A Bittersweet Life R2UK DC

Ugh. Tartan’s releases have always been either a hit or miss, but their upcoming director’s cut of Kim Jee-Woon’s brilliant A Bittersweet Life is just — for a lack of a better word(s) — an epic fail. I mean, just look at it! The blood looks like it was done in paint, the font’s ugly as hell, and that quote — I mean, I agree with it for the most part, but even so, it seems to be in bad taste. Worst of all, they have a mannequin — and a badly dressed one for that matter — on the cover. Shake. My. Head. I’ve lost all hope for this company.

Must-See (Korean) Films in 2008

2008 has kicked off so naturally people are quick to make predictions for the upcoming year. Although this article from The Korea Times was picked up by KFCC’s Hitman a week ago, it nonetheless stands, although I don’t particularly agree the “must-see” status of some films. The first mentioned film is the high-profiled A Man Who Was Superman, starring the sassy girl herself Jeon Ji-Hyun (aka Gianna Jun) and the ever stellar Hwang Jung-Min. The film, which opens on January 31, is largely banking on the image of Jeon, and her newfound image at that — as a seedy, tomboyish producer. But however intriguing the film may sound, it still seems as if the film is garnering attention for all the wrong reasons and the added pressure on Jeon’s performance could prove to be detrimental.

Speaking of crossovers from the melodramatic/rom-com realm, Kwon Sang-Woo is set to take another stab at being a “serious” actor (after his failed attempt with 2006’s Running Wild) alongside real-life buddy Song Seung-Heon, who recently completed his mandatory military service. A Destiny, which chronicles a friendship gone sour and promises a different side to the two pretty boys, is likely to showcase painstakingly grown stubble, zealous overacting, and a continuous stream of swear words. I wonder if Japan’s Formula Entertainment was expecting this when they pre-bought the rights for $2 million.