lee byung hun

CONCRETE UTOPIA Trailer: Cities Fall In Um Tae-Hwa’s Devastating New Survival Thriller

Director Um Tae-hwa’s fourth feature now arrives with a new trailer for Concrete Utopia. Big in scale and spectacle, the new survival epic is based in-part on a 2015 webtoon, with a cast that includes Lee Byung-hun, Park Seo-joon, Park Bo-young, and Park Ji-hu. The world has been reduced to rubble by a massive earthquake. While no one knows for sure how far the ruins stretch, or what the cause of the earthquake may be, in the heart of Seoul there is only one apartment building left standing. It is called Hwang Gung Apartments. As time passes, outsiders start coming in to Hwang Gung Apartments trying to escape the extreme cold. Before long, the apartment residents are unable to cope with the increasing numbers. Feeling a threat to their very survival, the residents enact a special measure. Concrete Utopia arrives in South Korean cinemas in August. Watch the new trailer!

EMERGENCY DECLARATION Review: Measuring Terror At 30,000 Against All Odds

Lee B. Golden III

A pilot passes by someone he recognizes. A man gets irate with an airline clerk before resuming a grisly task in the mens’ room. A detective on the ground makes a gruesome discovery… These are just a few of the precursors that happen going into the next 140 minutes of nearly non-stop suspense in Han Jae-rim’s new aviation thriller, Emergency Declaration, from director Han Jae-rim, and starring Song Kang-ho and Lee Byun-hun among the roster. With a plane full of as many as 150 passengers headed from Incheon to Honolulu as its taking off, a mysterious man (Im Si-wan) plots something nefarious in the bathroom, and as the hours pass, it becomes clear that people are suddenly getting sick and dying from whatever is circulating on the plane. The illness is soon discovered as a bioweapon attack carried out by a disgrunted former employee of a company who had uploaded […]

EMERGENCY DECLARATION Teaser Trailer: Song Kang-Ho And Lee Byung-Hun Tackle Unfriendly Skies

Lee B. Golden III

Premiering Out Of Competition at Cannes next week is The King helmer Han Jae-rim’s newest thriller, Emergency Declaration. The latest international teaser trailer is making the rounds from the reps at Showbox, with actors Song Kang-ho (Parasite) and Lee Byung-hun (Ashfall) top-billed to head the story of passengers aboard a plane forced to declare an emergency when an unprecedented terror occurs in flight. That’s pretty much it for the logline too, and the rest is up to what you can gather from the footage being offered, on top of the poster which you can view below. There’s unrest, upheaval and the constant threat of imminent danger that lends a lot to pick apart here. Acquisition news remains pending so don’t wait up too long, but keep this one on radar for sure.

ARROW January Attractions: Arrow Shorts Collection, JSA, Tokyo Fist, We Need To Talk About Kevin, And More!

Arrow Review: Park Chan-Wook’s JOINT SECURITY AREA (JSA), A Lamentation Of Peace Through A Darkly Pragmatic Lens

Lee B. Golden III

It was around 2005 or ’06 when I finally managed to observe the work of director Park Chan-wook with an online buy of Oldboy. At this point, Park had already reveled in the ceremony of his previous work, notably with his 2000 film, Joint Security Area (JSA), which still stands on ceremony to this day with film fans as one of the most highly regarded of the last two decades. Set against the backdrop of intense relations between the North and the South, Park’s tale of murder bodes as more of a multi-layered epic drama going about thirty minutes in; The film is set in Panmunjom where soldiers from both Koreas hold the fort on opposite ends of the ‘Bridge of No Return’, initially introducing Swiss-Korean army major Sophie Jean (Lee Young-ae) to the story as the pointwoman for the Neutral Nations Supervisory Committee in its investigation of what happened […]

ASHFALL: Lee Byung-Hun And Ha Jung-Woo Star In South Korean Disaster Thriller Releasing October 6 on U.S. DVD

ASHFALL: Lee Byung-Hun And Ha Jung-Woo Star In South Korean Disaster Thriller Releasing October 6 on U.S. Blu-Ray And DVD

