Lee Jung-Jae 이정재 [Movie “Hunt” | Upcoming: Star Wars series “The Acolyte” (Disney+)]

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January 21, 2013
3 actors to show off talent in 'Sinsegae'
By Rachel Lee The Korea Times

The casting of the three mega stars Choi Min-sik, Lee Jung-jae and Hwang Jung-min doesn’t happen often. But the three have come together for the first time for director Park Hoon-jeong’s second film.
Choi, Lee and Hwang are ready to show off their impeccable acting talent once again to viewers in their new film titled “Sinsegae,” which is to be released next month.
“I honestly didn’t expect to have such big names cast in my second work. I was extremely surprised when they accepted my offer,” said Park Wednesday at the press conference held in Apgujeong-dong, southern Seoul. The award-winning director is known for his first movie “Hyultu” (2010) and screenplays including “The Unjust” (2010) and “I Saw the Devil” (2010). 
“Sinsegae,” meaning “a new world” in English, is a story about fidelity and betrayal between two police detectives and the number two man of a local gang. Undercover police officer Ja-sung (Lee) infiltrates the gang “Gold Moon” to investigate them under the command of his superior Kang (Choi). After eight years, Ja-sung becomes the right-hand man to the ring’s second-in-command Jung Chung (Hwang), who holds the real power. 
“The film is basically about gangsters who engage in politics,” said Hwang at the press conference. The 42-year-old actor previously appeared in box office hits including “You Are My Sunshine” (2005), “A Bittersweet Life” (2005) and “Five Senses of Eros” (2009). 
“It felt like I was running a straight and easy road throughout the whole shooting period. It means it was considerably easier for me to understand the story itself since it’s about a man’s world,” added Hwang. 
Veteran actor Choi, who is best known for his critically acclaimed role in “Old Boy” (2003), described the film as one that “focuses on something very specific.” “I took this role as a police officer for the first time in over 20 years of my acting career and I am genuinely happy that it raised my social status in films as I took roles as brutal criminals many times,” said the 50-year-old star, recipient of several awards both at home and abroad. 
During the press conference, Choi showed special interest in the new film, saying that he was the one who decided to cast Lee as Ja-sung.
“I always wanted to work with Lee Jung-jae, not only because he is my junior in university but also I was so sure he is capable of playing perfectly the role as a young undercover police officer,” said Choi.
Asked how Lee felt when he got a phone call from Choi, Lee said he was “pretty shocked that Choi tried to cast me directly.” “I was in the middle of filming a movie at that time, but I was more than happy to accept his offer and start working with such a big senior. I am grateful to him indeed,” the 39-year-old actor added. 
The three actors told reporters their views about where they wish to be in the future. 
“For me, it’s theaters. Everything happens there and I spend most of my time there. So my new world, or the new world for directors and actors like me, will be theaters,” said Choi.
Hwang and Lee said they wish to continue their acting career as long as they can.
“Ultimately, what I want in my new world is to work with talented actors, actresses and the production crew for years to come,” said Lee.
“Sinsegae” is to be released on Feb. 21 in theaters nationwide. For more information about the movie, visit www.sinsegae2013.co.kr or call (02) 543-1917.

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January 24, 2013
VIP Preview for 'The Berlin File' Brings in Big Names and Big Expectations
CJ E&M enewsWorld Lee, JinHo Translation Credit : Erika Kim
Lee Byung Hun, Jung Woo Sung, Super Junior, Lee Jung Jae and Go So Young walked the red carpet on January 23.
Though the stunning array of stars made the red carpet look like one for a splendid awards ceremony, it actually took place for a VIP preview. The preview of the film The Berlin File, in fact.


