By: Ra’Kenna Joseph

Wiles caught up with American writer, director, and producer extraordinaire Christine Yoo to talk weddings and her new feature film Wedding Palace that will be in select theaters September 27th. (Yoo also distributed the film.)

Wiles: Tell us about your new movie.

Yoo: Wedding Palace has been called the Korean-American “My Big Fat Greek Wedding.” It’s about Jason Kim, a 29-year-old advertising executive who finds the woman of his dreams in cyberspace, 9,000 miles away in Seoul, Korea. Complications arise when his bride to be arrives in Los Angeles for the first time. The groom’s wacky family screws things up at every turn causing a roller coaster of ups and downs to this modern romance. He will have to bridge the gap between family expectations and true love if they’re to have a happy ending. The theatrical premier is September 27, 2013.  It will be released on DVD/VOD in January of next year. I just sold the movie to NBC for their DIVA TV channel for broadcast throughout the Asia region. It’s the first ever US-Korea indie co-production and was shot in Los Angeles and Seoul.

Check out the trailer!! www.weddingpalacemovie.com

Wiles: What are 3 things you imagine you might experience both personally and professionally as a result of this new film?

Yoo: Like any artist, I am doing all this work because I’d love to make another movie! But, what I’ve enjoyed experiencing are all the unintended and unimaginable things that have happened as a result of making the movie. I feel the sky’s the limit!  I had no idea I’d be traveling the world, (going to Israel and Palestine), get invited to participate in a White House briefing, and screening for college students and big corporations like Bank of America. I also never thought I’d become a distributor – and like it.

Wiles: How did your past experiences prepare you for this film?

Yoo: I’m not sure if anything could really have prepared me for the challenges I would face making this movie. Anything that could go wrong, it seems like it did! But my faith in God and my belief in the basic goodness of people guided me through. Looking back, what I perceived to be the worst things, turned out to be the best things. So, the universe just has a way of working itself out. It all comes down to faith.

From a more of practical standpoint, I ended up going back to my student filmmaking roots. When you’re a student, all you are thinking about is how to get your movie done in the coolest way possible on no money and you just trust your gut on everything.

Wiles:  Some might call you both a trailblazer and risk-taker being the writer, producer, director, etc.  How do you define yourself?

Yoo:  I’m a filmmaker and an entrepreneur. To be a director only on a future project, would be a fantasy, but for now I embrace the whole enchilada. As much as I aspire to emulate my favorite directors, like Ang Lee and Martin Scorsese, the passion and vision that the founders of Hollywood had also inspire me; Sam Goldwyn, Carl Laemmle and in more recent history, the Weinsteins, or Miki Lee in Korea. I just have a passion for movies and love the entire process. There is nothing I like more than overcoming challenges.

Wiles: If you possessed one superhero trait, which would it be and why?

Yoo: If not giving up could be classified as a superhero trait, I guess I have a lot of that, but that sounds really uncool and boring, doesn’t it?  I’m very human, very flawed, I think I’m more Under Dog than any superhero.

Christine Yoo is an award winning writer, producer, and director. She currently lives and works in Los Angeles. Her new film, Wedding Palace, is out in theaters September 27, 2013.  For updates and screenings visit: www.weddingpalacemovie.com