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Jung Yu-Mi 정유미 (1983)


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https://www.screendaily.com/news/koreas-acemaker-movieworks-launches-sales-on-remember-remake-ahead-of-efm-exclusive/5157353.article

Korea’s Acemaker movieworks launches sales on ‘Remember’ remake ahead of EFM (exclusive)

 

BY JEAN NOH | 23 FEBRUARY 2021

 

South Korea’s Acemaker movieworks is launching sales ahead of the EFM on Remember, a Korean remake of Atom Egoyan’s 2015 Nazi-hunter film that starred the late Christopher Plummer.  The thriller, in post-production, is directed by Lee Il-hyung, whose 2016 crime film A Violent Prosecutor recorded 9.7 million admissions and took $69.5m at the local box office. Leading cast members include Lee Sung-min (The Man Standing Next) and Nam Joo-hyuk (The Great Battle).  The story is set in Korea where a retired octogenarian soldier with dementia goes in search of vengeance against pro-Japanese collaborators, whom he believes were responsible for the deaths of his family during the occupation. When a young innocent man becomes unintentionally involved, he is suspected of murder and ends up accompanying the old man to try to stop the killing and prove his own innocence.  It is produced by Yoon Jong-bin’s Moonlight Film, whose credits include A Violent Prosecutor, The Spy Gone North and Money. Egoyan’s Remember premiered in Competition at Venice, where it won the Vittorio Veneto award.

 

‘Dirty Money’ deals

Financier, producer and distributor Acemaker has also closed pre-sales deals on crime film Dirty Money to a raft of territories, led by China (Youku) and Taiwan (MovieCloud). The film marks the feature debut of director Kim Min-soo and is produced by Leeyang Film (Rampant).  Starring Jung Woo (Best Friend) and Kim Dae-myung (The Drug King), Dirty Money is about two detectives who go on the run from the police and a Chinese gang after trying to steal a large shipment of cash.  Now in post-production, the film has also sold to Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam, Indonesia, Cambodia and Brunei (Clover Films) as well as Australia, New Zealand and Mongolia (Westec).

 

‘Wonderland’ wraps

Since launching its sales unit at the virtual Cannes market last June, Acemaker movieworks has also seen Kim Tae-yong’s big-budget sci-fi drama Wonderland wrap its shoot and go into post-production.  The film’s star-studded cast includes Choi Woo-shik from Parasite, Tang Wei from Lust, Caution, Jung Yu-mi and Gong Yoo from Train To Busan, Park Bo-gum from TV’s Reply 1988 and K-pop star Bae Suzy. Budgeted at $12.6m (KW14bn), the film portrays a world where people can meet with AI versions of their deceased loved ones in virtual reality.

 

———

 

https://www.koreanfilm.or.kr/eng/news/features.jsp?blbdComCd=601013&seq=501&mode=FEATURES_VIEW

Korean Films to Watch Out for in 2021

 

by Pierce Conran | Jan 12, 2021

 

Following COVID-19 Draught Major Projects Hope to Meet Audiences This Year

 

Following its most difficult year, the Korean film industry is looking to stage a comeback later in 2021. The global COVID-19 pandemic has wreaked havoc on the film industry, emptying out theaters, delaying releases and even shutting down some productions, but filmmakers and studios are collectively eyeing the light at the end of the tunnel.

 

The Korean film industry had to hold off on releasing many films last year, which has led to something of a backlog of exciting projects awaiting release. Add in all the new projects that went into production since the pandemic began and what you have is a long list of major titles with something for everyone. Beyond one film hitting Netflix next month, it is still unclear when any of these will find their way to theaters, but once the floodgate opens, it may well be hard to keep up. 

Spoiler


Decision to Leave

 

After venturing to TV with the John LE CARRÉ adaptation The Little Drummer Girl for the BBC, acclaimed director PARK Chan-wook is returning to Korea with his next project, the romantic thriller Decision to Leave.

 

Currently in production, the film stars PARK Hae-il (The Host, 2006) as a detective who becomes entangled with a mysterious widow, played by Chinese star TANG Wei (Late Autumn, 2010), who becomes a suspect in his latest murder investigation. The film co-stars GO Kyoung-pyo (Seven Years of Night, 2018), PARK Yong-woo (Hwayi: A Monster Boy, 2013), and LEE Jung-hyun (Peninsula, 2020).

 

 

Emergency Declaration

 

After Joint Security Area /JSA (2000), The Good, the Bad, the Weird (2008) and The Age of Shadows (2016), superstars SONG Kang-ho and LEE Byung-hun are reuniting for the fourth time on Emergency Declaration (2020), a new aviation disaster film from The King (2017) director HAN Jae-rim, who previously directed SONG in The Show Must Go On (2007) and The Face Reader (2013).

 

The story takes place aboard a commercial airliner that is forced to make an emergency landing following a terror incident. Also on board in the star-studded production are JEON Do-yeon (Secret Sunshine, 2007), KIM Nam-gil (Pandora, 2016) and IM Si-wan (The Attorney, 2013).

 

 

Hansan: Rise of the Dragon

 

Seven years after claiming the top spot on the all-time box office charts, director KIM Han-min returns with Hansan: Rise of the Dragon, the second instalment in a trilogy of stories about the legendary admiral YI Sun-shin, which began with his previous smash hit Roaring Currents.

 

PARK Hae-il plays the admiral in this story, which focuses on the Battle of Hansan Island in 1592, five years before the events of Roaring Currents. Noryang, the third film in the trilogy with KIM Yun-seok in the main role, is expected to begin shooting this month.

 

 

Hero

 

Haeundae (2009) and Ode to My Father (2014) director JK YOUN has been busy producing major hits through his outfit JK Films of late, such as Confidential Assignment (2017), Keys to the Heart (2018) and Pawn (2020), but he’s finally back in the director’s chair for the big-budget period film Hero. 

 

Originally expected to hit theaters last summer, Hero is an adaptation of the hit musical of the same name and features CHUNG Sung-hwa reprising his role from the stage as independence fighter AN Jung-geun during the Japanese Colonial Era. He is co-starring KIM Go-eun (Coin Locker Girl, 2015) and NA Moon-hee (I Can Speak, 2017).

 

 

Life Is Beautiful

 

YUM Jung-ah (A Tale of Two Sisters, 2003) and RYU Seung-ryong (Extreme Job, 2019) lead the cast of the upcoming musical Life Is Beautiful, from Default (2018) director CHOI Kook-hee. YUM plays a woman who discovers she has a terminal illness and decides to track down her first love with the help of her husband, played by RYOO.

 

Originally scheduled for release at the end of last year, Life Is Beautiful is a road movie described as Korea’s first ‘Jukebox musical’ and will feature several popular songs from the 1970s to the 2000s.

 

 

Killing Romance

 

Director LEE Won-suk, known for the cult classic romcom How to Use Guys with Secret Tips (2013) and the period film The Royal Tailor (2014), will be back in theatres this year with his new comedy Killing Romance. 

 

Extreme Job (2019) actress LEE Ha-nee plays a former star who marries a corporate magnate on an island, played by LEE Sun-kyun of PARASITE (2019). LEE’s Extreme Job co-star GONG Myoung plays a young shirker she meets on the island who is studying for an exam.

 

 

Mogadishu

 

Action maestro RYOO Seung-wan, known for The Berlin File (2013), Veteran (2015) and The Battleship Island (2017), returns with a new action tale in Mogadishu, a ripped-from-the-headlines story of diplomats from North and South Korea who must join forces to escape Mogadishu when Civil War breaks out in Somalia in the 1990s.

 

Stars KIM Yun-seok (The Chaser, 2008) and ZO In-sung (The King, 2017) team up with RYOO for the first time in this action project that was shot on location in Morocco. The Lotte Entertainment production was thankfully able to complete production just before the pandemic struck.

 

 

Phantom

 

Like a Virgin (2006), The Silenced (2015) and Believer (2018) director LEE Hae-young is currently shooting his new project, a Japanese Occupation-set spy thriller called Phantom. 

 

SUL Kyung-gu (Cold Eyes, 2013), LEE Ha-nee, PARK So-dam (PARASITE) and PARK Hae-soo (Time to Hunt, 2020) lead the cast in this story which takes place in 1933 about five people suspected of being a spy for the anti-resistance codenamed ‘phantom’ who must keep their wits about them while being interrogated in an isolated hotel.

 

 

Seobok

 

Director LEE Yong-ju makes his long-awaited comeback following his hit romantic drama Architecture 101 (2012) with the highly anticipated sci-fi action-drama Seobok, which was originally scheduled to open in December.

 

GONG Yoo (TRAIN TO BUSAN, 2016) stars as a former intelligence agent who is tasked with escorting Seobok, the world’s first human clone, to a secure location. The agent strives to protect the clone from several different factions who try to abduct the clone along the way. Young TV superstar PARK Bo-gum, who plays the title character, looks set to conquer 2021 with starring roles in this and Wonderland.

 

 

Space Sweepers

 

Originally scheduled to hit theaters in 2020, the big-budget film SPACE SWEEPERS, Korea’s first ever space-set production, changed its plans late last year and is now scheduled to bow on Netflix this coming February 5.

 

Director JO Sung-hee reunites with his A Werewolf Boy (2012) star SONG Joong-ki for this tale of a spaceship named Victory that trawls outer space for scrap and takes on some unexpected cargo. SONG is the ship’s pilot while KIM Tae-ri of The Handmaiden (2016) plays the captain, Extreme Job (2019) star JIN Seon-kyu is the engineer and YOO Hae-jin of LUCK-KEY (2016) voices a robot on board.

 

Wonderland

 

Acclaimed filmmaker KIM Tae-yong, known for Memento Mori (1999), Family Ties (2005) and Late Autumn (2010), is another major director making a long-awaited return to screen this year. His new project is the big-budget sci-fi fantasy drama Wonderland.

 

‘Wonderland’ is a virtual world run by an institution that gives people the opportunity to spend time with people they’ve lost or who they are unable to communicate with. JUNG Yu-mi (The Silenced, 2011) and CHOI Woo-shik (PARASITE, 2019) play coordinators of Wonderland, while PARK Bo-gum, BAE Suzy (Architecture 101), GONG Yoo and TANG Wei play characters who use the service.

