Kim Hye-Soo 김혜수 [Drama “Under the Queen’s Umbrella” | Movie “Smugglers”]

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May 7, 2015

Kim takes on tough image for ‘Coin’

BY LEE SO-EUN [hkim@joongang.co.kr] INSIDE Korea JoongAng Daily

In “Coin Locker Girl,” actress Kim Hye-soo shows off neither her flawless skin nor voluptuous figure - two features she is famous for.

In fact, the 45-year-old actress we’ve known for years is barely recognizable in Han Jun-hee’s noir film.

Kim plays a mob boss based in Incheon’s China Town who goes by the name Eomma, which means “mother” in Korean. She makes a living from loan sharking and organ trafficking and looks almost demonic in the movie, with freckles all over her face and white, bushy hair. Her figure is large and she tends to sit with her legs spread wide in a masculine way.

“We intentionally excluded any feminine elements and attempted to deliver a character so demonic that gender just doesn’t matter,” the actress explained. 

She added that she turned down the role several times because she felt that Eomma was too much of a villain and that the film in general was too dark.

Ilgan Sports, a Korea JoongAng Daily affiliate, met with the actress to talk about the film and more.

Q. What eventually made you decide to take on the role? 

A. I was extremely shocked when I first read the script. I thought it would be such an emotional burden, mostly because of the weight of the emotion that the film was attempting to deliver. That’s why I rejected it initially.

But [the director] later said the script had been revised and asked me to review it. So I did, as reviewing is not too difficult, and the final script really captivated me.

I was particularly fascinated by the fact that women were not in the periphery of power but at the core of it. I think any actress would’ve been attracted to this. My confidence increased as I prepared for the role. 

What was your interpretation of Eomma?

She is China Town and survival itself. She’s an immigrant with no roots or connections here. Even before she found her identity she had to fight to survive. That’s why she’s absolutely merciless in killing others for her own survival.

For someone whose whole life was about survival, there is just no room for femininity. I’m more of a person who is very much a woman, so I intentionally wanted to exclude that from Eomma. I attempted to deliver a character so demonic that gender just doesn’t matter.

Also even if she’s 40, we wanted to make her look 60, aged due to living such a fierce life.

What’s Eomma’s relation with Il-yeong, played by Kim Go-eun, and what was it like to work with her?

Eomma knows instantly when she first sees Il-yeong that she will take up her position. She says to Il-yeong, when she dies, “Don’t die until you die.” She is telling Il-yeong not to get killed by others and hang in there and survive until she chooses to die herself.

I try not to be too conscious of who I’m working with. But it was lucky of me to work with such a good actress as her. I got a lot of good vibes from her and cherish the experience. She is a good actress and I have high expectations for her.

Would you take on a role like this again?

I doubt that I will meet another Eomma. That’s one of the reasons that I accepted the role. I think it will be hard for us to see a role like this again in the future. There can be a female boss in a noir film, but not like “Coin Locker Girl.”

What was it like working with a less-experienced director?

I don’t really care when I’m working about the director’s past experiences. In fact, not once when I was filming “Coin Locker Girl” did I think this was Han’s first feature film. She was very calm and stable, and never missed what’s important.

What’s most important to you then, when you choose your work?

The script is the most important - what contributions I will be making in delivering the film’s theme with the character given to me. Most importantly, I ask myself, “Can I really understand this piece? And can I really deliver the theme?” If my answers are no, I can’t take on the job no matter how fun it sounds.

What intrigues or motivates you?

A lot of things, actually. It can be people, it can be phrases, music or films. I get interested in a lot of things and motivated by many things, too, which I think is good for you.

We can’t finish the interview without asking your plans for marriage or a family.

I am not celibate, I can say that. When I really want to get married I will. I don’t put marriage on hold because of work. I just think that although it seems stable to live in a framework defined by the society, that framework isn’t made for me, and it won’t always be the right answer. 

[rubie]

May 12, 2015

‘Coin Locker Girl’ draws 1.26 million viewers

The movie “Coin Locker Girl” known as “Chinatown” in Korean, took in nearly 40,000 viewers on Monday to be ranked No. 2 at the Korean box office.

According to industry data, the movie has now been seen by more than 1.26 million people. 

Starring actresses Kim Hye-soo and Kim Go-eun, the movie follows the story of a young girl who was abandoned as a baby. 

The girl, played by Kim Go-eun, is raised by a ruthless loan shark played by Kim Hye-soo.

