After Save the Green Planet (2003), one of my own favourites from that decade, director Jang Joon-hwan took a long break. I’m afraid I missed his second feature, Hwayi: A Monster Boy (2013), something that I’m going to have to rectify, because his third film, coming to the Picturehouse Central this month, has been getting … [Read More]
Event tag: LKFF Teasers (page 2)
LKFF 2018 Teaser Screening #2: Memoir of a Murderer
The second LKFF2018 Teaser screening is Won Shin-yeon’s adaptation of Kim Young-ha’s Memoir of a Murderer: Memoir of a Murderer (살인자의 기억법) Dir Won Shin-yeon (2017, 118min) With Sol Kyung-gu, Kim Nam-gil, Kim Seol-hyun Monday 21 May 2018, 7pm | Regent Street Cinema | Book tickets Serial killers are popular figures in South Korean cinema, … [Read More]
LKFF 2018 Teaser Screening: Be With You
The plot of this movie, the first teaser screening for the 2018 film festival, makes me think of those yearning, understated love stories of the early 2000s such as The Classic. It’ll be interesting to see the genre re-booted. Be With You (지금 만나러 갑니다) Director: Lee Chang-hoon (2018, 132 ins) Cast: So Ji-sub | … [Read More]
Film review: Memoir of a Murderer
Memoir of a Murderer asks us to step inside the mind of someone who is losing his memory, a sufferer of Alzheimer’s disease. The movie opens with a scene focusing on the face of a gaunt and aged-looking Sol Kyung-gu as single dad Kim Byung-soo. As we watch, his face begins to twitch. At first … [Read More]
Film review: A Taxi Driver
I went along to watch A Taxi Driver out of a sense of duty. What can be said about Gwangju, I thought, that hasn’t been said already? I’d rather see a documentary. Plus, Korean movies with foreign actors always raise slight alarm bells with me (Isabelle Huppert in Hong Sang-soo’s In Another Country left me … [Read More]
Final LKFF 2017 Teaser: The Villainess
This final teaser screening for the 2017 London Korean Film Festival looks rather fun. And to add to the tease, on the same evening the programme for the main festival will be unveiled. See you there. The Villainess (악녀) London Korean Film Festival Teaser Screening + LKFF 2017 Programme Launch Director: Jung Byung-gil (정병길), 2017, … [Read More]
6th LKFF 2017 Teaser: Jang Hoon’s Taxi Driver
How did we manage to squeeze in six teasers this year? Anyway, the latest is possibly one of the most anticipated Korean movies of the year so far. Here’s hoping it lives up to expectation. Taxi Driver (택시 운전사) Director: Jang Hoon, 2017, 137mins Cast: Song Kang-ho, Thomas Kretschmann, Yoo Hai-jin, Ryu Jun-yeol UK Premiere … [Read More]
5th LKFF 2017 Teaser: Lee Soo-yeon’s Bluebeard
The next teaser for the London Korean Film Festival is a psychological thriller set in Hwaseong, site of a real-life string of serial killings from 1986 to 1991: Bluebeard (해빙) Director: Lee Soo-yeon, 2017, 117 mins Regent Street Cinema, 10 July 2017, 7:30pm Book tickets: www.regentstreetcinema.com/programme/bluebeard/ South Korea has become known for its gripping thrillers featuring … [Read More]
Event news: the 4th LKFF Teaser is Han Jae-rim’s The King
After the gentle comedy that was Queen of Walking, it looks like the tempo will be picked up with the fourth LKFF teaser screening. Shame that it clashes with the conversation with Mike Breen about his new book… The King (더 킹) Director: Han Jae-rim (2016, 134 mins) Starring: Cho In-sung, Jung Woo-sung, Bae Seong-woo, … [Read More]
Baek Seung-hwa’s Queen of Walking is the 3rd LKFF Teaser
The LKFF Teasers this year are showing the wide range of film genres in contemporary Korean cinema. This month, a comedy. Queen of Walking (걷기왕) Director: Baek Seung-Hwa Cast: Shim Eun-Kyung, Park Joo-Hee 2016, 93 mins 7pm, Monday 22 May, Regent Street Cinema | Book here Hailed as one of the funniest Korean comedies of … [Read More]
Event news: Lee Eon-hee’s Missing is the 2nd LKFF Teaser
Lee Eon-hee’s Missing is the second LKFF Teaser screening this year. Paul Quinn is enthusastic. Missing (미씽: 사라진 여자) 10 April 2017, 6:30pm Picturehouse Central Book tickets UK Premiere Director E Oni’s stylish thriller utilises powerful performances from her lead actresses to address a variety of topical issues affecting two women at very different ends … [Read More]
Event news: Zhang Lu’s A Quiet Dream is the first LKFF teaser screening
Zhang Lu’s elusive Love And… was the brave choice to close the 2015 London Korean Film Festival. His latest feature is the first of the festival’s 2017 “teaser” screenings. A Quiet Dream (춘몽) Director Zhang Lu, 2016, 101 mins Cast: Han Yeri, Yang Ik-june, Park Jung-bum, Yoon Jong-bin Monday 20 March 2017, 7:30pm Regent Street … [Read More]
Brief review: Train to Busan
What can you say about Train to Busan that hasn’t already been said? When everyone tells you it’s a fantastic thrill-ride you try to go into the screening with lowered expectations just in case everyone is delusional and you come away disappointed. No need to fear. It’s pretty much non-stop entertainment from start to finish, … [Read More]
Event news: Train to Busan is the final LKFF 2016 Teaser screening
The final LKFF Teaser screening before the official festival in November. It’s sure to be popular: Train to Busan (부산행) Director: Yeon Sang-ho. Starring: Gong Yoo, Kim Soo-an. South Korea 2016. 118 mins. Korean with English subtitles. Picturehouse Central, 6 October 2016, 7pm | Book here Eurostar was never like this. Noted South Korean animation … [Read More]
Brief review: Lee Seok-hoon’s Himalaya
What do Himalaya (Lee Seok-hoon, 2015), Possessed (Lee Yong-ju, 2009) and A Better Tomorrow (Song Hae-seong, 2012) have in common? They are all Korean films which I have gone to a screening room or theatre to watch but couldn’t be bothered to stay to the end. When you pop a DVD into the machine at … [Read More]
Event news: Lee Seok-hoon’s Himalaya screens at Regent Street Cinema
The third of the KCCUK’s teaser screenings for the 2016 London Korean Film Festival is on 4 August at the Regent Street Cinema. Its star Hwang Jung-min told audiences at last year’s film festival that Himalaya had been the most exhausting film he had worked on. Find out why by watching it. The Himalayas (히말라야) … [Read More]















