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December 21, 2015

Hwang Jung-min, Kang Dong-won teams up in ‘A Violent Prosecutor’

Source: Hancinema.net

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(Showbox)

The trailer for the upcoming movie “A Violent Prosecutor,” starring actors Hwang Jung-min and Kang Dong-won, was released Monday. 

In the trailer, the chemistry between Hwang Jung-min as a prosecutor and Kang Dong-won as a trickster is made evident when Kang makes witty comments at Hwang. 

Kang tries out a different character, this time rather humorous, where he pretends to be a native English speaker coming from Pennsylvania, compared to previous roles that have been more serious. 

“A Violent Prosecutor” is about a prosecutor (Hwang) who goes to prison under a false accusation, meeting the legendary swindler (Kang) who he cooperates with in a plan to take revenge. 

The movie opens at local theaters on Feb. 4, 2016. 

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

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December 22, 2015

Teaser poster for movie 'A Violent Prosecutor' released

Source: STARN News

A teaser poster for movie 'A Violent Prosecutor' was released.

Hwang Jung Min and Kang Dong Won's first collaboration film, 'A Violent Prosecutor,' will be officially released on February 4th, 2016, and the production team released a teaser poster.

'A Violent Prosecutor' is going to evolve around a prosecutor who gets imprisoned in a false charge of murder and a legendary swindler.

The teaser poster shows Hwang Jung Min, who is showing a serious facial expression, and Kang Dong Won, who is showing an evil smile beside him.

A great number of fans and netizens are showing particularly huge anticipation for the combination of prosecutor and a swindler, and also for Hwang Jung Min and Kang Dong Won's first collaboration.

Meanwhile, movie 'A Violent Prosecutor' is going to be officially released on February 4th.

Teaser poster for movie 'A Violent Prosecutor' released

/Reporting by Lee Mi-Ji en@starnnews.com

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December 22, 2015

True Himalayan rescue movie tops local box office

Source: INSIDE Korea JoongAng Daily

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Lee Seok-hoon’s adventure movie “The Himalayas,” based on a real story about famous mountaineer Um Hong-gil, beat “Star Wars” in the local box office. [CJ ENTERTAINMENT]

“The Himalayas”, based on the true story of Korean mountaineer Um Hong-gil, topped the weekend box office, outperforming strong candidates such as international phenomenon “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” and local film “The Tiger.”

According to the state-run Korean Film Council on Monday, the adventure epic directed by Lee Seok-hoon opened in first place with 1.1 million moviegoers, making 8.8 billion won ($7.4 million) in the third weekend of December. 

The film has actor Hwang Jung-min of “Veteran” (2015) and “Ode To My Father” (2014) in the role of Um, who leads the so-called Human Expedition in which a group of hikers embark on a life-threatening journey back to the Himalayas to retrieve the body of one of their peers. 

Actor Jung Woo plays the role of Park Moo-taek, a young aspiring mountaineer who dies on the Second Step - often dubbed the “death zone” - after failing to be rescued by his teammates. 

In contrast to a record-breaking opening score in North America, “Star Wars,” directed by J.J. Abrams, fell a little short in Korea, debuting in second place. 

The seventh installment of the legendary space odyssey attracted a little less than one million moviegoers from Friday to Sunday, making 7.9 billion won in Korean theaters. It took 33.3 percent of the weekend box office sales.

According to the CGV Research Center, a think tank run by the country’s biggest theater franchise, 39 percent of the audience were in their 30s, accounting for the largest percentage, followed by those in their 40s, who took up 33.5 percent of the audience. 

In third place was another anticipated big-budget Korean movie “The Tiger,” directed by Park Hoon-jung of “New World” (2013). 

Set in the Japanese colonial era (1910-45), the film depicts a ruthless hunt by the Japanese military and local hunters to take down the last tiger remaining in Mount Jiri. 

Veteran actor Choi Min-sik plays Man-deok who, against all odds, lives up to his faith of not disturbing the course of nature and learns to coexist with animals. It was seen by 483,603 moviegoers, making 3.8 billion won so far. 

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

KOREA BOX OFFICE

1. The Himalayas    
2. Star Wars: The Force Awakens
3. The Tiger

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December 22, 2015

Hwang Jung-min, star of ‘The Himalayas,’ describes lifeon a pinnacle
‘I really don’t like being the center of attention. I’m embarrassed when I’m revered as an actor and not for the roles I play.

Source: INSIDE Korea JoongAng Daily

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Actor Hwang Jung-min. [STUDIO 706]

“The Himalayas” almost didn’t get made.

