Windstruck

Dans le cinéma coréen, on dirait que pour chaque My Sassy Girl il y a un Windstruck . Si le 2e est un préquel, c’est bien sournoisement. Il est vrai qu’il y a dans Sassy.. un passage bien mélo qui domine à outrance dans Windstruck. Lui commence superbement et enchaîne 1 ou 2 passages burlesques, mais l’ensemble est tellement “sentimentalisé” que ça n’en vaut pas la peine. L’avis de l’amateur: c’est nul, cheezy like hell.

Honokaa boy

Quand on pense abandonner l’idée d’être un temps soit peu diverti, on se rend compte qu’on tient entre les yeux un film paisible, charmant, très bien réalisé. La fin tire un peu sur la nostalgie… pas si grave quand les plans larges sont campés dans un paysage hawaïen tempéré. L’avis de l’amateur: appréciable, cool flick. A noter que Aoi Yu n’est que passagère dans l’histoire…

Haruka Ayase

By Adam Wing – 24FramesperSecond.net

Had someone told me this morning that later today I would be watching a new Japanese movie that sits somewhere between Pretty Woman and Terminator, I’d have politely asked them what it was they were smoking. But here it is folks, a rom-com sci-fi movie from the director of My Sassy Girl and Windstruck. Jae-young Kwak introduces us to a lonely young man who falls in love with an emotionless cyborg, Jiro (Keisuke Koide) is celebrating his birthday alone when he crosses paths with a mysterious young beauty and after spending the evening together the girl vanishes without a trace. Jiro’s life has been pretty dull up to this point, and he knows that whatever happens, he’ll never be able to shake that girl or the night they spent together.

Exactly one year later, he returns to the same restaurant and the girl reappears to celebrate his twenty-first birthday. But something is different this year, as Jiro discovers when an assassin forgets his table manners and starts shooting the place up. Jiro’s life is saved by the woman of his dreams, and it’s here that traumatised boyfriends of the world can unite, because the great thing about Cyborg She is that it takes its sci-fi just as seriously as it’s romance, which means Jae-young Kwak may have inadvertently created the perfect date movie. Action, romance, comedy and sci-fi, what’s not to love?

Amazon Specials!

Kwak Kyung-taek

Korean director Kwak Kyung-taek is set to direct a 3D live-action film, tentatively titled The Battle Of Yellow Sea, about the explosive naval engagement between North and South Korea on the second-to-last day of the 2002 World Cup.

IM Pictures, which has credits such as My Sassy Girl, Tazza: The High Rollers and The Big Swindle, is the main investor and producer. The company’s CEO Choi Wan will executive produce. IB Pictures and Ocean Drive Entertainment are co-producing.

Kwak previously directed Korean blockbusters Typhoon and Friend.

IM Pictures stated: “The global film industry is moving towards 3D films. Domestic multiplexes have also been introducing 3D projection quickly, and we will go from the more than 60 screens now to more than 100 screens by next year. So the industry has great expectations for a full 3D live-action film. Supported by this global trend, The Battle Of Yellow Sea (working title) will be Korea’s first full 3D live-action film.”

The film has a budget of approximately $16.65m (KW20bn).

Friend cinematographer Hwang Ki-seok is attached to the project, as are other staff and crew from Typhoon and blockbuster Taegukgi, directed by Kang Je-gyu.

The film is currently in casting, with plans to go into production March 2010. The 3D work is to be done by local and overseas companies, to be announced.

Amazon Specials!

As you watch the latest crop of Hollywood action movie trailers, you may notice something unusual, something some said would never happen: more and more Korean faces in lead roles.

The year 2009 has been an especially fruitful one for Korean actors who have made it in American film, though no one knows how long their luck will last.

“My Sassy Girl” heroine Jun Ji-hyun starred in her first international action movie, “Blood: The Last Vampire,” which was released in June in Korea. In the action flick, Jun plays the role of a human-vampire hybrid named Saya.

Korean wave stalwart Lee Byung-hun also made his Hollywood debut in the big-budget “G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra,” which opened in August. In this theatrical and colorful action movie, Lee plays Storm Shadow, a Korean martial arts fighter and a member of the villainous organization of the title.

And even more big-budget Hollywood movies with Korean actors in the lead roles are coming soon. In “Laundry Warrior,” his first American film, Jang Dong-gun plays an Asian assassin who has been hiding out in a small American town. Pop superstar Rain made his debut in Hollywood in a supporting role in “Speed Racer” in 2008, but now he is ready to come back as the lead character in the new movie “Ninja Assassin.”

This huge list may seem an unqualified success for Korean actors, but bigger problems often crop up after they land on the shores of Los Angeles.

As previous attempts by Korean actors to break into the American film industry show, the biggest obstacle to overcome is the language barrier. The ability not only to read lines fluently, but also to communicate with the director and the film crew is crucial.

At an interview in May in Seoul, Jun explained the issues she had to deal with while shooting Blood.

“I remember the first shoot very vividly. I could only perform two lines of the script, and I couldn’t understand what the producers wanted from me,” she said.

Because language is a major difficulty for foreign actors, it is inevitable that Korean actors not fluent in English will have limited options for possible roles. Most of the time, Korean actors choose action films and play very dynamic characters, expressing themselves with movement rather than verbally through lengthy conversations or monologues.

Although Lee has a quite big role in G.I. Joe, his character is built up through set pieces and visual qualities rather than lines. Of course, the blockbuster is an excellent start for Lee’s career, raising awareness of him worldwide.

However, the question remains: After the movie’s success, will Lee be able to keep up with the fast pace of Hollywood and take it to the next level? The test for every Korean actor is to be more than just an exotic Asian face and continue to make films.

Being able to speak fluent English is a big plus, but it is also something Korean actors have to overcome in order to take that next step in Hollywood.

Another reason Korean actors have limited role options in action movies has to do with stereotypical ideas about Asians in Western society. Japanese samurai or Chinese kung fu fighters are still the commonly accepted images of Asian culture, particularly Asian men. Films in genres that average Americans identify with the most, like drama or romance, seldom have Asian characters in leading roles.

Stereotypes are unquestionably negative, as they come from the commodification of one’s culture, but they have helped shape individual countries’ identities. Samurai have become representative of Japanese culture, and likewise for kung fu and China. But Korea has no such quick fit in the Western world. Thus, roles for Asian characters often tend to go to Japanese or Chinese. In fact, Jun’s film Blood is based on a Japanese anime.

Meanwhile, Rain’s character in Speed Racer, Taejo Tokokan, and Lee Byung-hun’s character Storm Shadow were originally Japanese, but they both asked the filmmakers to change the nationality of the characters since they are Koreans. Although a lot of the characters’ features may still remind viewers of Japan, that effort should be acknowledged.

It might be inevitable for Korean actors to start their Hollywood careers playing stereotypical Asian characters, but in time the best will be able to build up their own identities. Perhaps the best known example of this is Kim Yun-jin, who played a complex and nuanced Korean character on the American television show “Lost.”

Establishing a positive and strong Korean identity that can be differentiated from previously built images is the key to the globalization of Korean culture – and its biggest challenge

JoongAng Daily

Jeon Ji-hyun is currently eyeing new projects, and may possibly be returning to television in a drama series. She has reportedly received an offer to star in a drama currently in its preparation stages, and is said to be considering it seriously. The plot centers around a woman who is dumped by her boyfriend, then goes out of her way to find a man “just like her old love.”

Jeon hasn’t acted in a drama in ten years; her last was the 1999 show Happy Together (with Lee Byung-heon, Song Seung-heon, Kim Haneul, and Cha Tae-hyun). Following that, she’s stuck to films like Il Mare, Windstruck, and her claim to fame, 2001’s My Sassy Girl. She has maintained her fame as a top star with a bevy of CFs, even though recent endeavors have fallen somewhat short of expectations, including her latest film, the vampire action movie Blood: The Last Vampire. Blood performed poorly at the box office and pulled in poor reviews (although Jeon did receive some praise for her role).

The drama series in question is expected to be announced on a broadcast schedule this week. Some reports say Jeon is in talks with production, while her management, Sidus HQ, has come out with the vague statement that they will consider any project if it’s good, but are not focused on one in particular.

source: star news
Translations: dramabeans

Bu filmi yeni izlemedim baya oldu ve hiç bir filmi zırt pırt izlemem ama bunu nedense 4-5 kere -Tuny’nin verdiği cd’yi-cd’yi takıp izlemişimdir… Bir film bu kadar mı güzel olur… Kız süper değil aslında orda mükemmel olan çocuk her şeye dayanan ama… Neyse anlatmakla olmaz bir izleyin. İyi seyirler…

Hırçın Sevgilim

My Sassy Girl

Tür: Dram ,  Komedi ,  Romantik

Oyuncular: Elisha Cuthbert ,  Jesse Bradford ,  Austin Basis ,  Brooke Tansley ,  Joanna Gleason

Yönetmen: Victor Levin

Senaryo: Victor Levin

Yapımcı: Mark Morgan ,  Guy Oseary ,  Paul Brooks ,  Jay Polstein

Görüntü Yönetmeni: Eric Schmidt

Görüntü Yönetmeni: David Kitay

Süre: 1 saat 32 dk

Filmin Özeti:

Film Charlie Bello’nun ilk ve son kez aşık olmasını anlatır. Sakin ve sevimli bir genç olan Charlie’nin hayatına eğlenceli ve çılgın Jordan girer. Jordan renkli olduğu kadar ruhsal olarak da dengesiz biridir. Charlie ise her geçen gün Jordan’a daha fazla aşık olmaktadır.

Birbirinden farklı iki kişinin aşk hikayesini anlatan Hırçın Sevgilim / My Sassy Girl, 2008 yılında Golden Trailer Awards’da en iyi romatik film dalında Golden Trailer ödülünü kazanmıştır. Aynı zamanda, Güney Kore sinemasının en eğlenceli filmlerinden biri olan Hırçın sevgilim / My Sassy Girl, kendi ülkesinde büyük gişe başarısı kazanmış ve ardında Hollywodd’a transfer olan keyifli bir film.

Fragmanı:

Salam

Okey, dekat ruangan ini, saya akan terang tentang filem yang saya suka tonton dan tidak akan bosan menontonnya walaupun saya tontonnya berulang kali. Filem yang saya maksudkan ada banyak tapi saya senaraikan 2 dulu buat masa ini. Okey.

Filem yang saya maksudkan bagi yang pertama adalah “My Sassy Girl” tapi yang version Amerika punya lebih senang katalah, keluaran “Hollywood”. Saya mula tengok filem ini masa saya menontonnya di Astro, “Star Movie” saluran 413 masa bulan Julai 2009. Tayangannya berulang – ulang selama sebulan tu. Masa itu saya tengok filem ini memang feel gilerla. Khusyuk katakan. Filem ini diadaptasikan dari filem asal iaitu dari Korea Selatan dengan tajuk yang sama. Saya suka yang versi “Hollywood” pasal ceritanya tidak terlampau sedih kalau nak dibandingkan dengan versi Korea. Banyak unsur lawak dalam meniti alam percintaan. Macam itulah katakan.

