Yoo Hae Jin 유해진

[rubie]

July 23, 2015

(Movie Review) 'Veteran': Thrilling, comical action movie

By Shim Sun-ah

SEOUL, July 23 (Yonhap) -- Director Ryoo Seung-wan's latest film "Veteran" provides light-hearted fun all the way through its 123-minute running time with its absorbing action sequences.

Actually, the plot is very simple. It's about a confrontation between a righteous police detective and an arrogant, heartless heir of a family-run conglomerate known here as "chaebol." There is no dramatic plot twist. Despite all this, the film is quite amusing.

This largely can be attributable to its thrilling action sequences, realistic lines and the harmony among the cast.

The movie starts with the story of a team of detectives at the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency who round up a ring of car-sellers who smuggled used luxury cars abroad.

A truck driver who comes to know Seo Do-cheol (played by Hwang Jung-min), an honorable and hot-blooded cop, pickets then outside the gate of Sinjin Corp. whose subcontractor fired him simply because he joined a labor union.

The demonstration is spotted by Jo Tae-oh (Yoo Ah-in), the de facto owner of the company, and the trucker is brought up to Jo's office and assaulted while his small boy is forced to watch. He falls into a coma after tumbling down a staircase at the company. Sensing that Jo has something to do with the incident, Seo begins to track him.

Jo tries to hamper the investigation using all possible means - the law, money and power -- but Seo and his colleagues make the seemingly impossible fight possible.

You may as well expect breathtaking action scenes from this movie. Characters fight with their bare hands but the fight sequences are far from boring. Especially impressive is the car-chase scene at the climax of the film which was filmed at the center of Seoul's Myeongdong shopping district. Jo drives his car into a shopping street congested with people and vendors as Seo chases him, causing a series of collisions.

Ryoo, best known for carefully crafted action flicks such as "The Unjust" (2010) and "The Berlin File" (2012), appears to have used all the skills he has gained during his 20-year directing career focused on action and crime for this flick.

"Veteran" is full of humorous lines that make viewers giggle, even when thinking of the scenes later at home and work.

Aided by an all "veteran" cast, including Hwang, Oh Dal-su, Yoo Hae-jin and Cheon Ho-jin, the movie progresses sleekly and rhythmically all the way through. Oh plays the head of the detective team, Cheon his boss and Yoo a company executive who is Jo's relative and right-hand man.

Rising actor Yoo Ah-in shows a strong presence as a villain who is insensible to others' pain and engrossed with violence.

The only weakness here is that the characters are too flat. Seo is a good and righteous man who never sways before all the threats from the chaebol family while Jo is described as evil to the core.

But, again, that's okay because the movie is made to be light-hearted entertainment.

"Veteran" is set to open in local theaters on Aug. 5.

sshim@yna.co.kr

[rubie]

July 25, 2015

‘Veteran’ Is Based On Stories Of Real Detectives

Source: BNTNews

[by Sora Ghim] Movie ‘Veteran’ is about a veteran investigation team chasing a man from a wealthy family for a criminal action entertainment. Detective Seo Do Chul persistently chases after a wealthy man and will show the refreshing teamwork between a veteran investigation unit. Using actual observations as a basis, ‘Veteran’ creates realistic fun.

Capturing the hearts of audiences with keen insight and action in ‘The Unjust,’ director Ryu Seung Wan is back with a new detective story. In order to capture the realistic image of a city investigation team, he personally studied detectives, raising the realism of the story and characters. In particular, the various dialogues the team members of the investigation unit say were created under the motif of the actual stories of detectives.

From the opening of the movie, it captivates with the arrest of a foreign used car gang with Seo Do Chul personally handcuffing the criminal. The leader of the investigation squad’s comedic line, “Among team members, even the smell of fart has to be the same to work,” shows his humanity while causing laughter. Ryu Seung Wan stated, “If ‘The Unjust’ showed the dark side of detectives, ‘Veteran’ shows the professional mind of detectives that make them do their best at their job and also the fun side of them. I contacted detectives that I personally know and went around to find them. I melted a lot of the conversation said among detectives on site and used many actual episodes in the movie.” 

With this, anticipation for the characters and story raises. Using the information Ryu Seung Wan personally obtained as his base, he completed a humorous and realistic yet new character that will entertain audiences.

