Kim Hye Ja 김혜자 55th Baeksang Grand Prize Winner 2019

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May 21, 2009

Movie Review

Motherhood gone awry shows offensive streak of human nature

By Shin Hae-in

SEOUL, May 21 (Yonhap) -- A mother's love is divine, but only for her child. Protecting one's own child sometimes means harming another's -- a hoggish aspect of human virtue that often goes unnoticed, and even condoned.

Following his record-breaking monster movie "The Host" -- the first South Korean film to surpass the 10-million viewer mark at the domestic box office -- director Bong Joon-ho has returned with "Mother," a haunting noir that became his latest Cannes film fest entry. It premiered in the non-competition Un Certain Regard section.

Like his previous features, which offers riotous entertainment at first glance, "Mother" professes to be a simple enough tear-shedding ode to mothers featuring a widow's desperate search for the killer that framed her mentally handicapped son for a brutal murder.

But at some point during its lengthy two hour-running time, the film suddenly points at socio-political and psychological commentaries that leave viewers in shock and goose bumps long after the film's final images have faded.

Do-jun (Won-bin), a shy and reclusive 28-year-old, lives in a small shady provincial Korean town with his mother Hye-ja (Kim Hye-ja), whose only purpose in life is looking after her mentally challenged son.

When a horrific murder of a high school girl occurs in this normally quiet town, police pin the murder on Do-jun, who was a crime scene witness and has no alibi. Convinced of her son's innocence and angered by authorities' unsympathetic response to his vulnerable condition, Hye-ja turns first to a pricey, arrogant lawyer and then to her son's seemingly depraved friend who advises her not to trust anyone and go find the killer herself.

Taking matters into her own hands, the petit, sad-eyed woman lands upon dark secrets involving the murdered girl and the villagers. Meanwhile, encouraged by his mother to jog his memories of the night of the crime, Do-jun is reminded of a discomforting incident that led to Hye-ja's excessive maternal devotion.

"I wanted to stretch motherhood to the extreme and see how far it can go in a cinematic reality," Bong said after the film's Seoul preview Wednesday night. "This film was a new challenge to me in a sense that I touched on the strongest force and the core of human relationships."

While never abandoning his characteristic craftsmanship to stay dark, brisk and suspenseful, with twists manifesting at the exact moments to sustain the tension, Bong certainly appears to have tested new limits in "Mother," continuously questioning whether maternal devotion really take precedence over all else.

Although "Mother" slots in somewhere between the large-scale and absurdist elements of "The Host" and the plot-driven and realistic "Memories of Murder," it still seems to fall short of being the 40-year-old Korean auteur's best film to date -- it is too lengthy and its plot has holes unfilled even after the credits roll.

But considering "Mother" is only a fourth feature to his credit, the film does help solidify Bong's status as one of the gifted directors of his generation in and out of Korea. While still looking to the decades-old genre of film noir for inspiration, Bong chooses to create a modern aesthetic saturated with moral gravity, relying on his talent to stay focused and composed through the end.

Opening with a surrealist and somewhat hilarious sequence of the fickle heroine making odd dance moves in the middle of a plain, "Mother" will leave viewers pondering about its implications long after the film's haunting final images have faded.

The film, applauded as a "strong Hitchcockian thriller" and "worth acceptance to official competition selection" after its Cannes premiere last week, will hit the local theaters at May 28.

Credits: hayney@yna.co.kr via yonhapnews.co.kr

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May 20, 2009

Film 'Mother' Sold to Four Countries at Cannes

Director Bong Jun-ho’s new film “Mother” has been sold to four countries at the Cannes Film Market. An official of film company CJ Entertainment has reported that “Mother,” starring venerable actress Kim Hye-ja and actor Won Bin, was sold to Portugal, former Yugoslavia, Hong Kong, and Taiwan. The number of buyers is expected to rise even more, as Brazil and Australia are showing keen interest in the film as well.

Moreover, a major American movie studio has proposed a remake of the film in Hollywood. CJ Entertainment says the deal may be finalized some time this year, if everything goes well as anticipated.

Director Park Chan-wook’s controversial “Thirst” is also faring well in the film market. Three countries have purchased the film in the first two days of the market. In particular, Spain and Brazil have paid the highest-ever price for a Korean film.

