This book represents the world's first monograph on Korean cinema. It delves into its history, from 1900 to the present day, exploring its major trends, films, and the most globally renowned directors and actors.
on Amazon by clicking on the image below
Parasite, Decision to Leave, Oldboy, or The Chaser – these works readily come to mind in light of the phenomenon that gave its name to this book, the “hallyu,” which refers to the international success and global spread of Korean pop culture. The term is to be taken in its literal sense: the wave, and this book unveils the submerged dynamics crucial to Korean cinema.
Through this book, we discover that Korean cinema's allure can be attributed, in part, to its unique style that resonates with the cinematic cultures that have influenced it from its inception. It interprets and sheds light on these influences from its own perspective.
on Amazon by clicking on the image below
Parasite, Decision to Leave, Oldboy, or The Chaser – these works readily come to mind in light of the phenomenon that gave its name to this book, the “hallyu,” which refers to the international success and global spread of Korean pop culture. The term is to be taken in its literal sense: the wave, and this book unveils the submerged dynamics crucial to Korean cinema.
Through this book, we discover that Korean cinema's allure can be attributed, in part, to its unique style that resonates with the cinematic cultures that have influenced it from its inception. It interprets and sheds light on these influences from its own perspective.
- 10/28/2023
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
by Bastian Meiresonne
“Cobweb”, Kim Jee-woon's tenth feature film, marks the director's return to comedy for the first time since the beginning of his career. This satire on the film industry is a true cinematic layer cake: one can dig into it with hearty bites for the sheer pleasure of the visual feast, or one can peel it apart, layer by layer, to unveil a fascinating portrayal of the dark period of Korean history in the 1970s and a profound introspection by the director on creativity and the filmmaking profession.
Kim Jee-woon began his career in the 1990s as an actor and a theater director before directing his debut feature film, “The Quiet Family”, in 1998. He is part of a new generation of filmmakers, along with Bong Joon-ho and Park Chan-wook, who no longer followed the traditional apprenticeship model of old studios, but are authentic cinephiles who came to cinema out of pure passion.
“Cobweb”, Kim Jee-woon's tenth feature film, marks the director's return to comedy for the first time since the beginning of his career. This satire on the film industry is a true cinematic layer cake: one can dig into it with hearty bites for the sheer pleasure of the visual feast, or one can peel it apart, layer by layer, to unveil a fascinating portrayal of the dark period of Korean history in the 1970s and a profound introspection by the director on creativity and the filmmaking profession.
Kim Jee-woon began his career in the 1990s as an actor and a theater director before directing his debut feature film, “The Quiet Family”, in 1998. He is part of a new generation of filmmakers, along with Bong Joon-ho and Park Chan-wook, who no longer followed the traditional apprenticeship model of old studios, but are authentic cinephiles who came to cinema out of pure passion.
- 8/31/2023
- by Guest Writer
- AsianMoviePulse
During the last few years, and after an instigation of my friend Bastian Meiresonne (who never forgets to stress the fact btw), I have tried to watch and review as many films from the Korean Film Archive as possible, starting from the oldest ones. The result is 134 reviews, a sample of each you can find in the list below. The full articles have been published on Hancinema. Some of the films are no longer available, since the rights were bought and were released in physical form but most of them you can find in the particular channel.
1. Sweet Dream
Let me start with the obvious. The Japanese influence in the film is everywhere to be found, from the subtitles on the right of the screen, to the clothes in the shop Ae-soon visits, to a performance in a theater Lee Seon-ryong visits with his daughter. Apart from this, the film...
1. Sweet Dream
Let me start with the obvious. The Japanese influence in the film is everywhere to be found, from the subtitles on the right of the screen, to the clothes in the shop Ae-soon visits, to a performance in a theater Lee Seon-ryong visits with his daughter. Apart from this, the film...
- 1/15/2023
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
Festival’s 26 th edition runs October 6-15.
South Korea’s Busan International Film Festival (Biff) is launching its On Screen section which will carry premieres of high-profile drama series that will later be streamed on Ott video platforms.
