Steamy thriller Perfect Proposal – or more literally translated as Secret Temptation – has received an English subtitled trailer ahead of its June 4th release date in Korea.
Based on French novel “La Femme de paille” (Woman of Straw) by Catherine Arley, the scandalous story depicts an ambitious young man (Yoo Yeon-seok (유연석) attempting to scheme a fortune from his sickly uncle (Lee Kyeong-yeong (이경영), enlisting the help of an attractive yet heavily-indebted woman (Im Soo-jeong (임수정) to do so. If she can marry the old man and manipulate him into changing his will so that she inherits his fortune, the pair will be rich forever more. Yet things don’t turn out as planned.
Director Yoon Jae-goo (윤재구), who previously helmed Secret (2009) and wrote Seven Days (2007), adapted the screenplay as well as taking the megaphone, and it will be interesting to see how he has interpreted such thrillingly seductive source material.
Perfect Proposal also signifies the return of actress Im Soo-jeong after a three year absence from the big screen, and playing a particularly different role from her last outing in Everything About My Wife.
The trailer for director Kang Je-gyu‘s latest film Salute D’amour (장수상회) – also known as Long Lives – has been released with English subtitles.
Salute D’Amour tells the story of elderly Sung-chil, a grumpy convenience store clerk who becomes besotted with nearby flower shop owner Geum-nim. Unskilled in the art of romance, Sung-chil asks advice from boss Jang-soo on how to woo his lady love, and as their relationship develops Sung-chil finds himself changing in unexpected ways. Challenges arise however in the form of Geum-nim unapproving daughter.
The romantic comedy is focused on a middle-aged and older audience demographic, continuing what has now become quite a trend in the Korean film industry, and appears much more light-hearted in tone than previous offerings such as C’est Si Bon.
Judging from the trailer Salute D’Amour is quite a stylistic departure for director Kang Je-gyu, who holds a strong reputation for being an initial part of the Korean wave with taut thriller Shiri and for his epic scale as displayed in war films Taegukgi, My Way. More recently director Kang indicated his new aesthetic through short film Awaiting, about a couple separated by the events of the Korean war.
Salute D’Amour boasts a stellar cast including acclaimed veteran actress Yoon Yeo-jeong (Hill of Freedom), as well as hot stars Jo Jin-woong (A Hard Day) and Han Ji-min (The Fatal Encounter).
Continuing on from our discussion of the Korean independent film industry, the fine people at Kobiz and I turned our attention to more commercial fare by deliberating over the upcoming Korean films of 2015.
To listen to our conversation, where we discuss the assortment of big names making their return to the silver screen and the challenge represented by Hollywood’s big blockbusters, please see below.
For the March 2015 edition of Korean Cinema Today’s podcast series, I was very fortunate to be invited for a discussion about the Korean independent film industry by the lovely people over at KoBiz.
To listen to our conversation, in which we debate the strengths and frustrations within the indie scene as well as exciting new talent that has recently emerged, please see below.
Empire of Lust (순수의 시대), the first big period epic of 2015, has unveiled a trailer featured English subtitles.
The tale takes place during 1938 as the kingdom of Koreyo gives way to the new era of Joseon, with the various royal, military and political factions all vying for power. With betrayals, revenge, and no small amount of lust all featuring, Empire of Lust looks set to be an intriguing addition to the Korean period drama canon.
Director Ahn Sang-Hoon (안상훈), who helmed thriller Blind back in 2011, appears to have evolved as a filmmaker judging by the stills released so far which is promising. Empire also features a stellar cast in the form of Shin Ha-Kyun (신하균) (Save the Green Planet), Jang Hyeok (장혁) (The Flu) and Kang Ha-neul (강하늘) (Mourning Grave) as the figures vying for power, while the female roles – and no doubt the objects of lust – are relative newcomers Kang Han-na (강한나) (No Tears For The Dead) and Sa Hee (사희) (Marbling).
Empire of Lust is due to be released in March. See below for the trailer and character posters.
One of the great joys of Korean cinema are the unexpectedly fascinating twists and turns of plots; of startlingly powerful scenes examining issues of ‘han’ juxtaposed with quiet, intimate ones; of characters who endure the most difficult of circumstances in Korean society yet refuse to falter.
Here we celebrate 10 of the most memorable moments of Korean cinema from 2014.
