Bong Joon-ho's riotous international hit The Host is only the latest high water mark of a surging Korean film industry. Korean Showcase, a selection of four recent gems from current Korean cinema screens at Film Societies around the country in September and October.

The mini-season kicks off on Monday 29 September, with screenings of Forbidden Quest at Auckland Film Society at the Academy Cinema at 6.30 pm. Driving with my Wife's Lover screens at Wellington Film Society at the Paramount Cinema at 6.15 pm on the same day. Also screening in Korean Showcase are Barking Dogs Never Bite and The King and the Clown.Bong Joon-ho's riotous international hit The Host is only the latest high water mark of a surging Korean film industry. Korean Showcase, a selection of four recent gems from current Korean cinema screens at Film Societies around the country in September and October.

The mini-season kicks off on Monday 29 September, with screenings of Forbidden Quest at Auckland Film Society at the Academy Cinema at 6.30 pm. Driving with my Wife's Lover screens at Wellington Film Society at the Paramount Cinema at 6.15 pm on the same day. Also screening in Korean Showcase are Barking Dogs Never Bite and The King and the Clown.Forbidden Quest

Eumranseosaeng, Kim Dae-woo, South Korea 2006, 35mm (M violence, sexual references)

Witty and provocative, this film is a sumptuous period drama set in the 18th-century Chosun Dynasty. Intrigued by an erotic novel, a noble scholar decides to write his own, based on a torrid affair he is having with the King's favourite concubine.

Barking Dogs Never Bite

Flandersui gae, Bong Joon-ho, South Korea 2000, 35mm (M cert)
This debut feature probes what happens when good neighbours go bad, as a college lecturer is driven to extremes by a yapping dog. Pet lovers be warned: this satire has serious bite. "Beautifully directed, unsentimental and darkly funny." - Time Out

Driving with My Wife's Lover

Aneeui aeineul mannada, Kim Tai-sik, South Korea 2007, 35mm (R16 offensive language, sex scenes)
This tale of a vengeful husband who takes a ride with the taxi driver who has cuckolded him takes several unexpected turns. "Wrapped up in elegant visuals and with adroitly applied shots of absurdist humor... a sparkling debut." - Variety

The King and the Clown

Wangui namja, Lee Jun-ik , South Korea 2005, 35mm (M violence, sexual references, offensive language)
A bawdy and boisterous smash-hit in Korea, this tale of 16th-century court intrigue unveils the queer love triangle between a pair of travelling minstrels and the King. "A wild, colorful story of suspense and surprise, remarkable for its storytelling, direction and the appealing performances." - San Francisco Examiner

More information

More about the films in Korean Showcase

People can buy a 3-film sampler membership on the door before any Film Society screening for just $30. More details here.

Korean Showcase is presented with the support of the Korean Film Council

Still: The King and the Clown

25/09/08