Tag: Korean Film Festival in Australia

Review: Ongals

When Ongals performed at some Australian comedy festivals a few years ago, much of press concentrated on them being one of the biggest acts you’ve never heard of. If you’re up to this sentence, you have now heard of them.

The nonverbal comedy team has travelled the world since 2007, but their biggest goal is to have their own show in Las Vegas. Cha In-pyo and Jeon Hae-lim’s documentary traces the group’s attempts to get there, chronicling one team member’s battle with cancer and the addition of a foreigner who doesn’t quite gel with the unit along the way.

The film begins with the roar of a crowd, followed by four grown men dressed as babies stepping onto a stage. If you aren’t already familiar with the group, you kind of get a sense of what their act is about through osmosis: beat boxing, juggling, and fart jokes seem to play some role in their brand of comedy. We never see any of it for long, but that’s not really where Cha and Jeon want us to concentrate.

What emerges is a family saga about a tight knit group from the perspective of outsiders. The main person in the latter camp is Tyler, an American performer who doesn’t quite seem to have the same devotion to the cause as the rest of the troupe. While language doesn’t prove to be a barrier, given the physical nature of their performance, Tyler is depicted as being less interested in being an Ongal than he does in furthering his career as an actor. Everybody hates a tourist, Tyler.

The rest of the content is considered with a light touch, including Ongal member Suwon’s ongoing battle with cancer. The filmmakers randomly cut back to him for updates, mostly so that there is more of an emotional impact to the kind of resolution that emerges in the end. It’s here that we get more of a sense of how much these guys have sacrificed to get where they are. “We had nothing to lose,” comments one member. “So we had nothing to fear.”

ONGALS (옹알스) is a bit like the act itself, or at least the little we see of it. It never gets terribly deep, but it has a broad appeal and a genuine heart in its soft. While there isn’t really a conclusion to the story, that is a positive outcome for this ragtag group. As we watch the hospitalised Suwon and his fellow Ongals performing for sick kids in a hospital, we realise this is not just the story of a comedy act, but a group of nice people who will never stop fighting.

2019 | South Korea | DIRECTOR: Cha In-pyo and Jeon Hae-lim | WRITERS: Cha In-pyo, Jeon Hae-lim | CAST: Chae Kyung-sun, Cho Jun-woo, Tyler Dash White | DISTRIBUTOR: Korean Film Festival in Australia 2019 (AUS) | RUNNING TIME: 85 minutes | RELEASE DATE: 22 August – 12 September 2019 (KOFFIA)

August 29, 2019
Review: Innocent Witness

Autism in South Korea is not an easy topic to tackle. While the country has one of the more prevalent rates of diagnoses, numerous sources speak to the massive social stigma attached to the developmental disorder. INNOCENT WITNESS (증인) attempts to tackle this within the construct of a courtroom drama with surprisingly strong results.

Struggling lawyer Soon-Ho (Jung Woo-Sung) takes on a seemingly hopeless defence case of a woman accused of murdering an old man. The only witness to the crime is a Ji-Woo (Kim Hyang-Gi), a schoolgirl with autism. As the investigation continues, Soon-Ho has his assumptions tested and learns something about her condition in the process.

While the actual defence plot may leap over the bounds of believability, mostly because the defence case never feels like it is ever on terribly solid ground to begin with, the strength of Moon Ji-Won and Lee Han’s (A Melody to Remember) screenplay lays in the interplay between the two leads. The film is careful to take its time to study Ji-Woo’s intelligence and logical responses, along with her audio/visual sensitivities.

This is all supported by an excellent performance from the young actor Kim Hyang-Gi, who has most recently starred in a prominent role in the Along with the Gods series. Although Ji-Woo is portrayed as being on one of the more extreme ends of the spectrum, playing up the physicality of flat speech of the disorder, there is a studied subtlety to her performance that is exhibited in non-verbal responses to Soon-Ho’s questioning.

The final act is primarily a courtroom sequence that relies on some familiar tropes, and it’s here that the film comes closest to exploiting the disorder. Yet here the script repositions autism as a strength, exposing the unconscious prejudices on both sides of the argument. While some of this seems to suggest that humanity and the legal system can’t coexist, here the film is arguably at its most didactic.