The red carpet event and VIP preview for The Berlin File was held on January 23 in Seoul. The two-part event was hosted by MC Kim Tae Jin, and featured director Ryu Seung Wan as well as the film′s leads Ha Jung Woo, Han Seok Gyu, Jun Ji Hyun and Ryu Seung Bum.
The scene boiled hot with its grand scale and the passion of the 2,000 fans gathered for the event. The fans filled the venue an hour before the event was due to start, and welcomed the cast with warm applause when they appeared on the red carpet.
Ha Jung Woo said onstage, "I believe this is the most exciting and fun moment for an actor who has just finished shooting his film. I′m very thankful that so many people have been showing their support," while Jun Ji Hyun added, "You′re all so expectant; I hope the film continues to be loved until the end."
Han Seok Gyu said, "In 1998, when the film Swiri premiered, I toured the nation with 50 rolls of film. Now, movies can premiere in 800 screens at the most. This means that Korean films have become grander in scale, and I′m thankful that so many people have shown their love for Korean films. I believe our film will also satisfy our audience."
Director Ryu Seung Wan backed down, saying, "It′s not very good to have high expectations," but still he said with confidence, "It′s a film in which great actors put on some great acting. It will be better if you enjoy how the actors put on their acting."
In the red carpet event that followed, over 60 top stars set the scene on fire with tumultuous cheers, including Lee Byung Hun, Jung Woo Sung, Go So Young, Lee Jung Jae, Super Junior′s Choi Siwon, Kangin and Yesung, Hwang Jung Min, director Kim Hyun Suk, Park Sung Woong, Song Ji Hyo, Ma Dong Seok, director Lee Hyeon Seung, Crying Nut, Jang Gwang, Lee Chae Young, Roy Kim, Jung Joon Young, Park Yoo Hwan, Park Chul Min, Lee Gun Joo, HelloVenus, NU′EST, Kang Sora, Seo Ji Seok, Jung Yu Mi, Son Dambi, director Min Gyu Dong, Jung Kyung Ho, Shinhwa′s Andy and Min Woo and 2NE1.
Hwang Jung Min said, "I′m thankful I′ve received an invitation to such a great event," while Super Junior′s Choi Siwon said, "I came here thanks to the invitation of Ryu Seung Bum and Ha Jung Woo hyungnim (big brother)."
Jung Woo Sung said in surprise, "I came with an invite from director Ryu Seung Wan. The preview seems as grand as the reviews and expectations for the film."
Photo credit: Kim Byung Kwan
Nate

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Source: The Korea Herald

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February 7, 2013
Three macho guys find a balance in Park Hoon-jung’s latest thriller
By Park Eun-jee Korea JoongAng Daily

Park Hoon-jung’s upcoming “A New World” (working English title) is the latest in a string of dark crime thrillers, this time presenting a modern day crime ring that operates like a big corporation. 
The film revolves around undercover police officer Ja-sung (Lee Jung-jae) who infiltrates Gold Moon, the biggest crime organization in Korea.
He poses as a loyal member in an attempt to investigate the group under the command of his superior Kang (Choi Min-sik). After eight years, Ja-sung becomes the right-hand man to the ring’s second-in-command, Jung Chung (Hwang Jung-min). 
When the mob boss dies and Gold Moon threatens to fall apart in a power struggle, Ja-sung is forced to confront demands from both bosses. Caught between Jung who trusts him with his life, and Kang, who thinks of him only as bait, Ja-sung feels torn apart.
As the crime thriller features three high-profile actors, the director said that his primary focus was to keep balance among them. 
Park has significant experience with this genre, having written the screenplays for dark thrillers “I Saw The Devil” (2010) and “The Unjust”(2010). He also directed “The Showdown”(2010). 
“The three actors are very energetic and have a strong presence. So I was a little worried about their interactions,” Park said. “But the three of them were very skilled at adjusting and creating a balance between them.” 
Lee Jung-jae, the youngest among the actors, expressed his own concerns about working with such talented colleagues. 
“When I heard that my co-stars would be Choi Min-sik and Hwang Jung-min, I thought my acting career could have been put in jeopardy,” he said. 
Choi, by now an expert at violent gangster movies, also touched upon his interactions with co-stars. But for him, there seemed to be too little rather than too much. 
“The two-hour running time was little short to portray all the complex characters and the tensions between them,” he said. “I think three or four hours might have been better.” 
He also said jokingly that he is fed up with the genre. 
“What I want is to live in a world without blood.” he said.
“A New World” is slated for release on Feb. 21.

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The New World movie trailer on Pantech's new Vega No.6 smartphone

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February 11, 2013
'New World' a well-made noir with superb acting
By Claire Lee The Korea Herald

