'Ssanghwajeom' barely avoids trap

Homosexuality is no longer a hush-hush topic for Korean filmmakers. But depictions of sexuality take another turn in "Ssanghwajeom (A Frozen Flower)," as a relationship between two men becomes a triangle of jealousy with an addition of a woman.

But the movie, to be released on Dec. 30, is not limited to sexual entanglement. Sex is used as a key tool to prod the plot forward, often at a rapid pace. To that end, director Yoo Ha includes plenty of explicit scenes of sex and graphic violence. The result, however, is somewhat mixed. The film's poetic justice produces an unlikely anti-hero.

Although the movie sets itself out as a historical drama set in the late Goryeo Dynasty, viewers should bear in mind that the story is purely fictional. The nation is now under the virtual rule of China's Yuan Dynasty, and Goryeo's king (Joo Jin-mo) has to produce a son to keep his position. The only problem is that he cannot sleep with a woman, much less have a romantic relationship with one.

The king's real romantic partner is none other than his chief bodyguard Hong Lim (Zo In-sung). The two have sex in the inner sanctums of the Goryeo court, and we are shown a graphic kiss scene between the king and Hong Lim, which is bound to shock some Korean viewers.

But the real shocker comes when the king decides to ask Hong Lim to sleep with his wife - the queen (Song Ji-hyo). This idea is based on his assumption that all his political problems will go away once there is a royal son.

The king's miscalculation, of course, is that passionate romantic feelings sometimes form after sex. Hong Lim, who has never slept with a woman before, hesitates to touch the body of the queen at first, but once the physical bond is initiated, he finds himself totally enslaved.

Love triangle established, the plot sprints ahead with a portrayal of the uncontrollable anger and jealousy of the king, leaving heads rolling in the process.

Director Yoo seems to suggest that Hong Lim has long been subjected to a sort of coercion, rather than a real romantic relationship with the king. Hong is a mere subordinate, while the king has all the power, including the right to order his death.

The queen, for her part, discovers the liberating exhilaration when she falls in love with Hong Lim after years of neglect and inattention. She suffers a deep sense of guilt initially but she finds herself indulging in the dangerous liaisons with Hong Lim.

What is notable is that sex in "Ssanghwajeom" is deeply associated with death. Eros is often depicted in literature and film as being able to overcome everything. The feelings that interconnect Hong Lim and the queen could backfire lethally because they are cheating on the almighty king.

As far as a plot is concerned, the unfortunate queen and her lover bravely defy the obstacles to prove that mutual love is more powerful than unrequited passion. The king's relationship with Hong Lim has been futile and one-sided. Failing to confirm whether his bodyguard is truly in love with him, he comes to realize that he is totally alone.

It is a pity that the king, trapped in a man's body, is betrayed by his secret lover. What the king fails to notice is that Hong Lim is a bisexual who prefers heterosexual sex.

But Joo Jin-mo does not have to lament his role. It is Zo In-sung who fails to create much-needed emotional subtlety and often delivers his lines in an annoyingly mechanical fashion. In contrast, Joo Jin-mo emerges as the ultimate winner in the film. Joo pulls off creating a complex and nuanced character with whom audiences will be able to sympathize, rescuing a film that might otherwise have fallen into the trap of having too much sex and violence.

'Boys Over Flowers' to Air in January

Tha main actors of Korean television vestion of ``Boys Over Flowers'' pose at a prss conference held Monday in downtown Seoul. From left are Kim Jun, Kim Bun, Ku Hye-sun, Lee Min-ho and Kim Hyun-joong. / Yonhap

The famous Japanese cartoon ``Boys Over Flowers'' by Yoko Kamio will be broadcast next year through the small screen, complete with a Korean version of ``Flower 4,'' that features handsome boys and a headstrong heroine.

Fans, reporters and camera crews packed the press conference held at a hotel in central Seoul, confirming the anticipation the drama has stirred for fans here.

The drama has cast four actors who were chosen from auditions: Lee Min-ho (Tsukasa Domyoji, or Goo Jun-pyo in the Korean version); Kim Hyun-joong (Rui Hanazawa, or Yoon Ji-hu); Kim Bum (Sojirou Nishikado, or So E-jeong); and Kim Jun (Akira Mimasaka, or Song Woo-bin). Actress Ku Hye-sun will play Tsukushi Makino, or Geum Jan-di.

The story ― about four boys and one lucky girl, spiced with the right mix of love triangles, troubles in school and parents and luxurious adolescent life ― captivated Asia, first through its original comic book, then through an animation, dramas from Japan and Taiwan and a movie.

Why another one, particularly a drama?

``I was asked to make the Korean version, and after some consideration, I decided to do it. Our version will be based on the cartoon, and I have tried to bring originality as much as possible,'' Jun Ki-sang, the producer of the drama, told reporters.

He added that he did have to change a few details in the storyline due to the cultural differences between Japan and Korea, but he tried to stick to the original plot as close as possible.

Even the cast had to look similar to the original ones seen in the cartoon ― from hairstyles, overall image and even height.

``Rui is 186 centimeters and so we tried to match the height of the actors during the audition. In the case of Tsukasa, he has curly hair, so Lee had to perm his hair numerous times just to get that perfect curl,'' he said.

The actors were thrilled to be starring in a drama whose plot is recognized all over Asia, but there were also hints of pressure.

``At first, I felt I just won the lottery. But now I feel the pressure and also the responsibility,'' said Lee, who is regarded as the most similar to the original character Domyoji because of his height and dark curly hair.

The former leader of the boy band SS501 Kim Hyun-joong also showed his anxiety by appearing as an actor.

``I do feel nervous and pressured, as this drama is my first one. When I watched movies or dramas, I just enjoyed them but now I focus on the way the actors talk, breathe and other acting elements. I just hope I'll do well enough to continue with another drama in the future,'' he said.

Compared to the male actors, Ku is a senior when it comes to acting, and she admitted that she thought she would have to lead the group, but realized that there was no need.

``I was worried at first, but everyone came so prepared. It actually made me nervous. I think I've changed a bit by acting as Jan-di, who is outgoing, strong and bright. I was uncomfortable meeting new people, but now I think I'm more like her,'' she said.

``We thought that the drama would be lame if it was just heavy and too luxurious. It will be more light and fun, that's why we decided to call it a trendy romantic drama,'' the producer said.

``Boys Over Flowers'' will start airing Jan. 5 at 9:55 p.m. on KBS.

Source: Korea Times

'Soonjeong' Stays True to Its Heart

Lee Youn-hi in "Soonjeong Manhwa," which is playing at local theaters. Since debuting in 2003, the sweet, wistful online comics by Kangfull have become a pop culture phenomenon in South Korea, generating countless Internet hits and message board discussions. Their incredible online following, however, failed to translate into box office success, as the first two attempts at bringing the comics to the big screen (``Apartment'' and ``Babo'') resulted in commercial flops. But the third time may be the charm for the popular Internet cartoon. Opening on November 27, ``Soonjeong Manhwa,'' based on Kangfull's first serial, topped the box office in its first weekend. And the popularity is well deserved, as the film version adroitly brings the sweet and poignant love story to life. Both the online and cinematic versions of ``Soonjeong Manhwa'' (which translates into ``Pure Hearted Comic'') revolve around two unconventional romances where age difference plays a role. In one of the relationships, between an 18-year-old high school girl and a shy 30-year-old man, the age gap is noticeable and highly questionable; in the other, between a melancholic 29-year-old woman and a determined younger man, the disparity seems more due to life experience than physical age. The film's director, Ryu Jang-ha, wisely avoids trying to recreate the serial comic, and instead, finds his own way of interpreting the two distinct relationships. Ryu, who also helmed the sentimental drama "When Spring Comes," recombines the scenes and details of the original serial and adds many of his own touches. Some of the changes are major, such as setting the story in the summer instead of winter, while others are more subtle. Though the film ends up deviating much from the comic's plot, Ryu preserves the original's essence - the gradual growth and buildup of love regardless of age difference. Much like the comic, the film remains true to love's internal logic, no matter how embarrassing or quirky, and makes a potentially scandalous relationship seem sweet and chaste. Most importantly, Ryu succeeds in capturing the tenderness of the online comic, which slowly comes to the surface as the relationships unfold. There is a rich, layered quality to the film, where each little decision or gesture leads to further meanings and possibilities. Some fans of Kangfull may find fault with how much the film departs from the original comic. Indeed, there are times when the movie aims too much for the conventionally beautiful, sacrificing the awkward, self-deprecating humor that drives much of Kangfull's works. On the other hand, these same fans should be pleased to know that when it matters, the film version is unafraid to wear its heart on its sleeve, just like their beloved online comic.

Real Army Role for Actor Cho Seung-woo

Actor Cho Seung-woo, a musical star of "Jekyll and Hyde" and "Man of La Mancha" who also starred in a number of popular movies such as "War of Flowers" and "Running Boy," entered the Nonsan Training Center on Monday afternoon.

Cho kept the date secret because he "wanted to start his military duty quietly." Cho said he will be alright, waved and smiled at those who saw him off in front of the Training Center.

Cho is one of the most sought-after musical actors in Korea. After he finished shooting "Like Fire like Butterfly" at the end of November, Cho cut his hair short.

