Coming soon to theaters near you: subtitles

So "Chihwaseon" earns Im Kwon-taek a best director award at Cannes. You want to see what the fuss is about, but you don't know Korean. With "Star Wars II: Attack of the Clones" not coming to the peninsula until July 3, what's a movie buff to do?

The Korean Film Commission offers screenings of several Korean films during the World Cup season, not only with English subtitles, but Japanese and Chinese, too.

The first movie in the series is the just-released "Who Are You?" The online-again, offline-again romance continues to Wednesday. Beginning Thursday is the offbeat comedy "Haejok Disco Wang Doida" (Bet on My Disco), which will run for a week. The following week, the science-fiction "Yesterday" will run.

Different cinemas will be playing the movies in different languages. Megabox Cineplex will present English subtitled versions. CGV Myeongdong has Japanese subtitles; and the MMC has Chinese. Tickets cost 7,000 won ($5), the regular ticket price in Korea.

From June 18, the Megabox Cineplex will also present some of the biggest films of recent history, with English subtitles only. The screenings are free, and for foreigners only.

Films at this three-day fest include the aforementioned "Chihwaseon," the story of Jang Seung-eop, the great 19th century painter; "Jibeuro" (The Way Home), a tale of a young city boy forced to live with his country grandmother; "Saenghwalui Balgyeong" (The Turning Gate), a quirky story of an actor taking a trip around Korea, directed by Hong Sang-soo; and the box-office blockbusters "Shiri," "Joint Security Area" and "My Sassy Girl."

Megabox Cineplex (02-6002-1200) is in COEX mall, at Samseong Station on subway line No. 2. CGV Myeongdong (02-3783-5500) is close to exit No. 2 of Euljiro 1-ga Station on subway line No. 2. The MMC (02-2268-9111) is in the Freya Town shopping mall at Dongdaemun Station on subway lines Nos. 1, 4 and 5. For more information, call Korean Film Commission at 02-958-7500.

by Chun Su-jin