The 18th Busan Film Festival

The 18th edition of the Busan International Film Festival will run from from October 3 to 12, 2013. Opening on the first Thursday of October, BIFF will last for 10 days and cover two weekends.

The Asian Film Market and Asian Project Market will take place from October 7-10, 2013.

During the festival’s ten day run, the city hums with cinemaphiles, starlets, screen gods and other industry types. For those familiar with the Asian film scene in particular, it’s a great place to catch a glimpse of much admired film stars and idolized directors.

However, don’t get so caught up in the glitzy scene that you neglect the films. Although the festival is non-competitive, the selections are top quality. The festival opens Thursday, October 3th and over the next 10 days all 36 screens are put to good use. Roughly 300 films from 70 different countries will be showcased for an audience of more than 10,000 international guests and nearly 200,000 locals.  

Festival goers can enjoy everything from shorts to cinematic masterpieces. The festival’s many themes range from “A Window on Asian Cinema,” which highlights talented Asian filmmakers, to “Wide Angle,” a category dedicated to animation, documentaries and experimental films. 

Guests will especially love “Open Cinema,” which treats moviegoers to an open air experience. All Open Cinema selections are screened outdoors, where visitors can literally feel the ocean breeze. Finally, if you’re not afraid of the dark, the festival’s edgy “Midnight Passion” category provides horror, sci-fi and cult film aficionados a chance to mingle and indulge.

Guests of the 18th BIFF International Guests

(in order by section)

Shahana GOSWAMI

Actor / India

Opening Film <Vara: A Blessing>

Devesh RANJAN

Actor / India

Opening Film <Vara: A Blessing>

Amos GITAI

Director / Israel

Gala Presentation <Ana Arabia>

LEE Sang-il

Director / Japan

Gala Presentation <Unforgiven>

WATANABE Ken

Actor / Japan

Gala Presentation <Unforgiven>

Mani RATNAM

Director / India

Gala Presentation <Kadal>

KORE-EDA Hirokazu

Director / Japan

A Window on Asian Cinema <Like Father Like Son>

FUKUYAMA Masaharu

Actor / Japan

A Window on Asian Cinema <Like Father Like Son>

AOYAMA Shinji

Director / Japan

A Window on Asian Cinema <Backwater>,
Jury for New Currents

VINOD RAJ Vikram Kennedy

Actor / India

A Window on Asian Cinema <David>

KUROSAWA Kiyoshi

Director / Japan

A Window on Asian Cinema <Real>

YAMASHITA Nobuhiro

Director / Japan

A Window on Asian Cinema <Tamako In Moratorium>

MAEDA Atsuko

Actor / Japan

A Window on Asian Cinema <Tamako In Moratorium>

Jimmy WONG

Actor / Taiwan

A Window on Asian Cinema <Soul>,
<One-armed Swordsman>

CHUNG Mong-Hong

Director / Taiwan

A Window on Asian Cinema <Soul>

SONO Sion

Director / Japan

A Window on Asian Cinema
<WHY DON'T YOU PLAY IN HELL?>

JIA Zhangke

Director / China

A Window on Asian Cinema <A Touch of Sin>

Ubolratana RAJAKANYA

Actor, Princess / Thailand

A Window on Asian Cinema <Together>

TSAI Ming Liang

Director / Taiwan

A Window on Asian Cinema <Stray Dogs>

LEE KangSheng

Actor / Taiwan

A Window on Asian Cinema <Stray Dogs>

NISHIJIMA Hidetoshi

Actor / Japan

Korean Cinema Today <Genome Hazard>

Albert SERRA

Director / Spain

World Cinema <Story of My Death>

Claire DENIS

Director / France

World Cinema <Bastards>

Edgar PÊRA

Director / Portugal

World Cinema <3X3D>

Pawel PAWLIKOWSKI

Director / Poland

World Cinema <Ida>

Mohsen MAKHMALBAF

Director / Iran

Wide Angle <Ongoing Smile>

Peter LIECHTI

Director / Switzerland

Wide Angle <Father's Garden - The Love of My Parents>

Rithy PANH

Director / Cambodia

Wide Angle <The Missing Picture>

Jim SHERIDAN

Director / Ireland

Special Programs In Focus <In America>

Aaron KWOK

Actor / Hong Kong, China)