Those who bought tickets to Tuesday's show of musical "Jekyll and Hyde" at the LG Art Center in Seoul can still see him, as interviews of actors and actresses from the show will be screened as a celebration of the 300th rendition of the musical since 2004, when Cho first took up the Dr. Jekyll/Mr. Hyde role.

In an interview conducted before entering the army, Cho said, "I can't believe 'Jekyll and Hyde' is celebrating its 300th show already. It is all thanks to the support and love of the fans. I will probably be away for two years. I would still love to be part of 'Jekyll and Hyde' when I return."

Song Hye-sun, the head of Cho's agency PL Entertainment, said, "It seemed Cho didn't get any sleep last night. He probably spent the whole night talking with his mother. I got very emotional when I hugged him, because I have known him for 10 years since his screen debut with 'Chunhyang,' and he is like a son to me."

'Speed Scandal' becomes the sleeper hit of the year

No industry insiders or analysts would have predicted the Cha Tae-hyun romp "Speed Scandal" would hit pay-dirt at the box office.

But through shrewd marketing and word of mouth from advanced screenings targeting specific demographics, the film has thus far amassed an impressive attendance figure of 1.5 million in 12 days. With a production budget of a modest $1.8 million, the comedy has already broken even and stands to turn in a tidy profit. Nine days was all it took for the film to achieve 1 million in attendance.

Aside from Cha, the film's headliner, the movie's lack of star-power makes all the more astonishing the number of advance ticket purchases, a figure competitive with Hollywood heavyweights "Twilight" and "Australia."

According to DCPLUS, the production house that financed the picture, "there's been an increase in attendance the following weekend after the film's premiere," and the film looks to ride the wave of positive feedback from moviegoers and reap the benefits of its buzz.

"Speed Scandal"

A few years ago, these figures would not have made many headlines in domestic media outlets, as films like "Taegukgi: The Brotherhood of War," "The Host" and "Silmido" all broke Korean box office records.

Those were the years when the domestic film industry was at its peak, helped by a 40-year-old screen quota the government had implemented in order to sustain the viability of the domestic film industry.

The screen quota was a legislated policy that enforced a minimum number of screening days for domestic films in the theater each year. The system was enforced to prevent foreign filmmakers from dominating the domestic market.

But with the reduction of the screen quota as a result of the U.S.-Korea Free Trade Agreement in 2007, more and more Hollywood films began infiltrating Korean screens, resulting in a dramatic reduction of the market share for domestic films.

Since then, the Korean film industry has been on the decline, just as the Mexican film industry did when its government completely abolished its screen quota in 1994.

With sporadic hits from marquee filmmakers being the exception, Korean titles have been overwhelmed by the onslaught of Hollywood films since the reduction of the quota.

Helping to turn the tide, this year has seen a number of homegrown hits like the year's box office king, "The Good, The Bad, and The Weird," "The Chaser," "Public Enemy Returns" and "Forever the Moment."

With the unexpectedly stellar performance of "Speed Scandal" and the box office legs of "The Portrait of a Beauty," there is hope that the Korean film industry might rally.

Mega drama duo signals hot winter

Two mega dramas of cinematic proportions are taking over weekday nights on SBS.

Though both promise to deliver, at best, a saccharine dose of romance and melodrama, great fodder for one and top stars for the other forecast a successful winter for the major broadcasting channel.

Starting tonight, the long-awaited and aptly titled "Terroir" brings the magical world of wine to audiences. Headed by the talented film/television actor Kim Joo-hyuk and his beautiful co-star "Jumong" actress Han Hye-jin, this drama - arguably Korea's first dramatic series on wine - hopes to lure viewers in with lush scenes of France and the intoxicating combination of wine and romance.

Responses to the upcoming drama, however, have been mixed.

"Since this is a drama on wine, I hope that its content does not twist the truth in regards to its topic," one viewer wrote on the show's official bulletin board. "I am saying this because I am worried that a lot of snobs will come out of the woodwork after this series airs."

Another viewer wrote: "I think this drama will truly depict a romance that is like wine ... I think this drama will help warm a cold winter for me."

Whether "Terroir" - which parallels the establishment of a wine restaurant and the relationship between a wine master and his prodigy-cum-love interest - will deliver an accurate portrait of the world of wine; remains to be seen.

One thing is for certain, "Terroir" sets the precedent for future wine-related dramas in Korea; though news reports state that there may be a TV adaptation of the popular Japanese comic book series "Kami no Shizuku," which translates to "Drops of God," in the future.

Unlike the hit comic series, however - which is credited with creating an explosive new demand for wines in Asia - "Terroir" does not focus on a wine enthusiast's quest to find the top 13 vintages in the world. Like its title, it is rooted in a sense of place, namely the restaurant around which this drama revolves, and how that place comes to create a deep and elaborate story for the characters involved.

Kim Joo-hyuk (left) and Han Hye-jin star in "Terroir" [Yedang Entertainment]/Choi Ji-woo (right) and Yoo Ji-tae star in "Celebrity Sweetheart"[Olive Nine]

But the success of "Terroir" will lie in its ability to strike a balance between romance and wine. Too much emphasis on wine may incite boredom, excessive melodrama may cause the series to lose its credibility. With a serious oenophile-oriented series taking up the Monday and Tuesday night slot, SBS seemed to think it wise to put something a bit more mainstream into its Wednesday and Thursday night slot.

Following close on the heels of "Terroir," comes the star-studded and therefore appropriately titled "Celebrity Sweetheart."

Headed by top Hallyu star Choi Ji-woo, this series does not pretend to be anything other than a full-blown epic melodrama.

Bearing scenes shot in Japan, this romance documents the relationship between a top Asian actress and her relatively poor ghostwriter.

Sound familiar? "Celebrity Sweetheart" director dispelled all confusion about the inspiration behind his series.

"This drama drew its inspiration from 'Notting Hill'," director Boo Sung-chul said in a press conference held last week.

"We wanted to give audiences a 'melo-gift box set,'" he added.

Actress Choi Ji-woo, known for her tear-jerking roles in the hit series "Stairway to Heaven" (2003) and "Winter Sonata" (2002), is a perfect fit for the drama. Co-star Yoo Ji-tae, however, may prove to be a wild card.

The talented actor, who swept audiences away in the dark flick "Oldboy" (2003), admitted to a lack of experience in the world of television.

"This is the first time I am doing a drama," said Yoo.

Actor Yoo seemed to take comfort from the quality of the filming, stating: "The filming itself used a lot of cinematic techniques as you can see from the preview."

Perhaps the film-like quality of this drama will put Yoo at ease. And despite his relative newness to the medium, his superb acting chops are sure to imbue this potentially sappy script with a good dose of realism.

"Celebrity Sweetheart" starts airing on SBS on Dec. 10 at 9:55 p.m.

"Terroir" starts playing tonight on SBS at 9:55 p.m.

'My Friend & His Wife' drifts into melodramatic formula

"My Friend & His Wife," directed by Shin Dong-il, has been gathering dust in the storage room for about two years. It's finally hitting theaters on Nov. 27.

The unusually long delay suggests the film's box-office odds were fairly low in the eyes of cash-hungry studios and marketers. But this does not necessarily mean its artistic level would meet the lofty standards of local art-house cinema fans.

The film's ostensible theme revolves around the competition between friendship and love. Friendship involves two men; love concerns a woman who gets entangled with the two men - one is her lawful husband and the other his best friend.

But the potentially intriguing alternative theme, which is not explicitly dealt with in the film, is the female character's subservient status - a wife who has to depend on either her husband or his wealthy friend to climb up the social ladder.

In the film, Ye-jun (Chang Hyun-sung) is a high-flying fund manager who is always willing to help out Jae-mun (Park Hee-sun), a hardworking cook who dreams of becoming a chef some day. They first met in the military, and they now regard each other as best friends.

A hint about the strangeness in their male bond is presented in an opening scene where a blurry home video footage shows the three main characters posing together at a wedding ceremony. Strangely enough, Ye-jun seems to stand closer to the bridegroom Jae-mun than the bride, Ji-suk (Hong So-hee).

`My Friend & His Wife`

But don't expect a same-sex complication - at least, not an outright one. Instead, what's unusual about the three characters is the extent of the male bond. For instance, while most newlyweds do not care about their friends in the middle of the night, especially in bed, Jae-mun is quick to answer a phone call from his buddy Ye-jun and quicker jump out of bed to meet him at night, leaving his wife jealous and grumbling.

The movie tries to depict the twisted relationships between Ye-jun and Jae-mun, which goes beyond simple friendship. But one question is likely to pop up among the viewers: How come the two men seem to have no other friends or drinking buddies, except for each other? Again, there is no thought-provoking development that justifies such a relationship between the two men, nor is there a convincing back story about why the two men are so deprived of a conventional boy's network.

The film attempts to change the tone and accelerate plot turns by inserting a tragic incident at Jae-mun's house. Predictably, this crucial moment occurs when he is drinking with Ye-jun. Ji-suk is conveniently absent because of her trip to Paris to advance her career as a hairdresser.

Following the unrealistic turn of events that prompts the beginning of the end of the supposedly normal relationships between the three characters, Jae-mun decides to sacrifice himself in order to protect his best friend by taking all the blame, including a two-year jail term. Ye-jun, riddled with guilt, takes care of Ji-suk emotionally and financially.