Meanwhile, ‘Veteran’ will be released in theaters on August 5. (photo by CJ Entertainment)

[rubie]

July 29, 2015

Swaggering ‘Veteran’ pulls no punches
Director Ryoo Seung-wan goes back to basics with refreshing martial arts-style action

Yoo Hae-jin (left) and Yoo Ah-in in “Veteran” (CJ Entertainment)

After being bombarded this year with back-to-back Hollywood blockbuster movies filled with exploding cars, collapsing buildings, and cities turned upside down, it seemed that bigger, louder and hotter was the only recipe for the success of action flicks.

In “Veteran,” director Ryoo Seung-wan brings in an all-star cast led by Hwang Jung-min and Yoo Ah-in to flip that assumption on its head.

The reunion of Ryoo with stunt coordinator Jung Doo-hong (the pairing seen in Ryoo‘s “The Unjust” and “The Berlin File”) does not disappoint. The car chase scene at the movie’s climax, shot in the middle of Myeong-dong, is well-deserving of the praise it is receiving. However, it is the on-foot chases and hand-to-hand fight scenes dotted throughout the movie that sets “Veteran” apart.

At the center of action is the choleric detective Seo Do-cheol (Hwang Jung-min), who has a good heart but lacks self-restraint when it comes to beating up perpetrators. When an acquaintance truck driver falls into a coma after a visit to the offices of Jo Tae-oh (Yoo Ah-in), the heir to an almighty conglomerate called Sinjin Corp., Seo smells a rat and begins an investigation on Jo that is blocked at every turn with bribes and trickery. 

Hwang Jung-min (left) and Yoo Ah-in in “Veteran” (CJ Entertainment)

“I wanted an underdog hero,” said Ryoo at a news conference at CGV Wangsimni. “Not a movie-star hero, but someone like the troublemaking uncle in the family. He’s kind of hard to put up with as family, but he’s a great friend.”

This typical David and Goliath, good vs. evil setup manages to stay entertaining through its two-hour running time thanks to the way the two sides are portrayed. Do-cheol and Tae-oh may be archetypes, but the supporting roles played by scene stealers Oh Dal-su and Yoo Hae-jin add complexity and hilarity, showing that not everything is black or white.

Simplicity notwithstanding, Yoo Ah-in gives what is arguably one of his best performances to date as Jo Tae-oh. 

He was given a tall order, because his character was meant to encompass all the social evils the movie sets out to criticize. “Jo Tae-oh is a monster, but he as an individual is not important,” said Ryoo. “What’s important is the social system that created him, protected him until he became that way.”

Tae-oh is cold-hearted, selfish, and violent, with no respect for human dignity, and Yoo brings out those qualities for full display in every vicious drug-addled smile. The light banter that is prevalent throughout the film goes taut and tense whenever Tae-oh turns up his maliciousness to stare down Hwang Jung-min’s Do-cheol.

Funny, smart, and never too serious for comfort, “Veteran” is refreshingly cathartic both in dialogue and action, with every jab, kick, and slap of the handcuffs landing with a satisfying visual and auditory effect. The box office is heating up with “Assassination” soon to be chased by Tom Cruise’s “Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation,” but “Veteran” should put up a good fight.

By Won Ho-jung (hjwon@heraldcorp.com)

[rubie]

July 29, 2015

Which 10 Films Did Koreans Enjoy the Most in 2015 So Far?

Soompi

The Korean Film Commission recently announced the results of the top box office movies in Korea for the first half of 2015. The data is from January 1 to June 30, 2015.

10. The Classified File (Kim Yoon Suk, Yoo Hae Jin)- 2.33 million tickets sold.

9. Big Hero 6 (Animated, Disney)- 2.8 million

8. Twenty (Kim Woo Bin, Kang Ha Neul, Lee Junho)- 3.04 million

7. Fast and Furious 7- 3.25 milion

6. Mad Max: Fury Road- 3.83 million

5. Detective K: Secret of the Lost Island (Kim Myung Min, Oh Dal Soo, Lee Yeon Hee)- 3.87 million

4. Jurassic World- 4.75 million

3. Kingsman: Secret Agent- 6.13 million

2. Ode to My Father (Hwang Jung Min, Kim Yoo Jin)- 8.91 million

This movie premiered on December 12, 2014 so that total is 14.35 million.

