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Category Archives: Im Kwon-taek

Chihwaseon at KCC

23-Sep-08

Chihwaseon at KCC

The next screening at the KCC, on Thursday 25 September, is Chihwaseon (2002), Im Kwon-taek's bio-pic of one of Korea's most famous painters, Jang Seung-eop, also known as Owon. The film features two of Korea's most well-known actors, Choi Min-sik as Owon and Ahn Sung-ki as his patron Kim Byung-moon. Synopsis: During the 1850s, KIM Byung-moon saves young Seung-up from being beaten by a group of drifters. Seung-up draws him a picture to explain the reason for his being beaten. KIM looks carefully at Seung-up's rough yet extraordinary talent... and years later, KIM encourages Seung-up to pursue the life of a true artist and gives him a pen name, Oh-won. Seung-up meets Mae-hyang, a daughter of a declined Yangban who attracts him deeply. ...
Also filed in Events news, Jang Seung-eop (Owon), KCC Film Club | | Comments (0) »

Im Kwon-taek shines at KCC

31-Mar-08

Im Kwon-taek shines at KCC

Matthew Jackson's impressions from last Thursday's screening of "Beyond the Years" at the Korean Cultural Centre There is definitely something extra that you get out of going to see a film in the company of people that you do not necessarily know, in surroundings that are not quite the same as any other you are used to, whilst being exposed to a culture that you like but do not entirely understand. Regarding the surroundings, whilst I thought they were pretty good to begin with, the ever friendly and welcoming KCC team are continuing to process feedback. Mr. Choi announced in his pre-performance speech that they are investigating how to make the somewhat purist theatre seating more comfortable. The tiered benches are probably ...
Also filed in Event reports and reviews, Film reviews and comment, KCCUK | Tagged | Comments (0) »

Beyond the Years at the KCC

16-Mar-08
The KCC's second monthly film screening will be Im Kwon-taek's Beyond the Years (천년학). Im's 100th film, it's a sequel to his breakthrough movie from the early 1990s, Sopyonje. Here's the KCC's press release: KOREAN CULTURAL CENTRE UK, TRAFALGAR SQUARE Thursday, March 27th 2008, 7:00 PM As part of the Korean Film Night programme, and following the first successful showing of Virgin Snow, the Korean Cultural Centre UK proudly presents the first UK release of Beyond the Years. Beyond the Years is the one hundredth film of the highly prolific director Kwon Taek Im, casting Jae Hyun Cho (조재현) (Dong Ho) and Jung Hae Oh (오정해) (Song Wha). Dong Ho, a pansori drummer, is the adopted son of Yu Bong and the brother of Song ...
Also filed in Events news, Film, KCC Film Club, KCCUK | | Comments (0) »

Chuseok at the BM — part sprint, part marathon

26-Sep-07
It is a commonplace observation that Korea is caught between two larger neighbours. Similarly, in marketing terms, the Korean events at the British Museum last Saturday were dwarfed by the blitzkrieg advertising for the Chinese "First Emperor" and the Japanese modern design exhibitions, both also at the British Museum at the same time. But although the façade of the museum was plastered with giant posters of terracotta warriors, all eyes were on the Korean festivities in the museum forecourt. Most people could tell that all the jollifications were Korean. "Korean Harvest Festival" was hastily written in front of the changseung (totem poles) which formed the centrepiece of the first performance in the forecourt. And more importantly, the large group of helpers ...
Also filed in British Museum, Chuseok 2007, Dae Jang Geum, Dulsori, Lee Young-ae, Pictures, Shin Mee-kyung | | Comments (0) »

Chung Sung-il: Im Kwon-taek

20-May-07

Chung Sung-il: Im Kwon-taek

(Seoul Selection, 2007) Stern(8,g) Together with its sister publication, the work on Kim Ki-young, this book is the fourth and fifth in KOFIC's series of monographs on individual Korean directors. It's also the first time that KOFIC has charged for them. The first three were available for free download from the KOFIC website: these are only available in hard copy from publishers Seoul Selection and elsewhere. Probably having them in hard copy makes it more likely that they're going to be read: a book is far more user-friendly than the pdf downloads. The somewhat poetic opening to the book, which, within six lines is talking about a "history of bloody tears" initially places the opening essay more in the category of the Dis ...
Also filed in Book reviews: Film | | Comments (0) »

Im Kwon-taek reaches 100

12-Apr-07
With the nationwide release of Beyond the Years (천년학, aka Thousand Year Crane) in Korea today, Im Kwon-taek reaches an amazing milestone: his 100th film. And it's supposedly his first love story, according to the Chosun - though it has to be said that devoted lovers have appeared in his earlier work - for example Chunhyang. It's also a sequel, 14 years on, to the film for which he is probably best known, Sopyonje, and from the same series of novellas (Nando Saram - People from the Southern Provinces) by Lee Cheong-joon. Followers of Im's work will need no further incentive to go and see it. Others may find it a good introduction to his work. According to Robert Koehler, writing ...
Also filed in Film | | Comments (0) »

Im Kwon-taek - The making of a Korean National Cinema

01-Dec-06
David James & Kyung-hun Kim: (Wayne State UP, 2001) Stern(8,g) A wide-ranging collection of essays which usefully documents Im's importance as a filmmaker, from his first attempt in the early 60s to his latest (at the time this book was published, Chunhyang was the most recent). Kim Kyung-hyun's lucid account of Im's career put in the context of the political environment -- the different stages of censorship and promotion -- shows Im's ability to reinvent himself when circumstances permitted or required. In the judgement of Yi Hyo-in (the author of chapter 7), Im is like a weather vane -- turning with the political wind whichever way it is blowing. By Im's own admission, his earlier output contained some "lousy" films. Kim's introductory chapter describes how ...
Also filed in Book reviews: Film | | Comments (0) »