New Korean Films: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly (2013 Week 8)

(by Fabien Schneider)

This week will be very bloody and will features many deaths, both within these new films and between them at the box office. Two of the largest distributors in Korea, NEW and Lotte, will each propose a thriller full of promise. And although I will not dwell on this film because technically it isn't Korean, CJ Entertainment is also going to unsheathe The Last Stand by Kim Jee-woon. Three films not allowed for children, three films that seem to have each their strengths and weaknesses. Which one will manage to make it out alive?

New World (신세계)

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KBO: Miracle Stays Flat for 4th Straight Weekend (02/15-02/17, 2013)

Miracle Stays Flat for 4th Straight Weekend

	Title	Release Date	Market Share	Weekend	Total	Screens
1	Miracle in Cell No.7	13/01/23	41.20%	1,129,726	8,867,424	721
2	The Berlin File	13/01/30	24.10%	644,456	5,980,252	579
3	A Good Day to Die Hard (us)	13/02/06	7.80%	210,178	1,297,703	329
4	How to Use Guys With Secret Tips	13/02/14	7.40%	200,891	266,891	367
5	Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters (us)	13/02/14	5.70%	138,407	177,571	297
6	Marco Makaco (de)	13/02/14	2.90%	88,766	96,848	276
7	South Bound	13/02/06	3.00%	84,070	772,586	240
8	The Snow Queen (ru)	13/02/07	1.90%	58,181	245,463	229
9	Silver Linings Playbook (uk)	13/02/14	1.90%	48,935	70,731	223
10	Pororo: the Racing Adventure	13/01/23	1.10%	30,952	867,20	102

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New Korean Films: A Wide Variety (2013 Week 7)

(by Fabien Schneider)

This week, compared to last week, is rich with new releases. But with two documentaries, an indie fiction and a harmless romantic comedy, The Berlin File and Miracle in Cell Number 7 don't have to worry about their top spots at the box office. At least until next week, when the highly anticipated The New World will climb aboard the stage.

From Seoul to Varanasi (불륜의 시대)

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Dirty Blood (나쁜 피, Nah-beun pi) 2012

As a society Korea has been slow to change despite its economic growth. At times it can seem like a gigantic, perpetually simmering pot of discontent that seems dangerously close to boiling over. One aspect of Korean society that is often brushed under the carpet is repressed sexuality and while it isn’t something you will encounter much in TV dramas, music and the news, the Korean film industry, of late, has been vocal in its depiction of the widespread abuse that rages through the country. Truth be told, it is often used opportunistically and many of the works in question tread a very fine line.

Dirty Blood is one such film that exists in dangerous territory. While other 2012 features that examined sex crimes in an aggressive fashion, such as Don’t Cry Mommy and Azooma, did so in a relatively black and white fashion. Director Kang Hyo-jin opts to operate in a grey area, much like Lee Don-ku did with his incendiary debut Fatal, also last year.

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The Ultimate Revenge Narrative: 26 Years (26년, 26-nyeon) 2012

Just like anyone else, I come from a country (Ireland) with historical scars that refuse to completely fade away. The sad fact is that these days my connection with my home is tenuous at best. Nevertheless, as we approach the centenary following the Easter Rising of 1916, this terrible event that saw a group a passionate Irishman stand up to their English oppressors, only to be brutally suppressed, is still an indelible part of who I am.

My grandmother (who recently died aged 100) was only four when it happened. It should be ancient history for me: a bygone event that took place in a country I didn't spend much of my youth in and that I don’t easily identify with. Yet somehow, I feel a sense of solidarity with those young men (and a few women) who stood up to an unvanquishable foe in the name of what they felt was right.

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KBO: Miracle, Berlin Dominate Lunar New Year Frame (02/08-02/10, 2013)

Miracle, Berlin Dominate Lunar New Year Frame

	Title	Release Date	Market Share	Weekend	Total	Screens
1	Miracle in Cell No. 7	13/01/23	37.10%	1,308,317	6,281,296	802
2	The Berlin File	13/01/30	33.50%	1,153,414	4,181,031	784
3	A Good Day to Die Hard (us)	13/02/06	14.30%	479,370	625,388	458
4	South Bound	13/02/06	8.30%	292,274	402,602	420
5	The Snow Queen (ru)	13/02/07	1.90%	73,355	84,889	311
6	Pororo: the Racing Adventure	13/01/23	1.70%	59,252	756,564	287
7	Monsters Inc. (us)	1/12/20	1.20%	31,377	34,863	173
8	Les Miserables (uk/us)	12/12/19	0.50%	18,153	5,835,054	51
9	Man on the Edge	13/01/09	0.40%	13,499	3,884,380	64
10	Life of Pie (us)	13/01/01	0.20%	4,728	1,568,566	10

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Berlinale 2013: Pluto (명왕성, Myeongwangsong) 2012

One of the ten Korean films screening at the 63rd Berlin International Film Festival.

Film festivals can be a great place to catch up with big films from established luminaries of world cinema but for the ardent cinephile, the most exciting thing is to make a fresh discovery. With patience and some discerning selecting, you will almost always come away with a few pleasant surprises but, while it is wonderful to stumble upon an accomplished debut or sophomore films from emerging talents in the field, every so often you will see something that gives you a special feeling. It is an unmistakable sense of being part of something new and exciting, in the presence of an artist with raw talent, effortless ability and an intuitive understanding of film. These spine-tingling moments don’t happen at every festival but when they do it makes all the searching worthwhile.

Shin Su-won’s second feature Pluto gave me this feeling. However, before singing too much of its praises, I should say that it is a flawed work. More than the film itself, it is the potential of the director that gave me goosebumps. Without a doubt, Shin is about to be a major player in Korean cinema and could well become a force on the international scene before long.

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