Living National Treasure Kim Youngjae performs at The Korea Society. Winner of the 2015 Bang Il-Young Gugak Prize, which celebrates the preservation of traditional culture, Master Kim plays haegeum, the Korean fiddle. At this performance, Master Kim is accompanied by SunHo Kim on daegeum, the Korean bamboo flute.
At this performance, Master Kim is accompanied by:
Sunho Kim, daegeum Rami Seo, gayageum Sunghyun Kim, gomungo Chunkyung Park, gomungo & changgo Kwangil Choi, piri Jeongmi Park, vocals
If you have any questions, please contact Luz Lanzotor (212) 759-7525 ext 309.
This program is supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in Partnership with the City Council.
About the Artists
As a world class Living National Treasure title-holder, Mr. YoungJae Kim has performed throughout the world with traditional and popular repertoires of his own composition. Master Kim is now a geomungo sanjo player holding National Intangible Heritage No.16. In 2015, Master Kim was awarded the 22nd Bang Il Young Gugak Prize, an award presented to first-rate musicians in Korea. Master YoungJae Kim is currently an honorary professor at Korea National University Of Art.
Mr. SunHo Kim, one of the most popular daegeum players in Korea, was influenced by his father, JongSun Kim, a master of multiple instruments. SunHo Kim earned his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Traditional Music Orchestra from Chung Ang University. Mr. Kim is also a winner of multiple competitions such as 4th Ji-young Hee National Traditional Music Competition (Grand prize), 8th National Traditional Music Competition (Grand prize) and 7th Gi-san National Traditional Music Competition (Grand prize). He is currently a concert master of KBS traditional and a music director of the Korean traditional folk music ensemble Suri.
Celebrate traditional and fusion music with The Korea Society as gayageumist Rami Seo and Gambian kora (African harp-lute) master Alhaji Papa Susso perform together. A short documentary chronicling their creative journey and the histories of their instruments screens before the performance.
If you have any questions, please contact Luz Lanzotor (212) 759-7525 ext 309.
This program is supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in Partnership with the City Council.
About the Artists
Ms. Rami Seo is an accomplished gayageum artist whose expansive musical repertoire on the 12-string and 25-string gayageum spans the traditional and the contemporary to include ancient Korean court music and folk music, as well as current and cross-cultural compositions from across the globe. Born and bred in Seoul, Korea, Ms. Seo is the protégé of world class maestros and several of Korea’s most revered National Cultural Living Treasure title-holders. She graduated from the prestigious National Music School and National High School for Traditional Arts with full scholarships and top honors. In 2002, she was Class Valedictorian at Chung-Ang Univ., College of Korean Traditional Performing Arts, where she earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Korean Traditional Music and Music Education. With an impending Master’s Degree in Ethnomusicology from Hunter College, Ms. Seo is a bona-fide scholar, musician, and performance artist.
Winner of multiple performing arts competitions, Ms. Seo has graced many renowned stages throughout the United States, Panama, Nicaragua, China, Korea and Japan, both as a soloist and in collaboration with other famed artists. Major works include performances at the National Grand Theater of Korea, Korean Traditional Orchestra of Seoul, Korean National Orchestra for Traditional Music, Chung-Ang Orchestra, 1988 Seoul Olympics Anniversary Commemoration, Yo Yo Ma’s Silk Road Project for World Music, World Music Virtuosi Concert at Lincoln Center, UN, Isaac Stern at Carnegie Hall, Korean Embassy, Korean Cultural Service, Asia Society, The Korea Society, National Folk Festival in Richmond, Virginia, Futurism on the Occasion of the 100th Anniversary of Marinetti’s Manifesto, Symphony Space, The Kennedy Center, Bryant Park, Time Square, Smithsonian Museum, Museum of Arts and Design, Metropolitan Museum of Art and Conon House in the White House.
To date, Ms. Seo has released several albums and singles including First Morning, Fallen Leaves, Kaya Song with Fred Ho and her Asian Jazz Fusion Concert recording in collaboration with the Jeff Fairbanks Jazz Orchestra. A passionate and inspiring instructor, she is a frequent guest speaker and lecturer at local schools, colleges, cultural workshops and events. Ms. Seo is also the founder and music director of GEMiNY, an emerging gayageum ensemble for young artists, and the ever popular band Rami Seo’s project WORLD MUSIC ENSEMBLE.