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https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/art/2021/04/688_306739.html

Why are so many Korean dramas based on Chinese novels?

 

By Dong Sun-hwa | 2021-04-07

 

When it was revealed that the tvN drama, "The Golden Hairpin," and JTBC's "Until the Morning Comes" were in the pipeline for later this year, numerous people in Korea raised their eyebrows rather than welcoming them with high anticipation. The reason was simple ― the Chinese backgrounds of the productions ruffled people's feathers.

 

The two upcoming TV shows are Korean renditions of popular Chinese novels, which are expected to have star-studded casts. Although remakes are nothing new to drama production companies, a growing number of viewers here these days are venting their discontent over the works originally from China, largely due to the ongoing cultural clash between Seoul and Beijing over the "origins" of Korean traditional assets, including kimchi and hanbok.

Spoiler

 

The ensuing anti-China outrage has spilled over to the local entertainment scene. Recently, SBS' big-budget historical fantasy drama, "Joseon Exorcist," was terminated after airing only two episodes, as the viewers boycotted it for "distorting history and unnecessarily featuring Chinese props." A few weeks ago, tvN's "Vincenzo" and "True Beauty" were also engulfed in controversy over "excessive Chinese product placement."

 

Nevertheless, there is a rationale behind Korean producers' inclination toward Chinese content, according to experts. In fact, there have recently been plenty of soap operas based on Chinese novels or dramas including tvN's "Mr. Queen" and Kakao TV's "A Love So Beautiful."

 

"China has a massive online novel market; more than two million novels are created in a year, and the number of readers exceeded 300 million as of 2016. Given this huge market, a successful Chinese work is often thought to have a guaranteed quality in terms of storytelling," Choi Min-sung, a professor of Korean-Chinese Cultural Content at Hanshin University, told The Korea Times. "Thus, Korean drama production companies think that remaking these works can reduce the risks of production by certain degrees and help them garner more rave reviews from the public."

 

But drama critic Yun Suk-jin, also a professor of Korean Language and Literature at Chungnam National University, believes it is Chinese money ― rather than the quality of Chinese stories ― that lures the producers.

 

"Overall, the quality of Chinese content is not yet as high as that of Korean content," Yoon said. "So it looks like the current trend is more attributable to Chinese investments, which have infiltrated the Korean drama market for a long time. Compared to the past, Chinese investors nowadays seem to demand more things from Korean producers, putting them under the thumb of Chinese money."

 

Noting that the size of the Chinese market is the biggest in Asia, the professor also explained why Korean drama producers cannot turn a blind eye to Chinese viewers.

 

"To target the Chinese market better, Korean producers search for popular Chinese works that can be used as their original sources," he said. "Using these sources makes it easier for them to attract viewers in the neighboring country and promote their creations there."

 

https://s4.gifyu.com/images/E79FBF3B-6CA8-4D8B-9E70-01B47879F251.jpg

From left, Jang Dong-yoon, Kam Woo-sung, Park Sung-hoon and Kim Dong-jun, the lead actors of the SBS TV series, "Joseon Exorcist." Courtesy of Studio Plex, Crave Works, Lotte Cultureworks

 

Concerning the recent China-related disputes on the drama scene, the experts pointed out drama makers should be more sensitive and refrain from taking short-sighted actions.

 

"If TV series producers are driven only by their profits, they will just face more conflicts and controversies," Yoon said. "They have to remember that Korean dramas have an identity as the Korean products."

 

Choi echoed this sentiment, saying the drama makers should be more aware of the uniqueness of Korean culture and then try to add East Asia's universal values to their creations.

 

But more work has to be done for a better future for Korean soap operas, experts say.

 

"Korean drama producers these days do not seem to immerse themselves in research and development ― they are neither very interested in hunting talent nor in developing new scripts. The majority of them are busy looking for finished products that can be immediately used for production," Yoon said.

 

Forecasting the notion that more Korean TV series based on Chinese novels or dramas will be available in the future, Choi underscored, "We should continue taking the Chinese market into consideration for our own growth."

 

He also touched on the controversy over the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD).

 

Since 2016, China has imposed "unofficial" constraints on hallyu, the global wave of Korean culture. These regulations are thought to be part of Beijing's retaliation against Seoul, provoked by a dispute over the deployment of THAAD, a U.S. missile defense system, on Korean soil. China is opposed to its deployment "for its national security," but Korea still set the system up in Seongju, North Gyeongsang Province, in 2017. As a result, Korean TV series, movies and concerts have been practically prohibited in the neighboring country.

 

"Although the THAAD issue has strained the relationship between Seoul and Beijing for several years, China will again become a crucial trade partner in the field of culture once the situation improves in the future," Choi said.

 

——

 

http://english.hani.co.kr/arti/english_edition/e_entertainment/990475.html

Vigilant TV fans take action against historical distortions

 

Apr. 11, 2021

Spoiler

South Korean TV fans are determined to stamp out historically inaccurate TV shows

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Viewers are looking for distortions not only in series that are already on the air but also series that are still in the works, seeking to nip such errors in the bud.

 

"From the moment they begin creating something based on history, artists are obligated to respect actual historical figures and bear in mind that historical facts are not personal possessions but rather a cultural legacy that speaks for the human rights of the masses."

 

These words appeared on an electronic screen on a truck parked in front of the headquarters of the South Korean cable network JTBC in Seoul on April 1.

 

The truck had been placed there by protesters who believe that "Snowdrop," a TV series scheduled to play on JTBC in June, "disparages the pro-democracy movement and whitewashes the Agency for National Security Planning (ANSP) and the dictatorial government" and who want the show's story to be corrected.

 

https://s4.gifyu.com/images/297DA0AB-50BD-477A-8431-B90EA7829D66.jpg

Protesters placed a truck, right, in front of the headquarters of South Korean cable network JTBC on April 1 to demand "Snowdrop" be cancelled as it "disparages the pro-democracy movement and whitewashes the Agency for National Security Planning and the dictatorial government."

 

Over 200 people in an online community called "the people who defend history" took part in a fundraising drive.

 

"I heard that one of the supporting male characters in 'Snowdrop' is a middle manager at the ANSP who is portrayed as an upstanding individual. I got involved because I'm concerned that giving an ANSP manager a positive portrayal and making his actions sympathetic would undermine the spirit of Korean democratization," said a 30-something in the group who goes by Kim Ye-seo (a pseudonym) in a phone call with the Hankyoreh.

 

"We've seen distortions of incomplete information about a drama that hasn't been aired yet, including the plot summary and character sketches. We've decided to change the name of the female lead, which is currently Eun Yeong-cho, because of its similarity to a democracy activist named Cheon Yeong-cho," JTBC said. But that didn't assuage people's suspicions and anger.

 

TV viewers' determination to stamp out historically inaccurate TV shows — which historical fantasy "Joseon Exorcist triggered" — is gaining strength. Viewers are looking for distortions not only in series that are already on the air but also series that are still in the works, seeking to nip such errors in the bud.

 

"Joseon Exorcist" was canceled after just two episodes were televised following an avalanche of complaints by viewers about the use of Chinese-inspired props and scenes in which historical figure King Taejong slaughters commoners and in which Chinese food is served despite the Joseon Dynasty setting.

 

https://s4.gifyu.com/images/9780EB81-6755-4111-B66F-E41FD1FBAC29.jpg

A still from "Joseon Exorcist" shows characters eating Chinese food in a Chinese-style house decorated with numerous Chinese items. (provided by SBS)

 

Another series on vigilant viewers' radar screens is "Achimi Balgaol Ttaekkaji" ("Until Morning Comes," English title unconfirmed), which is supposed to air on JTBC in the second half of 2021. The drama is an adaptation of the Chinese novel "The Long Night," which was accused of being propaganda for Xi Jinping's administration at the time of its publication.

 

The producers explained that they'd "adjusted socialism, communism, and characters that appear in the original work to the situation in Korea" and described the story as being "about one small individual bringing down a powerful organization." But that hasn't stopped viewers from looking askance at the upcoming series.

 

A user on one online community offered the following thoughts. "The author of this novel is someone who has made nasty comments about democracy protesters in Hong Kong. If they're going to adjust everything to fit the situation in Korea, why even bother using a novel that's been accused of glorifying the government of Xi Jinping?"

 

The controversy has created anxiety for the producers of other China-related shows. Those include "My Roommate is a Gumiho," the first original Korean program produced by Chinese video streamlining service iQIYI, which is scheduled to air on tvN in May; "Jamjungnok" (English title unconfirmed), which is adapted from a Chinese online novel and also scheduled to be broadcast on tvN; and "Haesiui Sillu" (English title unconfirmed) which presents a love triangle between Korean and Chinese monarchs set during the reign of King Sejong of the Joseon Dynasty.

 

There's nothing new about controversies over historical distortions — such questions are raised whenever a historical drama or period piece is aired. Those controversies have become more common since the advent and growing popularity of "fusion" historical dramas.

 

The line between fact and fiction is something that troubles not only the producers of these series but also historians. Even "Deep Rooted Tree," a historical drama aired by SBS in 2011 that was praised for its quality, was accused of misrepresenting the death of Grand Prince Gwangpyeong.

 

"We researched the period to fit the story to the facts, but we also took liberties to bring out the themes a little better," Kim Yeong-hyeon, the writer of the show, explained at the time.

 

https://s4.gifyu.com/images/67194FD5-E1D4-43DA-BFA3-6AD69326388B.jpg

A Chinese sponsor has a product placement contract with the series "True Beauty," which airs on tvN. As part of that contract, show characters eat instant hot pot at a convenience store, while a Chinese-language poster is displayed at a bus stop. (provided by tvN)

 

Some shows have changed their story in response to viewers' complaints. "Empress Ki," a 2013 show on MBC, originally depicted Goryeo Dynasty King Chunghye as a decisive and heroic figure overflowing with masculine charm. However, he was a tyrant known for his depraved and wicked behavior. But when the producers were criticized for misrepresenting the king's true identity, they made him a fictional character named Wang Yu instead.

