`Superman,' the Good Samaritan

In ``A Man Who Was Superman'' director Chung Yoon-chul, the tear jerking maestro behind ``Marathon'' (2005), teams up with superstars Jeon Ji-hyun (aka Jianna Jeon) and Hwang Jung-min. It's a multi-dimensional story that, while buttressed by the safety net of the American superhero's iconic cultural appeal, is reborn with an unconventional Superman ― a modern-day hero who battles urban apathy and preaches the virtues of lending a hand.

Soo-jung (Jeon) is a producer of human-interest TV documentaries. Cynical, worn out and shrouded in cigarette smoke, she doesn't believe in the product she sells, and even resorts to throwing in bits of fabrication to heighten the schmaltziness of her lame subject matter. Sick of contrived drama, she decides to leave with the firm's camera instead of her overdue payroll to shoot ruthless lions in Africa.

But things don't work out, and to make matters worse, a thief runs off with her camera. But then along comes Superman (Hwang) ― a rather odd fellow clad in a Hawaiian shirt ― to the rescue.

And so Soo-jung returns to her dead-end job with a new story. She starts documenting the mystery man and his chronic willingness to help others, like helping the elderly cross the street and rescuing puppies, as well as his obsessive environmental activism, like hand-standing in the middle of the street to ``push off'' the rays of the sun.

What's more, Superman claims he cannot use his superpowers due to a piece of kryptonite (the fictional element in the original cartoon that weakens Superman's powers) stuck in his head. But when an X-ray reveals that there really is some foreign object rooted in his brain, Soo-jung knows she has a hit story.

But even greater surprises await Soo-jung, as Superman starts knocking at her frigid heart.

The film's conquering tactic is fairly simple: overwhelm and amuse the audience with Superman's utterly bizarre existence, while Soo-jung's cynicism and disheartening practicality downplay the absurdity. Viewers will fall in love with the characters and have their hearts broken by the revealing of the tragic secrets of the characters. There's also a biting moral lesson about something we're all guilty of.

The movie explores the ``bystander effect'' ― how individuals are less likely to help others when in a group _ and its traumatizing aftermath. But ``Superman'' is not a bitter social commentary. It's a fuzzy human drama, and counters that feeling of uneasiness by throwing in a ray of hope, thus wrapping it up with a smile.

It works how we expect a movie to. Sure, it's ridden with fairytale conventions, but has a modern edge that make you want to believe in it. The director also showcases a new directorial style by adding elements of fantasy. You need to let go of your inhibitions and just tune into the fun, like the parody of the original comic strip and other surreal scenes.

But despite the comic relief, the first half of the two-hour flick seems to drag out a little too much before reaching the climax. But Hwang works his magic and saves the script.

The director has said Hwang (``Happiness,'' 2007) is the one and only actor in Korea to pull off Superman, and indeed the actor surprises viewers with yet another unforgettable role as he maps out an endless array of emotions. His Hawaiian shirt, strange dance routines and giddy comments might give birth to a new superhero figure.

Jeon, on the other hand, manages to pull together a convincing character. But despite her disheveled hair and makeup-less face, her sarcastic character still strongly reflects the oddly lovely girl from ``My Sassy Girl'' (2001).

The film basically says that being Superman isn't difficult. ``The film made me realize I too can be Superman (and change for the better). But I haven't taken action yet, but the thought that I must change, I think, is the beginning. And a good beginning is half the battle, right?'' said Jeon at a recent press preview in Seoul.

Source: Korea Times

'The Game' plays in wrong arena

"The Game," directed by Yoon In-ho, is a thriller with plot twists playing an important role to intrigue the audience and ignite their imagination. But the movie might have had much greater impact if it had been a comedy.

Based on a Japanese comic series, "The Game" revolves around the wildly imaginative situation where two people change their bodies. But the film has some big holes in its logic, undercutting its claim to be a hard-core thriller.

A street painter named Hee-do (Shin Ha-kyun) does not have much money, but he is nice and kind, especially to his innocent-looking girlfriend Hye-rin (Lee Eun-sung). Their relationship, however, is not without problems.

Hye-rin's family is debt-laden and gangsters often arrive and demand repayment of a loan.

The basic situation is chiefly designed to remind the audience that Hee-do is very sensitive about money. To be more specific, he is eager to make money for his girlfriend. Love, after all, transcends everything, and money is no exception.

Unfortunately, love alone does not generate money. Something should be exchanged to get money in this capitalist society where there is no free lunch. One day, Hee-do is offered a once-in-a-lifetime chance to hit the jackpot.

No-shik (Byun Hee-bong) is a financial big-shot. But he has his own problem. A fatal one, actually. His body is rapidly failing, and when he suffers one of his many heart attacks, he has to resort to sheer luck to recover. No-shik notices that Hee-do is in need of some money. That's how "The Game" plays out.

In fact, "The Game" is not a game at all, since the format is mobile phone betting. The rule, No-shik explains, is that they come up with each number for the random mobile phone number, and they also take sides about whether the recipient is male or female. Under this simple rule, superrich No-shik stakes part of his personal wealth -- amounting to 3 billion won ($3.1 million). Since Hee-do is a poor artist, he has to offer his own body as a stake for the dangerous bets.

Cutting straight to the preposterous, cartoonish and unrealistic betting's result -- they swapped bodies. No-shik is reborn as a young man who can go out and spend his fortune at bars, sleeping with women and partying at will. Hee-do, trapped in an old man's body, is saddled with not only poverty, but also imminent death.

The message is simplistic. Borrowing the preachy comment of No-shik, who is now touting his transformed body, every bet has a consequence and the gambler should take full responsibility.

Aside from the ostensible message, the movie has to take care of the negative consequences of its own. When Hee-do tries to reverse the situation by pretending to be a top CEO, widely reported to have died of old-age, why not just call the TV stations and expose what he has gone through? After all, he has all the scars from the extensive operations to prove his case.

Another serious gap in logic is that after the surgery is done, the greedy and merciless No-shik just let Hee-do, now in his old body, wander away. If No-shik is in his right mind, he certainly would not let the only proof of his brilliant scam walk live to tell the tale.

Despite the defective plot, Shin Ha-kyun and Byun Hee-bong showcase their seasoned acting talent, and especially Shin's versatility to act out an old man, including gestures, voice and facial expressions, is amusing to watch. Their body-changing performances might have shined much brighter if the movie had gone through a surgical operation in genre from a thriller to a comedy.

Source: Korea Herald

'Superman' flies while Jun Ji-hyun runs aground

"A Man Once a Superman," directed by Jeong Yun-cheol, relies heavily on the performances of award-wining actor Hwang Jun-min, who can transform his silver-screen image at will. This time, he turns into a self-styled superman helping out children and the elderly on the streets of Seoul.

But the question here is, can he save the movie?

"Superman," played by Hwang, sleeps a lot and often wakes up to find himself lying on the street. The first question he asks to himself when he opens his eyes is whether it's past, present or future, as if he travels in time and it's an important question to be answered. But there are more urgent questions. Who is this guy? Why does he help people out? Why can't he fly?

