THE MIMIC coming to digital and Blu-ray on June 12th

WELL GO USA

ENTERTAINMENT

presents

The Mimic / Jang-san-beom

Written and directed by Huh Jung

South Korea, 2017, 100 minutes

Following the acclaim for his first feature film Hide and Seek, writer/director Huh Jung returns to the genre that made him famous with his sophomore horror-thriller THE MIMIC, generating terror on digital and Blu-ray™ June 12th from Well Go USA Entertainment.

Based on the mythological “Tiger of Mt. Jang,” where a legendary ghost that mimics humans, a woman takes in a lost girl she finds near the mysterious Mt. Jang and mystifying things begin to happen to her frightened family. The Mimic stars Yum Jung-Ah (Tell Me Something), Park Hyuk-Kwon (A Taxi Driver), Shin Rin-Ah (Ode To My Father), Heo Jin (The Wailing), Kil Hae-Yeon (Missing) and Lee Yool (Hello Murderer).

Synopsis:
A classic Korean ghost story gets a horrifying new spin in THE MIMIC, as the mother of a missing child takes in a lost girl she finds in the woods and soon begins to wonder if she is even human.

THE SPY GONE NORTH invited to the 71st Cannes Film Festival; will be released in the U.S. Summer 2018

Official Poster courtesy CJ Entertainment

The Spy Gone North / Gongjak

Written and directed by YOON Jong-bin

Starring HWANG Jung-min, LEE Sung-min,

CHO Jin-woong, and JU Ji-hoon

South Korea, 2018

CJ Entertainment has announced that its highly anticipated espionage film, The Spy Gone North (Gongjak), is releasing in the U.S. this Summer. The film has been invited to the Midnight section of the 71st Cannes Film Festival, which is taking place May 8-19. Directed by YOON Jong-bin, this is his second invitation after The Unforgiven in 2006. Starring HWANG Jung-min (“The Battleship Island, The Wailing), LEE Sung-min (The Sheriff in Town, A Violent Prosecutor), CHO Jin-woong (“The Handmaiden,” “Bluebeard), and JU Ji-hoon (“Along with the Gods: The Two Worlds, Asura: City of Madness). This is HWANG and CHO’s second invitation to the festival as well. CJ E&M now has a total of nine titles that have been invited to the Cannes Film Festival.

Director YOON (Kundo, Nameless Gangster) delivers a gripping, fact-based spy saga about a loyal South Korean agent caught in the political vortex plotted by the ruling classes of two Koreas. In 1993 Korea, the only country where the Cold War continues, tensions surrounding the development of nuclear weapons escalate. Seok-young Park, an army major in the South Korea military intelligence with the code name 'Black Venus' is assigned a mission to infiltrate the North Korean nuclear facility. Seok-young disguises himself as a South Korean businessman working on a collaborative project with North Korea, and approaches Myung-woon Lee, a North Korean high official based in Beijing. After laying down groundwork for years, Seok-young finally manages to win the North Korean ruling class' trust and secure a contract for joint advertising. However, Seok-young soon discovers that both North and South Korea are making secret deals for their own interests in the 1998 South Korean presidential election.

Korean gambling action film The Divine Move opening in over 13 North American theaters tomorrow

The Divine Move

CHO Beom-gu

South Korea, 2014, 118 minutes

South Korea’s highly anticipated gambling action film The Divine Move (a.k.a. God's One Move) is set to be released in over 13 North American theaters tomorrow, Friday, July 25th.

Synopsis: Professional GO (a.k.a. baduk) player Tae-seok loses a high-stakes game to infamous underground gambler Sal-soo, and ends up framed for the murder of his own brother and locked up in prison. He vows revenge and trains ferociously. After serving his seven-year sentence, he gets in touch with his brother's former associate "Tricks," hermit and blind master player "The Lord," and skillful junkyard owner Mok-su; together, they begin formulating a plan to get back at Sal-soo and his men. Tae-seok slowly penetrates Sal-soo's inner circle and his gambling joint, and eliminates Sal-soo's men one by one. But Sal-soo discovers Tae-seok's true identity and engages him in one final game that will seal the fates of the two men involved.

Happy Birthday wishes to Korean director LEE Chang-dong

LEE Chang-dong and myself at Asia Society NY a few years ago

Director, screenwriter, and producer LEE Chang-dong was born on July 4, 1954. He was a successful novelist before turning to screenwriting. His first contribution in that regard was to Park Kwang-su's To the Starry Island (1993). Green Fish (1997) marked his debut as a director. It's a very solid work about a young man who joins a gang of mobsters after he is released from the army.

His other films are Peppermint Candy (1999), Oasis (2002), Secret Sunshine (2007), and Poetry (2010). He has won numerous awards at various film festivals, as have those he has directed, MOON So-ri (Oasis) and JEON Do-yeon (Secret Sunshine).

