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K-Movie

[K-Movie] Confidential Assignment Returns Bigger Scale with A Thrilling Sequel

Confidential Assignment will be returning with a sequel bigger than before. First released in 2017 where elite North Korean detective Lim Cheol Ryung (Hyun Bin) join hands with a South Korean detective Kang Jin Tae (Yoo Hai Jin) to solve a case, this remarkable film earned more than 7.81 million admissions at Korea’s box office. 5 years on, the sequel will bring back the two familiar faces and task them with a confidential assignment of an international crime organization arrest.

Confidential Assignment 2: International adds a surprise new element in the form of FBI agent Jack, and turning this investigation into an international one. Joining Hyun Bin and Yoo Hae Jin in this film, movie star Daniel Henney will play the role of FBI agent Jack, who is forced to work alongside the two detectives to bring down a criminal mastermind.

All three characters with their own ulterior motives are put into hilarious situations while helping one another to solve this complicated case. The bromance chemistry between them is definitely something to look out for in this film.

The heroine of the first film, Min-young (Lim Yoon A) will also return to the role portraying an unemployed, freeloading sister-in-law of detective Kang Jin Tae. When a handsome FBI appears before her, causing a great deal with confusion, Min-young’s foxy and often unexpected comedic moments will add plenty of laughs and spices to this film.

Finally, the mastermind and ruthless leader behind the criminal organization, Jang Myung Jun is played by actor Jin Sun Kyu, who proves to be a formidable villain as his evil plan keeps the trio of heroes on the tip of their toes.

With a star-studded cast topped with bigger laughs and action, Confidential Assignment 2: International promises to bring a full suite of entertainment to the big screens this September.

Movie Synopsis:
Confidential Assignment is back! This time, 3 countries are joining forces. In order to bring down an international criminal organization that is hiding in South Korea, elite North Korean detective Lim Cheol Ryung (Hyun Bin) is dispatched to the South, while South Korean detective Kang Jin Tae (Yoo Hai Jin) is sent to Cyber Crimes unit when an undercover operation goes South. He’s desperate to return to his old team when he’s given a special detail with Cheol ryung once more.

As Min-young’s (Lim Yoon A) heart is reignited to see Cheol Ryung once more, he and Jin Tae proceed to work together despite being suspicious of each other’s motives. Just as they’re about to raid the criminal organization’s leader, Jang Myung Jun’s (Jin Sun Kyu) hideout, FBI agent Jack (Daniel Henney) bursts in!

Title: CONFIDENTIAL ASSIGNMENT 2: INTERNATIONAL
Genre: Crime/Action
Cast: Hyun Bin, Yoo Hai Jin, Lim Yoon A, Daniel Henney, Jin Sun Kyu
Directed by: Lee Seok-hoon
Singapore Release Date: 15 September 2022
Runtime: TBA
Language: Korean (with English & Chinese subtitles)


(Movie Stills: Purple Plan)

Categories
K-Drama

Song Joong-ki and Kim Tae-ri Team Up for Space Sweepers, Korea’s First Outer Space Blockbuster

Space Sweepers, the much-anticipated Korean sci-fi thriller starring Song Joong-ki, Kim Tae-ri, Jin Sun-kyu and Yoo Hai-jin, will be premiering on Netflix this February 5th.

Regarded as the first Korean outer space blockbuster, Space Sweepers is set in 2092 where the Earth has become a bleak planet and will soon be uninhabitable. The story revolves around the crew of Spaceship Victory, a cosmic waste management spacecraft that tries to escape the destruction of Earth.

Crewed with a genius space pilot Tae-ho (Song Joong-ki), a mysterious ex-space pirate Captain Jang (Kim Tae-ri), a spaceship engineer Tiger Park (Jin Sun-kyu), and a reprogrammed military robot Bubs (Yoo Hai-jin), Spaceship Victory surpasses all other space sweepers.

After successfully snatching a crashed space shuttle in the latest debris chase, Victory’s crew are surprised to find a 7-year-old girl inside. They realize that she’s the humanlike robot wanted by UTS Space Guards, and decide to demand ransom in exchange. In their quest to earn money, these misfits just might save the world.

Check out the official teaser for the excitement-packed outer space sci-fi blockbuster, Space Sweepers:


(Source & Photos: Netflix)

Categories
K-Movie

[K-Movie] A Historic Fight to Remember, ‘The Battle: Roar to Victory’ Opens in Theatres 26 September

A significant moment to remember in the history of Korea, The Battle: Roar to Victory is a war film that highlights the first victory for Korean independent fighters when they went against the Japanese forces during the Japanese Occupation in the 1920 Bongo-dong battle.

Leading the South Korean flag to triumph, this film is also braving on in the Korean box office, grossing over an impressive USD33.5 million to date.

The war action film is headlined by 3 talented actors: Yoo Hae-jin as the legendary independence fighter who skilfully wields a sword with the resistance message on it; Ryu Jun-yeol as the squad captain of the Independence Army with remarkable shooting skills and quick agility, and Jo Woo-jin as the eloquent sniper who was a former bandit-turned-independence fighter.

