[Herald Review] ‘A Girl at My Door’ powerful, resonating study of the alienated

Bae Doo-na (left) and Kim Sae-ron pose during a press conference promoting “A Girl at My Door” in Seoul on Monday. (Yonhap)In a quiet, seemingly uneventful Korean port town, Young-nam (Bae Doo-na), a young woman with a pale face, arrives as the head of its police substation ― after being demoted from Seoul. All of her subordinates in the station are men, most of whom are older than she. On her way to her new house in the village, she runs into Yong-ha (Song Sae-byeok), “the man who runs the econ

May 13, 2014

‘Late Spring’ awarded at Arizona film festival

Korean drama film “Late Spring” won the Best Foreign Feature prize at this year’s Arizona International Film Festival, the movie’s producer Studio Hook said.Directed by filmmaker Cho Keun-hyun (“26 Years”), the film revolves around a genius sculptor (Park Yong-woo) in postwar Korea, who suffers from a progressive muscular disease that will lead to complete paralysis. Disheartened, he decides to quit his career as an artist. In an effort to encourage him, his dutiful wife (Kim Seo-hyung) hires a

May 12, 2014

[Herald Interview] Story of sexual surrogate tackles themes of urban life, human intimacy

JEONJU, North Jeolla Province ― In filmmaker Anja Marquardt’s feature debut “She’s Lost Control,” the protagonist Ronah (Brooke Bloom) works as a sexual surrogate while completing her master’s thesis in psychology in New York. She seems to be isolated from her own family ― her mother is ill and her brother is rather weary of taking care of her alone ― and often dines by herself in her depressing flat where a leak leads to a huge hole in the bathroom wall.The film, which won the Best Film prize i

May 11, 2014

‘Fatal Encounter’ draws 3m viewers

The period blockbuster “The Fatal Encounter” sold over 3 million tickets in just 11 days since its release, according to official data provided by the Korean Film Council. Starring Hyun Bin, Jeong Jae-young, Jo Jung-suk and Han Ji-min, the 10 billion won ($9.8 million) project is inspired by Jeongyuyeokbyeon, the assassination attempt on the Joseon era King Jeongjo by his political opponents in 1777, his first year as the nation’s ruler.Fatal EncounterThe movie is also the film debut for promine

May 11, 2014

Filmmaker brings moving portrait of his adoptee life to big screen

Korean-born Belgian filmmaker Jung Henin (Jeon Jung-sik) was only about five when he was adopted by Belgian parents after being found as a lost child at Namdaemun Market in Seoul. He doesn’t know who filled out his adoption papers, but whoever it was recorded his skin color as “miel,” which means “honey” in French, instead of “Asian.”Now 48, Henin, who wants to be called by his Korean name, recently visited Seoul for the local release of his autobiographical animated film “Approved for Adoption.

May 9, 2014

‘Belle’ filmmakers go where Jane Austen never dared

Folding fans flutter, bosoms heave above Empire-waisted dresses and class distinctions get in the way of true love.But in the 18th-century romance “Belle,” the young British aristocrat trying to find her place, in society, and in love, is black, the daughter of a black woman and a white sea captain of noble birth. Still, try to find a review of the new costume romance that doesn’t mention “Jane Austen.”The comparison to the works of the author of “Emma” and “Pride & Prejudice” may be too obvious

May 9, 2014

Eyelike: EXO makes listeners ‘Overdose’

EXO makes listeners ‘Overdose’EXO-K “Overdose” (KT Music)EXO has made its return to the K-pop scene in Korea, as the music industry slowly picks up its activities since coming to a virtual standstill after the Sewol ferry accident in late April.EXO-K, the South Korean unit of the 12-member group EXO, released a Korean version of the group’s new EP “Overdose” on Wednesday. The album features five tracks, including the lead single “Overdose,” which immediately climbed to the top of major local mus

May 9, 2014

Box Office

Mad Sad Bad (Korea)Opening May 15Fantasy, drama, horror. A collaboration between three renowned Korean directors, “Mad Sad Bad” consists of three short films, each telling a different story. It starts off with “Ghost” by Ryu Seung-wan, which deals with a senseless murder by reckless teenagers based on a real-life case. The second is Han Ji-seung’s “I Saw You,” a romance between a zombie and a human. The last film, “Picnic” by Kim Tae-yong, is about a child and her relationship with her autistic

May 9, 2014

Film fest promotes promising projects

JEONJU, North Jeolla Province ― Aside from film screenings and talk sessions with cineastes from all over the world, one of the most exciting events at Jeonju International Film Festival is Jeonju Project Market, during which local filmmakers pitch their latest film projects to potential investors and distributors.On May 3, a total of 10 selected filmmakers made presentations at the Jeonju Digital Independent Cinema in Jeonju, with some 300 industry figures attending, including those from Lotte

