[movie 2010] No Mercy [용서는 없다]

[Guest kdramafanusa]

Seol Kyung-Gu, Ryu Seung-Beom

No Mercy 용서는 없다

Release Date : January 7, 2010

Director : Kim Hyung-Joon [김형준]

Main Cast : Seol Kyung-Gu [설경구], Ryu Seung-Beom [류승범], Han Hye-Jin [한혜진]

Synopsis : Sul casts off his usual disheveled image to play the cool, suave and adept forensic pathologist, Dr. Kang Mi-ho is a forensic pathologist about to wrap up his work in order to spend time with his daughter who returns home after a long stint overseas. When a young woman is found butchered into six parts by a river, Kang is beckoned for one last job. Lee Seong-ho, an environmental activist, is identified as the primary suspect. He dmits his guilt, saying that he committed the crime in order to oppose constructions that would divide a local river into six parts. But the police become baffled as clues keep contradicting Lee's confession, while Kang's daughter is kidnapped. Kang senses that the abduction is related to Lee. [Chosun]

Genre : Crime, Suspense

Running Times : 124 min.

Official Homepage : http://www.nomercy2010.co.kr/

Related Links : Daum | Cine21 | Movist | Cineseoul |

[Guest kdramafanusa]

[Yonhap News]

Movie 'No Mercy'

Dec. 2, SEOUL, South Korea -- The stars of the new movie "No Mercy" -- Han Hye-jin, Ryu Seung-beom and Seol Kyung-koo (2nd L to R) -- along with director Kim Hyung-jun (L) pose for a photo during a publicity event in Seoul on Dec. 2. The crime thriller about a vicious murderer will be released in South Korea on Jan. 7. (Yonhap)

Dec. 2, SEOUL, South Korea -- The stars of the new movie "No Mercy" -- Ryu Seung-beom, Han Hye-jin and Seol Kyung-koo (L to R) pose for a photo during a publicity event in Seoul on Dec. 2. The crime thriller about a vicious murderer will be released in South Korea on Jan. 7. (Yonhap)

S. Korean actor Seol Kyung-koo

Dec. 2, SEOUL, South Korea -- South Korean actor Seol Kyung-koo, who stars in the new movie "No Mercy," poses for a photo during a publicity event in Seoul on Dec. 2. The crime thriller about a vicious murderer will be released in South Korea on Jan. 7. (Yonhap)

S. Korean actor Ryu Seung-beom

Dec. 2, SEOUL, South Korea -- South Korean actor Ryu Seung-beom, who stars in the new movie "No Mercy," poses for a photo during a publicity event in Seoul on Dec. 2. The crime thriller about a vicious murderer will be released in South Korea on Jan. 7. (Yonhap)

S. Korean actress Han Hye-jin

Dec. 2, SEOUL, South Korea -- South Korean actress Han Hye-jin, who stars in the new movie "No Mercy," poses for a photo during a publicity event in Seoul on Dec. 2. The crime thriller about a vicious murderer will be released in South Korea on Jan. 7. (Yonhap)

S. Korean actor Ryu Seung-beom and Seol Kyung-koo

Dec. 2, SEOUL, South Korea -- South Korean actor Ryu Seung-beom (L) and Seol Kyung-koo, who star in the new movie "No Mercy," attend a publicity event in Seoul on Dec. 2. The crime thriller about a vicious murderer will be released in South Korea on Jan. 7. (Yonhap)

Dec. 2, SEOUL, South Korea -- South Korean actor Ryu Seung-beom (L) and Seol Kyung-koo, who star in the new movie "No Mercy," smile during a publicity event in Seoul on Dec. 2. The crime thriller about a vicious murderer will be released in South Korea on Jan. 7. (Yonhap)

Dec. 2, SEOUL, South Korea -- South Korean actor Ryu Seung-beom (L) and Seol Kyung-koo, who star in the new movie "No Mercy," respond to reporters' questions during a publicity event in Seoul on Dec. 2. The crime thriller about a vicious murderer will be released in South Korea on Jan. 7. (Yonhap)

