Korean period drama THE FORTRESS to be released on Amazon, Google Play and iTunes on May 1, 2008

International Poster Courtesy CJ Entertainment

The Fortress / Namhansanseong

Directed by HWANG Dong-hyuk

Starring LEE Byung-hun

South Korea, 2017, 140 minutes

CJ Entertainment will be releasing The Fortress, a period drama featuring popular South Korean actor, LEE Byung-hun, best known for Magnificent Seven and Terminator Genisys on Amazon, Google Play, and iTunes on May 1, 2018. This title played in 18 cities across the U.S. and Canada last Fall. It was the main feature of Korean Film Days at the Asian World Film Festival in Los Angeles, and also opened at the London East Asia Film Festival (LEAFF) in London last year. The cost is $14.99 to purchase High Definition (HD), $9.99 to purchase Standard Definition (SD), $4.99 to rent High Definition (HD), and $3.99 to rent Standard Definition (SD).

The Fortress is set in 1636, when the Chinese Qing Dynasty has invaded Korea with 150,000 troops. The Korean court flees the capital to take shelter in the Namhan Fortress, located in treacherous mountains outside the city. The Qing army, led by General Yong Gol Dae, quickly surrounds the fortress, leaving the king and the court stranded in a prolonged standoff. For a truce, the Qing general makes a humiliating proposal that they send the Crown Prince out as hostage. Unable to move forward or fight the enemy they are outnumbered by, the people of the fortress start dying from cold and hunger. The king now faces an impossible choice between protecting his people and standing up to those looking to destroy them.

This film is directed by esteemed director HWANG Dong-hyuk (Miss Granny, Silenced, My Father). His 2014 hit Korean comedy, Miss Granny (Chinese version) reached $55M in the box office and has been remade for Japan, Vietnam, and several other countries. It was remade in English with Tyler Perry’s 34th Street Films and in Spanish with Eugenio Derbez’s 3pas Studios.

HWANG’s new period drama also stars KIM Yoon-seok (Will You Be There?, The Priests, Haemoo), PARK Hae-il (The Last Princess, Eungyo, War of the Arrows) and GO Soo (The Royal Tailor, Way Back Home, The Front Line).

MEMORIES OF THE SWORD reviewed; streets today

Well Go USA

Presents

Memories of the Sword / Hyeomnyeo: Kar-ui gi-eok

Directed by PARK Heung-Sik

South Korea, 2015, 120 minutes

Memories of the Sword  is a fine swordplay revenge tale that makes its home video debut on Blu-ray™, DVD and Digital HD today, Tuesday, January 12, 2016 from Well Go USA Entertainment. I watched the Blu-ray version.

Directed by PARK Heung-Sik Children of Heaven) the film is set during Goryeo Dynasty (918–1392), when "tea, riots, and swords ruled the land." Hong-yi (KIM Go-eun (Coin Locker Girl, A Muse) is a young woman with a mission, namely to avenge the deaths of her parents years earlier.

Pung-chun, her father, was one of the Three Great Swords who led a revolt on behalf of the people. His sword set goals. The other two leaders were Duk-gi (LEE Byubg-hun, War of the Arrows), whose sword gave protection and helped achieve the goals, and Sul-rang (JEON Do-yeon (Secret Sunshine), whose sword fought injustice. Duk-gi and Sul-rang also were dear lovers.

In a fierce battle, Pang-chun captured LEE Jon-bok, the son of the local governor. When the Three Swords confronted the governor with their petition on behalf of the commoners, an act of betrayal resulted in the death of Pung-chun and his wife, and the apparent death of Hong-yi.

But she survived and was raised in the martial arts by a blind woman who, besides being a master tea brewer, was also a swordmaster. Hong-yi, unable to resist an opportunity to demonstrate her martial prowess, disguises herself as a man and enters a competition. This brings her to the attention of General Yu-baek, formerly known as Duk-gi. He has suspicions about this mysterious warrior, suspicions that threaten to reveal Hong-yi's true identity and prevent her from achieving her goal.

There are several fine action scenes, some of which employ wire-work. At times these approach the graceful elegance of similar wire-work in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, and at other times they resemble classical wire-fu from Hong Kong martial arts films of the '60s and '70s.

Disc Specs:
-- Audio Options
   -- Korean 5.1 DTS HDMA
   -- Korean 2.0 Stereo
-- Subtitle Options
   -- English
   -- Off
-- Extras
   -- Trailer
   -- Previews
      -- The Assassin
      -- Assassination
      -- Kundo

AsianCineFest Rating: 3 out of 4 stars, a good, solid swordplay revenge tale with a nice surprise twist at the end.

