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Acclaimed Korean filmmaker Yeon Sang-ho has set mystery thriller The Ugly as his next feature, which Plus M Entertainment will introduce to buyers at the Asian Contents & Film Market (Acfm) in Busan this week.

Yeon is known for directing Peninsula, which received a Cannes 2020 label and proved box office hit across Asia, taking $46.7m at the height of the pandemic; zombie thriller Train To Busan, which played at Cannes in 2016 and went on to take $140m at the global box office; and The King of Pigs, which became the first Korean animation to screen at Cannes when it was selected...

South Korean filmmaker Yeon Sang-ho has worked on multiple genre projects in his home country, making his feature directorial debut with the animated thriller The King of Pigs and following that up with the likes of RedaKai, The Fake, Psychokinesis, Hellbound, Jung_E, and Parasyte: The Grey. His most popular work is the live-action 2016 zombie film Train to Busan, and he has also directed a live-action follow-up to that film, titled Peninsula, and an animated prequel, titled Seoul Station. Now Yeon Sang-ho is ready to make his English-language debut, and Deadline reports that he’ll be doing so with a horror action film called 35th Street.

35th Street is set up at TriStar Pictures, and Yeon will be directing the film from a screenplay he’s writing with Ryu Yong-jae, who he previously collaborated with on Peninsula and Parasyte: The Grey. Plot details are being kept under wraps, so the “action...

Yeon Sang-ho may have not been able to replicate the grand success of his live-action debut “Train to Busan” yet, but you have to hand it to the writer-director for never shying away from trying new challenges and newer genres. After showing much promise in his much acclaimed animated features “King of Pigs” and “The Fake”, he ventured into live-action territory with “Train to Busan”, following that up with with the superhero entry “Psychokinesis” before going back to the world of zombies with “Peninsula”, which may not have lived up to the hype of the original (or even its animated prequel “Seoul Station”), yet ended up being the highest-grossing Korean release in the pandemic inflicted 2020. Yeon would then join hands with Netflix to bring his webtoon “Hellbound” to an Ott series before re-teaming with the streaming giant for his first venture into full-blown sci-fi with “Jung_E”.

“Jung_E” is streaming on...

Hellbound has a stellar script and gorgeous directorial execution from creator Yeon Sang-ho, but those elements would only go so far without a good cast to support the dramatic story. Luckily, the six-part Netflix series has an impressive ensemble to ground its supernatural narrative. Let’s talk about who all of these actors are, and where you might have seen them before—or where you should watch them next…

Yoo Ah-in as Jeong Jin-soo

Hellbound character: Yoo Ah-in plays New Truth cult leader Jeong Jin-soo with disturbing charisma, constantly keeping the characters and viewers on edge as to what his true motives might be. For me, Yoo was the standout performer in a stellar cast.

What to watch next: Yoo Ah-in is a 35-year-old actor who has appeared in a variety of roles prior to his unsettling turn on Hellbound. If you’re looking to see him in another role,...

After the runaway success of Parasite back in 2019, Korean films have finally received the recognition that they deserve. This country has been creating incredible movies for decades, yet many have remained largely undiscovered outside of their home country. If you’re willing to get out to the cinema and explore what’s on offer, then the possibilities for Korean film viewing are endless. However, if you prefer the idea of being able to experience the best of Korean cinema from your sofa then don’t panic, because Netflix has you covered. These are a handful of the best Korean films that you can watch right now, without even leaving your seat.

Parasite

Pigeonholing Parasite into a category has been difficult for critics; many think that it belongs with horror movies, but others find it rather funny, in a sinister sort of way

As we’ve already mentioned the success that...

Director Yeon Sang-ho brought back much of his crew from velocity-infused 2016 Korean zombie blockbuster “Train to Busan” to deliver the goods for “Train to Busan Presents: Peninsula,” bowing in theaters Aug. 21.

While “Train to Busan” focused on a small group of survivors trapped on a bullet train during the start of a zombie outbreak, the current film takes place over the entire South Korean Peninsula, requiring greater imagination, more special effects and a wider collaboration among the crew.

Designers had to consider how the landscape would appear after the zombies established a foothold across the nation. Key scenes included a “Thunderdome”-style battle arena that pits humans against the undead and a car-chase sequence that covers almost the entire third act, in which the film’s quartet of heroes aims to get to the Port of Incheon with $20 million in U.S. currency that has been abandoned in a truck somewhere in the city.

