Park Hae-Il 박해일 [Movies: “Decision to Leave”, “Hansan: Rising Dragon”]

[Helena]

Cine21

 

No.350 (2002-04-30~2002-05-07) - Park Hae-il, Jo Seung-woo, Gong Hyo-jin, Ryu Seung-bum, Lim Eun-kyung, Kwon Sang-woo,  Shin Mina

 

No.389 (2003-02-11~2003-02-18) - Jang Jin-young, Park Hae-il

 

No.398 (2003-04-15~2003-04-22) - Park Hae-il, Bae Jong-ok,  Moon Sung-keun

Spoiler

 

No.444 (2004-03-16~2004-03-23) - Jeon Do-yeon, Park Hae-il

Spoiler

 

No.450 (2004-04-27~2004-05-04) - Park Hae-il, Jo Seung-woo, Kim Tae-woo, Choi Ji-woo, Uhm Jung-hwa, Ahn Sung-ki, Kim Jung-eun, Lee Bum-soo, Park Joong-hoon, Lee Byung-hun, Jo Jae-hyun

Spoiler

 

No.505 (2005-05-31~2005-06-07) - Park Hae-il, Kang Hye-jung

Spoiler

 

No.527 (2005-11-08~2005-11-15)

Spoiler

 

No.562 (2006-07-18~2006-07-25) - Park Hae-il, Bae Doona, Go Ah-sung, Song Kang-ho, Byun Hee-bong

Spoiler

 

No.597 (2007-04-03~2007-04-10)

Spoiler

 

No.670 (2008-09-09~2008-09-23) - Kim Hye-soo, Park Hae-il

Spoiler

No.711 (2009-07-07~2009-07-14)

Spoiler

 

No.757 (2010-06-08~2010-06-15) - Han Ye-seul, Park Joong-hoon, Ahn Sung-ki, Jung Jae-young, Soo Ae, Park Hae-il, Yoo Seung-ho

Spoiler

 

No.762 (2010-07-13~2010-07-20) - Park Hae-il, Jung Jae-young, Yoo Jun-sang

Spoiler

 

No.785 (2010-12-28~2011-01-04)

Spoiler

 

No.816 (2011-08-09~2011-08-16) - Park Hae-il, Ryu Seung-ryong

Spoiler

 

No.972 (2014-09-23~2014-09-30) - Park Hae-il, Yoo Yeon-seok

Spoiler

 

No.977 (2014-10-28~2014-11-04) - Park Hae-il, Sol Kyung-gu

Spoiler

 

No.1123 (2017-09-19~2017-09-26) - Park Hae-il, Lee Byung-hun, Park Hee-soon, Go Soo

Spoiler

 

No.1213 (2019-07-09~2019-07-16) - Park Hae-il, Song Kang-ho, Jeon Mi-seon

Spoiler

 

[Helena]

https://www.koreanfilm.or.kr/eng/news/features.jsp?blbdComCd=601013&seq=501&mode=FEATURES_VIEW

Korean Films to Watch Out for in 2021

 

by Pierce Conran | Jan 12, 2021

 

Following COVID-19 Draught Major Projects Hope to Meet Audiences This Year

 

 

Following its most difficult year, the Korean film industry is looking to stage a comeback later in 2021. The global COVID-19 pandemic has wreaked havoc on the film industry, emptying out theaters, delaying releases and even shutting down some productions, but filmmakers and studios are collectively eyeing the light at the end of the tunnel.

 

The Korean film industry had to hold off on releasing many films last year, which has led to something of a backlog of exciting projects awaiting release. Add in all the new projects that went into production since the pandemic began and what you have is a long list of major titles with something for everyone. Beyond one film hitting Netflix next month, it is still unclear when any of these will find their way to theaters, but once the floodgate opens, it may well be hard to keep up. 

 

 

Decision to Leave

 

 

After venturing to TV with the John LE CARRÉ adaptation The Little Drummer Girl for the BBC, acclaimed director PARK Chan-wook is returning to Korea with his next project, the romantic thriller Decision to Leave.

 

Currently in production, the film stars PARK Hae-il (The Host, 2006) as a detective who becomes entangled with a mysterious widow, played by Chinese star TANG Wei (Late Autumn, 2010), who becomes a suspect in his latest murder investigation. The film co-stars GO Kyoung-pyo (Seven Years of Night, 2018), PARK Yong-woo (Hwayi: A Monster Boy, 2013), and LEE Jung-hyun (Peninsula, 2020).

 

 

Emergency Declaration

 

After Joint Security Area /JSA (2000), The Good, the Bad, the Weird (2008) and The Age of Shadows (2016), superstars SONG Kang-ho and LEE Byung-hun are reuniting for the fourth time on Emergency Declaration (2020), a new aviation disaster film from The King (2017) director HAN Jae-rim, who previously directed SONG in The Show Must Go On (2007) and The Face Reader (2013).

 

The story takes place aboard a commercial airliner that is forced to make an emergency landing following a terror incident. Also on board in the star-studded production are JEON Do-yeon (Secret Sunshine, 2007), KIM Nam-gil (Pandora, 2016) and IM Si-wan (The Attorney, 2013).

 

 

Hansan: Rise of the Dragon

 

Seven years after claiming the top spot on the all-time box office charts, director KIM Han-min returns with Hansan: Rise of the Dragon, the second instalment in a trilogy of stories about the legendary admiral YI Sun-shin, which began with his previous smash hit Roaring Currents.

 

PARK Hae-il plays the admiral in this story, which focuses on the Battle of Hansan Island in 1592, five years before the events of Roaring Currents. Noryang, the third film in the trilogy with KIM Yun-seok in the main role, is expected to begin shooting this month.

 

 

Hero

 

Spoiler

 

Haeundae (2009) and Ode to My Father (2014) director JK YOUN has been busy producing major hits through his outfit JK Films of late, such as Confidential Assignment (2017), Keys to the Heart (2018) and Pawn (2020), but he’s finally back in the director’s chair for the big-budget period film Hero. 

 

Originally expected to hit theaters last summer, Hero is an adaptation of the hit musical of the same name and features CHUNG Sung-hwa reprising his role from the stage as independence fighter AN Jung-geun during the Japanese Colonial Era. He is co-starring KIM Go-eun (Coin Locker Girl, 2015) and NA Moon-hee (I Can Speak, 2017).

 

 

Life Is Beautiful

 

YUM Jung-ah (A Tale of Two Sisters, 2003) and RYU Seung-ryong (Extreme Job, 2019) lead the cast of the upcoming musical Life Is Beautiful, from Default (2018) director CHOI Kook-hee. YUM plays a woman who discovers she has a terminal illness and decides to track down her first love with the help of her husband, played by RYOO.

 

Originally scheduled for release at the end of last year, Life Is Beautiful is a road movie described as Korea’s first ‘Jukebox musical’ and will feature several popular songs from the 1970s to the 2000s.

 

 

Killing Romance

 

Director LEE Won-suk, known for the cult classic romcom How to Use Guys with Secret Tips (2013) and the period film The Royal Tailor (2014), will be back in theatres this year with his new comedy Killing Romance. 

 

Extreme Job (2019) actress LEE Ha-nee plays a former star who marries a corporate magnate on an island, played by LEE Sun-kyun of PARASITE (2019). LEE’s Extreme Job co-star GONG Myoung plays a young shirker she meets on the island who is studying for an exam.

 

 

Mogadishu

 

 

Action maestro RYOO Seung-wan, known for The Berlin File (2013), Veteran (2015) and The Battleship Island (2017), returns with a new action tale in Mogadishu, a ripped-from-the-headlines story of diplomats from North and South Korea who must join forces to escape Mogadishu when Civil War breaks out in Somalia in the 1990s.

 

Stars KIM Yun-seok (The Chaser, 2008) and ZO In-sung (The King, 2017) team up with RYOO for the first time in this action project that was shot on location in Morocco. The Lotte Entertainment production was thankfully able to complete production just before the pandemic struck.

 

 

Phantom

 

Like a Virgin (2006), The Silenced (2015) and Believer (2018) director LEE Hae-young is currently shooting his new project, a Japanese Occupation-set spy thriller called Phantom. 

 

SUL Kyung-gu (Cold Eyes, 2013), LEE Ha-nee, PARK So-dam (PARASITE) and PARK Hae-soo (Time to Hunt, 2020) lead the cast in this story which takes place in 1933 about five people suspected of being a spy for the anti-resistance codenamed ‘phantom’ who must keep their wits about them while being interrogated in an isolated hotel.

 

 

Seobok

 

Director LEE Yong-ju makes his long-awaited comeback following his hit romantic drama Architecture 101 (2012) with the highly anticipated sci-fi action-drama Seobok, which was originally scheduled to open in December.

 

GONG Yoo (TRAIN TO BUSAN, 2016) stars as a former intelligence agent who is tasked with escorting Seobok, the world’s first human clone, to a secure location. The agent strives to protect the clone from several different factions who try to abduct the clone along the way. Young TV superstar PARK Bo-gum, who plays the title character, looks set to conquer 2021 with starring roles in this and Wonderland.

 

 

Space Sweepers

 

Originally scheduled to hit theaters in 2020, the big-budget film SPACE SWEEPERS, Korea’s first ever space-set production, changed its plans late last year and is now scheduled to bow on Netflix this coming February 5.

 

Director JO Sung-hee reunites with his A Werewolf Boy (2012) star SONG Joong-ki for this tale of a spaceship named Victory that trawls outer space for scrap and takes on some unexpected cargo. SONG is the ship’s pilot while KIM Tae-ri of The Handmaiden (2016) plays the captain, Extreme Job (2019) star JIN Seon-kyu is the engineer and YOO Hae-jin of LUCK-KEY (2016) voices a robot on board.

 

 

Wonderland

 

Acclaimed filmmaker KIM Tae-yong, known for Memento Mori (1999), Family Ties (2005) and Late Autumn (2010), is another major director making a long-awaited return to screen this year. His new project is the big-budget sci-fi fantasy drama Wonderland.

 

‘Wonderland’ is a virtual world run by an institution that gives people the opportunity to spend time with people they’ve lost or who they are unable to communicate with. JUNG Yu-mi (The Silenced, 2011) and CHOI Woo-shik (PARASITE, 2019) play coordinators of Wonderland, while PARK Bo-gum, BAE Suzy (Architecture 101), GONG Yoo and TANG Wei play characters who use the service.

[Helena]

https://www.screendaily.com/features/cannes-2021-who-is-in-the-running/5159216.article
Cannes 2021: Who is in the running?

 

BY MELANIE GOODFELLOW, JEREMY KAY, JEAN NOH, LOUISE TUTT
29 APRIL 2021

 

SOURCE: SEARCHLIGHT / FILM CLINIC / AVALI FILM LTD / CONTENTS PANDA / CHARADES @SERGEY PONOMAREV / LUXBOX
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: ‘THE FRENCH DISPATCH’, ‘AMIRA’, ’ALI & AVA’, ‘HOSTAGE’, ‘PETROV’S FLU’, ‘CLARA SOLA’

Cannes Film Festival delegate general Thierry Frémaux announced earlier this month the Official Selection for its 74th edition, due to run July 6-17, will be unveiled just under a month from now on May 27.

 

Fingers are crossed throughout the international film industry that a physical edition will happen after 2020’s cancellation due to the Covid-19 pandemic but one year on and Frémaux and his selection committee are once again pulling together an Official Selection against a backdrop of immense uncertainty.

 

France is working its way out of a third wave, thanks to a national lockdown and the ramping up of its vaccination programme. But the seven-day average for daily cases still stood at 27,000 as of Tuesday (April 27) and public spaces from cafes and restaurants to museums and cinemas remain closed. 

 

Filmmakers, producers and sales agents are taking more time to both submit films and accept invites with some preferring to aim directly instead for later events like Locarno and in particular Venice, in the belief the Covid-19 situation in Europe will have eased further by the time they roll around in August.

