The 2016 London East Asia Film Festival has a number of strands. We’ve already posted details of the movies screening in the Park Chan-wook retrospective and the Jeonju International Film Festival Focus. So here are the Korean movies featuring in the other strands, the broader East Asian cinema sections, listed in order of screening at … [Read More]
Director: Kang Woo-suk
Korean Film Nights Amplified – a monthly series of pre-screening talks
What a good idea. Once a month the KCC’s film screening will be preceded by a topical talk. The new series starts on 26 Feb with Kang Woo-suk’s Two Cops. The talk itself, given by Jinhee Choi (author of South Korean Film Renaissance: Local Hitmaker Global Provocateur), starts at 7pm, and the screening starts after … [Read More]
Kang Woo-suk is February’s featured director
Back in the 2013 London Korean Film Festival there was a mini-retrospective of Kang Woo-suk, with five of his films screening. This month we will be offered two of his early films: Mister Mama (12 Feb) and the first in the Two Cops franchise (26 Feb). Brief synopses below. As usual, booking is essential via … [Read More]
LBF event 1 Apr: Books on Screen — Moss
The fourth of the KCC’s Korean Literature on Screen events. LKL’s review of the film can be found here. As usual, pre-registration is required via the KCC website. Moss 이끼, Kang Woo-suk, 2010 Tuesday 1 April 7pm, KCCUK Running time 163 mins Adapted from a popular internet cartoon, Ryu Hae-guk investigates the mysterious death of … [Read More]
The Korean Novels on Screen Programme at the KCC
The KCC, in conjunction with the British Council, has announced its programme of films inspired by Korean literature. Two and a half of the films have their original stories available in English translation. The ones available in English are The Road to Sampo and Leafie. The half-film is The Scarlet Letter, which is based both … [Read More]
Kang Woo-suk interview: showing the reality of Korean cinema
Director Kang Woo-suk reflects on Korean cinema’s growing freedom to address once-taboo subjects, his recurring focus on social “enemies,” and the primacy of story over character. He discusses adapting webtoons, balancing action and drama in Fists of Legend, and producing films he believes need to exist. [Read More]
The LKFF 2013 Programme is announced
The countdown is on to the 2013 London Korean Film Festival. There’s plenty for everyone, and I’m sure once the detailed timetable is announced it will be difficult to choose your priorities. For me, the film to see is E J-yong’s Behind the Camera. I’ve never yet been disappointed by a film of his, and … [Read More]
Moss (이끼, 2010) review: power, corruption and secrets in a closed community
Based on an internet comic of the same name, Moss’s underlying references to power, corruption, revenge and guilt, as well as sin and redemption, create a veritable labyrinth of elements within the narrative, ultimately allowing the film to be far more worthy than one might initially imagine. [Read More]
Film review: Moss
Saharial catches up with one of 2010’s top films on the in-flight entertainment system over the Christmas break. I am liking international travel, especially when the film choices on the flight I took from Vancouver to New York had ‘Moss’ in their Asian cinema collection. Starring Park Hae-il (Memories of Murder) it is a thriller … [Read More]
London Korean Film Festival 2010
The London Korean Film Festival returns at its regular early November slot. With the Barbican cinemas out of action this year’s festival is a bit of a logistical nightmare, with screenings at the ICA, Odeon West End and the Apollo, but there’s more than enough film interest to compensate. One of the highlights of the … [Read More]
Kang Woo-seok first director to get 30 million audience
Kang Woo-suk (of Silmido fame) is the most popular director in Korean box office history according to KOFIC: he has exceeded the 30-million viewer mark http://bit.ly/91Sabj #. With a career which started in 1988 (Sweet Brides) and the Public Enemy series behind him, the audience numbers have been accumulating nicely. [Read More]
The London Korean Film Festival 2008
The programme for the 2008 London Korean Film Festival has been announced. A great line-up with something for everyone. From the latest releases, there’s the biggest film of 2008 (The Good, the Bad and the Weird), plus one or two I’d forgotten about, but which with a bit of thought are obvious choices: last year’s … [Read More]