Seen in Jeonju

Archive for December, 2011

The Independent: April 23, 1896

30th December 2011

The Independent, Thursday: April 23, 1896 Vol.1, No. 8

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Things you will learn from the issue:  The benefits of being a policeman, to leave your hairpins at home and that not everyone likes rice.  This issue also requires me to put a up a disclaimer;  the opinions expressed belong solely to the editor and staff of the Independent living more than 120 years ago. They do not reflect my own opinions.

Local Items

- The muncipality of Chemulpo contemplates the plan of changing the street lamps for electric lights. Hurrah for Chemulpo!

- The Taetar of Nanking is reorganizing his army on European plans and it is to be officered in part by foreigners.

- More police stations have been established in different parts of the city.

-A few weeks ago, one Chun Chiu Po, living in the southern part of the city, died of starvation. His wife and two of the children followed him to the grave for the same cause leaving one child of five years. This child is now being cared for by a servant in the Police Headquarters and the dead have been buried at public expense.

- A female servant of a man named Ko, in the southern part of the city, went to a well to draw water. While raising the vessel from the ground to put it on her head, the cushion which rests on the head fell to the ground. She requested a bystander to replace it on her head but while doing so he snatched her silver hair pin and ran away. She screamed after him and a policeman being near secured the thief, restored the pin to its owner and marched the culprit off to the police station. Moral; leave your hair pins at home.

-A Soldier’s Police has been established whose business it is to look after unruly soldiers on the street.

- Some months ago, fifty two students of the Military Academy were selected by examination and soon eighteen more will be admitted but we are told that no examination is required this time.

-We notice that the guards at the gate of the War Office smoke cigarettes or pipes while on duty. We consider this unsoldierly and hope the authorities will put a stop to it.

Foreign News

-The World of New York says that it has made a poll of every state in the Union and that as a result it predicts that Wm. McKinley will be nominated for Republican presidential candidate at the St. Louis convention.

-The United States are said to produce a good deal of shoddy material but T.H. Elliott, Secretary of the English Board of Agriculture says that out of fifty-one articles from America not one contained adulterations. On the other hand, out of 104 samples from European countries, thirty-seven were adulterated.

-Panic prevails in Crete owing to a renewal of the murders of Christians. The deputies have invoked the protection of Greece.

Government Gazette

-Police Pension Law: (1) If any Police Officer or any Policeman receives injury or suffers death while on duty, the Police Department will pay the cost of medical treatment and the funeral expenses (2) If he receives permanent injury or is crippled for life, he shall receive not less than $50 and not more than $100 (3) If he receives permanent injury though not crippled, he shall receive not less than $20 and not more than $50. (4) If he dies on account of injury received while on duty, his wife or family shall receive not less than $50 and not more than $100. If he has no wife or family, his nearest relative shall receive not less than $20 and not more than $50 (5) The cost of medical treatment will be in accordance with the gravity of the case (6) The funeral expenses will be not less than $10 and not more than $20.

-Verdict of the Supreme Court on the cases of those connected with the events of Oct. 8th and Nov. 28th. Yi Heui Wha was found guilty of entering the Palace with Japanese on the 8th of Oct. and he entered the chamber of Her Majesty the late Queen. After the death of Her Majesty, he presented himself before His Majesty and acted as secretary in the writing of the fraudulent edicts. It is evident that he knew beforehand the treacherous purpose of the Japanese who entered the chamber of Her Majesty; therefore his is accessory to the crime. We, the Judges of the Supreme Court, sentence him to be hung according to the law in such cases.