 

A key marker for both local and international film professionals is the reopening of cinemas in France. “Thierry Frémaux said cinemas needed to be open for the festival to go ahead and that’s what’s everyone is waiting for,” said one film PR this week. “I’ve already got films lined up for Locarno and Venice but nobody’s contacted me for Cannes titles as yet. It’s usually the other way around.”

 

French media reported last week culture minister Roselyn Bachelot had secured a promise of May 17 for the reopening of cinemas and local industry expectations are high this will happen. If this does come to pass, Frémaux and his team will be in for an extremely intense 10 days as they put the final touches to their 2021 Official Selection ahead of the announcement on May 27.

 

Ever hopeful, the Screen team has been talking to its contacts across the industry to get a sense of what is ready and has been submitted and is serious contention for Official Selection and the parallel sections of Directors’ Fortnight, Critics’ Week and ACID.

 

…..

South Korea

 

SOURCE: CONTENTS PANDA
‘HOSTAGE’

 

South Korea did not halt production over the last year and a half and a raft of features are coming together in time for a Cannes splash.

 

Festival regular Park Chan-wook, however, only wrapped murder-mystery drama Decision To Leave in March so it could be a push for the film to be completed in time for Cannes. Park Hae-il stars as a detective whose investigation into a man’s murder leads to his mysterious widow, played by Tang Wei. The director was last in Cannes in 2016 with Palme d’Or contender The Handmaiden.

 

Films that have been completed in time for submission include Han Jae-rim’s airplane disaster film Emergency Declaration, featuring Parasite actor Song Kang-ho, Hollywood crossover star Lee Byung-hun (The Good, The Bad, The Weird) and Jeon Do-yeon, who won the Palme d’Or for her performance in Lee Chang-dong’s Secret Sunshine in 2007.

 

There’s also buzz around Pil Gam-sung’s debut feature Hostage: Missing Celebrity. Hwang Jung-min, who was previously in Cannes in 2018 Midnight Screenings title The Spy Gone North, plays a movie star who thinks he is being pranked when he is abducted but then quickly understands his kidnappers are deadly serious. It is produced by hit-making Filmmaker R&K.

 

From the same production house, Ryoo Seung-wan’s political action drama Escape From Mogadishu is wrapping up post-production and is out to festivals. The director’s previous films, while garnering industry acclaim, have often had their local release dates at odds with major festival premiere schedules. This year’s pandemic uncertainties might change that situation. Ryoo was previously in Venice official selection with The City Of Violence (2006) and in Cannes Directors’ Fortnight with Crying Fist (2005).

 

Hong Sangsoo is just coming off his Berlinale Silver Bear win for best screenplay with Introduction but there is always the possibility the prolific auteur has another film coming along this year with the usual discretion.

 

Yim Soon-rye’s highly anticipated The Point Men about a real-life hostage crisis in Afghanistan involving South Korean tourists is due out later this year. It also stars Hwang Jung-min, this time as a diplomat dispatched to resolve the stand-off, opposite K-drama A-lister Hyun Bin (Late Autumn). 

 

The Korean remake of Atom Egoyan’s Nazi-hunting film of the same title, Remember is also due out later this year. Director Lee Il-hyung’s previous credits include box office hit A Violent Prosecutor.  Lee Sung-min, who was also in The Spy Gone North, stars as an octogenarian ex-soldier with dementia who sets out to take vengeance on pro-Japanese collaborators. Two-time Cannes director Yoon Jong-bin’s production house Moonlight Film (The Spy Gone North) is producing.

 

Lee Kyu-man’s criminal drama The Policeman’s Lineage also has two stars that were previously in Cannes - Cho Jin-woong (The Handmaiden) and Choi Woo-shik (Parasite) – and is in post-production.

 

With some more overlapping talent, Lee Won-tae, whose Gangster, The Cop, The Devil was in 2019 Cannes’ Midnight Screenings, has political drama The Devil’s Deal starring Cho Jin-woong (The Handmaiden), Lee Sung-min (The Spy Gone North) and Kim Moo-yul (The Gangster, The Cop, The Devil).

 

Jang Cheol-soo, who premiered Bedevilled in Critics’ Week in 2010, has North Korean army soldier melodrama Serve The People in post-production.

 

Kim Min-soo, whose screenwriting credits include previous Cannes Midnight Screenings title The Merciless, is making a feature directorial debut with crime thriller Dirty Money, starring Jung Woo (Best Friend) and Kim Dae-myung (The Drug King) that could turn up on the Croisette.

 

Jung Yoon-suk, whose Non-fiction Diary and Bamseom Pirates: Seoul Inferno did the rounds of festivals such as Berlin and Rotterdam, is working on another documentary called Tomorrow, about people who produce, consume, or use surrogate human forms such as sex dolls and AI robots for different reasons.

[Helena]

https://k-odyssey.com/news/newsview.php?ncode=1065586840795084
[A Look Back on Korea's 'Chunman Movie' #1] 'The Admiral: Roaring Currents'

2021-07-24

[Editor's Note]


Going into the 2000s, the standard for the success of Korean films is whether it will be included in the list of "most-watched" movies or more specifically, films with 10 or more million viewers. In Korea, people refer to these movies as "Chunman Movies," since the number 10 million is read as '천만·[chun-man]' in Korean. Unlike Hollywood, which attributes a film's success by the total amount of ticket sales, the Korean film industry bases the number of domestic viewers who have watched the movie. However, the box office hit standard has shifted from 1-2 million views to 10 million since the 2003 film "Silmido."

▲ South Korean moviegoers prepare to buy tickets for "Roaring Currents" at a theater in Samseong-dong, central Seoul, on Aug. 3, 2014. The homegrown action film about a 16th-century Korean naval hero's astonishing victory over Japan topped a record 15 million viewers on the day. (Yonhap)

In simple terms, movies with about ten million views roughly calculates to meaning that one out of five Koreans going to the theaters to watch the movie. Although, many people often watch a particular movie more than once, it is still no exaggeration to say that the majority of Koreans have watched a specific movie when we include audiences who have watched it on TV, IPTV, cable TV, or streaming sites.

The directors of these 'Chunman Movies' continues to actively produce films afterwards due to their guaranteed box office success, and the actors who have appeared in such films can relatively and easily find dramas and movies to star in. These directors and actors ultimately appears to be an important asset of K-movies and dramas.

According to the statistics provided by the Korean Film Council, so far, there are a total of 27 'Chunman Movies' including Korean and foreign films, where 19 of them are Korean films, which accounts for 70 percent of the total.

Since the novel COVID-19 hit worldwide last year, it is hard to expect a 'Chunman Movie' to be released this year. Let us wait for the day where COVID-19 disappears and the theater is full of customers again, so that we can all rewatch the critically acclaimed films Korea has made.

[Episode 1] The Admiral: Roaring Currents (2014 - Directed by Kim Han-min)

Spoiler

 

◇ 'Roaring Currents' racks up 17.6 million views, creating biggest box office hit of all times

Released in 2014, "The Admiral: Roaring Currents," is truly hard to miss when introducing Korea's most-watched movies of all time. The film garnered a total of 17.61 million admissions and ranked first for having the highest number of views within Korean movie history.

It is also hard to deny that the public's interest in Korea's historic hero Yi Sun-sin, as well as the use of the so-called "nationalistic patriotism marketing," which targeted Koreans since the movie was based on the historical "Battle of Myeongnyang" where the Korean Joseon Kingdom navy earned one of its significant victories, played a major role in the movie's box office success.

In addition, films such as "Ode to My Father," "Battle of Inchon," and "The Battleship Island" that were released afterwards also centered around historical events in Korea, triggering controversy over the so-called "Gukppong" (a derogatory word used to describe a state of excessive pride about one's nation).

One week after "The Admiral: Roaring Currents" was originally released, former President Park Geun-hye and ex-chief of staff Kim Ki-chun visited the movie theaters to watch the film, followed by politicians including Kim Moo-sung from the Liberty Korea Party and late ex-Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon of the Democratic Party. This situation was later revealed to the media and Park was also seen to avail oneself of the movie's success with a political color.

During the same year in November, former President Park Geun-hye met with chairman Sohn Kyung-shik of CJ Group, the parent group of CJ Entertainment which was the production company for the film. It was later found out during an investigation process that Park had pointed out CJ Group's broadcasting and film business to be heavily left-leaning and that chairman Sohn protested in response, saying, CJ was also making films for national interest like "The Admiral: Roaring Currents."

However, apart from such controversy, if the film itself had no power and intriguing storyline, it would not have been able to achieve such outstanding box office results.

While some doubt that the screen was virtually monopolized at the time of its release, the theater seats maintained nearly 90 percent occupancy, meaning the film was chosen by an overwhelming majority of the public.

◇ "Your Highness, I still have twelve battleships" 
To this day, Admiral Yi Sun-sin still stands as an honored national hero for his significant efforts in repelling the Japanese invasions of Korea during the 1590s. "The Admiral: Roaring Currents" solely focuses on the Battle of Myeongnyang, where Yi Sun-sin faced 330 vessels of the Japanese naval forces, which had invaded Korea again, with only 12 battleships, and earns a national triumph.

 

The first half of the film spends a great deal of time and effort in portraying the difficulties ahead of the full-fledged naval battle. Admiral Yi Sun-sin receives torture after being identified as a disgraced commander and deals with conflicts and skepticism on the slim chances of defeating the enemy's large army. Meanwhile, Japan is shown to have strong and ruthless soldiers. 

Due to the portrayal of Yi Sun-sin's hardships beforehand, the disappointment felt by Admiral Yi, when the secret weapon he prepared fell through, seemed to be easily conveyed to the audience. 

During the second half, the hour-long battle scene, gives the audience a sense of immersion as if they are in the middle of the battlefield.

Recently, South Korea's national team had put up banners with writing that hung on the balconies of their Olympic athletes' village. The message read, "I still have the support of 50 million Korean people," a historical reference to "I still have 12 battleships left," which were words left to King Seonjo by Admiral Yi Sun-sin before he went into battle with Japan in 1597. The banners were later removed at the request of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), who said the message could be a political propaganda. 

◇ Park Bo-gum and Jin-gu leave impressive performances along with top actor Choi Min-sik 
As seen in "Oldboy" and "New World," actor Choi Min-sik, who is second to none in serious acting, plays the exhausted and agonized Admiral Yi Sun-sin.

Although Choi does not smile once in the movie and carries out painful and heavy events throughout, the film also displays an affectionate scene where Yi eats with his son Yi Hoe (acted by Kwon Yul). 

Actor Park Bo-gum, who also appeared seven years ago, was eye-catching even though he did not hold a significant role. This was before the actor rose to stardom with tvN's "Reply 1988," however, with his charming smile during the battle scenes, it's hard not to notice Park. Since the 28-year-old actor is currently serving in the Republic of Korea Navy, it seems as if his relationship with the Navy has continued so far through his appearance in the film.

Actor Jin-gu, who left a strong military soldier image on the audience as Seo Dae-young in the drama "Descendants of The Sun," also appeared as an exemplary soldier who fulfills his responsibility in "The Admiral: Roaring Currents."
 

It is also worth paying attention to the actors who play the Japanese military general also known as Admiral Yi's rival. Kim Myung-gon, who plays Todo, was the former Minister of Culture and Tourism while Ryu Seung-ryong and Cho Jin-woong also play other leading roles in several movies that are listed as most-watched in Korea. However, Ryu's Japanese was said to have been very awkward. 

◇ Jindo increases in popularity while descendants of Naval commanders accuse film for false narratives
Jindo and Uldolmok, the locations of where the box office hit was filmed, have also been widely known to the public. The Great Battle of Myeongnyang Festival, which is held every September in Jindo county has grown bigger in size as well. In addition at Uldolmok, where the roaring currents contributed to Korea's victory, marine cable cars will be completed and operated in the second half of this year.

