Busan Film Festival Opens With Kiyoshi Kurosawa Honors, Female Industry Award & Netflix’s ‘Uprising’
The 29th edition of the Busan International Film Festival opened Wednesday night with top stars like Lee Jung-jae (Squid Game), Song Joong-ki (Descendants of the Sun) and Gang Dong-won (Peninsula) walking the red carpet under the towering dome of the Busan Cinema Center, in front of more than 4,500 guests.
With a new leadership team headed by chairman and veteran filmmaker Park Kwang-su as well as Ellen Y.D. Kim, the festival awarded the Asian Filmmaker of the Year honors to Japanese auteur Kiyoshi Kurosawa. Kurosawa won Venice’s Silver Lion for best director in 2020 with Wife of a Spy.
The festival’s congratulatory video for Kurosawa featured praises from fellow Japanese director Ryusuke Hamaguchi and Korean director Bong Joon-ho — both sharing how Kurosawa’s works inspired their own cinematic craft.
In his speech onstage, Kurosawa acknowledged how Biff has provided a platform for many of his works, saying that the...
With a new leadership team headed by chairman and veteran filmmaker Park Kwang-su as well as Ellen Y.D. Kim, the festival awarded the Asian Filmmaker of the Year honors to Japanese auteur Kiyoshi Kurosawa. Kurosawa won Venice’s Silver Lion for best director in 2020 with Wife of a Spy.
The festival’s congratulatory video for Kurosawa featured praises from fellow Japanese director Ryusuke Hamaguchi and Korean director Bong Joon-ho — both sharing how Kurosawa’s works inspired their own cinematic craft.
In his speech onstage, Kurosawa acknowledged how Biff has provided a platform for many of his works, saying that the...
- 10/2/2024
- by Sara Merican
- Deadline Film + TV
The opening night of the 29th Busan International Film Festival (Biff) saw a starry audience of more than 4,500 guests in fits of laughter as well as reduced to tears at a ceremony tonight (October 3).
Staged under the illuminated roof of the Busan Cinema Center in South Korea, directors, actors and producers from more than 70 films in Biff’s official selection walked the red carpet, including Thai star Billkin from blockbuster How To Make Millions Before Grandma Dies, India’s Banita Das from Village Rockstars 2 and Filipino director Brillante Mendoza. Squid Game star Lee Jung-jae was also in attendance as well as Portuguese filmmaker Miguel Gomes,...
Staged under the illuminated roof of the Busan Cinema Center in South Korea, directors, actors and producers from more than 70 films in Biff’s official selection walked the red carpet, including Thai star Billkin from blockbuster How To Make Millions Before Grandma Dies, India’s Banita Das from Village Rockstars 2 and Filipino director Brillante Mendoza. Squid Game star Lee Jung-jae was also in attendance as well as Portuguese filmmaker Miguel Gomes,...
- 10/2/2024
- ScreenDaily
“Squid Game” star Lee Jung-jae was among the Korean celebrities to lead out a red carpet parade on the opening night of the 29th edition of the Busan International Film Festival. The festival kicked off Wednesday with a bright show of international solidarity and a spectacular, if controversial, Korean film from Netflix.
The ceremony, held under the semi-open roof of the futuristic Busan Cinema Center, was buoyant and attended by 4,500 guests, masking some the woes incurred by the festival itself and by the wider Korean film industry. Officials at the event debuted a new slogan — “Vision of Asia, Ocean of Cinema” — reflecting the South Korean port city’s revised ambitions ahead of next year’s 30th anniversary edition.
Last year, internal divisions ripped the festival management apart, causing sponsors to flee and a reduced budget. While some of the wounds have since been healed, replenished sponsorship and city government funds...
The ceremony, held under the semi-open roof of the futuristic Busan Cinema Center, was buoyant and attended by 4,500 guests, masking some the woes incurred by the festival itself and by the wider Korean film industry. Officials at the event debuted a new slogan — “Vision of Asia, Ocean of Cinema” — reflecting the South Korean port city’s revised ambitions ahead of next year’s 30th anniversary edition.
Last year, internal divisions ripped the festival management apart, causing sponsors to flee and a reduced budget. While some of the wounds have since been healed, replenished sponsorship and city government funds...
- 10/2/2024
- by Patrick Frater and Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
Director Kim Sang-man and writer-producer Park Chan-wook are teaming up to bring us a whole new level of action spectacle.
With their new feature Uprising, the acclaimed South Korean filmmakers invite audiences to travel back to the Joseon era, the final imperial period in Korean history. The film examines how the chaos of war impacts the personal relationship between two childhood friends who become enemies. Check out the trailer above, and read on for more information about Uprising.
Set in the Joseon era, during a tumultuous time in the aftermath of war, Uprising takes viewers on a gripping journey through the lives of two childhood friends turned adversaries: an enslaved person with remarkable martial prowess who struggles to break free from an unjust servitude, and his master, the scion of Joseon’s most influential military family. The film is produced and co-written by...
With their new feature Uprising, the acclaimed South Korean filmmakers invite audiences to travel back to the Joseon era, the final imperial period in Korean history. The film examines how the chaos of war impacts the personal relationship between two childhood friends who become enemies. Check out the trailer above, and read on for more information about Uprising.
Set in the Joseon era, during a tumultuous time in the aftermath of war, Uprising takes viewers on a gripping journey through the lives of two childhood friends turned adversaries: an enslaved person with remarkable martial prowess who struggles to break free from an unjust servitude, and his master, the scion of Joseon’s most influential military family. The film is produced and co-written by...
- 9/30/2024
- by John DiLillo
- Tudum - Netflix
Acclaimed Korean filmmaker Yeon Sang-ho has set mystery thriller The Ugly as his next feature, which Plus M Entertainment will introduce to buyers at the Asian Contents & Film Market (Acfm) in Busan this week.
Yeon is known for directing Peninsula, which received a Cannes 2020 label and proved box office hit across Asia, taking $46.7m at the height of the pandemic; zombie thriller Train To Busan, which played at Cannes in 2016 and went on to take $140m at the global box office; and The King of Pigs, which became the first Korean animation to screen at Cannes when it was selected...
Yeon is known for directing Peninsula, which received a Cannes 2020 label and proved box office hit across Asia, taking $46.7m at the height of the pandemic; zombie thriller Train To Busan, which played at Cannes in 2016 and went on to take $140m at the global box office; and The King of Pigs, which became the first Korean animation to screen at Cannes when it was selected...
- 9/30/2024
- ScreenDaily
Busan International Film Festival has revealed the full line-up for its 29th edition, which will open with the world premiere of Netflix period drama Uprising, produced and co-written by Park Chan-wook, and close with Eric Khoo’s Spirit World, starring Catherine Deneuve.
At a press conference in Seoul today (September 3), it was also announced that Japanese auteur Kiyoshi Kurosawa will receive the Asian Filmmaker of the Year award, while organisers addressed ongoing funding challenges facing the festival.
Uprising marks the first time a streaming title has been set as the opening feature of Asia’s largest film festival. The South...
At a press conference in Seoul today (September 3), it was also announced that Japanese auteur Kiyoshi Kurosawa will receive the Asian Filmmaker of the Year award, while organisers addressed ongoing funding challenges facing the festival.
Uprising marks the first time a streaming title has been set as the opening feature of Asia’s largest film festival. The South...
- 9/3/2024
- ScreenDaily
Popular police procedural dramas, like Fincher’s Zodiac (2007) or Chan-wook’s Decision to Leave (2022), often feature cunningly plotted mysteries that blend realistic police work with the forlorn heroism of classic hardboiled fiction. The narratives typically hit the ground running, filled with shocking twists, climactic build-ups, and often violent confrontations. Ultimately, they allow characters to carve meaning out of the darkness. However, the Chinese whodunit Only the River Flows is a slow burn that defies conventional approaches. Its artistic style presents the protagonist with a complex array of choices as he navigates an investigation that challenges his psychological well-being. The treatment and progression of the story are reminiscent of Diao Yinan‘s Golden Bear winner Black Coal, Thin Ice (2014). However, it is endowed with a distinctive meditative pace and a deeper exploration of the protagonist’s internal struggles. This approach makes the film even more bleaker and more sinister. It also...
