The Foul King (Banchikwang) 2000

Kim Jee-woon is famed for his beautifully crafted and violent films, so it was a bit of a reminder for me to see The Foul King (2000), his sophomore feature and until now the only one I had not seen form his filmography. It was a swift reminder that his films were not always as polished, however the film is definitely Kim’s as it showcases his trademark dark humor and fascination with the dark human psyche.

One of the most visible Korean films of the moment is Kim’s sixth film, the brutal I Saw the Devil (2010), an uncompromising vision of just how primal our instincts can be and how our hypocrisy can excuse even the most horrific behavior. As far as its aesthetics, plot, and casting are concerned, it brings to mind A Bittersweet Life (2005) the most, which also stars Lee Byung-hun as a man driven to merciless and unrelenting revenge. From a thematic standpoint though, it recalls Kim’s inspired debut, The Quiet Family (1998), a very original black comedy that was remade by Takashi Miike as The Happiness of the Katakuris (2001). This film, about a family that runs mountain lodge, follows their misfortune, as accidental deaths taint their new venture until they become violent and amoral by the narrative’s conclusion. Just like I Saw the Devil, The Quiet Family assumes that everyone has the potential for unspeakable violence. 

Dae-ho in the grip of his boss' headlock

The Foul King is not quite so dark, but it cannot escape the director’s interest in our questionable morality as human beings. Song Kang-ho plays a discontent and ineffectual bank clerk (Im Dae-ho) whose sole ambition is to be able to break out of the grip of his boss’ headlock. When his frustration becomes too much, he pursues wrestling in order to attain his goal. The narrative doesn’t get much denser than this, there’s subplot involving his colleague and we meet his disinterested father a few times.

It is not uncommon to hate your boss and to want to beat him, so at first Dae-ho’s focus on it does not seem strange but it is the catalyst for all the violence that he surrounds himself throughout the film. He gets in touch with his aggression and this has two clear effects: on the one hand, it spurs his ambition, he becomes dedicated to wrestling, trains diligently, and eventually gains people’s respect, including his own; on the other hand what starts as a venture to defend himself against his bully boss leads him to stab people in the head with forks and other acts of violence which are less and less fuelled by revenge and become geared towards entertainment.

Just like The Quiet Family, The Foul King exhibits Kim’s knack for black comedy, this is ultimately the film’s greatest strength and due in no small part to Song Kang-ho-s central performance, one of his first leading roles. This is also the role that made him a star and it's easy to see why. I've spoken many times about the emasculated males that are so prevalent in Korean film and it makes sense to bring it up again here as Song's character and performance carry all the traits commonly associated with this phenomena, such as the hierarchical nature of his professional life and the unconventional, and comical, nature of his fight scenes.

The climactic fight

The film may not be the technical masterpiece that Kim’s later films would be but it does employ some clever techniques, especially in it’s dizzying, brutal, and lengthy wrestling finale. Slow motion and other editing techniques are used effectively and framing, as well as props and production design add a welcome note of absurdity to the proceedings.

Perhaps the film’s most important theme, and certainly an important one for moviegoers around the world who seek the confines of musty theaters for escape and respite, is the search for and confirmation of identity. Dae-ho is shy and unassertive but he becomes a decent wrestler, although he needs to wear a mask, and since he is the cheating ‘Foul King’, he has no honor. This helps him in his private and professional life but he must still do away with the mask, as he can ony confront his father and profess his love for a colleague from behind it. In the film’s visceral and climactic wrestling scene, his mask is finally torn off. This spurs him to equally match his superior opponent but Kim has a little fun with this ‘self-discovery’ when Dae-ho confronts his boss for a final showdown, which is scored with Western musical cues, only to slip as he charges towards him. Very funny but also telling, how much can a person really change?

Memories of Murder: Part VII - The Host

Bong Joon-ho is a filmmaker who is meticulous and knows what he is doing at all times, his intelligence and acute understanding of the needs of Korean audiences have made him incomparably successful in the theatre of contemporary Asian cinema.  With Memories of Murder he took the image of the emasculated male and he subverted and subjugated it and yet at the same time deified it to created a box office sensation that was choke-full of sociological pertinence.  His next film was even more successful and possibly more ambitious, certainly from a technical standpoint.  Essentially he took his lens and did for the South Korean melodrama what he had already done for masculine identity with Memories.  The Host is the highest-grossing Korean film of all time, and still sits comfortably on that laurel.  lt is a difficult film to label; when it was released overseas it was billed as a Jaws-like monster movie but to simplify it to that level does it a great injustice.  At its core it is a family melodrama that is punctuated and informed by the genre’s lengthy evolution in Korean cinema.  It is also monster movie, a comedy, and a political and social critique.  Song Kang-ho, although no longer employed within the civil service, reprises his stereotype as the post-traumatic emasculated male.  Here he is Park Gang-du, who runs a riverside store hut with his father, the archetypal family head, who was also in Memories playing the local chief inspector.  Song Kang-ho's character also has a young daughter and two siblings: a sister, who is a gifted archer and an alcoholic brother.

The family 'grieving' the loss of their youngest

The family is most definitely scarred. There is no mother as she has died, and the young daughter's mother ran off after she was born.  The archer sister is an extremely talented but intensely reserved individual who crumbles under the slightest amount of pressure.  The brother is a former student activist who has now more or less been cast out of society and idles his time drinking on unemployment. The father is also a mess and probably most like Gang-du, he desperately tries to keep the family together and attempts to stop all the in-fighting.  Whenever he opens his mouth, his demeanor seems to suggest the temperament and nobility of a wise old man but after a sentence or two the spectator along with his children recognize an old crackpot who takes himself more seriously than everyone else does.  The granddaughter is mortified by her embarrassing father and serves to represent a bored generation that has little respect for their parents; however she is portrayed in a positive light as she would likely outfox the whole bunch.  The narrative unfolds when a monster emerges from the Han River and after going on a rampage, steals the daughter.  Then against the oppressive and bumbling military rule which is attempting to contain the situation, as well as the antagonizing influence of the American military, the family draws together to retrieve their youngest and most valuable family member.  The film is extremely sophisticated in its approach to a plotline that could easily veer off course but it carries on with verve and winds up being so entertaining that it is totally irresistible.  The film, just like Memories, succeeds enormously in representing the Korean family and the engrained obstacles that it must face as a unit. "Commercially driven Korean melodramas serve to illustrate some of the defining features of Korean films and the societal contexts in which they are produced".

