I’m so tempted to just post the press release. But then everybody would know I managed to get my hands on it… Oh wait, I just gave that away. Oh well.
Anyway, the first annual Korean Film Festival in LA (first, that is, according to the release, although I’m positive I heard about one a couple years back) will be taking place November 15-17 at the Fairfax 3 Theaters and will include more than 15 films. I don’t know if there are going to be any panels or Q&A sessions or anything, although I’m hoping so. The opening film will be Driving With My Wife’s Lover (the title alone makes me want to see it), in which a guy finds out his wife is having an affair with a taxi driver, so he seeks out the guy and hires him for a long-distance taxi ride. What he’s hoping to accomplish I don’t know; I guess I have to see it to find out.
The closing film will be a gangster flick called A Show Must Go On and starring Song Kang Ho, although it sounds like it’s less gangster flick and more work/family comedy in a gangster setting. That could be interesting. The festival is sponsored by KOFIC USA (the Korean Film Council, see link to the right), which says this about itself: “KOFIC’s objective has been to increase the awareness and appreciation of Korean films by promoting the development of both Korean and Korean American films.” Hey, I wonder if they’ll give me money to make my Korean-lead movie. But maybe before asking them I should do something like, you know, write the script…
Anyway, this festival is also sponsored by the Korean Cinematheque, the Korea Times, and the Hollywood Reporter, and its theme is: “It’s Alive: Korean Film Genre Hybrids and Hollywood Remakes.” I’ll be there in a professional capacity, as press, but the blog will benefit as well. 
I am probably going to watch a few of those movies myself. I’m going to watch A Bittersweet Life and To Catch A Virgin Ghost for sure.
Cool.
I don’t know everything that’s playing yet, although I’m now officially in possession of a press release since my press creds came through. But that doesn’t mean I read the whole thing.
They *are* having at least one panel. It will be on opening day. And there’s a website, but it didn’t work when I tried to go there.
I’m going to be driving one of the panelists to the panel. So I’ll be there.
LOL, I guess you won’t have a choice! Fairfax 3 is the theaters at Beverly & Fairfax, right? I can’t think of anywhere decent to park around there.
I’d love to go. Raven, any listing and/or schedule of when the movies will be played?
No schedule yet. All I know is the first panel is at 4pm on 11/15. When I pick up my press pass this Wednesday I’ll see if I can get a schedule.
Here’s an article from the Korea Times that says the festival lasts until 11/18 (not 11/17 – but they probably got the dates wrong). It also gives the address for the theater.
http://www.koreatimes.com/article/articleview.asp?id=412718
Before anyone faints with surprise at my sudden awesome Korean language ability, I didn’t understand most of the article, although I did read all of it.
http://www.koffla.com/screening.html
That’s the schedule. The publicity on this has been very minimal. I hope many people show up.
Awesome, thanks! Failan I can skip, already seen it, but finally I’ll get a chance to see My Wife Is a Gangster! My guess is I’ll be disappointed, since I usually am when I see a movie I’ve been dying to see.
In addition to being minimal, the publicity has been wrong. The English-language stuff said the festival ended on 11/17 and gave a non-functional URL. Those of us who get there will be doing it despite their best efforts to keep us away!
Although I haven’t seen it, I’d recommend “Barking Dogs Never Bite” because it was directed by the same guy who directed The Host and Memories of Murder.
I’d also recommend Save the Green Planet as it’s kind of crazy and off the wall. It’s not like anything most people stateside have seen before.
aww that’s a horrible theater! it smells bad AND the parking sucks. oh well xD
thanks for this! i might have missed it if it wasn’t for you. i was wondering if they were gonna have one again this year, i have the program from last year when it was at the end of september. this is indeed the 4th one haha xD but i guess they changed it up a bit and made it the first again.
from what i remember i liked my wife is a gangster…
thanks for the reccommendations edward! anyone have any more?
Raine, I’m glad I put up the notice then, so you won’t miss it! But yeah, it’s not the best theater in the world.