- 8/28/2024
- by Dipankar Sarkar
- Talking Films
Announced as the big comeback of veteran Finnish auteur Aki Kaurismäki, Cannes Jury Prize winner 2023 “Fallen Leaves” was one of the biggest Nordic successes worldwide between 2020-2023 with over one million admissions.
So what inspired release campaigns were used by arthouse banners in territories as diverse as Taiwan, Norway and the Czech Republic to widen Kaurismäki’s core audience and make him a cool name on social media?
The topic was explored Aug. 22 at the Europa Distribution panel, Around the World in 80 Minutes: The Distribution and Promotion of Nordic Films Internationally, hosted by New Nordic Films in Haugesund, Norway.
One of the highlights of the three-day Nordic market, the Europa Distribution panel was moderated by seasoned industryite Petri Kemppinen, founder of Good Hand Production, a consultant at Finland’s post-production house Totalpost and co-head of Baltic Event’s TV Beats Forum.
First, outlining his domestic release strategy for Kaurismäki’s Helsinki-set love story,...
So what inspired release campaigns were used by arthouse banners in territories as diverse as Taiwan, Norway and the Czech Republic to widen Kaurismäki’s core audience and make him a cool name on social media?
The topic was explored Aug. 22 at the Europa Distribution panel, Around the World in 80 Minutes: The Distribution and Promotion of Nordic Films Internationally, hosted by New Nordic Films in Haugesund, Norway.
One of the highlights of the three-day Nordic market, the Europa Distribution panel was moderated by seasoned industryite Petri Kemppinen, founder of Good Hand Production, a consultant at Finland’s post-production house Totalpost and co-head of Baltic Event’s TV Beats Forum.
First, outlining his domestic release strategy for Kaurismäki’s Helsinki-set love story,...
- 8/23/2024
- by Annika Pham
- Variety Film + TV
Korean film maestro Park Chan-wook is keeping in motion. The internationally acclaimed auteur, 60, will begin production on Saturday on his 12th feature, an adaptation of American novelist Donald Westlake’s 1996 novel The Ax. The movie, which is currently going by the working title I Can’t Help It, will star Korean screen royalty Lee Byung-hun and Son Ye-jin, with financing and distribution coming from local studio heavyweight Cj Enm.
Westlake’s novel was previously adapted into French by Costa Gavras as the 2005 film Le Couperet (The Axe). Like its predecessor, Park’s adaptation follows a man — named Man-soo this time and played by Lee — who is abruptly laid off by the paper company where he worked tirelessly for many years. The man grows increasingly desperate in his hunt for new work, eventually resolving to kill his job competitors. Son will play the man’s wife, the warm-hearted Mi-ri.
I Can...
Westlake’s novel was previously adapted into French by Costa Gavras as the 2005 film Le Couperet (The Axe). Like its predecessor, Park’s adaptation follows a man — named Man-soo this time and played by Lee — who is abruptly laid off by the paper company where he worked tirelessly for many years. The man grows increasingly desperate in his hunt for new work, eventually resolving to kill his job competitors. Son will play the man’s wife, the warm-hearted Mi-ri.
I Can...
- 8/16/2024
- by Patrick Brzeski
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Bereits morgen beginnen die Dreharbeiten zur Verfilmung des Romans „The Ax“, der ersten Regiearbeit von Park Chan-wook seit seiner Oscareinreichung „Die Frau im Nebel“ im Jahr 2022.
Park Chan-wook beginnt morgen mit der Verfilmung des Romans „The Ax“ (Credit: Imago / Cover-Images)
In seinem ersten Film seit „Die Frau im Nebel“, der für Südkorea im Jahr 2022 ins Rennen um eine Oscarnominierung in der Kategorie „Bester internationaler Film“ gegangen war, inszeniert Park Chan-wook die Verfilmung von Donald E. Westlakes Roman „The Ax“. Wie der Verleih Cj Enm jetzt bekannt gegeben hat, sollen die Dreharbeiten bereits am morgigen Samstag beginnen.
In der „The Ax“-Verfilmung spielt Lee Byung-hun Man-soo, einen Mann mittleren Alters, der von der Papierfirma, in der er arbeitet, nach vielen Jahren entlassen wird und einen Amoklauf startet, um seine Konkurrenz auszuschalten. In weiteren Rollen werden So Ye-jin als seine Ehefrau, Lee Sung-min und Yeom Hye-ran als Paar, das die Arbeitslosigkeit ebenfalls getroffen hat,...
Park Chan-wook beginnt morgen mit der Verfilmung des Romans „The Ax“ (Credit: Imago / Cover-Images)
In seinem ersten Film seit „Die Frau im Nebel“, der für Südkorea im Jahr 2022 ins Rennen um eine Oscarnominierung in der Kategorie „Bester internationaler Film“ gegangen war, inszeniert Park Chan-wook die Verfilmung von Donald E. Westlakes Roman „The Ax“. Wie der Verleih Cj Enm jetzt bekannt gegeben hat, sollen die Dreharbeiten bereits am morgigen Samstag beginnen.
In der „The Ax“-Verfilmung spielt Lee Byung-hun Man-soo, einen Mann mittleren Alters, der von der Papierfirma, in der er arbeitet, nach vielen Jahren entlassen wird und einen Amoklauf startet, um seine Konkurrenz auszuschalten. In weiteren Rollen werden So Ye-jin als seine Ehefrau, Lee Sung-min und Yeom Hye-ran als Paar, das die Arbeitslosigkeit ebenfalls getroffen hat,...
- 8/16/2024
- by Jochen Müller
- Spot - Media & Film
South Korean filmmaker Park Chan-wook is set to begin shooting his adaptation of US novel The Ax on Saturday (August 17), according to distributor Cj Enm.
The English-language title of the film is No Other Choice (the Korean title directly translates as I Can’t Help It).
It will mark the first feature from the Oldboy director since 2022 noir melodrama Decision To Leave, which premiered in Competition at Cannes where Park won best director and subsequently secured nominations at the Baftas and Golden Globes. He has since made US drama series The Sympathizer starring Robert Downey Jr. for HBO.
The upcoming...
The English-language title of the film is No Other Choice (the Korean title directly translates as I Can’t Help It).
It will mark the first feature from the Oldboy director since 2022 noir melodrama Decision To Leave, which premiered in Competition at Cannes where Park won best director and subsequently secured nominations at the Baftas and Golden Globes. He has since made US drama series The Sympathizer starring Robert Downey Jr. for HBO.
The upcoming...
- 8/15/2024
- ScreenDaily
South Korean filmmaker Park Chan-wook is set to begin shooting his adaptation of US novel The Ax on Saturday (August 17), according to distributor Cj Enm.
An English-language title has yet been revealed but the Korean title directly translates as I Can’t Help It.
It will mark the first feature from the Oldboy director since 2022 noir melodrama Decision To Leave, which premiered in Competition at Cannes where Park won best director and subsequently secured nominations at the Baftas and Golden Globes. He has since made US drama series The Sympathizer starring Robert Downey Jr. for HBO.
The upcoming film is...
An English-language title has yet been revealed but the Korean title directly translates as I Can’t Help It.
It will mark the first feature from the Oldboy director since 2022 noir melodrama Decision To Leave, which premiered in Competition at Cannes where Park won best director and subsequently secured nominations at the Baftas and Golden Globes. He has since made US drama series The Sympathizer starring Robert Downey Jr. for HBO.
The upcoming film is...
- 8/15/2024
- ScreenDaily
In 1905, Japan forced Korea to sign the Eulsa Treaty, stripping the nation of its diplomatic rights and reducing the entire peninsula to a Japanese colony. By 1909, when Harbin begins, Korea's small but tenacious Righteous Army militia is deep into a campaign of armed resistance against the Japanese. After emerging as the sole survivor of an especially bloody skirmish, Ahn Jung-geun (Hyun Bin) heads an operation to assassinate Itō Hirobumi, the first Japanese Resident-General of Korea and a key symbol of violent colonial oppression. [Source: Toronto International Film Festival]
Woo Min-ho (Inside Men) directs a biographical historical thriller showcasing pivotal events and freedom fighters in the arduous struggle for Korean sovereignty. Starring Hyun Bin, Jeon Yeo-been and Park Jeong-min (TIFF '22's Decision to Leave), Harbin will have its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 8, 2024.
