“Legacy of Chungmuro, Taehung Pictures”at the 23rd JEONJU International Film Festival

? Taehung Pictures contributed to the growth of the Korean film industry in the 1980s and 1990s.

?“To commemorate the achievements of Taehung Pictures and its former CEO, the late Lee Taewon,” says MOON Seok, programmer of JEONJU IFF

The 23rd JEONJU International Film Festival (JEONJU IFF, Festival Director LEE Joondong) is planning “Legacy of Chungmuro, Taehung Pictures,” a retrospective of Taehung Pictures to look back at Korean film history during the 1980s and 1990s. The festival will run from Thursday, April 28 to Saturday, May 7, this year.

The late 1980s and 1990s was a period of change and leap not only for Korean politics but also for the history of Korean cinema. From May of 1980 to June of 1987, new films with completely different perspectives started to appear in the Korean film industry, which went through the dark and exhausting ages.

One of the representative masters in the Korean film industry during those turbulent times is IM Kwon-taek. Since then, the Korean New Wave emerged among filmmakers of the next generation such as LEE Jang-ho, BAE Changho, JANG Sunwoo, PARK Kwang-su, LEE Myung-Se, and CHUNG Ji-young. They contributed to expanding the scope of Korean films of the time.

Taehung Pictures, which will be spotlighted as a retrospective in the 23rd JEONJU IFF, is a very important production company when talking about the change and leap of Korean film history. Founded by LEE Taewon in 1984, the trace of Taehung Pictures is read in multiple ways.

Taehung Pictures was a distribution and production company. It distributed Hollywood blockbusters in Korea, like Terminator (1984), Predator (1987), Die Hard (1988), Taxi Driver (1976), and more. In addition, this legendary company broke the nation’s box office record with IM Kwon-taek’s The General’s Son (1990). Taehung Pictures worked with director IM for eleven films, from Come, Come, Come Upward (1989) to Low Life (2004), and played a huge role to make Korean cinema known all over the world with brilliant films, including IM’s Cannes-awarded Chihwaseon (2002).

Also, key titles of the Korean New Wave revealed the significance of the Taehung Pictures. LEE Myung-Se and KIM Hong-Joon made their respective debuts with Gagman (1988) and A Rosy Life (1994) in Taehung Pictures. Weighty films including BAE Changho’s Our Joyful Young Days (1987) and JANG Sunwoo’s The Road To Race Track (1991) were produced by Taehung Pictures.

The retrospective of Taehung Pictures “Legacy of Chungmuro, Taehung Pictures,” co-hosted by the 23rd JEONJU IFF and Korean Film Archive, will feature eight films produced by Taehung Pictures: IM Kwon-taek’s Chihwaseon (2002), SONG Neunghan’s Fin De Siecle (1999), KIM Yujin’s My Dear Keumhong (1995), KIM Hong-Joon’s A Rosy Life (1994), JANG Sunwoo’s The Road To Race Track (1991), LEE Myung-Se’s Gagman (1988), BAE Changho’s Our Joyful Young Days (1987), and LEE Dooyong’s The Oldest Son (1984).

“Taehung Pictures has led the Korean film industry in the dark during the Yooshin age and contributed to the globalization of the Korean cinema,” said MOON Seok, programmer of JEONJU IFF. “We will honor the late LEE Taewon, the former CEO of the Taehung Pictures who passed away last year and the achievements of the company, which contributed to the growth of Korean film in the retrospective of Taehung Pictures. Along with showcasing the film selection, we are preparing program events and a special publication about Taehung Pictures.” He added.

Meanwhile, the 23rd JEONJU IFF is scheduled to be held for 10 days from Thursday, April 28 to Saturday, May 7, 2022, in and around Jeonju Film Street.

"Legacy of Chungmuro, Taehung Pictures” at the JEONJU IFF

Chihwaseon│2002│120 min

Director IM Kwon-taek

Cast CHOI Minsik, AHN Sungki, YOO Ho-jeong, KIM Yeo-jin, SON Ye-jin

Fin De Siecle│1999│103 min

Director SONG Neunghan

Cast KIM Ghab-soo, LEE Jae-eun, CHA Seung-won, LEE Jieun, LEE Ho-jae

My Dear KeumHong │1995│96 min

Director KIM Yujin

Cast KIM Ghab-soo, KIM Soochul, LEE Jieun, YOON Jeong-bin, KIM Wooran

A Rosy Life │1994│94 min

Director KIM Hong-Joon

Cast CHOI Myung-gil, CHOI Jae-sung, CHA Ghwang-soo, LEE Jihyung, HWANG Miseon

The Road To Race Track│1991│141 min

Director JANG Sunwoo

Cast KANG Soo-youn, MOON Sung-keun, KIM Bo-yeon, YOON Il-joo, KWON Il-jeung

Gagman│1988│125 min

Director LEE Myung-Se

Cast AHN Sungki, HWANG Cine, BAE Changho, CHON Moo-song, CHO Joomi

Our Joyful Young Days│1987│126 min

Director BAE Changho

Cast AHN Sungki, HWANG Cine, CHOI Bool-am, CHON Moo-song, BAEK Song

The Oldest Son│1984│109 min

Director LEE Dooyong

Cast SHIN Seong-il, TAE Hyun-sil, KIM Il-hae, HWANG Jung-seun, KIM Hee-ra