In 2015, during the BFI London Film Festival, I had my first conversation with South Korean filmmaker Choi Dong-hoon as he promoted his espionage action film Assassination. Several years later, he finished the script for Alienoid, a sci-fi fantasy action film. Starring a top-notch assemble of actors, including Kim Tae-ri, Kim Woo-bin, Ryu Jun-yeol, Lee…
7th London East Asia Film Festival: In Conversation with Kim Se-in, Director of “The Apartment with Two Women”
Kim Se-in, a South Korean filmmaker, began her journey in the film industry as a screenplay writer and editor. She directed a few shorts, including Hamster (2016), Playing with Fire (2018), and Container (2018). Kim’s feature debut, The Apartment with Two Women, received its world premiere at last year’s Busan International Film Festival and had…
7th London East Asia Film Festival: The Roundup Review
When The Outlaws, written and directed by Kang Yoon-sung, came out in 2017, the film became the third highest-grossing film of that year in South Korea. The production had enough thrills and suspense to satisfy even the most jaded sensation-seekers. It took a few years before the second instalment, The Roundup, was released onto the…
StART Art Fair – Saatchi Gallery London – In Conversation with Ohnim, Kang Hui and Regina Kim.
Art fairs have always played a crucial role in the world of contemporary art. Not only do they allow art lovers to see the creations of new and upcoming artists, but they also enable collectors, agents, and curators to obtain unique modern art pieces. StART Art Fair was founded in 2014 by David and Serenella…
66th BFI London Film Festival: “The Woman in the White Car” Review
In a small Korean town, a police officer, Kim Hyun-ju (Lee Jeong-eun: Parasite, Hommage), alongside her partner, are called to a hospital to check on two sisters with one being severely injured and unconscious. We quickly learn that one of the siblings is called Do-kyung (Jung Ryeowon: Castaway on the Moon, Wok of Love, Gate),…
66th BFI London Film Festival: “Decision to Leave” Review
It may not seem like it at first glance, but Park Chan-wook’s films are those of a distinctly romantic disposition. His narratives typically explore the tension that arises when erotic and emotional idealism meets cold, hard reality; in his films, the only happy romances can be found in either the dispassionate confines of a mental…
Yoon Seo-bin on Music, Acting and Korean Cinema
Who is Yoon Seo-bin? Born and raised in South Korea, Yoon Seo-bin found his love for music during his teenage years. After being discovered on the streets of Seoul, the singer trained for over a year and seven months. Despite leaving Produce X 101 (2019 – reality survival show), he decided to wait for a…
“The fans are the 11th member of Golden Child, and we don’t [and wouldn’t] exist without them” – In Conversation with Golden Child, a K-Pop Idol Group
Golden Child distinguish themselves by their musical variety. Although they represent K-pop in its pure form, the group finds it easy to combine the genre with funk, disco, and electronic sounds. Visually, when it comes to their music videos, the group values simplistic aesthetics blended with satisfying choreography instead of the flashy, complex music videos…
Fragments Festival: In Conversation with Kim Bartley, Director of “Pure Grit”
What does it mean to explore non-fiction narratives through film? Accompanying other people with a camera during their everyday life is always difficult, but at the same time, it is an extraordinary journey for all parties involved, including the director, the film crew, and also the subject of the film. While documentaries capture meaningful moments,…
Fragments Festival: “Mama Bears” Review
24 June 2022, the Supreme Court overturned Roe v Wade. This is just the first step by the Republican Party in removing the American people’s hard-fought rights. Next up on the Christian nationalist agenda by the MAGA republicans seems to be same-sex marriage and the further erosion of trans rights. On the day that Trump was elected…
VIEW OF THE ARTS 