Noted screenwriter Park Hoon-jung’s second feature film was finally unveiled to the press last week, featuring three heavyweight actors ― Choi Min-sik, Hwang Jeong-min and Lee Jung-jae ― in the lead.
What the film deals with is nothing new, at least in Korean cinema: a criminal organization, its gangsters and the cops who try to chase them down. However, Park, who is best known for his screenplays for Kim Ji-woon’s “I Saw the Devil” and Ryu Seung-wan’s “The Unjust,” managed to create a heartless and entertaining flick about power, greed and betrayal.
“New World” is, in Park’s own words, “a film about gangsters doing politics, in suits and ties.” While doing exactly that, Park skillfully blurs the boundary between the police and gangsters, as well as the good and the bad. The police headquarters abuse their low-ranking officers while trying to do the righteous thing ― arresting the criminals. Some of the gangsters, on the other hand, share genuine camaraderie with each other ― while committing all kinds of illegal deeds.
A scene from director Park Hoon-jung’s upcoming film “New World” (NEW)
The thriller tells the story of police detective Ja-seong (Lee Jung-jae), who is assigned by his manipulative boss Kang (Choi Min-sik) to an undercover investigation into “Gold Moon” ― one of the biggest crime organizations in the country. 
Kang asks Ja-seong to spy on the gang’s second-in-command Jeong Cheong (Hwang Jeong-min), after finding out both Ja-seong and the gangster are ethnic Chinese, on top of sharing the same hometown of Yeosu, South Jeolla Province.
Ja-seong’s investigation goes on for eight years, and he eventually finds himself caught between Jeong, who calls him a “brother” and “trusts him with his life,” and his senior detective Park, who only uses him and never gives him the recognition he deserves. 
The film gets even more dramatic as the mob boss is suddenly killed in a car accident, and the group’s two opposing factions, one led by Jeong and the other by ruthless and vengeful member Lee (Park Seong-woong), vie for power. Detective Kang comes up with a cunning and dangerous plan to come between Jeong and Lee ― using Ja-seong’s trusted position in Jeong’s faction ― to break up the Gold Moon. Kang knows his project puts Ja-seong’s life at risk, but makes no plan to protect him if Ja-seong hits dire straits. 
Hwang Jeong-min (“The Unjust,” “You Are My Sunshine,”) is impressive as Jeong Cheong, who is arguably the most likable character in the film. The gangster is a lot of things ― he is an ethnic minority, a caring boss and a competent, thorough individual. During the press conference, Hwang said he only remembers “having fun” while playing Jeong, whom he described as a “chameleon.” 
“Jeong Cheong is really something,” he said. “He’s very versatile and has many different qualities and characteristics that make him unique.”
Respected veteran actor Choi Min-sik (“I Saw the Devil,” “Oldboy”) is also convincing as the manipulative villain, while Lee Jung-jae (“The Thieves,” “The Housemaid”) presents a credible portrayal of a victim who is conflicted between two different worlds, against his own will. 
“Ja-seong doesn’t really start nor do anything by his own will,” Lee said. “He just gets caught up in things. He is not allowed to show his emotions, while required to tell lies all the time. I somehow had to deliver his real emotions in spite of his difficult situation, and that was the biggest challenge while playing this character.”
Actor Park Seong-woong is also a presence in the film, as the charismatic, ruthless gangster who meets an unfortunate end. 
“New World” is an engaging noir with resounding acting and a highly entertaining narrative. Ultimately, it is a film about power and how it blinds those in authority, and those who strive for it. 
A New Entertainment World release, “New World” opens in local theaters on Feb. 21. 

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February 13, 2013
Lee Jung-jae narrates SBS art show
Source: Korea JoongAng Daily

Actor Lee Jung-jae will lend his voice to an art documentary to air on SBS Saturday. The special feature titled “Contemporary Art, Bury the Boundary” will help viewers get acquainted with the genre.
Homegrown talents like artists Moon Kyung-won and Jeon Jun-ho will be highlighted in the program.
In the program, Lee will dispense tips on how to become an aficionado and enjoy modern art. 
Last year, Lee worked with actress Lim Soo-jung and designer Kuho on a documentary that explored an end-of-the-world scenario in which art played a crucial role.
Lee and Lim appeared in the short feature free of charge and talked about their love of art.
Furthermore, Lee was named honorary ambassador for two years of the National Museum of Contemporary Art in December. 
“He’s been a collector for some time,” said a museum spokesperson who added that Lee had shown his support for local artists time and time again.
Lee’s movies “New World” and “The Face Reader” will hit cinemas later this year.

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February 20, 2013
Facing the blood-drenched mirror
Undercover cop thriller 'New World' a gory addition to Korean cinema
By Yun Suh-young The Korea Times

Park Hoon-jung’s ‘New World’ is a dark mob opera that is outrageously violent.  /  Korea Times

A recurrent subject in Park Hoon-jung’s work ― whether working as a screenwriter or director ― is men who struggle to retain a sense of integrity in environments that work against this. And he seems incapable of telling their stories without using scenes of extreme violence.
"New World,’’ opening in theaters today, is a dark and gritty gangster picture that borrows heavily from the influential Hong Kong thriller "Infernal Affairs’’ (2002) and the Martin Scorsese masterpiece it inspired, "The Departed’’ (2007).
In the director’s chair this time, Park apparently decided to distinguish this film by pushing the level of violence up against the limits of acceptability. As a result, New World becomes yet another gory addition to an already blood-soaked collection of Korean action films, which some worry are becoming one-dimensional.
The main character is Lee Ja-sung, played by Lee Jung-jae, a cop who goes undercover as a gangster. He had been embedded in the Gold Moon organized crime syndicate for eight years, during which he rose to become the right-hand man of Jung Chung, played by Hwang Jung-min, whose is being groomed as the next leader of the family. 
Lee Jung-jae, center, plays the role of Lee Ja-sung, an undercover cop embedded in a crime organization and struggling to retain his inner reality.