The first trailer for the upcoming “Train to Busan” sequel “Peninsula” has arrived online, and it’s full of such big scale action sequences and explosive thrills that viewers would be forgiven for not realizing it’s a “Train to Busan” sequel in the first place. Returning director Yeon Sang-ho has been adamant about his desire to craft a sequel that would feel radically different in tone and plot from “Train to Busan,” and the “Peninsula” trailer below teases Yeon has more than succeeded. “Peninsula” has the scope of a major Hollywood action tentpole, a notable step up from the intimate horrors of “Train to Busan,” which became a worldwide phenomenon with $92 million at the box office.

“Peninsula” takes place in the same world as “Train to Busan” but picks up a new story thread four years later. Gang Dong-won stars as a former soldier who managed to escape zombie-infested South Korea.

The project, budgeted at roughly twice Train To Busan’s $8m, is heading to North America and France.

South Korea’s Contents Panda has announced a raft of deals on Train To Busan director Yeon Sang-ho’s follow-up to the zombie hit, titled Peninsula, led by deals to North America (Well Go USA) and France (Arp Sas).

Although it is already being billed in some places as a “sequel to Train To Busan”, the director says, “Peninsula is not a sequel to Train To Busan because it’s not a continuation of the story, but it happens in the same universe.

The project, budgeted at roughly twice Train To Busan’s $8m, is heading to North America and France.

South Korea’s Contents Panda has announced a raft of deals on Train To Busan director Yeon Sang-ho’s follow-up to the zombie hit, titled Peninsula, led by deals to North America (Well Go USA) and France (Arp Sas).

Although it is already being billed in some places as a “sequel to Train To Busan”, the director says, “Peninsula is not a sequel to Train To Busan because it’s not a continuation of the story, but it happens in the same universe.

While the release of his Choi Min-sik/Han Suk-kyu starring historical film “Forbidden Dreams” is still eagerly awaited by fans, melodrama supremo Hur Jin-ho is set for the release of his 43-minute short film “The Present”, starring the inimitable Shin Ha-kyu.

Synopsis

Ha-neul and Bo-ra are getting ready to open an establishment, when their plans to develop a fire-fighting thermal imaging camera by day and night fail, and they are on the verge of being kicked out of their studio. When everything seems to be hitting a brick wall, a strange man appears in the middle of their studio and claims that is his factory… A collaboration beyond time begins!

Shin Ha-kyun seems to have found a fancy for comedy of late. The actor, best known for his serious, hard-hitting roles in films such as “The Villainess” and “Pied Piper”, among others, has been in films with comedic elements in...

South Korean heartthrob Gong Yoo and actress Jung Yu-mi and have had a successful professional relationship, having featured in hits films “Silenced” and “Train to Busan” together previously. While the former hasn’t been on the big screen since Kim Jee-woon’s 2016 film “The Age of Shadows”, Jung Yu-mi was last seen in her “Train to Busan” director’s follow-up film “Psychokinesis”. The two team up once again for Kim Da-young’s directorial debut “Kim Ji-young: Born 1982” (translated title).

Synopsis

Kim Ji-young has one of the most common female names for people her age. She works at a PR agency. She gets married and has a daughter. So she can raise her daughter, Kim Ji-young quits her job. She leads an ordinary life up to this point. Suddenly, Kim Ji-young begins to talk like her mother, her older sister and other people. She seems possessed by other people. What happened to her?...

In 2018, the Korean film business stumbled, as local films made with blockbuster budgets and targeting the usual high seasons of Chuseok and Christmas last year failed to deliver blockbuster earnings. So Korean distributors have embraced some tactics to enhance their bottom lines.

Genre films “Monstrum,” “Fengshui,” “The Negotiation,” “Take Point,” “Swing Kids” and “Drug King” tripped over each other and did healthy B.O. but not the blockbuster business that distributors anticipated.

“The South Korean market has been supersaturated and the market has reached its limit. It is pretty obvious that no one would make significant profit when there are four to five films to watch in one season,” one disappointed producer told Variety.

Now, key distributors have announced lineups filled with fewer blockbusters and more small to mid-sized titles. At the same time they are accelerating overseas expansion and diversifying content formats.

Two of Cj Entertainment’s 2019 tentpoles, Bong...

“For the past decade, Next Entertainment World has continuously challenged itself whenever there was an opportunity,” said Kim Woo-taek, chairman of Next Entertainment World.

