[Movie 2000] Joint Security Area 공동경비구역 J S A

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Director Park Chan Wook, image from KOFIC

November 27, 2008

Park Chan-wook shoulder to shoulder with world masters

Renowned director PARK Chan-wook has been selected for an exclusive British DVD titled Cinema 16: World Short Films. PARK's 1999 short film Judgement is in the company of short films by Guillermo del Toro, Jane Campion, Alexander Sukorov, and Alfonso Cuaron, among others.

This year's global edition is preceded by the highly rated Cinema 16: European Short Films (including short films by: Krzysztof Kieslowski, Lars von Trier, and Jean-Luc Godard), Cinema 16: American Short Films (Including: Tim Burton and Andy Warhol), and Cinema 16: British Short Films (including: Christopher Nolan and Ridley Scott).

Judgement is a black comedy about society and corruption. The short film played at the 4th Pusan International Film Festival (PIFF) in the Wide angle section in 1999, and at the 13th Clermont-Ferrand Short Film Festival (2001).

December 8, 2008

Quentin Tarantino urged Park Chan-wook to try Hollywood

According to major U.S. agency William Morris, PARK Chan-wook was advised by Quentin Tarantino to come to Hollywood to direct films. William Morris representatives also disclosed that they are in the process of finding a project which can interest PARK.

PARK's definite international breakthrough was his critically acclaimed Old Boy, which was awarded the Grand Prix at the 2004 Festival de Cannes by a jury headed by Quentin Tarantino. William Morris agency was present at the 2008 Korea-U.S. business campus held by Korean Film Council. William Morris agency is a leading U.S. agency who manages major stars in cinema, music, and sports.

Source: Yi Ch'ang-ho (KOFIC)

[Guest Tamar1973]

I enjoyed JSA. Everyone involved put a lot of work into it.

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^ Hi Tamar1973, welcome to JSA! The movie is indeed a cool intro to everything Kmovies.

---

Copied from GBW-cafe.daum

Anyone still fancy JSA VHS? :blush:

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yesasia.com

JSA ! Joint Security Area (DTS Version ! HK Version)

DVD Region All

Lee Byung Hun | Lee Young Ae | Song Kang Ho | Park Chan Wook (Director)

Our Price: US$9.99

April 17, 2008

Joint Security Area is the highest invested film in Korean film history, it is also one of the highest grossed films in Korea ever. It was released in Korea in 2000 and received immediate success due to its controversial subject and the director's decisive critique on the issue.

This film is about a mysterious murder case involving several soldiers who are camping at the border of South and North Korea, an area known as Joint Security Area. One night, two North Korean soldiers were shot to death. A South Korean soldier (Lee Byung-Heon) is the prime suspect. The investigation is carried out by a neutral party headed by Sophie (Lee Young-Ae). Sophie soon discovers that it is not merely a brutal murder, the case is more complicated than she expected as there is a clandestine relationship among several South and North Korean soldiers.

What makes this film interesting is that the director is able to break the political taboo and deal with the issue in an honest yet peaceful manner. Tension is turned to humors and then to suspense, the director is good at controlling the atmosphere of the story and revolving the reaction of the audience, hence, the film succeeds in raising certain discourse regarding the current situation in Korea and elicits positive responses from the Korean people. For instance, the ending snapshot is a very important motif of the film. It symbolizes the theme successfully. What the director wants to convey is that although South Korea and North Korea are separated, there is nothing that can stop the people of the two countries from getting together. Korea is one nation after all. Fate will put them together no matter what. From the depiction of the intimate friendship among the soldiers, Park Chan-Wook tells us how anxious the Koreans long for reunion of the nation.

Song Kang-Ho is always a supporting character in other films. In JSA, he is finally able to take the lead role, and he gives excellent performance to substantiate his capability. His role as the North Korean officer beats Lee Byung Heon in terms of every aspect. The bodily gestures, emotions and dialogues are all carried out persuasively. It is no wonder why he could capture various best actor awards with this film. Lee Young-Ae speaks fluent English in the film and succeeds in building up a convincing image of the NNSC officer.

