through Nov. 10, visit www.aisff.org

Credits: Yang Sung-jin (insight@heraldm.com) via koreaherald.co.kr

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October 8, 2009

On heels of PIFF, festival featuring short films set to grab spotlight

Ahn Sung-ki (with microphone), director of AISFF, addresses the press Tuesday at

Kumho Art Hall in central Seoul. He is accompanied (from left to right) by event programmer Lee Ju-yeun,

actress Koo Hye-sun, filmmaker Kim Ji-woon and actresses Son Ye-jin and Lee Sun-hee. [YONHAP]

Grab some popcorn and a soda, sit back and relax, as the season of film is upon us.

Fall is a great time for movie buffs in Korea, as the country plays host to the prestigious Pusan International Film Festival, one of the most influential movie events in all of Asia. Also known as PIFF, the event kicks off today in the southern port city of Busan, providing its biggest lineup ever. While PIFF gets the lion's share of the attention, another film festival later in the fall is increasingly grabbing the spotlight as well.

This year's Asiana International Short Film Festival (AISFF), which runs from Nov. 5 to 10 at the Cinecube theater in Gwanghwamun, central Seoul, will feature 79 films from 32 countries - an impressive tally by any measure. "I urge moviegoers to turn their attention to AISFF as soon as PIFF ends," veteran actor Ahn Sung-ki, who is serving as director of the short film event for a fifth year, said in a press conference Tuesday.

The short film festival doesn't have quite the name recognition as PIFF. But the event, now in its seventh year, has established a solid foothold despite a growing number of movie festivals. "I participated in the first edition of AISFF as a jury member and, frankly speaking, I doubted at the time whether it would last," said Kim Ji-woon, a well-known filmmaker who will lead the jury panel this year for the international competition section of this year's event. "However, AISFF has continued to grow and is the one and only international short film festival in Korea."

The 45-year-old filmmaker, who directed the Korean blockbuster "The Good, the Bad and the Weird." also revealed his philosophy as a juror. "I feel a strong sense of responsibility because selecting good short films is equivalent to picking out good and promising filmmakers," Kim said. "I will choose ones with rhythm and color that are peculiar for short films."

Popular actress Son Ye-jin has joined the jury panel that will give out the award for best performer in short films, while actress Koo Hye-sun - who recently ventured into filmmaking, writing and painting - directed the festival's promotional trailer.

Two films, "The Employment" by Argentinean director Santiago Bou Grasso and "WU" by French filmmaker Cecile Vernant, will open the festival on Nov. 5. Another 52 short films will be screened during the rest of the event, and they will compete for a grand prize of 15 million won in the international competition section. The event also will feature 25 movies grouped into four topics: "Focus on Directors: Cinema Old & New," "Shorts with Theme I: Understanding & I," "Shorts with Theme II: 8" and "Mix Planet: Ola! Brazil."

Advance tickets go on sale Oct. 26 at www.icinecube.com and can be purchased at the Cinecube box office during the event. The opening films cost 7,000 won ($5.98) each; the other films cost 5,000 won. For more information, visit www.aisff.org.

Credits: Park Sun-young [spark0320@joongang.co.kr] via joongangdaily.joins.com

[melusine]

Kim Ji-woon, Brian Singer meet and greet at PIFF

by Lee Ji-Hye, 10Asia (Korean) | Asia Economic Daily (English)

2009.10.14 12:11

Hollywood director Bryan Singer and Korean director Kim Ji-woon attend an open talk session at the 14th Pusan International Film Festival on October 11, 2009 in Busan, South Korea. [Chae Ki-won/10Asia]

South Korean director Kim Ji-woon and Hollywood director Bryan Singer are alike -- both producing seemingly completely different movies every time yet sealing each one their own.

Singer's stories range from shockingly twisted plots to mystery thrillers to superhero action flicks. It is quite difficult to think that "The Usual Suspects", "X-Men" and "Superman Returns" were all created by the same person, but Singer has established a brand of his own which is trusted because his stories are "all about mankind", as he says.

Kim too has always approached the audience with new genres -- from comedy to noir to western -- with "The Quiet Family", "The Foul King", "A Tale of Two Sisters", "A Bittersweet Life" and "The Good, the Bad, the Weird".