While the girl is raised by the loan shark and trained to be just as ruthless as her “mother,” she turns against those who raised her when she is ordered to murder a boy whose father defaulted on a loan. 

By Choi He-suk (cheesuk@heraldcorp.com)

[rubie]

May 12, 2015

'Coin Locker Girl' Achieves Better-Than-Expected Results at Box Office

Source: The Chosun Ilbo

The noir film "Coin Locker Girl" passed the 1 million mark in viewership on Saturday, some 10 days after its release on April 30.

The film's viewership performance came as a surprise because it faces a number of box-office disadvantages. 

It received an R rating, which greatly limits the audience, and had to contend with competition for filmgoers' cash with Hollywood blockbuster "Avengers: Age of Ultron," which has virtually monopolized cinemas across the country. 

Thanks to a positive reception from audiences, however, it has been able to get screened in more cinemas.

"Coin Locker Girl" concerns the relationship between a girl who was abandoned in a coin locker at a subway station at birth and a crime boss who raised her. 

The film will be screened as part of International Critics' Week at the 68th Cannes Film Festival, which kicks off on Wednesday.

[rubie]

May 13, 2015

Kim Hye Soo Selects FAMILY PLAN as Next Project

Indie Filmmaker KIM Tae-gon to Direct

by Pierce Conran / KOFIC

Hot on the heels on Coin Locker Girl, which will bow at the Cannes Film Festival later this week, actress KIM Hye-soo has decided on Family Plan as her next starring vehicle. The feature will be directed by KIM Tae-gon, a relative newcomer who has made a name for himself both as a director and screenwriter of well-received of independent films.

KIM will be stepping into familiar territory, playing a top actress who has everything she could possibly desire, save for a family. To fill the last gap in her life, she hatches a very special plan.

One of Korea’s most recognizable stars, KIM has starred in popular hits such as Tazza; The High Rollers (2006) and The Thieves (2012) and is currently drawing strong notices for her role in the gritty gangster thriller Coin Locker Girl, which has drawn 1.3 million viewers in two weeks, despite considerable competition from Avengers: Age of Ultron. The film was invited as a special screening the Critics’ Week sidebar of Cannes.

Director KIM debuted with the horror The Pot in 2009 and subsequently the youth drama Sunshine Boys in 2012, both of which premiered at the Busan International Film Festival. KIM also penned the breakout indie sports comedy The King of Jokgu (2013). 

Family Plan will start filming in July and distributor and investor Showbox/Mediaplex expects to release the film in the first half of 2016.

[rubie]

May 16, 2015

Cannes 2015 Review: COIN LOCKER GIRL Offers New Perspectives On Standard Thrills

Pierce Conran TwitchFilm

Against a parking lot bursting with saturated colors, a person lies on the ground, at the mercy of another standing above them who wields a sashimi knife still dripping red from its last kill.

Dark, bloody and stylish, this could be the beginning of just about any Korean noir. But Coin Locker Girl is trying something new, as these two characters are played by none other than Kim Hye-su, one of Korea's most glamorous leading ladies, and Kim Go-eun, its latest fresh-faced starlet.

Han Jun-hee's debut seeks not to redefine the thriller genre in Korea so much as it tries to update it to reflect a new Korea, one in which people are beginning to resist patriarchal norms, and where immigrants can no longer be brushed aside as an afterthought (it's no accident that the story takes place in Incheon's Chinatown, the Korean title of the film).

Abandoned by god knows who, Il-young's journey in life begins as a wailing infant trapped inside a subway coin locker. Seven years later she's lifted by a shady opportunist who sells her to a seedy loan shark madam in Chinatown. A decade on and she's part of the madam's 'family', and has become rather effective at collecting debts. But the gruff and tomboyish Il-young discovers another side of herself when she meets a young man saddled with his father's debt. Feeling empathy for the first time, she crosses her matriarch, whose reaction is swift and brutal.

The female leads are an undeniably fresh touch, but it must be said that Coin Locker Girl offers nothing new to the gangster/revenge pantheon of Korean cinema. A loyal foot soldier disobeys a boss when romance wafts into the air, is severely punished and then seeks revenge. Sound familiar? Though grittier and more emotional, Han's film bears more than a passing resemblance to Kim Jee-woon's A Bittersweet Life (2005).