Alhaji Papa Susso, Master kora (African harp-lute) player and oral historian from The Gambia, West Africa, conducts visits to schools, university campuses, and cultural centers in the United States and Canada. Papa Susso hails from a long line of Griots (traditional oral historians) of the Mandinka people. He was taught the kora by his father and has been playing since the age of five.
The kora, a 21-stringed harp-lute, evolved from earlier hunter harps used by the Mandinka people of West Africa. It is said to have been invented by the Susso family. It is the preferred instrument of Mandinka Jalolu (Griot), itinerant musicians, who were traditionally attached to royal courts where their duties included recounting the tribal history and genealogy, composing commemorative songs, and performing at important tribal events.
Today Papa Susso is a goodwill ambassador, traveling North America to share his culture. He gives both classroom presentations and formal concert performances where he recounts the history of his country and his people, discusses the roles of griots in West African culture, and performs the classics songs of the griot repertoire. Papa Susso He appears alone with his kora or with his ensemble that includes singer/dancer Tapa Demba, balafonist Bala Kouyate, and his son, Alhassan Susso, on second kora.
Violinist Julia Choi has been recognized and praised by critics as an emerging young artist of impassioned energy, commanding stage presence, and musical integrity. At 23 years of age, she has already performed as a substitute musician member of the Philadelphia Orchestra and the San Diego Symphony, and has worked in various orchestras with many renowned conductors, including Alan Gilbert, Yannick Nézet-Séguin, Zubin Mehta, Esa-Pekka Salonen, and James Levine. In pursuit of her ultimate goal of becoming a versatile and well-rounded musician, Julia Choi has performed for audiences as a soloist, chamber musician, and orchestral musician across three continents. Julia and sister Jennifer, a cellist, perform together.
Juilliard Artists @ TKS
with
Julia Choi Violinist
Jennifer Choi Cellist
Wednesday, February 24, 2016 | 6 PM
5:30 PM | Registration
6:00 PM | Performance
If you have any questions, please contact Luz Lanzot or (212) 759-7525, ext. 309.
This program is supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in Partnership with the City Council.
About the Artists
Violinist Julia Choiis active in many spheres of the music world today. She is an emerging young artist, praised for her “delightful idiosyncrasy” and “musical integrity” (The Classical Source). At 23 years of age, she has won top prizes in several competitions, including the LISMA International, Caprio Young Artist, and New York Competitions. Ms. Choi has performed as a member of the Philadelphia Orchestra as well as the San Diego Symphony, and has worked in various orchestras with world-renowned conductors, including Alan Gilbert, Zubin Mehta, and James Levine. In pursuit of her ultimate goal in becoming a versatile and most well-rounded musician, Julia enjoys her career as a performer, but also as a teacher for violin and ear training. An advocate of orchestral and chamber music, Julia has served as concertmaster of the Juilliard and Manhattan School Orchestras, for several tours and recording projects, and is also a violinist with the Hyon Trio. Her principal teachers include Sylvia Rosenberg, Lisa Kim, and Glenn Dicterow.
Cellist Jennifer Choi has performed as a soloist, chamber musician, and orchestral player across North America and Asia and is becoming recognized for her versatility, deep tone, and committed playing. With knowledge of a wide repertoire from classical to contemporary music, she has performed concerts at well-known venues such as Carnegie Hall, Avery Fisher, and Alice Tully Halls at Lincoln Center. Jennifer holds a Bachelor of Music degree and will be pursuing a Master of Music, both at The Juilliard School under the tutelage of Richard Aaron. Her other prominent teachers include David Soyer, Bonnie Hampton, Jerome Carrington, and UkJin Yang. She has taught cello privately for four years. Her students have been successful in regional competitions and orchestral auditions. Born in Korea, she was raised and is currently based in New York City and New Jersey.
The 13th Annual New York Korean Film Festival Program for November 6th to November 11th, 2015, at the Museum of the Moving Image.
Festival highlights award-winning films of love, crime, and erotica.
More premieres, filmmakers, and celebrity guests than ever.
