Author Archives: thekingcobra

Hallyuwood’s Vengeance

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  1. “Director Park has proven himself as an innovator in cinematography”
    Who is Park Chan – Wook?

  2. Screenrant
    November 28, 2011 5:30:17 AM EST
  3. Director Park Chan-Wook is famous for filming a wide range of genres but is most renowned for his vengeance trilogy that got him the best director’s award at cannes film festival. Some say he is a cinematic genius while others criticize him as being just a mere “tweaker” of better works. Nevertheless, ‘Old Boy’ and ‘Sympathy for Lady Vengeance’ are masterpieces.
  4. Director Park’s Vengeance Series

  5. Collider
    November 24, 2011 6:59:25 AM EST
  6. “Magnificent…Don’t miss it” Daily Telegraph
  7. The movie ‘Old Boy’ is about a man who was imprisoned for 15 years without knowing who did this to him or why. After being released back into society, he seeks vengeance  against the individuals responsible. ‘Old Boy’ is often referred to as  director Park’s best work and has inspired Hollywood producers to film a remake which is to be released in 2012.
  8. “The Best Revenge Thriller Since ‘Kill Bill'”

    “Lady Vengeance is Clearly a Work of  a Major Artist”

  9. Twitchfilm
    November 24, 2011 4:08:32 PM EST
  10. As the title ‘Sympathy for Lady Vengeance’ suggests, one begins to truly sympathize lady vengeance as the movie progresses. Just like ‘Old Boy,’ Lady Vengeance’ is being remade into a Hollywood film and will hit the theaters in 2012.
  11. What the fans have to say!
  12. “
    RT @drunkgirlTO: Seriously peeps, Park Chan-wook writes plot better than Shakespeare. Good luck remaking “Old Boy” Spike Lee!
    prabhat raj gupta
    November 16, 2011 11:15:55 PM EST
  13. “
    Watching Sympathy for Lady Vengeance before bed. Superb film that inspired Tarantino and Uma to create the character of the bride.
    Trent Gentry
    November 22, 2011 11:43:40 PM EST
  14. Hear what the professionals have to say!
  15. “Its magnificence is that it takes itself dead serious. It’s not entertainment, but it’s sure a piece of toughness.” Washington Post
  16. “In Lady Vengeance, revenge is ultimately a shabby, sordid business that leaves everybody soiled and in need of purification – or at least of a pie in the face.” Eye for Film
  17. Old Boy and Sympathy for Lady Vengeance Trailers
  18. Oldboy ( 2003 ) Trailer
    VINSINLAU
    April 8, 2011 8:15:46 PM EDT
  19. Sympathy For Lady Vengeance Eng Subbed Trailer
    filmsmashclassics
    April 30, 2011 7:57:46 PM EDT
  20. Best Scenes from Old Boy and Lady Vengeance
  21. Oldboy The Corridor Fight Scene
    Calengklik
    April 20, 2011 10:31:52 PM EDT
  22. One of the main reasons why the movie ‘Old Boy’ was such an inspiration to western producers has largely to do with the incorporation of unique filming techniques. This corridor fight scene, for example, would not have sufficed if director Park Chan-Wook wasn’t willing to go beyond the obvious.
  23. Sympathy for Lady Vengeance – Best Scene
    DaVeRVe
    November 25, 2008 12:05:46 AM EST
  24. As mentioned earlier, one begins to feel sympathy for Lady Vengeance when she is found guilty for a murder that she did not commit. In this particular scene, we can clearly see that she is not the criminal because of her clumsy demonstration of the murder. This is also the transition period in which an ordinary woman becomes Lady Vengeance.

The Face of Hallyuwood: Song Kang-ho

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<source: http://rheemok.egloos.com/414389>

When we think of American culture or specifically Hollywood, it isn’t necessarily the movies that catch our attention but rather more all the famous actors and actresses. The same could be said with the Korean film industry a.k.a. Hallyuwood.

<source: http://blog.joinsmsn.com/media/folderListSlide.asp?uid=theother&folder=36&list_id=8285295>

While there have been very few Korean actors and actresses who appeared on successful Hollywood films, actor Song Kang-ho has managed to gain popularity even in the west through films like “Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance” and “Memories of Murder.” In this article, we’ll find out exactly who he is and what inspired him to become an actor and eventually the face of Hallyuwood.

Song Kang-ho was born in 1967 at a place known as Gimhae and had an eye for acting even at a young age. Unfortunately, he was also born into a family with a history of credit crisis, making it difficult for him to pursue his dreams. Eventually, however, he graduates from Gimhae high school and joins various theater groups which help him develop his own instinctive acting style.

This unique trait that defines Song Kang-ho as an actor caught the attention of Kang Je-gyu who chose Song Kang-ho to be one of the main characters for the famous thriller “Shiri.” (If you want to learn more about the director and film read the article below written by my partner.) Since then, Song Kang-ho has been the very face of Hallyuwood and nominated as the best actor in famous film festivals such Cannes and Blue Dragon.