Editorial

The westerner can scarcely consider it other than unfortunate that these eastern people use as the staple article of food a grain which requires so favorable conditions of climate for its growth as does rice. This grain forms the main article of food of much more than half the human race and yet of all the cereals it requires the greatest care in cultivation and suffers most from too much or too little rain. Not only must there be enough rain but it must come at a praticular time or it is useless; then from the very position of the rice fields they are the first to suffer from freshets. <Freshets are floods from heavy rains> When one takes into account the amount of time and care that are necessary in keeping the rice fields in repair and the banks in good order, in regulating the water supply and distributing it over the fileds, in the frequent manipulation of the growing grain, first in sowing, second in transplanting and third in cultivating, in reaping which must be done by hand as the grain frequently stands ankle deep in water or at least mud which must for ever render the use of machinery impossible– When we take into account these fact and also the inroads made upon the health of the people in proximity to noisome paddy fields and by the almost invariable contamination of wells, we are constrained to believe that the exclusive use of rice is the most serious bar to waht we may call the enlightenment of these people.

This may seem like an extreme statement, but let us examine it a little more closely. We cannot be going far astray when we say that a third of the people of Korea are engaged in the cultivation of rice. Of course, the cultivate other things too, but rice is the main object of care. Now if we look at enlightened countries we will see that as fast as general culture and enlightenment have advanced the condition of the peasant has been ameliorated. Machinery has come in to supplement his labor and lighten him of some of his heaviest loads, consequently fewer people are required to carry on these lower forms of labor, produce has been cheaper and larger numbers of people have thus been given leisure to engage in pursuits of a higher order, but notice that from the conditions above enumerated rice always has had and always will have to be raised by hand without the aid of machinery except perhaps in the process of threshing.  There seems to be no hope of anything better for one third of the Korean people than to wade in paddy fields and breathe the miasmatic vapors which they exhale.

Compare rice with wheat. The inner kernal is almost identically the same in each, pure starch; but while in the case of rice the husk is of such a nature that it can scarcely be eaten. The inner husk of wheat, when ground up with the kernel, makes the most wholesome article of food to be found in the world; for besides the starchy matter, we find certain other ingredients, nitrogenous, mineral and others which makie it by far more useful as a food stuff than rice.

 Then again see the contrast in the amount of labor. A farmer can plow a certain field in a day, he can spaend one day in bringing  fertilizer and one dayis sowing the wheat and then his work is all done until the time for reaping comes. To cultivate the same area in rice will require the labor of four men for at least fifteen times as many days, and in addition the hardier wheat is not anywhere nearly so dependent upon rain at stated times. In the time thus saved the farmer could busy himself in cattle or sheep raising, to silk culture or in any one of a thoushand other lucrative employment. (to be continued) < The editor’s ‘Rant Against Rice’ will indeed continue next issue>

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The Independent: April 21, 1896

23rd December 2011

I am currently in the USA for the next three weeks and will not be able to easily watch Korean films. However, I took copies of The Independent with me so I could update my blog while here. Usual posts on Korean movies will shortly after I return to Korea on January 14. 

The Independent, April 21st, 1896

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Local Item

A little girl about four years old was lost on the Big Bell street the day before yesterday and was picked up by the police and cared for at the Police Department awaiting the arrival or discovery of the parents.

The Peking Pass is temporarily blocked by a mass of stone and debris that has fallen in from the steep sides. Fortunately no one was passing at the time. Water percolating through the crevices and freezing probably caused the landslide. <In a later issue, I leared the “Peking Pass” was what the foreign community called the road between Pyeongyang and Seoul>

Hon. J. Komura the Japanese Minister has been made Envoy Extraordinary to Korea. We congratulate him and all concerned for he has proven himself to be the man for the position and a very delicate position, too.

On the complaint of one Mun Sam Pak, a countryman, the police yesterday arrested Yi Kwan Ho of Seoul charged with purchasing the wife of the complainant. We wonder what section of the criminal code this will come under. We hope a place can be found for it and a severe punishment, for such events as this are extremely common.

Count Taruske Itakagi of Japan was made Minister of the Home Department. He is the leader of the Liberal Party in Japan.

We are encouraged by the report from our Chemulpo agent that The Independent is being largely read by the people there and that we must double the supply in order to meet the demand in that port.

We are informed that the mayor of Pyeng Yang has been doing some fine work in the line of squeezing and that consequently the people are on the verge of revolt. <By ’squeezing’, the reporter is refering to extortion>

Cho Bang Heun, a captain of the company which went to Chul Won to suppress disturbances, took occasion to rob some wealthy citizens of that district. The authorities in the War Office were informed of the fact and ordered the arrest of the culprit but he has decamped.