Indeed, New, celebrating its 10th anniversary at Busan, has come a long way in a short time, developing itself from a second mover in the industry into a total entertainment company, overcoming hurdles and implementing innovative decisions. Take, for example, the company’s beginnings. When Kim launched New in 2008 with only four employees, the Korean film industry had been dominated by long-established, vertically integrated big companies. Cj Entertainment had been the top Korean distributor since 2003, with Showbox the a runner-up. The Korean arms of Hollywood majors had boasted strong lineups. A fledging in such a saturated industry, New started its domestic distribution business with foreign titles including Catherine Hardwicke’s “Twilight.” In its second year, when it launched investment-distribution operations of Korean titles, it became one of the top five distributors.

Making your follow up to one of the most successful films in Korean history is always going to be a difficult task, Yeon Sang-ho’s “Train to Busan” was a surprise success for the director’s first live action film. Not just because it was a horror, but also the fact Korean directors rarely touch the zombie genre. So from the get go his sophomore live action film “Psychokinesis” had some fairly big shoes to fill. Did it live up to expectations? Disappointingly no.

The movie tells the story of lowly bank security guard Seok-Heon, who, after drinking some tainted water gains the ability to move objects with his mind. Comes in handy when that cigarette lighter is just out of reach. He is contacted by his estranged daughter after a tragic event who is struggling with more than just recent tragedy. Her restaurant is being absconded by a greedy construction company,...

On April 25, Netflix unceremoniously released the miraculous South Korean superhero film Psychokinesis, a character-driven action film about a slob who develops psychic abilities after he accidentally drinks meteorite-infused spring water. The folks in charge of Netflix's Instant video releases seem to have thought so little of Psychokinesis — the latest film by Sang-Ho Yeon, the talented writer/director of the breakout 2016 zombie thriller Train to Busan — that they didn't even wait to release Yeon's latest on a Friday, the day they normally reserve for their most high-profile titles. Instead, Netflix released Psychokinesis on a ...

On April 25, Netflix unceremoniously released the miraculous South Korean superhero film Psychokinesis, a character-driven action film about a slob who develops psychic abilities after he accidentally drinks meteorite-infused spring water. The folks in charge of Netflix's Instant video releases seem to have thought so little of Psychokinesis — the latest film by Sang-Ho Yeon, the talented writer/director of the breakout 2016 zombie thriller Train to Busan — that they didn't even wait to release Yeon's latest on a Friday, the day they normally reserve for their most high-profile titles. Instead, Netflix released Psychokinesis on a ...

In a very strange coincidence — or a concerted act of counterprogramming — the smallest superhero movie in recent memory hit Netflix on the same day that the biggest superhero movie ever made exploded into theaters. And while “Psychokinesis” was inevitably subsumed into the endless shadow of “Avengers: Infinity War” (the most ambitious crossover event of all time!), this exuberant Korean import is convincing proof that the genre doesn’t always have to be about saving the world, or guarding the galaxy, or stopping a purple space Brolin from snapping his fingers and erasing half of humanity.

When enough spandex is involved, high stakes can be Kryptonite for good storytelling. Even in the monolithic Marvel Cinematic Universe, many of the best movies are the ones that think globally but act locally. The likes of “Black Panther” and “Spider-Man: Homecoming” are so effective because they look inward rather than out, using power as...

South Korea’s Yeon Sang-ho explored fantastic cinema for the first time with his diptych about a zombie invasion, Seoul Station and Train to Busan. After a couple of totally sordid animated features, The King of Pigs and The Fake, Yeon found some sort of poetic justice in Seoul Station and a taste of hope at the end of Train to Busan, the latter being his first feature length film in which not every main character have a miserable outcome. Closer to a satisfactory type of cinema, Yeon presents his second live-action movie, Netflix’s Psychokinesis, which keeps him in the fantastic genre and, at the same time, takes him to a new direction. While Train to Busan had moments of pure heroism, Psychokinesis belongs legitimately to...

[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...

With a seemingly endless amount of streaming options — not only the titles at our disposal, but services themselves — we’ve taken it upon ourselves to highlight the titles that have recently hit platforms. Every week, one will be able to see the cream of the crop (or perhaps some simply interesting picks) of streaming titles (new and old) across platforms such as Netflix, iTunes, Amazon, and more (note: U.S. only). Check out our rundown for this week’s selections below.