A big hole in plot, however, is unbearably obvious when Ji-suk returns from two-year training in the United States. Even though she never formally divorced her faithful husband, Ji-suk does not know her husband's whereabouts, who is out of prison by now.

She has to ask her husband's best friend for contact information, but he is in no mood to help the couple reunite. For he is now drawn to Ji-suk's newly discovered charms. Before the horrible incident, she was just an innocent and supportive wife of Jae-mun; after a two-year absence, she radiates mysterious self-confidence, an aura of success and sex appeal as an up-and-coming hair stylist.

It is not at all plausible that Ji-suk transforms into such a different character, even considering that she has gone through life-changing trauma. After all, people rarely change at a deeper level, which is somewhat jarringly illustrated in the pathetic overconfidence of Ye-jun and the troubling incompetence of Jae-mun. With the social status of Ji-suk barely explored, the two men's obsessive friendship goes nowhere in typical melodramatic fashion, a point that would have, rightly, influenced the marketers who opted to delay the release date of the film.

'General Hospital 2' Return to Small Screen

A string of medical dramas, including "Behind the White Tower" (MBC) and "Doctor Bong" (SBS), have recently swept the Korean drama scene. However, these dramas would not have been possible if not for "General Hospital," the first medical drama in Korea. After 14 years, "General Hospital" is returning.

Familiar faces from season one _ Lee Jae-ryong, Cho Kyoung-hwan and Kim So-hee _ are on aboard for the second season 2. Lee is no longer a struggling first-year resident but a mature, self-possessed staff doctor. Cho retains his position as general surgeon while Kim is now the head nurse.

The spotlight is now on the new first-year residents _ Kim Jung-eun plays Jung Ha-yoon, Cha Tae-hyun plays Choi Jin-sang and Ryu Jin plays Baek Hyun-woo. Ha-yoon is a law school graduate with an ulterior motive. Having passed the bar exam, she joins the medical profession only to become a medical malpractice litigation specialist.

Her agenda is to look at the hospital from a patient's point of view and to expose the doctors' hypocrisy. But as she works shoulder-to-shoulder with her colleagues, she gradually becomes a real doctor. Joining Ha-yoon is Jin-sang, a regular troublemaker who has fumbled his way through medical school, just to live up to the expectations of his toiling mother. His knack for trouble continues, especially with Ha-yoon at his side.

Baek Hyun-woo is the ultimate elite doctor, but he's got no heart, figuratively speaking. He warms up to Ha-yoon though, helping her in some of her wild adventures, yet is unable to explain his mixed feelings towards her.

"I wanted to avoid all the politics and power play dominant in American and Japanese medical dramas and focus more on human relationships between doctors and patients," said producer Noh Doo-chul at a press conference held last week.

He also added that "the characters here are more realistic and multi-dimensional. For one, Ha-yoon's character starts off from a unique position as an aspiring lawyer that strives to reveal medical hypocrisy. Jin-sang is also an aberrant character that adds diversity to the conservative image of doctors while Hyun-woo is a figure that embraces both elitist aloofness and human compassion. As such, there is no simple black-or-white conflict but a more complicated and realistic portrayal of characters and relationships."

This is Cha and Kim's second medical drama together. Different from their doctor-patient relationship in the 1998 drama "Sunflower" (MBC), this time they meet as resident colleagues. But they said that they intend to keep the previous drama's comical element. "Cha and I have a wonderful chemistry together and we see no reason to avoid this playful aspect of our relationship, since it's what we think the audience will enjoy as well," Kim said.

"General Hospital 2" will start Nov. 19, Wednesday, 9:55 p.m. on MBC.

Source: Korea Times

'General Hospital' a cheerful sequel

MBC struck ratings gold for two years running with medical dramas "Behind the White Tower" and "New Heart." Now the broadcasting channel is going for a third win by resurrecting an oldie.

Fourteen years have passed since "General Hospital" aired in 1994. And now, in the hopes that a revival of a past favorite will keep viewer ratings up, "General Hospital 2" is coming to TV screens across the nation tonight.

But in a market saturated by international medical dramas, namely America's "Grey's Anatomy" and "House," and Japan's "Iryu-Team Medical Dragon," MBC's latest medical installment will need novel plot twists and a fresh approach if it wants to wow audiences already numbed by gruesome surgeries, high-stakes stories and touching moments of humanity.

On second thought, a hefty dose of comedy just might do the trick.

And judging from the lead actor and actress, Cha Tae-hyun and Kim Jung-eun, it looks like MBC is going for a feel-good and laugh hard approach.

"I want to make it as fun and cheerful as possible," said Kim, 32, at the press conference last week.

Co-star Cha will be joining in on the fun by playing the usual dimwitted yet lovable sidekick.

Kim Jung-eun/Cha Tae-hyun[MBC]

When asked about his tendency to get typecast into comedic roles, Cha, 32, answered: "I am not an actor who tries to play radically different characters."

Standing in his scrubs, Cha - who bowled Asian audiences over in "My Sassy Girl" (2001) - looked every bit the part. Wearing an expression of childlike wonder, he posed for the press, not, it seems, as Cha, but as first year resident Choi Jin-sang.

Kim Jung-eun, also in scrubs, joined Cha on stage, carefully putting on a pair of spectacles to pose as Jung Ha-yoon, a first year resident who wants to become a lawyer that specializes in medical lawsuits.

While her character has entered the profession with a vindictive purpose in mind, namely to use her expertise against doctors, Kim Jung-eun refrained from pulling a "Kill Bill."

"I think it is more realistic to mix humor with melodrama, rather than just be a dark and vengeful character," she explained. "So, I went for a lighthearted approach."

But not everything will be fun and games on "General Hospital 2." And while both Kim and Cha are more known for their comedies, "General Hospital 2" director Noh Do-chul testified to the hard work this pair put into their roles as surgical residents.

"These scenes are made from the broth of their sweat," he said.

According to Noh, both Kim, Cha, and fellow cast members took part in a three-day workshop at the Catholic University of Korea Kangnam St. Mary's Hospital. They slept for two nights in the hospital's dormitories, shadowed both surgical and medical emergency residents and took part in morning rounds.

A firm believer in teamwork, director Noh even brought his gargantuan cast, which includes four members who starred in the original "General Hospital," to the press conference.

Noh's commitment to his team and his decision to film the series at the Catholic University of Korea Seoul St. Mary's and Kangnam St. Mary's Hospitals may help him pull off the crucial balance of humor, wit and drama needed to make "General Hospital 2" worth watching.

"General Hospital 2" airs tonight on MBC at 9:55 p.m.

Source: Korea Herald

Erotic `Portrait' Fails to Capture Subject

A scene from ``Portrait of a Beauty,'' a film about the famed folk Joseon painter Shin Yun-bok

Shin Yun-bok, the famed folk painter of the late Joseon Kingdom (1392-1910), has received much attention in recent months. It all started last year when a best-selling novel described the male artist as secretly being a woman.

In truth, there is little historical documentation of Shin's life, and none that questions his gender. Nevertheless, the fictional work was popular and provocative enough that it was made into the successful television drama, ``The Painter of Wind,'' as well a new feature film.

If ``The Painter of Wind'' is a family-friendly version of the historical fiction, then the film, ``Portrait of a Beauty,'' is its steamy, adults-only twin. While the TV series stars the perpetually wholesome Moon Geun-young in the lead role, the film features the sexy and feminine actress Kim Min-sun.

Unlike Moon, Kim doesn't quite convince the audience that she is trying hard to pass herself off as a ``he.'' However, this is not a problem in ``Portrait,'' which is less interested in the issue of pretense and more interested in exploring Shin's repressed feminine side. Kim's Shin may be effeminate and awkward, but her sexual longing simmers just beneath the surface.

As the film makes clear, the real Shin did in fact often deal with erotic subject matter in his paintings. Along with vivid and often humorous depictions of daily life, Shin was also a keen observer of the lives of gisaeng, or female entertainers, and their relationship with the upper class. ``Portrait'' is at its best when drawing connections between Shin's art and his - excuse me, her - observed world. The film also shows the conflict between Shin's art and the moralizing attitudes of the Joseon royal court.

Ultimately, the film implies that the real reason for Shin's interest in the sensual world of gisaeng was not her wish to observe them, but rather to be one - or more precisely, to be a woman. Indeed, Shin's womanly desires become more blatant as the film progresses.

Confused and conflicted, the artist finds help exploring her sexuality in a poor but smoldering hunk from the lower class. To spice up the amorous tale, "Portrait" then proceeds to throw in generous portions of romantic drama cliches, including love triangles, secret trysts, tragic choices and - what else - naked body painting.

This is where ``Portrait'' begins to look uncomfortably like a half-baked erotic offering on late night cable television. That's fine if you're just looking for a little titillation, but if that's all this film was after, then there was probably no need to drag a historical figure like Shin into the whole gender-switching business in the first place.

Source: Korea Times

Postwar Pain Made Into Bad Melodrama

Actors Song Chang-ui, left, and Lee Wan star in ``Once Upon a Time in Seoul.