Biff, whose 26th edition will be held October 6-15, said the section “aims to precisely reflect the current state of the market, which is expanding multi-directionally, while embracing the extended flow and value of cinema” and should be “able to present more diverse and higher-quality works to the audience, whose range of fandom is expanding”.
The inaugural On Screen Section will launch...
South Korea’s Busan International Film Festival (Biff) is launching its On Screen section which will carry premieres of high-profile drama series that will later be streamed on Ott video platforms.
Biff, whose 26th edition will be held October 6-15, said the section “aims to precisely reflect the current state of the market, which is expanding multi-directionally, while embracing the extended flow and value of cinema” and should be “able to present more diverse and higher-quality works to the audience, whose range of fandom is expanding”.
The inaugural On Screen Section will launch...
- 8/26/2021
- by Jean Noh
- ScreenDaily
Festival
Taliban hostage drama “And Tomorrow We Will Be Dead,” by Swiss filmmaker Michael Steiner (“The Awakening of Motti Wolkenbruch”) will open the 17th Zurich Film Festival (Sept. 23 – Oct. 3).
The film follows the story of Daniela Widmer (Morgane Ferru) and David Och (Sven Schelker), the Swiss couple were kidnapped and handed over to the Taliban in 2011 while traveling through Pakistan. The story kept Switzerland on tenterhooks. For eight months, the two were held as hostages until they managed to escape.
“I’m a storyteller and here I wanted to give a personal insight into the fate of the two hostages Daniela Widmer and David Och, so that the audience understands the context,” said Steiner.
The world premiere of the film will take place in the presence of Swiss Federal President Guy Parmelin and the Mayor of Zurich Corine Mauch. It will be the first screening in the newly renovated Convention Center,...
Taliban hostage drama “And Tomorrow We Will Be Dead,” by Swiss filmmaker Michael Steiner (“The Awakening of Motti Wolkenbruch”) will open the 17th Zurich Film Festival (Sept. 23 – Oct. 3).
The film follows the story of Daniela Widmer (Morgane Ferru) and David Och (Sven Schelker), the Swiss couple were kidnapped and handed over to the Taliban in 2011 while traveling through Pakistan. The story kept Switzerland on tenterhooks. For eight months, the two were held as hostages until they managed to escape.
“I’m a storyteller and here I wanted to give a personal insight into the fate of the two hostages Daniela Widmer and David Och, so that the audience understands the context,” said Steiner.
The world premiere of the film will take place in the presence of Swiss Federal President Guy Parmelin and the Mayor of Zurich Corine Mauch. It will be the first screening in the newly renovated Convention Center,...
- 8/24/2021
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
I have to admit that this is one of the most difficult reviews I have written during the last years. Not because the film is not good (it certainly is), but because the hype following the Cannes Award was so significant that I expected a complete masterpiece, a hype that in the end faulted my final impression of the movie. Let us take things from the beginning though.
Parasite screened at the 27th Art Film Fest Kosice
The article is filled with spoilers. Better not read if you have not watched the film yet
The film revolves around two radically different families; one headed by poor-devil, unemployed Ki-taek, and the other by the extremely rich Mr Park, the owner of an international It firm. While Ki-taek and his wife, Hye-jin and two children, Ki-woo and Ki-jung struggle to make ends meet any way they can, and a heavy rain destroys...
Parasite screened at the 27th Art Film Fest Kosice
The article is filled with spoilers. Better not read if you have not watched the film yet
The film revolves around two radically different families; one headed by poor-devil, unemployed Ki-taek, and the other by the extremely rich Mr Park, the owner of an international It firm. While Ki-taek and his wife, Hye-jin and two children, Ki-woo and Ki-jung struggle to make ends meet any way they can, and a heavy rain destroys...
- 4/10/2021
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
Na Hong-jin is one of those rare cases in S. Korean cinema, which, despite having enormous success with their films, are not exactly eager to follow up. In that fashion, he has shot just three films in eight years, with the previous one (The Yellow Sea) screening six years before. His absence was quite felt in the country’s cinema, but his return fully compensates. “The Wailing” is already an international success, amassing more the $51 million in international revenue, while it has also won five Blue Dragon Awards. Here are seven reasons for the film’s success.
