Lee Byung Hun 이병헌 Byunghun Lee

[rubie]

Our thanks to Lucy at dotcom for sharing the clip ^^

[VOD] Sky PerfecTV - Spotlight part 1

Watch the STREAMING HERE

Thanks to a lovely angel for the translation.

Sky Perfect TV program has televised LBH's special topic from October 1st to October 31st, for a month.

The special topic's highlight, a long interview will be televised on Friday, October 31st.

In the program(-scene),LBH will introduce his private photos and speak openly about his view of marriage .

As for the view of marriage; "I think it's a destiny," he says.

Sky Perfect! Exclusive LBH festival(-fair) Special program

The one-on-one interview, titled "SPOTLIGHT," will bring out the real feelings out of LBH.

We get to see real LBH, different from what we see on movies and dramas.

He speaks uncomfortably, "It brings back memories but I'm embarrassed at the same time because I feel like you're looking at my childhood photo albums." He's shown his personal side as well. "I hate insects since I got stung by a bee. I don't like cockroaches, neither."

About marriage, he says, "I would like to get married some day. But I don't think it can do it my own. I think it's a destiny." BH also mentioned that in 10 years time, he hope that he would still be a good actor, and having his own children already.

The show will be repeated 4 times in November.

I really wonder what were the other questions posed to BH.. seems very "on-the-spot" for him to answer.. with that incredibly nerve-wrecking ticking clock sound in the background.. as if it's a school spot quiz, indeed. We can see BH obviously a bit nervous in the beginning.. he most probably didn't know at all what the questions were prior to the show. He did answer NomNomNom in one of the questions, of course.

But.. he slowly warms up.. as always.. the shy smile is just :wub: *his eyes so soft & lips sooooo sexy!* :blush:

Looks like the interview probably taped before PIFF .. BH looked quite nervous anxious in the greenroom/make-up room.. maybe he fiddled with his hair, too.. becomes a bit messy but sexy Hunnie.

[Guest huangsy]

http://kr.news.yahoo.com/service/news/shel...d=487&nav=1

LBH going to UK for film fest.

[Guest ellabel]

Thank you dear, and yes he is one of my KINGS .. hhhaha

Thats right, the 4th king is THE GOOD

i have good taste, right?? and my list is short enough to be take care properly...

Yes, Mona dear... you have absolutely good taste... just like me... we have almost the same namjas that we adore tho not in the same order of priority....

Plus, i have a few more here and there... some for l0ve... some for lu$t... some for the moment only...

Wow!! Artists' View has only a few stars but all megastars in their own right.

Looks like it's doing well. Congrats to Mr. Song.

my fanart..

http://img381.imageshack.us/img381/3874/y0...t6ezw3vakk9.jpg

Beautiful fanart, Mona hunnie.

Keep them coming.

Fans in Taiwan are luck to watch GBW from 21 Nov.

It has not date of release of GBW in HK yet.

Lucky Tawainese fans of LBH, JWS and SKH.

I wonder if my soulsis (D. Angel) will watch it.

Thanks for the info, luwali. Have you seen GBW already?

[Guest huangsy]

source : http://kr.news.yahoo.com/service/news/shel...p;newssetid=746

이병헌, 런던 한국영화제 참석 ‘한류 전도사’ 나서

[스포츠월드] 2008년 11월 07일(금) 오후 09:22 가 가| 이메일| 프린트

배우 이병헌(사진)이 영국에서 한국 알리미로 나선다.

이병헌은 김지운 감독과 함께 올 여름 최강의 블록버스터 ‘좋은놈 나쁜놈 이상한놈’(이하 ‘놈놈놈’)이 유럽 최고의 복합 예술 전문센터 바비칸센터에서 열리는 런던 한국영화제 개막작으로 선정됨에 따라 영국 내 한류 전도사 역할을 자처하게 된 것.

지난 4일 출국한 이병헌은 세계 3대 영화시장 중 하나인 영국에서 이번 ‘놈놈놈’의 상영회 및 무대인사에 참여하며 질의응답 시간도 가질 예정이다.