1. Avengers: Age of Ultron- 10.49 million

Out of the top 10 films, only four were Korean films- “The Classified File,” “Twenty,” “Detective K: Secret of the Lost Island,” and “Ode to My Father.”

The total number of tickets sold so far in 2015 is 95.07 million for a total of 761.3 billion won (about 658.2 million USD).

Source (1)

[rubie]

July 30, 2015

'Veteran' set for worldwide release

SEOUL, July 30 (Yonhap) -- South Korean action film "Veteran" will open in theaters worldwide starting next month, its distributor said Thursday.

Directed by Ryoo Seung-wan, the film was licensed to 28 countries and regions, including Hong Kong, Taiwan, Turkey and Singapore, at the Hong Kong International Film Festival and Cannes Film Festival in the first half of 2015, CJ Entertainment said.

Starring Hwang Jung-min, Yoo Ah-in, Yoo Hae-jin and Oh Dal-su, the film is about a veteran detective who stands against an arrogant and cruel heir of a rich family.

It will first open in South Korean theaters next Wednesday. Starting at the end of August, it will be released in Vietnam, North America, Indonesia, Hong Kong and more countries in succession.

"A lot of international buyers are interested in Ryoo's films since they're both artistic and marketable," said Kim Seong-eun, a sales manager at CJ E&M.

sojungpark@yna.co.kr

[rubie]

July 29, 2015

Veteran

by Pierce Conran / KoBiz

2015｜124 MIN | Thriller, Action 
DIRECTOR RYOO Seung-wan 
CAST HWANG Jung-min, YOO Ah-in, YOO Hae-jin, OH Dal-su
RELEASE DATE August 5, 2015 
CONTACT CJ Entertainment 
Tel +82-2-371-8147 
Fax +82-2-371-6340 
E-mail filmsales@cj.net
 
Scaling down from his most recent globe-trotting outing The Berlin File (2013) but maintaining his blockbuster status with a prime August release date, RYOO Seung-wan returns to theaters with his latest film Veteran, a crime-thriller heavy on action choreography and comedy that is poised to be a crowd-pleaser during the hottest (and busiest) theatergoing season of the year.
 
Reuniting with his The Unjust (2010) stars HWANG Jung-min and YOO Hae-jin and throwing YOO Ah-in into the mix as the antagonist, Veteran is another male-driven feature from RYOO that sees the action auteur in familiar territory, highlighting the kinetic choreography of long-time partner JUNG Doo-hong and the boisterous humor of star HWANG, not to mention his co-star OH Dal-su and supporting player BAE Sung-woo.
 
The story is a simple one, featuring Detective Do-cheol(HWANG) as the veteran cop of the title who takes an instant dislike to corporate heir Tae-oh (YOO) and will stop at nothing to take him down when a laborer ends up in a coma after a trip to his office.
 
Instead of inviting spectators into a complicated tale of deception and espionage, the way he has with his most recent pair of features, RYOO opts here to allow the characters to shine in situation-driven action and comedy sequences that easily glide from one to the next, much like he achieved with the similarly streamlined story of his 2006 feature The City of Violence. Yet he’s learnt a lot about pacing in the nine years since, and his action highlights are carefully woven into a tight narrative that sidesteps melodrama and superfluous side stories.
 
Coming off of the biggest hit in his 25-year career, Ode to My Father (now the second most successful Korean film of all time), star HWANG is playing at the top of his game and he’s never been busier, with no less than three more major films angling for release over the next 12 months (The Himalayas, Gokseong and A Violent Prosecutor). Veteran sees him play to his strengths, as he endows his brazen protagonist with a winning charisma and plays opposite friendly faces he’s already known to share chemistry with (YOO Hae-jin and OH Dal-su).
 
YOO Ah-in’s villain is easy-to-hate and YOO Hae-jin is suitably smarmy as his assistant but it’s the comedic co-stars that steal the show here, particularly an on-point OH Dal-su, currently gracing screens in box office behemoth Assassination, as HWANG’s embattled superior, who create the energy that keeps RYOO’s film gunning forward at all times.
 