May 8, 2014

Oscar-winner Sally Field gets Hollywood star

LOS ANGELES (AFP) ― Oscar-winning U.S. actress Sally Field finally got a star on Hollywood’s storied Walk of Fame on Monday, more than three decades after she earned her first Academy Award. The 67-year-old joked about her roller-coaster career spanning five decades, including her Oscar-winning performances in 1979’s “Norma Rae” and 1984’s “Places in the Heart.” “I’ve ridden the highs, and tried to learn from the lows,” she said on Hollywood Boulevard, where her star is the 2,524th on the famous

May 7, 2014

Box Office: The Fatal Encounter, 10 Minutes, My Father’s Emails

The Fatal Encounter (Korea)Opened April 30Drama. Directed by Lee Jae-gyuIn 18th-century Joseon, the nation’s young King Jeongjo spends every night working out alone in the palace to prepare himself for possible attacks from his political opponents. When he was 10, his father, Crown Prince Sado, died of starvation in a wooden chest of rice in which his father and Jeongjo‘s grandfather, King Yeongjo, ordered him to be confined. Growing up, Jeongjo was often stigmatized as the “son of the sinner” b

May 2, 2014

Film fest explores women’s experiences after 2008 global financial crisis

The annual International Women’s Film Festival in Seoul (IWFFIS) returns this month, paying special attention to women’s experiences after the 2008 global financial crisis worldwide.Celebrating its 16th edition this year, the upcoming festival will bring 99 films from 30 countries, including documentaries by Chinese women filmmakers, films about women’s experiences in the neo-capitalist economy, and a retrospective of veteran Japanese actress Kyoko Kagawa.“This year’s theme is ‘The Vision of 99

April 30, 2014

Garfield-Stone chemistry saves Spider-Man 2

Deep into “The Amazing Spider-Man 2,” my 11-year-old companion was confused about a certain plot point ― justifiably, I’d say ― and demanded an immediate and thorough explanation. “Shh, not now. Later!” I hissed. Because, though I didn’t admit it, I really didn’t want to miss an Andrew Garfield-Emma Stone kiss. And who knew when the next one was coming? With great chemistry, you see, comes great kissing. Let’s just say this unequivocally: Whether or not my young Spidey fan would agree, the best

April 29, 2014

Clooney gives up litany of loves for engagement

LOS ANGELES (AP) ― Looks like George Clooney owes Michelle Pfeiffer lots of money. The 52-year-old actor ― Hollywood’s most determined bachelor, famous for a litany of fleeting loves ― has taken himself off the romantic market, even though he once bet Pfeiffer $100,000 that he’d never marry again. After dating a string of actresses, models, a cocktail waitress and a former professional wrestler, Clooney recently proposed to 36-year-old international law attorney Amal Alamuddin ― despite repeated

April 29, 2014

‘Other Woman’ curbs ‘Captain America’ with $24.7 million

LOS ANGELES (AP) ― A femme-fueled comedy beat a superhero blockbuster at the box office last weekend. After holding the top position for three weeks, “Captain America: The Winter Soldier” has been topped by “The Other Woman” for the No. 1 spot. Fox’s revenge comedy, starring Cameron Diaz, Leslie Mann and Kate Upton, debuted with $24.7 million, while Disney-Marvel’s “Captain America,” led by Chris Evans, grossed $16 million in its fourth weekend, bringing its domestic total to $225 million. The P

April 28, 2014

‘Fatal Encounter’ fails to be memorable

One of the most anticipated films this year was unveiled to the press last week: a tale about King Jeongjo, the well-known, hapless ruler of 18th-century Joseon.The period blockbuster is a film debut by prominent TV drama director Lee Jae-gyu, who is best known for period drama “Damo” (2003) and “Beethoven Virus” (2008), and actor Hyun Bin’s latest film in three years. The 10 billion won project has been drawing attention even since preproduction for its star-studded cast including Han Ji-min, J

April 27, 2014

Captain Comics: Look back for the history of ‘Winter Soldier’

“Captain America: The Winter Soldier” has blown the doors off theaters across the world. But it didn’t spring out of a screenwriter’s brow: A lot of it has happened before in comics, most of which has been collected in one form or another.Warning: Spoilers ahead. But, honestly, is that necessary? Boxofficemojo.com says “Winter Soldier” earned $317.7 million abroad and $159 million domestically by April 14; is there anybody who wants to see it but hasn’t yet? Well, if so, the 89 percent positive

April 25, 2014