Home video debut of MEMORIES OF THE SWORD on January 12, 2016

Well Go USA

Presents

Memories of the Sword / Hyeomnyeo: Kar-ui gi-eok

Directed by PARK Heung-Sik

South Korea, 2015, 120 minutes

From PARK Heung-Sik, the director of Children of Heaven, and starring LEE Byung-hun (G.I. Joe: Retaliation, I Saw the Devil), the lavish epic Memories of the Sword will debut on Blu-ray™, DVD and Digital HD on Tuesday, January 12, 2016 from Well Go USA Entertainment. The action-packed film blends tragic historical drama with thrilling swordplay and martial arts. Memories of the Sword also stars JEON Do-yeon (Secret Sunshine and Jibeuro Ganeun Gil/Way Back Home), KIM Go-eun (Coin Locker Girl), and LEE Kyeong-yeong (War of the Arrows).

Synopsis:
As the greed and excess of a corrupt Monarchy threatens to destroy the once-glorious Goryeo Dynasty, three legendary warriors lead a revolt to overthrow the empire and save its people. But when deceit and betrayal costs the life of a master swordsman, a plot for justice and revenge is set into motion, raging for decades between the two survivors.

Look for a full review here at AsianCineFest on, or just before, the January 12th release date.

Hong Sang-soo's HILL OF FREEDOM to screen twice at NY Film Festival

Hill of Freedom /  Jayuui Eondeok

Directed by Hong Sang-soo

2014 South Korea, 2014, 66 minutes

Korean and English with English subtitles

U.S. Premiere

Showtimes

Tuesday, September 30 at 6:00 pm at the Walter Reade Theater

and

Wednesday, October 8 at 9:00 pm at the Howard Gilman Theater

Ticket Info

Kwon (Seo Young-hwa) returns to Seoul from a restorative stay in the mountains. She is given a packet of letters left by Mori (Ryo Kase), who has come back from Japan to propose to her. As she walks down a flight of stairs, Kwon drops and scatters the letters, all of which are undated. When she reads them, she has to make sense of the chronology… and so must we.

Hong Sang-soo’s daring new film, alternately funny and haunting, is a series of disordered scenes based on the letters, echoing the cultural dislocation felt by Mori as he tries to make himself understood in halting English.

At what point did he drink himself into a lonely stupor? Did he sleep with the waitress from the Hill of Freedom café (Moon So-ri) before or after he despaired of seeing Kwon again?

Sixteen films into a three-decade career, Hong has achieved a rare simplicity in his storytelling, allowing for an ever-increasing psychological richness and complexity.

These two screenings of Hill of Freedom are part of the NYFF52 Main Slate.

FRIEND 2: THE LEGACY coming to DVD on September 16th

CJ Entertainment America

Presents

 Friend 2: The Legacy / Chingu 2

Directed by KWAK Kyung-taek

South Korea, 2013, 121 minutes

FRIEND 2: THE LEGACY, the long-awaited sequel to the Korean cult phenomenon, will debut on DVD Sept. 16 from CJ Entertainment. The cast includes YOO Oh-seong (Happy Killers), JOO Jin-mo (The Warrior) and Korea’s hottest young TV star KIM Woo-bin (Heirs, School 2013).

Director KWAK Kyung-taek (Friend, Typhoon) sets his tale of “power corrupting all” 17 years after the events of the first movie with LEE Joon-seok (YOO) preparing to complete his prison sentence for ordering the hit on his best friend turned rival gang boss. Joon-seok still has the affection of the crime boss and is the rightful heir, but must face the reality that the intervening period has significantly eroded his mentor’s health and power as well as his own standing.

To regain power he starts to round up his old lieutenants, but also turns to his protégé Seong-hoon (KIM), who considers Joon-seok a father-figure for his protection while in prison. Merging gangster wisdom with fresh blood, the two are on track to take over leadership of Busan’s most powerful crime organization – if their bond can survive the knowledge that Joon-seok had a role in the death of Seong-hoon’s father.

Exploring the relationships of fathers and sons, FRIEND 2: THE LEGACY delivers an enlightening sequel to a film that was declared an immediate classic and hard-boiled coda to an iconic gangster film that changed the meaning of the word “Friend” in Korea. This cultural phenomenon which was named the “Friend Syndrome,” elicited commentators of all stripes examining the sociological influence of the film and its musings on friendship, men, the gangster code, Korea’s post-war history, fashion and whatever else the film even touched upon.

Synopsis: The explosive sequel to the Asian action hit of 2001, FRIEND 2: THE LEGACY picks up 17 years later as Joon-seok is discharged from prison to find his gang has been taken over by a treacherous new leader. As he plots to regain power, he is confronted with younger, more ruthless gangsters in what has become the region’s most powerful crime organization, as well as a rival gang whose blood-drenched violence knows no bounds. This stylish, noir thriller is a classic addition to the annals of gangster filmdom.

