koreanfilm.org.uk - a gateway into the most exciting film market in the world

Recent Updates

For those of you who don't already know, Mother / 마더 is being released theatrically in the UK on August 20th. More news to follow.
(Posted 5 July 2010)

Here is my lowdown
of what happened at Cannes this year, in terms of Korean cinema.
(Posted 27 May 2010)

Treeless Mountain / 나무없는 산 DVD released today. Review is up - please click here.
(Posted 10 May 2010)

I just want to say congratulations to Im Sang-soo (The Housemaid / 하녀) , Lee Chang-dong (Poetry / 시) and Hong Sang-soo (Ha Ha Ha / 하하하) for having their films chosen for Cannes Film Festival, which starts on the 12th May and concludes on the 23rd May. Koreanfilm.org.uk wishes you all the best of luck, particuarly for The Housemaid and Poetry, which are both included in the competition. 화이팅!!!
(Posted 27 April 2010)

The stupendous Peppermint Candy from director Lee Chang-dong goes on UK DVD release on 26th April and the critically acclaimed Treeless Mountain goes on UK DVD release on the 10th May (it was being released on 26th April, but has now been put back).
(Posted 21 April 2010)

The Terrocatta Film Festival will screen Antique / 서양골동양과자점 앤티크 on Saturday May 8th 2010 at the Prince Charles Cinema, London.  More information here. Don't miss it.
(Posted 21 April 2010)

The Avatamska Surta / 화엄경 is to be screened at the Korean Cultural Centre on April 22. More info here.
(Posted 21 April 2010)


Come, Come Come Upwards / 아제아제 바라아제 is to be screened at the Korean Cultural Centre on April 8. More info here.

(Posted 5 April 2010)

If you haven't seen the stupendous Breathless /똥파리 yet, why don't you catch it at the Korean Cultural Centre this evening (25 March). More info here.
(Posted 25 March 2010)

Breathless /똥파리 goes on DVD release Monday 22 March - order it now. Interview with lead actress Kim Kkot-bi (김꽃비) here and interview with director, Yang Ik-june (양익준) here. Review of film here.
(Posted 14 March 2010)

Daytime Drinking / 낮술 will be screened at the Korean Cultural Centre tomorrow evening. More info here.
(Posted 10 March 2010)

Chaw / 차우 is released on DVD today. Optimum Home Entertainment have kindly given koreanfilm.org.uk three copies of Chaw / 차우 to give away to promote the film. If you want to win a copy, just answer the following question: What is the name of Sin Jeong-won's (신정원) (director of Chaw) feature debut?  Send the answer to jase at koreanfilm dot org dot uk. The competition is open to UK residents only. Deadline: 23:59, Friday 5th March 2010. Winners will be picked at random. Winners will be informed by email.
(Posted 1 March 2010)

Chaw / 차우 is being released on DVD on Monday 1st March 2010. I have reviewed it here.
(Posted 24 February 2010)


The Korean Culture Centre are screening Lifting King Kong /
킹콩을 들다  tomorrow night. More info here.
(Posted 23 February 2010)

The Korean Culture Centre are screening Take Off / 국가대표 tomorrow night. More info here.
(Posted 10 February 2010)

I have updated Film of the Month - see below.
(Posted 9 February 2010)

Breathless / 똥파리 goes on release at the ICA cinema on Friday. You can see my review here (including release details - i.e. when and where it is showing) and I have interviewed director Yang Ik-June, who also stars in the film. You can see the interview here.
(Posted 24 January 2010)

Treeless Mountain / 나무없는 산 goes on release this Friday - more info here.
(Posted 5 January 2010)


Treeless Mountain / 나무없는 산 goes on release this Friday - more info here.
(Posted 5 January 2010)

I have updated Film of the Month - see below. It goes on release on Friday.
(Posted 4 January 2010)

I want to wish you all a very merry Christmas and a happy new year. Thank you all for your continued support and readership. I trust that you all will have a prosperous 2010.                                                                      (Posted 25 December 2009)                                                                                     

The Korean Cultural Centre is screening some of Korea's earliest films  - more info here.
(Posted 9 December 2009) 

After a hectic few weeks with the Korean Film Festival, London Film Festival and Park Chan-wook (박찬욱) coming to town, everything has now calmed down as Christmas approaches. This gives me the opportunity to do some work to parts of the site that are in need of some updates, like the Box office, which take more time. I'm also putting together a kind of Bong Joon-ho (봉준호) feature and an interview with Jang Ik-June (양익준), which I will put online in January in conjunction with the release of his stupendous film, Breathless / 똥파리. As a result, updates will be more infrequent, unfortunately, as I work on these areas, but ultimately, this will put koreanfilm.org.uk in a good position as it enters a new year...
(Posted 2 December 2009)

I have updated the film of the month (see below)
(Posted 26 November 2009)

Untold Scandal / 스캔들 - 조선남녀상열지사 to be screened at the Korean Cultural Centre on Thursday 26th November. More info here.                                                                                                                          (Posted 23 November 2009)

More Korean titles to hit the UK market. More info here.
(Posted 20 November 2009)

Im Sang-soo (임상수) to direct and Jeon Do-yeon (전도연) to star in a remake of Kim Ki-young's (김기영) classic, The Housemaid / 하녀. More infto here.
(Posted 10 November 2009)

More tickets have become available for the Bong Joon Q&A at the BFI, South Bank. Don't miss out! Clickhere for the link.
(Posted 5 November 2009) 

I have done a brief guide to this year's Korean Film Festival, which provides some useful info on the films being shown and the events going on this year. Please have a look!
(Posted 4 November 2009)

I have reviewed Hong Sang-soo's (홍상수)Like you Know it all / 잘 알지도 못하면서 and Lost in the Mountains.

