[movie 2005] Shadowless Sword 무영검 無影劍

Starring : Daejeonghyun, the last prince of Palhae (Lee Seo Jin) Yeonsoha, the best woman warrior of Palhae (Yoon So Yi) Kunhwapyoung (Shin Hyun Joon) Maeyoungok (Lee Ki Yong) Director : Kim Young-Joon (of BiChunMoo) Martial Arts Director : Ma Wi Chung from China ( also martial arts director for Swordsman) Investment/Distributor : New Line Entertainment, CJ Entertainment and Taewonent Official Website : http://www.balhae2005.co.kr/ Movie Trailer : http://www.taewonent.co.kr/english/down/tr...d_trailer_t.wmv Teaser Trailer : mms://vod.cine21.com/cine21.com/movie/trailer/2005/09/shadowless_sword_teaser_tr_700k.wmv Making of Movie Poster Clip : mms://media1.maxmovie.com/movieinfo/image/av/MaxShadowless%20making_01.wmv Music Video : mms://vod.cine21.com/cine21.com/movie/mvideo/2005/10/shadowless_sword_mv_700k.wmv Premiers in Korea : November 18 2005 Synopsis: After the fall of Sanggyongryongchonbu, the capital of Palhae in the year A.D 926, Georan tribe establishes 'Dongrankook' meaning 'Georan of the East'. Dongrankook dispatches Chucksaldan, a group of the hit squads and sweeps out the royal family in order to prevent a reconstruction of Palhae. Resistants who are composed of the rest of the followers of Palhae leave to find out the family member of the king, who is able to rebuild Palhae. Daejeonghyun, the last prince of Palhae When Daesoohyun, the last member of the royal family is killed by 'Chucksaldan' Lim Sun-Ji, the minister of Palhae is reminded of one person in a full of mournful atmosphere. Daejeonghyun, the last prince of Palhae who has been forgotten from people' memory since he was involved in the political strife of the royal family and condemned to exile 14 years ago! Now he is the only hope. Yeonsoha, the best woman warrior of Palhae Yeonsoha with an image of graceful and straight figure is the best woman warrior of Palhae, who always carries a shadowless sword (Mooyoungkeom) and shows a moderate swordmanship. She takes up the task of bringing Daejeonghyun to the camp safely in order to make him a king of Palhae. Now a missing story begins! Daejeonghyun is living as 'Sosam', a dealer in stolen goods with forgetting he was once a king and Yeonsoha has to take him to a journey in order to make him a king. They are chased by Kunhwapyoung, a head of Chucksaldam, and his follower, Maeyoungok along with the best skilled soldiers who are allured by Georan. Now a story of the pursuer and the pursued is unfold.. (source: www.taewonent.co.kr)

I've seen the teaser trailer. This movie looks promising. Yoon So Yi looks great in the role. I remember seeing her in Arahan. I think she fits these types of roles. And like some have mentioned before, she seems a bit underrated.

Can't wait until it's released.

July 28, 2005

Interview with Cast & Director of 무영검 (Shadowless Sword)

Here's a (edited, as always) collage of two different interviews Movieweek had with the Director, Kim Young-Joon of 비천무 (Bichunmoo), and two of the stars of the film.

MovieWeek: How do you feel after finally completing the shoot?

Yoon So-Yi: Both relieved and sad. I'm just happy we got the Chinese shoot done.

Lee Seo-Jin: I worried a lot. At first I was just asking myself if I could do well in China. As the shoot went on I changed my focus on doing well for the film's sake. But looking at the dailies and editing, at the action scenes and the sets I really felt there are a lot of unique points to this film. I'm really curious about the reaction the film will receive.

MovieWeek: It doesn't look like it was an easy film to star in.

Yoon So-Yi: The script was really fun and interesting, but I kept worrying about the film, because of the many action scenes and the fact it wasn't a film set in the present. The director really gave me a long time to decide, and at the end I just trusted him. I started rehearsals in October [ed. 2004], and started action training in November.

Lee Seo-Jin: I had many chances to do movies, but honestly I was a little scared. My previous films failed so badly [ed. 아이 러브 유 (I Love You) in 2001, 공포택시 (Ghost Taxi) in 2000], yet I was doing well in TV Dramas. But after 불새 (Phoenix) I really thought about finally returning to movies. Before accepting the role, the first thing I asked was if it was a multi-faceted character. As I kept reading I found myself relating to the character, and because it was so interesting I quickly accepted the role.

MovieWeek: What was your reason for casting those actors?