What Coin Locker Girl does have, and plenty of it, is style. The production and costume design is earthy, the colors are rich and the cinematography is gorgeous, but above all the whole mise-en-scene adds up to more than the sum of its parts, boasting the keen touch of a director who's willing to see what he can wring out of his talented crew and is not afraid to experiment. A former assistant director on the comic melodrama Ba: Bo (2008) and writer for the psychic thriller The Gifted Hands (2013), Han's resume didn't inspire much confidence. But his debut, as well as its invitation to Cannes' Critics' Week, has announced him as someone to watch.

She may be buried under frumpy clothes, padding, makeup and a frizzy wig, but the smouldering charisma of Kim Hye-su, star of Tazza: The High Rollers (2006) and The Thieves (2012), is still very much present in Coin Locker Girl. Rather than tone down her sex appeal to play the domineering but homely matriarch, she channels it into a threatening performance that hovers over the whole film despite her relatively brief time on screen.

Appearing in most of the film, young star Kim Go-eun, who shot to fame as a precocious high school girl in Eungyo (2012), is the real lead of the film. She holds her own against her veteran co-star (who receives top billing) with a turn that is at first gruff, eventually empathetic and confident throughout. Still it's a big part and Kim, though gutsy, is a little green around the edges, at times trying too hard and not always able to land the film's many emotional beats. Simply put, she's a good lead, but her best work is definitely ahead of her.

Also worthy of mention, though appearing in a much smaller role, is Jo Bok-rae, who plays the man who sells the young Il-young. Jo was the standout in this year's otherwise lacklustre C'est si bon and he once again shows boundless charisma here. He's a talent to watch and with any luck, he'll become a big name before long.

It may not break any new narrative ground, but genre fans should find plenty to like in Coin Locker Girl. With its strong female characters and earthy style, Han's debut is a sharply staged affair that does enough to differentiate itself from the over-saturated Korean noir field.

Edited May 21, 2015 by rubie

[rubie]

Source: Nate

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June 7, 2015

Song Kang-ho, Jeon Do-yeon named best actors in survey

A survey of 10,447 moviegoers conducted by Maxmovie on May 11 and 12 showed that actors Song Kang-ho and Jeon Do-yeon were considered the best actors by Korean audiences. 

In the male category, Song Kang-ho (known for films like 2013’s “Snowpiercer”) was followed by Choi Min-sik (“Oldboy” from 2003) and Ha Jung-woo (2013’s “The Berlin File”). In the female category, Jeon Do-yeon, whose movie “The Shameless” was recently screened at the Cannes Film Festival‘s Un Certain Regard section, was closely followed by Kim Hye-soo, whose film “Coin Locker Girl” was shown at Semaine de la Critique in Cannes.

Song Kang-ho was also at the top of the list of “favorite actor,” followed by Ha Jung-woo and Hwang Jung-min (2014’s “Ode to My Father”). In the female category, Kim Hye-soo surpassed Jeon Do-yeon to take the top spot, with Jeon Ji-hyeon (from the TV series “My Love from the Star”) coming in third. Jeon’s upcoming film “Assassination” is set to open in local theaters in July.

Conspicuously absent from the male cateogry was Lee Byung-hun, who had been a steady presence on top actor lists. He will also be coming to the big screen this summer via “Terminator Genisys.” 

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

[rubie]

June 8, 2015

Why Kim Hye-soo and Jeon Do-yeon are so precious

Source: Etoday via Hancinema.net

Kim Hye-soo and Jeon Do-yeon are actresses in their 40s. In the Korean movie industry, for an actress to be in her 40s means she's no longer the main act. Movies take up a big part of the culture but it's also an industry where one can only survive if profits are made from investments. Therefore, cinematic quality, completion, influence on the public and cultural values are outweighed by the success of the movie.

Choi Min-sik, Kim Yoon-seok, Ryoo Seung-ryong, Lee Byung-hun, Ha Jeong-woo and other actors in their 40s have been successful with their movies. Screenplays are focused on them and actresses didn't get as much attention as they did before.

However, there are two actresses who have been acknowledged amidst this 'crisis'. They are Kim Hye-soo from "China Town" and Jeon Do-yeon from "The Shameless".

Considering success, role and others, usually actresses in their 40s have no place to stand and are usually limited to 'someone's mom'. However, Kim Hye-soo and Jeon Do-yeon freed themselves from the restraints and boldly stood in the front of the line as the main cast.

How is that so? Watch the movie and the realization will come.

