Lee Byung Hun 이병헌 Byunghun Lee

[Ephoenix]

August 17, 2023 

CONCRETE UTOPIA OFFICIALLY SELECTED AS KOREA’S ENTRY FOR INTERNATIONAL FEATURE FILM CATEGORY AT THE 96TH ACADEMY AWARDS 

The movie "Concrete Utopia" has been selected as an entry for the U.S. Academy Film Awards International Feature Film Awards to be held next year.

The Film Promotion Committee (hereinafter referred to as the Youngjin Committee) announced on the 17th that it has selected "Concrete Utopia" (director Um Tae-hwa) as an entry for Korean films in the 96th Academy Awards international feature film category.

Regarding the reason for the selection, the Youngjin Committee said, "We wanted to select a movie that is Korean, aims for global standards, balances artistry and popularity well, and can appeal to the Academy Awards, which is called somewhat conservative."

 

"It is the director's second feature, and actor Lee Byung-hun has excellent recognition at home and abroad," he added. "All judges are required to implement a bold promotion strategy for the successful Oscar campaign."

The judges explained, "The direction of the selection of the seven judges' works has been narrowed down to 'Cobweb' and 'Concrete Utopia,' and "Cobweb' has production company credibility, director awareness, world star Song Kang-ho, and universal themes, but the prevailing opinion was that public preference could be polarized."

On the other hand, "Concrete Utopia" has emerged as a little disappointing directing capabilities, but it has revealed various desires in the character group, and an original work has been created in which the main character Lee Byung-hun leads the story.

In addition, "Concrete Utopia" deals with class topics found in "Parasite" that impressed the academy, and the ending is also valuable," he said. "Concrete Utopia was unanimously selected as it will appeal to North America in line with the K-movie trend."

Released on the 9th, "Concrete Utopia" is a disaster drama about Seoul, which was devastated by a major earthquake, and the only remaining palace apartment that begins with survivors gathering.As of the 16th, it has surpassed 2.23 million viewers and is cruising at the box office.

 

source: here

 

It has been selected among the 13 candidates who had applied for this category. 

Spoiler

I am super excited for Concrete Utopia, and I hope Lotte Entertainment spare no effort to come up with the best possible strategy and find the best distributors in USA to promote the movie in North America. I wish them all the luck and best wishes for the entire team. It’s a bit sad, or should I say disappointing to learn their reasons for choosing though. No offense to Parasite and Squid game but they need to stop treating them like the standard for Korean content and stop obsessing over it, and compare and judge everything through that lenses. It’s really demotivating honestly. 

[Ephoenix]

August 17, 2023 

 

CONCRETE UTOPIA BOX OFFICE D-9 

 

#1 Domestic movies 

#2 Overall movies 

 

Attendance - 80, 209 viewers 

Accumulated - 2,310,265 viewers 

Domestic Reservation rate - 43.2% (80,964 people) 

 

 

CONCRETE UTOPIA 3RD WEEK RELAY GV

 

Director Uhm Tae Hwa, Park Bo-young, Park Ji-hoo, and Director Kim Bo-ra of the movie "The House of Hummingbird", which was a breakthrough debut movie of Park Ji hu will meet to hold the third week of relay GV.

 

View So

 

Lotte released new breathtaking individual character posters in HD of the casts. Are we heading to the full fledged promotion overseas now? 

 

Kim Young Tak and Ahn Sang Goo with their bloodshot eyes will never not give me chills. For someone like me, who hates even the idea of having anything in my eyes, this is just insane. 

 

 

Spoiler

Spoiler

[willenette]

20 hours ago, Ephoenix said:

August 17, 2023 

CONCRETE UTOPIA OFFICIALLY SELECTED AS KOREA’S ENTRY FOR INTERNATIONAL FEATURE FILM CATEGORY AT THE 96TH ACADEMY AWARDS

The movie "Concrete Utopia" has been selected as an entry for the U.S. Academy Film Awards International Feature Film Awards to be held next year.

The Film Promotion Committee (hereinafter referred to as the Youngjin Committee) announced on the 17th that it has selected "Concrete Utopia" (director Um Tae-hwa) as an entry for Korean films in the 96th Academy Awards international feature film category.

Regarding the reason for the selection, the Youngjin Committee said, "We wanted to select a movie that is Korean, aims for global standards, balances artistry and popularity well, and can appeal to the Academy Awards, which is called somewhat conservative."

 

"It is the director's second feature, and actor Lee Byung-hun has excellent recognition at home and abroad," he added. "All judges are required to implement a bold promotion strategy for the successful Oscar campaign."

The judges explained, "The direction of the selection of the seven judges' works has been narrowed down to 'Cobweb' and 'Concrete Utopia,' and "Cobweb' has production company credibility, director awareness, world star Song Kang-ho, and universal themes, but the prevailing opinion was that public preference could be polarized."

On the other hand, "Concrete Utopia" has emerged as a little disappointing directing capabilities, but it has revealed various desires in the character group, and an original work has been created in which the main character Lee Byung-hun leads the story.

In addition, "Concrete Utopia" deals with class topics found in "Parasite" that impressed the academy, and the ending is also valuable," he said. "Concrete Utopia was unanimously selected as it will appeal to North America in line with the K-movie trend."

Released on the 9th, "Concrete Utopia" is a disaster drama about Seoul, which was devastated by a major earthquake, and the only remaining palace apartment that begins with survivors gathering.As of the 16th, it has surpassed 2.23 million viewers and is cruising at the box office.

 

source: here

 

It has been selected among the 13 candidates who had applied for this category. 

