Cafe Noir is notable for being the debut film for its director, film critic Jung Sung-il. It is also now notable for drawing praise at its world premiere screening at the recent Venice International Film Festival (as the only selection from Asia).

Cafe Noir was described by one of the festival’s executive committee members as showcasing a unique form, while a selection committee member praised it as “a film that you don’t often see from a new director.” A section director said, “When one discovers the hidden political message, which is sprinkled throughout the film, it would be difficult to suppress your astonishment at this film.”

The movie stars Shin Ha-kyun (Thirst) as a man who is addicted to sad love, Moon Jung-hee (My Sweet Seoul) as the woman who “loves him to death,” and Kim Hye-na (Yoga School) as the woman who loves him “more than life” (isn’t that the same thing?). Jung Yumi (Chaw, Que Sera Sera) and “Hongdae uljjang” singer Yozoh are two women who hurt him, whom he decides to meet again in order to get over his pain.

Cafe Noir will also screen at the upcoming Pusan International Film Festival in October, which will be its first showing to Korean audiences. After all that praise (and mention of a hidden message), this is one I really want to see! I suppose critiquing films for a living gives one particular insight into knowing what does and doesn’t work for a film.

Via Newsen

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Following MBC’s Acting Awards on the 30th, the 31st saw awards ceremonies for the other two stations. First up: 2008 SBS Drama Awards. (KBS coming up next!)

The big news is that the SBS Daesang was awarded to the very young but very talented Moon Geun-young for her gender-bending role in the gorgeously shot historical drama Painter in the Wind. It had been widely speculated that her co-star, shunned star Park Shin-yang, might not appear after being shut out of the nominations and criticized for his exorbitant asking fees, and he in fact did not show. (I think Park’s management did not handle the War of Money pay situation well, but making a point to blackball him from SBS seems like scapegoating to me.)

[Read more →]

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Moon Jung-hee (My Sweet Seoul, Air City, Alone in Love) is back with a new drama, the upcoming sageuk drama Empress Cheon-chu, which will start airing at the beginning of January. She’ll also be preparing at the same time for her upcoming wedding, which she has just announced.

The bridegroom is a U.S.-educated businessman, and the couple has been dating for two years. The bride got her start in musicals alongside other theater-turned-screen actors like Lee Seon-kyun and Oh Man-seok.

The wedding has been set for next April — when she should be in the thick of shooting for her drama. It may be a hectic time for her, but best wishes to the couple.

Via Mk.co.kr

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Lee Seung-gi has left the cast of MBC’s upcoming Iljimae, only to be replaced by… Jung Il-woo?

On July 9, his management issued the reason: “Because Iljimae kept being pushed back and will film in China for a month, it will add difficulty to his shooting for 1 Night 2 Days. His departure from the drama was achieved through mutual agreement on both sides.”

Now the two Iljimae leads will be played by Jung Il-woo and Yoon Jin-seo (Beastie Boys), which MBC plans to air in November.

I call BS, since he seemed willing enough to leave 1 Night 2 Days (which is, after all, merely a stint on a variety program versus headlining his own big-name drama) before SBS’s Iljimae came out starring Lee Junki. Perhaps they’d held out hope that SBS’s drama would flop and are now using 1 Night as their excuse to back out. MBC’s drama, directed by Goong PD Hwang In-roi, had originally boasted an advantage over SBS, securing the licensing rights to the books upon which the story of Iljimae is based, but now it’ll face an uphill battle trailing such successful competition.

That means Jung Il-woo will leave his role in MBC’s upcoming ice-skating drama Triple, directed by Coffee Prince PD Lee Yoon-jung and co-starring “luxury nose” possessor and rookie singer Min Hyo-rin (he as a speed-skater, she as a figure-skater). Triple has now been pushed back to next year.

And… I no longer care to watch Iljimae. I’d been hoping that MBC’s version would provide an interesting variation, particularly since I didn’t love the SBS version. And yet, while I would happily watch Jung Il-woo in a cast of young trendy actors doing a fluffy ice-skating drama, I really don’t think he’s gonna be able to pull off a sageuk hero.

In other casting news, Moon Sori (Legend, Forever the Moment) has been selected to lead MBC’s new weekend family drama Golden Years of My Life, also starring Lee So-yeon (Why Did You Come To Our House?). The drama is drawing attention with its writer-director combo: Surgeon Bong Dal-hee writer Lee Jung-seok and Trap of Youth PD Kwan Rok-eui. It follows the currently airing Woman of Matchless Beauty, Park Jung-geum.

Meanwhile, Seo Hyo-rim (little sis from Insoon is Pretty) has been cast with Song Hye-gyo and Hyun Bin in their upcoming KBS2 series The World They Live In, directed by Full House (and Insoon) PD Pyo Min-soo. The drama starts filming at the end of July and plans to air in November.

Finally, Moon Jung-hee, currently in SBS’s Friday drama My Sweet Seoul, has lined up her next project as SBS’s new morning drama Daughter-in-Law and Daughter-in-Law, to follow Aquarius. She’s the daughter-in-law who works through issues with the new in-laws in this “warm” family drama, starting July 21.

Via OSEN, Star News, My Daily, Sports Chosun, No Cut News

SONG OF THE DAY

Lee Seung-gi – “미련한 사랑” (love that won’t let go) [ Download ]

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Although kdramas premiere all the time with staggered start dates without a real “season” to speak of, with the current batch of dramas mostly winding down, we can await a new crop of dramas soon, just in time for summer.

Starting this weekend (May 19), we get AIR CITY, marking Lee Jung Jae’s return to television after eight years away. The absence is understandable as he’s a huge film star, so you can count on anticipation being high. (Oh yeah, I guess his co-star is pretty famous too.) Lee Jung Jae! On my television screen! For weeks on end. Heart, be still.

SONG OF THE DAY

Rhymer – “그녀가 없다” (that girl is gone) [ zShare download ]

More Air City goodness >>

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