Bombshell: The Hedy Lamarr Story (Alexandra Dean)

The tell-all “autobiography” Ecstasy and Me: My Life As A Woman was exactly what Hedy Lamarr’s agent wanted to make quick money. But it wasn’t her life. Whether her ghostwriter’s words were true or not, the story dealt with everything she hoped wouldn’t define her legacy. Sadly she never had the chance to set the record straight with...

Spring is here, love is in the air, and everyone is finally ready to go back outside, but Netflix’s April offerings are giving us at least seven more compelling reasons to stay on the couch for at least another few weeks. This month brings an eclectic mix of new movies to the streaming platform, from the sweet Americana of “The Iron Giant” to the decidedly less sweet Americana of “Scarface” — from the mad brilliance of Philip Seymour Hoffman in “Along Came Polly” to the brilliant madness of the Wachowskis’ “Speed Racer.” We’ve also got “Deep Blue Sea” and David Fincher’s “Se7en,” two very different movies about two very different monsters (super sharks and Kevin Spacey, respectively).

Here are the seven best movies that are new to Netflix this April.

7. “Psychokinesis” (2018)

Now that Netflix increasingly positions itself as a pipeline for first-run foreign movies, every month seems to...

Report notes strong trend for global Ott buyers of Korean films such as Train To Busan and The Handmaiden.

South Korean film industry exports went up by 17.5% last year, according to a 2017 market analysis published today by the Korean Film Council (Kofic).

Exports totaled $118.8m with completed films taking in $40.1m, a sum down 7.2% from the previous year.

In contrast, export of services such as VFX and Di almost doubled to $78.1m, with demand for services on large-scale Chinese films at a steady flow.

The government-funded agency noted the most remarkable recent trend was global Ott buyers of Korean films – e.g. Netflix picking up worldwide rights to Train To Busan and Pandora and Amazon Studios picking up The Handmaiden for the Us in 2016. In 2017, Netflix snapped up North-South Korean action thriller Steel Rain and Yeon Sang-ho’s sci-fi thriller Psychokinesis before local release.

Asia accounted...

Psychokinesis Trailer Sang-ho Yeon‘s Psychokinesis / Yeom-lyeok (2018) movie trailer stars Yu-mi Jung, Do-yoon Kim, Seung-ryong Ryu, Eun-kyung Shim, and Yeong-gi Jeong. Psychokinesis‘ plot synopsis: “A father sets out to save his troubled daughter with superpowers that he discovers he possesses. Suk-Hun (Seung-ryong Ryu) happens to gain a supernatural power. He tries to [...]

Continue reading: Psychokinesis (2018) Movie Trailer: The Director of Train To Busan’s Supernatural Film...

Yeon Sang-ho, the South Korean filmmaker behind the completely bonkers 2016 zombie movie Train to Busan, is back. And on the off chance you were worried he might tone things down a bit in his newest movie, you can safely put those worries to rest: Psychokinesis is bursting with a new batch of wild antics, and this thing looks like a […]

The post ‘Psychokinesis’ Trailer: A Super-Powered Comedy From the Director of ‘Train to Busan’ appeared first on /Film.

With 2016’s Train to Busan, South Korean director Yeon Sang-ho gave the world a zombie outbreak movie that stood apart from its western counterparts. Set on a speeding bullet train, it emanated a vigor and freshness which contrasted the staleness that’s been permeating the zombie-specific horror genre as of late.

Whether he’ll be able to do the same or not with his next film, Psychokinesis, remains to be seen, but if I were a betting woman, I’d have my money on the table. Yeon has taken a stab at the superhero genre, and the new English-subbed trailer has debuted to show it off.

The story features what appears to be an ordinary, middle-aged man (Ryu Seung-ryong) who randomly obtains supernatural powers (mostly the ability to move objects with his mind). He then tries to use his newfound abilities to save his daughter once she finds herself in danger.

With 2016’s Train to Busan, South Korean director Yeon Sang-ho gave the world a zombie outbreak movie that stood apart from its western counterparts. Set on a speeding bullet train, it emanated a vigor and freshness which contrasted the staleness that’s been permeating the zombie-specific horror genre as of late.

Whether he’ll be able to do the same or not with his next film, Psychokinesis, remains to be seen, but if I were a betting woman, I’d have my money on the table. Yeon has taken a stab at the superhero genre, and the new English-subbed trailer has debuted to show it off.

The story features what appears to be an ordinary, middle-aged man (Ryu Seung-ryong) who randomly obtains supernatural powers (mostly the ability to move objects with his mind). He then tries to use his newfound abilities to save his daughter once she finds herself in danger.

