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K-Movie

4 New Korean Movies To be Screened in May For JJANG MOVIE FIESTA

Returning for the second year at the box office, JJANG MOVIE FIESTA will be showcased for four consecutive weeks every Wednesday and Saturday from 8 May onwards at Golden Village, featuring a new Korean movie screening each week.

The Korean film showcase will include an exciting line-up from chilling thrillers to dark comedy and crime-action film. For the K-movie fans, here is the list of films that will be screening during the movie fiesta:

1) THE WITNESS (목격자)

Film Synopsis:
I saw the killer, and the killer saw me.

Sang-hoon, an average salary man lives in an apartment complex with his wife and child at the foot of the mountain. One night, he witnesses a crime scene through his living room window, and the killer also notices that he is being watched. Sang-hoon, despite the dilemma, decides to hide and neglect the fact that he had seen someone get murdered, but had done nothing. The killer, however, starts to search the apartment to find and eliminate his only witness of that night.

Title: The Witness (목격자)
Genre: Crime, Thriller
Cast: Lee Sung-min, Kim Sang-ho, Jin Kyung, Kwak Si-yang
Directed by: Jo Kyu-jang
Runtime: 111 Minutes
Singapore Screening Dates: 8 & 11 May 2019 (At GV Plaza, Tiong Bahru & Katong)

2) TOO HOT TO DIE (그날밤에)

Film Synopsis:

When 3 men who believe they lived the most depressing lives in the world meet a woman, they suddenly gain a reason to live. As members of a suicide club, ‘Final Flame’ Byung-nam, ‘Incomplete Life’ Sim-sun and ‘Score-based Happiness’ Du-seok get together to kill themselves. But before they could finally do so, each of them check off their bucket list and achieve calmness by feeling happy and unloading their thoughts…

Right then, the last member of the club, nicknamed ‘Rose of Betrayal’ Mi-ji arrives. With the appearance of someone so beautiful, the men’s plan to commit suicide is turned upside down. As she reveals her shocking past, all 3 of them struggle to cling onto life..

Title: Too Hot To Die (그날밤에)
Genre: Comedy
Cast: Kim In-Kwon, Jung Sang-Hoon, Son Dam-Bi, Kim Sung-Chul, Park Chul-Min
Directed by: Park Jin-Young
Runtime: 99 Minutes
Singapore Screening Dates: 15 & 18 May 2019 (At GV Plaza, Tiong Bahru & Katong)

3) ORDINARY PEOPLE (동네사람들)

Film Synopsis:

A high school girl has disappeared but no one seems to care in a sleepy country town. Ki-chul is sent to a high school in the country as its new gym teacher and has a hard time adjusting to his new environment and feels that there’s something definitely wrong about the town and its people. Yu-jin is a high school student whose best friend disappeared without a trace.

Everyone believes she ran away from home but Yu-jin is the only one who thinks she’s been kidnapped. With the help of Ki-chul, she sets out a dangerous path to uncover the truth…

Title: Ordinary People (동네사람들)
Genre: Crime, Action
Cast: Ma Dong-Seok, Kim Sae-Ron, Lee Sang-Yeob, Jin Seon-Kyu
Directed by: Lim Jin-Soon
Runtime: 99 Minutes
Singapore Screening Dates: 22 & 25 May 2019 (At GV Plaza, Tiong Bahru & Katong)

4) DOOR LOCK (도어락)

Film Synopsis:

Based on the cult film ‘SLEEP TIGHT’ by Jaume Balaguero. Kyung- min, an ordinary office worker, lives alone in a studio. One evening, coming back home, she finds the cover of her door lock left open and changes the code. But that night, before she goes to bed, she hears a terrifying sound: “Beep, beep, beep… You have entered the wrong code.”

