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

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

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

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 1: Thursday 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 2: Thursday April 14th, “The Road” (길)

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 3: Thursday April 28th, “Take Care of my Cat” (고양이를 부탁해) 

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. 

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.