"China Town" was released on May 29th and didn't meet expectations but the audience applauded Kim Hye-soo. She played the role of a "Mother" who ruled the back alleys of Chinatown. Her existence alone showed charisma and she pulled off the 'criminal look' so well. "The Shameless" which was released on the 27th of May also presents Jeon Do-yeon as the woman of a murderer who works as a bar madam.

The reason why Kim Hye-soo and Jeon Do-yeon are so precious in the movie industry is because the prospects and spectrum of actresses are expanding.

Jeon Do-yeon and Kim Hye-soo are in their 40s but are still capable of standing in the middle of movies and that's because they can pull off various genres and characters. The variety of movies they can star in is getting wider.

Kim Hye-soo and Jeon Do-yeon also contrast from other actresses who are trapped in certain images thanks to advertisements which are a great source of income. Many female stars lose their place to stand in movies because of the image solidified by commercials which also makes them hard to tell if they're actresses or not. Kim Hye-soo and Jeon Do-yeon are unilinear and have various images within them. They have different colors but they have the charisma to take over the audience.

[rubie]

June 16, 2015

S. Korea's largest genre film fest announces lineup for 19th edition

By Shim Sun-ah

SEOUL, June 16 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's largest genre film fest will open its 19th edition next month with more focus on fantasy films and a larger number of world premiers than in previous years, organizers said Tuesday.

This year's Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival (BiFan) will screen 235 features and shorts from 45 countries around the world under the theme "Love, fantasy and adventure," they said. The lineup included 64 world premiers, far more than the annual average of 45.

In order to enhance its identity as a "fantastic film festival," the festival authorities focused the programming on films from horror, sci-fi, thiller, suspense, action genres dealing with stories that rarely happen in the real world.

Also drawing attention is the event's inclusion of several commercial films such as "Coin Locker Girl," a homegrown crime drama starring Kim Hye-soo and Kim Go-eun, and "Mad Sad Bad," an omnibus film co-directed by Ryu Seung-wan, Kim Tae-yong and Han Ji-seung that opened the Jeonju International Film Festival in 2014.

The 11-day festival will open with the Asian premier of "Moonwalkers," a British action comedy directed by Antoine Bardou-Jacquet, on July 16.

Set in July 1969, "Moonwalkers" follows a CIA agent who is sent to London to find Stanley Kubrick and ask him to shoot a fake moon landing in case the real one fails. Although he is not able to meet Kubrick, he crosses paths with the loser manager of a hippie rock band and embark on an ill-fated mission to come up with a film together.

The closing film is "The Choosen: Forbidden Cave," a Korean horror flick directed by Kim Hui that follows an exorcist who faces a powerful being during the exorcism of a woman.

The announcement of the lineup comes amid worldwide fears over a widespread outbreak of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome. In South Korea, 154 people have been infected, of which 19 died, after a 68-year-old man contracted the virus on a trip to Saudi Arabia in late May. Globally, some 1,200 people have been infected with MERS and some 450 have died since the virus first emerged in 2012.

BiFan organizers said they won't cancel the festival but may scale it down if the potentially fatal illness continues to grip the country till next month.

"The event will not be canceled, but its scale may be readjusted," Kim Young-bin, the festival chief, said during a news conference in Seoul.

Any decision on the possible change will be made around next Wednesday, a date widely seen as a watershed for the health authorities to take full control of MERS, he said.

[rubie]

July 3, 2015

Kim Hye-soo, Ahn Sung-ki, JK Youn to get Asian cinema award

Actress Kim Hye-soo (“Coin Locker Girl”), actor Ahn Sung-ki (“Revivre”) and director JK Youn (“Ode to My Father”) have been chosen by the Asia-Pacific Producers Network to win this year’s APN Award. 

The award is given to those in the film industry to recognize achievements that further the advancement of Asian cinema.

The awards will be given on July 18, during the 10th APN Congress to be held from July 17-19 at the Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival.

Past Korean recipients of the APN Award include Jeon Do-yeon, Son Ye-jin, Lee Byung-hun and Bong Joon-ho.

APN was established at the 2006 Busan International Film Festival by 24 film producers from six countries who recognized the need for an organized forum to discuss the future shift of film production from Hollywood to Asia-centric paradigms.

The Bucheon International Film Festival, which will host this year‘s APN, takes place from July 16-26.

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

[rubie]

June 21, 2015

The 20 Greatest South Korean Actors Working Today

BY HANAJUN CHUNG Taste of Cinema

In addition to writing a piece on the best, individual performances, this piece is meant to celebrate the best actors currently working in South Korean cinema. For this list, I chose 20 individuals—a mix of male and female. Most of these people had their start in television and some also work concurrently in both mediums. Don’t expect much young, hot talent from dramas since this is mostly going to feature actors from their work in film.