Lee reports to Detective Kang, chief of the undercover unit, a role played brilliantly by Choi Min-sik, an actor who seems to be involved in all Park’s projects.
The word "new world’’ is the police codename for Lee’s undercover mission that is aimed at eventually dismantling Gold Moon from the core. The name becomes increasingly ironic as the movie progresses with Lee slowly becoming a product of an environment he was supposed to work against.
The source of tension is predictable. Lee finds himself increasingly identifying with the men he is deceiving and becoming increasingly frustrated over his isolation and the risks that Kang forces him to take. Lee’s identity crisis drives the movie toward a shocking conclusion, where he indeed finds himself in a ``new world’’ where the boundary between good and evil is permanently blurred.
Park has written the screenplays for several tough and gritty films such as "The Unjust’’ (2010), ``I Saw the Devil’’ (2010) and "The Showdown’’ (2011), where the plots and commentary about the darker sides of human nature seemed to exist to support outbursts of outrageous violence.  New World falls right in line.
"I wanted to portray how the three men in the movie ― Kang, Lee and Jung ― all had their own ideas of the 'new world’ that would unfold before them after their goals are achieved. In progressing toward their goals, the role of the good and evil are sometimes switched around, intended to leave the viewers confounded over who the good guys are and who the bad guys are. I think this is a genuine representation of the real world we live in,’’ Park recently told reporters.
"I want people to focus on the macroscopic drama on how power and organization can dictate a person’s own choices and life.’’
Kang is perhaps the most fully developed and complicated character in the movie. He is a cold, heartless man who sees no room for mercy and pushes the undercover mission with a relentlessness that doubles the cruelty directed at Lee.
Jung, the impulsive gangster, is portrayed as more warmhearted and ferociously loyal to his brotherhood, although displays ruthlessness when competing with rival Lee Jung-gu, played by Park Sung-woong, to take the helm of the crime group.
Stuck between them is the undercover cop who is forced to live a life that is the radical opposite of his inner life or rather his idea of it.  
Park chose to shoot the movie in tones of gray tone portending the futures of the men. In most scenes the cast is dressed in different shades of gray, whether in suits or jackets. 

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February 21, 2013
The Engrossing NEW WORLD's Three Acclaimed ActorsNew Gangster Saga Excites Audiences with Charismatic Leads 

by Lee Eun-sun KOBIZ


According to director PARK Hoon-jung, New World is a movie about politics by gangsters. That’s right. The world in the film is mixed with loyalty, betrayals and dilemmas. It's full of violence and blood, as well. The three actors are so convincing that spectators will believe that the characters they play and the world they inhabit are real. New World comes comes to life with the mature performances of its three leads and will likely elicit gasps from audiences at theaters. Photographed by Jono Lee