This film is shot in a 2.35:1 aspect ratio. The resulted image is so beautiful and serene that you will almost forget you are watching a narrative film. The filmmaker has created a tangible world for the film and heightens the artistic value brilliantly.

No matter you are Korean or not, there are always something you can gain from watching this film.

DVD (HK version) - The picture quality is not bad, I am not sure if it is in the original 2.35:1 format or not, but it looks like widescreen to me. Nevertheless, I don't have a 16x9 TV and I heard that this DVD is not real 16:9. For the sound, its ok, but I am not certain if it is my audio system or what, I have to turn up the volume quite a bit to get the desired quality. Overall speaking, with the region free coding, all the special features and bonus materials(postcards and booklet), this DVD is definitely worth to buy!

Cool guy(s) - Song Kang-Ho

Reviewed by: Kantorates -　

Source: http://www.yesasia.com/global/1001829037-0-0-0-en/info.html

[Guest Janie Simply]

Finally! Got hold of a copy of this most talked about movie at hand; hope to watch it shortly; aish... I'm always so behind 'cos I'm at the mercy of the dvd stores here... suddenly there are so many LBH movies popping out here and there -- see what GBW has done to our humble city

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December 25, 2008

Discovery Channel's "Seoul Documentary" Features Rain, Lee Byung-hun

Source: KBS Global

The "Discovery Channel," a documentary TV channel, is to broadcast a program about Seoul and its residents.

The Seoul metropolitan government said the production crew from the Discovery Channel had visited Korea recently to film a documentary about top Korean stars Lee Byung-heon and Rain against the backdrop of the Han River, Mount Namsan and the Myeong-dong and Hongik University areas. The program tells how the two have risen to stardom and gained recognition worldwide.

Entitled "Hip Korea," the program consists of two 45-minute parts. The one entitled "Seoul Vibes" introduces Rain, while the other one, entitled "Seoul Savvy," is about Lee Byung-heon.

The part about Rain shows the Hongik University, Cheongdam-dong and Chyeonggye Stream areas to introduce the dynamic side of Seoul, while the part about Lee shows Apgujeong-dong, Insa-dong and Samcheong-dong to introduce the serene and romantic side of Korea's capital city.

The show will air in Australia and New Zealand in January, in Southeast Asia in February and in Europe in May. A government official said the program is expected to improve Seoul's image by showing off the city's unique charms on the Discovery Channel.

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Official website FIFF 2009

 

January 14, 2009

 

Fajr Film Fest Hosts Korean Retrospective

 

 

Iran’s major annual film event, the 27th Fajr International Film Festival (FIFF), held in Tehran, will showcase a retrospective of contemporary Korean films. 13 features produced from the years 2000 through 2008 will screen in the Persian capital, January 30 to February 10, 2009.

Along with the retrospective, JEON Soo-il’s With a Girl of Black Soil (2007) was selected in the line-up of the Asian Cinema competition section. It will vie alongside North Korean film A School Girl’s Diary by JAN In-hak and 11 other features from across Asia.

Among selections in the retrospective are titles such as PARK Chan-wook's Joint Security Area (2000), BAEK Woon-Hak’s Tube (2003), KIM Ji-woon's The Good, the Bad, the Weird (2008), JOO Kyung-jung’s A Little Monk (2002), and SHIM Hyung-rae’s Dragon Wars (2007).

In previous year's a number of Korean films have won awards at FIFF, including YOON Jong-chan’s Blue Swallow, which won the Best Screenplay award for Asian Cinema in 2007 and IM Tae-hyun’s Little Brother, which won the Best Director award for Spiritual Cinema in 2006.

Credits: Nigel D’Sa (KOFIC)

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April 23, 2009

N.Koreans Love Choco Pie 



If there's one South Korean product that all North Korean workers in the Kaesong Industrial Complex know about, it's Choco Pie. According to factory owners in the Kaesong complex, some businesses there began passing out the snacks to their North Korean workers in 2005 to boost morale, which led to explosive popularity of the product among workers, and now most businesses there have followed suit.