(New York, October 15, 2015)The 13th Annual New York Korean Film Festival showcases the nation’s cinema doing what it does best: the crime thriller, the romantic fantasy, and feverish erotica. The Peninsula’s filmmakers bend genre cinema to a uniquely Korean pulse and purpose, making the country’s national film industry the most vibrant in East Asia. The thrilling complications of love and crime steal the show in this year’s lineup, as partnerships go south and fickle passions lead to betrayal. Resistance fighters navigate the intrigue of colonial-era Korea, love affairs are smothered as quickly as they are kindled, and hard-boiled cops dig at the ugly truth in a collection of both massive blockbusters and favorites from the international festival circuit, with five New York premieres and one international premiere.
The 13th Annual New York Korean Festival ran from November 6-November 11, 2015, at the Museum of the Moving Image. This was the first year Museum of the Moving Image served as a partner and the venue for the New York Korean Film Festival, building on past collaborations with the Korea Society and Subway Cinema.
The Korea Society has also invited an exceptional group of Korean guests, including star director Ryoo Seung-Wan and producers Kang Hye-jung and Park Jung (Veteran); directors Shin Suwon (Madonna), Lee Do-yun (Confession), Kang Hyo-jin (Wonderful Nightmare), Oh Seung-uk (The Shameless), and Hong Won-chan (Office); and actress Koh Ah-Sung.
The New York Korean Film Festival is a program of The Korea Society, the Museum of the Moving Image, and Subway Cinema.
Major support is provided by the Korea Foundation.
Opening Night tickets: $20 ($12 for TKS members, MOMI Film Lover and Dual members / free for Silver Screen members and above).
All other NYKFF tickets are $12 ($7 for TKS members, MOMI Film Lover and Dual members / free for Silver Screen members and above).
Advance tickets available online at movingimage.us beginning October 21, 2015
OPENING NIGHT
Office (오피스) FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2015 | 6:30 PM New York Premiere With director Hong Won-chan and star Ko Ah-sung in person Followed by a reception in the Museum lobby and cafe
Trap (덫, 치명적인 유혹) SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2015 | 1 PM International Premiere
Confession (좋은 친구들) SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2015 | 3:15 PM New York Premiere With director Lee Do-yun in person
The Shameless (무뢰한) SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2015 | 6 PM New York Premiere With director Oh Seung-uk in person
Assassination (암살) SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2015 | 8:55 PM
Madonna (마돈나) SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2015 | 2 PM New York Premiere With director Shin Su-Won in person
The Beauty Inside (뷰티 인사이드) SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2015 | 5 PM
Veteran (베테랑) SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2015 | 7:45 PM U.S. Festival Premiere With director Ryoo Seung-wan in person
Wonderful Nightmare (미쓰 와이프) WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2015 | 7 PM New York Premiere With director Kang Hyo-jin in person
ABOUT THE KOREA SOCIETY
The Korea Society is a private, nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated solely to the promotion of greater awareness, understanding, and cooperation between the people of the United States and Korea.
ABOUT MUSEUM OF THE MOVING IMAGE
Museum of the Moving Image (movingimage.us) advances the understanding, enjoyment, and appreciation of the art, history, technique, and technology of film, television, and digital media. In its stunning facilities—acclaimed for both its accessibility and bold design—the Museum presents exhibitions; screenings of significant works; discussion programs featuring actors, directors, craftspeople, and business leaders; and education programs which serve more than 50,000 students each year. The Museum also houses a significant collection of moving-image artifacts.
ABOUT SUBWAY CINEMA
Subway Cinema is America’s leading 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to the exhibition and appreciation of Asian popular film culture in all forms, building bridges between Asia and the West. With year-round festivals and programs, the organization aims to bring wide audience and critical attention to contemporary and classic Asian cinema in the U.S. In 2002, Subway Cinema launched its flagship event, the annual New York Asian Film Festival (NYAFF), which is North America’s leading festival of popular Asian cinema. Subway cinema’s other events and initiatives include Old School Kung Fu Fest (OSKFF), New York Korean Film Festival (NYKFF), and year-round special screenings and filmmaker tributes.
Watch Antique Bakery, a lighthearted buddy comedy with a dark mystery, and enjoy delicious Korean pastries and patbingsu (shaved ice with sweet beans and other toppings)!