Though all the ingredients for success are there, with a cool soundtrack and sharp cinematography and editing in addition to the aforementioned, Veteran is dropping into a crowded marketplace. RYOO’s latest goes to bat straight after fellow action films Assassination and Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation. We’ll find out soon enough if audiences can make some room for more.

[rubie]

July 31, 2015

Review: ‘Veteran’ offers big thrills with a comedy twist

BY JIN EUN-SOO [jin.eunsoo@joongang.co.kr] INSIDE Korea JoongAng Daily

Police officer Do-chul (Hwang Jung-min), left, and a young millionaire Tae-oh (Yoo Ah-in) have a major showdown in Myeong-dong, central Seoul, in the upcoming film “Veteran,” directed by Ryoo Seung-wan. Provided by CJ Entertainment

Director Ryoo Seung-wan has taken on everything from comedies to spy films and crime thrillers. But he has never let go of his signature style: movies loaded with action.

But his newest film “Veteran” adds a twist.

The flick is packed with intense action scenes including fist fights, gun battles, car chases and even boxing. 

But it’s also very funny, a change from his latest works like “The Berlin File” (2012) and “The Unjust” (2010), both of which took a serious and critical approach toward society.

“Veteran” requires no hard-thinking or reading between the lines. The conflict is very clear from the beginning, with a hot-tempered police officer trying to take down a reckless young millionaire who isn’t afraid of anything in the world.

The righteous cop is played by Hwang Jung-min who has often played detectives on-screen. 

This time, Hwang’s character Do-chul is the type of guy who doesn’t know how to compromise with anything unjust. 

The film is, admittedly, not very realistic - it’s unlikely that a single police officer would be able to take down a corrupt chaebol heir, however unfortunate that may be. 

But movies are often a form of wish-fulfillment, and “Veteran” is a good example. Director Ryoo admitted that the film was born from an out-of-the-blue desire for more upright police officers like Do-chul, who can stand up to the more unsavory characters in life.

Do-chul’s opponent, Tae-oh, is played by Yoo Ah-in, trying out a villainous role for the first time. Yoo, 28, has played a good-natured kid in “Punch” and another naive boy who falls in love with an older woman in the JTBC drama series “Secret.”

Yoo’s past roles never seemed to quite fit, even if he was always lauded for his acting abilities. But things really seem to click with this character, and it feels like he’s finally landed the right part. 

Tae-oh’s character gives no explanation about what has made him into a demonic heir who is addicted to drugs, knocks up girls and betrays his longtime assistant. 

He has always slipped through with his malicious acts using money and his insurmountable chaebol background. But with Do-chul cornering him at every turn, the bad lad finally goes ballistic. 

The final confrontation taking place in bustling Myeong-dong, central Seoul, is a heart-pumping chase scene followed by a bare-fisted battle on the road. 

It is something expected from the beginning, but watching the bad guy fail tremendously in front of everyone (including the audience) is very pleasurable. 

Although there are a number of times when it feels like Ryoo is trying too hard to extract comedy in scenes where he didn’t need to, “Veteran” is still a film you won’t regret watching in theaters this summer.

It opens nationwide on Wednesday.

[rubie]

August 3, 2015

Highly anticipated 'Veteran' to join summer action

Source: The Korea Times

Hwang Jung-min in a scene from "Veteran" / Courtesy of Naver

Korean buddy cop movie "Veteran" is joining a fierce summer theater battle.

With Korean action movie "Assassination" dominating theaters and becoming this year's No.1 Korean movie, and "Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation" fast approaching top spot, the public has plenty of action from which to choose.

Due for theater release on Wednesday, "Veteran" has garnered positive feedback, with critics praising a seasoned cast that includes Hwang Jung-min, Oh Dal-soo and Yoo Ah-in and an easy-to-follow storyline that does not require head-scratching. The movie has been described as a Korean version of Hollywood car chase action movie "Fast and Furious."

Directed by Ryoo Seung-wan, the movie features tough and moral police officers fighting for social justice against a rebellious heir to a powerful conglomerate. 

 

[rubie]

August 4, 2015

Cha Seung Won and Yoo Hae Jin to Return in “Three Meals a Day – Fishing Village”

Soompi

It was revealed on August 4 that two of the biggest stars of “Three Meals a Day – Fishing Village” will return in the next season. According to the related personnel, Cha Seung Won and Yoo Hae Jin will be filming another season of “Three Meals a Day” at a fishing village. It is reported that the filming location still has not been decided yet; the show may or may not return to the Jeonnam Manjae Island where the first season was filmed.