The scenes discussed are featured in alphabetical order of the films they featured in, and mark the most emotionally resonating, the funniest, and most shocking moments of the year
Following a minor conflict with customers at the supermarket, Hye-mi ends her shift and prepares to leave…until those customers, headed by management, descend upon her demanding an unwarranted apology. However a mere apology isn’t enough for the spiteful patrons. In an unbearably humiliating scene, Hye-mi is forced to get on her knees and beg forgiveness for something that wasn’t her fault, with director Bo Ji-young impressively building the indignity and shame to anger-inducing levels. Actress Moon Jeong-hee is incredible throughout the scene, wonderfully conveying the soul-swallowing, abject shame she is forced to endure in order to keep her job.
Such economic arrogance certainly strikes a chord with Korean audiences as, ironically, only a couple of months after Cart‘s release, the Korean Air ‘nut rage’ scandal enraged the country and calls forth the exact same issues dealt with in the film.
The Fatal Encounter was certainly one of the most attractive Korean films released in 2014 and is a stunning debut showcase of director Lee Jae-gyoo’s prowess.
In one of the most intense scenes, King Jeongjo plans to visit his grandmother…yet rather than an old woman, he is confronted with stunningly beautiful actress Han Ji-min. During the encounter the sexual tension and danger of the situation is palpable, as the two engage in a battle of wits while the ‘grandmother’ seductively bares her perfect skin to the young king.
The scene wonderfully captures the danger and eroticism of the period with incredible tension, highlighting not only director Lee’s skill but also the acting abilities of Han Ji-min and Hyeon-bin.
When police officer Yeong-nam decides to act as guardian for troubled youth and domestic violence victim Doo-hee over the summer, neither of them could ever expect the end result. Incarcerated due to her sexuality, Yeong-nam’s life is effectively over, until Doo-hee takes matters into her own hands.
Plying her father with alcohol until he passes out, Doo-hee undresses and crawls into his bed before calling the police and, while the line is connected, shockingly fakes sexual abuse at his hands, incriminating him as the perpetrator of a horrific crime while also exonerating the innocent Yeong-nam.
Actress Kim Sae-ron is simply excellent throughout the disturbing sequence, conveying Doo-hee as vulnerable yet frighteningly manipulative.
When the immigration plans go awry, the cutting begins
Agreeing to take illegal Chinese immigrants into Korea, captain Cheol-joo becomes increasingly nervous…particularly when the coastguard comes for a surprise inspection. The crew hurriedly force the newly acquired passengers into a special room in the hull until danger has passed, yet when they reopen the hatch they are horrified to discover the immigrants are all dead.
Not knowing what to do, the ruthless captain orders his men to grab a tool and begin cutting up the bodies and to throw the limbs overboard. As the crew horrifically hack and slash their way through the innocent travelers the deck literally turns red with blood.
Director Sim Seong-bo brilliantly stages the terrifying scene with wonderfully composed shots and the dense, lingering fog within which the brutality takes place.
Detective Go genuinely has one of the most difficult days in his career. His mother has died. He is under investigation by internal affairs. And he kills a man in a shocking hit and run accident.
Desperate to get rid of the body, Go does the unthinkable and decides to put the body in the same coffin as his dead mother. Yet in order to do so, he must position his car perfectly, use his daughter’s toy to drag the body through an air vent, unscrew the nails in the coffin and replace the lid – all while avoiding CCTV cameras as well as the funeral parlour workers. Amazingly Go manages to succeed in his frantic quest and begins to relax….until the man’s cellphone begins ringing from inside the coffin.
Easily one of the most exciting, darkly hilarious moments of the year.
One of the most powerful stories is the forced termination
Let’s Dance is a moving, insightful documentary on the topic of abortion in Korea. Director Jo Se-young expertly interviews a variety of women who have undergone the procedure – some who actively wanted it, some who were in a difficult situation and needed it, and one who was forced.
Listening to the woman’s story is heartbreaking as she describes her relationship with a selfish, manipulative boyfriend who refused any part of the situation and forced her to deal with it alone. As she explains her trepidation surrounding the issue and the resultant lateness in having the abortion, it’s impossible not to be deeply, fundamentally moved. The descriptions of her situation and psychologically at that time are incredibly powerful as well as illuminating, and poignantly highlight the need for support for women in challenging relationships and situations.