Opening Ceremony Moderator

Charles TESSON

Artistic Director of Critic’s Week at the Cannes International Film Festival / France

Korean Cinema Award Recipient

Busan International Film Festival

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Box Office: The Face Reader

The Face Reader
Opened Sept. 11

Drama. Directed by Han Jae-rim. Nae-gyeong (Song Kang-ho) is the son of a disgraced noble family living in the Joseon era with a talent for physiognomy. With one glance of a person’s face, he is able to assess their personality, mental state, and habits. He is approached by officials in the royal court to use his skills to help solve a murder case. Nae-gyeong’s talents become recognized by the royal court and he is asked to not only solve crimes but also assist the king in identifying traitors. Nae-gyeong finds himself in the middle of a power struggle between Prince Suyang (Lee Jung-jae) and Kim Jong-seo (Baek Yoon-sik).


 

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Period pieces dominate Korean cinema, TV Hyun Bin, left, Kim Soo-hyun, center, and Ha Ji-won, right, are some of the stars who will highlight new works set in the ancient kingdoms of Joseon and Goryeo. / Korea Times By Do Je-hae Period pieces known as "sageuk” have been the dominant force in film and on TV this year. The three major broadcasters KBS, MBC and SBS each started the year with airing new sageuk. In total they will have aired 13 period pieces by the end of 2013, which is more than any previous year in Korean broadcast history. Star actors Hyun Bin and Lee Jeong-jae, and actress Ha Ji-won will make highly-anticipated comebacks in historical dramas in the coming months. Films After Hyun Bin was released from military service in April, the first thing he did was to announce that he will star in a historical drama for the first time. The 30-year-old had reached stardom through lead roles in romantic comedies such as the 2005 “My Name is Kim Sam-soon” and 2010 “Secret Garden.” Since his debut, however, he has never performed in a period piece either in film or on TV. His first sageuk will be “The King’s Wrath,” which recently finalized its casting and will embark on filming later this month. It will be released in the spring of 2014. Hyun will be playing the role of King Jeongjo (1752-1800), the 22nd ruler of the Joseon Kingdom (1392-1910). The film deals with the fierce factional fighting of King Jeongjo’s reign. As a boy he witnessed the tragic death of his father Crown Prince Sado, who was executed on the orders of his grandfather King Yeongjo. “The life of King Jeongjo has previously inspired many films and TV dramas. The King’s Wrath will show the tough and charismatic sides of the king that have been undermined in past works,” Hyun said in a press release. “It is my hope that I will grow as an actor through the first sageuk of my career.” The casting of Hyun as King Jeongjo reflects one of the most visible saguek trends, where the age of actors portraying the kings is getting increasingly younger. In the past, seasoned actors over 40 had usually been considered for reigning monarchs. Hyun joins a series of actors in their 20s and 30s who are flaunting their versatile acting skills in their portrayals of Joseon kings, such as Yoo Ah-in, Kim Soo-hyun and Song Joong-ki. Although Hyun belongs to the rare category of young actors who combine good looks and acting skills, it remains to be seen if he can be equally impressive in a period piece as he has been in his previous works. Fans and critics will be looking to see if Hyun can repeat the unexpected sageuk success of Lee Byung-hun last year. Also acting in his first period work, Lee made headlines for his dual roles as Joseon’s King Gwanghae and the humble acrobat Ha-sun in “Gwanghae: The Man Who Became King.” The movie swept the 49th Grand Bell Awards, winning in 15 categories, including best film, director, screenplay and actor. The King’s Wrath is gaining press attention also because it is the screen debut of Lee Jae-kyu, director of hit MBC dramas “Da Mo” and “Beethoven Virus.” Another period film to watch for is “The Face Reader.” The upcoming film will be released in September and stars some of the biggest names in Korean cinema, including Lee Jeong-jae, Song Kang-ho and Kim Hye-soo. The movie is set in earlier years of the Joseon Kingdom and centers around major political events involving the ruthless Prince Suyang (played by Lee), who later engineered a coup d’etat and killed his young nephew in claiming the throne to become the 7th ruler of Joseon, King Sejo. TV A lot of the works from the heyday of sageuk  in the 1990s and through the mid-2000s revolved around men and wars. But a growing number are focusing on the lives of female political or cultural heavyweights. Ha Ji-won will make a comeback to period drama with “Hwatu,” where she will play Empress Gi of the Goryeo Kingdom (918-1392). One of the most sought-after actresses, Ha led the success of several period dramas such as the 2003 “Da Mo” and 2006 “Hwang Jini.” “Hwatu” will deal with the love life and politics of Empress Gi, who was known for her beauty and intellect. “It will show the love story of Gi that has never been shown on TV before,” an MBC press release said. Ha has begun filming the drama. It will start airing at the end of the year following “Goddess of Fire,” another Joseon-era sageuk which currently fills MBC’s Monday-Tuesday slot for nighttime drama. “Hwatu” sets itself apart as a mega sageuk that will run for 60 episodes, which is much longer than many of the period pieces these days containing no more than 25 or 30 episodes. Renowned screen writer Jang Young-chul will write the script of “Hwatu.” Jang wrote the screenplay of the 2006 TV series “Dae Jo Yeong,” one of the most critically-acclaimed sageuk on Korean TV. Kim Soo-hyun is reportedly reviewing the script of SBS “Man From Another Star” as he seeks to continue his hot streak after box-office hits “Covertly Grandly” and “Thieves.” The setting of “Man From Another Star” alternates between Joseon and modern times. The 25-year-old heartthrob turned heads in his first TV sageuk appearance last year as a Joseon monarch in love in “Moon Embracing the Sun.” For history buffs, KBS is currently preparing to film “Jeong Do-jeon” set in the founding years of the Joseon Kingdom. Jeong Do-jeon (1342—1398) was one of the most powerful aristocrats and politicians of his time and a close supporter of King Taejo, the founder of Joseon.