 Choi Min-shik - Watching Not a Tree but a Whole Forest CHOI Min-shik is a master of acting. He exhibits this once again with New World. Now we should not only pay attention to his acting . It is time to carefully observe th eperformance of an actor who sees not a tree but a whole forest. - You must have found your character in the film very attractive. What made you think that this film would be an extraordinary work?  The story is simple except that it reminds of Internal Affairs (2003). I told director PARK about it. “In that manner, too many films are similar to one another, right?” director PARK told me. That makes sense. So I read the screenplay with more interest, studied the characters and found them interesting. Then I thought not only about myself but the entire cast. I like director PARK very much. Director PARK is excellent at designing his work and works very efficiently. I think it is premature to judge him on the basis of his sole previous work, The Showdown (2011).  - It was said that you yourself recommended LEE Jung-jae. Why?
Personally, I thought that a cool guy should play LEE Ja-sung in the film. Then an idea flashed across my mind. This was that LEE Jung-jae would be perfect for the role. But some worried about casting LEE as he was planning to act in a TV series. I insisted that we should call LEE first. We immediately called him. LEE was scheduled to sign a contract for the TV drama on that day of all days. I told LEE to make a decision after reading a screenplay that I would send him. “HWANG Jung-min and I are not as important as you in this project. Then think about it,” I added. (Laughs) Some actors refuse to play roles less important than younger actors. That kind of attitude is old fashioned and absurd. Actors should select their works by taking a long-range view of their works and careers. They need to have a more flexible attitude. Old actors become greater actors by expanding the scope of their acting. In this fashion, Korea will be able to have its own Alain DELON. It is one of the audience’s prerogatives to watch actors become more dignified and enhance their own attractiveness as they become older. I wanted New World to be a distinguished film. Actors and actresses are essential for making distinguished films. - Are you very good at reading other people’s minds?
Well, I am not bad. (Laughs) I easily trust people. I am simple so I hate thinking too hard. I hate being ambivalent. - Now you are shooting Myeong-Ryang (working title). You are playing another planning role in production of the next work, right?  Right. Admiral LEE Sun-shin of the Joseon Dynasty was a strategist. So I felt some burden. There is no reason why I should play the great admiral if the character is simply the hero LEE Sun-shin. Admiral LEE was a lonely man. In my opinion, Admiral LEE was not a dauntless leader but a resourceful one. Admiral LEE was lonely as he had trouble sleeping due to a nervous breakdown, suffered from diseases and had to fight uphill battles. This means that Admiral LEE was very humane. The film will depict how humane he was. by Lee Eun-sun  Hwang Jung-min - Knows the Real Taste of Acting HWANG Jung-min said that his character JUNG Chung is like a rainbow. This means that he has many characteristics. HWANG, who plays a man with strong versatility in the film shows the breadth of his acting experience. - Your character has an eager desire for a new life and world.
JUNG Chung has mysterious pathos. JUNG was a good-for-nothing at a traditional market in a rural town. He rises to the number-two position of the Gold Moon Group, an organized crime ring. The movie begins at that point. That premise is the core of the character. I wanted to express JUNG as a character with various colors. President BAEK in A Bittersweet Life (2004) is a simple character whereas JUNG is more complicated. In fact, President BAEK appears in A Bittersweet Life only four times. Audiences love the character so much so I wanted to act as him better. So New World was like one more chance was given to me. - JUNG Chung seems somewhat light. But, in fact, the character is powerful.
That is right. JUNG is very playful and at the same time, brutal. Even at important moments, he enjoys making a joke. Such is the allure of JUNG Chung. In his first scene, JUNG wears a white suit and sleepering gear for airplanes at an airport. His henchman is holding his shoes. This matches him well. I wanted to make audiences think, “Who the hell is that guy?” when I appear for the first time in the film. I expressed JUNG through one strong image without saying anything. About 50% of my dialogue was improvised. - How similar are you to the character?
When I received the script, the producer told me that I fit for the role. “The only thing that you have to do is to swear in the film,” the producer told me. “Do you know what the most difficult thing in acting is,” I asked the producer. When I act, the most difficult thing is to show myself – HWANG Jung-min. It is extremely difficult for me to see me objectively. Even after I turned 40, it is still very difficult. - Do you know the taste of acting now?
I have enjoyed acting more since I turned 40. Everything became more comfortable. In my 30s, I acted as if I fought in a battle. Now I feel great as I work as a more mature actor. It is like thinking, “Ok, fine,” even after hearing “Your acting is not good.” The more I think that I have to act well, the more unnatural my acting becomes. Audiences already know that I can act well. I cannot do better.  All I have to do is enjoy acting. Having fun is important in my acting. In a sense, that means I feel comfortable. I do not want to act until I die. I want to do something different some day. This is because we only live once. by Jun Jong-hyuk 
Lee Jung-jae - Finds a Breakthrough in a Dilemma LEE Ja-sung in this film is a man with a dilemma. The character is involved in two worlds – the police and an organized crime ring. But he does not feel free in either. Actor LEE Jung-jae played the man who suffers from this agonizing dilemma in New World. - You acted in a male-oriented movie for the first time in a while, right?
Well, yes. Eight years have passed since my previous male-oriented film Typhoon (2005). I got a call from CHOI Min-shik when filming of The Thieves (2012) was in its final stage. “There is a new movie project, New World starring HWANG and me. We are looking for an actor who will play a character called ‘Ja-sung’,” CHOI told me. Male actors have a desire to show action in a powerful movie, right? I was attracted to New World as it is an infrequent noir film. I like this work as it is earnest although it is less complicated. - How did you approach your character? Ja-sung is a cop but infiltrates a crime ring by hiding his true identity. In the ring, Ja-sung feels for JUNG Chung (HWANG Jung-min). But Ja-sung is torn between the two worlds as he has a mission. Ja-sung is a man who sometimes wants to quit everything including spying on the crime ring. But he cannot. The character becomes more involved in the ring. Ja-sung has a desire to escape from a certain world but ought to stand it. So I told director PARK, “I feel as if I were acting not in a noir film but in a melodrama.” “Right, I want that feeling,” director PARK answered. (Laughs) - Was New World a time for thinking about the presence of a man?
Definitely I felt a kind of force. That is something powerful that only men can have. You feel your blood boil when you hear words like loyalty, desire and power, right? New World is such a movie to men. Everyone falls in a dilemma in their lives. If a person confronts a dilemma of choosing one, it will be troublesome and painful. Ja-sung also struggles to find a breakthrough among tough guys. - In the early days of your career, you acted mainly in melodramas such as Il Mare (2000) and Interview (2000). But recently, you have acted mainly in action thrillers such as The Thieves and The Face Reader. Did you change your standards to select your films?
Well, frankly speaking, I have no idea. My old image was soft and my current image is tough. So, has my image changed? I think that I cannot answer this question yet. I think I need two or three more years to find out the answer after playing more characters. Maybe, I will be able to find a proper color for myself after playing many roles. But one thing is clear. Now I am sure that acting is not to play a character or become attracted to a character but to assimilate within a character. by Ji Yong-jin