When the Korean War ended in July 1953, South Korea was in a state of chaos. Much of the country, especially Seoul, was in shambles, many of its buildings were destroyed, and law and order had a fragile hold on society.

The film ``Once Upon a Time in Seoul'' (titled ``Boys Don't Cry'' in Korean) is set in this tumultuous period in South Korean history and describes the daily struggle shared by the war's survivors. The story is told through the experience of orphaned children - the most destitute and helpless of Seoul's residents - and their contact with the world of crime as they fight to survive.

According to the film, the black market was one of the few aspects of postwar Seoul that was thriving. Cigarettes, liquor, canned foods and other rare items made their way out of U.S. military bases and into the hands of those who could afford it. (And they continued to do so for many decades afterwards.) This underground market of imported goods was controlled by criminal gangs led by violent and corrupt war veterans.

There's a sense here that we are witnessing the birth of the nation's organized crime world, as the violent urges and codes of conduct that were perhaps needed to fight in the Korean War are redefined and used in the accumulation of personal wealth and power. Through this transformation, familiar archetypes from the gangster film genre, seen and done to death in countless Korean dramas and comedies, take on an added layer of meaning.

Sadly, after working so hard to create such a complex historical setting, ``Once Upon a Time in Seoul'' then proceeds to dilute it with a formulaic storyline and one-dimensional characters. The film revolves around Jong-du (Lee Wan) and Tae-ho (Song Chang-ui), two orphaned friends who become involved in the black market but dream of making enough to one day escape from crime and poverty. Their journey takes them deeper into the world of both gangsters and street children.

This main storyline - of criminals trapped in a cycle of violence and compromise, and their longing to break free - is one of the most overused formulas of gangster films, and aside from its novel historical approach, ``Once Upon a Time'' adds little to the genre. Rather, the pathos evoked by the orphans and their desire for a better future are played up for maximum sentimental effect. And in place of character development, the movie relies on predictable scenes of violence and dramatic plot twists to get its point across.

There are several moments when ``Once Upon a Time'' hints at something deeper, particularly regarding the anger lingering from the Korean War and its tragic effects on postwar Seoul and beyond. Unfortunately, the film chooses to avoid its own painful questions, and opts for pat, melodramatic answers instead.

Source: Korea Times

[MOVIE REVIEW] Shin Yun-bok painted with a lewd brush

"The Portrait of a Beauty (Miindo)," directed by Jeon Yun-su, starts off with a tricky warning: "Some of details in the movie are not based on historical facts."

This is misleading. The film's core assumption - that a famous Joseon painter was in fact a woman disguised as a man - is utterly, if not outrageously, fictional.

Shin Yun-bok, better known by his pen name Hyewon, is a real figure who produced a host of thematically provocative and artistically excellent paintings in the 18th century.

The possibility that he might have been a woman, according to existing historical documents, is not almost zero but absolutely zero.

But viewers should be aware of the second trick hidden up Jeon's sleeve: explicit sexuality, sleekly packaged as a statement on the nature of art.

In one crucial scene, main characters debate the boundary between art and vulgarity. The conclusion foisted upon us by the director, who solidified his filmmaking career with "Le Grand Chef" last year, is that if you see obscenity in a picture where sexual innuendo abounds, it's because your mind is muddled with dark, sinful thoughts.

Such simplistic justification is, after all, inevitable in a film that gratuitously indulges in nudity, trans-sexuality, homosexuality, and China's version of the Kama Sutra. Add to the already complicated mix the sexual tension between a teacher and his beautiful student, and the impact is disturbingly powerful.

"The Portrait of a Beauty"

Of course, the movie is not entirely about sex. Universal human emotions, notably obsessive jealousy, are juxtaposed along with Hyewon's gracefully satirical paintings, many of which poke fun at adulterous and sexually charged situations involving the pretentious upper class of the Joseon period.

The initial trigger comes from retired court painter Shin Han-pyong's desire to settle an old score with the then top-rated painter Kim Hong-do (played by Kim Young-ho).

Shin expects his son Yun-bok to emerge as a new star painter and then confront Kim, but the plan skids to a halt when Yun-bok commits suicide over his lack of talent.

Shin's twisted passion, however, does not end. He pushes his daughter Yun-jeong to disguise herself as her brother and enter the turbulent world of court painters. The grown-up Yun-jeong (played by Kim Min-sun), who is now known as Hyewon Shin Yun-bok, finally makes it to the court and learns to paint under the guidance of Kim Hong-do, a prominent painter who has the trust of King Jung-jo.

Kim Hong-do quickly notices Yun-bok's huge potential as well as his girlish features. Things remain normal until Yun-bok goes out and comes across a playful seller of mirrors, Gang-mu (Kim Nam-gil). When their romantic adventure takes off, it is Kim Hong-do who ends up heartbroken. Kim's jealousy, and his desire to own Yun-bok physically and emotionally, soars to a perilous level.

A love triangle is by no means a creative novelty. What's new is the boldness of the underlying attraction that bolsters the treacherous relationship: Yun-bok's trans-sexual appeal. Even in a man's clothes, she's beautiful thanks to her radiant boyish charms. Gang-mu seems to be struck chiefly by Yun-bok's feminine beauty but Kim's obsession about her is much more complex, because he lives in the same quarters of the court where Yun-bok pretends to be a man.

The movie throws in other explicit scenes, one of which is a closed-door demonstration of Chinese sex positions by two scantily clad female entertainers.

Actress Kim Min-sun has certainly created a new silver-screen image by taking a role that involves plenty of nudity. The film, to be released on Nov. 13, is expected to post better box-office numbers than other historical pieces, not least because of the huge publicity about explicit sex scenes. But a relentless mixture of sex and art does not necessarily make it appealing - or even all that inspiring - however creative director Jeon's interpretation about Hyewon's life may be.

New comedy tests Cha's star power

No Korean actor automatically conjures up a comic image on the silver screen as much as Cha Tae-hyun

This is largely due to the huge success of his role in "My Sassy Girl," which opened the floodgates for the Korean Wave of cinema across Asia. This cuts both ways, however.

Cha comes back to the big screen with another comic role in "Speed Scandal (Gwasok Scandal)," to be released on Dec. 4. It is hardly surprising that he plays a character who is supposed to create, well, comic relief.

What's surprising, though, is that he has accepted a role whose identity is somewhat similar to his own experiences as a leading star in Korea. In the film, directed by Kang Hyung-chul, Cha plays Nam Hyun-su, a former idol who captured the hearts of teenage fans.

Yes, he "was" a big star in the good ole days, but he is now in his mid-30s, and his star power has significantly diminished.

But Nam retains some of his recognition. That is why he keeps a DJ post at a local radio show, a situation which may remind local audiences of numerous other Korean entertainers who have followed a similar path.

Things begin to turn drastically comic, or absurd, when a young woman named Jeong-nam (played by Park Bo-young) shows up and claims to be Nam's daughter. The movie's title, "Speed Scandal," becomes clearer at this point because the central plot turn involves the male character's "speeding" during his past relationship.

The problem is, Nam has no memory of Jeong-nam, who begins to pop up everywhere and proclaim her wretched situation, to the embarrassment of the former idol.

It remains to be seen whether Cha pulls off a box-office success with his latest comic role, but what's certain is that it's time for Cha to reinvent his image and break the mold.

Early last year, he tried to tweak the formula a bit by playing a singer in "Highway Star (Bokmyeon dalho)." In the movie, co-directed by Kim Sang-chan and Kim Hyeon-soo, Cha jumped into the terrain of melodramatic Korean pop songs - a genre known here as "trot" that is quite similar in melody and lyrics to Japanese melodramatic enka songs - but the results at the box office were hardly inspiring.

"Speed Scandal," which is partly about life's timing, will demonstrate whether Cha still maintains public appeal because his box-office power has steadily declined since "My Sassy Girl."

The outlook remains largely negative, however. For all the peculiar plot and details, "Speed Scandal" does not attempt to redefine Cha's image. Rather, it sticks to his decade-long silver-screen persona.

In recent years, "My Girl and I," "Two Guys," "Happy Erotic Christmas" relied on Cha's trademark comic talent but failed to win laughs in the end.

Kong Hyo-jin Shines in 'Crush'

Rudy red face, frizzy hair, criminal fashion sense and a chronic case of inferiority complex and hopeless delusion, Miss Hongdangmu (carrot) is a new antihero among antiheroes. Such a pitiful role can be crafted with grace only by South Korean actress Kong Hyo-jin, who trades in her stylish image for a makeover as shocking as Charlize Theron a la ``Monster.''

Premiering Saturday at the 13th Pusan (Busan) International Film Festival (PIFF), ``Crush and Blush'' signals the promising directorial debut of Lee Kyung-mi as well as feted filmmaker Park Chan-wook's headway into producing. Lee, who had worked on the set of Park's ``Sympathy for Lady Vengeance,'' brings one of those rare movies that are propelled by a most unusual yet utterly believable character development, where the protagonist pushes forth the narrative by fulfilling her own destiny instead of a set of circumstances requiring a particular role.

The film wastes no time in painting an unmistakable caricature of Miss Hongdangmu. One is immediately struck by the awkward presence of the unpopular high school Russian teacher who is always looking in all the wrong places at the wrong time. She's like a cross between MTV's Daria and Morticia of the Addams Family, but neither smartly cynical nor eerily gothic, she dispels the golden rule in fashion that black goes with everything, as her uncomfortable looking turtleneck and shapeless long skirt only highlight her severe problem of going red in the face.