Furthermore, to provide a challenge, I ranked them based on their film roles (and little T.V.) I’ve seen and read regarding. You can possibly guess a few of the top spots, but I can guarantee that I didn’t include a name or two on the list that matches the sensibility of many readers. 

20. Gianna Jun (October 30, 1981)

Notable roles: “My Sassy Girl,” “Daisy,” “The Thieves”

19. Ryu Seung-beom (August 9, 1980)

Notable roles: “Crying Fist,” “The Berlin File,” “The Unjust,” “Bloody Ties,” “No Mercy”

18. Kim Hye-su (September 5, 1970)

Notable roles: “Tazza: The High Rollers,” “The Hypnotized,” “Kick the Moon,” “The Thieves”

17. Kim Yun-seok (January 21, 1968)

Notable roles: “The Chaser,” “The Thieves,” “Hwayi: The Monster Boy,” “The Yellow Sea”

16. Kim Yunjin (November 7, 1973)

Notable roles: “Ode to My Father,” “Harmony,” “Shiri,” “Seven Days,” “Heartbeat”

15. Ha Jung-woo (March 11, 1979 )

Notable roles: “The Yellow Sea,” “The Terror Live,” “The Berlin File,” “Nameless Gangster”

14. Han Hyo-joo (February 22, 1987)

Notable roles: “Always,” “Masquerade,” “Cold Eyes”

13. Lee Byung-hun (July 12, 1970)

Notable roles: “A Bittersweet Life,” “J.S.A.: Joint Security Area,” “I Saw the Devil”

12. Jeong Jae-yeong (November 21, 1971)

Notable roles: “Broken,” “Confession of Murder,” “Castaway on the Moon,” “Silmido”

11. Yoon Yeo-jeong (June 19, 1947)

Notable roles: “The Taste of Money,” “The Housemaid,” “Hahaha,” “Actresses”

10. Doona Bae (October 11, 1979)

Notable roles: “A Girl at My Door,” “Cloud Atlas,” “The Host,” “Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance”

9. Moon So-ri (July 2, 1974)

Notable roles: “Peppermint Candy,” “Oasis,” “A Good Lawyer’s Wife,” “The President’s Barber”

8. Hwang Jeong-min (September 1, 1970)

Notable roles: “Ode to My Father,” “A Man Who Was Superman,” “New World,” “The Unjust”

7. Yun Jeong-hie (July 30, 1944)

Notable roles: “Poetry,” “Taebaek Mountain,” “Splendid Outing,” “Night Journey”

6. Kim Hye-ja (September 15, 1941)

Notable roles: “Mother,” “Lifetime in the Country”/“Country Diaries” (T.V.)

5. Sol Kyung-gu (May 1, 1968)

Notable roles: “Peppermint Candy,” “Public Enemy” series, “Cold Eyes,” “Silmido,” “Oasis”

4. Jeon Do-yeon (February 11, 1973)

Notable roles: “Secret Sunshine,” “Way Back Home,” “The Housemaid,” “Untold Scandal”

3. Song Kang-ho (January 17, 1967)

Notable roles: “The Host,” “J.S.A.: Joint Security Area,” “The Attorney,” “No. 3”

2. Ahn Sung-kee (January 1, 1952)

Notable roles: “Silmido,” “Chilsu and Mansu,” “Unbowed,” “White Badge”

1. Choi Min-sik (April 27, 1962)

Notable roles: “Oldboy,” “Failan,” “I Saw the Devil,” “Crying Fist,” “Shiri”

[rubie]

July 21, 2015

Actor AHN Sung-Ki, Actress KIM Hye-Soo and Director JK YOUN picked up APN Prizes
Asia Pacific Producers Network selected them as prize winners

by Ha Sung-tae /  KoBiz

Representing Korean cinema, Actor AHN Sung-ki, actress KIM Hye-soo and director JK YOUN were selected as an actor, an actress and a filmmaker who have glorified Asian cinema. The three nabbed the APN Prizes at the Asia Pacific Producers Network (APN) Awards held in Koryo Hotel in Bucheon, Gyeonggi-do on July 18. The prizes are given directly Asian producers who belong to the APN. 
 