The Dessert Every Korean neighborhood now has a Western bakery, but each has added a distinctly Korean twist with Korean flavors and sweetness to the pastries! We’ll sample several tasty Korean pastries and make patbingsu, Korea’s most popular summer dessert.
The Movie Based on the popular Japanese manga series Antique Bakery, the 2008 Korean comedy film Antique Bakery is about an heir to the family fortune who sets up a cake shop with a gay chef and two other friends. While trying to make a go of the bakery, they get caught up in a series of child abductions.
Wednesday, August 12, 2015 | 6 PM
Advanced ticket purchase required for this event. Space is limited.
Members: $10
Nonmembers: $20
If you have any questions, please contact Jamie Tyberg or (212) 759-7525, ext. 321.
The Korea Society presents the best of Korea cinema at the largest exhibition of Asian films in the United States. The festival will be attended by director Im Soon-rye, producers Shin Bum-soo & NAM Jung-Il from Whistleblower, director Lee Won-Suk from The Royal Tailor, and director Boo Ji-young, producer Shim Jae-myung from Cart.
View the full schedule for the 14th New York Asian Film Festival at Subway Cinema.
Friday, June 26 – Saturday, July 11, 2015
Best of Korea Cinema: Monday, July 6 – Thursday, July 9, 2015
SVA Theater 333 West 23rd Street, between 8th and 9th Avenues SVA Theater
Monday, July 6, 2015
8:45 PM | CART at Walter Reade Theater
Tuesday, July 7, 2015
8:45 PM | THE WHISTLEBLOWER at Walter Reade Theater
Thursday, July 9, 2015
8:30 PM | THE ROYAL TAILOR at SVA Theater
CART (103 min) 2014 카트
Monday, July 6 | 8:45 pm at Walter Reade Theater
NEW YORK PREMIERE DIR. BOO JI-YOUNG | CAST: YUM JUNG-AH, MOON JUNG-HEE, KIM YOUNG-AE, KIM KANG-WOO, HWANG JEONG-MIN, CHUN WOO-HEE SOUTH KOREA | KOREAN WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES | FORMAT: DCP | 103 MINUTES Q&A WITH BOO JI-YOUNG and SHIM JAE-MYUNG
Presented with the support of Korean Cultural Service in New York.
Boo Ji-young’s follow-up to Sisters on The Road is a formidable social drama and a moral shocker. Armed with a larger budget and a stellar cast, it nonetheless maintains the same human-scale storytelling that made her debut so memorable. Based on a true story, this is a David vs Goliath tale where a group of women band together and go on strike after their big box supermarket lays off all the temporary workers to cut costs.
Although there are no marching armies, grand disasters or international incidents, no definitive statements about life, death or society, the fate of these few women, citizens like any other, but unregarded, unmoored and untamed, leave an impression of grandeur, limitless suffering, and wrath. Boo allows each character in the ensemble quiet moments that personalize the massive labor issues South Korea faces. The women, facing their own doubts, poverty and the brutality of those trying to break the strike with incredibly fervent performances from the three leads Yum Jung-ha, Moon Jung-hee and Kim Young-ae.
THE WHISTLEBLOWER (113 min) 2014 제보자
Tuesday, July 7 | 8:45 pm at Walter Reade Theater
NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE YIM SOON-RYE, 2014 SOUTH KOREA | KOREAN WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES | FORMAT: DCP | 113 MINUTES INTRO AND Q&A w/ DIRECTOR YIM SOON-RYE
Yim Soon-Rye (one of Korea’s few female directors) turns in the All The President’s Men of biotechnology with The Whistleblower,a powerhouse thriller based on the true story of one of the biggest scientific frauds of the 21st century. Dr. Lee is a thoughtful scientist whose pioneering work with cloned stem cells is spurring talk of the Nobel prize. He is also a monster who has faked his research and when a TV producer gets involved, The Whistle Blower becomes a white-knuckle thriller where secret phone calls, boardroom confrontations, DNA analysis, and conversations that contain double, and sometimes triple, meanings are assembled into a high-performance engine designed to flood your brain with outrage. Not since Michael Mann directed The Insider has the world of corporate medical research seemed so out of control, so bleak, and so deadly.
