The Sword with No Name (Romance, Action)
With a box office of over 10.5 million, this big-budget martial arts epic stars darling of Korean cinema, the charismatic and award-winning Su Ae, in a glitsy, upscale actioner.
Mu Myeong (Cho Seung-woo) is a Joseon dynasty bounty hunter who tracks down fugitives and lives off the rewards. One day, he encounters and falls in love with noble woman Ja-young (Su Ae).
Betrothed to King Go-jong, Ja-young is to become future Empress Myseongseong. In an effort to be close to the young woman, the lovesick Myeong takes up employment at the palace, securing a position as personal bodyguard.
On her rise to the throne, the young Empress attempts to modernise the dynasty by allying with foreign nations. The move angers not only Japan who is attempting to colonise Korea, but her conservative father-in law. As a power struggle ensues, it becomes apparent that Ja-young’s life is at risk ... and Myeong must fend off threats to protect the woman he loves.
Cast: Cho Seung-woo, Su Ae
Director: Kim Yong-gyun
Duration: 117min, Edited
Category: PG-13
Language: Korean
Subtitles: English
Territory: Worldwide ex Korea & Japan
Take Off (Drama)
Awards:
2009 Chunsa Film Festival- Best Picture, Supporting Actor, Supporting Actress, Best Group Acting, Best Sound, Best Visual Technology
South Korea Box office: Over US$43,680,000
Helmed by 200 Pounds Beauty director Kim Yong Hwa, the inspiring 2009 blockbuster Take Off is based on the true story of Korea's 1996 Olympic ski jumping team.
1996. A small Korean town is undergoing large-scale construction in preparation for the Winter Olympics bid. Whilst the area is being developed, the International Olympic Committee is notified of Korea’s lack of ski jumping team and to support the bid, a squad must be quickly formed.
Children’s ski instructor Bang (Sung Dong-il) is drafted in as coach, whilst former alpine skier Bob (Ha Jung-woo) is appointed captain of the proposed team. Having recently returned to Korea in search of his biological mother, he’s convinced the high profile job may invite media exposure and hence assist in his search.
Finding suitability fit athletes is not easy, however after persuading four young men to face the challenge, Korea has its squad. Despite primitive equipment and lack of facilities, the young men embark on a strict training regime and as they turn from hapless athletes to professional sportsmen, their passion for success drives them to aim for gold...
Cast: Ha Jung-woo, Kim Ji-suk, Kim Dong-wook, Sung Dong-il
Director: Kim Yong-hwa
Duration: 118min, Edited
Category: PG-13
Language: Korean
Subtitles: Chinese and English / English
Territory: Worldwide ex Korea, Japan & Singapore
Lifting King Kong (Drama)
Awards:
2009 Chunsa Film Festival- Best New Actress, Best New Director, Best Producer, Best Music
Inspired by the weight-lifting country girls who won 14 gold medals in the 2000 National Sports Festival, Lifting King Kong is the first story on weight-lifting that shows how this unpopular sport changes the life of the teenage country girls.
Medal winner of weight lifting in the 1988 Olympics, LEE Ji-bong (LEE Beom-su), is forced to move to a small country village after the Games. Sick and tired of weight lifting, Ji-bong takes up a coaching position in a girls’ middle school, where he meets some country girls who have nothing but strength: Young-ja (JO An) who has a perfect physique for weight lifting, Hyun-jung (JEON Bo-mi) who has a crush on the best looking boy in school, exemplary student Soo-ok (LEE Seul-bi) who wants to get into Harvard and become an FBI agent, dutiful daughter Yeo-soon (CHOI Moon-kyeong) who wants to succeed as a weight lifter to support her sick mother, Bo-young (KIM Min-young) who is born with incredible strength, and Min-hee (LEE Yoon-hee) who is crazy over the weight lifting uniform.
Ji-bong is moved by their passion and dedication to the sports, so he takes them in and starts training the girls. Starting from bamboo tree poles, they mature into weight lifting athletes and are ready to take on the challenge to pick up the Olympic gold medal.
Cast: LEE Beom-su, JO An
Director: PARK Gun-yong
Duration: 118min, Edited
Category: PG-13
Language: Korean
Subtitles: Chinese and English / Japanese
Territory: Worldwide ex. Korea, Singapore, Malaysia and Qatar
My Girlfriend Is An Agent (Romantic Comedy)
Film Festival:
2009 Cannes Film Market
2009 South Korea Box office: Over USD 20,000,000
In this Korean version of Mr & Mrs Smith, the all-action drama delves into the world of Russian organised crime as two secret agents attempt to stop the theft of a chemical weapon.
Veteran agent Soo-ji (Kim Ha-neul) is a master of martial arts and envied by her fellow colleagues in the service. Jae-joon (Kang Ji-hwan) is a rookie agent who’s never been out in the field. Each do not know each other’s identity, however what they do know is that they hate each other. As a couple that is …. Soo-ji and Jae-joon were once lovers until Jae-joon could not stand Soo-ji’s lies anymore - lies which concealed her secret identity.