Woo Min-ho (Inside Men) directs a biographical historical thriller showcasing pivotal events and freedom fighters in the arduous struggle for Korean sovereignty. Starring Hyun Bin, Jeon Yeo-been and Park Jeong-min (TIFF '22's Decision to Leave), Harbin will have its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 8, 2024.
- 8/15/2024
- by Suzie Cho
- AsianMoviePulse
Following up his noir melodrama Decision to Leave, Park Chan-wook ventured into the world of American television with the forthcoming Max series The Sympathizer, adapting Viet Thanh Nguyen’s acclaimed novel and teaming with Robert Downey Jr. As revealed earlier this year, he’s now set to return to South Korea for his next feature and as production begins this week more details have been unveiled.
Set to begin shooting this Saturday, August 17, Park will be adapting Donald E. Westlake’s 1997 novel The Ax, which the legendary Costa-Gavras first adapted in 2005. The black comedy thriller follows a man laid off from the paper company he worked at for 25 years. Some time later and still jobless, he hits on a solution: to genuinely eliminate his competition. Adapted by Park Chan-wook, Lee Kyung-mi, Don McKellar (The Sympathizer), Lee Ja-hye, the cast includes Lee Byung-hun, Son Ye-jin, Park Hee-soon, Lee Sung-min, Yeom Hye-ran,...
Set to begin shooting this Saturday, August 17, Park will be adapting Donald E. Westlake’s 1997 novel The Ax, which the legendary Costa-Gavras first adapted in 2005. The black comedy thriller follows a man laid off from the paper company he worked at for 25 years. Some time later and still jobless, he hits on a solution: to genuinely eliminate his competition. Adapted by Park Chan-wook, Lee Kyung-mi, Don McKellar (The Sympathizer), Lee Ja-hye, the cast includes Lee Byung-hun, Son Ye-jin, Park Hee-soon, Lee Sung-min, Yeom Hye-ran,...
- 8/12/2024
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
As we approach the halfway point of 2024 and the start of Emmy nomination voting, IndieWire’s craft team picks the best cinematography of series that premiered so far this year. Only halfway into the year, we already have had a tremendous amount of well-made television to select from, and there were a handful of projects that could have made this list and still might when we revisit later this year. For this early version, we weren’t seeking the slickest looking eye candy, nor even the most elegantly shot series (although many of these projects are striking), but instead sought titles in which the cinematography was integral to the vision of its creator and elevated the storytelling of some of the year’s best shows.
While the long and repeated grind of television production can make the art of cinematography more of a team sport working under the umbrella of a series’ visual bible,...
While the long and repeated grind of television production can make the art of cinematography more of a team sport working under the umbrella of a series’ visual bible,...
- 6/17/2024
- by Chris O'Falt, Jim Hemphill and Sarah Shachat
- Indiewire
The Captain (Hoa Xuande) is our guide through both Viet Thanh Nguyen’s novel and the HBO limited series version of “The Sympathizer,” but he is also a mystery — most especially to himself. A communist spy who is pulled irresistibly towards the height of Western decadence (Los Angeles in the late ’70s) and depravity (a film set in the late ’70s), the goal of the show is to mirror Nguyen’s prose and give the viewer a visceral sense of The Captain’s alienation.
While the flashiest choice “The Sympathizer” makes is Robert Downey Jr. playing all the significant Western figures who attempt to influence The Captain, there are also smaller, subtler tortures within the show’s imagery itself. The cinematography (by “Decision To Leave” maestro Kim Ji-yong and “The Hurt Locker” veteran Barry Ackroyd) continually puts pressure on The Captain through a sense of heat, sickly light, and eyes just beyond the frame.
While the flashiest choice “The Sympathizer” makes is Robert Downey Jr. playing all the significant Western figures who attempt to influence The Captain, there are also smaller, subtler tortures within the show’s imagery itself. The cinematography (by “Decision To Leave” maestro Kim Ji-yong and “The Hurt Locker” veteran Barry Ackroyd) continually puts pressure on The Captain through a sense of heat, sickly light, and eyes just beyond the frame.
- 5/30/2024
- by Sarah Shachat
- Indiewire
The Cannes 2024 market saw a thrilling revival with nine movies — including four movies in the main competition — selling to specialized distributors in domestic deals. However, this wasn’t exactly a return to business as normal: The buyers weren’t stalwarts like A24, or Focus, or IFC. Instead Mubi, Metrograph Pictures, and Sideshow (in partnership with Janus Films) established themselves as major buyers.
Mubi bought three titles in the main competition: “The Girl With the Needle,” “The Substance,” and added North American rights on Andrea Arnold’s “Bird.” (It came to the festival with UK rights.) “The Substance” starring Demi Moore and Margaret Qualley represents a major swing for the upstart, with one source placing the deal in the low-eight figures.
Sideshow picked up Indian drama “All We Imagine As Light” in the main competition, the animated “Flow” from Un Certain Regard, and “Misericordia” and Leos Carax’s “It’s Not Me,...
Mubi bought three titles in the main competition: “The Girl With the Needle,” “The Substance,” and added North American rights on Andrea Arnold’s “Bird.” (It came to the festival with UK rights.) “The Substance” starring Demi Moore and Margaret Qualley represents a major swing for the upstart, with one source placing the deal in the low-eight figures.
Sideshow picked up Indian drama “All We Imagine As Light” in the main competition, the animated “Flow” from Un Certain Regard, and “Misericordia” and Leos Carax’s “It’s Not Me,...
- 5/29/2024
- by Brian Welk
- Indiewire
Two South Korean superstars Gianna Jun and Gang Dong-won head the cast of “Tempest,” an espionage action drama series being readied by streaming service Disney+ for release next year.
The contemporary Korea-set story sees Jun portray a highly-accomplished diplomat and former ambassador to the U.S. Gang portrays an international man of mystery, a former mercenary and special agent but of unknown nationality. Together, they race to uncover the truth behind a lethal attack that threatens the future stability of the Korean peninsula.
“Tempest” (previously known as “North Star”) is directed by Kim Heewon and co-directed by Korea’s leading martial arts director Heo Myunghaeng (“The Outlaws 4”). The screenplay is by Park Chan-wook’s regular partner Chung Seokyung, who has writing credits including “Decision to Leave,” “The Handmaiden” and “Little Women”.
Jun (real name Jeon Ji-hyun) has credits including “My Sassy Girl,” “My Love From the Star” and “Kingdom: Anshin of the North.
The contemporary Korea-set story sees Jun portray a highly-accomplished diplomat and former ambassador to the U.S. Gang portrays an international man of mystery, a former mercenary and special agent but of unknown nationality. Together, they race to uncover the truth behind a lethal attack that threatens the future stability of the Korean peninsula.
“Tempest” (previously known as “North Star”) is directed by Kim Heewon and co-directed by Korea’s leading martial arts director Heo Myunghaeng (“The Outlaws 4”). The screenplay is by Park Chan-wook’s regular partner Chung Seokyung, who has writing credits including “Decision to Leave,” “The Handmaiden” and “Little Women”.
Jun (real name Jeon Ji-hyun) has credits including “My Sassy Girl,” “My Love From the Star” and “Kingdom: Anshin of the North.
- 5/29/2024
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
The last decade has seen the success of Asian titles conquering not only the hearts of millions of viewers around the world, but also the streaming charts and international awards. These include such impeccable thrillers as Burning (2018), Parasite (2019) and Decision to Leave (2022), with all of them making noise at the Cannes Film Festival.
Despite the fact that most of the acclaimed Asian thrillers are South Korean, last year’s movie broke this Cannes’ tendency, as it was created by the Japanese filmmaker Hirokazu Kore-eda. His recent work is now climbing Netflix’s chart, and here’s why.