I have had the pleasure and privilege of interviewing him twice, first by email, then in person. I also saw him in person on two other occasions.

As I've written on more than one occasion, I regard LEE as one of the great directors in world cinema. In my opinion, Oasis, Secret Sunshine, and Poetry will hold their own in comparisons with the best works of the greatest international driectors: Ozu, Kurosawa, Fellini, Antonioni, Truffaut, etc.

So, Happy Birthday wishes to you, director LEE. May you have many more, and may film lovers be blessed with more of your films.

Korean action drama NO TEARS FOR THE DEAD opens today in N. America

CJ Entertainment

Presents

No Tears for the Dead / Wooneun Namja

Written & directed by LEE Jeong-beam

South Korea, 2014, 116 minutes
Language: Korean with English subtitles

South Korea’s highly anticipated film No Tears for the Dead opens in North American theaters today, June 20th. For further info, including theater locations, click here.

Synopsis (courtesy CJ Entertainment):
Abandoned by his mother shortly after immigrating to America, Gon is raised by the mafia and grows up to become a cold-blooded hitman. Though usually flawless in taking out his targets, Gon makes a terrible mistake of killing an innocent young girl. A flood of guilt takes over his life and the situation becomes worse when his boss assigns him the job of killing the young girl’s mother.

Gon’s new target, Mogyeong, is a risk manager at an investment firm and has buried herself in work to bury her grief. She is completely unaware of her role at the heart of a dangerous conspiracy. Finally, she meets the man who wants to tell her the truth behind the death of her child.

THE ATTORNEY is available today

Well Go USA Entertainment

Presents

The Attorney / Byeon-ho-in

Directed by YANG Woo-seok

Starring SONG Kang-ho, LIM (a.k.a. YIM) Si-wan,

OH Dal-su, and KIM Yeong-ae

South Korea, 2013, 127 minutes

The Attorney was a major box-office hit in South Korea and today this fantastic drama becomes available on DVD and digital (video-on-demand, electronic sell-through, and streaming) in North America. The film begins in 1978 and ends in 1987, with one flashback to 1971.

SONG Woo-seok (the always great SONG Kang-ho) is an attorney with a wife and two children, a son and a daughter. He is at several disadvantages professionally: he has no college degree, hence no real connections, and very few clients. But he is smart and ambitious.

In 1978, after resigning a meaningless judgeship in Daejeon, he returns to Busan where he takes advantage of a change in the law and becomes hugely successful handling real estate registration. When that source of income dries up, he moves on to another area. Neither of these endeavors endears him to his fellow attorneys, who are scornful of him. He is described by Busan's lawyers as "A money-hungry idiot with no education."

SONG Woo-seok, Jin-woo, and Mrs. Park

In a flashback to 1971, before he earned his license to practice law, we learn of an indiscretion he committed at a small restaurant specializing in pork stew that is run by Mrs. Park (Kim Yeong-ae), a single mother. After becoming successful, SONG religiously patronizes the establishment, throwing as much business its way as he can.

The 1980s were a turbulent period in South Korean history. A military coup had led to a harsh dictatorship that justified it's repressive measures on threats posed by communists, both real and, all too often, imagined. PARK Jin-woo (newcomer LIM, a.k.a. YIM, Si-Wan), the restaurant proprietress's son, participates in a college reading group. Although in no way a communist or anti-government group, it is nonetheless targeted by the powers that be. Jin-woo and several other young men are snatched up by government agents and held incommunicado for many weeks.

When SONG help Mrs. PARK find Jin-woo, he is appalled to discover that the young man has obviously been beaten and tortured. Previously apolitical and unsympathetic to the county's protesting youth, SONG decides to defend Jin-woo against charges of reading subversive literature with seditious content and with praising anti-government groups. The trial, however, is intended to be a mere formality, a negotiation over sentencing, not the determination guilt or innocence.

SONG (right) with Mr. Park (OH Dal-su), his office manager

But SONG fervently seeks to have Jin-woo and his co-defendants completely exonerated of all charges and to expose those officials and their agents who are truly responsible of committing criminal acts against the young defendants. He does so at peril not only to himself but to his family as well. But a sense of righteous indignation had been ignited within him and he refuses to back down.

The film is based on true events, a fictionalized account of the attorney days of the late ROH Moo-hyun (1946-2009), who came to serve as South Korea's president from 2003-2008. Called the Book Club Case in the film, the actual conspiracy case was known as "Burim." Hounded by conservatives after leaving office, ROH ultimately committed suicide. He remains a hero to many South Koreas.

SONG Kang-ho initial turned down the role. He changed his mind primarily because of his wife's recommendation,  but also due to encouragement of directors PARK Chan-wook and BONG Joon-ho; SONG has previously worked with both of them, and they are also friends of the actor.

