Mixing film reviews and film related articles with being a filmmaker can certainly take its toll on a writer’s time.

That said, there are some postings which I must do, simply because I believe in the subject.  This one is no exception.  In these instances, I – or MMM – must put the film editing, post-production or whatever to one side and get on with the article… so, here we go:

Film News, Korean Movie News and Korean Films in Cinemas – yes, these are all one and the same, at least as far as this post is concerned.

  1. The UK release of “The Man Standing Next”
  2. Korean film cinema screenings
  3. Free Korean films

PART 1

First up is the big news of the 2021 Oscar nominated [but ultimately not in the shortlist and final contenders] Korean political thriller, THE MAN STANDING NEXT, which centres around events relating to President Park Chung-hee (yes, he who fathered the recently ousted President Park Geun-hye – those who have seen my posts or videos about the tragic SEWOL ferry incident in South Korea will surely know of her…) and is based on a novel.

Well, I say “novel” (and so does the Press Release info below) and indeed it may well be, but in the film itself it states that it’s based on the story “KCIA Chiefs”, which was serially published, over 26 months back which began in 1990, in the [right-wing/Conservative] Dong-A Ilbo publication.

For those interested, The Man Standing Next is also known as “남산의 부장들” (or pronounced Namsanui bujangdeul – basically, “Chiefs of Namsan”)

So, “Mr @MiniMiniMovies has seen it”, you exclaim!?

Well, from what I ‘have’ seen (and I’m not really giving anything away by saying this, especially as it’s been in the UK already – the UK Premiere was at the Glasgow Film Festival) the movie is well shot and executed [no bad taste death-pun intended] and certainly gets off to a good start!

Incidentally, the film is directed by Woo Min-ho, the man behind both INSIDE MEN and THE DRUG KING… the latter film I found [and found on Netflix;)] pretty good, even if a friend or two thought the opposite.

I’ll end this PART 1 of this article with the film’s trailer and blurb from the Press Release – but keep reading for PARTS 2 and 3 for more exciting NEWS…

“IN VIRTUAL CINEMAS INCLUDING CURZON HOME CINEMA 25 JUNE AND ON DIGITAL DOWNLOAD 5 JULY

Tense and gripping, The Man Standing Next is a powerful political thriller from director Woo Min-ho (The Drug King) and starring Lee Byung-hun, which charts one of the most shocking incidents in South Korea’s turbulent history.

It is 1979, and South Korea has been under the absolute domination of President Park’s dictatorship for 18 long years. Kim Gyu-pyeong (Lee Byung-hun), the director of the Korean Central Intelligence Agency (KCIA), has asserted his loyalty to the president despite having his doubts about the leader’s intentions. When the former director of the KCIA flees to America with a time-bomb of government secrets, Kim is sent on a mission to stop the truth in its tracks.

As the government’s web of lies continues to be spun, tensions build, alliances crumble, and the once impenetrable leadership must face the fact that all men, no matter how powerful, must die…

The South Korean nomination for the 2021 Academy Awards, The Man Standing Next is based on an acclaimed novel and charts the knife-edge political machinations which played out during one of the darkest periods of the country’s political history. From director Woo Min-ho (The Drug King, Inside Men), the cast is lead by international star Lee Byung- hun who has appeared in some of Korea’s most influential films since the country’s emergence onto the global film scene including A Bittersweet Life and I Saw the Devil, as well as Hollywood hits including The Magnificent Seven and the G.I. Joe franchise. Lee is supported by Lee Sung-min (The Spy Gone North), Kwak Do-wan (The Wailing) and Kim So-jin (The King).

Blue Finch Film Releasing presents

“The Man Standing Next”

(in Virtual Cinemas including Curzon Home Cinema 25 June

and on Digital Download 5 July)

Cert: 15

Runtime: 114 mins approx.”

PART 2

(of this article’s Korean Film news):

LONDON KOREAN FILM FESTIVAL Teaser Screenings

YES!  The LKFF Teaser Screenings are back!  AND… in CINEMAS!

If you, like me [if you like me?! ㅋㅋㅋ] are already subscribed to the KCCUK / LKFF – well, OK, signed up to their mailing list/s – or happen to see their many social media postings, you’ll already know about these upcoming cinema screenings.

For those who aren’t aware of these forthcoming film screenings, Mr MMM can confirm that there are now SIX, in total… and it sounds like one or two more are to be added.

To clarify, there are actually currently THREE films coming up very soon, but playing in SIX UK venues.  Both London and Edinburgh have the chance of seeing the Korean movie DELIVER US FROM EVIL and the ‘very different’ [to that film] VOICE OF SILENCE.

In fact, although other places in the country have screened Korean films / LKFF Teaser screenings in the past, they tell us that this is the first time for taking their Teaser screenings on tour to cinemas in Edinburgh and Sheffield.

“The 2021 lineup just got underway [17th June] with Hong Eui-jeong’s beautifully shot Voice of Silence at Sheffield Showroom.  Other films showing are action-packed Korean mega-hit DELIVER US FROM EVIL and stylish 90s-set drama SAMJIN COMPANY ENGLISH CLASS.”

The latter film can be seen on this schedule – it’s playing at an Everyman Cinema – the “Screen on the Green” one in the Angel / Islington area.

This one has only official been announced recently.  Here is a direct link to the booking page:

https://www.everymancinema.com/screen-on-the-green/film-info/samjin-company-english-class

Further information can be found via this link:

https://www.koreanfilm.co.uk/index.php?p=site/2021-teaser-screenings

Those 5 dates announced… so far:

And finally…

PART 3

FREE FILMS:

RIGHT… I admit, this is not entirely ‘New News’ to this MMM website, however, I feel compelled to not only remind readers of these FREE Korean films but to point you in their direction.

Actually, I’ve just finished viewing RUB LOVE and how inspired it felt – I [rub?!] LOVED it!  MY DAUGHTER RESCUED FROM THE SWAMP is next on my film list.

A recent article here at MMM – https://miniminimovie.com/2021/05/15/filming-against-the-odds-five-films-four-women-directors-from-korea/ – detailed the latest news relating to the LKFF / KCCUK’s Korean Film Nights [2021] and although the season has begun, and indeed online (& of course FREE!), there are still screenings to be seen, or had, caught or witnessed and either way, hopefully enjoyed by YOU!

In fact, the latest TWO films were listed simultaneously on the KCCUK’s YouTube channel… There should be several days left to catch them.

London Korean Film Festival:

Website: KoreanFilm.co.uk

Instagram @london_korean_film_festival

Twitter @koreanfilmfest

Facebook @theLKFF

Korean Cultural Centre UK:

Website: KCCUK.org.uk

Instagram @KCCUK (Also at: @KCCUK_exhibition

Twitter @KCCUK

Facebook @KCCUK

Filming Against the Odds: Five Films, Four Women Directors from Korea