INNOCENT WITNESS has been largely praised for its sensitive treatment of autism on screen, and this is because it has a point to be made. If the murder plot seems less than fleshed out, it’s because the real trial represents a microcosm of the public stigma that is still said to exist within the film’s native audience. Nevertheless, backed by impressive performances from the leads, this is still a film that doesn’t sacrifice its pointed message or its entertainment value.

2019 | South Korea | DIRECTOR: Lee Han | WRITERS: Moon Ji-Won, Lee Han | CAST: Jung Woo-Sung, Kim Hyang-Gi, Park Geun-Hyung, Yum Hye-Ran | DISTRIBUTOR: Korean Film Festival in Australia 2019 (AUS) | RUNNING TIME: 129 minutes | RELEASE DATE: 22 August – 12 September 2019 (KOFFIA)

August 28, 2019
Review: MAL-MO-E: The Secret Mission

There have been quite a few Korean films set during the Japanese occupation in the last few years, from The Age of Shadows to this year’s A Resistance. It is, after all, the 100^th anniversary of the 1^st March Independence Protests that underpin so much of Korea’s modern history. MAL-MO-E: THE SECRET MISSION (말모이) is about a very specific slice of that era and the importance of language to cultural identity.

The film opens in 1933, as a group smuggles the titular dictionary across the country. Flash forward to the 1940s, where Japanese occupiers have forbidden Koreans from speaking their own language. After ex-con Pan-Soo (Yoo Hae-Jin) tries to pick the wrong pocket, he becomes involved with Ryoo Jung-Hwan (Yoon Kye-Sang), a man who is secretly trying to publish a Korean dictionary with the Korean Language Society.

The plot sounds like it might be ripped straight from the pages of a Dan Brown novel, although the execution couldn’t be further from that. A low-key drama that about identity not conspiracy, the emphasis here is not on the individual moments of tension – although there are a number of these, especially in the final act – but on the vital importance of language to the notion of individual and national sovereignty.

“Words reflect the spirit,” we are repeatedly told, although writer/director Eom Yu-na doesn’t necessarily try to do anything outrageously twisty with them. Instead she uses the illiterate character of Pan-Soo to convey the transformative nature of literacy in one’s own language. Like her occasionally heavy-handed screenplay to A Taxi Driver, the non-believer slowly having his perceptions changed is core to the success of this representation.

Yoo Hae-Jin (The Battle: Roar to Victory, Intimate Strangers) is in his element here as the ostensible lead, a semi-comic performance that relies partly on his well-timed buffoonery and natural charm. Yoon Kye-sang is a foil as academic with a well-placed stick who learns the value of the common touch though Pan-Soo’s homespun aphorisms.

In 1942 there were 33 arrests and 2 deaths in custody related to the dictionary project. MAL-MO-E might not revolutionise the way we look at this era of Korean history, but it does show that revolutions don’t have to be large-scale to be impactful. Cinema fans should also enjoy some of the references to period films, with posters and clips peppered throughout. While Eom Yu-na may overstate the case a little, it’s nevertheless a broad brushstroke that should have you rushing out to do a masters in linguistics or archival practices.

2019 | South Korea | DIRECTOR: Eom Yu-na | WRITERS: Eom Yu-na | CAST: Yoo Hae-jin, Yoon Kye-sang | DISTRIBUTOR: Korean Film Festival in Australia 2019 (AUS) | RUNNING TIME: 135 minutes | RELEASE DATE: 22 August – 12 September 2019 (KOFFIA)

August 26, 2019
Review: A Resistance

Yu Gwan-sun is such an important figure in Korea’s history, she is known as the nation’s “Joan of Arc” in some circles. An organiser of the March 1st Movement against Japanese colonial occupation, her steadfast refusal to name collaborators or submit to the Japanese threats is more impressive for her only being 17 at the time of her death.

The story of Yu Gwan-sun has (understandably) been told four times before in Korean cinema, many of which were directed by Yun Bong-chun. In tackling this story again, director Joe Min-ho (who shot A Million here in Australia) stated that he didn’t want to make another film about the icon so much as a 17-year-old girl and her beliefs.