The unattractive 29-year-old had been infatuated with Mr. Seo (Lee Jong-hyeuk), her high school teacher-turned-colleague, for about 10 years. ``Last year he sat next to me at the faculty dinner and also right next to me in the car on the way home. Clearly he must be in love with me!'' insists this paragon of delusion. However, her happy thoughts are short-lived due to the arrival of every women's public enemy, the pretty woman Yu-ri (played by lovely debutant Hwang Woo-seul-hye 황우슬혜).

As Russian becomes increasingly less popular among the students, hardworking Mi-suk is assigned to instruct junior high English while Yu-ri, lax yet popular, maintains her position in high school Russian. Not only is she forced to learn English to teach it, Mi-suk must put a halt to a blooming romance between Yu-ri and Mr. Seo, who is among the beauty's many admirers. Her only hope is to keep Seo tied to his marriage for the meantime, and she forms an odd alliance with Seo's daughter and middle school loser Jong-heui (Seo Woo).

Rising starlet Seo Woo is another reason to watch the movie. The petite actress, known for some oddball TV roles, plays the perfect counterpart to Kong as another social misfit with no less psychedelic charisma. The two eccentrics deliver a multidimensional tragicomedy, spiced with what would be the American equivalent of ``blonde humor'' inspired by the pretty Yu-ri. Along the way, the viewer develops sympathy for the clueless Mr. Seo who gets caught in the middle of four feisty ladies (the fourth being his scary belly-dancing wife who is eight years his senior).

``Crush and Blush'' brings together the most unusual characters in the most embarrassing situations. Mi-suk starts digging a hole in the school yard as to divert eyes away from her ``clandestine'' talk with Jong-heui, but only draws more attention to herself _ physically manifesting her shortsighted ``sapjil,'' meaning hard shoveling and no pay, both literally and figuratively. Yet the viewer cannot help but warm to this self-esteem-less, frustrating character as she pursues her passions with utmost sincerity and futility. But life can surprise you, as the most meaningful secrets lie in things that may seem meaningless.

'Modern Boy': Reinterpretation of Japanese Colonialism?

Following the footsteps of “Radio Dayz,” “Once Upon a Time” and “The Good, the Bad, the Weird” comes “Modern Boy,” another purely entertainment-driven movie set during the Japanese colonial era (1910-45). Gyeongseong, the name of Seoul at the time, is home to flamboyant flappers (so-called “modern boys and girls”), radio stars and charming bandits who aren’t necessarily working for Korea’s independence.

The symbolic power of cinema is extensive, as it often showcases a given country’s aesthetics, technical achievements and entertainment factors, and moreover portrays to varying degrees its cultural, historical and social values. Period pieces in particular become the subject of scrutiny as they speak for the shared history of a people.

A Japanese newspaper made a misleading report about “Modern Boy” and the above-mentioned Gyeongseong movies in January this year. Katsuhiro Kuroda, managing editor of Sankei Shimbun’s Seoul branch, announced “the reinterpretation of Japanese colonialism” in Korea ― how there was an effort to reexamine it as an era of modernization rather than one of exploitation, oppression and resistance, and that the conventional school manual “dark period” version has gotten a facelift and was drawing popularity among the younger generation.

The cheerful characters of “Modern Boy” deliver a colorful story, but by no means do they beautify history. It simply shows that life continued, and that there was love, friendship and fun even in oppressive times. Gyeongseong is another name for exoticism, and rich period details give way to a visually lush film. The film portrays a new side of Gyeongseong, brightly lit with neon signs, where swing dance and jazz music were in full swing.

One can argue that the moral distinction between “courageous” independence fighters versus pro-Japanese “traitors” and evil Japanese authorities has entered a gray zone. “Modern Boy” does indeed feature a sympathetic Japanese character (Lee Han) that suffers over his genuine friendship with a Korean. But this is because the area of central conflict has shifted.

Back in the day, Korean cinema had its fare share of political films. Director Choi In-kyu, for example, made a 180-degree turn away from movies propagating Japanese militarism in the 1930s into making ultra-patriotic ones after Liberation in 1945. Such “nationalistic” filmmaking is not unusual. Hollywood continues to demonstrate the political agenda du jour, as Middle Eastern and even North Korean “axis of evil” terrorists began replacing the public enemy role long held by scheming Russian communists, Neo-Nazis and the ruthless Vietcong.

For Korean cinema’s quintessential bad Japanese imperialist, it’s a different story. The new Gyeongseong films mark a role shift rather than a reinterpretation of history. The Japanese oppressor is still evil but has melted into the background rather than being a strictly dishonorable character. The bitterness over losing sovereignty remains intact. Some of the most affecting moments in “Modern Boy” are when the protagonist, wealthy but deprived of his country, recalls his childhood dream of becoming Japanese rather than a doctor or such, and how a talented artist cannot sing in her own language.

“Modern Boy” is about a rich, hedonistic playboy played by the fabulous Park Hae-il who cannot care less that his country was colonized and falls head over heals in love with a beautiful independence fighter, ingeniously brought to life by Korean sex symbol Kim Hye-soo. Director Jung Ji-woo crafts a dramatic femme fatale story that evokes “Carmen” and “Original Sin,” but which can also be compared to Ang Lee’s “Lust, Caution.” It is essentially a love story, and the dynamics of the time period set the heartbreaking mood for the narrative.

So whether it’s Hollywood or Chungmuro, a common denominator is that no matter who plays the bad guy, movies shift their focus away from the political problem at hand. That’s entertainment.

In theaters Oct. 2. 121 minutes. 12 and over. Distributed by CJ Entertainment.

Jeon, Ha's Chemistry Give Life to 'Enemy'

Ha Jung-woo, left, and Jeon Do-yeon star in Lee Yoon-ki’s “My Dear Enemy,” a story about an uncanny reunion of two former lovers. / Courtesy of Lotte Entertainment

One day, two characters, lots of dialogue and hushed emotions ― only Jeon Do-yeon and Ha Jung-woo could pull it off. South Korea's most in-demand actors get together as former lovers in the post-break up road movie ``My Dear Enemy.'' Of course none other than director Lee Yoon-ki (``This Charming Girl'') orchestrated this cherishable story about spending an abnormal day with an ex.

Jeon chose a rather mundane character to emerge from her immortalized Cannes Best Actress-winning role in ``Secret Sunshine.'' But the actress shines through more than ever as she sustains dramatic tension for two hours with an ordinary persona, saying more in what is unsaid rather than hysterical tears. Heui-su is an irritable, uptight 30-year-old who, wearing immaculate eye makeup, never forgets to tuck away her road navigator before getting out of the car. Jobless, unmarried and broke, she tracks down her ex-boyfriend Byeong-u (Ha), who disappeared a year ago after borrowing 3.5 million won ($3,500).

``Wow, what are you doing here? How have you been?'' Byeong-u grins brightly, to which Heui-su coldly replies, ``Give me my money.'' Ha, Korean cinema's ``it'' actor (``The Chaser'') who played opposite towering talents like Vera Farmiga (``Never Forever''), shows he's fit to take on another leading lady. On the surface, his shameless parasitic character seems to be an extension of the swindling host he played in ``The Moonlight of Seoul.'' But the actor employs hyperrealism complete with sleepy eyes and a rhythmic bounce in his walk to craft a completely new personality.

Byeong-u, a hopelessly optimistic Candide with the allure of Casanova, is genuinely happy to see someone who had left him for another man. While unemployed and single like Heui-su, he has the leisure to give others betting advice at a horseracing track and dreams of opening a rice wine bar in Spain one day. He promises to pay her, but they must make a detour, as the penniless fellow needs to borrow money from one lady friend after another, beginning with a female employee at the horseracing track. The awkward couple hit the road to travel from an elder chairwoman to a poor divorcee working at a supermarket, a rich bargirl, a married college sweetheart and even a young woman Byeong-u once taught how to ski, among others.

Over the course of one day, Heui-su revisits all the things she loved and hated about her ex-boyfriend. There is nothing dramatic about the film, as the most drastic events are missing the subway and such. The beauty of the film is that the long takes capture every bit of the chemistry between the two charismatic actors. Running into an ex can inspire the most ambivalent feelings, and the film explores such dynamics by setting an average woman against a man who is not only her antithesis, but also an allegorical figure that pushes forth the narrative.

Like Michael Cimino once said, a good film makes you forget you're watching a movie and ``Enemy'' does just this by transforming a familiar -- or at least imaginable -- situation into something at once believable and extraordinary.

In theaters Sept. 25. 123 minutes. 12 and over. Distributed by Lotte Entertainment.

'Modern Boy' Opens in October

After six years in the making and a release date postponed by months, Jung Ji-woo's ambitious period drama ``Modern Boy,'' starring hot actors Park Hae-il and Kim Hye-soo, will open in theaters in October. The press gathered to catch the film's first promotional event held Wednesday in a Seoul theater.