I am super excited for Concrete Utopia, and I hope Lotte Entertainment spare no effort to come up with the best possible strategy and find the best distributors in USA to promote the movie in North America. I wish them all the luck and best wishes for the entire team. It’s a bit sad, or should I say disappointing to learn their reasons for choosing though. No offense to Parasite and Squid game but they need to stop treating them like the standard for Korean content and stop obsessing over it, and compare and judge everything through that lenses. It’s really demotivating honestly. 

 

@Ephoenix  thanks for sharing this. Only one film per country can be submitted in the Academy’s International Feature Film category each year. This year, aside from “Concrete Utopia”, “Cobweb” is also one of the finalists for South Korea’s submission.  

 

 

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

 

“Concrete Utopia” Gets Unanimously Selected As Korean Submission For 96th Academy Awards

 

 

“Concrete Utopia” will be competing in the International Feature Film category at the 96th Academy Awards!

 

On August 17, the Korean Film Council announced that “Concrete Utopia” had been selected as the Korean film to be submitted in the International Feature Film category for the 96th Academy Awards.

 

Regarding the selection criteria, the judges stated, “We wanted to select a film that feels Korean but is also geared towards the global standard, that strikes a good balance between artistic and mainstream, and that can appeal to the Academy Awards, which is often perceived as conservative.”

 

Only one film per country can be submitted in the Academy’s International Feature Film category each year. This year, “Concrete Utopia” and “Cobweb” competed as finalists for South Korea’s submission.

 

Explaining why “Concrete Utopia” was selected, the judges commented, “In Korea, an apartment building symbolizes class and wealth. After only the low-income housing complex Hwang Goong Apartments was left standing [in ‘Concrete Utopia’], the various desires of the characters struggling for survival were well-portrayed. It is an original story well-led by Lee Byung Hun.”

 

They added, “At a time when global recession and natural disasters are hitting every corner of the globe, ‘Concrete Utopia’ features not heroes, but ordinary people trying to survive. It touches on the themes of class found in the award-winning film ‘Parasite.'”

 

“Concrete Utopia” is a disaster thriller about the aftermath of a devastating earthquake. The movie follows the story that begins when the survivors gather at Hwang Goong Apartments, the only building left standing in an earthquake-ravaged Seoul.

 

 

 

credit : soompi news

[willenette]

'Concrete Utopia' selected as S. Korea's Oscar entry

 

SEOUL, Aug. 18 (Yonhap) -- Korean disaster thriller "Concrete Utopia" will represent South Korea at next year's Academy Awards, its distributor said Friday.

 

The Korean Film Council (KOFIC) has chosen the film as the country's entry for the best international feature film category of the 96th Academy Awards, according to Lotte Entertainment.

 

Directed by Eom Tae-hwa, the apocalyptic movie follows the residents of the only apartment building that survived a catastrophic earthquake in Seoul as they fight for their lives. It stars Lee Byung-hun, Park Seo-joon and Park Bo-young.

 

The council said the film was chosen as South Korea's entry for the Oscars as it expertly explores the topic of class conflict, the main theme of Bong Joon-ho's film "Parasite," which won best picture, best director, best original screenplay and the best international feature film at the 92nd Academy Awards in 2020.

 

"The film features ordinary people struggling to survive in apartments, the most representative Korean symbol of wealth," the review committee said.

 

"Concrete Utopia" has drawn over 2.2 million admissions since its release on Aug. 9.

 

The Oscar's non-English movie section requires each country to submit a single film as their official representative.

 

The 96th Academy Awards are slated for March next year.

 

The poster of "Concrete Utopia" is seen in this photo provided by its distributor, Lotte Entertainment. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

 

ejkim@yna.co.kr
(END)

 

 

 

credit : Yonhap News

https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20230818001100315?section=culture/movies

[Ephoenix]

August 18, 2023 

 

CONCRETE UTOPIA ASIA PRESS JUNKET INTERVIEW WITH MALAYSIAN MEDIA 

 

 

Kudos to those two interviewers for conducting almost 95% of the interview in Korean. I was so surprised. Even our ConUzz looked like they enjoyed. I recently got to know the lady apparently is a fan of LBH since All In. I just had no idea she could speak Korean so well. Really inspiring me to work harder to sharpen my Korean skills. 

 

Q: Describe the movie in 3 words. 

Dir. UTH: CONCRETE AND UTOPIA!!

 

JUST PERFECT, SIR! These two brothers are so effortlessly funny and charming. 

 

Full interview: https://www.instagram.com/reel/CwEviLEhe5Y/?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

Spoiler

 

 

[Ephoenix]

August 18, 2023 

 

CONCRETE UTOPIA BOX OFFICE D-10 

 

#1 -Domestic movies #2 -Overall movies 

 

Attendance today - 96,990 ppl 

Accumulated - 2,406,258 audiences 

Ticket reservation rate overall - 15.8% (100,368 people) 

 

Weekend stage greetings starts tomorrow. LBH will be present only on the 19. Wonder if he's started filming for SG2 already. 

All the best, Concrete Utopia, and Our ConUzz. 

 

 

[Ephoenix]

August 19, 2023 

 

CONCRETE UTOPIA 2ND WEEKEND STAGE GREETINGS 

 

Most likely LBH's last stage greetings before he starts his other schedules considering the size of bouquet he got from fans. I wonder if they will stay longer and promote in NA for a while. It is very important for the nomination campaign after all. Last time, TMSN barely had anything. I accidentally found out it was even on the theater here. I hope Lotte does it better although I heard finding good distributors is very challenging. Right now as well I suddenly got this broadcast invite from Lotte Entertainment, welcoming everyone who joined. I don't know what they are up to.... but we will see. 

 

I am just dying to watch the movie, because I learned too much already... the curiosity is killing me.. 

 

 

 

CONCRETE UTOPIA 2ND SPECIAL GV 

With Director Uhm Tae Hwa  and Director Han Joon Hee from Netflix drama, “D.P.”, which was also one of the productions of Climax studio. I still have to watch this one though. 
 

https://youtu.be/v_IAgfTUfSI

Also, This art review contains spoilers but I just can't help share here because the work is just brilliant. 

