Actors Keep `11th Mother' Afloat

Actress Kim Hye-su plays the role of a cynical woman who gets in touch with her maternal instincts in ``My 11th Mother.''

When you have a classic storyline and an amazing cast of top-notch actors, what can possibly go wrong? While a movie can go terribly off beam, fine acting can sometimes keep a film from drowning completely.

``My 11th Mother,'' is a conventional tearjerker. Director Kim Jin-sung (``Surprise Party,'' 2002) spices up the family genre a bit by throwing in some novel ingredients that work surprisingly well in the beginning. But the rest of the film goes sour ― rather than sweetly heart-wrenching ― and forcibly squeezes out tears.

Jae-su leads a cruel life for an 11-year-old. His father (Ryu Seung-ryong) is an abusive, gambling and jobless wreck of a guy, so the little boy has learned to survive on his own, cooking or carefully spending his food stamps and running a string of part-time jobs.

One day, his father shows up with a woman (Kim Hye-su). Apparently used to the comings and goings of such transient mother figures ― this one being the 11th as the title suggests ― Jae-su says ``mom'' without a wince.

``Mom? You didn't tell me you had a kid,'' says the gaudy woman. But her make-up and wig disappear to reveal a hungry, tired and disheveled woman who eats up all the food in the house when she's not in deep hibernation.

Jae-su seems to have dealt with all sorts of women, but this one is the worst by far. War ensues as the two squabble over a bottle of yogurt and such.

But even enemies join forces when a mutual opponent threatens, and Jae-su and the woman bond together against the violent abuse of Jae-su's father.

``Before I met you, I used to think I was the most pitiful person in the world… But no, I'm second and you can take number one,'' the woman says. She has led a rough life as a bargirl. Ailing and penniless, she was ``bought'' into a so-called marriage.

But Jae-su opens up her weary heart, and she learns the meaning of family for the first time in her life. The two lonely souls begin to accept each other as kindred spirits, and the deep empathy blooms into familial love.

Just when the two embark on a newfound relationship, unfortunately, time and circumstances separate them forever.

The film actually works pretty well up to the climax, when Jae-su and the woman build their bond. Subtlety reigns tastefully, but then it falls downhill into a contrived mess.

``My 11th Mother'' rests too heavily on extremities to force reactions from viewers. It takes it too far as it shows, for example, a lengthy scene of domestic violence, as the father relentlessly hits the boy and woman. The level of violence is a bit too much for a family drama, and the film could have been equally disturbing without showing it all.

And yet, the film doesn't die off completely, as it showcases the stellar performances of some of Korea's finest actors.

Actress Kim Hye-su (``Tazza: The High Rollers,'' 2006), Korea's ultimate sex symbol, trades in her femme fatale image to play a broken woman. Kim delivers the role most convincingly, with chipped nails and all. And while she demonstrates her ability to handle a role that's far from glamorous, she retains that unwavering sparkle in her eyes that shines through in all her parts.

Kim's young partner, actor Kim Young-chon, is thoroughly impressive. The 13-year-old acts with a natural instinct and innocence that many child actors seem lack these days. Korean cinema has much to expect from the young actor.

Ryu Seung-ryong (``Hwang Jin Yi,'' 2007) is also unforgettable as a man who, unable to express his affections, tragically falls prey to his own traps as a terrible father. And yet, the cream of the crop would undoubtedly be Hwang Jung-min (``Happiness,'' 2007), who stars as the pathetic guy next door, who gives the artificial drama a realistic edge.

Source: Korea Times

Jun Ji-hyun comes back to domestic film scene

Jun Ji-hyun is swooping down on the domestic film market again after a brief hiatus involving her latest effort to expand her career outside Korea.

Jun, who has built her Asia-wide fame with "My Sassy Girl" (2001), is playing opposite Hwang Jung-min in a new film, "A Man Once a Superman," to be released early next year.

The 26-year-old fashion icon's return to the domestic cinema scene follows the completion of "Blood: The Last Vampire," a film that critics said marks her full-fledged debut in Hollywood. She joined the shooting of "Blood," directed by Ronny Yu, in Buenos Aires, Argentina. The film, a remake of a Japanese animation with the same title, is also expected to be released in 2008.