In the film’s final moments, Mr. Park reveals his younger self
For much of the running time, Miss Granny is simply a mild-mannered comedy, one that induces the occasional giggle rather than laughter.
That all changes however during the film’s final few minutes as elderly Mr. Park, who had desperately tried to woo Mal-soon (and supported her younger self, Doo-ri), visits the same magical photography studio. He then visits the bus stop to meet Mal-soon, approaches her, and takes his helmet off to reveal…Kim Soo-hyeon.
Through this genius cameo, cinemas exploded as viewers screamed and whooped at Kim’s presence, and guaranteed that cinemagoers would leave the theater excited and spread positive word of mouth about the film. You can see Kim’s big reveal in the video below.
In an extremely emotional scene, Sang-mo washes his wife
Revivre is a highly emotional film, largely due to the phenomenal acting prowess of Ahn Sung-gi.
In the film’s most powerful scene, Sang-mo’s (Ahn) terminally ill wife loses control of her bowel and soils herself, and as a dutiful husband he takes his wife to the bathroom and washes her. Yet the abject humiliation is too much to bear and she emotionally breaks down in tears, while Sang-mo tries to support her and remain strong. However what makes the scene so poignant is its depth. Sang-mo’s love for his wife has faded and he is merely being a responsible husband, which his wife is all too aware of. As such the intensity of her embarrassment and the emotional resonance of the situation are heightened beyond words.
A masterclass in acting ability by Ahn Sung-gi and Kim Ho-jeong.
As Korean unfortunately has one of the highest rates of suicide in the OECD, and one which is especially high amongst teenagers, naturally filmic narratives have sought to portray the issues youths face on a daily basis. Most films tend to focus on the teen suffering from abuse, yet Thread of Lies instead explores the lives of those effected by Cheon-ji’s suicide with flashbacks revealing her decent into depression and those responsible for it.
Modern bullying is distressingly articulated through the birthday party scene, in which Cheon-ji arrives at the event late after being told the wrong time. When she does enter, all the girls at the party begin using a social messenger application to spitefully criticise the distraught young girl right in front of her. Her loneliness and isolation are poignantly captured in this powerful scene, conveying that everyone in Cheon-ji’s life contributed to her depression and are accountable for her suicide.
Easily the most controversial film of the year, The Truth Shall Not Sink With Sewol examines the inept response following the disaster, with the investigative journalist style elevating the documentary heads and shoulders above other releases.
Yet the most emotionally harrowing scene comes in the film’s last few minutes, as director/journalist Lee Sang-ho joins a protest march as parents of the deceased demand action from the government. Asking a father about his feelings and regrets, the grieving man sobs as he states how he wishes he’d told his child to not listen to the officials, how he wished he’d said to run and escape, how his child is not alive today because of his poor advice. Director Lee desperately attempts to console the father despite his own free flowing tears…and audiences were right along with them.
With the end of the year almost upon us, it’s time to revisit the films released over the past 12 months in order to discern the best offerings from the Korean film industry for 2014.
First, however, a quick review of the year is in order to chart the highs and lows from the peninsula, as it was a tumultuous time for Korean cinema indeed.
For those who cannot wait, please scroll down to find the top ten of 2014.
2014 – In Review
2014 was, by all accounts, a rather lacklustre year for Korean cinema.
Miss Granny (수상한 그녀)
The beginning of the year was undoubtedly dominated by Hollywood. While the release of several high profile Korean films including Plan Man, Man in Love, Hot Young Bloods and Venus Talk occurred, none of them performed particularly well, especially when faced with the gargantuan success of Disney’s Frozen. Things changed at the end of January with the release of Miss Granny, thanks largely to positive word of mouth. Starring Shim Eun-kyeong as an elderly woman transformed into twenties, the mild-mannered comedy was a fairly big success scoring over 8.6 million admissions. Controversial independent film Another Promise also performed impressively. Concerned with people stricken with cancer after working at a Samsung factory, the film was all but rejected from multiplexes causing outrage from critics as well as accusations of insider suppression, even prompting an article from UK outlet The Guardian.