 

"Empress Ki faced a storm of criticism about historical distortions. Most of the complaints were made by adults posting messages on websites and making phone calls. But now it seems to be the younger generation that's getting fired up," a source who was with MBC at the time told the Hankyoreh over the phone on April 2.

 

"Anger seems to have boiled over about these examples of Korean history being distorted and Korean culture being appropriated in several dramas at a time when people are already sensitive about history because of scandalous distortions in Japanese history textbooks," said Yun Seok-jin, a professor of Korean literature at Chungnam National University.

 

Anti-Chinese sentiment also plays a role

 

Another factor has been anti-Chinese sentiment whipped up by Chinese nationalists' efforts since last year to appropriate Hanbok (Korea's traditional attire) and kimchi in a Northeast Project campaign. That has played out while an increasing number of Korean TV series have received funhas from Chinese investors and Chinese production companies' assistance over the past few years.

 

The producers of "Joseon Exorcist" — Studio Flex, Crave Works, and Lotte Culture Works — said that they'd provided all the funding for the now-canceled series. But viewers have focused on the fact that a 5.78% share in YG Entertainment, which is Studio Flex's parent company, is held by a joint venture between the Chinese companies TenCent and Weiying.

 

"It's only reasonable to suspect that [the series] was made more with the Chinese and Asian markets in mind than Korean viewers," Yun Seok-jin said.

 

A Chinese sponsor has a product placement contract with the series "True Beauty," which airs on tvN. As part of that contract, show characters eat instant hot pot at a convenience store, while a Chinese-language poster is displayed at a bus stop.

 

"Vincenzo," also on tvN, faced pushback when lead character Song Joong-ki was shown eating Chinese-style bibimbap.

 

"It really wounded my pride to see Song Joong-ki eating bibimbap with Chinese writing on the package," one viewer said.

 

Vincenzo had reportedly sold 200-300 million won (US$177,000-US$266,000) worth of advertisements based on product placement. But when the controversy ignited, the producers canceled the product placement and deleted the problematic scene from video streaming services.

 

https://s4.gifyu.com/images/C8635ED1-6FFB-4E7F-AC06-54392BBD0323.jpg

"Vincenzo," also on tvN, faced pushback when lead character Song Joong-ki was shown eating Chinese-style bibimbap. (provided by tvN)

 

Viewers have also taken issue with Asia Mart, a store selling Chinese products that's a major setting in "Sisyphus: The Myth," aired on JTBC. They tie the location to the fact that JTBC Studio, the producer of the series, received a 100 billion won (US$88.64 million) investment from Chinese company TenCent.

 

Partly, these viewers are determined not to let Korean pride be sold off to Chinese capitalists. But the complaints reflect another distinctive feature of the younger generation.

 

That was illustrated by Kim Ye-seo's explanation of why they joined the campaign to rectify historical issues in "Snowdrop."

 

"If you have a good understanding of history, you can tell apart truth and falsehood. But looking back at my own childhood, I just assumed that all of 'Empress Ki' was true."

 

"Nowadays, all TV shows can be watched outside of Korea, and the main character of 'Snowdrop' is a member of a K-pop girl group [Jisoo, with Blackpink]. The thought that her fans overseas might be instilled with an incorrect view of history drove me to action."

 

New generation of media consumers are more conscious about what they watch

 

Some analysts said the case of "Joseon Exorcist" and its cancellation after just two episodes due to issues actively raised by viewers illustrates generational differences from the past.

 

"Members of the so-called 'MZ' Generation [of people born between the early 1980s and early 2000s], who lead the way in use of social media and see having proactive opinions as a tool for self-expression, have been extremely aggressive about pursuing boycott campaigns on social media whenever a company has been involved in improprieties or other issues," noted pop culture critic Kim Sun-young.

 

"As part of that trend, people have expressed the view that TV series are also something that should be problematized and actively rejected since they're also a form of commodity," she added.

 

"Joseon Exorcist" writer Park Gye-ok has expressed that he "did not intentionally distort history," although he did acknowledge having been "complacent during the production process."

 

In a climate where TV productions have grown ever larger in scale and become more difficult to produce on the networks' budgets alone, creators have viewed Chinese funding as manna from heaven. It's also a reality that Chinese money has helped to drive "K-content" as it becomes an element in the TV production process.

 

https://s4.gifyu.com/images/1C3CAD1E-B316-458A-A67F-33B0F4926B7C.jpg

Viewers have also taken issue with Asia Mart, a store selling Chinese products that's a major setting in "Sisyphus: The Myth," aired on JTBC. (provided by JTBC)

 

It's a situation that could lead unwittingly to distortions, as the creators feel like they have to tailor content to the investors' tastes. This kind of complacency on the producers' part could lead to people around the world being fed mistaken information — such as claims that the Gwangju democratization movement was spearheaded by North Korean agents.

 

Experts agreed that with "K-dramas" drawing global attention and viewers becoming more proactive, it's time for the producers themselves to make some changes.

 

"In many cases, students simply believe history the way it's presented in games and TV series," said Park Myeong-gu, a history teacher at Baeksong High School in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province.

 

"We need historically themed dramas and films as a way of promoting interest and enjoyment toward history. But when we approach it purely in terms of entertainment, we become susceptible to distorting the facts," he noted. "Historical research is absolutely essential."

 

Conversely, other observers are fretting that cases of TV series being pulled off of the air due to viewer pressure could have a chilling effect on creative activity and remove production opportunities, leading to a decline in historically based work. Indeed, the recent developments have reportedly prompted discussions toward potentially halting production of at least one series that has been in the works with a contemporary history theme.

 

"By their nature, Korean broadcasters and companies are fearful of getting caught up in anything, so there's going to be a very strong sense of 'We're better off not making that sort of thing so that we don't get roped in,'" said the producer for one drama series.

 

"Healthy criticism is a good thing, but it's not good when you're stopping work from being made at all by cutting off the investment," the producer added.

 

 

By Nam Ji-eun, staff reporter

 

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https://zapzee.net/2021/04/27/youns-stay-members-congratulate-youn-yu-jung-on-winning-the-oscar/
‘Youn’s Stay’ Members Congratulate Youn Yuh Jung on Winning the Oscar


by krishkim | images: Hook Entertainment Instagram

 

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Yesterday, Youn Yuh Jung became the first Korean actor to win the Best Supporting Actress Award at the Oscar. Soon, her fellow Youn’s Stay cast poured out congratulatory messages.

 

Lee Seo Jin, Jung Yu Min, Park Seo Joon, and Choi Woo Shik congratulated You Yuh Jung’s recent feat.

 

Lee Seo Jin wrote, “As I’ve said many times, I knew that you would win the award. The last time I saw you, you told me not to get your hopes up, but I congratulated you anyway. When you return home safely, I’ll be waiting for you and me to get together and dig into your favorite white wine and the beer you just became a model for.”

 

“Congratulations on your award. Even during Youn’s Stay, you were such a respectful person. And I’m sure you were no different when you were filming for Minari,” said Park Seo Joon. “I think that’s why Soon Ja was so affectionate and lovely. I sincerely congratulate you on winning the Oscar today, and I hope you stay healthy. Once again, congratulations.”

 

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“Congratulations on your Oscar trophy. I am even more happy and proud that you were the first Korean actor to win the award. I hope you stay healthy and work on more works in the future. Congratulations,” wrote Jung Yu Mi.

 

Choi Woo Shik also left a heartfelt message, saying, “I sincerely congratulate you on winning the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress. While watching the ceremony live, everyone wholeheartedly waited for the best result. And watching you made me a little choked up. Always stay healthy, and I hope you continue your vibrant career. Once again, congratulations on winning the award!”

 

On the 25th (local time), Youn Yuh Jung won the Oscar as the first Korean actress. She is the first Asian actor who won the prize by performing in her native language.
 
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https://zapzee.net/2021/09/29/jung-yu-mi-announces-her-big-screen-comeback-with-suspenseful-horror-movie/
Jung Yu Mi Announces Her Big Screen Comeback With Suspenseful Horror Movie


by Munjeong Jung

 

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Credit: ATNINE FILM


Jung Yu Mi is ready to make her big-screen comeback with a new horror movie titled Sleep (literal title).


According to a report by an industry insider, Jung Yu Mi recently decided to appear in a movie titled Sleep and is coordinating further details.


Sleep is a thriller about a wife discovering the truth about her husband, who has a rare sleep disorder. It will be the first commercial film of the newly renowned independent film director, Yoo Jae Sun. Lewis Pictures, the production company that made director Bong Joon Ho’s Okja and filmmaker Kim Ji Woon’s Illang: The Wolf Brigade will present the new movie.


Jung Yu Mi will play Su Jin, the wife of the man with parasomnia. After facing the truth behind her husband’s abnormal behavior in sleep, she sets out to solve the mystery behind his sleep disorder.


It is her first movie in two years since director Kim Tae Yong’s Wonderland, which hasn’t set its opening date yet. Meanwhile, Jung Yu Mi revealed that she decided to appear in Sleep with high hopes for the movie’s script.


Currently, Jung Yu Mi is shooting the drama When the Day Breaks. Sleep has finished recruiting the cast and is at its pre-production stage to start filming early next year.


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Translator Jung Munjeong: I’ll provide you with the latest articles on K-Drama, K-Pop and K-Movie as quickly as I can.

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https://zapzee.net/2021/10/13/lee-sun-kyun-to-play-couple-with-jung-yu-mi-in-the-upcoming-thriller-sleep/
Lee Sun Kyun to Play Couple with Jung Yu Mi in the Upcoming Thriller ‘Sleep’


by krishkim

 

6C4BDB42-4EAE-40C2-809A-B3EA35E7F0DA.jpg
Credit: HODU&U Entertainment, Management SOOP


Lee Sun Kyun and Jung Yu Mi will work together as a couple in the new thriller Sleep (literal title).


The two actors appeared together in director Hong Sang Soo’s Lost in the Mountains and Our Sunhi, however, this is the first time they will star opposite in a commercial film.


Sleep is a thriller about a wife discovering the truth about her husband, who has a rare sleep disorder. It will be the first commercial film of the newly renowned independent film director, Yoo Jae Sun. Lewis Pictures, the production company that made director Bong Joon Ho’s Okja and filmmaker Kim Ji Woon’s Illang: The Wolf Brigade will present the new movie.