Directed by Lee Seok-hoon and released in theaters Dec. 16, the movie is based on the true story of mountain climber Um Hong-gil, played by Hwang Jung-min, who forms the Korean Human Expedition team to go to Mount Everest in the Himalayas.

But the group is not destined for the summit. Led by Um, the group is searching for Park Moo-Taek (Jung Woo), a fellow mountain climber who was reported as dead and whose body is missing in the Himalayas.

On a basic level, the film allows viewers to re-experience the dangerously ambitious journey of Hong-gil and the expedition group. But the film does more than just tell that story; it captures the sweat and tears of the climbers in dark times, but also highlights their shared adventures over the most rugged of landscapes.

In an interview, Hwang revealed that he didn’t expect to be part of the film. In fact, when Hwang was filming “Ode to My Father” (2014), it was announced that the production of “The Himalayas” had been canceled. Hwang has had close ties to its production company, JK Film, since his appearance in “Dancing Queen” (2012), also directed by Lee. He recalled consoling president Gil Young-min over drinks.

“To be honest, something was fishy,” Hwang said, smiling. “I told him repeatedly, just in case, ‘I’m not doing this film, by the way. It seems too hard. There’s no way!’ And yet, I got a call while filming ‘Veteran’ (2015): he asked if I wanted to be in the film.”

Hwang asserted that the scripts are not the most important thing to him these days. His standard for starring in a film is the people he’ll work with.

“Even if the plot doesn’t seem very well-developed, if the cast brings its fullest passion, it’s a guarantee that the film will turn out great. That’s why I decided to collaborate with Lee again. Since we worked together before, I knew how great it would be to work with him again.”

Q. It seems pretty easy to predict how the plot of “The Himalyas” will turn out.

A. The story’s arc does seem quite obvious. Not only is it based on a true event, but also there was a documentary on the same subject in 2005 [“Ah, Everest!,” an MBC special documentary program]. So we really had to dig in and wonder what exactly we wanted to bring to an audience that will have paid to see this film even though they already know the story. Things got pretty heated on the scene, actually, and we shouted at each other, “Why are we doing this if it isn’t different at all from the documentary?”

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Scenes from the movie “The Himalayas” which stars Hwang. [CJ ENTERTAINMENT]

What do you think the film should deliver?

I think a film can best convey the emotions of the climbers and their magnitude. As an actor, I felt I should deliver the complex interweavings of camaraderie, regret and sorrow.

Were you worried at all about altitude sickness when you were filming in the Himalayas? For actors, the loss of control over one’s body could be their greatest fear.

Luckily, I was able to adapt to the environment. In fact, I would say that the responsibility I felt towards acting trumped my fear. In the film, I am the leader of the expedition. It was the same during production. I wanted to set an example for my junior colleagues, having them think, “If he can do it, so shall I.” And I was able to reach that stage during filming. But it turned out to be pretty lonesome for me.

How so?

I didn’t have a person to go to for consolation. After a day of filming, I would cry by myself daily. But it was a learning experience - it’s something that’s bound to happen as one grows older. In that sense, I could identify with what Um Hong-gil must have felt when he went through the struggle. When you’re high in the Himalayas, the question at hand is not how do you live, but would you live - or die? It’s unbelievable how fragile a human life can be, and that’s all the more reason that Um carried such responsibility for his friend and his group.

What did you talk about with Um when you met him in person?

We didn’t talk much. On the surface level, he is energetic and charismatic - the perfect company for drinks. But how I can put into words all that may be in him? That said, the mountaineers who helped us during filming insisted that Um and I have very similar personalities. Apparently, I curse just like him (laughs).

Thoughts on death must have been unavoidable during the production.

It’s no wonder that the mountaineers exude an air of bravery and wisdom. They have overcome many near-death experiences. I feel like I already adopted a whole new outlook on life: a human’s is a small existence.

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Scenes from the movie “The Himalayas” which stars Hwang. [CJ ENTERTAINMENT]

What else have you learned?

To never go up dangerous mountains (laughs).

It’s been said that you examined your role multiple times. Why is that?

None of the staff or actors had experience in mountaineering films, so it was almost impossible to gauge what was good and what was bad. Even if we said, “OK,” at the spot, how would we know if that was the right call to make? But soon I figured that if we’re doing this, we might as well do it as if we’re making the first-ever mountaineering film. That way, we could raise the bar so high that the next production that attempts a film in the mountains would feel overwhelmed.

