1st half of 2012 Korean Film Log

As I didn't manage to catch any Korean films in July, there will be no film log for that month. However I decided to go back and compile together a look at all the films I've watched in the first half of the year. Check them out below!

Korean Film Log: June

I managed to catch 69 Korean films in the first half of 2012, some new some old, some good some bad, an intersting bunch to say the least!.

Korean Film Log 2012
31 films in January (#1-31)
3 films in February (#32-34)
7 films in March (#35-41)
16 films in April (#42-57)
5 films in May (#58-62)
7 films in June (#63-69)

June

63. My Barefoot Friend (오래된 인력거)

64. Sleepless Night (잠 못 드는 밤)

Korean Film Log 2012: May

My Korean film log for 2012 is now up to 62, as I watched a further 5 Korean feature films in May. You can see my ratings in the Film Log section of the blog located on the right hand side. Films are numbered in the order that I watched them.

Korean Film Log 2012
31 films in January (#1-31)
3 films in February (#32-34)
7 films in March (#35-41)
16 films in April (#42-57)
5 films in May (#58-62)

May

58. Nameless Gangster: Rules of the Time (범죄와의 전쟁)

59. Natural City (내츄럴 시티)

Korean Film Log 2012: April

My Korean film log for 2012 is now up to 57, as I watched a further 16 Korean feature films in April. You can see my ratings in the Film Log section of the blog located on the right hand side. Films are numbered in the order that I watched them.

Korean Film Log 2012
31 films in January (#1-31)
3 films in February (#32-34)
7 films in March (#35-41) 
16 films in April (#42-57)

April

42. Late Blossom (그대를 사랑합니다)

43. The Story of Mr. Sorry (제불찰씨 이야기)

A Look Back: My 1st Interview

As a bit of a celebration of Tully's Recall hitting the milesonte of 10,000 views (thanks for following!), I decided to look back at my first ever radio interview. It was probably the first occassion that made me realise that my journey into the world of Korean cinema was actually happening, and was thus quite daunting!

 Pic from my interview in 2011, but you get the point :)

It was great to get it done though, and made me start to believe that I did actually know something about Korean film! Thanks to the lovely Jenna Yoon at SBS Radio for the file, which you can download here. (4 mins long)

It's interesting even for myself to listen to, hearing how I had no idea how to pronounce the Director's names back in the day, how things have changed (I hope!). Thanks everyone for reading (and listening) and I hope to keep content coming throughout the year. 

Kieran

Follow me @TullysRecall

Add me as a friend @KieranTully

Korean Film Downunder 3: Longing for a Ko-production

This piece was included in the White Paper on Australia in the Asian Century. Its more of my musings about Korea and Australian relations through film, though my bias in this clearly comes through! Hope you find it interesting.

The time has come for Australia to look to the powerhouse of the Asia Pacific region in regards to the entertainment industry. No longer can our focus simply be locked on to the lustrous billions of potential opportunities that China seems to hold over us. The real leader in the region, the real leader in the industry, is South Korea. 

We were close ...

Unfortunately Australia still does not have co- production agreements with key nations in Asia with respect to the film industry, namely Japan, Thailand & South Korea. With such a great focus placed on China, these other giants seem to have been left behind. After all this is the “Asian Century” and not the “Chinese Century”, so there is no reason that our focus should lie with the sleeping giant. Now the fact that Screen Australia and the Australian entertainment industry have acknowledged the potential with co-productions and distribution in China is fine, but it cannot be our sole entrance into partnering with the region. (Singapore, our only other partner in Asia, could not be classified as a powerhouse, and to date only 1 feature has resulted from that co-production agreement). There is such great potential for content to be exported in both directions, and Korea is the leader in this case. 

but not close enough

Numerous Korean television shows, movies and TV commercials continue to shoot in the beautiful locations of Australia (for a list check out Brian Yecies and Shim Aegyung’s article Hallyuwood Down Under), but the product is entirely Korean. Our endless lands and wide open golf courses are things Koreans crave, in a country that is mountainous, and space is hard to find. I believe that it needs to become a priority for Screen Australia, the Korean Film Council, and any other parties that could assist the establishment of such a co-production (such as the Australia Korea Foundation) to make a co-production a priority.