Source: KBS World

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MOTHER Screening MAY 20, 2009 ウォンビン主演映画『マザー』の試写会現場

Photo credits: innolife.net

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May 21, 2009

Bong's 'Mother' Highlights Maternal Love

By Lee Hyo-won

Staff Reporter

Veteran actress Kim Hye-ja stars as the feverishly devoted mother in director Bong

Joon-ho’s new film “Mother.” / Courtesy of CJ Entertainment

"Mother," coming to theaters May 28, had its world premiere at the 62nd Cannes International Film Festival. Variety magazine was not kidding when it said the Bong Joon-ho film was "unjustly denied a competition berth" in the prestigious French event.

The film is certainly not as edgy as "Memories of Murder" nor does it have the mainstream appeal of the blockbuster "The Host."

But, featuring South Korea's symbolic Kim Hye-ja as a mom with a formidable mission and heartthrob Won Bin in the improbable role of her vulnerable "baby," Bong brings an arresting tale that is at once quintessentially Korean yet universally classic, and uniquely visionary.

Complete with composer Lee Byeong-woo's film score bearing hints of "trot" (Korean country music) beats and landscapes of rural Korea, Bong constantly surprises the viewer with unexpected outbursts of violence ― Kim offering a most Shakespearean ``mad scene'' ― and an ironically distanced look into the dark side of blind love, savage innocence and the liberating bliss of oblivion.

Like "Memories of Murder," the film is set in a small, obscure town where dark secrets lie beneath the apparent calm. Kim plays the namesake figure that desperately tries to make ends meet by selling herbs and giving illicit acupuncture services ― all so that she can support her son Do-jun (Won), who has rather limited mental abilities and is constantly getting into trouble with his street thug buddy Jin-tae (Jin Gu, the compelling psychopath of "Truck," perfects the "Of Mice and Men"-style friendship).

It is easy to assume that the "Mother Is Dead Upset'" star plays another devoted mom, but the 67-year-old actress offers something more hardboiled in a story that, as she told reporters in Seoul, Wednesday, is "like a Greek tragedy."

"Mother" hints at a mother's perverse fantasy, where a lonesome widow's son never grows up and curls up next to her at night. It is not, however, a Phaedra Complex intrigue like the 1997 thriller "The Hole." Rather, it depicts, perhaps similar to "Seven Days," the unconditional affections of a mother that is selfless yet, for non-family, selfish and unsentimental, and even morally compromising.

It also shows how love tends to gravitate downstream, from parent to child, while affection fighting the current, from son to parent, is usually marked by need. In this case, the child needs his mother more than ever. Do-jun is convicted of the shocking murder of a young girl, and the police are happy to quickly wrap up the case, having in possession a golf ball with his name doodled on it, found near the body, and eye witnesses of the lad having been drunk and trying to flirt with the victim that tragic night.

The mother is convinced of her child's innocence. "Of course I didn't do it.. The crime went full circle and ended up with me," Do-jun tells her during one of his rare moments of surprising clarity.

The movie draws in viewers with seamlessly crafted thrills with a splash of social criticism in the tradition of "The Chaser": The accidental hero ― an average mom replacing the average Joe this time ― sets out to catch the murderer herself without the lazy police and incompetent lawyers. Her instincts suggest that Do-jun's shady friend may be harboring guilt, but things turn out to be much more complex as she delves into the case.

In theaters May 28. 128 minutes. 18 and over. Distributed by CJ Entertainment.

Credits: hyowlee@koreatimes.co.kr

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May 26, 2009

Bong Jun-ho: I’m "Too Young for Melodrama Movies"

A mother, Hye-ja (played by Kim Hye-ja), gives medicine to her son, Do-jun (played by Won Bin), who urinates in the street. As Do-jun runs away without finishing his medicine, his mother tells him, "Come back soon, don’t be late." To this mischievous son, the words “Be back soon” are like meaningless barking, while “Don’t be late” sounds like a babble.

According to director Bong Jun-ho’s instructions, the former part was said in a way a mother usually speaks to a son while the latter part was said in a way a wife speaks to her husband or lover. Bong said, "Mrs. Kim Hye-ja also found that interesting. To Hye-ja, Do-jun represents everything a man can be in a woman’s life – a son, a younger brother, a lover, a friend and a husband.”

We met with Bong, the director of “Mother,” after he returned from Cannes on May 21. He was inspired to produce this movie by actress Kim Hye-ja. It’s a well-known fact that it took him a while to persuade Kim to take the role. "Mrs. Kim is a people’s mother. But I assumed that as honored as she might be to have that title, it might also be huge pressure for her and even be tiresome. So I thought she might like this role,” said Bong.