Coincidentally, “Everest” (directed by Baltasar Kormakur) was released in theaters in September. Did that make you nervous?

It seems a given that any Hollywood film would scare us (laughs). Seeing the trailer, the two films really did seem alike. There’s literally only one path that leads to the summit. So, honestly, how much of a difference would an angle make? Hiking outfits and the equipment seemed the same, too. But on another level, the two in fact tell very different stories. Sure, there are plenty of stories about people hiking to reach the summit - but not purely for the sake of finding a friend’s missing body! In this way, there’s something unbelievably amazing about Korean people. We’re one of a kind!

Following up on your roles in “Ode to My Father” and “Veteran,” your role in “The Himalayas” seems to confirm that you are a megahit actor.

I am not interested in that, regardless of the turnout of the movie and what stories or nicknames surface. Of course, I am happy if a movie is a box-office hit. But the film’s already done, so other than promoting it there is not much left for me to do. An actor is an actor. Does being cast in a hit movie make the actor good? And if in a flop, bad? So personally, I have no interest.

Are you not at all affected by the public’s interest in you?

I’m indifferent. Actually, I really don’t like being the center of attention, to the point that I stopped having birthday parties ages ago. Nowadays, I hate going to award ceremonies. It’s so embarrassing and uncomfortable when I’m revered for my name and status as actor Hwang Jung-min and not for the roles I play. I don’t think my prominence as an actor is solely based on my talent yet. In the cases of “Ode to My Father” and “Veteran,” I believe the audience applauded Deok-soo and Do-cheol, not me.

These days, you seem busy preparing for the musical “Orchestra Pit,” which you are both directing and playing the leading role. On top of that, you also have a promotional agenda for “The Himalayas” and filming of “Asura” (directed by Kim Sung-su, to be released next year). How do you keep going?

I just lose a little bit of sleep day by day. Since November, I’ve been devoting most of my attention to the musical, which I’ve been working on for the past five years. Theater directing is fun. I think my experience has been optimized due to my background in film. Normally, the stage setting is done, at the earliest, a week before opening, but from early this year I pushed the staff to finish the set design as fast as possible so that the actors can practice on a complete set. If you were to perform in the full set for the first time at an actual performance, how would it look to the audience? I couldn’t fathom it.

Do you have any interest in film directing?

Don’t you need to study for that? No thanks (laughs).

In what ways could “The Himalayas” bring solace to viewers?

Perhaps it shows a more positive way to see and treat people. I think the movie can renew the feeling of human love within people. It’s always been there, in us, but sometimes we lose track of it because we’ve become so busy. So this will be a good chance to get back on track with our loved ones.

BY LEE EUN-SUN [estyle@joongang.co.kr]

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December 22, 2015

Christmas Movies on Course to Set New Record

Source: The Chosun Ilbo

Christmas Day is traditionally the busiest day of the year in cinemas, with the audiences tripling compared to the daily average of 450,000. 

"Silmido," "Avatar," "The Attorney," and "Ode to My Father" are just some of the recent Christmas blockbusters that attracted over 10 million spectators. 

This year's Christmas Day is expected to set a new record of 2.2 million viewers as it falls on a Friday and Christmas-Day audiences have been rising by around four percent every year in the past five years. 

The driving force is families, who seize the occasion to go on an outing to the movies together. Analysis of box office figures over the last decade suggests that men tend to choose a movie that can be enjoyed by the entire family, while women settle for animations to make their kids happy.

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The analysis showed that an unusually large number of men in their 40s book three or more tickets for Christmas Day, suggesting that more men are trying to stay with their family for the holiday.

They preferred Hollywood sci-fi films or Korean dramas that can be watched by children over 12. This year, "The Himalayas" and "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" fall squarely into this category. 

Animations also accounted for 24 out of 100 hit movies over the last 10 Christmas Days, and 70 percent or more of tickets were reserved by women in their 30s. The number of people watching animations on Christmas Day was 3.3 times more than the average. 

More and more people are booking movie tickets in advance, and they are going earlier to be home in plenty of time for dinner. The percentage of tickets booked for Christmas rose from 60 percent in 2006 to 70 percent in 2014. Most people used to watch movies around 5 p.m., just before dinner time, but now the most popular time is 3 p.m.

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December 22, 2015

Hwang Jeong-min and Kang Dong-won's 'A Violent Prosecutor' has been set to go in February

Source: TV Report via Hancinema.net

Hwang Jeong-min and Kang Dong-won's ' A Violent Prosecutor' has set the release date to be February 4th.

