Links

GENERAL INFORMATION

The Korean Film Council (KOFIC) -- KOFIC was launched in 1973 as the Korean Motion Picture Promotion Corporation (KMPPC) to provide various kinds of support to the film industry. In 1999 it was reorganized and renamed the Korean Film Commission, and given both greater independence from the government and more power to draft and implement film policy. In April 2004, KOFIC changed its name once more to the Korean Film Council to avoid confusion with local film commissions that provide support for location shooting. KOFIC's website provides information about the organization as well as film news, statistics, and other kinds of data.


The Korean Film Archive -- The Korean Film Archive (KOFA), created in 1974, is dedicated to preserving, collecting, restoring and exhibiting Korean films and other related documents. KOFA also provides a comprehensive Korean Movie Database (See below) that can be used to search for information about Korean films.


South Korea: A Country Study -- Includes detailed information about the politics, economy, and history of South Korea, from the U.S. Library of Congress.


The Korea Herald,  The Korea Times,  and The JoongAng Daily -- Korea's three English-language daily newspapers. A search at their websites for the word "film" will often turn up articles about recent issues or reviews of new films.


Korea Focus -- Supported by Korea Foundation, a print magazine and a webzine that collects articles published in Korean-language newspapers and translates them into English. An excellent way to keep up with contemporary issues in Korean society.



WEBSITES AND BLOGS

KMDb: Korean Movie Database -- A database maintained by the Korean Film Archive that contains a tremendous amount of information, but which can sometimes be hard to search in English. Includes entries for films throughout the history of Korean cinema.


HanCinema -- An extensive database on Korean films and TV dramas that also contains many links to outside news articles.


House of Kim Ki-Young -- A magnificent website dedicated to the work of Kim Ki-young ("Mr. Monster") made by film professors Kim Soyoung, Chris Berry, and their students at the Korean National University of the Arts in the late 1990s. Contains a biography, filmography, bibliography, interviews, list of film sources, and thirty wonderful essays about the late director's style, reception, and relation to history and society. (Currently not online, I hope it comes back)


Korea Pop Wars -- A blog focusing on the Korean entertainment scene by Mark Russell, a freelance journalist who has written for the Hollywood Reporter, Billboard and other publications. In 2009, he published a book titled Pop Goes Korea: Behind the Revolution in Media, Music and Internet Culture.


Twitchfilm.net -- A frequently-updated site that covers filmmaking from all over the globe, but which has particularly strong coverage of Korean cinema courtesy of the contributor "X". A great source for Korean film news, DVD reviews, and information about upcoming projects.


New Korean Cinema -- A comprehensive website devoted to Korean cinema, maintained by Martin, a former writer for the now-defunct website Kung Fu Cult Cinema. Contains reviews, news, previews, etc.


Foreigner's Guide to Film Culture in Korea -- Seoul-based Marc Raymond maintains this guide which he describes as: "A blog discussing what is available for foreigners in Korea (mostly Seoul) from the perspective of a graduate film student and cinephile."


Firecracker Magazine -- Supported by the UK Film Council, this online magazine published by Firecracker Media Ltd contains a variety of film and DVD reviews, interviews, features, etc. Published once a month in a visually creative format.


Tracking the Blue Dragon Dumplings -- A blog by Samuel Jamier devoted to Korean cinema, hosted by the Korea Society and the New York Korean Film Festival.


Korean Grindhouse -- A blog on Korean cinema written by the NY-based Drew P., containing reviews on a wide selection of features.


Parkchanwook.org -- A bilingual English-Italian website devoted to Park Chan-wook, the director of Old Boy, Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance and JSA. Features a biography, filmography, interviews, reviews, and more.


iFilm Connections: Asia & Pacific -- A comprehensive, subscription-based website that aims to provide information about cinema from across the Asian region.


Asian Movie Web -- A bilingual German/English website with a large number of reviews of films from across Asia. Also provides some reviews of film soundtracks and links to trailers, etc.