Bonus Features Include:
- “The Making of Friend 2: The Legacy”
- Cast & Crew Interviews
- Characters
- Trailers

Look for a review of the FRIEND 2: THE LEGACY DVD here at AsianCineFest on or just before the September 16th release date.

ACF 2020: Free screening of Korean blockbuster SECRETLY GREATLY

Korean Cultural Service New York

presents

Korean Movie Night 2013
 Special Screening!

 Secretly Greatly
Directed by JANG Chui-soo
South Korea, 2013, 124 minutes
When: Tuesday, September 10, 2013 @ 7:00 PM
Doors open: 6:30 PM
Where: Tribeca Cinemas
54 Varick Street, on the corner of Canal Street, NYC
Near the A, C, E @ #1 Canal Street subway stops
Map
North American Premiere!
Admission: FREE!!!

A group of elite North Korean spies, trained since youth, has been dispatched to South Korea where they’ve disguised themselves as a fool, an aspiring singer, and a high school student. Passing their time without receiving orders from the North, they gradually become accustomed to life as ordinary neighbors in a small town until one day, their mundane lives are turned upside down when a very unexpected "secret and great" mission is suddenly assigned to them.

A blockbuster that caters to film fans of all ages, Secretly Greatly is still playing to sold out audiences across Korea! You can’t miss this one. So plan to arrive early as this screening promises to draw a full house.

ACF 1358: NY Korean Film Festival ends tomorrow with three screenings

The 10th New York Korean Film Festival will conclude tomorrow night, Sunday, February 26th. Presented by The Korea Society in cooperation with partners BAM Cinématek and CJ Entertainment, the seven film festival showcases the popular and prolific in Korean film, featuring blockbusters, cutting-edge action, drama, and comedy.

Below is information about Sunday's screenings. (For information about the two films that will be shown today, Saturday, click here.) 

Sunny

Directed by Kang Hyeong-cheol

With Yu Ho-jeong, Shim Eun-kyeong, Jin Hee-kyung, Kang So-ra, Hong Jin-hee

South Korea, 2011, 124 minutes

Korean with English subtitles

When: Sunday, February 26th, 2012 at 3:00 PM 

Where: Brooklyn Academy of Music's BAM Rose Cinema

30 Lafayette Avenue, Brooklyn 

(Map and directions here)

Tickets here

Synopsis (courtesy The Korea Society): In Sunny, director Kang Hyeong-chul (Speedy Scandal) tells a tale about a group of high school friends who go their separate ways after a sudden accident. Twenty-five years later, Na-mi—who’s married and has a daughter but feels something missing in her life—runs into old friend Chun-hwa, and decides to seek out the others. With great performances and a charming storyline, Sunny was Korea’s biggest box-office hit in Korea 2011.

 Moss / Iggi

Directed by Kang Woo-suk

With Jeong jae-yeong, Park Hae-il, and Yu Hae-jin

South Korea, 2010, 163 minutes

Korean with English subtitles

When: Sunday, February 26th, 2012 at 5:45 PM 

Where: Brooklyn Academy of Music's BAM Rose Cinema

30 Lafayette Avenue, Brooklyn 

(Map and directions here)

Tickets here

Synopsis (courtesy The Korea Society): Upon hearing news of his father’s death, Ryu Hae-guk travels to an isolated village, where he soon realizes that the increasingly threatening villagers are hiding something from him. The mystery behind his father’s death continues to unravel in this atmospheric thriller, as Ryu learns that his father was a savior to this small town and shared absolute power with the town chief.

 Glove

Directed by Kang Woo-suk

With Jeong Jae-young, Sun Yoo, Kang Shin-il

South Korea, 2011, 144 minutes

Korean with English subtitles

When: Sunday, February 26th, 2012 at 9:00 PM 

Where: Brooklyn Academy of Music's BAM Rose Cinema

30 Lafayette Avenue, Brooklyn 

(Map and directions here)

Tickets here

Synopsis (courtesy The Korea Society): A hot-tempered former professional baseball player is sent to the countryside to coach a team of hearing-impaired players—all in an effort to avoid media coverage of his recent involvement in an assault case. At first, he’s skeptical but as he spends time with the players he starts to believe in them and decides to help them prepare for the nationals. 

ACF 1356: THE SERVENT and QUICK at NY Korean Film Festival tomorrow

The 10th New York Korean Film Festival, which begins tonight, will continue tomorrow night, Saturday, February 25th. Presented by The Korea Society in cooperation with partners BAM Cinématek and CJ Entertainment, the seven film festival showcases the popular and prolific in Korean film, featuring blockbusters, cutting-edge action, drama, and comedy.