“58 years have passed since I began my acting career,” said AHN Sung-ki who recently starred in Revivre. “During these years, I have been a happy actor much loved by fans. 20 years from now, I think, I will be the most senior actor not only in Korea but in the world.”     
 
“Films made me what I am today,” KIM Hye-soo said. “I hope that Korean films will grow and advance through the APN.”   
 
“If a producer is a father responsible for receiving investment and producing the film, a director is a mother who works hard to make a film with materials brought by the father,” said director YOUN of Ode to My Father was the only director who took the prize. “If a family wants to be happy, the mother and father should love each other as a happy couple and fulfill their responsibilities,” YOUN continued. “So, I think that films are not the art of directors but the harmonious art of directors and producers.”    
 
The APN Awards were held as part of the APN Congress that marks its 10th anniversary this year. The APN Congress is an event that looks back on the past ten years of the Asian-Pacific film industry and forecasts its next ten years. The congress completed its official schedule on July 19 during the Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival.   

[rubie]

July 29, 2015

‘Coin Locker Girl’ grabs international award

Korean noir film “Coin Locker Girl,” directed by Han Jun-hee, bagged a prestigious award from Europe’s Giffoni International Film Festival, organizers announced Sunday. 

The film was given the Gryphon Award for best film in the Generator +18 section.

Giffoni’s administrators commented, “The abandoned child Il-young’s transformation into maturity is remarkable to note. The advanced film techniques brought the dark plot to life and created scenes that were difficult to take eyes off from. Quick cuts made total immersion into the film possible.”

The annual film festival took place in Giffoni Valle Piana, southern Italy, from July 17-26. 

“Coin Locker Girl” garnered 1.4 million domestic ticket sales in April when it came out, and was featured in the 2015 Cannes Film Festival as well. 

The film also won the Jury’s Choice at the 2015 Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival last week in Gyeonggi Province, while lead actress Kim Go-eun (Il-young) was specially mentioned in the Best Actress category. 

By Lim Jeong-yeo (kaylalim@heraldcorp.com)

[rubie]

July 29, 2015

'Coin Locker Girl' wins top movie awards

Source: The Korea Times 

Kim Go-eun in a scene from "Coin Locker Girl" / Courtesy of Naver

Korean crime movie "Coin Locker Girl" has drawn global attention, winning awards at two international movie festivals.

The movie won the Jury's Choice Award in the Bucheon Choice: Feature category at the 19th Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival that ended Sunday. The movie also won a Gryphon Award and the British Film Institute Certificate at the 2015 Giffoni Film Festival in Italy that ended Sunday.

The Italian film festival said the movie, directed by Han Jun-hee, dramatically portrayed the life of the movie's protagonist, Il-young (played by Kim Go-eun), who was abandoned as a baby at a subway station and grows up to work for a criminal gang. It praised the film's storyline, actors' performance and camera techniques that worked together well to captivate viewers.

The film has attracted more than 1.4 million viewers in Korean theaters.

[rubie]

August 11, 2015

COIN LOCKER GIRL Picks Up Award in Giffoni
3rd Korean Film to Earn Gryphon Award

by Pierce Conran / KoBiz

 
Following LEE Sang-woo’s Barbie in 2012 and LEE Joon-ik’s Hope last year, HAN Jun-hee’s Coin Locker Girl became the third Korean film in just four years to pick up the top Gryphon Award in the Generator +18 section of the Giffoni Film Festival last month. It was one of two awards swept up by the gritty gangster film in July, which debuted at the Cannes Film Festival in May, along with the Jury’s Choice Prize and a special mention for Best Actress (for KIM Go-eun) at the 19th Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival (BiFan).
 
Also on the awards roster in Giffoni was LEE Han’s drama Thread of Lies, starring KO Asung, which was given the sponsored Cinecircoli Giovanili Socioculturali Award.
 
Starring KIM Hye-soo and KIM Go-eun as a Chinatown gangster and the orphan charge she’s shaping into a criminal, Coin Locker Girl, the debut from director HAN, has been well received by critics domestically and overseas. The film was seen by 1.47 million spectators (USD 10.28 million) in Korea earlier this summer.
 
Coin Locker Girl is currently screening at the Melbourne International Film Festival.

[rubie]

August 27, 2015

Kim Hye Soo and Ma Dong Seok's "Family Plan" to crank in on the 27th

Source: Xportsnews via Hancinema.net

Movie "Family Plan" starring Kim Hye-soo, Ma Dong-seok, Kim Hyeon-soo, Kwak Si-yang, Seo Hyeon-jin, Jeon Seok-ho, Lee Mi-do and others, is cranking in this 27th.

