Jump to content

[Upcoming Movie 2016] Lady/Agasshi: PD Park Chanwook Starred by Ha JungWoo & Kim MinHee


czakhareina

Recommended Posts

January 11, 2016

Big-name directors flock back to big screen

After a year of crowd-pleasing action films such as “Assassination” and “Veteran,” the Korean box office gears up in 2016 to welcome back star directors who have received international critical acclaim for their artistically crafted films. The big names in Korean cinema are focusing their attention on period pieces, many of them choosing to base films on novels and true stories, and are bringing fail-proof star actors in their casts. 

Director Park Chan-wook, known for “Oldboy,” “Thirst” and “Stoker,” takes on an adaptation of U.K. novelist Sarah Waters’ “Fingersmith” in “The Handmaid,” starring Ha Jung-woo and Kim Min-hee. The original novel told a story of intrigue and crime in the Victorian era. Park’s adaptation put a Korean spin on that story, bringing the plot into the colonial Joseon era to spotlight a wealthy heiress and the man who schemes to steal her inheritance.

Kang Woo-suk of “Silmido,” “Fists of Legend” and “Moss” is bringing his 20th film to the screen with period piece “Gosanja,” starring Cha Seung-won. Cha will play Kim Jeong-ho, a Joseon-era geographer who went by the pseudonym Gosanja, in the film that depicts his journey as he puts together the large-scale map of Korea known as the Daedongyeojido, or Great Map of the East Land.

Romance movie master Hur Jin-ho -- whose hits include “Dangerous Liaisons,” “Christmas in August” and “One Fine Spring Day” -- returns with “Princess Deokhye,” starring Son Ye-jin and Park Hae-il. The film will be based on the novel of the same title written by Kwon Bi-young, which tells the story of the last Joseon princess, who was taken hostage by Japan.

Director Kwak Kyung-taek, who created the 2001 hit film “Friend” and saw success last year with “The Classified File,” brings actor Kim Rae-won and actress Kim Hae-sook together again as mother and son following their last union in “Sunflower.” The film will be based on a novel called “It is Over” by Park Ha-ik, in which the victims of unsolved murders return to haunt the earth and punish their killers.

Kim Jee-woon, known for stylish action and horror flicks like “A Tale of Two Sisters,” “A Bittersweet Life” and “I Saw the Devil,” brings another action film in Warner Bros.’ Korean debut production “Secret Agent,” starring “Snowpiercer” star Song Kang-ho and Gong Yoo.

Na Hong-jin, known for action-packed thrillers like “The Chaser” and “The Yellow Sea,” will also be presenting another thriller in “Goksung,” featuring Hwang Jung-min, Kwak Do-won and Chun Woo-hee. Set in a quiet rural town, the film will explore the rumors and secrets that hang over the village residents.

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

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 70
  • Created
  • Last Reply

January 25, 2016

Films based on fiction expected to flourish in 2016

image
The Handmaid (CJ Entertainment)

Literature and cinema have always coexisted ever since the invention of films as they share the essence of story-telling. Korean films to be released in 2016 base many of their plots on existing novels. This creates a win-win situation for both the original novel and the movie. Moviegoers can enjoy films with a quality plot while the book’s sales increase along with the film’s popularity. 

image
Director Park Chan-wook (OSEN)

Film mastermind director Park Chan-wook’s upcoming project, “The Handmaid” is a cinematic reinterpretation of Welsh writer Sarah Waters’ novel, “Fingersmith.” Park is expected to please the critics and viewers again with his intricate and unique taste portrayed artfully through previous works. Actor Ha Jung-woo and actress Kim Min-hee are set to play the main leads, much to the satisfaction of Park’s hard-to-please fans.

“Tunnel,” marks director Kim Seong-hun’s return to film making since his successful break in 2014, with crime action thriller, “A Hard Day.” The story is about a car salesman, who gets trapped inside a tunnel after it collapses, and the people around him, trying to save him. The story is based on the Korean novel of the same title, written by author So Jae-won, who also wrote the book that became the foundation for controversial film “Beastie Boys.”

French writer, Guillaume Musso’s “Will You Be There?” -- published back in 2006 and became best seller in several countries -- will rise again as a Korean film after a decade. A time-traveling piece laced with human-drama of a man who wants to change his past, the plot is a promising tearjerker. Veteran actor Kim Yoon-seok and star-on-rise Byun Yo-han will be the duo to depict the critically acclaimed story. 

The year 2016 is expected to be fruitful and full of juicy new films based on literary masterpieces. 

By Jung Min-kyung (mkj1105@heraldcorp.com)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

February 2, 2016

8 Korean Titles to Keep an Eye Out for in 2016
Star Directors Return while Fresh Names Poise Themselves for Breakthroughs

by Pierce Conran / KoBiz

 Fresh from recording one of its biggest years ever, which included two new additions to the ten million viewer club (Assassination, Veteran), Korean cinema is gearing up from another big year in 2016, with some of the country’s star directors returning to the fold after working in Hollywood, a few major blockbusters from rising names, and a number of smaller projects poised to make waves internationally.
 
To usher in 2016, KoBiz takes a look at some of the most exciting projects to expect from Korean cinema in 2016.

aSOKEgpjqwdHUXiDXvwK.png
 

Secret Agent
 
Following his stint in Hollywood, where he directed Arnold Schwarzenegger in The Last Stand (2013), his first role following two terms as the governor of California, KIM Jee-woon is currently filming the action-thriller Secret Agent. Reuniting with his The Quiet Family (1998), The Foul King (2000) and The Good, The Bad, And The Weird (2008) star SONG Kang-ho, director KIM will return with a story of Korean independence fighters during the country’s occupation by Japan in the early 20th century.
 