Its plot revolves around a mother who notices her son behaving strangely: all of a sudden, he cuts his hair or comes home with only one shoe on. Then she decides to meet his teacher, assuming he’s responsible for it, however, as they confront and as the story gradually unfolds through their eyes,...
Despite the fact that most of the acclaimed Asian thrillers are South Korean, last year’s movie broke this Cannes’ tendency, as it was created by the Japanese filmmaker Hirokazu Kore-eda. His recent work is now climbing Netflix’s chart, and here’s why.
Its plot revolves around a mother who notices her son behaving strangely: all of a sudden, he cuts his hair or comes home with only one shoe on. Then she decides to meet his teacher, assuming he’s responsible for it, however, as they confront and as the story gradually unfolds through their eyes,...
- 5/22/2024
- by info@startefacts.com (Ava Raxa)
- STartefacts.com
South Korean filmmaker Park Chan-wook is the latest auteur making the migration to television. He previously dabbled in serialized narratives by directing all six episodes of the 2018 BBC spy thriller mini-series "The Little Drummer Girl." Adapting a John Le Carré novel, famous for their intricate plots, for his second English-language work? Park's pulled off that and more.
This year, Park co-created "The Sympathizer," a Vietnam War satire starring Robert Downey Jr. and Hoa Xuande. Adapted from Viet Thanh Nguyen's 2015 novel (and Pulitzer winner), Park also directed the series' first three episodes. Most recently, it's been confirmed that he's producing a TV remake of his most famous film: 2003 revenge thriller "Oldboy."
Park is one of the most internationally known filmmakers from South Korea. The country has a thriving movie industry. (Check out /Film's picks for the best South Korean film directors here.) Before Park took off as a director,...
This year, Park co-created "The Sympathizer," a Vietnam War satire starring Robert Downey Jr. and Hoa Xuande. Adapted from Viet Thanh Nguyen's 2015 novel (and Pulitzer winner), Park also directed the series' first three episodes. Most recently, it's been confirmed that he's producing a TV remake of his most famous film: 2003 revenge thriller "Oldboy."
Park is one of the most internationally known filmmakers from South Korea. The country has a thriving movie industry. (Check out /Film's picks for the best South Korean film directors here.) Before Park took off as a director,...
- 5/18/2024
- by Devin Meenan
- Slash Film
Adapted from Alexey Korenev's 1990 Soviet comedy film “A Trap for Lonely Man” and French playwright Robert Thomas' 1960 play “Trap for a Lonely Man” (Piege Pour un Homme Seul), “Lost in the Stars” is a truly delirious title which implements a story filled with twists in a visually impressive package. The film premiered at the Hainan International Film Festival on 25 December 2022 and released theatrically in China on 22 June 2023 to commercial success, amassing more than $485 million internationally.
on Imprint Asia by clicking on the image below
He Fei and his wife Li Muzi are celebrating the first anniversary of their marriage at an island resort in Barlandia, a fictional Southeast Asian country that appears to have Malay and Thai as their official languages. However, at some point, Li Muzi disappears, and this is where the movie actually begins, with He Fei in the local police precinct trying to convince...
on Imprint Asia by clicking on the image below
He Fei and his wife Li Muzi are celebrating the first anniversary of their marriage at an island resort in Barlandia, a fictional Southeast Asian country that appears to have Malay and Thai as their official languages. However, at some point, Li Muzi disappears, and this is where the movie actually begins, with He Fei in the local police precinct trying to convince...
- 5/5/2024
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
Following in the wake of the Spike Lee-directed remake in 2013, Park Chan-wook’s South Korean masterpiece Oldboy (2003) is getting a small screen adaptation, we’ve learned.
Lionsgate Television is partnering with renowned filmmaker Park Chan-wook to develop his acclaimed film Oldboy for television, marking the first English-language series adaptation of the iconic property. This comes as Park’s The Sympathizer just debuted on HBO.
Park Chan-wook, who of course directed and co-wrote the original South Korean film, is attached to produce the upcoming “Oldboy” TV series along with producing partner Syd Lim.
“Lionsgate Television shares my creative vision for bringing Oldboy into the world of television,” said Park. “I look forward to working with a studio whose brand stands for bold, original and risk-taking storytelling.”
“Park is one of the most visionary storytellers of our generation, and we’re excited to partner with him in bringing his cinematic masterpiece to the television screen,...
Lionsgate Television is partnering with renowned filmmaker Park Chan-wook to develop his acclaimed film Oldboy for television, marking the first English-language series adaptation of the iconic property. This comes as Park’s The Sympathizer just debuted on HBO.
Park Chan-wook, who of course directed and co-wrote the original South Korean film, is attached to produce the upcoming “Oldboy” TV series along with producing partner Syd Lim.
“Lionsgate Television shares my creative vision for bringing Oldboy into the world of television,” said Park. “I look forward to working with a studio whose brand stands for bold, original and risk-taking storytelling.”
“Park is one of the most visionary storytellers of our generation, and we’re excited to partner with him in bringing his cinematic masterpiece to the television screen,...
- 4/17/2024
- by John Squires
- bloody-disgusting.com
Lionsgate Television is partnering with renowned Korean filmmaker and television creator Park Chan-wook to develop his acclaimed film Oldboy for television. This marks the first English-language series adaptation of the iconic property.
Park, who directed and co-wrote the original film, is attached to produce the series along with producing partner Syd Lim.
Oldboy has earned numerous accolades, becoming the first South Korean film to win the Grand Prix at Cannes in 2004 and being named to numerous lists of the greatest movies of all time. The movie was re-released by Neon last year for its 20th anniversary, landing in the top ten at the domestic box office in its opening week, a rare feat for a re-release.
Adapted from a Japanese manga of the same name, the film follows a man who is released from prison after 15 years, only to find that he must find his captor in five days. The...
Park, who directed and co-wrote the original film, is attached to produce the series along with producing partner Syd Lim.
Oldboy has earned numerous accolades, becoming the first South Korean film to win the Grand Prix at Cannes in 2004 and being named to numerous lists of the greatest movies of all time. The movie was re-released by Neon last year for its 20th anniversary, landing in the top ten at the domestic box office in its opening week, a rare feat for a re-release.
Adapted from a Japanese manga of the same name, the film follows a man who is released from prison after 15 years, only to find that he must find his captor in five days. The...
- 4/17/2024
- by Mirko Parlevliet
- Vital Thrills
Get ready to witness cinema's most stomach-churning twist all over again: "Oldboy" is coming to television. The 2003 Park Chan-Wook masterpiece (which was based on a manga by Garon Tsuchiya) is going to be remade as an English-language TV show, /Film has learned, and Park will be directly involved in crafting this new version.
Park is partnering with Lionsgate Television to develop a series adaptation of the impressively f***ed-up story and will produce the show along with his frequent collaborator Syd Lim. "Lionsgate Television shares my creative vision for bringing 'Oldboy' into the world of television," Park said in a press release. "I look forward to working with a studio whose brand stands for bold, original, and risk-taking storytelling." Past Lionsgate Television productions range from "Mad Men" to "Party Down" to "Yellowjackets," and given the company's wide-ranging list of past streaming and network partners, it's still too soon...
Park is partnering with Lionsgate Television to develop a series adaptation of the impressively f***ed-up story and will produce the show along with his frequent collaborator Syd Lim. "Lionsgate Television shares my creative vision for bringing 'Oldboy' into the world of television," Park said in a press release. "I look forward to working with a studio whose brand stands for bold, original, and risk-taking storytelling." Past Lionsgate Television productions range from "Mad Men" to "Party Down" to "Yellowjackets," and given the company's wide-ranging list of past streaming and network partners, it's still too soon...
- 4/17/2024
- by Valerie Ettenhofer
- Slash Film
Park Chan-wook is developing his acclaimed film Oldboy for the first time as an English-language series in partnership with Lionsgate Television. Park, who directed and co-wrote the original film, is set to produce the series alongside producing partner Syd Lim.
The 2003 feature is an adaptation of the Japanese manga of the same name written by Garon Tsuchiya. It follows Oh Dae-su (Choi Min-sik), a man taken off the streets and imprisoned for 15 years who is one day released and given 5 days to find his captor.