Antara gambar - gambar dari filem "My Sassy Girl"

Memang banyak unsur lawak atau kelakar dalam filem ini. Banyak babak – babak yang saya suka dalam filem ini. Macam babak dimana Jordan Roark lakonan Elisha Cutbert terpukul kepala Charlie Bellow lakonan Jesse Bradford dengan kayu hoki ais, sampaikan Charlie Bellow pengsan dan Jordan Roark terpaksa usung Charlie Bellow dengan kereta sorong pasaraya yang diambil dari orang yang tidak berumah di jalan berdekatan dengan tempat luncur ais. Lepas itu, babak dimana Jordan Roark main satu permainan dengan Charlie Bellow di Stesen keretaapi bawah tanah (subway). Dimana mereka main tampar menampar. Memang masa itu best giler tonton and lawak. Dan banyak lagi babak – babak yang best.

Memang best la tonton filem ini. Tidak terkata. Hehehehe. Biasalah, peminat filem – filem “Hollywood”. Saya pun tidak tahu kenapa saya suka tonton filem ini. Tapi, untuk rekod, filem ini tidak pernah ditayangkan di pawangan – pawangan di Malaysia. Dan DVDnya pun tidak ada dalam pasaran Malaysia. Saya dah cari DVDnya di laman – laman web kedai jualan DVD, CD, VCD di Malaysia seperti Rock Corner, Video Ezy atau pun Speedy. Memang x ade langsung. Sama juga kat kedai – kedainya.

Ini antara gambar yang saya suka lihat.

Sedih tidak terkatalah. Mungkin. Sebab, baru saja hendak buat koleksi peribadi tapi tidak ada dekat pasaran Malaysia. Kalau ada pun, kene beli dari laman web luar negara seperti Amazon.com dan sebagainya dengan harga jualan USD12.90.

Entahlah. Tidak tahu kenapa tidak ada dekat pasaran Malaysia. Yang penting, filem ini yang paling best pernah saya tengok dalam banyak – banyak filem jenis Romance, Drama dan Comedy (komedi). Kalau “rating” yang saya bagi untuk filem ini adalah 10/10. Memang patut pun. Hehehehe.

Muka Hadapan (cover) DVD.

Akhir kata, siapa yang tidak atau belum tonton filem ini, tontonlah yea. Okey, Adios. Roger and Out.

Adek gue beberapa hari yang lalu tanya ke gue tentang sebuah lagu yang ada di film Korea, My Sassy Girl. Lagu yang muncul ketika di sebuah scene, Gyeon-woo (Cha Tae-Hyun) memberikan sebuah bunga ke pacarnya (Jeon Ji-Hyun) yang sedang memainkan piano di kelas.

Baru semalam ketemu file-nya. Setelah gue unduh, langsung gue kasih ke adek gue. Sedikit kesulitan cari lagu tersebut karena judulnya nggak ada di OST. My Sassy Girl.

Judul lagunya, Pachelbel’s Canon (a.k.a Canon in D major a.k.a Canon and Gigue in D major for three Violins and Basso Continuo).

Ternyata asik juga. Musik klasik memang top. Saat ini, Pachelbel’s Canon jadi salah satu lagu yang ada di playlist gue yang sering gue setel.

Actually, it’s not just with Korean Movies I am addicted to but also with Taiwanese series! I am planning to give you guys a run down of movies and series that I’ve watched lately. To start it off, I want to share these Korean movies. You could watch it through www.mysoju.com or www.dramacrazy.net .

My Sassy Girl

SYNOPSIS:

My Sassy Girl (엽기적인 그녀; literally, That Bizarre Girl) is a 2001 South Korean romantic comedy film directed by Kwak Jae-yong, in which the lead protagonist’s chance meeting with a drunk girl on the train changes his life. It is based on the true story told in a series of love letters written by Kim Ho-sik, a man who initially posted them on the Internet and later adapted them into a novel. My Sassy Girl is the smash hit of 2001. It tells the story of a young man not knowing what to do with his life, and a young sassy girl who turns his world upside down. (courtesy of www.wikipedia.org & www.mysoju.com)

CASTS:

- Cha Tae-Hyun – Gyeon-woo

- Jun Ji-hyun – Gyeon- woo’s love intrest

REVIEW:

This is the first ever Korean movie that I’ve watched! The story was very catchy. I love it’s romantic-comedy feel. I also go gaga over its sound track! This was really a must see.

200 Pounds Beauty

200 Pounds Beauty

SYNOPSIS:

Hanna is a lip sync vocalist for Ami, the famous Korean pop singer Even though she is always ignored because of her appearance, she has been a bright and lighthearted girl until Ami humiliates her in front of Sang-jun, her secret love. At last she makes a decision of a lifetime to have a plastic surgery all over her body. Will her unrequited love gets any return? (courtesy of  www.hancinema.net)

CASTS:

Kim Ah Joong – Kang Han-na / Jenny

Joo Jin Mo – Han Sang Joon

Kim Hyeon Suk – Park Jeong Min

Im Hyeon Sik – Hanna’s Dad

Seo Woon – Ah-mi

REVIEW:

A romantic-comedy with light drama movie shown in 2006. I love it!!! The actress Kim Ah Joong really portrays her role very well. This movie will make you laugh your heart out!

Daddy Long Legs

SYNOPSIS:

Daddy Long Legs is the story of an orphan Yeong-mi with an anonymous sponsor. She grows up to be a bright and courageous scenario writer with helps from Daddy Long Legs. She then falls in love with Junho, who works at the company’s archive. (courtesy of: www.mysoju.com)

CASTS:

• Yeon Jung Hoon as Kim Joon-ho
• Ha Ji Won as Cha Young-mi
• Park Eun Hye (girl in flashbacks)
• Hyun Bin (guy in flashbacks)
• Shin Yi as Kang Jong Jong / Jjong

REVIEW:

A 2005 romantic-drama movie which was adapted in a novel written by Jean Webster. This made me cry because the guy who works in the archive is actually daddy long legs and the time she knew it, he was already dying because of a disease! (x_x spoiler!) I love this drama. I’m not really into watching dramas because I find it boring, I’m more into comedy and romance but his one is an exception.

Antique Bakery

SYNOPSIS:

The story is about the lives of four men who works in a small bakery selling  the best cakes. The owner, Kim Jin Hyeok who ironically don’t like any sweets, has been kidnapped when he was a child. In quest for his abductor, he decide to open the bakery since he remembered he has been fed by cake everyday by that man.

CASTS:

• Joo Ji Hoon as Kim Jin Hyeok (Tachibana)
• Kim Jae Wook as Min Seon Woo (Ono)
• Yoo Ah In as Yang Ki Beom (Eiji)
• Choi Ji Ho as Nam Soo Yeong (Chikage)
• Andy Gillet as Jean-Baptise Evan

REVIEW:

A 2008 movie adapted from a Japanese manga by Fumi Yoshinaga. This movie makes me clueless on the first part but as the story goes on, the conflicts  are being explained one by one. It was funny maybe because of the chemistry of the four actors. Kim Jae Wook portrays the gay role very well! If you’re looking for a movie which is under a comedy-mystery-drama genre, this one is for you.

And I’m back! Were you waiting?! Let’s pretend that for the past week you were anticipating the continuance of  my Rundown. If not then, Sorry for the delay. Life is busy…super busy! Perhaps I should script my own Kdrama–I tell you sometimes I feel like I’m in one. Anywho, yes. where were we? Yellow Handkerchief and it’s hypnotic spell over me; that’s where we were!

Like I said, I was in it to win it with this drama, like I was part of the cast. I can still hear the opening music and I STILL get giddy thinking about it. Unfortunately, I never got to see all of the episodes. I think the last thing I saw was when JaYoung ( played by Lee Tae Ran//이태란) tells her slimy ex-boo of 10 years Lee SangMin (played by Kim HoJin //김호진) that she’s preggers and he still leaves her for that slimier bitch Jo MinJoo (played by Choo SangMi//추상미). WOOO! It was on and poppin…until I moved back to NY and couldn’t get the station any longer. I’ve been searching all over for a site that has all of the episodes in HD to watch but I’ve no luck yet. Hopefully someday DramaFever will add it to it’s roster along with the newer shows they’re including *cough* because it truly is a mesmerizing drama!

Moving on, I have to say that I went through a spell of being a big fan of actress Lee Yuri( 이유리 ) after her super cute/cool role in Yellow Handkerchief so for a while I spent time watching her movies along with works from my other favorite actors. When I eventually went back to watching Kdramas, I was recommended to watch Stairway To Heaven, which I loved. However it was such a sad story from beginning to end that I was completely drained and wanted something more upbeat. Enter My Name Is Kim Sam Soon (내 이름은 김삼순)[site]. HILARIOUS and touching, this story made me feel really happy that here was this sassy woman who was no-nonsense and not your typical beauty being the center of affection AND got the guy! Especially in a genre of entertainment where for the most part the women roles all fit the same mold. You GO SamSoon!

Next in my comedic relief line-up of dramas starred another favorite actresses, Lee Da Hae (이다해). Back to back I watched My Girl (마이걸) and Hello Miss! (헬로 애기씨!) because she is such a delight to watch. Very comedic actress who’s also capable of portraying depth. Both My Girl and Hello Miss! were enjoyable tales of young love without too much seriousness and impeding doom that’s often accompanied with K-dramas. Yes there were tender moments, but the light-heartedness balanced it out perfectly. I’d totally recommend these to anyone who’s in the mood to smile and feel good about love, friendships and family.

After watching these two, I went through another dry spell and didn’t watch any dramas. Mainly due to having a busy class schedule, but also because I was content with the performances I’d just seen. So fast forward a few months to my most recent dramawatch and it’s none other than the epic East Of Eden (에덴의 동쪽). This deserves a post unto itself, so I’m gonna have to hit you guys with another To Be Continued! See ya next week!

SEOUL — At the Wednesday news conference for “G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra,” it wasn’t Channing Tatum or Sienna Miller that caught the eyes of many Japanese fans who anxiously waited outside the hotel lobby to get a glimpse of their star. Instead, they all flew in to see the Korean actor Lee Byung-hun, who plays a supporting role in his first Hollywood live-action pic.

For Paramount Pictures, the film’s distributor, this was a promising sign — one that suggests the potential benefit of casting an Asian superstar to attract regional ticket buyers when marketing a quintessentially American film.

The strategy seems to be on the rise with major Hollywood productions that once had limited roles for Asian actors. Aside from Lee (“The Good, the Bad, the Weird”), who plays the film’s charismatic Storm Shadow, other Korean actors are also participating in the trend.

After tasting bitterness with the boxoffice flop of his Hollywood debut “Speed Racer,” Korean singer-actor Rain is aiming to revamp his reputation through “Ninja Assassin,” another action flick produced by the Wachowski Brothers. Daniel Henney, a Korean-American actor with a strong Asian fan base, starred as Agent Zero in “X-Men Origins: Wolverine.” Gianna Jun (or Jun Ji-hyun), an Asian darling from a hit romantic comedy “My Sassy Girl,” also known for its Hollywood remake, recently starred in a Pan-Asian, English-language film “Blood: The Last Vampire,” which many see it as Jun’s prelude to a Hollywood debut.

The trend largely owes to a phenomenon dubbed among the locals as hallyu, or a Korean wave, in which Korean TV dramas and movies became such a hit throughout Asia that the country’s entertainment scene suddenly became a new tourist attraction.

In the film circle, the idea was quickly picked up through organized meetings like Asia Pacific Actors Network during the annual Pusan International Film Festival, which was originally started in 2007 by prominent Korean actors like Ahn Sung-ki and Kang Soo-yeon, and quickly turned into a venue that encourages Asian actors to make inroads into Hollywood.