Horrified, Kyung-min reports the incident to the police, but they don’t pay her much attention. Sometime after, when she finds evidence that someone has been in her studio and a murder takes place, Kyung-min decides she’s going to solve the case herself…

Title: Door Lock (도어락)
Genre: Thriller, Horror
Cast: Gong Hyo-Jin, Kim Ye-Won, Kim Sung-Oh
Directed by: Lee Kwon
Runtime: 102 Minutes
Singapore Screening Dates: 29 May & 1 Jun 2019 (At GV Plaza, Tiong Bahru & Katong)


In line with the four-weeks movie fiesta, Golden Village Movie club members stand a chance to win dining vouchers worth up to $100 (total of 10 sets to be won, courtesy of SEORAE Korean Charcoal BBQ), when they purchase a pair of tickets to any movie screened at JJANG MOVIE FIESTA.

Catch the exciting movie line-up at JJANG MOVIE FIESTA from 8 May onwards, at Golden Village Plaza, Tiong Bahru and Katong. Tickets are priced at $10 for Golden Village Movieclub members, $13 for public on Wednesday and $11 for Golden Village Movieclub members, $14 for public on Saturday; and are now on sale online and at GV cinemas! For more info, visit here.


(Photos Credit: Clover Films)

Categories
K-Movie

[FILM REVIEW] Intimate Strangers: A Fundamentally Realistic Film With A Twist

{MINOR SPOILERS AHEAD!}

This movie stars a ton of familiar faces, namely Yoo Hae-jin, Cho Jin-woong, Lee Seo-jin, Yum Jung-ah, Kim Ji-soo, Song Ha-yoon, and Yoon Kyung-ho. Just 4 days into its release in the Korea box offices, ‘Intimate Strangers‘ has already surpassed over 1,000,000 in ticket sales. Even till now, the film is still doing impressive on the Korean movie charts so this definitely speaks volumes about its quality which we will be talking about today.

Intimate Strangers‘ was a really enjoyable yet thought-provoking film to watch. The casts’ realistic portrayal of their characters along with the great chemistry between them was definitely one of its main selling points. While it has a fairly easy plot to digest thanks to its comical nature, the movie touched on some deeply rooted societal topics that shroud the world today. Think gay acceptance and the like. Overall, it is a lighthearted film that slowly orchestrates itself into a drama with each sequence (To simply put, it’s very exciting).

The story kicks off with 7 longtime friends gathered together over a meal at a housewarming party. Wanting to prove how well they knew each other and how each of them had nothing to hide, the group starts to play a game where they have to reveal any incoming calls and texts up front, no objections allowed. As the game progresses through the night, the cast find themselves in an unpredictable limbo as their secrets are spilled and their true selves are being forcefully revealed.

As the movie progressed, it was evident that the actors were able to integrate into their roles seamlessly and the plot was engaging enough to leave viewers satisfied. However, there are a few scenes in the movies that left me a tad bit unsatiated. Though I must add, this boils down to personal preference and should not affect your perception of the film!

While the acting and plot was on point, the film had an open ending and like most moviegoers, the lack of proper closure leaves me with a sense of uneasiness because I cannot help but think of it the entire day… Another issue was how the film normalizes the social problems mentioned above. Maybe because I had expected them to talk a bit more about it in the film but somehow it kind of felt like it was a touch-and-go. But hey, talking about it is already a step in the right direction so who am I to complain!

In a sense, ‘Intimate Strangers’ made me realize how much of a role a smartphone plays in our everyday life. It controls and affects our emotions, our relationships and most importantly, holds many of our deepest darkest secrets. Watching this show brought me on a rollercoaster ride of emotions – One minute I was laughing at the jokes in the film, the next minute I would be feeling sad. Would I watch this show again? For sure because this movie is the perfect marriage between comedy and drama, and I felt 2 hours went by in the blink of an eye because of the rush of excitement.

And if there’s one thing I took away from the film, it was this phrase that was written at the end of it that struck a chord within me – Everyone has three lives, a public life, a private life, and a secret life. So if you were in their shoes, would you be ready to expose your secret life now?