A Kaesong complex staffer said 150,000 of the snacks are probably consumed each day at the industrial compound, and Orion, the South Korean makers of the product, send up between 10,000 to 20,000 boxes of the snack during holidays.

The Choco Pies are then brought out of the industrial park through unofficial channels and sold in black markets near Pyongyang. One South Korean government official said North Korean authorities tried to stop Choco Pies from being smuggled out of the complex, but this has proven too difficult to do, and they are now turning a blind eye, the staffer said.

He added Choco Pies were "sweet symbols of capitalism" for North Koreans.

Source: english.chosun.com

[Guest riehae]

Thanks for all the news of this movie. Although it has been really a while since this has been released. I still rewatch this. I not only love melodrama movies but also this type of movies. XD

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March 6, 2009

[The soul of SEOUL(17)] Arirang Hill - birthplace of Korean film

Movie poster at Na Un-gyu Park

This is the 17th in a series of articles highlighting tourism spots in Seoul. The useful guide for planning weekend trips in the capital city will help readers rediscover Seoul. - Ed.

On a warm spring day, I met a beautiful blue-eyed young lady. She said she liked music and had been in Korea for six months. When I asked her if she knew the Korean flag, she answered that it was called taegukgi and described its shape and color clearly. When I asked about the national anthem of Korea she smiled, and confidently said "Arirang."

The national anthem of Korea is "Aegukga." However, Korea is so closely attached to "Arirang" that many foreigners think of "Arirang" when they are asked about the national anthem. Korean sentiment and history are bound up in the song and its familiar melody.

Arirang Hill

"Arirang Hill" is the name of a 1.45 km stretch of road northeast of the city center. The natural shape of Arirang-hill has disappeared, but its name still holds the traces of the past.

Its original name was Jeongneung Hill. Its name changed thanks to a film by Na Un-gyu.

Na was born in 1902 in North Hamgyeong Province, now part of North Korea, just before the Japanese colonial period. As a child, he liked drama and would sit at the front every day when touring plays visited the village. He made a drama for himself with his friends. He liked reading too - sometimes he was scolded for reading books all day instead of going to school. As he grew up, he became interested in the independence movement and in film. When he was cast as "Blind Man Sim," a minor role, in the film "Simcheongjeon," he visited blind men to learn about their gestures and way of thinking. But sadly, "Simcheongjeon" was a big failure.

A view of Na Un-gyu Park

Na decided to make a film himself. He wrote the script, directed and played the role of the hero. He arranged "Arirang," the theme song of the film, and played the role of the narrator. The location of the film was Jeongneung Hill. When the film, entitled "Arirang," was released on Oct. 1, 1926, it was a big hit. "Arirang" was sung across the country. It became an anthem for the Koreans who had lost their country. Since then Jeongneung Hill has been known as "Arirang Hill."

The film begins with the narration: "There is Arirang Hill in the distance." Na plays Yeong-jin, a young man driven to insanity by the oppression of Japanese colonial rule. When he sees Oh Gi-ho, an agent of colonial Japan, trying to rape his younger sister, he kills him with a sickle. He only comes to his senses when he sees blood. The melody of "Arirang" is overlapped with an image of Yeong-jin crossing Arirang Hill bound by a rope.

Na made "Arirang" when he was 24 years old. Afterwards, he contributed to 29 films over 12 years and directed 19 of them. Naturally, Japan didn't like to see Korean people captivated by the young filmmaker's work. They censored every film he made, cut scenes regardless of the story, changed the titles, and banned screenings. People began to turn away from his films. However, Na did not bow to pressure and continued making films. He passed away at the age of 36 with a manuscript for a film called "Obongnyeo" in his arms.

A walk on the hill

Arirang Hill is a nice place for a walk in the warm spring sun. If you take the subway to Sungshin Women's University Station and leave via exit number 6 to find the road, it is a 1 km walk to Arirang Cine Center. The stretch was designated Cinema Street due to its fame as the setting of "Arirang." Posters of famous films from Korea and abroad, such as "Ben-hur," "Gone with the Wind," "Shiri," and "The Reason Why Dalma Went to the East..." have been made into copperplate engravings. Most of them are in real poster size, but some are two or three times as large. If you try to look at all of them, you will be there all day.

