Forever Wins Korea’s Top Blue Dragon

South Korea’s leading national film awards ceremony, the 29^th Blue Dragon Awards, handed out its top prize of Best Picture to hit sports drama Forever the Moment, by woman director LIM Soon-rye.  Starring MOON So-ri, the film, a true story about Korea’s women’s handball Olympic team, was 2008’s first local box office success.

Dominating the awards ceremony, held Nov. 20 in Yeoido, Seoul, was KIM Ji-woon’s kimchi western, The Good, The Bad, The Weird, which picked up 4 prizes including Best Cinematography, Best Director, and Best Art Direction.  The 1930s Manchuria set film was the year’s highest grossing box office performer thus also picking up the Maximum Audience Award.

The Best Actor nod went to KIM Yoon-suk as the weathered ex-cop in NA Hong-jin’s The Chaser.  SON Ye-jin captured the Best Actress prize for her lead in the comedy-drama My Wife Got Married. 

Supporting Actor and Actress nods went to PARK Hee-soon for kidnapping thriller Seven Days and KIM Ji-young for her energetic role in Forever the Moment.  Best New Actress went to HAN Ye-seul for Miss Gold Digger while the Best New Actor prize was shared by SO Ji-sub and KANG Ji-hwan, the two male leads in the KIM Ki-duk produced Rough Cut. 

Crush and Blush, the debut feature by PARK Chan-wook’s assistant director LEE Gyeong-mi, garnered the female helmer both the Best New Director prize and the Best Screenplay award. 

An Honorary Popular Star award was presented in memory of the late CHOI Jin-sil, who committed suicide in October.  CHOI had made her debut in the 1990 film Nambugun and went on to win the Most Popular Female Star award 8 times at the Blue Dragon Awards. 

Nigel D’Sa (KOFIC)