Movie ' A Violent Prosecutor' tells a story about a short-tempered prosecutor Hwang Jeong-min and a boasting fraudster and pretty boy Kang Dong-won.

'A Violent Prosecutor' teaser poster also has unveiled along with the announcement of movie release date. The poster delivers the interesting chemistry between the two, which seems to be a perfect match and yet makes you wonder how so.

The buddy movie is about the unusual encounter between a prosecutor and a fraudster in a prison. Hwang Jeong-min and Kang Dong-won's's super strong chemistry is anticipated to deliver the unprecedented cheerful play by the two trusted handsome actors.

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Top 10 Korean Films of 2015

By Pierce Conran MKC (Modern Korean Cinema)

10. Steel Flower

9. Coin Locker Girl

8. Gangnam Blues

7. The Exclusive: Beat the Devil's Tattoo

6. Inside Men

5. Reach for the SKY

4. Alone

3. Madonna

2. Veteran

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Already one of the most vital filmmakers in the country, ‘action kid’ Ryoo Seung-wan delivers his most mature work to date with Veteran, a dazzling slice of entertainment led by a magnetic Hwang Jung-min. Ostensibly an action-thriller, this tale of working policeman versus nefarious rich kid is actually the funniest Korean film to come out in years. Loud middle-aged men are nothing new in the nation’s cinema, but buttressed by a punchy mise-en-scene and jazzy soundtrack, the exasperated manoeuvres of Hwang and co-star Oh Dal-su brings this to an entirely different level. The film became the year’s biggest hit (and is now third all time), partly due to its in vogue criticism of Korean chaebols (corporations) 

1. Right Now, Wrong Then

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December 25, 2015

Top 10 Korean films of 2015

By Jason Bechervaise The Korea Times

At the box office, despite a slow start, Korean films continued to perform well in 2015. Admissions for local films surpassed 100 million for the fourth consecutive year with the local market share for the year expected to be at approximately 50 percent or perhaps a little higher. 

Typically, it's the latter six months, especially in the months of July and August when the local industry gets into full swing. This year was no exception as seen with "Assassination" (12.7 million admissions) and "Veteran" (13.4 million). Since then, local films have remained popular at the box office. November, a traditionally quiet month saw two further unexpected hits: "The Priests" and "Inside Men." 

Critically, established filmmakers have made their mark such as Ryoo Seung-wan ("Veteran") and Hong Sang-soo ("Right Now, Wrong Then"), but there's only one debut filmmaker in my top ten below reflecting a weak year for new filmmakers. 

All the films below were released in Korean cinemas this year.

1. Veteran 

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Korean films can often be dark, gritty and violent. "Veteran" is all of these, yet it's richly entertaining through Ryoo Seung-wan's witty screenplay, making it one of the most enjoyable viewing experiences of the year. Superbly acted by the electric Hwang Jung-min and Yoo Ah-in, Ryoo does what he does best and delivers an action-packed film that also tackles the issues of justice, corruption, and the chaebol (conglomerates) as it follows a detective who pursues a young and obnoxious heir of a powerful conglomerate.

2. Right Now, Wrong Then 

Renowned auteur Hong Sang-soo can divide opinion but his latest film "Right Now, Wrong Then" has deservedly received wide critical acclaim as illustrated by the Golden Leopard the film won at the 68th Locarno Film Festival together with Best Actor for Jung Jae-young. Again playing with narrative structure and repetition, Hong devises an enchanting story about an encounter between a director and a painter but tells it twice with slight variations. Quintessentially Hong, but it's also the sterling leading performances by Jung and Kim Min-hee that resonate.

3. Madonna

It's perhaps too punishing for some viewers but Shin Su-won's ("Pluto") third feature is a layered and absorbing drama about some of the difficulties a woman marginalized by society faces. Dealing with prostitution and misogyny, Shin's approach is courageous and thought- provoking. Kwon So-hyun in her first role in a film delivers a captivating performance as Madonna -- a young woman who is abused by the men around her. 

4. Factory Complex 
One of the most exciting areas of Korean film over the past two years is in the realm of documentaries. Premiering in Busan in 2014, "Factory Complex" directed by Im Heung-soon went on to screen at festivals around the world and was awarded the Silver Lion at the 56th Venice Biennale in May. Im's superb sophomore feature intelligently deconstructs the so-called "Miracle on the Han River" as it unveils the plight of female workers past and present through interviews, stills and other footage. 

