The 21st Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) has finally kicked off with Zhang Lu’s A Quiet Dream; ahead of the opening night, there was a press conference for the film which was attended by the film director Lu himself, Yang Ik-june (an actor and a director, known for his independent film productions) and Lee Joo-young; on…
Tag: Korean Cinema
Introduction to Busan International Film Festival (BIFF)
Busan International Film Festival (BIFF for short) is the largest Asian film festival – and among the most prominent film festivals in the whole of Asia – that is held annually in the second largest South Korean city of Busan. The year 2016 marks already the 21st edition of the festival, even though its future…
The 60th BFI London Film Festival: The Handmaiden Review
The South Korean film director Park Chan-wook has always been an exceptional writer of seductive and pulsating narratives, like Oldboy, Lady Vengeance and Thirst, to name just a few. His newest production, The Handmaiden, is yet another enchanting piece of writing. It is also a fascinating interpretation of the Welsh novel Fingersmith, written by Sarah Walters; while…
The 60th BFI London Film Festival: The Wailing Review
Na Hong-jin is – in every respect – the maharishi of thriller; when his previous films The Chaser (2008) and The Yellow Sea (2010) were released in Korea and Europe, they put critics and film goers at the edge of their seats, proving that his sophisticated writing and directing is one of a kind. The audience had to wait six…
Train to Busan Review
Zombie film is a “genre that just won’t die,” someone once said. It all started in the early thirties when Hollywood was beginning to try out “iconic-monster” films, and within a short period of time, the first feature-length “walking-dead” movie was presented to the audience: director Victor Halperin’s inexpensively made White Zombie (1932). Since then, zombie…
London Korean Film Festival 2016- Teaser Screening: The Himalayas
Someone once said that “There is something about the Himalayas not possessed by the Alps, something unseen and unknown, a charm that pervades every hour spent among them, a mystery intriguing and disturbing. Confronted by them, a man loses his grasp of ordinary things, perceiving himself as immortal, an entity capable of outdistancing all changes,…
Insane (날,보러와요) Review
South Korea has been facing the increasing number of mental illnesses, caused by various factors such as suicide, divorce, addiction, as well as expeditious development of technology; for that reason, various mental institutions have increased their facilities where people – willingly, or unwillingly, and some in secret – admit themselves to get help with their…
London Korean Film Festival 2016- Teaser Screening: The Throne
There hasn’t been a single moment when I was left disappointed by Lee Joon-ik’s work; every one of his films is truly exceptional. Well-known for his period drama films and still associated with his 2005 King and The Clown – which brought him an international recognition – Lee Joon-ik cleverly balances historical events with a real…
In Conversation with Rosalina Leigh
Rosalina Leigh is an ambitious young actress who gained recognition among the indie film goers with her role in Benson Lee’s Seoul Searching. Since this was her first acting role, this must have been a nerve-wrecking experience for Rosalina. Prior to filming, she recorded a casting YouTube video – it was seen by Benson Lee, who later…
In Conversation with Baek Jae-ho
Before embarking on a career as a director, Baek Jae-ho performed as an actor in 17 films. In addition to acting and directing, he now works as a producer, cinematographer and screenwriter; in this respect, Baek Jae-ho is like Bob the Builder of Korean cinema. His recent project and directorial debut, We Will Be Ok, was…
VIEW OF THE ARTS 