Lee B. Golden III

MPI Home Video is proudly releasing Korean blockbuster epic, Ashfall, on DVD and Blu-Ray in the U.S. beginning October 6. The film previously opened in South Korea from CJ Entertainment last December, scoring in the top 20 markets, earning a total of $61 million internationally. Written and directed by Lee Hae-Jun (My Dictator) and Kim Byung-Seo (Cold Eyes), actors Lee Byung-Hun (I Saw the Devil, The Magnificent Seven, The Good The Bad & The Weird) and Ha Jung-woo (The Yellow Sea, The Chaser, The Handmaiden), lead the all star cast for the story of an imprisoned North Korean defector, and an explosives disposal expert who join forces to prevent a devastating explosion in the wake of a volcanic eruption along the China-North Korea border. Also starring are Bae Suzy (Architecture 101, Dream High) and (Unstoppable, upcoming The Eternals). The film will be presented in English dub, an in Korean language […]

CONCRETE UTOPIA: Lee Byung-Hun Leads Trio For Earthquake Survival Thriller Shooting In Spring 2021

Lee B. Golden III

Um Tae-hwa (Vanishing Time: A Boy Who Returned) will sit at the helm in March 2021 for tentatively titled disaster thriller, Concrete Utopia, for Lotte Entertainment. A new report at KOFIC notes the casting additions of actress Park Bo-young (The Silenced), and actors Lee Byung-hun (Ashfall) and Park Seo-jun (The Divine Fury). The film reportedly centers on the events in a teetering apartment block in a city left devastated by a major earthquake. Lee is currently shooting The King director Han Jae-rim’s airplane disaster thriller, Emergency Declaration with Song Kang-ho. More at KOFIC.

Top 50 Action Gems Of The Decade (20-11)

Lee B. Golden III

Sometime late last year, Robb Antequera of The Cinema Drunkie sought for the services of several online film reporters, bloggers and willing participants to help contribute to a top fifty list – with sets of ten of our own written summaries – of the previous decade’s best action gems. I contributed about twelve films among which can currently be read among a mix of forty others now opined online as of this article, and in the wake of entries published over at The Action Elite, Action Flix and Bulletproof Action, the series continues below. Hit up the gallery with entries courtesy of screenwriter Chad Law, authors David J. Moore and Mike Fury, and members of The Action Elite, and tune in to Ultimate Action Movie Club for Robb’s final ten. To view the written portions, be sure to open the page via native browser without the /amp modulation, and tap […]

ASHFALL: Korea Battles Fire Down Below In The Official Teaser

Lee B. Golden III

With five directing credits between them, Lee Hae-jun and Kim Byeong-seo had their work cut out for them with their latest disaster epic, Ashfall – internationally titled for market appeal and for western audiences, particuarly in the U.S. where CJ Entertainment will eventually signal its own release stateside. The two round up a cast headed by Lee Byung-hun, Ha Jung-woo, Don Lee and Bae Suzy for the story of a seismologist who teams up with a rogue North Korean officer to help prevent a disaster following the sudden eruption of Baekdu Mountain, endangering the Korean peninsula. The film is due in December.

EMERGENCY DECLARATION: Lee Byung-Hun And Song Kang-Ho Take To The Skies For New South Korean Thriller

Lee B. Golden III

The likelihood of 2020 releases may reside for what comes next with actor Lee Byung-hun. The South Korean star of the action-packed Netflix K-Drama, Mr. Sunshine, will star in Emergency Declaration with celebrated actor Song Kang-ho. The King director Han Jae-rim will take the helm for the new thriller which is described as a disaster flick set on an airplane. Both actors share a trio of preceding credits listing Park Chan-wook’s JSA, and Kim Jee-Woon’s whirlwind Western romp, The Good, The Bad, The Weird, and searing period thriller, The Age Of Shadows. The film also marks another reunion for Han who directed Song in The Show Must Go On and The Face Reader; Song currently stars in the Palme d’Or-winning feature, Parasite, from director Bong Joon-Ho, which opens in North America on October 11 from NEON. Song is the latest recipient of this year’s Excellence Award at the 72nd annual […]

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CHIEFS OF NAMSAN: Politically Charged 70s Thriller From ‘Inside Man’ Director Now Filming