Na Un-gyu Park is half way to Arirang Cine Center. Its black angular arch has formative beauty, and a building is decorated with tiles describing his posthumous works, film posters and his own figures. Na Un-gyu is smiling in black and white picture. But it is touching to see the face of a young film maker full of passion for cinema and a spirit of independence. The floor of park is decorated with tiles describing contemporary films. There are sets of the houses of Yeong-jin and Mr. Cheon, which appeared in the film "Arirang." They are not very large, but are a nice place to take a rest.

Birthplace of a new age of film

Arirang Cine Center (http://cine.arirang.go.kr 02-3291-5540) and Arirang Information Library sit on the ridge of Arirang Hill. The six story building is an ordinary movie theater but shows a selection of equipment to capture, edit and record film. Peopl

e can use or rent them. Arirang Inform-ation Library (http://lib.arirang.go.kr 02-3291-4990) is a good place for film maniacs as it has books on film and DVDs and other video materials. There is a monument celebrating the 100th birthday of Na at the entrance on the first floor.

Arirang Festival is held on the street in May. Today, many films are made and an enormous amount of money is spent. While Korean film enjoys such prosperity, spare a thought for Na Un-gyu, a young man who refused to surrender to colonial rule and pioneered Korean film.

By Annabelle Lee

http://www.koreaherald.co.kr/NEWKHSITE/dat...00903060057.asp

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March 31, 2009

Award-winning Korean director draws attention with vampire film

By Lee Youkyung

SEOUL, March 31 (Yonhap) -- When South Korean award-winning movie director Park Chan-wook confided his idea of creating a vampire film in 1999 to actor Song Kang-ho, it was over breakfast after the two finished shooting scenes in a field of reed for “Joint Security Area.”

"I vividly remember his reaction to the plot. He seemed intimidated,” Park recalled his meeting with Song a decade ago at a news conference in Seoul Tuesday, during which the production of his vampire film, "Thirst," was announced.

Song gave his approval to the director's comment. “It was a mystery to me at that time that one could make such a film that is original, provocative, and artistic. I was confused if it were even possible to complete this kind of movie,” Song recalled. "It was beyond my understanding."

Now an internationally acclaimed director, Park is returning to the theater with the final product of what he had discussed with Song, way before he won the 2004 Cannes Grand Prize of the Jury with "Old Boy." A considerable turnaround from his latest romantic comedy, “I'm a Cyborg. But That's Okay,”to a dark plot that the director is better known for, “Thirst” describes a Catholic priest who becomes a vampire during a failed medical experiment and his desperate but helpless attempt to escape from the fateful dilemma as he falls in love with his friend's wife.

Nominated for best actor at Hong Kong International Film Festival, Song played the vampire-priest, collaborating with Park in a male-lead role for the first time in seven years since “Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance” in 2002. Park said he sees a lot of himself in the priest character, especially with his coward and self-justifying reactions to flee from the unavoidable dilemma instead of facing it.

In "Thirst," the vampire-priest is conflicted between his religious calling and what he thinks is immoral -- sex, adultery, and murder.

The movie will be released nationwide on April 30.

Source: english.yonhapnews.co.kr

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October 24, 2008

Another Korean hit movie remade in Hollywood 

A 2003 Korean horror film has joined the ranks of other Korean movies that have been, or are going to be, issued as American remakes. The Uninvited, to be released in the United States on Jan. 30, 2009, is a remake of Janghwa, Hongryeon (the title translates as “Rose and Lotus” but the film was known as A Tale of Two Sisters in its international release). 

Earlier Korean films to be remade in the United States include The Lake House (a 2006 remake of Il Mare), My Sassy Girl in 2008, remade from the 2000 Korean smash hit of the same name. Other Korean films to which rights have been bought for Hollywood-ization include My Wife is a Gangster, Oldboy and JSA. In the case of A Tale of Two Sisters, DreamWorks are reported to have paid US$1 million for the remake rights. 

