LAND OF NEW MOVIES

Moon Sung Keun / Ju Jin Mo

Movie Synopsis :
Parties with hundreds of guests and foreign press, banner ads all over the Internet even when the film is still in production, bus and magazine ads for weeks, TV appearances and dozens of trailers. Those are normal marketing ploys in today's Chungmuro, but Kim Tae Kyung's The Puzzle decided to do things a little differently: it started and completed shooting without a single word written about it, no mention on TV or elsewhere. It certainly wasn't for lack of star power, as the crime thriller features Ju Jin Mo (Fashion Seventies), Moon Sung Keun (Princess Aurora, Hanbando), and famous TV personality Hong Seok Cheon. But after controversies over the increasingly powerful influence of marketing on a film's performance (or lack thereof), they decided to let the film speak for itself.
Hwan, Ryu, Noh, Jung and Gyu. Five people, no connections or previous knowledge of each other. The mysterious X asks these five people to steal an important document inside a bank, the reward too appealing to refuse despite the difficult mission. But beyond everything they have to go through, who is this X, orchestrating the pieces of this puzzle like a puppet master? The debut film of short film director Kim Tae Kyung, The Puzzle is not only interesting for its innovative marketing strategy, but earns points for the originality of its plot and its style itself, and is a worthy competitor for films of the genre released with much more fanfare. ~from yesasia~

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Soo
Ji Jin Hee / Kang Sung Yeon / Moon Sung Keun / Yoichi Sai (Director)

Sex is Zero 2

Lim Chang Jung / U Che Young / Song Ji Hyo / Yoon Je Kyun (Director)

Sex is Zero, the wild, raunchy sex comedy that exploded the Korean box office with over 4.5 million moviegoers in 2002, unveils its sequel Sex is Zero 2. Prepare for an upgraded suite of sexual gags and bathroom humor surrounding a bunch of hormone-raging college students. All of the original gang is back in action for the second installment with the exception of Ha Ji Won who makes a brief cameo appearance in the opening scene. Leading the pack of testosterone-wired hyenas are Lim Chang Jung (Scout) and Choi Sung Kook (Master Kims) who offer plenty of ad-libs (and libidos!) throughout the film. The sequel sold 1.5 million tickets in just two weeks with much media buzz over its sexual content, language, and nudity, plus the film's new additions Song Ji Hyo (Wishing Stairs) and Lee Hwa Seon (Seducing Mr. Perfect). Keeping in tune with the current trend, the visually enticing aerobic girls from the original are now flashing more flesh than ever as varsity swimmers and the martial arts club is sporting more kicks and punches as a K-1 fight club. Also be sure to indulge in a little guilty pleasure as the film's funniest bloopers roll out during the end credits. Though not for the faint of heart as many of the scenes are larded with shocking, in-your-face sexual innuendoes, the film sprinkles in some heartwarming, tender moments that makes this comedy classic sweeter the second time around.
How to advance beyond first base? That's what Eun Sik (Lim Chang Jung) wants to know. Although into the third year of their relationship, Eun Sik and his curvaceous varsity swimmer girlfriend Kyung Ah (Song Ji Hyo) have yet to venture beyond the kissing stage. Deeply frustrated, Eun Sik explores other ways of relieving himself from the growing demands of his raging hormones with a little assistance from a naked female statue outside campus. Appalled at his friend's desperate and somewhat embarrassing measure, playboy Sung Kook (Choi Sung Kook) comes to Eun Sik's rescue and offers his invaluable "wisdom" on making a home run, but Eun Sik's new behavior shocks Kyung Ah. Just as Kyung Ah's agonizing over why her wholesome boyfriend has suddenly turned into a pervert, dashing prosecutor Ki Joo shows up to sweep her off her feet with his suave lady-killer charm, signaling the start of a very tight race for the bed. ~from yesasia~

Tae Guk Gi: The Brotherhood of War

Jang Dong Gun / Won Bin / Gong Hyung Jin / Lee Eun Joo

The full impact of brotherly love is shown in this touching Korean blockbuster that teams up superstars Jang Dong Gun and Won Bin. The film revolves around two brothers who are drafted into the army by force during the outbreak of the Korean War in the 50s. Jang Dong Gun plays Lee Jin Tae, a simple family man who makes every effort to excel in his duties in order to achieve an early release from the military services for his younger brother Jin Seok (Won Bin). Unaware of his older brother's good intentions, Jin Seok is increasingly upset by his brother's cavalier actions. The misunderstandings between the two keep accumulating until Jin Seok accidentally comes across an unposted letter to his family and makes a fateful decision.
Directed by Gang Je Gyu (Shiri), Taegukgi: The Brotherhood of War became the highest-grossing Korean film of all time when it was released in 2004, a record later surpassed by King and The Clown in 2006. The film's 12.8 million dollar production cost also set a new record for the Korean film industry. Taegukgi 's epic nature and gritty and realistic battlefield scenes poignantly capture the brutality and devastation of war, while the brothers' evolving relationship makes for an affecting account of the wartime experience. ~from yesasia~