In Sleep, Lee Sun Kyun will play Hyun Soo, Soo Jin’s husband. After enduring long obscurity, Hyun Soo finally sees the light of day. Earlier, Jung Yu Mi announced her big-screen comeback as Soo Jin. It is said that Lee chose the movie because of his trust in Jung Yu Mi.


Lee is one of the busiest actors in Korean cinema right now. He’s currently waiting for the release of three movies: Byun Sung Hyun’s Kingmaker: The Fox of the Election, black comedy Killing Romance, and disaster movie Silence. Moreover, he has already finished filming the Apple TV series Dr. Brain and will soon start working on Choo Chang Min’s new film, The Land of Happiness.


Meanwhile, Sleep will begin filming early next year after finalizing the full cast.

 
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Translator Kim Hoyeun: If you are a fan of K-drama, K-movie, and K-pop, I am your guy. I will continue to provide you with up-to-date K-entertainment news.

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https://zapzee.net/2021/12/16/jung-yoo-mi-and-han-suk-kyus-new-drama-until-the-morning-comes-puts-its-production-on-hold/
Jung Yoo Mi and Han Suk Kyu’s New Drama ‘Until the Morning Comes’ Puts Its Production on Hold


by Bomi Heo

 

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Credit: MANAGEMENT SOOP, Clover Company


Until the Morning Comes (literal title) has decided to put its production on hold after filming eight of its episodes.


The production team initially discussed splitting the drama into multiple seasons, but they have decided to film the rest of the episodes after taking a quick break. The cast members, who started filming the drama this spring, are currently waiting for cues to resume filming.


The drama revolves around an incident where a terrorist suspect is caught in the heart of a crowded city. A forensic pathologist for the National Forensic Service becomes the prime suspect. However, the case is strange, and a profiler joins to assist the investigation.


The series is highly anticipated with the big-name cast, Han Suk Kyu, Jung Yu Mi, Kim Jun Han, Ryu Hye Young, and Lee Hee Joon. Crash Landing On You director Lee Jung Hyo and writer Park Shin Kyu will run and write the show.


Until the Morning Comes is set to premiere in the first half of 2022 via JTBC.


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Translator Bomi Heo: Welcome K-pop, K-drama, and K-movie fans! I’ll provide you with the latest, reliable Korean entertainment news.

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https://zapzee.net/2021/12/22/snowdrop-follow-up-series-when-the-day-breaks-also-suspected-of-glamorizing-the-communist-party/
‘Snowdrop’ Follow-Up Series ‘When the Day Breaks’ Also Suspected of Glamorizing the Communist Party


by krishkim


JTBC is facing yet another problem.

 

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Credit: inews24


Snowdrop‘s follow-up series When the Day Breaks (working title) is now suspected of glamorizing the Communist Party. With the ongoing controversy over Snowdrop, concerns over JTBC dramas are mounting.
When the Day Breaks is based on the Chinese novel “The Long Night” by Zijin Chen. The original work faced suspicion of being a propaganda novel for Chinese president Xi Jinping.


To make things worse, Zijin Chen posted a controversial post in August 2019, denigrating the pro-democracy movement in Hong Kong. He wrote, “Who are these people calling for Hong Kong’s independence? People who do not have a proper job, are lazy and idle, and one day suddenly decided to become a revolutionary.”
When the news of the drama adaptation by JTBC hit the wire, some raised suspicions that the network was trying to “glorify China’s communist party”. However, the official clarified, “We have adapted the socialism, communism, and the character to suit Korean culture.”


When the Day Breaks revolves around an incident where a terrorist suspect is caught in the heart of a crowded city. However, the shocking truth behind the attack surfaces as criminal filers investigate the terrorist. This new project, directed by Crash Landing On You director Lee Jung Hyo, completed a stellar cast, including Jung Yu Mi and Han Suk Kyu. Last week, media outlets reported that the series halted its production midway to “reorganize for perfection.”


However, many speculate that the network decided to suspend the production because of the severe backlash over Snowdrop. Though no future news about When the Day Breaks have come out yet, the public opinion is mostly negative.


Meanwhile, Snowdrop has been accused of historical distortion, denigrating the pro-democracy movement, and glorifying the spies since the premiere. According to media outlets, Snowdrop writer Yoo Hyun Mi and director Jo Hyun Tak are accused of violating the National Security Law.
 

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Translator Kim Hoyeun: If you are a fan of K-drama, K-movie, and K-pop, I am your guy. I will continue to provide you with up-to-date K-entertainmen

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https://k-odyssey.com/news/newsview.php?ncode=1065577731225707
Film ‘Sleep’ starring Jung Yu-mi·Lee Sun-kyun finishes shooting


YonhapNews / 2022-04-19 10:48:35
(This article is translated from Korean to English by An Hayeon.)


7A271438-9C01-4033-974B-3F132242772B.jpg
▲ This photo, provided by Lewis Pictures, shows Jung Yu-mi (left) and Lee Sun-kyun. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
 
SEOUL, April 19 (Yonhap) -- The film “Sleep” (translated title), starring Jung Yu-mi and Lee Sun-kyun, has finished shooting and is going into post-production, according to production company Lewis Pictures, Tuesday.



“Sleep,” tells the story of newlyweds who are filled with horror as the husband shows strange behavior while sleeping.




Lee plays husband Hyun-soo who becomes afraid of himself as he does horrible things around the house while sleeping but has no memory of doing them. Jung plays Su-jin, who wants to unveil the secret behind her husband and protect him.

 

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The movie is the debut feature of director Jason Yu.  (END)


(C) Yonhap News Agency. All Rights Reserved

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https://zapzee.net/2022/10/27/youns-kitchen-is-reportedly-coming-back-with-season-3/
‘Youn’s Kitchen’ Is Reportedly Coming Back with Season 3


By KRISHKIM


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Credit: tvN


Youn’s Kitchen is reportedly returning with the third season.


According to Starnews, Youn’s Kitchen has begun its production for the new season in absolute secrecy, hoping to start filming in early December. With Youn Yuh Jung, the central figure of the show, the production team is closely coordinating the schedule with the cast.


Youn’s Kitchen shows the cast opening a small Korean restaurant overseas to serve local people and tourists. The show is considered one of the best shows produced by Na Young Seok.


The first season in 2017, starring Youn Yuh Jung, Lee Seo Jin, Jung Yoo Mi, Shin Goo, set off to Gili Trawangan Island, Indonesia, kicking off the series strong with 14.1% viewer ratings. The following year, Park Seo Joon was a new addition to season 2 that opened a restaurant in Tenerife, Spain. The second season recorded 16% viewership, writing a new history in cable networks.


However, the series indefinitely postponed its production of season 3 due to the outbreak of the new coronavirus. Na Young Seok launched a spin-off show, Youn’s Stay, in 2021 with the same cast with the addition of Choi Woo Shik. But with traveling being allowed again, tvN and Na Young Seok are preparing to reopen “Youn’s Kitchen.”


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https://kbizoom.com/we-might-not-see-youns-kitchen-due-to-the-overlapped-schedules-of-youn-yuh-jung/
We might not see the entire team on “Youn’s Kitchen” due to the overlapped schedules of Youn Yuh Jung, Park Seo Joon and others?


By phuongminhdo | November 3, 2022

 

윤여정(왼쪽위부터 시계방향)과 이서진, 박서준, 정유미 /사진=스타뉴스

 

While PD Na Young Seok is preparing for the next season of “Youn’s Kitchen,” there might be a possibility that we won’t see the whole original team.


According to a report by Star News on Nov 3rd, tvN’s production team, led by producer Na Young Seok, is currently coordinating schedules with existing members of “Youn’s Kitchen,” including actors Youn Yuh Jung, Lee Seo Jin, Jung Yoo Mi, and Park Seo Joon. The cast shares such a strong relationship with producer Na Young Seok that they promise to join the program if there are no special circumstances.  Accordingly, it is reported that the cast’s schedule is shared with the production team in advance and the schedule is adjusted so that there is no disruption.


However, some predict that some cast members may not be able to join “Youn’s Kitchen” if their schedules are inevitably mixed. The production team has already selected possible locations with the goal of filming in early December and has begun preparing for production. However, some cast members reportedly failed to confirm their final appearance due to the overlapping schedules with their other filming.


Earlier, a tvN insider said, “It is true that we are preparing for an entertainment show that runs a restaurant abroad,” regarding the new season of “Youn’s Kitchen” on Oct 27th. However, they avoided an immediate answer, saying, “Nothing has been confirmed about whether the title of the program will be ‘Youn’s Kitchen.’ This is interpreted as the team leaving room for a possible new title if the existing cast members cannot join. In other words, the possibility of them being unable to appear as a whole team is still there. An insider told Star News, “The team seems to have been selected to some extent, but the production staff seems to be silent because the exact team have not been formed yet,” and “It will take a while for any official position to be announced.” Attention is paying to whether “Youn’s Kitchen” will return with the original team or return to viewers with a new combination.


Meanwhile, “Youn’s Kitchen” is a program that shows stars setting up and running small Korean restaurants overseas, and is considered PD Na Young Seok’s representative entertainment show.


Source: daum 

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https://zapzee.net/2022/11/24/lee-seo-jin-and-jung-yu-mi-spotted-together-at-los-angeles-lakers-game/
Lee Seo Jin and Jung Yu Mi Spotted Together at Los Angeles Lakers Game


By KRISHKIM | 

 

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Credit: Sports Chosun


Lee Seo Jin and Jung Yu Mi were spotted together in Los Angeles.


Not long ago, Lee Seo Jin and Jung Yu Mi were spotted enjoying a sporty night out together at the Los Angeles Lakers Game. Lee Seo Jin is famous for his liking of basketball, especially the Lakers team.


Jung Yu Mi and Lee Seo Jin became good friends after starring in tvN’s Youn’s Kitchen series together. They’ll be showing off their brother-sister chemistry in the Youn’s Kitchen spin-off Seo Jin’s (literal title), which still hasn’t confirmed its premiere. Meanwhile, Lee Seo Jin caught the eye with his Decision to Leave hoodie.