Oldboy is the second title in Park’s Vengeance trilogy, following Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance (2002) and preceding Sympathy for Lady Vengeance (2005). It earned multiple accolades including the Grand Prix at Cannes in 2004, a first for a South Korean film. Spike Lee remade the film in 2013 with Josh Brolin portraying the lead character, Joe Doucett.
“Lionsgate Television shares my creative vision for bringing Oldboy into the world of television,...
The 2003 feature is an adaptation of the Japanese manga of the same name written by Garon Tsuchiya. It follows Oh Dae-su (Choi Min-sik), a man taken off the streets and imprisoned for 15 years who is one day released and given 5 days to find his captor.
Oldboy is the second title in Park’s Vengeance trilogy, following Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance (2002) and preceding Sympathy for Lady Vengeance (2005). It earned multiple accolades including the Grand Prix at Cannes in 2004, a first for a South Korean film. Spike Lee remade the film in 2013 with Josh Brolin portraying the lead character, Joe Doucett.
“Lionsgate Television shares my creative vision for bringing Oldboy into the world of television,...
- 4/17/2024
- by Rosy Cordero
- Deadline Film + TV
Korean auteur Park Chan-wook is set to adapt his 2003 masterpiece “Oldboy” as an English-language TV series alongside Lionsgate Television, the studio announced on Wednesday, April 17.
Park, who directed and co-wrote the original action mystery film, is attached to produce the “Oldboy” series adaptation alongside his producing partner Syd Lim.
Park is fresh off “The Sympathizer,” his limited series starring Robert Downey Jr. that just debuted on HBO this past weekend. And while it’s not the first English-language remake of “Oldboy” following Spike Lee’s 2013 film starring Josh Brolin, it will be the first time the film will be adapted for the small screen.
“Lionsgate Television shares my creative vision for bringing ‘Oldboy’ into the world of television,” Park said in a statement. “I look forward to working with a studio whose brand stands for bold, original and risk-taking storytelling.”
“Oldboy” was adapted from a Japanese manga of the same...
Park, who directed and co-wrote the original action mystery film, is attached to produce the “Oldboy” series adaptation alongside his producing partner Syd Lim.
Park is fresh off “The Sympathizer,” his limited series starring Robert Downey Jr. that just debuted on HBO this past weekend. And while it’s not the first English-language remake of “Oldboy” following Spike Lee’s 2013 film starring Josh Brolin, it will be the first time the film will be adapted for the small screen.
“Lionsgate Television shares my creative vision for bringing ‘Oldboy’ into the world of television,” Park said in a statement. “I look forward to working with a studio whose brand stands for bold, original and risk-taking storytelling.”
“Oldboy” was adapted from a Japanese manga of the same...
- 4/17/2024
- by Brian Welk
- Indiewire
Korean filmmaker Park Chan-wook is partnering with Lionsgate Television to develop a series version of his 2003 revenge thriller Oldboy.
The project would be an English-language adaptation of the story, which was loosely based on a magna with the same name.
“Lionsgate Television shares my creative vision for bringing Oldboy into the world of television,” said Park. “I look forward to working with a studio whose brand stands for bold, original and risk-taking storytelling.”
In addition to directing The Handmaiden and Decision to Leave, Park previously produced the dystopian thriller Snowpiercer which was likewise adapted into a series. He’s also directing and producing HBO’s new limited series The Sympathizer starring Robert Downey, Jr.
“Park is one of the most visionary storytellers of our generation, and we’re excited to partner with him in bringing his cinematic masterpiece to the television screen,” added Scott Herbst, EVP and Head of Scripted Development,...
The project would be an English-language adaptation of the story, which was loosely based on a magna with the same name.
“Lionsgate Television shares my creative vision for bringing Oldboy into the world of television,” said Park. “I look forward to working with a studio whose brand stands for bold, original and risk-taking storytelling.”
In addition to directing The Handmaiden and Decision to Leave, Park previously produced the dystopian thriller Snowpiercer which was likewise adapted into a series. He’s also directing and producing HBO’s new limited series The Sympathizer starring Robert Downey, Jr.
“Park is one of the most visionary storytellers of our generation, and we’re excited to partner with him in bringing his cinematic masterpiece to the television screen,” added Scott Herbst, EVP and Head of Scripted Development,...
- 4/17/2024
- by James Hibberd
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
If you felt the instinct to pause, rewind, or repeat part of the premiere to HBO’s “The Sympathizer” on its April 14 premiere, showrunner Park Chan-Wook is one step ahead of you.
The Korean director best known for films like “Oldboy” and “The Handmaiden” and the recent “Decision to Leave” was a critical mind in shaping “The Sympathizer,” based on Viet Thanh Nguyen’s bestseller, which required anticipating how the audience would receive the story. In Episode 1, we meet our unnamed protagonist, The Captain (Hoa Xuande), whose interrogation frames the flashbacks that follow.
The Captain’s confession was one element of adapting Nguyen’s story, Park told IndieWire over Zoom with a translator, but the second piece of that framework was particularly exciting: The Commandant’s (Quinn Hoàng) interruptions.
“Sometimes the commandant might get angry at the captain, or sometimes be criticizing — that is how he engages himself in this storytelling,...
The Korean director best known for films like “Oldboy” and “The Handmaiden” and the recent “Decision to Leave” was a critical mind in shaping “The Sympathizer,” based on Viet Thanh Nguyen’s bestseller, which required anticipating how the audience would receive the story. In Episode 1, we meet our unnamed protagonist, The Captain (Hoa Xuande), whose interrogation frames the flashbacks that follow.
The Captain’s confession was one element of adapting Nguyen’s story, Park told IndieWire over Zoom with a translator, but the second piece of that framework was particularly exciting: The Commandant’s (Quinn Hoàng) interruptions.
“Sometimes the commandant might get angry at the captain, or sometimes be criticizing — that is how he engages himself in this storytelling,...
- 4/15/2024
- by Proma Khosla
- Indiewire
“I am a spy, a sleeper, a spook, a man of two faces.”
So begins Viet Thanh Nguyen’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel “The Sympathizer,” which, when released in 2015, was hailed for its humorous, biting interrogation of American perspectives on the Vietnam War.
Integrating elements of the espionage thriller à lá John le Carré with a heavy sense of irony reminiscent of Ralph Ellison’s “Invisible Man,” “The Sympathizer” is told from the viewpoint of an officer in the U.S.-supported South Vietnam army who secretly reports back to communists in North Vietnam. Framed as a confession to the people for whom he has ostensibly been spying, the narrator — who goes unnamed in the novel — chronicles the story of his journey to Southern California, where he joins the Vietnamese refugee community settling there and grapples with questions of loyalty and assimilation.
In a 2015 interview, Nguyen, who is a professor at the University of Southern California,...
So begins Viet Thanh Nguyen’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel “The Sympathizer,” which, when released in 2015, was hailed for its humorous, biting interrogation of American perspectives on the Vietnam War.
Integrating elements of the espionage thriller à lá John le Carré with a heavy sense of irony reminiscent of Ralph Ellison’s “Invisible Man,” “The Sympathizer” is told from the viewpoint of an officer in the U.S.-supported South Vietnam army who secretly reports back to communists in North Vietnam. Framed as a confession to the people for whom he has ostensibly been spying, the narrator — who goes unnamed in the novel — chronicles the story of his journey to Southern California, where he joins the Vietnamese refugee community settling there and grapples with questions of loyalty and assimilation.
In a 2015 interview, Nguyen, who is a professor at the University of Southern California,...
- 4/14/2024
- by Rachel Seo
- Variety Film + TV
There is so much going on in Viet Thanh Nguyen’s Pulitzer Prize-winning 2015 novel “The Sympathizer” that it would take a team of true craftsmen even to attempt to unpack it in episodic form. HBO is lucky they hired one of the best in Park Chan-Wook, a supremely and undeniably talented director. The South Korean auteur filmmaker behind “Decision to Leave,” “Oldboy,” and many more brings his remarkable tonal confidence to the first three episodes of “The Sympathizer,” which almost plays like a three-hour new film by the award-winning director.