Another captain who came to Song Do from Chul Won with a company of soldiers, brought a wealthy citizen, Ko, from the former district and threatened to kill him because of supposed sympathy with the rebels. The doomed man offered 25,000,000 cash and thus saved his life. Is this affair known to the War Office authorities? <I have no idea what the currency is. It is unlikely the Won the amount listed is quite large. I would venture a guess that this is Jeon, a smaller currency no longer in use. 1 Won consisted of 100 Jeon>

Edict—Those who were loyal to us in the affair of the 8th of October have been killed by the barbarous weapons of Our enemies. We feel sorry for their untimely death and hereby give them special rank to show Our appreciation of their loyalty. The criminals of the 8th of October are banished for ten years; Hong Won Do is sentenced to hard labor for one year and Chung In Heung is released. <October 8th was the day that the Queen was murdered in the palace by Japanese guards. The assassins conspired with several Korean ministers and servants within the palace>

Editorial– <Today’s editorial is a rare one that in no way relates to Korea. Instead, he postulates about the growing possibility of a war in Europe. Rather than post that, I will type the advertisements that appear in the back of the newspaper>

AdvertisementsThe Independent as its name implies, is free from all political bias and will simply give the facts so far as they can be ascertained, independent of parties. We hope to enlarge the sheet as soon as the circulation of the paper warrents.

Scott’s Emulsion of pure Cod Liver Oil with Hypophosphites of Lime and soda. Large Bottles $1.50, Small Bottles .80  Kumamoto & Co. Druggists No. 58 Chin Ko Kai, Seoul.

K. Kameya General Store Keeper, Chong Dong, Seoul.  Fresh California Butter, Cheese, Flour, Ham, Bacon, Canned Fruits, Vegetables &c. &c., just arrived.

The Korean Repository. A monthly magazine dealing with all Korean questions of general or special interest. Price $3.00. Apply to Kelly & Walsh, Shanghai or to J. W. Wadman, Tokyo, Japan. <The three dollar price was the annual subscription rate>

Great Clearing Sale.  The undersigned hereby notifies his patrons and the public generally that he will sell off his stock preparatory to closing his store. The entire stock, consisting of groceries, wines, canned provisions, liquors of all kinds, German and Russian fruits, jams, jellies in glass jar, cigars, tobacco, toilet articles, stationery, confectionary, various patent medicines and drugs. They will be sold at 20% discount being less than the actual cost. Price lists will be issued. Send your orders in soon or you will be too late. Sale begins 1st May.  F.H. Morsel  Chemulpo.

H.C. Cloud & Co. Chemulpo, Korea. Navy Contractors, compredores and Bakers. The only American Firm in Korea.

J. Gaillard Jeune. Chemulpo, Korea. Provisioner of French men of war, General Store-Keeper, Naval Contractor and Commission Agent.  We can supply you with the following articles upon receiving your order. American, English, French and German preserves; Wines and Liquors of best quality; Table Claret $4.00 per dozen; Russian Caviar; Gruyere, Roquefort, American & Dutch Cheese; American & English Ham & Bacon; French & German Sausages; Pure Olives; Salad Oils; Toilet Articles; French soap; Cigars; Tobacco; etc. etc. etc.  J. Giacinti, Manager.

Seoul Grocery Company. No. 15 Legation St. Chong Dong.  We have fancy and staple groceries and provisions of both foreign and domestic products. Our Customers will be supplied with passbooks and accounts will be payable monthly. The only Korean firm of this kind in the city

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The Independent: Saturday, April 18th, 1896

18th December 2011

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Saturday, April 18th, Vol. 1 No. 6
Local Items
For the last two years the pine forests on the hills of Seoul have been encroached upon by wood gathers and much timber has been cut without permission. If this continues the hills will eventually become denuded. The police department has just awakened to this fact and yesterday a policeman made an arrest of four culprits who were in the act of carrying away stolen timber from the hills of Yong San.

