Spring Break
Films feature Korean society
JULIE LEUNG
Issue date: 4/6/09 Section: Variety
Tonight is the last chance to get a taste of Korean films on the big screen without having to travel halfway across the world.
Hosted by the Korean Student Association (KSA), the Korean Contemporary Film Festival is the first annual event of its kind at the University, a sign for some of South Korea's emergence as a major entertainment powerhouse in Asia.
"Korea is now like Hollywood for Asia," said Jongyun Kim, a Ph.D. student studying horticulture and the public relations chair for KSA. "[The interest] began about 10 years ago. Korean films are very famous in China, Japan and Southeastern Asia, so many Korean stars become Asian stars."
KOREAN CONTEMPORARY
When: 7:30 tonight
Where: MLC Room 213
Price: Free
KSA decided to organize this festival after seeing other university campuses host similar events.
Sponsored by organizations such as Korea Foundation and Korea Tourism Organization, all three films came recommended by the South Korean government.
Tonight's screening features 2006's "Radio Star," which stars Park Joong-hoon and Ahn Sung-Ki.
A parable about the dark side of fame (think the equivalent of Mark Wahlberg's film "Rock Star," Kim suggested), Park plays a washed-up rocker Choi Gon who becomes a drug addict and is reduced to singing in cafes. His manager (Ahn) attempts to redeem Choi by landing him a DJ job in a remote town.
The pair won a prestigious Blue Film Dragon award (a sort of equivalent to the Oscars) for acting that year and are arguably the two most prominent Korean actors.
"Ask anyone. There's no one from our generation who doesn't know who he is," said Esther Lee, a senior linguistics major. "He's like a George Clooney, he's aged really well."
Ahn also made an appearance at the University in August 2008.
Though the festival's three films are but a microscopic sample of popular entertainment coming out of South Korea at the moment, Kim said that they represent Korean culture well.
"Americans can experience Korean society [through these movies]," he said. "They can experience without going there; we can show some of our culture to them."
Snacks and foods will be provided at the screening, and a short presentation about Korean culture precedes the movie.
Hosted by the Korean Student Association (KSA), the Korean Contemporary Film Festival is the first annual event of its kind at the University, a sign for some of South Korea's emergence as a major entertainment powerhouse in Asia.
"Korea is now like Hollywood for Asia," said Jongyun Kim, a Ph.D. student studying horticulture and the public relations chair for KSA. "[The interest] began about 10 years ago. Korean films are very famous in China, Japan and Southeastern Asia, so many Korean stars become Asian stars."
KOREAN CONTEMPORARY
FILM FESTIVAL
When: 7:30 tonightWhere: MLC Room 213
Price: Free
KSA decided to organize this festival after seeing other university campuses host similar events.
Sponsored by organizations such as Korea Foundation and Korea Tourism Organization, all three films came recommended by the South Korean government.
Tonight's screening features 2006's "Radio Star," which stars Park Joong-hoon and Ahn Sung-Ki.
A parable about the dark side of fame (think the equivalent of Mark Wahlberg's film "Rock Star," Kim suggested), Park plays a washed-up rocker Choi Gon who becomes a drug addict and is reduced to singing in cafes. His manager (Ahn) attempts to redeem Choi by landing him a DJ job in a remote town.
The pair won a prestigious Blue Film Dragon award (a sort of equivalent to the Oscars) for acting that year and are arguably the two most prominent Korean actors.
"Ask anyone. There's no one from our generation who doesn't know who he is," said Esther Lee, a senior linguistics major. "He's like a George Clooney, he's aged really well."
Ahn also made an appearance at the University in August 2008.
Though the festival's three films are but a microscopic sample of popular entertainment coming out of South Korea at the moment, Kim said that they represent Korean culture well.
"Americans can experience Korean society [through these movies]," he said. "They can experience without going there; we can show some of our culture to them."
Snacks and foods will be provided at the screening, and a short presentation about Korean culture precedes the movie.
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