5. A Midsummer's Fantasia 
Reminiscent of Richard Linklater's "Before Sunrise," Jang Kun-jae's "A Midsummer's Fantasia" might be a little protracted for some, but the realist aesthetic and enigmatic documentary-like structure captures something rather alluring and profound. Split into two parts, the first half is shot in black and white and follows a Korean director scouting for locations in a Japanese rural town. Inspired by a story told in the first part, the second half is captured in color and is about a romance between a Korean woman and a local man.

6. Alive 
Actor and director Park Jung-bum utilizes his talents behind and in front of the camera to deliver a second compelling feature about those struggling to survive in a society riddled with inequality. Akin to "The Journals of Musan" Park plays a character trying to maintain a source of income with little in the way of support to help him. Set in Gangwon Province and beautifully shot, Park's film is not a rant; instead it's a carefully and smartly constructed feature that rightly sheds light on injustices in today's society.

7. Revivre 
Sometimes dubbed as the father of Korean cinema, Im Kwon-taek has now made a whopping 102 features spanning more than 50 years. While in recent years, his films haven't connected with audiences in the same way his more renowned pieces of work have, "Revivre" marks a return to form for Im. Produced by Myung films ("JSA"), his latest, starring Ahn Sung-ki in his best role since "Unbowed" deals with the subject of grief through his captivating narrative structure.

8. Inside Men 

Both graphic and grim in its depiction of corruption as it follows the relationships between a journalist, congressman, political henchman and a prosecutor, Woo Min-ho's "Inside Men" has been a surprise hit accumulating over 6.5 million admissions. Its success is largely down to strong word-of-mouth. Expertly executed and riveting from start to finish. Lee Byung-hun and Cho Seung-woo also give scintillating performances. 

9. Gangnam Blues 
Yoo Ha's noir action film starring Lee Min-ho and Kim Rae-won provides a fascinating glimpse into how the district of Gangnam was drawn up amidst rampant corruption in the real estate market in the 1970s. Visually, it's arguably the film of the year. The cinematography, lighting and choreography are outstanding. It does, however overstretch itself and so demands more than one viewing, especially for those unfamiliar with the backdrop.

10. Coin Locker Girl
Directed by Han Jun-hee (feature debut), the film stars Kim Hye-soo in one of the strongest performances by an actress this year. Set in Incheon's Chinatown, a girl who is abandoned in a coin locker is sold to a boss of an organ trafficking ring. What elevates the film is Han's well-crafted execution and use of mise-en-scène that was likely a factor in securing an invitation to the Cannes film Festival in May. 

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

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December 28, 2015

'The Himalayas' smashes Christmas box office record

SEOUL, Dec. 28 (Yonhap) -- A film about South Korean mountaineers has set a new Christmas Day record with more than 700,000 viewers, data showed Monday.

A total of 746,413 people watched the movie directed by Lee Seok-hoon, breaking the previous record of 640,624 set by "The Attorney" in 2013, data by the Korean Film Council showed.

The domestic film also broke the 4-million-viewer mark in cumulative total on the same day.

Based on a true story, "The Himalayas" follows a team of South Korean mountaineers who set out to find the body of a teammate in the Himalayas in 2005.

"Star Wars: The Force Awakens" drew 447,000 viewers on Christmas and topped 2 million viewers a week after its South Korean release on Dec. 17.

"The Tiger," which portrays a curious relationship between a hunter and Korea's last remaining tiger during the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910), surpassed the 1-million milestone in nine days, on Christmas Eve.

A scene from the South Korean movie "The Himalayas." (Yonhap)

A scene from the South Korean movie "The Himalayas." (Yonhap) A scene from the South Korean movie "The Himalayas." (Yonhap)

sojungpark@yna.co.kr

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December 28, 2015

Movie on Everest Draws 4 Million Viewers in 12 Days

Source: The Chosun Ilbo

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"The Himalayas" attracted over 4 million moviegoers in the first 12 days following its release.

According to the Korean Film Council, the movie achieved the milestone on Sunday after hitting the 1-million-viewer mark in only four days, 2 million in eight days and 3 million in 10 days.

Based on an actual event, "The Himalayas" tells the story of a perilous expedition on Mount Everest led by renowned mountaineer Um Hong-gil to retrieve his late junior climber's body.

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December 29, 2015

S. Korea sees record movie-goers for 5th straight year

SEOUL, Dec. 29 (Yonhap) -- The number of movie-goers in South Korea has reached a new high for a fifth consecutive year in 2015, thanks in part to the popularity of domestic movies, data by the official market tracker showed Tuesday.

