2012 Korean Film Festival

Hello again lovely readers, this is shaping up to be an exciting spring and summer for Korean culture lovers like you and I! So many wonderful events and festivals are happening. Be sure to check out our Calendar of Korean Events in Toronto to stay up-to-date!

Next weekend – on May 4-6th – the Consulate General of the Republic of Korea in Toronto and CJ Entertainment, one of Korea’s leading media distribution companies, are jointly hosting the Korean Film Festival 2012 at AMC Yonge & Dundas. I’m so excited! The Korean Film Festival 2012 (not to be confused with the Toronto Korean Film Festival which is June 22nd-July 1st) will showcase five recent, popular, and highly-awarded Korean films. And I’m looking forward to seeing them all!

It will open with the Canadian premiere of “Glove” (글러브), Kang Woo-seok’s critically acclaimed film based on a true story of a group of deaf high school baseball players. It was very well received in Korea, attracting more than 550,000 viewers within the first week of its release in January 2011. Director Kang topped Cine21 Magazine’s list of “50 Most Powerful Men in Korean Cinema” for seven consecutive years and also directed “Brotherhood”, which attracted more than 10 million viewers just in Korea. I’ve seen “Brotherhood” and it was a powerful film so I’m definitely excited about the chance to see another of Director Kang’s films. If you have the chance, you should check it out too! “Glove” will screen on Friday May 4 at 7:30pm.

But of course, there are four other great films to see at the 2012 Korean Film Festival. The other screenings will include:

The Front Line (2011), (고지전) directed by Jang Hoon, who won the Best Film Award at the 48th Grand Bell Awards 2011, the Korean equivalent of the American Academy Awards.

Towards the end of the Korean War an uneasy ceasefire is ordered, but out on the Eastern front line of the Aerok Hills, fierce fighting continues. A race to capture a strategic point to determine a new border between the two Koreas is the ultimate prize. But “The Front Line” is not a simple war movie but rather a thriller and a war movie combined. Be prepared for a gripping story!

Showtimes:

• May 5 (Sat) at 1:00pm
• May 6 (Sun) at 6:45pm

Helpless (2011), (화차) Canadian premiere, directed by Byeon Yeong-joo, the Best Director Award nominee for the 48th Paeksang Arts Awards 2012, one of the most prestigious entertainment awards in South Korea.

Imagine you are taking your fiancé to meet your parents and along the way you stop for coffee. Sounds normal, right? But what happens if when you return to your car with the coffee and your fiancé has disappeared? That’s what happens in “Helpless” and as the movie unfolds, we find out that things aren’t what they seem. I’m super excited for this film as it sounds so intriguing!

Showtimes:

• May 5 (Sat) at 4:00pm
• May 6 (Sun) at 4:00pm

Spellbound (2011), (오싹한 연애) directed by Hwang In-ho with his fresh, new approach of mixing horror with romantic comedy.

Due to her unique sixth sense, Yu-ri (Son Ye-jin) is unable to live a normal life and stays isolated away from life and love. Jo-gu (Lee Min-ki), who is a poor street magician, meets Yu-ri during one of his performances and the two develop a magic horror show, which becomes a huge hit. After a string of successful shows, Jo-gu begins to fall for Yu-ri and becomes more and more interested in her hidden secret. But, their sweet dating affair quickly takes a horrific turn once Yu-ri’s ghostly companions start getting in the way of their romance. Don’t you want to find out what happens? Will he be scared away, will something awful happen or will the film end with a happily-ever-after?

Showtimes:

• May 5 (Sat) at 9:45pm
• May 6 (Sun) at 9:45pm

The Nameless Gangster: Rules of Time (2012), (범죄와의 전쟁: 나쁜놈들 전성시대) directed by Yoon Jong-bin, the Best Movie Award nominee for the 48th Paeksang Arts Awards 2012.

A mob story of family, crime, conspiracy and betrayal. I’ve read several good reviews of this film. The story starts when a corrupt customs officer Choi Ik-hyun (Choi Min-sik) stumbles upon a methamphetamine shipment while on duty and he decides to embark on a life in crime by partnering with the harbor city’s biggest crime organization boss, Choi Hyung-bae (Ha Jung-woo). You just know that it won’t be that simple…

Showtimes:

• May 5 (Sat) at 6:45pm
• May 6 (Sun) at 1:00pm

How many of the Korean films are you going to see? As for me, I’m hoping to catch at least 2 or 3 of them so maybe we will run into each other! If you see me, please come say “hi”!

Just the facts:

• What: 2012 Korean Film Festival  
• Where: AMC Yonge & Dundas, Toronto
• When: May 4-6, 2012
• Who: Presented by the Consulate General of the Republic of Korea in Toronto and CJ Entertainment
• How much: Tickets are $7 each
• How to buy tickets: Online or at the AMC box office