All this is a significant recognition of Korean film as a rising force in global cultural content creation. It comes only a decade after many in Korea feared that the end of the screen quota system (which guaranteed that domestic movies got a minimum number of screening days in cinemas each year) announced the death knell for the local film industry. Korean cinema is back, and it is back with a vengeance.

A Tale of Two Sisters was, upon its release in 2003, the most successful Korean-made horror movie yet made. The plot is, in fact, an old one, stemming from a folktale of the Joseon Dynasty which was also named “Rose and Lotus,” after the names of the two main characters. It had earlier been adapted to film in Korea in 1956, 1962 and 1972. The tale is a complex one, involving two teenage sisters, and their father who has remarried. The girls suspect their stepmother is up to no good, and when horrible things start to happen, their suspicions seem to be confirmed. 

BBC’s Collective website describes the movie thus: “Two girls return from hospital to an oppressive country house presided over by a wicked stepmother. It’s a Gothic fairy tale set-up, with a malignant specter coming out at night to terrorize the teens. But the scares are all about the atmosphere -- gloomy woods, dark bedroom corners, even the wallpaper prickles. Technically brilliant, it’s hellishly frightening too.”



Kim Ji-woon as wrote and directed the original, and it starred popular Moon Geun-young and Im Soo-jung. The film attracted a surprise amount of overseas attention: Internet movie database imdb.comlinks to 250 external reviews of the film, and 154 user comments, as well as 9,376 votes, giving it a ranking of 7.5 out of 10. A Tale of Two Sisters was nominated for several awards at various international film festivals. Notably, Im Soo-jung won the Best New Actress Award at the Pusan International Film Festival in 2003, and Kim Ji-woon received the festival trophy for best film at Screamfest, an annual horror film festival held in Los Angeles.

The remake has been directed by up-and-coming English brother Charles and Thomas Guard, and produced by the same people who made the American remake of Japanese horror classic The Ring. A trailer and story information are available here: http://www.uninvitedmovie.com

By Jacco Zwetsloot, Korea.net Staff Editor
http://www.korea.net/korea/G08_board_view....ge=1&pagesize=5

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April 10, 2009

Joint.Security.Area

 

 

In the DMZ separating North and South Korea, two North Korean soldiers have been killed, supposedly by one South Korean soldier. But the 11 bullets found in the bodies, together with the 5 remaining bullets in the assassin’s magazine clip, amount to 16 bullets for a gun that should normally hold 15 bullets. The investigating Swiss/Swedish team from the neutral countries overseeing the DMZ suspects that another, unknown party was involved - all of which points to some sort of cover up. The truth is much simpler and much more tragic.

J.S.A. - Joint Security Area was likable! You have to remove all doubt this movie! A staggering performance by Song Kang-ho & Lee Byung-hun make J.S.A. - Joint Security Area a “need to understand” movie!

The extraordinary cast includes Song Kang-ho, Lee Byung-hun, Lee Yeong-ae, Shin Ha-kyun, Kim Tae-woo. This cast just make J.S.A. - Joint Security Area the more strange!

Credits: blogper.com

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Thanks to the highlight by deka_if at the News thread

April 16, 2009

Korean Culture Festival to Open in Central Asia

By Lee Hyo-won

Staff Reporter

Hallyu or the Korean wave is leading the way to a modern-day Silk Road. The Korean Culture & Information Service of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korean Silk Road Foundation will open a Korean Culture Festival in Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan from today to May 1.

Central Asia not only possesses rich resources and bright prospects for development, but is historically relevant to South Korea as the home to some 3.2 million ethnic Koreans ever since may were forced to move there from Siberia in 1937, said the Culture Ministry in a statement.

Korean cars, cell phones and electronic appliances can easily be found in central Asian homes, as well as fans of hallyu TV dramas like "Jewel in the Palace'' and "Winter Sonata.'' The Korean Culture Festival is aimed to boost cultural exchange and friendly bilateral relations with the aforementioned countries. In particular, Almaty, Kazakhstan has named the last week of April "Korea Week'' in time for the festival and will hold various events for the local Korean community.