“For Hollywood, it (hallyu) is a sign that Korean actors hold major ticket power in Asia,” said Choi Min-soo, the head of marketing at CJ Entertainment, the importer of “G.I. Joe.” “It’s also a sign that the Asian market is no longer just ‘one of them.’ “

In marketing a Hollywood film featuring Korean celebrities, many distributors and importers are now developing a regional strategy focusing on local stars.

In “Wolverine,” the 20th Century Fox Korea prepared a separate poster image featuring Daniel Henney next to Hugh Jackman and a few other leads in the film; Henney’s character is not included in the North American version.

Fox Korea has also produced a separate trailer which has added clips of the Korean-American actor on top of the international version.

“It was simply more helpful to market a film (featuring a Korean celebrity),” said Mark Kim at 20th Century Fox Korea. “We do arrange a promotion tour of the cast or a junket before a film releases, but it’s different having the actor and their agent around in the country in terms of access.”

For Korean actors, though, common dilemma exists when they try to “make it abroad.”

Language is an obvious barrier. But for many, compromising their regional star power to play a relatively minor role in a Hollywood film often takes courage and commitment.

The pressure on the local actors is real and often immediate, given that Korean audiences are particularly sensitive about how the international market sees their idols.

Local Internet users, for example, questioned the significance of Lee’s role in his first Hollywood debut by making a fuss about the original poster for “G.I. Joe” that showed the face of Lee over a white mask. CJ explained that the company deliberately hid the actor’s face “to tease,” and later changed it with a different version fully showing Lee’s face.

In a country where national pride is often high, many Korean actors also worry about losing their local fans by choosing roles that misrepresent their country or present wrong ethnic stereotypes.

Kim Yun-jin, a Korean-American actress from the ABC series “Lost,” had made it clear in an interview with a Korean press that she did not want to start her Hollywood career through a geisha’s role, recalling her casting offer from “Memoirs of a Geisha.”

“It depends on how you approach it,” said Charles Kim, a producer for October Pictures, a production company based in Hong Kong, Beijing and Seoul. “Forget the amount of time the character appears on screen. The question is whether their role will have any impact in creating a strong impression of the actor.”

Despite some risks in dampening their reputation, many in the industry agree that actors like Henney and Lee have made the right move for a smooth landing in Hollywood through supporting roles.

On the flip side, companies share mixed views about whether the casting of Asian celebrities will have any direct impact on local boxoffice. There’s no real way of proving it.

Although various factors determine a film’s success or failure, the local boxoffice of “Wolverine” didn’t do as good as its previous film. “Blood: The Last Vampire,” failed miserably in the local boxoffice as well. It’s now is up to “G.I. Joe,” which opens here Thursday.

THR Asia

In fashion capital France, even in a small, rural Provencal village, it is not unusual to spot Pucca grinning back at you from a chic young woman’s backpack.

Since launching in South Korea in 2001, the red-and-black character has become a familiar face through stationary items. But Pucca’s big breakthrough came in the form of couture on the European stage in 2003, and the little Asian girl now appears on licensed fashion items by such international brands as the United Colors of Benetton.

Vooz has over 500 licensing contracts in Asia, Europe and the Americas, and some 1,700 stores featuring Pucca wear dot the globe, from France to Brazil. Overseas sales make up for about 95 percent of the company’s annual profits, according to Vooz executive director Charlie Shin. “We expect profits to go up about 30 percent this year from 2008’s 470 billion won,” he told The Korea Times.

Why does the rather homely girl appeal to trend-sensitive teenage girls and 20-somethings? The Korea Times sat down with Pucca’s creator, Kim Boo-kyoung, to learn about the secrets of the quirky tomboy’s success.

“Unlike Sanrio or Disney characters, Pucca is not pretty. She is no Cinderella ― she is wild and likes to unabashedly express her affections for her boyfriend. She leads her man and even dominates him,” said Kim.

Pucca thus speaks to young women in the post-”My Sassy Girl” age, where Jun Ji-hyun set the norm for “unconventional” feminity. “Pucca was conceived before `My Sassy Girl’ but I guess they’re part of the same generation. I wanted to target women in their teens and 20s,” said the president-CEO and art director.

Kim is a pioneer in many respects. In Korea, the concept of cartoon characters as a marketable brand was unheard of to begin with. The idea of selling such a product to an older crowd was exceptional.

“There is a large, established market out there for young children ― merchandise bearing Sanrio or Disney characters ― but I wanted to do something new,” he said. Also, unlike Hello Kitty or Mickey Mouse, she takes on human form. “People also said it a human-shaped cartoon character would not work in fashion. So in a way, Pucca created a new market,” he said.

Pucca did not debut through animation like other 2D characters. “I was looking into the various media through which I could translate Pucca. At the turn of the millennium, e-cards were a hot new medium, and young women were the main consumers,” said the 36-year-old.

Furthermore, it takes just one look at Pucca to remember her. “I opted for red and black, bold colors that are rarely used for cartoon characters, which are usually cute and pastel-hued,” he said. “In Asia, Pucca’s affinity enables people to relate to her while in the West her unique Asian features stand out,” he said.

Interestingly, Pucca is not marketed as a Korean brand. She is clearly Asian, and most often thought of as being Chinese but she is not nationality-specific. Her pedigree simply states that she is the only child of a family that owns a Chinese restaurant that serves the quintessential Korean-style dish “jajangmyeon.”

“We neither promote nor deny Pucca’s Koreanness,” said Kim. Pucca animations feature no dialogue and thus no original language. “Hangeul” (Korean alphabet) appears on various Pucca merchandise but has become part of the design.

The little heir to a Chinese restaurant has even been a goodwill ambassador for the local Chinatown.

Pucca is now being re-introduced in Korea as an upscale brand, through Pucca-shaped USB drives and women’s wear. The booth that Vooz occupied at the recent Seoul Character & Licensing Fair stood out by featuring Pucca-clad models on a runway.

K-pop group Four Minute now represents the brand. “Four Minute belong to the same age group that Pucca targets,” said Kim about the popular teenage girl band. “We thought they’d be the perfect group, since their image matches Pucca’s funky yet lovely style.”

source: koreantimes

She’s quite stunning and does not look 28 years old at all.

Anyway it’s cool Karl Lagerfeld invited her personally to attend the Chanel Couture show and recognises her style and beauty. Saying thaaat, Lagerfeld is persistently fickle with who he finds stylish, inspiring, i mean he has like 40 muses at a time. Within fashion most of the time it’s just a PR stunt, like him calling Emma Watson his official muse when she became all ’sex symbol’ and Harry Potter really took off. When Matthew Williamson dubbed Paris Hilton his muse, but they deserve each other and she truly represents the brand; tacky, pink, and immature. If you get a celebrity to endorse your garments or attend the shows, the press follows and that’s good news for the designer business.

Genero: Drama, comedia, romance

Reseña:

Como lo dice el nombre de ésta pelicula, es como se presenta la protagonista. Cuando ella perdió a su novio, que se murió; ella encontró a un muchacho al que convirtió en su sirviente y acompañante para hacer cada cosa que se le ocurría y él siempre terminaba perdiendo, pero no la dejaba sola.

Después de un tiempo de convivencia, parecería que ellos se querían y que estaba bién pero no era tan fácil, porque ella no había dejado atrás lo que vivió con su difunto novio.

Entoncés ella se dió cuenta que no podía seguir al lado de éste muchacho y entoncés se despidieron y cada quién tomó su propio camino, decidiendo que si se veían en un futuro entoncés sería su destino estar juntos.

Sin pensar que lo que estuvieron dejando de lado desde un principio, es lo que los volvería a reunir.

Cuando la vean lo entenderán. Ésta es una de las más famosas peliculas coreanas. Es divertida, aunque no me gusta cómo lo trata la muchacha.

Continuing the countdown of the Top 10 Korean Movies of all time,  we present the Top 5.  Check out which of your favorite films have made it on the list. You may be surprised….

Without further ado….

5) The Chaser

Director:Na Hong-jin
Writer: Hong Won-chan, Lee Shinho, Na Hong-jin
Genre: Crime, thriller, drama
Release Date: February 2008

One night, a man in his car makes a routine call to one of his girls…
But she doesn’t pick up…

Jung-ho knows something is going on. As a former police detective now turned pimp, his instinctual “cop radar” has gone off. Another one of his call girls from his “pleasure business” has gone missing and the numbers continue to decrease. Nearly penniless after paying these missing girls’ debts, Jung-ho realizes something has to be done; he’s got to get his money after all. He flips open his cell phone and notices the recent disappearances originated from client number 4885’s home. Min-jee, a mother and soon to be victim, is called to work. He instructs her to call him back once she arrives at the address. But it’s getting late in the night and when Jung-ho does not get a call back, he’s convinced he knows who’s behind the kidnappings and that Min-jee’s life is in grave danger: thus begins The Chase.
The unique twist on this crime thriller is that the viewers not only see what the protagonist – Jung-ho – does, but also what the villain does as well. But where’s the fun in seeing everything? While the movie lays everything out for the audience to see, the characters do not have the same privilege. What will Jung-ho do? Will he solve what we – the audience – already know? The viewer hinges on his every decision and empathize with Jung-ho from the get go.
At first, Jung-ho believes that this client 4885 is a rival pimp, stealing his call girls from his business. Nervously waiting for Min-Jee to come out, he camps outside the suspect’s house in his car, hoping that she turned down client 4885’s offer to become his call girl. But as the audience soon finds out, Yeong-min is not in the pleasure business; he’s a pure sadistic killer and Min-jee is soon to be the next victim.

As client 4885 abducts Jung-ho’s ladies one by one, the audience learns the shocking torture that is occurring. The ladies are thrown into a spacious bathroom, bound and chained by the hands and feet, and gagged with a bandage. Then, using a hammer and chisel, client 4885 slowly tortures his female victims by chiseling their heads until enough blood spills their eventual death. Min-jee is also subject to this disgusting act, as the sides and top of her once beautiful face is ripped with bloody gashes and deep scars. As she soon passes out, it seemed that this client claimed another of Jung-ho’s girls. Will Jung-ho solve what’s going on? Can he stop this sick pervert this time?

Jung-ho, still waiting outside the gated house, now suffers the same premonition as when his other girl disappeared the other night. As he polices the local neighborhood in his car, he damages another car from the side. Calm and collected, he goes to the other car and tells the other driver he will pay for their car damages. The driver rolls down his tinted window and is revealed to be a young male. He insists that he doesn’t require reprimands and impatiently waits for the blocking traffic to clear before driving off. Yet, when Jung-ho notices blood on the driver’s shirt, he suspects something wrong and calls client 4885, but the heist is up; the driver’s phone rings. As the suspect escapes through the side door, Jung-ho runs after him and The Chase is on.

After an intense chase scene, Jung-ho catches up to him and proceeds to pummel, kick, and stomp the suspect into bloody submission. Grabbing his ID, he finally discovers the suspect’s name: Je Yeong-min. Bringing Yeong-min in the police station, he soon realizes what the audience already knows: Yeong-min is not some rival pimp stealing his ladies, but a cold blooded killer. Now he suddenly asks himself, is Min-jee still alive?

