“Jang's unique verbal humour and comic timing, which separates him from any other Korean director”
Darcy Paquet
Monday 8th 6.30pm
A group of professional assassins for hire, Sang-yun is the cool-headed leader of the group, Jung-woo is the specialist in custom-made bombs, Jae-young are the unmatched sniper, and Ha-yun is the computer whiz. They're not your typical wise guys, but run a private business where people from all walks of life can seek their services. After they meet their clients and discuss the time, place and method by which they want their targets to be eliminated, they sign a formal contract. They even have a discount rate for students. Once the deal is done, they carry out their mission and finish it like a typical day at work. Then, one day, they leave a trail behind on a big job, and Inspector Cho hunts them down. While he is hot on their trail, Sang-yun meets a client and is confronted with a dangerous order he can't turn down. The client wants someone killed in the middle of a sold-out performance of "Hamlet" which will be attended by high-profile businessmen, politicians and law officials. Inspector Cho learns of this, and sends the whole police force to catch them in the act. Still undaunted by the risks, Sang-yun leads his group in what could be the last mission they'll ever get away with.
Monday 8th 8.30pm
Tuesday 9th 6.30pm
Someone Special (A_neun_Yeo_ja)
The homicide investigation concerning the death of a famous copywriter, JUNG Yoo-jung is aired ‘live’ on TV. Prosecutor CHOI Yeon-kee interrogates the prime suspect KIM Young-hoon, but the pieces don’t fall into place for him. But one by one, CHOI starts to put the pieces together, and finally awaits the moment of truth. Just as the culprit is about to be revealed, the producer at the TV station suggests a shamanic ritual to summon the copywriter's soul - a showcase to boost TV ratings. Yet, this proves to be pivotal as crucial information is revealed by the summoned soul.
Since debuting at the Pusan International Film Festival in 1998, Jang Jin as quickly showed himself to be one of the most pivotal voices emerging from the 1990’s Korean cinema renaissance. Beginning his career in the theatre rather than cinema, Jang Jin worked on many critically acclaimed productions. There he development a distinctive style of humour mixed with melodrama and astute observations of the world around him. His first film, The Happenings (1998), quickly made him a rising talent to keep an eye on and he quickly proved to be an excellent writer as well as director with follow up film The Spy (1999). Jang Jin soon received commercial and critical attention, not just in Korea but also the UK and America, with his 2001 film Guns & Talks. One of the stars of the film, Won Bin who was a soap actor at the time, has since gone onto great fanfare recently with the Bong Joon-ho film Mother and also the festival’s Gala opening film The Man From Nowhere. Jang Jin has gone from strength to strength producing some of Korea’s most commercial successful films including his most recent production Good Morning President (2009), a film which looks at three completely different Presidents and each of the trials and tribulations that they face.