The festival will feature live shows, movies and food exhibitions across four cities of the three countries, including the capitals. In addition to local performance troupes, various Korean artists will take the stage including B-boy (break dance) group Rivers Crew and folk musicians of the National Center for Korean Traditional Performing Arts.

Popular Korean films will be screened, including the hit romantic comedy "200-Pound Beauty,'' action thrillers "Typhoon'' and "Joint Security Area,'' and family dramas "The Way Home'' and "Herb.''

An exhibition featuring different aspects of Korean culinary art will take place, from Joseon Kingdom (1392-1910) court dishes to everyday favorite kimchi. Yoon Sook-Ja, director of Institute of Traditional Korean Food, will give a lecture on Korean cuisine.

Credits: hyowlee@koreatimes.co.kr

April 17, 2009

Big names to open Jeonju fest

Actors Kim Tae-woo, 38, and Lee Tae-ran, 34, were selected to host the opening ceremony at this year's Jeonju International Film Festival. The JIFF, which is celebrating its 10th anniversary, will run from April 30 to May 8 this year.

Kim is best known for his roles in movies such as "The Contact" (1997), "Joint Security Area" (2000) and "The Naked Kitchen" (2009). Lee has featured in TV dramas such as "Famous Princesses." In 2007, she made her film debut as the star of "Love Exposure."

"Kim is one of those actors who can really own a movie, whether it's commercial or experimental," Min Byung-lock, JIFF's festival director, remarked in a press release. Min said that he is looking forward to Lee's future work. "I can feel [Lee's] passion and strength when she is on the screen," he said.

The opening ceremony will take place at Sori Arts Center's Moak Hall in Jeonju, North Jeolla, at 6:30 p.m.

The event will also include a screening of the opening film "Short! Short! Short! 2009." The film is a collaboration of 10 short films by 10 directors, each running up to 10 minutes. The films tell tales of the directors' sometimes humorous, sometimes ironic experiences with money.

Credits: Lee Hae-joo via JoongAng Daily

[Guest TY_KSW]

JSA! always recalling it when reading news about South and North Korea these days..

One of the best movies...

actors are great,

still remember when the Lee Byung Hun character and Song Kang Ho character spitting each others... funny but touching.. They must be friends instead of nonsense fighting each others..

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LBH's most-loved JSA on Hip Korea's Seoul Savvy

Director Park Chan Wook

: Until that time, he had been blacklisted by the producers in the Korean film industry. There was a time when people even said he coould actually ruin the chances for the success of a film.

People had only thought of him as a good-looking star but this definitely set the image of him as a more serious actor.

LBH loves JSA

: I read the script of JSA while I was serving the army. When I got to the funny bits, I had to stop myself from laughing like this.

LBH

: I was finally able to say "I'm Lee Byung Hun, a box-office star" through this truly wonderful film.

Darcy Paquet

(koreanfilm org Film Critic): It's certainly a landmark film in Lee Byunghun's career. It's his first major hit. It's the first time that millions of people were pouring in the theaters to watch him in a film.

Captures from Discovery-NHK by EverythingLBH l rubie

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July 23, 2009

Pancinema gets paid for 'Rain'

Producer pre-sells film to Japanese distributor

By Park Soo-Mee hollywoodreporter.com

SEOUL -- In a possible sign of improving fortunes for Korea's beat-up film export sector, Korean producer Pancinema this week revealed a rare pre-sale of a South Korean movie to a Japanese distributor.

"Season of Good Rain" was originally conceived as a film with two separate versions; one as a segment of "Chengdu I Love You," a multinational omnibus film about college friends who reunite and fall in love, alongside elements by Hong Kong director Fruit Chan and Chinese rock star Cui Jian; and a full-length feature version aimed at local Korean audiences.