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March 3, 2013
'New World‘ over 2 millions audiences 10 days after the release
Source: Innolife Korea


The movie will break 2 millions audiences 10 days after the release.
On 2nd according to movie ticket computer network ‘New World’ recorded 307,814 audiences in a day, and 1,988,493 accumulated audiences on 1st, topped the box office. Released on February 21st ‘New World’ will break 2 millions audiences for 9 days. On the 10th day after the release it will became certain.
‘New World’ is now a box office hit topped the reservation and box office on the second week after release. The speed of ‘New World’ is same to ‘Nameless Gangster’ which recorded the best score among movies rated NC-17 released on 2012, proving its hot popularity.
Meanwhile ‘Miracle in Cell No.7’ drawing 10 millions audiences for the 8th times among Korean movies, had 298,871 audiences on 1st. The number of accumulated audiences is 11,225,537. It was released on January 23rd.

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March 13, 2013
'New World' set for release in Europe
By Lee Sun-min Korea JoongAng Daily
Action movie “New World” will be released in France and Germany after coming out in the United States and Canada next week, according to the film distributor Finecut yesterday.
French distributor TF1 and German buyer MFA will bring the movie starring Lee Jung-jae of “The Thieves” (2012) and Choi Min-sik of “Old Boy” (2003) to the European Continent. 
“?‘New World’ keeps showing new things and never lets [the audience] get bored,” said President Christian Meinke of MFA, according to Finecut. “The movie has a very [unique] story line and highlights talented actors.”
TF1 has previously distributed “The Man from Nowhere,” released in France in 2010. 
MFA distributed two 2009 films by director Bong Joon-ho, “Thirst” and “Mother,” and 2012 movie “Pieta” by director Kim Ki-duk to German-speaking countries. 
“New World,” which was released here last month, attracted more than 3.5 million moviegoers to theaters as of Tuesday. 

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March 19, 2013
Ticket sales for 'New World' pass 4 million mark
YonhapNews
SEOUL, March 19 (Yonhap) -- South Korean movie "New World" has exceeded 4 million tickets sold in local cinemas, official box-office data showed Tuesday.
   The star-studded noir-action film had sold about 4.17 million tickets as of Monday, 26 days after opening in local cinemas, according to the Korean Film Council that tracks the box-office figures.
   A film drawing an audience of 4 million is normally considered a commercial success in South Korea with a population of 50 million.
   Starring Lee Jung-jae, Choi Min-shik and Hwang Jung-min, the flick is about a young police detective sent to infiltrate an organized crime ring as a mole. After eight years of living a double life as a member of the ring, he succeeds in gaining the trust of the organization's No. 2 man but soon lands in trouble as police begin an operation to bust the gang members.
   It was written and directed by Park Hoon-jung who made his directorial debut with "The Showdown" in 2010. He is best known as the script writer of "I Saw the Devil" (2010) by director Kim Jee-woon and "The Unjust" (2010) directed by Ryoo Seung-wan.
   

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March 8, 2013
In Focus: New World
by Darcy Paquet KOBIZ

 South Korea has produced many gangster films in the last 15 years, but according to director PARK Hoon-jung, the film New World represents something different. Modeled after such works as The Godfather and the Hong Kong film Infernal Affairs, New World is a “gangster epic” that instead of training its eye on the plight of one or two individual characters, expands its scope to focus on the broader structures of power that govern a crime organization. It is, in other words, about the politics of a criminal gang.
 