Co-starring GONG Yoo, the film focuses on the violent exploits of a branch of Korea’s resistance movement and is being financed by Hollywood major Warner Bros., marking their first venture in local Korean production. The film began shooting in late October in China and has since shifted production to Korea.
 
Tunnel
 
After an eight-year absence, director KIM Seong-hun triumphantly returned with the blackly comic action-thriller A Hard Day, which bowed to rave reviews in the Directors’ Fortnight program of the Cannes Film Festival in 2014. For his third film, KIM is teaming up with stars HA Jung-woo (Assassination), BAE Doo-na (Cloud Atlas, 2012) and OH Dal-su (Veteran) for the disaster drama Tunnel, which will be financed and distributed by Showbox.
 
Based on a novel by SO Jae-won, the film features HA as man trapped inside a poorly constructed tunnel when it caves in. BAE features his wife while OH plays a rescue worker on site. The film reminds us of modern Korean history, which has been plagued with disasters resulting from infrastructure failures that led to major death tolls, such as the collapses of the Sampoong Department Store and the Seongsu Bridge.
 
Goksung
 
NA Hong-jin exploded onto the scene with The Chaser in 2008, a critically-acclaimed thriller that instantly put him on the global map. Two years later, The Yellow Sea confirmed his status as one of the country’s most promising new filmmakers. This year, NA returns with another dark thriller, working with a new cadre of stars (replacing the effective teaming of HA Jung-woo and KIM Yun-seok in his earlier works) on the rural-set Goksung.
 
The film stars KWAK Do-won, SONG Kang-ho’s award-winning co-star in The Attorney (2013), as a police officer investigating a series of mysterious and grisly murders in the countryside following the arrival of a mysterious stranger. Box office heavyweight HWANG Jung-min (Veteran) co-stars along with HAN Gong-ju (2014) lead CHUN Woo-hee. The film is the third fully-financed local production for Fox International Productions, who previously part-financed The Yellow Sea.


ECvtrIzrzbydeDQqAnNf.png
Home Sweet Home
 
Another director who hasn’t been seen in some time, LEE Kyoung-mi worked as a writer and assistant director on PARK Chan-wook’s Sympathy For Lady Vengeance (2005) before debuting to acclaim with the off-kilter high school comedy-drama Crush And Blush (2008), co-written and produced by PARK.
 
In 2016, LEE will unveil her sophomore film Home Sweet Home (working title). The dark political thriller features SON Ye-jin (The Pirates, 2014) as the wife of a politician played by KIM Joo-hyuk (The Servant, 2010). During his campaign for the National Assembly, she uncovers a terrible secret after their daughter goes missing just 15 days before election day. Previously co-stars in My Wife Got Married (2008), SON and KIM will surely present a very different kind of chemistry in the CJ Entertainment thriller.
 
Train Via Busan
 
Already known for the gritty indie animated features The King of Pigs (2011) and The Fake (2013), YEON Sang-ho makes his live action debut with the high-speed thriller Train via Busan (working title). GONG Yoo stars as a father who boards the KTX train from Seoul to Busan with his daughter. However, another passenger on the train has brought on a dangerous infection that is quickly infecting fellow riders and driving them crazy.
 
The events of Train via Busan follow the initial outbreak depicted in YEON’s completed but unreleased animation Seoul Station. Co-starring with GONG is JUNG Yu-Mi (Our Sunhi, 2013).
 
The Handmaiden
 
Director PARK Chan-wook returns home with The Handmaiden, his first film in Korea since Thirst (2009), after he made the American gothic tale Stoker (2013). Based on Sarah Waters’ novel Fingersmith, the film stars HA Jung-woo as a con man who teams up with a young pickpocket (newcomer KIM Tae-ri) who he installs as the maid of a wealthy socialite, played by KIM Min-hee (Right Now, Wrong Then, 2015).
 
Switching out the Victorian England setting of the original book with Korea and Japan in the 1930s, when the former was colonized by the latter, PARK’s latest promises the engrossing visuals he has become known for, as it was shot by his frequent collaborator JEONG Jeong-hun, who has been actively working in Hollywood after gaining notice there for his work on Stoker. The Handmaiden also features CHO Jin-woong (A Hard Day, 2014), KIM Hae-sook (The Thieves, 2012) and MOON So-ri(Oasis, 2002).
 

Spoiler

 

Our Love Story
 
After their more commercially-oriented titles Socialphobia (2015) and Alice In Earnestland (2015), both of which were hits at the Korean box office, the Korean Academy of Film Arts (KAFA) will debut the low-key drama Our Love Story this year.
 
At a time when gay rights are becoming an increasingly important, and hotly contested, issue in Korean society, Our Love Story presents the burgeoning relationship of a diffident art student and a carefree bartender. LEE Hyun-ju’s debut is one of the rare works to present a lesbian story in Korean cinema. Our Love Story follows the KAFA works Girl on the Edge and The Boys Who Cried Wolf, both of which debuted at the Busan International Film Festival last October.
 
Karaoke Crazies
 
A genre piece taking place almost entirely in a surreal karaoke bar, Karaoke Crazies sees director KIM Sang-chan return nine years after Highway Star. LEE Mun-sik (A Bloody Aria, 2006) stars as the owner of an isolated karaoke bar in the countryside with precious few guests. He hires a strange girl, played by BAE So-eun (Doctor, 2012), as a helper and though unpopular at first, she soon becomes a favorite with customers. The owner hires another woman when business improves, all the while keeping his eye out for a serial killer on the loose.
 
With an intricate set and an interesting mix of genres, Karaoke Crazies calls to mind some of the polymorphic genre hits that Korea became known for around the world.

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

February 24, 2016

Park Chan-wook’s ‘Handmaiden’ presold in 116 countries

Park Chan-wook’s upcoming thriller “The Handmaiden” has sealed overseas distribution deals in 116 countries ahead of its local premiere later this year.