In fact, he's not a real superman. At least not the Superman described in the Hollywood blockbuster series. This guy believes he used to be superman, but somehow evil foes have messed with his brain, resulting in the loss of his super power.

A scene from "A Man Once a Superman"

How sad. But Song Su-jeong, played by Jun Ji-hyun, does not see any sadness when she stumbles into this mysterious (or simply crazy) man. Song does not care about others that much -- a typical Korean woman who has so many things to worry about in her own life. She is stuck in a cash-strapped situation, though she works hard. She has a boyfriend but she cannot meet him because he's doing some volunteer work in a faraway country. She even goes through a street chase to get back her precious camera bag which is snatched away by a thief. At this very critical moment, of course, our hero Superman appears. To be more specific, he runs, fast, and catches up with the bad guy and recovers the camera bag. A mission accomplished. Song, intrigued by Superman's repeated good deeds, decides to track down on his life on the street. She notices that he is not in his right mind but his behavior is mostly designed to help other people, a rare trait even for the majority of people who believe they are not crazy.

As with the Hollywood Superman, Hwang's Superman has a deep secret about his childhood, involving his mysterious father whose encouraging message is displayed on the electric screen of a street vendor. To understand the connotations about his traumatic past one has to be familiar with Korean history, especially concerning the May 18 Gwangju incident in 1980 where a number of innocent civilians got killed by the then military regime.

The movie zooms in on the past and present of Superman who proves to the world that something should be done when people need help from others. But the process is a bit tedious and repetitive. Tighter editing might have helped the audiences focus on the dramatic plot turns that reveal Superman's real identity.

Jun Ji-hyun, who has yet to transcend the image she put forward in "My Sassy Girl" (2001), has attempted to make some changes. For instance, she smokes on the screen to show some toughness about her documentary job. She does not cry as often as she did in her other box-office duds. Her hair is shorter and her makeup is minimal. But unfortunately, that's all that's changed, and Jun does not demonstrate any meaningful transformation, say, into Superwoman or Wonderwoman or even Cat Woman.

Source: Korea Herald

'Lovers of Six Years' exposes risks of shacking up

Should couples live together before tying the knot? If this question were asked 20 years ago, most Korean respondents would have expressed their shock and disbelief, much less show any willingness to weigh pros and cons.

Back to the present: Koreans are not so ultraconservative any longer and the number of Korean couples trying out cohabitation is on the rise. The proof is that even a mass-market romantic flick like "Lovers of Six Years (6-nyeonjjae yeonae-jung)" has chosen this daring topic and treats cohabitation as nothing special.

"Nothing special" is also a keyword for Da-jin (Kim Ha-neul), a hard-working editor at a publishing company, and her boyfriend Jae-young (Yoon Gye-sang), an equally diligent home shopping producer. Six years ago, they began to date. Two years ago, they started sleeping together. Now, they are next-door neighbors, but the wall separating their houses does not have any significant function. They virtually share their rooms -- and bedrooms at night. They know each other inside and out so much so that they begin to feel a bit bored, and the magical sparks and excitement is already gone. Their relationships seem to have passed a stage where something special is at work.

"Lovers of Six Years"

As with other cohabitating couples, there is a risk that Da-jin and Jae-young remain unmarried and yet share so many things in life. Infidelity is one of many risks, though it's pretty fatal given that cohabitation does not entail as strong a commitment as marriage. Da-jin tries to hire a top-notch book designer for her latest project. She juggles up various strategies to win the heart of this much-sought-after designer without realizing that her charm as an attractive woman goes rarely unnoticed. By the way, Kim Ha-neul seems at ease with her role, even in a scene where she has to act as an experienced lover.

While Da-jin has to stave off repeated come-ons from the new acquaintance, her boyfriend is forced to deal with an unabashed temptation from a daring part-time worker at the cable shopping mall.

But the movie does not tackle the issue of infidelity for this cohabiting couple as seriously as it should. Certainly it is an important plot device, but even before such outside forces emerge, they are already in a precarious phase where they feel too familiar with each other and have to seek some additional excuses to stick together -- more convincing excuses than they used to spend six years together as lovers.

In fact, couples who live together before marriage tend to believe that they have the opportunity to test how well they suit each other. But when confronted with overwhelming challenges such as one-night stands, cohabitation is likely to break down faster than those shackled in marriage, which is still held together by a relatively stronger ethic of commitment.

Yoon Gye-sang, former member of now-disbanded music group g.o.d., demonstrates his hidden acting talent by infusing some realism into the stereotypical Korean man character who is extremely generous about his own extra-cohabitation "romance" and unbelievably strict about his partner's "fling." The lesson for women: when deciding to live with a man before marriage, don't set a standard too high since men are generally not so reliable, much less genuinely romantic.

Source: Korea Herald

`Hellcats’ Is Charmingly Off-Tune

From left, Kim Min-hee, Lee Mee-sook and Ahn So-hee in the romantic comedy "Hellcats"

Puberty, angst-ridden youth and menopause, first kisses, marriage and a Demi Moore-Ashton Kutcher-type romance. Director Kwon Chil-in dishes out an endearingly off-key romantic comedy ``Hellcats'' as he traces the lives and loves of three ladies at different stages of womanhood.

While the particular age of these ladies is their defining trait, the movie is no Klimt painting mapping out the ``Three Ages of Woman.''

It's a classic commercial flick that boasts mass appeal with its tactful casting, trend-spotting ploys and elements of fantasy. But there are nevertheless pleasant surprises that fill in for the holes of the loosely structured script, making it rather believable and even slightly touching.

First off, the movie unfolds, out of all places, in a crumby, third-rate motel room. In her less-than-fortunate ``office,'' 27-year Ah-mi (Kim Min-hee) spends her birthday typing away the 17th draft of a hellish movie script she's been working on for the past two years, while the pitiful director is napping away in the corner. But chances of the work going into production are slim.

At home, she's a parasitic existence, with her older sister and niece constantly nagging her to move out. Meanwhile, her longtime boyfriend, a penniless aspiring musician, has no plans to settle down, and to top it off he gets caught in bed with another woman.

But then a Mr. Perfect comes along, and Ah-mi must come to terms with herself as she half-heartedly tries to give up her deadweight of a job and boyfriend.

Meanwhile, Ah-mi's older sister Yeong-mi (Lee Mee-sook) is a 41-year-old single mom with a well-established career as an interior designer. She has a fling with an actor 12 years her junior, but when she tries to end it coolly as a one-night stand, menopause hits. While she casually dismisses it as ``a liberation from menstrual cramps,'' she is hurting inside, and accepts her young lover's advances in a desperate attempt to defend her womanhood.

Yeong-mi's teenage daughter Gang-ae (Ahn So-hee) has her own dilemmas. Her boyfriend of three years still hasn't kissed her yet, and she grows increasingly frustrated. Her best friend Mi-ran, a Brazilian-born girl with an ``exotic'' flair, coaches Gang-ae in the art of seduction. But she becomes even more confused as the two become a little too intimate.