‘놈놈놈’은 현재 부산 영화제 마켓에서 홍콩, 호주, 폴란드 등 20개국에 판매돼 올 크리스마스 시즌 프랑스 개봉을 시작으로 영국과 북미 등 본격적인 해외 시장 장악에 나설 예정이어서 이번 이병헌의 런던 한국 영화제 참석은 의미가 깊다.

이병헌은 5박6일 예정인 이번 런던영화제 일정을 모두 소화하고 9일 입국한다.

Actor Lee Byunghun has become a promoter of Korea in England.

After Korea’s greatest summer blockbuster ‘The Good, The Bad, The Weird’ was chosen as the opening movie of the Korean film festival in Eto be held urope’s largest multi-art and conference venue, the Barbican Centre in London. Lee Byunghun and director Kim Jioon volunteered to become missionaries of the Korean Wave.

Lee Byunghun, who left Korea on the 4th, will f the major three film industries, England.

‘The Good, The Bad, The Weird’ has been sold to 20 countries worldwide, including Hong Kong, Australia, and Poland, at the Busan Film Festival. The movie will be released on Christmas in France, and will penetrate into overseas markets such as England and North America. Therefore, Lee Byunghun’s visit to the Korean film festival to be held in London is significant.

After staying at the London film festival for six days, Lee Byunghun will be back to Korea on the 9th.

*promoter : 홍보가

*venue : 회의장

*volunteer : 자처하다

*missionary : 전도사

*question and answer session : 질의응답시간

*major three : 3대

[AutumnLeaves]

Hug back & congrats H.. our girl-hunter being on the road for two weeks, in Italy & France (you girls didn't stop in Prague?.. our BH was there).. going on tour is so awesomely cool & you've started your university life as well.. that will be one of the best time! Enjoy everything, studying and all..

LOL! ninja-girl-hunnie.. regarding ICWTR.. I was just pulling your leg!

We have not heard or seen anything ICWTR since that precious six-pack promo.. .. the movie seems to be missing without a single trace. We read that it was going to be premiered at Venice Filmfest in July/Aug but there was a no-show. So.. no one knows what happened. All the actors & director of ICWTR have started their own other projects.. and nothing about ICWTR from their side either.

Not to worry.. if there's anything illegal about watching IRIS later.. believe us.. we'd all be pandas partners in crime. Hehee..

Thank-you Rubie, it was amazing We didn't stop in Prague no, if I would have known BH was there I would have hopped on a train (literally on top of it in super cool ninja style lol) and tracked him down Yup, university is going great thanks

Hehe, I was thinking that there was no possible way you couldn't know what I was talking about Rubie Aww I hope there is news of ICWTR soon, I'm dying to see it.

Hehe all us Pandas in it together eh?

^^ Welcome back, AutumnLeaves and celina!

Thank you very much ellabel *hug*

Our gratitude to the tireless sharing & cool highlight by cacao at lovelbh.com

H-hunnie, Celina, Jenny.. all UK fans & friends!!!

Anyone staying in London or Liverpool or somewhere nearby? Watch out for GBW screening this very week! What a treat & more.. so soon after the London Times Film Fest..

Sat 8 Nov | Barbican Centre, London

11.00am | Animation Day! Family Film Club (Shorts programme Ages 5+): Pumpkin Family + Tree Robo + Chiro & Friends + Pororo

12.30pm | Animation Day! (Shorts Programme 12+) Wanted + A Coffee Vending Machine & its Sword + Love is Protein

2.15pm | Animation Day! Aachi & Ssipak (15)

Sun 8 Nov | Barbican Centre, London

3.00pm | Lee Chang-dong Retrospective: Peppermint Candy

6.00pm | Lee Chang-dong Retrospective: Oasis

8.45pm | UK Premiere: Forever the Moment

Sun 9 Nov | Barbican Centre, London

5.00pm | Lee Chang-dong Retrospective: Green Fish

7.30pm | Lee Chang-dong Retrospective/Contemporary: Secret Sunshine + Intro by Tony Raynes + Short Lee Chang-dong lecture