Actor’s Appeal: ★★★★☆
Plot: ★★★★☆
Cinematography: ★★★☆☆
Sense of Satisfaction: ★★★☆☆

Total: 3.5/5

Intimate Strangers’ opens in GV cinemas 22 November 2018. Watch the official trailer and find out more about the film here:

[K-MOVIE] Unravel Secrets with “INTIMATE STRANGERS”, The Fastest Korean Comedy of 2018 To Surpass 1 Million Moviegoers


(Photos: Purple Plan)

Categories
Features

Korean Film Festival 2017 Returns Bigger And Better! RSVP To Redeem Tickets To Catch These K-Movies!

Celebrating its 11th year in the making, the annual Korean Film Festival returns to the big screens featuring the best of Korean cinematography for all to enjoy.

Themed “Beyond Sports, Chasing a Dream”, the 2017 screening line-up will showcase the best of all genres, from box office hits to hidden treasures like “The Himalayas” and “Run-Off ” starring renowned actors and rising stars alike. Best of all, admission is free for the public with limited tickets available for each screening. Simply register your interest to redeem the complimentary tickets!

Update: Tickets for all screenings happening this week (27, 28 & 29 Oct) have been fully redeemed!

2017 Korean Film Festival: Line Up

Run-OFF (PG)
Public Screening:
28 Oct, Sat, 4.15pm | 29 Oct, Sun, 7pm

Featuring as the opening for this year’s Korean Film Festival, the movie centres around an odd group of women, including a North Korean defector, a short track skater and a middle school student, who comes together to form South Korea’s first female ice hockey team.

Green Days (PG)
Public Screening:
29 Oct, Sun, 4.30pm | 4 Nov, Sat, 4.30pm

Straying away from high-tech computer graphics and three-dimensional techniques, the animated film was HAND-DRAWN in pencil with 14 animators using 100,000-plus sheets over a period of 11years. The film features a nostalgic coming-of-age story about a high school girl who struggles to find meaning in her existence and learns to confront her biggest fears.

Fourth Place (PG)
Public Screening:
4 Nov, Sat, 7pm | 5 Nov, Sun, 4.15pm

Disappointed with his repeated 4th place ranking in competitions, the talented young swimmer Joon-Ho (Yoo Jae-Sang) is paired with a new swimming coach, Kwang-Soo (Park Hae-Joon) by his mother. In his first competition under the new coach, Joon-Ho placed 2nd but with a body noticeably full of bruises.

Split (PG13)
Public Screening:
28 Oct, Sat, 7pm | 5 Nov, Sun, 7pm

Once a legendary professional bowler, Chul-Jong (Yoo Ji-Tae) finds himself disconnected from the world when a devastating car accident ended his pro career. The story takes for a turn when Chul-Jong spots an autistic young man named Young-Hoon (David Lee) who showcases unlimited potential as a bowler.

The Himalayas (PG)
Public Screening:
27 Oct, Fri, 7pm | 3 Nov, Fri, 7pm

A tear-jerking film based on a true story. Wanting to staying true to the word, “I will bring you home” mountaineer Um Hong-gil (Hwang Jung-min) and his expedition team set out to find the body of Park Moo-taek (Kim In-kwon) who died climbing the Himalayas.

Public screenings of the movie line-up will run over 2 consecutive weekends from 27 October to 5 November, at Shaw Theatres Lido.

Ticketing Details
– Admission is free, but limited.
– Limited to 2 tickets per film, subjected to availability.
– Registration (via email) is required for ticket redemption
– All unclaimed tickets will be released to stand-by guests, 15 minutes prior to show time – Kindly assist with a quick survey upon ticket collection at the venue on screening day

RSVP Details:
RSVP your tickets at sgkff2017@gmail.com with the following particulars:-
Name:
Contact:
Email:
Movie Title:
Screening Date and Time:
No. of tickets required (Max 2):

For more information, please visit:
https://www.facebook.com/KoreanFilmFestivalSg
https://www.facebook.com/KoreaEmbassySingapore


The 11th Korean Film Festival is organized by the Embassy of the Republic of Korea and the Korea Foundation.