Below is information about Saturday's screenings. (For information about the two films that will open the festival tonight, click here.) 

The Servent / Bang-ja jeon

Directed by Kim Dae-woo

With Kim Joo-hyuk, Ryu Seung-beom, Jo Yeo-jeong, Oh Dal-su

South Korea, 2010, 124 minutes

Korean with English subtitles

When: Saturday, February 25th, 2012 at 6:30 PM 

Where: Brooklyn Academy of Music's BAM Rose Cinema

30 Lafayette Avenue, Brooklyn 

(Map and directions here)

Tickets here

Synopsis (courtesy The Korea Society): This retelling of the classic Korean folk tale Chun-hyang is told from the point of view of Bang-ja, a personal servant to the aristocratic scholar Lee Mong-ryong. When the two men encounter a maiden named Chun-hyang, Mong-ryong courts her with the prospect of marriage while Bang-ja begins an illicit affair with her. With eroticism and humor, Kim Dae-woo’s The Servant illustrates the pursuits of love and class status.   

Quick

Directed by Cho Beom-goo
With Lee Min-ki, Kang Ye-won, Kim In-kwon

South Korea, 2011, 115 minutes

Korean with English subtitles

When: Saturday, February 25th, 2012 at 9:30 PM 

Where: Brooklyn Academy of Music's BAM Rose Cinema

30 Lafayette Avenue, Brooklyn 

(Map and directions here)

Tickets here

Synopsis (courtesy The Korea Society): Former motorcycle gang member Gi-su makes his living as a bike messenger. When he delivers a package one day, the building later blows up, yet he never suspects that he could have anything to do with the bomb. But when Ah-rom, an ex-girlfriend from his biker days, puts on a bike helmet, she triggers a timing mechanism that sets off a countdown clock: Gi-su must make a series of deliveries within a fixed time limit—or suffer the consequences.

ACF 1353: New York Korean Film Festival begins tomorrow

The 10th New York Korean Film Festival begins tomorrow night, Friday, February 24th, and runs through Sunday, February 26th. Presented by The Korea Society in cooperation with partners BAM Cinématek and CJ Entertainment, the seven film festival will showcase the popular and prolific in Korean film, featuring blockbusters, cutting-edge action, drama, and comedy.

Late Autumn / Manchu

Directed by Kim Tae-yong.

With Hyun Bin and Tang Wei

South Korea/China/Hong Kong/USA, 2010, 113 minutes

In English, some Korean and Chinese with English subtitles

When: Friday, February 24th, 2012 at 6:50 PM 

Where: Brooklyn Academy of Music's BAM Rose Cinema

30 Lafayette Avenue, Brooklyn 

(Map and directions here)

Tickets here

Synopsis (courtesy The Korea Society): On a special weekend release from prison, where she’s serving time for killing her abusive husband, Anna ventures to Seattle to attend her mother’s funeral. On the bus, she meets Hoon, a “companion for hire” for lonely, older women, and they soon discover they are both running away: Anna from her past and Hoon from one of his clients’ husbands. This remake of the famed 1961 film by director Lee Man-hee was shot in Seattle, featuring beautiful cinematography.

Hindsight / Poo-Reun-So-Geum

Directed by Lee Hyun-seung

With Song Kang-ho, Shin Se-kyeong, and Cheon Jeong-myeong

South Korea, 2011, 120 minutes

In Korean with English subtitles

When: Friday, February 24th, 2012 at 9:15PM

Where: Brooklyn Academy of Music's BAM Rose Cinema

30 Lafayette Avenue, Brooklyn 

(Map and directions here)

 Tickets here

Synopsis (courtesy The Korea Society): Retired mob boss Du-heon (Song Kang-ho) has hopes of making a fresh start as a restaurant owner and enrolls in a cooking class, where he finds himself drawn to the charming and quirky Se-bin. But there may be more to her than meets the eye. Despite his determination to wipe the slate clean, Du-heon is summoned back into the criminal fold by his old colleagues. Veteran filmmaker Lee Hyun-seung transcends the crime genre with outstanding performances.

ACF 1332: 10th NEW YORK KOREAN FILM FESTIVAL at BAM Rose Cinema

The Korea Society presents the 10th New York Korean Film Festival with new releases showcasing the popular and prolific in Korean film. In cooperation with partners BAM Cinématek and CJ Entertainment, this 10th festival features blockbusters, cutting-edge action, drama, and comedy at BAM Rose Cinema.