While the precise filming schedule is not yet set, it is said that Cha Seung Won and Yoo Hae Jin are trying to adjust their schedules in order to be able to film this.

“Three Meals a Day – Fishing Village” is another edition of the original “Three Meals a Day,” which is filmed on a farm in Jeongseon. The first season of “Three Meals A Day – Fishing Village” was extremely popular, due to Cha Seung Won’s amazing cooking skills and Yoo Hae Jin’s down-to-earth personality.

Source (1)

[rubie]

August 4, 2015

Will ‘3 Meals – Fishing  Village’ come back? “Cha Seung Won and Yoo Hae Jin are working with schedules”

Source: Innolife.com

tvN announced careful stance toward ‘3 Meals – Fishing  Village’. That it is true that actor Cha Seung-Won and Yoo Hae-Jin are working with the schedule, but there’s nothing decided. 

On August 4th, tvN announced, “It is true that ‘3 Meals’ is thinking of ‘Fishing  Village’ series, but there is nothing decided for sure. We are working with schedules with Cha Seung-Won and Yoo Hae-Jin, but we couldn’t decide on the exact time and location.” Trip to Manjae-do in September is almost impossible.

‘3 Meals – Fishing  Village’ is a spin-off program of ‘3 Meals,’ and it brought great attention with broadcasting from January 23rd to March 20th. Cha Seung-Won drew great attention with his great cooking skill, and Yoo Hae-Jin showed off attraction with humor and frankness.

There were endless requests for season 2 of ‘3 Meals – Fishing  Village’. However, tvN announced, “‘3 Meals – Fishing  Village season 2’ is one of many possibilities.”

[rubie]

August 5, 2015

'Veteran': Review

By Jason Bechervaise ScreenDaily

South Korea’s action-maverick auteur Ryoo Seung-wan (The Berlin File) is back at the top of his game with this highly engrossing and entertaining action thriller that sees a tenacious detective take on a tyrannical heir to a powerful conglomerate. Commercial Korean cinema has had a poor year so far both commercially and critically, but Veteran, which bows August 5 domestically and has signed a raft of international deals, could be a sign that things are about to improve.

Ryoo concentrates on delivering a solid and uncomplicated script filled with energy and humour; Veteran tackles the corruption associated with Korean conglomerates with a sharp wit and slapstick sensibility.

While Ryoo Seung-wan’s name may attract some attention, particularly with festivals,ultimately it’s the quality of the finished product that will help drive sales and buyers have already responded with sales to 28 countries including most large Asian territtories for this solid, light-hearted Korean action thriller.

The film follows the affable if somewhat unorthodox detective Do-chul (Hwang Jung-min) who, after busting an international car smuggling ring, is invited to a TV production party by a friend. There he meets the obnoxious corporate heir Tae-oh (Yoo Ah-in) who rubs the detective up the wrong way. After observing Tae-oh’s reckless behavior Do-chul later starts to ask around about his background but is prevented from doing so by his team leader.

Soon, however, a truck driver Do-chul knows ends up in a coma following an apparent suicide attempt after he was brutally beaten and humiliated in Tae-oh’s office over unpaid wages, Do-chul receives a phone call from the driver’s nine-year-old son and immediately begins to search for answers which lead him to the wealthy organisation the Sun-jin Group.  

In tackling Veteran, Ryoo seems to have taken on board some criticisms of his convoluted The Berlin File, and concentrates on delivering a solid and uncomplicated script filled with energy and humour. Like with The Unjust, Ryoo tackles the corruption associated with Korean conglomerates and the justice system, but he does so with a sharp wit and slapstick humor. The film does take a darker turn when the brutal Tae-oh unleashes his wrath, but Ryoo is careful to ensure the changes in tone are not too jarring.