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Actor Song Joong-ki to Join Army Late This Month

Actor Song Joong-ki to Join Army Late This Month

Song Joong-ki

Heartthrob Song Joong-ki will soon enlist for his 21 months of mandatory military service.

"Song will report to an army draft camp in Chuncheon, Gangwon Province on Aug. 27 to join in the basic combat training," his management agency said on Thursday.

Song has garnered much critical acclaim for appearing in several hit TV dramas, such as "Sungkyunkwan Scandal" and "Deep-Rooted Tree," as well as films like "A Werewolf Boy." He debuted in the controversial movie "A Frozen Flower" in 2008, which dealt with the subject of homosexual love and included graphic sex scenes.

He will meet his fans on Aug. 17 before joining the army. 

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Korean Film No Longer Wedded to Romance

Korean Film No Longer Wedded to Romance

Romance has apparently all-but disappeared from Korean films these days. It is something of a time-honored rule of thumb to include some love interest among the main characters of a Korean movie, regardless of genre. As recently as last year, box-office hits such as "The Thieves" and "Masquerade" all featured romantic tugs-of-war, or characters with a burning passion for someone. Even if the romance was not at the heart of the movie, it was always there to add spice to the plot.

However, this trend now seems to be on the wane. With the exception of the romantic comedy "Very Ordinary Couple" and disaster movie "The Tower," most of the films in the top 10 at the box office so far this year do not deal with common forms of love and romance.

For example, the thriller "Cold Eyes" featuring actor Jung Woo-sung and actress Han Hyo-joo eschews romance in favor of camaraderie between the main characters. The movie is still sweeping box office and recently attracted 5 million moviegoers.

"Miracle in Cell No. 7" focuses on parental affection using a correctional facility as a backdrop, while other recent hits like "New World" and "Fist of Legend" have no room for female characters as they center on the world of men.