The film’s distributor CJ E&M on Wednesday announced the deals, selling to the U.S., France, Germany, Japan and Australia, among others, at the European Film Market during the latest Berlin International Film Festival. Amazon’s film production division Amazon Studios bought the U.S rights. 

It is the second-largest overseas sales success for CJ E&M, following Bong Joon-ho’s “Snowpiercer,” which in 2013 was sold to 167 countries ahead of its premiere. 

“The expectation for Park Chan-wook’s work is high and the visuals revealed from the highlight clip was satisfactory, which drew record presales,” said Kim Seong-eun, CJ E&M’s film division representative. 

The “Oldboy” director’s new thriller is a screen adaption of the 2002 crime novel “Fingersmith” by British author Sarah Waters, which was previously adapted into a two-part BBC miniseries in 2005. 

Park’s version has changed the time period from 19th century London to early 20th century Korea, when the country was under Japanese colonial rule. 

Actress Kim Min-hee, known for “Helpless” and “Very Ordinary Couple,” will play a young, wealthy heiress, while actor Ha Jung-woo, who was in “Kundo: Age of the Rampant” and “The Chaser,” will play a Japanese aristocrat who hires a female petty thief -- played by rookie Kim Tae-ri -- to go after Kim’s money. Actor Cho Jin-woong, who was in “Kundo: Age of the Rampant” and “A Hard Day,” joins the cast as the heiress’ uncle and guardian, along with seasoned actresses Kim Hae-sook and Moon So-ri. 

It is Park’s return to the local movie market after a seven-year hiatus following “Thirst” (2009). His Hollywood debut “Stoker” (2013), a British-American thriller starring Nicole Kidman, Matthew Goode and Mia Wasikowska, received positive reviews from critics, but was not a huge box office hit. 

“The Handmaiden” is coproduced by Park’s own Moho Film and “Oldboy” producer Lim Seung-yong’s Yong Film. It is set to hit screens in the early half of this year. 

By Ahn Sung-mi (sahn@heraldcorp.com)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yonhap News Agency

February 24, 2016

Park Chan-wook's upcoming film sold in 116 countries

SEOUL, Feb. 24 (Yonhap) -- Distributing rights for South Korean director Park Chan-wook's upcoming movie "The Handmaiden" have been sold in 116 countries even before its completion, the film's distributor said Wednesday.

It's the second time a South Korean movie has been sold to more than 100 countries prior to release, CJ Entertainment said, adding the first was Bong Joon-ho's "Snowpiercer" in 2013.

The transactions were made through the European Film Market, with Amazon Studios having bought the distributing rights in the U.S.

"Many people were satisfied by the visual aesthetics of the seven-minute highlight," Kim Sung-eun, head of CJ E&M's overseas business department, said.

Set in 1930s Korea and Japan, "The Handmaiden" centers on an heiress (Kim Min-hee) and a count (Ha Jung-woo) who covets her assets. The count hires a maid (Kim Tae-ri) on the heiress's behalf.

The film, currently in post-production, is scheduled to open in the first half of this year.

sojungpark@yna.co.kr

Link to comment
Share on other sites

March 27, 2016

Park Chan-wook's "The Handmaiden" a likely candidate at Cannes this year

Source: Viva100 via Hancinema.net

photo706442.jpg

Will director Park Chan-wook's "The Handmaiden" bring some good news this year after 3 straight years of not being invited to the Cannes International Film Festival?

"The Handmaiden" is a masterpiece that has been pre-sold to 116 countries at the European Film Market. Word from movie makers is that Park Chan-wook just might be able to recover his name from breaking the 3-year jinx.

"The Handmaiden" starring Ha Jeong-woo, Kim Min-hee, Kim Tae-ri and Jo Jin-woong, is a mysterious thriller based on Sara Water's novel "Finger Smith". It is depicted in the 1930s during the Japanese Invasion in Japan and Korea about a woman who inherits a great deal of a fortune and the secrets around her.

CJ Entertainment said, "The movie will be released around June when the Cannes International Film Festival is over". If the movie is nominated at CIFF, it will lead to tremendous ticket power.

Spoiler

photo706441.jpg

-*"The Wailing" is another likely candidate which is being released on the 12th of May.

"The Wailing" is the fourth Korean movie being produced by FOX with director Na Hong-jin at the helm.

"The Wailing" is about a number of cases that occur after a foreigner shows up starring Kwak Do-won, Hwang Jeong-min and Cheon Woo-hee.

Director Na has drawn attention on himself with "The Chaser" in CIFF before.

According to a source, "A Cannes regular guest director Hong Sang-soo and Kim Ki-duk are making appearances this year and Park Chan-wook's "The Handmaiden" is an exceptionally strong nominee. There's a lot of excitement for it".

"Mad Max" director George Miller takes part in the 69th Cannes International Film Festival as a judge and the event is being held in Cannes, France from May 11th to the 22nd.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

April 4, 2016

Major Korean directors set for comeback

By Rumy Doo (doo@heraldcorp.com)

Some of Korea’s most internationally renowned directors are gearing up for a comeback this summer with projects that are pricier and on a grander scale, promising audiences a vigorous movie scene in the upcoming months. 

The level of Hollywood involvement in the local movie industry this year is significant, serving as an indicator that the country’s $1.52-billion film market -- led primarily by domestic films -- is becoming increasingly significant to foreign investors. It is also testimony to the substantial mark Korean directors are making in global cinema. 

The following is a list of upcoming films that have been generating buzz: 

“The Handmaiden” by director Park Chan-wook

image
(CJ E&M)

Director Park Chan-wook -- nicknamed “Cannes Park” for his films “Oldboy” and Thirst,” which won at Cannes in 2004 and 2009, respectively -- is back with an adaption of the crime novel “Fingersmith,” by British novelist Sarah Waters. 