Song Kang-ho in The Host

The Host also displays a certain and very recent trend in South Korean, namely the process of using multiple genres within the same narrative and successfully creating post-modem and accomplished works of entertainment whose main focus is to deal with certain sociological and historical issues. Another such film is the delightfully off-kilter Save the Green Planet (2003), which involves aliens, a punk version of Over the Rainbow, extreme torture and a swarm of killer bees “Korean filmmakers found that by blending and bending existing genres, they could create works that appealed to audiences who wanted something new”.  The Host has been the most successful of these films and to date the most fully realized.  The film is highly melodramatic and manipulative but steers us very smoothly to certain emotions and conclusions on certain sociological issues that pervade the narrative and all the while it is highly amusing.  By blending these different genres, the hybrid that has resulted, much like the monster (or The Host of the title), is clear evidence of the "transmutation of historical genres that engage this process of recuperation".

The film's narrative ends with the death of the girl in a show down which harkens back to the brutal student demonstrations of the 1980s, it is highly emotional and while it is set in the present, it does bring us back to that time.  The loss of the new generation as well as the  destruction of the eldest generation (as the patriarch also perishes in the narrative) leaves the 684 generation forced to band together and face their own traumas without the help of others.  However, the film's coda makes light of this as a year later the events are replayed on the news but those watching turn it off as they are too busy filling their bellies.

Previous: Part VI - Psychoanalysis and Scarred National Identity

Next: Part VIII - Conclusion

Korean Cinema News (06/06-06/12, 2011)

News this week mainly focused around titles acquired for distribution and film festivals. No trailers but a few videos and the box office report.

KOREAN CINEMA NEWS

The Yellow Sea Acquired by Eureka for UK Distribution
UK distributor has picked up Na Hong-jin's sophomore feature and plans to release it on October 21st. There are still no plans for its release in the US, although Fox, which produced it, is expected to do so. (Twitch, June 6, 2011)

No Doubt Invited to Shanghai International Film Festival
Park Soo-yeong's new film No Doubt has been invited to the Shanghai International Film Festival which is taking place June 11-19. (Hancinema.net, June 6, 2011)

Cinema Guild Acquires US Rights to The Day He Arrives
Hong Sang-soo's latest film, which was well received when it played in the Un Certain Regard section of last month's Cannes, has been picked up for distribution in the US by Cinema Guild. (Indiewire.com, June 8, 2011)

Park Chan-wook Casts Matthew Goode in Stoker
Park Chan-wook's English-language debut has added Matthew Good to its cast. Colin Firth was originally attached to star in the picture with Mia Wasikowska. (The Belfast Telegraph, June 9, 2011)

Green Days: Dinosaur and I Reviewed
Anticipated Korean animation film Green Days: Dinosaur and I is reviewed by The Korea Times. The film is set to be released on June 23. (The Korea Times, June 9, 2011)

Horror Films Set to Invade Theaters This Summer
Korea's audiences are in for a scare or two this summer as numerous horror offerings are set to invade the multiplexes. Along with Hollywood's plate of scares, Korean horror will also make a splash this season with films such as White and The Cat. (Joong Ang Daily, June 10, 2011)

Zhang Jingchu to Promote Korea's Cultural Tourism
Korea’s Culture Ministry and the Korea Tourism Organization have selected Chinese actress Zhang Jingchu as a goodwill ambassador in a bid to promote Korea's cultural tourism. (The Korea Herald, June 10, 2011)

CGV Develops 4D Cinema
Korea's CGV Cinemas has developed four-dimensional cinema technology which adds the sensation of smell to the moviegoing experience as well as moving seats, drops of water, and gushes of air. After a successful test screening of Pirates of the Caribbean 4, Cinepolis will open 11 4D theaters across Mexico. (Guadalajara Reporter, June 10, 2011)

VIDEOS

Video Report from The Jeonju Film Festival

Kevin Lee reports on Korean cinema in this video for Ebert at the Movies. While ostensibly from the Jeonju Film Festival, it is really just a basic primer on the basics of Korean cinema. (Ebert at the Movies, June 10, 2011)

Jang Jin on Korea's Got Talent Judging Panel

In a curious career move, respected director and screenwriter Jang Jin is currently on of the judges for Korea's got talent. For those interested parties, the above link leads to a recent video of the show, no subtitles. (Youtube.com, June 2011)

BOX OFFICE

Panda Hangs On to First Place
Kung Fu Panda 2 led the marketplace for a second week but saw its haul dwindle by two thirds, nevertheless it has accrued 4 million admissions to date. X-Men: First Class dropped a little less for an additional 320,000 tickets. Meanwhile, Sunny continues to impress with a small drop and 270,000 admissions. Moby Dick and White: The Melody of the Curse both opened this week to midlevel numbers around the 170,000 mark. (Hancinema.net, June 12, 2011)


Korean Cinema News is a weekly feature which provides wide-ranging news coverage on Korean cinema, including but not limited to: features; festival news; interviews; industry news; trailers; posters; and box office. It appears every Wednesday morning (GMT+1) on Modern Korean Cinema. For other weekly features, take a look at the Korean Box Office Update and the Weekly Review Round-up. Reviews and features on Korean film also appear regularly on the site. 

To keep up with the best in Korean film you can sign up to our RSS Feed, like us on Facebook, or follow us on Twitter.

Korean Cinema News (05/30-06/05, 2011)

Another big week for Korean film news. Some great interviews and lots of (unsubtitled) trailers and a number of great features including a fascinating expose on the supposed liberal stranglehold over Korean cinema and an opinion piece on imagination in Korean film (can't say I agree with it). Box office at the bottom as always.

