YeinJee's Asian Journal » Korean Films and Movies

Go Soo & Son Ye-jin, White Night & Cosmopolitan

Yein Jee — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 14:02:02 +0000

Korean stars Go Soo and Son Ye-jin posed for November issue of Cosmopolitan magazine [Kr]; the duo is starring in Into the White Night which is screening next month. The film is Go Soo’s first movie since his enlistment in 2006; the hype is further sparkled with news that Son is going nude for the love scene.

Read the rest of this post »

Go Soo & Son Ye-jin, White Night & Cosmopolitan from YeinJee's Asian Journal

Pusan International Film Festival 2009 red carpet

Yein Jee — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 09:34:31 +0000

Red carpet show at the opening ceremony of the 14th Pusan International Film Festival, which kicked off last Thursday (Oct 8) in Korea’s City of Busan…

Ha Ji-won

Read the rest of this post »

Pusan International Film Festival 2009 red carpet from YeinJee's Asian Journal

Haeundae (2009) movie trailer

Yein Jee — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 04:51:20 +0000

Trailer for Korean disaster movie “Haeundae”. Haeundae is a popular beach district in Busan; and the movie is about a giant tsunami that struck the coast.

Billed as Korea’s first major disaster film, the movie fields a strong cast of Sol Kyung-gu, Ha Ji-won, Park Jung-hoon and Uhm Jung-hwa etc…

Haeundae will hit the Korean cinemas in July 2009. The trailer doesn’t look half bad; and being a disaster movie freak, I’m definitely going to watch it when it’s released in local theatres [credits to nadiv1@youtube for the upload]

Haeundae (2009) movie trailer from YeinJee's Asian Journal

Cannes Film Festival 2009 – winners

Yein Jee — Tue, 26 May 2009 15:00:12 +0000

Winners of the 62nd Cannes Film Festival. Not a bad outing for Asian films… Filipino director Brillante Mendoza won best director, Chinese director Lou Ye won best screenplay, while Korean director Park Chan-wook won a jury prize.

Feature films

Golden Palm – “The White Ribbon”, directed by Michael Haneke
Grand Prix – “A Prophet”, directed by Jacques Audiard
Best director – Brillante Mendoza, “Kinatay”
Best screenplay – Lou Ye, “Spring Fever”

Best actress – Charlotte Gainsbourg, “Antichrist”
Best actor – Christoph Waltz, “Inglorious Basterds”
Jury prize – “Fish Tank”, by Andrea Arnold / “Thirst”, by Park Chan-wook
Lifetime achievement award – “Wild Grass”, directed by Alain Resnais

Short films

Golden Palm – “Arena”, directed by João Salaviza
Special distinction – “The Six Dollar Fifty Man”, by Louis Sutherland, Mark Albiston

Other Cannes Film Festival 2009 articles: Photos [1] ~ Photos [2]

Cannes Film Festival 2009 – winners from YeinJee's Asian Journal

Blood: The Last Vampire shows worrying signs

Yein Jee — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 14:11:49 +0000

Korean actress Jun Ji-hyun, or Gianna Jun, is kicking off the promotion campaign for her supposedly Hollywood debut movie “Blood: The Last Vampire”, a live action adaptation of the same title Japanese anime film.

Jun is beginning her promotion in Japan where the movie will make its global premier on May 29th (titled as “Last Blood” in Japan). The actress looks pretty cool in the stills, but things are not doing too well for the film at the moment.

Last Blood (Image from Asmik-Ace (Jp))

There’s not much buzz created for the movie; and the trailer (British version) looks kinda disappointing… seems like it would have to rely on Jun’s fans and the original anime’s fans to support the box office.

But, as compared to the likes of “Dragonball” and “Chun Li”, the Blood anime probably doesn’t have a similarly huge fan-base to begin with. And if there’s no other attractions being pulled out in the next few weeks… things are not looking good.