Presented with the support of Korean Cultural Service in New York.
The All The President’s Men of biotechnology, Yim Soon-Rye (one of Korea’s few female directors) turns in a powerhouse thriller based on the true story of one of the biggest scientific frauds of the 21st century. Dr. Lee is a thoughtful scientist whose pioneering work with cloned stem cells is spurring talk of the Nobel Prize. He is also a monster who’s faked his research and when a TV producer gets involved, The Whistle Blower becomes a white-knuckle thriller where secret phone calls, boardroom confrontations, DNA analysis, and conversations that contain double, and sometimes triple, meanings are assembled into a high-performance engine designed to flood your brain with outrage.
THE ROYAL TAILOR (127 min) 2014 상의원
Thursday, July 9 | 8:30 pm at SVA Theater
NEW YORK PREMIERE (U.S. CONTINENTAL PREMIERE) LEE WON-SUK, 2014 | CAST: HAN SUK-KYU, KO SOO, PARK SHIN-HYE, YOO YEON-SEOK SOUTH KOREA | KOREAN WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES | FORMAT: DCP | 127 MINUTES INTRO and Q&A with director LEE WON-SUK
Presented with the support of Korean Cultural Service in New York.
Two years after his anarchic comedy How to Use Guys With Secret Tips, Lee Won-suk returns to New York and the silver screen with his ambitious, big-budget period drama The Royal Tailor. His second feature is set during a clash between tradition and modernity in the royal court of 18th century Korea. Han Suk-kyu plays the king’s tailor Jo Dol-seok. After serving the court for three decades, he is on the brink of rising to the rank of nobleman. But his life’s dream is threatened with the sudden appearance of young, handsome and carefree “designer” Lee Gong-jin whose radical fashion ideas quickly earn the Queen’s favor. Unlike most films about the power of art (and music), Lee lets the striking costume designs of Jo Sang-gyeong speak for themselves, without resorting to reaction shots or exposition. The film’s traditional costumes took as much as six months to create, at a cost just shy of $1 million.
A playful, fresh and daring reinvention of one of Korea’s most conservative film genres.
The New York Asian Film Festival is co-presented by Film Society of Lincoln Center and Subway Cinema
Dr. Hyangjin Lee, this year’s Kim Koo Visiting Professor of Korean Studies at Harvard University, examined the evolution of anti-Communist films in South Korea. Dr. Lee explored the historical legacy of anti-Communist drama through the oppressive film policy in the pre-democratization era and the subsequent democratic transformation of South Korea. To evaluate the historical legacy of the Cold War in the identity politics of South Korean national cinema, she highlighted three films that deal with the war and national division, namely The Marines Never Returned (Lee Man-hui, 1963), Rainy Days (Yu Hyun-mok, 1979) and Spring in My Hometown (Lee Kwang-mok, 1998).
Monday, June 8, 2015 | 6:30 PM
This program is supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in Partnership with the City Council.
Gamin, a celebrated piri (cylindrical double-reed bamboo oboe) player known for blurring the lines between classical and modern—and Eastern and Western—music, performs an evening of contemporary compositions on traditional Korean wind instruments. She will play new pieces by composers Paul Yeon Lee and Theodore Wiprud. ETHEL, a progressive string quartet that shares a commitment to musical collaborations, makes a guest appearance. Don’t miss this remarkable evening of musical exploration!
A series for the natural Bourne lovers and the head-spinning action followers, Action Korea explores the savant, signature blend of the delightfully silly and the deadpan serious that recent Korean cinema has brought to the silver screen.
From the North Korean spy tribulations of Commitment (2013; dir. Park Hong-Soo) to the heroic feats of an ancient noble marksman in War of the Arrows (2011 dir. Kim Han-Min), the peninsula has a surfeit of heroic tales.
In co-presentation with MoMI, The Korea Society presents a showcase of these startlingly resonant spectacles, fired by primeval fantasy and hurtling from one dramatic mode to the next, whirling with the force of weightlessness and propelled by the promise of escape.