In this film’s narrative, Yu Gwan-Sun (portrayed by Ko Ah-Sung, Right Now, Wrong Then) is sent to Seodaemun Prison where she bonds with fellow prisoners (Kim Ye-Eun, Kim Sae-Byuk, and Jeong Ha-Dam among others), refutes the powers that be, and inspires further sedition. It’s a straightforward take, both reverential of its subject while trying to humanise her.

Taking the interesting stylistic approach of shooting in start black and white, a first for the filmmaker, colour footage is reserved only for flashback sequences. In this way, the entire imprisonment is staged as a kind of death, filled with the dreary repetition of life on the inside and grim moments of torture and withholding designed to break the spirits of the prisoners.

There is a fair bit of harsh subject matter in that time though. Yu Gwan-sun is seen to be stripped, beaten, degraded, and tortured. Director Joe does attempt to posit this within a shared sisterhood, a solidarity that inspires other prisoners and people on the outside. If the intention was to not cast her as a martyr, then it is a shame that more time wasn’t spent on developing the character arcs of the women around her. As it stands, we largely learn of Yu Gwan-Sun outside the prison from a handful of colour snippets of her interacting with her family. In other scenes, she is beaten and tortured as a kind of petit Christ figure.

The other theme that rises out of the film is that of collaboration, primarily centred on “Nishida,” a Korean man who joins the Japanese armed forces as a means of advancing his station. Critic Russell Edwards, who moderated a Q&A with the filmmaker and stars at the Korean Film Festival in Australia, pointed to this being a recurring them in recent Korean cinema, citing Battleship Island (2017) as an example. In fact, at the time of writing this review, South Korea has cancelled an intelligence sharing pact with Japan over a trade dispute, and the roots of this fracture arguably trace their way back to their shared history.

So, while A RESISTANCE (항거:유관순 이야기) may not necessarily add anything new to the well-established legend, it’s unquestionably a timely picture. Indeed, younger viewers and foreigners who weren’t raised on the story will no doubt gain a new understanding for Korea’s struggle for independence.

2019 | South Korea | DIRECTOR: Joe Min-ho | WRITERS: Joe Min-ho | CAST: Go Ah-sung, Kim Sae-byuk, Kim Ye-eun, Jeong Ha-dam, Ryu Kyung-soo | DISTRIBUTOR: Korean Film Festival in Australia 2019 (AUS) | RUNNING TIME: 105 minutes | RELEASE DATE: 22 August – 12 September 2019 (KOFFIA)

August 24, 2019
Review: Another Child

ANOTHER CHILD (미성년) is the directorial debut of actor Kim Yun-Seok, perhaps best known for films such as The Chaser (2008) and 1987: When the Day Comes (2018). The winner of multiple awards for his on-screen performances, his first foray behind the camera is worthy of critical praise as well.

Working from his own screenplay, co-written with Lee Bo-ram, it follows two second year high school students: Joo-Ri (Kim Hye-Jun) and Yoon-A (Park Se-Jin). While they wouldn’t normally hang about in the same social circles, the discovery of an affair between their respective parents sees them beginning to collaborate.

Tuning in his finely-honed actor’s senses to the broader narrative, Kim crafts an impressively nuanced character-based piece that never dips into melodrama. Kim Hye-Jun, best known for the Netflix series Kingdom, is a strong young lead, capably matched by newcomer Park Se-Jin. Their attempts to be the parents that their own are incapable of being gives both actors a well of strength to pull from. Their lack of any other commonalities makes the microcosm of their relationship all that more intense.

By comparison, Joo-Ri’s mother Young-Joo, trying to hold together their lives in a dead-end job, is wonderfully portrayed by Yum Jung-Ah (The Mimic). Kim casts himself as the father, who has some scenes playing against a strong male type, literally running away from his daughter in the face of revelation.

Working with cinematographer Hwang Ki-Seok (Saint Janet, Avengers: Age of Ultron), Kim also ensures that the focus on character is never at the expense of the visual storytelling. There’s a beautiful series of shots in a hospital, for example, where a baby’s crib is lit by the purple and blue lights of the ward. With the snow falling outside, the camera pushes through the closed window to give us am internal/external viewpoint that is both stylish and intimate.

