Life of S. Korea's late fashion designer to be made into film

The life of Korea's longtime fashion icon, the late Andre Kim, will be depicted in a new feature film, the film's production company said Tuesday. "We have already begun producing a movie about the late fashion designer's life after signing a copyright contract with his son, Kim Jung-do, late last year," Fantagio Pictures, a new subsidiary of entertainment agency company Fantagio, said in a release. Actor Ha Jeong-woo will play Andre Kim in the early years of his career, but a director has not been decided on yet, the company said. The movie will focus on Kim's early years as the country's first male designer of female clothes against the backdrop of the '60s fashion and entertainment industries. Known predominantly for evening and wedding gown collections that mixed classical designs with futuristic elements, Kim died of pneumonia in August 2010 at the age of 75. A household name among South Koreans for his prolific career as a fashion designer and his eccentric look and style of speech, Kim was posthumously awarded a medal by President Lee Myung-bak for his contribution to the local fashion industry.