Mon 10 Nov | Barbican Centre, London

6.30pm | Archive screening: The Housemaid

8.45pm | Archive screening: Olbaton

Tue 11 Nov | Barbican Centre, London

6.30pm | Contemporary Korean Cinema: Milky Way Liberation Front

8.45pm | Contemporary Korean Cinema: Seven Days

Wed 12 Nov | Barbican Centre, London

6.00pm | UK Premiere: May 18

8.30pm | UK Premiere: Public Enemy Returns

Thu 13 Nov | FACT Picturehouse, Liverpool

6.00pm | The Good, The Bad & The Weird

Fri 14 Nov | FACT Picturehouse, Liverpool

6.00pm | Seven Days

Source: http://www.koreafilm.co.uk/

OMG! Thanks so much for the info Rubie! I live in Liverpool! I HAVE to go and see GBW, but I'm in Uni until 7pm the day of the showing *bursts into tears* I will find a way to see that movie, I won't miss that for ANYTHING!

[luwali 196]

Yes, Mona dear... you have absolutely good taste... just like me... we have almost the same namjas that we adore tho not in the same order of priority....

Plus, i have a few more here and there... some for l0ve... some for lu$t... some for the moment only...

Wow!! Artists' View has only a few stars but all megastars in their own right.

Looks like it's doing well. Congrats to Mr. Song.

Beautiful fanart, Mona hunnie.

Keep them coming.

Lucky Tawainese fans of LBH, JWS and SKH.

I wonder if my soulsis (D. Angel) will watch it.

Thanks for the info, luwali. Have you seen GBW already?

I have not watched GBW yet.

I am waiting for the DVD patiently.

'' DVD... DVD ... DVD... DVD... DVD .... ''

[Guest kimchibabe]

watched the VOD of SPOTLIGHT. must agree with Rubie, he did look a bit nervous in the make-up room. he did a "clap" like he was saying let's do it. he looked so good...the gentle smile, the piercing eyes...and the music as he entered, it was a fitting intro to a "king". i love the way he strode unto the stage..so cool!

he seemed to be have answered in japanese to some questions(?) but i do wonder too what the short abrupt questions were?

[Guest ellabel]

Gosh!!! GBW is showing around the globe but not in our country. *sigh*

Quite a long shot actually since K-movies, well, the few that saw the light in our moviehouses didn't fare well. Besides local movies and a couple of Japanese horror films, the most watched ones are those coming from Hwd. K-dramas are very popular here but most ppl watch the Tagalog-dubbed versions or those DVDs with eng. subs bought from . Most of my copies (dramas or movies) were d/l from clubboxes.

Autumn hunnie, u live in Liverpool! Wow! the only ppl i know from Liverpool are the Beatles. LOL

I really hope u can catch GBW inspite of your busy sked.

I miss HUNnie and i miss some of the pandas.

Cant wait to see his new drama.

[Guest ylin]

BH is already in London with Director Kim

source: http://news.empas.com/show.tsp/cp_yt/20081...%BB%E7%B8%B6%0B

If not wrong, think he will be having a series of interview tomorrow, namely the movie related magazines, "Sight&Sound", "Empire"’ and ‘Evening Standard’. Also, he will be interviewed by stations such as BBC News and BBC3.

He will also be appearing in the programmes of the movie channels "Film4" and "Sky Movie" and should be returning home on 9 Nov.

[rubie]

Thanks so much Huang and ylin for latest news & pic of BH and Dir. Kim in UK for GBW. Dir. Kim is one busy, busy man.. he was in Hawaii with JWS just last month and now in UK with our Hunnie. :blush:

What a surprise to see Byunghun-ssi, a bit thin (isn't he?) but looking good. At first take.. I thought it was from their BSL promos 3 years ago.. .. but the pic of THE BAD at the back is unmistakable, of course.

Can't wait to read about BH's interview with the UK media.. hope we'll get something to share as well, Celina, H.. Jenny.. any updates on this later? :blush:

ps: H-hunnie girl.. sure hope you'll be able to watch GBW on the 13th.. it's indeed a treat, huh. Wow.. so cool to know that you're right in Liverpool.. I think.. Jenny is also from Liverpool.. Jenny?

watched the VOD of SPOTLIGHT. must agree with Rubie, he did look a bit nervous in the make-up room. he did a "clap" like he was saying let's do it. he looked so good...the gentle smile, the piercing eyes...and the music as he entered, it was a fitting intro to a "king". i love the way he strode unto the stage..so cool!

he seemed to be have answered in japanese to some questions(?) but i do wonder too what the short abrupt questions were?