KOREAN CINEMA NEWS

Hollywood Inundated with Korean Animators

Korean animators are all over the Hollywood these days, with many taking on coveted roles, such as Jennifer Yuh, director of the current blockbuster Kung Fu Panda 2.  Other prominent figures include Kim Sang-jin, the first Korean head designer to work at Walt Disney Studios.  (korea.net, May 30, 2011)

The Journals of Musan Wins Yet Another Award
Park Jung-bom's highly revered film has added to its trophy collection again by winning the top prize at the Andrei Tarkovsky Film Festival. The jury was presided over by English thesp Ralph Fiennes. (The Voice of Russia, May 30, 2011)

The Unjust Confirmed for Melbourne

The Melbourne International Film Festival isn't until July 21st but a few early selections have been announced and they include the popular Korean action film The Unjust.  (Film Business Asia, May 30, 2011) 

Seoul Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender/sexual Film Festival Underway

The Seoul Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender/sexual Film Festival is underway in the Korean capital and will continue through June 8.  The festival, with the tagline "isn't it time to color yourself?" will present 24 international and domestic feature films.  (The Korea Times, May 31, 2011)

Opening Lineup for New York Asian Film Festival Announced
The New York Asian Film Festival, which will take place from July 1-14, has announced its opening lineup. There will be a special section entitled Sea of Revenge, which will feature: The Chaser (2008), The Unjust , The Yellow Sea, Bedevilled, Haunters, The Man From Nowhere, and Troubleshooters.  (Unseen Films, May 31, 2011)

Program for Cinema Seoul Power Unveiled
The Honolulu Academy of Arts will present its Korean Film Festival, Cinema Seoul Power from June 11-26. Included in the program are Blades of Blood, The Housemaid, and Secret Sunshine (2007). (Honolulu Art Academy, May 31, 2011)

Debut Film From North Korean Defector

North Korean defector Kim Gyoo-min is set to release his first feature film after having previously worked on films such as South of the Border (2006), Crossing (2008), and 71: Into the Fire (2010). Winter Butterfly is based on his own experiences and tells the story of a mother and son who suffered form severe food shortage in North Korea. (The Korea Herald, June 1, 2011)

Ambassadors Named for Seoul International Youth Film Festival

Actors Lee Chun-hee and Kim Sae-ron have been named as the ambassadors for the 13th Seoul International Youth Festival, which begins on July 7th The festival will present 143 films from 37 countries. (The Korea Herald, June 1, 2011)

Tang Wei Wants More Korea Roles

After her successful turn in Late Autumn, Tang Wei has landed a commercial in Korea but she is hoping to get more roles in Korean films, which she admires very much. (Arirang, June 1, 2011)

Lack of Imagination in Korean Cinema

Oh Jung-hun writes that Korean films pale in comparison with Hollywood as far as imagination is concerned. He cites how local will flock to new installments of franchises such as Pirates of the Caribbean to devour their creative worlds. (The Korea Times, June 2, 2011)

Network of Asian Fantastic Films Reveals Projects

The 4th Network of Asian Fantastic Films has announced its 23 projects which include new offerings from Kim Seong-ho (A Girl With Sushi Knife), Moon Seung-wook (Elysium), and Lim Tae-hyeong (Two Rabbits in Osaka). (Hancinema.net, June 2, 2011)

Review for New Thriller Moby Dick

The Korea Times takes a look at the new conspiracy drama Moby Dick, which is set to open domestically on June 9th. They praise the picture, from first-time director Kim In-je, for being painstakingly real. (The Korea Times, June 2, 2011)

Liberal Bias in Korean Cinema
Yu In-chon, Lee Myung-bak's first culture minister, is attempting to oust left-leaning figures in the culture office. Yu has been met with resistance but he is not the only one who believes that the left has gained too much control of the industry and may even be using it to promote it agenda. (The Dong-a Ilbo, June 3, 2011)

2011 Becoming Banner Year for Korean Animation
Many animated films have sprung up in Korea this year, including The Houses and Earth Rep Rolling Stars, and others are on the way, Leafie, A Hen Into the Wild and King of Pigs. However, the most likely to find international success is Green Days, to be released June 16. (Animation Insider, June 3, 2011)

More to Korean Cinema Than Meets the Eye
Abhimanyu Das writes that Korean cinema should be seen on an equal footing as the juggernauts of cinema like India and the US. He examines Memories of Murder (2003) to highlight his point. (The Sunday Guardian, May 2011)

INTERVIEW

Director Kim Jee-woon Interviewed

The director of the acclaimed I Saw the Devil sits down for an interview with Asian Movie Pulse in which he discusses the pressures of outside influences on films in the 21st century.  (Asian Movie Pulse, May 30, 2011)

Kim Kkobbi Interview at Terracotta Film Festival
Paul Quinn sat down with Kim Kkobbi, star of Breathless (2008), at the Terracotta Film Festival to discuss her career, acting style, theatre, and upcoming projects.  (Hangul Celluloid, June 5, 2011)

TRAILERS

Lots of trailers this week but no subtitles to go with them.

Poongsan (no subs)

Play (no subs)

Blind (no subs)

Head (no subs)

Mama (no subs)

Moby Dick (no subs)

Leafie, A Hen Into the Wild (no subs)

BOX OFFICE

Pandas and Mutants Pack in the Crowds
Kung Fu Panda 2 remained No. 1 this weekend with a decent hold and has accumulated nearly 3 million admissions to date. Meanwhile X-Men: First Class opened with a solid 630,000. Sunny continues to do well at No. 3 with 385,000, it has now topped 4 million admissions and is within striking distance of first place among 2011 releases in Korea. (Hancinema.net, June 5, 2011)


Korean Cinema News is a weekly feature which provides wide-ranging news coverage on Korean cinema, including but not limited to: features; festival news; interviews; industry news; trailers; posters; and box office. It appears every Wednesday morning (GMT+1) on Modern Korean Cinema. For other weekly features, take a look at the Korean Box Office Update and the Weekly Review Round-up. Reviews and features on Korean film also appear regularly on the site. 

To keep up with the best in Korean film you can sign up to our RSS Feed, like us on Facebook, or follow us on Twitter.

Suicide Forecast (Soo-sang-han Go-gaek-deul) 2011

I went into Suicide Forecast with little expectation, mostly because I didn't know much about it. I had seen a trailer some months back but it had no subtitles so it wasn’t much of an indication. All I could gather was that it was a comedy and that Ryoo Seung-beom wore long hair for his role as its principle protagonist. As I sat down at the CGV cinema near Downtown LA and the lights dimmed, I was at once excited by the curious opening credits sequence and taken in by the strong cinematography.

