Interview: Take Masaharu on Directing THE NAKED DIRECTOR Season 2
Brash and shocking as the subject it is based on, Netflix’s The Naked Director shows no sign of modesty in its second season. Delving further into the 'fall' part of the rise and fall of porn industry pioneer, Muranishi...
Interview: RIDE OR DIE's Mizuhara Kiko and Sato Honami Test Cinema Sexuality, Gender Norms
A combustible erotic tale of two opposites drawn together by a shocking act, Netflix’s Ride Or Die is determined from its outset to push envelopes. Starring Japan’s It Girl, Dallas-born model, fashion designer/entrepreneur, Mizuhara Kiko, and former Gesu...
MINARI Interview: Korean Cinema Legend Youn Yuh-jung on the Art of Being Fearless
One of the Grande Dames of Korean cinema, Youn Yuh-jung has never been afraid of taking a chance. Her 1971 feature debut in Director Kim Ki-young’s psychosexual thriller, Woman of Fire, sealed Youn’s reputation as a bold maverick amongst actresses. ...
MINARI Interview: Star Han Ye-ri on Life, Love, Family and Crossing Over
Since our first interview in 2017, Han Ye-ri’s reputation as one of the most compelling presences in Korean cinema has risen exponentially. Ms. Han, whose commanding, emotional performances made her one of Korea’s most in-demand actors, took a big leap...
Interview: Director Sato Shinsuke on Finding Hope in ALICE IN BORDERLAND
By the time LMD had last interviewed Director Sato Shinsuke at 2018's Japan Cuts film festival premiere of Bleach, he was already pre-producing his epic adaptation, Kingdom, and lining up his next project; an eight-part miniseries that would mark his...
PENINSULA Interview: Superstar Gang Dong-won Enters the Zombie Apocalypse
The high expectations on a sequel to a runaway blockbuster might be daunting for any actor, but with Peninsula, superstar Gang Dong-won was up for a challenge. Leading the way into this new chapter in the Train to Busan universe,...
PENINSULA Interview: Director Yeon Sang-ho Talks Zombies in the Age of Coronavirus
Eight years ago, I met an artist blazing new trails in Korean cinema. Disturbing and dark as pitch, director Yeon Sang-ho’s The King of Pigs {2011} was a decidedly un-family-friendly animated feature that glared unblinkingly at the ills of South Korean...
Interview: SUZI Q, Rock Icons Suzi Quatro and Cherie Currie on 50+ Years of Blasting Industry Rules
“All my life I wanted to be somebody - and here I am! I know what I've got and there ain't nobody gonna take it away from me!” So goes the intro to “The Wild One,” a song that’s...
PARASITE Interview: Choi Wooshik on His Second Time Around with Bong Joon-ho
In the two years since Choi Wooshik made his appearance in Bong Joon-ho’s Okja, the sky has been the limit. Choi has rocketed from bit parts in television dramas, to award-winning feature performances in Set Me Free and co-starring in...
PARASITE Interview: Park So-dam on Failure, Family, and "Appa" Song Kang-ho
After facing the rejection of 17 failed auditions a month, Park So-dam held to her dream, and is now one of South Korea’s most sought-after actresses. Receiving worldwide acclaim for her role as the crafty, whipsmart baby sister of Parasite’s...
PARASITE Interview: Acting Legend Song Kang-ho on his "Relentless" Relationship with Bong Joon-ho
The term “God of Acting” gets thrown around pretty freely these days. However, LMD got to meet the real deal. In his fourth collaboration with Bong Joon-ho (after Memories of Murder, The Host and Snowpiercer), South Korea’s superstar, Song Kang-ho,...
Interview: Miike Takashi on FIRST LOVE, Yakuza Subtypes, and the Joy of Not Evolving
After over 100 projects over 30 years, Miike Takashi has more than earned his status as one of the world’s most celebrated and fascinating directors. Unrestrained by style, or genre, or the limits of “good taste,” Miike has fearlessly made...
Japan Cuts 2019 Interview: BLUE HOUR's Shim Eun-kyung on Crossing Into Japanese Cinema
Debuting at age nine, Shim Eun-kyung went on to become one of South Korea’s most bankable actresses, starring in hit television dramas, and box office blockbusters like Sunny and Miss Granny. Moved by her love of Japanese cinema, Shim immigrated...
Japan Cuts 2019 Interview: Director Toyoda Toshiaki Talks Quiet Rebellion in THE MIRACLE OF CRYBABY SHOTTAN
The films of Toyoda Toshiaki are known for their brash and exciting style, laced with acid takes on society. Returning to the big screen after four years with The Miracle of Crybaby Shottan, director Toyoda shows his quieter, more contemplative...
Japan Cuts 2019 Interview: Director Tezka Macoto on Rediscovering THE LEGEND OF THE STARDUST BROTHERS
In 1985, director Tezka Macoto released a singular send-up of the Japanese entertainment industry. The Legend of the Stardust Brothers was a moussed and glittering New Wave-tastic mélange of mediums; from music, to fashion, to animation -- with zombies! So...
Japan Cuts 2019 Interview: Cut Above Winner Tsukamoto Shinya Talks KILLING and TETSUO: THE IRON MAN
From his beginnings as a 14-year-old with a Super 8 camera, to his latest film, KILLING; a twist on the classic samurai movie, Tsukamoto Shinya has always blazed his own cinematic path. Receiving Japan Cuts 2019 Cut Above award...
Japan Cuts 2019 Interview: HIS LOST NAME Director Hirose Nanako Uncovers Dark Truths
His Lost Name is the story of a young man whose mysterious presence in a small town engenders willing deceptions, and reveals uncomfortable truths. At Japan Cuts 2019, director Hirose Nanako spoke exclusively with LMD about creating her first feature...
Japan Cuts 2019 Interview: DEMOLITION GIRL Director Matsugami Genta, Star Kitai Aya Talk Teenage Crushing
Demolition Girl places a coming-of-age story against the backdrop of the sketchy world of fetish videos. At Japan Cuts 2019, LMD had an exclusive chat with director Matsugami Genta and actress Kitai Aya, who has a standout performance as the...
New York Asian 2019 Interview: Ryu Jun-yeol Talks the Seduction of MONEY
One of the most captivating actors in South Korea, Ryu Jun-yeol grabbed audiences’ attention in supporting roles in films like The King, A Taxi Driver, and Believer; so much so that the New York Asian Film Festival honoured Ryu with...
New York Asian 2019 Interview: Kim Yoon-seok Talks Directing Debut ANOTHER CHILD, Plus Latest Thriller DARK FIGURE OF CRIME
After receiving the New York Asian Film Festival’s Star Asia award last year, actor Kim Yoon-seok returns, this time as the director of his first feature, Another Child, the sensitive tale of two teenagers caught in a web of domestic...