During the movie’s screening at the Cannes Film Festival, Bong introduced Kim’s role as a “dignified yet wild mother.” He said, "When a mother’s instinct explodes at moments when she wants to protect her child, like a wild beast that bites and attacks the enemy to rescue its youngster, she becomes oblivious to morality and is unable to distinguish between good and evil. A motherly love is a dignified thing, yet at some point it can become addictive and insane. I believe we can find many instances of that in real life.”

So far, Kim has mostly played the role of a caring and loving mother, who can sacrifice herself for the sake of her children. Where did Bong discover the “insane and sensitive part” of herself as a mother? Bong said, "I watched TV a lot as a child. I saw Mrs. Kim often on TV. One of the TV dramas she appeared in was called 'Yeo.' Its viewer ratings were low but I liked it very much. It was ahead of its time and stood apart from other contemporary productions broadcast on terrestrial TV channels. Since childhood I had a penchant for gloomy things, such as crime and detective stories."

Bong added, "Mrs. Kim played a gloomy and hysterical character in that drama--a woman who steals a child because she can’t have her own children. Later, I saw her on a talk show and was stunned by her what we call these days ‘four-dimensional’ personality. I wondered why she never showed that side in dramas."

The director says he didn’t simply attempt to transform Mrs. Kim into a functional actress. Bong explained, "In Korea, Kim Hye-ja is a symbol of a mother. Presenting her in a completely new light means tackling the subject of ‘mother’ from a completely new angle. So I placed an ordinary mother into an extreme situation, namely murder, to see how it goes. It’s similar to the role of the father in the movie 'Host.' That’s what I like to do.”

“Mother” begins with a scene showing Hye-ja dancing absent-mindedly in a vast field. Bong describes the character as “insane.” "This is how this character was originally meant to be from the planning stage. We wanted the movie to begin in an unexpected and bizarre way. I wanted to give viewers many hints about this character,” said Bong.

Bong, who received generous praise at the Cannes festival for “Mother,” says he was very nervous at a news conference that was held May 20. He was exhausted by the tight schedule and appeared disinterested in what others said about his movie. But as soon as he arrived home, he looked up news articles about his production. He said, "All directors do that. They cry when people criticize their productions and are happy when they receive rave reviews. I took a look at several reviews that were posted first and luckily they were positive."

Bong said, "I pay special attention to subtitles, but sometimes the original meaning is not conveyed fully in a foreign language. For example, while Korean viewers laugh at what the cute detective says during one scene in the movie, foreign viewers can’t sense that. That’s why Korean viewers can enjoy the full charm of domestic movies. There is something in them that only we, Koreans, understand."

Bong’s next production is “Le Transperceneig” -- an intense sci-fi movie based on a French cartoon, and it involves director Park Chan-wook. Responding to a question about what a melodrama movie produced by Bong would be like, Bong said, "I like sexy things but I hate ‘cool’ things. Being ‘cool’ means staying one step behind. And I like to make things crystal-clear. I think I have to postpone making melodrama movies because I’m not mature enough for them."

Source: KBS Global

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Gratitude to melusine for this heartwarming sharing at MOTHER (+son ) movie thread ^^

KIM HYE JA & WONBIN

Cine21 article part 1+part 2+part 3

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May 29, 2009

Director drew inspiration from a maternal muse

Bong wants to be remembered for his work, not the number of viewers his films are able to draw

Filmmaker Bong Joon-ho. By Ahn Seong-sik

Had it not been for actress Kim Hye-ja, we may never have seen “Mother,” the new film by director Bong Joon-ho.

The acclaimed Korean director, whose latest work had its world premiere at this year’s Cannes Film Festival, said the movie had come about “all because of Kim.”

Bong confessed to always having been an enthusiastic admirer of the veteran actress, who has, over the past 30 years, become a symbolic mother figure here for her TV and film roles.

He wanted to make a film centered around her, but it occurred to him that being a national symbol of motherhood might be as much a burden as it was an honor. So he decided to craft a role for Kim that would showcase her talents and show more than one dimension of motherhood.

Mother tells the story of Hye-ja, a woman who is willing to do anything for her only son, Do-joon (played by hallyu star Won Bin), a 28-year-old with rather limited mental abilities who gets involved in a murder case. She is put to the test when confronted with the dilemma of having to make an extreme choice to save him.

Mother, which was featured in the Un Certain Regard section at Cannes, was given a favorable reception there. Variety magazine wrote that the film was “an engrossing portrait of a feisty Korean widow” that was “unjustly denied a competition berth at Cannes.”