After going their separate ways, a chance meeting whilst on the job reunites them. As the two try to work out their troubled relationship, they embark on a path of betrayal and deception...
Cast: Kim Ha-neul, Kang Ji-hwan
Director: Shin Tae-ra
Duration: 114min, Theatrical
Category: PG-13
Language: Korean
Subtitles: Chinese and English
Territory: Worldwide ex. Korea, Japan, Singapore & Malaysia
More Than Blue (Romance)
Film Festival:
2009 Hong Kong Film Market
Witty as much as it is heartbreaking, director Won Tae-yoen makes his directorial debut with the classic romance, More Than Blue.
As a child, radio producer K (Kwon Sang-woo) was abandoned by his parents. Lyricist Cream (Lee Bo-young) also suffered, losing her family to a tragic car accident. The two quickly become soul mates and their lives intertwine.
On learning the shattering news that he is terminally ill, K keeps the information from Cream. When he’s gone, she’ll be alone and he must find her a partner to accompany her through the years. And so dentist Joo-hwan (Lee Beom-soo) comes into their lives and K must look on whilst this gentle soul falls for the woman he loves…
Cast: Kwon Sang-woo, Lee Bo young, Lee Beom-soo
Director: WON
Duration: 105min, Theatrical
Category: PG-13
Language: Korean
Subtitles: Chinese and English/English/Japanese
Territory: Worldwide ex Korea & Japan
The Naked Kitchen (Drama, Romance)
Film Festival:
2009 Berlin International Film Festival
Newcomer Hong Ji-young presents a delightfully classy pic with her film debut The Naked Kitchen, a sensuous drama that paints the taste of scrumptious meals and unforgettable romance.
Parasol designer Mo-rae (Shin Mina) is happily married to childhood sweetheart Sang-in (Kim Tae-woo). After a busy morning preparing for their first anniversary celebrations, she goes in search of a gift for her husband. Whilst browsing in a local gallery, she notices a young man watching her every move. The attraction is mutual and after a brief encounter with the stranger, she leaves the gallery.
Wedded bliss however is disrupted when Mo-rae’s mysterious admirer turns out to be none other than Du-re (Ju Ji-hun), the renowned Parisian chef invited to assist in her husband’s newly opened restaurant. And as the handsome Frenchman moves into the couple’s home, a precarious love triangle begins….
Cast: KIM Tae-woo, SHIN Mina, JU Ji-hun
Director: HONG Ji-young
Duration: 102min, Edited
Language: Korean
Subtitles: Chinese and English
Territory: Worldwide except Korea & Japan
Scandal Makers (Comedy)
No Korean actor conjures up as much of a comic image on the silver screen as Cha Tae-hyun and his flawless performance as a middle aged entertainer whose career has seen better days is reaping results at the local box office. Raking in over US$1.5 million in only 12 days of release, Scandal Makers is proving to be not only Cha’s most successful movie, but is set to become the highest ever grossing production in Korean film history!
Nam Hyun-soo (Cha Tae-hyun) was once a popular teenage idol who captured the hearts of adoring female fans. Those were the good old days and although his star power has significantly diminished, he retains some celebrity status by hosting a local radio show.
Life at the station is uneventful until listener Jung-nam (Park Bo-yeong) contacts the show with stories of her upbringing and absent father. The young woman’s tale grips the nation and the radio show’s ratings suddenly soar. But things soon turn sour when this single mother shows up, claiming that Hyun-soo is none other than her father - and the shocked DJ is left to salvage what is left of his now tarnished celebrity image.
Cast: Cha Tae-hyun, Park Bo-yeong
Director: Kang Hyung-chul
Duration: 108min, Theatrical
Category: PG-13
Language: Korean
Subtitles: Chinese and English/English
Territory: Worldwide ex. Korea & Singapore
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Go Go 70’s (Drama)
Based on a true story, Go Go 70’s traces a rock band’s rise to stardom during the revolutionary upheaval of Korean pop culture and features an exemplary performance from all round entertainer, Cho Seung-woo.
After wandering the shabby clubs of a U.S. military camp side town, singer Sang-kyu (Cho Seung-woo) and guitarist Man-sik form the rock band, The Devils. Entering a contest, their amusing performance scoops special prize and along with sexy go-go dancer Mimi (Shin Mina), become star attraction at local nightclub, Nirvana.
However, due to a vicious crackdown by the military junta The Devils fame is short lived. Tensions in the group also take their toll and to make matters worse, the government plans to close nightclubs, bringing their ability to perform to an abrupt end. Undaunted and full of passion, the young musicians continue in their pursuit, enthusiastically planning yet another dazzling concert….
Cast: Cho Seung-woo, Shin Mina
Director: Choi Ho
Duration: 115min, Edited
Category: PG-13
Language: Korean
Subtitles: Chinese and English/English/Japanese
Territory : Worldwide except Korea