In other film, the events leading up to the resolution might seem morbid on one hand, or utterly preposterous on the other. (Without spoiling anything here, it involves a hospital exodus and a couple of mini milk cartons). Yet this is still a coming of age story, one that is filtered through the already tumultuous emotions of teenagers. Kim Yun-Seok establishes himself as a triple threat of actor/writer/director, and if this film is any indication, he will continue to be a strong presence on both sides of Korean cinema’s lenses.

2019 | South Korea | DIRECTOR: Kim Yun-Seok | WRITERS: Kim Yun-Seok, Lee Bo-ram | CAST: Kim Hye-Jun, Park Se-Jin, Yum Jung-Ah, Kim Yun-Seok | DISTRIBUTOR: Korean Film Festival in Australia 2019 (AUS) | RUNNING TIME: 96 minutes | RELEASE DATE: 22 August – 12 September 2019 (KOFFIA)

August 21, 2019
Review: The Odd Family: Zombie On Sale

The zombie film is having something of a renaissance, and Korea has already made its mark with films like Train to Busan and Seoul Station redefining and influencing audiences across the globe. THE ODD FAMILY: ZOMBIE ON SALE (기묘한 가족) takes a slightly different approach, emphasising comedy in this strangely endearing film that happens to feature a bit of bloodletting.

As the title would imply, this is a zombie film about a deeply odd family. We all know the story: a zombie enters the lives of a family living in a small community, and soon the plague spreads like wildfire. Of course, no zombie has encountered a family as opportunistic as this one. Man-Deok (Park In-Hwan) runs a rural gas station that relies on tourists. When a zombie bite gives the Park patriarch back some of his youthful vim and vigour, they concoct a scheme to monetise zombie bites.

Writer/director Lee Min-Jae’s debut is arguably one of the gentler zombie films in the canon. Spending much of the first half of the film simply getting to know the family and their various quirks. The often-unilateral relationship between the strange man (Jung Ga-Ram) and Hae-Gul (Lee Soo-Kyung) swings between meet-cute and broader comedy. As Hae-Gul tries to ween him off flesh using sauce-covered lettuce, there’s a wonderfully silly moment when the pet zombie spots a field of the leafy green vegetables.

The back half of the film gives way to a more traditional zom com, as chaos erupts and the zombie damn breaks. A zombie survival montage, and a possible visual reference to George A. Romero’s Land of the Dead, will be appreciated by the undead traditionalists in the audience. That said, you’re unlikely to see a zombie rave of this quality outside a theme night at a warehouse near you.

There’s an excellent cast assembled here too. Uhm-Ji Won (The Master) has a laconic vibe that throws shade like a hooded lamp. Rising star Jung Ga-Ram (The Poet and the Boy) has fun playing against type, as his deteriorating body displays a physicality to his comedic and dramatic presence.

Lee Min-jae concludes with a time jump that leaves us in a very different environment to the tranquillity at the start of the film, either conclusively bringing his saga to a close or leaving the door wide open for more adventures to come. It’s the kind of film that could easily go on in the vein of Zombieland, continuing to follow this small group of people across the wastelands of Korea if it so chose. Either way, this is a movie that does what it says it’s going to do on the side of the tin, but also manages to surprise and delight throughout.

2019 | South Korea | DIRECTOR: Lee Min-jae | WRITERS: Lee Min-jae | CAST: Park In-hwan, Jung Ga-ram, Lee Soo-kyung, Uhm Ji-won, Kim Nam-gil, Jung Jae-young | DISTRIBUTOR: Korean Film Festival in Australia 2019 (AUS) | RUNNING TIME: 112 minutes | RELEASE DATE: 1-18 August 2019 (KOFFIA)

August 20, 2019
KOFFIA 2019: 7 films to see at the Korean Film Festival in Australia

Korean cinema is having a pretty good year. For the first time in its history, the Cannes Film Festival awarded the prestigious Palme d’Or to Bong Joon-ho’s Parasite. That film, along with almost two dozen others, will form the backbone of the 10th anniversary of the Korean Film Festival in Australia (KOFFIA).

Throughout August and September, KOFFIA will screen in Sydney (22-31 August), Canberra (22-25 August), Brisbane (5-8 September) and Melbourne (5-12 September). Along with our picks below, there’s a few that we’ve already loved in cinemas this year including thriller The Spy Gone North, the action packed Extreme Job, and the historical epic The Great Battle. There’s also a Bong Joon-ho retrospective which you should most definitely check out.