Comedy flick "Family Plan" started filming on the 27th.

"Family Plan" is about a woman who has it all. Joo-yeon (Kim Hye-soo) but doesn't have a family so she starts a genius plan to make one.

Joo-yeon is a top star who is known for her good looks and talents. This is the first time she's playing the role of a top star and her actual career of being a top actress has helped her play this role.

Ma Dong-seok takes on the role of Pyeong-gu, who goes back 20 years with Joo-yeon.

In the pictures of the ritual, Kim Hye-soo and Ma Dong-seok look friendly with each other and increases expectations towards their chemistry.

Dan-ji, a bad-tempered teenage student is played by Kim Hyeon-soo who made it out of 50 competitors. She appeared in "My Love from the Star" as little Cheon Song-ee.

In the role of her boyfriend Ji-hoon, is Kwak Si-yang and Seo Hyeon-jin plays Sang-mi, Pyeong-gu's wife. Jeon Seok-ho is director Park and Lee Mi-do plays Joo-yeon's rival.

"Family Plan" will be released in early 2016. 

[rubie]

September 2, 2015

Top Korean Actors Who Guarantee Box Office Success

by leejojoba Soompi

Which top Korean actors can surely guarantee a box office success in the era of multiplex theaters? Is it Song Kang Ho, Choi Min Shik, or Ha Jung Woo, the young blood?

Exactly what factor defines a box office success? Star power is an element you can’t ignore if you want the movie to succeed at the box office.

Here is a list of top box office stars according to the official statistics released by the Korean Film Council. The findings are from the Korean Film Almanac for years 1971 to 2010. From 2011, data collected from the Film Council’s computer network was used to measure the findings. The total number of viewers/tickets from the movies these actors acted in were used to determine this list of box office stars.

10. Ahn Sung Ki (39,833,441 viewers)

9. Choi Min Shik (40,859,388 viewers)

8. Jung Jae Young (49,819,044 viewers)

7. Kim Yoon Suk (49,965,687 viewers)

6. Lee Jung Jae (51,586,615 viewers)

5. Ha Jung Woo (56,801,630 viewers)

4. Hwang Jung Min (58,721,711 viewers)

Hwang Jung Min has enjoyed huge success with “Ode to My Father” and “Veteran.”

3. Sol Kyung Gu (62,984,832 viewers)

Sol Kyung Gu’s hit movies include “Haeundae,” “Silmido,” and more.

2. Ryu Seung Ryong (64,971,576 viewers)

Ryu Seung Ryong comes in at number two. He was in three of the biggest Korean blockbusters ever. They’re “Gwanghae: The Man Who Became King,” “Miracle in Cell No. 7,” and “The Admiral: Roaring Currents.” His status as a box office star has speedily grown since 2010.

1. Song Kang Ho (74,736,952 viewers)

Song Kang Ho tops the list as the one who embodies such star power that guarantees a box office success. Although “Howling” and “Hindsight” didn’t do too well at the box office, he more than made up for it with “Snowpiercer,” “The Face Reader,” and “The Attorney” in 2013.  The accumulative number of viewers for his movies are more than 70 million. His next movie “The Throne” is expected to hit big during the upcoming Chuseok holiday season.

Among the top ten actors on this list, Ha Jung Woo is the only actor in his thirties and Ahn Sung Ki is the oldest on the list. Meanwhile, Oh Dal Soo has been in many of the hit movies mentioned above as a supporting actor. However, he has yet to enter the top ten. Perhaps this will change in coming years.

Oh Dal Soo

Choi Geun Ha who works for Showbox, one of the largest Korean film distribution companies, says, “There’s no such thing as unconditional star power. The viewers trust in the acting abilities of actors like Song Kang Ho, Ryu Seung Ryong, Sol Kyung Gu, Hwang Jung Min, Ha Jung Woo, and others. For instance, viewers give Song Kang Ho credit for selecting and acting in a particular movie. They know he’s a great actor, so they watch with great expectations.”

CEO Kang Hye Jung, who produced “Berlin” and “Veteran,” commented, “When the director is able to effectively communicate his intent to the actor, the whole system works.”

CEO Ahn Soo Hyun, who produced “The Thieves” and “Assassination,” says, “Yes, star power definitely plays a role. But no movie becomes a hit just because a certain actor is in it. If the viewers like the work of a certain actor, they’re more interested in the movie they star in. And the basis of that interest comes from the actor’s ability to deliver great performance.”