In making the film, Bong said he wanted to show the duality of motherhood.

“A mother’s love is the most noble in the world, but when that love becomes excessive it can turn into madness. I felt that depicting the duality of motherhood would differentiate my film from other stories about it,” Bong said.

He did not hesitate to say that Kim Hye-ja was his inspiration. “Without Kim Hye-ja, ‘Mother’ wouldn’t exist,” he said. “When I shot the film’s climactic scene with her, I felt a shudder, which proved to me how much I liked it.”

The film’s final scene struck a chord with Bong and filmgoers at Cannes. Bong joyfully remembered receiving a slew of questions about the scene, which features Kim dancing with a group of ajumma, or middle-aged women, on a tour bus.

He said the scene, which is a not unfamiliar sight in Korea, must have looked strange to foreign viewers.“I’m very interested in things that are peculiar to our country like that. In fact, I myself found it shocking when I saw a similar scene at Mount Odae National Park where I went on a school excursion when I was in high school,” he added with a laugh.

Bong earned fame as a director with his 2003 serial-killer mystery “Memories of Murder,” which drew more than 5 million viewers. He cemented his reputation as a hit-maker after his 2006 monster blockbuster “The Host” sold about 13 million tickets.

But Bong says he wants to be remembered for his work, not for the number of viewers his films are able to draw. “I just want to be known as the director of my own creations, say, as the director of ‘Mother’ for now, and later, as the director of my new film, which is based on French sci-fi comic ‘Le Transperceneige,’” he said.

Mother is currently playing in local theaters and Le Transperceneige is scheduled for release in 2012.

“Mother” will be screened with English subtitles at CGV Yongsan; at two Cinus theaters in Myeong-dong and Gangnam; and at three Lotte Cinema theaters: Avenuel in Myeong-dong, Ansan and at Seomyeon in Busan.

By Ki Sun-min, Park Sun-young [spark0320@joongang.co.kr] via joongangdaily.joins.com

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MOVIE REVIEW

Mother (2009)

30th May 2009

This afternoon had a chance to watch Mother, the latest film from director Bong Joon-ho whose previous works include such hits as Memories of Murder and The Host. The story revolves around a mother who sets out to prove that her son is innocent of the murder he is accused of committing by catching the real killer herself. Just reading that, one might feel that the movie can be compared with the aforementioned Memories of Murder and some of the colors and sets may reinforce that. However, for better or worse, it is quite a different movie.

Kim Hye-ja does an excellent job as the mother of Do-joon. Her quavery voice, which always sounds as if she is on the verge of tears, has always made Ms. Kim stand out for me in television dramas. Here, she puts that special feature of her voice to excellent use as a woman who has seen a lot of hard times in life and is extremely concerned about her son even when he is not in dire straights. That is because Do-joon is quite simple. With an IQ that seems to be in the lower end of the double digits, Do-joon is barely able to take care of himself. Actor Won Bin does a convincing job as the mentally challenged man.

Now if you are going in expecting an edge-of-your-seat thriller interspersed with action filled chase scenes, you are sure to be disappointed. The mother in the films is rather elderly. She may be more capable of getting around than say.. Miss Marple, and she proves herself physically adept at one point in the movie, but she is not about to partake in any parkour either.

I wanted to give this film a rating of four out of five stars, but there were a couple of things that prevented me from doing that. As much as I liked the film, it seemed a little weak when measured against some of Bong’s other recent works. The Host could be enjoyed on many different levels. Memories of Murder was a commentary on the practices of the 80s besides being a genuinely good movie. In contrast, Mother is a very simple, straight-forward story that shows us how far a mother’s love can go. I liked it for what it was. Unfortunately, the two students I saw it with did not. Both complained that the film seemed to be without a point and was too much like an art film–possibly why I liked it. And both complained of the running time, a point that is hard to dispute. Even a ten minute trim near the end would have helped a little.

But a point that no one can argue is that the mystery in the film is very good. I was unable to solve the puzzle of who the killer was despite the fact that the film plays fair with us. Watch carefully! The clues are all there, it is just difficult to put them all together.

If one feels that they absolutely must compare it to an earlier Bong Joon-ho film, think more along the line of Barking Dogs Never Bite. However, my advice is: Don’t go into it comparing this movie with any of Bong’s other works. Just enjoy it for itself. It is a good story with some very interesting scenes that I expect will be memorable and the source of many discussion on internet film boards. 3.5 our of 5 stars

Credits: Tom Giammarco / koreanfilm.org

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June 1, 2009

Cannes-invited "Mother" tops 1 million viewers in four days

SEOUL, June 1 (Yonhap) -- Ticket sales for the South Korean film "Mother" topped 1 million over the weekend, less than a week after the Cannes-premiered movie was released here, the Korea Film Council said Monday.