The critically acclaimed director of ``Happy End'' (starring ``Old Boy'' hero Choi Min-sik and ``Secret Sunshine'' heroine Jeon Do-yeon) brings a dramatic love story set in 1930s Gyeongseong or old Seoul, when Korea was under Japanese colonization (1910-45). With years of pre-production for the period detail, the film also utilizes the most blue screen shoots for computer graphics imagery(CGI) used in a Korean movie.

``In trying to recreate the period, I realized how little remains of the past because Korea was so focused on economic development,'' the director told reporters. The film resurrects via CGI the recently burnt down Sungnyemun and other landmarks. ``Unlike the black and white documentaries we're familiar with, 1930s Gyeonseong was a thoroughly modern city, very colorful with neon lights,'' he said, explaining that while it was a time of tragedy, it was also very dynamic with culture thriving and modernization in full gear.

Like recent success ``The Good, the Bad, the Weird,'' which is set in the 1940s, this particular period, which had in the past been the subject of depressing documentaries, becomes a backdrop for crafting rich, exciting drama.

``The point here is not making a story about the colonial era but taking a character who could well exist in 2008 and displacing him in the past,'' he said. Park plays the role of a ``modern boy,'' a suave, rich young man who is unaffected by the fact his country was colonized. With his Japanese best friend, he struts around with his fashionable perm and customized linen suits, womanizing while flirting with a civil servant position. One day, however, he becomes mesmerized by a sexy singer/dancer (Kim), and becomes implicated in this mysterious woman's schemes to bomb a building.

The reputed male lead from ``Rules of Dating'' and ``Paradise Murdered'' said he took a contemporary approach to his character. ``I felt rather overwhelmed about playing a character in another time,'' said the 31-year-old actor. But he understood his character as being today's equivalent of a couture wear sporting hedonist living in the rich neighborhoods of Gangnam (southern Seoul). ``He just wants to be happy but was born in the wrong era,'' he said.

It's no surprise that Kim, Korea's ultimate sex symbol, plays a femme fatale. But the 37-year-old actress from ``Tazza: The High Rollers'' said that sex appeal doesn't define her character, who has at least nine identities from singer and dancer to fashion designer. ``She's a very talented woman who lived ahead of her time,'' she said.

Kim sings in Korean, Japanese and English and swings to jazz music. She said the months of preparation were physically enervating yet spiritually invigorating. ``It was a life changing experience both personally and professionally,'' she said with a smile. The screen beauty also revealed that she had been long interested in the film even before she was cast. ``I read about the movie in a magazine and was captivated by a photo they used of a singer from the era,'' she said.

Throughout the press conference, Kim and Park did not hesitate to compliment each other. The director added that the film would be worth watching just to see the chemistry between two of the most talented actors in Korea.

Source: Korea Times

'Divine Weapon' Targets Chuseok

Starring, from left actors Ahn Sung-ki, Jeong Jae-young, Heo Joon-ho and Han Eun-jeong. / Courtesy of CJ Entertainment

In time for the nation's biggest holiday comes ``The Divine Weapon,'' a highly anticipated epic dramatization of the world's first multi-launch rocket system invented during the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910). Historical fiction is risky business, particularly in a country bound by deep cultural and historical homogeneity, and this film shows both the triumphs and perils of venturing into this genre.

The faction film employs anachronism to set a Tom and Jerry-type power struggle (since the Sino-Korean conflict occurred a century earlier), where China is becoming increasingly hostile in controlling the internal affairs of its small tributary state, Joseon. King Sejong (Ahn Sung-ki) is determined to strengthen the country's autonomy and has been secretly funding the development of a sophisticated weapon. But as the Chinese authority closes in on the project, the weapons designer commits suicide. All is not lost, however, as the scientist's daughter Hong-ri (Han Eung-jeong) guards the national secret.

The reason for China's fear isn't surprising. Once airborne, the Singijeon fires arrows that automatically explode after hitting the target. The large-sized Daesingijeon was capable of flying 2 kilometers before leaving a crater up to 30 centimeters deep. Developed in the mid-1500s and used to ward off northern invaders and sea borne Japanese pirates, the weapon's blueprint is recognized by the International Astronautical Federation as the oldest of its kind.

But here, the protagonist is neither the king nor the whiz scientist. The fate of the kingdom lies in the hands of a sleazy merchant Seol-ju (Jeong Jae-young). He happens to be the son of a gunpowder maker of the overthrown Goryeo Kingdom (918-1392), and his lowly status is perfect for the clandestine project. The film falls short of dabbling in the complexity of the transition period between dynasties, and the audience is expected to laugh along as womanizing Seol-ju helps Hong-ri build Singijeon because he has other things in mind.

Director Kim Yoo-jin, who's best know for the melodrama starring Jeon Do-yeon (``Promise,'' 1998), utilizes romance to drive the narrative forward. But antihero Seol-ju shows more knight in shining armor moves as he struts out his martial arts to protect Hong-ri and the project. When China threatens Joseon with an army of 100,000 men, the king, afraid for the security of the kingdom, calls everything to a stop. Seol-ju, however, refuses to obey and fights for the completion of the project.

``Divine'' marks a maturity in South Korean cinema by offering something purely entertainment-driven with a subject that can easily be reduced to sappy ``nationalism marketing,'' like the controversial failure ``Hanbando'' (2006) or the notorious ``D-War'' (Dragon Wars, 2007),

But the film makes the mistake of covering too much yet not enough. The massive production (10 billion won or $9.8 million) took over five years in the making and is already a blockbuster in the sense that its filming set in Jecheon, North Chungcheong Province is regularly drawing tourists. But the cluttered mass of action, adventure, romance, drama and history leading up to the climax is at times tedious, particularly due to weak character development.

Yet ``Divine'' shows the power of cinema in illuminating historical truths and taking viewers back in time with exquisite period detail. The movie is spiced up with a modern, stylistic flavor, featuring superwomen reigning in the male chauvinistic Joseon society. Purists may complain, however, of its brevity as the cast of top actors craft a ticklish story with more ``dramatic relief'' than comic relief. Nevertheless, it will be hard not to love Jeong's state of the art acting as well as royal guard Heo Joon-ho's charisma, which counteract the disappointing performance by Han.

Source: Korea Times

'Dachimawa Lee' Straddles Homage, Mockery

In Ryu Seung-wan's larger-than-life retro action film "Dachimawa Lee," Lim Won-hee, center, plays the role of the "handsome" spy while actresses Kong Hyo-jin, left, and Park Si-yeon are his sexy partners.

/ Courtesy of Showbox/Mediaplex

Hip young director Ryu Seng-wan (``The City of Violence,'' 2006) brings the big screen edition of an Internet flick that he calls ``abnormal.'' But the retro spy story ``Dachimawa Lee'' is so faithful to its own internal logic that it makes sense in wonderfully wrong ways, and its fine cast makes the larger-than-life story all the more endearing.

Dachimawa Lee, a character who can be described in Western parlance as a cross between Austin Powers and Mr. Bean, seems tailor-made for eccentric screen persona Lim Won-hee (``Le Grand Chef,'' 2007). The homely actor plays the role of the ``handsome'' and suave master spy ― and everyone, from love struck damsels to Japanese foes, reminds you of his good looks by swooning ``oh how handsome he is'' every other minute. He dodges bullets for the independence of his motherland and banishes his evil enemies on ``a fast train ride to hell,'' but he's also sensitive, and swallows back tears over women who break his heart.

Set during the 1940s in the last years of Japanese colonial rule, the film traces the whereabouts of a stolen national treasure, a golden Buddha statue that also contains a list of Korean freedom fighters wanted by imperial authorities.

Lee, however, fails miserably, and to add more woe, his ``Bond girls'' or sexy partner spies Yeon-ja (Kong Hyo-jin) and Mary (Park Si-yeon) perish in the process. The road to recovering his pride, however, becomes complicated by a Chinese merchant, quirky Korean vagabond (played by director Ryu's younger brother, popular actor Seung-beom) and a Japanese spy with a knack for magic tricks and his retinue of colorfully dressed ninjas.

Ryu walks a fine line between reverence and mockery of retro Korean action films ― a product of what he calls ``an ambivalent, love-hate'' sentiment toward his predecessors. The dialogue, all dubbed the old-fashioned way, is over the top, while action sequences are packed with Bruce Lee-style martial arts. The so-called Japanese and Chinese, with no offense intended for either of the languages, are, in fact mock jargon ― Korean spoken with Chinese intonation, by adding a ``la'' to every word. The Korean subtitles also ridicule the amateur translations in local pirated movies, where people often claim credit to their work using their Internet user ID.

The movie is light and entertaining enough, but a closer look shows the basis for serious analysis as a cinematic venture. The mock Japanese for example, is not simple comedy. In the 1970s, when there was an official ban on things Japanese in Korea, veteran directors like Im Kwon-taek had to deal with the situation by having so-called Japanese characters speak in Korean with a Japanese intonation. The old becomes new, and in this case, cause for big hearty laughter.

Renowned film critic Chung Sung-ill always says that movies are about watching the process of filmmaking, and the means for reaching the end becomes all the more relevant. The film takes the audience on a breathtaking run with the spies from Shanghai and Manchurian deserts to Princeton, New Jersey and the Swiss Alps. But believe it or not, the movie was shot 100 percent in Korea.

