By New year, new Korean Movie Night series in New York City. This first series, entitled “Wild Days,” is about coming of age, with four films that deal with teenagers doing wild things as teenagers are wont to do (especially in films). What makes it such a fascinating collection, though, is the inclusion of Juvenile Offender, which I unfortunately missed back at the New York Asian Film Festival this past summer. By all accounts, it’s an extremely draining film (which none of the other films in the list appea to be), and one I’ve been meaning to see ever since. Now I’ve got the chance (and so do all of y’all… who live within travel distance of Tribeca). Every other Tuesday, starting January 14 and running through February 25th, the Korean Cultural Service will be presenting a Korean film at the Tribeca Cinemas. Tickets are free, but they’re first-come, first-served, so be sure to get there before the 7 PM start time.
When we can, we’ll be sure to have reviews of the films up the day before to let you know whether it’s worth your time or not. Not entirely sure how much of this series we’ll be able to see beforehand, but our review of Commitment will definitely run next Monday. While I haven’t seen it yet, that one guy in the community who knows a lot more about Korean movies than I do, Hanajun Chung, has. According to him, “Think Abduction, but slightly better.”
Whatever that means.
More information about the series can be found below.
Korean Movie Night
from January 14, 2014 – February 25, 2014
courtesy of the Korean Cultural Service
Every other Tuesday @ 7pm
Tribeca Cinemas
(54 Varick Street, on the corner of Canal Street, one block from the A, C, E and 1 train Canal Street stops)
Price: FREE
All seating is first-come, first served.
Doors open at 6:30pm.
Series One:
Wild Days:
Coming of Age in 2014
It’s a new year, which means it’s time for a whole new round of incredible free movies at Tribeca Cinemas – courtesy of your friends at The Korean Cultural Service. And to start off 2014… we’re going wild!!!
Starting January 14th, join us for our new series, Wild Days – which showcases four brand new coming-of-age films (including Korea’s official submission to the Academy Awards), a cinematic foursome that varies between explosive, suspenseful, and downright sweet. While, on the surface, super-spies and troubled teens don’t seem to have that much in common, our new series is all about finding yourself and making the most of your life – a concept that we think is the perfect way to kick off a new year!
This new series also teams KCS with a number of great new film distributors, and supports the US theatrical releases of blockbuster Korean hits like COMMITMENT – currently in American cinemas!
So bundle up this winter, gather your friends, and get ready for some of Korea’s finest new action, thrills, and drama – brought to you for free, as always, by The Korean Cultural Service!
JANUARY 14 – COMMITMENT (2013)
After his father’s botched espionage mission, North Korean Myung-hoon (CHOI Seung-hyun) and his young sister Hye-in (HAN Ye-ri) are sent to a labor prison camp. In order to save his sister’s life, Myung-hoon volunteers to become a spy and infiltrates the South as a teenage defector. While attending high school in the South, he meets another girl and rescues her when she is attacked. South Korean Intelligence soon discovers the plot and begins closing in on Myung-hoon, while his own government sends a vicious assassin to eliminate him.
This special free screening COMMITMENT, which is currently in theaters, is courtesy of our friends at WellGo USA.
JANUARY 28 – FRIEND: THE GREAT LEGACY (2013)
With no memory of his father, Sung-Hoon (Kim Woo-Bin) was raised and surrounded by gangsters. As he grew up, he fell into a life of crime. Now imprisoned, his only hope for survival is Joon-Seok (Yu Oh-Seong), an unexpected role model. Feeling both admiration and jealousy towards charismatic Joon-Seok, a seventeen-year veteran of the penitentiary, Sung-Hoon’s friendship with him blossoms. Later, they find themselves freed from prison and joining Joon-Seok’s gang, where Sung-hoon discovers that his mentor is somehow connected to his father’s death.
This special free screening of FRIEND: THE GREAT LEGACY is courtesy of our friends at DreamWest Pictures.
FEBRUARY 11 – THE SUSPECT (2013)
One of the hottest new action films from Korea, THE SUSPECT follows a North Korean spy (Gong Yoo), who is abandoned by his corrupt government and settles down in South Korea. Unfortunately for him, he becomes the prime suspect in the mysterious murder of a powerful CEO. The suspect, now hunted by a government that cannot believe his innocence, has to uncover the truth and save himself before the clock runs out!
This special free screening of THE SUSPECT, which is currently in theaters, is courtesy of our friends at WellGo USA.
FEBRUARY 25 – JUVENILE OFFENDER (2012)
Teenage Jang Ji-Gu (Seo Young-Joo) takes care of his ill grandfather while hanging out with other troubled kids. Abandoned by his parents at an early age, he suffers multiple run-ins with the law and is eventually sent to a detention center for juvenile offenders. One day, Jang Ji-Gu is surprised to learn that his long-forgotten mother (Lee Jung-Hyun) has unexpectedly come back for him. Discovering that his mother had him at a very young age and gave him up soon after his birth, Jang Ji-Gu struggles with repairing their relationship… but as this charming new blockbuster proves – with love, anything is possible.