In a seemingly peaceful village, a kind of epidemic suddenly breaks out, with people losing their minds and attacking their relatives and with their skin suffering from a hideous infection. Their attacks have resulted in violent deaths, and the local police seem unable to deal with the case, eventually concluding...
In a seemingly peaceful village, a kind of epidemic suddenly breaks out, with people losing their minds and attacking their relatives and with their skin suffering from a hideous infection. Their attacks have resulted in violent deaths, and the local police seem unable to deal with the case, eventually concluding...
- 4/3/2021
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
In a discussion with my friend Bastian Meiresonne, we agreed (and by agreed I mean he pointed out some facts and I concurred) on a number of things regarding Asian martial arts films. For starters, the misconception that martial arts films are one of the main products of the movie industry in the area, since, in fact, it has always been a very small percentage. This misconception owes a lot to Shaw Brothers and Golden Harvest studios, since, particularly the latter, was the one that introduced to the West the likes of Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan and Sammo Hung, subsequently making the average cinemagoer to believe that all Asian filmmakers do is produce martial arts films.
However, and although the genre has been dead for years, at least when compared with the number of productions released in the previous decades, some films emerge occasionally here and there, just barely keeping it alive,...
However, and although the genre has been dead for years, at least when compared with the number of productions released in the previous decades, some films emerge occasionally here and there, just barely keeping it alive,...
- 7/28/2020
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
Call it what you will – Hollywood hubris, avant-garde self-reflexivity, or even meme culture – but cinema just loves talking about itself. Movie theaters shower their carpets with images of film reels and popcorn. Film festivals bless each premiere with the buzz of anticipation. Auteurs – from Francois Truffaut to Charlie Kaufman, Guru Dutt to Sion Sono – have shown, time and time again, that filmmakers are just like writers. They shine at what they know best.
In homage to the seventh art, we’ve listed some of our favorite films about films below, in random order. We hope you enjoy watching these love letters to industry just as much as we have. It’s like what a good friend of mine once said: Life isn’t like the movies; movies resemble life.
1. Garuda Power: The Spirit Within
“Garuda Power: The Spirit Within” discloses the unknown world of Indonesian action cinema and its superheroes...
In homage to the seventh art, we’ve listed some of our favorite films about films below, in random order. We hope you enjoy watching these love letters to industry just as much as we have. It’s like what a good friend of mine once said: Life isn’t like the movies; movies resemble life.
1. Garuda Power: The Spirit Within
“Garuda Power: The Spirit Within” discloses the unknown world of Indonesian action cinema and its superheroes...
- 5/15/2020
- by AMP Group
- AsianMoviePulse
Not many films from Sri Lanka reach Western audiences, and thus it is always a pleasure to watch movies from the country. Furthermore, “Children of the Sun” is a significant movie as one of the very few (or even the only one) to speak so bravely about women’s conditions in the country, the various “invisible” tribes of the country, like the Gaadi (the titular Children of the Sun) and the role the British played both in their massacre and their eventual integration in local society (thanks to Bastian Meiresonne for the information).
“Children of the Sun” is screening at
Festival des Cinémas d’Asie de Vesoul
In 1814, a year before the British colonized Sri Lanka, Tikiri’s husband and other Buddhist nobles try to oust the Tamil king, after the instigation of a British agent, who is soon revealed to play a very shady game. The Buddhists are double-crossed...
“Children of the Sun” is screening at
Festival des Cinémas d’Asie de Vesoul
In 1814, a year before the British colonized Sri Lanka, Tikiri’s husband and other Buddhist nobles try to oust the Tamil king, after the instigation of a British agent, who is soon revealed to play a very shady game. The Buddhists are double-crossed...
- 2/16/2020
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
Jury Members and Full Program for 26th Vesoul International Film Festival of Asian Cinemas Announced
The President of the International Jury of the 26th Vesoul International Film Festival of Asian Cinemas (11-18 February 2020) will be Pema Tseden, the Tibetan director who was won two Golden Cyclos. He will be accompanied by Joji Alonso, producer (Philippines), Jay Jeon (director of the prestigious Busan International Film Festival (S. Korea), Yuliya Kim, producer and director of International Film Festival of Almaty (Kazakhstan) and Ariel Schweitzer, critic, academic and historian (Israel).