Dir. Yoon Jong-bin. 2014, 137 mins. With Ha Jung-woo, Kang Dong-won, Lee Kyoung-young, Lee Sung-min, Ma Dongseok, Cho Jin-woong, Yoon Ji-hye. Half kimchi epic, half spaghetti western, Kundo is a wild ride in the twilight days of the Joseon Dynasty: it’s 1859 in the Korean kingdom, when a gang of colorful bandits, or “Kundo”, decides to stand up against the tyranny of the wealthy and fight for the poor and the oppressed. The sky’s the limit for the seemingly invincible band of honorable thieves whose mission of righteous retribution takes a dramatic turn when they accept butcher Dolmuchi into their ranks. For the meat cleaver wielder, it’s not only about justice, it’s personal, and he won’t stop until he takes the life of the psychopathic nobleman who killed his loved ones.
Saturday, April 4 | 4:00 PM In Korean with English subtitles
Dir. Kim Han-Min. 2011, 121 mins. With Park Hae-Il, Moon Chae-Won, Ryoo Seung-Ryong. The highest-grossing Korean movie of 2011, this is an epic chase film that gives audiences a taste of just how rad a Green Arrow movie would be. Park Hae-Il (The Host) and his sister are sent into hiding after their father is accused of being a traitor and murdered. 13 years later, Park has become something of an archery prodigy, while his sister (played by TV star Moon Chae-Won) is in love with the son of their host family. Park is furious at her choice, but he can’t stop the wedding. Even worse, their wedding comes on the exact same day that China’s Qing Army invades Korea. Living in a border town, the Qing military stops off at the wedding first, where they are totally uncool guests: trashing everything, taking Moon and her husband-to-be hostage, and then continuing into Korea, leaving a path of destruction in their wake. Park barely escapes with his life, but now he has a mission: with only his bow, he’ll follow the Qing army and rescue his sister. Along the way, the Qing warriors start to realize that all their men are being killed by one lone archer, and so a task force of Manchu archers, wielding heavier, more powerful bows, are assembled to take out Park. The Qing conquest of Korea in 1592 is one of the most crushing defeats in world history – it took just two months before Korea’s king surrendered and gave his son to the Chinese as a hostage. War of The Arrows tells the story, but rather than writing it on an epic scale, it focuses on just a few people fighting to survive: a bride, her groom, and her brother. At 121 minutes, you might think there’s some fat on these bones, but once the emotional core is forged, it becomes one massive chase sequence, studded with masterful set pieces that involve everything from man-eating tigers to a battle on the side of a cliff. If you were ever a kid who pretended to be Robin Hood, this one’s for you. Director and writer Kim Han-Min has made a blockbuster that does for archery what The Dark Knight did for bats.
Saturday, April 4 | 7:00 PM In Korean with English subtitles
Dir. Jeong Byeong-Gil. 2012, 119 mins. With Jung Jae-Young, Park Si-Hoo. From the director of the hit documentary Action Boys (about the tough lives of stuntmen in the Korean movie biz), comes this thriller that’s got more twists than a snake with a broken back. Launching itself off the screen and coming at viewers like a runaway train in the first 50 seconds, this flick kicks off with lieutenant Choi (Jung Jae-Young, Castaway on the Moon) ending his investigation of a serial killer who’s murdered 10 women in a shower of broken glass, insane rootop leaps, and breathless sprints down dark alleys which climaxes with the masked killer slashing his face to shreds and getting away. Years later, Choi’s a drunk, obsessed by the one who got away, and suddenly his world splits open when a handsome young man appears on the day the statute of limitations expires on the killings and declares that not only is he the murderer but you can read all about it in his tell-all book. Is the killer confessing? Is he a wannabe craving attention? Hard to tell. But it’s not just the impressive action set pieces that keep this movie hopping (although the centerpiece car chase should get a special award for insanity). With the addition of a vigilante group made up of the victim’s families, several bloodthirsty TV producers who want ratings, and a serial killer so slick he’s surrounded by fans wherever he goes, this movie changes pace every ten minutes. Even better, the killer is played by Park Si-Hoo, a TV star so famous that in the scenes of the killer’s fans going bananas the director simply let Park’s real-life fans on the set and filmed them. Despite the life-or-death stakes, Confession of Murder still smells like real life: people have to borrow cars, they get giddy over celebrities, and live interviews with serial killers are interrupted by commercial breaks. Refusing to get bogged down in scenes of psychopathic sadism or needless suffering, Confession of Murder is this summer’s cinematic built-for-the-beach crime thriller that sends your pulse racing as you flip the pages faster and faster, caught up in the excitement what on earth could possibly happen next.