Some months ago a hunter brought a live wild goose to the market for sale. A Buddhist had compassion on it, because it was to be killed, and bought it and let it go. It flew to the pond just outside the South gate where it remained, seeming to enjoy its new abode very much. A Japanese hunter passing by tried to shoot it but the people in the neighborhood prevented him.

Yi Sun Chang, a wealthy citizen of So Heung, was called out from his house at midnight last week by a gang of burglars who bound and tortured him for the sake of making him pay over a large sum of money. He could not endure the pain so paid them 30,000 cash. They tortured him again to make him tell the name of anther wealthy man in the town. He told them the name of Yun Chang Kil. They then ordered him to give them a written guarantee that in case they should not get 300,000 cash from Yun, he would pay them the sum. Under the curel torture he had to give them the written promise.

The day before yesterday the Japanese opened a school in Hyo Dong for the purpose of educating Koreans. Over fifty students were enrolled and began the study of Japanese language.

The Ladies’ Tennis Club opened the season yesterday and all the members of the Seoul Union were present besides members of the Ladies’ Club. It was a beautiful afternoon and everybody enjoyed the event heartily. The tea was served by Mrs. Graham. The tea will be served always on tennis day between 4 and 6 o’clock.

The steamer Genkai Maru will arrive at Chemulpo on the 19th and will leave for Fusan and Nagasaki on the 21st. The Higo Maru will arrive on the 22nd and leave for Chefoo on the 23rd. The Choshu Marue will arrive on the 22nd and leave for Nagasaki, Fusan and Wonsan on the same day. <Chefoo= Jeju Island>

Col. Karneeff and Lieut. B. Michailoff of the Russian army accompanied by two Russian soldiers went to Kiung Sang Province about a month ago in the interests of the Geological Society of Siberia. Arriving at Chun Ju, the Colonel went to Na Ju while the Lieutenant started for Fusan. Between Chun Ju and Fusan he met a crowd of 2000 rebels who took him for a Japanese and stoned him and took his baggage and it was with great difficulty that they were convinced of their mistake. He arrived in Seoul the day before yesterday. <Yeah! Jeonju (Chun Ju) gets mentioned! …Too bad it’s not in a more flattering light…>

Now that Spring has opened, the road committee will doubtless be on the lookout for spots to be repaired. As soon as the community is able to afford the cost, a system of lighting should be adopted. Oil lamps ought to be provided at a comparatively small cost to the community.

Editorial—
Korea has about the same area as Japan but only one third the population. This has much to do with the question as to what the future of Korea is to be. It is true that at the present moment a coldness has sprung up between the two but in the long run business interests will assert themselves and Korea and Japan are so situated and their business interests so dovetail the one into the other that whatever the relations may be politically their business relations cannot but be intimate. That this is true a few facts will demonstrate.

The relation of Korea’s area to her population shows that is capable of producing vastly more than her people can consume. It follows that the exports from Korea as fast as Korea opens up her agricultural and mineral resources. This again means an increased carrying trade and here we find the first commercial bond of union between the two. Korea has so much room in herself and so much to absorb the attention of the people that the carrying trade will for many a decade fall to the lot of others. That it will be Japan is as evident as anything can ne in these days of rapid changes. Japan does almost the whole of the carrying trade of Korea and no competitor is in sight.

joseon1In the second place, Japan is becoming more and more a land of manufacturers. Woolen, cotton, and silk manufactories are springing up all over the land. The energies of the Japanese people are rapidly focusing on this point. Already this tendency has far outrun Japan’s capacity for producing the raw material and she is looking in all directions for it. Korea is nearest to her and easiest of access; she has the most spare area that is cultivable and her soil, climate and temperature are eminently suited to supply the very things that are there wanting. The southern provinces of Korea produce a cotton of superior quality, and her northern provinces abound in the most admirable timber. Both bituminous and anthracite coal are found in large quantities and as Japanese manufactories increase and her merchant marine multiplies Korean coalmines will be called into requisition. Korea’s capacity for silk culture is practically unlimited. As the people learn improved methods of sericulture Korea’s export of raw silk alone, ought to mount up into the millions. The mulberry thrives here.