However, the descendants of Naval commander Bae Seol and Kim Eok-choo, who were portrayed as villains in the film, strongly protested against the production company, saying that what was depicted in the film was not true.

The descendants of Bae Seol later sued director Kim Han-min and distributor CJ E&M for defamation, which the police eventually cleared the charges, while the descendants of Kim Eok-chu protested at The Great Battle of Myeongnyang Festival.

 

◇ Battle of Hansan and Noryang, the complete trilogy of Yi Sun-sin awaits
Director Kim Han-min was able to direct all three originally planned works related to Admiral Yi Sun-sin, thanks to the success of "The Admiral: Roaring Currents."

▲ This photo provided by Lotte Entertainment shows the movie poster for "Hansan," which tells the story of the prequel to the Battle of Myeongnyang. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

▲ South Korean director Kim Han-min of the movie "Roaring Currents," poses for a photo in Seoul on Aug. 18, 2014. The movie was released in South Korea on July 30. (Yonhap)

"Hansan," which is the prequel to the Battle of Myeongnyang, follows Yi and the Japanese military's first full-scaled war after the Japanese invasions of Korea or Imjin War. Although the filming was complete last year, the release of "Hansan" was postponed due to COVID-19 and scheduled to be premiered during this summer. 

"Hansan" also drew attention as Admiral Yi was acted by actor Park Hae-il and not Choi Min-sik. Also, all eyes are on how the 'Geobukseon' or turtle ship, which was a large Korean warship designed by Yi Sun-sin, will appear after it failed to show its true nature in the previous film.

 
Director Kim finished filming "Noryang" last month, which deals with Admiral Yi Sun-shin's final battle in the winter of 1598, the last year of the Japanese Invasions of Korea since 1592. Actor Kim Yoon-seok will play the role of Yi Sun-shin, which would be fun for the audience to compare the three actors. A number of veteran actors including Baek Yun-shik, Jung Jae-young, and as General Jinlin, and Heo Joon-ho, who are familiar faces to Korean movie fans will appear.
 (END)
 

(C) Yonhap News Agency. All Rights Reserved

[Helena]

https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20210902003300315
'Heaven: To the Land of Happiness' to open this year's Busan film fest

By brk@yna.co.kr | September 02, 2021

 

This image provided by the Busan International Film Festival shows a poster of "Heaven: To the Land of Happiness." (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

SEOUL, Sept. 2 (Yonhap) -- South Korean buddy comedy drama "Heaven: To the Land of Happiness" by Im Sang-soo will open this year's Busan International Film Festival (BIFF), the event's organizer said Thursday.

Renowned director Im's first silver screen project in six years will have a world premier at the 26th BIFF to be held on Oct. 6-15, according to the organizer.

"Heaven" is a road movie about two men, played by seasoned actors Choi Min-sik of "Old Boy" and Park Hae-il of "The Host," who coincidentally go on a trip together, dreaming of a luxurious ending to their lives.

Youn Yuh-jung, the first Korean actor to win the Academy Award for actress in a supporting role, takes a role as the glamorous and unique Madam Youn.

"The harmony created from Im Sang-soo's outstanding directorial power and excellent acting by Choi Min-sik and Park Hae-il ultimately turn the film into an inquiry about happiness that is warm and beautiful like no other," BIFF said.

The film was an official selection for the 2020 Cannes Film Festival but came to premier at BIFF as the 2020 event was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

It is the latest feature by Im, whose last project was "Intimate Enemies" (2015). It was also his fourth film to receive an invitation to the Cannes, following "The President's Last Bang" (2005), "The Housemaid" (2010) and "The Taste of Money" (2012). (END)

 

 

BIFF opener 'Heaven: To the Land of Happiness'

[September 02, 2021] These images, provided by the Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) on Sept. 1, 2021, show scenes from "Heaven: To the Land of Happiness" by Im Sang-soo, which has been chosen as an opener of this year's BIFF set for Oct. 6-15. Choi Min-sik (R) and Park Hae-il star in the drama film. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap) (END)

 

 

Related Reports: variety | joongangdaily | zapzee | koreatimes | 

[Helena]

https://www.biff.kr/eng/artyboard/mboard.asp?Action=view&strBoardID=9611_05&intSeq=76472
[BIFF Press Release] Opening Film, Heaven: To the Land of Happiness, Selected!

2021 .09 .02 10:45

 

 

Press Release | 2021.09.02

The 26th Busan International Film Festival
Opening Film
Heaven: To the Land of Happiness Selected!

Heaven: To the Land of Happiness directed by Im Sang-soo was selected as the opening film for the 26th Busan International Film Festival, which will be held from October 6 (Wed) to 15 (Fri).

 

Director Im Sang-soo Makes a Comeback after 6 Years with a World Premiere in Busan

 

First On-screen Encounter between Choi Min-sik and Park Hae-il Attracting Attention

Heaven: To the Land of Happiness is a festive and pastoral road movie in which two men – “Inmate 203” (Choi Min-sik), who escaped from jail, and “Nam-sik” (Park Hae-il), who coincidentally joins 203's trip – get their hands on a large amount of money by chance and embark on a journey together, dreaming of a luxurious ending to their lives. The harmony created from Im Sang-soo's outstanding directorial power and excellent acting by Choi Min-sik and Park Hae-il ultimately turns the film into an inquiry about happiness that is warm and beautiful like no other.

 

This film, which was selected for the Official Selection 2020 of the Cannes Film Festival, is the newest feature presented by Im Sang-soo, six years after Intimate Enemies (2015), as well as the fourth film by Im to receive an invitation to the Cannes Film Festival.

Actor Choi Min-sik plays "Inmate No. 203," who risks a passionate escape from the ordinary in search of his last moment of happiness, while Park Hae-il takes on the role of Nam-sik, who unwittingly tags along "203" on his special journey. Actors Choi Min-sik and Park Hae-il, who are joining forces on the silver screen for the first time, add a fascinating charm to this film with fresh energy and resonance.

 

Spoiler

 

 

In addition, Youn Yuh-jung, who was the first Korean talent to win the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress, flaunts her acting chops as the glamorous and unique Madam Youn. The brilliant performances by amazing supporting actors Cho Han-cheul, Lim Sung-jae, and Lee El shine as well.

 

IM Sang-Soo 
After making a memorable debut with the film Girls' Night Out (1998), Im Sang-soo solidified his position as a director representing Korea through topical works that get to the heart of Korean society, including: A Good Lawyer's Wife (2003), The President's Last Bang (2005), The Housemaid (2010), and Intimate Enemies (2015). Following his foray into the Cannes Film Festival Competition Section in 2010 with the film The Housemaid (2010), which is a remake of the eponymous 1960 film by director Kim Ki-young, Im was invited to the Cannes Film Festival competition section in 2012 with The Taste of Money and was selected for the Cannes Official Selection 2020 with Heaven: To the Land of Happiness, a film invited to the Busan International Film Festival to be the opening film.

[Helena]

https://k-odyssey.com/news/newsview.php?ncode=179574908368737
This year's Busan film festival to be held next month with audience

By Kim Boram / 2021-09-15 18:50:30

 

▲ This image provided by the Busan International Film Festival shows a scene from "Heaven: To the Land of Happiness." (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

 

▲ The official poster of the 26th Busan International Film Festival (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

SEOUL, Sept. 15 (Yonhap) -- This year's Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) will return almost to normal after a pandemic-disrupted year, holding an offline opening ceremony with spectators and on-site events with some big-name filmmakers from home and abroad, organizers said Wednesday.

The biggest film festival in Asia will be held from Oct. 6-15 in the southern port city of Busan.

BIFF's chief program director Huh Moon-yung said the opening ceremony will take place at the Busan Cinema Center with Korean and overseas filmmakers and silver screen stars attending in person. Last year, there were no opening or closing ceremonies as well as other outdoor events, and no one from abroad was invited due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

"I can say that this year's opening ceremony will be held normally," he said in an online press conference. "We've been in talks with the local health authorities and nearly reached an agreement to hold the offline opening event."

He said about 1,200 people are expected to be able to attend the event on Oct. 6 and it will strictly comply with social distancing guidelines in cooperation with the local health authorities.

To the 26th BIFF, a total of 223 films were invited, down from 303 pieces in the pre-pandemic edition in 2019. The 2020 festival had a shortened collection of 192 films.

South Korean buddy comedy drama "Heaven: To the Land of Happiness" by Im Sang-soo will open the festival, while the closing film is "Anita," a biopic film on Hong Kong singer and actress Anita Mui, directed by Leung Longman.

Spoiler

"The number of our 2021 selection fell slightly from some 300 in the past due to the pandemic," he said. "But I'm confident that the quality of our lineup is higher than before."

Three films will be shown at its prestigious Gala Presentation -- Leo Carax' "Annette," the opening film of this year's Cannes Film Festival, and Ryusuke Hamaguchi's "Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy," the winner of the Silver Bear Grand Jury Prize at the Berlin film fest, and "Drive My Car," awarded best screenplay at Cannes.

The two directors will visit Busan during the festival. Carax will host a master class and Hamaguchi will have a special discussion session with Oscar-winning director Bong Joon-ho.

In this year's "New Currents" competition section, 11 films from 10 countries, including "The Absent Director" by Arvand Dashtaray from Iran, "Photocopier" by Wregas Bhanuteja from Indonesia and "Farewell, My Hometown" by Wang Er Zhuo from China, will vie for the prize.

Canadian director Deepa Mehta will lead the jury for the New Currents Award, along with Cristina Nord, a German filmmaker, and Korean directors Jang Joon-hwan and Jeong Jae-eun.

This year's festival will newly launch the "On Screen" section for screening new drama series to be released on online video streamers, like Netflix.

Three drama series -- Netflix's "Hellbound" and "My Name," and HBO Asia's original series "Forbidden" -- will be shown at the inaugural "On Screen" section this year.

The BIFF's program director said all invited films will be shown only in six selected theaters in Busan, with no online screenings.

"BIFF intends to host a festival where people can meet others, enjoy movies and events and share their feeling person-to-person," Huh said. "But we will also keep up with the changing media trend, such as demand for online streaming services." (END)
 

(C) Yonhap News Agency. All Rights Reserved

 

Related Reports: chosun | joongang | koreaherald | 

 

[Helena]

https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/art/2021/09/689_315908.html
Big-name auteurs, stars to attend 26th Busan film festival

By Kwak Yeon-soo | 2021-09-23

 

From left, filmmakers Bong Joon-ho, Hamaguchi Ryusuke and Leos Carax will attend the 26th Busan International Film Festival. Courtesy of BIFF

With less than two weeks left until the scheduled start of the 26th Busan International Film Festival (BIFF), an impressive line-up of filmmakers and stars have confirmed their participation in the event. Organizers expect the film festival to return to normal as the film industry anticipates that it will be able to shake off the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

French auteur Leos Carax will visit Busan with his latest film, "Annette," for the first time in nine years, since his last screening at the festival with "Holy Motors" (2012). "Annette," which opened this year's Cannes Film Festival and won the best director award, has been selected to premiere in the Gala Presentation section at this year's BIFF. Carax will conduct a masterclass on filmmaking on Oct. 10.

Japanese filmmaker Hamaguchi Ryusuke, who won the Silver Bear Grand Jury Prize at this year's Berlin International Film Festival with "Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy," and the Best Screenplay Award at this year's Cannes Film Festival with "Drive My Car," will have these two films showcased at the BIFF. 

After screening his films in the Gala Presentation section, Hamaguchi will participate in a special talk with director Bong Joon-ho, Oct. 7. 

"About 1,200 people are expected to attend the event on Oct. 6, and around 400 film industry participants will take part in the festival," a BIFF representative said. "We expect that most of the Korean filmmakers and actors who have been invited to the festival will visit Busan."

Director Im Sang-soo and the cast of the comedy drama, "Heaven: To the Land of Happiness," which was selected as the opening film, will make their way to Busan.