Jun is using "Gianna Jun" as her official English name to increase the familiarity for English-speaking audiences, following advice that her original Korean name is hard to pronounce.

In the new Korean film project, Jun proved her star status. In July when the shooting for "A Man Once a Superman" began in southern Seoul, the streets were filled with people trying to get a glimpse of Jun.

On Wednesday, a shooting session in Haeri, Geyonggi Province, was open to the local press, and Jun held a press conference where she said the role was harder than she had originally imagined.

"I am feeling a lot of pressure since I'm coming back to the domestic film industry," she said. "In this film, I'm depicted as a person who does not put on any make-up, which is very different from my well-known image, but in fact that's closer to my real image."

In the film, Jun plays a documentary producer who helps out a man (played by Hwang) who believes that he is a superman who used to have, well, super-power.

But there are still concerns about her chance to prove her box-office power. Except for the blockbuster hit "My Sassy Girl," which represents the advent of the Korean Wave throughout Asia, Jun has not impressed the local audiences that much.

For instance, "The Uninvited" (2003) was not so inviting, after all, with tepid reaction from the local moviegoers. In 2004, "Windstruck" was released and the expectations were almost at a sky-high level because the film seemed to be perfected designed to maximize Jun's charm as an innocent yet provocatively sexy girl. But the results were equally disappointing.

In 2006, Jun tried her luck again with "Daisy," but despite the huge media attention toward her, the film did not make any strong impression on the local market, raising questions about her acting talent.

Even though Jun is the most sought-after fashion icon who wins one lucrative television ad contract after another, her acting seems to have hit a plateau since "My Sassy Girl," and critics are keeping their eyes on whether she can show any improvement in "A Man Once a Superman."

Source: The Korea Herald

Song Hye-gyo Poised for U.S. Debut

The popular Korean actress Song Hye-gyo is to make her U.S. debut with a leading role in independent film “Fetish.” The movie, which will be shot in New York, is a thriller about a woman with psychic abilities. Song will star opposite Austrian actor Arno Frisch who featured in "Funny Games.”

The movie’s casting director Susan Shopmaker, who has cast roles in some 50 major Hollywood films such as “Hedwig and the Angry Inch", met Song for the first time at the Pusan International Film Festival in October. Shopmaker was reportedly convinced of Song’s potential on the global stage, citing Song's beauty, mix of Eastern and Western charms and her acting in "Hwang jin yi," which was in the official selection at the PIFF.

Song’s agency said, “She has been getting offers from Hollywood, but none were as apt to show the true Song Hye-gyo. She also decided to appear in the movie since it is an independent film that fully reflects the director’s intentions. We are sure that this film will allow Song to spread her wings.”

The film is to be directed by Korean filmmaker Sohn Soo-pum. The New York University graduate is a laureate of the 2002 Student Academy Awards and was invited to the Cannes Film Festival that same year. With this movie, Sohn will present a story about oriental sorcery staged in New York. It will be released next year. Song left for New York on Wednesday for a month-long shoot.

'Our Town' maps out a new track in thriller

When a serial killer is on the loose in a small town, a tempting option for another potential killer is committing a copycat murder. "Our Town (Uri dongnae)," the debut feature by director Jeong Gil-young, is a thriller that spins a grim and brooding tale out of a confrontation between a serial killer and a copycat killer.

The movie starts with a scene where a twentysomething girl is found dead at an elementary school playground. With her neck tied to a horizontal bar, she seems to have suffered severe stab wounds before or after a brutal murder.

It turns out that the murder is the latest in a string of similar cases involving the same town in Seoul. All the victims are women, ranging from a child to a housewife in her 30s, and all the townspeople become afraid to go out, while the police are faced with embarrassing bad publicity.

Jae-shin (Lee Seon-gyun), a detective who leads an investigation into the serial killer case, struggles hard to find clues, with his boss getting anxious about the manhunt getting nowhere.

But Jae-shin has a personal channel to vent his frustration: his childhood buddy Gyeong-ju (Oh Man-seok), a self-styled writer who wants to hit it big with a realistic detective novel. But publishers do not want his novel, so Gyeong-ju cannot make any money to pay the rent.

The plot accelerates when Gyeong-ju gets engaged in a bitter fight with his landlord and ends up killing her in his own room. At first, he does not see anything and does not have any idea about what he has to do. Soon he realizes that his town has a serial killer, murdering only women, and he believes he might get away with his accidental murder.