 

https://youtu.be/scoXfcltohU

[Ephoenix]

August 19, 2023 

 

LBH's and Lotte Entertainment IG updates! 

 

Someone gave him the Chinese calligraphy art decor with a proverb written on it, which Young tak used to try and convince Minsung in the movie, both written in Hanja and Hangul. The one LBH holding sn't the correct proverb but an ad-lib one which Young-tak mistakenly blurted out to Min Sung. 

 

This is apparently the next "Let's go to Mojito and have a cup of Maldives."  ad-lib by LBH made on the spot. I am saying this only from reviews and such since I have yet to watch the movie and understand but LBH is said to have changed the meaning completely. Even PSJ during the GV mentioned how he felt when he changed the proverb on the spot. I think he said something in the lines that he was so surprised at first but went along.

 

The original Confucian proverb goes like this, "修身齊家治國平天下". I might be mistaken here. I can't believe this man has me look for traditional chinese proverbs on top of all of this ... where I have to look for spoilers to understand his interviews already hahaha. @peonie if you'd like to kindly enlighten me on this, please. 

 

 

Spoiler

https://www.instagram.com/p/CwH2VDRL39D/?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

 

https://www.instagram.com/p/CwH25bKLBUX/?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

 

https://www.instagram.com/reel/CwH98dghcyY/?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

 

CONCRETE UTOPIA BOX OFFICE D-11

 

Attendance today - 207, 072 people

Accumulated - 2,613,440 people 

 

 

I am worried for the movie's profits. This is concering since the movie is just 10 days old. Among the summer big 4 tentpoles, CU has the biggest challenger with Oppenheimer, plus 2 more new domestic releases. The audience numbers are hugely divided. At this point, I wonder if they can cross the BEP. 

[peonie]

August 20, 2023

 

 Source:  IG of lee Byung Hun 

 

@Ephoenix

 

The proverb  "修身齊家治國平天下" is recorded in one of Confucius famous work:   "The Book of Rites." 

 

Confucius was a philosopher and teacher who lived from 551 to 479 B.C.E..

 

This proverb translates  roughly to :  "improve upon yourself first, then manage your family, then govern your state; that is the only way to bring justice and virtue to the world".

 

The Calligraphy was done by a Korean.  You can find a Korean word beside each Chinese character.  

[Ephoenix]

August 20, 2023 

 

This is a spoiler free interview. I’ll share the detailed spoiler one later, from both the Director’s and LBH’s point of view about memorable scenes in the movie. 

 

The expectations and beliefs that you have just in the name of Lee Byung-hun. [D: Interview]

 

 

"Concrete Utopia" surpassed 2.6 million.

 

Lee Byung-hun is one of the actors who can deeply understand each character, express the essence, and give the audience a thrilling experience.

His acting is not just a moment on the screen, but a realistic, empathic object, and has the power to approach our inner selves. Lee Byung-hun did not betray the expectations of the audience of the new "Concrete Utopia."

Praise continues for Lee Byung-hun, who played Young-tak, the leader of the only remaining Imperial palace apartment in the country that was devastated by the earthquake after the movie was released. Through the character Kim Young-tak, Lee Byung-hun delivered convincing power through the displeasure of the man and his obsession with apartment that was left after losing everything in the "Concrete Utopia."

Director Park Chan-wook attended the "Concrete Utopia" GV and praised it, saying, "In particular, I think it has opened a new chapter in the history of Lee Byung-hun's acting." With his performance that surprises the public every time, he always puts getting immersed in his character as his first priority.

"There's no such thing as, 'Since I acted like this, this time, I'll do something new next time.' Rather than making such an effort, I think I will use the character given to me to go deeper into research. There are actors who seem to change like the shape of the water when they put water according to the shape of the bottle, and there are actors who have distinct colors but are attractive. I've never thought which one was better, but I was vaguely curious about which style of actor I was. I think that if I immerse myself in the life of the character and try to get close to it, the character eventually will be created."

Lee Byung-hun said he liked the "Concrete Utopia" scenario from the beginning. I was worried that the charm of the scenario could be delivered well when it was made into a film, but after watching the completed version, I became more confident and confident. And he gave credit to Director Um Tae-hwa, who completed it with tenacity.

 

"After reading the scenario, I thought, 'Oh, I used to like this kind of black comedy.' There was this genre before, but we haven't seen it for a long time. I was so excited that I decided to appear. After that, I was worried about how this movie would be made and how it would be made to support the story well. I had to wait a long time unintentionally after making the movie, but I think this time helped us. I felt that director Um Tae-hwa worked hard on the second half of this. While the movie was being completed, I watched the edited version a few times, and the movie changed every time I watched it. I was grateful to think that Director Uhm really lived in the editing room without a day off."

Lee Byung-hun wanted to portray Young-tak, a resident of the Imperial palace apartment, as a person who could be around us. I thought it would be able to effectively show how small citizens turn into power and obsession. Director Um Tae-hwa also agreed.

"I didn't want him to be a unique person. When his dream of buying a house collapsed, the feeling of a poor citizen with anger and loss was the beginning of Yeongtak. I thought it would be easy for the audience to empathize only when it was a common character. That way, I thought it would be more fun to see Young-tak changing in extreme situations. I never approached in a dichotomy between good and evil. All the characters in "Concrete Utopia" are like that. The emotions and conflicts seen in those characters had to be seen well."

 

Playing a character in a situation that he had never experienced before was also a process of believing in himself and overcoming his worries and anxiety.

