Extra movies galore at K-Fest, on KLIFE
By Jeff Chung
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:
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:
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.
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.