The most successful part of the film is the casting. Popular model/actress Kim comes back on the big screen after a six-year hiatus, and ``Hellcats'' showcases her hidden talents. She gives a compelling performance as a young woman agonizing over her insecure career and shaky romance, and you become truly concerned with her drunken rambling.

Lee, who showed her foxy side as a seductive temptress in ``Untold Scandal'' (2005), is perfect for the role of a sexy older woman.

In her acting debut, Ahn, from the popular girl band Wonder Girls, is slightly awkward but is quite befitting for the role of an irritable teenager.

In contrast to the lively heroines, however, the supporting male characters are more like chiseled Greek statues ― flawless and inanimate narrative elements. Ah-mi's eligible bachelor has a steady job, big heart and handsome looks ― in other words, a safety blanket our protagonist can conveniently take or cast off.

Yeong-mi's younger man, much too ready to commit and eager to please, only exists to show audiences that she is no asexual mom but an attractive woman. And it's unfortunate that there is no chemistry between the two. Gang-ae's boyfriend, while adorable, isn't much more than a transportation device with a motorcycle

Some may see the film to be a wishy-washy spin-off of the director's hit film ``Singles'' (2003), but ``Hellcats'' can, in Western parlance, be described as a stretch of ``Sex and the City.'' The trio is more like three roommates rather than a family.

``Women have three secrets they should never reveal: flings, wrinkles and their true feelings,'' says Ah-mi. And the three ladies endorse these rules, keeping secrets from one another.

Just as the four New Yorkers of the HBO TV series get together once in a while to update one another at a fashionable brunch, only occasionally do the trio offer one another advice over wine and a bag of potato chips in the living room. The comments are biting, but far from being brutally honest; most of the true dialogue is with oneself.

These ladies are so-called hellcats not because they're trained in manipulating men. Rather, they are engaged in fierce personal battles with themselves, and this is what makes the film agreeably off-key. It would have been a drag to see another movie about three chicks bonded with some sort of fluffy sorority spirit.

Source: Korea Times

Actors Kim, Yoon Gossip About Love

Actors Yoon Kye-sang, left, and Kim Ha-neul speak about the rules of dating during a press event for their upcoming movie ``Lovers of 6 Years'' at a Hongdae club in northern Seoul last week. / Yonhap

By Lee Hyo-won
Staff Reporters

What happens when you've been dating for six years? Kim Ha-neul and Yoon Kye-sang show that the initial sparks are long gone but a deep sense of familiarity settles in, through the upcoming film ``Lovers of 6 Years,'' slated for release Feb. 5.

During a press conference last week at a Hongdae club in northern Seoul, director Kim Hyun-gene explained, ``I wondered how it would be for couples that date for a while, say six years. After six years, you grow so comfortable with each other that some break up and some overcome this and get married. I think six years becomes a bit of a turning point.''

``I was able to relate very much to my character, who is my age and generation,'' said the lead actress. ``I think that when men date someone for a long time they tend to unintentionally hurt their girlfriends with their insensitivity,'' she said. ``A simple `I'm sorry' can easily make up for it, but they don't seem to know.''

Kim, the queen of romantic comedies like ``Almost Love'' (2006) and ``Too Beautiful to Lie'' (2004), makes a long-awaited comeback on the big screen. Her co-star, Yoon, a former member of the boy band G.O.D., has also been making a name for himself as an actor ever since debuting in the film ``Flying Boys'' (2004).

The two actors, both 29 years old, spoke about the various rules of romance ― both on and off screen.

Regarding first impressions of each other, Kim said that it took a while to break the ice. ``(Yoon) seemed really shy at first. I was really concerned about playing the role of a person in a six-year relationship… But he was very considerate the whole time we worked together. He's a good friend, and I am very thankful,'' she said.

Yoon said, ``It was very awkward at first and I had heard that (Kim) was sort of snobby. I was worried, because to make this film work it helps to be close with your co-star. But as we worked together I saw that she was very passionate about her work and took each scene very seriously. I learned a lot from her as an actor.''

In the film, the two grow a little too comfortable. Kim's character doesn't hesitate to ask her boyfriend to do her favors like shopping for tampons.

``I'm the youngest in the family, so I actually ran such errands for my mother and older sister when I was young,'' said Yoon. ``They probably asked me to do it because they thought I was a clueless little kid, but it was mortifying for me to go make trips to the pharmacy. The tampon-shopping scene shows how family-like the two are.''

As much as the movie is about love, there was much interest in the sex scenes. ``There was no bedroom scene but there was one on a sofa as well as a one in a car,'' said the actors, drawing laughter and provoking much curiosity.

Yoon added, ``We joke how we shot the film for 18 and over (rated R) but edited it for 15 and over (PG). Even though Ha-neul and I discussed (the intimate scenes) a lot I got really nervous when we actually started shooting.''

As for their personal dating styles, Yoon surprised the crowd a bit. Contrary to his playful image, he said he always starts a relationship with marriage in mind.

In terms of ending relationships, Kim was asked whether she tends to dump or be dumped by her boyfriends. The actress said it usually ended mutually by bidding each other farewell in a cool manner.

Meanwhile, the movie had recently made headlines concerning a screenwriter identified as Choi, who filed a lawsuit against the production company Picasso Film. He claimed that the company did not pay him in full and went on with using his work without acknowledging him.

The makers announced during the press conference that there were no legal breaches on their behalf and the film's release will not be affected in any way.

Source: Korea Times

Handball flick headed to achieve 1 million mark

"Forever the Moment," directed by Lim Soon-rye, has rolled to victory at the box office, striking a positive note for Korean films ahead of the crucial lunar New Year holiday season.

The film, based on the true story of the Korean women's handball team which competed in the 2004 Athens Olympics, is gaining momentum in ticket sales, reflecting its appeal to local moviegoers as a rare sports drama.

Released on Jan. 10, "Forever the Moment" has sold 854,000 tickets as of Monday, according to its production house, MK Pictures. If the current trend continues, the film is expected to break the 1 million mark as early as today.

The sports film's strong performance comes amid lingering skepticism about the Korean film industry's declining competitiveness. Latest statistics show that the overall number of moviegoers declined, local filmmakers lost ground and Hollywood blockbusters flexed stronger muscles last year.

The movie's strength comes from Lee, an award-winning female director known for her sophisticated storytelling, as well as from a star-studded cast including Moon So-ri and Kim Jung-eun.

Notably, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism is pitching in to promote the film. On Friday, Culture Minister Kim Jong-min, and other ranking officials attended a special screening of the film at a theater in Myeongdong, downtown Seoul, along with other sports-related figures including Kim Jong-ha, president of the Korea Sports Council, and Jung Hyung-kyun, vice president of the Korea Handball Federation.

The film features the Korean squad which grabbed the silver medal in Athens, overcoming all obstacles, including public indifference to handball. The team eventually lost to Denmark in the final game but they did not go down easily. They held on for 80 minutes until the final game, with two periods of extra time.