More than 215.2 million people went to the movies from Jan. 1 to Monday, surpassing the previous year's record of 215.1 million, data by the Korean Film Council showed.

The number of movie-goers has risen every year since 2011, when 159.7 million people opted for big screens over home cinema.

The steady rise has been attributed to high demand for domestic movies. South Korean movies have attracted more than 100 million viewers consistently for the past four years since regaining dominance over foreign films in 2011.

Though Hollywood took the lead in the first half of 2015, "Veteran" and "The Assassination" picked up the slack in local cinema, drawing more than 10 million viewers each since July.

The releases of highly anticipated Hollywood blockbusters like "Star Wars: The Force Awakens," "007 Spectre" and "Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation" also helped set the new record.

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sojungpark@yna.co.kr

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December 29, 2015

Movie ticket sales at record high

Source: The Korea Times 

Spoiler

 

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From top, scenes from "Veteran," "Assassination" and "Ode to My Father" / Courtesy of Naver

 

Koreans went to the movies in record numbers this year, with more than 215 million tickets sold.

Media reports quoting the Korea Film Council Tuesday said this year's figure had reached 215,173,486, about 100,000 more than last year.

The record-breaking figure shows Korean theaters have attracted audiences totaling more than 200 million for three years in a row.

Korean films have been increasing their domestic market share against foreign films over the past few years. Since 2012, Korean films have sold more than 100 million tickets a year and surpassed foreign films in the number of theaters they were screened at for five years in a row.

Blockbuster Korean films this year included "Ode to My Father," "Assassination" and "Veteran." Each drew over 12 million theater-goers.

aoshima11@ktimes.com,

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December 29, 2015

No rest for star actor Hwang

Source: The Korea Times

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Hwang Jeong-min, left, from "A Violent Prosecutor" / Courtesy of Naver

Actor Hwang Jeong-min, who has been awarded for two mega-blockbusters, "Ode to My Father" and "Veteran," and is starring in "The Himalayas," now in theaters, seems tireless, with another movie scheduled to hit screens early next year.

"A Violent Prosecutor," starring Hwang, 45, is a crime movie that opens in February.

The movie features Hwang as a talented prosecutor who is wrongfully accused of murder and jailed for years. He meets a con artist in jail (Kang Dong-won), who he tries to take advantage of outside prison to seek revenge.

"This is going to be something that's loaded with fun and people can easily enjoy," Hwang was quoted by a media report as saying: "I wanted to deliver audiences an image of a person with an unbreakable vocational spirit who is down at rock bottom."

A musical, "The Orchestra Pit," starring Hwang and Oh Man-seok, is attracting large audiences. The musical presents an array of crazy incidents that happen in the orchestra pit. 

aoshima11@ktimes.com

 

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December 29, 2015

Korean films dominate box office in 2015

By Baek Byung-yeul The Korea Times

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Actor Hwang Jung-min stars as mountaineer Um Hong-gil in "The Himalayas."/ Courtesy of CJ E&M

This year's box office was dominated by local films, still outnumbering foreign titles. Three domestic films and one Hollywood film garnered more than 10 million admissions. Ticket sales to local theaters have surpassed 200 million for the third year in a row. Here are some memorable stories and numbers from the Korean box office this year.

Over 200 million tickets purchased 

This year's Korean box office has both achieved new historic heights in attendance and total sales.

According to the Korean Film Council (KOFIC) that tracks box office sales, theaters sold more than 200 million movie tickets for the third consecutive year. As of Monday, both Korean and foreign films have sold 215.17 million tickets. Annual attendance for Korean films also reached the 100 million mark for the fourth consecutive year, surpassing 103,599,662 as of midnight Monday. The total sales figure also topped this year, surpassing 1.7 trillion won ($1.46 billion).

Given that the country's population is estimated to be around 51 million, the number shows the average Korean resident has visited movie theaters four times a year.

3 domestic, 1 Hollywood film topped 10 million mark 

The box office graph saw Hollywood films dominating in the first half of this year while domestic films showed dominance in the latter half.

"Ode to My Father," a film portraying modern Korean history ranging from the Korean War to the present, became the first Korean film to top the 10 million mark earlier this year. No Korean film had succeeded in surpassing that mark before.

The film, released Dec. 2014, sold 5.3 million tickets last year, and surpassed the 10 million mark on Jan. 13. It ended up selling some 14 million tickets.