The thrilling motherhood film, created by director Bong Joon-ho, drew slightly over 1 million viewers as of Sunday, the movie's fourth day of screening, grabbing nearly 44 percent of weekend box office sales, according to the council's data. One million is considered the yardstick for success in the local box office.

Hollywood action "Terminator Salvation" came second at the box office, drawing 620,000 viewers over the weekend, followed by "Angels and Demons" starring Tom Hanks.

The fourth feature by Bong, the creator of "Host," "Mother" was applauded as a "strong Hitchcockian thriller" and "worth acceptance to official competition selection" at the Cannes International Film Festival which ended last week.

Park Chan-wook's "Thirst," which received the Cannes Jury Award, came ninth in the box office, drawing a total of 2.19 million viewers as of this weekend.

Credits: hayney@yna.co.kr via yonhapnews.co.kr

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Our MOTHER fighting!

Weekly Box Office 2009.05.29 ~ 2009.05.31 3-day Gross/Total Gross (won)

1. MOTHER (South Korea) 5,563,939,500 / 7,026,892,500

2. Terminator Salvation: The Future (U.S.) 4,170,992,048 / 18,253,349,548

3. Angels & Demons (U.S.) 882,869,500 / 10,627,104,000

4. My Girlfriend Is an Agent (South Korea) 725,289,000 / 24,563,340,500

5. Coraline (U.S.) 289,305,500 / 1,020,637,500

6. Castaway on the Moon (South Korea) 272,020,000 / 4,315,344,500

7. The Echo (U.S.) 125,373,000 / 155,221,500

8. Star Trek (U.S.) 128,481,000 / 7,078,807,000

9. Thirst (South Korea) 100,553,500 / 14,630,311,500

10. Boat (South Korea) 39,350,000 / 59,393,500

Source: KOFIC

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June 1, 2009

'Mother' whips 'Terminator' in Korea

Local thriller beats Hollywood sci-fi for weekend title

By Park Soo-mee

"Mother"

SEOUL -- "Mother," the new thriller from "The Host" helmer Bong Joon-ho, beat "Terminator Salvation" and "Angels & Demons" at the Korean boxoffice over the weekend, attracting 1.4 million viewers since its Thursday opening.

"Mother," which opened on 756 screens after premiering at last month's Festival de Cannes, had been one of the year's most anticipated Korean films along with Park Chan-wook's new vampire flick "Thirst," which attracted 825,000 filmgoers in its first weekend in early May.

Bong's latest feature deals with the story of a mother (played by Kim Hye-ja) who is out to prove the innocence of a mentally challenged son faced with the murder charge of a local schoolgirl. With the murder mystery in a rural setting, audiences for "Mother" are naturally led to make the film's connection to "Memories of Murder," the director's 2003 hit based on a true story of a serial killer from the 1980s.

According to weekend boxoffice figures from the Korean Film Council, "Terminator," which has sold 2.8 million tickets since its May 21 opening, came in second, followed by "Demons."

Source: hollywoodreporter.com

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MOVIE REVIEW + THOUGHTS

Monday, June 01, 2009

The Mother of All Thrills

I saw Bong Joon-ho's MOTHER over the weekend and quite liked it. I thought perhaps I should write up a little review of sorts, so here you go.

Bong Joon-ho's latest film, MOTHER, is a departure from his last two films, MEMORIES OF MURDER and THE HOST, lacking much of the humor and scope that made them so memorable. Instead, MOTHER is a much darker and more personal story; but it is without a doubt a Bong tale -- smart, powerful and really engrossing.

MOTHER is the story of the mother of a retarded young man (Won Bin) who must save her son when he is arrested for murdering a high school girl. The police jumped the gun, arresting him on some pretty weak evidence, then pressuring the son Do-joon to sign a release he did not understand.

Determined to free her son no matter what, the mother relentlessly (even ruthlessly) pursues any lead she can. After a few false turns and a lot of apathy from the town officials, she begins to uncover a deeper story, involving a troubled young girl who had a really rough life.

Set in a small town and dealing with a murder investigation, MOTHER has some obvious similarities to MEMORIES OF MURDER. But the focus and style of MOTHER is really different.