First-time director Na Hong-jin’s 2008 hit is similar to “Memories of Murder”; it’s a crime thriller based on a true story. However, unlike most films of the genre where the killer is revealed in the final showdown, Na turns the genre on its head and presents the murderer within the first 20 minutes. But what’s the point of a crime movie if the killer is already found? If only it were that simple. Jung-ho has the cards stacked against him: Yeong-min is a psychopath, the police investigators reek of corruption, and there is no evidence. If Jung-ho cannot prove in 12 hours that Yeong-min was involved in the killings, he will be set free.

Na also takes a different approach in creating his film, where the suspense, action, and evidence gathering takes a back seat to the protagonist’s own development. Make no mistake, Kim Yuk-seok’s fantastic portrayal as the lead character, Jung-ho, is the focal point of this suspense thriller. In the beginning of the film, Jung-ho is shown as a bastard. Unsympathetic, heartless, and greedy, Jung-ho shows no remorse for his call girls’ well-being. After all, he was generous enough to clear every girl’s past debt in exchange for their “services” to clients. The bottom line is profit. Being sick for days, feeling scared of creepy customers, and spending time with their kids are all needless excuses – meaningless reasons that do not pay him, put food on the table, or clear the girls’ debts.

As the movie progresses, he slowly realizes he is greatly responsible for his own reputation and own deteriorating business. When one of his girls is threatened to be raped by two clients, Jung-ho comes in and roughs them up. But he doesn’t protect the girl for her well-being; he sees it as protecting his business assets. She sees Jung-ho for what he is – a greedy money-grubber—and finally leaves his harem. Many of his former cop co-workers now look at him in disdain, as a good cop turned into a shady man. Even Min-jee, sick and tired from balancing a motherly role to her daughter and as a call girl, sees his boss as nothing but “filth”. This begs the question, how did Jung-ho become like this? Wasn’t he a servant of justice before?

As described in the first couple paragraphs above, The Chaser will suck the viewer in from the start. It is a non-stop adventure of suspense, action, problem solving, and emotion. While “Memories of Murder” laid out an incredible murder story and calmly created a slow build up for the grand ending, “The Chaser” presents many obstacles from the get-go and never lets up. Jung-ho’s transformation from being slightly better than the killer to actually caring about the lives of others and serving justice is amazing. The acting that Ha Jung-woo portrays as the psychopathic killer, Yeong-min, is dead on, giving the audience a glimpse into a serial murder’s thought process. It’s a performance that you can’t help but love to hate.

Following the recent trend of other successful Korean movies, “The Chaser” will be getting remade on U.S. shores. This is faster than usual – even for Hollywood – as the film was only released last year in 2008. Warner Bros recently bought the rights and William Monahan – who had a hand with Martin Scorsese in remaking “The Departed”, based on Hong Kong’s “Infernal Affairs” – is the potential favorite to be heading the script. Let’s hope a remake of “The Chaser” captures the spirit of Na’s original vision.

Check out the Top 10 to 6 movies
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4)Welcome to Dongmakgol

Director: Park Kwang-hyun
Writer: Kim Joong, Park Kwang-hyun
Based on: Jang Jin (play)
Genre: Drama, War, Comedy
Release Date: August 2005

(An aspiring director walks into a producer’s office one afternoon to pitch a movie idea.)

Director: So check this out, I have a new brilliant idea for a movie!
Producer: Okay, go on.
Director: Here’s the vision. I see a movie with wild boars, a secluded village, a dorky village girl, butterflies, rifles, the Korean War, and horrible American acting. I’ll make it a blockbuster!
Producer: That’s the most retarded idea ever! It doesn’t even make sense!
Director: I got this all planned out. We’ll get that one girl from “Oldboy“ to act as the dorky village girl, we’ll base the movie around the Korean War, and I’ll personally recruit a couple of random Americans.
Producer: This has got to be the most horrible movie idea since the 2008 US remake of “My Sassy Girl”. Get out!!!
Director: Is there anyone else I can show this genius idea to?
Producer: No, because I’m going to kick you out “like a boss.”
Director: You’ve been watching way too many “Lonely Island’s” parodies.
Producer: Get out now!
(The director leaves.)

While we can assume that director Park Kwang-hyun pitched his idea for a war comedy more professionally than the scene above, the idea looked like a gamble. The comedy/humor genre is generally easier to work into romance or action, rather than the serious war genre. Although there have been a couple of notable war comedies, such as the 1970s American series, M.A.S.H., the vast majority fall into a deadly trap: If the movie is slanted towards mostly humor, the film cannot be taken seriously. War films also have a tendency to bring up painful memories, sensitive subjects, and repressed stories that would rather be forgotten. No war hits closer to home for Koreans than the Korean War itself. To create a war comedy about the Korean War while balancing both the hilarious and serious tones of this brutal struggle is no easy feat.

Fortunately, Park strikes the right balance of laughter and war, as the film uses comedy to intelligently convey “Dongmakgol’s” meaning, while using the Korean War to show the dire situation. The film starts when an American pilot crashes his plane in the jungle. Following three separated, lost groups: three North Korean soldiers, two South Korean soldiers, and the downed US pilot, their paths all converge when they stumble upon a hidden village called Dongmakgol. The secluded villagers, unaware of the Korean War, witness for the first time a confrontation between the two sides. When North and South Korean soldiers engage in an intense standoff, Park uses humor by exaggerating the soldiers’ stare down, which lasts for days through sunshine and rain. Eventually, they begin to draw down their weapons and an uneasy truce is formed.

As the soldiers spend more time inside the village, they start forming bonds with one another. When a stray grenade is accidentally thrown and blows up the village’s granary, the three sides are forced to work together to replace the lost food storage. Instead of hatred, suspicion, and a desire to kill the other, these traits are soon replaced with a brotherhood. The hermit village’s way of life starts to grow on the soldiers, as Dongmakgol represents a peaceful, tranquil world away from the bloodshed. Past sins are all forgotten in this village, while differing ideologies mean absolutely nothing in their world. For these ragtag soldiers, perhaps they can all start a new life here. However, when the village is found and dragged into the Korean War, what will happen to this hermit town?

Throughout the film’s ride, the viewer will be treated with painful moments during the war clips and laughter during the bonding moments – such as the wild boar scene, all the while being pulled into the village’s atmosphere. While many war movies preach Korean unification, Welcome to Dongmakgol is more of an anti-war film, displaying the absurdities and silliness of spilling blood. Kang Hye-jeong’s character, the white dressed female villager, Yeo-Il, represents peace. While some may wonder her inclusion in the film, her innocence, ignorance, and free-spirited ways – such as always dancing in the rain or always smiling – slaps war in the face. When she sticks her eye ball directly under a nozzle of a rifle, she has no clue what a gun does. When Yeo-Il tosses a live grenade like a ball, she doesn’t realize the explosive power that “ball” really has. Her ignorance to war and its weapons of mass destruction shows that one can live life happily. She symbolizes a life without bloodshed, killing people, and destroying homes.

The acting of the cast is excellent and fits within the movie quite well. Kang Hye-jong, as mentioned earlier, plays her role as the innocent Yeo-Il well, as her character represents the village as a whole. The actors portraying both North and South Korean soldiers are also acted well, as they are shown as deep, complex characters as the story progresses. If there is one major flaw in the film’s acting, it has to be the American acting. Steve Taschler’s role as US pilot, Captain Smith, is quite atrocious in the beginning. His scripting is very poorly written, with much of his dialogue containing weird slang such as “c’mon”, “man”, or “you guys.” Taschler’s acting, for the first half, is very robotic and unemotional. Fortunately, his performance improves during the latter half of the film. The rest of the Americans’ acting, however, felt forced and uninspired throughout the film. While this is major flaw in many Korean films featuring Western actors, the rest of the cast are strong enough to easily save the movie.

Welcome to Dongmakgol is an incredible blend of war and comedy. The characters symbolize the movie’s anti-war theme, as the viewer will deeply care about this quaint village. While the film created a short buzz back in its home shores of Korea, winning two awards, it is lesser known overseas. Hopefully, more attention will be brought upon this classic in future film festivals.

Check out the Top 10 to 6 movies
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3) A Tale of Two Sisters

Director:Kim Ji-woon
Writer: Kim Ji-woon
Based on: Janghwa, Hongryeon (folktale)
Genre: Horror, Mystery, Drama, Psychological
Release Date: June 2003

“There’s something strange in this house.”

“There’s a girl under the kitchen sink!”

“You know what’s really scary? You want to forget something. Totally wipe it off your mind. But you never can.”

A loud noise is heard from the 1st floor. Footsteps scatter around the house at night. Strange noises haunt this home during the dark hours. A woman stares at a channel-less TV alone at night. Not a very welcoming home, is it? But what could be causing these strange occurrences? As the audience watches further, nothing seems to make sense. The clues are difficult to decipher, the events do not connect, and the flashbacks are seemingly random.

For an avid horror aficionado, this confusing storyline has been used time and time again. Nothing says cliché quite like a long haired, female ghost with greasy hair, a creepy sound, and a “Kayako” Grudge. Sadako from “The Ring” would be rolling in her TV screen if it wasn’t for one fact: “A Tale of Two Sisters” deviates from the normal rungs of Asian horror. Say goodbye to a predictable story and cheap thrills and hello to one of the deepest, complex, intriguing horror movies in years.
But first, let’s go over what A Tale of Two Sisters has in common with the usual prerequisites to be an Asian horror film:

1) Creepy environment – Check
2) Story of revenge – Check
3) Scary scenes – Check
4) Blood – Check
5) Dark female ghost(s) with long hair – Check
6) The lead character thinks, “time to investigate” when alone – Check
7) Two girls having a period in the same day – Ummm… Check?
.8) Two females screaming at each other for half of the movie – Errr… Check.
9) A bloody hand coming from underneath a woman’s skirt – Okay, this is just now weird… Check!

The first six are universally in every Asian horror film with varying degrees of success. However, the last three – 7 through 9 – sound like they would belong more in a kinky college movie dealing with “naughty” gestures, such as the US series, “American Pie”, or the Korean collection, “Sex is Zero”. While the film shares common traits with its horror brethren – 1 through 6 – the similarities quickly end there.

Inspired by the Joseon Dynasty (1392 AD –1910 AD) folktale, “Janghwa Hongryeon” (rose flower, red lotus), “A Tale of Two Sisters” is the 6th iteration of this popular Korean story. As a modern take of the popular tale, the first scene of the film begins one afternoon in a hospital. The tale begins with a young female patient, Su-mi, as she is slowly ushered into a spacious white room by a hospital lady. Stooping down in a chair with her hair completely masking her face, a nearby doctor sits down across from her asks a series of questions. Yet, Su-mi does not say a word.

Later in the day, she and her younger sister, Su-yeon, are released from the hospital and welcomed back to their family’s lakeside house in the peaceful countryside. When the sisters step inside the Victorian-esque home, they are soon treated by their energetic stepmother, Eun-joo. Noticing the two are tightly holding hands and protective, Eun-joo attempts to “break the tension” with her friendly smile and quirky banter. Neither sister wants anything to do with this woman—the woman who recently replaced their beloved mom—and quickly move for the stairs. Eun-joo’s attempts at a friendly conversation amounts to nothing as the sisters climb the stairs with their backs turned against her. Again, Su-mi does not say a word.