Late Autumn (Manchu) 2010
Friday, February 24
6:50PM
Directed by Kim Tae-yong. With Hyun Bin and Tang Wei. Anna is on her way to Seattle to attend her mother’s funeral on a special weekend release from prison. On the bus, she meets Hoon, a “companion for hire” for lonely, older women. A co-production of South Korea, China, Hong Kong, and the United States, Late Autumn was shot completely in English in Seattle. 113 min.

Hindsight (Poo-Reun-So-Geum) 2011
Friday, February 24
9:15PM
Directed by Lee Hyun-seung. With Song Kang-ho, Shin Se-kyeong, and Cheon Jeong-myeong. Veteran filmmaker Lee Hyun-seung - and top star Song Kang-ho and Shin Se-kyeong - succeeded in making a non-genre film dealing with gangsters. 120 min.

The Servant (Bang-Ja Jeon) 2010
Saturday, February 25
6:50PM
Directed by Kim Dae-woo. With Kim Joo-hyuk, Ryu Seung-beom, Jo Yeo-jeong, and Oh-Dal-su. In Kim Dae-woo’s re-telling of the classic folk tale Chun-hyang, the Servant illustrates the pursuit of love and class status with adventurous scheming, eroticism, and humor. 124 min.

Quick 2011
Saturday, February 25
9:30PM
Directed by Cho Beom-goo. With Lee Min-ki, Kang ye-won, Kim In-kwon. A Stranger calls to tell Gi-su to make a series of deliveries which a fixed time or suffer the consequences.

Sunny 2011
Sunday, February 26
3PM
Directed by Kang Hyeong-cheol. With Yu Ho-jeong, Shim Eun-kyeong, Jin Hee-kyung, kang So-ra, and Hong Jin-hee. With great performances and a charming storyline, Sunny was Korea’s biggest box-office hit in Korea 2011. 124 min.

Moss (Iggi) 2010
Sunday, February 26
5:45PM
Directed by Kang Woo-suk. With Jeong jae-yeong, Park Hae-il, and Yu Hae-jin. The film depicts both community violence and human redemption through Ryu’s investigation of his father’s death. 163 min.

Glove 2011
Saturday, February 26
9PM
Directed by Kang Woo-suk. With Jeong Jae-young, Sun Yoo, and Kang Shin-il. Kim Sang-nam, a hot-tempered former professional baseball player is struggling to gain self confidence back as teaching baseball to a group of boys who can’t hear. 144 min.

Schedule February 24-26

Friday, February 24
6:50PM Late Autumn (2010), 113 min.
9:15PM Hindsight (2011), 120 min.

Saturday, February 25
6:50PM The Servant (2010), 124 min.
9:30PM Quick (2011), 115 min.

Sunday:
3PM Sunny (2011), 124 min.
5:45PM Moss (2010), 163 min.
9PM Glove (2011), 144 min.

Festival Location:
BAM Rose Cinema
30 Lafayette Avenue, Brooklyn
(718) 636-4100 x 1
website: http://www.bam.org/
 
From Midtown, Trains 2, 3, 4, 5, B, Q to Atlantic Ave or D, M, N, R to Pacific Street
Tickets: $12 at the box office

ACF 1321: Free screening of ROUGH CUT next Tuesday evening In NYC

Korean Cultural Service

presents

Korean Movie Night 

Series 1: Jang Hun Plus One!

    Rough Cut / Yeong-hwa-neun yeong-hwa-da

Directed by JANG Hun

South Korea, 2008, 112 minutes

When: Tuesday, January 24, 2012 @ 7:00 PM

Doors open: 6:30 PM

Where: Tribeca Cinemas

54 Varick Street, on the corner of Canal Street, NYC

Near the A, C, E @ #1 Canal Street subway stops

Admission: FREE!!!

All seating is first-come, first served

Kim Ki-Duk wrote this high concept knuckle-buster about a spoiled actor, famous for playing gangsters, who hires a real-life gangster to appear in his new flick. It sounds like nothing but a pile of cliches, but Jang Hun ignores the traditional approach and instead focuses on the volcanic, boiling testosterone that drives the conflict between a man used to getting his way because he’s famous, and a man used to getting his way because he’s violent.

The seduction of filmmaking, the appeal of acting and the temptation of a street brawl all exert their siren song on the two studs in suits at the heart of this film: superstar So Ji-Sub, surprisingly, playing the gangster and Kang Ji-Hwan as the actor.

ACF 1289: THE FRONTLINE to start off 2012 Korean Movie Night series

Korean Cultural Service

presents

Korean Movie Night

 

  The Frontline / Go-ji-jeon

Directed by JANG Hun

South Korea, 2011, 133 minutes

When: Tuesday, January 10, 2012 @ 7:00 PM

Doors open: 6:30 PM

Where: Tribeca Cinemas

54 Varick Street, on the corner of Canal Street, NYC

Near the A, C, E @ #1 Canal Street subway stops

Admission: FREE!!!

