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3 Korean films to show in HIFF's spring festival | The Honolulu Advertiser | Hawaii's Newspaper
Posted on: Friday, March 20, 2009

3 Korean films to show in HIFF's spring festival

K-Drama

The Hawaii International Film Festival will celebrate its weeklong 12th Spring Showcase starting April 3, featuring more than 20 films from around the world.

The rising popularity of Korean cinema has meant more Korean films are shown at HIFF, and many Korean celebrities have been brought in for special screenings of their current films and awards.

HIFF is held annually in October, but having a festival just once a year didn't satisfy the many film lovers in Hawai'i so the Spring Showcase was added 12 years ago. This spring festival features three Korean films: "Marine Boy," "Night and Day" and "Treeless Mountain."

The following synopses were provided by HIFF:

  • "Marine Boy" (6:15 p.m. April 8 and 3 p.m. April 9): Swimming instructor Cheon-soo loses everything he has to gambling and realizes that he'll be paying off his debts for the rest of his life. His moneylender, Kang, approaches him with the dangerous proposition of becoming a "marine boy," a drug trafficker who swims across the ocean with illegal drugs. Cheon-soo relents and goes on drug runs, risking his life. Soon, he meets a mysterious beauty, who has been tracking him. The female lead role in this film is Park Si Yeon, who also was in "A Love" with Ju Jin Mo in 2007.

  • "Night and Day" (6 p.m. April 7 and 3:15 p.m. April 8): Sung-nam is a 40ish, married painter who is exiled in Paris, on the lam from getting caught smoking pot in Seoul. Feeling trapped in life and blocked in his art, the getaway proves welcome — only now that he's actually settled in the City of Light, what should he do? Director Hong Sang-soo, channeling Eric Rhomer, creates a beautifully observed, characteristically wry chronicle of Sung-nam's attempt to savor his wandering year. Not speaking a word of French, Sung-nam joins a floating group of Korean expat bohemians. When he meets art student Hyun-ju and her roommate Yu-jeong, it could be that love is in the air — or is it just Paris?

  • "Treeless Mountain" (3:15 p.m. April 9 and 6:15 p.m. April 9): When their mother decides to search for her estranged husband, 7-year-old Jin and younger sister Bin are left in the care of Big Aunt. Jin and Bin cling to the promise of their mother's return, but as time goes on, no news is heard, so the two sisters must find ways to cope with being shuffled from one relative to another, adapt to their new environment, and deal with feelings of abandonment. Drawing critical acclaim in the festival circuit, "Treeless Mountain" is a heartbreaking tale told through the eyes of a little girl forced to grow up too soon.

    Tickets will go on sale for members Monday and for the general public on the 27th. All screenings will be at Regal Dole Cannery Stadium 18. For more information, visit www.hiff.org.

    THIS WEEK'S K-DRAMA SYNOPSES

    'THE FAMILY OF HONOR'

    EPISODES 31 AND 32

    Tonight at 7:45 p.m.: Dan-ah and Gang-suk confirm their love for each other. Gang-suk assures Dan-ah that he'll give up on her family's company. Daeseong faces liquidation after Gang-suk offers to buy out Chairman Ha's shares. Gang-suk and Dan-ah go to Jin-ha's grave and make a commitment. Tomorrow at 7:45 p.m.: Dan-ah and Gang-suk decide to get married. Soo-young and Young-in find out Jin-ah is infertile. Soo-young and Tae-young find out they are dating Jin-ah, and Mal-soon, respectively. Gang-suk asks Chairman Ha for Dan-ah's hand.

    'GLASS CASTLE'

    EPISODES 30 AND 31

    Sunday at 6:45 p.m.: Joon-song's mother finds out about Min-joo's mother working as a maid. She is abusive to Min-joo. Min-joo can't take it anymore and runs off. Joon-song finally takes her home. The next day, Joon-song's mother tells her to keep Min-joo away from her family. Joon-hee's father finds out her whereabouts. Sunday at 7:45 p.m.: The chairman meets with Suk-jin and tries to convince him to get back together with Joon-hee. Suk-jin refuses. The whole family looks at Suk-jin for an answer and he's sick of them. Joon-hee goes back home. Hyong-seok shows Yu-ran a letter of complaint against the chairman.

    'TERROIR'

    EPISODES 17 AND 18

    Monday at 7:45 p.m.: Tae-min finally confesses his feelings to Woo-ju and puts his relationship with Ji-sun on hold. Upset that neither Chairman Kang nor Tae-min will forgive him, Joy decides to get back at them. Tuesday at 7:45 p.m.: Tae-min finds out that the man wrongly accused of stealing wine from Terroir is really Woo-ju's father. Woo-ju, unaware of this, focuses on the big Lafite D'Aussie launching event at the Terroir. In the meantime, Joy keeps up his efforts to take over Hankang Construction and compete with Tae-min in the wine business.

    'CELEBRITY LOVER'

    EPISODES 15 AND 16

    Wednesday at 7:45 p.m.: Mari sees her first love, Woo-jin, and is torn when Mr. Suh tells her that Woo-jin has an illness. Chul-su feels like he's losing Mari. Chul-su ends up contributing to Mari's photo book when he finds out that his mom accepted Mari's money to treat Yuri's illness. Thursday at 7:45 p.m.: Mari's first love, Woo-jin, decides to go back to Japan to get surgery and Mari insists on going with him. When Mari tells Chul-su that she's leaving to Japan, Chul-su breaks up with Mari. Woo-jin leaves by himself. Byong-joon reveals that Mr. Suh manipulated the media to renew contracts with his top actors. Mari is concerned, because Mr. Suh's scandal may stop Chul-su's new book from being published.

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