Meanwhile, auteur director Park Chan-wook will give a talk at the Asia Content & Film Market conference, which will be held primarily online. He will share his vision on overcoming the pandemic and the future of cinema.

Actors Song Joong-ki, who rose to stardom through "Descendants of the Sun" and "Vincenzo," and Park So-dam, who starred in the Academy Award-winning film, "Parasite," will co-host the opening ceremony. 

A total of 223 films from 70 countries were invited to screen at this year's festival. 

Altogether, 11 films are vying for the prestigious New Currents Award, including "The Absent Director" by Arvand Dashtaray, "Photocopier" by Wregas Bhanuteja and "Farewell, My Hometown" by Wang Er Zhuo.

To reflect the increasing popularity of OTT platforms, the organizer launched the On Screen section, in which they showcase highly anticipated drama series via OTT platforms. This year's lineup includes: "Train to Busan" director Yeon Sang-ho's "Hellbound," "Extracurricular" director Kim Jin-min's "My Name" and Thai director Anucha Boonyawatana's "Forbidden."

The 26th BIFF will take place from Oct. 6 to 15. The film festival will keep its capacity level at 50 percent in theaters while face masks will be required to attend screenings. 

[Helena]

http://www.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20210928000761
BIFF ticket sales open

By Song Seung-hyun (ssh@heraldcorp.com) | Sept 28, 2021

 

A poster for the 26th Busan International Film Festival (BIFF)

The 26th Busan International Film Festival announced that it was selling tickets online for its opening and closing films, as well as its opening and closing ceremonies, from Tuesday at 2 p.m. through Oct. 15.

This year’s opener is South Korean buddy drama “Heaven: To the Land of Happiness,” directed by Im Sang-soo. The closing film is “Anita,” directed by Leung Longman, a biopic about Hong Kong star Anita Mui.

Tickets for the festival’s other films can be booked from Thursday at 2 p.m. through Oct. 15. A total of 223 films were invited this year. 

The festival organizer emphasized that it would sell all its tickets online on BIFF’s official website and mobile app due to the ongoing spread of COVID-19 this year. Only leftover or canceled tickets can be purchased offline. Each person can book up to two tickets.

 

A scene from this year’s BIFF opener, “Heaven: To the Land of Happiness,” directed by Im Sang-soo (BIFF)

Also, in keeping with the social distancing guidelines, the organizer will sell only 50 percent of the BIFF seats in six selected theaters in Busan. All audience members must have their temperatures checked and scan QR codes before entering the theaters.

The organizer added that all audience members participating in the opening or closing ceremony would have to provide either proof of full vaccination (two shots), issued at least two weeks before the event, or a negative PCR test for COVID-19.

“BIFF will prioritize audiences’ and filmmakers’ safety and health, and do our best to organize a fest that can be enjoyed without risk,” the festival organizer said in a statement.

Meanwhile, the BIFF organizer said this year’s tickets would take the form of nonfungible tokens. 

An NFT is a unit of blockchain data that represents ownership of a unique digital item. Since NFTs are not interchangeable, their use allows ticket issuers to track ticket holders and prevent scalping or fraud. 

“There are not any extra steps that the audiences have to go through when purchasing tickets,” a BIFF spokesperson told The Korea Herald. When people book tickets, she said, each one will get a unique code.

[Helena]

http://www.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20211006000970
BIFF premieres opener ‘Heaven: To the Land of Happiness’

By Song Seung-hyun (ssh@heraldcorp.com) | Oct 6, 2021

 

From left: Choi Min-sik, Im Sang-soo and Park Hae-il pose after a press conference to promote “Heaven: To the Land of Happiness” at the 26th Busan International Film Festival, in Busan on Wednesday. (Yonhap)

BUSAN -- The 26th Busan International Film Festival kicked off with the world premiere of “Heaven: To the Land of Happiness’ from director Im Sang-soo.

The South Korean buddy drama made it to the Cannes Film Festival’s 2020 Official Selection list. 

Im’s movie centers on two men: No. 203, played by Choi Min-sik, and Nam-sik, played by Park Hae-il. The aging No. 203 is a longtime prisoner who only has a few months left until he is released. One day while he’s still waiting, No. 203 finds out he only has two weeks to live due to a brain tumor. 

Upon learning the news, he escapes from prison. While on the run, he meets Nam-sik, who suffers from an incurable disease. Unable to afford the expensive medicine that could extend his life, Nam-sik has been stealing it from hospitals. Their trip takes an unexpected turn when the two men accidentally steal a large sum of ill-gotten money from Madame Yoon, played by Youn Yuh-jung.

Im, 59, known for films with bitter and critical viewpoints, said at a press conference held Wednesday at the festival that his new film is a bit different. 

“This movie is warm,” the director said. “As I get older I have started to think more about death in greater detail. I created the film with those thoughts.”

While making the film, Im said, he took time to share his thoughts about death with Choi, also 59.

“We talked about how, as we grow older, we have to deal with the death of someone close to us or our parents’ death. Death is natural, but to the people around, it can be terrible. Since we are at the age when one usually thinks about death in greater depth, we shared our thoughts,” Im said.

The director added that although his new film deals with money, like his previous work “The Taste of Money” (2012), it does so differently.

“I used money in the film because I thought it is something that the audiences can relate to. The movie follows money’s whereabouts, but at the end, it does not show who possesses it,” Im said. 

He explained that this is because money is not the main topic.

Although the movie centers on two men and their journey, it also includes quite a few female characters, like Madame Yoon. The director explained that this was intentional.

“We started with the idea of two men’s journey but I wanted to find a balance. So I included Youn Yuh-jung and Lee El’s characters (as antagonists). Also, other key roles like the police chief and the police officer No. 203 encounters on the rooftop are all set as female characters to strike a balance,” he said. 

To develop the bromance between the two characters, Choi said he spent a lot of time with co-star Park.

“Alcohol bottles piled up between us. There were times when we talked while sober but 10 out of eight times we got drunk and had a conversation,” Choi said. “Anyway, it was comfortable working with him and I don’t know how well the movie will do but I had fun making it.” 

The film fest will run through Oct. 15 in Korea’s second-largest city, Busan. All invited features are being shown at six selected theaters in Busan, without online screening. Only short films are made available online on YouTube and Naver Series On. A total of 223 films were invited for this year’s program.

 

BIFF opener 'Heaven: To the Land of Happiness'

 

A news conference on "Heaven: To the Land of Happiness," the opener of the 26th Busan International Film Festival (BIFF), is held at the Busan Cinema Center in the southeastern port city of Busan on Oct. 6, 2021. The 10-day festival will kick off later in the day. (Yonhap)

(END)

[Helena]

https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20211005007451315
(LEAD) Busan film festival to open in near normal after downsizing in 2020

By Kim Boram (brk@yna.co.kr) | October 06, 2021

BUSAN, Oct. 6 (Yonhap) -- The Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) will open its 26th edition in the southern port city of Busan on Wednesday for a 10-day run with a bigger emphasis on offline events and screenings after a pandemic-disrupted year.  Asia's biggest film festival will have in-person opening and closing ceremonies and a red carpet event, as South Korea seeks to return to normal life later this year when a vast majority of the population gets fully vaccinated.

Last year, the BIFF was held on a smaller scale due to the pandemic with no opening and closing ceremonies as well as other outdoor events and no overseas guests invited. Films were shown only once each at the Busan Cinema Center, the main festival venue in the city, located 450 kilometers southeast of Seoul.  But this year, the festival will almost return to normal, at least as far as movie screenings are concerned. All invited features will be shown at six theaters, a normal level, with no online screenings, while some short films will be streamed online, according to the festival authority.

The authority also said it will take all measures necessary to provide a safe environment under the city's virus-control guidelines.  All visitors and participants will be required to present proof of vaccination or a negative result upon arrival, while every screening session will run at a maximum of 50 percent capacity.

The opening ceremony will be held at the outdoor theater of the Busan Cinema Center with some 1,000 people in the filmmaking industry to attend. It will be co-hosted by South Korean actors Song Joong-ki and Park So-dam.

This image provided by the Busan International Film Festival shows a scene from "Heaven: To the Land of Happiness." (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

"Heaven: To the Land of Happiness" by Im Sang-soo will be the first film to be screened at this year's BIFF, followed by some 220 invitees from 70 countries…Starring seasoned actors Choi Min-sik of "Old Boy" (2003) and Park Hae-il of "The Host" (2006), "Heaven" is a road movie about two fugitive men. It was an official selection for the 2020 Cannes Film Festival but came to premier at BIFF, as the 2020 event was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

After hearing he has only few weeks to live due to a brain tumor, No. 203 (played by Choi), a long-term prisoner, breaks out of jail to see his daughter before his last day. He accidentally meets Nam-sik (played by Park), who suffers from an incurable disease and dreams of becoming rich to buy cures, and they start a journey together.

In a press conference held before the opening ceremony, director Im said his latest movie is different from his previous works that portray society in a cynical and satirical way, such as the political drama "The President's Last Bang" (2005) and the erotic thriller "The Taste of Money" (2012).

 

Director Im Sang-soo (1st from L) and the cast of "Heaven: To the Land of Happiness" attend a press conference in Busan on Oct. 6, 2021, during the 26th Busan International Film Festival in Busan, 450 kilometers southeast of Seoul. (Yonhap)

"This movie looks good and innocent. I've made some skeptical films, but I'm a good and kind man," he said laughing. "As I get older and older, I come across situations that push me to face death and think about it, like when hearing my close friend died. Those experiences moved me to begin this project," he explained.

Spoiler

The number of selected films in 2021 rose slightly from a shortened collection of 192 films in the 2020 edition.  Three films will be shown at its prestigious Gala Presentation -- Leos Carax's "Annette," the opening film of this year's Cannes Film Festival, and Ryusuke Hamaguchi's "Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy," the winner of the Silver Bear Grand Jury Prize at the Berlin film fest, and "Drive My Car," awarded best screenplay at Cannes.  The two directors will visit Busan during the festival. Carax will host a master class and Hamaguchi will have a special discussion session with Oscar-winning director Bong Joon-ho.

 

In this year's "New Currents" competition section, 11 films from 10 countries, including "The Absent Director" by Arvand Dashtaray from Iran, "Photocopier" by Wregas Bhanuteja from Indonesia and "Farewell, My Hometown" by Wang Er Zhuo from China, will vie for the prize.  Canadian director Deepa Mehta will lead the jury for the New Currents Award, along with Cristina Nord, a German filmmaker, and Korean directors Jang Joon-hwan and Jeong Jae-eun.

 

Three drama series -- Netflix's "Hellbound" and "My Name," and HBO Asia's original series "Forbidden" -- will be shown at the inaugural "On Screen" section this year, designed to screen new drama series to be released on online video streamers, like Netflix.

 

[image]

The official poster of the 26th Busan International Film Festival (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

(END)

 

[Helena]

https://en.yna.co.kr/view/PYH20211006246600320
Im Sang-soo with top actors

 

October 06, 2021

 

South Korean film director Im Sang-soo (R) and his two lead actors, Park Hae-il (C) and Choi Min-sik, pose at the opening ceremony of the 26th Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) in the southern port city of Busan on Oct. 6, 2021. Their latest film "Heaven: To the Land of Happiness" was selected as the opener of the prestigious film festival. (Yonhap)

(END)

[ By Song Seung-hyun (ssh@heraldcorp.com) | koreaherald ]

Toward the end of the opening ceremony Im Sang-soo introduced this year’s opening film, “Heaven: To the Land of Happiness,” which he directed.  “At this fantastic theater in Busan, the city of the sea, on an autumn night with such a cool breeze with this fantastic stage. Also with an audience who came here despite the pandemic. The only problem (for me) tonight is my movie. I wish you enjoy it,” he said. 
 

The ceremony ended with a song titled “To the Land of Happiness,” played by musician Hahn Dae-soo. The performance was prerecorded and screened during the ceremony. Hahn was supposed to participate in the opening ceremony but was absent for health reasons.