The movie will be released in Europe in mid-June, but the US release date has not yet been set, which could be another huge concern. In worst case scenario, the US distributor might turn it into a DVD release if it’s not doing well in other markets… I wonder if it could still be called a Hollywood debut for Jun if it happens.

Best of luck to Jun Ji-hyun, because she really needs some luck for the film.

[Update] Sony Pictures has acquired the US rights for the movie; Gianna is getting a Hollywood debut after all.

Blood: The Last Vampire shows worrying signs from YeinJee's Asian Journal

3rd Asian Film Awards (2009)

Yein Jee — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 03:36:50 +0000

Winners of the 3rd Asian Film Awards presented in Hong Kong on Monday (Mar 23)…

Best film – “Tokyo Sonata” (Hong Kong, Japan, Netherlands)
Best director – Hirokazu Kore-Eda, “Still Walking” (Japan)
Best actor – Masahiro Motoki, “Departures” (Japan)
Best actress – Zhou Xun, “The Equation of Love and Death” (China)

Best newcomer – Yu Shaoqun, “Forever Enthralled” (China)
Best supporting actor – Jung Woo-sung, “The Good, The Bad, The Weird” (Korea)
Best supporting actress – Gina Pareño, “Service” (Philippines)
Best screenwriter – Kiyoshi Kurosawa, Max Mannix, Sachiko Tanaka, “Tokyo Sonata”

Best cinematographer – Jola Dylewska, “Tulpan” (Kazakhstan and co.)
Best composer – Joe Hisaishi, “Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea” (Japan)
Best editor – Kim Sun-min, “The Chaser” (Korea)
Best special effect – Craig Hayes, “Red Cliff” (China)

3rd Asian Film Awards (2009) from YeinJee's Asian Journal

45th Baeksang Arts Awards (2009) winners

Yein Jee — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 03:09:12 +0000

The 45th Baeksang Arts Awards, one of Korea’s biggest entertainment awards, were presented at Seoul Olympic Park on Friday (Feb 27).

45th Baeksang Awards’ best actors and actresses… Kim Myung-min, Moon Geun-young,
Son Ye-jin and Jo Jin-mo (Image from Isplus (Kr))

Read the rest of this post »

45th Baeksang Arts Awards (2009) winners from YeinJee's Asian Journal

Blue Dragon Awards 2008 – red carpet (3)

Yein Jee — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 13:06:43 +0000

A few more red carpet pics from the 29th Blue Dragon Film Awards which were presented on November 20 at KBS Hall in Seoul… [image from Newsen]

Kim Ha-neul and Kang Ji-hwan

Read the rest of this post »

Blue Dragon Awards 2008 – red carpet (3) from YeinJee's Asian Journal

Blue Dragon Awards 2008 – winners

Yein Jee — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 16:37:33 +0000

“Forever the Moment” won the best movie award at the 29th Korean Blue Dragon Film Awards, presented on November 20 at KBS Hall in Seoul. The best actor and actress awards are won by Kim Yoon-seok and Son Ye-jin respectively.

Best actor Kim Yoon-seok and best actress Son Ye-jin (Image from Newsis)

The winners [via Hanfever]

Best movie – Forever the Moment
Best director – Kim Ji-woon (The Good, The Bad and The Weird)
Best leading actor – Kim Yoon-seok (The Chaser)
Best leading actress – Son Ye-jin (My Wife Got Married)

Best supporting actor – Park Hee-soon (Seven Days)
Best supporting actress – Kim Ji-young (Forever the Moment)
Best newcomer (actor) – So Ji-sub & Kang Ji-hwan (Movie is Movie)
Best newcomer (actress) – Han Ye-seul (Miss Gold Digger)

Most popular actors – Sol Kyung-gu & Jung Woo-sung
Most popular actresses – Kim Ha-neul & Son Ye-jin
Best on-screen couple – Son Ye-jin & Kim Joo-hyuk (My Wife Got Married)