As Su-mi and Su-yeon start re-familiarizing themselves in their old rooms, Su-mi notices an exact duplicate of her notepad and pen on her bedroom desk. But is that the only uncanny resemblance? Upon opening her clothing cabinet, she finds nothing but blue and green dresses.

The strange events continue to occur. Noises start emanating through the house during the first night and Su-yeon is the first recipient of this living nightmare, as she soon wakes up to someone or something slowly opening her bedroom door. Scared and frightened, she covers herself tightly with her blanket in hopes that her bedroom Boogeyman will disappear. Her blanket is slowly pulled off her inch by inch, and in terror, she quickly gets up to see… thankfully no one. Su-yeon runs quickly to her sister’s bedroom; only now does Su-mi speak. “There’s something in my room,” Su-yeon stutters nervously. “Everything is going to be okay,” Su-mi responds. The scares within the house have just started.

If the viewer does not watch the movie closely, they will not get the story. If the viewers enjoy a complex mystery, then the confusion becomes a facilitator for the story’s art. Unlike many other horror movies, “A Tale of Two Sisters” has no shame in taking its sweet time setting up its multi-layered story. The pacing is slow and the first 20 minutes are an unbearable wait for the rhythm to pick up. Yet, this tempts the viewer to become lazy. One may assume since the pacing is quite slow, they can take a jog, play chess, or hit on their hot neighbor. However, this is a disservice to the viewer, as the film is filled with incredible amounts of symbolism in the form of clues, dialogue, expressions, and flashbacks. As with 3-Iron, depending on one’s ears alone is not enough; both the human eyes and ears are needed. Missing one image will throw off the viewer’s understanding of the movie.

“A Tale of Two Sisters” differs from other Asian horror in how it presents the concept of horror itself. Whereas the vast majority of films in the horror genre depend heavily on a combination of: cheap scares, excessive gore, screaming, long haired ghosts, and unnecessary deaths, the movie relies on an application of a beautiful and familiar environment to create an unsettling feeling. Throughout the movie, the Victorian house slowly becomes scarier. Harrowing music and complete silence are used in juxtaposition with great effect to add to the fear. Sprinkled with a few shock scares, the viewer is always on edge, uneasy when the next scary scene is going to occur.

The acting deserves special mention in this film, since it blends in the movie’s psychological, creepy horror theme perfectly. Director Kim Ji-woon could not have asked for more talented actors: newcomer Lim Su-jeong as the older sister Su-Mi and Yeom Jung-ah as the wicked stepmom play the perfect foil to one another. During every meal, hallway conversation, and late night encounters, the viewer will see the constant tension, anger, and disgust for the other. Breaking expensive porcelain as Eun-joo pours tea, leaving the table early, and hurling insults at her father’s new wife, Lim Su-jeong channels an incredible aura of vindictiveness during the movie. Jung-ah, on the other hand, plays a very convincing evil stepmom in Eun-joo, as she makes Su-Mi’s life a living hell while under the same roof. Beginning by throwing barbs back at Su-Mi, she later goes on the offensive, physically asserting herself on the sisters behind their father’s back. Although in real life the actresses are best friends, you wouldn’t know it by watching this film.

The other two support characters also do a great job in playing their roles. A very young Moon Geun-young, the media dubbed “nation’s younger sister,” plays the painfully shy and innocent Su-yeon. Avoiding confrontation and always deferring to her older sister, Moon Geun-young plays the perfect complement to the more outspoken Su-jeong. Acting veteran Kim Kap-su rounds out the cast as the quiet, patient, and tempered father to the two daughters. His presence as both the concerned father and mediator between his eldest brash daughter and his new wife balances out the constant animosity within the home.

The surprise twists and thought-provoking ending, however, is what sets “A Tale of Two Sisters” apart from the vast majority of horror movies. Fans of the movie all have their unique impressions of the film’s key plot points and judging from which information Kim holds back in the end, many people’s takes are very believable. Kim provides just enough clues for the viewer to understand the story, yet still have many questions at the same time. A quick view on various Korean movie sites’ forums shows that A Tale of Two Sisters is one of the most discussed movies, in part due to its complex ending. The “re-playability” of the film is simply endless; there’s no shame in watching it again.

“A Tale of Two Sisters” is an incredible psychological thrill ride for horror virtuosos or even non-horror fans. With a talented cast, a gorgeous setting, well-orchestrated music, well-timed scares, and an engaging story, this movie stands as one of the best horror movies ever created. Both the Korean and foreign press agrees, as the movie currently stands upon 12 awards and 3 nominations in various film festivals and reviews. Actresses Lim Su-jeong and Yeom Jung-ah took home a number of acting awards and director Kim Ji-woon collected 6 awards himself.
An American remake by DreamWorks recently came out on January 2009 called, “The Uninvited” – no relation to the Korean movie with the same name. While the US version pays homage to the Korean film, movie watchers owe it to themselves to experience the original.

Check out the Top 10 to 6 movies
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2) My Sassy Girl

Director: Kwak Jae-young
Writer: Kwak Jae-young
Based on: Kim Ho-sik (a novel)
Genre: Drama, Comedy, Romance
Release Date: July 2001

(A group of nine female starlets approach the concert stage. Two of them take the lead.)

Tiffany: “Uh huh! Listen boy.”
“My first love story”
Jessica: “My angel and my girls.”
“My sunshine. Uh! Uh! Let’s go!”
— The opening to the 2009 song “Gee”
Girls Generation (SNSD)

The ever catchy, popular, and overplayed “Gee” tells about a girl who experiences her first crush, her first love. For many movie fans, “My Sassy Girl” is their first foray into Korean cinema, their first “movie love.” From seeing the studly, dorky Cha Tae-hyun to the beautiful, border-line abusive Jeon Ji-hyun, many of us knew their on screen romance was something special. Having a cute story to complement these two was just perfect. The entirety of South Korea had fallen in love.
Putting this movie down in sweet words is as difficult as confessing your love for the first time, but – as the movie’s theme sings – I Believe that even if one stumbles across their words, the first time is the moment you always come back to. It’s a time of nostalgia, and it’s always in the back of your mind. That’s essentially “My Sassy Girl,” a movie based on Kim Ho-sik’s real life adventures. Go out anywhere in South Korea—in fact, in most of Asia—and ask what’s the number one romance comedy, and you will most certainly get Kwak Jae-young’s movie.

For the My Sassy virgins, this is a story about the loveable pushover, Gyun-woo, and his fateful encounter that would change his life forever. Escaping his aunt’s most recent attempt to hook him up with a blind date, he goes to the subway station to head home. Unexpectedly, he meets an intoxicated and beautiful girl who is stooped over the yellow borderline and is about to fall onto the tracks. The train whistles, and before the wind of the locomotive passes by, Gyun-woo catches her before she falls. He enters the same train as the drunken girl all the while making sure to keep his distance.

The word, “honey,” is something every guy would like to hear, especially from a beautiful woman, but when these words come from a girl who just hurled her dinner at an elder, the words lose their appeal. As if that’s not enough of an indicator, just before she faints, she points towards Gyun-woo. Now Gyun-woo is forced to carry much more than just a girl on his back; he is forced to carry a problem. Not knowing what to do with this stranger, he moans, “How did I get into all of this?” Thus marks the beginning of “My Sassy Girl”.

What makes “My Sassy Girl” different from many other romantic dramas/comedies is director Kwak Jae-young’s well-spaced melodrama. He does not force the viewer’s emotion—to cry to his every whim—or overuse sarang he (“I love you”) every five minutes to the point where it loses its meaning. Kwak knows better. While any movie in the genre is expected to have its share of crying, sad moments, and love, he makes sure these themes have meaning. As the main leads become more rounded and deep, the movie becomes more liberal with its serious tones. Since the viewer becomes more attached to the actors, they start caring for them – feeling their pain, excitement, happiness, and loss.
If this film teaches you one new word, it’s “sassy.” The Asian stereotype for women is a reserved, demure, and loving individual. Get ready for a sassy ride, as Gyun-woo goes through the craziest relationship with this nameless girl (yes, she has no name). From the get-go, the viewer will empathize with Gyun-woo; when ordering anything other than coffee gets a “Do you wanna die?”, playing fun games gets Gyun-woo bitch-slapped, and refusing to read horrible movie scripts is returned with a petrifying stare, even the most apathetic of viewers will be moved.

“My Sassy Girl” has plenty of depth, going beyond a one-dimensional story of cute love. For a romantic comedy, “My Sassy Girl” has plenty of depth, an uncharacteristic quality of the genre. The vast majority follows the typical “guy likes girl” formula, where the only focus is “how do the main leads hook up?” This movie, however, goes much deeper than that, presenting sub themes such as: living in the moment, living in the future, contemplating the meaning of love, and, of course, dealing with love’s pain. Blending all these sub themes in this genre well is no easy feat; without a balance, the film goes off too many tangents and loses its identity – such as Kwak’s 2004 follow up, “Windstruck”.

The biggest draw to seeing this film has to be the amazing performances by its leading stars. Jeon Ji-jyun easily steals the show for her role as the girl and single-handedly redefines the meaning of sassy. From her facial expressions: quirky smiles, angry lipped growls, annoyed frowns, and sweet blushes, to bullying her co-star, she plays the unnamed heroine perfectly. Throughout the movie, the audience will see her growth from the drunkard subway female to the aggressive, vicious girl he dates to the Juliet of Korea. Her evolution from drunkard to Shakespearean status comes in the latter half of the movie, where both main characters start to see one another at their worst and their best. Cha Tae-hyun, playing Jeon’s opposite as the comedic Gyun-woo, displays an incredible acting job as the male lead. His counter expressions, when confronted with the girl’s bipolar-induced mood swings, are justified and understandable. Any guy would react that way. But not every guy would stick with the girl. Gyun-woo develops alongside the girl, and although he initially just goes with her antics and adventures, he finds himself slowly wanting to heal her sorrow.
Love or hate it, the 2001 success of “My Sassy Girl” revitalized the romantic comedy genre in Korea. Before its breakout performance in theaters, the genre was largely ignored, as producers would release serious melodramas instead. This film showed skeptics that a love story could be a mixture of lightheartedness, funny, and serious at the same time. Like the infectious Girls Generation“Gee” song that spread like wildfire earlier this year – where singing about the 7th letter in the English alphabet could be so addicting – this movie also spread like an epidemic around Asia. Other Asian countries, intrigued by the sassy concept, also produced their own versions: the 2008 Japanese TV drama” Ryokiteki no Kanojo” and the 2008 Indian movie “Ugly Aur Pagli”. While countless Korean romantic comedies were churned out after 2001 – such as the 2003 “My Tutor Friend” or 2004 “My Little Bride” – few are able to capture the magic that “My Sassy Girl” did.

As with many movies on this list, a “My Sassy Girl” American remake came out last year in 2008. While the movie tries to replicate the sassy feel, unfortunately, the movie is missing the atmosphere and setting; after all, they are different cultures. The chemistry between the US actors Elisha Cuthbert and Jesse Bradford is not the same. Again, watch the original.

It has been 8 long years since this movie came out. As mentioned earlier, for many fans, this film is their “first love.” My Sassy Girl has it all: a charming love story, incredible acting, multi-layered themes, and memorable soundtrack. What a great “first love” indeed. While these fans still consider this Korean classic as their favorite, the POPSEOUL list, like former lovers, has moved on; this film stands as #2 on our list.