The Reel Bits has long been a supporter of KOFFIA, having previously served as a media partner. We will continue to cover the festival as part of our Asia in Focus stream this year. For now, here’s 7 films we reckon you shouldn’t miss at this year’s festival. You can find the full program and purchase tickets from the official site at koffia.com.au.

Parasite (기생충)

Bong Joon-ho draws on his considerable talents to explore the divide between rich and poor. A film you’ll be digesting for a while, before planning to see it again. But you know what they say about plans… Read our full review.

Another Child (미성년)

A coming of age film about two teenage classmates who unite when they discover an affair between their parents. A quietly emotional film that relies on the performances of its two young leads. The directorial debut of actor Kim Yun-Seok (1987: When The Day Comes, Dark Figure of Crime – among many others), it’s got some beautiful visuals as well.

The Gangster, The Cop, The Devil (악인전)

Director/writer Lee Won-Tae follows up his 2017 period piece Man of Will with this sharply contemporary thriller. A slick cat-and-mouse film with enough twists, cool set pieces, and solid performances to make it better than the average bear. Read our full review.

The Odd Family: Zombie On Sale (기묘한 가족)

As the title would imply, this is a zombie film about a deeply odd family. A fresh, albeit chaotic, take on the zom com genre, with enough points of difference from Rampart or Train to Busan to keep us chuckling (or at least laughing) for the duration.

Hotel by the River (강변호텔)

It’s a legal tradition that a Hong Sang-soo film is included annually on the program of any Australian film festival. For good reason too: the filmmaker has made a self-sustaining industry of quiet gems that speak not only to his own experiences but wink at a knowing film savvy audience. This one is about an ageing poet in the titular hotel by the Han.

Extreme Job (극한직업)

This action comedy was one of the biggest box office successes of the year in Korea, following a group of cops that go undercover by starting a chicken restaurant to bust a drug ring, but soon become famous for their food. It sounds a little but like Hong Kong’s Lobster Cop, but with a less deceptive title.

Underdog (언더독)

We don’t often get to see a lot of Korean animation outside of the country, but Oh Seong-yun delivers his long-awaited follow-up to Leafie, A Hen into the Wild. Featuring the voices of Do Kyung-soo (Along with the Gods: The Last 49 Days) Park Cheol-min (Inseparable Bros, KOFFIA 2019), and Park So-dam (Parasite), here’s a festival film where you can take the whole family.

August 4, 2019
KOFFIA 2018: 9th Korean Film Festival in Australia announces dates
The Korean Film Festival in Australia (KOFFIA) returns in 2018 for its ninth year this August and September. Taking place in Sydney (9-18 August), Brisbane(15-16 August), Melbourne (6-13 September) and Canberra (21-23), the Festival brings Korea’s hottest new films to audiences Down Under.

“2018 is already shaping up to be another incredible year for the Korean Film Festival in Australia,” says KOFFIA Director David Park. “Audiences will dive into a total 23 days of cinematic splendour, both world class features and fascinating documentaries plucked straight from Korea’s booming film industry – Hallyuwood!”

There’s always a great selection of indie films, blockbusters, and rom-coms, and a great chance to catch-up on what’s happening in the Korea film industry. There’s already been a number of Korean films released to cinemas in Australia this year, but it’s a fraction of the amazing output released from the industry every year.

2018 KOFFIA screening dates and locations:
- Sydney: AUG 9 – 18 | Dendy Opera Quays
- Brisbane: August 15 – 16 | Elizabeth Picture Theatre
- Melbourne: September 6 – 13 | Australian Centre for the Moving Image
- Canberra: September 21 – 23 | Palace Electric Cinema
The Reel Bits has long been a supporter of KOFFIA, having previously served as a media partner. We will continue to cover the festival as part of our Asia in Focus stream this year.
June 8, 2018
KOFFIA 2016: Korean Film Festival in Australia poster teases program

KOFFIA, the Korean Film Festival in Australia, is back for another year. Kicking off in Sydney from 10 August 2016, and concluding in Perth on 25 September, the annual selection of of contemporary Korean films has been teased on this new poster from the Korean Culture Centre.

