Friday, April 29, 2011

This Week In Korean Cinema (25 - 29 April 2011)

Welcome back to our regular column here at the official KOFFIA Blog, where we look at all the latest news, box office and new releases to emerge from our favourite film industry. We trust you all had a happy Easter break?

New releases
After an impressive collection of 5 major releases in previous weeks, only a handful of new releases came out in South Korea this week: In Love and the War 적(과의 동침). Another film exploring the Korean War, this one is from the director of Lifting King Kong, Park Keon-Hong. The literal title for this is "Sleeping with the Enemy", and the Korean press has referred to this as the "second coming of the popular Welcome to Dongmakgol". Incidentally, that last film is screening at the KCO free Cinema on the Park in Sydney on June 23, so mark your calendars.

HanCinema also reports that If You Were Me 5 opened in Korean cinemas yesterday. The latest in line of omnibus films commissioned and funded by the Human Rights Commission of Korea. The film is made up of: "Q&A" is directed by Kim Dae-seung, "Her Story Taking" is directed by Sin Dong-il, "Two Teeth" is directed by Kang Yi-kwan, "Banana Shake" is directed by Yoon Sung hyun and "Nima" is directed by Boo Ji-young.


Box office
Over the Easter long weekend in South Korea, the release of the US action flick Fast Five (aka Fast and Furious 5) toppled South Korea's The Suicide Forecast (aka Suspicious Customers) from the top slot. Even so, homegrown films still accounted for 47% of the total box office revenue at the South Korean box office over the last weekend. Meet the In-Laws (aka Dangerous Meeting) is still performing strongly in the #3 position, having grossed a total of 15,940,898,500 Won (US$14.9 million approximately) since debuting a few weeks ago.The Most Beautiful Goodbye debuted at #4, while the other new South Korean release, I Am Father, came in at #7. (Source: AsianMediaWiki)

Meet the In-Laws: still performing strongly
News
What in the world is happening in the world of South Korean cinema?

  • Hyung-rae Shim's Hollywood blockbuster, The Last Godfather (a spoof of The Godfather trilogy), is confirmed to feature a cameo from K-Pop sensations, The Wonder Girls. (Source: Korea.com)
  • Two Korean films have been programmed at this year's 3rd Terracotta Festival, 5th - 8th May in London, UK: Woo Min-ho's thriller Man of Vendetta (파괴된 사나이) and Kim Jeong-hoon-II's Petty Romance (쩨쩨한 로맨스) (Source: Terracotta Far East Film Festival)
  • Kim Jung-ho's A Fresh Girl has won the Indie Spirit Best Picture Award at the 9th Boston International Film Festival. It was the first time that a South Korean film has received this award at the festival. (Source: HanCinema)
If you have any news to contribute, please email the Blog Editor with the scoop.

Richard is a KOFFIA Blog Editor and a  Marketing Assistant for KOFFIA.  He can be contacted via email on richard.gray@koffia.com.au

He is also the Editor-in-chief of DVD Bits and The Reel Bits. He can be found on Twitter @DVDBits and @The_ReelBits. In this guise, you can also reach him at richard@thereelbits.com

Saturday, April 23, 2011

Cinema on the Park - Korean Film Night (April to June 2011 Schedule)

It wasn't so long ago that the KOFFIA team launched a free Korean film night at our new home, the Korean Cultural Office, in Sydney. Now we are pleased to be able to share the complete lineup for the next quarter.

Each and every Thursday (baring public holidays and special events) will be "Cinema on the Park", showcasing a diverse range of Korean cinema for Sydneysiders.

Quarter 2 (April - June) Schedule
Date Film Director Year Theme
April 7 Ha Ha Ha
Sang-soo Hong
2010
Farewell to Good Friends
April 14 The Road
Chang-ho Bae
2006
Farewell to the Past
April 21
NO SCREENING (Easter Break)
April 28 Take Care of My Cat
Jae-eun Jeong
2001
Farewell to Innocence
May 5 My Mother, the Mermaid
Heung-shik Park
2004
Contemporary Art: The Beauty of Korea
May 12 Oh! Brothers
Yong-hwa Kim
2003
Contemporary Art: The Values of Korea
May 19 Passage to Buddha
Sung-woo Jang
1993
Contemporary Art: The Spirituality of Korea
May 26 Hwang Jin Yi
Yoon-hyun Chang
2007
Contemporary Art: The History of Korea
June 2 Wonderful Days
Moon-saeng Kim
2002
War in Film: The Pending Future
June 9
NO SCREENING (Sydney Film Festival)
June 16 The Last Witness
Du-yong Lee
1980
War in Film: The Looming Past
June 23 Welcome to Dongmakgol
Kwang-hyun Park
2005
War in Film: The Never Never
June 30 Take Off!
Yong-hwa Kim
2008
Special Screening: Winter Olympics Announcement!