Check out the Top 10 to 6 movies
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1) Tae Guk Gi

Director: Kang Je-kyu
Writer: Kang Je-kyu
Genre: War, Drama, Action, Historical
Release Date: February 2004

Quotes from famous people during the Korean War (1950 –1953).

“The most important thing in our war preparations is to teach all our people to hate U.S. imperialism.”
— Kim Il-sung
North Korean leader

“We will defeat the Reds, the Communists!”
— Syngman Rhee
South Korean leader

“Never before has this nation been engaged in mortal combat with a hostile power without military objective, without policy other than restrictions governing operations, or indeed without even formally recognizing a state of war.”
—Douglas MacArthur
Supreme Allied Commander of the Pacific

“[Korea is] the wrong war, at the wrong place, at the wrong time, and with the wrong enemy.”
— Omar Bradley
General of the Army, United States

“If we allow the United States to occupy all of Korea, Korean revolutionary power will suffer a fundamental defeat, and the American invaders will run more rampant, and have negative effects for the entire Far East.”
— Mao Zedong
Chairman of the People’s Republic of China

Near the 38th parallel dividing the two Koreas, a big movement towards the south is occurring. Soldiers are heard marching step-by-step, with their rifles swaying and grenades attached to their belts. Rumbling engines echo loudly nearby, as armored tanks slowly drive through narrow roads. Supply trucks are heard going over bumpy tread marks. Grunts and signs of fatigue are heard from mortar teams pushing heavy artillery guns over steep hills. Fighters and bombers are heard from above, flying at incredible speeds in formation. North Korean propaganda is heard from loudspeakers, proclaiming that Communism will prevail over Capitalism. As onlookers see this advancing army approaching from the north, calamity is thrown out the window and panic ensues; the entirety of South Korea is in chaos. Dressed in light brown and red uniforms, the invading army conquers, pillages, and destroys any towns in its wake. Their target: all of Korea – the reunification of the Korean peninsula. The date: June 25th, 1950 – the Korean War has just started.
Fast forward to modern times in 2004; archaeologists are excavating the remains of fallen soldiers in preparation for a Korean memorial. An elderly man receives a phone call from the South Korean army. They claim one body found is Lee Jin-seok, but upon confirming that he is alive, the aged man suspects the body is actually his brother’s. He travels to China in hopes of finding his brother’s remains—no luck—and heads to the excavation site; there, he opens a shoebox containing vanilla colored shoes. As a flood of memories start coming back, tears swell up in his eyes. Fifty-four years ago may sound like an eternity for many, but for the survivors of war, they can relive the struggles like it happened yesterday. The pain, repressed memories, war wounds, bitterness, and brutal experiences are things any former soldier wants to forget. This begs the questions: how did the other brother die? What happened to Lee Jin-seok during the war? The movie shifts back to 1950 and the story of “Taegukgi” begins.

Director Kang Je-kyu’s film follows two brothers – Lee Jin-tae and Lee Jin-seok – and their family during the Korean War. Living in Seoul, life was peaceful for the Lee family following World War II. The older brother, Jin-tae works as a shoeshine boy during the day, foregoing his higher education to support his younger brother’s. Since his father passed away, he has taken the mantle as male figurehead in the family household. His fiancée, Young-shin, helps out at the family noodle shop in the afternoon with his mother. Jin-seok, the younger brother, dutifully studies and excels in academics in hopes of getting into a good university. Yong-seok, the brother’s childhood friend, spends time with the two on the streets of Seoul. With a loving family, food on the table, and clean clothes, the Lee family lived carefree in the newly established South Korea, looking towards a promising future. However, their peaceful world is shattered when the North invades. While the Lee family travels further south to escape the ensuing battles, the South Korean army drafts males between the ages of 18 to 30 in preparation for the South Korean war machine. Both brothers are thus drafted and must survive this hell together.

Shortly after, Jin-tae and Jin-seok find themselves in the muddy trenches with other scared and new recruits. Mortar fire and pounding artillery pepper the recruits’ first battlefield and Jin-seok immediately becomes shell-shocked, unaccustomed to the horrors of real combat. Worrying that his younger brother might not survive another battle, Jin-tae knew he had to do something fast; he had to save his family.

Jin-tae knows that their family’s future lays in Jin-seok and his promising future. If one of them can return home, it has to be his younger brother. Knowing this, he attempts to persuade his commanding officer to discharge his brother from the war. However, it comes with a condition: his superior tells him he has to get an Order of Military Merit medal, South Korea’s highest military honor. Agreeing to this secret deal, he starts volunteering for near suicidal missions, ranging from placing land mines during enemy fire to leading reckless assaults. Jin-seok starts wondering why his older brother is doing this. However, despite Jin-tae’s heroic and insane deeds, the South Korean army is in a terrible bind; they are surrounded and nearly annihilated.

Their regiment has little sleep, food, ammunition, and morale; the soldiers are beginning to go crazy. The sounds of suicide, amputated body parts, and screaming become the lullaby of their camp. Contemplating a last stand, many soldiers write their wills, ready for their inevitable fate. Jin-tae, however, has other plans; he suggests going on the offensive. After all, to him, the more suicidal the odds are, the better. Taking the North Koreans by complete surprise, the South Korean regiment makes rapid headway. Leading a one man charge, Jin-tae begins to braves the danger and lucks through. Eventually, his efforts pay off: he conquers the enemy headquarters on a mountain. As the North Koreans start a full retreat, he returns to see cheers and celebrations; it was the squad’s first victory.

However, as victory after glorious victory continued to pile up, Jin-tae becomes infatuated with the proposition. No longer is it about his brother’s safety; it’s about fame. He receives all the adulteration: promotions, mass cheering, awards, and even an appearance at the United Nations press conference. He sees the world in two shades: Communism and Capitalism. As a result, he becomes desensitized to murder—he becomes the perfect soldier. After another battle, he sees a childhood friend forced to fight for the North …yet, he has no compassion for his life; he sees nothing but an enemy. Soon, he barely recognizes his own younger brother, the very same he promised to protect. As Jin-seok begins to resent his older brother and his motives, their brotherhood starts to fall apart. Can they reconcile their differences? Will they ever see their family again? Does Jin-tae even see a different between Capitalism and Communism?

“Taegukgi” shows that war is hell. Like the critically acclaimed American war movie, “Saving Private Ryan”, this film does not hold back the brutal reality – arms are separated, legs are blown off — blood is used in great amounts. The battle scenes are intense: machines guns, tanks, airplanes, and artillery are all shown; bodies, shattered homes, and dreams ornament this battlefield. There is no peace in hell—no haven even in one’s house. War doesn’t discriminate and battles can be fought anywhere. War crimes, needless to say, were rampant by both sides during the war. Vicious propaganda was used to portray the other side as “evil”, framing the enemy with lies and atrocities. Surrendering to the enemy was frowned upon and even doing so did not guarantee survival. Prisoners weighed down advancing armies, so rather than keep them, commanders ordered captured prisoners to be shot. For every handful that benefits from war, there are millions more that are devastated by it.

With the success of his 1999 movie, “Shiri”, director Kang Je-kyu had the leeway to go for some big name actors for Taegukgi. Kang decided to go for some of the best, enlisting skilled actor Jang Dong-gun as Jin-tae and pretty boy Won Bin as Jin-seok. Jang plays a brilliant Jin-tae that evolves (or devolves) from a protective brother that places family first to a ruthless murderer. From his facial expressions to his dialogue, the audience will see how the rigors of war can change a person. Although slow, his transformation is believable because of his atrocities. His decision to weigh awards over his brother’s safety is, in itself, a result of his transformation. Won’s performance as the younger Jin-seok, however, steals the show. Since his role required the most radical change, his part was incredibly challenging. However, Won does not disappoint at all. This role required a transformation from passive intellectual to rookie soldier to a strong, determined man that opposes his brother’s motives. The audience will empathize with Won’s character and grown alongside with him throughout the war.

Korean beauty, Lee Eun-joo, played the fiancée of Jin-tae admirably in the few scenes she is in. Unfortunately, this was one of her last films she acted in, as she took her life on February 2005. If there is a knock in the film’s cast, it has to be the supporting characters. While the film focuses on the two main leads’ struggles, the supporting cast, compared to war movies like “Welcome to Dongmakgol”, pales in comparison. The movie, sadly, does not spend the time to develop their characters and most of them play extremely minor parts in the brothers’ journey. Although, not to take away from what they did, these characters still played their parts quite well, considering the time.

“Taegukgi” elicits poignant memories for South Koreans. The film name itself – “Taegukgi” – is symbolic; it represents the South Korean national flag. Like the American Civil War or the schism of Western and Eastern Germany after World War II, this film presents the viewer a greater understanding on the turmoil post division. When heartthrob Won Bin was asked to do a movie about the Korean War, he did not hesitate. “How could you not want to act in a movie about the Korean War … I would be honored,” Bin said. Thousands of extras also heeded the call in recreating this bloody conflict; many did their roles for little or no money. The North-South division still hurts to this day for Koreans and this movie provides a glimpse to seeing that very pain.

This film is one not to be missed by movie fans. While one may dismiss the movie as the Korean “Saving Private Ryan” – other than some inspired scenes from the American classic – they are both vastly different story wise. With slick battle cinematography, incredible scripting, deep main leads, a non-biased look at war, and a tale of brotherhood, the film’s scope is breathtaking. Crying “man-tears” during or at the end is acceptable, because the movie’s final message is powerful: family blood runs deeper than any sort of ideology or government. And for that, “Taegukgi” deserves the top slot.

If you have missed it, check out the Top 10 to 6 movies that have made an impact on Korean cinema.

I can definetely say that this is the first movie I have seen only because I needed reviewing material for this website. I had no interest in watching My Sassy Girl even though I heard so many good things about it. When I sat down to watch it, my groans turned into smiles and I knew I was in for quite a treat. The Korean film My Sassy Girl is a cute and silly romantic comedy that never seems to lose its edge.  This movie worked because it was easy to relate to and was grounded on Asian culture. I wouldn’t normally review a romantic comedy, but I repeatedly found myself laughing out loud from this flick.

Gyeon-woo is a single Korean college student, still not very sure of what he wants to become in the future. One night, on his way back home, he meets an extremely beautiful girl, but who is also completely drunk. He knows that she is not really his type, but a relationship forms nevertheless as he is unable to ignore her. She speaks her mind, and generally embarrasses him when they are out in public. Some might wonder why he puts up with her, but I can vouch for the reality of the situation. And so their relationship begins, which is an adventure of romance and fun. The basic motivation of this story seems pretty dry, but there is plenty in the movie that really help it stand out. People who watch this movie’s trailer with the scenes from the guy’s imagination will be disappointed if they expected a lot of action from this film. There is a scene involving a lot of soldiers that seems to be somewhat contrived. The movie is kind of schizophrenic, but this may be intentional to represent the girl’s state of mind.

Also, that the humor was always right on time, not trying stupid sex jokes or stupid humor, unlike other movie of its genre right now. Although it’s a notch above other romantic comedies [the few that I have watched], the story doesn’t unfold conventionally. It also gets melodramatic towards the end but strangely enough I actually appreciated the change in pace. Eventually, the sassy girl’s behavior is explained by the end of the film. Minor gripes aside, My Sassy Girl covers a lot of territory in its two-hour running time, containing enough material for at least two movies.