Following the details of previous murder cases, Gyeong-ju puts the dead body in a small town park, in the middle of the night. The police and the media believe the case also belongs to the notorious serial killer, but Hyo-e (Ryu Deok-hwan), who runs a small stationery shop, knows something really interesting has happened. Hyo-e knows it is a copycat crime because he is the real killer.

The virtue of the film is that director Jeong starts off with all the key plot elements exposed and fully explained. The two killers are well aware of the existence of their counterparts, and the film's camera tracks down what they are up to at every key moment. This is an innovative approach. Unlike other thrillers that tend to hide key information until the last moment, "Our Town" offers what is at stake up front, and challenges the audiences to follow the plot and what is really going on for themselves.

Also notable are the fine performances of Oh Man-seok, who has built fame as a leading television actor following his success on the musical stage, and Ryu Deok-hwan, a teenage celebrity actor who showed off his talent in "Like a Virgin." In this film, Oh plays a dark character who has long been sidelined by society. He used to be lonely; even now, his life is filled with disappointing turns and poverty. Oh's realistic portrayal of the character also comes from what is called "animalistic instinct." When the character is on the verge of a nervous breakdown, sparked by sheer anger, Oh seems to understand how to control his emotions in order to amplify the effect.

Meanwhile, Ryu lends authenticity to the serial killer's psychopathic state by keeping a calm and cool posture throughout the film. The serial killer has a complex web of emotions inside, including tactfulness, and a merciless killing instinct, and Ryu's innocent appearance adds to the perplexing sentiment when the character's hidden violence is exposed toward the end of the film. In particular, Hyo-e's emotion-packed murder of his old acquaintance is realistic enough to pump up the adrenaline of the audience, thanks to Ryu's amazing ability to infuse the character with vitality.

The film's heavy reliance on violent murder scenes may not appeal to mainstream audiences who want a happy ending in every drama, but those who want a serious thriller with a decent script are likely to find some fine moments in "Our Town," which will be released nationwide on Nov. 29.

Source: Korea Herald

'Our Town' Deconstructs Murder

In "Our Town," bona fide actors Rue Duk-hwan, left, and Oh Man-seok, center, star as two dueling killers, while Lee Sun-kyun plays the role of a police officer. Rather than being a cat-and-mouse chase between the criminals and the police, the crime thriller delves deep into the workings of troubled minds and crisscrossed human relationships. / Courtesy of IM Pictures

Unlike what its title might suggest, director Jung Gil-young's ``Our Town'' is not some fuzzy family drama. It's a crime thriller where five women are brutally killed. Not another serial killer story, you may say. But, again, the film kills your expectations as it takes you on a novel cinematic experience ― a flight into the mind of not one, but two, killers on the loose in what could be ``our'' neighborhood.

First off, the title needs some explanation. It is a literal translation of the original title ``Uri dongne.'' A Los Angeles Times column (July 24, 2006) once highlighted how the Korean language thoroughly reflects the collective nature of Koreans, who prefer the unassuming ``we'' over the individual ``I,'' and thus leads to the stapling of group pronouns ``our'' (uri) rather than ``my'' in front of objects. So saying ``our house'' or ``our town'' creates a communal sense of ownership and establishes a sense of mutual connection.

That's the irony. This is a violent and disturbing murder story that is definitely not for children ― so the ``our'' part doesn't work there. And yet, the movie suggests such horrors can happen next door.

In a quiet, ordinary neighborhood, three women and a young girl are ``crucified,'' with their dead bodies tied up in the form of a cross in public areas. Kyeong-su (Oh Man-seok), a struggling novelist, impulsively kills his landlady during a nasty quarrel over rent. With the recent happenings around town, he conveniently covers up his crime as the doings of the serial killer.

Kyeong-su's childhood buddy and police officer Jae-sin (Lee Sun-kyun) begins to suspect the fifth victim was a copycat case. Meanwhile the actual chain killer, Hyo-i (Rue Duk-hwan), begins to track down his mimic.

This isn't a conventional cat-and-mouse game between the police and murderer. The movie immediately reveals the who, what, when, where and how, and the action feeds upon the disquieting why part as the systematic murderer and impulsive killer trail each other's paths.