Ryoo, who often collaborates with locally renowned action choreographer Jung Doo-hong, is responsible for some of the most audacious action scenes in Korean cinema as evidenced by The Berlin File and City of Violence and although Veteran in some ways is less ambitious in terms of set-pieces, it benefits from its deeper focus on storytelling. There are still a sufficient number of exhilarating and comical action sequences choreographed by Jung and shot by Choi Young-hwan to keep Ryoo’s action fans happy, in particular the gripping finale set in one of Seoul’s major shopping districts where Do-chul chases Tae-oh’s car on a police motorbike. 

One of Korea’s busiest actors Hwang Jung-min (The Unjust, Ode to My Father) makes detective a likable screen presence, while Yoo Ah-in (Punch) is impressive as the film’s villainous Tae-oh. Supporting roles are similarly convincing includin reliable character actor Oh Dal-su (Assassination) as the team leader.

There are no real surprises as Veteran’s narrative unfolds and the themes of corruption and justice it tackles may not be new, but are addressed in a refreshing and entertaining manner. Korean films may be frequently associated with violence and grim narratives, but here is a work which doesn’t want to take things too seriously and yet still has a message to deliver in its search for justice. 

[rubie]

August 5, 2015

‘Veteran’ No. 1 at box office

(CJ Entertainment)

Korean movie “Veteran,” released Wednesday is continuing with a strong opening showing, drawing nearly 440,000 viewers as of Thursday. The movie is expected to do well, as it is currently ranked No. 1 in the box office. 

Directed by Ryoo Seung-wan, “Veteran” portrays the action scenes between Jo Tae-oh (Yoo Ah-in) and a team of veteran police officers. 

Jo Tae-oh is a young arrogant rich tycoon who believes money solves everything. Seo Do-Chul (Hwang Jung-min) on the other hand, pursues Jo, with the help of a task force, aware of Jo’s indiscretions.

“Veteran” is quick to chase Korean movie “Assassination” and the American “Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation,” the two that have recently dominated theaters.

By Lee Hye-won (hyewonlee@heraldcorp.com)

[rubie]

Source: KoBiz

[rubie]

August 10, 2015

Korean film 'Veteran' tops weekend box office, 3 million in attendance

SEOUL, Aug. 10 (Yonhap) -- Local action film "Veteran" rose to the top of the box office last weekend, pushing star-studded Korean film of the same genre "Assassination" and Hollywood blockbuster "Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation" down to second and third place, data showed Monday.

"Veteran" topped the box office, earning 15 billion won (US$12.8 million) over the Aug. 7-9 weekend, according to the computerized box office data from the Korean Film Council (KOFIC).

The movie by director Ryoo Seung-wan has been sitting at No. 1 for the fifth straight day since it opened in local theaters last Wednesday. On Monday, it surpassed the 3 million mark in accumulated views, according to its investor-distributor CJ E&M.

Starring Hwang Jung-min, Yoo Ah-in, Yoo Hae-jin and Oh Dal-su, the film is about a veteran detective who stands up against an arrogant and cruel heir of a rich family as he delves into the mysterious death of truck driver that he knew.

"Assassination" by director Choi Dong-hoon came in at No. 2, raking in 8.6 billion won from about 1.08 million viewers during the same period. The movie starring Jun Ji-hyun, Lee Jung-jae and Ha Jung-woo surpassed 9 million in attendance on Monday morning, according to its local distributor Showbox.

It is the most-viewed Korean film year-to-date and is soon expected to become the first Korean film to exceed 10 million in attendance this year.

Set in Shanghai and Seoul in the 1930s when Korea was a colony of Japan, the film depicts three Korean independence fighters teaming up to assassinate the commander of the Japanese troops in Korea and a Korean business tycoon with ties to Japan.

The flick was closely followed by "Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation" in the weekly chart.

The fifth installment in the nearly 20-year-old film series earned 7.7 billion won with more than 942,000 viewers last weekend, according to the KOFIC data. Its accumulated number of viewers reached 4.72 million as of Sunday.

In the film, Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise), super-agent for the Impossible Missions Force (IMF), and his team take on their most impossible mission yet, eradicating the Syndicate - an international rogue organization as highly skilled as they are.

Animated films -- "Minions," "Inside Out," "Detective Conan: Sunflowers of Inferno" and "Yokai Watch"-- took the next four positions as it is a popular genre among school children who are on summer vacation.

sshim@yna.co.kr

[rubie]

August 11, 2015

‘Veteran’ No. 1 in competitive Korean box office

Source: INSIDE Korea JoongAng Daily

It’s a horse race at the Korean box office. 

