'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

Actor Jang Hyuk Stars in Taiwanese Singer Elva's New Music Video

Actor Jang Hyuk has appeared in top Taiwanese singer Elva's new music video. According to Jang's management agency, Sidus HQ, the actor stars as Elva's love interest in three of her latest music videos. The Taiwanese producer of the music video said although it was the first time that the two stars met, they shared great chemistry and delivered an outstanding performance. Jang became well-known in Taiwan through dramas such as "Successful Story of a Bright Girl" and films like "Introducing My Girlfriend." Jang, who recently became married, has been cast in the upcoming SBS TV drama series "Tajja" and film "Penthouse Elephant." Source : KBS Global

'Crossing' Depicts Plight of NK Defectors

A scene from the South Korean movie "Crossing,'' which provides a window into the famine-struck North Korea through the story of a loving father and son. / Courtesy of Big House-Vantage Holdings

A story that thousands of North Korean defectors share -- one of hunger, desperation and tiptoeing the fine line between life and death -- makes its way to screens this summer. South Korean director Kim Tae-kyun brings "Crossing," a cross-border film project inspired by true accounts of survivors -- the lucky ones who lived to tell their story.

While big budget action flicks like "Typhoon" (2005) have touched upon the lives of defectors, "Crossing" is the nation's first movie entirely devoted to the matter. It is an unforgettable movie that rouses reflection upon the role of cinema and its power to take people to distant places -- after over half a century of division, the North has become perhaps the farthest place on Earth for South Korea.

The plight of the refugees is not an unfamiliar one here as TV documentaries shine upon the shaded segment of the Korean Diaspora. But "Crossing" achieves riveting, heartfelt drama, making uncomfortable truths palpable and even digestible as it focuses on a bond between a loving father and son.

The movie zooms away from the media-friendly, symmetrical urban streets of Pyongyang and takes us to the destitute rural areas that are home to the vast majority. South Korea's top star Cha In-pyo is Yong-su, a football player-turned-miner who makes a meager yet peaceful living with his wife, son and pet dog. In his free time, Yong-su plays some ball with Juni (Shin Myung-chul) and diligently cleans his TV set -- a precious gift from their Dear Leader Kim Jong-il himself.

However, when his starving pregnant wife contracts tuberculosis, Yong-su decides to make the illegal transit to China to buy medication. He dodges bullets to cross the Tumen River, but more perils lie ahead as the Chinese police trail him.

One day, Yong-su hears about a paid interview for some South Korean agency. But it's too late when he learns that he'll be deported to Seoul. Meanwhile, his ailing wife dies and orphaned Juni ends up in a re-education camp. South of the 38th Parallel, Yong-su pays a broker to smuggle in Juni and spends each agonizing day buying drugs and vitamins for his son.

Free of contrived melodrama, "Crossing" reads like a documentary. Shock flickers across Yong-su's face when he learns that, in the South, T.B. drugs -- which he traded in his entire life to attain -- are free. Cellophane-thin children called "kkotjebi" eat noodles off the ground in the marketplace. Soldiers beat a pregnant woman at a re-education camp. A family smuggling in the Bible disappears without a trace after a visit by secret agents. A woman traumatized by her child's death during the crossing to China piggybacks a pillow. The list goes on, and a Kleenex would come in handy.

But "Crossing" isn't a simple mosaic of harrowing hardships. It provides a deeply human look at the spiritual transformation of a man who risks his life for his hungry family.

"The movie captures not even one tenth of the atrocity in the North," the director told reporters at last week's press preview in Seoul. Indeed, the mise-en-scene halts before the most graphic scenes unfold. But by giving you only a small taste of the direst human suffering, the limitless imagination takes flight.

Nevertheless, the realism is intact. "I had to re-shoot a scene where defectors are taken away by Chinese authorities. One of our defector-turned-staff members saw it and said the resistance isn't violent enough. He told me, 'You don't understand the degree of desperation. You'd bite in the very least,'" said the director. North Korean natives were present throughout the shoot, including the assistant director Kim Chul-yung and a North Korean diction coach.

For the lead actor, his role was particularly heartbreaking because he has a son who's 11, the same age as his onscreen son Juni. "It would probably take my son only a week of starving and suffering to become like those children. But I can't imagine how long it would take to cure defectors and their emotional scars for them to become healthy children," said Cha.