Continue reading ‘The Sympathizer’ Review: Park Chan-Wook, Robert Downey Jr. Are in Inspired Pairing for HBO’s Ambitious Adaptation at The Playlist.
Continue reading ‘The Sympathizer’ Review: Park Chan-Wook, Robert Downey Jr. Are in Inspired Pairing for HBO’s Ambitious Adaptation at The Playlist.
- 4/10/2024
- by Brian Tallerico
- The Playlist
Park Chan-wook is speaking out on the Academy’s decision to not include his 2022 noir film “Decision to Leave” on the Oscar ballot.
While fellow international filmmaker Justine Triet won the Best Original Screenplay Oscar for “Anatomy of a Fall” and landed both Best International Feature, Best Director, Best Actress, and Best Picture nominations, “Decision to Leave” was entirely iced out of the 2023 ceremony.
Now, Park is admitting that his career may have looked a little differently without that “Decision to Leave” Oscars snub. Park told The New Yorker that it would be hypocritical to deny the fact that awards are paramount to a filmmaker’s power trajectory in Hollywood.
“It would be hypocrisy to say that art is the only thing that matters,” Park said. “If you get an award, it might mean you have more power, more creative freedom, in your next project. It might mean you can have a bigger budget.
While fellow international filmmaker Justine Triet won the Best Original Screenplay Oscar for “Anatomy of a Fall” and landed both Best International Feature, Best Director, Best Actress, and Best Picture nominations, “Decision to Leave” was entirely iced out of the 2023 ceremony.
Now, Park is admitting that his career may have looked a little differently without that “Decision to Leave” Oscars snub. Park told The New Yorker that it would be hypocritical to deny the fact that awards are paramount to a filmmaker’s power trajectory in Hollywood.
“It would be hypocrisy to say that art is the only thing that matters,” Park said. “If you get an award, it might mean you have more power, more creative freedom, in your next project. It might mean you can have a bigger budget.
- 4/8/2024
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
‘The Ax’: Park Chan-Wook’s Next Pic Is A Comedic Thriller Remake Starring Lee Byung-Hun & Son Ye-Jin
Later this month, acclaimed South Korean filmmaker Park Chan-wook (“Decision To Leave”) returns to the world of genre with the Max series “The Sympathizer,” which focuses on a Vietnamese double agent operating on U.S. soil. Now, his next feature has been reportedly revealed. And it’s one the director has been trying to put together for ages: an adaptation of the 1997 book “The Ax” from author Donald E.
Continue reading ‘The Ax’: Park Chan-Wook’s Next Pic Is A Comedic Thriller Remake Starring Lee Byung-Hun & Son Ye-Jin at The Playlist.
Continue reading ‘The Ax’: Park Chan-Wook’s Next Pic Is A Comedic Thriller Remake Starring Lee Byung-Hun & Son Ye-Jin at The Playlist.
- 4/3/2024
- by Christopher Marc
- The Playlist
Following up his noir melodrama Decision to Leave, Park Chan-wook ventured into the world of American television with the forthcoming Max series The Sympathizer, adapting Viet Thanh Nguyen’s acclaimed novel and teaming with Robert Downey Jr. With the limited series premiering next weekend, the director how now announced his next project, which will find him returning to South Korea.
In fact, it’s an adaptation he’s been developing since the early 2010s, that of Donald E. Westlake’s 1997 novel The Ax, which the legendary Costa-Gavras first adapted in 2005. The black comedy thriller follows a chemist, who loses his job to outsourcing. Two years later and still jobless, he hits on a solution: to genuinely eliminate his competition. Here’s an expanded synopsis of the novel:
Burke Devore is a middle-aged manager at a paper company when the cost-cutting ax falls, and he is laid off. Eighteen months later and still unemployed,...
In fact, it’s an adaptation he’s been developing since the early 2010s, that of Donald E. Westlake’s 1997 novel The Ax, which the legendary Costa-Gavras first adapted in 2005. The black comedy thriller follows a chemist, who loses his job to outsourcing. Two years later and still jobless, he hits on a solution: to genuinely eliminate his competition. Here’s an expanded synopsis of the novel:
Burke Devore is a middle-aged manager at a paper company when the cost-cutting ax falls, and he is laid off. Eighteen months later and still unemployed,...
- 4/3/2024
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
South Korean filmmaker Park Chan-wook is regarded as one of the most prominent filmmakers in South Korean cinema and in the Hollywood entertainment industry. Chan-wook’s work has garnered attention for its cinematography, framing, black humor, and brutal themes.
Park Chan-wook directed, co-wrote, and produced 2022’s critically acclaimed South Korean neo-noir romantic mystery movie Decision to Leave, starring Tang Wei and Park Hae-ii. The movie was named one of the top five international movies in 2022 by the National Board of Review and was selected as a South Korean entry for Best International Feature Film at the 95th Academy Awards. The brilliant filmmaker Park Chan-wook is reportedly working on his passion project after he recently collaborated with a Marvel actor.
Tang Wei and Park Hae-ii in Park Chan-wook’s Decision to Leave
Park Chan-wook to start production on his ‘lifelong passion project’ in fall of 2024
According to World of Reel, after...
Park Chan-wook directed, co-wrote, and produced 2022’s critically acclaimed South Korean neo-noir romantic mystery movie Decision to Leave, starring Tang Wei and Park Hae-ii. The movie was named one of the top five international movies in 2022 by the National Board of Review and was selected as a South Korean entry for Best International Feature Film at the 95th Academy Awards. The brilliant filmmaker Park Chan-wook is reportedly working on his passion project after he recently collaborated with a Marvel actor.
Tang Wei and Park Hae-ii in Park Chan-wook’s Decision to Leave
Park Chan-wook to start production on his ‘lifelong passion project’ in fall of 2024
According to World of Reel, after...
- 4/2/2024
- by Avneet Ahluwalia
- FandomWire
“Quiet on Set” Docuseries to Launch New Episode
The gripping Investigation Discovery docuseries “Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV” will release one more episode next month.
The recent four-episode unscripted series details the toxic culture behind some of the most iconic children’s shows of the late 1990s and early 2000s at Nickelodeon, including “The Amanda Show” and “Drake & Josh,” and at the hands of TV producer Dan Schneider.
The surprise fifth episode will reportedly feature new interviews with earlier subjects, including Drake Bell and “All That” cast members Giovonnie Samuels, to build off the revelations from the first four episodes. The episode will also feature new interviewee and “All That” cast member Shane Lyons, who will be interviewed by journalist Soledad O’Brien for a discussion about where the industry can next.
Watch the trailer for “Quiet on Set” below:
According to ID, the first four...
The gripping Investigation Discovery docuseries “Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV” will release one more episode next month.
The recent four-episode unscripted series details the toxic culture behind some of the most iconic children’s shows of the late 1990s and early 2000s at Nickelodeon, including “The Amanda Show” and “Drake & Josh,” and at the hands of TV producer Dan Schneider.
The surprise fifth episode will reportedly feature new interviews with earlier subjects, including Drake Bell and “All That” cast members Giovonnie Samuels, to build off the revelations from the first four episodes. The episode will also feature new interviewee and “All That” cast member Shane Lyons, who will be interviewed by journalist Soledad O’Brien for a discussion about where the industry can next.
Watch the trailer for “Quiet on Set” below:
According to ID, the first four...
- 3/29/2024
- by Ashley Steves
- The Streamable
It’s already been a banner 2024 for HBO and Max, with “True Detective: Night Country,” “Tokyo Vice” Season 2, and “The Regime” all scoring high with critics and audiences. So what’s the next hotly anticipated title for HBO to debut? That’d be “The Sympathizer,” Park Chan-wook‘s first TV project since 2018’s “The Little Drummer Girl.”
Read More: The 70 Most Anticipated TV Shows & Mini-Series Of 2024
A team-up between the man who made “Decision To Leave” and the world’s premiere TV network?
Continue reading ‘The Sympathizer’ Trailer: Park Chan-Wook’s Limited Series Premieres On Max On April 14 at The Playlist.
