News: A remake, a one hundred and first and some trailers…

The updates on the site might have been limited this week to a review of 200 POUNDS BEAUTY while I’ve been setting up the Twitter, Facebook and MySpace pages, but there’s been a couple of interesting news stories this week and a few cool trailers…

‘A Better Tomorrow’ Remake

So the news came in this week regarding the casting of this ever-discussed remake, talk of which seems to have gone on for years. Director Song Hae-sung (FAILAN) is to direct the flick which has been given the, erm, interesting title of INVICIBLE and is reported to star Song Seung-heon in the role originally made iconic by Chow Yun Fat and Lee Min-Gi (A GOOD DAY TO HAVE AN AFFAIR) in the role originally played by the late, great – and sadly missed – Leslie Cheung. Those are some pretty big boots to fill by anyone’s reckoning! The film begins filming in Thailand early next year and is being pushed for a 2010 release. Prepare for the usual remake-backlash – especially on a film as classic and much loved as this – although it’s certainly material that’s ripe for reworking.

Im Kwon-Taek’s 101st film

Director Im Kwon-taek has had alot of practice at this film making lark, as Twitch uncovered news of his 101st film. That’s right one hundred and one films, that’s a hell of a imdb listing. The new film is to be called RAISING THE MOONLIGHT and will star Kang Su-yeon (HANBANDO) and Park Joong-hoon (SAY YES) with DP Hwang Gi-Seok  (DUELIST) lensing the digital film. Shooting is expected to start next month for what Twitch consider is ‘likely to be a Cannes premiere’. Source: TWITCH

Trailers : worth checking out this week -

MY GIRLFRIEND IS AN AGENT (2009 / Shin Tae-ra) This action comedy opened at number one on it’s recent release and looks like alot of daft fun…

JEON WOO CHI: THE TAOIST WIZARD (2009 / Choi Dong-hoon) It might immediately bring ARAHAN to mind, but this special effects action comedy looks alot of fun too, and the cast includes Gang Dong-won and the ever great Baek Yoon-sik…no subs sadly…

THE RELATION OF FACE, MIND AND LOVE (2009 / Kang Ji-hwan) Sadly no subs on this trailer, but this Korean take on SHALLOW HAL (without the fat suits) looks pretty funny…

Finally, don’t forget to subscribe to the New Korean Cinema YouTube channel – the first uploads of which are trailers for a bunch of films recently released by Third Window Films including GUNS AND TALKS, SAY YES and PEPPERMINT CANDY along with a load more…

If you have any news of interest, good trailers to watch, feel free to let me know at martin[at]newkoreancinema.com…