The first half of MOTHER focuses more on Do-joon, setting up his character and his friend. There is an incident at a golf course that is one of the few light spots in the movie, but it felt a little unnatural and awkward. Only after Do-joon is arrested and the spotlight moves to his mother that the story really begins to get into gear.

But once it gets going, MOTHER is really good. Kim Hye-ja is great as the obsessive mother, and her desperation gives the movie much of its power. You never know quite what she is going to do, even while suspecting she might do anything. It adds up to create a kind of emotional claustrophobia that really hits hard.

Now, while I said this film is not as deep or analytical as some of Bong's other films, there is evidently a lot going on anyway. There is plenty of psychology happening throughout. The relationship between mother and son especially is anything but normal. The mother's recurring talk of an injection in the thigh to take away bad memories is quite suggestive.

Another thing that struck me was the age difference between Do-joon and his mom. Although never clearly stated in the film, Do-joon is played by the 27-year-old Won Bin, while the mother is played by the 67-year-old Kim Hye-ja. And while having a baby at 40 years old is not unheard of, it is still a little unusual.

In short, MOTHER is not without flaws, but it is the best Korean movie I have seen in quite some time. Maybe since THE CHASER. It is thrilling, scary, violent and unexpected ... really a gripping combination.

Posted by Mark Russell at 10:53 AM via koreapopwars.com

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This clip.. I must say.. is so heartwarming and sweet. :blush: There's no English subs though.. just Japanese translation but everything is just there to see, clip of JS-ssi filming Mother. When Jin Goo has finally finished his scenes in Mother.. they had this short sort of thankyou event. Actress KHJ presented JG with a simple bouquet but it really meant a lot to him. In his speech, something really moved him to tears and KHJ had wiped his tears away & consoled the actor so warmly.

Even though JG's role was the wrong kind of guy but it's truly easy to see that Ms. Kim Hye Ja has 2 SONS in Mother.

If we could really get some gist out of this, that would so much appreciated! ^^

『マザー』ウォンビンの友人、チン・グのキャラクター映像　

download link

or

Watch STREAMING HERE

Jin Goo & Omma Kim Hye Ja she's so cute & sweet!

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June 5, 2009

Beyond a look at the average ajumma

The title character in “Mother,” played by Kim Hye-ja,

peers into a police car at her son Do-joon (Won Bin),

who has just been arrested for murder. [CineSeoul]

Bong Joon-ho does not need to compromise. As director of the acclaimed “Memories of Murder” and the record-shattering box office hit “The Host,” he has earned the right to do whatever he wants.

Yet “Mother,” which he wrote and directed and is now showing in Korean theaters with English subtitles (see box), was reportedly specifically designed around star Kim Hye-ja. And Kim is no blushing ingenue, either - now 67, for a decade she has played the role of aging matron in cheesy TV melodramas.

That makes Mother, a sympathetic yet blunt and disturbing examination of family life, all the more a revelation. Kim’s performance is unexpected, complex and shockingly brilliant, at times recalling Helen Mirren’s similar career-capping turn in “The Queen.”

Yet this mother is no royal. In a poorer provincial city (the movie was filmed in South Jeolla), Kim’s character, known only as “mother,” lives with her son Do-joon (Won Bin) above the oriental pharmacy she runs. Do-joon suffers from mental and emotional handicaps that derive at least partially from his mother keeping him in an infantile state, feeding him, sleeping with him, arranging her world around him.

Bong has set out, in his own words, to explore not only the dignity of motherly love but also its potential to efface morality and become “addictive and insane.” And after Do-joon is arrested for murder, these undercurrents begin to float to the surface.

The tale twists in ways that would normally seem cliche - but thanks to Kim, with her mesmerizing attention to detail, and Bong’s keen eye for angle, which he uses to comment on character power relations, the journey itself is worth it. Bong has an ability to build and maintain suspense worthy of Hitchcock, who had a similar fascination with the potent yet frightening character of the strong woman.

But Kim could not carry the film without Won, who convinces the viewer to sympathize with his single-minded Do-joon, always distracted though he has flashes of lucidity. It’s never mentioned in what way Do-joon is disabled, and the character playing the psychiatrist in the film is in a drunken stupor - perhaps Bong’s dig at the state of mental health care in Korea.

Superficially, Mother has more in common with Bong’s earlier film than with The Host. Yet as he did in that monster flick, Bong uses Mother to defy expectations about his genre. At first the characters are played for laughs - Do-joon seems like a cartoonish buffoon and his mother the average fussy ajumma. But Bong sinks deep into the ugly hidden dimensions behind these archetypes, painting a distorted picture of codependency, desperation and the use of sex as a weapon, with creepy incestuous undertones.