 

After the opening ceremony, the opener was screened at the Busan Cinema Center at 8 p.m.

 

From left: Im Sang-soo, Park Hae-il and Choi Min-sik pose on the red carpet before entering the Busan Cinema Center for the 26th Busan International Film Festival’s opening ceremony on Wednesday night. (Yonhap)

 

 

[Helena]

https://www.screendaily.com/features/im-sang-soo-on-his-busan-opener-heaven-to-the-land-of-happiness/5163946.article
Im Sang-soo on his Busan opener ‘Heaven: To The Land Of Happiness’

BY JEAN NOH | 6 OCTOBER 2021

 

SOURCE: BUSAN INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
HEAVEN: TO THE LAND OF HAPPINESS

Korean director Im Sang-soo is back at the Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) with Heaven: To The Land Of Happiness making its world premiere as Opening Film.

As a regular at the Cannes Film Festival with works such as The Housemaid, The Taste Of Money and The President’s Last Bang, Im’s latest was selected for ‘The Faithful’ category of the Cannes 2020 edition which went without screenings due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The road movie stars Choi Min-sik (Old Boy) as a terminally ill inmate who makes an escape with Park Hae-il (The Host) as a direly sick man who can’t afford his medication joining him when they get their hands on a large sum of money.

What made you make this film at this point in your career?

From the time we started developing this film, I talked with producer Kim Won-kuk [CEO of Hive Media Corp.] and agreed we’d try to make a good-hearted and kind-natured film that doesn’t seem to have the sort of sharp, pointy thorns that were in my previous films, which is what the general public seems to find difficult. From my point of view, I felt it could be interesting to make this sort of film as well as the other kind.

And as you grow older, you witness the deaths of people around you. For instance, your own parents and others. And I’ve gotten to the age where you think about death and at the same time, look back on how you have been living your life. Death doesn’t come according to a promised schedule so then, how have I been living? And if this isn’t the life I wanted to live, then I should try to live better from now on. I haven’t made any films where I can look back on all the films I’ve made before, but I could in the future.

Tell us about casting and working with Choi Min-sik, Park Hae-il and Yuh-Jung Youn.

I think Choi Min-sik and I are the same age. Like I said before, it’s an age where you think about death and look back on life, so we shared our thoughts on that before and during the shoot. When it comes to acting, he and Park Hae-il are the best. Park Hae-il also gives the feeling of a much younger actor. The two characters needed to have an age gap for the flavor to come alive, and so that was a great help.

As for Yuh-Jung Youn, she’s gotten so expensive after winning the best supporting actress Oscar for Minari that I would have a hard time giving her the script to even look at now, but she did this role before that happened. Her character appears briefly but I wanted to portray her impressively. It’s like a villain boss, but an old woman who’s practically a grandmother and she played it in an interesting way differently from other characters she’s done before. She worked with me on The Taste Of Money and The Housemaid, and we get together on a personal basis from time to time. She helps me a lot whether it’s with life advice or appearing in films inexpensively when needed even when it’s not convenient for her, and I love her.

What was it like shooting the film?

The film keeps on moving without staying in one place so I wanted to at least show the kind of nature that is rare to see in Korean films these days. We did location hunting all around the country to find places that are shocking to urbanites. It was good to be able to shoot a lot of woods and the place where they smash and eat the watermelons was so green and nice.

We have some action scenes, but I’d rather call them adventurous. We didn’t have a lot of budget and you can’t compete with the numerous American action adventure movies that inject a lot of money into them. With that in mind, the cinematographer, the action choreographer and I tried to be witty and use the locations’ characteristics in each situation so that even if we didn’t have an action scene that would make your mouth drop open, we would have scenes that would be interesting to follow. Like the motorcycle chase scene in the small city, we tried to shoot it as cutely and interestingly as possible.

 

SOURCE: BUSAN INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
IM SANG SOO

The film’s world premiere was delayed by more than a year because of the pandemic. What’s it like for you to have it opening BIFF?

I made my feature debut in 1998 with Girls’ Night Out and its world premiere was at Busan film festival in the New Currents competition. That was how I became known to people from Europe, including from Cannes. I’ve since traveled to film festivals all around the world, and it’s because of my start at Busan with my 1998 debut film. To have Heaven: To The Land Of Happiness be at Busan as the opening film after all these twenty-odd years, I’m filled with emotions. Busan has been an important platform that has travelled with me in my career as a director.

Can you talk about your next projects? How is the Soho Sins adaptation coming along?

I’m ready to go as soon as the US side’s preparations are done. I think it can go well, but the pandemic doesn’t make getting funding like it was before. I’m developing a few other projects. Not all of them are Korean-language because I’m interested in geopolitical stories. I think once this pandemic is over, we will see a lot of strong films jumping out at us from all over the world.

—

https://www.screendaily.com/reviews/heaven-to-the-land-of-happiness-busan-review-opening-film/5163647.article
‘Heaven: To The Land Of Happiness’: Busan Review (opening film)

BY WENDY IDE | OCTOBER 2021

An amiable, ambling odd-couple comedy from South Korean auteur Im Sang-Soo

 

SOURCE: BUSAN INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
‘HEAVEN: TO THE LAND OF HAPPINESS’

Dir/scr: Im Sang-Soo. South Korea. 2020. 101 mins.

Given just two weeks to live, Prisoner 203 (Old Boy star Choi Min-Sik) takes control of his own destiny. With reluctant assistance from hospital orderly Nam-sik (Park Hae-Il, The Host), who, one way or another, has his own heavy sentence hanging over him, 203 stages a break-out in a stolen hearse. But the coffin they steal, along with the vehicle, comes with baggage — a duo of gangsters working for an ailing, ageing crime boss (Minari Oscar-winner Youn Yuh-Jung) are very invested in reclaiming the contents. This amiable, ambling odd-couple comedy by Im Sang-Soo dutifully ticks off the boxes of the terminal-disease road movie: the pair bridge their differences to find a real friendship; in confronting death they rediscover the joy of life once more. 

At its most enjoyable when it embraces the chaos of a chase picture

Heaven: To The Land Of Happiness was included in the 2020 Cannes section The Faithful — previously, Im has screened two films, The Housemaid (2010) and The Taste Of Money (2012), in the Cannes Official Competition, and one, The President’s Last Bang (2005), in Directors’ Fortnight. The pandemic precluded a screening, however, and the film receives its world premiere at Busan more than a year later.

Originally announced as a remake of the German film Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door, the picture has diverged markedly from its source material, which is now relegated to the status of an ‘inspiration’. But whether or not the story is rooted in Europe originally, this is a film which, with its unabashed sentimentality and languid pacing, seems likely to be more in tune with the domestic market than with international audiences. 

Prisoner 203 — we don’t know his real name until the very end — has unfinished business and, with an inoperable brain tumour triggering regular seizures, is living on borrowed time. There are two things he would like to revisit — one is the daughter whom he feels that he failed, the other is the sea. Nam-sik, meanwhile, has his own terminal diagnosis — he has Fabry disease, and his survival depends on the medicine that he steals from the hospital’s store. At $30,000 per month to buy, legitimate access to the drug is way beyond his means, and the hospital security is closing in on him.

Nam-sik’s financial woes are solved, temporarily at least, when it becomes clear that the coffin in the hearse is filled with cash. The two men are pursued both by the police and by gangsters. Meanwhile, 203’s daughter is also introduced as a character. It’s a lot of plates to keep spinning, and Im is not entirely successful in doing so. Rather, he sidelines the gangsters entirely for a large chunk of the picture, and embarks on a bout of second-act soul-searching which strengthens the connection between the two central characters but slows the pace to a crawl. 

Ultimately, Heaven is at its most enjoyable when it embraces the chaos of a chase picture — tasers are deployed, repeatedly, to comic effect; people chuck themselves off buildings; a moped chase that takes in pedestrian underpasses and railway tracks provides a much-needed shot of energy. There are not too many surprises in the plotting — any film which takes an invasive brain cancer as its ticking-clock device can only really end one way. But it’s a big-hearted piece of storytelling which suggests that happiness can just as easily be found in fleeting human connections as in a coffin full of stolen cash. 

Production company: Hive Media Corp
International sales: Finecut Co., Ltd., cineinfo@finecut.co.kr
Producer: Kim Won-Kuk
Cinematography: Kim Tae-Kyung
Editor: Jeong Ji-Eun, Kim Hyung-Joo
Music: Kim Hong-Jip
Main cast: Choi Min-Sik, Park Hae-Il, Jo Han-Chul, Im Sung-Jae, Youn Yuh-Jung, Lee El, Kim Yeo-Jin, Yoon Je-Moon, Jung Min-Sung, Noh Susanna, Lee Jae-In

 

Other Reviews: filmstage | 

[Helena]

https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/art/2021/10/689_316599.html
26th BIFF opens with Im Sang-soo's 'Heaven: To the Land of Happiness'

By Kwak Yeon-soo | 2021-10-07 09:02

 

From left, director Im Sang-soo and the cast of "Heaven: To the Land of Happiness" attend a press conference held at Busan Cinema Center in Busan, Wednesday. Yonhap

BUSAN -- The 26th Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) kicked off Wednesday for a 10-day run with director Im Sang-soo's "Heaven: To the Land of Happiness."

A year after a scaled-down event due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this edition promises to be attract 1,000-plus participants. A raft of stars have been confirmed to attend the festival, including Song Joong-ki of "Space Sweepers," Jeon Jong-seo of "Mona Lisa and The Blue Moon," Han So-hee of "My Name" and Yoo Ah-in of "Hellbound." 

Strict health protocol measures include a 50 percent screening capacity are in place and all public and professional attendees must show a pass, proving they are either fully vaccinated or have tested negative for COVID-19.

A total of 223 films from 70 countries will be screened at BIFF, slightly higher than the 192 films showcased last year. 

"Heaven," which opened the festival, was selected for the official selection in the 2020 Cannes Film Festival. The film revolves around two men ― played by Choi Min-sik and Park Hae-il ― who inadvertently become wealthy and go on a road trip together in pursuit of happiness.

Choi, best known for his previous hit films "Old Boy" (2003) and "Roaring Currents" (2014), plays the role of Inmate 203, who breaks out of jail after hearing he will only live for two more weeks because of a brain tumor. Park, known for his role in "The Host" (2006), stars as penniless patient Nam-sik, who accompanies Inmate 203.

In addition, Academy Award-winning actress Youn Yuh-jung appears as the glamorous Madame Yoon.

 

Spoiler

Seats at the outdoor theater of Busan Cinema Center in Busan, Wednesday / Yonhap

At the press conference for the film held in the Busan Cinema Center, director Im explained "Heaven" as being very different from his earlier films such as "The Taste of Money" (2012) in which he vividly critiques the haves. 

"This film is a soft-spoken, kind-hearted film. Some might say it's a bit generic and unsophisticated. However, I wanted to write about a dying man's last journey because I think about death more concretely as I age. This subject matter naturally struck me because I have more experience with the deaths of loved ones," Im said.

The renowned filmmaker explained that he wanted to balance out the story by displaying more female characters in the film. "It's often described as the two men's road movie, but I wanted to have a fair gender representation. Many actresses, including Youn, Lee El and Lee Jae-in, take on pivotal roles. They appear less, but have strong presence in the film," he said.

Veteran actor Choi revealed he clicked well with Park while filming. "This is actually the first time that we got to actually work together. However, we got along really well and had a great time," he said. 

"Actually, there were a lot of liquor bottles between us. At first, we stayed sober, but later on, we were mostly drunk when talking to each other."

Park said it was an honor to star alongside Choi. "I've been longing to act opposite Choi for about 15 years. It was a real honor to work together with director Im, Choi and my fellow actors," he said. 

"Choi was so diligent that he always arrived on set 30 minutes earlier than the promised time. So I always tried to arrive earlier than him and be prepared."