SONG Woo-seok in court

And we can extremely happy that he did take on the role, as it's a fantastic performance, one of three SONG graced us with in 2013. (The others are in Snowpiercer and The Face Reader.) Of course director YANG Woo-seok, who also co-wrote the script with YOON Hyeon-ho, must be commended for his taut direction, particularly in the courtroom scenes at the end of the film. Such scenes can easily drag, harmfully slowing the movie down. But those in The Attorney are edge-of-your seat gripping and exciting. To say that this film is an auspicious feature film directorial debut would be quite an understatement.

As far as the disc goes, audio options on the DVD are Korean 5.1 or 2.0, with optional English subtitles. There are no extras.

The Attorney won three awards at the 50th Baeksang Arts Awards:
- Daesang: Song Kang-ho
- Best Picture
- New Director: Yang Woo-seok

The Attorney is one of the finest dramas I've watched in some time. Don't let the lack of availability of a Blu-ray version (the DVD looks great when up-converted on a Blu-ray player, which is how I watched it) or extras dissuade you. This is a film that deserves a place in the collection of anyone who appreciates Korean films, SONG Kang-ho, or courtroom dramas.

AsianCineFest rating: 4 out of 4 stars; highest recommendation.

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 1800: 11th New York Korean Film Festival (NYKFF), February 22-24

Kim Ki-duk's Pieta

The Korea Society, in collaboration with Bamcinématek, will present the 11th New York Korean Film Festival (NYKFF) starting on Friday, February 22nd and concluding on Sunday, February 24th. The festival, which will feature eight films, opens with the U.S. premiere of Pieta on February 22nd at 7:00 PM, director Kim Ki-duk's latest award winning project that recently was awarded the Golden Lion Award at the 2012 Venice Film Festival. It is then followed by Jo Byeong-ok's All Bark, No Bite at 9:30 PM making it's U.S. premiere.

On Saturday February 23rd, the day starts off with Lee Seok-hoon's hit film Dancing Queen at 4:00 PM followed by director Choo Chang-min's award winning Masquerade at 6:30 PM and closing out with Jo Sung-Hee's A Werewolf Boy at 9:15 PM. On the final day of the Festival the day starts with the reshowing of Hong Sang-soo's critically acclaimed In Another Country at 2:00 PM. It is followed by Lee Yong-joo's beautiful first love story Architecture 101 at 4:30 PM and the festival closes out with Park Jeong-woo's medical mystery thriller, Deranged at 9:00 PM on Sunday February 24th.

All films are being shown at the Bam Rose Cinemas at 30 Lafayette Avenue, Brooklyn. For more information you can check out the Korea Society website at www.koreasociety.org or Bam Rose Cinemas website at www.bam.org or call the cinemas at (718) 636-4100 x 1.

ACF 1799: Free screening of THE HOUSE in NY next Tuesday

Korean Cultural Service New York

presents

Korean Movie Night

2013 Series One

Drawn Into Film: Korean Animation! 

The House

Directed by Ban Joo-young, Lee Hyun-jin, Lee Jae-ho-I,
Park Eun-young-I, and Park Mi-sun

South Korea, 2010, 82 minutes

When: Tuesday, February 12, 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

Admission: FREE!!!

All seating is first-come, first served

The House, which echoes of the wildly surreal worlds seen in Spirited Away, focuses on Ga-young, a young woman who moves to an old town where she meets Zipsin, the spirit of a house that is soon to be demolished. Whisked away on an enchanted adventure, Ga-young and Zipsin seek out a new spirit who may be able to help them – and together, they hatch a scheme to save the house from those who don’t believe in its magic.

ACF 1635: Korean thriller BLIND at MoMA tomorrow afternoon

MIN Soo-ah is followed in a subway car by a psycho-killer

Blind / Beul-la-in-deu

Directed by Ahn Sang-hoon

South Korea, , 111 minutes

When: Monday, September 24, 2012 @ 4:30 PM

Where: Museum of Modern Art, 11 West 53 Street, NYC

Map here

One night MIN Soo-ah (KIM Ha-neul), a bright young woman who's a student at the police university, makes a terrible mistake. As a result someone dear to her dies, and she goes blind and loses her chance to join the police.

Three years later she is still struggling to adapt to her condition, this despite the assistance of Wisey, her female guide dog. One day she goes alone to visit the House of Hope, the orphanage where she grew up. Prideful, she gets angered at a suggestion that is made and takes off on her own. Consequently, she is drawn into the case of a psychotic killer who targets young women.

Using her skills of observation -- sound and smell, if not sight -- and of her police training, she's pitted against this maniac. Will she be able to save herself and at the same time find redemption for her earlier mistake in judgement?

For me, there were some serious problems with the film. One was what I perceived as an overly melodramatic linking of the terrible consequences of her mistake of three years earlier with the situation that develops later.