Categories
Features

[COVER] Kang Ha Neul And Park Seojoon Described As The “Dynamic Duo” Of MIDNIGHT RUNNERS

Korean heartthrob Kang Ha Neul and director Jason Kim were in Singapore last Thursday (31 Aug) for the movie promotions of MIDNIGHT RUNNERS which is slated for local release on 7 September 2017.

Starring the rising actors Kang Ha Neul and Park Seo Joon, the movie tells the story of two apathetic police academy recruits-turned-best-friends who witnessed a kidnapping incident by chance during their leave. After making a police report, the investigation went stagnant as there were lacked of evidences. The duo then decided to take matters into their own hands where they ran into unexpected twists and turns.




Speaking at the press conference, director Kim revealed that he’d been working on the movie project for 3 years — 2 years on its story and 1 year on the casting. He eventually decided to cast Kang Ha Neul and Park Seojoon as both actors were interested in the story and naturally blended well together.

Describing the two lead actors as the dynamic duo, director Kim complimented their professionalism and added that they knew the story more than he did and portrayed their characters really well.

On the other hand, Kang Ha Neul revealed that the atmosphere on set was nothing short of pure joy. Just like what was shown in the movie, he also disclosed his close relationship and chemistry with Park Seojoon and director Kim off screen.

“Park Seojoon is like an older brother to me and working together brings us even closer. Also, director Kim has a great attention to detail. He was willing to listen to our opinions and thoughts.”

Visiting Singapore for the third time, Kang Ha Neul thanked fans for their warm welcome as he greeted them at the public Meet & Greet session held at Bugis Square on the same evening. Selected lucky fans also had the opportunity to play games and take a group photo with the actor during the event.

Kang Ha Neul is set to enlist in the military as a military police officer on 11 September, while MIDNIGHT RUNNERS will open in Singapore cinemas on 7 September. We wish him all the best and look forward to his grand return to the small and big screens 21 months later!


MIDNIGHT RUNNERS Singapore Star Tour was presented by tvN Movies and covered by HallyuSG.

(Photos: Nicole)

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Features

[INTERVIEW] Ji Chang Wook Greets Fans With New Movie, Fabricated City!

Actor Ji Chang Wook was recently in Malaysia to promote his big screen debut in Fabricated City and we had the chance to speak to him about his role in the movie. Catch up with him in this exclusive video!

Make sure you watch till the end as the actor also left a greeting for his Singapore fans!

(Disclaimer: All rights reserved to HallyuSG. DO NOT repost or edit without permission. Change the settings to view the video in HD)

READ the coverage of Ji Chang Wook’s special appearance in Malaysia:

https://www.hallyusg.net/2017/04/11/cover-jichangwookinmy/


Special thanks to Sony Pictures Releasing, Singapore for having us there and arranging this interview! Fabricated City opens in Singapore theatres on 20 April 2017.

Video: Nicole & Sony Pictures Releasing, Singapore
Video Editing: Nicole

Categories
Features

[COVER] Ji Chang Wook Talks About His Big Screen Debut And Shares Plans Before Enlistment

Actor Ji Chang Wook was the talk of the town when he visited Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia for the first time to promote his debut movie, Fabricated City.

Landing himself a lead role in the action thriller, Ji Chang Wook was all smiles as he discussed about his big screen debut as well as his plans before military enlistment this year.

In the movie, the actor plays the character of Kwon Yu, a hardcore gamer who spends most of his time at Internet cafes. Kwon Yu was wrongfully accused of murder when he found a lost phone and returned it to its owner, who was discovered brutally murdered the next morning. With the help of his online teammates, he fought his way to prove his innocence in this shadowy case.

Since this was his first time starring as the lead role in a film, Ji Chang Wook revealed that he did not feel much difference between filming for a drama and a movie.

The actor however found it more challenging for the latter due to time constraints which at one point became both physically and emotionally draining for him. He added that much preparations and effort were made into developing his movie character as it involved many action scenes.

