[Movie 2018] Vanished Night, 사라진 밤

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Vanished Night 

(FADED NIGHT)

 

 

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Movie: Vanished Night (literal title)

Revised romanization: Sarajin Bam

Hangul: 사라진 밤

Director: Lee Chang Hee

Release Date: March, 2018

Genre: thrieller 

Distributor: Kidari Ent

 

Plot

The body of Yoon Seol-Hee disappears at the National Institute of Scientific Investigation. Detective Woo Joong-Sik (Kim Sang-Kyung) seeks clues on her disappearance, while her husband Park Jin-Han (Kim Kang-Woo) claims she is alive.

Cast

Kim Sang Kyung

Kim Kang Woo

 

source: asianwiki

 

 

[rubie]

March 2, 2018

 

Veteran actress returns as thriller queen in 'Vanished Night' 

 

By Park Jin-hai The Korea Times

 

Kim Hee-ae, center, and Kim Sang-kyung star in the upcoming thriller "Vanished Night." / Yonhap.

 

Veteran actress Kim Hee-ae returns to screen with her latest film "Vanished Night." The film has grabbed much media attention, since the 50-year-old actress is making her first appearance in a thriller. In the Korean remake of the 2012 Spanish film "The Body," Kim plays a corpse that goes missing. 

 

The film, directed by Lee Chang-hee, tells the story of a detective investigating the disappearance of a woman's corpse from a morgue and trying to uncover the cause of her death.

 

Kim takes on the character of a rich dead woman, murdered by her husband. Although Kim's role is small, she commands the entire film. 

 

The actress, who accepted the role purely out of curiosity about the story, said, the film was the most "economic" film she has ever worked on. "The director had these perfect continuity notes and actors didn't have to prepare for alternative takes. For me, it felt like shooting a TV commercial," said Kim, during a press conference to promote the film at a local theater in Seoul, Wednesday. Out of the entire 110 minutes film, only ten minutes were cut during editing.

 

Lee, who is making his directorial debut with the film, says he put a lot of time in working on continuity notes. "Since I had to shoot in a compact space and timeframe, I worked hard on the continuity notes. If you look at it closely, everything is connected with small dots," he said. Many scenes were shot at the National Institute of Scientific Investigation morgue and the entire story takes place in one night. 

 

The focus of the film is the biggest difference from the Spanish original, according to Lee. "If the original is more of a revenge story, the Korean remake is about the process of finding the missing corpse," he said. 

 

Actor Kim Kang-woo takes on the role of Park Jin-han, the evil husband who believes he has perfectly poisoned his obsessive wife. Actor Kim Sang-kyung, known for his detective role in Bong Joon-ho's 2003 crime thriller "Memories of Murder," bags another police detective character who traces the missing corpse. 

 

Kim Kang-woo said he initially hesitated to take on his role. "I thought people might hate this character. He killed his wife, while cheating on her. Because of some uncomfortable elements my character portrays, it took some time for me to join this project," he said. "But, after I saw some short films by the director, he seemed really good at maximizing suspense in a limited place. That changed my mind." 

 

In the Korean version, the story has been edited to boost the characters and the detective's role has been modified the most. He looks dull usually but boasts of a sharp eye and gut instinct while on the job. 

 

"Vanished Night" will hit local theaters March 8.

 

jinhai@ktimes.com

 

New movie 'Vanishing Night'

 

 

Kim Kang-woo, who stars in the new thriller movie "Vanishing Night," listens to reporters' questions during a press preview at a Seoul theater on Feb. 28, 2018. The movie, which is about a man's plot to kill his wife, will hit local screens on March 7. (Yonhap) (END)

 

 

Kim Hee-ae, who stars in the new thriller movie "Vanishing Night," listens to reporters' questions during a press preview at a Seoul theater on Feb. 28, 2018. The movie, which is about a man's plot to kill his wife, will hit local screens on March 7. (Yonhap) (END)

 

 

Kim Sang-kyung, who stars in the new thriller movie "Vanishing Night," listens to reporters' questions during a press preview at a Seoul theater on Feb. 28, 2018. The movie, which is about a man's plot to kill his wife, will hit local screens on March 7. (Yonhap) (END)

[rubie]

March 4, 2018

 

[Herald Review] Chasing phantoms of one’s guilt

“The Vanished” a nail-biting psychological thriller with an awesome twist

A plot twist is a double-edged sword in filming. When used right, it could blow the audience’s mind. But in clumsy hands, it could blow up in your face.

 

“The Vanished” by rookie director Lee Chang-hee is a rare film that toys with viewers’ perception and manages to leave them satisfyingly shaken in the end. 

