In her first feature, Passerby #3 (2010), Shin Su-won looked at the life of a woman who left her job to try to become a film director. In her latest, she returns to a similar movie-making theme. Hommage is about a middle-aged movie director, Ji-wan, whose films have never been much of a success. She … [Read More]
Director: Shin Su-won (신수원)
London East Asia Film Festival 2022 programme announced
The London East Asia Film Festival (LEAFF), the capital’s most celebrated champion of East Asian cinema and culture, headed by Festival Director Hyejung Jeon, opens its 7th year on 19th October at Odeon Luxe Leicester Square with the UK premiere of HUNT, the latest spy action drama directed by the award-winning Actor Lee Jung-Jae. This … [Read More]
London East Asia Film Festival 2020
Fingers crossed: it looks like we might see some more great Korean movies in a real cinema in a Central London location before the year’s out, thanks to the London East Asia Film Festival. The festival also includes films from China, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Japan. I’m particularly looking forward to Beauty Water: having caught … [Read More]
London East Asia Film Festival 2018 programme announced
As in previous years, the London East Asia Film Festival has a strong representation of Korean films. Although this year there is a focus on Taiwan and the Nara International Film Festival, there’s also a focus on the work of actor Kim Yoon-seok, who also features in the opening movie, Dark Figure of Crime. At … [Read More]
Festival Film Reviews: the four Korean films at the BFI London Film Fest 2015
It was a very pleasing selection of Korean films at the BFI London Film Festival this year. And for the first time that I can remember, I managed to get to all of them. Here are the verdicts. The Assassination 암살, Dir Choi Dong-hoon, 2015. With a fantastic ensemble cast, including Jeon Ji-hyun as the … [Read More]
Pluto (명왕성, 2012) review: fear, power and violence in Korea’s elite classrooms
While several of Pluto’s storyline elements will likely combine to bring Yoon Sung-hyun’s Bleak Night (2010) to viewers’ minds, Shin Su-won’s low budget thriller nonetheless manages to stand on its own as a dissection of fear within a dark and twisted tale laced with social commentary; ultimately feeling far more a companion piece than a derivation. [Read More]