Korean Wave, (Hallyu)- the term used to describe, in part, the popularity of South Korean film, is making huge headway beyond its native asian birthplace as more folks are exposed to movies like upcoming The Host, CHUD-fave Old Boy and international export My Sassy Girl.
Among the breakout stars is obviously director Chan- Wook Park (Park Cahn-Wook), whose noirish Lady Vengeance films have won boatloads of critical acclaim and filmic love.
Park’s newest, a professed break from the heaviness of the Vengeance series, I’m a Cyborg, but That’s OK, has been selected by Austin’s South by Southwest Film Festival (SXSW) as both a capstone to the cinefest and the film’s North American Premeire.
I’m a Cyborg is regarded as a (kind of) rom-com and follows an unorthodox love affair that rears its cute l’il head at a mental institution when a girl who thinks she’s a cyborg meets another patient who she believes can steal souls. The film debuted very well thanks to the star power of Wook and its popular South Korean leads, but, interestingly, flopped after a huge post-premiere dropoff, despite a strong opening.
You’ll have a chance to judge the goodness of Korean psycho cyborg love for yourselves, Austinites, when the film premieres on March 17.
The poster looks all cute and breezy (like a Hallmark Fresh Ink card, even). See more by catching the trailer and viewing a pretty cool website here.