These two directors do not separate their creative activities according to their genre, nor do they have any fear in doing so. Were it not for the 14th Pusan International Film Festival (PIFF), we may have never found out that they both think "The Exorcist" is the best film ever made and that they both make the same evaluation about each other.

Below are excerpts from their press conference held in Busan, South Korea on Sunday.

Hollywood director Bryan Singer [Chae Ki-won/10Asia]

Q: The PIFF is vibrant everyday with its various events but Saturday night is the hottest. How did you two spend your Saturday night?

Kim Ji-woon: Yesterday wasn't a 'hot' night for me. I had a cold night and slept early because I didn't have anywhere to go. (laugh) But as much as the PIFF is often called the sea of films or sea of drinking, I drank with Bryan Singer. Of course, we couldn't talk much because of my English. (laugh) But Bryan Singer really drank vodka endlessly.

Bryan Singer: I did drink a lot of vodka but so did Kim Ji-woon.

Kim: I drank water which looked like vodka. (laugh)

Q: It hasn't been that long yet but your memories are faltering. (laugh) I understand that you both greatly enjoy each other's films.

Singer: What is surprising about Kim's films are that they are different every time. If I had to pick my favorite, it would be "A Bittersweet Life". But I respect him so much that it's difficult to just choose one.

Kim: I think I've seen every one of Singer's movies except for his debut film "Public Access" which won an award at the Sundance Film Festival. What's amazing is that he is always successful in changing the genre and size of every film he makes. He might have the 'Midas touch'. Most of you may know him from "The Usual Suspects". I usually don't go back to watch films which have surprising twists but I realized what Singer is really about the second time I watched "Suspects". You'll be able to experience genius producing watching it. When I first heard he would be directing "X-Men", I thought he would develop on his style like Guy Ritchie but I was very surprised because it was unexpectedly very serious. The surprise was as strong and refreshing as if Michael Bay were to make a film about the human rights of colored races or Quentin Tarantino were to remake "The Sound of Music". He made "X-Men" into a film where he maintains his own style, yet outstandingly depicts the dilemma of the minority rather than turning it into a simple and stupid blockbuster. He endlessly describes how the minority collides with, and then makes peace with the tough existant world. I think Bryan Singer is not just a blockbuster director but a genius director with serious themes.

Q: We heard that you just completed a scenario for a Hollywood film and are meeting with a lot of people there to prepare for it. How are they different from Koreans in the movie industry?

Kim: It's impossible to predict the next step you'll get to take with Hollywood films. It's because of the difference in systems, or because I don't know their industry well enough. But I think all filmmakers have similar dispositions -- taking a liking to good movies and wanting to invest in movies that will make it big.

Q: You met actively with Korean filmmakers when you visited Korea this spring with "Valkyrie" and this time again at the PIFF. We're curious to know what the difference is between the Korean filmmakers and those in Hollywood that you've met.

Singer: The biggest difference is that Korea gives its directors more authority over the final edited version of the film. I think that in the Korean film industry, directors or the people who make films are given more freedom. A huge budget is invested into Hollywood films to there's a big risk to leaving everything up to the director. Therefore, the director's job is not just about making a good film but you also need additional skills to earn trust for your project from the studio. Kim said I'm unpredictable but I too can't make any predictions for myself. There are so many oarsmen that you never know where your ship will go.

South Korean director Kim Ji-woon [Chae Ki-won/10Asia]

Q: You both share the similarity in that you work within the framework of genre films. Is there a reason you like making genre films or any advantages to working on them?

Singer: I like science-fiction (SF) or fantasy because they fundamentally talk about mankind. We hear the normal stories about humans everyday so it's boring, but if you transform them in SF films, you can see new sides to them which you had never seen before. For example, "X-Men" touches on the issues of the structure of society and human relationships but also entirely new things which are impossible in the human world. It's fun achieving what is impossible in reality and also deceiving the audience. The audience think "X-Men" is a spectacular action film but it actually contains your story and my message.

Kim: If you have a genre, it means you've chosen your theme. If it's noir, it'll be about destruction, if horror, then fear about the world you can't see, and if love, then you'll talk about the fear and joy after you lose something. I believe genres themselves contain the theme. And there's the pleasure in reworking the cliches in genre films. Good films contain new cliches.