Sunday, April 5 | 4:00 PM In Korean with English subtitles
Dir. Lee Jeong-Beom. 2010, 119 mins. With Won Bin, Kim Sae-ron, Kim Tae-hoon, Kim Hee-won. One part Batman, one part Bourne, Korean mega-star, Won Bin, revamped his image as a hard man of action with this movie about a spy coming out of retirement to take on a ring of organ harvesters. The number one movie at the Korean box office in 2010 (beating Inception and Iron Man 2), it took home 16 film awards! The cast includes Won Bin, Kim Sae-Ron, Kim Tae-hoon, Kim Tae-hoon and Lee Jong-Pil. Part of The Sea of Revenge Focus, The Man From Nowhere will screen in Korean with English subtitles.
Dir. Park Hong-Soo. 2013, 113 mins. With Choi Seung-Hyun (T.O.P.), Han Ye-Ri, Kim You-Jeong. Bending the hard-boiled North Korean spy genre into the confines of an affecting adolescent drama, director Park Hong-soo packs balls-to-the-wall action, political intrigue and poignant romance in one detonating bundle. After the failure of their father, North Korean teenager Myung-hoon (Choi Seung-hyun, aka T.O.P) and his young sister Hye-in (Han Ye-ri) are condemned to a labor camp. To save his sister’s life, Myung-hoon volunteers to become a spy and, posing as a defector, infiltrates the South as a high school boy. Despite his innocent good looks, the young man is actually a mean, highly-trained war machine, cleverly concealing his ability for combat behind his bashful demeanor.
This program is supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in Partnership with the City Council.
The Korea Society and The New York Film Academy will be hosting an exclusive Screening of Complete Works of Byung Hun Min at NYFA’s Union Square location beginning Monday, December 8 and will run through Friday, December 12. The 5-day event will screen 12 of the acclaimed Korean director’s films with a special Q&A session on Tuesday, December 9 that will follow the screening of his latest award-winning feature Love Never Fails.
With numerous awards under his belt throughout his career such as “Best Picture” and “Best Director” for films like Flight of the Bee, and Mask and Mirror, director Min has recently continued his success with the world premiere of Love Never Fails at the 2014 Busan International Film Festival. He received an overwhelming response where the sold out film left the audience wanting more as they remained in their seats well after the credits finished rolling.
Director Min is currently visiting New York to work on preproduction to the first part of his upcoming Essay trilogy with each film taking place in New York, Paris and Beijing respectively. Essay in New York will also be the first Korean feature length film to be shot in the U.S.
The New York Film Academy’s special screenings will be director Min’s U.S. debut and presents a unique opportunity for students of all backgrounds to learn and experience Korean film.
“We’re thrilled to host directors from all over the world, especially accomplished artists like Byung Hun Min,” said NYFA Senior Director David Klein. “We look forward to celebrating his works and his U.S. debut next week!”
The Screening of Complete Works of Hun Min is made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew Cuomo and the New York State Legislature.
As a world class Living National Treasure title-holder, Mr. YoungJae Kim has performed throughout the world with traditional and popular repertoires of his own composition. Master Kim is now a geomungo sanjo player holding National Intangible Heritage No.16. In 2015, Master Kim was awarded the 22nd Bang Il Young Gugak Prize, an award presented to first-rate musicians in Korea. Master YoungJae Kim is currently an honorary professor at Korea National University Of Art. 
Mr. SunHo Kim, one of the most popular daegeum players in Korea, was influenced by his father, JongSun Kim, a master of multiple instruments. SunHo Kim earned his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Traditional Music Orchestra from Chung Ang University. Mr. Kim is also a winner of multiple competitions such as 4th Ji-young Hee National Traditional Music Competition (Grand prize), 8th National Traditional Music Competition (Grand prize) and 7th Gi-san National Traditional Music Competition (Grand prize). He is currently a concert master of KBS traditional and a music director of the Korean traditional folk music ensemble Suri.