"I wondered if I had this face. Usually, actors can confidently act based on their own experiences. Experience gives me confidence. However, when acting out situations and emotions that I haven't experienced, I have to rely on imagination, so it's a little hard until this is seen by the audience. I'm always nervous about what if my feelings are not convincing and I can't relate to them. But it was a relief that the people who watched the movie responded well.

Many audiences cite the scene where Young-tak sings Yoon Soo-il's "Apartment" in front of residents as the highlight of "Concrete Utopia. "The expression of sadness and anger coexists leads to close-ups and flashbacks, and if you look closely, his legs are in rhythm. In fact, this scene was a rehearsal.

"The most attractive thing about this movie is that it doesn't relieve tension, instead it makes you giggle in between. I thought that was the sentiment of this movie. That's what's happening in this scene. I especially like the scene where Youngtak sings and falls into a flashback. It brings out a very strange feeling. Director Um was doing the rehearsal with the camera turned. So when this cut was used, I thought the director's sense worked."

If the special situation of disaster is removed, Young-tak is an ordinary person who can be anywhere. Lee Byung-hun is most confident when he plays an ordinary character.

"It's cut through my body to observe the emotions of ordinary people. For example, we study why that person became that person, why he has that habit, etc. I think not only actors but also people who have jobs in the field of art, such as painters and composers, should be able to see general emotions and emotions well. So it's the easiest and most fun for me to express human universal emotions."

Lee Byung-hun, who is called the "God of Acting. "As an actor, I hear rave reviews about acting every time, but I still want to be an actor who is curious about the next thing.

"I want to be an actor that I want to see continuously. Regardless of whether I'm good at acting or not, I want to give the audience the expectation of "I'll watch the movie with Lee Byung-hun next time."

 

source: here  

[Ephoenix]

August 20, 2023 

 

CONCRETE UTOPIA: KBS NEWS 9 INTERVIEW WITH DIRECTOR UHM TAE HWA TODAY 

 

video source: here

 

Anchor: Summer is a time to realize that we are living in an era where disasters have become commonplace. Just in time, a movie dealing with 'disaster' is resonating with many people. It is a work that is mentioned not only as a box office hit, but also as the possibility of winning overseas awards. Director Eom Tae-hwa, who directed <Concrete Utopia>, is invited. welcome. It was invited to the Toronto International Film Festival, and was also selected as a Korean entry for the American Academy's 'International Feature Film Division'. There are people who expect that it will become the second parasite, how is it? 

Dir. Uhm: First of all, I am really honored and grateful. The Academy Race is called the Oscar Race, so I heard that it is a very long and tough process, but for now, we will do our best to finish it well. 

Q: Wasn't the release postponed due to COVID- 19 ? It was released in two years, and it was pre-sold in 152 countries, and the domestic box office is also good. Where do you see the popularity factor? 

A: More than anything, I think that the audience liked that part because it contained the unseen appearances of Lee Byung-hun, Park Seo-joon, and Park Bo-young in the movie. And the realistic Korean features of this movie. I think that the kind of images that can be immersed, or are easily immersed are viewed by audience even more in a better way. 

Q: Normally, when you watch a disaster movie, it shows the situation before the disaster and then shoots the climax when the disaster erupts, but 'Concrete Utopia' is a little different. From the beginning of the movie, it depicts the situation 'behind' the disaster. What was the intention? 

A: I approached this film thinking that it is a 'post-apocalyptic' story, that is, a story dealing with post-apocalypse, rather than a disaster film in terms of genre. It is a work made with a focus on what kind of situation would unfold in Korea if a disaster like this really happened tonight, so there are several human groups in that situation, what choices the characters make and what kind of situation unfolds. Because it's their story. 

Q: An apartment appears as the main background. Why did you choose an apartment? 

A: This is based on a webtoon called 'Pleasant Bullying'. The second part of the webtoon is a webtoon called 'Pleasant Neighbor', and the setting was that an apartment building was left in a situation where the background was all destroyed by an earthquake. That is why Koreans know that when it comes to apartments, since about 50 to 60 % of them live in apartments, and I am also a generation born and raised in apartments, and yet it is a residential area with many joys and sorrows. I thought that part would be the background that the audience would be more immersed in and feel closer to, so I set it as an apartment. 

Q:It seems that the social image of the era where the neighborhood and apartment you live in has become like a 'class', but did I get it right? 

A: It's a bit extreme situation in terms of setting, but I think it came naturally as I projected a lot of Korean elements and showed it realistically. 

Q: Let's talk about the characters. The main character, 'Young Tak', played by Lee Byung-Hun. Good or evil, he’s a very ambiguous character. He suddenly seized 'power'... What message did you want to send through this character? 

A: I wanted to express how a really ordinary person can end up like this. It deals with ordinary people rather than people with such an evil appearance like a psychopath, but when the selfishness of such ordinary people gathers, in some way it becomes evil and I wanted to focus on that story, ostracizing others, so this character was chosen. The goal was to show a three-dimensional image that you can perceive this character both as god-like, or as a complete evil. 

 

Q: The role played by Park Bo-young is a typical person who tries to help the weak, but unexpectedly, there are many comments that say that this character is a little uncomfortable and frustrating. However, from my point of view, she still seems like a person who tried to protect a certain human dignity and morality until the end, but has it become an era where such efforts are difficult to be properly accepted? 

A: I think the ending and the emotions you feel at the ending feel a bit different depending on which character you're watching the movie with. Looking at it that way, I think the character Myeong-hwa can be accepted that way, but I didn't intend to make it that frustrating. Somehow, I thought that in this era, there is something between humans and there is a sense of tension, and those things are shown as a little projected. 

Q: Lastly, as a director, what is the most important scene you see and the message contained in it? 