``Dachimawa Lee'' is a product of simultaneous combustion among the creative cast and crew. Kill preconceptions of what is appropriate in a movie, and be ready to laugh your heart out. It will also be an interesting compliment to the other, more ``serious'' and truly cross-border, multilingual film ``The Good, the Bad, the Weird.'' The costume design is by the same artist, who whips up more modern looks for ``Dachimawa Lee.''

In theaters Aug. 14. 12 and over. 99 minutes. Distributed by Showbox/Mediaplex.

Watch Sooni Become 'Sunny'

A scene from ''Sunny,'' starring actress Su Ae as a housewife-turned-singer during the Vietnam War and directed by Lee Jun-ik. / Courtesy of Showbox/Mediaplex

``Sunny,'' a love story set amid the Vietnam War, epitomizes South Korean director Lee Jun-ik's cinematic endeavors by bringing together the period detail of ``King and the Clown'' (2005) and musical inspirations of ``The Happy Life'' (2007).

This is the country's first movie directly depicting the sweat of some 320,000 Korean soldiers that fought with American forces. At the time, veteran singers like Patty Kim and Hyun Mi, who were pin-up girls back then, traveled to the war-torn land to cheer up soldiers. According to the director, a black and white photograph of a beautiful ``consolatory band'' singer gave birth to the film.

Lee brings a tale that seeps into the heart with the wistful tunes of Kim Chu-ja's ``My Love Is Faraway,'' the Korean title of the movie. The story is basically about an average rural housewife who, with the sole aim of tracking down her husband, becomes a singer. But the film grazes upon a broader sense of love and humanitarian concern as it depicts a long voyage of self-discovery.

It's 1971 Confucian Korea. Actress Su Ae is Sooni, a quiet young woman stuck in an arranged marriage with a man who's still in love with his college sweetheart. She has no choice but to submit to her stern mother-in-law's futile campaign for a grandson, and regularly visits her soldier husband Sang-gil (Um Tae-woong). Yet, all he returns is a cold glance and a poignant question.

``Do you even know what love is?'' he asks. She is speechless.

One day, Sooni discovers that Sang-gil has left for Vietnam. When her distraught mother-in-law packs bags to find the family's sole male heir, Sooni decides to make the trip. While civilians are unable to travel to the warstruck country, she finds out that so-called consolatory singers can go. She finally finds a way to make use of her latent vocal talent.

This incredulous turn of events is made possible with another desperate character. Jung-man (Jung Jin-young), a con artist, cannot miss out on the lucrative business, and happily recruits Sooni and other band members. Thus our protagonist trades in her outmoded name Sooni for Sunny.

But of course, stripping down from floral blouses buttoned all the way to the top and ankle-length skirts into cleavage-bearing mini dresses and risque high heels isn't easy. However, a sense of fortitude grapples our protagonist as she watches innocent civilians, young soldiers and Vietcong perish.

While this type of character development is all rather formulaic to war dramas, the film depicts it with tasteful restraint. Our laconic Sunny says it all with a flicker of pain in her eyes and by crooning lyrics like ``I should have told you I loved you but it's too late.'' A question seems to linger in her mind. ``Do you love me?'' her husband had asked her.

The movie offers a sense of liberation, as Sooni truly becomes Sunny, dancing and singing her heart out. Her strength of will boosts the morale of soldiers and transforms shady men like our greasy, velvet bellbottoms-wearing Jung-man, who was keen on exploiting the star singer. The film takes on a dash of ``Saving Private Ryan'' (1998) as Sunny's ``fans'' (high-ranking military men) help search for her missing husband. Will her heart reach his?

The story may at first remind one of ``Cold Mountain'' (2003), where a man embarks on a cross-country trek during the American Civil War to find the love of his life. But ``Sunny'' is more a kindred spirit of the novel/movie``The Painted Veil'' (2006) ― ``sometimes the greatest journey is the distance between two people.''

Source: Korea Times

Blockbuster 'Friend' to Be Reproduced as TV Series

Will a TV drama version of the blockbuster "Friend" be as thrilling as the original movie?

Avid fans certainly hope so. The mega-hit, which garnered a record-high 8.2 million ticket sales in 2001, will be remade as a 16-episode TV series titled "Friend: the Untold Story," said to be aired in the first half of 2009.

"I have decided to direct the drama with untold episodes added to the original movie. The scenario is in the process of being written," said Kwak Kyung-taek, who catapulted into stardom as the film director and scenario writer.

"All the episodes will be shot in Busan, just like the original film," Kwak said, refusing to reveal which TV broadcaster will show it.

Kim Min-jun, 32, who starred in Kwak's 2007 film "Love," will replace Yu Oh-sung as the gangster Jun-sok, and Hyun Bin, 26, will replace Jang Dong-geun as Jun-sok's friend Dong-su. Oh and Hyun Bin will play the two leading characters among the four friends in the movie, according to the 42-year-old director. Hyun Bin starred in TV soap operas "Queen of Snow(2006)" and "My Name is Kim Sam-sun(2005)."

The original movie depicted the director's experience with his friends, a semi-autobiography set in his hometown of Busan. The actors use a strong regional dialect. Many movie-goers, especially male adults, were attracted because it reminded them of their high school days.

Source: Korea Times

'Kimchi Western' Marks New Horizon

The boys are back together. Jung Woo-sung, left, Song Kang-ho and Lee Byung-hun star in "The Good, the Bad, the Weird,'' which will open in theaters July 17. / Courtesy of CJ Entertainment Director Kim Jee-woon (``A Bittersweet Life,'' 2005) finally brings home what had judges in awe at 2008 Cannes in its out-of-competition section. While inspired by Sergio Leone's spaghetti Western ``The Good, the Bad, the Ugly,'' 1966, ``kimchi'' Western (as the Toronto International Film Festival calls it) ``The Good, the Bad, the Weird'' achieves, with finesse, the creative struggle of transforming self and heritage into something new. ``Good'' is seductively entertaining in the way you expect a Western movie to be: three of Korea's most endearing actors ride around with guns on horseback and engage in a pulsating train robbery, cross-country treasure hunt and three-way shootout. But the films has that inherent Koreanness; it capitalizes on heritage in a new playing field. Exceeding all domestic records in terms of budget and number of takes for shoots, it recreates the exoticism of 1930s Manchuria, the natural born child of the ancient Silk Road where all of Asia seems to melt together in one pot. At the time, Korea was under Japanese colonial rule (1910-45) and a network of independence fighters were stationed outside of the country. A treasure map supposedly leads to the buried riches of an ancient Chinese dynasty. Japanese rulers see this as a way to fulfill their imperialistic ambitions in Asia, while Korean freedom fighters cannot miss this chance to finance their mission (the contending forces thus replace Leone's Confederate and Union soldiers battling during the American Civil War). Sniper hunter Dong-won (the Good played by Jung Woo-sung), is paid by local independence fighters to retrieve the map before the bad assassin Chang-yi (Lee Byung-hun) does. However, the much-coveted item falls into the hands of an eccentric thief Tae-goo (the Weird, Song Kang-ho). And so, the three characters embark on a wildly exhilarating cross-desert chase, while local Manchurian tribesmen and Japanese soldiers complicate things. Meanwhile, Dong-won and Tae-goo form a shaky alliance against the evil, merciless Chang-yi, but no one can be trusted. Along the way, you meet opium-smoking courtesans, elephants and camel-driven caravans, and a great soundtrack accompanies the fun ride. Dong-won, sporting a cowboy hat and long rifle, offers cool actions like flying around and shooting enemies. While no heroic freedom fighter, he senses a feeling of loss about his colonized homeland. He does things for money, but also saves helpless civilians. Chang-yi is charismatic in a black gothic suit reminiscent of John Leguizamo as Tybalt (``Romeo and Juliet,'' 1996). He is in charge of the gory knife work, including gruesome finger cutting. He's the type who's not afraid of dying. This bully is driven by the desire to establish a reputation of invincibility, and bitter contested feelings of being beaten by a legendary man called ``finger ghost'' fuel him. A weird guy sets the perfect counterpoint to the good guy and bad guy. It's hard not to love Tae-goo, who adds in all the delightful comic relief. He is the king of chance and a slave of survival, and dodges bullets with bunny hops and uses strange little gadgets to stay alive. Song is irreplaceable for the role, as he plays goofy parts with an utmost believability. The movie breathes with life and action. To make up for budget shortages, a ``wire cameraman,'' rather than a wire-suspended camera, did the most dangerous stunts, the director told reporters at a recent press preview in Seoul. ``It's an entertainment movie that I made like a madman. I hope the audience can be entranced,'' he said. Be ready for a wild ride! Source: Korea Times

'Eye' Spies Perfect Crime

Korea's favorite leading men Han Seok-gyu and Cha Seung-won team up in ``Eye for an Eye,'' an urban action flick that slithers with speed, style and substance.

Perfect crimes unfold in the tradition of the "Ocean's 11" trilogy, launching a "Public Enemy"-style cat and mouse game. Han dyes his hair silver and wears a matching gray suit and shiny Hermes belt to play the role of a suave yet gum chewing, foulmouthed detective ― the film is worth watching just to see the ``Shiri (Swiri)'' (1998) star drive like a madman and mercilessly interrogate suspects.