Jung Yu Mi’s agency Management SOOP confirmed, “Jung Yu Mi recently visited the States for her personal schedule. We understand that she met up with Lee Seo Jin during the stay and enjoyed a basketball game together.”


Meanwhile, Lee Seo Jin is also an actor managed by Hook Entertainment, which recently became a hot potato over its dispute with Lee Seung Gi. He’s been good friends with CEO Kwon, who’s supposedly gaslighted Lee Seung Gi for over a decade, and is also like a brother to the singer. Currently, he’s starring in tvN drama Behind Every Star.


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https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/art/2023/02/688_345651.html
'Jinny's Kitchen' sets sights on global audiences via Prime Video


By Dong Sun-hwa | 2023-02-17


741AB2E9-B702-46C8-BEC3-A0F273B6EF47.jpg
Poster for upcoming variety show, "Jinny's Kitchen." Courtesy of tvN


Cable channel tvN's upcoming variety show, "Jinny's Kitchen" will be released on the global over-the-top (OTT) service, Prime Video. 


The Korean channel announced Friday that the first episode of "Jinny's Kitchen," starring Korean celebrities as they run a restaurant in Bacalar, Mexico, will hit Prime Video and its own streaming platform Tving on Feb. 24. 


Subscribers of Prime Video in the U.S., the U.K, Canada, Australia, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, the Philippines, Indonesia and Vietnam can watch "Jinny's Kitchen" every Friday beginning from Feb. 24. Subscribers in other countries will be able to watch it later this spring. 


"Jinny's Kitchen" is a spin-off of star producer Na Young-seok's 2017-18 reality show, "Youn's Kitchen," lead by Oscar-winning actress Youn Yuh-jung as she operates a Korean restaurant in Indonesia and Spain with actors including Lee Seo-jin and Jung Yu-mi. 


In "Jinny's Kitchen," Lee will appear as the owner of a Korean street food restaurant offering gimbap ― a dried seaweed rice roll with various fillings ― and tteokbokki ― a spicy stir-fried rice cake dish ― among others. Also joining the show are Jung, V of K-pop juggernaut BTS and actors Park Seo-joon and Choi Woo-shik. 


"The cast members of our show cooked food by themselves and worked very hard during the filming," the production team of "Jinny's Kitchen," said. "Please look forward to seeing the five stars, who will strive to satisfy the taste buds of customers in an unfamiliar place. We hope we can bring laughter to viewers at home and aboard."

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https://www.screendaily.com/features/berlin-2023-korea-hot-projects/5179340.article
Berlin 2023: Korea hot projects


BY JEAN NOH | 17 FEBRUARY 2023


Koreans are back in Berlin with titles ranging from auteur Hong Sangsoo’s latest to superhero films, animation and debut features from rising talent.

 

Spoiler

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SOURCE: NO JU-HAN / NETFLIX
‘KILL BOKSOON’


Festival


in water


Dir. Hong Sangsoo


Following three consecutive Silver Bear-winning films in the Berlinale — The Woman Who Ran (2020), Introduction (2021) and The Novelist’s Film (2022) — director Hong’s latest work will world premiere in Encounters. The drama stars Shin Seokho, Ha Seongguk and Kim Seungyun, and centres on a young actor who sets out to direct a short film. He travels to an island with two former classmates and wanders, unsure of what to shoot, until he meets a woman picking up rubbish on the coast. It is produced by Jeonwonsa Film.


Contact: Finecut (mailto:cineinfo@finecut.co.kr)


Kill Boksoon


Dir. Byun Sung-hyun


Set to world premiere in Berlinale Special, this Netflix feature is written and directed by Byun, whose The Merciless premiered in Cannes’ Midnight Screenings in 2017. Cannes best actress winner Jeon Do-yeon (Secret Sunshine) stars as an assassin leading a double life as a mother raising a teenage daughter. She is thrown into battle when her two identities collide. Sul Kyung-gu (The Merciless), Kim Si-a (The Closet), Esom (Microhabitat) and Koo Kyo-hwan (Peninsula) also star. The film is produced by See At Film.


Contact: Netflix


Regardless Of Us


Dir. Yoo Heung-jun


This feature debut from director Yoo has its world premiere in Berlinale Forum. The drama stars Cho Hyunjin as a middle-aged actress recovering from a sudden stroke that prevented her from attending her film’s premiere. She becomes confused as a string of colleagues visit and share different impressions of the film, with puzzling stories unravelling when she sleeps. The film also stars Choi Sungwon, Kwak Minkyu, Kim Misook, Cho Soyeon and Kang Il. Produced by Neungso Film, Regardless Of Us is due for local release in the third quarter of 2023.

Contact: M-Line Distribution (mailto:sales@mline-distribution.com)


Market


Birth


Dir. Yoo Ji-young


Winner of the Citizen Critics’ Award at Busan 2022, this drama examines how a promising young writer and her roommate/lover deal with an unplanned pregnancy that brings huge changes and conflict. The film stars Han Hae-in and Lee Han-ju.


Contact: Indiestory (mailto:sales@indiestory.com)


The Childe


Dir. Park Hoon-jung


From the director of Night In Paradise and The Witch: Part 1 & 2, this action drama stars Kim Seon-ho and Kang Tae-joo. It follows a struggling Filipino-Korean boxer with an ailing mother. He receives an unexpected call and is taken to Korea, the homeland of his father, but ends up being watched and chased for malevolent reasons.


Contact: Contents Panda (mailto:sales@its-new.co.kr)


Cobweb


Dir. Kim Jee-woon


Kim, director of Cannes 2008 action adventure The Good, The Bad, The Weird and Venice 2016 title The Age Of Shadows, returns to stylish ensemble drama and black comedy with Cobweb. Set in 1970s dictatorship-­era Korea, Cannes best actor award-winner Song Kang-ho (Broker) stars as a director desperately trying to reshoot the ending of a film, with confused cast and crew as well as meddlesome censors. Im Soo-jung, Oh Jung-se, Jeon Yeo-been and Jung Soo-jung also star. Produced by Anthology Studios, Barunson Studio and Luz y Sonidos, the film is in post-production.


Contact: Barunson E&A (mailto:intl@barunsonena.com) (international excluding French-speaking territories); Finecut (mailto:cineinfo@finecut.co.kr) (French-speaking territories) 


Hi-Five

Dir. Kang Hyoung-chul


This sci-fi drama from the director of Swing Kids revolves around five people who gain supernatural abilities after receiving organ transplants. They assemble a superhero team and face off against a cult leader with the ability to absorb energy. The film stars Lee Jae-in (Hard Hit), Yoo Ah-in (#Alive), Ahn Jae-hong (Time To Hunt), Ra Mi-ran (Honest Candidate), Kim Hie-won (Perhaps Love), Oh Jung-se (TV’s It’s Okay To Not Be Okay) and Park Jin-young (Yaksha: Ruthless Operations). Produced by Annapurna Films, it is in post-production with a local release expected this year.
Contact: Contents Panda (mailto:sales@its-new.co.kr)
 

Ms. Apocalypse


Dir. Lim Sun-ae


From the director of An Old Lady, which won the New Currents audience award at Busan in 2019, this drama stars Lee You-young (Perhaps Love), Lim Sun-woo (Nothing Serious) and Roh Jae-won (Ditto). Set at the turn of the millennium, the story follows a dowdy accounting manager — nicknamed Ms. Apocalypse — trying to help a delivery driver who has been embezzling company money. After she is arrested and serves a few months in prison, she finds the driver’s wife waiting for her with a compelling offer. Produced by Kirin Productions in association with With A Studio, the film is in post-production.
Contact: Showbox (mailto:sales@showbox.co.kr)


Pororo Popstar Adventure


Dirs. Yoon Jae-wan, Kim Sung-min


In this fantasy adventure in the popular Korean children’s animation franchise, Pororo the Little Penguin and his friends are close to winning a singing contest that they entered for fun. As they advance towards the final, they face the petty jealousy of villain Big Ben. Produced by OCON Studios, the film is in production and due for release in the fourth quarter of 2023.

Contact: K-Movie Entertainment (mailto:sales@kmovieenter.com)


Project Silence (working title)


Dir. Kim Tae-gon


This disaster action drama is from the director of Sunshine Boys and Familyhood. Lee Sun-kyun (Parasite) stars as a man who is travelling with his daughter on the bridge to Incheon airport when a thick fog causes a massive chain-reaction automobile crash. Amid the chaos, mutant military dogs escape from a transport vehicle and those left on the bridge must make it through the night. Ju Ji-hoon from the Along With The Gods franchise co-stars. Produced by Blaad Studios, the film is set for release this year.


Contact: CJ ENM (mailto:filmsales@cj.net) 


Sleep


Dir. Jason Yu


This mystery thriller starring Jung Yu-mi (Train To Busan) and Lee Sun-kyun (Parasite) marks Yu’s feature directing debut. Produced by Lewis Pictures (Okja), the story centres on a pregnant wife who becomes worried about her husband’s sleeping habits. What starts out as some light sleep-talking soon escalates to unexpectedly grotesque behaviour. They consult a sleep clinic without success, and then seek help from a shaman as his nightmarish behaviour escalates. The film is in post and scheduled for release in 2023.

Contact: Lotte Entertainment (mailto:international02@lotte.net)


Two Heart

Dir. Jung Yu-Shin


Starring Jung Man-Sik (Hunt), On Ju-wan (Honest Candidate) and Shin So-yul (A Violent Prosecutor), this drama takes place in a terminal ward where children’s last hope is to get an organ transplant. Two fathers fight desperately to each save their own child but are ultimately faced with a final choice. Produced by Miro­vision, the film is due for release in the third quarter of 2023.