Altogether, 11 films are vying for the prestigious New Currents Award, including "The Absent Director" by Arvand Dashtaray, "Photocopier" by Wregas Bhanuteja and "Farewell, My Hometown" by Wang Er Zhuo.

To reflect the increasing popularity of OTT platforms, the organizer launched the On Screen section, in which they showcase highly anticipated drama series via OTT platforms. 

Director Leung Longman's "Anita," a biopic film about Hong Kong singer and actress Anita Mui, will close the festival. 

The 26th edition of BIFF will be held until Oct. 15.

 

 

 

[Helena]

https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/2021/10/07/entertainment/movies/Im-Sangsoo-opening-film-Heaven-To-the-Land-of-Happiness/20211007162250676.html
'Heaven: To the Land of Happiness' shows life is about the people

BY LEE JAE-LIM [lee.jaelim@joongang.co.kr] | October 7, 2021

 

From left, Actor Choi Min-sik, director Im Sang-soo and actor Park Hae-il pose for photos at a press event after the screening of Im’s latest feature “Heaven: To the Land of Happiness” in Busan Cinema Center Wednesday. [NEWS1]

BUSAN — Director Im Sang-soo’s “Heaven: To the Land of Happiness,” which opened the 26th Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) Wednesday, captures Im’s perspective on death, a topic of interest the director has increasingly begun to mull over as he ages. 

“The movie, if I were to personify it, is a good, kind one,” Im said at the BIFF press event before the opening ceremony took place, also attended by actors Choi Min-sik and Park Hae-il. 

“As I grew older and as I witnessed some of my close acquaintances pass away, I began to give a more thought to death,” Im said. 

The narrative tells the story of two fugitives on the run. Prisoner No. 203 (played by Choi) is a long-term prisoner who was diagnosed with a terminal brain tumor, and he meets his unlikely traveling companion, Nam-sik (played by Park) as he makes his break. Nam-sik works as a hospital staff and has an incurable disease that he manages by stealing medicine, in order to stay alive.

 

Actors Choi, right, and Park portray two fugitives - prisoner No. 203 and Nam-sik - on the run in “Heaven.” [LOTTE ENTERTAINMENT]

Im relayed that “Heaven” takes on a warmer atmosphere than his prior films such as “The Taste of Money” (2012) or “The Housemaid” (2010), but the idea of money still takes center stage in the story, as No. 203 and Nam-sik accidentally stumble upon an enormous stash of money belonging to a mysterious rich lady called Ms. Yoon (played by actor Youn Yuh-jung). 

“I think nowadays, no matter what kind of film [a director] makes, the characters in the stories have to grapple with money one way or another in order to resonate with the audience,” Im said. “But in this film, although the characters run around the country trying to locate the money’s whereabouts, it isn’t revealed who ultimately bags the money in the end.” 

Highlights of the film include the scenes complimenting the natural chemistry between the two actors and the oddly tranquil nature scenes that the two men witness as they are on the run. 

According to Choi, the two actors’ bonding really derived from all the off-screen time they spent together. 

“We drank a lot together,” Choi explained. “At first, we would start off sober, but around eight out of 10 times we would end up talking in this trancelike state in which we barely remember what we’d said to each other. [Park] felt very familiar, in a way.” 

Park reminisced, saying “I remember a time once when director Im, Choi and I rented a room for the night, and we had the fiercest of discussions about the scenario. [Due to that night,] we arrived at the set fully prepared — with the build-up of the characters and a thorough understanding of the narrative.” 

Youn, an Oscar-winner in the 93rd Academy Awards, steals the scene despite her short screen time. Youn is famously dubbed Im’s acting persona as she has often appeared in his prior works such as “A Good Lawyer’s Wife” (2003), “The President’s Last Bang” (2005), “The Old Garden” (2007), “The Housemaid” (2010), “The Taste of Money” (2012) and “Intimate Enemies” (2015). 

Im said that he purposefully situated Youn and other female actors in powerful social positions to balance out the gender ratio in his film. 

“Since the story is basically rooted to this two men, as a creator who wrote the script and directed the film, I thought I should balance out the [gender] ratio in some other way,” Im said. “So I thought about placing the characters that Youn and actor Lee El take on as the internal cog of the mob, and other important characters such as a police chief or the police officer who tackles No. 203 on the rooftop, as females.” 

“Heaven,” along with director Yeon Sang-ho’s “Peninsula” (2020), was also officially selected for the 73rd Cannes Film Festival last year, but the festival was canceled due to the Covid-19 pandemic. 

The director also gave his thoughts on the reasons behind the recent global revelation of Korean content focusing on capitalism and social hierarchy, such as Netflix series “Squid Game” (2021) and “Parasite” (2019).   

“This film isn’t particularly about social hierarchy,” Im said. “However, I do not think that such social issues are specifically rooted to Korea. It’s a universal problem, and Korean writers and directors have had the guts to point them out directly. I believe that’s what’s appealed [to the global audience].” 

Instead of the riches, the film's happy ending derives from personal relationships, Im says. 

“The honest truth about life is that no matter how much we attempt to plan out our goals for the future, hardly any of them are achieved,” Im said. “What's left in the end is the warmth from the people we meet along the way as we dither about this way and that to achieve our goals. I believe that’s what life is about.” 

[Helena]

 

https://screenanarchy.com/2021/10/busan-2021-review-heaven-to-the-land-of-happiness-an-infectious-return-to-form-for-im-sang-soo.html
Busan 2021 Review: HEAVEN: TO THE LAND OF HAPPINESS, An Infectious Return to Form for Im Sang-soo

By Pierce Conran

 

The Busan International Film Festival puts a strong first foot forward this year with its tightly paced and effortlessly entertaining opening film Heaven: To the Land of Happiness, marking a return to form for director Im Sang-soo.

Ace Korean cinema veterans Choi Min-sik and Park Hae-il share a terrific on-screen bromance in a road movie filled with laughs and thrills, and lifted by compelling moments of quiet introspection.

Oldboy star Choi plays Prisoner 203, jailed several years ago for fraud who now has only a few months left on his sentence. But a trip to the hospital reveals an advanced brain tumor and yields a grim prognosis: he has just two weeks left to live.

Nam-sik (Park Hae-il) is a porter at the same hospital, suffering from a rare disease that requires a steady supply of expensive medicine. Unable to stump up the $25,000 for his monthly prescription, he moves around hospitals, stealing what medication he needs a little at a time.

On the same day that 203 gets his bad news, Nam-sik, who is tasked with carting him around, is finally caught. Both pushed to the brink, the two men join forces to escape, using a hearse as their getaway vehicle. The pair soon face an obstacle - they have no cash. Fortunately, when they take time out from their getaway to bury the hearse's payload, they discover that the heavy coffin in the back is laden with cash rather than a corpse.

With bags of bills on their backs and cops and gangsters on their tails, this unlikely duo of sick and sorry men get to know each other's misfortunes as they try to make their way to 203's daughter for one last family reunion before his time runs out.

Active since the late 1990s, director Im has been known as a firebrand filmmaker whose work, such as A Good Lawyer's Wife and The President's Last Bang, has often been provocative. The cynical streak in his films remained evident through the 2010s, in his The Housemaid remake and The Taste of Money, but his latest film finds him in a more mellow and melancholic mood.

The narrative, which is loosely based on the German film Knockin' on Heaven's Door, is more straightforward than what he's done in the past, and instead of presenting a political polemic, Im seems more interested in how people choose to live their lives when they realize time is running out.

A shade of Im's former cynicism remains in Lady Yoon - played by Academy Award-winning Minari star and frequent Im collaborator Youn Yuh-jung - a dying woman who sends her goons after the men who unknowingly stole her cash. In the film's most amusing character entrance, we find her sprawled theatrically on her deathbed. Even as the end draws near, all she cares about is the missing money, rather than the daughter by her side, played by Lee El, who is also more concerned about the cash than her mother.

Choi Min-sik and Park Hae-il are a formidable combination and one of the main reasons why the film works so well. They convey their characters' inner melancholy and show off great comic timing throughout. Im's film finds room for several other memorable supporting roles, among them Yoon Je-moon as a grumpy detective who joins the chase for the criminals, Cho Han-cheol as one of the goons after them, and young actress Lee Jae-in as 203's blue-haired barista daughter.

Guns are a rarity in Korea and can be jarring when seen in Korean films (knives are more common), but while a few do pop up here, the film's big running gag is all the taser guns that the cops and gangsters use, which lead to several hilarious standoffs. Yoon Je-moon gets some of the film's choicest comic moments as the narrative's most frequently-tased character.

The film is occasionally hampered by a by-the-numbers action-comedy score, but where it does excel is its song selection. Filled with terrific indie tunes, the film calls to mind the folk soundtracks of anti-establishment films of the 70s and 80s like The March of Fools or Whale Hunting. Im was part of Korea's student protester generation, but while he's largely put aside his activist themes for this film, the music, the buddy road movie structure, and the ultimate seaside destination all seem to hark back to these earlier works of activist cinema.

Heaven: To the Land of Happiness may seem like a light-hearted work from a filmmaker like Im, but this enjoyable action-comedy romp is also a compelling and contemplative drama from an assured and mature voice.

[Helena]

The director and the cast of the opening film "Heaven: To the Land of Happiness" attend a speical program held at the outdoor theater of the Busan Cinema Center during the 26th Busan International Film Festival on Oct. 8, 2021. (Yonhap)

 

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https://variety.com/2021/film/asia/heaven-to-the-land-of-happiness-review-im-sang-soo-1235084149/
‘Heaven: To the Land of Happiness’ Review: A Modest and Mostly Satisfying Odd-Couple Crime Comedy by Leading Korean Filmmaker Im Sang-soo

The tale of a terminally ill jailbird and a downcast hospital worker has the heart and humor to overcome some slow stretches.

By Richard Kuipers | October 8, 2021

 

Courtesy of Finecut

A terminally ill prisoner and a despondent hospital worker steal a hearse stuffed with mob money in “Heaven: To the Land of Happiness.” This combination of odd-couple road movie and crime comedy moves along nicely for about half the running time but loses momentum when sentimentality and drawn-out male bonding take precedence over the film’s more playful components. Well served by the casting of A-list performers Choi Min-sik (“Old Boy”) and Park Hae-il (“The Host”) as the unlikely allies, “Heaven” should be warmly welcomed by local audiences but the latest offering from distinguished South Korean filmmaker Im Sang-soo is unlikely to enjoy the same international exposure as his best-known works, such as “The Housemaid.”

Originally selected for Cannes 2020 but unable to screen owing to the pandemic, Im’s film instead received its world premiere as the opening-night attraction at Busan 2021. A very different proposition from his emotionally spiky and politically provocative works including “The President’s Last Bang,” “A Good Lawyer’s Wife” and “The Taste of Money,” this jaunt around some gorgeously photographed Korean countryside finds Im in a much more laid-back and reflective frame of mind.

In brisk opening segments we meet a convicted embezzler known only as Prisoner 203 (Choi). With the end of his five-year stretch in sight 203 discovers he has an inoperable brain tumor and is given a fortnight to live. Before his time is up, 203 wants to ask his distant daughter (Lee Jae-in) for forgiveness and then die by the seaside. Working at the hospital where 203 has been diagnosed is Nam-sik (Park), a meek-and-mild orderly who’s been stealing the prohibitively expensive drugs he needs to combat Fabry’s disease, a crippling and frequently life-shortening affliction.

When 203 decides to bust out of the hospital, he finds an accomplice in Nam-sik, who’s about to be caught by authorities and figures he may as well go along for the ride. A nifty series of coincidences finds the duo hijacking a hearse containing a coffin belonging to a crime family. After deciding to stop and bury the box the duo discover it’s stuffed with cash.