Dec. 2, SEOUL, South Korea -- South Korean actor Ryu Seung-beom, who stars in the new movie "No Mercy," responds to reporters' questions during a publicity event in Seoul on Dec. 2. The crime thriller about a vicious murderer will be released in South Korea on Jan. 7. (Yonhap)

S. Korean actress Han Hye-jin

Dec. 2, SEOUL, South Korea -- South Korean actress Han Hye-jin, who stars in the new movie "No Mercy," responds to reporters' questions during a publicity event in Seoul on Dec. 2. The crime thriller about a vicious murderer will be released in South Korea on Jan. 7. (Yonhap)

[Guest kdramafanusa]

Ryu Seung-beom says acting is not like ping pong

Reporter : Wee Geun-woo | eight@10asia.co.kr

기사입력 2009.12.23 22:46 최종수정 2009.12.23 22:46

Press conference for film "No Mercy"

From left, director Kim Hyung-joon, actress Han Hye-jin and actors Ryu Seung-beom and Sul Kyung-gu pose during a photo session of a press conference for film "No Mercy" held at a CJ CGV theater in Seoul, South Korea on December 22, 2009. [Lee Jin-hyuk/10Asia]

Q: This film garnered interest because of the acting standoff between Sul Kyung-gu and Ryu Seung-beom more than anything. How would you evaluate each other's acting?

Sul Kyung-gu (Sul): The characters we each played were like water and oil -- they never become involved with each other. That's why we both spent a lot of time consumed in our own thoughts. Our roles were completely cut off from each other so after wrapping up shooting of "No Mercy," we said that next time we should try appearing in a film where we communicate well.

Ryu Seung-beom (Ryu): I saw the movie for the first time today. And I know it sounds cheesy to say this here but I thanked Sul after seeing the movie. You may call it a standoff but acting isn't like ping pong so I worried a lot on set. I was worried what the final product would look like but I think the film speaks for itself. I think a certain force from Sul, who played the role of Kang Min-ho, embraced everything.

Q: What was it like observing the relationship of the two from a third person's point of view?

Han Hye-jin (Han): They started talking less and less from the latter half of the film. They even stopped eating together. I think they were being considerate toward each other because of the thought that their friendship may interfere in concentrating on their roles.

Q: How would you rate your own acting? You took on a role as important as Sul's and Ryu's but it was your first time.

Han: I would give myself 50 points. I do tend to be stingy toward myself but I really did see a lot of flaws in my acting today.

Kim Hyung-joon (Kim): From a producer's point of view, the character Min Seo-young is a very difficult one to play. She has to be able to keep her emotions neutral because she is the one who finds important clues within the story amidst the high tension between the two male characters while having to understand Kang Min-ho's behavior since he is her teacher. She did a good job of it though. She said it was her first time shooting a movie but she immersed herself into her character right away, as if she had done this several times before.

Actors Sul Kyung-gu (left) and Ryu Seung-beom [Lee Jin-hyuk/10Asia]

Q: There seem to be more people involved in the past fatal bond between Kang Min-ho and Lee Sung-ho. What's the reason Kang Min-ho is punished more severely?

Kim: I think this is an issue of perspective. Lee Sung-ho had been taking revenge on everyone involved for over ten years and I think Kang Min-ho was his last target. I guess I would have shown the process if this was sort of a drama.

Q: The film looks like a thriller on the outside but the ending to the film leaves more of a frustration rather than a relief from the case getting solved.

Sul: Amongst ourselves, we called the film a drama designed like a thriller. If any of you see this as a thriller, it means you took a step back and looked at it from a very objective point of view. "No Mercy" is more of a film where you follow the story by assimilating to the characters. Regardless of whoever's steps you follow -- whether it be Kang Min-ho's, Lee Sung-ho's or Min Seo-young's -- you'll have fun.

