THE largest celebration of Korean cinema in the country will be available to the public from today until Sunday at SM City Cebu.
In cooperation with the Korean Cultural Center and Embassy of the Republic of Korea in the Philippines, the Korean Film Festival started last Sept. 8 in Pampanga and will end in SM Megamall on Oct. 16.
The films are for free.
The festival will showcase five Korean films that according to the Korean Cultural Center, will go with the theme “Strong Hearts,” and will “capture the great willpower of a person to assert decisions even in the face of strong opposition.”
All films have subtitles.
The festival partners with the Film Development Council of the Philippines, Film Cultural Exchange Program, Korea Copyright Commission, Korea Tourism Organization, SM Cinema and SM Lifestyle Entertainment Inc.
Here is the lineup of festival films:
The Beauty Inside: This is a film about an interesting man named Woo-Jin, played by Kim Dae-Myung, who wakes up every morning as a different person regardless of gender, race and age. Trying to be a normal person, he falls in love with the character Hong E-soo played by Han Hyo-joo. He visits her every day as a new customer. When Woo-Jin finally decides to ask her out, he tries to stay awake for as long as he can to not change his identity.
How to Use Guys with Secret Tips: This film centers on Choi Bo-Na, played by Les Si-young, an assistant TV commercial editor for five years. And because of stress, her appearance becomes a mess. She meets Dr. Swarski, played by Park Yeong-Gyu, in a stall full of instructional tapes. He urges Choi to buy his masterpiece Manual on How to Use Men. Gradually following the instructions in the book, her life starts to turn around. She begins experiencing professional successes and men start admiring her, including Lee Seung-jae played by Oh Jung-Se.
The Suspect: Gong Yoo plays the character of Ji Dong-Chul, an ex-top North Korean operative who is now a defector after his country betrayed him. His life changes when he is framed for the murder of his boss. With the help of a documentary maker, he tries to get to the bottom of the crime. Dong-Chul radically finds out that there are conspiracies involving the murder of his wife and child a few years back.
Confession of Murder: Lee Du-Seok, played by Park Si-hoo, publishes an autobiography called I am a Murderer. In it, he confesses to murders he did over 17 years ago, describing each one in concrete detail. His best-selling book was opposed by Detective Choi Hyeong-goo, played by Jung Jae-Young, claiming Lee is an imposter.
Ode to my Father: This film revolves around a hardworking man played by Hwang Jung-min who fully supports his mother and siblings. This is a story about a breadwinner who sets aside his own ambitions to take care of family after his father and sister got separated from the rest of them during the evacuation of Hungnam in 1950. (Contributed by Romae Chanice Marquez)