Marvel's "Avengers: Age of Ultron," which attracted public attention for some scenes shot in Korea last year, garnered 10.4 million, proving Korean's love affair with super hero movies. It was the only foreign film in the top five highest grossing films this year.

Korean films significantly dominated the box office in the second half of this year, starting from "Northern Limit Line" that garnered 6.4 million since its opening in June.

"Assassination," which depicts independence fighters during the Japanese occupation of Korea (1910-1945), attracted 12.7 million since its opening in late July and cop-action flick "Veteran" hit the theaters in early Aug. and ended bringing in more than 13.4 million viewers.

It all begins and ends with Hwang Jung-min 

For actor Hwang Jung-min, 2015 would be an unforgettable year, as he was featured in three box office smashes this year.

Taking a leading role in "Ode to My Father," the musical actor-turned-movie star reached his peak featuring as a police detective tracking down a heartless heir (actor Yoo Ah-in) of a family-owned conglomerate in "Veteran."

It seems he is not satisfied yet. The 45-year-old is currently on screen in the mountain-themed film "The Himalayas."

The film, based on a real story that follows a team of Korean mountaineers in 2005 who set out to find the body of their former teammate in the Himalayas, has garnered 4.4 million viewers through midnight Monday since its opening on Dec. 16. At this pace, it is expected to surpass the 6 million mark within this week.

Nominees snub prestigious film awards 

The Daejong (Grand Bell) Film Awards, the country's oldest and the most revered film awards ceremony, was under fire as none of the top nominees for the awards attended, in response to the organizing committee's "no show, no award" policy.

All nine best actor and actress nominees including actors Hwang Jung-min, Son Hyun-joo, Yoo Ah-in and Ha Jung-woo and actresses Kim Yun-jin, Jun Ji-hyun, Kim Hye-soo, Uhm Jung-hwa and Han Hyo-joo missed the event held last month at the KBS Hall in Yeouido, Seoul.

Though they cited scheduling conflicts and overseas business trips as their reasons, it was crystal clear that their absence was protesting the decision.

A month before the awards ceremony, the organizing committee came under fire for announcing that they would not award a prize to recipients who didn't take part in the event, adding it was undesirable for someone to accept the award on someone else's behalf.

They added that the decision was taken to strengthen fairness, but they were criticized due to there being no relevance between improving the fairness of the awards and a nominee's appearance at the ceremony.

Having suffered a blow to its image, it remains to be seen whether the organizing committee will adhere to their "no show, no award" policy next year.

baekby@ktimes.com

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December 28, 2015

0 through 20, What Do These Figures Mean?
2015 Korean Cinema Seen through Figures

by HA Jung-min / KoBiz

2015 has been a very busy year for Korean cinema, as busy as ever. It was briefly static in the first half due to the MERS outbreak, but soon regained vitality in the summer season. Let us take a look at some of the major issues in 2015 Korean cinema through figures.
 
0_ LEE Jung-hyun Received 0 Won for Alice In Earnestland

Spoiler

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2015 would probably be an unforgettable year for LEE Jung-hyun. She made her very strong screen debut in 1996 in A Petal and swept most rookie actor awards that year. Her popularity continued as she made a debut as a singer as well. However, as her popularity as an entertainer increased, her presence as an actress diminished.
 
Alice In Earnestland is a film to re-prove her presence as an actress. This film has been praised as among the best independent films of 2015 and LEE received the Best Actress award at the Blue Dragon Awards for the first time in 20 years since her debut. However, she was in the film without being paid to cheer up independent film scene. LEE was also in Juvenile Offender (2012) without getting paid.
 
2_ Assassination and Veteran, 2 Films with 10 Million Viewers

  

Spoiler

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It has been 12 years since Silmido (2003) made the first record ever for a Korean film to reach 10 million viewers. This year, 2 films, released with 2 weeks’ difference, have successively established 10-million-viewer records. The two films to have opened a new era of 10 million viewers are CHOI Dong-hoon’s Assassination and RYOO Seung-wan’s Veteran.
 
Set in the Japanese Occupation period, Assassination made success both critique-wise and profit-wise, attracting 12.7 million audiences nationwide. Veteran was released 2 weeks later than Assassination but the speed to reach 10 million viewers was faster, it was the 4th in entire Korean film history. The final score for Veteran is 13.41 million admissions, which marks the 3rd place in the entire Korean film box office history. Assassination is at the 7th place.
 