Contact: Jason Chae (mailto:jason@mirovision.com), Mirovision/Studio Bonanza


Under Your Bed


Dir. Sabu


From the Japanese director of previous Berlinale Competition titles Mr. Long (2017) and Chasuke’s Journey(2015), this is Sabu’s first Korean-­language film. Based on a thriller novel by Ohishi Kei about a man who is pulled into a whirlwind of destructive love, the film stars Lee Ji-hoon (TV’s River Where The Moon Rises) and Lee Yoon-woo in a story of a man obsessed with a woman from his past who turns out to have married a violent man. Produced by Mystery Pictures, the film is in post and due for release in June.
Contact: Julie Sung (mailto:julie.sung@kt.com), kt alpha 


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https://zapzee.net/2023/02/20/members-chemistry-in-jinnys-kitchen-2/
Members’ Chemistry in ‘Jinny’s Kitchen’


By KRISHKIM | photos: tvN


9C78F3ED-0C70-470B-B2B4-216B3A877C12.jpg


tvN’s Jinny’s Kitchen will showcase a delicious combination of three different “chemistry” between the cast.


Jinny’s Kitchen, the spin-off Youn’s Kitchen, is the new food variety show where  Lee Seo Jin, who acted as the director in Youn’s Kitchen, got promoted to the boss of the new fast food restaurant. 


With “the boss” Lee Seo Jin in the center, the show completed an impressive cast lineup including Director Jung Yu Mi, General Manager Park Seo Joon, and Interns Choi Woo Shik and BTS’ V. In addition to the K-fast food like gimbap, ramyeon, and tteokbokki, the intriguing chemistry between the members heighten expectations.


Performance-Oriented Boss Lee Seo Jin vs. Ambitious Employees


The teaser shows members complaining about Lee Seo Jin and how he changed after he became the boss, and Lee Seo Jin’s dimples “deepened” whenever the sales were up. According to the production team, Lee Seo Jin stuck to his “profit is the king” philosophy. Clearly, the apparent change in attitude has stunned the employees. Lee Seo Jin, who’ll show diverse charms like in Jekyll and Hyde, and the “employee Avengers” who dreams of becoming the second Lee Seo Jin with skills they picked up in Jinny’s Kitchen will spice up the show.


Who’s the Boss’ Right Arm?


262030FA-05BF-4E28-A82D-638E2E81BB41.jpg


Now that Lee Seo Jin is the new boss, who’ll be his right arm? There is Jung Yu Mi, the director in charge of gimbap. There’s no exaggeration in saying that she dominated the kitchen with her unrivaled cooking skills and that many of the profits are from her. But she has a rival – Park Seo Joon, who started as the youngest in Youn’s Kitchen and got promoted to manager in Youn’s Stay and general manager in Jinny’s Kitchen. Considering his skills and the fact that he’s been working closely with Lee Seo Jin, Park Seo Joon is another strong candidate to be the boss’ right arm.


The Dynamic Interns


The two interns – Choi Woo Shik and BTS’ V – are certainly ready to put a smile on your face. Choi Woo Shik, who turned into an all-around assistant in Youn’s Stay, will be adding the restaurant’s promotion to his task. Lastly, BTS’ V, the new addition to the show, will be showing an impressive performance as an intern. Will the singer, who’s captivated the world with his charms, be able to dazzle the taste buds of people in Bacalar? Stay tuned for the performances of these two dynamic interns. 


Meanwhile, Jinny’s Kitchen will premiere on the 24th. The new “The Game Caterers” episode of Jinny’s Kitchen, to be released later today, will give a glimpse into the cast’s chemistry. You can check it out on 15Ya- Full Moon channel on YouTube.

 

[ENG] The Game Caterers 2 EP.1-1ㅣWelcome^^ We recommend Word Relay to relieve labor dispute 

[ENG] The Game Caterers 2 EP.1-2ㅣCharacter Quiz made the youngest look humane and the boss foolish


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https://zapzee.net/2023/02/21/jinnys-kitchen-bts-v-explains-why-he-had-an-argument-with-jung-yu-mi/
Jinny’s Kitchen’: BTS’ V Explains Why He Had an Argument With Jung Yu Mi


By HANA LEE

 

/사진='출장 십오야' 영상 화면

Credit: The Game Caterers


Lee Seo Jin shared interesting behind-the-scenes stories from Jinny’s Kitchen and joked about how there were two workers who had given him a hard time.


Jung Yu Mi started off the interview by saying, “It was V’s first time on the show but he talked to me a lot and gave me a lot of strength.”


However, Seo Jin refuted, “What are you talking about?! There was a time we were eating instant noodles late at night and they fought. V’s the one who got the angriest at her. He was screaming ‘you’re not on my side anymore’ and stuff.”


V then went on to tell his side of the story, “Yu Mi and I decided to have instant noodles after dinner. So Seo Joon prepared three bags of ramen for us. Then she said she was too full after having only one bite of noodles.”


Lee Seo Jin added, “That’s when he said, ‘Are you really going to do this to me?’ So he had two bags of noodles by himself. He gave up, saying he can’t eat anymore.”


V explained, “I needed to relieve stress because working at the restaurant was so tough.”


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https://zapzee.net/2023/02/22/park-seo-joon-and-bts-v-on-joining-jinnys-kitchen-as-a-full-time-cook-and-an-intern/
Park Seo Joon and BTS’ V on Joining ‘Jinny’s Kitchen’ as a Full Time Cook and an Intern


By HANA LEE | photosCredit: tvN


D430433D-FFB2-47A5-AB3C-193F0ECF4AEC.jpg


Producer Na Yeong Seok and Lee Seo Jin, Park Seo Joon, Jung Yu Mi, Choi Woo Shik and BTS’ V shared various stories about their upcoming variety show named Jinny’s Kitchen at its press event.


Producer Na was asked about how he came to produce the new variety show. He answered, “I once suggested selling street foods to Lee Seo Jin while he and I were having a chat. But on second thought, it made me realize that doing cart bars as a group would be much more fun than just Seo Jin working alone.” He added, “Seo Jin preferred opening a franchise that sells more casual and lighter foods than the Korean ones we did in Youn’s Kitchen. One thing led to another, and we got to open a restaurant.”


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Lee Seo Jin, who was promoted to the owner of Jinny’s Kitchen, made everyone crack up as he happily said that the working conditions had improved a lot. He said, “I love how I can do however I want with the new store.”


Jung Yu Mi also shared how it feels to be promoted as a new manager of the restaurant. “I was happy about being promoted, but it turned out that I’m just a figurehead. Which means I have to take responsibility for anything that goes wrong in the store,” she said with a big laugh.


Park Seo Joon also shared what it was like starring in Na’s variety series for the third time. He revealed, “I have much more work to do now in the show. It was more hectic than I expected. It was my first time working in the kitchen all day long. Since filming the show, I developed a lot of respect for those who run restaurants. We only spend a few hours in the kitchen for the show, but there are people who work in there all day long. Although it was just a few hours, it was unimaginably exhausting.”

 

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V and Choi Woo Shik joined the show as interns. Woo Shik talked about what it was like working for the store as an intern. “While filming the show, I could relate to all the interns in the world. I realized working hard and receiving compliments boosts motivation,” he shared.


V jokingly commented, “I made good memories on the show. Nevertheless, learning how to cook was never fun for me. It was just so taxing.”


The “competition for survival” is what sets Jinny’s Kitchen apart from other existing restaurant management variety shows. Producer Na teased the upcoming show by saying, “It has turned into a restaurant management show with the CEO who thinks ‘profits are king’.”


V said that he was able to star in the show as producer Na gave him a special ticket. “I have not used the ticket yet because it was the producer who asked me to star in the show. Actually, I was going to play games by using the ticket, but I never knew I would be playing a survival game like this,” he revealed.
Jinny’s Kitchen will premiere on February 24th.


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https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20230417008600315
Korean horror film 'Sleep' invited to Cannes Critics' Week


By ejkim@yna.co.kr | April 17, 2023

 

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A scene from Korean film "Sleep" is seen in this photo provided by its distributor, Lotte Entertainment. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)


SEOUL, April 17 (Yonhap) -- Korean horror film "Sleep" has been invited to the competition section of Cannes Critics' Week, a parallel film festival of Cannes Film Festival, the event's organizer announced Monday.


Jason Yu's feature debut was among 11 features, including seven competition titles and four special screenings, selected by the French Syndicate of Cinema Critics for the Cannes Critics' Week, slated for May 17-25.


Yu is a former assistant of director Bong Joon-ho of Oscar-winning film "Parasite" (2019).


The film starring Lee Sun-kyun and Jung Yu-mi tells a story of newlyweds whose lives turn to horror as the husband shows strange behavior while asleep.


Cannes Critics' Week, which focuses on first and second features by emerging directors, runs alongside the main Cannes film festival that runs from May 16-27.


At the 76th festival, director Kim Jee-woon's new feature, "Cobweb," and director Kim Chang-hoon's debut feature, "Hopeless," will be screened at noncompetition sections. (END)

 

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Cannes Critics’ Week Unveils 2023 Line-up – Full List
https://deadline.com/2023/04/cannes-critics-week-2023-line-up-1235327585/

 

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http://www.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20230515000624
Five Korean films head to this year’s Cannes Film Festival


By Kim Da-sol (ddd@heraldcorp.com) | May 15, 2023


Five Korean films have been invited to this year’s Cannes International Film Festival, which kicks off in the French resort town on Tuesday. Kim Chang-hoon’s “Hopeless,” Kim Jee-woon’s “Cobweb,” Hong Sang-soo’s “In Our Day,” Kim Tae-gon’s “Project Silence” and Jason Yu’s “Sleep” will be shown at the festival.


No South Korean film has been selected to compete for the main prize, the Palme d’Or, at the 76th edition of the festival, which runs until May 27.


“Hopeless” and “Cobweb” were invited in the Un Certain Regard and Out of Competition categories, respectively.


“Cobweb,” Kim Jee-woon’s first feature film in 13 years and his third project to be screened at Cannes, stars veteran actor Song Kang-ho, who won the best actor award at Cannes last year.  “Cobweb” revolves around the struggles of a film director, played by Song, in the 1970s when the industry languished due to government censorship and unsupportive actors. The cast includes actors Lim Soo-jeong, Oh Jeong-se, Jeon Yeo-been and Jung Soo-jung.  “Cobweb” follows Kim’s 2005 film “A Bittersweet Life” and 2008 film “The Good, The Bad, the Weird” that were invited to noncompetition sections. Both also featured Song as the main protagonist.