Read More: The 70 Most Anticipated TV Shows & Mini-Series Of 2024
A team-up between the man who made “Decision To Leave” and the world’s premiere TV network?
Continue reading ‘The Sympathizer’ Trailer: Park Chan-Wook’s Limited Series Premieres On Max On April 14 at The Playlist.
- 3/28/2024
- by Ned Booth
- The Playlist
You know what I love? I love seeing actors act. That sounds incredibly obvious laid out like that, but I swear it makes a weird amount of sense when it comes to Robert Downey, Jr. Nobody could ever doubt the man's talent or ambition, pulling himself up by his bootstraps to go from persona non grata in Hollywood to one of the biggest stars on the planet. But even the biggest fans of his performances as Tony Stark in the Marvel Cinematic Universe would have to admit that he hadn't exactly been given the most challenging material in the years since he starred in David Fincher's "Zodiac". But now that his superhero tenure is behind him, Downey, Jr. has been free to deliver powerhouse performances like in last year's blockbuster "Oppenheimer" or, even more intriguingly, the upcoming HBO series "The Sympathizer."
And to think that he's not even the biggest draw.
And to think that he's not even the biggest draw.
- 2/15/2024
- by Jeremy Mathai
- Slash Film
Taiwanese films are like a box of chocolate; you never know what you’re gonna get! Lost in Perfection is a slow burner that goes from exploring the latent ennui of a young urban woman stuck in a dead relationship to morphing into a black comedy dealing with an ‘unattractive femme fatale’ and finally turning into a revenge drama. All these segments are so nicely weaved together that uninteresting moments seldom arrive. The film with its three-word title feels like a slightly more accessible cousin of Decision to Leave, with its pacing and exploration of characters, at least in the beginning. It is only later on that the film picks up the pace and plunges us into an absurd plot, which might not be enjoyed by many, but if they can avoid the nitpicking, Lost in Perfection is a tale worthy of being heard.
Spoilers Ahead
Plot Synopsis: What Happens In The Film?...
Spoilers Ahead
Plot Synopsis: What Happens In The Film?...
- 2/9/2024
- by Ayush Awasthi
- Film Fugitives
Hansel and Gretel, the two German kids who nearly became somebody’s meal, need little introduction. The characters in this Brothers Grimm classic have been used as a lesson about stranger danger and resilience for years. And while Hansel and Gretel’s ordeal has been put on screen multiple times — both faithfully and loosely — Yim Pil-sung’s 2007 movie is one of the more distinct adaptations. This Korean reimagining retains the essence of the influential fairy tale while also adding its own unique twists.
Hansel and Gretel was one of several movies from the golden age of South Korean Horror — often referred to as “K-Horror” in the West — to be based on fairy or folk tales. While Arang and A Tale of Two Sisters dug into local Korean lore, other movies drew from European narrations. However, much like Cinderella and The Red Shoes, Hansel and Gretel’s interpretation of its basis is rather liberal.
Hansel and Gretel was one of several movies from the golden age of South Korean Horror — often referred to as “K-Horror” in the West — to be based on fairy or folk tales. While Arang and A Tale of Two Sisters dug into local Korean lore, other movies drew from European narrations. However, much like Cinderella and The Red Shoes, Hansel and Gretel’s interpretation of its basis is rather liberal.
- 2/7/2024
- by Paul Lê
- bloody-disgusting.com
Currently revelling in the success of recently-uploaded Don Lee-starring film “Badland Hunters” and already teasing the second season of “Squid Game,” Netflix has unveiled a major slate of Korean films and series for 2024.
In August last year, Netflix publicly committed to investing $2.5 billion on Korean content over the next four years. That reflected both Netflix’s position as the country’s leading streamer, with an estimated 6.5 million subscribers, and its adopted role as one of the biggest exporters of Korean film and TV content.
“We were able to make this [investment] decision because we have great confidence that the Korean creative industry will continue to tell great stories,” said the streamer’s co-chief Ted Sarandos at the time of the spending commitment.
The Tuesday reveal is a mix of: first-look images and updates for previously announced projects (including the retitled Park Chan-wook-produced film “Uprising” and the second season...
In August last year, Netflix publicly committed to investing $2.5 billion on Korean content over the next four years. That reflected both Netflix’s position as the country’s leading streamer, with an estimated 6.5 million subscribers, and its adopted role as one of the biggest exporters of Korean film and TV content.
“We were able to make this [investment] decision because we have great confidence that the Korean creative industry will continue to tell great stories,” said the streamer’s co-chief Ted Sarandos at the time of the spending commitment.
The Tuesday reveal is a mix of: first-look images and updates for previously announced projects (including the retitled Park Chan-wook-produced film “Uprising” and the second season...
- 2/6/2024
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
Netflix has unveiled a bumper slate of Korean films and series for the year ahead including a historical feature from Park Chan-wook and the return of the streamer’s biggest ever series, Squid Game.
Fresh details on more than 30 titles were revealed as part of Netflix’s ongoing showcase of what is to come in 2024, which has included upcoming slates from the US and Southeast Asia among others over the past week.
Leading the shows from South Korea is season two of Squid Game, the highly-anticipated follow up to the 2021 series that remains the platform’s most popular series of...
Fresh details on more than 30 titles were revealed as part of Netflix’s ongoing showcase of what is to come in 2024, which has included upcoming slates from the US and Southeast Asia among others over the past week.
Leading the shows from South Korea is season two of Squid Game, the highly-anticipated follow up to the 2021 series that remains the platform’s most popular series of...
- 2/6/2024
- ScreenDaily
Netflix revealed its annual slate of Korean films and series on Monday, and 2024 is shaping up to be another strong year of K-content, including returns for some of the streamer’s most popular global shows.
As previously announced, there will be a second season of Netflix’s marquee international show Squid Game coming this year but no release date has been confirmed yet. There will be second seasons for reality survival series Physical 100, the fantasy series Hellbound, the reality show Zombieverse and mystery drama Gyeongseong Creature.
Among the new series, the standout is the period drama Uprising which is co-written and co-produced by famed Korean auteur Park Chan-wook (Oldboy, Decision to Leave). There is also a host of series adaptations of popular webtoons including A Killer Paradox, The 8 Show and Parasyte: The Grey.
Netflix will also debut some intriguing Korean reality shows this year, that have the potential to get people talking.
As previously announced, there will be a second season of Netflix’s marquee international show Squid Game coming this year but no release date has been confirmed yet. There will be second seasons for reality survival series Physical 100, the fantasy series Hellbound, the reality show Zombieverse and mystery drama Gyeongseong Creature.
Among the new series, the standout is the period drama Uprising which is co-written and co-produced by famed Korean auteur Park Chan-wook (Oldboy, Decision to Leave). There is also a host of series adaptations of popular webtoons including A Killer Paradox, The 8 Show and Parasyte: The Grey.
Netflix will also debut some intriguing Korean reality shows this year, that have the potential to get people talking.
- 2/6/2024
- by Abid Rahman
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
After just one weekend of international release, “Priscilla” — Sofia Coppola’s biopic starring Jacob Elordi as Elvis Presley and Cailee Spaeny as The King’s (then) teenage bride “Priscilla” — has already hit several major milestones for arthouse streamer and distributor Mubi.
Produced by Fremantle’s The Apartment, the film currently sits on a box office in excess of $20 million in the U.S., where A24 released the film on Oct. 27. And for Mubi, it’s become its widest theatrical launch ever, with over 1,300 cinemas across the U.K., Ireland, Germany, Latin America, Benelux and Austria. And with an opening weekend box office haul of $4.1 million in those territories, “Priscilla” now looks set to smash the company’s records and overtake Charlotte Wells’ indie hit “Aftersun” to become its biggest release to date.
With over $25 million grossed so far, “Priscilla” will soon likely become Coppola’s third largest commercial success to date,...