The basic elements of the plot laid themselves out quite quickly during the opening scenes. Ryoo plays Byeong-wu, an up and coming life insurance salesman who is about to hit the big league. He has a beautiful girlfriend who is concerned with his growing attention to consumer products and grooming, in a word, his vanity. We also meet a plethora of other characters who are all somehow involved in a car pileup that occurs when a petty thief who has swiped a young musician's money on the street steps into the path of a vehicle while he makes his getaway. Byeong-wu encounters a setback when one of his clients, when meets him late at night seeking comfort, commits suicide and thus loses his company money. This and other scenes, as well as the title, foreshadow the real impetus of the film, which will be a journey for Byeong-wu to become compassionate again as he races against the clock when it becomes apparent that four of his clients who signed at the same time will likely commit suicide when their two-year minimun requirement is met. This would be ruin for the young salesman so he makes it his mission to convince them to change their plans. His efforts are mostly fruitless at first but soon he learns more about them and discovers how to approach them in different ways all the while learning things about himself in the process.

An intriguing premise to be sure but the conclusion seems obvious and I hope I'm not spoiling too much by saying that it is. I’ve become used to Korean films that presented themselves as one thing, move quickly towards a conclusion only to turn into something else entirely. For the uninitiated it can be a jarring way of experiencing a film, but personally I love to have my expectations subverted. After the premise was set up I was assuming that this would be the case here because while the concept is good, it’s a little thin for the two-hour running time. So when the halfway point came about and little had moved forward and the simple ending began to seem inevitable, I grew restless and bored but mostly disappointed. Granted not all films need a big plot to create an engaging narrative, but Suicide Forecast lacked the urgency, verve, or creativity to really draw me in beyond the initial premise. It mostly relied on having interesting characters and as is common in Korean cinema, the narrative would pause to delve into their pasts and step out with richer characters. This works, to an extent, as we do get to know these characters and appreciate their motivations and trajectories. They are relatable and all quite different even though they are so tightly connected. The big dollops of melodrama are expected and perhaps necessary in such a narrative but the emotions they try to evince are not always earned.

Ryoo in the central role continues to show us how versatile a young actor he is. I remember first noticing him in the popular martial arts action-comedy Arahan (2004) but it was later in his roles as a delinquent juvenile (Crying Fist, 2005), an ex-boyfriend (Family Ties, 2006), and an entitled Magistrate (The Servant, 2010) that made me notice his considerable range. Once again he shows us that he can inhabit a character unlike the previous ones he has incarnated, although perhaps this time it is not such a major departure. While I think he did a good job with Byeong-wu, I don’t know that the character was as unique as he probably needed to be to fit well into this kind of an environment.

After a flabby and expository midsection, Suicide Forecast boils down to its inevitable conclusion. I knew it was coming and what to expect but despite myself and not completely to my surprise, the intense and emotional (albeit saccharine) mini-conclusions as each character finishes their journey are cathartic and well-rendered. As sentimental as the ending was, it was also a saving grace of sorts for the film. Following a curious opening act and a meandering middle, it embraced itself by lowering its ambitions and playing to its strengths.

Korean Cinema News (05/23-05/29, 2011)

Lots of news this week, including, festival news, castings, features, and much more.

KOREAN CINEMA NEWS

Director Jang Hun Preps Upcoming War Film The Frontline
Following on from his brilliant debut Rough Cut (2008) and his extremely successful sophomore effort Secret Reunion (2010), Kim Di-duk's former protege Jang Hun is readying The Frontline for release this summer. The big budget blockbuster stars Sin Ha-kyun and tells the story of the final jockeying over final borders in the closing moments of the Korean war, after a truce had been agreed upon. The film is set to hit multiplexes in July. (Twitch Film, May 23, 2011)

Kim Ki-duk picks up award at Cannes

After competing in the Un Certain Regard section at the Cannes Film Festival, Arirang, Kim Ki-duk's first directorial effort in three years has earned him the best film prize which he will share with German helmer Andreas Dresen whose film Stopped on Track was also in competition. (Joong Ang Daily, May 23, 2011)

Details and Poster Released for New K-Horror Ghastly

Plot details have emerged regarding Yang Yun-ho's follow-up to Grand Prix (2010), the horror film Ghastly. Horror-movies.ca has a look at the poster. (horror-movies.ca, May 23, 2011)

The Journals of Musan Triumphs at Tribeca

Park Jung-bum's The Journals of Musan has won yet another award, this time at the illustrious Tribeca Film Festival in New York. It was named the winner in the best new narrative competition and was awarded a $25,000 cash prize as well as a further $50,000 towards post-production costs. (KOBIZ, May 24, 2011)

Final Details from the Cannes Film Market

As the Cannes Film Festival packed up last week, details emerged regarding the final sales from the film market, which included more international sales of Na Hong-jin's The Yellow Sea this time to Scandinavia and the Baltic region. (Film Business Asia, May 25, 2011)

Joint Venture Between Korean and Japanese High School Students
A new project, funded by the Processing Together Charity, will bring eight Japanese students to Seoul where they will collaborate with eight Korean students to make a film dealing with their cultures and histories. (The Korea Herald, May 25, 2011)

Korean Entertainment Dictates Fashion Trends in China
Korean entertainment is massively popular across Asia. In China, as well as other countries, hallyu has become so pervasive that it has begun to influence local fashion trends. Many young Chinese consumers who are hooked on Korean TV drama and movies are keen to adapt their lifestyle and consumption choices in order to emulate their Korean idols. (The Korea Times, May 25, 2011)

Kim Ki-duk Produced Film Set for June

A new film dealing with the North is set to open domestically in June. Poongsan is produced by Kim Ki-duk and directed by Juhn Jai-hong. It tells the story of a mysterious man whose job is to transport goods across the border in three hours. (The Korea Times, May 26, 2011)

SIFF Launches Mobile Film Competition

50 films shot on smartphones will compete in the first ever Mobile Film Competition as part of the Shanghai International Film Festival. Park Chan-yu's Lofty Waves will be in competition. (CNN, May 26, 2011)

Sector 7 Presold to 46 Countries

CJ's much anticipated 3D monster film Sector 7 has presold its distribution rights to 46 countries. The film is Kim Ji-hoon's follow-up to May 18 (2007). (hancinema.net, May 26, 2011)

Korean Film Emerging in US Market
A great article about how Korean cinema and filmmakers are becoming more prominent in the United States. The new CGV cinemas were packed for screenings during the Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival of Late Autumn and others. Korea auteurs Park Chan-wook and Kim Jee-woon are prepping their Hollywood debuts while others, such as Jennifer Yuh, have already gained a foothold. (The Korea Herald, May 27, 2011)