Secondly, we know nothing about the killer until near the very end of the film, and even then what we learn doesn't really give us enough information to make him anything more than a cardboard cut-out of a psychopath. The explanation -- such as it is -- for his actions are simplistic and don't begin to meaningfully account for his motivation to kidnap and kill young women, nor for his physical abilities.

Finally there are some developments that are just way too implausible. Why, for example, would a cop who's assigned to guard Soo-ah and the young man, sit out in his car in the rain and not be with them inside the building where they are staying? It's clearly to allow the killer to get to his targets, but it's also just plain dumb. I might give this sort of thing a pass in a teen horror/thriller -- such as House at the End of the Street -- but Blind aspires to a higher level of cinema. Sadly, it falls a bit short.

But while the plot could've been better fleshed out, the acting is uniformly good, particularly that of KIM Ha-neul and Jo Hie-bong, who plays the rather out-of-his-league detective who's assigned the case. Also the cinematography is well done, and there are some truly suspenseful moments.

ACF Rating: 2.5 out of 4 stars. Flawed, but overall a fairly good film for the genre. Certainly worth seeing.

This screening of Stateless Things is part of the third edition of Yeonghwa: Korean Film Today. This joint presentation of The Korea Society and MoMA includes 11 distinctive contemporary narratives, from genre films to unclassifiable features by some of Korea’s leading renegade filmmakers.

And if you're drawn to the theme of blind women effectively dealing with really bad guys, then consider checking out Audrey Hepburn in Terence Young's Wait Until Dark (1967).

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 1349: Korean spy thriller SECRET REUNION reviewed; Free screening on Wednesday, February 15th, 2012

Korean Cultural Service

presents

Korean Movie Night 

Series 1: Jang Hun Plus One! 

 Secret Reunion / Ui-hyeong-je

Directed by JANG Hun

South Korea, 2010, 116 minutes

When: Wednesday, February 15, 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

Song Kang Ho (Thirst, The Host, Secret Sunshine, J.S.A.: Joint Security Area) is probably the Korean actor most familiar to American audiences. Here, in director Jang Hun's sophomore effort, he plays Lee Han-kyu, a South Korean National Intelligence Service agent. Lee is pitted against Song Ji-won (portrayed by actor Gang Dong-Won), a North Korean agent who's part of a three-man assassination team.

Lee decides not to call in back-up when an opportunity arises to bust the spy ring, and things go all to hell. The leader and Song get away and only the third member of the team is captured. Lee is forced into ignominious retirement, and Song is left all on his own.

The film flashes forward a few years to find Lee leading a motley crew that locates young women from other Asian countries who have fled the Korean husbands they were made to marry. Song is happily working construction, hoping to one day reunite with his wife and child in the North. They recognize one another, but neither one gives the other the slightest hint of this. Lee, hoping to finally bust the spy ring and redeem himself, gets Song to become his partner, replacing two incompetent employees Lee has let go.

Song Kang Ho is always a delight to watch. He strikes me as a contemporary Korean version of the kind of everyman character associated with many roles played by Henry Fonda, Jimmy Stewart, and Tom Hanks. Here, once again, he raises the level of the material just by virtue of his likeability.

Not that the material in any way is shabby, quite the contrary. Secret Reunion is a captivating tale with many humorous elements. It's enjoyable throughout and concludes with a sweet and satisfying ending.

ACF Rating: 3 out of 4 stars, highly recommended.

The above review, in slightly different form, appeared in ACF 602 (June 30, 2010), prior to the film's screenings at that year's New York Asian Film Festival.

For another take on Secret Reunion, check out Patrick Galloway's October 2010 review by clicking here. Galloway is a writer I greatly respect and admire. I own and treasure the three books on Asian cinema that he's written to date.

ACF 1346: Free screening of SECRET REUNION on February 15th, 2012

Korean Cultural Service

presents

Korean Movie Night 

Series 1: Jang Hun Plus One!

Secret Reunion / Ui-hyeong-je

Directed by JANG Hun

South Korea, 2010, 116 minutes

When: Wednesday, February 15, 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

Two of Korea's best actors face off in this blockbuster action flick that manages to be sly, subversive and really funny while delivering white knuckle thrills. Song Kang-Ho (The Host) is a South Korean secret agent who fumbles a sting operation on a North Korean spy. Pop star Gang Dong-Won (Haunters) is the North Korean assassin who has been embedded in the South.

After the botched operation, both men are cut loose by their respective agencies and Song becomes a private eye, while Gang sinks into deep cover, trying to survive long enough to go home. Years later, they cross paths and what audiences are treated to is a buddy movie to end all buddy movies.

Note that Secret Reunion is being shown not on Tuesday, when Korean Movie Night screenings normally take place, but on Wednesday night.

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.