Check out some red carpet pictures… 1 ll 2 ll 3

Blue Dragon Awards 2008 – winners from YeinJee's Asian Journal

Blue Dragon Awards 2008 – red carpet (2)

Yein Jee — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 15:42:22 +0000

Some ladies at the red carpet of the 29th Korean Blue Dragon Film Awards, presented on November 20 at KBS Hall in Seoul… [image from Newsen]

Ahn So-hee

Read the rest of this post »

Blue Dragon Awards 2008 – red carpet (2) from YeinJee's Asian Journal

Blue Dragon Awards 2008 – red carpet (1)

Yein Jee — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 15:08:19 +0000

The 29th Korean Blue Dragon Film Awards were presented on Thursday night (Nov 20) at KBS Hall in Seoul. Some red carpet pictures from Newsen…

Emcees Jung Joon-ho and Kim Hye-soo

Read the rest of this post »

Blue Dragon Awards 2008 – red carpet (1) from YeinJee's Asian Journal

Joo Ji-hoon and his Antique gang

Yein Jee — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 03:48:18 +0000

Magazine scan of upcoming Korean movie “Antique”, directed by Min Gyu-dong and starring Korean heartthrobs Joo Ji-hoon, Kim Jae-wook, Choi Ji-ho and Yoo Ah-in etc.

The movie is adapted from popular Japanese manga “Antique Bakery” by Fumi Yoshinaga, which is about the life four men working in a small bakery.

Joo Ji-hoon is starring as the bakery owner and a genius salesman, Kim Jae-wook a talented patissier, Choi Ji-ho as JJH’s bodyguard, and Yoo Ah-in a boxer turn assistant pattissier.

Read the rest of this post »

Joo Ji-hoon and his Antique gang from YeinJee's Asian Journal

Le Grand Chef (2007) review

Yein Jee — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 04:14:18 +0000

“Le Grand Chef” (식객 – Shikgaek) is a Korean movie based on Heo Yeong-man’s popular comic book. The movie was directed by Jeon Yun-su and starred Kim Kang-woo, Lee Hana and Lim Won-hie etc.

Read the rest of this post »

Le Grand Chef (2007) review from YeinJee's Asian Journal

The Chaser (2008) movie review

Yein Jee — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 19:50:43 +0000

“The Chaser” (추격자; Chugyeogja) is a Korean movie which won multiple awards at the Daejong Film Festival in 2008. I watched the movie shortly after the film fest, and I think their wins are quite justified… it’s simply a great movie.

Read the rest of this post »

The Chaser (2008) movie review from YeinJee's Asian Journal

45th Daejong Film Festival – winners

Yein Jee — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 21:36:22 +0000

Some winners of the 45th Daejong Sang (대종상; Grand Bell Awards) which were presented in Seoul on June 27, 2008…

Best actor Kim Yoon-suk and best actress Kim Yoon-jin

Read the rest of this post »

45th Daejong Film Festival – winners from YeinJee's Asian Journal

Crossing, movie trailer

Yein Jee — Sat, 07 Jun 2008 05:39:42 +0000

“Crossing” is a Korean movie which is going to be aired in late June 2008. The movie is based on a real story about the life of a North Korean defector and his family.

Actor Cha In-pyo starred as a North Korean coal miner who crossed illegally into China to get medicine for his wife. His wife passed away soon after he crossed the border, and he was separated from his 11-year-old son (played by Shin Myung-chul) who was trying to trace him from North Korea.

The story shares the hardship of North Korean refugees in the late 1990s, with famine striking the country and killed an estimated 1 million people.

The North Koreans couldn’t cross into South Korea directly because of landmines and heavy military presence at the border… these defectors had to cross into China and made a de-tour to South Korea instead.

The Chinese government, an ally of the North Korean regime, does not recognize the defectors as refugees and would send them back to North Korea to face stiff action.

Update – Crossing will represent South Korea as a candidate for the foreign film category at the 81st Academy Awards. [Koreatimes]

Crossing, movie trailer from YeinJee's Asian Journal