The Korean team lost in a penalty shootout following a 34-34 tie, a heartbreaking loss, but loudly and passionately applauded by spectators, reflecting the competitors' unwavering spirit and teamwork. "Forever the Moment" depicts the dramatic moments realistically, with celebrity actresses showing a decent level of handball skill honed during an intensive three-month training period.

In a country where handball is regarded as an unpopular sport, the Korean women players have been putting in enormous amounts of time and energy to practice, and the film is said to steer some public attention to the poor conditions facing Korean handball players.

Meanwhile, a host of Korean films are expected to be released in the following weeks, ahead of the lunar New Year season, which is widely recognized as the crucial period for local filmmakers to secure revenues in an increasingly intensifying battle against Hollywood blockbusters.

'Little Prince' stuck with endless regret

Regret is the driving emotion behind "The Little Prince (Eorin wangja)," director Choi Jong-hyeon's debut feature, loosely inspired by Antoine de Saint-Exupery's most famous novella known for the wise-cracking fox who says, "It is the time you have spent with your rose that makes your rose so important." The Korean movie puts a reverse spin on the line: a sound-effects technician Jong-cheol (Tak Jae-hoon) does NOT spend time with his family -- a fatal mistake that he deeply and constantly regrets.


The healing process begins when he comes across a pure-hearted child, modeled after the world-renowned French story. But it is a bit of a stretch to compare Jong-cheol's encounter with the boy with the one in the original "The Little Prince." After all, the Korean movie does not feature the rose the Little Prince really truly loved or the fox he famously tamed. Jong-cheol is no pilot, either. But the overall plot -- an adult learning something from an innocent kid -- is roughly in the same category of a fable rich in symbolism.

In the movie to be released on Thursday, an urban fable begins with Jong-cheol's self-contradicting life. He makes a living producing various sound effects for movies; he juggles different gadgets and props to create sound that is more realistic than, well, natural sound. This requires a high level of auditory perception. Yet Jong-cheol is a tone-deaf -- not to sound for movies, but to the voices of his son and wife.

He rarely spends time around his family. When he does come home, he sleeps on the sofa, not in the bedroom. He does not care about vacationing with his own family; he does not go with his son and wife for a holiday visit her parents' house. Nor does he get a distress call from his wife seeking help.

Fast forward the plot a bit, and Jong-cheol meets Yeong-woong, a boy who cares about fish in general and a baby shark, named "Shakil," in particular. The two hit it off well not least because Jong-cheol sees his own deceased son in the boy who has sensitive ears and can identify his friends by the mere sound of their footstep.

Yeong-woong's gifted ears also help restore some warmth in the deeply depressed man, touching off a new "taming" process to which Saint-Exupery's fox points out as key to human relationships.

But the taming zigzags for a while as Jong-cheol keeps revisiting his failed relationship with his loved ones and blaming himself for a tragic incident. He had missed something essential in life, preoccupied with his "busy" career, evoking Saint-Exupery's grown-up characters. Like the Conceited Man, he wanted to be admired by everyone, but led a lonely life. Like the Drunkard, he drank heavily to forget. Like the Businessman, he was constantly busy counting the sounds he thinks he owns.

All with other earth-bound adults who see things with their eyes only, Jong-cheol failed to see his family's real needs for his affection. His belated realization that he could not reverse the clock to reunite with his son and wife generates searing guilt and regret.

Jong-cheol struggles to pull himself out of the emotional abyss by taking care of the boy who has a sick heart and yet keeps his warm heart open for Jong-cheol.

In the movie, singer-turned-actor Tak seems as serious as he can get, but he is still less than convincing as a complex character who supposedly embraces an internal transformation. In contrast, Kang Su-han, a promising eight-year-old actor who has already three TV dramas under his belt, seems to have a firm grip on his role, outclassing his adult counterparts. Children, after all, have the gift of seeing the invisible with their hearts, while grown-ups rely only on their eyes -- or ears in Jong-cheol's case.

Source: Korea Herald

`Open City’: Freshness Turns Stale

Actors Son Ye-jin, left and Kim Myung-min in a scene from “Open City”

Loaded with action and marked by sexual tension, ``Open City'' is yet another urban crime story set in the gritty streets of Seoul. But what sets it apart is that the cat and mouse game involves a network of professional ― and really scary ― pickpockets.

Lee Sang-ki makes a big directorial debut with a high-profile cast and a novel subject matter. He zooms into the world of ``corporate'' pick pocketing, but the story soon turns sour with some poorly crafted ``Basic Instinct'' elements and cliched family tragedies that are inherent to Korean dramas.

Son Ye-jin (``A Moment to Remember,'' 2004) trades in her innocent image for a dangerous persona, going all out with the hint of sex appeal she showed as a perky playgirl in ``The Art of Seduction'' (2005). She's ravishing, but like her character's cheesy name Baek Jang-mi (homonym for ``white rose'' in Korean), the new role seems to be an awkward fit.

Jang-mi is the boss of an organized gang of pickpockets that's affiliated with the Japanese Yakuza. The group has been pulling tricks internationally, and Jang-mi plans to expand her turf by conquering Seoul's hot spots like Dongdaemun and Myeong-dong.

But it isn't easy ― Korean and Japanese authorities are tracking her down while competing gangs are out to get her. When a nasty rival tries to corner her, young and able detective Jo Dae-yeong (Kim Myung-min) comes to the rescue.

Throughout the movie, our so-called femme fatale seems more like a typical damsel in distress, except that she has a taste for low-cut dresses and red stilettos. Dae-yeong eventually figures out she's a prime suspect, but falls prey to her lies and sexual maneuvers.

Meanwhile, to manifest her grand plans, Jang-mi turns to Gang Man-ok (Kim Hae-sook), a veteran pickpocket who just got out of prison and is determined to stay clean. To complicate things, Man-ok happens to be Dae-yeong's mother. The poor detective must crack down on the pick-pocketing underworld and deal with his traumatic childhood memories while having to stop himself from stealing glances at Jang-mi's cleavage.

``Open City'' reveals the intricate workings of the street-smart theft. First, the group chooses a target in a crowded marketplace or bus. While ``the antenna'' watches their back, another member creates a distraction so ``the machine'' can quickly slit open a purse or coat pocket of the oblivious victim.

The movie warns that anyone can be a victim, as these thieves, well dressed in fine suits, look like typical businesspeople. Also, if you do happen to catch them in the act, don't try to apprehend them as they will slash your arm and run.

Apart from the realistic portrayal of the crime, the relentless violence among the gangs seems unnecessary. Some of the police action sequences are well-crafted ― Kim Myung-min, a late bloomer who recently rose to stardom, shows his tough side as he beats six armed mobsters with a stick. But the emotional spectrum involving the mother-son conflict feels old and contrived like a second rate TV soap.