For the next few months, Korean cinema continued to stagnate until things went from bad to worse in the wake of the tragic Sewol Ferry disaster on the 16th of April. With the entire nation reeling from the loss of so many lives – mostly high school students – cinemas, understandably, largely remained empty. For the next few months, with the population still in a collective state of mourning, attendance and revenue was considerably down compared to the year prior, with audiences also tending to stay away from violent films such as No Tears For The Dead and Man On High Heels.
Indie success came in the form of Han Gong-ju. Released in April, the film scored over 60,000 admissions during its first four days, and eventually surpassed 160,000 during its box office run to become one of the most successful independent films in the history of Korean cinema. Han Gong-ju was also an enormous hit on the international film festival circuit, achieving several top honours as well as acclaim from cinema maestro Martin Scorsese.
Things turned around considerably in late July. Upon release, KUNDO: Age of the Rampantbroke the record for opening day admissions and helped to breath new life into the industry…until that record, and virtually every achievement in Korean cinema, was decimated by historical naval epic The Admiral: Roaring Currents. Shortly thereafter the final two tentpole summer films – The Pirates and Haemoo – also graced screens to moderate success. Fears that the blockbusters would fail due to narratives that contain deaths at sea, and thus touching on the still sensitive issue of the Sewol tragedy, luckily proved to be unfounded.
The next big news to hit the industry came in the form of controversial documentary The Truth Shall Not Sink With Sewol. Premiering at the Busan International Film Festival, Sewol depicted the ineptitude of the government in failing to save so many lives during the disaster. Park Geun-hye’s administration responded by demanding the withdrawal of the film from the festival, as well as threats of funding cuts. BIFF refused, and it remains to be seen what ramifications the decision will have on subsequent festivals.
The year ended on a high note, particularly for independent cinema, as positive word of mouth led to documentary My Love, Don’t Cross That River (님아, 그 강을 건너지 마오) attracting over 1 million viewers and knocking Hollywood films Interstellar and Exodus from the top spots at the box office. It currently stands as the second most successful documentary in Korean cinema history.
Before beginning the top ten countdown, it would be impossible to exclude any discussion of Han Gong-ju. Rated in joint first place in last year’s ratings (due to its premiere at BIFF), director Lee Su-jin’s directorial debut is bold, powerful, and emotionally resonating. Featuring an outstanding performance by Chun Woo-hee – who won Best Actress at the Blue Dragon Film Awards – Han Gong-ju is based on the true story of a high school girl who is forced to relocate to a new area following an horrific event. As she attempts to rebuild her life, Gong-ju discovers that she cannot outrun her past however much she tries. Appearing at over 15 international film festivals and receiving acclaim from Martin Scorsese himself, Hang Gong-ju is not to be missed.
Manshin: Ten Thousand Spirits is a beautifully stylised, wonderfully constructed documentary that is emblematic of the new artistic approach being employed to genre. Directed by artist/filmmaker Park Chan-kyong, Manshin presents the life and times of renowned shaman Kim Keum-hwa through a startling array of storytelling devices, all in the aesthetic of traditional Korean culture. Periods from shaman Kim’s life are gorgeously reconstructed featuring three prominent actresses – Kim Sae-ron, Ryoo Hyeon-kyeong and Moon So-ri – which, while interesting in itself, is also a story that explores the cultural identity of Korea in the rapid transition from one of the poorest nations in Asia to the economic powerhouse it is today.
Amalgamating several real life stories that have transpired over the years, Korea’s most prominent queer director, Lee Song Hee-il, released arguably his most compelling film to date in the form of Night Flight. Poignantly depicting the relationship of two teenage gay Seoulites and their desire to escape their oppressive environment, director Lee Song goes beyond focusing primarily on the romance by profoundly developing the world they inhabit. The harsh education system, the class divide, single parent families and social injustice all feature, and as such homosexuality is naturalized as simply another facet of identity that youths struggle with, resulting in an insightful and compelling drama.
Documentary Let’s Dance is concerned with the topic of abortion in Korea. Director Jo Se-young brilliantly interviews a variety a women who have undergone the procedure, inquiring about their thoughts, reasons and feelings about the controversial subject matter. Yet the film is far from bleak; in fact it’s quite the opposite. During the refreshingly frank conversations the women laugh, joke and cry about their experiences, while dramatic recreations of comical events are interlaced within, making the documentary a genuinely funny, enlightening, and empowering film. The film also hilariously pokes fun at male ignorance on the subject, including lack of awareness regarding contraception and even the length of pregnancy. Inspirational viewing.