The novel was originally set in Victorian England, but Park’s upcoming film is set in 1930s Korea and Japan. It centers on an heiress to a vast fortune, played by actress Kim Min-hee, a count who lusts after her wealth, played by actor Ha Jung-woo, and a maid, played by actress Kim Tae-ri. 

The film created much buzz in December 2014 when audition details included the requirement that the role of the maid involved “nude scenes with maximum exposure” that “could not be negotiated.” Rookie actress Kim Tae-ri, 26, landed the part, beating some 1,500 others who auditioned.

In February, the film’s international distribution rights were presold to some 116 countries at the European Film Market, even before filming was completed. 

According to an official from CJ E&M, the film’s local distributor, participants at the event had been “satisfied with the visual aesthetics of the seven-minute highlight (reel),” reports said. 

“The Handmaiden” started shooting in the Japanese city of Kuwana in June last year and filming wrapped up in November. Its budget has been estimated at 10 billion won ($8.7 million).

“The film will open sometime in June, after the Cannes festival,” said a CJ E&M official. 

This marks Park’s return after three years. His last film was the psychological thriller “Stoker” (2013), which was written by Wentworth Miller and starred actresses Mia Wasikowska and Nicole Kidman. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yonhap News Agency

April 14, 2016

Park Chan-wook's new film up for competition in Cannes

By Shim Sun-ah

SEOUL, April 14 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's award-winning filmmaker Park Chan-wook's new thriller "The Handmaiden" was invited to the competition section for this year's Cannes Film Festival on Thursday.

The festival's organizing committee announced the lineup for films to be shown at the 69th edition of the event during a news conference that was broadcast live on YouTube from the French city of Cannes.

This year's festival is set to be held from May 11 to 22.

A scene from director Park Chan-wook's new film "The Handmaiden" (Yonhap)

"The Handmaiden" is the first Korean film to be shortlisted for the festival in four years since Im Sang-soo's "The Taste of Money" and "In Another Country" by Hong Sang-soo.

Park captured the Grand Prix honors at Cannes in 2004 with the thriller "Oldboy."

Set in 1930s Korea and Japan during the period of Japan's colonial occupation, "The Handmaiden" starring Kim Jin-hee, Kim Tae-ri and Ha Jung-woo revolves around a love story between a mistress and her handmaiden. It was inspired by Sarah Waters' Victorian-era lesbian crime novel "Fingersmith."

"Bu-san-haeng," an action film by director Yeon Sang-ho, and Na Hong-jin's mystery-thriller "Goksung" are other Korean films chosen for screening. They were invited to the "Midnight Screening" and an out-of-competition section of the festival, respectively.

A scene from director Na Hong-jin's new film "Goksung" (Yonhap)

"Bu-san-haeng" depicts people striving to survive against the spread of a strange virus in a KTX bullet train bound for the southern port city of Busan.

"Goksung" is a mystery-thriller featuring a rural village plagued with mysterious murders after the arrival of a stranger.

"1 Kilogram" by Park Young-ju, a film student of the Korea National University of Arts, was among the 18 short films chosen to be shown in the "Cinefondation" category, the organizer announced on its website earlier in the day.

The "Cinefondation" is the competition section for short films by students of various film schools around the world.

No South Korean films have been shortlisted for the Cannes' competition section for short films by professional directors, however.

"1 Kilogram" is about Min-young (Lee Seung-yeon) who lives a gloomy life after losing her son five years ago. She gradually changes after meeting a woman (Park Hyeon-young) in a gathering of mothers who lost their children. The movie is based on "1 Kilogram of Seafood" listed in "Night Passes," a collection of South Korean novelist Pyun Hye-young's short stories.

sshim@yna.co.kr

Link to comment
Share on other sites

April 15, 2016

Park Chan-wook's Film Up for Competition at Cannes

Source: The Chosun Ilbo

Park Chan-wook

Award-winning filmmaker Park Chan-wook's latest film has been invited to the official competition section at this year's Cannes Film Festival to be held in May. 

The festival's organizing committee Thursday unveiled the lineup of films to be shown, including Park's "The Handmaiden."

"Goksung," directed by Na Hong-jin, and "Train to Busan" by Yeon Sang-ho were invited to screen out of competition. Na has been to Cannes twice before with "The Chaser" in 2008 and "The Yellow Sea" in 2011. 

Based on British author Sarah Waters' novel "Fingersmith," Park's adaptation is set in Korea and Japan in the 1930s. The story revolves around an heiress who falls in love with a petty thief. 

Park won the Grand Prix at Cannes in 2004 for "Oldboy" and collected the Jury Prize for "Thirst" in 2009.

U.S. director Woody Allen's "Café Society" will open the festival, which will run from May 11-22.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

April 17, 2016

Director Park Chan-wook’s chances at Cannes this year

With director Park Chan-wook’s latest mystery-thriller “The Handmaiden” confirmed to screen in the Cannes Film Festival’s competition category, speculation abounds on whether the film will be able to bring a long-awaited win this year. 

The invitation, unveiled Thursday, was welcome news to the local film industry as it marks the first time in four years that a Korean film has entered the competition category. Hong Sang-soo’s “In Another Country” and Im Sang-soo’s “The Taste of Money” competed at the 2012 festival. 

Park has been recognized twice before at Cannes, with mystery-thriller “Oldboy” winning the Grand Prix in 2004 and horror film “Thirst” nabbing the Jury Prize in 2009. 

image
Ha Jung-woo (left) and Kim Tae-ri in “The Handmaiden” (CJ E&M)

“The Handmaiden” tells the story of an heiress and her household in 1930s Korea during the Japanese colonial period. It is anticipated to be as dark and ominous as Park’s previous works, featuring explicit nudity and homosexual tension. It stars big-name actors Ha Jung-woo and Kim Min-hee and the up-and-coming actress Kim Tae-ri in the role of the maid. The film is set for local release in early June after the Cannes festival.