Subway Cinema a film programming and exhibition collective in NYC. -- Formed by a group of devout Asian cinema fans, Subway Cinema is a programming and exhibition collective in New York City committed to promoting Asian films. Each year they hold a widely attended Korean Film Fest, and in 2002 they were contracted by Samuel Goldwyn to produce a website for the film Shiri.


The Mobius Home Video Forum -- A film discussion board with a special section devoted to Asian cinema. Provides intelligent, thought-provoking commentary on Asian film in a moderated setting. A search for 'Korean' or 'Korea' at their website will bring up past discussions of Korean films.


MediaCircus.net film reviews and more by Anthony Leong -- Contains a large number of reviews of movies from Korea and other countries, as well as essays on various other topics. Site maintained by Anthony Leong, author of Korean Cinema: The New Hong Kong.


Hypnotized by Kim In-sik's Movies a website devoted to the Korean director Kim In-sik -- Created by a Hungarian journalist who considers Kim one of her favorite directors, this site contains various biographical information, reviews, and links related to Kim's films Road Movie and Hypnotized.


"King and the Clown" Unofficial Fansite a website devoted to the hit film by Lee Joon-ik -- A volunteer effort to spread the word about Lee Joon-ik's period-set feature that was released in Korea at the end of 2005. Created by Soonlan, Lady Wasaka, Majou, and a long list of volunteers.



KOREAN TV DRAMAS

Koreanwiz.org: The Korean TV Drama InfoCenter -- A website about Korean TV dramas written by a fan who lives in Hawaii (where dramas are broadcast with English subtitles). Contains information about dramas, stars, Korean culture and customs, news, and more.


Soompi.com -- A frequently-updated site about Korean pop music with a wealth of information about TV dramas as well. Contains news, discussion boards, reviews, synopses, and more.



ONLINE DVD STORES

Seoul Selection -- A source for DVDs, books, CDs, and other Korean cultural products. This company also has a store in downtown Seoul (you can find a map on the site), and they publish a wide variety of books and magazines including the monthly Seoul magazine.


DVDAsian.com -- Based in California, DVDAsian sells Korean, Japanese, Chinese, East Asian, and Hong Kong DVDs. Its selection of Korean DVDs is particularly extensive in comparison with other sites.


AsianDB.com -- Launched in November 1998 and formerly known as Iodo.com and Koreapop.com, AsianDB.com is a retail company based in Seoul which offers a wide selection of Korean videos and VCDs over the internet. They also provide information and news articles about Korean film.


YesAsia.com (US) / YesAsia.com (Global) -- One of the biggest online sources for Asian films. They currently offer a large number of subtitled and unsubtitled DVDs and VCDs. They also offer a selection of unsubtitled Korean videos.



KOREAN LANGUAGE SITES

Cine21 -- An online edition of Korea's weekly film magazine, including news, reviews, features, interviews, etc. An archive of back issues is also available on the site.


Naver news wire -- A comprehensive daily listing of film-related news stories from all of Korea's various online news services, hosted by Korea's biggest web portal. This is the site that Korean journalists check every day to see what is going on.


Djuna Board -- One of Korea's most active and interesting online discussion forums for all things cinema-related, run by online critic Djuna.


Movist.com -- A great source for film stills and cast/crew info for past, current, and upcoming Korean films.


CINESeOUL -- An excellent online source of information about film in Korea. Contains extensive news coverage, movie synopses and reviews, information about new video releases, an online store, and screening times for films playing in Korea.


Maxmovie.com -- An online ticket reservation site that also contains news, interviews and other information about Korean cinema. Most noted for its weekly ranking of reserved ticket sales, where the tickets reserved for the upcoming weekend are ranked by title. This gives an indication of viewer interest in a film before its release, and theaters often use this information to decide whether to add or subtract screens just before a film's opening.