Two years ago, South Korean director Yeon Sang-ho showed there was plenty of life left in the zombie genre with “Train To Busan.” His energetic take on the horror movie staple drew global acclaim, and director struck while the iron is hot. He’s already got his next movie on the way with “Psychokinesis,” and it sees the filmmaker turning his talents to superheroes.

Starring Ryoo Seung-Ryong, Shim Eun-Kyung, Park Jung-Min, Kim Min-Jae, Jung Yu-Mi, and Kang Sang-Won, the story follows an ordinary man who happens to gain a supernatural power, and uses it to try and save his daughter after she gets involved in an unexpected accident.

Continue reading ‘Psychokinesis’ Trailer: ‘Train To Busan’ Director Yeon Sang-ho Returns With A Superhero Movie at The Playlist.

"Suddenly... you have a supernatural power!" An international trailer has arrived online for a new Korean action film titled Psychokinesis, the latest feature from the director of the acclaimed zombie feature Train to Busan. Sang-ho Yeon directs this new dark comedy film about a father who ties to save his daughter after discovering he has superpowers. The cast includes Seung-ryong Ryu as the father, and Eun-kyung Shim as his daughter Roo-mi, along with Yu-mi Jung, Do-yoon Kim, and Yeong-gi Jeong. This is just the first trailer, but it does have some cool footage in it. I quite like the mix of comedy and action, seems like it's going to be very fun to watch. Hopefully it arrives over here sooner than later, as I want to see this already. Here's the first teaser trailer (+ poster) for Sang-ho Yeon's Psychokinesis, direct from YouTube (via Tfs): A father sets out to...

After winning a ton of new fans (and a hefty $135 million box office take) for his inventive zombie thriller (on a train!) “Train to Busan,” filmmaker Yeon Sang-ho is back with another spin on a beloved genre. This time, it’s superheroes. In his upcoming new film, “Psychokinesis,” Ryu Seung-ryong stars as a seemingly regular man who discovers that he has superpowers (mainly, it seems, he’s able to move things with his mind) and decides to use those powers to help save his daughter. Hijinks appear to ensue.

Netflix picked up the domestic rights to the film back in November, though the film is already slated to bow in South Korea in the coming weeks. For now, domestic audiences will have to be held over by a quick new trailer for the film, one that gamely sets up its premise and what appears to be a generous dose of comedy.

After his zombie thriller Train to Busan earned over $135 million worldwide — and interest in a Hollywood remake — director Yeon Sang-ho is already back with his next feature. Titled Psychokinesis, it’s an action-packed black comedy film following Ryu Seung-ryong who plays an a man who discovers superpowers and intends to use them to save his daughter.

Naming it one of our most-anticipated films of the year, a U.S. release date has yet to be announced by Netflix, who picked it up late last fall. However, it’ll debut in South Korea at the end of this month and now the first full trailer has arrived. Seemingly expanding the director’s scope while also injecting a strong dose of comedic-infused setpieces, hopefully it’s as successful as his previous feature.

See the trailer and and poster below.

Psychokinesis opens on January 31 in South Korea and is awaiting a U.S.

Following the global smash hit Train to Busan (2016), director Yeon Sang-ho makes a return to the big screen next month with his new, high-concept film Psychokinesis.

Ryu Seung-ryong stars as a man who unexpectedly develops superpowers. He uses them to try and help his daughter, played by Shim Eun-kyung, but encounters trouble along the way.

Ryu and Shim previously acted alongside as father and daughter in the voice cast of Seoul Station (animated ‘Train to Busan’ prequel).

Psychokinesis due out in January, will be distributed by Next Entertainment World (New).

Check out the first teaser trailer!

source: Kobiz...

Netflix has recently become a main source for Asian-produced content. From anime series that it’s licensed to the Korean film it’s acquired, paying customers have now found themselves looking to the streaming service as their go-to for overseas drama. Netflix will now need to make room for one more project: a Korean superhero movie.

Yeong Sang-ho, the director of the zombie hit Train to Busan, has a new film, Psychokinesis, which follows the story of a young father who tries to save his young daughter, who possesses psychic superpowers. Sang-ho’s follow-up film has been long-anticipated in South Korea, and the project will be viewable internationally thanks to the deal made between the South Korean company Next Entertainment World and Netflix.

Director Yeon Sang-ho Coming on the heels of the successful collaboration with Bong Joon-ho for Okja, this marks yet another giant acquisition for Netflix. It also recently...