Following strong performances by local blockbuster “Assassination” and Hollywood action flick “Mission: Impossible ? Rogue Nation” for the past two weeks, “Veteran” was the new chart-topper for the second weekend of August. 

Directed by action auteur Ryoo Seung-wan, the action comedy debuted with 1.9 million admissions at 1,064 screens nationwide, according to the Korean Film Council on Monday.

Although it came a little short of its competitors’ opening scores, (two million moviegoers for “Mission: Impossible ? Rogue Nation” and 2.4 million for “Assassination”), the film was still off to a good start, considering the fact that it opened at relatively fewer screens. 

Featuring a slew of stars, including Hwang Jung-min, Oh Dal-su and Yoo Hae-jin, the film follows a confrontation between a hardheaded police officer (Hwang) and a haughty spoiled millionaire (Yoo Ah-in). 

The film has made 15.4 billion won ($13.2 million) in Korea so far. 

Maintaining its popularity at the box office, Choi Dong-hoon’s historical action drama “Assassination” held second place with one million tickets sold. During its three-week reign in Korean theaters, the film has pulled in nearly nine million tickets, making 69.8 billion won. 

Last week, the movie was embroiled in a plagiarism scandal, with author Choi Jong-rim claiming that it resembles much of his 2002 novel “Korean Memories.” However, production company Caper Films refuted the claim outright, asserting that they will take “strong countermeasures” against defaming of the filmmakers. No further actions were taken by either side. 

Tom Cruise’s “Mission: Impossible ? Rogue Nation,” the fifth installment of the mega franchise, slipped to third place, selling 942,014 tickets over the weekend. Since the film opened in Korea on July 30, it has made 37.6 billion won. 

Far behind the top three were Universal’s “Minions” and Pixar’s “Inside Out,” in the fourth and fifth slots, respectively. “Minions,” in which miniature yellow creatures take center stage, sold 319,493 tickets, pulling its two-week total to 1.8 million, while “Inside Out,” which opened a month ago, has amassed 4.5 million tickets. 

Wildlife documentary “Amazonia” opened in eighth place with 17,323 tickets sold, while “Diary of a Chambermaid,” the third film adaptation of the classic 1900 novel, took ninth place with 4,559 tickets sold. 

BY JIN EUN-SOO [jin.eunsoo@joongang.co.kr]

[rubie]

August 11, 2015

'Veteran' Draws 2.8 Million in 1st Week After Release

Source: The Chosun Ilbo

The crime flick "Veteran" has attracted some 2.8 million viewers in just five days since its release last Wednesday, putting it on track to become another summer box office hit. 

That is even faster than sales for director Ryoo Seung-wan's last film "The Berlin File" in 2013, which drew 2.25 million in the first week. 

Its performance also exceeded that of some mega-hit films, which drew over 10 million viewers -- "Ode to My Father" (2014) had 1.55 million viewers, "The Attorney" (2014) 1.75 million and "Haeundae" (2009) 1.99 million in their first weeks. 

"Veteran" performed particularly well in the all-important first weekend after release, attracting 1.44 million people, well ahead of "Assassination," which was released on July 23 and is likely to become the first film that attracts more than 10 million viewers this year.

[rubie]

August 12, 2015

Three Korean films invited to Toronto fest

SEOUL, Aug. 12 (Yonhap) -- Three Korean films, including director Ryoo Seung-wan's latest action flick "Veteran," secured invitations to this year's Toronto International Film Festival, according to the festival's official Website.

"Veteran" and "Collective Invention" by director Kwon Oh-kwang will be premiered in the festival's "Vanguard" category for innovative filmmakers that challenge social and cultural assumptions.

Internationally acclaimed director Hong Sang-soo's latest feature "Right Now, Wrong Then" was invited to the festival's "Masters" section for showing the latest works by the world's most influential art-house filmmakers.

The 40th edition of the non-competitive film festival is set to run from Sept. 10-20 in the Canadian city.

Starring Hwang Jung-min, Yoo Ah-in, Yoo Hae-jin and Oh Dal-su, "Veteran" is about a veteran detective who stands up against an arrogant and cruel heir of a rich family as he delves into the mysterious death of truck driver that he knew.