Q: You're usually an actor who is good at playing comical roles but you took on a very serious film this time. Is there anything you were aiming for?

Ryu: For me personally, regardless of the film, it's all part of a singular process so I don't stress over having to prove anything new. And I'm not saying that I'm doing a rough job of it without any goal. I personally like laughing, films that can make people laugh and making people laugh with my acting. But there are also films like this one. I came off as a scary murderer because I took on this film, not because I had a certain determination.

Q: What is the meaning of 'mercy' that you wanted to portray through this film?

Kim: I think it's something you cannot execute if you do not stand in the other person's shoes. When I was writing the scenario and shooting the film, I wanted to place Kang Min-ho and Lee Sung-ho on level circumstances so that the audience could sympathize with them. I leveled every scene in the end where Kang Min-ho and Lee Sung-ho's emotions appear. I think the audience will be able to think about the meaning of mercy by taking both of their emotions into consideration.

Han Hye-jin (left) and director Kim Hyung-joon [Lee Jin-hyuk/10Asia]

Reporter : Wee Geun-woo eight@10asia.co.kr

Photographer : Lee Jin-hyuk eleven@10asia.co.kr

Editor : Lee Ji-Hye seven@10asia.co.krActress

Editor : Jessica Kim jesskim@asiae.co.kr

<ⓒ10Asia All rights reserved>

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[Yonhap News]

S. Korean actor Seol Kyung-koo

Dec. 22, SEOUL, South Korea -- South Korean actor Seol Kyung-koo, who stars in the new movie "No Mercy," enters a publicity event in Seoul on Dec. 22. The crime thriller about a vicious murderer will be released in South Korea on Jan. 7. (Yonhap)

Movie 'No Mercy'

Dec. 22, SEOUL, South Korea -- The stars of the new movie "No Mercy" -- Han Hye-jin, Ryu Seung-beom and Seol Kyung-koo (2nd from L to R) -- along with director Kim Hyung-jun (L) pose for a photo during a publicity event in Seoul on Dec. 22. The crime thriller about a vicious murderer will be released in South Korea on Jan. 7. (Yonhap)

Dec. 22, SEOUL, South Korea -- The stars of the new movie "No Mercy" -- Ryu Seung-beom, Han Hye-jin and Seol Kyung-koo (L to R) -- pose for a photo during a publicity event in Seoul on Dec. 22. The crime thriller about a vicious murderer will be released in South Korea on Jan. 7. (Yonhap)

S. Korean actor Seol Kyung-koo

Dec. 22, SEOUL, South Korea -- South Korean actor Seol Kyung-koo, who stars in the new movie "No Mercy," poses for a photo during a publicity event in Seoul on Dec. 22. The crime thriller about a vicious murderer will be released in South Korea on Jan. 7. (Yonhap)

S. Korean actor Ryu Seung-beom

Dec. 22, SEOUL, South Korea -- South Korean actor Ryu Seung-beom, who stars in the new movie "No Mercy," poses for a photo during a publicity event in Seoul on Dec. 22. The crime thriller about a vicious murderer will be released in South Korea on Jan. 7. (Yonhap)

S. Korean actress Han Hye-jin

S. Korean director Kim Hyung-jun

Dec. 22, SEOUL, South Korea -- South Korean director Kim Hyung-jun greets reporters during a publicity event for the new movie "No Mercy" in Seoul on Dec. 22. The crime thriller about a vicious murderer will be released in South Korea on Jan. 7. (Yonhap)

S. Korean actor Ryu Seong-beom

Dec. 22, SEOUL, South Korea -- South Korean actor Ryu Seong-beom, who stars in the new movie "No Mercy," greets reporters during a publicity event in Seoul on Dec. 22. The crime thriller about a vicious murderer will be released in South Korea on Jan. 7. (Yonhap)

