KOFIC announces that it will publish a series entitled "Who's Who", similar in concept to the outstanding Korean Directors books, and devoted to key figures in the Korean film industry. The first series will be distributed at the Pusan International Film Festival (PIFF) in October 2007 and will doubtless be made available online for free download.

The organization forecasts a total of around 80 films to be produced in 2007, as major distributors like CJ Entertainment and Showbox experience a backlog of unreleased films from 2006. How much they invest in new films the second half of the year will depend in great measure on how well these movies fare in the first 6 months of the year.

The Korean Film Archive (KFA) has created a "Top 100", comprised of Korean films from the 1930s through 1996. Their selections can be seen at KFA’s English homepage.

There are numerous interviews, including one with Korean-Chinese director Zhang Lu (Grain in Ear), whose "Hyazgar(Desert Dream)" is in competition at the Berlin festival. The film, about a man who plants trees in the Mongolian desert and a mother and son who escape there from North Korea, was shot entirely in the unhospitable Mongolian desert with funds from KOFIC and France’s Centre National de la Cinématographie (CNC). There are also interviews and reviews of the work of Park Chan-wook (I’m a Cyborg, but that’s OK), E. J-yong (Dasepo Naughty Girls), Leesong Hee-il (No Regrets), Hong Sang-soo (Woman on the Beach), Yeo In-gwang, director of "Ice Bar", directors Lee Hae-young and Lee Hae-jun, creators of the extremely enjoyable "Like a Virgin" (inspired by a TV broadcast about a female ssireum team), and Lee Yoon-ki (Ad Lib Night).

Additionally, there are interviews with Park Jin-pyo (Voice of a Murderer), Lee Myung-Se (Duelist) and Kim Ji-woon (A Bittersweet Life).

We learn that Lee Chang-dong’s upcoming film "Secret Sunshine" (starring the divine Jeon Do-yeon and the omnipresent Song Kang-ho) is being lensed by none other than Cho Yong-gyu, the excellent cameraman of "Family Ties", hands down the best Korean film of 2006. Lee's film, which is 70% complete, will hopefully be as harrowing and unforgettable as were "Oasis" and "Peppermint Candy."

Yoon Jong-bin, whose graduate thesis "The Unforgiven" (2005) made waves at PIFF, has made a new feature length film called "Beastie Boys."

The Korean Film Observatory No.21 may be found by going to KOFIC's English language website and clicking "Publications."

[Source: KOFIC]