Critic’s Choice Jury: President Rosslyn Hyams (Radio France Internationale) Members: Wang Muyan (Screen International) and Shurong Hermine Roumilhac (Radio France Internationale)
Netpac Jury: President: Roya Sadat, director (Afghanistan) Members: Samar Qupty, lead actress of “Junction 48” (Israel), Sonthar Gyal, Tibetan Director (China)
Roya Sadat, center, with crew members at a test shoot for a TV drama she is directing in Kabul, Oct. 18, 2017. Sadat sold her apartment, car and jewelry to make a movie that deepens the conversation on women’s rights.
Critic’s Choice Jury: President Rosslyn Hyams (Radio France Internationale) Members: Wang Muyan (Screen International) and Shurong Hermine Roumilhac (Radio France Internationale)
Netpac Jury: President: Roya Sadat, director (Afghanistan) Members: Samar Qupty, lead actress of “Junction 48” (Israel), Sonthar Gyal, Tibetan Director (China)
Roya Sadat, center, with crew members at a test shoot for a TV drama she is directing in Kabul, Oct. 18, 2017. Sadat sold her apartment, car and jewelry to make a movie that deepens the conversation on women’s rights.
- 1/31/2020
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
Not many films from Sri Lanka reach Western audiences, and thus it is always a pleasure to watch movies from the country. Furthermore, “Children of the Sun” is a significant movie as one of the very few (or even the only one) to speak so bravely about women’s condition in the country, the various “invisible” tribes of the country, like the Gaadi (the titular Children of the Sun) and the role the British played both in their massacre and their eventual integration in local society (thanks to Bastian Meiresonne for the information).
“Children of the Sun” is screening at the International Film Festival Rotterdam
In 1814, a year before the British colonized Sri Lanka, Tikiri’s husband and other Buddhist nobles try to oust the Tamil king, after the instigation of a British agent, who is soon revealed to play a very shady game. The Buddhists are double-crossed and get...
“Children of the Sun” is screening at the International Film Festival Rotterdam
In 1814, a year before the British colonized Sri Lanka, Tikiri’s husband and other Buddhist nobles try to oust the Tamil king, after the instigation of a British agent, who is soon revealed to play a very shady game. The Buddhists are double-crossed and get...
- 1/27/2020
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
“Weekend of Cult Comics and Fantasy Film from Indonesia: Film screenings, exhibition and discussions” 16-17 March 2019 at Soas (Centre of South East Asian Studies) University of London
Recently some shooting stars of action and martial arts cinema have managed to bring the attention of the public back to the cinematography of countries that had passed under the radar of most audiences. When the Iko Uwais bomb exploded with “Merantau” first and later with the two “The Raid”, many wondered what else had been produced in Indonesia, but I doubt that they managed to find an answer.
After digging into Indonesia’s film past, in 2014 French director and Artistic Director of Festival International des Cinemas d’Asie de Vesoul” Bastian Meiresonne put together an exhaustive documentary about the history of Indonesian pre-Raid popular cinema, “Garuda Power: The Spirit Within”. His film, a self-produced debut, is the result of great enthusiasm and passion,...
Recently some shooting stars of action and martial arts cinema have managed to bring the attention of the public back to the cinematography of countries that had passed under the radar of most audiences. When the Iko Uwais bomb exploded with “Merantau” first and later with the two “The Raid”, many wondered what else had been produced in Indonesia, but I doubt that they managed to find an answer.
After digging into Indonesia’s film past, in 2014 French director and Artistic Director of Festival International des Cinemas d’Asie de Vesoul” Bastian Meiresonne put together an exhaustive documentary about the history of Indonesian pre-Raid popular cinema, “Garuda Power: The Spirit Within”. His film, a self-produced debut, is the result of great enthusiasm and passion,...
- 3/15/2019
- by Adriana Rosati
- AsianMoviePulse
Hirose Nanako was born 1987 in Kanagawa, Japan. After graduating from Musashino Art University, Hirose joined the Kore-eda Hirokazu’s production company Bun-buku in 2011. She worked in Kore-eda’s TV drama Going Home (2012), long features Like Father, Like Son (2013), Our Little Sister (2015), After The Storm (2016), and Miwa Nishikawa’s The Long Excuse (2016). His Lost Name marks her feature film debut.