“Hopeless” will be screened in the Un Certain Regard section that focuses on art house films.  Featuring actor Song Joong-ki, the film revolves around Yun-kyu (Hong Sa-bin), who wants to escape from his everyday struggles. One day, Yun-kyu meets crime organization underboss Chi-gun (Song) and becomes entangled in risky situations.


Both Song Kang-ho and Song Joong-ki are expected to appear at the red carpet event with the directors and other cast members.


Meanwhile, director Hong Sang-soo’s “In Our Day” was selected as the closing film for the Cannes Directors’ Fortnight section.  “In Our Day,” starring Kim Min-hee, Ki Joo-bong and Song Seon-mi, is director Hong’s 12th film at the festival.

 

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“Sleep” (Lotte Entertainment)


Jason Yu’s horror film “Sleep” has been invited for Cannes Critics’ Week, which focuses on first and second features by emerging directors.  Yu is a former assistant to director Bong Joon-ho of Oscar-winning film “Parasite” (2019).  The film starring Lee Sun-kyun and Jung Yu-mi tells a story of newlyweds with husband showing strange behavior while asleep.


Last but not least, Kim Tae-gon’s “Project Silence,” starring Lee Sun-kyun and Ju Ji-hoon, has been invited to the Midnight Screening section, an out-of-competition section dedicated to films with popular appeal and artistic value.  “Project Silence” tells a story about people who are stranded on a collapsing bridge amid thick fog. Kim previously produced films such as “The Queen of Crime” (2016) and “The King of Jokgu” (2013).


There is a possibility for director Kim Chang-hoon of “Hopeless” or Jason Yu of “Sleep” to come home with the Camera D’or award, according to industry insiders. The award is presented for the best first feature film in Cannes sections including Directors’ Fortnight and International Critics’ Week. The winner, selected by an independent jury, is announced at the closing ceremony on May 27.

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Cannes 2023: Screen International Day 2 edition

 

https://www.screendaily.com/features/cannes-2023-south-korea-hot-projects/5182120.article
Cannes 2023: South Korea hot projects


BY JEAN NOH | 16 MAY 2023


Korean sellers are back on the Croisette with five titles screening in the festival including Cobweb by veteran director Kim Jee-woon and Sleep by Jason Yu, a former assistant director to Bong Joon Ho.

 


Festival


Cobweb
Dir. Kim Jee-woon


Cannes best actor award-winner Song Kang-ho (Broker) returns in Kim’s out of Competition title as an obsessive director working in 1970s dictatorship-era South Korea. He is hellbent on reshooting the ending of his tragicomic film in two days but cast and crew are confused and uncooperative while censors also get in the way. Kim previously had A Bittersweet Life (2005) and The Good, The Bad, The Weird (2008), which starred Song, play out of Competition in Cannes. Cobweb also stars Lim Soo-jung, Oh Jung-se, Jeon Yeo-been and Jung Soo-jung.


Contact: Barunson E&A (mailto:intl@barunsonena.com)


Hopeless
Dir. Kim Chang-hoon


Previously known as Hwa-ran, this feature debut from director Kim is playing in Un Certain Regard. Top Korean actor Song Joong-ki, star of Space Sweepers and TV’s Reborn Rich, said he would work on it for free after seeing the script. It stars rising actor Hong Xa-bin as a teenager who dreams of escaping his violent hometown but is drawn into the world of a local thug (Song) after accepting a favour from him. It is produced by Sanai Pictures, whose credits include Cannes Midnight Screenings titles Hunt and The Spy Gone North.


Contact: Plus M Entertainment (mailto:sales@megabox.co.kr)


In Our Day
Dir. Hong Sangsoo


Set as the closing film of Directors’ Fortnight, this marks the 12th visit to Cannes for prolific auteur Hong. His last was with In Front Of Your Face in the 2021 Cannes Premiere section. In Our Day stars Ki Joo-bong (The Novelist’s Film) and Kim Minhee (The Day After) alongside other familiar faces from Hong’s films. It revolves around a woman in her forties staying with someone who has a cat, and a man in his seventies living alone whose cat died of old age. Both receive visitors who have earnest questions. It is produced by Jeonwonsa Film.


Contact: Finecut, sales@finecut.co.kr festival@finecut.co.kr


Project Silence
Dir. Kim Tae-gon


In the Midnight Screenings section, this disaster action drama takes place on South Korea’s famously long Incheon Grand Bridge. Lee Sun-kyun of Parasite — also to be seen in Critics’ Week title Sleep — plays a man driving his daughter to the airport when a thick fog causes a massive automobile pile-up and they are stuck overnight in a lockdown. Others on the bridge include a tow-truck driver, played by Ju Ji-hoon, and mutated military dogs escaped from their transport. Directed by Kim Tae-gon (Familyhood), it is produced by Kim Yong-hwa of the hit Along With The Gods franchise.


Contact: CJ ENM filmsales@cj.net


Sleep
Dir. Jason Yu


A former assistant director to Bong Joon Ho, Yu makes his feature directing debut in Critics’ Week with this horror comedy. Jung Yu-mi from Train To Busan and Lee Sun-kyun (Parasite) — also to be seen in Midnight Screenings title Project Silence — play a young couple, before and after the birth of their first child. The husband’s sleeping habits become increasingly grotesque and they consult first a sleep clinic and then a shaman. Bong has lauded the film’s unpredictable drama and called it “the most unique horror film” he has seen in the last decade. It is produced by Lewis Pictures (Okja).


Contact: Lotte Entertainment (mailto:international02@lotte.net)

Spoiler

 

Market


4PM
Dir. Jay Song


This mystery thriller stars Oh Dal-su (Along With The Gods: The Two Worlds), Kim Hong-pa (Sinkhole) and Jang Young-nam (Confidential Assignment). It follows a retired philosophy professor and his wife, who move to a quiet town to enjoy their golden years but are dismayed to find a perplexing neighbour who starts visiting their house every day at 4pm. Produced by Daydream Entertainment (Stellar, Tomb Of The River), the film is in post-production with a local release expected this year.

Contact: Contents Panda (mailto:sales@its-new.co.kr)


Comment Army (working title)
Dir. Ahn Gooc-jin


An adaptation of the award-­winning novel of the same name by Chang Kang-myoung — inspired by true events in South Korea — this crime drama stars Son Sukku from Disney+ series Big Bet and South Korea’s leading 2022 box-office hit The Roundup. The story follows a reporter who, while investigating an online public sentiment manipulation story, uncovers the criminal workings of the so-called Comment Army in Korea. The cast also includes Kim Sung-Cheol (The Night Owl), Kim Dong-Hwi (In Our Prime) and Hong Kyung (Netflix’s DP). Now in production, it is produced by Alex Kim (Tazza: One Eyed Jack). Ahn previously directed Alice In Earnestland.


Contact: Acemaker movieworks (mailto:sales@acemaker.co.kr)


Devils
Dir. Kim Jae-hoon


This body-swap film is Kim’s feature-directing debut and stars Jang Dong-yoon (Project Wolf Hunting) and Oh Dae-hwan (Tomb Of The River). It centres on a homicide detective (Oh) who tracks down a serial murderer (Jang), whose victims included his colleague and brother-in-law, only to wake up from an accident and find himself in the killer’s body. He then begins a desperate chase to protect his family and uncover the secret of the body switch. Produced by Contents G in association with The Contents On, the film is in post-­production.


Contact: Finecut sales@finecut.co.kr festival@finecut.co.kr


Dr. Cheon And Lost Talisman
Dir. Kim Seong-sik


This mystery thriller marks the feature-directing debut of Kim, who was an assistant director to Bong Joon Ho on Parasite, Park Chan-wook on Decision To Leave and Hong Won-chan on Deliver Us From Evil. The story follows psychiatrist and con-man Dr. Cheon, who travels around the country with his assistant to perform fake exorcisms, until they find themselves in the crosshairs of an actual superhuman being. Gang Dong-won (Broker) and Huh Joon-ho (Escape From Mogadishu) star alongside E Som, Lee Dong-hwi and Kim Jong-soo. Produced by Filmmaker R&K, the film is set for release later this year.


Contact: CJ ENM (mailto:filmsales@cj.net)


Exhuma
Dir. Jang Jae-hyun


This mystery horror film is from the director of Svaha: The Sixth Finger and The Priests. Starring Choi Min-sik of Oldboy, Kim Go-eun from TV’s Little Women, Yoo Hai-jin and Lee Do-hyun, Exhuma follows a wealthy family living in Los Angeles who experience paranormal events and summon a shamanic duo to save their newborn. They sense a dark ancestor’s shadow and call in a geomancer and mortician to set about exhuming a grave in Korea — but unleash a malevolent force. The film is in post-production.


Contact: Showbox (mailto:sales@showbox.co.kr)


Good Job (working title)
Dir. Hwang Dong-seok


Yoo Seon-ho of TV’s Under The Queen’s Umbrella stars in this action drama as a high-school student facing debt collectors as well as bullying from a supposed model student. His life takes a thrilling turn when he stumbles on a lost envelope of money and steps into the world of loan sharks. The film is in post-production and set for local release in Q4 of 2023.


Contact: Julie Sung, kt alpha (mailto:julie.sung@kt.com) 


Hidden Face
Dir. Kim Dae-woo


This mystery thriller reunites the director of Obsessed (2014) with star Song Seung-heon and Cho Yeo-jeong of Parasite, joined by Park Ji-hyun from TV’s Reborn Rich. It centres on a conductor who is set to marry a cellist when she disappears suddenly, leaving only a farewell video. He starts to get closer to another woman who used to substitute on the cello for his fiancée. But as their relationship deepens, they cannot shake the feeling that someone is watching them. Produced by Studio&New (Soulmate), the film is in post-­production.

Contact: Contents Panda (mailto:sales@its-new.co.kr)


Livestream
Dir. Choi Ju-yeon


This thriller, starring Park Sung-woong (New World) and Park Sun-ho (Champion), follows a freelance TV producer in a relationship crisis who receives a link to an illegal spy cam of his own girlfriend. With no time to lose, he decides to take matters into his own hands and rescue her, only to descend into the seedy world of illegal broadcasting. The film is in post-production and due for local release in June.