Besides, there is one more Korean film to attract more than 10 million viewers in 2015. Ode To My Father, released in December 2014 and therefore a quasi 2015 film, has attracted 14.26 million viewers which is the second most audiences in Korean film history. It makes 15 films altogether to have reached 10 million viewers in the Korean box office history.
 
3_ 200 Million Viewers in 3 Successive Years

Spoiler

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The total number of theater-goers adds up to 208 million in 2015. Since the number of viewers went over 200 million for the first time with 213,346,935 viewers in 2013, the number of domestic viewers hit over 200 million in 3 successive years. In 2014, a record of 215,067,760 people visited theaters. This year, the success owes to 10 or so films which each attracted more than 5 million viewers, including the two 10 million films (Assassination and Veteran), The Priests (5,439,447 viewers), The Throne (6,246,851 viewers), Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation (6,126,488 viewers) and Jurassic World (5,546,792 viewers).
 
The reason why the overall number decreased than the last two years is thought to be the MERS outbreak. However, it is not time to finalize yet. The Himalayas, The Tiger, and Star Wars: The Force Awakens are only at the second week of release. As December is the hottest season for films, we might as well expect the biggest number of viewers ever. 
 
10_ Success of Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Re-released in 10 Years

 

Spoiler

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Among the unexpected success in 2015 was that of Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, re-released in 10 years. It is Michel Gondry’s fantasy melodrama, and was warmly received critique-wise as a unique melodrama. However this film only had 150,000 admissions nationwide in Korea, perhaps due to the very complex storyline.
 
That is why its current success is all the more surprising. In the first weekend of re-release it was ranked at the 8th place in the box office, and as time went by, the number of viewers kept increasing. It finally expanded screen rooms and marched on, until it went over the number of viewers at the first release, which is a very rare phenomenon. The total number of viewers that Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind has received is more than 300,000 so far. 

19_ “19-geum” Movie Inside Men to Break Box Office Record

Spoiler

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Inside Men has renewed the history of R-rated movies (or “19-geum” movies, meaning movies banned to younger than 19 year olds). On the 3rd day of release, Inside Men broke the record of the most admissions in one single day among R-rated movies, by attracting 489,515 viewers. It also broke the record of the fastest R-rated film to reach 1 million viewers, in just 3 days.
 
These records are all the more impressive because, even though November is traditionally a slow month for films, the number of viewers kept increasing until it broke this year’s previous record among R-rated movies held by Kingsman: The Secret Service (6,129,681 viewers), and even the all time record held by The Man From Nowhere (6,178,569 viewers) in 2010. As of December 23rd, Inside Men has reached 6.54 million viewers. Since it has been staying in the No. 5 chart for more than one whole month since release, its record may go farther.
 
20_ BIFF Is Now 20 Years Old

Spoiler

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Busan International Film Festival (BIFF), the biggest international film festival in Asia, has celebrated its 20 years’ anniversary. Under the LEE Yong-kwan - KANG Soo-yeon regime, BIFF has reached the coming of age. BIFF this year opened with an Indian film Zubaan and screened 304 films from 75 countries worldwide. BIFF this year held several special programs to celebrate its 20th year anniversary, including “Asian Cinema 100” which is a selection of the 100 most eminent Asian films and directors made by film experts from all over the world, and “Hidden Masterpieces,” as part of Korean cinema retrospective. The success of the 2015 BIFF is also reflected in numbers: it has received the biggest audience (227,377) and the most number of GVs (Guest Visit) were held, which was 353 times. 

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December 31, 2015

'The Himalayas' to be released in ScreenX theater in LA this week

LOS ANGELES, Dec. 30 (Yonhap) -- "The Himalayas," a South Korean box-office hit about mountaineers, will be released in a panoramic screen format in Los Angeles for the first time this week, its distributor said Wednesday.

The movie, which is based on the true story of a team of South Korean mountaineers who set out to find the body of a teammate in the Himalayas in 2005, will be screened at the CGV ScreenX theater beginning Friday, CJ CGV said.

ScreenX, a multi-projection technology developed jointly by CGV and top South Korean science university KAIST, provides panoramic presentations through three screens -- a front screen and two others on the side walls.

Of the 124-minute film, 25-30 minutes will be presented through ScreenX technology in order to provide viewers with spectacular scenes of the Himalayan mountains, CGV said.

In South Korea, the movie set a new Christmas Day record with a total of 746,413 viewers. Since being released on Dec. 16, the movie has gone on to break the 4-million-viewer mark.

In the U.S., the film has been screened in LA, Fullerton in California and Dallas. It will be released in 45 theaters across the U.S. on Friday.

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