Lee Hae-young is a South Korean director and screenwriter, known for his 2015 film “The Silenced”, a mystery thriller set in 1938 during the Japanese colonial era in Korea. His new work, “Phantom”, is a spy drama set in 1933 that tells the thrilling story of a group of Korean independence fighters who band together…
Tag: Asian Cinema
“Return to Seoul” Review
Now playing in UK cinemas, Cambodian-French filmmaker Davy Chou’s award-winning adoption drama, Return to Seoul, is a cathartic exploration of identity and one’s sense of place in the world. Beginning in medias res, the story introduces Freddie, a 25-year-old Korean-French woman who has ended up in Seoul after a logistical mishap. Given that she does…
25th Far East Film Festival: In Conversation with Kai Ko & Kent Tsai of “Bad Education”
Welcome to this exclusive interview with Kent Tsai and Kai Ko, two of the talented individuals behind “Bad Education”, a Taiwanese film that was shown at the 25th Far East Film Festival. Kent Tsai stars in the film as the lead character, Wang, a high school student who falls victim to intense peer pressure and…
25th Far East Film Festival: “The Legend & Butterfly” Review
Oda Nobunaga, Japan’s first “great unifier”, has been depicted on screen countless times. Depending on the angle of the narrative the daimyo can either be seen as a hero or villain; romantic lead or malevolent foe; the Fool of Owari or the Demon King. Often his part in unifying the country during the Sengoku period…
25th Far East Film Festival: In Conversation with Kim Eun-hee, Jang Hang-jun & Jeong Jin-woon of “Rebound”
The Udine Far East Film Festival surely knows how to delight its audience. This year we have seen many superb films, including Rebound, a South Korean production written by Kim Eun-hee, who is also responsible for Netflix’s Kingdom series, and directed by Jang Hang-jun (Forbidden). The inspiring film tells a story of a high school…
25th Far East Film Festival: In Conversation with He Shuming, Hong Huifang & Anthony Chen of “Ajoomma”
The Udine Far East Film Festival is probably one of the most prestigious and important film festivals in Europe that promotes Asian films over 9 days. This year, FEFF celebrated its 25th anniversary with Ajoomma as the Opening Night film. During the festival, we had the pleasure of speaking with He Shuming (director), Hong Huifang…
25th Far East Film Festival: In Conversation with Cheng Wei-hao & Jin Pai-lunn of “Marry My Dead Body”
In 2019, Taiwan became the first state in Asia to legalise same-sex marriage. It was a landmark moment in the region for LGBTQ+ rights, and since then it has also become an important part of pop culture – Cheng Wei-hao’s Marry My Dead Body is a prime example. The comedy, which was shown at the…
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…
In Conversation with Jeon Do-yeon and Jung Kyung-ho of “Crash Course in Romance”
Crash Course in Romance proved that a K-drama doesn’t need extraordinary special effects to reach the hearts of its viewers. Produced by Studio Dragon, the 16-episode show was broadcasted on tvN (available on Netflix in the UK) in the slot previously occupied by the hit drama Alchemy of Souls: Light and Shadow — a challenge…
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…
VIEW OF THE ARTS 