Director Kim Young-Joon: After 다모 (Damo), I wanted to show Lee Seo-Jin in a different light and we changed the script. His character, which was supposed to be so stoic and straight faced almost became a punk; I was worried he'd refuse the role. But, surprisingly, he came to me saying: 'I'm not really that stoic' (laughs). I really thought if we worked together, we could make a nice film out of it. So-Yi was the same, I saw her in 아라한 장풍대작전 (Arahan) and she did well there, but even before that I thought her image was perfect for the role. I even went to the 역전의 명수 (The Twins) shooting to meet her, and was totally convinced. I don't think anyone can compare to her in Korea, when it comes to doing action scenes so well [amongst actresses].

MovieWeek: What's your biggest concern about the action in the film?

Director Kim Young-Joon: since Bichunmoo there have been many action films in Korea, so people have grown accustomed to the genre. I just focused on shooting good action scenes, never worrying about the action's form and style. This time the Drama is more important than the action.

Via MovieWeek articles

http://www.movieweek.co.kr/magazine/200507...0400020402.html

http://www.movieweek.co.kr/magazine/200507...0400020401.html

(from http://www.twitchfilm.net/archives/002932.html)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

September 27, 2005

'무영검' ('Shadowless Sword') Production Meeting Report (with Video)

Martial Arts Fantasy '무영검' ('Shadowless Sword') had a production meeting on September 26 at Hilton Hotel in Seoul, to celebrate the end of its 5 month long shoot in China, and announce the films' release for November 18. Yoon So-Yi even had a martial arts showcase which impressed the press with her flexibility and able moves (which you can see in the clip below). This is the second film from director Kim Young-Joon, after his 2000 debut '비천무' ('Bichunmoo'), its 6.4 Billion Won budget was partly funded by New Line Cinema, and it's also the first to be set in the Balhae period (渤海, AD 698~926).

YTN Report (Clips from the Production Meeting, Clips From The Film) (Downloadable, 6.8mb, Windows Media)

http://vod2.ytn.co.kr/ytnstar/general/mov/...812273122_s.wmv

The cast and director answered a few questions regarding the film:

Press: Compared to 'Bichunmoo', what kind of film is 'Shadowless Sword'?

Director Kim Young-Joon: Back when we started shooting 'Bichunmoo', we didn't have enough time, and there were a lot of trial and errors because Martial Arts films in Korea had basically become extinct in the last 20 years. After finishing 'Bichunmoo', I took what I learned there, rested a little, and after 6 months I went right into another Martial Arts film. This time I really wanted to do it well, the way I prepared for, so it was a really nice chance for me.

Press: Introduce your characters, and the reason why you chose this film.

Lee Seo-Jin: It's a character who experiences many changes, and requires a wide range of acting. At the beginning he's a man who can't fight so he runs away to save himself, but later he helps Balhae rise again. That was a really beautiful aspect about the character.

Yoon So-Yi: The fact that, unlike in other Martial Arts Films, it's actually a woman protecting men was really appealing, so it was a quick approval for me. My character's goal is to simply protect Lee Seo-Jin's character as an absolute Martial Arts master. I followed the example of many Hong Kong films were women play characters who have strong masculine traits (and even pretend to be men). A good example would be Anita Mui in '東方三俠' ('The Heroic Trio').

Lee Gi-Yong: Just like her, I liked the idea of a woman becoming a man's bodyguard. She Faithfully looks after Shin Hyun-Joon's character, and would do everything for him.

Shin Hyun-Joon: Finally going to work on one of my best and closest friends, director Kim's follow up to 'Bichunmoo' after a long 4 years of waiting made me happy, more than anything else. Of course my character is a villain in terms of characterization, but I didn't think that way. After all, he's a man of and for Balhae.

Press: What are the differences between Korean and Chinese 武俠 (Wuxia, Chivalrous Martial Arts)?

Kim: Chinese people are familiar with Beijing Opera, its exaggerated motions and its culture, so it's inevitable that no matter how exaggerated the Wuxia is, they enjoy that. In contrast, Korean viewers prefer realistic acting, even though personally I think it's silly to think of making realistic Wuxia. Wuxia is fantasy, so it's impossible not to exaggerate it, and on top of that I think viewers find a sense of catharsis through that exaggeration. Of course we made the action a little more realistic compared to Chinese films, and we worked hard to preserve its tragic beauty.

via Chosun Ilbo

http://www.chosun.com/se/news/200509/200509260256.html

(from http://www.twitchfilm.net/archives/003665.html)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

November 08, 2005

Yoon So-Yi and Lee Seo-Jin talk 무영검 (Shadowless Sword) [nKino Interview]

We're a mere few days away from the press screening of 무영검 (Shadowless Sword), one of the most awaited Korean films of recent memory. Awaited because director Kim Young-Joon seems to have learned from his mistakes in 비천무 (Bichunmoo), and judging from the promotional media that has leaked out so far, the film seems to be a vast improvement over the 2000 martial arts fantasy. Awaited because of its cast: Shin Hyun-Joon, whose last film 가문의 위기 (Marrying The Mafia 2) became the most successful Korean comedy of all time; Lee Seo-Jin, the talented TV actor from 다모 (Damo) who will try again to make an impact on the big screen, after the failure of his debut years ago; Lee Gi-Yong, a former model with great screen presence, making her film debut; and, last but not least, Yoon So-Yi, already considered one of the most talented young actress in the country. 'Shadowless Sword' debuts in theaters this coming November 18.