The biggest blow yet to the film is its focus on style over substance. While Son is smoldering with her array of off-the-runway outfits, she's no Sharon Stone. It could have delved more into her cover as a tattooist ― the skin-bearing art had inspired a host of erotic films in Japan ― but it's just another stylish touch to the otherwise cliched drama.

Some of the supporting characters also stop short of being stylized caricatures, like the heroine's mysterious and beautiful sidekick (Shim Ji-ho), who mimics the classic bodyguard character immortalized by Lee Jung-jae in the all-time hit Korean TV soap ``Sandglass'' (1995).

It is worth seeing if you're a big fan of the lead actors. If not, it seems like a big-budget, star-studded campaign to raise awareness about pickpockets ― you'll think twice about the safety of your wallet in public places.

Source: Korea Times

“Beautiful” (Ahreumdapda), directed by Jae-heung Jeon, to screen at the 58th Berlinale International Film Festival

South Korean film “Beautiful” (Ahreumdapda) has been invited to screen at the 58th Berlinale International Film Festival. The film festival will run from Feb. 7th-17th in Berlin, Germany. “Beautiful” is directed by first time feature length film director Jae-heung Jeon and includes starring performances by Su-yeon Cha (For Eternal Hearts) and Cheon-hee Lee (The Agressives). The film has a decided art house feel and will be screened in the non-competition Panaroma section.

South Korean films that screened at last year’s Berlinale were Chan-wook Park’s “I’m A Cyborg, but That’s OK,” Sang-soo Hong’s “Woman on the Beach,” : Hee-il Leesong’s “No Regret,” Yoon-ki Lee’s “Ad Lib Night,” and Hae-young Lee’s “Like A Virgin.” Other Asian films of interest to appear at this year’s Berlinale Festival are Yoji Yamada’s “Kaabee” and Johnnie To’s “Sparrow.”

“Beautiful” will open theatrically in South Korea on February 14th. Expect a preview of the movie in the coming days.

Source: Lunapark6

Erotic crime thriller falls flaccid

There is nothing special about the genre of "Open City," opening nationwide today. It is easily categorized as a crime thriller. But the subject of pickpockets operating in broad daylight is fairly unusual, perhaps the first ever Korean flick devoted entirely to the street-smart thieves.

Doubly unusual -- or strange -- is director Lee Sang-ki's attempt to incorporate a femme fatale theme into the film in a bid to turn it into an erotic crime thriller. There's no question about the beauty of Son Ye-jin ("April Snow," "The Classic") but it is an open question whether she is really up to the task of a tantalizing seductress.

Son plays Baek Jang-mi, which means "white rose" in Korean. If the name is too tacky, so be it. After all, her role is tackier -- a female boss of a small pickpocket ring keen to expand its territory in Seoul.

Baek Jang-mi draws some attention from authorities in both Korea and Japan by staging a series of high-stakes pickpocket forays in Osaka. Once she returns to Seoul, local police duly begin to track her every move, though her official job is a tattooist clad in a revealing dress.

Another dangerous woman named Kang Man-ok (Kim Hae-sook) comes into play. Kang used to be a veteran pickpocket, and the list of her crimes and convictions is quite long. As soon as Kang serves her time in prison, she encounters her former ring member, Baek Jang-mi, who hides her thorns inside.

Baek has set up a new pickpocket team and she wants Kang to lend her legendary hands so that they can hit it big, while conquering the lucrative market areas such as Myeongdong and Dongdaemun.

But the old "stealthy" hand expresses her will to stay clean by chewing none other than the sharp blade, a key tool used for stealing money from unsuspecting merchants and ordinary people.

What Kang does not foresee in her right decision to avoid the crime scene is her crisscrossed past, which has compromised her future. At the end of the lethal human spectrum stands Cho Dae-young (Kim Myeong-min), a talented detective who has a traumatic experience about his mother.

The movie breaks some fresh ground or cuts out numerous pockets by offering a close glimpse of how the experienced pickpockets approach and distract their "marks" and steal the targeted money. The tricks are rather simple. The members always work a tightly controlled procedure: first, they scour the street to select a victim; second, one member approaches the target and creates some distractions on the spot; and, finally, "the machine" with the sharp-edged blade makes a cut in the handbag or a coat, passing the money to another member.

While the routine is realistically portrayed, some of the details involving the pickpocket thieves are also cautionary. For instance, if you realize your money is gone, do not attempt to chase the obvious pickpocket, because it can lead to a life-threatening situation. In the dirty and dark world of street thieves, there is a vicious technique called "branch-cutting," referring to the thief's relentless move to block the victim's chase, often by attacking with knives or blades.

Except for the realism of the shady acts, "Open City" leaves too many cinematic aspects open to criticism. The most glaring problem is Son's mismatched femme fatale role. Son's heavy makeup, cleavage-showing dress and other accoutrements combined evoke the famous seductress Kim Hye-soo in "Tazza: The High Rollers," but stops short of mimicking Kim's superficial features only. Son changes her dress frequently, often to the colorful yet gaudy -- something that a secretive pickpocket boss never puts on for fear of attracting attention on the street.

The plot that connects detective Cho's not-so-happy childhood with the veteran pickpocket "machine" Kang seems at once half-baked and overdone.

Though there are some audacious pickpocket-eat-pickpocket moments, the movie's frequent use of extreme violence and an extremely flat lead performance do little to salvage the fatal flaw -- an erotic crime thriller that is neither too erotic nor very thrilling.

Source: Korea Herald

Suk-gyu Han returns after a 2 year hiatus

Versatile South Korean actor Suk-gyu Han (Christmas in August, Scarlet Letter, The President’s Last Bang) indeed is making a comeback after a long 2 year hiatus. He’s set to star in the gritty new action film “An Eye for an Eye” (Nuneneun Nun, Yieneun Yi). Fans should notice a change with Suk-gyu Han immediately in the film as his hair is now died a menacing white/grey.

In “An Eye for An Eye,” Han Suk-gyu plays “Chan-bak,” a legendary detective who’s also about as mean as they come. He has animal like instincts which he puts to good use in tracking down the criminals. Anybody foolish enough to cross his path pays the price dearly. One of the main selling points about the film will be Chan-bak’s mean streak and how it rivals or even surpasses the visciousness of the criminals he chases.

Han Suk-gyu revealed to the press that his interest in the film came about from the mixture of sophistication and raw urban feel of the screenplay. He had no qualms about dying his hair white and even suggested the idea himself.

The film is directed by Kyung-Taek Kwak, who shot to stardom with his gritty 2001 crime drama “Friend”(Chingoo). Last year, Kyung-Taek Kwak made a departure of sorts with his tender melo-drama, “A Love,” and now appears to be returning to the action world. Seung-won Cha (Ghost house) and Ji-suk Kim will co-star.

About 90% of the shooting has been completed and the movie is expected to be released this March.

Source: Lunapark6

'Hellcats' rejects men, holds girl-only party

Killing wimpy men in a chick film is lots of fun. "Hellcats" (Ddeugeoun geotsi joa), a girls-only initiation drama, follows the feminist formula faithfully, but does not go the full nine yards; no guys ends up shot. Instead, the gals toy with the emasculated Korean men -- in and outside of bed.