Even the most hardened of crime thriller fans will be able to taste something new, as the suspense is rooted in the mind game between two murderers. And it's more daunting yet as the story takes place within the context of a neighborhood.

Hyo-i is the great guy next door. He's the helpful owner of a small stationary store and has the face of an angel. Kyeong-su is also an ordinary guy, but can apparently commit murder when cornered. It shows how, in a spur of the moment, one can give into one's darkest desires and bestial urgencies.

What the movie does is play with the human thought process, the stark difference ― or lack thereof ― between imagination and reality, wanting to kill and the actual act of killing.

In one scene, the murderer makes a girl sing a song, but still takes her life with a smirk: ``It's just technique, nothing genuine'' (obviously he's not happy with the singing). Lee Moon-sae's good old love song is juxtaposed with the inhuman act, making it even more harrowing. It suggests the psyche of the psychopath, someone who kills for the sake of killing without a vengeful motive.

But unlike psychopath films like ``Black House,'' the movie deals with more ``humane'' murderers and does a decent job of portraying the aftermath of a trauma and the copycat effect on individuals. ``Our Town'' is an unsettling psychological drama that shows how the act of killing becomes a source of emotional release and rapture for the shattered soul. It deserves some comparison to Jean Giono's novel/film ``Un Roi sans divertissement'' (1963).

Although some of the highly dramatized, crisscrossed relationships in the film are slightly cliched, the bona fide actors ― theater stars Oh Man-seok and Lee Sun-kyun who have recently been giving stellar appearances on TV and rising star Rue Duk-hwan (``Like a Virgin'') ― give gripping, and disturbing, performances. These are neighbors you definitely don't wish for.

Source: Korea Times

Kim Tae-hee, Sul Kyoung-gu Battle Onscreen

A joking Sul Kyoung-gu, left, unveils the real side of actress Kim Tae-hee, at a press conference held to promote their new movie, “Venus and Mars.” In the film, Kim, who has mostly portrayed the pure and innocent girl image, plays hardball. / Korea Times photo by Lee Jae-moon

In the ``hardboiled'' romantic comedy ``Venus and Mars'' (working title), two unlikely actors have teamed up to give new meaning to a lover's quarrel. Screen star Kim Tae-hee has cast off her sweet and elegant image to play a bitter ― and violent ― woman while bona fide actor Sul Kyoung-gu has toned down his tough on-screen persona to play the battered husband.

``It's basically about two people, who, before getting married, couldn't stand being apart, but afterwards can't stand each other,'' said Sul during a recent press event.

The film could be seen as a homegrown version of ``The War of the Roses'' (starring Michael Douglas) with a touch of Brangelina's ``Mr. and Mrs. Smith.'' To this, director Han Ji-seung (``A Day'') said he was definitely influenced by the Michael Douglas movie, but ``Venus and Mars'' was actually inspired by the true, ultra-dramatic story of a friend and his girlfriend.

``Rather than focusing on romance, it's a story that defines love through fighting,'' he said.

Kim's character embarks on a mission to destroy, and nothing can stop her. She smashes her husband's car and sets things on fire, and flies around doing high kick and drags around a metal pipe (this is Kim Tae-hee, not a scene from ``My Wife is a Gangster'').

But Kim's character may not be so disparate from her real self.

``(Kim) Tae-hee confessed! When she was young she used to beat the hell out of her younger brother (actor) Lee Wan and scared the life out him,'' Sul exclaimed. ``The physical beating scenes were real ― she said she couldn't fake them and really kicked me!'' he said, complaining playfully.

``He really loves his body and wanted to spare himself,'' Kim retaliated, but went on to admit the abuse. ``I am actually hot-tempered. I think I was able to release a lot of what I've grown used to suppress,''

``My brother calls me `iron foot' because I used to kick him a lot… Once I broke a window trying to get him when he escaped to the veranda,'' Kim recalled her action-packed childhood ― smiling ever so sweetly ― to the shock of everyone present, except her co-star and director.

``I didn't really believe it until we went into shooting,'' said the director. ``She did that thing where you don't simply stop with kicking someone, but rub the spot with the foot afterwards ― now that's someone who's done some kicking before, because you're rubbing in the pain,'' he said.