As Japanese energies become directed more and more toward manufacturing she will demand more and more food stuff from abroad. Here also Korea will supplement Japan in a marked degree. Already Korean rice has obtained a firm foothold in the Japanese market and at times the carrying capacity of all the vessels plying to the Korean ports has been quite inadequate for its transportation. The time is soon coming when improved methods of irrigation will enhance the value of the present cultivated land and when the increased demand will move the “margin of cultivation” farther up the sides of the hills, when marsh land will be reclaimed and the annual output nearly doubled.

A third important consideration relates to the vast tracts of land in Korea that are too hilly for successful cultivation. There is one way by which these could be made to yield a splendid revenue. It is by sheep-raising. If the Korean people could supply the Japanese woolen mills with their raw material they could at one stroke utilize their thousands of square miles of steep hill sides, give occupation to thousands of their people and secure a steady and rich revenue to themselves. At present the sheep is held as a sort of sacred animal in Korea and is used only in Royal sacrifices but we feel sure that a far larger good would come from encouraging the people in the growing of wool than ever would accrue from the sacrifices.

These three things then, the carrying trade, the supply of raw material and the food stuffs, are sufficient to warrant us in believing that the relations between Koreans and Japanese will inevitably become closer.

We are well aware of inborn and inbred antipathy between the two races but that need not interfere seriously with the commercial relations. It is not necessary that thousand of Japanese should come to Korea in order to secure the advantages above indicated. There are plenty of capable Koreans to act as agents and middlemen between the Japanese factory and the Korean field.

First let the government so rule that every countryman will feel secure in the possession of his lawfully earned wealth and he then will have some ambition to branch out in lines of work which heretofore have been practically barred from him by the exactions of officials.

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Trailers for Korean Films: December 15

13th December 2011

Only two new movies, both fairly minor releases. The first is Too Many Villains starring Kim Joon-bae and Song Ji-eun. It is directed by Kim Hwe-geun.

The second Korean movie opening this week is a documentary called My Barefoot Friend about the rickshaw drivers of India. I selected a trailer that has English subtitles. Enjoy!

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Korean Box Office: December 9-11

12th December 2011

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After disappointing me by opening behind the Twilight series latest installment, Breaking Dawn, Spellbound managed to rebound and took the number one position on its second week, not only forcing the emo vampires to drop, but also but also beating out The Adventures of Tin Tin which opened at number two.

Opening this week are Battle of Los Angeles (us), Phantom of the Opera at the Royal Albert Hall (uk), Scream of the Banshee (us), Alvin and the Chipmunks 3 (us), Here and There (Serbia), Loft (Netherlands), Mission Impossible 4 (us), Tennis King (jp), Maiko Haaaan (jp) and the Spy Next Door (us). The Korean films will be Too Many Villains and My Barefoot Friend. I will post the trailers for these tomorrow.

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The Independent: Thursday, April 16, 1896

11th December 2011

Seoul Union Tennis Club

Local Items– We are pleased to remark that the ladies of the Seoul Union have put their shoulders to the wheel and handsomely papered the rooms of the Union. We congratulate them and ourselves on the improvement thus effected and are glad to hear that they intend to open the season tomorrow. Let every member be present with his tennis racquet and with a good stock of harmless gossip and show the ladies his appreciation of their efforts.

–It gives an unfavorable impression to officers of the army going about the streets either on public or private business attended by two or three soldiers who are used as menials and not as a proper escort. The government should impress upon the people the fact that a soldier’s position is an honorable one and while he should be kept strictly under the others of his superior he must not be treated as a menial and required to do work that only coolies should perform.

–A grave charge which we can scarcely credit is made against Koreans in Fusan that they are poisoning Japanese wells. When one of the culprits is caught, tried and convicted then it will be time to publish a report, but to circulate such a rumor without any confirmation can do no good and can only reflect upon those who invented it.