FESTIVALS

The Pusan International Film Festival (PIFF) -- Korea's largest film festival is held every fall in the southern port city of Pusan. Many people call it the most important film festival in Asia. The 14th PIFF was held from October 8 to 16, 2009.


The Puchon International Fantastic Film Festival (PiFan) -- PiFan is devoted to the screening of aesthetically diverse films that appeal to the general public. The 14th PiFan will be held from July 15 to 25, 2010.


The Jeonju International Film Festival (JIFF) -- JIFF features an extensive program which emphasizes digital and alternative film. Their 11th festival will take place from April 29 to May 7, 2010.


The Women's Film Festival in Seoul (WFFIS) -- The Women's Film Festival in Seoul was launched in 1997, and centers around works by women filmmakers (particularly those from Asia). Their 11th festival was held from April 9 to 16, 2009.


The Chungmuro International Film Festival (CHIFFS) -- A festival launched in 2007 under the direction of former PiFan head Kim Hong-joon, and devoted to classic films. Their 3rd festival was held from August 1 to September 15, 2009.


SICAF (Seoul International Cartoon & Animation Festival) -- Korea's premiere animation and cartoon festival, consisting of exhibitions and screenings devoted to animation and comics. The 13th festival was held from July 22 to 26, 2009.


Mise-en-scene's Genre Film Festival -- A festival featuring short Korean films of various genres, chosen and judged by well-known local directors. The 8th edition of the festival was held from June 24 to June 30, 2009.


The Green Film Festival in Seoul -- A festival launched by the Korea Green Foundation and devoted to films related to the environment. The 6th edition of the festival was held from May 21 to May 27, 2009.


The Seoul Independent Film Festival (SIFF) -- A long-running showcase for the leading independent films (short, mid-length, feature, documentary) made in the previous year. The 35th edition of the festival will be held from December 10 to December 18, 2009.


Indieforum (Korean Independent Film & Video Makers Forum) -- One of the oldest festivals devoted to Korea's independent film scene. Launched in 1996, the festival has screened a large number of short films, documentary, digital works, and more. The 14th edition of the festival was held from May 29 to June 5, 2009.


The Busan Asian Short Film Festival (BASFF) -- One of Korea's oldest festivals devoted entirely to short films. Held in Busan and featuring a wide variety of local works and other short films from Asia. The 2009 BASFF was held from May 13 to May 17.


Asiana International Short Film Festival -- A festival featuring short films from around the world. Winners of the international competition receive cash prizes and have their films screened on Asiana flights. The 7th edition of the festival was held from November 5-10, 2009.


Seoul LGBT Film Festival -- Government interference gave this festival a rocky start in the mid-1990s, but since then it has established itself as an annual event with significant grassroots support. Organized by the Seoul Queer Archive, the 10th edition of the festival was held from June 3 to June 7, 2009.


The Seoul Independent Documentary Film Festival (SIDoF) -- An event held in Seoul and focusing on Korean and international documentaries. Their 9th festival was held from March 26 to April 1, 2009.


The Gwangju International Film Festival (GIFF) -- The Gwangju International Film Festival, held in southwestern Korea, was launched in 2001. By 2005, however, the festival had drawn extensive criticism for logistical and administrative problems, and it lost its national and city funding. The 9th edition of the festival was held from September 16-20, 2009.



ARTICLES AND INTERVIEWS

An Introduction to Korean Cinema, by Peter Rist -- A general introduction to Korean cinema, from the Golden Era of silent films up to the works of the late nineties. From the Offscreen website in Montreal.


A review of Sopyonje (1993) by Donato Totaro -- A review of one of Korea's most popular and famous features. Totaro examines elements of music and nature in the film, and compares the film's technique with that of Kenji Mizoguchi's Sansho the Bailiff. From the Offscreen website in Montreal.


Two films by Shin Sang-ok by Donato Totaro -- An analysis of two films by Shin Sang-ok: Eunuch (1968) and Women of the Chosun (Yi) Dynasty (1969). Includes discussion of the eroticism and gender politics contained in these works.


