song joong ki

Promo still from BOGOTA: CITY OF THE LOST

BOGOTA: CITY OF THE LOST: Song Joong-Ki Vies For Dominance In The 90s Colombian Black Market

Minority Opinion helmer Kim Seong-je has a story to tell, although bear with him if it’s more to do with the arduous BTS of it all with his latest international crime noir, Bogota: City Of The Lost, and less so the film itself. Casting and pre-production ensued for about a year or so until cameras rolled on location in Colombia in 2020, offsetting one of the most hectic scheduling spells for a film to endure as the Covid-19 pandemic set in worldwide. Eighteen months later with a few delays in between and production finally wrapped as Kim set out to complete the film which eventually got to hold its World Premiere for the 29th edition of the Busan International Film Festival a few months ago. I haven’t seen all the reviews so I don’t know what the general feedback on this film is, but it’ll be worth watching to appreciate […]

HOPELESS: Catch The Trailer For The Brooding New Crime Debut From Director Kim Chang-Hoon

Lee B. Golden III

Kim Chang-hoon’s feature debut will have its October 11 release through Plus M in South Korea for crime drama noir, Hopeless, following its premiere at Cannes. The film, also written by Kim, also has a new trailer which you can view below. Hong Xa-bin stars alongside actor Song Joong-ki for the story of 17 year-old Yeon-gyu, a downtrodden teenager with no way of escaping his violent hometown to ascertain the peaceful life he only wants with his mother. When an act of desperation finds him reaching out to Chi-geon, Yeon-gyu’s consequential downward spiral into a life of crime threatens any small glimmer of hope he has left. Also starring are Kim Hyoung-seo and Jeong Jae-Kwang.

SPACE SWEEPERS Review: An Enthralling Sci-Fi Space Adventure Worth Multiple Rewatches

Lee B. Golden III

The least anyone expected in the past year would be to have to wait out a whole pandemic in order to have some semblance of some semblance of fun (yes, I wrote it like that, and you read it correctly the same). Moviegoers the world around were resigned to such a fate even as trailers for Jo Sung-hee’s latest star-spangled space rouser, Space Sweepers, made the rounds with small trailer bits touting a hopeful release last summer, and so with its delay came the usual brouhaha over releasing films onto smaller screens despite helmers priming their work for more grandiose theatrical showings. We can go over all the Nolan-isms on that all day, of course, and sadly, it won’t change the fact that the best course of action for any film to see movement would be to tether it to a streaming deal of some kind. I’ll leave the watercooler […]

SPACE SWEEPERS Teaser: Korea’s First Space Adventure Promises Interstellar Thrills, Explosive Battles, Robots And More!

Lee B. Golden III

It’s been four years since Jo Sung-hee had a theatrical release with credits like A Werewolf Boy and Phantom Detective in his wake. That all changes this summer with last year’s production on space thriller, The Victory, following in the footsteps of Asia’s successes in recent years with Frant Gwo’s The Wandering Earth, and other spotlights such as Shanghai Fortress and upcoming sci-fi thriller, Warriors Of Future. (Hell, let’s throw Guardians Of The Galaxy in there while we’re at it!) Now faced with an exhibitors’ market drastically reshaped by the Coronavirus outbreak at the start of 2020, the new South Korean action adventure re-emerges now as Space Sweepers, rebrandished and suited well in its title along with a first teaser that packs in a promising 30-second first look. A July release is on deck for South Korea from Merry Christmas Entertainment, and with any luck, we might even see this […]

THE VICTORY: Jo Sung-Hee’s Korea/China-Backed Trailblazing Sci-Fi Shoots Next Month

Lee B. Golden III

Developments have been slowly brewing for years for Jo Sung-Hee’s new movie, The Victory. At long last though, it appears the wheels are finally turning for Jo’s long-awaited effort toward shooting South Korea’s first sci-fi feature beginning next month. Principally backed by Merry Chistmas with an investment upwards of $4.2 million dollars from Huayi Tencent Entertainment, The Victory aims to further cement business between China and South Korea following a three year stalemate that has affected China’s Korean film releases according to Variety‘s own Sonia Kil. China and South Korea have had frosty political relations for the past three years and the import of Korean films into China has dried up. In its recently published annual report Huayi Tencent said: “We are of the view that the situation may gradually improve.” There’s next to nothing on story details for The Victory will otherwise reunite Jo with The Battleship Island actor […]

ARTHDAL CHRONICLES: New Korean Fantasy Drama Hits Netflix June 1

Lee B. Golden III

This one flew under my radar in recent weeks but Netflix is toplining its stack of June releases with the June 1 global premiere of tvN Korean epic fantasy drama, Arthdal Chronicles. Kim Won-seok (Sungkyunkwan Scandal, Misaeng) directs a cast led by actors Song Joong-ki (The Battleship Island) and Jang Dong-gun (Rampant), and actresses Kim Ji-won (Mr. Sunshine) and Kim Ok-bin (The Villainess) lead the cast with a script by award-winning scribes, Kim Young-hyun (Dae Jang Geum, Deep Rooted Tree and Queen Seondeok) and Park Sang-yeon (Deep Rooted Tree and Queen Seondeok). Arthdal Chronicles depicts the birth of civilization and nations in ancient times. It is a story of mythical heroes, their struggle, unity and love of people living in a virtual land called Arth. The storyline of Arthdal Chronicles is centered around the ancient city of Arthdal, established on Arth. Eunseom (Song Joong-ki) relentlessly fights to protect his own […]

THE BATTLESHIP ISLAND: Watch The Official U.S. Trailer For Ryoo Seung-Wan's Thunderous War Epic

Lee B. Golden III

Lest you think you’re running out of reasons to enjoy your summer at the movies, Ryoo Seung Wan’s new period epic, The Battleship Island is finally rolling out with an official U.S. trailer this week. The film is kicking off with a Buena Park premiere at CGV Cinemas in California ahead of a rollout that will slowly expand throughout the state as well as in Seattle, Washington by August 4. During the Japanese colonial era, roughly 400 Korean people, who were forced onto Battleship Island (‘Hashima Island’) to mine for coal, attempt to escape. The film Hwang Jung-min, So Ji-sub, Song Joong-ki, Lee Jung-hyun and Kim Su-an. Spot the trailer and official U.S. poster below, and visit the official CJ Entertainment USA website for exact exhibitor locations and dates.

BATTLESHIP ISLAND: Catch The Teaser For Ryoo Seung-Wan’s Japanese-Occupation Era Epic

Lee B. Golden III

Director Ryoo Seung-Wan’s Battleship Island is coming this summer following the success of his 2015 action comedy, Veteran. That one is already poised for a sequel while here, we are swept into a much darker period in history as the film delves into the lives of three men and their stories among the hundreds of others forcefully taken on Hashima Island during Japanese occupation at the top of the 1900s. Hwang Jung-Min plays a bandmaster desperate to protect his family while So Ji-Sub plays a tough fighter with a warm heart, and Song Joong-Ki stars as an insurgent leading a rescue mission for one of his independence fighters. The film is opening this summer and, as per its brand, may hopefully acquire a release via CJ’s USA shingle, so it’s a waiting game, no less. In the meantime, the latest teaser has already gone viral so take a look below!