The movie, to be released on Jan. 17, is chiefly concerned with the three representative women (or girls, if you like). The narrator is A-mi (Kim Min-hee), a twenty-something screenwriter who has yet to create her debut feature, and struggles with a deadbeat boyfriend whose prospect as a professional rocker seems slim, at best.

And in the bit-mature, quasi-womanly stage is her big sister Young-mi (Lee Mi-sook), a middle-aged, almost workaholic interior designer who gets entangled with a far younger boyfriend.

Making up the three-way girly scheme is Young-mi's daughter Kang-ae (Ahn So-hee), a sexually confused high school girl who wants her boyfriend to act more manly -- for instance, by taking some romantic initiative, as with the much-anticipated first kiss.

Since "Hellcats" is director Kwon Chil-in's latest feature following his groundbreaking girl-oriented "Singles" (2003), a similar pattern is hardly surprising. What is unexpected, though, is the degree to which men's roles are diminished.

"Hellcats," a feature directed by Kwon Chil-in, depicts independent women in different age groups. Lee Mi-sook (left) plays a middle-aged interior designer who wants to stay cool in her relationships with a younger love, while Kim Min-hee portrays a budding screenwriter facing a turning point in her love life and career, and Ahn So-hee exhibits her trademark cute image as a sexually confused high school student.

A-mi, for instance, keeps sleeping with her boyfriend Heung-soo, but she knows too well that this rocker-wannabe does not have any real chance to succeed in this tough world where there is no protection whatsoever for talentless men. A-mi willy-nilly stumbles into a better choice -- this time, a capable man named Seung-won (Kim Seong-su), who is an accountant for Deloitte's Seoul office. Except for this guy's dreadful sense of humor, A-mi vaguely assumes that her life would change for the better if she tied the knot with him.

But what really concerns her is neither of these men. She is, after all, an aspiring screenwriter, and she is determined to finish her first project, no matter what. When it comes to determination and toughness, A-mi is portrayed as a cinematic macho who used to be a hardcore chainsmoker, but resolutely quits cigarettes once she gets serious about her career -- a far stronger, almost traditional alpha male approach that is prominently lacking in the movie's male characters.

Young-mi is psychologically a big girl, too. She falls into a deep sense of loss and disappointment when she a callous (yes, male) doctor tells her that her menopause is the cause of her latest mood swings. Undaunted, she keeps her chin up, and tries not to lose her control when dealing with her sexual partner who wants to have an emotional tug of war.

Young-mi's cute daughter, Kang-ae, is depicted as a cute seductress. She wonders why her boyfriend has not attempted to kiss her in the past three years, and one of her close friends rightly suggests that he might be gay. Kang-ae is not a sit-and-wait type, so she sets up a private meeting, in her own house, and ventures to initiate what she thinks will be the most erotic moment in her life, only to find that something goes embarrassingly wrong.

The movie's strengths largely lie in its single-handedly feminist approach, which highlight the emotional and sexual travails of female characters. Its weaknesses involve its monochromatic male characters who are no more than lame stereotypes.

Given that a growing number of women wield enormous influence in every sector of Korean society, from the court to big corporations to, well, the film industry, director Kwon's continued focus on the girls' cinematic growth is a welcome addition to the fast-increasing list of movies dedicated to women. Even though Kwon is not the sex of choice in the postmodern world, he knows how to plunder the new era of "girl power."

One of the notable changes, in terms of acting, comes from Kim Min-hee. She seems quite believable as an open-hearted drunk at a bar who goes for a one-night stand, only to realize her mistake next morning, when she hurriedly picks up her clothes and heads for her home, struggling with a hangover. The movie's most compelling moment involves Kim's impassioned delineation of the central character going through various stages of her life -- especially her giving up certain things in favor of her dream and career.

Lee Mi-sook, a veteran actor, gives a seasoned performance, bolstering this otherwise too-lighthearted fare. Lee's subtle facial expressions and suggestive moves overwhelm her counterpart, so much so that viewers may not care whether the man in question is not that bad, after all.

Ahn So-hee, who makes her big-screen debut, manages to showcase her innocent image. But most folks in the audience are likely to pay special attention to Ahn because she is the youngest member of the wildly popular female music group Wonder Girls, whose smash hit song "Tell Me" conquered the nation's pop charts in 2007.

The movie does not say or show anything about the traditional fatherly figure. Lee Mi-sook's husband is missing on the screen; there is no meaningful explanation about him. Ahn So-hee's father, in other words, disappeared a gone long time ago, and nobody seems to miss him. The sobering lesson for not-so-talented traditionally pretentious men is clear: In the age of Wonder Girls, it's time for men to reinvent themselves -- for instance, by playing a bit part in a chicks film like "Hellcats."

Source: Korea Herald

Japanese Actor Jo Odagiri to Star in ‘Sad Dream’

Korean actress Lee Na-young

Award-winning director Kim Ki-duk chose Japanese actor Jo Odagiri and Korean actress Lee Na-young for his 15th movie ``Bimong (Sad Dream).''

``Bimong,'' produced by Kim Ki-duk Film and Sponge Ent, is about two people who are connected by dreams. Jin (played by Jo Odagiri) is a guy who dreams because he cannot forget his ex-girlfriend. Ran (Lee Na-young) sleepwalks in accordance with Jin's dream. They meet at a traffic accident scene where Ran behaves consistently with Jin's dream.

Kim is known for his distinctive experimental cinematic works. He received Best Director awards in 2004 at two film festivals, for two of his films. At the Berlin International Film Festival, he won an award for ``Samaria'' (2004) while at the Venice Film Festival he took one for ``3-Iron'' (2004). However, some of his movies are controversial due to their depiction of the abuse of women and animal cruelty.

Japanese actor Jo Odagiri

Odagiri, 31, is a Japanese actor who studied acting in California State University. Debuting in the drama ``Kamen Rider Kuuga'' (2000), Odagiri made a name for himself as a star in Korea through the movie ``House of Himiko'' (2005) and ``Tokyo Tower'' (2007).

Prominent actress Lee, 28, is said to have brought a new look to the Korean film industry. She won the Best Actress award at the 25th Blue Dragon Film Awards for her role in ``Someone Special'' (2004). Her last appearance was in the movie ``Maundy Thursday'' (2006). Lee played the character of a suicidal young woman who regularly visits a convicted murderer awaiting execution.

The movie started filming Jan. 4 in Seoul and is to be completed by the end of this month. The director, Kim, is famous for his low budget films and short shooting periods. It will be released in May.

Source: Korea Times

Jun, Hwang Become Super Heroes

Actors Hwang Jung-min, left, and Jun Ji-hyun speak at a press conference for their new movie `A Man Who Was Superman,'' Monday at a Seoul theater. / Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul

Hallyu princess Jun Ji-hyun (also known as Gianna Jun, ``My Sassy Girl,'' 2001) and Korea's favorite leading man Hwang Jung-min (``Happiness,'' 2007) may seem like an odd pair, but they have one thing in common: superstar power.