I’ve heard good things about My Sassy Girl, but never realized it was that good. It’s a very special romantic comedy and whether you enjoy chick-flicks or not, this film is going to make you laugh, cry, and most importantly, smile. I loved the movie, and for most of you out there, it should be a very good entertainment. It is funny, yet with a not-too-sweet-but-still-touching love twist.

My sassy girl (versión gringa)

Esta película tiene buen rato que la vi (casi toda, casi toda) y me parecio una cosa nada fuera de lo normal… la primera vez que trate de verla me chute un 60% – 70% de la película (eran como las 2am, así que por obra del sueño no termine de verla) y apenas hoy, en vísperas del día de la independencia gringa, por falta de trabajo (¬¬), me dio por terminarla… y de verdad que me agrado mucho.

No diré nada de la trama, lo mejor que puedo decir es que si tienen la oportunidad de verla… haganlo, haciendo algo de research en la interné lei que esta película es un refrito, la versión original es de Korea del Sur, que segun lei, por aquellos lugares la ponian a la misma altura que Titanic (la de James Cameron).

My sassy girl (versión de South Korea)

¿Mi parte favorita?, la capsula del tiempo, en donde despues de un año Jordan se topa con el viejito que estaba sentado dibujando… de ahí en adelante, mejor veanlo por ustedes… (no se que tanto difieran la versión americana y la coreana, tendré que averiguarlo…)

]]> http://filmsandthoughts.wordpress.com/2009/07/03/asian-buffy-may-be-a-vampire-samurai-but-she-aint-no-sucker/ Fri, 03 Jul 2009 06:59:48 +0000 filmsandthoughts http://filmsandthoughts.wordpress.com/2009/07/03/asian-buffy-may-be-a-vampire-samurai-but-she-aint-no-sucker/

Do we need  yet another vampire movie?

Let me see …

Yes, if it is set on  a U.S. military base in East Asia, I guess.

By now, both Japanese and Koreans  are weary of GI’s coming out at night  and wreaking havocs.

So there’s certainly some resonance in the storyline there.

Hence, I will welcome with some bitter sweetness  this newest addition to the feeding frenzy.

This big name star in Korea who are popular all over the Asia, had to change her name to the Western user-friendly moniker to conquer the international market.  I hope that it will turn out worth that trouble down the road.

전 지현, or ,  Gianna  as she is called now in this English language debut of hers now, has already  the  somewhat dubious distinction of  having two of her biggest movies  remade in Hollywood.

The first one is Lake House; yep, in the original Il Mare 시월애, she played the Sandra Bullock part. That remake was  a modest  success, I  believe.

The second one  didn’t have as much luck.  Jeon Ji- Yeon’s bigger hit  엽기적인 그녀  lent  its  English title to this French helmer Yann Samuell’s   Engilsh language debut. (Just  pretty much everybody wants to break into Hollywood…. or not!)  But My Sassy Girl  seemed to have disappeared from the theatre last year,  if it ever was theatrically released at all, that is. ( Monsieur S. is responsible for making known the Oscar winner Marion Cotillard’s existence outside France, especially in U.S. with  that somewhat noted ‘rom-com’ with a violent streak, Love Me If You Dare / Jeux D’Enfants, before she got big with her relentless Edith Piaf impersonation. OK, OK, I was rooting for Julie Christie  for her  fine performance in Away From Her! Honor your elders.)

So, now back to the film at hand, here’s the synopsis:

On the surface, Saya is a stunning 16-year old girl, but that youthful exterior hides the

tormented soul of a 400 year-old “halfling”.

Born to a human father and a vampire mother, she has for centuries been a loner,
obsessed with using her samurai skills to rid the world of vampires, all the while
knowing that she herself can survive only on blood like those she hunts. When she is
sent to an American military base in Tokyo by the clandestine organization for whom
she works, Saya immediately senses that this may be her opportunity to finally destroy
Onigen, the evil patriarch of all vampires. Using her superhuman strength and her
sword, she begins to rid the base of its evil infestation in a series of spectacular and
elaborate showdowns. However, it is not until she forms her first human friendship in
centuries with the young daughter of the base’s general that Saya learns her greatest
power over Onigen may well be her ability to make a human connection…”

As the director, Chris Nahon, is a former Luc Besson  ‘protégé’ ,  the first quarter  or so of the film reminds me  of  that of La Femme Nikita which is not necessarily a bad thing.  Nahon employs his background in commercials and music videos to the full:the visual is very attractive and effective, creating the captivating  thrust throughout the film.

I am not a big fan of genre films so the middle was a little sagging for me. The stylized cartoon violence is  not that offensive  in the beginning with  all blood spattering as if they were  fireworks of quicksilver drops. But after a while, all these bloodshed become tiring. Yet,  the core target audience  who  have  grown  up with  all  those video games might think otherwise.

The producer, Bill Kong, whose work includes my favourite Chinese language film, Ang Lee’s LUST, CAUTION  Lee is a  veteran of  Chinese  swashbucklers and period pieces such as  CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON, which won 4 Academy Awards and 2 Golden Globe Awards.  No wonder that  the flashback scenes and  the final fourth act display  some of the the flashy and eye-poping  bravura  familiar with fans of HERO and HOUSE OF FLYING DAGGERS which are  also in his portfolio.

While Gianna is not given much in terms of scenes  in which she could display her dramatic acting proficiency, her screen presence is skillfully conveyed as an action star (albeit  a reluctant  one, as she confided in an interview) who did most of  her own stunt  scenes.

Kudos for Gianna for choosing an  relatively appropriate vehicle, a girl power movie to boot,  on which she can flap her wings as an truly international star.

BLOOD: THE LAST VAMPIRE  opens  on July 10th nationwide in U.S.

See the trailer and more at : http://www.bloodthelastvampire-movie.com/

Remember the first time you saw My Sassy Girl? Jun Ji-hyun was love at first sight, or for the ladies, Cha Tae-hyun was the studly oppa of 2001. You knew you had to marry them. But they found each other and left you crying to Sad Movie, which hurt even more because Cha Tae-hyun cheated on you again. After all those years, you’re still thinking about your first love. My Sassy Girl is your ex-lover; 2001 is 8 years ago, and that’s a lot of time in movie years. But can you ever get over that movie, that first crush you ever had?
When choosing the top ten Korean movies, there was a lot of sifting through much of the clichéd melodramas. From the excessive amounts of “cheese” that could go on a dozen pizzas, the overly excessive crying that can fill the Han River, and incoherent plots that would actually make “My Father” a good movie, it was only a matter of time before we found the gems of Korean cinema. And there were great gems found indeed. For a film to make the best ten Korean movies, it has to have the following: solid acting, an epic story, a noticeable impact on Korean cinema, and most importantly, an underlying message or meaning upon society. So without further ado, POPSEOUL! would like to present the top 10:

#10) Silmido

Director: Kang Woo-Suk
Writer: Kim Hie-Jae
Genre: Drama, Action, True story
Release Date: December 2003

In the early morning of 1968, 31 young men are forced to run a five mile course with 50 lbs. of military gear and boots in the sweltering heat.  After an exhausting trek of tireless running, these young soldiers crawl through muddy waters, navigate themselves to avoid barbed wire, and duck unrelenting machine gun fire during the afternoon.   At night, they endure endless pain with heated stakes inserted into the shirtless men’s backs, leaving scarring burn marks on their bodies.  Finally, filled with sweat, mud, and grime, they drag themselves to bed late at night to gather a couple hours of sleep in preparation to do the same hellish routine tomorrow.  If this sounds like joining an elite Special Forces brigade, you would be correct.  Welcome to Silmido soldier!

Silmido is based on a true story of events happening from 1968 to 1971, although the details surrounding the event did not go public until 1999.  When a group of North Korean commandos infiltrate the South to assassinate then Korean president Park Jung-Hee, the South Korean and US military barely intercept the would-be assassins before their mission is completed.  As the North-South tensions reach their breaking point, the South decides to secretly train its own Special Forces codenamed Unit 684, to exact revenge and kill North Korea’s premier, Kim-Il Sung. Thus the story of Silmido Island and Unit 684 begins.

Silmido Island is 3.5 miles southwest of Inchon, and was used for the sole purpose of creating a squad of lethal killers. To make up this squad, a handful of death row criminals were given two choices: to be executed for their crimes or to join the Special Forces. As only a very few important government officials and military commanders knew of this new unit, they were to secretly train the group for two years until given the “green light” to go ahead and assassinate North Korea’s primer. During these two years of non-stop rigorous training, this handful of former misfits have became some of the strongest soldiers, deadliest snipers, sneakiest saboteurs, and most fanatical men ever trained. Yet when peace agreements started to look more likely in the days before Unit 684’s fateful mission, the South Korean leaders felt the unit was detrimental to a safe Korean peninsula. So what happened to these young men?

The film is built more around the surrounding drama, friendship, and struggles Unit 684 endure together, rather than going deep into the individual characters. This direction makes sense because understanding all 31 characters would not only take too long, but would also dilute the overall story. The corrupt politics between the various South Korean politicians, the rising tension between the two countries, and the officers’ decisions in training the assassin unit also add to the movie’s backdrop quite well. As everything in the movie builds up to the big finale, it is an incredible thriller and suspenseful ride, as the viewer will appreciate and understand Unit 684’s story even more.

One would imagine that a movie based on a true story would bring some controversy over true facts vs. fiction simply added for movie entertainment. Yet, according to various Korean reviewers and notes, the film portrays a fairly accurate assessment of what occurred during the Silmido incident without going overboard. But as with most movies dealing with war or real events, Silmido shouldn’t be watched as the next great historical discovery, but rather, as an untold story about a ragged group of 31 men and their impact on Korean history.

#9) Memories of Murder

Director: Bong Joon-Ho
Writer: Bong Joon-Ho, Kim Kwang-Rim,
Shim Sung Bo
Genre: Thriller, Crime, True Story documentation
Release Date: May 2003

A young woman met an unfortunate fate; she is found bloodied, strangled, raped, and thrown into a countryside ditch. Days later, around the same rural area, another woman’s corpse is discovered with similar brutal torture as the first. But who would do these murders? How did the killer pull off the murders? And most importantly, why would the murderer do such a thing? These are the questions that confronted the Gyonggi police force in 1986, as South Korea was confronted with its first serial killer that lasted until 1991.

Memories of Murder skirts a fine line in retelling a sensitive subject, as the killings bring up painful memories and utter disbelief to the Korean public nearly twenty years ago. The balance between entertainment and sympathy has to be taken into consideration. Fortunately, the movie does a fine job in taking another angle on the brutal tale. While many crime thrillers would go into the killer or the murders, the movie shows how the good guys — the “justice” — are just as corrupt, unruly, and desperate to catch the killer to restore peace. In one scene, blind accusations are taken to the extreme as one suspect gets “interrogated” with fists and kicks. And for this, director Bong Joon-ho deserves praise for presenting the truth instead of taking old wounds and covering them up with new bandages.

Even if one is already familiar with the murder tale, the incentive to see this film lays in its consistent story flow and the male acting leads.  Song Kang-ho takes the first lead as the blue-collar Park Du-man, an arrest-first-and-ask-later detective that doesn’t believe in evidence or logical arguments.  Kim Sang-kyung, on the other hand, plays the more calm and sane polar opposite, detective .  Together, they display a great acting job, showing the constant tension from their philosophical differences, the emotional toll suffered after each passing day, and the frustration of not having the necessary resources from their own police department.