–The Independent will be sent to all provincial governors and all district magistrates through the Korean post office and the horse courier service from this day on at the request of the Minister of the Interior. We look upon this as a progressive move on the part of the Home Office and we believe that it has opened up the way to the accomplishment of one of the main objects contemplated in the starting of this paper, namely the bringing of the capital and the country into more intimate touch with each other. If a copy is on file in every magisterial office and the people learn that they can secure it regularly on application, an entering wedge will have been formed which will help materially in the harmonizing of the present discordant elements.

–Mr. Leigh Hunt, the representative of an American Syndicate in the matter of a Seoul-Chemulpo railroad, left Seoul on the 14th and will sail from Kobe on the 22nd for America. He will return sometime in the summer to commence operations. We wish him a pleasant voyage and a full accomplishment of his plan which will be of mutual advantage to the Korean People and to the company which undertakes the enterprise.

Communications–Notice to correspondents– No attention will be paid to anonymous communications. All letters or communications must be addressed to The Independent, Seoul, Korea, and all remittances should be made to the same.

–To the Editor of the Independent:  Dear sir, The only pleasant half hour’s walk in the vicinity of the foreign quarter is along the back of the Methodist Mission property and the French Legation but unfortunately the fence of the latter has been put out so far beyond the original limits that it is quite impossible for two people to walk side by side. This is a serious inconvenience to the large part of the foreign community and we feel sure that if our friends should rectify the mistake they would receive the unanimous thanks of the community.  Yours truly, A. Resident.

To the Editor of the Independent:  Dear sir, The governor of Tong Nai pretends to be a progressive man yet his actions are worse than those of the conservatives. He is continuously making people pay up their old debts, on commission the latter not being a fixed percentage of the sum but according to his own caprice. The government has regulated the tax rates but he collects according to the old system. If this sort of thing continues the people of Tong Nai District are likely to rise and take his life and by so doing show the Home Department that such fellow will not be acceptable as governors in country districts. Yours truly, Yi.

Editorial—The building of the railway between Seoul and Chemulpo deserves more than passing notice. As we stated a few days ago, the contract has been definitely made and it is expected that the surveys will begin sometime during the coming Summer. According to the terms of the contract the government cedes to the company the land forming the route between the two points; the company builds and equips the road and has complete control for fifteen years. At tat time the government has the option of buying the road from the company at a price to be agreed upon at that time by one representative from the government and one from the company. If they cannot agree upon a price it shall be referred to an umpire chosen by them. If at that time the government does not wish to buy, the road shall remain in the company’s during a further period of ten years when the government shall again have the option of buying. At the expiration of each ten years the government has the option of buying.

These terms appear to us to be extremely advantageous for both parties. Here we have a place where a railroad is a necessity. It is no speculation. With two such termini, one the capital of the country containing some 300,000 people, and the other the most flourishing port in the country and one whose importance is daily growing, we can readily believe that the element of chance is well nigh eliminated from the problem.

On the other hand however advantageous may seem the contract for the company there are other large considerations that may not be overlooked. The benefits that accrue to the people will more than counter-balance the seeming partiality. In the first place the work is to be done so far as possible by Korean workmen. Thousands of them will be employed. Not only in the work of construction but after it is finished, Koreans will be largely employed in less responsible positions in connection with the road. In the next place the value of real estate all along the line will be greatly enhanced and at the termini the rise in value will be very great. The government should recoup itself for the expense of getting the site for road bed for the company by buying further in the vicinity of the termini and profiting by the rise in value. Then again the government will save largely in the cost of transporting revenue rice from Chemulpo to the capital and in transportation of troops.

One of the advantages of the present arrangement is that the road will be in the hands of people belonging to a power which under no conceivable circumstances could be suspected of ulterior motives of a political nature. The road will always be worked in the interests of the Korean people. We presume that the agreement stipulates that the road shall never be allowed to pass into the hands of any other company, syndicate or power but shall be controlled permanently by the present contracting syndicate until the government wishes to purchase. This is implied in the stipulation that at the end of each ten years the government shall have the option of buying. On the whole this is the most satisfactory contract of a similar character the government ever made with a foreign firm. We congratulate the government, the company and those who acted as instruments for the fair and impartial manner in which this contract was made.