Mother is a woman who, though friendly, knows as a matter of fact that she is entirely alone in the world, the only one who can care for her son. That relationship in many ways defines modern Korea, where parents’ self-worth is perhaps more caught up with the success of their children than anywhere else. And in this respectful, if occasionally bleak, portrait of this relationship, Bong and Kim have created a masterpiece.

Mother

Drama / Korean (English subtitles; see box)

128 min.

Now playing

By Ben Applegate [bapplegate@gmail.com] via joongangdaily.joins.com

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June 8, 2009

Koreans flock to cinemas in May

The number of moviegoers jumped to 16.3 million nationwide in May, up 27.3 percent from a year earlier, showing signs of a turnaround in the slumping film industry.

"The moviegoers in the Seoul metropolitan area also rose 23.8 percent on year to 5.14 million," said CJ CGV, a major multiplex operator, in a press release yesterday. "The combined figure for the January-May period of this year marks 6.9 percent increase from the same period in 2008."

The upturn in ticket sales is a welcome sign for the domestic film industry which has been struggling to pull out of a protracted downturn, hurt partly by the lackluster performances of Korean films.

The market share of Korean movies stood at 49.1 percent in May, the highest since the company began to compile ticket sales data in 2006, CJ CGV said. The market share remained largely strong this year, hovering between 37 percent and 50.4 percent, except for March.

The newly released market share of 49.1 percent for Korean films in May is a pronounced upturn from 7.8 percent a year earlier. In terms of ticket sales, Korean movies sold 8 million in May, up from 1 million a year ago.

"Terminator: Salvation," released on May 21, topped the box office last month, selling 2.9 million tickets on the strength of many Korean fans who have positive memories of the blockbuster franchise.

Ranked second was "Secret Couple," which attracted 2.8 million viewers. The Korean comedy, released on May 23, sold a total of 3.8 million tickets, exceeding market expectations.

Park Chan-wook's award-winning "Thirst" secured the No. 3 slot last month, selling 2 million tickets. Although critics were mixed about the commercial appeal of the priest-turned-vampire drama, Park's latest experiment got a boost from the Cannes film festival, where he won the jury award.

"MOTHER," directed by celebrated Korean filmmaker Bong Joon-ho, sold 1.2 million tickets in May, a respectable performance given that it was released on May 28. The film received praise both at home and abroad for its depiction of a Korean mother's efforts to save her son, who is charged with murder.

Seven films surpassed the 1 million mark in ticket sales in May, up from three a year earlier.

Competition is expected to heat up further in June as Korean movies are set to clash with big-budget Hollywood blockbusters aiming to carve out a bigger share in the forthcoming summer holiday season.

By Yang Sung-jin (insight@heraldm.com) via koreaherald.co.kr

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June 5, 2009

MOTHER Triumphs over Competition

The Korean weekend box-office saw peak traffic with BONG Joon-ho’s latest thriller Mother facing off against Hollywood’s Terminator Salvation. Mother emerged the winner, claiming over 1.4 million admissions in its first four days. BONG’s fourth feature was highly anticipated by audiences after the director’s previous hits Memories of Murder (2003) and The Host (2006) won him a broad domestic fan-base.

Mother topped the chart, an impressive feat considering competition from Hollywood heavy-hitters, Terminator and Angels & Demons, which took second and third place. BONG’s small town thriller dominated theaters nationwide, playing on 765 screens, with Terminator a close second on 716 screens, together accounting for over 70% of the nations screens.

After premiering at the Cannes Film Festival earlier in May where it drew rave reviews from critics and ovations from audiences, Mother became one of the most talked about and eagerly anticipated locals films of the first half of 2009, along with PARK Chan-wook’s vampire-thriller, Thirst.

Veteran TV actress KIM Hye-ja gives a solid performance as a mother who takes on the local police when her half-wit son is blamed for a gruesome crime. Actor and popular heartthrob WON Bin plays the shy, near-imbecile Do-jun, who at 27 is still a virgin living with his mom.