Lee Seo-Jin and Yoon So-Yi were recently the focus of one of Kino's (the print version of nKino) cover stories. Here's a few excerpts from their interview:

You play a female warrior protecting a man in the film, right? That's quite an unusual character in Korean films, so did that make the film more appealing to you?

Yoon So-Yi: I think I was driven by the fact there's only a few period films made every year in Korea, and yes, that it's a character with a very strong personality, a woman who protects men.

How does being protected by a woman feel? I heard the character starts as someone who's really weak and full of doubts, then he slowly changes into a stronger person.

Lee Seo-Jin: (laughs) You call that someone being protected? Well, at first he's someone who has no confidence and trust in other people, and the fact he has to become King creates a lot of pressure on his shoulders, so it's the burden that makes him run away all the time. Actually, just a small portion of the film covers my character's transformation into a King: there's like 2, 3 minutes at the end. Before all that, he distinguished himself on the battlefield as a prince, but living with that burden and trying to hide for 14 years made him forget all that. The confidence he had about his military achievements was starting to disappear... so that's how he ends up being protected by a woman (laughs). But as he begins to find his true self, all his memories slowly resurface, making him stronger.

I know you had to go through harsh action training for the film, but what was your actual training process?

Yoon: I learned wushu from action director Park Chan-Dae, for three months in Korea, then we left for China. To learn the 다찌마리 (Dajjimari, slang for the kind of action you use in films) - there's no other way to say it (laughs) - that would fit with the fencing I had to do warming up to build my body strength and also learned wire action from the Chinese stunt team. But while Lee Gi-Yong and I were a little awkward, the other guys [Lee Seo-Jin and Shin Hyun-Joon] looked like they were born to do this. Even when we were running in the training ground, they made sure we ran in front of them all the time...

Lee: The Chinese training was a little hard, but that was because there were a lot of action scene. Now people are more accustomed to that, their standards have changed, so you can't really use stunt doubles too often. We practiced hard, around six days a week?

I read in another interview you said 'Shadowless Sword' is not an action film, but a melodrama. What did you mean by that?

Lee: From the point of view of So-Yi's character, she's not simply someone who protects the Prince to make sure he'll be able to be crowned King, there's another reason behind that, something deeper. I think I felt the same about that. Then, there's something called social status, so she can't really show her feelings. Still, she protects my character, who's such a foolish person. She's not moved by simple motivations, but she has personal feelings for him. She can't give up on him, even forgetting he's the King.

I heard there's a big dramatic fight scene between Yoon So-Yi and Lee Gi-Yong in the film. It's hard to see two women fighting each other in Korean films, I can't wait to see it. Two women of your height and figure...

:Lee: Ahh... that's right. It's a battle of giants. (all laugh)

Yoon: Anyway, before the King (Lee) and his enemy (Shin) fight, Gi-Yong and I are the ones who end up fighting first [because the two protect those characters]. There are many fight scenes, and it looks like we hit each other pretty well. Gi-Yong and I are the same age, she's a former model, and she's really beautiful.

Lee: If you think of So-Yi's character as a soft and graceful female warrior, Gi-Yong's character fights with two swords, and she's also skilled with the spear.

You were in 역전의 명수 (The Twins) after 아라한 장풍대작전 (Arahan), but being in a film like 'Shadowless Sword' once again, people might identify with you as an action star. How do you feel about that?

Yoon: Since actresses don't shoot action films too often, I think it's a good thing that I've been able to differentiate myself through that. There's people who might think I'm focusing on my image as an 'action star' a little too much, but I think this character is different from my previous ones. 'Arahan' used a modern setting while 'Shadowless Sword' is a period piece, but since they both have action scenes with swords, some people could say I always do the same things. Once you see the film though, you'll understand it's a completely different character.

Lee: So-Yi's character in 'Arahan' looks her age, while in 'Shadowless Sword', her character is much more mature. Perhaps that's why acting the part was more difficult.

(source: http://www.twitchfilm.net/archives/004092.html)

About the 3 different posters released ...

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“<Shadowless Sword> is the power of Korean epic action movie!”

Newline Cinema highly praises the teaser poster of <Shadowless Sword>.