Produced by Fremantle’s The Apartment, the film currently sits on a box office in excess of $20 million in the U.S., where A24 released the film on Oct. 27. And for Mubi, it’s become its widest theatrical launch ever, with over 1,300 cinemas across the U.K., Ireland, Germany, Latin America, Benelux and Austria. And with an opening weekend box office haul of $4.1 million in those territories, “Priscilla” now looks set to smash the company’s records and overtake Charlotte Wells’ indie hit “Aftersun” to become its biggest release to date.
With over $25 million grossed so far, “Priscilla” will soon likely become Coppola’s third largest commercial success to date,...
- 1/12/2024
- by Alex Ritman
- Variety Film + TV
When in office, Barack Obama would release his picks for his bracket for NCAA’s March Madness during the college basketball season, as well as cap off the year with a list of his favorite films of the year. Last year’s list consisted of Steven Spielberg’s The Fabelmans, Park Chan-wook’s Decision to Leave, Gina Prince-Bythewood’s The Woman King, Charlotte Wells’ Aftersun, John Patton Ford’s Emily the Criminal, Celine Sciamma’s Petite Maman, Margaret Brown’s Descendant, Audrey Diwane’s Happening, Chinonye Chukwu’s Till, Daniels’ Everything Everywhere All at Once, Fernando León de Aranoa’s The Good Boss, Ryusuke Hamaguchi’s Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy, Asghar Farhadi’s A Hero, Panah Panahi’s Hit the Road, Todd Field’s Tar and Kogonada’s After Yang.
This year, Obama posted his list on social media with the caption, “Earlier this year, writers and actors...
This year, Obama posted his list on social media with the caption, “Earlier this year, writers and actors...
- 12/28/2023
- by EJ Tangonan
- JoBlo.com
Each winter, we invite Notebook contributors to take part in our unique twist on the year-end poll. Rather than tally their favorite new releases from the year, they’re asked to creatively pair a new release with an older film they watched for the first time that year: a “fantasy double feature.” We’re delighted by the range of responses this year; this year’s doubles offer up inspired combinations of moving-image art that might otherwise slip through the cracks.We invite you to plunge into this collective viewing scrapbook, which captures our writers at their most imaginative, adventurous, and thoughtful—maybe it'll motivate you to test some of these out (or come up with your own) over the holidays.We hope you enjoy the read, and find our sixteenth year appropriately sweet!{{notebook_form}}Paul AttardNEW: Skinamarink + Old: Room Film 1973Homebound horror films shrouded in darkness, ones that transform...
- 12/23/2023
- MUBI
Park Chan-wook's Decision to Leave is exclusively showing on Mubi in many countries in the series Luminaries.Decision to Leave.It’s been a great pleasure and privilege to talk with Park Chan-wook for my ongoing interview project. This project, which has involved 4,000 conversations with visual artists, architects, poets, film directors, and novelists, aims at bringing all the art forms together, pooling knowledge to create a polyphony of art and culture of our time.In these interviews, there are often recurrent questions about unrealized projects and advice for future artists, but I particularly emphasize beginnings: How does an artist begin? How does someone come to art, or to cinema, or to architecture? What’s the first film, the first artwork, that the artist feels is when they found their own language?I’ve known director Park Chan-wook since Joint Security Area (2000) all the way through Lady Vengeance (2005) and The Handmaiden...
- 12/4/2023
- MUBI
Awards took place at The Brewery in London, with Ellie Taylor presenting.
Warner Bros, Barbie, Aftersun and Mubi led the winners at The Big Screen Awards 2023, which took place tonight (November 23) at The Brewery in London.
The awards, rebranded from the Screen Awards last year, recognise the achievements of marketing, distribution, publicity and exhibition teams and companies for their work releasing films into UK cinemas and connecting them with audiences. They were hosted by comedian, actor and writer Ellie Taylor.
Scroll down for full list of winners
Warner Bros won four major awards for Barbie: blockbuster of the year...
Warner Bros, Barbie, Aftersun and Mubi led the winners at The Big Screen Awards 2023, which took place tonight (November 23) at The Brewery in London.
The awards, rebranded from the Screen Awards last year, recognise the achievements of marketing, distribution, publicity and exhibition teams and companies for their work releasing films into UK cinemas and connecting them with audiences. They were hosted by comedian, actor and writer Ellie Taylor.
Scroll down for full list of winners
Warner Bros won four major awards for Barbie: blockbuster of the year...
- 11/23/2023
- by Ellie Calnan¬Nikki Baughan¬Orlando Parfitt
- ScreenDaily
Valladolid International Film Week’s Independent Film Market saw Spanish distributors showcase acquired films to local streamers, TV networks and exhibitors.
Merci, Valladolid International Film Week’s Independent Film Market, enjoyed a 20% rise in the number of professionals attending this year.
Merci, which ran from October 25-27, provides an opportunity for Spanish independent distributors to meet with platforms, TV networks and distributors, and to show them selection of their recent acquisitions.
Among the 24 titles being screened by distributors at Merci Valladolid this year were Tran Anh Hung’s The Pot Au Feu, Ken Loach’s The Old Oak, Aki Kaurismäki...
Merci, Valladolid International Film Week’s Independent Film Market, enjoyed a 20% rise in the number of professionals attending this year.
Merci, which ran from October 25-27, provides an opportunity for Spanish independent distributors to meet with platforms, TV networks and distributors, and to show them selection of their recent acquisitions.
Among the 24 titles being screened by distributors at Merci Valladolid this year were Tran Anh Hung’s The Pot Au Feu, Ken Loach’s The Old Oak, Aki Kaurismäki...
- 10/30/2023
- by Elisabet Cabeza
- ScreenDaily
Following the announcement of the London Korean Film Festival’s (Lkff) upcoming 18th edition which gives special commemoration to the 40th Anniversary of the Korean Academy of Film Arts (Kafa), the festival is delighted to reveal its 2023 programme. At the BFI Southbank, the London Korean Film Festival will host the Opening and Closing ceremonies in celebration of the 140th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the UK and Korea.
The Festival runs from 2 November – 16 November 2023 with a programme of 40 films comprising the following strands: Cinema Now, Special Focus : 40th Anniversary of Kafa, Women’s Voices, Special Screenings and Korea Season.
A Normal Family by Hur Jin-ho will open the festival on the 2nd November at BFI Southbank with the director in attendance. The story is based on the celebrated Dutch novel Het Diner (The Dinner) by Herman Koch, which has sold over a million copies. The latest...
The Festival runs from 2 November – 16 November 2023 with a programme of 40 films comprising the following strands: Cinema Now, Special Focus : 40th Anniversary of Kafa, Women’s Voices, Special Screenings and Korea Season.
A Normal Family by Hur Jin-ho will open the festival on the 2nd November at BFI Southbank with the director in attendance. The story is based on the celebrated Dutch novel Het Diner (The Dinner) by Herman Koch, which has sold over a million copies. The latest...
- 10/6/2023
- by Adriana Rosati
- AsianMoviePulse
“Mist” (Angae) or the Foggy Town is a South Korean film directed by the prolific filmmaker Kim Soo-Yong in 1967, inspired by the novel “Record of a Journey to Mujin” (무진기행) by novelist Kim Seung-ok. In 1968, “Mist” won the award for Best Director at the Asia Pacific Film Festival. This work undoubtedly stands as one of the most emblematic movies of Korean cinema's golden age (1955 to 1972). The historical backdrop in which this entire era of exploration is situated is essential for a comprehensive understanding of the works themselves.
Mist is screening at Film At Lincoln Center, as part of the Korean Cinema's Golden Decade: The 1960s program
The story follows Yun Gi-jun – portrayed by the legendary actor Shin Seong-il – a rich married businessman based in Seoul. Alienated and stressed by his job position, the protagonist decides to return to his hometown, Mujin, to visit the grave of his mother. There, he...
Mist is screening at Film At Lincoln Center, as part of the Korean Cinema's Golden Decade: The 1960s program
The story follows Yun Gi-jun – portrayed by the legendary actor Shin Seong-il – a rich married businessman based in Seoul. Alienated and stressed by his job position, the protagonist decides to return to his hometown, Mujin, to visit the grave of his mother. There, he...
- 8/30/2023
- by Siria Falleroni
- AsianMoviePulse
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