Credits: Nigel D'Sa (KOFIC)

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Weekly Box Office 2009.06.05 ~ 2009.06.07 3-day Gross/Total Gross (won)

1. Night At The Museum 2: Battle Of The Smithsonian (U.S.) 5,415,284,500 / 5,943,269,000

2. Terminator Salvation: The Future (U.S.) 3,559,711,500 / 24,595,162,000

3. MOTHER (South Korea) 3,679,835,000 / 14,672,904,000

4. Angels & Demons (U.S.) 803,411,500 / 12,064,071,000

5. My Girlfriend Is an Agent (South Korea) 659,010,500 / 25,750,346,500

6. Coraline (U.S.) 228,092,500 / 1,370,837,000

7. Castaway on the Moon (South Korea) 142,536,500 / 4,635,033,500

8. Thirst (South Korea) 55,294,500 / 14,701,198,000

9. The Echo (U.S.) 39,307,500 / 285,015,000

10. Star Trek (U.S.) 32,329,000 / 7,183,390,000

Source: KOFIC

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June 13, 2009

Korean films strongly recovered in May

CJ/CGV, Korea's leading cinema chain, announced a 49.1% domestic market share for Korean films in May. Of the 16,322,551 million visitors, 8,018,465 people bought tickets to a Korean film. It is the highest May record for Korean cinema since 2005.

Since 2005, the highest percentage for Korean films in May was in 2006 when Korean films captured a 36.1% market share. Last year May, Korean films accounted for merely 7.8% of the box office.

50% of the top ten most popular films were Korean. BONG Joon-ho's Mother, PARK Chan-wook's Thirst, SHIN Terra's My Girlfriend is an Agent, LEE Hae-jun's Castaway on the Moon, and PARK Hee-gon's Insadong Scandal, in respective order.

May 2009 recorded seven films which scored over 1 million attendees – a mark of success at the Korean box office – including the Korean films My Girlfriend is an Agent, Thirst, Mother, and Insadong Scandal. In comparison, last month April, only 2 films achieved the same, and last year May saw 3 films breach the million mark.

May's performance is a continuation of recently improved performances by Korean films. In April, Korean films took a 46.8% stake, up from 23.1% a year earlier.

Credits: Yi Ch'ang-ho (KOFIC)

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June 13, 2009

Bong Joon-ho on the Controversy Surrounding 'Mother'

Bong Joon-ho

"Mother," the latest film by Bong Joon-ho, has drawn 2.19 viewers in 11 days since its release on May 28, and the film is getting more controversial the more viewers it attracts due to the room it leaves for different interpretations.

Bong said, "I wanted many mothers to watch 'Mother,' and I think my wish came true. There are many viewers during weekdays since most housewives have time on weekday afternoons. I think it will get a bigger audience than I expected."

The movie is about a mother with overbearing love for her son, who has been charged with murder. "I had a couple of chances to talk about the characters during press interviews and previews even before the release of the movie," says Bong. "The mother, the protagonist of the movie, appears to be unusual if you expect the stereotyped image of a mother you might have in mind. That seems to be a reason many viewers say it is terrifying."

He says the movie "is deeply focused on the nature of a mother who goes to any length to protect her mentally fragile son, so the movie deals with her moral dilemma through her extremism."

Bong says he doesn't like to use a lot of cinematic trickery that insinuates something behind the scene. "Hiding something is not the aesthetic that I pursue in my films. I think the manipulative use of mise en scene can make audiences miss other important elements of the film."

His last movie "The Host" was hugely popular, drawing 13 million viewers in Korea alone, and in France it was voted as one of the best three art house movies of 2006. "I'm still young and have made only four movies so far. Maybe 15 years from now, 'Mother' might be classified as one of my early works. I hope people enjoy the film itself and wait and see what great movies I will make in the future," he says.

Credits: englishnews@chosun.com

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Weekly Box Office 2009.06.12 ~ 2009.06.14 3-day Gross/Total Gross (won)

1. Running Turtle (South Korea) 3,256,224,500 / 3,681,864,000

2. Night At The Museum 2: Battle Of The Smithsonian (U.S.) 2,687,387,500 / 9,558,988,500

3. Terminator Salvation: The Future (U.S.) 1,674,789,500 / 27,234,627,500

4. MOTHER (South Korea) 1,377,176,500 / 17,466,597,000

5. The Taking Of Pelham 1 2 3 (U.S.) 970,335,000 / 1,154,753,000

6. Drag Me To Hell (U.S.) 740,978,000 / 873,977,000

7. Blood: The Last Vampire (Hong Kong) 378,242,500 / 479,357,500

8. Impy's Wonderland (Germany) 118,013,500 / 121,221,000

9. My Girlfriend Is an Agent (South Korea) 109,374,000 / 26,106,730,000

10. Angels & Demons (U.S.) 111,023,500 / 12,431,005,500

Source: KOFIC