I wonder if there was any "ambush" questions asked to him .. and what his answers were.. BH can definitely understand and answer in Japanese, too.

[rubie]

Wow!! Artists' View has only a few stars but all megastars in their own right.

Looks like it's doing well. Congrats to Mr. Song.

Although the website isn't fully operating (the English version is still not ready yet) but there's info in Korean to check out.. especially the "Client and Portfolio" section. Undeniably BH's portion is the most advanced compared to the rest, we can see the successful Japanese events to their credits.. as Mr. Song had been assisting BH in the Japan since three agencies ago (Player/Fantom/BH Ent). CJW also had her Japanese website up plus another venture in Japan. JWS' official website in Japan is launching this Nov 17 and SHK also had her Japanese 'debut' as well. Seems that the FujiTV interview recently was one planned & made possible via ArtistView.. (refer the translated interview we read before but please note however that the article was translated from a Chinese article second-sourced from a Korean update).

If I'm not mistaken, ArtistView website started (actively) operating on November 6.. and definitely more to look forward to.

Not only Taewon Ent is affiliated to ArtistView.. so is BH Ent. as well which no surprise.. of course. I'm happy that the fans' concern before when Mr. Song left the company turned out to be their long-term plan in focus to fully expand and launch more Korean artistes in Japan.

Yes, congratulations & all the best to Mr. Song and his clientele!

And obviously IRIS is an ArtistView current and major project, too.

[rubie]

Our thanks to Helena for the nomination list and Huang for starting the Awards thread at

7th Korean Film Awards 7회 대한민국 영화대상 - 4 Dec 2008

http://www.soompi.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=256616

Still no nomination for BH.. yet.. SKH now has one, JWS too.. he was nominated in the 17th BUIL Awards at the 13th PIFF recently but did not win.

The 7th Korea Film Awards Nominee List

BEST PICTURE 최우수 작품상

My Dear Enemy 멋진 하루

Night And Day 밤과 낮

Rough Cut 영화는 영화다

Forever The Moment 우리 생애 최고의 순간

The Chaser 추격자

BEST DIRECTOR 감독상

Choi Ho 최호 (Go Go 70 고고70)

Lee Yoon-ki 이윤기 (My Dear Enemy 멋진 하루)

Hong Sang-ho 홍상수 (Night And Day 밤과 낮)

Kim Ji-woon 김지운 (The Good The Bad The Weird 좋은 놈 나쁜 놈 이상한 놈)

Na Hong-jin 나홍진 (The Chaser 추격자)

BEST LEADING ACTOR 남우 주연상

Ha Jung-woo 하정우 (My Dear Enemy 멋진 하루)

Jung Jae-young 정재영 (The Divine Weapon 신기전)

So Ji-sub 소지섭 (Rough Cut 영화는 영화다)

Song Kang-ho 송강호 (The Good The Bad The Weird 좋은 놈 나쁜 놈 이상한 놈)

Kim Yoon-seok 김윤석 (The Chaser 추격자)

BEST LEADING ACTRESS 여우 주연상

Kim Hae-sook 김해숙 (Viva! Love 경축! 우리사랑)

Kim Min-hee 김민희 (Hellcats 뜨거운 것이 좋아)

Gong Hyo-jin 공효진 (Crush & Blush 미쓰 홍당무)

Kim Yoon-jin 김윤진 (Seven Days 세븐 데이즈)

Son Ye-jin 손예진 (My Wife Got Married 아내가 결혼했다)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR 남우조연상

Kang Shin-il 강신일 (Kang Cheol-Jung: Public Enemy 1-1 강철중: 공공의 적1-1)

Song Young-chang 송영창 (An Eye For An Eye 눈에는 눈 이에는 이)

Park Hee-soon 박희순 (Seven Days 세븐 데이즈)

Park Chul-min 박철민 (Scout 스카우트)