Contact: Julie Sung, kt alpha (mailto:julie.sung@kt.com)


Love Reset
Dir. Nam Dae-joong


This romantic comedy from the director of Homme Fatale stars Kang Ha-neul from TV’s When The Camellia Blooms and Jeong So-min of Project Wolf Hunting. The story centres on a couple who get married despite opposition from their families. Two years later, they are leaving a courthouse after receiving a 30-day divorce settlement when a car accident leaves them both with memory loss. The amnesia-­stricken couple fall for each other again as their family members devise an elaborate plan to jog their memories and complete the divorce. Produced by Woollim, Love Reset is in post-­production with a release planned for later this year.


Contact: Barunson E&A (mailto:intl@barunsonena.com)


The Moon (working title)
Dir. Kim Yong-hwa


From the director of the Along With The Gods franchise, this sci-fi drama stars Sul Kyung-gu (Phantom) and Doh Kyung-soo (Along With The Gods franchise). It is set in the near future, when Korea’s first manned mission to the Moon ends in a tragic disaster. Seven years later, a second human spaceflight is launched successfully but solar winds cause it to malfunction and leaves one astronaut (Doh) stranded in space. Facing another fatal catastrophe, the Naro Space Center turns to its former managing director (Sul) to help bring him back home safely. Produced by CJ ENM Studios and BLAAD Studios, The Moon is set for release later this year.


Contact: CJ ENM (mailto:filmsales@cj.net) 


No Heaven, But Love
Dir. Han Jay


This LGBTQ+ teen romance won Korean streaming platform Watcha’s Pick award at the recent Jeonju International Film Festival. It stars Primetime Emmy award-winning actress Lee You-mi from Netflix’s Squid Game and Park Soo-yeon from arthouse favourite House Of Hummingbird. The story follows two high-school girls’ love and friendship in the violent summer of 1999, when an aspiring national taekwondo athlete’s life takes an unexpected turn after her mother brings home a juvenile delinquent as a foster child.


Contact: M-Line Distribution (mailto:sales@mline-distribution.com)


The Roundup: Punishment
Dir. Heo Myeong-haeng


The fourth in this action crime series headed by Don Lee (aka Ma Dong-seok) also stars Kim Moo-yul, whose roles as cop and bad guy were reversed in Cannes 2019 title The Gangster, The Cop, The Devil. Director Heo is a well-known stunt co-ordinator whose credits include The Roundup — last year’s biggest box-office hit in Korea, which recorded more than 12.6 million admissions — as well as Hunt, Ashfall, Extreme Job and Train To Busan. He is expected to up the level of intricate fight scenes in this latest instalment about the ‘Beast Cop’ (Lee), in which he hunts down the mob behind an illegal online gambling business. Produced by ABO Entertainment, Hong Film, BigPunch Pictures and B.A. Entertainment, the film is currently in post-production for release next year.
Contact: Junho Park, K-Movie (mailto:Entertainment%20sales@kmovieenter.com)

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Cannes 2023: Screen International Day 4 edition
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http://www.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20230522000716
‘Sleep,’ ‘Project Silence’ debut at 76th Cannes Film Festivals


By Kim Da-sol (ddd@heraldcorp.com) | May 22, 2023 


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“Project Silence” cast members including Lee Sun-kyun (center) and Ju Ji-hoon (second from left) pose for photos at a red carpet event at the Lumiere Theater in Cannes, France, Sunday. (CJ ENM)


Two Korean films invited to noncompetition categories at the 76th Cannes Film Festival each held screenings with the directors and main actors receiving the spotlight on the red carpet and at the theater after their world premieres.


Director Kim Tae-gon’s “Project Silence” was scheduled for 12:30 a.m. Monday in Cannes, as it was invited to the Midnight Screening, an out-of-competition section dedicated to films with popular appeal and artistic value.


Main actors Lee Sun-kyun, Ju Ji-hoon and Kim Hee-won showed up at a red carpet event prior to the screening. Each of them had previously visited Cannes, with “Parasite” (2019), “The Spy Gone North” (2018) and “The Merciless” (2017), respectively.


For Lee, it is his third time visiting the world’s most prestigious film festival. He is featured in two of the seven Korean films invited this year. His other invitee is director Jason Yu’s “Sleep,” which has been invited to Critics’ Week and also premiered on Sunday.


The screening of “Project Silence” finished at around 2:30 a.m. Monday, but the packed audience of Lumiere Theater delivered a five-minute ovation at the end.


“Project Silence” revolves around Jung-won (Lee Sun-kyun), who gets stranded on a collapsed bridge shrouded in thick fog. Ju Ji-hoon appears as a tow truck driver to clear crashed cars from the bridge.


The film’s distributor CJ ENM said the film has been already sold to buyers for 140 countries, including France, the US, Germany and Japan.


IMG_3157518aa8d3f5766ea3.jpg
From left: Director Jason Yu, Jung Yu-mi and Lee Sun-kyun meet with the audience after the screening of “Sleep,” at the 76th Cannes Film Festival on Sunday. (Lotte Entertainment)


Meanwhile, director Jason Yu premiered his first-ever feature film “Sleep” at Cannes, and is eligible for the Camera d'Or award given to the best rookie director regardless of category. “Sleep” had its screening Sunday morning as part of Cannes Critics’ Week, which focuses on first and second features by emerging directors.


Yu is a former assistant to director Bong Joon-ho of Oscar-winning film “Parasite” (2019). He has also translated the subtitles for auteur Lee Chang-dong's "Burning" (2018).


Starring Lee and Jung Yu-mi, Korean horror film “Sleep” tells the story of a newlywed husband showing strange behavior while asleep. The film has been sold for distribution to 80 countries.


It is the fourth time for the two actors to work together, reuniting again after 10 years. Their three previous projects were directed by auteur Hong Sang-soo.


Both “Project Silence” and “Sleep” hit local theaters in Korea later this year.

 

——

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/cannes-hidden-gem-sleep-jason-yu-1235495290/
Cannes Hidden Gem: Jason Yu Learned From Bong Joon-ho to Craft Heartfelt Horror ‘Sleep’
The first-time director worked beneath Korean legends like Bong and Lee Chang-dong before making his Cannes debut film.


BY PATRICK BRZESKI | MAY 19, 2023


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CANNES FILM FESTIVAL


First-time filmmaker Jason Yu, whose horror drama Sleep premieres in Cannes’ Critics’ Week on May 21, honed his craft under the tutelage of South Korea’s very finest. Among the aspiring director’s first industry jobs after graduating from film school in Seoul was an assistant director gig on Bong Joon-ho’s Netflix sci-fi adventure drama Okja, which premiered at Cannes in 2017. Yu credits the experience with teaching him “almost everything” he knows about filmmaking.


“I wasn’t really conscious of what I was observing at the time, because I wasn’t there to learn,” he remembers. “I was just trying to pull my own weight and not ruin the film. But while I was making Sleep, I realized that I was desperately trying to mimic, consciously or unconsciously, everything director Bong did — during preproduction, during production, in the way that I talked to the actors, and even during post-production and promotion.”


Not long after Okja, Yu, who grew up partially in the U.K. and is bilingual, was hired by Lee Chang-dong to translate and write the English subtitles for the Korean auteur’s now-classic existential thriller Burning, winner of Cannes’ FIPRESCI international critics’ prize in 2018. By that point, Yu had subtitled a number of major Korean films, but he had never encountered a filmmaker with such an obsessive attention to detail as Lee, who famously began his career as an acclaimed literary novelist.


“Usually when doing subtitles, I didn’t really interact with the directors much — I just delivered the final translated product,” Yu remembers. “But director Lee, even though he doesn’t speak much English, he wanted to discuss the intention behind every piece of dialog and to review every translated word to know why I chose it.”


He continues: “It would be rude of me to call him ‘brave,’ because he is my senior and one of our greatest artists, but he even asked me — after lots of discussion — to make some of the English dialog sound deliberately more unnatural and grammatically incorrect, because in Korean he intended some lines to sound strange, or ambiguous. I found that so inspiring, because all of the other directors I had worked with were adamant that all of the dialog sound very colloquial, American and clear. I learned from director Lee that a director should think very deeply about their intentions — and have full confidence in those choices.”


One could argue that Yu’s debut, Sleep, bears some traces of both of these influences. The film is both a slickly realized genre exercise and a film of subtle personal intention.


Starring Lee Sun-kyun (the wealthy patriarch of Bong’s Parasite) and Jung Yu-mi (Train to Busan and a regular muse of Hong Sang-soo), Sleep follows a happy pair of newlyweds whose domestic bliss is disrupted when the husband begins speaking in his sleep — repeatedly stating, “Someone’s inside.” Soon he begins transforming into someone else entirely during increasingly belligerent bouts of sleepwalking. Overwhelmed with anxiety that he may hurt himself or their young family — including their unborn child — the wife gradually becomes more and more consumed by an irrational fear that poses its own dangers.


Yu says his initial, surface-level goal was to simply create a fun, mystery horror film. But while he was writing the screenplay more personal elements seeped into the story.


“I was preparing to marry my longtime girlfriend, and because I was on the cusp of that, I think I unconsciously wanted to present a less typical portrait of marriage,” he says. “Usually, in films about marriage, I find that the central conflict usually is derived from the husband or wife making some kind of irredeemable mistake, or one of them simply falling out of love. Because I was about to marry my sweetheart, I didn’t want to portray marriage that way. I wanted to show a couple who really love each other dearly, and are supportive of each other like best friends. So, instead of an internal failing, I throw a dangerous external obstacle their way — something beyond conscious control — and try to show that they can only overcome this problem together, as a married unit.”


Yu has maintained a relationship with Bong and showed the elder director drafts his scripts and cuts of the film at various stages, a privilege he acknowledges as “very lucky for a first-time director.”


“Director Bong gave me lots of great notes about things I could fine-tune, but the most important thing — which came when I finished the first draft of the script — was he told me the biggest challenge for the story would be convincing the audience of why the wife doesn’t simply leave as their situation becomes more and more extreme,” Yu says. “This was really at the heart of what I was trying to say with the movie and he totally understood that.”


Yu adds: “So, when I showed him the final cut, and he told me his concerns had been well addressed, I was just so happy and grateful.”

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