Currently some 10,000 North Korean refugees live in South Korea, but they face a second plight -- culture shock, isolation and indifference by the public.

"Crossing" finally opens after four shushed years in the making in remote parts of Gangwon Province and Mongolia. The movie premiered in Washington D.C. in April for the North Korea Freedom Coalition meeting. It is also scheduled to show at the European Parliament in July. Coming to theaters across Korea June 26. 12 and over. 112 minutes. Big House-Vantage Holdings.

Source: Korea Times

Yet another Joseon Dynasty hero swoops into prime time slot

Is it a time for heroes? SBS and KBS think so. Fast on the heels of SBS' masked marauder, Iljimae, KBS' Chil-woo, a veritable Joseon-style Batman, will swoop into the Monday and Tuesday night time slot on June 17.

Originally set to air tonight, the historical-action miniseries called "Choi Kang Chil Woo (Strongest Chil Woo)" got pushed back a week. News reports indicate that the date was delayed to avoid direct competition with MBC's "Isan," the final episode of which is set for June 16.

But "Isan" is just one of the many challenges that hero Chil-woo faces. With SBS set to crush Chil-woo before he has a chance to put up a fight, KBS needs to pull out all the stops early on to have a chance of winning.

SBS' currently popular "Iljimae" and its upcoming blockbuster "Sikgaek" are formidable foes in the race to get high ratings. And Chil-woo may not have what it takes to beat its competitors.

But singer-turned-actor Eric, who signed on to play the dark hero, disagrees. At last week's press conference, the 29-year old celebrity, also known as Mun Chong-hyok, said, "It is true; there are many similarities (to Iljimae) ... Initial comparisons cannot be avoided, but, with time, that will change. And the two shows do not air on the same days."

Pop star-turned-actor Eric stars as Chil-woo in a new drama. KBS(Left) Lee Jun-ki stars as the hero Iljimae. SBS(Right)

As Eric pointed out, "Iljimae" plays on Wednesday and Thursday nights, and "Choi Kang Chil Woo" will play on Monday and Tuesday nights. But will viewers want to tune into these heroes four nights in a row?

After all, both heroes are out for revenge. They both wear masks, carry out their deeds in the night, and were raised by foster parents. Add to that the long-awaited gastronomical epic, "Sikgaek," which is set to play on Monday and Tuesday nights starting June 16, and things are looking bleak for Chil-woo.

But the fight isn't over yet. Eric's star power - this boy band rapper won audiences over in the hit MBC drama "Phoenix" (2004) - may draw in a few fans. As this is his first historical drama, Eric has the opportunity to prove he can pull off the complex role of Chil-woo.

This KBS hero is a low-ranking officer by day and an assassin by night. The jovial and happy-go-lucky commoner transforms into the head of an organization of assassins which is trained to punish the corrupt.

If Iljimae is a bit more of a super-powered Robin Hood, then Chil-woo is a medieval Batman. Donning the black eye-mask - which bears a striking resemblance to Batman's, minus the ears - this dark hero delivers vengeance with a bite.

Based on the actions of one Kang-byun Chil-woo from the "Annals of the Joseon Dynasty," this historical romance travels back 400 years to bring audiences a slightly comical but mainly serious epic.

"The characters are drawn from fun episodes from the 'Annals of the Joseon Dynasty,' said director Park Man-young at a recent press conference. "This drama is not a fusion drama. Just the action sequences may seem a bit mixed because of the martial arts techniques used in place of more traditional swordfighting."

According to director Park, ordinary swordfighting techniques seemed too cruel, so they opted for less violent martial arts stunts.

But just how far will the hero's superpowers go? Will Chil-woo have some magical weapons, like Iljimae's invisible cloak?

Judging from the preview, this action romance looks more down-to-earth, but audiences will have to tune in to see for themselves.

"Choi Kang Chil Woo" airs on Monday and Tuesday nights on KBS 2 TV at 9:55 p.m. starting June 17.

Source: Korea Herald

Rotoscoped Film Shows Life in '4D'

"Life Is Cool'' is a rotoscoped film about three best friends ― from left, a heartbroken Romeo and a hopeless romantic and far right, a goofy playboy ― fall for the same woman. / Courtesy of CJ Entertainment

Director Choe Ik-hwan (``Whispering Corridors 4: Voice'') brings ``Life Is Cool,'' South Korea's first rotoscoped film. In this HD film project by CJ Entertainment, local production company DNA, which whipped up animation and graphics for ``The Animatrix,'' creates hip visuals for a friendly love story.