This year’s Cannes lineup in the competition section features some of the most recognized directors in the international film scene, leading to charges that Cannes has favored established names over new talent -- allegations which the festival’s artistic director Thierry Fremaux strongly denied, according to Hollywood Reporter. 

Park’s film is up against 19 other works in the competition category. Some that stand out include “The Unknown Girl” by Belgium’s Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne brothers who have twice before nabbed the Palme d’Or, American actor-director Sean Penn’s “The Last Face” and “It’s Only the End of the World” by Canadian director Xavier Dolan.

Because the winners for the international film festival’s top prizes, which include the Palme d’Or and Grand Prix, are kept strictly secret until the last moment, it’s nearly impossible to guess what the outcome will be, said Yoon In-ho, an official at CJ E&M, the company in charge of distributing Park’s film.

Korean films are increasingly gaining a strong footing in international cinema, attracting large investments from global film companies as well as achieving critical recognition for showing the chaos that lurks underneath the society’s traditional hierarchical structure and rapid urban development. However, the coveted Palme d’Or prize has so far eluded Korean directors who have become regular guests at major international film events.

Only one other film from Asia is featured in the competition category -- Filipino director Brillante Medoza’s “Ma’ Rosa.” Meanwhile, two Romanian films have been selected this year -- Cristian Mungju’s “Baccalaureat” and Cristi Puiu’s “Sieranevada.”

Italy and Mexico, countries whose films are usually regular fixtures at Cannes, were absent from the competition section this year. Only one film from Latin America -- “Aquarius” by Brazilian director Kleber Mendonca Filho -- was invited. 

Spoiler

image

Hwang Jung-min in “Gokseong” (20th Century Fox International Productions)

Two other Korean films will be screened in the non-competition categories at Cannes this year. Director Na Hong-jin’s “Gokseong,” a thriller involving a serial murder case and featuring Hwang Jung-min, Chun Woo-hee, and Kwak Do-won, has been selected for the Outside Competition category. With the invitation, all three of Na’s feature-length films -- which include “The Chaser” (2008) and “The Yellow Sea” (2011) -- will have been screened at Cannes.

Yeon Sang-ho’s “The Train to Busan” will be featured in the Midnight Screenings category, which highlights commercial films. The film, starring Gong Yoo, Choi Woo-sik, Ma Dong-seok and Jung Yoo-mi, follows passengers on a train headed from Seoul to Busan who struggle to survive a virus outbreak that has overtaken the country.

In the Cinefondation Selection, a competition category for short films, director Park Young-ju’s “1 Kilogram,” a 29-minute short about a woman who lost her son and finds hope in a group of fellow mothers, has been invited. The film is an adaptation of Korean novelist Pyun Hye-young’s short story “1 Kilogram of Seafood.” Park, 31, is currently a film student at the Korea National University of Arts.

The upcoming 69th Cannes Film Festival will take place May 11-22.

By Rumy Doo (doo@heraldcorp.com) 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

April 18, 2016

Park Chan-wook’s ‘The Handmaiden’ to be unveiled on May 2

A press conference for acclaimed Korean filmmaker Park Chan-wook’s new film “The Handmaiden” will take place on May 2 at 11 a.m., according to the film’s distributor CJ Entertainment.

Its cast members, including actresses Kim Min-hee, rookie actress Kim Tae-ri, actors Ha Jung-woo and Cho Jin-woong, will attend the show.

image

image
Still from film "The Handmaiden" (CJ Entertainment)

Set in the 1930s during the Japanese colonial era in Korea (1910-45), Kim Min-hee plays a millionaire heiress and Ha plays a count who has designs on her money. Kim Tae-ri plays a maid.

The film has garnered much attention from the public as it has been invited to take part in the competition section of the upcoming 69th Cannes Film Festival. 

The thriller will open in theaters in Korea in June, but an exact date has not been set. 

By Kim Soo-hyang (shkim@heraldcorp.com

Link to comment
Share on other sites

April 21, 2016

Park Chan-wook’s ‘Handmaiden’ trailer unveiled

A trailer for director Park Chan-wook’s much anticipated feature “Handmaiden” was released Thursday, ahead of its world premiere at Cannes International Film Festival in May. 

In the trailer clip from distributor CJ E&M, protagonist Kim Min-hee, who plays a young, wealthy heiress, dangles from a tree with an emotionless face. Later, actor Ha Jung-woo, who plays an aristocrat, arrives at the scene with a petty thief played by rookie Kim Tae-ri. The two are both after Kim’s fortune. 

In vein with Park’s previous works, the trailer conveys an intense, dark and ominous ambiance, giving a taste of what viewers can expect in the film. 

image
Trailer of "Handmaiden" (CJ E&M)

The “Oldboy” (2003) director’s new thriller is a screen adaption of 2002 crime novel “Fingersmith,” by British author Sarah Waters, which was previously adapted into a two-part BBC miniseries in 2005. 

Park’s version has changed the time period from 19th century London to early 20th century Korea, when the country was under Japanese colonial rule. 

Actor Cho Jin-woong and seasoned actresses Kim Hae-sook and Moon So-ri also have joined the cast. 

It is Park’s return to the local movie market after a seven-year hiatus following “Thirst” (2009). His Hollywood debut “Stoker” (2013), a British-American thriller starring Nicole Kidman, Matthew Goode and Mia Wasikowska, received positive reviews from critics, but didn’t fare well at box offices. 