 

The thriller is a remake of the 2012 crime thriller “The Body,” directed by Oriol Paulo. The body of the recently deceased business mogul Yoon Sul-hee -- played by Kim Hee-ae -- goes missing, and the widower Park Jin-han -- played by Kim Kang-woo -- is called in by the police for questioning.

 

A scene from “The Vanished” (Cineguru)

It soon becomes apparent that Park hides a dark secret related to his wife’s death. Detective Woo Jung-sik -- portrayed by Kim Sang-kyung -- attempts to dig up what Park has buried. 

 

The casting of the three Kims looks to be a near-perfect choice, as they each fit their roles. 

 

Kim Hee-ae portrays a powerful woman who is terrifying, not only because of her wealth and influence but also because she gets into your head. The obsession with her husband, the constant desire to undermine him and convince him that he is only there because she allows it, looms over Park like an enormous shadow. 

 

Yoon’s presence is felt even when she is not there. She is a benevolent tyrant and loving captor who makes sure that the trophy husband feels only adequate when with her.

 

A scene from “The Vanished” (Cineguru)

Bound by the controlling spouse is Park, who desperately seeks solace through an extramarital affair and other dramatic measures. The helpless nature of the character is depicted via Kim Kang-woo’s youth -- the actor is 11 years younger than Kim Hee-ae -- along with his timid and nervous behavior. 

 

Kim beautifully plays a man pushed to the psychological edge, which is pivotal for the plot.

 

“I deliberately made myself sleep-deprived, so I would look more gaunt. It’s weird, but I actually felt loneliness while I was shooting the film. I played my character like he was shut out from everyone else, because nobody was on his side,” said Kim, after the premiere of “The Vanished” on Wednesday.

 

Pushing him further is detective Woo, who hides keen eyes and a nose for trouble under his loosey-goosey attitude. Kim is one of those actors that can appear sharp and naive at the same time. Viewers -- like Park -- will find themselves slowly realizing that this is not a man to be messed with. 

 

Kim Hee-ae (center) speaks while sitting next to Kim Sang-kyung (left) and Kim Gang-woo at a press conference held after the premiere of “The Vanished” in Seoul on Wednesday. (Yonhap)

Director Lee said Woo’s apparent loose behavior depicts a multidimensional character. Like the movie, there is more to Woo than meets the eye.

 

The movie mostly follows the story through Park’s eyes, which allows the director to manipulate the audiences’ perception on what is really going on. 

 

The film’s setting plays a role in building up the suspense. Set in a morgue at the National Forensic Service, the narrow corridors and sense of confinement prevalent in the building contribute to the feeling that there is nowhere to run -- a sentiment shared by Park and the audience.

 

But the fear does not derive from the dark corners or from the threat upon one’s life. The events in the film feed on Park’s guilt and grow to be a monster that attempts to swallow him whole.

 

The flick’s plot twist may be one of the finest in recent Korean cinema. The pace suddenly changes in the third act, and director Lee challenges everything that you have learned about the plot so far in the process.

 

It is a very smart film that knows to take one step further than the audience, then goes around them, and smacks them in the head. If you are looking to be pleasantly confounded by a good twist and suspenseful buildup, it is worth checking out.

 

“The Vanished” opens in local theaters on March 7.

 

By Yoon Min-sik (minsikyoon@heraldcorp.com)

[rubie]

March 13, 2018

 

Thriller ‘The Vanished’ beats ‘Tomb Raider’ reboot

 

Source: INSIDE Korea JoongAng Daily / Poster

 

 

In its first weekend, the local thriller “The Vanished” easily outpaced Hollywood action-adventure reboot “Tomb Raider,” which made its Korean debut on Thursday. 

 

“The Vanished,” which was released on Wednesday, is a Korean adaptation of the 2012 Spanish film “The Body.” Starring Kim Sang-kyung, Kim Kang-woo and Kim Hee-ae, the movie revolves around a professor who killed his wife and a detective who has been assigned to the case after the wife’s body goes missing from the morgue. 

 

Having accounted for 32.9 percent of the entire weekend’s sales, “The Vanished” sold 524,000 tickets at 925 screens from Friday to Sunday, adding on to a total of 654,000 admissions.

 

At second was the reboot of “Tomb Raider.” The action adventure movie sold 315,000 tickets at 806 screens over the three days, bringing its sales total to 375,000 admissions. It features Oscar-winning actor Alicia Vikander as heroine Lara Croft, who originated in a video game and was later played by Angelina Jolie in two films. 

 

While last weekend’s highest-grossing movie “The Princess and the Matchmaker,” starring Shim Eun-kyung and Lee Seung-ki, dropped to the fourth spot, selling 157,00 tickets, Japanese adaptation “Little Forest,” starring Kim Tae-ri, dropped only one spot to land at third, after selling 263,000 tickets between Friday and Sunday. 