Im’s screenplay hums along enjoyably as 203 and Nam-sik scoop up as much money as they can carry and set their sights on reaching 203’s daughter before it’s too late. Chasing them is an interesting gallery of oddballs including a bullheaded, none-too-bright cop (Yoon Je-moon) and two goons (Cho Han-cheul and Im Seong-jae) employed by terminally ill crime clan matriarch Madame Yoon (Youn Yuh-jung). Appearing in her sixth Im feature, and an Oscar winner for “Minari,” national treasure Youn steals every scene she’s in as the bedridden boss who might be at death’s door but can’t stop belittling and berating her glamorous daughter (Lee El) about the missing moolah.

But neither the entertaining Madame Yoon nor her lively minions play much part in the film’s middle section. Im’s screenplay slows dramatically as 203 and Nam-sik swap tales of woe before bickering, busting up and eventually becoming inseparable best buddies with a new appreciation for life in the face of impending death. Choi and Park are very good together and there’s a sincerity in the scripting that will keep patient viewers engaged, but the story’s sprightly pacing and free-wheeling spirit takes a noticeable hit when the pursuing pack of cops and crooks is relegated to the sidelines.

“Heaven” regains at least some of its mojo with an exciting chase in which 203 and Nam-sik steal the motorcycle of a female cop (Susanna Noh), and the return of Madame Yoon’s thugs for one last stab at settling the score. Though not aiming for big belly laughs, the script offers a good deal of wry humor and has a terrific running gag involving the use of taser guns.

Despite its slow patches and a score that indulges in a little too much 1970s-style “wacka wacka” disco guitar for its own good, “Heaven” reaches a destination that may be very familiar but should leave many viewers with the same kind of feeling as a character who says in a moment of reflection “it felt warm and made me happy.”

 

‘Heaven: To the Land of Happiness’ Review: A Modest and Mostly Satisfying Odd-Couple Crime Comedy by Leading Korean Filmmaker Im Sang-soo

Reviewed online, Oct. 8, 2021. (In Busan Film Festival – opener.) Running time: 100 MIN. (Original title: “Hebeun: haengbokeui nararo”)

Production: (South Korea) A Lotte Entertainment release and presentation of a Hive Media Corp. production. (World sales: Finecut Co., Ltd., Seoul.)  Producer: Kim Won-kuk. Executive producer: Kee Won-gyu.
Crew: Director, writer: Im Sang-soo. Camera: Kim Tae-kyung. Editors: Jeong Ji-eun, Kim Hyung-joo.
With: Choi Min-sik, Park Hae-il, Cho Han-cheul, Im Seong-jae, Youn Yuh-jung, Lee Jae-in, Lee El, Kim Yeo-jin, Susanna Noh, Yoon Je-moon, Jung Min-sung. (Korean dialogue)
Music By: Kim Hong-jip, Lee Jin-hee

[Helena]

[October 6, 2021] Choi Min-sik and Park Hae-il pose on the red carpet before entering the Busan Cinema Center for the 26th Busan International Film Festival’s opening ceremony on Wednesday night. (Yonhap)

 

 

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https://variety.com/2021/film/asia/park-chan-wook-talks-sympathizer-decision-to-leave-and-virtual-production-technology-1235086940/
Park Chan-wook Talks ‘Sympathizer,’ ‘Decision to Leave’ and Virtual Production Technology

By Rebecca Souw | October 12, 2021

 

Rebecca Souw

Park Chan-wook, one of South Korea’s most celebrated film directors, kicked off the Asian Contents & Film Market adjunct to the Busan International Film Festival with a public update of his various film and TV projects.

Attached as director and showrunner on A24’s “The Sympathizer,” a seven-part series for HBO, Park said: “We’ve decided on 5 writers including myself and will start working on the scripts. All episodes will flow as a connected story [and not as an anthology series].” The show is an espionage drama based on Viet Thanh Nguyen’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel. Robert Downey Jr. is attached to star.

His comments came as part of an on-stage chat with long-time friend, director Lee Moo-young that the market organizers billed as “Audiovisual Storytelling in the Era of Diverse Media and Platforms.” Other topic covered included the new pressures, risks and opportunities within a changing media landscape, and how those challenges affect filmmakers’ storytelling and style.

Park also revealed that his feature film “Decision to Leave,” a romantic thriller, is now deep into post-production. Editing is locked, leaving music and VFX to be completed by the end of the year. “The release date is uncertain, [distributor] CJ Entertainment doesn’t know either and since no one is rushing, we are constantly retouching things all the time,” said Park.

Spoiler

Park and Lee swapped notes on the contest between film and TV, using Park’s 2018 six-episode limited series “Little Drummer Girl” as a reference point. Park revealed his initial worries about the show’s TV success. “I didn’t see the need to pull everything out from the book,” he said. He later went on to make two versions, one for global broadcast and a director’s cut released on Korean OTT platform Watcha.

“With film, there’s a fixed release date, which means everything is done with concentrated focus. Arguments are also quick and intense. In TV, cliffhangers are key and there’s time to develop the characters of supporting actors, possibly with spin-offs, unlike movies,” says Park. “Also, when shooting a series, scripts are changed according to viewers’ reaction.”

Park told Lee that he makes little effort to change style between film and series production. “Not much, it doesn’t bother me,” he said. “I worry about the small details like camera movements, close up shots and SFX. And the reality is, I don’t know how viewers are watching the content, so it’s hard to know the reference points.”

A renown stylist, Park said that he will continue to experiment with different formats, rather than “getting trapped in stereotypes and hanging onto old habits.”

“I’ve done music videos and short films. It’s a matter of familiarizing myself with the new medium. Learn and respect the rules (in TV), but don’t get buried by them. It’s a changing environment, which means we can keep trying new things.”

Park and Lee said that were both interested in the emerging virtual production techniques, with Park referencing the work of his frequent cinematographer Chung Chung-hoon who is currently making an Obi-wan spinoff for the “Star Wars” universe. “It’s already happening, but the question is would it do well in theaters?” Park asked himself, before adding that he is planning an experimental short.

Park acknowledged the financial hardships of investors and filmmakers caused by the coronavirus pandemic and urged colleagues to “endure and persist, even if it means leaving the theater industry for a while and finding something different.”

One such example has been Park’s dabbling with photography. “Your Faces,” comprising 30 images taken over several years, is his first solo photography exhibition, and is currently being held at the Gukje Gallery Busan (Oct. 1-Dec. 19). “It’s my debut as a photographer, so I’m very nervous,” said Park.

 

[Helena]

http://www.koreanfilm.or.kr/eng/news/features.jsp?blbdComCd=601013&mode=FEATURES_VIEW&seq=551
Settling Korean Cinema 2021 & Forecasting 2022

by KIM Subin | Jan 04, 2022

Settling Korean Cinema 2021 & Forecasting 2022

 

In 2021, a total of 60.52 million moviegoers visited movie theaters. It is a slight increase from 59.52 million viewers in 2020. However, the era of having 60 million viewers is still unfamiliar compared to the boom that exceeded 200 million viewers for the seventh consecutive year before the COVID-19. 2021 was the year when all workers in the film industry struggled amid uncontrolled variables. As if to relieve the thirst of moviegoers, the lineup of movie distributors in 2022 is full of Korean films.

 

Spoiler

The Efforts to Protect Movie Theaters

 

Escape from Mogadishu(2021), SINKHOLE(2021)

The year 2021 dawned without any promise to end the Pandemic. As a result, on January 11, the total number of moviegoers was 10,776, the lowest since 2004. However, the mood at the end of the year was a little different. On December 15, it recorded 634,948 viewers, the largest daily audience number since the Pandemic. Over the year, variables related to COVID-19, such as the start of COVID-19 vaccination, the emergence and spread of mutant viruses, changes in social distancing stages, and restrictions on movie theater business hours, have continuously affected the theater business. Especially, the recent resumption of restrictions on theater business hours led by the government policies caused the film industry workers to appeal for countermeasures. Major multiplexes such as CGV, Lotte Cinema, and Megabox tried to reduce the deficit by raising ticket prices. Korea Film Council made several attempts to attract audiences, including distributing 6,000 won discount tickets. The theater industry also joined forces with paid media services to release Korean tent pole movies. While both sides guaranteed 50% of the production cost, Escape from Mogadishu and SINKHOLE were released, attracting more than 2 million audiences respectively, recording meaningful results. In particular, attracting a total of 3.61 million viewers, Escape from Mogadishu was recognized for its cinematic quality, becoming the most popular Korean film of the year, while sweeping so many awards, including the Best Film, the Best Director, and the Best Art Direction at the Blue Dragon Film Awards.

 

Powerful Hollywood Movies & Good Fight of Korean TentPole Movies

Img3
On the Line(2021), The Three Sisters(2021), Aloners(2021), Everglow(2021)

2021 was a year when overseas blockbuster films were powerful. In 2020, Korean films accounted for 68% and foreign films 32%, but in 2021, Korean films accounted for 32% while foreign films 69.9%, showing the opposite pattern. The fact that 8 out of the top 10 box office films were foreign films shows the aspect. Among foreign films, Hollywood blockbusters, which had delayed their release, were released one after another, chosen by the audience. Spider-Man: No Way Home surpassed 6 million viewers in Korea on the first weekend of January 2022, recording the largest number of the audience in the shortest time among the foreign movies released during the Pandemic. According to Box Office Mojo, the film earned $1.217.54 billion (about 1.4494 trillion won) worldwide by December 31, serving as a hero not only in Korea but also in global theaters. The Eternals, the third top among the last year's releases, was particularly popular in Korea with the merit of the Marvel series and Actor Don Lee's appearance, followed by Black Widow, Fast & Furious 9 THE FAST SAGA, Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba the Movie: Mugen Train, Venom: Let There Be Carnage, Soul, and Cruella, making Top 10 in Korean box office hits.

2021 was also the year when special theaters such as IMAX were in the spotlight, proving the power only movie theaters have. The ticket sales and audience share of those premium theaters increased compared to 2019. The movie Dune, released in October, recorded sellouts every day at the IMAX theaters at the time of its release and surpassed 1 million viewers by re-screening at the IMAX theaters at the end of November. The popularity of large-scale blockbusters and special theaters proved the possibility of theaters in the Pandemic era and gave homework in terms of film diversity at the same time.

The number of Korean movies available in theaters decreased. Only two Korean films, Escape from Mogadishu and SINKHOLE, were ranked in the Top 10 in the box office. Although the films were released in the fourth stage of social distancing due to the re-proliferation of COVID-19, they attracted 3.61 million and 2.19 million viewers, respectively, serving as support for the theaters. Director Pil Gamsung's debut film Hostage: Missing Celebrity, and Directors Kim Gok and Kim Sun's crime thriller On the Line also surpassed 1 million viewers. Many Korean films delayed their release due to the theater conditions in the Pandemic or continued to be sold to the OTT market in 2021. Among them, independent art films such as The Three Sisters, Aloners, Everglow, Gull, A Long Way to School, and SNOWBALL received the spotlight, showing the power of good stories.

Active Roles of Creators in Chungmuro

 

Img4
Last Night in Soho(2021), Mona Lisa and the Blood Moon(2021)

Following Korean content, 2021 was the year of keen interest in Korean film creators. The best example is that Actor Youn Yuhjung won the Best Supporting Actress for Minari at the Academy Awards in April. Five days after the prize-winning news was reported, Minari surpassed 1 million viewers, which is a rare case for diversity films. Director Bong Joonho served as the president of the International Jury of the Competition at the 78th Venice International Film Festival following the announcement of the opening of the 74th Cannes International Film Festival, where Actor Song Kangho participated as a judge. Director Hong Sangsoo's In Front of Your Face and Director Han Jaerim's Emergency Declaration were both invited to Cannes's Premier and Non-competitive section, respectively.