LEE Jung-jae plays a police officer who over the course of eight years has been passing himself off as a member of the powerful Goldmoon crime syndicate. With a baby on the way, he is desperate to retire, however his handler Chief Kang (CHOI Min-shik) keeps him on as a succession struggle develops between the gang’s number 2 (HWANG Jung-min) and number 3 (PARK Sung-woong) members. The film details both the inner workings of Goldmoon, where rival factions quickly develop around the two prospective leaders, and the efforts of the police to infiltrate and control the crime syndicate and its business activities. Director PARK Hoon-jung first attracted notice within the Korean film industry for writing the screenplays for RYOO Seung-wan’s The Unjust (2010) and KIM Jee-woon’s I Saw the Devil (2010). He made his debut as a director in 2011 with the period film The Showdown, which was largely overlooked by Korean viewers upon its release. However with his second film New World he has scored a major commercial success, landing at the top of the box office chart. The film also sold well to international territories at the recent European Film Market, held during the Berlin International Film Festival. Critics have praised the film for its colorful cast of characters and the strong acting performances, and it has managed to successfully distinguish itself within Korea’s tradition of gangster films. Already there is talk about the possibility of a sequel, given that PARK’s original script covered a much broader period of time and contained much material that was excised. PARK, who claims to have seen The Godfather more than 100 times, is also surely aware that throughout film history this particular sub-genre has turned out numerous interesting sequels. In the meantime, New World will reach international viewers in a surprisingly short time, with North American distributor Well Go USA planning to release the film in early spring.

[rubie]

March 22, 2013
'New World' borrows from the best to make a highly entertaining crime drama
BY: DAVID VOIGT Examiner.com
 Once in a while in a trip to the multiplex we get the occasional treat from another country. Opening today in theaters in Toronto and Vancouver is the film that has been number #1 at the Korean Box Office for the past two weeks and is now launching on screens throughout North America today. "New World" is a taught and intense crime thriller featuring some of the finest heavyweights that the country has to offer.
In "New World" the head of the Goldmoon crime syndicate is dead, leaving his top two lieutenants to now vie for the job. Seizing the opportunity, the police launch an operation called “New World,” with the perfect weapon. The boss’ right hand man, Ja-sung (Lee Jung-jae), who has been a deep-cover operative for 8 years, closely watched by handler Police chief Kang (Choi Min-sik). With a baby on the way, and living in mortal fear of being exposed as a mole, Ja-sung is torn between his duty and honor as a cop, and the fiercely loyal gang members who will follow him to hell and back. Using inside information from Ja-sung to damage the relationship between the two feuding contenders, suspicions grow that a traitor lives in their ranks. The ruthless Jeong (Hwang Jung-min) escalates the game by hiring hackers to search the police database. As Operation New World closes in, and with the stakes climbing higher and a gangland bloodbath guaranteed among those that remain, Ja-sung makes a final, shocking decision no one could have predicted.
For only his second trip in the director's chair, Park Hoon-jung has crafted a slick crime drama that admittedly draws from a variety of obvious influences at times is still a tightly wound pot boiler of a film that will put you on the edge of your seat from minute one. It's the kind of film that keeps the spark alive from an intellectual basis as the back and forth manoeuvrings and human chess playing is a marvel to watch as all these different factions vie for power and maintaining their own interests. Hoon-jung's script while a little slow in the first act picks up steam at all the right moments, slowly sucking the audience into the intense drama of it all and the impossible choices that these characters are forced to make provides for some great viewing thanks to some solid lead performances.
Lee Jung-jae as the conflicted Ja-sung draws us in as a man on the edge between living a normal life or a life who commands loyalty power and respect at every single turn as both sides of his conscience and his life pull at him to the point where he is forced to make some very difficult choices. The iconic Choi Min-sik as the rough around the edges police chief Kang gristles when he's on screen with a sincere I don't give a... kind of attitude and it works to perfection as both these men are working towards very different ends and both man has reached the point where the other has simply become too unpredictable and neither man can trust the other. Both actors slid into the roles with ease and worked exceptionally well when together and even better when apart as both men command the screen at every frame. Hwang Jung-min brings a manic energy as Jeong the friend and partner to Ja-sung that could easily hug him one minute or stab him to death the next one.
While watching this film you couldn't help but get the feeling that writer/director Park Hoon-jung wanted "New World" to be an iconic gangster that would transcend language barriers and be remembered alongside some of the Hollywood classics. The film doesn't quite get there given the numerous elements borrowed from films that so obviously inspired him, it gets pretty darn close and is a highly entertaining gangster flick that is more than worth a look.
4 out of 5 stars

[rubie]

March 29, 2013
'New World' Gets High Praise in U.S.
The ChosunIlbo
"New World" has received rave reviews in the United States since its release in North America on March 22.
The New York Times said "'New World' is both less bloody and more thoughtful than most of its genre, the shifting-alliances plot becoming more engrossing as it progresses."


And the Los Angeles Times wrote that "writer-director Park Hoon-jung tells this twisty story of internecine warfare within a Korean corporate crime syndicate with patience, elegance and no small amount of bloodshed."
Another critic said that no one has made a gangster movie like "New World" in the United States for the past few years.
The film is soon expected to top 4.5 million viewers in Korea.

