Korean comedy will make a comeback -- The year 2001 was probably the high water mark for Korean comedies, with the release of My Sassy Girl, My Wife is a Gangster, Hi Dharma, My Boss, My Hero, and Kick the Moon among others. Since then, however, there's been a sagging of creativity, with a lot of derivative films with predictable humor and bizarre storylines. Starting in 2003, audiences also became more interested in director-centered works: Memories of Murder, Old Boy, A Tale of Two Sisters, etc. By now, though, it seems that audiences are in the mood for comedy. Witness the strong commercial success this month of 200 Pound Beauty, a fat-girl-becomes-thin comedy whose central premise is a bit offensive, but which is nonetheless pretty well written and executed. There are also other reasons why film companies will be focusing on comedy. Given a sharp drop in revenues from international sales, and increasing costs at home due to new labor laws going into effect in July, pressure on film budgets will be higher than ever in 2007. Comedies are comparatively cheaper to make, and offer the potential of big box office success. Keep an eye on Kwak Jae-yong, Yoon Jae-gyun and Park Jeong-woo, comedy directors who may be making a comeback this year.
Kim Ki-duk will fight with the press, and will not release his new movie in Korea -- I feel pretty confident making this prediction.
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