The teaser poster of <Shadowless Sword> is released

It is the talk of the town that Nestor M. Nieves, vice president of Newline Cinema who paid a visit to Korea on Aug. 26(Sat.), was belatedly found to have checked the teaser poster of <Shadowless Sword> in person and praised it highly. “It’s the film that is Korean and global at the same time! It’s a fantastic poster that can stand comparison with the world market,” he said. He also appraised that <Shadowless Sword> is a reminder of Korean potential and it will be the representative work that shows the power of Korean action.

The Newline Cinema is one of the major production companies in Hollywood that produced <The Lord of The Rings> series. As <Shadowless Sword> is the first work that they invest in Korean movie, it has been noted by the press from the early stage of the production. While looking for another great epic action drama after success of <The Lord of The Rings> series, Newline Cinema has found the potential success from the scenario of <Shadowless Sword> and has given positive support to the film. For <Shadowless Sword>, Taewon Entertainment has prepared for the thorough planning and production for 5 years.

This poster represents ‘warriors of Palhae’ who hold ‘sword’ with resolution for the national destiny on the land almost in ruins and ‘rebels of Georan who stand against them as ‘Light and Darkness’ respectively.

In this poster, the image of ‘Light’ represents ‘Daesoohyun(Seo-Jin Lee),’ a hope of Palhae who is destined to rebuild Palhae, and ‘Yeonsoha(Soy Yun),’ the best warrior of her time who is assigned to protect him, while the image of ‘Darkness’ represents ‘Kunhwapyoung(Hyun-Jun Shin),’ a devil incarnate who turns against his country for his own ambition and ‘Maeyoungok(Ki-Yong Lee),’ a swordswoman of jealousy who wants to be the best warrior.

Click to view the large version .. (poster uploaded by myself)

The poster of ‘Light’ version, which describes the prince of Palhae and woman warrior, symbolizes ‘Good’ through the auspicious light that resided in the sword together with a copy of “The last destiny of Palhae, she defends.”

Click to view the large version .. (poster uploaded by myself)

Whereas, the poster of ‘Darkness’ version, which describes the rebels of Georan who stand against them, shows us-versus-them mentality clearly, giving off the spirit of evil with a strong copy of “Anyone who gets in my way, will be paid back with blood.”

<Shadowless Sword> is an epic action blockbuster featuring a breathtaking confrontation and a journey of a woman warrior(Soy Yun) who is assigned to protect the last prince(Seo-Jin Lee) on the brink of the fall of Palhae in A.D 926. The film is being noted both at home and abroad and will be released on Nov. 23 to rewrite the history of Korean epic action.

(source: www.taewonent.co.kr)

"Shadowless Sword" Seoul Press Photocall

September 26, 2005 - Seoul Hilton Hotel Convention Centre

the fifth person is the director Kim Young-Joon

does this hab 2 do with sci fi or is it sum history thing??

I can't wait to see it Yoon So Yi is the best!

WOW! this looks really really good~ can't wait till it comes out

look HOT! can't wait till it comes out! :DDDDDD

-S0LLY <3

this looks like it'll be very good! can't wait till it comes out!

-jinmi-

Haha. I have a feeling that this movie & Duelist are gonna' be my new favorite movies.

Man, the trailer looks so f-ing good! I want to watch this so bad, now. It looks really serious, though. 0_0"

Haha. Lee SeoJin & Yoon SoYi look... nice. But the other two... don't look bad, but kinda scary. Haha. Light & Dark. Wait, since it's by Newline, is this movie gonna' come out in American theaters, too?

ooohhh~

looks godod~

looks HOT :D

can't wait to see Lee Soo Jin again

this looks interesting

Thank you so much for opening a thread for SHADOWLESS SWORD, rainy! *HUG*

I heard this movie will be released in more than 60 countries and New Cinema Line will distribute this movie in another countries. In recent interview, Lee Seo Jin said that ladies may not like his character in this movie because he keeps running away, haha. Anyway, SHADOWLESS SWORD, FIGHTING!!!!

Individual posters of Moo Young Geum characters.

The last prince of Bal Hae, Dae Jung Hyun!!!

I luv Yoon So Yi. Just finished her drama "Say That You Love Me" and I think she was the one who made the drama alive. i don't why people underestimate her credibility as an actress.

just saw the making of ARAHAN the role seem to suits her well. Hope to see this movie soon.

Good thing I probably won't have to wait like a year to watch this, since this is going to be showing in North America too.

I'm still waiting for DVD to come out for Duelist and Sympathy for lady Vangeance.

OHMYGOD<33333

THIS LOOKS SOOOO GOOOOD!!

THANK YOU FOR THE INFO, RAINY!! <33333333333 you are my HERO!

I can't wait to see it Yoon So Yi is the best!

^ these are some awesome movie posters.