“The Handmaiden” is coproduced by Park’s own Moho Film and “Oldboy” producer Lim Seung-yong’s Yong Film. It is set to premiere at the Cannes film fest -- running May 11 to 22 -- and will be released locally in June. 

By Ahn Sung-mi (sahn@heraldcorp.com)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yonhap News Agency

May 2, 2016

Director Park Chan-wook says 'The Handmaiden' is juicy film

SEOUL, May 2 (Yonhap) -- Award-winning director Park Chan-wook said on Monday his Cannes-bound film "The Handmaiden" is a lot different from his previous works for having the most lines and giving subtle pleasures.

"It has the most lines of all films that I have made. It also has four protagonists, a long running time and is a very juicy film," Park said during a news conference at a Seoul hotel to promote the upcoming thriller. "I think this is the most singular of all my films since it is full of small funs."

Director Park Chan-wook speaks during a news conference in Seoul to promote his upcoming film "The Handmaiden" on May 2, 2016. (Yonhap)

Director Park Chan-wook speaks during a news conference in Seoul to promote his upcoming film "The Handmaiden" on May 2, 2016. (Yonhap)

So, it came as a surprise for the filmmaker when the thriller was up for the main competition category of this year's Cannes Film Festival.

"Honestly, I didn't expect it would be invited for the competition section," Park said, adding that his film is clear-cut with a happy ending which might not go well with a film festival favoring arthouse films. "I thought it may be a better choice for the Midnight Screening or some other sections," he said, referring to the festival's out-of-competition category for commercial films. The 69th edition of the festival is set to run from May 11 to May 22 in the French resort city of Cannes.

Set in 1930s Korea and Japan, "The Handmaiden" centers on an heiress (Kim Min-hee) and a count (Ha Jung-woo) who covets her assets. The count hires a maid (Kim Tae-ri) on the heiress's behalf.

The film is set to open in local theaters in June.

sshim@yna.co.kr

Link to comment
Share on other sites

May 2, 2016

Park Chan-wook returns with 'Handmaiden'

By Yun Suh-young The Korea Times

16-01(722).jpg
A scene from the upcoming film "The Handmaiden" / Courtesy of CJ Entertainment

Director Park Chan-wook, best known for "Oldboy" (2003) and "Sympathy for Lady Vengeance" (2005), is returning to the big screen with his new Korean-language feature film "The Handmaiden," which will be released in local theaters in June.

This is his first feature-length film in Korean in seven years, since 2009's "Thirst." Over the past few years, Park has been directing short films such as "Paranmanjang" (2010) and "A Rose Reborn" (2014) and foreign-language film "Stoker" (2013) with a foreign cast. He had also participated as producer in a number of Korean films.

Returning with a new thriller, Park said it was a film he had always had in mind.

"I chose this piece after Stoker because I was completely taken with the plot. I read the original English novel Fingersmith by Sarah Waters and it was mesmerizing," said Park during a press conference in Seoul, Monday.

16-02(639).jpg  
From left, Jo Jin-woong, Kim Min-hee, director Park Chan-wook, Kim Tae-ri and Ha Jung-woo pose during a press conference held in Seoul, Monday. / Yonhap

"The characters were so real and the plot had a shocking reversal. I had been thinking since then that I should definitely make this into a film."

Park said the film was inspired by the novel but was significantly different from the original story.

"When Stoker was being released, I invited Sarah Waters to the VIP preview screening and that's when we first met. Then I sent her the adapted script and she complimented it saying it was ‘well adapted but significantly different,'" Park said.

"Then she suggested, since the script isn't entirely the same from the original, why don't we use the term 'inspired by' instead of 'based on' the novel? So that's why the title of the film changed."

16-03(426).jpg  
Poster of "The Handmaiden" / Courtesy of CJ Entertainment

The lesbian thriller set in the 1930s during the Japanese occupation of Korea is about an orphaned heiress Hideko (Kim Min-hee) from a wealthy Japanese family and her local handmaiden Sook-hee (Kim Tae-ri) falling in love when the handmaiden was sent to Hideko by a conman disguised as a count (Ha Jung-woo) to persuade Hideko to fall in love with him. The count promises to share wealth extorted from Hideko with the handmaiden in return for her efforts in tying the two in matrimony. Actor Jo Jin-woong features as Hideko's peculiar uncle who shoves around his niece as if ruling over a slave.

In transitioning the novel's Victorian period into the Korean setting, Park said he chose the Japanese occupation (1910-45) because of the hierarchical status system that remained during that time.

"I had no choice because that was a period that still had a status system and when the capitalist class emerged. It was also when institutions such as psychiatric hospitals appeared," he said.

"I wanted a mixture of the East and the West and of Korean, Japanese and European all coexisting in harmony at times and in conflict at other times."

He added that the film is offbeat from his usual productions.

"The film will provide subtle pleasures here and there, because it is a very talkative and charming film with witty lines. It is the most unusual product out of my filmography," said Park.

The film was nominated to compete in the official selection of the 2016 Cannes Film Festival and is Park's third film to be nominated for the festival.

"I didn't expect the film to be invited," he said. "Usually the festival likes peculiar and uncomfortable films but this one has a happy ending and is free of ambiguity."

The film features a new face, 26-year-old Kim Tae-ri, who plays the handmaiden. She was handpicked by director Park out of 1,500 candidates.

"Kim has her own particular style which is different from the conventional," Park said. "I picked her because I just had a good instinctive feeling. She's a rookie but she was just as confident as the veteran actors."

ysy@ktimes.com

Link to comment
Share on other sites

May 2, 2016

Park Chan-wook says ‘The Handmaiden’ has happy ending

image
(OSEN)

Filmmaker Park Chan-wook said Monday the upcoming movie “The Handmaiden” would have a “happy ending” that viewers will be content with.

