Regular screenings of films shot in Jeju-do at the KCC

If you’ve been to an event at the KCC over the past couple of weeks, you’re bound to have come away with a little brochure publicising the undoubted merits of Jeju-do and its strong claims to being one of the New 7 Wonders of the World.

I popped in to the KCC yesterday afternoon on my way to the talk by Choe Tae Bok at Chatham House, and noticed that they are really entering into the spirit of things: every day until the end of April they are screening a selection from four films with scenes shot on the beautiful island. The screenings are in the library area downstairs, so by the end of the month Eunjeong is going to know the dialogue by heart.

My Mother, the Mermaid

Director: Park Heung-sik
Cast: Jeon Do-youn, Park Hae-il
Genre: Drama / Production Year: 2004
Certificate: All (South Korea)
Running Time: 110 mins

Synopsis: Na-yeong, who works at the post office, is tired of living with her mother, who is so hardened that it is sometimes embarrassing, and his father who is too gentle. Her only joy is preparing for the trip overseas. But one day, her father leaves home without saying a word, and her mother doesn’t seem to be bothered. Unwillingly, Na-yeong postpones her trip and leaves to find her father. (KMDB)

Lump of Sugar

Director: Lee Hwan-kyung
Cast: Lim Soo-jung, Park Eun-soo
Genre: Drama / Production Year: 2006
Certificate: All (South Korea)
Running Time: 124mins

Synopsis: The daughter of a poor rancher, Si-eun’s only hope is to one day, become a jockey. With her mother passing away at her birth, her favorite horse, Chun-doong, has become not only her friend, but also a soul mate. She is devastated when Chun-doong is sold to another owner, but when they are reunited two years later they have a chance to create a miracle by teaming up in a race. (KOFIC)

Il Mare

Director: Lee Hyeon-seung
Cast: Jeon Ji-hyun, Lee Jung-jae
Genre: Drama
Production Year: 2000
Certificate: 12 (South Korea)
Running Time: 94 mins

Synopsis: A woman moves out of her beautiful seaside home named Il Mare. She leaves a letter in the mailbox, but somehow it is delivered back in time to Sang-hyun, the previous owner of the house. Upon receiving the letter, Sang-hyun, a gifted young architect, refuses to believe that the writer lives two years in the future. Nonetheless the two take up a written correspondence. The woman asks Sang-hyun to recover a tape recorder which she lost in the subway station two years hence. As he arrives at the station, he sees a beautiful woman boarding the train, accidentally leaving her tape recorder behind. (KMDB)

Grand Prix

Director: Yang Yun-ho
Cast: Kim Tae-hee, Yang Dong-keun
Genre: Drama
Production Year: 2010
Certificate: 12 (South Korea)
Running Time: 109 mins

Synopsis: Grand Prix is a thrilling sports drama with comedic undertones that highlights the triumph of the indomitable sportsmanship of a female horse racer. The once-successful horse racer Ju-hee hasn’t been in the field after the devastating arm injury and the loss of her own horse. To overcome depression, Ju-hee visits a mountain in Jeju island where she accidentally meets another racer Woo-suk who has the record of championing at the Japan Cup. Through Woo-suk’s encouragement, Ju-hee trains herself again and returns to the Grand Prix championship. (KOFIC)

The schedule is as follows:

Mondays:
10:30am: My Mother the Mermaid
2pm: Lump of Sugar
4pm: Il Mare

Tuesdays:
10:30am: Grand Prix
2pm: My Mother the Mermaid
4pm: Lump of Sugar

Wednesdays:
10:30am: Il Mare
2pm: Grand Prix
4pm: My Mother the Mermaid

Thursdays:
10:30am: Lump of Sugar
2pm: Il Mare
4pm: Grand Prix

Fridays:
10:30am: My Mother the Mermaid
2pm: Lump of Sugar
4pm: Il Mare

No need to book. Just drop in. And don’t forget to vote for Jeju-do.