Go Chang-seok 고창석 (Rough Cut 영화는 영화다)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS 여우조연상

Shin Min-ah 신민아 (Go Go 70 고고70)

Kim Mi-sook 김미숙 (Seven Days 세븐 데이즈)

Kim Ji-young 김지영 (Forever The Moment 우리 생애 최고의 순간)

Jo Eun-ji 조은지 (Forever The Moment 우리 생애 최고의 순간)

Seo Young-hee 서영희 (The Chaser 추격자)

BEST NEW ACTOR 신인남우상

Cha Seung-woo 차승우 (Go Go 70 고고70)

Kang Ji-hwan 강지환 (Rough Cut 영화는 영화다)

Lee Young-hoon 이영훈(GP506)

Shin Myung-chul 신명철 (Crossing 크로싱)

Eun Won-jae 은원재 (Hansel And Gretel 헨젤과 그레텔)

BEST NEW ACTRESS 신인여우상

Go Joon-hee 고준희 (Girl Scout 걸스카우트)

Jang Hee-jin 장희진 (Crazy Waiting 기다리다 미쳐)

Seo Woo 서우 (Crush & Blush 미쓰 홍당무)

Lee Ha-na 이하나 (Le Grand Chef 식객)

Han Ye-seul 한예슬 (Miss Gold Digger 용의주도 미스신)

BEST NEW DIRECTOR 신인감독상

Oh Jeom-gyun 오점균 (Viva! Love 경축! 우리사랑)

Lee Kyung-mi 이경미 (Crush & Blush 미쓰 홍당무)

Jang Hoon 장훈 (Rough Cut 영화는 영화다)

Jung Byung-gil 정병길 (Action Boys 우린 액션 배우다)

Na Hong-jin 나홍진 (The Chaser 추격자)

BEST SCREENPLAY/ADAPTATION 각본,각색상

Yoon Je-goo 윤제구 (Seven Days screenplay 세븐 데이즈 각본)

Kim Hyun-Suk 김현석(Scout screenplay 스카우트 각본)

Song Hye-jin 송혜진 (My Wife Got Married adaptation 아내가 결혼했다 각색)

Kim Ki-duk 김기덕 (Rough Cut screenplay 영화는 영화다 각본)

Na Hong-jin 나홍진 (The Chaser screenplay 추격자 각본)

BEST ART DIRECTION 미술상

조상경 (Modern Boy 모던보이)

조화성 (The Good, The Bad, The Weird 좋은 놈 나쁜 놈 이상한 놈)

장춘섭 (GP506)

김현옥 (Crossing 크로싱)

류성희 (Hansel And Gretel 헨젤과 그레텔)

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY 촬영상

최성호 (My Dear Enemy 멋진 하루)

최영환 (Seven Days 세븐 데이즈)

이모개 (The Good, The Bad, The Weird 좋은 놈 나쁜 놈 이상한 놈)

이성제 (The Chaser 추격자)

BEST LIGHTING 조명상

신경만 (Go Go 70 고고70)

김경선 (My Dear Enemy 멋진 하루)

강대희 (Modern Boy 모던보이)

김성관 (Seven Days 세븐 데이즈)

이철오 (The Chaser 추격자)

BEST EDITING 편집상

신민경 (Seven Days 세븐 데이즈)

김상범 (Scout 스카우트)

문인대 (Forever The Moment 우리 생애 최고의 순간)

김선민 (The Chaser 추격자)

BEST VISUAL EFFECT 시각효과상

강종익, 손승현 (Modern Boy 모던보이 CG)

정성진 (The Divine Weapon 신기전 CG)

정두홍, 지중현, 허명행 (The Good, The Bad, The Weird 좋은 놈 나쁜 놈 이상한 놈 무술)

정도안, 이희경 (The Good, The Bad, The Weird 좋은 놈 나쁜 놈 이상한 놈 특수효과)

이창만 (GP506 특수분장)

BEST SOUND EFFECT 음향상

김석원, 김창섭 (Go Go 70 고고70)

서영준 (Modern Boy 모던보이)

이승철, 이성진 (Seven Days 세븐 데이즈)

김석원, 김창섭 (The Divine Weapon 신기전)