On the occasion of His Lost Name screening at the 25th Vesoul International Film Festival of Asian Cinemas, we speak with her about Koreeda, Yuya Yagira, Kaoru Kobayashi, her film, hypocrisy, patriarchy, Japanese cinema and many other topics. and also crashed the graduation moment. This, and the weeks that followed the earthquake and the consequences led me to not wanting to do any work, I was in a really strange “in-between” place. After the events, there was some kind of solidarity sentiment going on in Japan but I really felt that...
On the occasion of His Lost Name screening at the 25th Vesoul International Film Festival of Asian Cinemas, we speak with her about Koreeda, Yuya Yagira, Kaoru Kobayashi, her film, hypocrisy, patriarchy, Japanese cinema and many other topics. and also crashed the graduation moment. This, and the weeks that followed the earthquake and the consequences led me to not wanting to do any work, I was in a really strange “in-between” place. After the events, there was some kind of solidarity sentiment going on in Japan but I really felt that...
- 2/22/2019
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
The Vesoul International Film Festival of Asian Cinemas (February 5th to 12th 2019) is at the 25th edition and its rich new programme has just been revealed.
Created in 1995, the Vesoul International Film Festival of Asian Cinemas’s purpose is to present & promote the cinema of Asian territories, enhance intrcultural dialog and encourage the discovery of other cultures through cinema. The Festival also promotes its host city of Vesoul, the department of Haute-Saône and the Franche-Comté region.
To mention only few of the enthusiastic staff behind Fica, Martine Therouanne is the Festival Director, Jean-Marc Therouanne the General Manager / Communication and Bastian Meiresonne is the Artistic Director.
This year the Jury includes Fabien Baumann, Frédérique Schneider and our very own Panagiotis Kotzathanasis.
But let’s have a look now at the Programme 2019:
Fiction Feature Competition
Rona Azim’s Mother by Jamshid Mahmoudi – Afghanistan 2018 – European Premiere
Azim, an Afghan refugee, who works at the municipality at night,...
Created in 1995, the Vesoul International Film Festival of Asian Cinemas’s purpose is to present & promote the cinema of Asian territories, enhance intrcultural dialog and encourage the discovery of other cultures through cinema. The Festival also promotes its host city of Vesoul, the department of Haute-Saône and the Franche-Comté region.
To mention only few of the enthusiastic staff behind Fica, Martine Therouanne is the Festival Director, Jean-Marc Therouanne the General Manager / Communication and Bastian Meiresonne is the Artistic Director.
This year the Jury includes Fabien Baumann, Frédérique Schneider and our very own Panagiotis Kotzathanasis.
But let’s have a look now at the Programme 2019:
Fiction Feature Competition
Rona Azim’s Mother by Jamshid Mahmoudi – Afghanistan 2018 – European Premiere
Azim, an Afghan refugee, who works at the municipality at night,...
- 1/17/2019
- by Adriana Rosati
- AsianMoviePulse
I have to admit, I find a number of Naomi Kawase’s films repeating, too self-conscious and occasionally even pretentious, despite their more than evident visual prowess. “Radiance” however, achieves a rather unusual and also quite impressive accomplishment, of encompassing all the characteristics (both good and bad) that have shaped her career, including her own life experiences in cinema, and in the process becoming the quintessential Kawase film. As my friend Bastian Meiresonne mentioned, “An open manual on how to watch a Naomi Kawase movie, which is the most beautiful and the most pretentious thing an artist could do.”
Radiance is screening at Japan Cuts 2018
Misako is a young writer of audio description working for a company that produces soundtracks for visually impaired cinemagoers. Her work seems to be her passion, as, in the initially scenes, we watch her narrating everything that occurs in front of her eyes in a street she crosses.
Radiance is screening at Japan Cuts 2018
Misako is a young writer of audio description working for a company that produces soundtracks for visually impaired cinemagoers. Her work seems to be her passion, as, in the initially scenes, we watch her narrating everything that occurs in front of her eyes in a street she crosses.
- 7/26/2018
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
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