All seating is first-come, first served

East Coast Premiere!

 

One of the biggest hits of 2011, The Frontline is the simple story of a hill: Aerok Hill, a small rise on the Eastern Front of the Korean War that changed hands 30 times over 18 months of fighting. A military investigator is dispatched to see if allegations that the South Korean soldiers tasked with taking the hill are collaborating with their North Korean enemies to deliver letters to their families. It turns out that they are, and that’s the least of it. A movie about men (and some women) trying to hold onto their humanity in the midst of war, Frontline is Korea’s official submission to the Academy Awards.

ACF 1269: Free screening of Lee Chang-dong's POETRY

Korean Cultural Service

presents

Korean Movie Night

Poetry/ Shi

South Korea, 2010, 139 minutes

When: Tuesday, December 20, 2011 @ 7:00 PM

Doors open: 6:30 PM

Where: Tribeca Cinemas

54 Varick Street, on the corner of Canal Street, NYC

Near the A, C, E @ #1 Canal Street subway stops

Admission: FREE!!!

All seating is first-come, first served.

Winner - “Best Screenplay” - Cannes Film Festival

Winner - “Best Screenplay” - Asian Film Awards

“…quietly devastating…” - The New York Times

“…daring…haunting…a character study of remarkable subtlety…” - The Los Angeles Times

Lee Chang-dong (Secret Sunshine, Oasis, Peppermint Candy) delivers yet another big screen triumph with Poetry, a movie which also marks the return to the silver screen of acting legend, Yoon Jeong-Hee, who has been retired since 1994. In Lee’s film, she plays a 67 year-old grandmother, taking care of her loutish grandson and barely scraping by with a series of odd jobs.

As the movie begins, she has been given a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease and so she enrolls in a poetry class in an effort to sharpen her mental faculties and delay the advance of her dementia. Simultaneously, a young girl who lives in her neighborhood commits suicide and slowly, in Lee’s expert hands, the strands of this narrative — a brute of a grandson, a tired old woman, poetry, suicide, senility — all come together to deliver yet another of Lee’s enormous, epic, subtle, sprawling portraits of the wo rld.

It’s a movie that should be compared to a novel for all of its elegance and depth, but that is also, truly, cinema: a story that could not be told any other way but in enormous, illuminated images.

For my review of Poetry, which ran on September 26, 2010, click here. The film, which was then screening at the New York Film Festival, earned the highest possible ACF Rating of 4 out of 4 stars. I've watched it again since then, and that rating holds now and will no doubt hold in the future.

ACF 1264: THE DAY HE ARRIVES @ The Museum of the Moving Images

The Day He Arrives / Book chon bang hyang

Directed by HONG Sang-soo

South Korea, 2011, 79 minutes

Where: The Museum of the Moving Image
35th Avenue at 37th Street, Astoria, NYC
From midtown, taxi or N/Q Train outbound to 36th Avenue

When: Sunday, December 11 @ 4:00PM

Admission: $10 at The Museum of the Moving Image (www.movingimage.us)
and includes museum admission for exhibition viewing before 7:00 PM that day.
 

The Korea Society and Museum of the Moving Image present The Day He Arrives, part of their Korean Cinema Now series. In The Day He Arrives, director Hong Sang-soo tells the tale of former filmmaker Sungjoon, who journeys to Seoul to meet a friend in Bukchon. After waiting, he wanders and crosses paths with an old friend. In Insadong to drink, he meets film students who recognize him and ask him to join in their fun. He spends the night at an ex-girlfriend’s, then wanders about Bukchon the following day, crossing paths with the same old friend. 

The Day He Arrives is filled with nostalgic moments and coincidental run-ins; Hong explores human relations in all their layered complexities. 

More information is available at www.koreasociety.org. 

ACF 1244: Free screening of DANCING ZOO next Tuesday

 Korean Cultural Service NY

presents

Korean Movie Night

Series 6: Music Films

 

  Dancing Zoo

South Korea, 2010, 114 minutes

When: Tuesday, November 22, 2011 @ 7:00 PM

Doors open: 6:30 PM

Where: Tribeca Cinemas

54 Varick Street, on the corner of Canal Street, NYC

Near the A, C, E @ #1 Canal Street subway stops

Admission: FREE!!!

All seating is first-come, first served.

North American Premiere

It flew under the radar when it was first released, but since then it’s picked up thousands of passionate underground fans. A riff on A Star is Born mixed with a little bit of Once, this is one of the sweetest, saddest movies about two kids with guitars who fall in love ever made. It’s a familiar story for everyone from struggling Williamsburg singer-songwriters, to Seoul’s underground rockers.