In a number of interviews, Song Kang-ho was asked “what was your biggest motivation in becoming an actor?” and he would answer “It would have to do with my personal upbringing.” (As mentioned earlier, Song Kang-ho’s family faced financial difficulties.) In his interviews, he explains that he just considered acting as a hobby when he was young. However, as the years progressed, he began to rely on acting to forget the pains and hardships of life. That is how a boy who tried to forget everything through acting became a world sensation.

A Tale of Two Sisters: Original vs. Remake 2

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<source:http://www.xyface.com/movie-the-ring-two>

Everyone knows of the characteristics that make Asian horror films unique. Unlike Hollywood’s gore movies, which is mainly focused on violence, Asian horror films actually delve into the human emotion of fear.

A well known Japanese horror film ‘Ring’ would be an ideal example. The reason why the film is so scary is that it shows anyone could die from doing ordinary things, in this case watching a video, reminding us that we are not even safe in our comfort zones.

<source:http://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?p=770131>

<source:http://www.desktopexchange.com/gallery/Movie-Wallpapers/The_Uninvited>

Korean horror movies could be understood in similar context. One of the most well known Korean horror movies ‘A Tale of Two Sisters’ directed by Jee-Won Kim was remade by Hollywood producers as ‘The Uninvited.’ In this article, we will be comparing how the remake is similar and different from the original.

<source:http://www.listal.com/viewimage/343965h>

‘A Tale of Two Sisters’ is about a family tragedy caused by the small and big disputes between the two sisters and their stepmother who constantly harasses them for some suspicious reason.

The movie starts out by showcasing Su-mi, one of the two sisters, in a mental institution. Up to this scene as well as the main plot is very similar to that of the remake.

<source:http://kalafudra.wordpress.com/2010/12/07/janghwa-hongryeon-a-tale-of-two-sisters-2003/>

In both movies the main events such as her stepmother beating her sister Su-yeon and seeing her dead mother crawling out of a closet all turned out to be just pigments of Su-mi’s imagination. In reality, Su-yeon was dead all along.

There is, however, one major difference between the two films. In the original, everything is centered on the main character Su-mi whereas in the remake it is Su-mi’s dead mother, referred to as the uninvited, that gets all the attention.

<source:http://img1.lln.crunchyroll.com/i/spire3/d26777ce4f71991631ba009ddb54e7661232579736_full.jpg>

<source:http://www.filmofilia.com/the-uninvited-trailer-5774/>

In addition, the two films are cinematographically very distinct from one another. In ‘A Tale of Two Sisters,’ the director paid a lot of attention to the scenery and minor details such as clothing. On the other hand, the remake seems to have been more concerned with highlighting the horror scenes. Nevertheless, both movies are fantastic horror movies that make us shiver every time we watch them.

My Sassy Girl: Original vs Remake

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<source>

–http://lang-8.com/179352/journals/582347

–http://woosoo.tistory.com/366

Most of us have seen or at least heard of the movie “My Sassy Girl,” which was a phenomenal success all across Korea and even inspired Hollywood film makers. When the movie first hit the Korean theaters in 2001, it amused people by keeping the scenes realistic but at the same time funny.

<source>

–http://www.ygosu.com/community/?bid=computer&idx=2750

–http://cyberpr.kbs.co.kr/cm/movie_show.html?cd=819

The main character, for example, meets his soon to be girlfriend inside of a subway train drunk. This is pretty common so no suprise there.However, she suddenly pukes on a passenger and suddenly says “Darling” to a complete stranger, the main character of course, right before blacking out.

A lot of the humor in the movie is not so much as verbal as physical. As a result, people of all ages were able to understand it and enjoy it. I believe this is the biggest reson why the movie was a huge success.


Seven years after its release in Korea, “My Sassy Girl” was remade into a Hollywood film. The remake is very similar to the original movie in terms of theme and setting.

<source>

–http://www.vnbits.org/my-sassy-girl-2008-720p-hdtv-x264-vietsub–s-298.html

–http://www.ampedasia.com/movies/My-Sassy-Girl/

To name a few similarities, the main characters meet at a subway, the girl has an outgoing personality unlike her boyfriend, and eventually a breakup leads to a makeup.On the other hand, there is a slight twist in story. The original is more focused on the interactions between the two characters while the remake primarily showcases individuals’ lives.

<source>

–http://www.vinok2movies.com/2010/11/my-sassy-girl-2008-english-version.html

For instance, there are many scenes that were devoted to revealing personal distresses of both the man and woman which were not emphasized as much in the original like in the remake. In addition, minor details such as the man’s age and the woman’s family have been changed. But despite all these differences, it is amazing how two different interpretations of the same movie can have the same effect on people: laughter.