Q: A lot of people think directors are like superman on set but they actually aren't in real life. Sometimes they even seem lazy (laugh). Are you very different as a director versus the normal you?

Kim: I don't think there's much of a difference. (laugh) I'm not the type that is usually benevolent but turns into a tyrant like James Camron or Michael Bay on set. But I occasionally think I am more tougher on set. Usually, I'll wear layers of clothes even if I'm just a little cold and I agonize greatly over the pains I get from human relationships but I think I oversee those on set. It's like I become a superhuman who doesn't get hurt no matter what happens and just heads towards completing his film. It may be because of the sense of responsibility or to keep my promise with the actors, staff, audience and producers.

Singer: Normally, and on set, I have an obsession over control. It's not as bad as Michael Bay or James Cameron but I do think I'm tyrannical to an extent. (laugh) Like Kim said, I think the will to control comes from a sense of responsibility. I do try to rid myself of it when I come back to my daily life but it's difficult because I can't differentiate between the two. I even have my work in my hands when I go to sleep when making films so it's difficult to draw a line between the two worlds.

Q: A lot of people think it's a pity that Bryan Singer made "Superman Returns" instead of "X-Men 3".

Singer: I'm sorry I didn't make "X-Men 3". (laugh) I wanted to make it too but I really wanted to try making one of the "Superman" series. The first and second series of "X-Men" combined took six years to make although only four hours to watch. You only live life once anyway and I wanted to try as many things as possible so I chose "Superman Returns". But I'm currently in talks about returning to the "X-Men" series. I really love the cast including Hugh Jackman so I would really want to try it again.

Q: Kim, a remake version of your film "A Tale of Two Sisters" was released in Hollywood but it wasn't on a level which could satisfy the audience as well as the original film. What is the reason that, although Hollywood is creating remakes of so many Korean films, they aren't on the same level as the original?

Kim: Why do you have to ask me that... (laugh) There are probably many reasons but to take "Sisters" as an example, the theme was that one's memories were awakened by certain objects or spaces, although she did not want them to be. In some ways, such elements are not comprehensible and unacceptable in western ways of thinking. But more than anything, I think they failed to perfect how they deliver the story to the general public. I think they made an error in trying to explain the abstruse points within the film in a logical way. Just like when people lose the intial strong feelings and interest they had in a story when they start telling it to others. I think Martin Scorsese's remake of "Infernal Affairs" into "The Departed" is what could be called a real remake.

Q: Directors or actors often talk about the great food the country that they're visiting has. But that's cliche so I would like to ask each of you what food you don't like about each other's country.

Kim: I usually eat most things except cow intestines but the food I hate the most are hamburgers. Especially super-size hamburgers. It's so runny and keeps dropping onto your clothes. (laugh) I haven't tried a hamburger since I was in my 20s.

Singer: This question isn't fair. I'm the only American here and you're asking that question in front of so many people. (laugh) There's a lot of scary food in Korea. I tried sea cucumber yesterday in Busan and it was really weird.

Kim: I'm going to make him try 'gaebul' today. (laugh)

Reporter : Lee Ji-Hye seven@10asia.co.kr

Photographer : Chae ki-won ten@10asia.co.kr

Editor : Jessica Kim jesskim@asiae.co.kr

<ⓒ10Asia All rights reserved>

via Movieweek

More pics @ Zimbio

[rubie]

That is an awesome interview, melusine-ssi. Thanks for sharing it, aWww..!

Congratulary Wishes to Movieweek 8 year Anniversary (i think) -- any further info/gist on this?

Capture copied from GBW-cafe.daum 5131

[rubie]

Copied this from the IRIS drama thread, thanks to dora_maomao -- saw the capture so many times but you know how rubie can be so blurr :blush:

THE red coat belongs to Director Kim Ji-woon ( d. of The Good,The Bad,The Weird)

and Director Kim. said: Take it(the coat) back to me, Byung-Hun~~and come along with Tae-Hee...

cr: http://cafe.daum.net/goodbadweird/92qw/5139

LOL! So.. this is what it's all about. I know that LBH and Dir. KJW are really close buddies but totally did not see the connection with the jacket. :blush: Not only they went on VIP movie-dates together.. but borrowing each other's jackets, too.

Those two guys, how cute!