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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Sunday, August 19, 2007

Extra movies galore at K-Fest, on KLIFE

By Jeff Chung

Hawaii news photo - The Honolulu Advertiser

"A Millionaire's First Love".

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KFEST 3

Friday through Aug. 26

Signature Theatres Dole Cannery

www.hiff.org

550-8457

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Hawaii news photo - The Honolulu Advertiser

"Highway Star".

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Hawaii news photo - The Honolulu Advertiser

"Bittersweet Life".

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Hawaii news photo - The Honolulu Advertiser

"Please Teach Me English".

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Hawaii news photo - The Honolulu Advertiser

"Kangnam Mom" debuts tomorrow. It's about a single mom and her grown son.

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K-Fest 3 dawns this week at the Dole Cannery.

Beginning Friday, eight Korean films will screen, presented by the Hawaii International Film Festival and KBFD. Screening times are noon, 3 p.m., 6 p.m. and 8:45 p.m. daily for an even dozen in the three-day festival.

Korean cinema has been garnering much global attention in recent years and has played a vital role in the hallyu ("Korean wave") movement. It also covers many genres: If the gay and lesbian film festival in Honolulu has a Korean gay film for its opening night film, you know Korean cinema has come a long way.

Actress Ha Ji Won appeared at the Hawaii International Film Festival last October, when her film "Dualist" made its premiere. While you can see her work again in "Miracle on 1st Street," which screens 6 p.m. Friday and 8:45 p.m. Saturday, there are no stars confirmed who will be making an appearance at K-Fest 3.

Although Oh Ji Ho came for an appearance at HIFF's most recent Spring Festival, K-Fest is all about films.

Two films for K-Fest have been added to the lineup:

  • "A Millionaire's First Love," (screens noon Aug. 26): Jae Kyung is a spoiled, rich slacker kid who knows he doesn't have to study hard because on his 19th birthday, he will have his million-dollar inheritance from his late grandfather. The day before the big payout, Jae Kyung discovers he can only inherit his fortune if he graduates from Boram High School. Boram is in a remote part of the Korean countryside, miles from Jae Kyung's cushy little existence. The pampered city boy has no choice but to move to this small rural community, where his credit card isn't accepted and he can't even drive his sports car! But among all the bumpkins, Jae Kyung meets Eun Hwan, in whom he sees something that might inspire him to change his selfish, arrogant ways.

  • "Highway Star," (screens 3 p.m. Aug. 26): Stuck in a small town, aspiring rocker Dal Ho (Cha Tae Hyun) makes a living reluctantly playing trot (folk music) at local clubs. When small-time recording company head Jang (Lim Chae Moo) offers Dal Ho a contract, he eagerly grabs the opportunity, believing that his time has finally come. After he signs, however, Dal Ho discovers that he won't be rocking after all. Instead, he will be singing trot. Unable to back out of his contract, Dal Ho takes to the stage behind a mask to hide his embarrassment, and ends up an overnight sensation. The wannabe rocker seems to have found his true calling, but doing music he dislikes. With the help of Jang and a certain cute singer (Lee So Yeon), maybe he'll actually learn the passion of trot.

    In other news, KLIFE on Oceanic Cable Channel 81 offers video on demand for Korean dramas, movies, music videos and cultural programming. Two additional movies have been added to KLIFE movie lineup:

  • "Bittersweet Life" (2005), an action noir directed by Kim Jee-woon and starring Lee Byung Hun, Shin Mina, Kim Young-cheol; 120 minutes.

    This dark action flick stars Lee Byun Hun, whom you might remember from a visit in the 2005 HIFF. The film showed to a sold-out crowd of people who waited five hours in line for a glimpse of Lee. During that screening, Lee said he was surprised when his character drew an ovation in the crowd when he killed a mobster leader point blank. Lee said it was the first time an audience applauded the scene.

    In the movie, Lee plays a hit man who works for a gang leader, Kang (Kim Young-woo). Sun-woo (Lee) has devoted seven years to Kang and has become his favorite man in the gang, finally gaining authority to manage a sky lounge. One day, Kang assigns Sun-woo to watch after his girlfriend Hee-soo (Shin Mina), whom he suspects is cheating. After three months of observing Hee-soo, Sun-woo finds she has been unfaithful, but because he secretly admires her, decides to keep her affair quiet. Betrayed by his right-hand man, Kang calls up his gang to kill Sun-woo and the most brutal battle starts between Sun-woo and Kang.

  • "Please Teach Me English" (2003), a romantic comedy directed by Kim Sung-su and starring Lee Na-young, Jang Hyuk (118 minutes): Nah Young-ju (Lee Na-young) is a clerk at a district office who spends most of her days reading tabloid horoscopes. She is chosen to be the lucky one to attend English class for free. After a placement test, she is placed in the basic introductory class. However, before she even memorizes the alphabet, she falls madly in love with a class playboy, Moon-su (Jang Hyuk), who swears he'll propose in English when he meets the love of his life. To win him, she submerges herself in English. After her determined effort and study, will she be able to win over his heart?

    THIS WEEK'S K-DRAMA SYNOPSES

    'BRIDE FROM VIETNAM'

    EPISODES 3 AND 4

    Tonight at 7: Han-suk shows Jun-wu a picture of Jin-ju and tells him she'll be his wife. However, Jun-wu refuses to get married. Ok-kyong invites her friends, including Han-suk, to announce her son's wedding. Han-suk tells Ok-kyong her son is about to marry a Korean-American.

    Tonight at 8: Jin-ju arrives in Korea, and Han-suk puts Jin-ju up in a hotel with Gun-ja, afraid Jin-ju will find out about Jun-wu's condition. Ji-young tells Young-min to reconsider their marriage when he seems upset over the incident with Han-suk.

    'KANGNAM MOM'

    EPISODES 1 AND 2

    Tomorrow at 7:50 p.m.:Min-joo is a single mom whose only goal is to send son Jin-woo to Seoul National University. Sang-won is a poet/reporter who makes a living writing recommendations to wannabe poets. But when the recommendation he wrote for Mi-kyong backfires and gets him in trouble, he suddenly finds himself with no means to make a living.

    Tuesday at 7:50 p.m.: Mikyong decides that she wants to move to Kangnam with Min-joo. Min-joo finds a three-bedroom apartment and moves to Kangnam. Sang-won gets a job at Chegang Junior High and looks for a room to rent. He hears that Min-joo is renting a room and calls her.

    'MONEY WAR BONUS'

    EPISODES 1 AND 2 (OF FOUR)

    Wednesday at 7:50 p.m.: Geum Nara is a loan shark in Namdaemun working with Soo-young, his girlfriend, and Chul-su, a computer wizard. Nara goes to a cabaret to collect from a gigolo only to decide to take dance lessons from him in lieu of payments.

    Thursday at 7:50 p.m.: Soo-young hits a man while driving, but Nara decides to take the blame. The victim seeks a large settlement, and Soo-young asks Woo-sung for help. Madam Jin suggests to Nara and Woo-sung that she'll back the man who finds her long- lost son.

    'AIR CITY'

    EPISODES 9 AND 10

    Friday at 7:50 p.m.: Do-kyong is cleared of drug possession charges, but still faces disciplinary action at work. Myung-wu finds out Ji-sung's whereabouts through Jae-mu and finds him sick and alone in a remote island.

    Saturday at 7:50 p.m.: Chaos ensues at the airport when the planes are grounded due to an error in the baggage system. Ji-sung pleads with Jae-mu and gets him to let him remain at the airport. Do-kyong receives a bomb threat at the airport.