Cinema on the Park at the KCO
  • What: Weekly free Korean film night
  • When: Every Thursday night at 6:30pm
  • Where: Korean Cultural Office, Ground Floor 255 Elizabeth St, Sydney, NSW. 
  • Who: All are welcome!
  • Why: So those that love Korean film can watch films, meet up and chat together.
  • How: Just turn up, no bookings are necessary. (Note: doors lock at 6:45pm for security purposes).

Our Korean Cinema Club aims to connect those people that attend the Korean Cultural Office film night or film festival and get them talking. Get together for a cup of coffee, watch a DVD, and chat about the latest blockbusters from Korea. The cinema club will be open to anyone who loves Hallyuwood!

* Attend 5 Screenings of CINEMA ON THE PARK to earn a FREE TICKET to the KOREAN FILM FESTIVAL!

UP NEXT: Jeong Jae-Eun's Take Care of My Cat (2001)

Richard is a KOFFIA Blog Editor and a  Marketing Assistant for KOFFIA.  He can be contacted via email on richard.gray@koffia.com.au

He is also the Editor-in-chief of DVD Bits and The Reel Bits. He can be found on Twitter @DVDBits and @The_ReelBits. In this guise, you can also reach him at richard@thereelbits.com

Friday, April 22, 2011

This Week In Korean Cinema (18 - 22 April 2011)

Welcome to a new column here at the official KOFFIA Blog, where we look at all the latest news, box office and new releases to emerge from our favourite film industry.

New Releases
The last week has actually been a massive one for Asian cinema, with Hong Kong's Sex and Zen 3D: Extreme Ecstasy proving to be one of the most successful 3D efforts on the Chinese market, despite (or perhaps because of) the fact that it is an explicit erotic 3D film. 

During this time, no less than five new Korean films have been released, making it one of the biggest weeks of the year so far:

  • I Am Father (나는 아빠다 - Dir: Jeon Mae-Bae): The Romantic President director weaves a tale of corrupt cops, mobsters, organ transplants and magicians. Starring Kim Seung-Woo.
  • The Suicide Forecast (수상한 고객들 - Dir: Jo Jin-Mo): Bae Byung-Woo (Ryoo Seung-Bum) is a former baseball player turned insurance salesman, whose past clients are is audited for potential suicide when one of his current clients kills himself. Currently topping the South Korean box office!
  • The Journals of Musan (무산일기 - Dir: Park Jung-Bum): This multi-award winning film is the debut feature of Jung-Bum, who was assistant director on the acclaimed Poetry. Starring the director, it focuses on the discrimination in South Korean society about a man branded a North Korean defector.
  • In Love and the War (적과의 동침 - Dir: Park Keon-Hong): Another film exploring the Korean War, this one is from the director of Lifting King Kong. The literal title for this is Sleeping with the Enemy, and the Korean press has referred to this as the "second coming of the popular Welcome to Dongmakgol".
  • The Most Beautiful Goodbye (민규동 - Dir: Min Kyu-Dong): From the director In My End is My Beginning,  a beleaguered woman - with wayward children, an indifferent husband and a mother-in-law with Alzheimer's - finds out she has cancer. Probably not a comedy then.
In Love and War aka Sleeping with the Enemy

Box Office (April 15 - 17)
Topping the South Korean box-office in the weekend just gone was South Korea's own The Suicide Forecast, with Meet the In-Laws, I Am Father and Late Blossoms rounding out the local entries at the box office. This means that local films accounted for almost 69% of the takings at the South Korean box office last weekend.

News
What else has been happening this week in Korean cinema?
  • I Saw the Devil directed by Kim Jee-woon, took out the Golden Raven at the 29th Brussels International Fantastic Film Festival.
  • The short film Ghost, directed by Lee Jung-Jin (a.k.a. Ma Dahci), has been selected for the Short Film Competition of the 64th Cannes Film Festival. (Source: Korean Herald)
  • The Journals of Musa won the grand prize at the Off Plus Camera Festival in Kraków (Source: The Chosun Ilbo)
  • Three Korean films have been invited to the Un Certain Regard section of the Cannes Film Festival this year: Hong Sang-soo's The Day He Arrives, Kim Ki-duk's Arirang and Na Hong-jin's Yellow Sea. Ya-Gan-Bi-Hang (Fly by Night) by Son Tae-gyun was also invited to the students' Cinefondation selection. (Source: The Chosun Ilbo)

Golden Raven winner I Saw the Devil
We hope for this to be a weekly column, so if you have any news to contribute, please email the Blog Editor with the scoop.


