Owing to an administrative cock-up at the Pearly Gates, rich, single, hard-nosed, man-hating lawyer Lee Yeon-woo, whose main client is an evil construction company, meets an early death. She is given a chance to resume her life, but only on condition that she first, for one month only, lives the life of a mother-of-two married … [Read More]
People: Uhm Jung-hwa
Saharial at the Terracotta Festival: Dancing Queen
This second film of the Korean Breakfast Club double bill was a comedy with a little more social punch, dealing with gender roles in Korean society, politics and show business. The story focuses on Jung-Hwa (Uhm Jung Hwa), once known as the Madonna of Shinchon, who once dreamed of being a singer before marrying her … [Read More]
Haeundae – a rather disappointing disaster movie
Just watched Haeundae on Region 2 DVD. What was the fuss about? Dull, dull, dull. Maybe the domestic cut was better (17 mins longer). Maybe the international cut just focused on the things which might appeal to an international audience, and so they edited out anything that might be remotely interesting. I was wondering how … [Read More]
Insadong Scandal – a fun caper movie
Insadong Scandal is like Thomas Crown Affair, only slicker and with more twists. Highly recommended # and a suprise highlight of the LKFF2009, with Uhm Jung-hwa on sparkling, even sizzling, form. [Read More]
Deadly Elves and other recent tabloid stories
It’s a while since I did a round-up of celebrity news, which means that I’ve almost forgotten all the things I was going to mention, and lost most of the links that I was going to use. So before things get completely out of hand, here’s one of my not-so-regular posts shamelessly plundering the celebrity … [Read More]
Uhm Jung-hwa #9: Prestige
Uhm Jung-hwa: Prestige (2006) After all the high jinks required to get this album off the ground, my expectations of the music to be enjoyed therein were low. They were triumphantly met. There’s nothing terribly objectionable about anything on this album, but then there’s nothing terribly arresting either. The thing which most sticks in the … [Read More]
Top singer-actors, a Chungmuro A-list wedding, a record deal and the Last Vampire
I haven’t posted about any celebs recently, so here’s the latest clips I’ve come across: 1 Singers turned actors With an eye on the success of canto-pop stars on the big screen, K-pop stars and their managers have been looking to maximise brand value and revenue streams. Uhm Jung-hwa, I only recently noticed, has been … [Read More]
The versatile Uhm Jung-hwa (엄정화)
A rather silly item in the Chosun Ilbo (entitled Singer’s Hotpants Inflame Cyberspace) has alerted me to an actress that I hadn’t really focused on before. She’s been in films that I’ve seen and vaguely registered as quite interesting, or films that I’ve missed and am eager to see. I haven’t heard her sing, and … [Read More]
Festival film Review: Princess Aurora (오로라 공주) (18)
Dir: Bang Eun-jin, 2005 Mon 22 May 2006, 8:30pm, Prince Charles Cinema A whydunnit rather than a whodunnit. From the start, the perpetrator of these rather fun and sometimes gruesome murders is not in doubt, and the film sustains interest by drawing you into why the murders are committed. At first you think the motivation … [Read More]