In the Filmmakers category...

screenshots

LKFF Press Launch and Kim Han-min Q&A

Monday, 19 September, 2011

It was the London Korean Film Festival press launch last Friday, and Kim Han-min was in town to introduce a special preview of his film Arrow, The Ultimate Weapon, which will open the event… (more…)

screenshots

Benny Chan exclusive interview – Shaolin

Wednesday, 7 September, 2011

‘Willie Chan, Jackie Chan, Frankie Chan, Benny Chan… We’re all related. That Momma Chan was a very busy lady!’… (more…)

screenshots

Bluffer’s guide to… Takashi Miike

Monday, 5 September, 2011

Ah, yes. Takashi Miike. I think I’ve heard of him. Hasn’t he got a reputation for making really, really, really, really violent movies?

Well, he has been known too. His mid-90s Triad Society trilogy, starting with Shinjuku Triad Society, set the scene for what was to come with rather excessive violence. Ichi The Killer, based on a manga, had to be cut by more than three minutes in order for the British Board of Film Classification to allow its release in the UK. In Hong Kong, they skimmed 15 minutes from its running time. At its premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2001 they even gave the audience barf bags. (more…)

poster

Oooooh er, missus! easternKicks gets all saucy with the director of the new 3D Sex And Zen: Extreme Ecstasy movie, Christopher Sun Lap-Key. But you’d almost think it was more of a ‘chick flick’ to hear him describe it… (more…)

Get the Flash Player to see this player

As Takashi Miike’s 13 Assassins is released this Friday, we’re publishing this revealing interview with the prolific filmmaker himself…! (more…)

screenshots

We chat to Takashi Shimizu, director of the Ju-On: The Grudge series and Shock Labyrinth 3D, about the process of making 3D movies, that cameo in Vampire Girl vs. Frankenstein Girl, and how keen he is to move away from directing in the horror genre – yes, even a romantic comedy…! (more…)

screenshots

Im Sang-soo: A Class Act

Monday, 20 December, 2010

‘Maybe I should have called it something different!’ Im Sang-soo talks to us about The Housemaid, which caused a stir at this years Cannes… (more…)

screenshots

Green Days (LKFF)

Wednesday, 1 December, 2010
4 and a half stars

A sweet wonderfully evocative animation about adolescence and growing up – and well deserving of a wider release next year… (more…)

The fifth London Korean Film Festival came to a close with a screening of Im Sang-soo’s The Housemaid, which included a Q&A from the director.

Highlights for me have included The Man From Nowhere and I Saw The Devil, obviously, Secret Reunion (any film with Kong Sang-ho!) and the sweet and evocative animation Green Days, which had it’s world premiere here – such universal appeal surely deserves a wider release.

But that’s not all. The festival continues with screenings in Cambridge (with another chance to see The Housemaid) and Belfast.

We’ll also be bringing you an exclusive interview with Im Sang-soo and plenty more reviews of up and coming Korean films we hope will make these shores soon.

screenshots

Kim Jee-woon: The dark side

Friday, 12 November, 2010

We talk to director Kim Jee-woon (The Good, The Bad, The Weird) about his latest film, the controversial I Saw The Devil(more…)

screenshots

Lee Jeong-beom interview: Boy’s own stuff

Saturday, 6 November, 2010

Director Lee Jeong-beom what’s to make films that unashamedly cater for blokes, and it looks like he’s going about it the right way with The Man From Nowhere(more…)

Get the Flash Player to see this player.

Bong Joon-ho inteviewed at BFI, London

Friday, 26 February, 2010

Bong Joon-ho (The Host, Memories of Murder) spoke at a preview of Mother about the influences on his latest film, and how his own mother hasn’t talked to him about it since it’s release… (more…)

screenshots

Exclusive interview: Yang Ik-June

Monday, 18 January, 2010

We talk exclusively to Yang Ik-June about his fantastic debut feature Breathless(more…)

screenshots

The Ip Man Interviews, pt3: Sammo Hung

Wednesday, 21 October, 2009

In the last of our series of exclusive interviews, we chat to Sammo Hung about collaborating with Wilson Yip and Donnie Yen on Ip Man and the upcoming sequel, ask his personal favourite films in his long career, and ask about… Martial Law! (more…)

screenshots

The Ip Man Interviews, pt2: Wilson Yip

Tuesday, 20 October, 2009

In the second of a series of exclusive interviews, we chat to director Wilson Yip about working with Donnie Yen, making a sequel for the first time and being in front of the camera… (more…)

screenshots

The Ip Man Interviews, pt1: Donnie Yen

Monday, 19 October, 2009

In the first of a series of interviews, we chat exclusively to Donnie Yen about Ip Man, the sequel, the weight of inevitable comparisons to Bruce Lee, and much much more… (more…)