Director Boo Ji-young’s insightful second feature film Cart premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival to great acclaim, and for good reason. Based on the true story of unfairly dismissed supermarket employees who began strike action to be reinstated, Cart is a consistently impressive exploration of worker’s rights, women’s issues, and single parent families in contemporary Korea. The provocative drama explores each facet from several distinct perspectives and never fails to be engaging. It also has the distinction of being almost entirely female-centered to great effect, with acting duties from a host of incredibly talented actresses of all ages, combining to produce a moving, courageous and provocative socially-conscious drama.
South Korea has the unfortunate distinction of having one of the highest suicide rates in the OECD. Thread of Lies tackles such difficult subject matter by exploring the lives of those effected in the aftermath of a young girl’s suicide, and is a powerfully provocative film in that the story not only depicts bullying and depression, but also delves into the problematic realm of accountability. Driven by the need for answers, Man-ji begins investigating her younger sister’s suicide, with the conclusions proving to be a painful experience. Thread of Lies is also notable for having a stellar all-female cast, a real rarity these days, with the array of talent combining to produce an understated yet deeply resonating examination of an important social issue.
Easily the most controversial Korean film of the year, documentary The Truth Shall Not Sink With Sewol premiered at the Busan International Film Festival to uproar. Under pressure from government officials and the mayor of Busan/Festival Chairman Seo Byung-soo himself to remove it from the schedule, BIFF ultimately refused and screened it anyway to reveal a highly emotional and courageously critical exploration of the administration’s disastrous rescue efforts following the Sewol tragedy. Through the investigative approach of director Ahn Hye-ryong and journalist/director Lee Sang-ho, the documentary is a powerful tribute to not only the victims of the event but also the ongoing debate of accountability, and the collusion between the state and mass media.
If there’s one genre synonymous with Korea cinema, it’s the thriller. Yet over recent years thriller films have tended to fall a little flat, a result of over-saturation combined with a lack of ingenuity. Not so with director Kim Seong-hoon’s A Hard Day. Premiering at Cannes Film Festival, the action extravaganza is perpetually riveting entertainment and a wonderful example of great popcorn cinema, so much so that the 2 hour 30 minute running time simply flies by. Featuring an exciting array of set pieces throughout, A Hard Day is a constant mix of excitement and tension that serves to keep the audience guessing – due in no small part to the phenomenal editing – while the ironic dark humour laced within the story always hits the mark.
Nominated as Korea’s official entry for the Academy Awards, Haemoo – or Sea Fog – is based on the horrific true story of illegal immigration gone wrong. Director Shim Seong-bo’s directorial debut is a thrilling visual tour de force, expertly capturing the fraught claustrophobia of life on a small fishing vessel and the abject horrors that occur. Produced by Bong Joon-ho and featuring cinematography from Hong Kyeong-pyo (Snowpiercer), the drama expresses a profound and distinctive aesthetic throughout, as well as great performances from the stellar cast and particularly from up-and-comers Han Ye-ri and Kpop star Park Yoochun. As such, Haemoo is certainly one of the best Korean thrillers in recent years.
After seemingly years of performing authoritarian cameo-esque roles, Ahn Sung-gi once again revealed why he’s considered one of the best in the business with an outstanding return to form in Revivre. Veteran director Im Kwon-taek‘s 102nd film, Revivre explores the life of a middle-aged vice president whose wife is stricken by a terminal illness, yet while he struggles to balance his responsibilities a beautiful new deputy manager begins working in the office who captivates him. What could easily be yet another typical male fantasy is given extraordinary emotional depth due to director Im’s and Ahn Sung-gi’s seasoned hands, both of whom combine to depict a man torn between duty and desire with striking sincerity.
Director July Jung’s directorial debut A Girl At My Door premiered to a standing ovation at the Cannes Film Festival, which in itself states the incredible power of the film. Produced by famed brothers Lee Chang-dong and Lee Jun-dong, the drama beautifully explores the themes of alienation and discrimination in contemporary Korea, featuring phenomenally understated performances by Bae Doo-na and Kim Sae-ron, as well as accompanied by some of the most exquisite cinematography seen all year. The sensitive and poignant story wonderfully captures the issues faced by those on the fringes of Korean society with incredible sincerity, and as such occupies the top spot in the list. Highly recommended and essential viewing.