When asked about his filming experience, Ji Chang Wook particularly pointed out the prison scenes and described them as ‘scary’ and ‘tiring’. Though he did not sustain any major injuries during filming, the actor revealed that he actually rehearsed the action scenes multiple times in order to prevent such injuries from occurring.

“This is my first time here in Malaysia, I was really curious and didn’t know what to expect. But I was taken aback by the warm welcome of Malaysian fans at the airport. It was a unique experience and I will remember it for a long time,” he chuckled.

He brought laughter to the room when he said, “I haven’t had the chance to step out of my hotel, but I would like to visit again for a vacation.”

On his plans before enlistment this year, Ji Chang Wook says, “I have schedules packed before military, but if time allows, I’d like to go for a vacation.”

He added that filming for his new romance comedy drama will commence when he head back to Korea. It is a genre that he has never tried before and he thinks it will be really fun.

The actor ended off with a warm message for his fans, “I’ve always wanted to say thank you. I can only be here because of the love and support from my fans. I will work harder to fulfil your expectations. Please enjoy Fabricated City!”

Catch Ji Chang Wook’s debut movie, Fabricated City, which will open in Singapore theatres on 20 April 2017! Find out more information of the movie and catch the official trailer HERE!


Ji Chang Wook [Fabricated City] Media Conference and Red Carpet Gala Premiere in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia was presented by tvN Movies and covered by HallyuSG. Special thanks to Sony Pictures Releasing, Singapore for having us there!

Categories
Features

[INTERVIEW] Yeo Jin Goo & Shim Eun Kyung Receives "Most Promising Actor & Actress" Awards By tvN Movies

CJ E&M has announced the launch of its latest venture in Singapore – tvN Movies, Singapore’s first Korean Blockbuster movie cable channel via StarHub TV (Ch. 818 and 819)! Popular actor and actress, Yeo Jin Goo and Shim Eun Kyung, were recently in town to attend the launch of the new channel where they shared about their upcoming projects, movie career development and their New Year resolutions!

Yeo Jin Goo, 19, is best known for his role as the young Lee Hwon in hit drama The Moon That Embraces The Sun (2012). Hwayi: A Monster Boy (2013), in which the actor took the lead role as the endearing, yet surprisingly disturbed boy ‘Hwa-yi’, is set to air on tvN Movies.

In a candid interview, the young star opened up about his concerns of transitioning from a child actor to an actor who could take on captivating lead roles. When asked if he has ever regretted going down the path of an actor, the bright-eyed teen replied that there were times when he felt physically tired, but he has never regretted the decision. He wishes to continue acting for a long time.

Also present at the launch event was actress Shim Eun Kyung, 22, who had started out young in the industry and cemented quite a reputation for herself. Shim Eun Kyung has starred in the film Miss Granny (2014), which has gone on to win her many awards for her quaint role as ‘Oh Doo-ri’. To date, Miss Granny has grossed a total of US$59.6 million internationally.

Shim Eun Kyung shared that the role of Oh Doo-ri – a woman in her 70s who is magically turned into her 20-year-old self – was at first hard to relate to emotionally. However, with the warm help of the director and cast, the filming progressed smoothly. She expressed that she had never expected the film to be such a hit, and that she was grateful that lots of people had taken an interest in the film.

Both Yeo Jin Goo and Shim Eun Kyung were awarded the Most Promising Actor & Actress Awards by tvN Movies, chosen by netizens via an online poll.

We had a quick catch-up with actor Yeo Jin Goo where he shared about his ideal type, career, habits and more in the interview. Check it out below!

(All rights reserved to HallyuSG. DO NOT repost or edit without permission. Change the settings to view the video in HD!)

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5YoF-KDbTB8&width=560&height=315[/embedyt]

tvN Movies is now available on StarHub TV Channel 818 and 819, as well as StarHub Go, StarHub’s online streaming service.


tvN Movies Launch Media Conference & Award Presentation was organised by tvN Movies and covered by HallyuSG.

Article & Video Translations: Tiffany
Video & Photos: Nicole