김경태, 최태영 (The Good, The Bad, The Weird 좋은 놈 나쁜 놈 이상한 놈)

BEST MUSIC 음악상

방준석 (Go Go 70 고고70)

김정범 (My Dear Enemy 멋진 하루)

이재진 (Modern Boy 모던보이)

달파란, 장영규 (The Good, The Bad, The Weird 좋은 놈 나쁜 놈 이상한 놈)

김준석, 최용락 (The Chaser 추격자)

BEST SHORT FILM 단편영화상

날아간 뻥튀기(방은진 감독)

돼지와 셰익스피어(김건 감독)

모퉁이의 남자(이진우 감독)

봄에 피어나다(정지연 감독)

아들의 여자(홍성훈 감독)

The most overall nominations went to "The Chaser" with 10. Following closely behind is "Seven Days" with 8 nominations. "The Good, The Bad, The Weird" is presented with 7 nominations. "Go Go 70", "My Dear Enemy", and "Rough Cut" received 6 nominations each while "Modern Boy" captured 5.

Award ceremony will be held on December 4 at 6pm at Sejong Cultural Center in Seoul.

Source: http://www.newsen.com/news_view.php?uid=200811072103141003

[Guest celina86]

BH is already in London with Director Kim

source: http://news.empas.com/show.tsp/cp_yt/20081...%BB%E7%B8%B6%0B

If not wrong, think he will be having a series of interview tomorrow, namely the movie related magazines, "Sight&Sound", "Empire"' and 'Evening Standard'. Also, he will be interviewed by stations such as BBC News and BBC3.

He will also be appearing in the programmes of the movie channels "Film4" and "Sky Movie" and should be returning home on 9 Nov.

OMG LBH`s interview will be airing on Film4 and Sky Movie? I`ll definately won`t miss this out!

I already put my sister on the job to check out for the show timings on TV, that way she can inform me when it`ll be showing on exactly

Thanks for sharing ylin

[rubie]

OMG LBH`s interview will be airing on Film4 and Sky Movie? I`ll definately won`t miss this out!

I already put my sister on the job to check out for the show timings on TV, that way she can inform me when it`ll be showing on exactly

Thanks for sharing ylin

That is so cool, Celina! You've got to tell us EVERYTHING later!

It's really a great surprise that BH took time to promote GBW in UK. I think it's one of the firsts for him, too.. he's usually in the US or France. etc most of the time.

[Guest celina86]

That is so cool, Celina! You've got to tell us EVERYTHING later!

It's really a great surprise that BH took time to promote GBW in UK. I think it's one of the firsts for him, too.. he's usually in the US or France. etc most of the time.

Hopefully I do catch it soon on TV *fingers crossed* :blush:

Yeah, Rubie I also noticed this too about BH arriving in UK, London... although I won`t be able to go to London for the screening, I`m just hoping to catch BH`s interview on TV... that`ll mean alot for me since this will be the first time I`ll be watching him on my TV at home instead of online usually :blush:

[Guest kimchibabe]

BH is already in London with Director Kim

http://nimg.empas.com/orgImg/yt/2008/11/07...81107021700.jpg

now its his turn to support Dir. Kim....he looks so fresh, no sign of jet lag(yes, a bit thin).

its a treat to see how he looks like these days! :blush:

interviews in London! he'll be answering in english. hope we get at least a news clip like in Vancouver.

the UK girls are indeed one lucky bunch!!!

[rubie]

^ Yupyupyup! I think BH will most probably and likely to answer in English.. something about it mentioned by the Korean media today.. if I'm not assuming too much. There's an interview with BBC but I'm not sure and almost clueless on where to source this. Anyone with latest update to share? At least this time.. we can all look for related news (if published).. as articles will be in English.. obviously hopefully.

Hopefully I do catch it soon on TV *fingers crossed* :blush:

Yeah, Rubie I also noticed this too about BH arriving in UK, London... although I won`t be able to go to London for the screening, I`m just hoping to catch BH`s interview on TV... that`ll mean alot for me since this will be the first time I`ll be watching him on my TV at home instead of online usually :blush:

I know what you mean.. .. it's like .. "he's here! he's here!" and we definitely do not want to miss anything.. no nono.. especially when he's featured on the local tv screening..