An interview with Lee Kwangmo -- A very interesting interview with the director of Spring In My Hometown from the Offscreen website. Lee discusses, among other things, the meaning of the title of his film (both the Korean title and the English title), his symbolic use of color, his feelings about North Korea, and his efforts to foster an audience for art films in Korea.


AmerAsia: Korean New Wave and Beyond, by Donato Totaro -- This article summarizes a panel discussion titled "The Korean New Wave" which took place at the first AmerAsia International Film & Video Festival (December 3-12, 1999) in Montreal. Topics discussed include the difference between the 'old' and 'new' Korean New Wave, the state of independent film in Korea today, and the relation between contemporary film and modern Korean history.


The Establishment of a National Cinema Under Colonialism: The History of Early Korean Cinema by Lee Young-Il. -- An article about Korea's early film history, from the first public screening of a film in 1903 to the release of the silent classic Arirang in 1926. Reprinted from the Pusan International Film Festival Catalogue in the online journal Screening the Past. Lee Young-Il is a respected film historian and critic.


Recovering the Past: Rare Films Screened in Korea by Cho Hee-Moon. Introduction by Chris Berry. -- An account of the Korean Film Archive's acquisition and screening of four documentary films shot by foreign travelers visiting Korea in the first half of the 20th century. Also includes a discussion of Korea's lost cinematic past. Reprinted in the online journal Screening the Past.


A Report from PiFan '99 by Darcy Paquet. -- This is an piece I wrote for Full Alert Film Review, a site which brings together articles, interviews and reviews from the sphere of "International, Experimental, Documentary, Silent, and Independent Cinema." In this report I discuss the films I saw at the 1999 Puchon International Fantastic Film Festival, including two Korean films: The Ring Virus(1999) and Grand Evil Master Yonggary(1967).


Top Ten Korean Films by Adam Hartzell. -- Adam's list of his top ten Korean films (written before he began contributing to this site...) Includes lengthy comment on films by Im Kwon-taek, Jang Sun-woo, Park Kwang-soo, etc. See also the his reviews of three films by Park Chul-soo and Tony Rayns' book on Korean cinema. Posted on Epinions.com.


Pusan Express: the 5th Pusan International Film Festival by J. Scott Burgeson. -- A gripping and only partly fictional report from the 2000 Pusan International Film Festival. The writer publishes a print magazine on Asian culture called BUG. This article is featured on BUG's website, where copies of the magazine can also be ordered.



WEBSITES IN OTHER LANGUAGES

http://www.krmdb.com (Chinese) -- Maintained by Ryan Law (of the Hong Kong Movie Database) and several friends, this Chinese-language site provides extensive coverage about Korean cinema. It contains entries on all the Korean films released in Korea as well as those which have been imported into Hong Kong.


http://cinemakorea.org (Japanese) -- The premiere source of information on Korean film in Japanese, launched originally as Seochon.net in 1998.


Cinemasie (French) -- A large French language website/database about Asian cinema.


Cinemacoreano.it (Italian) -- A Italian language website maintained by Gianluca Gibilaro and Davide Cazzaro. Featuring a large number of reviews, interviews, essays, and more.


Cinekorea.de (German) -- A comprehensive site for German fans of Korean cinema with news, reviews, essays, and more. Launched by Sascha Klie.


Pride-of-Korea.de (German) -- A site about Korean films, music, and books with a large amount of reviews, essays, and other information.


Cinedie Asia (Portuguese) -- (See also English version) A website produced in Portugal that contains reviews and information about Asian movies in general, with a significant portion devoted to Korean cinema. Launched in late 2002.


Koreafilm.pl (Polish) -- The world's first Polish language website devoted to Korean cinema.


Iuphimhan.com (Vietnamese) -- A site from Vietnam that contains various kinds of news, information on upcoming films, star info, etc.