Rotoscoping is a process in which animators trace over a live action sequence, frame by frame. It goes beyond computer-generated imagery for larger than life effects. By utilizing what's only possible in animation, it gives 3D action added dimension ― it's tech savvy and digital but breathes life into the film.

``Life'' took only a month of actual shooting but almost two years and 140 artists for rotoscoping. One may wonder, why go through the trouble, as leading lady Park Ye-jin said. The director said he was inspired by ``Waking Life,'' a rotoscoped film that captures human life despite being digital.

The movie takes advantage of the beauty of animation, which enables ``cameos'' like the recently burnt down national treasure Soongnyemun and Hollywood star Jennifer Aniston.

``Life'' is fresh. As an animation, the constrained palette and simple silhouettes are markedly distinct from American or Japanese animations. While the subject matter ― complicated affairs of the heart ― is nothing new, its narrative approach is novel as it takes a ``4D'' look into life and love by delving deep into the male psyche.

In a press preview last week, Choe told reporters he was in trouble because the plot was inspired by a friend's actual story. It's basically about three best friends falling for the same woman and traces the respective dating styles of a goofy playboy, reckless Romeo and hopeless romantic.

In the movie, casting is key in establishing believable and amiable characters. Funny man Kim Su-ro draws laughs with his lax demeanor and ad lib-ridden lines as Il-gwon, a womanizing Ph.D student searching for the perfect wife. Kang Seo-jin capitalizes on his gentleman image as Tae-yeong, a disheartened teacher who violently refuses to forget his first love.

Comedian Kim Jin-su transforms his hearty laughter and beefy physique to play Seong-hun, the big guy with the sensitive heart who cooks like a veteran housewife while dreaming about the woman of his dreams.

Il-gwon turns his suave playboy tactics into top gear as he contemplates between two perspective wives, a rich but silly young woman or a beautiful but poor and sickly one. Our conniving playboy slowly falls in love with the latter, Yeon-u. However, things get complicated when she turns out to be Tae-yeong's ex-girlfriend he never got over and the very manifestation of Seong-hun's dream girl.

What could have stopped short of being a lighthearted romantic comedy gains added depth through sophisticated character development and layered narrative. The characters have flaws, tics and talents that are annoying and endearing, and they reflect different degrees of people we know. ``Life'' paints a portrait of urban life in Korea, as young men weep about careers, love, sex and friendships over a glass of soju or splash around like schoolboys in a public bath ― in the latter scene, ``overexposures'' were conveniently solved by rotoscoping.

This is a seriously funny animation for adults that will make you crave a round of drinks with old buddies.

Source: Korea Times

'My Mighty Princess' overcomes 2-year delay

"My Mighty Princess," a new romantic comedy directed by Kwak Jae-yong, is finally hitting theaters this month after a delay of more than two years, raising hopes among fans who still remember the filmmaker's hit, "My Sassy Girl."

The delay illustrates the deepening problems plaguing Korean cinema, when even work by a widely recognized filmmaker such as Kwak has to overcome a slew of hurdles.

Director Kwak, however, seemed relieved about the prospect at a press conference held in Apgujeong-dong on Tuesday.

"All the cast members signed on to the project because they counted on me, but they have been deceived. When I showed my screenplay to them, I told them all the wire action scenes would be done by doubles or stunts, but in fact the actors had to do all the wire actions themselves," Kwak joked.

The new movie follows Kwak's trademark format: a romantic comedy where a powerful female character gets involved with a weaker male. In "My Sassy Girl," Jun Ji-hyun played the quirky, fist-swinging girl and Cha Tae-hyun brought to life a passive yet kind-hearted Korean man.

In "My Mighty Princess," Shin Min-a ("Volcano High," "Sad Movie") plays So-hui, a martial arts prodigy, and her male partner is Il-young, played by On Ju-wan. As the plot involves so many martial arts skills, plenty of wire action sequences have been included and, thanks to the far longer-than-expected post-production period, those unrealistic images have been sharpened and honed by the film's computer graphics team.