Winners Announced for Baeksang Awards
Last Thursday, Lee Byun-hun won the prestigious Daesang grand prize at the 47th Baeksang awards. The Man From Nowhere came way with best film while Ha Jung-woo of The Yellow Sea and Tang Wei of Late Autumn walked away with the best actor and actress prizes respectively. Lee Chang-dong was also awarded best Director for Poetry. (Manila Bulletin, May 27, 2011)

Kim Ki-young's First Film Discovered

After being thought lost for more than half a century, Kim Ki-young's debut feature The Boxes of Death (1955) has been found. It was discovered in a US archive and screened in Seoul last Thursday. (The Korea Times, May 27, 2011)

Korean-American at the Helm of Kung Fu Panda 2
Hollywood latest blockbuster animation, the much-anticipated Kung Fu Panda 2, was shepherded to the screen by Korean-American filmmaker Jennifer Yuh. She started out as an assistant at Dreamworks in 2003 and she is the first Asian woman to direct at the studio. (Joong Ang Daily, May 27, 2011)

Kwon Sang-woo Set for Chinese Debut
Korean heartthrob Kwon Sang-woo is currently filmin Repeat, I Love You with Cecilia Cheung in China and will next be seen in Jackie Chan's Chinese Zodiac. (The Washington Post, May 27, 2011)

Seven Films to Get You Well Versed in Korean Cinema
Hancinema.com presents seven films that should get you well acquainted with Korean cinema. The list spans from 1999-2006 and includes, multiplex (The Host, 2006), arthouse (Peppermint Candy, 1999), and cult fare (Oldboy, 2003). (hancinema.net, May 28, 2011)

Next Hollywood Role for Lee Byung-hun
Lee Byung-hun is set to reprise his role in the sequel to G.I. Joe (2009) which will begin filming later this year. (hancinema.net, May 29 2011)

New 3DTV Breakthrough from LG
Korea's electronics manufacturer LG is set to heighten the 3-dimensional home entertainment experience with a new innovation which does not require the purchase of bulky and expensive 3D glasses. (Inquirer Technology, May 29, 2011)

TRAILERS

A couple of new trailers this week, sadly with no subtitles. Quick doesn't really need them however.

Hoichori (no subs)

Quick (no subs)

BOX OFFICE

Kung Fu Panda Knocks Out the Competition
The weekend was won by Kung Fu Panda 2 which amassed an enormous 1.5 million admissions, no doubt spurred by the fact that it was directed by Korean-American Jennifer Yuh. Pirates 4 saw half its loot disappear in its sophomore stint at the Korean box office but still managed nearly 600,000 admissions, it has 2.4 million to date. Meanwhile, Sunny didn't let up with nearly half a million tickets sold, bringing its total close to 3.5 million. Head opened small with 33,000 admissions and all other local fare was relegated to the bottom of the chart. (hancinema.net, May 29, 2011)


Korean Cinema News is a weekly feature which provides wide-ranging news coverage on Korean cinema, including but not limited to: features; festival news; interviews; industry news; trailers; posters; and box office. It appears every Wednesday morning (GMT+1) on Modern Korean Cinema. For other weekly features, take a look at the Korean Box Office Update and the Weekly Review Round-up. Reviews and features on Korean film also appear regularly on the site. 

To keep up with the best in Korean film you can sign up to our RSS Feed, like us on Facebook, or follow us on Twitter.

Korean Cinema News (05/16-05/22, 2011)

Korean films have been selling well at Cannes this week, Criterion has caught up with the times, and 3D Korean films are beginning to make an impact.  Some interviews and trailers this week and the box office report.

KOREAN CINEMA NEWS

Secret Sunshine to be released on Criterion DVD & Blu-Ray

Lee Chang-dong's film prior to Poetry is being released on DVD & Blu-ray in the US and not only that but Secret Sunshine (2007) is making it's way to home theaters courtesy of the Criterion Collection, long the go-to collection for serious film buffs.  This is an especially auspicious event as it is the first Korean film to be added to the series.  (Criterion, May 16, 2011)

Kim Ki-duk's Arirang Draws Controversy

In his latest film, Kim Ki-duk attacks the Korean film industry, including his former protege Jang Hoon for not being able to resist capitalism.  Kim has been withdrawn recently and with his comeback he seems more eccentric than ever.  (The Korea Herald, May 16, 2011)

Green Film Festival Kicks off in Korea

Korea's Green Film Festival got underway last Wednesday and is features 140 eco-related films throughout its 8-day run.  The event is hosted by the Green Korea Foundation and has various sections including: Climate Change and the Future, Green Panorama, Korean Eco-Panorama, Children of the Earth, Animals, Desertification or Forestation, and Eco-fantastic.  (The Chosun Ilbo, May 18, 2011)

Korean Film Night a Success at Cannes

On May 16, the Korean Film Council, in tandem with the Busan International Film Festival, Pucheon International Fantastic Film Festival and Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, hosted a Korean Film Night at the Cannes Film Festival.  The event attracted 540 guests, including many luminaries of the Korean film industry and other important figures such as the programer of the Cannes Film Festival and the Cannes film market's executive director.  (KOBIZ, May 18, 2011)

Finecut Scores Presales at Cannes

Korean sales company Finecut had a good run this year at Cannes and managed to presell a number of films, including many from last year such as Bedevilled, Midnight FM, and Cyrano Agency.  Among this year's slate, Finecut is in charge of both Hong Sang-soo and Kim Ki-duk's latest offerings.  (KOBIZ, May 19, 2011)

LA 3D Film Fest Awards Top Prize to Korean Filmmakers
27 Years Later, a 3D film from Shinterra and Joy Park was awarded First Place at the 8th Los Angeles 3D Movie Festival which was presided over by Hollywood experts including Chuck Comisky, the 3D VFX supervisor of Avatar (2009).  (The Korea Times, May 19, 2011)

Student Animation to Screen at Film Festival

A film made by the students of the Korean Academy of Film Arts will screen at the Annecy International Animated Film Festival.  The House will feature in the main competition section and has already been released by CJ domestically.  (KOBIZ, May 20, 2011)

INTERVIEWS

Park Jung-bum at SIFF
Before picking up his prize for Best New Director at the San Francisco International Film Festival, Journals of Musan director Park Jung-bum sat down for an interview in which he discusses his experiences that led to the making of his award-winning film.  (SF360.org, May 16, 2011)

Hong Sang-soo's Proust Questionnaire
Hong Sang-soo replie candidly to a Proust questionnaire put to him by Korean Cinema Today.  (Korean Cinema Today, May 17, 2011)

TRAILERS

A few trailers and clips this week. Sadly most do not feature English subtitles.