A: There is a scene in which actor Lee Byung-hun sings Mr. Yoon Soo-il's song 'Apartment'. It was a scene where I wanted to keep the elements of a black comedy in a way that Koreans would not stop singing and dancing even if a disaster like this really happened in Korea. (Lol, true) Even so, that scene is a really important inflection point in this film. I think actor Lee Byung-hun really expressed the irony well. That’s why audiences also loved it very much. 

Anchor: I think it was the most famous scene from my subjective point of view. I hope the overseas judges can 'understand' the scene. Looking forward to good news, I will send you director Eom Tae-hwa. Thank you for coming out today.

 

Dir. Uhm: Thank you for having me. 

[Ephoenix]

August 20, 2023

 

CONCRETE UTOPIA 2ND WEEKEND STAGE GREETINGS HIGHLIGHTS 

 

LBH was not present today for ending the 2nd weekend stage greetings. If it was for his BH family, I am sure they'd bring his life sized stand to every stage greetings. I thought our ConUzz would too... hehe 

 

It was fun nontheless. Poor Uhm Tae Goo was going around the theater introducing himself like, "Hello, I am Uhm Tae goo, who plays Homeless man 1 in Concrete Utopia. And I am here because of my blood relations with the person over there." (Pointing to his older brother.)

The fact that the scene stealer of CU who made news for his appearance recently didn’t even have a name. ㅠ And later on, Minsung and Myung-hwa couple were also copying him and introducing the audiences that they are blood related. Too bad I couldn't find any clips of Dir UTH reacting to it. 

 

Anyway, 2nd week stage greetings has ended successfully and fans were asking Lotte if they would also add the 3rd week stage greeting schedule considering the movie is maintaining its momentum in the theater. But of course, it always comes to their schedules. PSJ is wrapping up his drama so he's busy. I think PBY too. Lotte hasn't posted anything yet, but hopefully they will add another week. Its a great boost for attracting audiences at the theater. Let's see. 

 

 

CONCRETE UTOPIA BOX OFFICE D-12 

#1 Domestic movies 

#2 Overall movies 

Attendance: 177,198 people 

Accumulated: 2,790,888 people

Overall ticket reservation rate - 10% (22,707 people) 

 

I hope we will reach 3M by Tuesday or Wednesday. We still have a long way to go to 3.8M, so I hope Lotte and casts push harder for the 3rd week promotion too. It definitely will boost to some extent for sure.

Concrete Utopia, Fighting!! 

 

 

Spoiler

 

LBH for FromBIO’s latest new product Kril Oil for joints TVCF. There are 2 versions, subtitled (Korean) and non subtitled. 

 

 

Spoiler

 

[Ephoenix]

August 21, 2023 

 

CONCRETE UTOPIA EUROPEAN PREMIERE 

 

Concrete Utopia will have its European premiere in L'étrange Festival in France next month. It's also one of the 12 movies competing in International section for an Audience Award. 

 

Sessions: September 12 and September 16

 

Source: Here 

@Annelyse Court Yay! Anne! Seems like we will both get to watch around the same time.

 

 

CONCRETE UTOPIA BOX OFFICE D-13 

 

Maintaining 

#1 Domestic movies 

#2 Overall movies 

Attendance: 58,225 audiences 

Accumulated: 2,850,015 people. 

 

So, I guess 3M by Wednesday just as media predicted. Numbers are relatively low. Promotions have also been taken down in some locations. I hope they continue to keep this momentum in rank though. Concrete Utopia, fighting! 

 

Lotte seems to have moved on from Dir. PCW's child Dir. Uhm Tae-hwa to Dir. BJH's child Dir. Yoo Jae sun with their full promotion for his debut movie "Sleep" already. Still no news of 3rd week stage greetings. Sigh. 

 

 

Concrete Utopia 3rd Relay GV with Dir. Uhm Tae-hwa, Park Bo-young, Park Ji-hoo and Dir. Kim Bo ra (The House or Hummingbird) as a Moderator.) 

 

Video contains spoilers. 

 

[willenette]

Korean Box Office for the Weekend 2023.08.18 ~ 2023.08.20

credit : https://www.kobis.or.kr/kobis/business/main/main.do

 

 

Films	Release date	Week-end	Total
1	"Oppenheimer"		773 080	1 591 845
2	"Concrete Utopia" (콘크리트 유토피아)	2023/08/09	480 587	2 790 855
3	"Honey Sweet" (달짝지근해: 7510)	2023/08/15	245 150	457 054
4	"Smugglers" (밀수)	2023/07/26	144 469	4 776 802
5	"Elemental"		106 178	6 906 451
6	"Meg 2: The Trench"		40 270	98 053
7	"A Man of Reason" (보호자)	2023/08/15	35 146	102 214
8	"Ransomed" (비공식작전)	2023/08/02	11 631	1 041 850
9	"Octonauts: Above and Beyond - Season 2"		11 007	69 558
10	"Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One"		8 777	4 000 579

[willenette]

*** In cinemas on September 20, "Concrete Utopia" is distributed in the Philippines by Columbia Pictures, local office of Sony Pictures Releasing International. The movie unveils main trailer ahead of Philippine screening.  

 

 

 

 

 

[Ephoenix]

August 22, 2023 

 

CONCRETE UTOPIA BOX OFFICE D-14 

 

Attendance - 51,392 people 

Accumulated - 2,901,405 people 

 

Concrete Utopia inspiring such talented and dedicated people. Earlier, we saw that pen art, and now we have Concrete Utopia Diorama. It is amazing! 

 

 

[willenette]

Action Korean Dramas

From Squid Games and Mr. Sunshine to Descendants of the Sun, keep scrolling to find an assortment of the top 21 testosterone fueling Korean action dramas that will definitely keep you hooked.