Richard is a KOFFIA Blog Editor and a  Marketing Assistant for KOFFIA.  He can be contacted via email on richard.gray@koffia.com.au

He is also the Editor-in-chief of DVD Bits and The Reel Bits. He can be found on Twitter @DVDBits and @The_ReelBits. In this guise, you can also reach him at richard@thereelbits.com

Wednesday, April 13, 2011

Cinema on the Park: Free Korean Film Night!

Recently the KOFFIA team launched a free Korean film night at our new home, the Korean Cultural Office, in Sydney. Each and every Thursday (baring public holidays and special events) will be "Cinema on the Park", showcasing a diverse range of Korean cinema for Sydneysiders to eat up. 


Cinema on the Park at the KCO
  • What: Weekly free Korean film night
  • When: Every Thursday night at 6:30pm
  • Where: Korean Cultural Office, Ground Floor 255 Elizabeth St, Sydney, NSW. 
  • Who: All are welcome!
  • Why: So those that love Korean film can watch films, meet up and chat together.
  • How: Just turn up, no bookings are necessary. (Note: doors lock at 6:45pm for security purposes).

We will be revealing the complete season line-up soon, as we screen more than 25 Korean films in 2011 alone. It will be a fun night, with special guests, group discussions, snacks and drink, and best of all, Korean cinema! Come along this Thursday, and every Thursday to earn free tickets to our KOFFIA Korean Film Festival. 


THE THEME FOR APRIL: "FAREWELL"
As we welcome the opening of a new Korean Cultural Office in Australia, we farewell some of the staff that helped establish it. Those that worked long and hard over every last detail in setting up the KCO will be farewelled with honour as 'Cinema on the Park' in April emphasises such friendships and having to say farewell to good mates. 


Screening 1Thursday April 7th, “Ha Ha Ha” (하하하)
Comedy, Drama | 2010 | 115 min | MA15+ 
Director: Hong Sang-soo
Brief: Moon-kyeong is leaving Seoul to live in Canada so before he departs he meets an old friend Joong-sik. They drink ‘makgeolli’ (Korean rice wine) and begin to tell stories, discovering they both recently visited a small seaside town. They reveal their accounts of the trip but agree to only reveal pleasant memories. Not realizing they were in the same place, at the same time, the men’s reminiscence of a hot summer unfolds like a catalogue of memories. Special Event: Come along to try some Makgeoli and Korean snacks as we journey to Korea!


Screening 2Thursday April 14th, “The Road” ()
Drama, Independent, Family | 2006 | 95 min | M
Director: Bae Chang-ho (Whale Hunter)
Brief: After making many critically successful films during the 1980’s, veteran Korean director Chang Ho Bae fell out of fashion with mainstream audiences, and Korean cinema seemed to have no place for him. However, it would be better to say that he was determined to go down his own path. “The Road” is an indication of his determined attitude; a shoe-string budget independent film, “The Road” is literally a road movie which tells the story of redemption and forgiveness. Special Event: Have a truely Australian film night with Tim Tams and Coffee!
  
Note: Thursday April 21st (No screening due to Easter Weekend)


Screening 3Thursday April 28th, “Take Care of my Cat” (고양이를 부탁) 
Drama, Friendship, Teen | 2001 | 112 min | M
Director: Jeong Jae-eun (The Aggressives)
Brief: A chronicle of friendship, youth, life and love. 5 young women have just entered the real world after graduating from High School. Brought together by a small cat, we see the inspiring stories and challenges they must face in their new phase of life. Burdened with new responsibilities, we see the different reactions from the 5 girls. Special Event: To Be Announced! 


‘Cinema on the Park’ Loyalty Club:
Launching soon will be a Cinema Club for those loyal attendees to Cinema on the Park. The more nights you attend the more FREE tickets to our KOFFIA Korean Film Festival you will earn! Contact us at info@koreanculture.org.au or on 8267 3400 for any questions. 


Monday, April 11, 2011

KOFFIA Korean Film Guide

We have launched a new section of the KOFFIA website for those of you who can't get enough of Korean cinema!



A comprehensive list of Korean cinema screenings, TV airings, DVD releases, pay per view services, weekly film nights and festival events in Australia will be collected and available for you all to access in our new "Korean Film Guide".