[rubie]

March 29, 2013
New World Receives Favorable Reactions from Foreign Press“Both Less Bloody and More Thoughtful than Most of Its Genre”
by Kim Hyun-min  KOBIZ
Park Hoon-jung’s New World, the first film for grown-ups to attract over 4 million viewers in 2013, has been receiving a mass of favorable comments from the press since its release in North America on March 22nd. IMDb and Rotten Tomatoes posted psotive comments from renowned press companies as follows:
“New World is both less bloody and more thoughtful than most of its genre, the shifting-alliances plot becoming more engrossing as it progresses.” New York Times (Jeannette Catsoulis), “Writer-director Hoon-jung Park tells this twisty story of internecine warfare within a Korean corporate crime syndicate with patience, elegance and no small amount of bloodshed.” Los Angeles Times (Gary Goldstein), “All that said, no one in American movies has made a crime opera this good in years.” Salon.com (Andrew O'Hehir) and more. The flood of praises proved the potential of New World in the United States.

[Chrissy Chou :)]

Goshhh! I want to see his new movie.
Lee Jung Jae, high-five!!! One of the greatest actors! So handsome ^^
Thanks for the update

[rubie]

April 15, 2013
Hollywood buys rights to remake ‘New World’
By Claire Lee The Korea Herald


A scene from “New World.” (NEW)
Korean gangster film “New World” will have a Hollywood remake, according to the film’s Korean distributor Next Entertainment World.
NEW said it recently signed a deal with Vertigo Entertainment, a production company located in Beverly Hills, California, to create the remake. The thriller was released in North America in late March, following its Korean release in February.
Screenwriter Will Fetters, who is working on Clint Eastwood’s next project “A Star is Born,” will be writing the script, NEW said.
Vertigo Entertainment, run by Korean-American film producer Roy Lee, is also in charge of producing American remakes of Park Chan-wook’s famous 2003 thriller “Oldboy” and Na Hong-jin’s 2008 film “The Chaser.” 
The remake of “Oldboy,” directed by “Do the Right Thing” and “Love & Basketball” director Spike Lee, is scheduled to be released in North America in October of this year.
The second piece directed by noted screenwriter Park Hoon-jung (“I Saw the Devil,” “The Unjust”), “New World” is an engaging noir about a police detective (Lee Jung-jae) who conducts an undercover investigation into Gold Moon ― one of the biggest crime organizations in the country.

[rubie]

April 16, 2013
Lee Jung Jae Speaks Up for the First Time about His Autistic Brother
CJ E&M enewsWorld Jeon Su Mi Translation Credit : Erika Kim 
Lee Jung Jae carefully opened up about his autistic brother for the first time ever on the April 15 broadcast of SBS′ Healing Camp.


When asked about his family, Lee Jung Jae stayed quiet for a few seconds, then said, "I have a big brother. I don′t think my parents will like my saying this. I hoped I wouldn′t be asked about it."
He added, "I have a big brother, and he′s not well. My parents had a hard time when our family wasn′t so well off because he was born with autism. Since my parents had to work, I also felt responsible for taking care of him. I think that′s why my father wanted me to get a better job."
He said, however, that he never thought of his brother as a burden.
"Since he′s my brother, since I′m his brother, I didn′t think of him as a burden," he said. "Since he couldn′t get anything to eat himself, I had to eat with him, and I always had to go looking for him whenever he got lost outdoors. That was sort of inconvenient."
He finished, "I think I accepted from when I was little that this is my life and this is what my family′s like. I′m not the oldest son but I had to act the role and I also had to act like a daughter and take care of family issues, so I think I grew up more quickly compared to others."
Lee Jung Jae also talked about his success with The Thieves, and revealed he still receives lessons on acting.
Photo credit: enews DB, SBS

[rubie]

April 16, 2013
Lee Jung Jae Talks about Why He Went Public with His Love Relationships
CJ E&M enewsWorld Jeon Su Mi Translation Credit : Erika Kim 

Lee Jung Jae revealed he went public with his relationships for everyone′s good.
The actor appeared on the April 15 broadcast of SBS′ Healing Camp, and talked about why he had made his relationships with top actresses public.
When Lee Kyung Kyu asked Lee Jung Jae whether he had fallen in love before, Lee Jung Jae answered, "I can count with one hand the number of people I′ve dated."
He said about the reason behind his public relationships, "I like being at ease. I can′t seem to hide anything. The people I dated back then didn′t want to hide our relationship."
He then said about his ideal type, "As time passes, I′ve come to care less for ideal types. I just hope she′s polite and is sensible."
"I want to sit with her at a cafe and go to watch movies once I get a girlfriend," he said.
When asked if he would acknowledge his relationship if he got caught by paparazzi, he flashed a ′v′ toward the camera and added, "Of course, since she would be my first girlfriend in a while."