Park attended a press promotion for the film he directed at Seoul Westin Chosun Hotel Monday. He said the movie would have a clear and happy ending.

“‘The Handmaiden’ is a movie with a happy ending, and it will not leave viewers with a sense of awkwardness,” said Park, 52. 

The straightforwardness in the ending was the reason he was “surprised” to hear “The Handmaiden” was nominated to Cannes Film Festival. 

“I thought film festivals normally preferred awkward and uncomfortable movies,” he said, 

“The Handmaiden” is his third work to be nominated at Cannes, following “Oldboy” and “Thirst.” Those movies were awarded the Grand Prix in 2004 and the Jury Prize in 2009, respectively.

The movie will premiere at Cannes Film Festival on May 14, about a month before the Korean nationwide release slated in June. 

By Son Ji-hyoung (json@heraldcorp.com)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest adikkeluangman

Gong Yoo, Ha Jung Woo, Jo Jin Woong, And Jung Yoo Mi Grab A Drink At Cannes Film Festival

Some of Korea’s top actors gathered for a few beers at one of the world’s top film festivals.

On May 16, Syd Lim (Lim Seung Yong), the CEO for Yong Films that produced “The Handmaiden” updated his Instagram with a picture from France. Currently, the actors from “The Handmaiden,” directed by Park Chan Wook and “Trip To Busan,” directed by Yeong Sang Ho, are in Cannes, France for the Cannes Film Festival.

CioNe6DUoAEBzON.jpg

In the photo, you can see the four actors looking chummy as they enjoy their time broad. Their individual personalities show in their different poses, ranging from Gong Yoo‘s gentle smile to the cute V shown by Jung Yoo Mi to Jo Jin Woong who is goofily staring off into space.

In addition to “The Handmaiden” and “Trip to Busan,” another Korean film “The Wailing” is also being shown at Cannes, demonstrating just how much the Korean film industry has truly established itself in the world.

http://www.soompi.com/2016/05/16/gong-yoo-ha-jung-woo-jo-jin-woong-and-jung-yoo-mi-grab-a-drink-at-cannes-film-festival/ 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

May 3, 2016

‘The Handmaiden’ generates a buzz
Park Chan-wook takes a more commercial turn, with lots of dialogue

Source: INSIDE Korea JoongAng Daily

02200650.jpg

Actors in the upcoming Park Chan-wook movie “The Handmaiden,” from left, Cho Jin-woong, Kim Min-hee, Kim Tae-ri and Ha Jung-woo, pose for a photo at a press conference on Monday at the Westin Chosun Hotel in central Seoul. [NEWSIS]

Acclaimed director Park Chan-wook said he didn’t expect his latest project, “The Handmaiden,” to be put into competition at the upcoming Cannes Film Festival because of its generous complement of commercial elements. Cannes is far more partial to art-house productions. 
“To be frank, I didn’t think it would make it to the competition,” Park said at an unprecedentedly large press conference held Monday in Seoul.

“I thought it would suit the Midnight Screening section because it is a charming, happy-ending story without any ambiguous elements, which are often found in art-house movies.”

Park’s soon-to-be-released lesbian thriller, inspired by Sarah Waters’ “Fingersmith,” was recently announced as one of the 20 films competing for the Palme d’Or at the 69th edition of the prestigious film event taking place at the end of this month. Much of the plot line remains veiled, and the cast attending the press event were extremely cautious when talking about the film’s story. Park emphasized that the film’s style will diverge greatly from his previous work. 

“This film is the most talky film of all my works, which contributed to extending the running time as well. It contains some delicate humor and trivial episodes,” he said. “I consider this film to be the most unconventional in my filmography.”

02200711.jpg

Kim Min-hee, in the top photo, plays a mysterious heiress, while Ha Jung-woo, in the bottom photo at left, plays a conniving count vying for her wealth. Cho Jin-woong, in the bottom photo at right, plays an aged guardian of the heiress who has his own intentions. [CJ ENTERTAINMENT]

New attempts

The award-winning filmmaker has directed some 12 movies and participated in even more projects producing and writing.But oddly, Park, who is known for crafting striking mise-en-scene, has never attempted a costume drama before.

“The original novel was set in the Victorian era,” Park said. “When I thought about adapting it to the Korean Peninsula, I had no choice but to pick the Japanese colonial era.

“It was the only period that encompassed a feudal order and strict class system,” he added. “I needed a social hierarchy that allowed the existence of an heiress and handmaiden, but at the same time, the period had to be modern enough to have a mental clinic, which appears as a vital institution in the film.” 

For a visual filmmaker like Park, making a talkative film was a challenge in itself.

“I was used to making films that were propelled through gestures and mise-en-scene,” he said. “I didn’t know how the audience would react, but putting in a large amount of lines was a big change for me. I have always thought about making films that are clever and witty through their lines, such as talking with puns. This film was the perfect chance to do that because we don’t have to talk in ordinary language because of its time period.”

Continuity

Although Park made sure “The Handmaiden” would deviate from his normal style, there are factors that link his new project with his past work. 

Most notably, Park reunited with Lim Syd, also known as Lim Seung-yong, who first suggested Park make “Old Boy” (2003) as well as produced it. In fact, it was Lim who suggested Park make a cinematic version of “Fingersmith.”

In addition to that, the production team of “Old Boy” joined forces yet again, including the cinematographer, art, costume and music directors.

“It was a reunion with Lim for the first time in 13 years after ‘Old Boy,’” Park said. “Working with longtime collaborators may sound comfortable, but it has the danger of being lethargic, which is the biggest threat to people who do art.
“I tried very hard to keep everyone tense and motivated.”

It also seems that Park’s signature visual aesthetics and camerawork will not be compromised just because of an easy-to-follow plot line. 