Sector 7 (no subs)

The Frontline (no subs)

White: Melody of Death (no subs)

The Cat (English subs)

The Yellow Sea (clip)

BOX OFFICE

Pirates Reels in the Crowds
The fourth installment in the ever-popular Pirates of the Caribbean franchise was met with a lot of success in the international marketplace and Korea is no exception.  With 1.2 million admission over the weekend, it is easily the biggest opening of the year, what remains to be seen is how it is received and how it will perform in coming weeks.  Sunny - 2010 is still holding strong with 535,000, barely down form last week, it has now brought in over 2.6 million spectators.  The Apprehenders suffered another big hit and is now all but guaranteed to fall short of a million admissions.  The only new Korean film ws The Cane which opened with just under 30,000 sales.  (Hancinema.net, May 22, 2011)


Korean Cinema News is a weekly feature which provides wide-ranging news coverage on Korean cinema, including but not limited to: features; festival news; interviews; industry news; trailers; posters; and box office. It appears every Wednesday morning (GMT+1) on Modern Korean Cinema. For other weekly features, take a look at the Korean Box Office Update and the Weekly Review Round-up. Reviews and features on Korean film also appear regularly on the site. 

To keep up with the best in Korean film you can sign up to our RSS Feed, like us on Facebook, or follow us on Twitter.

Korean Cinema News (05/09-05/15, 2011)

With Cannes underway we await with bated breath to see if any Korean films will walk away with some trophies.  For now some industry news to hold us over and this week's box office report.

KOREAN CINEMA NEWS

While Audiences Shrink, Box Office Grows

The box office report for the first quarter of 2010-2011 from the Korean Film Council shows that while audiences have slightly diminished, revenue is up due to varied platforms including 3D showings. 2011 is off to a good start with Korean films clinching 56% of the market while the earning rate is the best it has been in a few years. (KOBIZ, May 9, 2011)

Lots of Korean Presales as CJ Readies for Cannes

CJ Entertainment has secured a number of sales at the Cannes film marjet.  Chief among them is Tarbosaurus, the dinosaur action film and Sector 7, the 3D underwater monster film.  Also pre-sold was K-pop horror film White: The Melody of the Curse. (Screen Daily, May 11, 2011)

KOFIC to Offer 25% Rebate for Filming in Korea

To spur local business by enticing foreign filmmakers, the Korea Film Council has undertaken to launch an incentive program which will offer a 25% rebate on production costs on foreign films with a budget under 3 billion won shot in Korea.  (Korean Cinema Today, May 13, 2011)

Korean Films Finding New Niche Audiences

The Hollywood Reporter investigates the success of smaller Korean films that are finding niche audiences.  The film also alludes to the depression of Korean film industry.  While very informative be warned, this article is frequently wrong, for example: 'After hitting an all-time low in the mid-2000s', as I recall it this was the peak of Korean cinema.  I was also flabbergasted to find out that Battlefield Heroes cost nearly $80 million to make!  (The Hollywood Reporter, May 13, 2011)

10 Korean Films You Probably Haven't Seen

Japancinema.net offers up ten films from the 2000s that may not appear on more conventional lists.  Those listed include: A Good Lawyer's Wife (2003), Family Ties (2006), When Romance Meets Destiny (2005), Breathless (2008), and more.  (Japancinema.net, May 14, 2011)

Fox's International Strategy Pays Off with The Yellow Sea

In an effort to push into international markets, Fox International Pictures (FIP) has begun making films in local markets.  One example is Na Hong-jin's acclaimed The Yellow Sea which was a success in Korea and is now vying for the Palme d'Or at Cannes.  It is expected to do well at the Cannes film market.  (The Hollywood Reporter, May 15, 2011)

BOX OFFICE

Sunny on Top

This week Sunny - 2010 took the Box Office crown, commanding the marketplace with over 600,000 admissions.  The Apprehenders took a big hit and came away with 135,000.  Clash of the Families likely spent its last weekend in the Top 10, it has accumulated 2.5 million ticket sales to date.  (Hancinema.net, May 15, 2011)


Korean Cinema News is a weekly feature which provides wide-ranging news coverage on Korean cinema, including but not limited to: features; festival news; interviews; industry news; trailers; posters; and box office. It appears every Wednesday morning (GMT+1) on Modern Korean Cinema. For other weekly features, take a look at the Korean Box Office Update and the Weekly Review Round-up. Reviews and features on Korean film also appear regularly on the site. 

To keep up with the best in Korean film you can sign up to our RSS Feed, like us on Facebook, or follow us on Twitter.

Korean Cinema News (05/02-05/08, 2011)

Lots of festival news this week as well as a few reports on the state of the Korean Film Industry. This week also features some interviews and trailers. As always scroll down to the end for the box office report.

KOREAN CINEMA NEWS

Six Films Will Be Featured at SIFF 2011
The Lengthy Seattle International Film Festival will feature no less than six South Korean films this year. The line-up is strong but does not feature many premieres, the line-up includes: 71 - Into the Fire, A Barefoot Dream, The consolation in the water mother (short), Dance Town, Late Autumn, and The Yellow Sea. (twitchfilm.net, May 2, 2011)

LA Film Fest Lineup Revealed
The Los Angeles Film Festival, which will play out in downtown form mid to late June, has announced its lineup. A number of anticipated Korean films have been invited, including: The Yellow Sea, Cheonggyecheon Medley: A Dream of Iron, Come Rain, Come Shine, and Haunters. (filmindependent.org, May 3, 2011)

Anyang Wins at Jeonju
Now that the Jeonju Digital Festival has wrapped up, the winners have been announced. Park Chan-kyong's Anyang, Paradise City picked up the Korea feature film prize while Jean Gentil from Israel Cardenas won the international competition prize. (Film Business Asia, May 6, 2011)