We also could meet Korean actors and staff members in many films in various languages. The Eternals, Actor Don Lee co-starred in, and Last Night in Soho, Director of Photography Chung Chunghoon participated in, were released, while Mona Lisa and the Blood Moon, starring Actor Jeon Jongseo, entered the competition section at the Venice International Film Festival. Although the casting news has not been officially announced, Actor Park Seojoon is taking on a new challenge by listing his name on IMDb credit for The Marvels, while Actor Yoo Teo was cast in Past Lives, which is invested and produced by A24 that produced Minari.

Meanwhile, OTT content made by the creators, who have strengthened their careers in Chungmuro, was also widely loved. Squid Game established itself as Netflix's top box office series, with 142 million households watching it for 28 days after its release. Subsequently, Hellbound and The Silent Sea drew attention, and the names of the creators who have strengthened their careers in the film industry, including Director Hwang Donghyuk, Director Yeon Sangho, Art Director Chae Kyungsun, and Music Director Jung Jaeil, were mentioned worldwide.

 

Korean Films That Will Fill Theater Screens

 

In the new year, masterpieces of Korean films are about to be released. According to the 2022 lineups revealed by distributors, Director Yim Soonrye will return with The Point Men, starring Hwang Jungmin and Hyun Bin. It is the story of a diplomat and an NSA agent trying to save a Korean kidnapped in the Middle East. Director Kim Sungjae's Bogota, who directed Minority Opinion, is a crime movie set in Bogota, Colombia. Both films suffered difficulties in overseas filming due to COVID-19 but were listed in the new lineup in 2022. Director Han Jaerim presents the aviation disaster movie Emergency Declaration. It is a blockbuster that required more than 20 billion won for its production, and Jeon Doyeon, Song Kangho, Lee Byunghun, and Kim Namgil form an ensemble. After Escape from Mogadishu, Director Ryoo Seungwan returns quickly with Smuggling, a crime film of the two women set in the 1970s. Kim Hyesoo, Yum Jungah, Jo Insung, and Park Jungmin will appear in the film.

We can also see the new films of film masters. Director Park Chanwook's Decision to Leave is a story that begins when a detective who investigates the death case in the mountain meets the wife of the deceased, starring Park Haeil and Tang Wei. Director Hirokazu Koreeda presents Broker, a story based on 'Baby Box,' which leaves a baby behind. Korean actors such as Song Kangho, Kang Dongwon, Bae Doona, Lee Jieun, and Lee Jooyoung star in, raising expectations. Director Choi Donghoon completed Alien, a story that unfolds as the door of time opens between the end of Goryeo and 2022 when aliens appear. Expectations are high only with the names of the cast, including Ryu Junyeol, Kim Woobin, Kim Taeri, So Jisub, Yum Jungah, Jo Woojin, and Kim Euisung.

New films with unique concepts will also add vitality to the theater district. Director Kang Yikwan's Virus (working title), starring Kim Yoonseok and Bae Doona, is set in the world where an unidentified virus spreads, which kills people who feel love within a few days. Director Kim Yonghwa's new film The Moon (working title) is the story of a man left alone in space and a man on Earth desperately trying to save him, starring Sul Kyunggu and Do Kyungsoo. Director Kim Taeyong's WONDERLAND features an artificial intelligence service that allows video calls with people who do not exist in the world. Park Bogum, Suji, Gong Yoo, Tang Wei, Jung Yumi, and Choi Woosik will star in the movie. Director Kang Hyungchul's new film High Five is a story about five people who accidentally gain superpowers. They bump into those who covet their superpowers. Lee Jaein, Yoo Ahin, , Ra Miran, and Kim Heewon star in the movie.

We can also expect the release of the sequels of the box office hits. Confidential Assignment, Hyun Bin and Yoo Haejin starred in, attracting 7.81 million viewers, will return with Confidential Assignment 2: International. Daniel Henney participates in a joint investigation as an agent from the US FBI in the film. Honest Candidate, which surpassed 1 million viewers in the Pandemic era, continues its sequel on the subject of the protagonist's return to politics. In The Pirates: Goblin Flag, the sequel to The Pirates, new cast members such as Kang Haneul and Han Hyojoo continue the adventures of the pirates in the Joseon Dynasty. Director Park Hoonjung is directing The Witch 2: The Other One, following The Witch: Part 1. The Subversion. Director Kim Hanmin completed the trilogy of Admiral Yi Sunshin, including Roaring Currents: The Road of the Admiral, Hansan, and Noryang.

What will the debut films made by actors look like? Actor Lee Jungjae will make his directorial debut with Hunt. It is a spy action film that takes place as NSA agents chase after a North Korean spy director sent to South Korea, starring Lee Jungjae and Jung Woosung. Actor Jung Woosung also directs Guardian and plays the main character in the movie. Guardian depicts the protagonist's struggle to protect only one person.

In addition, Director Kang Jekyu's 1947, Boston, Director Yoon Jekyun's Hero, Director Lee Wontae's The Devil's Deal, Director Lee Haeyoung's Ghost, Director Min Yonggeun's Soulmate, Director Kim Taegon's Silence, Director Lee Yosup's Accident, and Director Kim Hyungjoo's The Match have been announced to be released. The film industry workers and audiences are waiting in unison for the films to arrive safely on the screen.

 

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https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/art/2022/01/689_321738.html
Upcoming Korean movies to watch in 2022

By Kwak Yeon-soo | 2022-01-05

 

The year 2022 is shaping up to be a big year for the film industry, with an enormous lineup of movies coming to theaters. These include a number of delayed blockbusters rescheduled for release in 2022 because of the pandemic, such as "Emergency Declaration," "Life is Beautiful" and "Hero."

New releases by directors like Kim Han-min, Choi Dong-hoon and Kim Yong-hwa will provide viewers with a wider selection. Some actors will also expand their talents behind the camera for their feature directorial debuts.

Long-awaited movie sequels will be among the biggest releases of 2022.

"The Pirates: Goblin Flag," a sequel to the 2014 action film, "The Pirates," will be coming to theaters on Jan. 26. The upcoming film, featuring Kang Ha-neul and Han Hyo-joo, promises a new adrenaline-pumping storyline and a cast of fresh faces. The previous movie, starring Son Ye-jin and Kim Nam-gil, garnered about 8.7 million in ticket sales in 2014.

"The Roundup," the sequel to the 2017 crime action film, "The Outlaws," is slated for release in the first half of 2022. Ma Dong-seok, also known as Don Lee in the U.S., will appear in a reprise of his iconic role as Ma Seok-do, while Son Suk-ku will newly join the cast as the villain. "The Outlaws" attracted more than 6.9 million moviegoers in 2017. 

"Confidential Assignment 2," a follow-up to the 2017 action comedy flick, "Confidential Assignment," will be arriving this year. It revolves around North Korean detective Lim Cheol-ryung (Hyun Bin) who joins hands with South Korean police detective Kang Jin-tae (Yoo Hai-jin) to complete a secret mission. The first installment racked up 7.8 million ticket sales in 2017. 

A few films that involved overseas filming during the pandemic will finally be released.

"The Point Men," featuring actors Hwang Jung-min and Hyun Bin, is based on a real event in Afghanistan that took place in 2007, when 23 South Korean missionaries were captured and held hostage. The film production of the hostage crisis drama, shot at least partly in Jordan, had been delayed due to the spread of the coronavirus. It is scheduled to hit theaters in the second half of 2022.

Crime drama film "Bogota: City of the Lost," featuring Song Joong-ki, will be unveiled this year. It experienced production disruptions due to the pandemic. As the film tells the story of Koreans who migrated to Colombia in the 1990s in search of a better life, the filming began in January 2020 in Colombia. However, the production team shut down production a few months later, as the pandemic forced film and TV shoots to pause their work. The production resumed in June of last year in Korea and finished filming in October. 

 

New releases by directors like Kim Han-min, Choi Dong-hoon and Kim Yong-hwa

Choi Dong-hoon, the director behind the commercially successful films, "The Thieves" (2012) and "Assassination," (2015) will present sci-fi crime flick "Alien," a two-part blockbuster about aliens living in Korea that travel back in time to the Joseon era (1392-1910). The leading cast includes Kim Tae-ri, Ryu Jun-yeol and Kim Woo-bin.

Director Kim Han-min, the mastermind behind "Roaring Currents" (2014), is returning with another naval epic, "Hansan: Rise of the Dragon," that centers on the legendary historical figure, Admiral Yi Sun-sin. "Roaring Currents" (2014) is by far the highest-grossing film in Korea, having garnered over 17 million moviegoers.

 

Kim Yong-hwa, the director behind the success of the "Along with the Gods" franchise, will return with "The Moon," a sci-fi blockbuster that features an all-star cast, including Seol Kyung-gu, Kim Hee-ae and EXO's D.O. 

Kang Je-kyu, whose early film, "Taegukgi: Brotherhood of War," (2004) drew 10 million viewers, will bring out a new film, "Boston 1947," which chronicles the stories of Korean athletes during the Boston Marathon in 1947.

 

Actors expanding their talents behind the camera for their feature directorial debuts.

"Squid Game" star Lee Jung-jae and actor Jung Woo-sung, who most recently produced Netflix's original series, "The Silent Sea," will make their directorial debuts this year, respectively. 

In his debut action film, "Hunt," set in the 1980s when the authoritarian regime was at its peak, Lee will play elite agent Park Pyung-ho, who chases after a North Korean spy while coming to terms with the truth about his country.

Jung's debut film, "Guardian," follows the story of a man who tries to protect his estranged daughter, who is kidnapped by a killer for hire.

[Helena]

http://www.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20220204000515
Florence Korea Film Fest to kick off in April

By Song Seung-hyun (ssh@heraldcorp.com) | February 4, 2022

 

Florence Korea Film Fest opener, “Heaven: To the Land of Happiness,” directed by Im Sang-soo (Lotte Entertainment)

Taegukgi Toscana Korea Association on Thursday announced that this year’s Florence Korea Film Fest will take place at Cinema La Compagnia in Florence, Italy, from April 7 to 15.  Some of the movies also will be screened online on the platform Piu Compagnia during the festival.  Although the event organizer has not revealed the full list, it said 12 Korean actors, directors and producers will attend the film festival to mark its 20th anniversary.  During the last 20 years, over 2,000 Korean films have been introduced at the festival and more than 100 Korean actors and film industry insiders have attended the event.

The opening film of this year’s festival in Italy will be “Heaven: To the Land of Happiness” directed by Im Sang-soo.  Im’s movie centers on two men: No. 203, played by Choi Min-sik, and Nam-sik, played by Park Hye-il. Longtime prisoner No. 203 one day finds out he only has two weeks to live due to a brain tumor. Upon learning the news, he decides to break out of prison. While escaping, No. 203 meets Nam-sik, who is suffering from a life threatening disease and is also on the run because he stole expensive medicine from hospitals to treat his illness. Their trip takes an unexpected turn when the two men accidentally steal a large sum of ill-gotten money from Madame Yoon, played by Oscar-winner Youn Yuh-jung.  The South Korean movie opened the 26th Busan International Film Festival, which was held in October last year, and has also made it on the Cannes Film Festival’s 2020 Official Selection list.

A total of 35 features and 41 short films will be screened during the festival and it will close with director Ryoo Seung-wan’s “Escape from Mogadishu.”  Ryoo’s movie is based on a true event. Set in 1991 the film features rival South and North Korean diplomats having to cooperate with each other to escape Somalia when the civil war breaks out.

There will also be a new “Webtoon & Cinema” section that will screen four Korean movies created based on Korean webtoons. More details about the films under the section were not immediately available as of Friday.

Meanwhile, the Korean Cultural Center in Brussels, Belgium, is also holding a Korean movie event to screen films related to the hit Netflix show “Squid Game” at Cinema Galeries.  A total of six films featuring actors that appeared on the Netflix show are being screened.  The event kicked off on Feb. 3 with “Deliver Us from Evil” starring Lee Jung-jae, who played Sung Ki-hoon in “Squid Game.”  The screening, which runs through March 17, presents a movie every Thursday at 7:00 p.m. except on March 3.