“I tried to visually accentuate at times harmonious and awkward conflicts of the colonial era,” he said. 

02200725.jpg
Park Chan-wook

Actors’ experience 

Prior to the announcement of “The Handmaiden” going to Cannes, the film had already made headlines for its unprecedented combination of actors. 

Kim Min-hee, who Park called the most coveted actress in the film district of Chungmuro at the moment, joined the project as a mysterious and fragile heiress who gets involved in a romantic relationship with her handmaiden, played by newbie actress Kim Tae-ri. 

Km Tae-ri landed her role through an audition with 1,500 competitors. 

Ha Jung-woo plays a conniving count who vies for the heiress’ wealth, while Cho Jin-woong plays the heiress’ guardian, who has his own intentions. 

“It was my first time starring in a costume drama,” Kim Min-hee said. “The wardrobe aspects were very interesting. I think [the period] gives the film some of its visual joy.” 

Kim Tae-ri, who has never featured in any entertainment production before, said that every time she was worried on set, she simply relied on Park’s words.

“I asked a lot of questions because I was completely new on the set,” the 26-year-old actress said. “I think Park enjoyed me asking questions and brainstorming together to come up with new ideas.”

After its world premiere at the Cannes festival, which takes place from May 11 to 22, “The Handmaiden” will have its nationwide release in June. 

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

Link to comment
Share on other sites

May 11, 2016

3 Korean directors return to Cannes

By Jason Bechervaise The Korea Times

Securing film festival invitations is crucial for many filmmakers, especially those working on independent or non-English-language films. A Cannes Film Festival invite for Korean directors is therefore seen as a major achievement and all the more so if one becomes a regular fixture at the world's most prestigious film festival.

Interestingly, the three Korean filmmakers who have films in Cannes this year have attended the festival before. Park Chan-wook, of course, won the Grand Prix for his seminal feature "OldBoy" and returned in 2009 with his vampire thriller "Thirst." 

Na Hong-jin has also been to the festival twice, with "The Chaser" (2008) and "The Yellow Sea" (2011), which screened in Out of Competition and Un Certain Regard, respectively. 

Yeon Sang-ho returns to the Croisette for the second time, having previously landed a spot in the Directors' Fortnight for his acclaimed animation "The King of Pigs" in 2012. 

16-02(644).jpg  
Director Park Chan-wook, right, talks with his production designer Ryu Seong-hee. 
/ Courtesy of CJ Entertainment

Park's new film, "The Handmaiden," is the first Korean film in competition since 2012, when Hong Sang-soo's "In Another Country" and Im Sang-soo's "The Taste of Money" premiered in Cannes. 

Park's latest invitation underscores his reputation as one of Korea's leading auteurs, returning seven years after his last film. 

His new film set in the 1930s is inspired by Sarah Waters' British novel "Fingersmith." But unlike the novel's Victorian-era setting, the film takes place during Japan's occupation of Korea. It is about the relationship between a wealthy heiress, played by Kim Min-hee, and her handmaiden (Kim Tae-ri), after the latter is hired by a conman (Ha Jung-woo) to extort the heiress' fortune. 

The film will premiere on May 14, before hitting local screens June 1. Given the homosexual themes, it will be interesting to see how the revered director tackled this topic, and how the film is received at home and abroad. 

16-04(257).jpg
"The Wailing," directed by Na Hong-jin, right, is produced by Fox International Productions. It took almost six months to shoot and was in post-production for more than a year. / Courtesy of 20th Century Fox, Korea

The reactions at Cannes and other festivals not only underline the importance of such events in providing films with crucial exposure, but also illustrate how the reception of Korean films can differ between local and international critics and viewers alike. 

Yeon Sang-ho's zombie thriller "Train to Busan" premieres in Midnight Screenings ― an ideal launching pad for such a genre film. It follows in the footsteps of Hong Won-chan's "Office" that bowed in the same program last year. 

This is Yeon's live-action feature debut. He has developed a strong reputation for acclaimed gritty animations, including "The King of Pigs" and "The Fake" that both travelled widely on the festival circuit. 

"Train to Busan" is a sequel to his animation "Seoul Station." It is about a zombie outbreak that hits the peninsula. In his new film, the unknown virus takes hold of a Busan-bound KTX train filled with people. It stars Gong Yoo ("A Man and a Woman"), Jung Yu-mi ("In Another Country") and Ma Dong-suk ("The Royal Tailor").

The film will have its world premiere in Cannes on May 13 and is expected to hit screens in Korea this summer, in what is expected to be another competitive season at the box office. 

"The Wailing," meanwhile, marks the third consecutive Cannes invitation for Na Hong-jin. It is an unprecedented feat for the Korean director, who has developed a strong sense of style and rhythm in his films, especially when it comes to film's pacing. 

His latest is set in a rural village that is besieged by a mysterious virus. When the daughter of a police officer also becomes infected, his family resorts to using a shaman. The policeman is played by Kwak Do-won ("The Attorney"), while Hwang Jung-min ("Veteran") stars as the shaman and Chun Woo-hee ("Han Gong-ju") is the young woman who appears in the village. 

The film was initially scheduled to be released locally on May 12, but following a rapturous reception after its press screening in Seoul, the release date was moved forward by a day, given the potential for strong word-of-mouth. 

"The Wailing" will have its international premiere at Cannes just under a week later on May 18. 

In terms of shorts, director Park Young-ju of the Korea National University of Arts is vying for a prize in the Cinefondation Selection with her 29-minute "1 Kilogram," about a woman, played by Lee Seung-yeon, who lost her son. 

Cannes Film Festival takes place May 11-22. 

Jason Bechervaise is a film columnist for The Korea Times. He can be reached at jase@koreanfilm.org.uk.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site, you agree to our We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue..