The 74th evening screening at the KCC this Thursday, 14 July, is Bong Joon-ho’s 2009 hit Mother: Time and date: 7pm, Thursday 14th July Film Title: Mother Director: Bong Joon-ho Cast: Kim Hye-ja, Won Bin Genre:Thriller Certificate: 15 (UK) Running Time: 128 mins Venue: The Korean Cultural Centre UK Ground Floor, Grand Buildings 1-3 Strand, … [Read More]
People: Won Bin
Film Review: The Man From Nowhere
Colette Balmain reviews the opening film of LKFF 2010 The Man From Nowhere (아저씨- Ajeossi) (Lee Jeong-beom, 2010) Cha Tae-sik (Won Bin), is a man shrouded in mystery, a loner who runs a small pawnshop and who is positioned on the margins of society. His only meaningful relationship is with the young girl, So-mi (Kim … [Read More]
The Chosun Ilbo’s movie popularity poll
Heartened (and puzzled) to see Im Kown-taek as best director in the same poll which has Ha Ji-won most popular actress http://bit.ly/f6zVYN #. “Most popular” stars were Won Bin and Ha Ji-won while the “best” were Song Kang-ho and Jeon Do-yeon. [Read More]
Korea’s hottest celebs — CNNGo
South Korea's 20 hottest male celebs: CNNGo’s list is topped by Jang Dong-gun, Won Bin and Bae Yong-joon. http://bit.ly/aZAANo – via allkpop http://bit.ly/cDqitG But why isn’t Lee Byung-hun on the list? # [Read More]
Mother (마더, 2009) review: when devotion becomes obsession
Bong Joon-ho’s Mother explores the unsettling symbiosis between a protective mother and her mentally disabled son. The film highlights how guilt and desperation drive a parent to abandon moral guidelines, eventually transforming her into a “monster” to protect her child. A gritty, multi-layered critique of how easily the line between love and depravity blurs. [Read More]
Mother reveals Bong’s perversity
This report captures director Bong Joon-ho’s insights on his subversive thriller, detailing his “perverse” casting of icons Kim Hye-ja and Won Bin against their established types. Bong discusses his meticulous control over “feminine” landscapes and storyboards, ultimately emphasizing how the primal maternal instinct can transform a mother into a monster in her desperate quest to protect. [Read More]
Remembering Murder: from “Memories of Murder” to “Mother”
Colette Balmain examines Bong Joon-ho’s Mother as a thematic evolution of Memories of Murder, shifting from a procedural to an intimate, arguably incestuous, study of devotion. By portraying the mother’s desperate quest for her son’s innocence against a corrupt, commodity-driven community, the film serves as a searing allegory for modern South Korea and its buried historical traumas. [Read More]
LKL Celeb of the month #4: Won Bin
Won Bin (원빈) was born Kim Do Jin (김도진) on 10 November 1977 in Gangwon province. His 1996 TV debut was little noticed, but then he hit the big time in the hit drama Autumn Fairy Tale (2000), the first part of the Endless Love seasonal series which includes Winter Sonata. Alongside Won Bin appeared … [Read More]