Critics and filmgoers alike seem to be welcoming the turning tide. "Films reflect reality, which these days include more people living a hardscrabble life and barely managing to keep themselves together," said Kim Won, a film critic. "Cinematic characters that have no time for romance, as they have to fight for their lives, seem to be more appealing and sympathetic to moviegoers."

Instead of typical romantic interests, so-called bromances or male ensembles are more visible in recent Korean films like "New World" and "Secretly Greatly."

"These days, the kind of brotherhood or camaraderie you can witness in desperate situations, such as on the battlefield, is more popular amongst viewers than the stereotypical romance between a man and a woman," Kim said.

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Song is a remade man

Song is a remade man

Actor’s personality transformation entices viewers

May 16,2013

	Song Seung-heon

Actor Song Seung-heon has transformed from a man of few words into one who spits out corny lines with ease. And his newfound personality has been a hit with television viewers, especially in his drama “When a Man Falls in Love.”

In the show, Song plays a gangster named Han Tae-sang who falls in love with a woman (played by Shin Se-gyeong) after being abandoned by his parents and spending time alone.

Han goes to any length for the love of his life. For instance, since she loves roller coasters, he dares to ride one and almost faints. He also uses all kinds of adjectives to express his love and other emotions.

While the over-the-top female characters can prevent viewers from indulging in the plot wholeheartedly, Song’s portrayal of a ruthless gangster who has a soft spot for his love interest is the greatest joy offered to those watching the drama series.

Ilgan Sports, an affiliate of the Korea JoongAng Daily, sat down with Song and asked him a variety of questions about his transformation and his real-life romantic relationship.

Q. “When a Man Falls in Love” remains in the top spot among Wednesday-Thursday prime-time dramas. How do you feel about that?

A. I was under a lot of pressure after I realized this drama would compete with two other dramas which feature veteran actors such as Shin Ha-kyun of “All about My Romance” (SBS) and Lee Dong-wook of “The Fugitives of Joseon” (KBS2).

I just wanted to see double-digit viewership, and we’ve achieved it. I couldn’t be happier.

Your character Tae-sang is attractive in a way since he only admires one woman.

He was orphaned when he was young and it makes him grow into a lonely and cruel soul. But he falls in love with this woman, and he finds a new side of himself. He even becomes awkward in her presence. There is another woman who keeps hitting on him, but Tae-sang isn’t swayed at all. I think highly of his commitment, and it makes him a real guy. And this character also intrigues many viewers, I guess.

But you haven’t been able to win the heart of Seo Mi-do (played by Shin).

She hasn’t decided yet between me and Lee Jae-hee (played by Yeon Woo-jin). In the drama, Lee is a peer of mine. If such a situation happened to me in real life, I would choose friendship over love, though. For me, friendship comes first.

	A scene from the TV drama “When a Man Falls in Love”

Are you the type of actor who stays true to the screenplay or do you often add lines or gestures on a whim?

While filming this drama series, I find myself trying to improvise by adding comical lines or gestures maybe because this character is brighter and funnier than my previous characters. One day, Shin told me she is attracted to Yeon’s character but feels nothing toward me because my character looks like a little child. Since I’m so into this character, I was pissed off by her comment.

What kind of man are you in a real-life romantic relationship?

Tae-sang and I share many things in common. All my past relationships started because I fell in love first. If I don’t feel something at first sight, I can’t fall in love.

What’s it like being paired up with two actresses: Shin and Chae Jung-an?

Shin is quite a mature actress for her age. I learn a lot of things from her. Meanwhile, I feel comfortable when I act with Chae because we used to do the same sitcom series 10 years ago.

Tell us about the future of “When a Man Falls in Love.”

So far, it has been a casual and light-hearted introduction of four lead characters and how they fell in love. But there will be stronger, heart-wrenching stories as well. Later on, we will deal with how these characters hurt each other and their emotions will explode in extreme ways. You can expect more from us.

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