The launch of this new section has coincided with our move into the Korean Cultural Office and the launch of the free weekly film night at the KCO, called "Cinema on the Park". We hope for it to be the number 1 source in Australia for Korean film details, so make sure you use our Korean Film Guide! The current film guide is listed below:


 The Truck 
 Saturday, 2nd April, 10:35pm The World Movies Channel
 The Truck Sunday, 3rd April, 1:00pm  The World Movies Channel
 A Brand New Life  Wednesday, 6th April 2011, 4:15pm The World Movies Channel
 A Brand New Life  Thursday, 7th April 2011, 2:30am The World Movies Channel
 Ha Ha Ha  Thursday, 7th April 2011, 6:30pm Cinema on the Park, Korean Cultural Office
 Portrait of a Beauty Friday, 8th April, 6:35pm The World Movies Channel
 Portrait of a Beauty Friday, 9th April, 9:45am The World Movies Channel
 My Dear Enemy  Tuesday, 12th April, 2:30am The World Movies Channel
 My Dear Enemy Tuesday, 12th April, 5:00pm The World Movies Channel
 The Road  Thursday, 14th April 2011, 6:30pm Cinema on the Park, Korean Cultural Office
 The Truck Monday, 18th April, 1:10pm The World Movies Channel
 The Truck Monday, 18th April, 10:20pm The World Movies Channel
 Portrait of a Beauty Thursday, 21st April, 6:30am The World Movies Channel 
 NO SCREENING (EASTER) Thursday, 21st April, 6:30pm Cinema on the Park, Korean Cultural Office
 Portrait of a Beauty Thursday, 21st April, 6:35pm The World Movies Channel
 A Bittersweet Life Thursday, 21st April, 11:45pm SBS Film
 Members of the Funeral Friday, 22nd April, 9:35pm SBS Film
 A Brand New Life  Sunday, 24th April 2011, 4:45pm The World Movies Channel
 A Brand New Life  Monday, 25th April 2011, 1:35am The World Movies Channel
 Take Care of My Cat  Thursday, 28th April 2011, 6:30pm Cinema on the Park, Korean Cultural Office
 My Dear Enemy Friday, 29th April, 6:20pm The World Movies Channel
 Shadowless Sword Friday, 29th April, 9:15pm SBS Film
 My Dear Enemy Saturday, 30th April, 8:30am The World Movies Channel
 Private Eye Wednesday, 4th May, 10:20pm The World Movies Channel
 Private Eye Thursday, 5th May, 1:20pm The World Movies Channel
 NO SCREENING (KCO Exhibition Launch)  Thursday, 5th May 2011, 6:30pm Cinema on the Park, Korean Cultural Office
 TBA  Thursday, 12th May 2011, 6:30pm Cinema on the Park, Korean Cultural Office
 Castaway on the Moon  Saturday, 14th May, 3:55am The World Movies Channel
 Castaway on the Moon  Saturday, 14th May, 11:15am The World Movies Channel
 TBA  Thursday, 19th May 2011, 6:30pm Cinema on the Park, Korean Cultural Office
 Thirst    Thursday, 19th May, 10:05pm    The World Movies Channel  
 Thirst Friday, 20th May, 12:45pm The World Movies Channel
 Private Eye Saturday, 21st May, 7:50am  The World Movies Channel
 Private Eye Saturday, 21st May, 3:45pm The World Movies Channel     
 A Frozen Flower Saturday, 21st May, 9:30pm The World Movies Channel
 A Frozen Flower Sunday, 22nd May, 4:50am The World Movies Channel
 A Frozen Flower Sunday, 22nd May, 12:25pm The World Movies Channel   
 Castaway on the Moon   Tuesday, 24th May, 4:25pm The World Movies Channel
 Castaway on the Moon Wednesday, 25th May, 7:10pm         The World Movies Channel
 TBA  Thursday, 26th May 2011, 6:30pm Cinema on the Park, Korean Cultural Office
 Thirst Saturday, 28th May, 5:35pm The World Movies Channel
 Thirst Sunday, 29th May, 4:25am The World Movies Channel
 A Frozen Flower Monday, 30th May, 10:20am The World Movies Channel
 KOFFIA 2011 Sydney  August 24th-29th Dendy Opera Quays
 KOFFIA 2011 Melbourne  September 10th-13th ACMI

Thanks to Richard Gray and Kwenton Bellette for the idea! If you notice we have missed any screenings or listings, please get in touch with us at: info@koffia.com.au

Kieran Tully, Marketing Director, KOFFIA.