KOFIC Opens New Independent Film Theater
Indieplus, a venue which will exhibit independent films has been established by the Korean Film Council was opened in Gangnam in March. (KOBIZ, May 6, 2011)

Resurgence of Korean Animation
Few Korea animated films have been released in the last decade and as a a result anumation enthusiasts in Korea have had to sate their appetite elsewhere with offerings from America (Pixar, Dreamworks, etc.) and Japan (Studio Ghibli). Korean animation is poised to make a comeback in 2011 with two new releases hitting theaters this summer: Leafie, A Hen Into the Wild, and Green Days. (Joong Ang Daily, May 6, 2011)

KOFIC's Keys to Industry Development
KOFIC recently released its six key tasks for the development of the Korean film industry. They are: creating sustainable growing engines by increasing the global competitiveness; improving the industry and creating a fair competition environment; building an industrial safety system through improving the working condition of staffs; accomplishing cultural welfare by expanding the public service; improving the operating process of KOFIC and expanding the communication channel with the film industry; building the fundament for the industry toward the future. (KOBIZ, May 6, 2011)

Emerging Popularity of Korean Cinema
The Diamondback takes a look at Korean cinema and its rising popularity in the wake of the declining efforts of Hollywood. They caught up with DC Korean Film Fest organizer Tom Vick and controversial Korean filmmaker Im Sang-soo. (The Diamondback, May 8, 2011)

INTERVIEWS

Q&A with Characters' Director and Actress
After a screening of Characters at the Jeonju Digital Film Festival, debut director Son Kwang-ju and lead actress Kim Su-hyeon took part in a Q&A session which was transcribed by AsianMediaWiki editor Ki Mun. (AsianMediaWiki, May 2011)

Interview with KOFIC Chairman Kim Eui-suk
Former film director Kim Eui-suk, the new chairman of the Korean Film Council, sat down to discuss the current state of the Korean film industry and the need to move into the international market now that the domestic one has reached saturation point. (KOBIZ, May 6, 2011)

TRAILERS

Here are a few english-subbed trailers for recent and upcoming Korean films, including more Cannes Trailers:

Detective K

The Yellow Sea

Fly By Night (short)

Finis Operis (short)

BOX OFFICE

Sunny - 2010 Advances to No.1
After two weeks of Hollywood blockbuster dominance, the foreign titans have fallen to domestic productions as Sunny - 2010, has grown in it's second week to take the box office crown, it has accumulated 620,000 sales to date. The Apprehenders saw a similar rise and now stands at a tad over 380,000 admissions. Both Thor and Fast Five saw their grosses dwindle by over 55%. Meanwhile, Suicide Forecast and Clash of the Families are wrapping up their runs with takes of 1 and 2.5 million to date. In Love and the War suffered a quick exit with a 90% drop. (hancinema.net, May 8, 2011)


Korean Cinema News is a weekly feature which provides wide-ranging news coverage on Korean cinema, including but not limited to: features; festival news; interviews; industry news; trailers; posters; and box office. It appears every Wednesday morning (GMT+1) on Modern Korean Cinema. For other weekly features, take a look at the Korean Box Office Update and the Weekly Review Round-up. Reviews and features on Korean film also appear regularly on the site. 

To keep up with the best in Korean film you can sign up to our RSS Feed, like us on Facebook, or follow us on Twitter.

Korean Cinema News (04/25-05/01, 2011)

I moved this past week and was without internet and phone for a few days until a few moments ago, so I apologize for the delay in this cycle of industry news.  Some festival news, a couple of good features, box office analysis, and a couple of trailers make up this week's content.  Again sorry for this taking so long, next week I'll be back on track and this will be more thorough!

KOREAN CINEMA NEWS

Could Hallyu Reunite the Korean Peninsula?

The Korean Wave (also known as Hallyu) has spent the last decade sweeping across Asia but could it now have seeped into North Korea.  A new report from two academics claims that it has, recent defectors have confirmed that people are purchasing films on the black market and tuning their sets illegally to view programming from below the border. Could this be a portend of things to come?  (Reuters, April 29, 2011)

Jeonju International Film Festival: What to Look Out For

The popular Jeonju International Film Festival got underway last Thursday.  Over at theoneonefour.com, Marc Raymond counts down his 10 most anticipated, including an early screening of Bela Tarr's new and perhaps final film, The Turin Horse, a Lee Myung-se retrospective, and much more.  (theoneonefour.com, April 26, 2011)

Veteran Actor Kim In-moon Succumbs to Cancer

At the age of 72, veteran actor Kim In-moon has passed on after a long battle with cancer.  He started his career in 1967 with Barefoot Glory and worked more-or-less nonstop for the rest of his life.  Due to his acquired handicap, he set up the Korean Disabled Actors Association, which he was greatly praised for.  (hancinema.net, April 25, 2011)

Korean Film Industry Fights Competition

Arirang reports that the Korean film industry is losing ground to emerging powers such as China and India.  The industry has reacted by opening centers in Los Angeles and Beijing.  In addition a meeting will be held at the end of this month to discuss the current state of affairs, 200 are expected to attend.  (arirang.co.kr, April 26, 2011)

Lee Chang-dong's Examines Korean Film History

Master director Lee Chang-dong writes an editorial for the Cannes Film Festival about the evolution and themes and the Korean film industry.  (Cannes Film Festival, April 2011)

Musan Adds to its Trophy Haul at Tribeca

Journals of Musan continues to rake in awards, this time at Tribeca where it has won its director Park Jeun-beom, the first narrative feature award.  (April 29, 2011)

TRAILERS

New trailers have been released for Korean films premiering at Cannes:

Kim Ki-duk's Arirang

Hong Sang Soo's The Day He Arrives

BOX OFFICE

US Blockbuster Marking Start of Summer Season Take Over

Thor has a strong opening in Korea with over half a million admissions, while Fast Five in its second week is inches away from the one million mark.  Meanwhile Suicide Forecast and Clash of the Families are still going strong after a few weeks of in release.  Korean war film In Love and the War got off to a decent start with over 100,000 tickets sold, while Sunny and The Apprehenders chalked up some mid-level numbers.  (hancinema.net, May 1, 2011)

Korean Cinema News is a weekly feature which provides wide-ranging news coverage on Korean cinema, including but not limited to: features; festival news; interviews; industry news; trailers; posters; and box office. It appears every Wednesday morning (GMT+1) on Modern Korean Cinema. For other weekly features, take a look at the Korean Box Office Update and the Weekly Review Round-up. Reviews and features on Korean film also appear regularly on the site. 