Kwak said his new flick, however, differs from his previous melodramatic comedies such as "Classic" and "My Sassy Girl." "The new film is concerned about bright aspects - action, conflict, rather than emotions. The entertainment aspect plays a central part, so please just enjoy the show," Kwak said.

Kwak's assurance came after a painful delay that lasted two and a half years. Up until now, rumors grew that the project would never be produced given the repeated decisions to put off the release schedule.

Shin Min-a, the heroine of the film, also expressed her relief about the finalized schedule. "Two years and six months have passed since we started post-production work, during which time I have completed three other films. I was a bit worried about my attitude toward this movie because of the delay, but I'm confident now that I love this movie and have great expectations," she said.

On Ju-wan, who plays a character opposite Shin's, said he was also very worried about the fate of the film project. "At one point, I talked to director Kwak and half-jokingly said I wanted a personal copy so that I could at least watch it at home by myself," he said.

"When the delay lasted for one year, my anxiety soared. But strangely enough, when the delay lasted for two years, I came to think of the project in a positive way, and it seemed like everything would work out after all," On said.

"My Mighty Princess" will be released nationwide on June 26.

Source: Korea Herald

New 'Public Enemy' upgrades humor

In "Public Enemy Returns," the third installment of the police action series by director Kang Woo-suk, the most visible -- and welcome -- change comes from the central character, detective Gang Cheol-jung.

Gang, played by veteran actor Sul Kyoung-gu, still works as a quirky, almost uncontrollable detective who specializes in hunting down the vicious villains. But this time around Gang is much more tenacious: even after he gets stabbed by an attacker and goes through a major surgery, he springs back to his feet and runs after what he sees as "a public enemy."

The enemy is Lee Won-sul (played by Jung Jae-young), chairman of Geo-seong Group. An up-and-coming entrepreneur, chairman Lee runs a host of seemingly legitimate businesses, but his real business remains deeply rooted in his lifelong career of gangster. All of his employees are in fact members of a massive gangster group led by Lee, and their key business is to threaten, stab and kill for money.

Compared with the previous two installments, detective Gang looks bigger and more powerful, and even the evil character, Lee, comes with multiple psychological layers in a departure from the typically cardboard criminals. The movie also draws strength from a solid cast of supporting characters who do their part in throwing in more dramatic effects as well as a whiff of realism. The movie, however, is not exclusively devoted to action sequences. Jokes are inserted in key moments, softening the overall tone of the film and offering a much-needed Korean sense of humor. The credit of this enhanced comic effect goes to the screenwriter Jang Jin, an established filmmaker himself who is known to be adept at creating tongue-in-cheek comic scenes, which are plentiful in "Public Enemy Returns."

In the beginning, Detective Gang is seriously considering a career change. For years he has tracked down really bad criminals, but he does not have enough money to secure a decent house for his daughter and mother. Gang drops in at a bank to get some loans, but the bank clerk's answer is resolutely negative. After all, his credit rating, because of his dangerous and terribly busy job that does not come with corresponding monetary returns, is at rock bottom.

Gang files his resignation letter to his boss but nobody believes he's quitting. While he is trying to get out of his trap, something serous hits the town. Gang's team is confronted with two murder cases whose traces seem to be linked with Geo-seong Group chairman Lee.

Lee is a very affectionate father who brings his son to a weekend farm house to teach him lessons about nature and humanity. He loves his wife dearly to the point of obeying her orders whenever possible. But behind this gentleman's facade lies a hidden identity: a merciless gangster boss who makes money, even by recruiting high school students and training them to stand in the front line of deception and violence.

Noticing that Lee's dirty hands are linked with the murder cases, Gang sets aside his career problem and begins his investigation, which turns out be more dangerous than he imagines.

Sul Kyoung-gu has increased the energy of Gang's character, showing off a more relaxed yet seasoned touch. Jung Jae-young, despite his first-ever role of an evil character, has successfully created an intriguing persona who is hopelessly corrupted to the heart and yet humorously vulnerable in a way that generates plenty of sympathy.

The original "Public Enemy" was a commercial hit in 2002, and the sequel "Another Public Enemy" produced mixed results in 2005. The third installment of the series, which draws keen interest as a major Korean film with box-office potential, is scheduled to be released on June 19.

Source: Korea Herald