Ha Jung-woo discusses his character-building process, research-driven acting, and transition into directing. He reflects on action and drama roles, collaboration with directors, balancing acting and filmmaking, painting as emotional release, and navigating independent and studio cinema, while sharing insights from films including The Chaser, The Berlin File and The Terror Live. [Read More]
Event tag: Year of the 4 Actors
The Unforgiven: a fleetingly interesting but ultimately dull debut for Yoon Jong-bin
The Unforgiven represents two hours of my life that I shall never get back. Two hours, but it felt like more. After an hour I was looking at my watch, wondering where the film was headed. And then, like Achilles and the tortoise, the remaining period of the film was divided in two, and at … [Read More]
Choi Min-sik interview: “I don’t like the hammer”
Choi Min-sik reflects on screen quotas and cultural diversity, his director-led approach to choosing roles, and portraying extreme characters through empathy. He discusses violence as social commentary, collaboration with auteurs, international work, historical roles, actor responsibility, and sustaining Korean cinema beyond commercial imperatives. [Read More]
Lady Vengeance continues the Choi Min-sik season at the KCC
Is it wrong like Lady Vengeance? I have to admit it’s one of my guilty pleasures. I sense in Lady V a slightly cocky director consciously aiming his work at an international audience for the first time, after the success of Oldboy. After all, Koreans don’t need to have it explained that prisoners might want … [Read More]
Chihwaseon at the KCC
The Choi Min-sik season at the KCC continues on 8 August. As usual, booking is required via the KCC website. Chihwaseon (취화선) Director: Im Kwon-taek (2002) Running Time: 120min Screening Date: 7pm, 8 August 2013 Synopsis This multi award winning film from director Im Kwon-taek sees Choi Min-sik playing renowned Korean painter Jang Seung-up in … [Read More]
Oldboy screens at the KCC
Well, you can’t have a Choi Min-sik season without a screening of possibly the best-known film to have come out of Korea this century. Oldboy Director: Park Chan-wook Running Time: 120min Screening Date: 7pm, 25 July 2013 Synopsis: Oh Dae-su is an average businessman, but after celebrating his daughter’s birthday he finds himself kidnapped and … [Read More]
The Berlin File – so slick it’s really rather dull
A plot which involves a dodgy international arms deal, a secret multibillion dollar bank account belonging to the extended family of Kim Jong-il and a power struggle in the wake of Kim Jong-un’s succession. A list of characters which includes operatives from the CIA, Mossad, and both North and South Korean security agencies, plus would-be … [Read More]
Failan opens the Choi Min-sik season at the KCC
It’s quite a popular weepie, but I’ve never really “got” it. I guess I’ve got a gene missing when it comes to some melodramas. Anyway, it’s the opening film of the Choi Min-sik season: Failan Dir: SONG Hae-seong, 2001 Running Time: 116mins Screening Date: 7pm, 11 July 2013 Synopsis Kang-Jae is a low level gangster … [Read More]
Hahaha – the first Hong Sang-soo film I’ve enjoyed without trying
OK, it was the second time I had seen it. The first time, I had slept through it. But that was because I had been entering into the spirit rather too much by indulging in a drinking session of Hongian proportions beforehand. The second time round, there was the anticipation of seeing the lead actress … [Read More]
Moon So-ri interview: feminism, craft and the changing landscape of Korean cinema
Moon So-ri reflects on choosing strong female roles, feminism in Korean cinema, and challenging performances such as Oasis. She discusses theatre versus film, physicality in acting, independent and commercial filmmaking, industry consolidation, collaboration with auteurs, and her belief in cinema’s power to broaden representation without being bound by markets or labels. [Read More]
I can’t believe he asked her that
The context was this. It was the Q&A after the 4 April screening at BAFTA of Hong Sang-soo’s Hahaha, attended by the lead actress Moon So-ri, the first featured actor of the KCC’s Year of the Four Actors. Tony Rayns was talking to Moon So-ri about how she got her first screen role. Moon started … [Read More]
Hong Sang-soo’s Hahaha to screen at BAFTA, with Moon So-ri Q&A
People who know me will be aware that my sincere appreciation of Hong Sang-soo’s work does not mean that I always stay awake during his movies. But having been to Tongyeong since the first time I went to the theatre when Hahaha was screening, I know I’ll be wide awake for the upcoming screening on … [Read More]
The President’s Barber – an awkward film that’s difficult to categorise
Lim Chan-sang’s The President’s Barber (효자동 이발사, 2004) was the first KCC screening of 2013, in which we will be seeing films featuring four actors each of who will be coming to London for a Q&A. The first three months feature Moon So-ri, who will be in London for a screening of Hong Sang-soo’s Hahaha … [Read More]
Lee Chang-dong’s Oasis screens at the KCC
Lee Chang-dong’s Oasis figures in most people’s list of top ten Korean films of all time, or at least of the first decade of this century: a compelling storyline which is both moving and shocking, with stand-out performances from Sol Kyung-gu and Moon So-ri. It will be screening this Thursday at the KCC as part … [Read More]
Moon So-ri is the first of 2013’s four actors. First up, The President’s Barber.
Following on from the year of the 12 directors, we have the year of the 4 actors. The first to be confirmed is Moon So-ri, who for me is pretty high up in the list of my favourites – particularly for her role in Im Sang-soo’s A Good Lawyer’s Wife, which I hope will get … [Read More]
Year of the Four Actors – the schedule
After 2012’s Year of the 12 Directors, 2013 brings Year of the 4 Actors, with 24 films and three Q&As featuring Moon So-ri, Jeon Do-yeon, Choi Min-sik and Ha Jung-woo. Here’s the schedule: Date Title Director Moon Sori 17 January The President’s Barber Lim Chan-sang 31 January A Good Lawyer’s Wife Im Sang-soo 14 February … [Read More]