When it comes to Korean dramas and Korean television series, action, and romance have to be some of the most watched genres. Yes, romantic K dramas might take away all the limelight, but there comes a time when you are bored of mushy romantic stuff and you want to watch some brilliant action sequence with a tactful tale. Regardless of age, gender, or time, action dramas have been a complete source of entertainment. That is precisely why, this time we have curated a perfect curation of iconic action Korean dramas that are so much more than just action sequences. Each enlisted movie has a masculine vibe to it, that uses action as a strategically exciting tool to reveal the larger narrative with a deeper impact that will give you the adrenaline rush of a lifetime. Not only that, a good action drama adds more depth to a story’s character. 

From action sequences where actors playing lawyers are willing to get their fists dirty in order to release details about a case to historical dramas where kings fight their way to the top, we have enlisted the best of action Korean dramas all listed according to their IMDb ratings. Not just that, we have also added all the action movies along with other important details including, their year of release, star cast, director, writer, and plot to help you decide if it's actually worth your time in just a quick glance. Furthermore, we have also added posters or trailers of Korean dramas. So what are you waiting for? Scroll below to find an assortment of the top 21 action Korean dramas that will keep you on the edge of your seats.

Top 21 Action K dramas listed according to their IMDb ratings:

1. Mr. Sunshine (2018)

 

 

• Original Title: Miseuteo Shunshain
• Running Time: 80 min 
• Movie Genre: Action, Drama, Romance
• Movie Star Cast: Lee Byung hun, Kim Tae ri, Yoo Yeon Seok, Yo Han Byun
• Director: Young Woo Jang, Jihyeon Jeong, Eung Bok Lee
• Writer: Kim Eun Sook
• Year of release: 2018
• Where to Watch / OTT Platform: Netflix
• IMDb Rating: 8.7/10

Featuring the best of Lee Byung Hun, Kim Tae ri, Yoo Yeon Seok, and Yo Han Byun among other Korean stars, this Korean drama is certainly one of the best Korean action dramas. The show is directed by Young Woo Jang, Jihyeon Jeong, and Eung Bok Lee and written by Kim Eun Sook. Released in the year 2018, it features the story of a pretty young fellow. The period drama is set in the U.S. post the 1871 Shinmiyangyo incident. Watch the show on Netflix to witness how the boy returns to Korea and falls in love with a noblewoman.

 

 

(skipped unrelated.....)

 

 

 

source : https://www.pinkvilla.com/entertainment/action-korean-dramas-1237447

[peonie]

August 23, 2023

 

The classic "Iron Man of the Screen," Lee Byung Hun’s  20 tender deeds :  although super dedicated,  he took a temporary leave of absence with the production team to see him for the last time.   (Part 1) 

 

 

Lee Byung Hun , who is well-known in the entertainment industry for his acting skills, has recently shown his ever changing performance in “Concrete Utopia” and "Squid Game 2.” Lee Byung Hun not only captivates everyone’s heart with his natural and delicate acting skills, he also has a warm heart personality emphasizing love and righteousness.  Furthermore, he enjoys excellent popularity in the entertainment industry.  Here are 20 heart-warming deeds of his "tenderness of an iron man”.

 

 

1. South Korea's Leading Actor breaking through Hollywood

Lee Byung-hun, is known for his powerful acting skills.  Actors who have worked with him have praised him, "When you watch him act, you can't feel his daily life." His superb acting skills especially made him the first South Korean actor to break through Hollywood in 2009.   He cooperated with Channing Tatum's in the science fiction film GI Joe: ”The Rise of Cobra.”.  He became internationally known for his role as a supporting actor in the movie “G. I Joe Retaliation" which featured a big show of his six-pack muscle mass and his fluent English.  He became a popular search star on movie websites and won many awards in South Korea.

 

Since then, he has made many Hollywood friends through his participation in “Red 2” with Bruce Willis, “Terminator Genisys with Arnold Schwarzenegger and “The Magnificent Seven with Denzel Washington. He also became the first South Korean actor to walk the red carpet at the Oscars, and was invited to be one of the presenters at the 2016 Oscars.

 

 

2. Excellent language skills, self-taught English, French, and Japanese

 

Lee Byung Hun’s language ability is the key to his international success. He once said that he started learning English on his own at the age of 18 for 2 years without any additional tutoring. It was only when he needed to improve his English to prepare for his movie roles that he began to study in a formal tutoring class. In order to match the historical background of the movie and the needs of the characters, Lee used Korean English in “The Man Standing Next” and Filipino English in "Master", adjusting his accent according to the different slangs to blend in with the plot, which made the team he worked with praised his delicate acting skills.

 

In addition, he majored in French in college, which gave him the ability to speak French. He also showed off his Japanese in the Korean drama "Mr. Sunshine", and when he acted as a truck driver in the countryside in "Our Blues", he was praised by the production team and the fans for being the best learner of the dialect in Jeju Island, and for blending with the characters and being a true native of the area.

 

Spoiler

 

3. The first South Korean actor to have a full house at the Tokyo Dome

 

Lee Byung Hyun starred in the Korean drama "Beautiful Days" with Choi Ji Woo and Shin Min Ah, and co-starred with Song Hye Kyo in "All In", which successfully conquered the hearts of Asian drama fans, and made him popular overseas. In 2006, Lee Byung Hyun became the first South Korean actor to be honoured with a full house of more than 40,000 people at a movie club at the Tokyo Dome.

 

The following year, he even embarked on a movie tour in Japan, and was praised by South Korea as "the most representative Hallyu actor", which laid the groundwork for his cross-country collaborations with Japanese cinema, including his role as a South Korean prosecutor in the movie version of HERO in 2007, his role in the thriller movie “I Come With The Rain” with Takuya Kimura and Josh Hartnett in 2009, and his role with Yuji Oda in the Japanese TV series “Diplomat Kosaku Kuroda”.