Lee B. Golden III

A recent report from KoBiz notes the current production of political thriller, Chiefs Of Namsan, reuniting respective Inside Man star and director Lee Byung-hun and Woo Min-ho. Chiefs Of Namsan is based on the true story centered on the activity of the Korean Central Intelligence Agency (KCIA), and the period leading up to President Park Chung-hee’ assassination in the 1970s. Several factors were altered for the film including character names; Lee is portraying Kim Kyu-pyung – derived from that of ex-KCIA chief Kim Jae-gyu who would later be known as President Park’s assassin. The Witness star Lee Sung-min will play President Park, and with Steel Rain actor Kwak Do-won joins in as Park Yong-gak – derived from that of ex-KCIA head Kim Hyung-wook. Rounding out the cast are actor Lee Hee-jun and actress Kim So-jin, both who appear with Sung-min in Woo’s upcoming crime drama, The Drug King, starring Song […]

REMAKE/RECAST: Kim Jee Woon’s I SAW THE DEVIL (2010)

Lee B. Golden III

There’s a good chance the remake of I SAW THE DEVIL won’t come but for another possibly three or so years, but I’m curious…

MR. SUNSHINE: Tumultuous Romance On The Forefront Of War In The Official Series Trailer

Lee B. Golden III

If you have a taste for Korean dramas to stream on Netflix, I actually have a few in mind. Of course, Iris fans can always look forward to Mr. Sunshine which has Lee Byung-Hun front and center on much of the PR for this epic 24-episode series from Descendants Of The Sun and Goblin duo Kim Eun-sook and Lee Eung-bok who share writing and directing duties, respectively. Based in Shinmiyangyo, or the US expedition to Korea in the late 19th century, Mr. Sunshine tells the story of a Korean boy born into a family of a house servant running away to board an American warship, later to return to his homeland as a US marine officer. He ironically falls in love with an aristocrat’s daughter and discovers the dark scheme to colonize the country that he once ran away from. The series hails from Hwa&Dam Pictures and Studio Dragon with […]

Brotherly Comedy KEYS TO THE HEART Opens Next Week. Catch The Trailer!

Lee B. Golden III

Actor Lee Byung-Hun’s next is offering a punch of comedy or as we approach the release of Keys To The Heart next week. The Fatal Encounter scribe Choi Sung-Hyun makes his directorial debut here now with Lee in the role of a washed-up boxer who amends his uneasy relationship with his handicapped genius pianist brother via stories of their past as shared by their mother. Park Jung-Min, who appears in the coming fantasy comedy, Psychokinesis, also stars in addition to actress Yoon Yeo-Jung. Choi also reunited with The Fatal Encounter actresses Han Ji-Min and Kim Sung-Ryoung. CJ Entertainment has the rights to this one so expect a slow and steady rollout for U.S. audiences in due time. Check out the international trailer below!

Battle Erupts Within THE FORTRESS In The Newest Trailer

Lee B. Golden III

At some point earlier on, an international trailer was unveiled for Hwang Dong-Hyuk’s new period war drama, Namhansangseon. Of course it helps now that its new title is The Fortress for said internarional appeal and while a date is still yet to be set, the latest trailer has arrived – Korean subbed, but plenty of excellent footage to delve into with Hwang’s fourth movie. The film is based on author Kim Hoon’s 2007 Hakgojae novel publication, set amid the warring 17th century Joseon era. Actor Park Hae-Il leads the cast as a King now under siege by Qing forces and forced into hiding in his moutain fortress where his two retainers, played bg Lee Byung-Hun and Kim Yun-Seok, both butt heads in their philosophies and ideals on how to deal with the Qing soliders; One wants to negotiate while the other wishes to fight head on. An epic deadlock ensues and […]

NAMHANSANSEONG: 17th Century War And Politics Collide In The Official Teaser Trailer

Lee B. Golden III

I’m almost certain director Hwang Dong-Hyuk’s new period drama, Namhansangseon, will be re-titled with a more international appeal by its September theatrical release. Until then, that’s the name of the film as it so reads on author Kim Hoon’s 2007 Hakgojae novel publication, set amid the warring 17th century Joseon era. Actor Park Hae-Il leads the cast as a King now under siege by Qing forces and forced into hiding in his moutain fortress where his two retainers, played bg Lee Byung-Hun and Kim Yun-Seok, both butt heads in their philosophies and ideals on how to deal with the Qing soliders; One wants to negotiate while the other wishes to fight head on. It’s pretty much an epic deadlock and the latest teaser trailer illustrates that in sweeping fashion. Check it out!

