Having made a couple of recent posts about how expensive Seoul is to live, I’d like to balance it with a positive post. Every now and then I see articles about things going on in Seoul which makes me want to be there. And this article in the Chosun is one of them. Robot Taekwon … [Read More]
On Screen: Film and TV (page 96)
Countdown to the Host (2)
The London debut of the Host is one week away. And it’s still breaking box office records. It’s sold out at the Edinburgh Festival, where Bong Joon-ho will be making a personal appearance, while in Korea, after one week according to the Chosun, the film brought in some 2.7 million viewers in just four days, … [Read More]
Success at Locarno film festival
Kim Young-Nam has won two awards at the 59th Locarno film festival with his feature Don’t Look Back: the International Federation of Film Critics award and the Network for the Promotion of Asian Cinema award. According to the Chosun, the film revolves around young people who try to stay optimistic despite poverty. Judging by the … [Read More]
Dae Jang Geum campaign gathers momentum …
…but still needs your support. A couple of months ago I put up a notice on my old site encouraging you to visit Alice Bennell’s blog and join her campaign to get the BBC to buy Dae Jang Geum — Jewel in the Palace — for showing on British TV. Since then Alice has been … [Read More]
Countdown to London premiere of The Host
Tickets for Frightfest go on sale on Tuesday 1 August at 11 am. Make sure you get in early. There’s a very slim possibility that Bong Joon-ho himself might be there, but don’t get your hopes up. To whet your appetite, have a listen to the Metropolitician’s latest podcast: it’s a discussion with Darcy and … [Read More]
Kim Jong-il’s book on cinema
Filmbrain has spotted – and bought and, even more nobly, read – a translation of Kim Jong-il’s On the Art of Cinema. A snip at £22.50 from Amazon. I’ll add it to my wishlist, but I’m afraid it’s not top of the list! Thanks to atom over at koreanfilm.org for spotting this. Links: Buy at … [Read More]
Cooking in the Danger Zone: South Korea (BBC4)
Following on the success of zany TV series like Holidays in the Axis of Evil (the DPRK show was rather good, I thought), and mindful of the sadistic pleasure we take in watching minor celebrities eating kangaroo testicles in jungle reality shows, TV execs are now going to treat us to “Cooking in the Danger … [Read More]
The Host to get London screening at Frightfest
Bong Joon-ho’s hit film The Host will be screening in London at the end of August as part of the 2006 FrightFest. Be there (Odeon West End, 28th August). My guess is you won’t see a finer film this year. [Read More]
Your feedback from the London Korean Film Festival 2006
Thanks to those of you who replied to LKL’s audience survey of those who attended the 2006 London Korean Film Festival. I’ve passed your detailed comments on to the organisers, Tae-min and Jase, and here is a summary of what you said. Your favourite film of the festival? Dan loved Love is a Crazy Thing, … [Read More]
Interactive Korean-American TV
I got an email yesterday from Dion Park at www.iKATV.com, asking for a plug. Happy to oblige. I visited the site and found it a bit baffling at first – all I could find was some brief and blurred YouTube videos. But Dion explained later that the website is still in prototype and is still … [Read More]
Kim Ki-duk: the Coast Guard
While browsing Play.com over the weekend I noted an upcoming Tartan release: Kim Ki-duk’s neglected The Coast Guard. The title of the film, to a westerner, is somewhat misleading. In the peaceful west, a coast guard is something to do with lifeboats, or air-sea rescue. He sits in a lookout post all day scanning the … [Read More]
Il Mare remake opens in London
As I flicked through the Independent on my way to work today trying vainly to find some real news (of which more tomorrow) I was vaguely aware of Keanu Reeves entering my consciousness. Not a frequent occurrence I can assure you. Maybe there was a story about him in the gossip section. I turned to … [Read More]
Prof Kim Chang-nam: history & characteristics of modern Korean culture
(SOAS, 5 June 2006, 7pm: the concluding event of the London Korean Festival 2006) I’m more reluctant than usual to make this post. The ground covered in Professor Kim’s hugely stimulating conclusion to the London Korean Festival was more than extensive, and left the audience wanting to ask tons of questions. To condense a hundred … [Read More]
If you’re going to trash a film in a British newspaper…
… the least you can do is use British English. Mark Kermode’s strange review in the Observer of Fruit Chan’s full-length version of Dumplings (above) reveals a prissiness that I don’t expect of a reviewer. Cat III sleaze it is not. His comment raises the question of whether he has ever watched any Cat III … [Read More]
Festival film review: Love is a Crazy Thing (연애)
I dreamt last night that I was interviewed about my reactions upon seeing Love is a Crazy Thing (OH Seok-geun, 2005) which screened yesterday evening at the Korean Film festival 2006. Well, actually, it was more of a nightmare. This is how the interview went. CJ Entertainment: Did this film entertain you? Me: No Sorry? … [Read More]
Festival film Review: Lost in Love (사랑을 놓치다)
Dir: Chu Chang-min 2006. Stars: Sol Kyung-gu Thu 25 May 2006, 8:50pm, Prince Charles Cinema “Dull, dull, dull” is how I thought this review would read as I watched the first half of this film last night. It got better, but not much. This is a story about a non-relationship. There were some great observations … [Read More]