Posters for new romantic comedy "First Love" revealed

Movie poster for upcoming romantic comedy "First Love" [CJ Entertainment]

Movie posters for an upcoming Korean romantic comedy tentatively titled "First Love" were unveiled today.

The first poster reveals Korean actor Gong Yoo holding a name card to help find Lim Soo-jung her first love while the latter shows Lim hugging a giant heart.

Based on a musical which has been performed over 1,200 times on stage since its premiere in 2006, "First Love" is about Seo Ji-woo (Lim) who during her trip to India re-encounters her first love and asks for the help of Han Ki-jun (Gong Yoo) to search for him.

Lim made her debut as a model in 1998 and rose to stardom after starring in the horror film "A Tale of Two Sisters." She later starred in the hit TV series "I'm Sorry, I Love You" and films "Lump of Sugar" and "WOOCHI."

Born Gong Ji-cheol, Gong Yoo made his debut with a role in KBS' TV show "School 4" in 2001. He appeared in several dramas such as "Hello My Teacher" and "The 1st Shop of Coffee Prince" and movies "My Tutor Friend" and "She's On Duty."

The movie is set to open in local theaters in December.

Reporter: Lucia Hong luciahong@
Editor : Jessica Kim jesskim@
<ⓒ10Asia All rights reserved>

Hyun Bin's film "Late Autumn" to open next month

official movie poster for "Late Autumn" [Lotte Entertainment]

Korean film "Late Autumn," starring Hyun Bin and Chinese actress Tang Wei, will open in local theaters on November 25.

A press release from Lotte Entertainment revealed the date of director Kim Tae-yong's movie about a coincidental meeting between a male gigolo named Hoon (Hyun Bin) and Anna (Tang Wei), who is in jail for murdering her abusive husband.

The movie was first released in 1966 by famed Korean filmmaker Lee Man-hee and it was re-made three times -- into "Promise of the Body" in 1975, "Manchu" in 1982 and Japanese film "Promise" in 1972.

Born Kim Tae-pyung, Hyun Bin rose to stardom after his role in the smash MBC TV series "My Name is Kim Sam-soon" in 2005. He is currently working on the upcoming SBS drama "Secret Garden" alongside Ha Ji-won.

Tang Wei made her debut in 1998 in the movie "Chinese Female Football" and became an international star after starring as the heroine in the flick "Lust, Caution" in 2007.

Reporter : Lucia Hong luciahong@
Editor : Jessica Kim jesskim@
<ⓒ10Asia All rights reserved>

Jun Ji-hyun considering new movie role

Korean actress Jun Ji-hyun [Asia Economic Daily]

Korean actress Jun Ji-hyun is considering a role in an upcoming movie by famed director E J-yong.

"Jun is currently in talks to appear in a movie titled 'Falling in Love,'" an official from her agency J&Co. Entertainment told Sports Today over the phone on Thursday, adding that the actress is looking at her role in a positive light but nothing has been confirmed as of yet with many adjustments having to be made.

"Falling in Love" is about a married woman falling for a manager of a club even though she finds out he approached her for her money and the man too gradually develops actual feelings of love for the woman.

"Love" claimed the Kodak Award during this year's Pusan Promotion Plan of the annual Pusan International Film Festival, winning it funds for production from Kodak Korea Limited.

Director E is well known for his works including "Untold Scandal" (2003) starring Hallyu star Bae Yong-joon and "The Actresses" (2009).

Jun Ji-hyun, whose English name is Gianna Jun, rose to stardom after her role in the 2001 hit movie "My Sassy Girl." She made her international film debut last year in the action flick "Blood: The Last Vampire" and "Snow Flower and the Secret Fan."

Jun parted ways with her management agency Sidus HQ after 14 years to establish her own agency J&Co. Entertainment in mid-October.

Reporter : Ko Kyoung-seok kave@
Editor : Lucia Hong luciahong@
<ⓒ10Asia All rights reserved>

71: Into the Fire [ Korean Movie 2010 ]

Genre : War
Starring : Kwon Sang-Woo , Cha Seung-Won, T.O.P, Kim Seung-Woo
Release date : June 16, 2010
Runtime :120 min.
Directed by: Lee Jae-han

Synopsis:

A story of 71 student soldier trainees who fought an impossible war against seasoned North Korean army during Korean War which broke out in 1950. Based on real history, the film delicately depicts the fierce battle that teenage student soldiers fall into as they fight to protect the final defense line by themselves when under a surprise attack and their emotions and conflicts as they experience the grown-ups’ war.
[source: http://www.koreanfilm.or.kr]

Gallery:

'Oldboy' Ranked Among World's Top 100 Films

Park Chan-wook's "Oldboy" was included on a list of the world's Essential 100 Films released by the Toronto International Film Festival on Monday.

Ranked at 99th place, the 2003 revenge thriller is the only Korean film on the list, which mostly is made up of movies made before 2000.

The top honor went to "The Passion of Joan of Arc (1928)" by French director Carl Theodor Dreyer, while Orson Welles' "Citizen Kane (1941)" was the runner up.

Francis Ford Coppola's "The Godfather (1972)" came in fourth, Akira Kurosawa's "Seven Samurai (1954)" was sixth, Michael Curtiz' "Casablanca (1942)" eighth, and Vittorio De Sica's "Bicycle Thieves (1948)" 10th.

Based on a Japanese comic book, "Oldboy" follows the journey of a man who seeks to learn the identity of the person who imprisoned him for 15 years. It won the Grand Prix at the 2004 Cannes Film Festival, and was named among 25 must-see foreign films by a U.S. magazine last year. It is currently being remade in Hollywood.

source: Chosun Ilbo