Released on Aug. 5, the movie has since attracted about 3.6 million viewers in local theaters. It is scheduled to open in Vietnam on Aug. 28 and India on Sept. 9.

"Collective Invention" is the feature debut by Kwon who wrote the script for "Safe," a film that won the Golden Palm award in the short-film category of the 66th Cannes Film Festival.

It tells the story of a young unemployed man who participates in a clinical trial for a pharmaceutical company's new drug and slowly transforms into a fish as an unknown side effect. As the bizarre situation becomes Korea's hottest news, he is capitulated into the spotlight and becomes a superstar, only to fall from grace just as quickly.

"Right Now, Wrong Then" is Hong's 17th feature film starring Jung Jae-young and Kim Min-hee. The plot involves a movie director who happens to meet a female painter and gets closer with her while visiting a provincial city.

The film is currently competing for a prize in this year's Locarno International Film Festival that opened a week ago in Locarno, Switzerland. The festival is scheduled to close on Saturday.

sshim@yna.co.kr

[rubie]

August 12, 2015

'Veteran' invited to Toronto film festival

Source: The Korea Times

Poster for the film 'Veteran'

The action film "Veteran" has been invited to screen in the non-competition category of the Toronto International Film Festival, its distributor said Wednesday.

Directed by Ryoo Seung-wan, and starring Hwang Jung-min and Yoo Ah-in, the movie will be shown in the "Vanguard" category for innovative filmmakers, CJ Entertainment said.

The annual festival will run in the Canadian city from Sept. 10-20.

"Veteran" was chosen for its approach to criticizing the privileged class and various elements of entertainment.

The film is about a veteran detective who stands up against an arrogant and cruel heir of a rich family as the detective delves into the mysterious death of a truck driver.

Since its Aug. 5 release, the movie has attracted about 3.6 million viewers in local theaters.

It is scheduled to open in Vietnam on Aug. 28 and in India on Sept. 9.

janee@ktimes.com,

[rubie]

August 13, 2015

‘Veteran’ Surpasses 3.5 Million Viewers

Source: BNTNews

[by Sora Ghim] Movie ‘Veteran’ has surpassed ‘Assassination’ and in just 7 days of its release, has gotten over 3.5 million viewers.

It recorded 86,511 people (at 10 AM) during the first week of its release on August 5 and 123,519 (at 10 AM) on August 11 during its second week. On various portal sites, it got high reviews and a rating of 9. Receiving good feedback and increasing its market share, ‘Veteran’ is maintaining its number one spot for ticket reservations.

Online survey company PMI held a survey through ‘Tillion’ asking 5,000 people in their 20s to 50s which movie they wanted to watch that week. ‘Veteran’ took first with 20.7% at 1,035 people, next was ‘Assassination’ at 17.6% and 880 people and in third was ‘Mission: Impossible – Rouge Nation’ with 13.7% and 685 people.

The director of ‘Veteran’ is Ryu Seung Wan, who also did ‘The Berlin File’ and ‘The Unjust.’ Hwang Jung Min, Yoo Ah In, Oh Dal Soo, Yoo Hae Jin, and Jang Yoon Joo star in the movie.

‘Assassination’ is set in 1933 Shanghai and Seoul about independence fighters and the government planning an assassination while a hitman chases after these groups. ‘Mission: Impossible – Rouge Nation’ is the fifth installment of the popular ‘Mission: Impossible’ series and shows Ethan Hunt leading his team to prevent a terrorist group from destroying the IMF. 

[rubie]

August 13, 2015

‘Veteran’ tops box office, surpassing 4 million mark

A new Korean movie “Veteran” surpassed the 4 million mark in ticket sales at the box office on Thursday, outpacing other films and emerging as one of the biggest hits during the vacation season.

Director Ryoo Seung-wan said, “I would like to thank everyone for loving the film so much. I always wanted to make this kind of movie which relieves people of their everyday stress.” 

The film involves a veteran detective who tracks down an arrogant heir of a rich family involved in a mysterious death of a truck driver. 

Ryoo said, “I wish there are more people like Seo Do-cheol in our life, who stands up against injustice.”

By Lee Hye-won (hyewonlee@heraldcorp.com)

Source: KoBiz