South Korea’s connection with its own historical roots is deeply embedded in popular culture. Period movies and costume melodramas have always held their own space, even during the nation’s gloomy times. From The King and the Clown (2005) and Masquerade (2012) to The Night Owl (2022), and back to the numerous retellings of the popular…
Tag: Udine Far East Festival
28th Far East Film Festival: In Conversation with Kim Do-young, director of “Once We Were Us”
After her film Kim Ji-young: Born 1982 (2019) sparked loud controversy in South Korea for its social and political criticism, the actress and director Kim Do-young has returned with her second feature, Once We Were Us, part of the competition at the 28th Far East Film Festival in Udine, Italy. This emotional drama is a…
28th Far East Film Festival: In Conversation with Yoo Yeon-seok
Yoo Yeon-seok smiles often when he speaks, and sitting with him during the interview at the Far East Film Festival, there is so much calmness emanating from him. He made his acting debut in 2003 with a small role in Oldboy before returning to the screen in 2008 to fully resume his acting career. Since…
28th Far East Film Festival: In Conversation with Tam Wai-ching, Director of “Someone Like Me”
Filled with many wonderful films, the Far East Film Festival has always offered a great selection of talent to interview. Through both short and long conversations, we can learn about the creative processes behind films – insights that we wouldn’t usually have the chance to discover, especially given the lack of such opportunities at UK…
28th Far East Film Festival: In Conversation with Chao Koi-wang (Director) and Kai Ko (Actor) of ” I Blew Out the Candles Before Making a Wish”
I Blew Out the Candles Before Making a Wish is the feature debut of directors Chao Koi-wang and Hu Chin-ye, offering a view of Macau far removed from its usual casino-driven image. The film focuses on everyday lives defined by debt, absence, and survival, following a young girl and a debt collector whose paths unexpectedly…
In Conversation with Yang Hee-kyung of “The Land of Morning Calm”
Yang Hee-kyung is a celebrated South Korean actress who began her career in theatre before expanding into television and film. She earned early acclaim with a Best Actress win at the 19th Seoul Theater Festival in 1995. Known for her natural charisma, Yang consistently delivers powerful performances, and her role in The Land of Morning…
In Conversation with Yoon Joo-sang of “The Land of Morning Calm”
With a career that spans almost four decades and includes roles in theatre, television, and film, Yoon Joo-sang is undeniably one of South Korea’s most experienced and respected actors. Born in 1949, he has delivered powerful performances across a variety of genres and platforms, earning awards such as the Best Supporting Actor award at the…
26th Far East Film Festival: In Conversation with Eugene Domingo and Jun Lana of “Becky and Badette” – Exclusive Interview
In Becky and Badette, director Jun Lana is facing the social media machine and what those who use it can be willing to do to gain fame. The comedy tackles this subject through Becky and Badette, played by Eugene Domingo and Pokwang. Best friends since their school days, they are in dead-end jobs, completely broke,…
26th Far East Film Festival: In Conversation with Hur Jin-ho, Director of “A Normal Family”
Hur Jin-ho, renowned as the “master of Korean melodrama”, is in his element in his latest production, A Normal Family. Drawn from the pages of the Dutch author Herman Koch’s gripping best-seller The Dinner, the film revolves around two married – and morally very different – brothers who are forced to confront a harrowing family…
26th Far East Film Festival: In Conversation with Samantha Lee, Director of “Rookie” – Exclusive Interview
Volleyball can be a space for romance, at least that’s what director Samantha Lee has imagined in her Filipino coming-of-age sports film Rookie. The movie opens with Pat Tingjuy’s Ace being transferred to a new school, she may be a skilled basketball player but the nuns at her academy think the sport turns girls into…
26th Far East Film Festival: “Exhuma” Review
What do a Feng Shui master, a mortician, and a shaman all have in common? No, this isn’t the setup for a terrible joke; instead, it’s the main plot of the Korean supernatural horror film Exhuma. Although the film starts off slowly, it effectively introduces the main characters and their backgrounds. Additionally, it provides an…
26th Far East Film Festival: In Conversation with Kim Seong-hun, Director of “Ransomed” – Exclusive Interview
Kim Seong-hun’s filmmaking journey began as an assistant director on romantic comedies before directing his first feature, which unfortunately didn’t bring fruitful results. Determined to redeem himself, he took inspiration from Pedro Almodóvar’s work and spent years making his next project, A Hard Day. Premiering at the Cannes Film Festival, it received widespread acclaim and…
26th Far East Film Festival: “12.12: The Day” Review
12.12: The Day is the new cinematic offering from Kim Sung-su, a South Korean filmmaker well-known for Musa, Asura: The City of Madness, and Flu. And, just like his previous works, 12.12: The Day is a gripping and powerful narrative filled with sublime performances. In the wake of President Park’s assassination in 1979, the political…
26th Far East Film Festival: “Citizen of a Kind” Review
Perhaps the most remarkable tale is one of a seemingly unremarkable person who defies their dreary destiny and takes control of their life. Nothing is more impressive than when these occur in real life – not just some fantasy stirred up for a good bit of fiction. Citizen of a Kind, directed by Park Young-ju,…
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