 

Marvel’s “Black Panther” rounded out the top five with 71,000 tickets sold. The superhero saga set in the fictional African country of Wakanda has sold a total of 5.34 million tickets since its release on Feb. 14. 

 

New releases “The Florida Project,” which tells the story of a struggling family living in the outskirts of Disney World, and “Only the Brave,” revolving around a crew of wildfire fighters from Arizona, debuted at eighth and ninth, respectively. 

 

In the coming weekend, a number of romance movies will give moviegoers more options at local theaters, including an adaptation of the Japanese romance tale “Be With You” and “Cheese in the Trap,” which is based on a popular webtoon that was also a well-received television series that aired in 2016.

BY JIN MIN-JI [jin.minji@joongang.co.kr]

[rubie]

March 13, 2018

 

Director debuts with thriller 'The Vanished' 

 

Director Lee Chang-hee, of "The Vanished," poses prior to an interview with The Korea Times at Sidus headquarters in Seoul, Wednesday. / Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk

 

By Park Jin-hai The Korea Times

 

Lee Chang-hee, 34, director of the thriller "The Vanished," currently topping the local box office, says it took nearly two decades to make his feature film debut since he made up his mind to become a director. 

 

"Watching my first short film, which was 29 minutes long, I felt like my 29-year life was being judged. Now seeing my first feature film, I feel as if my whole life devoted to filmmaking is being tested," said Lee during an interview with The Korea Times at Sidus heaquarters in Seoul, on the first day the film hit the local theaters, Wednesday. 

 

"The Vanished," a Korean remake of the 2012 Spanish film "The Body," starring veteran actors Kim Hee-ae and Kim Kang-woo, tells the story of a detective investigating the disappearance of a woman's corpse from the morgue and who is trying to uncover the cause of her death. Since its March 8 release, the film has attracted more than 650,000 viewers, taking the top spot at the local box office.

 

Lee says when he was a little boy he insisted on watching "King Kong" and "The Body Guard," instead of kids animated movies. He grew up intrigued by the stories of Andrei Tarkovsky, the renowned Soviet director, who spent his last few months finishing his film after he was diagnosed with cancer. "I started to wonder how good a movie has to be that makes a person devote his last moments to it," he said. Lee made his first short film when he was a high school freshman and continued to study film and theater at Suwon University, in Gyeonggi Province.

 

After graduation he spent many years in the local film scene, participating in film production and seeing many of his projects being canceled in the middle of working on them without getting any payment. 

 

He made his mark with his first short thriller "The Hideout," which tells the story of a journalist who has been isolated in an Internet cafe in a rural town with alleged criminals. His 2011 short earned him the top award in the thriller category at Mise-en-scene Short Film Festival, where former winners include "The Wailing" director Na Hong-jin and "Kundo: Age of the Rampant" director Yoon Jong-bin.

 

Lee says with his first awarded short thriller, his attention has been naturally heading to the genre. "Thrillers touch on what lies deep down in people's psychology. I'm attracted to projects that put characters into extreme situations and see how various people show their human nature," said the director. 

 

Regarding his latest film, he says although it's an original film and has a clever plot twist, he didn't want it leaning too much on unexpected and shocking ending scenes. "I wish my film would be felt like one with natural flows," said Lee, who says he admires director Park Chan-wook. 

 

"Marvel doesn't need the same director to make many Captain America movies. But Tarantino movies cannot be made without him. I also like to make movies that have my hallmark, something that cannot be made without me," said Lee. 

[rubie]

March 24, 2018

 

Kim Sang-kyung is unafraid to speak his mind
‘The Vanished’ star has had a busy 2018, with roles in three films released over three months

 

Source: INSIDE Korea JoongAng Daily

 

[ILGAN SPORTS]

 

Actor Kim Sang-kyung, 47, has frequently played detectives in films such as “Memories of Murder” (2003), “Montage” (2012) and “The Deal” (2014). In his most recent film, “The Vanished,” which was released in March, he again plays a detective frantically chasing after a culprit - for the fourth time. 

 

“The Vanished,” directed by Lee Chang-hui, is a psychological thriller about how a detective investigates the disappearance of a woman’s corpse from a morgue. 

 

To learn more about his role in his latest film, Ilgan Sports, an affiliate of the Korea Joongang Daily, sat down with Kim for an interview. The following are edited excerpts.

 

Q. Critics are saying, “‘The Vanished’ is a thriller worth its value.” How did you feel about this film while filming it? 

A. I really liked it ever since I read the script. It’s not as if I don’t have any experience working on thrillers. I can tell by just looking at the script. While reading it, I was surprised at the plot twists. The story really got me. This film will probably be one of the top three movies I’ve starred in. The other two films are “May 18,” a 2007 film depicting the May 18 Gwangju Democratic Uprising, and “Memories of Murder,” a 2003 film which was based on the true story of Korea’s first serial murders in 1986. 