Best Film was awarded to politically charged drama The Attorney which also saw Song Kang-ho win for Best Actor and Kim Hee-ae for Best Supporting Actress.
Best Actress went to Chun Woo-hee for her performance in independent drama Han Gong-ju and appeared genuinely surprised by her victory, so much so that she cried upon receiving the award. Her tearful acceptance speech can be seen below. Han Gong-ju also picked up another award, this time for Lee Su-jin for Best New Director.
The award for Best Director went to Kim Han-min for helming The Admiral: Roaring Currents, which also scooped the Audience Award for Most Popular Film.
Meanwhile action thriller A Hard Day scored Best Supporting Actor for Cho Jin-woong, Best Screenplay for Kim Seong-hoon, and Best Editing for Kim Chang-joo.
Best New Actress went to Kim Sae-ron for her role in A Girl At My Door, while Park Yoo-chun scored his 4th Best New Actor victory for Haemoo.
The winners of the best actor and actress categories from the night
Working Girl – also known as Casa Amor: Exclusive for Ladies – has released a series of promotional posters and a trailer.
The sexy comedy stars Jo Yeo-jeong who, following a mistake in the work place, joins forces with neighbour Clara to open a store that sells adult toys and other paraphernalia exclusively for women.
Jo Yeo-jeong is no stranger to films with sexual content, baring all in erotic period dramas The Servant and The Concubine. Model Clara, meanwhile, has acted largely in cameos yet captured the attention of the Korean public following a baseball pitch wearing skin tight clothing, and has since gone on maintain a presence in the spotlight.
Check out the trailer, character trailer and posters below:
While the film looks to be a light-hearted sexy comedy, it remains to be seen whether Working Girl will be an empowering film about female sexuality, or simply exploitative. 2014 has not been a particular good year for Korean actresses due to the predominately male-centered narratives, with many female performers ultimately forced to occupy explicit sexual roles. Due to the incredibly limited roles for women, even up and coming actresses Lim Ji-yeon (Obsessed), Lee Tae-im (For the Emperor) and Esom (Scarlet Innocence), despite being considered rookies in the industry, have all performed in graphic sexual scenes, scenes which often border on rape.
Hopefully director Jeong Beom-sik – who has previously helmed mostly horror fare including Horror Stories 1 and 2, as well as Epitaph – will construct a comedy where the heroines of the story take charge of their sexuality, and will usher in a brighter and more diversified year for Korean actresses.
Working Girl will hit Korean cinemas on January 8th, 2015.
The star-studded extravaganza known as The Daejong Film Awards took place on Friday the 21st of November, and as with most years the results were a mixture of predictable winners, pleasant surprises and ‘what the?!’ moments.
Unsurprisingly, the Best Film award went to the record breaking historical epic The Admiral: Roaring Currents (명량 -회오리바다), which also saw Choi Min-shik win Best Actor for his turn as legendary Admiral Yi Sun-shin. Given the popularity of the film as the highest grossing production in Korean cinematic history, the result was expected although it’s a great shame that The Attorney (변호인) and Song Kang-ho were not recognised.
Best Director went to Kim Seong-hoon for A Hard Day (끝까지 간다), which is a great result considering that Admiral director Kim Han-min was also in contention. Meanwhile the highly – and arguably most – competitive category, Best New Director award went to Yang Woo-seok for The Attorney, who also received the prize for Best Scenario for his collaboration with Yoon Hyeon-ho.
The big shocks were reserved for the female-centered awards. Despite receiving international praise and a host of awards, Cheon Woo-hee was criminally overlooked for her role in Han Gong-ju (한공주) in favor of Son Ye-jin for The Pirates (해적: 바다로 간 산적) for Best Actress. Furthermore in the Best New Actress category Lim Ji-yeon won for her role in Obsessed (인간중독), in spite of the enormous praise heaped upon Kim Sae-ron forA Girl at My Door (도희야). Han Ye-ri (Haemoo (aka Sea Fog (해무) also missed out to Kim Young-ae (The Attorney) for Best Supporting Actress, although Han’s co-star Park Yoo-chun won Best New Actor.
hangukyeonghwa.com 