(Posted 3 November 2009)

The Bong Joon-ho retrospective has arleady begun at the BFI as part of the Korean Film Festival, so if you want to see his films on the big screen, here is your chance.
(Posted 2 November 2009

Kwak Kyeong-taek (곽경택) is set to direct Korea's first feature length live-action 3D film. More info here.
(Posted 30 October 2009)

Congratulations to the London Film Festival on a very successful year despite the current economic recession. Audience numbers were up on last year - 124,000 this year compared to 115,000 in 2008. I was impressed with the Korean films on display; Mother / 마더 was outstanding, Like you Know it All / 잘 알지도 못하면서 was the most accessible and compelling Hong Sang-soo film I have seen to date and his short, Lost in The Mounatins was equally impressive. These reviews will be on my site very shortly.
(Posted 30 October 2009)

I have review Bong Joon-ho's (봉준호) Mother / 마더, which screened at the London Film Festival.
(Posted October 24)

I done my first post on the Korean Film Festival, which sums up the key highlights and includes links to the venues and official festival website. Another post to follow, but I trust this will be suffice for now....
(Posted October 23)

I have changed film of the month  - see below.
(Posted October 21)

Thirst goes on release today in selected cinemas. Showing at the Curzon Soho, Gate Picturehouse, Ritzy Picturehouse , Screen on The Green & Selected Key Cities. There is also an interview with Park Chan-wook (박찬욱) on Film 2009 with Jonathan Ross - available on BBC Iplayer for UK viewers.
(Posted October 16)

Korean Film Festival at the Barbican now online and booking channels are now open. I will do a feature on the festival, but for now, here is the link to the Barbican's website.
(Posted October 12)

Thirst / 박쥐 review is up, and, remember, you can by Haeundae / Tidal Wave / 해운대 DVD from today, or if you want to see it on the big screen, you can see it at the Korean Film Festival (see post and link above).
(Posted October 12)

Haeundae / Tidal Wave / 해운대 review is up. DVD is out on Monday.
(Posted October 8)

Bong Joon-ho retrosepctive at the BFI in November. Will do a full post soon, but you can now book tickets for some of the performances including his shorts, which you won't find elsewhere very easily. More info here.
(Posted October 8)

I have done a small write-up on the London Film Festival. Please Click here
(Posted October 5)

Congratulations to Terracotta for purchasing Breathless /  똥파리 - more info on Screendaily.
(Posted October 5)

Park Chan-wook season at the Korean Cultural Centre - more info here.
(Posted October 5)

Tickets are still available for the Park Chan-wook Q & A at the Curzon on 5th October and if you haven't entered the compeition to meet Park Chan-wook, the closing date is fast approaching - it now closes on September 30, so hurry! The link is here.
(Posted September 27)

Haeundae / Tidal Wave / 해운대 is to be released on DVD next month -  More info here
(Posted September 24)

I have uploaded Metrodome's Exclusive Trailer of Thirst / 박쥐 - please scroll down.
(Posted September 23)

The Scarlet Letter / 주홍글씨 is to be screened at KCC on 24 September. More info here.
(Posted September 22)

Speedy Scandal /과속스캔들 is reviewed.
(Posted September 21)


I have changed Film of the Month - please see below.
(Posted September 17)

Do you want to meet Park Chan-wook?! Here is a chance.... Metrodome are collaborating with Pallisades Tartan to give a chance for one lucky winner (and a companion) to meet the cult director for lunch. All you have to do is fill in your details here. They are launching this competition in conjunction with the release of Thirst, which is premiering at the Curzon Soho on Monday 5th October. It goes on release on 16th October. If you are the lucky winner, you and your companion also get to go to the premier - with Park Chan-wook in attendance - and stay in a hotel in Central London. Travel, meals and hotel accomodation are paid for. What are you waiting for?! Closing date September 27th, 11:59pm.
(Posted September 15)

The Korean Film fest website online, although it won't be fully online for another few weeks. Films include Thirst, so those who want to see Park's latest will be happy. Bong Joon-ho is also having a retrospective at the BFI - oh yeah!  Also showing is the very impressive A Frozen Flower 쌍화점 and there is a retrospective of one Korea's great film directors, Yoo Hyun-mok. His film Olbaton has been massively influential throughout Korean cinema - not the least during the 80s New Wave. The Film fest is also going on tour again this year - to Manchester and Nottingham. I am not working on the film fest this year as I have been busy with MA, so I am very much looking forward to enjoying it as a guest this year!
(Posted September 12)

London Film Festival Programme announced. Mother to be screened as well as Hong Sang-soo's Like you know it all and his short digital short film Lost in the Mountains. No Park Chan-wook's Thirst, which is a little surprising. Also advertised in the film brochure is what I assume is some kind of Bong Joon-ho's retrospective at the BFI. Will keep you posted.

Also revelaed is Pusan's line -up. Here it is . Once I get my dissertation done (next Tues), I will see that I do some needed posts!
(Posted September 9)