Joon-Soo and Hee-Jung meet cute when he’s singing a break-up song to a monkey in the zoo, the two fall for each other and decide to take their relationship to the next level: they start a band together. But one gets successful, while the other falls by the wayside, and it’s not clear that any number of power pop duets can keep them together. If you were ever in a band, this one’s for you.

ACF 1223: Free screening of DREAM FACTORY on Tuesday, November 8th

 Korean Cultural Service NY

presents

Korean Movie Night

Series 6: Music Films

Dream Factory

South Korea, 2011, 80 minutes

When: Tuesday, November 8, 2011 @ 7:00 PM

Doors open: 6:30 PM

Where: Tribeca Cinemas

54 Varick Street, on the corner of Canal Street, NYC

Near the A, C, E @ #1 Canal Street subway stops

Admission: FREE!!!

All seating is first-come, first served.

North American Premiere

One part Occupy Wall Street outrage, one part rock film, this documentary focuses on the labor battles between Cort Guitars, one of the largest guitar manufacturers in the world, and their workers. Contrasting the down-to-earth, blue collar workers who make the guitars and the upper class rockers who play them, this flick follows the protest movement that grew among Cort workers after they tried to unionize in 2007. Management’s response was to shut down the plant where they worked.

One worker set himself on fire to protest, while the others started a hunger strike. Groups of workers went around the world asking the musicians who play the guitars they made to support their cause and everyone from Rage Against the Machine to Gene Simmons (who comes across REALLY poorly) get involved. Truly moving, and capturing on film some of the violent tactics Cort’s owners employed to break up the strike, it’s a documentary that speaks loudly in these restless times to the value of working with your hands to make a better life for your kids.

ACF 1211: 2nd Annual KAFFNY URBAN at Big Screen Plaza on November 13th, 2011

KAFFNY URBAN 2011 RETURNS TO BIG SCREEN PLAZA
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2011, 3:00-8:00 PM

For its 2nd annual installment, Korean American Film Festival New York (KAFFNY) is proud to partner again with Big Screen Plaza to present kaffny URBAN, an exciting program of new film, video, media art, animation and live music featuring local and international artists and filmmakers. Located near NYC’s Koreatown on 30th Street and 6th Avenue, the widely popular Big Screen Plaza is an outdoor area boasting a 30-foot LED screen behind the Eventi Hotel. kaffny URBAN takes place on November 13th, 2011 from 3:00 PM to 8:00 PM.

Program highlights include a groundbreaking video work by Nam June Paik celebrating Fluxus as part of Performa Biennale 2011’s Fluxus Weekend in collaboration with White Box; video by Korean multimedia artist Lumpens; short films by IFP emerging filmmaker Thomas Hyungkyun Kim and by popular Korean actress Ku Hye Sun; recent film and video by emerging as well critically acclaimed filmmakers and artists Gina Kim, U-Ram Choe and Helen Park as well as previews of short and feature length films to be featured at the 6th Annual KAFFNY 2012 Film Festival. Live music will include performances by Misnomer(s), Stone Forest Ensemble, Mobius Collective and Vong Pak. DJ Spooky shall host the event and perform with highly acclaimed violinist Eugenia Choi. Visit www.kaffny.com/urban for the complete program schedule and updates.

Attendees will have a variety of dining and drinking options including FoodParc, a luxury gourmet food court opening up to the plaza, and overlooking the plaza Bar Basque offers an eclectic menu and direct views of the outdoor screen. Momofuku Milk Bar will provide a special treat as well as a signed copy of the new Momofuku Milk Bar cookbook.

kaffny URBAN serves as a platform for emerging talent and established artists to gain exposure to new diverse communities in New York City and cross promote current projects.

Free admission. Open to public and for all ages.

Donations at door are tax deductible.

For more information about the event, visit http://kaffny.com/urban/.

kaffny URBAN is presented in association with Big Screen Plaza, Performa 2011, White Box and Electronic Arts Intermix.

About KAFFNY (Korean American Film Festival New York)
KAFFNY is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and artist-run volunteer organization creating an innovative independent platform for other fellow artists in New York City and abroad. KAFFNY was originally founded in 2006 as an international independent film festival in New York City, starting from Korean American stories. The organization has since evolved to incorporate other art mediums and viewpoints, to further integrate the Korean American perspective and bridge

ACF 1198: Free screening of "Moss"

 Korean Cultural Service NY

presents

Korean Movie Night

Series 5: Hidden Gems of Korean Cinema, Part II

Moss

Directed by: Kang Woo-Suk

South Korea, 2010, 163 minutes

When: Monday, October 31st @ 7:00 PM
(Halloween Special Screening)

Doors open: 6:30 PM

Where: Tribeca Cinemas

54 Varick Street, NYC

Near the A, C, E @ #1 Canal Street subway stops

Admission: FREE!!!