To keep up with the best in Korean film you can sign up to our RSS Feed, like us on Facebook, or follow us on Twitter.

Memories of Murder: Part VI - Psychoanalysis and Scarred National Identity

"The difficulty of separating the ego instinct (which he [Freud] equated with death) from the sexual instinct (which he equated with life) is attributed to their critical link commonly bound to the libido that is surely sexual, while also "operate[ing] in the ego"."

Freudian analysis of the emasculated males in South Korean cinema is necessary to understand the motivations of their actions within their respective narratives.  From Beyond the Pleasure Principle, Freud states "[The sexual instincts] are the true life instincts.  They operate against the purpose of other instincts, which leads, by reason of their function, to death".  As Freud states that the life and death instincts are inextricably linked, we can see that this is central to South Korean cinema.  Kyun writes "The death drive and the reconstitution of the elusive phallus posit an inevitable goal of many narrative movements", characters in films such as Peppermint Candy (1999) for example, demonstrate this clearly by positioning self destructive characters on a journey to regain their male subjectivity, often this is exemplified through phallic symbols and more overtly through fleeting sexual union.  In Memories, the life and death instincts abide in a very tight circle and unite paradoxically though incongruous character relationships.  Take Detective Park, the good guy, as stated before he is in search of his male subjectivity, even though he may not be fully conscious of this journey until much later in the film, but his duty throughout the narrative is to tail and catch a serial killer.  Therefore he is following death and his very motivation for actions and subsequently recuperation is an overt path of destruction that we, the audience, know from the start is doomed to failure.  Life will not be gained on his journey; it will only end in various instances, brutally and without explanation.

The image of corpse smash cuts to...

On the other hand, there is the serial killer, whom, while not present physically in the narrative (or at least never proven to be so), is a spectral presence in the film.  While he goes on his rampage of murder, he is in a way following the life instincts. He is also trying to reconstitute his elusive phallus and he does so by raping women, it is a perversion of the sexual instinct but nonetheless it shows a recognizable effort to recuperate.  However, the subsequent murder of his rape victims seems to contradict this, it is as though his path, like all other males in this area of cinema, is doomed to failure.  He engages in an act of violent and un-consensual sexual intercourse but fails to recuperate his male subjectivity.  Therefore his predetermined role as an emasculated male must become true and the narrative forces him to commit murder and draw ever further away from his goal.

...raw meat

However, back to the life and death instincts, it can be stipulated that any serial killer narrative (at least any that involves serial rape) offers a complex reversal of life and death roles.  Memories uses this genre for its own purpose and forces certain conclusions about the remasculinization of Korean males.  South Korean horror films in general have managed, very successfully, to subvert generic codes most commonly associated with Hollywood.  For instance there are a number of female serial killer protagonists that disrupt narratives by littering the screen with objectified male corpses, instead of attractive females.  Kyu Hun Kim, in his examination of Tell Me Something (1999) states that it "draws its horrific power partly from subverting and disrupting male-oriented scopophilia and the objectification of the female subject".  Memories does not reverse the gender roles but it does engage with scopophilia by challenging it.  The victims are for the most part very attractive women but we never see them while they are alive, save for a middle-aged women who is dressed down and a child, we only see their grotesque corpses which are pallid, bruised, contorted, and bug-ridden.  To make matters even worse for us sly editing techniques are used to throw us off balance.  In one case, after having examined the third victims’ gruesome body on the operating table we end on a very graphic and visceral close-up of the corpse only to immediately cut to a similarly framed close-up of blood red meat being thrown onto a red hot grill.  The sight of the corpse of a young child further into the narrative also serves to destabilize us; it even upsets the central protagonists who are meant to be hardened detectives.

Riots break out during a presidential visit

In terms of turning the lens on Korea there are a couple of elements that identify the killer as a symbol of a generation (a very violent one but perhaps not altogether singular).  The man that the narrative identities to us as the probable suspect is only a recent resident of the area.  He came from Kwangju, site of the infamous massacre of thousands of innocent civilians by the military, who reputedly "bayoneted students, flayed women`s breast, and used flamethrowers on demonstrators".  It is no accident that he comes from that particular area.  In addition the film is set in 1986, which was only a few years alter the incident that is viewed as one of the most traumatic for the country and is the lynchpin of the military dictatorship's regime in the 1980s.  Thus we can assume that this suspect is heavily traumatized and,  since he is very young, the massacre was probably the most influential moment of his life.  On the day of the massacre, the students and activists who were targeted, many of whom were women, were dressed in red.  The killer exclusively strikes victims dressed in red and only in the rain (it rained heavily during the Kwangju massacre). The sight of red sets him into a frenzy as he cannot erase the memory from his mind, he can only re-enact it again and again.  Other scenes in the film hint at this possibility, like the civil defense drills at night and in the schools where the children do not take them seriously, but most importantly during the brief presidential visit where riots break out.  The rioters are brutally beaten and Inspector Jo is among the oppressors as he violently attacks women on the street.

Inspector Jo attacking a woman

Joʼs position within the story becomes very interesting when he is later reprimanded by the superintendent for his excessive use of force and goes and goes to get drunk in Baek's family restaurant. It is here that his anger exhibits itself in its most violent manifestation as he brutally attacks the patrons of the bar and even seems to target the women.  He is clearly a part of a system which has compromised him and left him with very little direction but violence; he has become completely indoctrinated.  When he is once again reprimanded for his actions the superintendent kicks him down the stairs.  It isn't the violence that bothers the chief but how his reputation will be affected if the media finds out.  What seems to set Jo off in the bar is a female patrons' response to a news item on television about the investigation of a Detective for police torture and sexual assault when she says that "all detective's dicks should be cut off".  Jo is unable to control himself in light of this implicit attack on his phallns and loses control.  While not a sympathetic character like Detective Park, Inspector Jo does shed some light on what could have caused soldiers to become so violent in suppressing demonstrations in Kwangju. He is a character that has been manipulated so badly by the government that he can no longer control his own emotions and actions.

Previous: Part V - Female Representations

Next: Part VII - The Host