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New DVDs: December 11-17

10th December 2011

kim soo yong collection

It seems that my getting excited about the release of Magicians was a bit premature as that dvd has been pushed back to December 30th. But that is ok because there is something to get just as excited about. That is the Kim Soo-yong Collection pictured left in the above image. It is a four disc collection consisting of the films A Seaside Village (1965), Confessions of an Actress (1967), Mist (1967) and Night Journey (1977). Subtitles: Korean, English, Japanese/ Rating: ages 18+/ Format: 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen/ Audio: Dolby Digital Mono/ extras include a 56 minute documentary by Kim Soo-yong on Seaside Village/ Suggested Retail Price: 49,500 KRW/ Available: December 13

The movie in the center of the image is I Came From Busan directed by Jeon Soo-il and starring Park Ha-seon and Kim Jeong-tae. Number of discs: 1/ Subtitles: Korean/ Rating: ages 19+/ Format: 16:9 anamorphic widescreen/ / Audio: Dolby Digital 2.0/ Running Time: 81 minutes/ Suggested Retail Price: 22,000 KRW/ Available: December 13

The last movie is Themselves directed by Yoo Tae-shik and starring Ko Soo-hee and Kim Jin-yi. Number of discs: 1/ Subtitles: Korean/ Rating: ages 12+/ Format: 16:9 anamorphic widescreen/ Audio: Dolby Digital 2.0/ Running Time: 99 minutes/ Suggested Retail Price: 22,000 KRW/ Available: December 13

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Index of the 70s: Jang Il-ho

10th December 2011

I am currently knee-deep in final exams which have managed to eat up most of my free time and kept me from posting regularly this past week. I will be finished with them early next week and should have more time for a while– until I take my annual Christmas journey back to the US for three weeks with family.

Jang Il-ho’s film career began in the early 1960s and petered out in the early 1990s. While he made most of his films in the 1960s, his best known works today were from the late seventies and the 80’s, especially the One Love series reviewed on this site. Below are his movies from the 1970’s.  Just click the thumbnail and then enlarge to view a full-sized image.
jangilho1974 darkcircle, jangilho1974 darkhair, jangilho1974 thunderboltfist, jangilho1975 remodeledbeauty, jangilho1976 fivecommandents, jangilho1976 greatescapewomenprison, jangilho1976 womeninjail, jangilho1977 wardiary,jangilho1978 tripitikanakoreana

Up next are Jang Yeong-gook, Jeon Eung-joo and Jeon Jo-myeong

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Trailers for Korean Films: December 8

6th December 2011

There are four Korean films being released this week.

The first is a political comedy that has not yet received an official English title. The Korean title is Gyeoljeongjeok Hanbang.

Next we have the lesbian love story Life is Peachy

The next film, Red Vacance, Black Wedding has no trailer and no website on Youtube. I did find a trailer on Daum, but was unable to embed it here.

Finally there is the Sea Without Water.

None of these are really high-profile films and, as they are going up against The Adventures of TinTin, Spellbound and Breaking Dawn, none will probably have an impact on the upper levels of the box office charts.

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Korean Box Office: December 2-4

5th December 2011

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Last week, when posting the trailers for the Korean movies opening on the weekend, I had mentioned that ‘the likely hot movie’ had been listed as Chilling Romance or Eerie Romance on Youtube, but an official title had not yet been given. Well, the official title is Spellbound but, although it did fairly well, it was overtaken by Breaking Dawn, the latest film from the Twilight series.  With the release of these two films, all the other movies that were on last week’s chart, dropped. No other new film that was released last week appeared in the top ten of the box office charts.

I count four new Korean films opening for this coming weekend. I will post the trailers for these tomorrow.The other new movies coming this week are The Adventures of TinTin (us), Godzilla: Final Wars (jp), Le Havre (fr), The Task (us), Blitz (uk), Loft (nz), Mercenaries (uk)

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