The two join forces in ``A Man Who Was Superman,'' a story about an unlikely ``hero'' (Hwang), who goes out of his way to help ― or rescue ― the planet by helping senior citizens cross the street and hand-standing in the middle of the road ``to push away'' the detrimental effects of the sun. Jun plays the role of Song Su-jeong, a cynical documentary filmmaker who records his story.

A press conference Monday at a Seoul theater buzzed with reporters trying to catch the two stars in the latest work by Chung Yoon-chul, the director who had the entire nation crying with his tearjerker ``Marathon'' (2005).

The director and actors arrived a little late for the event, and Hwang explained that it was because the emergency exit door was locked. ``I wanted to break it down, but I couldn't use my superpower. I can't use it as long as I have kryptonite stuck in my head'' he said.

Kryptonite is a fictional substance that weakens Superman's powers in the original American comic series. In the movie, his character claims to have kryptonite stuck in his head, and when Song (Jun) discovers through an X-ray that there really is something in his brain, she knows she has the story of her life.

``I am Superman, a man who is truly Superman at heart,'' Hwang introduced himself. Hwang is undoubtedly the most high profile actor in Korea, and revisits fans with a third movie just a few months after ``Black House'' and ``Happiness'' (2007).

Although Jun was regularly seen on TV through various commercials here, she makes an appearance on the big screen for the first time in two years since ``Daisy'' (2006). She had also been busy shooting her Hollywood debut piece ``Blood: The Last Vampire.''

For ``Superman,'' the actress cut off her signature long silky hair, and her character even suffers from balding. But Jun explained that the hair wasn't a problem at all ― it was having to smoke that worried her. ``I actually smoked, and it wasn't as difficult as I imagined. But I put health above everything else, and I asked myself if I really had to hurt my health for my career,'' she said. When asked rather mischievously if she'd choose a sex scene over smoking, Jun simply said, ``I want to shoot movies that I'd be proud to show my children.''

But she knew that ``Superman'' was a big opportunity. ``Although luck was probably involved, I think it's destiny for an actor to `meet' new work,'' she said.

She also admitted feeling a lot of pressure acting opposite her co-star, a bona-fide actor. ``But on the first day I met him, I realized that I have much to learn from him, not only from his acting, but also as an individual,'' she said.

Hwang also complimented his co-star. ``I was amazed to see myself make such different facial expressions. But it's because of Jun. Acting is not something you can calculate, it's a heart-to-heart dialogue, and it was possible because of her.''

In fact, there was one scene that required 34 retakes because of Hwang, and Jun calls this her ``triumph. I thought that the great actor Hwang Jung-min would just need just one go,'' she joked.

``This movie shows that it's not so difficult or a big deal to make a difference in the world, that we can all become Superman,'' said the director. ``I hope the audience will feel happy while watching the `supernatural' acting of our actors, and realize the potential in themselves.''

When asked what they would do if given superpowers, the director said he would help clean the oil spill in Taean, South Chungcheon Province, while Jun said she would start with the little things in life such as a helping a needy neighbor, and Hwang joked he would turn back time to retrieve money he had lost to a bully as a child.

``I am proud to be able to share the successful `localization' of the American comic strip,'' said the director, drawing a hearty laugh from the crowd. ``Perhaps you can stay tuned for `A Woman Who was Wonder Woman' starring Jun Ji-hyun in the future.''

Source: Korea Times

`Forever’ Loses Its Own Game

It's sweaty and teary, and preaches self-challenge. After a seven-year hiatus, director Lim Soon-rye (``Waikiki Brothers'' makes a comeback with ``Forever the Moment,'' the world's first handball movie inspired by the women's match at the 2004 Athens Olympics.

So you expect it to be another adrenaline-pumping sports movie, with a coach or athlete nursing some sort of wound (heartbreak, injury, etc.), comic-relief teammates and a big hurdle to overcome. Usually, team spirit magically pumps up muscles and the main character scores the winning point. Add a few slow motion scenes zooming into the sweat and tears with dramatic music.

Lim, however, asks audiences to forget typical Hollywood conventions for sports dramas. The main characters lose the big game at the end, and there is no fancy camerawork.

Korea and Denmark had shared four Olympic titles for women's handball from 1988 to 2000, with the Danes winning the latter two. The two dueling teams met again as finalists in 2004, and the pulsating game continued long and hard with a tie score leading to two killer overtimes and a penalty throw showdown.

Korea lost, but won what many call a silver medal that shines more brightly than the gold. At the time, Korean women's handball was at its worst state ever, and players who should have been retired joined the national team to face the indefatigable Denmark. It was a miraculous achievement _ ``the greatest moment of our lives'' (the film's title in Korean).

''Forever'' gives an account of the events leading up to the Olympics, though the characters are fictionalized. Hye-kyeong (Kim Jung-eun) is called to coach the troubled national team. In desperation, she recruits retired players,
including her good friend and longtime rival Mi-suk (Moon So-ri). Mi-suk had been

But various problems push Hye-kyeong out of her coaching position. To add fuel to the fire, Hye-kyeong's ex-boyfriend and handball star Seung-pil (Uhm Tae-woong) is appointed as her replacement. This time Mi-suk convinces Hye-kyeong to join the team as a player.

Lim focuses on the individual lives of characters, and most of the action does take place outside of the court. This works mighty well in the first half of the movie.

Want it or not, however, ``Forever'' is deeply rooted in the classic formula. The main drama inevitably involves coach-player conflicts and other problems inherent to the world of sports.

As the movie kicks and thrashes about to defy conventions of its genre, the painful struggle becomes much too apparent.

While traditional sports movies may be formulaic, it makes viewers fall in love with the featured sport. Characters in ``Forever'' desperately speak of their love of the game _ Mi-suk shouts at the top of her lungs how she returned to play only three weeks after having a baby while Hye-kyeong foregoes her pride to go from coach to player _ but the film doesn't actually show it.

The most gripping parts of the film are issues rarely seen in sports films, such discriminations faced by female coaches and the burden of menstruation cycles for female athletes. This is also the source of team bonding, but the film touches upon it rather superficially.

The final game scene is superbly crafted (the actual Danish team makes an appearance) but it's just a striking reenactment of the 2004 game. Ironically, it is dishearteningly realistic, and the film loses its dramatic touch. The most compelling part of the two-hour flick is the snippet of interviews and photos from actual team members that accompanies the film credits.

Nevertheless, the leading ladies deserve a standing ovation for their convincing jumps and throws (though they remain a bit supermodel thin), and the moment of defeat is beautifully captured.

As the film loses its dramatic edge, it reminds us more of the bitter loss of the gold than the glorious win of the silver. Lim deserves credit for her attempt to make an unconventional sports movie, but she ends up breaking her own game rules.

In theaters Jan. 10.