 

I would say that “The Vanished” comes after those two. Personally, the script of “The Vanished” was as touching as the script of “Memories of Murder.” 

 

What was it like to work with Director Lee?

He works in a very [efficient] manner. It only took him 10 minutes to shoot a scene, which means that he knows exactly what is necessary. While filming, I felt really comfortable yet nervous. Overall, I am satisfied with his work. 

 

What is the break-even point for “The Vanished?” 

Since the film production costs were roughly 3.2 billion won ($2.97 million), I would say selling approximately 1.4 million tickets would meet the break-even point. What impacts the rise and fall of a movie is how well it’s distributed. Even if it’s a well-made, funny movie that spreads by word of mouth, if there are not enough theaters screening it, then the audience won’t be able to watch it. I wish the audience didn’t have to go through that struggle. 

Since the beginning of the year, you have appeared in three films: “The Discloser,” “The Princess and the Matchmaker” and “The Vanished.” 

This was not my intention, so I’m worried that the audience might feel bored by seeing me too often. (Laughs) Still, the genres and the characters are different, so I think it’s still fun to watch. I hope that several cinemas will be showing my films. 

 

Why do you think “The Discloser,” a thriller about uncovering the source of a corruption case, did not sell many tickets?

If there were several theaters that showed the film throughout the whole day, the total number of viewers would have been much higher. You could only watch the movie early in the morning. Considering that, it’s impressive that 210,000 people watched it. 

 

Why do you think that some movies are less popular than others? 

There are several types of movies. Some movies are made just for entertainment. For example, even though the “Return of the Mafia” series is not my personal preference, I think that it is a necessary movie. Roughly four to five million people watched it. I think “The Discloser” is also necessary for other reasons. It is frustrating to see how there are limited chances to view it. While filming it, I could not feel whether this movie would “become a hit or not.” Even though I am a highly confident person, I can’t help but feel disappointed. 

 

You are famous for being an actor who is not afraid to share his thoughts on social issues. Why do you speak out so frequently? 

As someone who needs to make money, even though I talk about social issues, I will still work on a movie produced by a major movie studio. My youngest is now eight months old. 

 

I think about it this way, “What is the purpose of movie actors gathering together and actively speaking out? Since there are no institutional measures, the people who cause these problems do not pay careful attention.” However, discussions are necessary, so it’s important to stand in a high position to be able to state your opinions.

 

That is another basic reason for why I want to become a good actor, starring in good films. Then, at least I’ll be able to bring certain issues to light, which can lead the public to think about solutions.

 

What can you say about actors who are unafraid to speak on social issues? 

Movie actors worldwide tend to be progressive, not only in Korea. This could be seen when the blacklist made by the Park Geun-hye administration was revealed. 

 

These [people] didn’t even listen to their parents and pursued acting. So do you think that these people will listen just because the government is regulating them? (Laughs) 

 

There’s a tendency to do something that is banned. I think that this progressive personality leads this kind of culture. And that is what’s right. Compared to other countries, Korea has a quiet atmosphere due to external pressures. However, I anticipate that this atmosphere will change someday. 

 

What kind of dreams do you have for your career and personal life? 

I have lots of dreams. I’m even in the middle of planning some more. The problem is that no one is teaching me how to achieve it. I think that personal experience helps guide you to the next step. These days, lots of people are talking about what’s happening in the world of arts and entertainment. 

BY CHO YEON-GYEONG [lee.jeonghyun@joongang.co.kr]

[rubie]

April 12, 2018

 

Viewership of Korean films soars 81.1 pct in March

SEOUL, April 12 (Yonhap) -- Homegrown films saw a whopping 81.1 percent increase in overall theatrical attendance in March thanks to the release of various genre movies, data showed Thursday.

 

According to the Korean Film Council (KOFIC), Korean films made 63.2 billion won (US$59 million) through sales of 7.91 million tickets in local theaters last month. The numbers of viewers and ticket sales were up 81.5 percent and 81.1 percent, respectively, from a year ago. It was the highest March total since 2013 when Korean movies drew 8.39 million admissions.

 

The unusual success of domestic movies in the spring low-season is largely due to the strength of four small films of different genres: "Be With You," "Little Forest," "The Vanished" and "The Princess and the Matchmaker." They attracted more than 1 million moviegoers each.

 

The release of big-budget Hollywood movies "Black Panther" and "Ready Player One" in February and late March also was a factor behind the overall strength of low-budget Korean films in March.

 

But the total number of admissions to theaters fell 7.6 percent to 12.8 million from the same month in 2017 because of the weak performance of non-Korean films.

 

sshim@yna.co.kr