 

4. His father loved movies, but  stopped his dream of directing.

 

Influenced by his movie-loving father, Lee Byung Hun had a dream of directing when he was a child, but the road to directing did not go as smoothly as he thought it would. He once wrote a screenplay to participate in a youth film festival, but his parents prevented him from doing so because of the exorbitant cost of renting filming equipment. Luckily, with the help of his mother's best friend, he was able to enrol in an actor's training course and passed the three rounds of exams, thus giving him the opportunity to learn acting.

 

5. Suffered from depression due to his father's debt

 

Lee Byung-hun received awards for his acting skills shortly after his debut, but it was not all smooth sailing for him. At that time, he was affected by his father's investment failure, illness and death, and had to pay off a debt of over 1 billion won, which led him to a life of frantic acting. He recalled that he once told his dying father, "I will try my best to give my mom and sister a good life that even my father in heaven is jealous of”.

 

He also admitted that he was very frightened by this: "Although this incident can instantly destroy the career that I have accumulated so far, I want to fulfil my responsibility to pay back for my father", and the enormous pressure made him lead an unprecedentedly difficult life during this period of time, and he even suffered from depression and panic attacks, but he was in good condition when he acted.

 

Spoiler

 

6. Professional Korean Movie Star

 

After graduating from the 14th KBS Actor Class in 1991, Lee Byung-hun won the KBS Best Newcomer Award and 3 Best Actor Awards. He has won 4 Baeksang TV Awards and 1 Baeksang Movie Award since his debut in 1995. In addition, from 2005 to 2020, he was voted as Gallup Korea's Top 10 "Most Active Actors in Movies" for 12 times, tied with Song Kang Ho for the highest number of times a South Korean actor was voted, and Song Kang Ho and Lee Byung Hun who hold the title of "Movie Emperor," are often compared to each other in terms of their acting styles, which has become a hot topic of discussion among fans.

Especially in 2016, he won 3 major movie awards in South Korea, including Blue Dragon, Baeksang and Grand Bell, with his role of gangster "Ahn Sang-goo" in the movie “Inside Men", which created a record of winning a grand slam of movie awards in the same year in the history of South Korean movies. Under his interpretation of different types of characters, he is able to bring out their distinctive characteristics and create impressive classic roles.

 

7. Ratings Ace Guarantee

 

After his success in the movie industry, Lee Byung Hun returned to TV dramas in 2009 after 6 years. He played the role of a skilled counter-terrorism officer with a super memory in South Korea's first espionage action drama, "IRIS", and he shared a torrid love story with Kim Tae Hee, a crime analyst, and the drama once achieved a 35.5% viewership rating, and in particular, the drama received the "Best Drama" award at the 46th Baeksang Art Awards the following year. The sweet "Candy Kiss" in the drama has even become a classic Korean drama scene.

 

Spoiler

 

For example, he and Song Hye Kyo's sweet romance in "All In” has earned 47.7% for the finale.  In “Mr. Sunshine”, he acted as a U.S. Navy officer, and in “Our Blues”  as a country bumpkin, all of which are very different roles that have earned the series a high rating of at least 17%.

 

(to be continued)

 

Source: https://cava.tw/people/moviestv/248445

 

[peonie]

August 23, 2023.  

 

The classic "Iron Man of the Screen," Lee Byung Hun’s  20 tender deeds :  although super dedicated,  he took a temporary leave of absence with the production team to see him for the last time.   (Part 2) 

 

8. Leveraging on the establishment of the brokerage company, nurturing the South Korean movie star force

After Lee Byung-hun became an successful actor, he began to take steps towards his childhood dream of directing, and in 2006, he joined hands with his agent to create BH Entertainment (Byung-hun Entertainment), which is a brokerage company with a roster of first-rate actors and actresses such as Park Hae Soo of “Squid Game”, Han Hyo Joo of W-Two Worlds, Kim Go Eun of  “Guardian: The Lonely and Great God” and Park Bo Young of “Strong Girl Bong-soon”.

 

In addition, to celebrate the company's 17th anniversary, he also organised a staff trip in 2023, spending hundreds of millions of won (about NT$2 million)  to reward everyone for a four-day, three-night trip to Vietnam, which made netizens exclaim, "Boss Lee is really crazy," and made everyone want to join him as a member of his company.

 

 

9. Thanks to his debut movie, he met a super tough director who inspired him to win!

Lee Byung Hyun made his debut as an actor in 1991 after graduating from the KBS Actor Training Program with a supporting role in his first screenplay 'Asphalt My Hometown'. The director at the time, who was known for his strict style, made him swear on the first day of shooting, "This is my debut and my retirement.” The director's high standards have given him an unexpected performance potential. Lee Byung-hun said that this experience is still unforgettable for him, and that despite the director's strictness, it has helped him to develop a winning attitude towards his career as an actor, as well as a sense of dedication to his work.

 

10. Kim Woo-bin is grateful for his reminder, so that his nasopharyngeal cancer can be treated immediately

In 2016, when Kim Woo-bin acted opposite Lee Byung Hun in "Master", he was praised by Lee Byung Hun for his considerate personality, and that  he was the best partner for survival on a deserted island. At this time, Kim Woo Bin suffered from abnormal nosebleed.  Lee Byung Hun found out and reminded him to seek medical attention, which led  to the immediate detection of nasopharyngeal cancer and control of the disease. Kim Woo Bin is therefore very grateful to the warm hearted Lee Byung Hun.

 

Spoiler

 

11. Being praised by his idol Bruce Willis as "Frank Sinatra of the fighting world".

 

Lee and Bruce Willis got together in 2013 in “G I Joe: Retaliation Special Forces: Rise of the Cobra", and the two even worked together in 2013 “Red 2" in a number of intense fighting scenes.  Lee's strong fighting arm has been praised by Bruce Willis  as "Frank Sinatra in the fighting world," and he considered the fight with Lee as the most intense scene of the movie.