Celina.. what's the current news on the Korean Film Festival.. is the news bulletin there covering it.. or perhaps, mentioned in the papers.. somewhere. :blush:

[rubie]

Thanks to Neelia at LBH.SG for the highlight ^^

PRELUDE TO GBW IN SINGAPORE, COMING SOON NOVEMBER 13TH!

The Good, The Bad, And The Weird

Director: Kim Ji Woon

Cast: Jung Woo Sung, Lee Byung Hun, Song Kang Ho, Uhm Ji Won

Release Date: Nov 13

With so many great directors coming out of Korea in the past few years Park Chan Wook and Bong Joon Ho, to name but two Kim Ji Woon's been sort of lost in the shuffle. His Tale of Two Sisters and A Bittersweet Life are superlative pictures, but haven't been as attention-grabbing as Park's Oldboy or Bong's The Host. This situation will likely be rectified with the release of The Good, the Bad and the Weird, one of the most stylish and action-packed movies of the year.

A Western set in Manchuria in the 1930's, The Good, the Bad and the Weird is indeed good, bad and weird, but above and beyond all that, it is very cool. Because of its name, it will obviously be compared to the work of Spaghetti Western maestro Sergio Leone, but in terms of scope, ingenuity and exuberance, it actually has more in common with something like Quentin Tarantino's Kill Bill or Takeshi Miike's Sukiyaki Western Django, movies that use film history as a playground, mixing and matching styles, genre's and tropes to achieve a sort of critical mass of cinematic cachet.

If all this sounds rather high-flown, the movie itself doesn't come off as so. It's just fun. Very, very long at 139 minutes, but fun.

Song Kang Ho, who was so great in The Host playing a dim-witted dad trying to rescue his daughter from a monster, is just as good here as The Weird, a thief who unwittingly makes himself a target for untold numbers of gangsters, soldiers and assorted looney birds when he steals a treasure map during a train robbery.

Hot on The Weird's trail are The Good (Jung Woo Sung) and The Bad (Lee Byung Hun), the former a Korean incarnation of the Marlboro Man, and the latter a gang leader who looks like he just stepped out of a J-rock video. Each wants the map for his own reasons, and while chasing after The Weird, they wreak untold havoc gun fights, knife fights, gongfu fights, explosions, etcetera. Both The Good and The Bad also set aside ample time to pose majestically against the harsh Manchurian landscape, and make sweet, sweet love to Kim's lustful camera.

Come to think of it, The Good, the Bad and the Weird almost puts one in mind of The Village People in the way it fetishes certain handsome male types. You've got The Good in his cowboy duster, The Bad dressed in bad-boy black, and then there are all those handsomely uniformed Chinese soldiers and thugs in outlandish frippery you almost wouldn't be surprised if the entire cast broke out into a Korean rendition of Y.M.C.A.

Fortunately, the music in The Good, the Bad and the Weird is much better than anything produced by the Village People; in fact, the score is superb. It's sort of reminiscent of the Leone Westerns, with nice jangley guitars. During the thrilling climax, while The Weird is being chased across the desert by hoards of baddies, there's this neat thing that happens where the Spaghetti Western-style music stars morphing into Nina Simone's Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood. It's oddly moving.

The Good, the Bad and the Weird may be a bit of a stretch for a more general audience, but it will be a treat for movie fans, particularly geeky movie fans. It's not just a movie, it's a movie.

THE VERDICT

Korean dynamo Kim Ji Woon directs the heck out of this thing. Highly recommended.

From FiRST Nov 2008 issue

http://www.firstmoviemag.com/reviews/movie...d-bad-and-weird

[Guest mandalaywith]

29th Blue Dragon Film Awards Best Couple Poll 29회 청룡영화상 베스트커플상

Best Couple Poll in The Good, The Bad, And The Weird Movie Have.

vote is so funny

http://sports.chosun.com/bluedragon2008/event/sub4.htm

29th Blue Dragon Film Awards Best Couple Poll

[rubie]

BYUNGHUN SPOTLIGHT CM pics copied from leebyunghun.com