An early morning flight
to Korea looms as I write this reflection. Funny, this feeling - that somehow
through the films I viewed at KOFFIA 2013 I feel as if I’ve already been to
Korea – from ancient Joseon to modern day Seoul! Is it safe to say that when I
step out of Incheon everything will feel alien-ly familiar? I hope so, even
though this will be my first time to the land of the Morning Calm.
I’m a K-pop, K-drama
and K-fashion enthusiast – adding K-film to my list of K-enthusiasms was just
covering another base I hadn’t previously. This opportunity came through
artistic director Kieran Tully and fellow blogger Raelene to whom I’d like to
express my deepest gratitude to. I also extend that to the KCO and the entire
team behind KOFFIA. It is so great that such good cinema has become readily available here. I had only experienced Korean cinema once or twice before
but after KOFFIA 2013 I can never see Korean cinema the same way again. I
believe the expression is “broader horizons”!
I was fortunate enough
to see A Werewolf Boy; My Paparotti, Watcha Wearin, Architecture 101, Boomerang
Family, Masquerade and my favourite of the whole festival, Pluto. In total
seven films - a pretty good run for a first timer, hey? Some were more
memorable than others but all of them left an impression that excited me about
my upcoming trip to Korea. Oh and what's more memorable than actress Kim Kkot-bbi tweeting her well wishes for your impending trip to her country?
Sensual perhaps sums
up my experience of KOFFIA 2013. Song Joong-ki took my heart when he finally
uttered “kajima”, Lee Je-hoon made me tear up when he belted out Nessun Dorma,
I pained with Lee Byung-hoon when Sa-Wol died in his arms and I felt a cool
sense of revenge when Lee Da-wit finally lit that fuse. If this is how cinema is supposed to be
experienced then I hope KOFFIA reaches further audiences in the future.
Honourable mentions
must also go out to my fellow bloggers who also offered such varied, academic
and informed perspectives on the other films. It was also quite a joy to
socialise in the Korean way (chi-mek and soju) with these kindred spirits!
Long live KOFFIA and
hopefully see you at KOFFIA14!
By Genesis Mansilongan
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