Lee grew up watching Bruce Willis action movies, and at the time, he felt like his dream had come true. He admired his idol's dedication and creative ideas for suggesting camera shots, plus the actors and actresses he worked with were very friendly, allowing him to quickly integrate into the pace of the crew.

 

12. "Fitness Maniac" ate 15 fish in one day for the role

 

Even though Lee Byung Hun's outstanding acting skills have been recognised by the film and television industry, he has never stopped working hard to prepare for his roles.  In addition to maintaining posture and controlling weight, he  also hired a personal trainer to sculpt his muscles and is very strict with himself. In particular, when he performed in "Red 2", in addition to high-intensity fitness training, he also supplemented with muscle-building food every day, setting a record of eating 15 fish in one day.   His professionalism is admirable.

 

Spoiler

13. Nutritional Chef for Stunt Actors

 

In addition to his strict physical requirements, while practicing his martial arts moves in “Red 2", he also cooks his own menus and acts as a nutritional chef for the stunt actors and fitness trainers, which surprises people that he is not only an amazing actor, but also a superb chef.

 

14. Super love selfie and upload various photos to the social media platform

 

Lee Byung Hun’s  IG can often see photos of him in the same frame with other artists. The first thing he often does when participating in activities is to upload selfies. He often shares many photos of coffee carts, and takes photos with different friends smiling from various angles. It can be seen that he is easy-going and charming in private.

 

Spoiler

 

15. Hard core fan Park Seo Joon joon loves him so much! Promoted himself to fulfil his wish to perform  on the same stage

 

Park Seo Joon collaborated with Lee Byung Hun in 2023 in “Concrete Utopia”.  During the interview, he generously shared that he participated in the performance "for" Lee Byung Hun.  Park Seo Joon has always been Lee Byung Hun’s hardcore fan.  Originally, he did not receive an invitation from the production crew, but after trying hard to promote himself to the director, he finally managed to be in the same frame with his idol for the first time.  Park appreciates Lee's constant attention to the details of each scene, which makes the filming atmosphere very harmonious: "I'm so happy just to see Lee Byung-hun," adding that he is thrilled and touched by the opportunity to work with his idol, which is very rewarding for him.

 

Spoiler

 

16. Specially asked for leave from the production crew to mourn the fan who have been with him for 20 years

 

When Lee Byung Hun was filming "Concrete Utopia", he was very sad when he heard that the fan who helped him run the fan club passed away. The fan and Lee had a 20-year relationship that began in 2001 with the fan club.   Lee Byung Hun immediately asked for leave from the movie production  and went to the funeral to express his condolences and send him on his last journey.

 

17. His biological sister says he is "more feminine than a woman"

 

Lee Byung Hun and his biological sister Lee Ji Ahn are seven years apart, and her sister has been in the spotlight for being a child star. She was crowned Miss Korea in 1996, but later chose to go behind the scenes to run a clothing store, and even though she's much more low-key compared to what she used to be, she often interacts with fans on social media.

When Lee Ji Ann was invited to record a show in 2019, she shared her brother's private and unknown side. In addition to nagging her, even her friends around her could not escape the "love" that was spoken to her. In her eyes, her brother is "more feminine than a woman, a sister's favorite demon, accidentally let everyone see apart from the image of a tough man Lee Byung Hun, there is also a tender side.

 

 

18. Song Hye Kyo publicly admitted her first boyfriend

 

When Lee Byung Hun and Song Hye Kyo collaborated in the 2002 Korean drama "All In”  they made their relationship public and became Song Hye Kyo's first publicly acknowledged boyfriend after her debut. At that time, after the news that they changed from a screen CP to a real couple was announced, they were named "Korea's No. 1 Couple", which made fans very happy. Lee Byung Hun  once said that he wanted to regard Song Hye Kyo as the last woman in his life, and the two even talked about marriage at one point.

 

19. Lee Min Jung walks down the aisle in love with him.  The wedding can be called an awards ceremony

 

Lee Byung Hun finally fell in love with actress Lee Min Jung who is 11 years younger than him. The two once broke up due to work, and it was not until they met again in 2012 that they decided that they were meant for each other.  At that time, almost half of the stars from the South Korean entertainment industry gathered at the ceremony, which was comparable to an awards ceremony, including Jang Dong Gun and his wife, Kim Tae Hee, Han Ga In, Choi Ji Woo, Han Hyo Joo, Song Seung Hun, and Jung Woo Sung all showed up to congratulate them.  Although the couple seldom appear together on public occasions after marriage, they often leave love footprints on each other's social platforms, and their relationship is quite sweet!

 

20. No matter how busy you are, you must accompany your children to grow up

 

On the occasion of their 10th wedding anniversary in 2023, Lee Byung Hun and Lee Min Jung announced that they are expecting their second baby, much to everyone's surprise and delight. After the birth of their first son, Lee Byung Hun has been very busy with his work, but he still tries to find time to spend with his child. Lee Byung Hun once shared a photo of father and son playing at Universal Studios on IG, and caught his wife leaving  message "Thanks for your hard work", a funny interaction that sweetened his fans.

 

 

*     *     *   

 

Lee Byung Hun has always been passionate about his career as an actor, and has even gone behind the scenes to become an important promoter of tomorrow's stars. While he concentrates on his endeavours, he does not forget to take care of his family and friends, and the love he receives from all of them has become the best motivation for him to get out of the depression and to keep innovating his life.

 

Source: https://cava.tw/people/moviestv/248445

 

[peonie]

August 24, 2023

 

Korean Box Office as of August 23, 2023

 

 

Hope to see three million admissions by tomorrow!

 

Source:  http://www.koreanfilm.or.kr/eng/news/boxOffice_Daily.jsp?mode=BOXOFFICE_DAILY