Going counterclockwise from the top of the stylish gourmet offering, Jang Jae-hyeon’s exorcism thriller THE PRIESTS (검은 사제들), starring Kim Yun-Seok and Gang Dong-Won looks like it will make its local debut. Next up is Jung Ji-Woo’s FOURTH PLACE (4등), about a boy who always comes 4th in swimming races, so his mother hires a swimming coach.

2015 blockbuster ASSASSINATION (암살), and indeed only the 12th South Korean film to surpass 10 million ticket sales at the South Korean box-office, makes its way to Australia. Choi Dong-hoon directs the film about an agent (Lee Jung-Jae) in the 1930s planning an assassination using the deadly sniper An Ok-Yoon (Gianna Jun). This is definitely one to see on the big screen if you are in the neighbourhood.

Then there’s COLLECTIVE INVENTION (aka THE MUTANT or 돌연변이), which is the film with the fish boy in the image. The black comedy comes from director Kwon Oh-Kwang, and takes a bite out of pharmaceutical companies.

Finally, one our favourites from the Sydney Film Festival, ALICE IN EARNESTLAND (성실한 나라의 앨리스), making an appearance this year. Ahn Gooc-jin’s debut film is an inky black comedy taking on the South Korean revenge genre, as one woman goes down the metaphorical rabbit hole.

The full KOFFIA program is announced shortly. Check koffia.com.au for all the details.

June 29, 2016
WIN: KOFFIA 2012 Brisbane Ticket Giveaway (Closed)
To celebrate the third year of the Korean Film Festival in Australia (KOFFIA), running from the 27 September to the 30 September in Brisbane, Festival Partner The Reel Bits has 2 double passes to a film of your choice* to give away!

KOFFIA will see the Australian premiere of a number of high-profile and award-winning films, including Hong Sang-soo’s In Another Country, Im Sang-soo’s The Taste of Money, Kang Hyung-Chul’s Sunny and this year’s comedy All About My Wife.

This year, The Reel Bits will also be involved as a member of the jury on the 1st KOFFIA Short Film Competition, an opportunity to showcase the developing talent from our up and coming filmmakers.

To be in the running to win tickets to any* session, all you have to do is:
1. Simply ‘Like Us’ on Facebook! If you aren’t on Facebook, you can follow us on Twitter or sign up to our Feedburner feed. (If you already subscribe to either, you don’t need to do so again). It’s not too much to ask is it?
2. Fill out the form below with the name one of the films playing at KOFFIA 2012. (Hint: The answer is in this post, and a full list of titles can be found here). Please include your name, contact email, the answer and the name of the film you would like to see! Winners will be emails and their names on the door at the event.
THIS COMPETITION IS CLOSED

Important: You must answer all the questions to be eligible. To ensure people do not have an unfair advantage by entering multiple times, only 1 entry per person will be accepted. Every entry is looked at and if duplicate/suspicious entries are found you will automatically be disqualified. This competition is only open to residents of Australia.

The competition closes MIDDAY AEST on Wednesday 26 September 2011, so make sure you get your entry in!

Privacy Note: The Reel Bits takes the privacy of its readers very seriously. Your email address will be not be used for any other purpose other than to enter the competition. Upon completion all email addresses will be deleted. If you do not wish to continue receiving the newsletter after the competition closes, you will be given the option to opt out.

*Terms & Conditions
1. Tickets can be used for any general session except for opening and closing night galas (Brisbane: War of the Arrows and Frontline).
2. Tickets are valid for KOFFIA 2012 Brisbane only. Winners will be responsible for making their own way to the venue.
3. Double passes can only be used for a single session.
4. Tickets are not refundable.
5. All sessions do not have allocated seating.
6. The Reel Bits and KOFFIA take no responsibility for any delay, loss or damage to prizes sent to winners.
7. While all attempts are made to supply prizes at the completion of a competition, no responsibility will be held by The Reel Bits to supply prizes if for unseen circumstances they are not available.
8. No responsibility will be taken for any entries that may have been lost. The judges decision is final and no correspondence will be entered upon.
More details on KOFFIA can be found on the official website.
September 24, 2012