Source: Korea Times

`The Host 2' Features Monsters in Cheonggye

For people who visit the Han River, some may have wondered if there is anything living under the deep waters. That fantasy was brought to life in the 2006 hit movie ``The Host,'' and for fans that enjoyed the thriller, news of a sequel will indeed grab attention.

Chungeoram Film, producer of the film, said that in ``The Host 2,'' (working title) more monsters will appear but this time from Cheonggye Stream. The draft for the scenario has been completed by Kang Do-yoon, better known as Kang-full, a renowned Internet cartoonist.

``The sequel will portray the lives of the city street vendors, the Cheonggye stream construction workers and the police before the stream was completed,'' Choi Yong-bae, the head of Chungeoram Film said.

President-elect Lee Myung-bak successfully brought back to life the Cheonggye Stream in 2005 when he was mayor of Seoul.

``We did worry that the setting was a place that symbolizes the President-elect's accomplishment. But Cheonggyecheon is already a place that represents Seoul and we thought the movie would fully portray the social and historical meaning `The Host' has,'' Choi said.

The sequel will be set in 2003, when plans to reclaim Cheonggye Stream were just announced.

``The Host" (2006) directed by Bong Joon-ho, featured a monster that was born out of the pollution in the Han River. The film saw an audience of 13 million, becoming the year's blockbuster.

But the sequel is expected to feature several monsters from Cheonggye Stream which was formerly had been covered by an elevated highway after the stream was buried. More computer graphics will also be needed to capture details of the pre-Cheonggye Stream renovation, which is expected to push the budget for the film to around 10 billion won, insiders said.

The director and actors of the movie are yet to be confirmed. The production company said that they will start shooting later this year and hopefully see a release in 2009.

Source: Korea Times

Ki-duk Kim casts Joe Odagiri and Na-Young Lee for next film “Bi-mong”

For Ki-duk Kim’s next film, the controversial director likely won’t have problems with distribution in Korea or anywhere else for that matter. The title of his next film is “비몽” (Bi-mong) and the film will star none other than Korea’s favorite spokesperson and actress Na-Young Lee (Please Teach Me English/Someone Special/Maundy Thursday) and Japan’s favorite indie film actor Joe Odagiri (Azumi/Scrap Heavan /Sway).

“Bi-mong” itself is a mysterious film in which dreams and reality come together. The main character (played by Joe Odagiri) dreams that he caused a car accident. He then goes to the place where the dream occurred, only to discover an actual hit and run accident. The police track down the suspected driver, named Ran (Na-Young Lee), who they find in her home sleepwalking. She’s arrested but insists she was never involved in a car accident but does have a sleepwalking disorder. Joe Odagiri then admits to causing the accident and their dreams and reality start to become intertwined.

The language barrier for Japanese & English speaking Joe Odagiri presents an interesting problem in a Korean film, but judging from Pan Asian films like “Last Life in the Universe” (Japanese - Thai) picture, when done right it just doesn’t matter.

Ki-duk Kim has gained strong international recognition for directing art-house favorites like “The Bow,” “The Isle,” “Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter” and “Breath” while receiving less than favorable reviews in Korea. The backlash in Korea were directed to his earlier films which some claim to be misogynist. “Bi-mong” starts filming on January 4th and is expected to finish by January 25th. Ki-duk Kim stated that he was interested in Joe Odagiri since watching his performance in “Sway.” Meanwhile Joe Odagiri announced last week his engagement with Yu Kashi (the guitarist in Linda, Linda Linda).

Source: Lunapark6

Cheonggye Stream to be Backdrop for 'The Host 2'

The sequel to the number one summer blockbuster film of 2006 'The Host' will be made. The story of 'The Host 2' will take place in the Cheonggyecheon area in Seoul, which was restored by the newly elected president Lee Myung-bak.

The president-elect's actual name is expected to be mentioned in the film. A group of "monsters" is expected to appear in the new film, raising excited expectations. The production company recently announced the the draft manuscript for 'The Host 2' has been completed and that renowned Internet cartoonist Kang Pool will be in charge of the overall script.

Casting for 'The Host 2' will be completed in the first half of the year, and the film will go straight into shooting. The film is slated for release in 2009.

Source: KBS Global

'Hansel & Gretel' Loses Focus

Actor Chun Jeong-myoung, left, stars in the horror drama ``Hansel and Gretel,'' inspired by the fairytale of the same title by the Brothers Grimm. Up and coming director Yim Pil-sung's latest work ``Hansel and Gretel'' is a sinister tale, which gets its inspiration from those classic children's stories with a dark twist. Here it is adults rather than children who become lost in the woods. But the movie itself loses orientation and trails off course. There are no redeeming factors ― no breadcrumbs ― to this ``brutal fairytale,'' which stops short of being an allegorical oxymoron. Eun-su (Chun Jeong-myoung), while arguing over the phone with his girlfriend, has a car accident in the middle of nowhere. Deep in the heart of a forest, he finds sanctuary in a beautiful house, where a charming family of five greets him. Here, rooms are filled with a myriad of colorful toys, and sumptuous three-tier cakes and other cavity-causing sweets are served for breakfast. But that's one thing to imagine and another to actually live through, especially when you cannot get away from it ― ever. There is something decidedly uncanny about the ``Happy Children's Home.'' Eun-su makes a few attempts to escape, but to no avail as the heavy snow and winding road always bring him back. To make matters worse, the parents disappear one day. While forced to look after the kids, he starts to notice strange things around the house. The eldest, Man-seok, has a dangerous temper unfit for a child, while his younger sister Yeong-hi sleepwalks and baby Jeong-sun repeatedly torments her dolls. Meanwhile, an odd couple find themselves at the children's home, and Eun-su becomes torn, having to protect the children from the shady strangers while watching out for his own life and that of the adults. ``Hansel and Gretel'' makes a decent start as a horror flick, filled with eerie shadows and haunting voices, dismantled porcelain dolls and gazing eyes peering out of bunny-print wallpapers (Ryoo Sung-hee, art director of ``Old Boy'' (2003), created the striking visuals). But it suddenly makes a sharp crossover to heavy ― and disturbing ― drama. Two roads diverged in a wood, and the director tried to awkwardly straddle both. It's got to hurt. ``Hansel and Gretel'' is basically about abused and abandoned children who, while taking revenge on adults who have wronged them, remain thirsty for love and attention. The victims are no longer weak and powerless but equipped with supernatural abilities. Yet, a mystery greater than the magical plot elements is the film's rating. The senseless violence in the film makes you wonder whether it's appropriate for 12-year-olds. ``Children these days are prone to many dangers. Although the (violence) concerning the children may have been extreme, I wanted to portray (their) pain and circumstances,'' Yim said after the press preview. But how does one justify the disturbing means to an end, especially when it actually takes away from the flow of emotions? It becomes difficult to digest the fine acting of the child actors who seem to have sold their soul to the film. While popular actor Chun Jeong-myoung makes a rather mediocre appearance, Park Heui-soon, who made a name for himself by starring opposite Kim Yun-jin in ``Seven Days,'' shows how good acting can shine through even in the foggiest works. Source: Korea Times