Similar to the recent box office smash ``Public Enemy Returns,'' veteran detective Baek is about to resign so he can set up his own business. But he has to postpone it when 1.8 billion won is stolen from a bank truck in broad daylight and then 600 kilograms of trafficked gold vanishes from an airport ― all under police surveillance. Someone had ingeniously impersonated Baek, and this proves to be a serious blow to the real Baek's ego.

The following day, Baek receives a package, a stash of cash signed to and from Baek. This ``friendly'' gesture is from the mastermind crime-ring head himself, Ahn Hyun-min (Cha). This MBA-holding former prison guard outsmarts Baek and thwarts his plans with finesse. To add fuel to his fury, Ahn has the nerve to leave blatant clues and even appear before him. Soon, Baek realizes that he is being used as a prawn in Ahn's master plan to attack a bigger enemy.

What could have stopped short of being a string of Hollywood conventions takes on a unique Korean streak. It oozes human drama inherent to traditional stories. Here, Ahn is obviously the bad guy, but Baek, who doesn't refrain from using violence to fish for clues, seems much more despicable. Unlike ``Public Enemy,'' the cat and mouse here have a common enemy, the dog ― a wicked business tycoon who wronged them both. In Korean tales, even scary ghost stories, vengeful spirits are always understandable in the end, and Ahn is just a coolheaded Hamlet driven by filial piety to take revenge.

The movie takes viewers to different corners of local cities: Busan ports and markets, local jjimjilbang (Korean sauna) and pojang macha (street food stall) as well as a well-orchestrated car race through a busy Seoul business district. It also invites you to a gay bar. Actor Lee Byung-joon disguises his deep baritone voice to play ``Antonio,'' a transvestite who speaks with a high-pitched purr and sports perfectly blow-dried hair and a ring on his pinky finger. His well-tamed character portrayal provides a subtle counterpoint to the two male leads.

The visuals capitalize on the long and lean silhouette of model-turned-actor Cha, who struts around in finely pressed suits, holding his weapon of choice, a torch. Ahn Gwon-tae (``My Brother,'' 2004), who served as assistant director for Kwak Kyung-taek's hit film ``Friend'' (2001), shot the first half of ``Eye'' before his mentor took over. The result is something swift and glossy, full of comic strip-like split screen technique found in ``Tazza: The High Rollers'' (2006).

In theaters July 31. 15 and over. 101 minutes. Distributed by Lotte Entertainment.

'Princess' Flies High, Dips Low

Shin Mina stars as a college student with fancy martial arts moves in director Kwak Jae-young's "My Mighty Princess.''

The higher you climb, the more it hurts if you fall. After much time and anticipation ― two years since its completion ― ``My Mighty Princess'' opens across theaters. Director Kwak Jae-yong, reaches for the sky by adding martial arts moves to a love story in the tradition of ``My Sassy Girl'' (1999). But he falls flat on his face in this contrived, cliched drama about a love struck martial artist.

So-hwi (Shin Mina) is a martial arts child prodigy-turned-college student, and in tune with her rainbow-hued outfits and pigtails, she bounces over rooftops when she's late for class. She's literally a ``mighty princess'' who makes use of her superhuman strength to dress up as Snow White to pull stunts in a freak martial arts gig.

One day, she realizes that openly displaying her monster stamina will never get her a boyfriend, let alone catch the attention of the handsome hockey jock Jun-mo (Yu Gun). To the dismay of her father and the rest of the mystical martial artist community, So-hwi decides to quit once and for all. She becomes the manager of the school hockey team so she can pursue her love interest.

While you can take the girl out of the martial arts, you can't take the martial arts out of the girl. And while So-hwi makes some effort to seem terrestrial, such as pretending to be unconscious when hit by a hammer, she's still able to chug down three bottles of soju from a hockey skate boot. Silent and brooding Hamlet-type Jun-mo, however, barely notices her, and to make things worse, he's head over heals in love with an older woman. Now, the audience is compelled to laugh as we see the 20-year-old cruising around on a motorcycle, wearing a heartbroken expression as he stalks a very pretty but middle-aged police officer.

Meanwhile, So-hwi's mystical martial arts community is at stake when the notorious Heukbeom resurfaces. With their magical sword stolen, only So-hwi ― who can reenact a legendary move passed on to her from her later mother (also played by Shin) ― can stop him. But our love struck heroine doesn't care about family or tradition, and it takes her childhood friend and fellow martial artist Il-yeong (On Ju-wan) to persuade her otherwise.

The final face off between So-hwi and the menacing foe in an open field of flowers is breathtaking, and Shin does a fine job of strutting out some kicks and blows. This is the climax of the movie, but it take two hours to get there, and in that time the viewer has already become distracted and bored despite the endless array of comical situations. The director has attempted to squeeze too many clever ideas into the movie, and cutting its duration by about 20 minutes would have done wonders to the otherwise fun story and beautiful visuals.

``Princess'' is not that bad. It's much better than the thoroughly disappointing ``Windstruck'' (2004), but fails to live up to the glory of ``My Sassy Girl'' and its organic mix of comedy and melodrama. Once again, however, Kwak proves himself to be the king of casting and star making, as the movie features fresh rising stars who create lovable characters and have great chemistry.

Source: Korea Times

Sul 'Returns' as Kang Cheol-jung

Actor Sul Kyoung-gu, front, resumes his role as hardball detective in "Public Enemy Returns." / Courtesy of CJ Entertainment

This year has so far marked the return of many screen heroes, such as Indiana Jones and Rambo ― and the antihero Kang Cheol-jung. In ``Public Enemy Returns,'' Sul Kyoung-gu (``Public Enemy,'' 2002; ``Another Public Enemy,'' 2005) brazenly exhibits his sixth sense for acting as the diehard detective. Cheol-jung does not let his boss ― or the audience ― down in this funny, street-smart sequel, which also raises some critical social issues.

With disheveled hair, an unwashed windbreaker and a scar here and there, Cheol-jung is always diving headfirst into crime scenes. After 15 years of close calls with death, he's seen and done it all. The most notorious criminals sheepishly surrender to this thug of a man, who recklessly beats men twice his size, referees duels between schoolboys and openly accepts small bribes.

And of course, when a situation calls for good cop, bad cop tactics, we can guess the role Cheol-jung takes. But it's hard not to develop an affinity for this flawed man, who's seen getting seriously offended by a third grader's joke and submitting to his little daughter.

In ``Return,'' Cheol-jung is the same disheartened man. He decides to quit once and for all when he is unable to get a proper bank loan for his house. His boss, detective Um (Kang Sin-il), files away the resignation form with a dozen more such ``whines'' from Cheol-jung. But he's serious this time.

However, a high school murder case draws Cheol-jung back into the task force ― or more precisely, the promise of a retirement grant does. A 17-year-old boy, the head of a gang of troublemakers, is found dead in his classroom. What appears to have been a skirmish among juvenile delinquents, however, takes an unexpected twist when the dead boy's fingerprints match those found in an unsolved homicide.

While investigating the dead boy's friends, Cheol-jung senses that their new boss, Geoseong Group CEO Lee Won-sul (Jung Jae-young), may be involved. Cheol-jung learns that the convict-turned-businessman brainwashes schoolboys and molds them into little devilish tools of murder. Their underage status prevents their fingerprints in crime scenes from being detected, and when they do get caught, their zeal for Geoseong keeps them quiet.

But Cheol-jung does not back down, and is determined to annihilate the public enemy. Continuing the tradition of the ``Public Enemy'' franchise, ``Returns'' eschews the cat-and-mouse game typical to the detective genre, and the battle between Cheol-jung and Won-sul is more like one between two dogs.

The film is well crafted, with complex layers of narrative unfolding in an organic form, interjected with just the right amount of comic relief. Compared to its rather grave prequels, ``Returns'' is much more determined to make you laugh, particularly by downright making fun of the police.

Yet some might find this movie more disturbing than previous ones as it involves teenage crime. Angst-ridden troublemakers, Cheol-jung says, will become either thugs or cops. Cheol-jung does manage to dissuade a few kids from becoming felons. But what will happen to them for sure, nobody knows. It is a bittersweet reminder of the soaring number of underage offenses in Korea.

The beauty of the movie lies in the unforgettable glances, grimaces and gestures of the actors. The magical casting does not end with Sul and Jung, but includes other eccentrically talented actors such as Lee Mun-sik, Kang Sin-il, and Yoo Hye-jin, and charismatic veteran Moon Sung-keun also makes a brief appearance. Fresh young actors also dazzle the silver screen with their uninhibited acting.

Great expectations for the film are reflected by the crowded press screening and overbooked public previews, where at one Seoul theater, people were willing to sit on the aisle steps to catch the flick before its box office release. High anticipation is of course displayed by the palpable PPL (product placement) ― advertisements ranging from drinks and restaurants to cell phones.

``Returns'' currently tops the online reservation ranking ― the first Korean movie in 11 weeks to do so since ``The Guard Post'' (``GP506''), according to major portal site Maxmovie and the Korean Film Council. Big Hollywood movies trail behind, including Dreamworks animation ``Kung Fu Panda'' and ``The Incredible Hulk.'' This may be an auspicious sign for the struggling Korean film industry, which marked a record low in May.

Source: Korea Times