Korean film "Mother" to open in Japan

Korean film "Mother" will see its first overseas release in Japan on October 31, according to its producer on Tuesday.

The film, which premiered at Cannes in May, will open at 45 theatres in Japan this week, prior to its upcoming presentations at numerous international film festivals in Stockholm, Thessaloniki and Mar del Plata, Barunson explained.

The premiere party, set to take place today at Tokyo's Shinjuku Bardo 9 Theater, will be attended by First Lady Miyuki Hatoyama, wife of prime minister Yukio Hatoyama.

The movie has already received rave reviews from famous Japanese writers.

Naoki Prize-winning author Mitsuyo Kakuta commented that the film was "a strictly entertaining film which dealt with the heavy theme of a mother's love which even death cannot end."

Another noted author Shuichi Yoshida, who wrote the novel "Tokyo Wankei", called Korean director Bong Joon-ho's latest work "a rare film which will have ten viewers think of ten different stories."

"Mother", which stars Korean actress Kim Hye-ja and Hallyu star Won Bin, has so far been sold to 12 countries including Australia, Brazil, England, France, Germany, Portugal and U.S.

The film is set to open in Hong Kong on November 19 and will sequentially open in other countries.

Reporter : Ko Kyoung-seok kave@asiae.co.kr
Editor : Lynn Kim lynn2878@asiae.co.kr