Memories of Murder is one of the many movies that is largely unknown to non-Korean viewers, yet is definitely recommended to those that loves mystery, crime thrillers, or wants a modern perspective on the infamous murder case.

#8) 3-Iron

Director: Kim Ki-Duk
Writer: Kim Ki-Duk
Genre: Thriller, Drama, Romance, Crime
Release Date: October 2004

When 95% of the main character is through his actions and not words, one can’t help but remember the old saying, “Action speak louder than words… much louder.” So what can one say about 3-Iron? If one were to look at the script of the main character during development, it would look similar to this “…” Exactly. Silence is an art. It leaves room for interpretation. It is rare for a lead character in a movie to speak so little, yet mean so much.

Director Kim Ki-duk is known to express his movies by using outside themes, such as the environment, sexuality, subtle silence, or violence to communicate to the viewer, rather than direct dialogue between actors. 3-Iron follows Young Tae-suk, a young, free-spirited, homeless man that breaks into peoples’ houses when they are away on vacation. His intent, however, isn’t to steal valuables. Rather, he uses the owner’s vacant house as a hotel for a day and becomes a “butler”: repairing broken appliances, doing the laundry, and cleaning. Tae-suk’s nomadic lifestyle, however, takes a sharp turn when he comforts an abused wife he meets after a break-in. As they start to become closer, Tae-suk knows that his wandering ways of living will change as well.

Through the silence and his many body gestures, the viewer learns of Tae-suk’s desire to live as a free spirit in secrecy, living as a ghostly presence in many homes without being noticed. Even when thrusted into confrontation and danger, he is a man of very few words, unflinching, unafraid, and not hostile of the consequences. Lee Hyun-kyoon plays the silent protagonist to a tee, as his body movements and facial expressions say more than his words.  Lee Seung-yeon blends her acting skills as the distressed wife as she finds true happiness only when she meets her quiet co-star. The amazing part is that neither of the main stars, even as they fall for one another, rarely say a word to the other when expressing their feelings. Yet, during the movie, their adulterous romance is very believable.

3-Iron is a work of movie art, relying heavily on its great acting a lot more than any other movie feature.  While the movie starts off slow, the viewer will find appreciation in seeing how Tae-suk grows and evolves throughout the film.  Foreign movie critics certainly found appreciation of 3-Iron, as to date, has won six awards and was nominated six times for various categories.  This film is a truly unique movie experience and one that should not be missed.

#7) Joint Security Area (JSA)

Director: Park Chan-wook
Writer: Jeong Seong-San, Kim Hyeon-Seok,
Lee Mu-Yeong, Park Chan-Wook,
Based on Park Sang-Yeon (author of DMZ)
Genre: Mystery, Thriller, Drama, War
Release Date: September 2000

In 1989 the Berlin wall fell and reunited Germany. But another wall along the 38th parallel goes without mention and it lies between two sides braced for an inevitable war. It is known as the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ). When alarms started to blare throughout the DMZ, both the North and South Koreans started to fire upon one another. A deeply injured soldier made a limping run during the fire fight from the North to the Southern border. Two North Korean soldiers were found shot and dead along the border, as the two Koreas were tethering on the brink of all-out war. The Neutral Nations Supervisory Commission (NNSC) – a non-biased mediator consisting of Swiss and Swedish investigators — were immediately rushed to the DMZ to diffuse the escalating hostilities and uncover the truth. But who were involved in the incident? What happened exactly? Is there more to the story than the testimonies given?

Enter Major Sophie, an investigator of Korean descent, but Swiss citizenship.  As Sophie’s first time in Korea, she begins in asking those involved what happened.  However, as interrogation after interrogation revealed no results, it became apparent that the soldiers were keeping a crucial secret to finding the truth.  When the testimonies from each Korea arrived, their stories posed two vastly differing scenarios that were inconsistent with the other.  Even with Sophie’s unique questioning – such as the number of bullets fired and where the gunshots landed – and persistence to the case, without the soldiers’ cooperation, she was getting nowhere.  As the investigation grinded to a hopeless rut, both Koreas threatened to extradite the NNSC back to Switzerland within three days. It was apparent that neither side wanted a fair resolution, but to instead believe their own account. However, Sophie had other plans.

While action-thriller Shiri explored both sides of the North-South Korean animosities in 1999, Joint Security Area (JSA) delves even further.  Rather than taking the easy route and stereotyping one side as “good” and the other as “evil” or implying hidden biases, JSA director Park Chan-woon shows that both North and South Korean soldiers are, at the core, humans that can have empathy for one another regardless of nationality.  The soldiers on both sides have deep, well thought-out, and compelling stories.  This is commendable as this movie touches upon the most sensitive topic of Korean Unification and yet presents the subject tastefully.

The movie’s excellent pacing also deserves mention.  Through the brilliant execution of bouncing between extended flashbacks and engaging interrogation scenes, the movie really shines at its brightest.  The viewer then must go alongside Major Sophie as they piece together the scenes of truth and weed out the scenes of fiction.  Only then can a full picture be revealed.

The acting is also top-notch as Lee Young-ae’s portrayal as the charismatic Major Sophie, Lee Byung-hun’s display as guilt-torn Sgt. Lee Soo-hyeok, and Song Kang-ho’s acting of the honorable Sgt. Oh Kyeong-pil were spot on.  Many side characters in the film were also acted admirably as well.  From being vindictive and disappointed during the interrogations, to showing anger, shock, and desperation during the flashbacks, the movie shows a wide variety of emotions.  If there is one thing to knock about JSA’s acting, however, it is Lee Young-ae’s English dialogue.  While she is not expected to be fluent in speaking English – as she is fluent in both her native Korean and German – both her pronunciation and script writing sounded clumsy and choppy.

Joint Security Area was one of the biggest blockbusters of 2000.  Expenses were not spared in its cinematography due to the new Super-35 mm format, making the camera shots clean and sleek.  Its environment was also surreal, as the film studio spent nearly $1 million US dollars into recreating the Pannumejoum truce village seen in the movie.  While the film’s acting, presentation, pacing, and realism are all excellent, its deep underlying message is what truly sets this movie to a new level.

#6)Oldboy

Director: Park Chan-wook
Writer: Hwang Jo-Hun, Lim Chung-Hyeong,
Lim Joon-Hyung, Park Chan-Wook
Based on Garon Tsuchiya (story),
Nobuyuki Minegishi (comic)
Genre: Drama, Mystery, Thriller
Release Date: November 2003

A man wakes up in a shabby hotel room and has no clue how he got there.  Recovering from a hangover the night before, he finds that the room has the basic human necessities: a desk, a bed, a bathroom, and even a small TV for news.  Yet, when he goes to the steel front door, he notices there is a small slot on the bottom and is locked from the outside.  He is essentially imprisoned in this room.  He soon hears a quaint tune and seconds later, sleeping gas seeps into the room from the small door crevice knocking him out cold.  When he finally wakes up, he notices his new clean clothes, a clean haircut, and a fresh new meal of pot stickers slid under from the door’s slot.  How long will he be here?  Who placed him here?  Most importantly, why is this man even in this room in the first place?  This is the new life of Oh Dae-su.

Famed Korean director Park Chan-wook creates a sinister, dark, mysterious, and engaging movie with his 2003 thriller Oldboy.  Based off the Japanese manga of the same name, the film, for the most part, stays true to the original.  From the get-go, this film sucks the viewer in, as they ask the same question as Dae-su, “How did I get in this nightmare?”  A few days after he is thrown into his private prison-for-one, he watches a TV news report of death of his wife.  To add further result to misery, he is also named the prime suspect of his spouse’s murder.  With his wife dead and no way to get out, he goes into a deep depression, void of any real emotion.

Every day he lives in isolation from anyone doing the same routine:  eating, exercising, showering, punching walls, watching TV, and sleeping.  Whenever he watches TV, it represents his only window to the outside world.  The years in his secluded prison pass by, as he witnesses major world events such as the Asian Financial Crisis in 1997, the return of Hong Kong back to China, and the death of the late Princess Diana.  One day, however, he is unexpectedly released from his prison he had called home for the last 15 years.  This is just the beginning of his journey; now he can find answers to his questions above.

But imagine, just for a couple minutes, what would you be thinking if you had no human contact for the last 15 years, let alone one week?  What would you do?  Who would you call or go to first?  How do you start the most basic conversations with people on the street? If you’re Oh Dae-su, you would feel the need for justice and take revenge on the people responsible for your 15-year imprisonment.  If there is one positive from being secluded, it is the various skills he inherently developed.  He honed his awareness by watching TV news, fighting prowess by practicing shadow boxing, and taught himself a keen sense of logic and problem solving by his motivation to finding the culprits.  Irony sets in, as the skills he learns during his stay in prison would greatly assist him in catching the villains who threw him there in the beginning.

Oldboy is not for the weak or faint-of-heart.  The film seriously questions one’s own morals, values, and life itself without “sugarcoating” its intentions.  It is intended to make the viewer uncomfortable.  Yet, the viewer will be rewarded.  Between the movie’s dark tones, vengeful feelings, and sadistic atmosphere, the viewer is pulled into Oh Dae-su’s world.  The ending is also crafted quite well, as it contains a both shocking twists and more questions to ponder.  Where many other films have difficulty in presenting mature themes, Oldboy succeeds in exploring deeply mature and painful subjects.  Choi Min-sik is the actor that makes this dark and mature film work, as his portrayal of Oh Dae-su is amazing.

This is Park Chan-wook’s 2^nd movie on this list and it’s no fluke; his movies are just that good.  While some of the movies on this list are unheard to non-Korean movie fans, Oldboy is known in many world movie circles.  The film has garnered many awards in various film festivals (17 awards total), great praise from movie critics, and a must-see reputation from netizens.  Even famous movie directors, such as Quentin Tarantino, who is known to have made films similar in nature to Oldboy, enjoyed the film so much that he wanted it to receive the 2004 Cannes’s Palme D’Or award.  Instead, that award went to Michael Moore’s much safer and anti-Bush documentary Fahrenheit 911.

As with the recent Hollywood trend of importing successful Korean movies, a US remake of the film – starring talented US actor Will Smith and directed by none other than Steven Spielberg – is in the works.  Hopefully, we can look forward to Smith duplicating Choi Min-sik’s incredible acting and Spielberg paying homage to Park Chan-wook’s masterpiece.

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Despite Korean actress Jun Ji-hyun’s efforts to prove her acting ability, her latest film is proving a box-office flop.

“Blood: The Last Vampire,” Jun’s Hollywood debut film, which was released at local theaters on June 11, has drawn around 70,000 viewers through June 20, Korea Film Council said yesterday.

The figures are far behind its competitors, such as Korean flick “Running Turtle (Geobugi dalinda),” which has drawn more than 550,000 since opening on the same day.

With hotly anticipated movies such as “Haeundae” and “Transformers 2: The Revenge of the Fallen” on their way, the prospects for “Blood” look grim.

It is quite a tough situation for Jun, who has not had a real box-office hit since “My Sassy Girl (2001)” and faces criticism that her main job is modeling for TV commercials.

Critics cited Jun’s failure to deliver the complicated emotions of her character, Saya, as one of the major reasons for the film’s failure.

The loose plot which largely differed from the original Japanese animation that the film is based on and the poor computer graphics are also cited as reasons for the film’s lack of appeal.

Korea Herald