Review: THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN (2016) Upholds The Western Frontier With Gravitas And Tact

Lee B. Golden III

While Antoine Fuqua’s The Magnificent Seven is a remake of the 1960 film by the same name, I like to think of it as a direct reimagining of its original incarnation of Akira Kurosawa’s Seven Samurai from 1954. It bears noting that Kurosawa is, to this day, still Stephen Spielberg’s totemic inspiration behind his every endeavor, which calls to mind the question of how much that influences have made it into those films both thematically and narratively. I would say that the influence manifests like the whimsy of a film student’s interaction with the arguments that give sustenance to a story of camaraderie. A story like this one, especially, that arrives on contact with the bold charisma of a gunslinger. I’m calling it; if this sort of Western is an analog to another form of cinematic expression, it would be to anime a la Voltron or Gundam Wing – a […]

Catch The Latest Trailer For Cho Ui-Seok’s MASTER

Lee B. Golden III

A friend of mine named Takai got on my case for not remembering an action scene from the film, Kundo which featured actor Gang Dong-Won as the main villain. She’s an avowed fan of his and that being said, she sort of put me in the doghouse (jokingly) even though I hadn’t seen the film in a couple of years. Still though, I give her credit for following up on Gang and his activity with his most recent film, director Chi Ui-Seok’s Master, in which he leads the tale of a intellectual crime unit led by a detective as they take on a massive fraud case. Also starring principally are Lee Byung-Hun and Kim Woo-Bin as the respective president and brains of the very corporation now in Gang’s sights and clearly our villains are trying to hide something, considering the conniving, scheming and explosive chaos occuring as a result. The […]

MASTER: Catch The Full Trailer For Cho Ui-Suk’s New Thriller

Lee B. Golden III

Cold Eyes helmer Cho Ui-Suk looks to have plenty going for him with the forthcoming release of his latest action crime thriller, Master. It’s a marvelous feat so far and as exemplary as ever for Korean action fans with a cast as vibrant and stellar as ever with Kundo and The Priests actor Gang Dong-Won in his first role as a detective out to bring down the president of a company involved in a massive fraud case. On the villainous end of things are Lee Byung-Hun of I Saw The Devil, Paramounts G.I. Joe and Red 2 fame, along with Kim Woo-Bin from Twenty and Friend, The Great Legacy, all three headlining with, Uhm Ji-Won, The Tunnel and Veteran co-star Oh Dal-Su and Assassination co-star Jin Kyung. The film opens in cinemas this December and with this, the first full trailer has arrived, citing elements of action, drama and espionage aplenty. Take […]

Catch The First Teaser For Jo Eui-Seok's New Crime Thriller, MASTER

Lee B. Golden III

I have to say, I’m pretty thrilled to see actor Lee Byung-Hun standing out so well in the last several years. The first I’d heard of him was in the live-action rendition of G.I. Joe in 2009 prior to its protracted sequel’s release in 2013 and it’s really exciting to see him take up action roles. Here, he does just that with a dash of salt and pepper in his air as a crimeboss at the center of a massive fraud investigation opposite Woochi and Kundo actor Kang Dong-Won in his debut role as a detective in the new thriller, Master. The film opens this December a year after its announcement in 2015 from CJ E&M with Cold Eyes helmer Jo Eui-Seok directing, and actors and actresses Friend, The Great Legacy actor Kim Woo-Bin, Uhm Ji-Won, The Tunnel and Veteran co-star Oh Dal-Su and Assassination co-star Jin Kyung also starring. […]

Meet THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN In The Explosive New Trailer!

Lee B. Golden III

If there was ever a director as of late who has compelled me more for a Western, it would be Antoine Fuqua. Thus, we get The Magnificent Seven with actor Denzel Washington leading the way for any and everyone still fond of last year’s The Equalizer and Washington’s Academy Awarded role in 2003’s Training Day. Rooted as a retelling of the classic Jim Sturges remake of Kurosawa Akira’s Seven Samurai, it’s also pretty rewarding for anyone who enjoys good old-fashioned tales of a ragtag band of grey-shaded heroes out to do good. And not for nothing either with fellow Fuqua cohort Ethan Hawke joined by everyone’s favorite raptor whisperer, Chris Pratt, and the beautiful Haley Bennett who looks like she’ll bring more than meets the eye here. SYNOPSIS: Director Antoine Fuqua brings his modern vision to a classic story in Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures’ and Columbia Pictures’ The Magnificent Seven. With the […]