As for actresses, the top six were revealed.

6. Han Hyo Joo (approx. 24,530,000 viewers)

5. Uhm Jung Hwa (31,573,965 viewers)

4. Ha Ji Won (33,108,412 viewers)

Ha Ji Won still came in at fourth place even though she didn’t have much success in the box office in the last five years.

3. Son Ye Jin (33,172,311 viewers)

Son Ye Jin takes third place with her success in “The Pirates.”

2. Kim Hye Soo (38,450,993 viewers)

Some of Kim Hye Soo’s box office hits include “Tazza” and “The Thieves.”

1. Jun Ji Hyun (38,930,499 viewers)

Jun Ji Hyun beat Kim Hye Soo by a minor margin due to her recent success in “The Thieves” and “Assassination.”

CEO Ahn Soo Hyun adds, “I think the public demands something more fresh from actresses compared to actors. The viewers become explosively enthusiastic when an actress shows a new unexpected side to her acting style.” She also emphasizes, “The reason they get first choices in selecting scripts is because we trust that they can carry the part they’re offered. No matter the box office and star power, if the actress doesn’t fit the role she plays, it doesn’t work. That’s when great expectations turn into disappointments.”

What do you think about these results? Did your favorite actors and actresses make the list?

Sources (1) (2) (3)

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September 5, 2015

Source: KoBiz  

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September 10, 2015

KIM Hye-soo, Don LEE Embark on FAMILY PLAN
The KIM Tae-gon Directed Film Will Debut in the First Half of 2016

by Kobiz reporter 

Comedy drama Family Plan starring KIM Hye-soo, Don LEE and SEO Hyeon-jin started production on 27 August, according to the film's distributor/investor Showbox/Mediaplex.

The feature is directed by KIM Tae-gon, a fresh blood director who started out as an independent director and screenwriter. The King of Jokgu, an independent sport comedy that he wrote the screenplay for, was one of the most well-received indie films from 2014.

Family Plan initially attracted attention as it is top actress KIM Hye-soo's first choice of work after her Cannes Critics' Week screener, Coin Locker Girl. One of the few Korean actresses in their forties with overwhelming on-screen performance, KIM Hye-soo has starred in diverse genres of films spanning crime thriller, period drama, sex comedy and horror. 2012's The Thieves is currently the highest grossing movie that she performed in.

Family Plan is about a woman, Joo-yeon, who has it all but a family of her own and hatches a genius plan to make one. Played by KIM Hye-soo, Joo-yeon is a top star who is famous for her beauty and talents. It is KIM's first time to play a top star. It is expected that her actual career of being a top actress would help her play the role.

Don LEE takes on the role of Pyeong-gu, who goes back 20 years with Joo-yeon. SEO Hyeon-jin plays Sang-mi, Pyeong-gu's wife.

Dan-ji, a bad-tempered teenage student is played by child actress KIM Hyeon-soo who made it out of 50 competitors at the casting call. She played little CHEON Song-ee (Gianna JUN) in last year's hit TV drama My Love from Another Star. 

Family Plan is expected to hit cinema in the first half of 2016.

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September 10, 2015

Korean Quintet among Early Sitges Announcements
THE ROYAL TAILOR to Close New Visions Section

by Pierce Conran / KoBiz / SITGES2015

The Sitges International Fantastic Film Festival of Catalonia has unveiled part of its lineup for next month’s 48th edition, and among the announcements were five Korean films hailing from the country’s commercial sector.

Screening out of competition as the closing film of the Noves Visions (New Visions) section will be LEE Won-suk’s period drama The Royal Tailor. Though it struggled at the domestic box office, the film has proven popular with festival programmers around the world, most recently securing invitations to the Vancouver and Busan International Film Festivals. Also in Noves Visions will be HAN Jun-hee’s female-centric gangster revenge tale Coin Locker Girl, which debuted at the Cannes Film Festival earlier this year.

The Oficial Òrbita section will welcome RYOO Seung-wan’s smash hit action-comedy Veteran, which just crossed the 12 million admissions mark at home, and YOO Ha’s 1970s gangster saga Gangnam Blues, starring Asian superstar LEE Min-ho. MIN Kyu-dong’s erotic period film The Treacherous will get a special screening in the Oficial Fantàstic lineup.

The full lineup for this year’s Sitges will be unveiled at the beginning of next week while the event itself will kick off on October 9th and run until the 11th.