The film, with a budget of two billion won ($800,000), is set up as a Korean-Chinese co-production involving Pancinema, Taurus Film, Ho Films and China's Zonbo Media although the film's Chinese release is still under negotiation. In Korea, distribution is through N.E.W Co., a new distribution and production investment outfit establish by former staff from Showbox.

Amuse will have the picture released theatrically in Japan through Showgate, with an outing tentatively set for November. The license deal was originally agreed in March, although only recently completed, when Pancinema finalized details of the production. The film is currently in post-production.

The acquisition is also a rare move from a Japanese point of view. While Japanese distributors were once the most voracious buyers of Korean movies, sometimes paying license fees that exceeded the production budget -- in early days of the "Korean Wave" Amuse handled Korean blockbusters "Joint Security Area," "Silmido" and "My Sassy Girl" -- Nippon distributors were conspicuous at Cannes this year by their almost total lack of dealflow.

"It was unique in that the film was sold to the Japanese company while the film's script was still in progress," said Park Hye-gyeong, a Pancinema marketing executive.

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July 27, 2009

Park Chan-wook's Films to Be Screened at KOFA

By Cathy Rose A. Garcia

Staff Reporter

A special retrospective of the films by award-winning director Park Chan-wook will be held at the Cinematheque, Korean Film Archive (KOFA) next month.

The retrospective is part of the Cinematheque KOFA's monthly Replay program. There will be special screenings of Park's films, starting from his directorial debut "The Moon Is.. The Sun's Dream" (1992) to his latest film "Thirst." "Thirst," a film about a priest who becomes a vampire, won the Jury Prize at this year's Cannes International Film Festival.

Also to be screened are Park's so-called vengeance trilogy films, "Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance," (2002), "Old Boy," (2003) and "Sympathy for Lady Vengeance," (2005). Park won the Grand Prix at Cannes in 2004 for "Old Boy."

There will also be film screenings of "Joint Security Area (2000)," and "I'm a Cyborg, But That's OK" (2006).

Tickets are free. The Cinematheque KOFA is located in Mapo, Sangnam-dong. Visit www.koreanfilm.org or call 02-3153-2032.

Credits: cathy@koreatimes.co.kr

[Guest lucky_moon]

Torrent Link (1 CD, 694 MB):

http://www.box.net/shared/4ka1jaeo97

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^ Hi cute girl, welcome to JSA! That is an awesome sharing. Thanks so much for the link, we'll definitely put it up at the first post for easier reference. Merci!

Remember the DMZ?

July 28, 2009

Demilitarized Zone to Be Venue for Film Festival

By Lee Hyo-won

Staff Reporter

Poster for the 1st DMZ Korean International

Documentary Festival (DMZ Docs)

The Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) dividing the Korean Peninsula is one of the most heavily armed areas in the world. But it is also a unique hot spot for both tourism and scientific research ― a specimen of the Cold War where rare species of flora and fauna abound.

The 38th Parallel now aims to reinvent the remnants of conflict into a space for artistic communication through the DMZ Korean International Documentary Festival (DMZ Docs), which opens its inaugural event from Oct. 21 to 26 in Paju, Gyeonggi Province.

Under the theme "Peace, Communication and Life," the festival will showcase documentaries from near and far.

The opening festival will take place at Daeseong Elementary School, and festival goers can watch screenings at the Paju Unification Observatory, tour the area on bicycles and watch live performances by indie bands.

Popular actor and Gyeongi Performing and Film Council Chairman Cho Jae-hyun will lead the event as festival director. Joining him on the committee are Kim Dong-ho, festival director of the Pusan (Busan) International Film Festival (PIFF); veteran actors Ahn Sung-ki, Lee Soon-jae and Choi Bul-am; and directors Park Chan-wook and Lee Jun-ik, among others.

The first festival of its kind, DMZ Docs is hosted by Gyeonggi Province and Paju City, and organized by the Gyeongi Performing and Film Council and the Gyeonggi Digital Contents Agency.

For more information call (02) 3672-0181 or visit www.dmzdocs.co.kr (to be updated soon).

Credits: hyowlee@koreatimes.co.kr