All seating is first-come, first served.

Kang Woo-Suk has made more blockbusters than any other Korean director
(PUBLIC ENEMY, SILMIDO, HANBANDO) and this movie, stuffed with stars, was
yet another massive critical and commercial hit for him.

A disgraced cop travels to the remote village where his estranged father has just died of "natural causes" and rapidly uncovers a conspiracy that reaches back decades and encompasses hundreds of people. An epic thriller, this unrelenting flick grabs you by the throat and doesn't let go.

ACF 1183: END OF ANIMAL reviewed

Korean Cultural Service NY

presents

Korean Movie Night

Series 5: Hidden Gems of Korean Cinema, Part II

Jang Soon-young wanders through the woods

End of Animal

Written and directed by: Jo Sung-Hee

South Korea, 2010, 114 minutes

When: Tuesday, October 11th @ 7:00 PM

Doors open: 6:30 PM

Where: Tribeca Cinemas

54 Varick Street, NYC

Near the A, C, E @ #1 Canal Street subway stops

Admission: FREE!!!

All seating is first-come, first served. 

Jang Soon-young, a cute, young, pregnant woman with a page-boy haircut, is taking a taxi to her mother's home where she plans to give birth to her child. Before reaching a rest area, the taxi stops and takes on another rider, an enigmatic young man with a baseball cap. He displays an uncanny knowledge of intimate details about both Soon-young and the taxi driver. His apparent omniscience suggests that he is either a psychic or a psycho, or perhaps something more.

He begins a countdown, and when he gets to zero there is a blinding white flash. Soon-young wakes up alone in the cab. The driver has left a note that he's gone to the rest area to get aide and will return. The young man is nowhere to be seen. And all things electronic - cellphones, digital watches, etc. - no longer work, as if the area has been struck by an electro-magnetic pulse.

The couple from the car and 5th grader Yang Dong-ju

Soon-young wanders down the road, finds a house, but no one is around and the phone doesn't work. She then meets Yang Dong-ju, a 5th grade boy who we have previously seen drive off an adorable white puppy by throwing stones in its direction. Soon-young and Dong-ju set off for the rest area. Along the way they meet a couple standing by their car which, like the taxi, has totally broken down in the wake of the strange pulse.

The group sets off together, then some members separate. A strange man from a nearby village comes by with his bicycle. He offer aide, but his motives turn out to be not exactly altruistic. Soon-young's attempt to get to the rest area so she can call her mother, a clearly optimistic notion given the circumstances, is thwarted by various factors, such as injury and misreadings of maps. Some of those individuals encountered along the way wander off, then reappear. Others disappear completely, except for a piece of clothing they were wearing or an accessory they were carrying. Meanwhile, Soon-young somehow keeps getting advisory messages on her cellphone or other devices from the young man with the baseball cap!

Soon-young looking a bit worse for wear from her wanderings

End of Animal is the first feature film from director Jo Sung-hee, whose prior offering was the 2009 short Don't Step Out of the House, and quite frankly I'm not sure what to make of it. It's remarkably polished and compelling for a movie made on what must have been a miniscule budget. On the other hand, I have no idea if it's an apocalyptic tale or a low budget Korean riff on Rosemary's Baby, or perhaps a combination of the two and who knows what else. For me, End of Animal makes David Lynch's films, such as Blue Velvet, Twin Peaks, and Mulholland Drive, seem almost clearly understandable in comparison.

For the first time in over eleven years of writing about Asian films, I find that I simply cannot assign a rating or give a clear recommendation. I'm glad I watched End of Animal (on a DVD screener), and perhaps I'll visit it again sometime. I definitely don't feel that it was a waste of my time. So with the caveat that it may leave you bewildered, befuddled and frustrated, I'd say check it out.

ACF 1174: DOOMAN RIVER coming to the Korean Economic Institute, Washington, D.C. on October 13th

Dooman River

When: Thursday, October 13th, 2011at 6:00 PM

Where: Korea Economic Institute Conference Room

1800 K Street NW, 10th Floor

Washington, DC 20006

By Metro: Farragut West Orange/Blue Line (18th Street exit); Farragut North Red Line

Admission is free and open to the public but RSVP required.

 

The Korea Society visits Washington, DC, for a special screening of the remarkable Dooman River at the Korea Economic Institute of America. The film won rave reviews among The Korea Society audiences in New York City and Chicago. In this Busan International Film Festival winner, director Zhang Lu examines a friendship between two boys in Northeast China, one a North-Korean refugee, and the challenges they face when more refugees arrive. Light fare is on offer prior to the screening.