25th Far East Film Festival: “Rebound” Review

Busan’s Jungang High School basketball team is in disarray and about to come to a stop until a new coach, Kang Yang-hyeon (Ahn Jae-hong: Time to Hunt, Fabricated City) is brought in to turn the team around. Jang Hang-jun’s new film, Rebound, not only follows Kang’s journey but also of his protégés: Bae Gyoo-hyeok (Jeong…

25th Far East Film Festival: “December” Review

If your daughter’s killer had the opportunity to start again, would she, to your mind, be deserving of that second chance? That is the question at the heart of December, a Japanese court drama helmed by Indian filmmaker Anshul Chauhan. Crime, punishment, and the rehabilitation of criminals are topics that are debated all around the…

25th Far East Film Festival: “Ditto” Review

Ditto, a 2022 South Korean film directed and written by Seo Eun-young and starring Yeo Jin-goo, Cho Yi-hyun, Kim Hye-yoon, and Na In-woo is, according to media, a remake of the 2000 film of the same name, starring Yoo Ji-tae and Ha Ji-won. Although the producers bought the rights to the remake, the 2022 version…

Enemies To Lovers: “Love To Hate You” Drama Review (Netflix)

A hot-headed feminist crosses paths with a misunderstood gentleman in Netflix’s new feel-good romantic comedy Love To Hate You. The 2023 drama spans 10 episodes, with a generous balance of wit and charm between the main characters. Director Kim Jeong-kwon, whose filmography consists mostly of romance works, took the risk of making an unusual pairing…

“Joyland” Review

Should a film that’s groundbreaking for its LGBTQ depiction within its own country be held up to more progressive standards when reviewed by international audiences? This is the central dilemma which comes with assessing the various merits of Joyland, the first Pakistani feature to premiere at Cannes and make the Academy Awards shortlist for Best…

In Conversation with Mond Tanutchai, a Thai Actor and Model

2022 was quite a successful year, not only for Thai cinema, but also for the country’s TV releases. One of Bangkok’s biggest television production companies, GMMTV, which also acts as a talent agency for many popular artists, has produced a healthy amount of drama series, many of which are available in the UK through GMMTV’s…