``She hits you to the point where she hurts her own fist,'' added Sul. Yet Sul's string of grievances suggested his own similarity to his lily-livered character ― perhaps a sharp turn away from his strong characters in films like ``Silmido.'' But to this, he disagreed, saying that his previous roles were far from macho.

``They were really delicate characters who only resorted to aggression because of their instabilities. I think this role is a continuation of this,'' he said. ``Besides, I really am a bit timid and grumbling.''

As for Kim, her surprising departure from the fragile heroine of TV drama ``Love Story in Harvard'' does not stop with hard kicks. This project shows she's more than just a pretty face.

``Pretty, neat and proper… are not the words (to describe Kim),'' Sul continued to tease his co-star. ``She's really down to earth and one tough ball. She'd jump into fires and do wire action without hesitating one bit, so the stunt person went home in vain… And she runs like a man, an athlete,'' he said.

``Because I have such a soft image I wanted to show a fresh, new and more dynamic side in the film,'' said Kim. ``I was also attracted to the movie because I love romantic comedies, but it's not romantic at all ― that's why is called `hardboiled.''' The supporting cast, actor Seo Tae-hwa and musical-actress Jeon Su-kyoung, also joined the three to discuss their role in heating up this war of the sexes.

For the press event, comedian Park Hong-su revealed an online survey listing top five reasons for fighting with a significant other: when she/he 1. apologizes insincerely; 2. doesn't get my message; 3. says she/he isn't angry but sulks; 4. blames me for everything without thinking of what she/he's done wrong; and 5. is kind to everyone except me.

Source: Korea Times

Film puts new spin on domestic violence

Director Han Ji-seung enjoyed a high degree of popularity in the 1990s with sophisticated films such as "Yellow Ribbon" and "A Day," but since 2000 he has not made a movie.

He is coming back with "Venus and Mars (Ssaum)," which will hit the theaters on Dec. 13. The film is drawing attention not only because it is Han's comeback feature, but also because the country's top actors took part in the project.

The new film stars Sol Kyung-gu ("Public Enemy" and "Silmido") and Kim Tae-hee ("The Restless"), and the peculiar storyline -- a married couple fighting viciously and violently -- raises speculation about how the two stars have adapted to their new, challenging roles.

For Sol, acing tough is a piece of cake. He is, after all, adept at playing the tough guy. But what he has to deal with in "Venus and Mars" is a seemingly frail and vulnerable character played by Kim, who is now the most sought-after actress in Korea. Of course, Kim's character is not so fragile once the couple gets entangled in a series of bitter life-or-death battles. Since violence is a key element in the film, "Venus and Mars" is being promoted as a "hardboiled romance," a term that needs some explanation.

At a news conference held on Friday, director Han explained to reporters that he has long been interested the romantic comedy genre, and has attempted to go in the opposite direction. "I thought it would be interesting to combine romantic comedy with something that is not so romantic," he said.

But a couple fighting to death is not an entirely new concept. "The War of the Roses," a 1989 feature directed by Danny DeVito, has a similar storyline. But director Han insisted that his new film goes takes a new cinematic track. "I like 'The War of the Roses' but it's very different from my film because I wanted to focus on the fighting itself, not depicting love in any romantic way."

Han said he took a motif out of a real couple he knows, who continued to fight for about two years and yet maintained their marital relationship.

Sol Kyung-gu plays Sang-min, a narrow-minded yet sensitive character. "Many people got a strong impression of the previous characters I played, but on a closer look the characters did have some vulnerable aspects, and I believe Sang-min amplifies such hidden characteristics," Sol said.

Sol said what was unexpected was Kim Tae-hee's willingness to act tough. "In the movie, I usually got hit and punched, and she didn't pull any punches," he said.

Director Han said a scene involves Kim kicking Sol mercilessly, and he felt a sense of exhilaration when Kim kicked Sol and then twisted her feet on the very spot she attacked. "She definitely knew how to kick effectively," Han said, laughing.

Kim plays Jin-a, a character who steadily becomes violent in response to the callous treatment from her husband Sang-min. "I was drawn to Jin-a because I thought she had some similarities to my own character. And I also wanted to change my static image," she said. "Fighting is also an important process in getting to know each other. Perhaps we fight because we love each other too much," she added.

Source : Korea Herald