Producing this film to remember the history of resistance during the Japanese Occupation, Director Won Shin-yun hopes to interpret the history as a period of hope and courage, rather than despair, domination or humiliation.

Film Synopsis:

In 1920, when Korea is under Japanese rule, the Korean Independence Army’s Hae-chul (played by Yoo Hae-jin) and his subordinates are carrying out the operation to deliver funds to the Korean Provisional Government in Shanghai.

During the operation, Hae-chul is reunited with Jang-ha (played by Ryu Jun-yeol), a young squad commander, whose mission is to defend Samdunja. They unite and trap the Japanese soldiers in Samdunja, soundly defeating them. Now they’re chased by Japanese troops and Hae-chul finds out that Jang-ha’s mission isn’t over yet. A crucial yet dangerous task is still assigned to him.

Title: The Battle: Roar to Victory (봉오동 전투)
Genre: Action, War
Cast: Yoo Hae-jin, Ryu Jun-yeol, Jo Woo-jin
Directed by: Won Shin-yun
Singapore Release Date: 26 September 2019
Runtime: 135 minutes
Rating: NC16 (Violence)


(Photos: Shaw Theatres)

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
K-Movie

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

Your phone is your life and soul but what happens if your deepest darkest secrets were to be revealed? Join a group of friends as they unravel their secrets to one another over a housewarming meal! Featuring a phenomenal cast consisting of many popular actors such as Yoo Hae-jin, Cho Jin-woong, Lee Seo-jin, Yum Jung-ah, Kim Ji-soo, Song Ha-yoon, and Yoon Kyung-ho, INTIMATE STRANGERS is sure to knock you out with its jokes and unpredictability through the actors’ hilarious acting.

This comedy film has achieved a milestone as the fastest Korean comedy of 2018 to surpass 1 million moviegoers in four days after its opening at the Korea box office, and it is packed to the brim with surprise twists and turns at every corner.

Back with his latest film after a 4-year break from his previous movie, INTIMATE STRANGERS is directed by renowned drama director Lee Jae-kyoo, who is well-known amongst the Korea public for his fantastic directing in the hit drama Beethoven Virus and The King 2 Hearts. With his outstanding insight and ability in capturing unique perspectives, this movie is set to strike it big with the audiences once again.

Film Synopsis:

“Wanna play a game? Put your cell phones on the table. Let’s share all our messages and calls during dinner. All notices. Even emails.”

Someone suggests a game during a dinner party with life-long friends to put their cell phones on the table and share everything from phone calls to texts and emails. As secrets from the friends who started the game for fun become exposed, the night spirals out of control beyond prediction and imagination!

Title: INTIMATE STRANGERS
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Cast: Yoo Hae-jin, Cho Jin-woong, Lee Seo-jin, Yum Jung-ah, Kim Ji-soo, Song Ha-yoon, Yoon Kyung-ho
Directed by: Lee Jae-kyoo
Singapore Release Date: 22 November 2018
Runtime: 115 minutes

Watch the official trailer and stay tuned to our Facebook page here to find out how you can win preview screening tickets as well as autographed goodies signed by the movie cast!


(Photos: Purple Plan)

Categories
K-Movie

[K-MOVIE] 1987: When The Day Comes – In Singapore Cinemas 1 February

Based on true events in 1987 under an oppressive military regime, the death of a college student, caused by unlawful interrogation, ignites ordinary citizens to fight for the truth and bring about justice.

For the first time in the history of Korean cinema, 1987: WHEN THE DAY COMES tells the story of the individuals who decided to begin the fight against injustice that grew into outcries echoing across the country.

Starring Kim Yoon-seok, Ha Jung-woo, Yoo Hae-jin, Kim Tae-ri, Park Hee-soon and Lee Hee-joon, the film has already achieved over 5 million moviegoers since its opening in Korea cinemas on 27 December. It is currently ranked at the top of box office and is slated to release in Singapore cinemas on 1 February.



Title: 1987: When The Day Comes
Genre: Drama
Cast: Kim Yoon-seok, Ha Jung-woo, Yoo Hae-jin, Kim Tae-ri, Park Hee-soon, Lee Hee-joon
Directed by: Jang Joon-hwan
Run Time: 129 min
Singapore Release Date: 1 February 2018

Synopsis:

In January 1987, a 22-year-old college student dies during a police interrogation. Under the orders of Director Park (Kim Yoon-seok), the police request the body to be cremated in order to destroy evidence. Public Prosecutor Choi (Ha Jung-woo), who was on duty on the day of the incident, denies the request and calls for an autopsy. The police maintain the lie that the death was a simple accident, resulting from shock. The autopsy results, however, point to torture as the cause of death.

Yoon (Lee Hee-joon), a journalist following the case, reports that the death was a result of asphyxiation during torture. Director Park attempts to conceal the truth by ending the case, arresting two detectives including inspector Cho (Park Hee-soon). While in prison, inspector Cho reveals the truth to prison guard Han Byung-yong (Yoo Hae-jin), who embarks on a dangerous mission to relay the information to an opposition politician through his niece, Yeon-hee (Kim Tae-ri).

Check out the official movie trailer above and stay tuned to our Facebook page to find out how you can WIN tickets to the film’s sneak preview!