S. Korean actress Han Hye-jin

Dec. 22, SEOUL, South Korea -- South Korean actress Han Hye-jin, who stars in the new movie "No Mercy," greets reporters during a publicity event in Seoul on Dec. 22. The crime thriller about a vicious murderer will be released in South Korea on Jan. 7. (Yonhap)

S. Korean actor Sung Ji-ru

Dec. 22, SEOUL, South Korea -- South Korean actor Sung Ji-ru, who stars in the new movie "No Mercy," greets reporters during a publicity event in Seoul on Dec. 22. The crime thriller about a vicious murderer will be released in South Korea on Jan. 7. (Yonhap)

S. Korean actor Seol Kyung-koo and Ryu Seung-beom

Dec. 22, SEOUL, South Korea -- South Korean actor Seol Kyung-koo ® and Ryu Seung-beom, who star in the new movie "No Mercy," listen to reporters' questions during a publicity event in Seoul on Dec. 22. The crime thriller about a vicious murderer will be released in South Korea on Jan. 7. (Yonhap)

S. Korean actress Seol Kyung-koo

Dec. 22, SEOUL, South Korea -- South Korean actor Seol Kyung-koo, who stars in the new movie "No Mercy," responds to reporters' questions during a publicity event in Seoul on Dec. 22. The crime thriller about a vicious murderer will be released in South Korea on Jan. 7. (Yonhap)

S. Korean actor Ryu Seung-beom

Dec. 22, SEOUL, South Korea -- South Korean actor Ryu Seung-beom, who stars in the new movie "No Mercy," responds to reporters' questions during a publicity event in Seoul on Dec. 22. The crime thriller about a vicious murderer will be released in South Korea on Jan. 7. (Yonhap)

S. Korean director Kim Hyung-jun

Dec. 22, SEOUL, South Korea -- South Korean director Kim Hyung-jun responds to reporters' questions during a publicity event for the new movie "No Mercy" in Seoul on Dec. 22. The crime thriller about a vicious murderer will be released in South Korea on Jan. 7. (Yonhap)

Movie 'No Mercy'

Dec. 22, SEOUL, South Korea -- The stars of the new movie "No Mercy" -- Han Hye-jin, Ryu Seung-beom and Seol Kyung-koo (2nd L to R) -- along with director Kim Hyung-jun (L) respond to reporters' questions during a publicity event in Seoul on Dec. 22. The crime thriller about a vicious murderer will be released in South Korea on Jan. 7. (Yonhap)

(END)

[Guest kdramafanusa]

[The Korea Herald 2009.12.24]

Sul, Ryu ignite screen in new thriller

Sul Kyoung-gu (left) and Ryu Seung-beom in "No Mercy"

What do you do when a serial killer has enough power over you to compromise your role as a forensics pathologist? That is the moral quandary that puts forensics investigator Kang Min-ho walking a tightrope in director Kim Hyung-joon's latest thriller, "No Mercy."

In what might have been a standard serial killer police procedural, sterling performances elevate the film to a higher level.

"This was a film that makes you reflect on humanity and human nature," Sul Kyoung-gu said at a post-screening Q&A session with the press on Tuesday in Seoul.

The veteran actor plays a forensics analyst investigating a murder of a woman whose mutilated remains are found scattered at a remote river in the idyllic North Jeolla Province.

Suspected serial killer Lee Sung-ho - chillingly portrayed by the always intense Ryu Seung-beom - begins an elaborate game of cat and mouse involving the disappearance of Kang's daughter.

"Because my last film didn't bode too well, I was in search of a film that would ease the pressure on my shoulders, and that film became 'No Mercy,'" Ryu said.

"When I got wind of Sul Kyoung-gu's involvement, I wanted to lean on him for support."

Portraying a suspected serial killer and a respected eco-friendly agricultural guru in a small rural county, Ryu's character is every bit as menacing in the second half as he is harmless in the first act.

The film also stars actress Han Hye-jin as a rookie homicide detective who snags a whale of a case when she apprehends Lee.

During the post-screening press conference, she acknowledged that the film's strength lay in the on-screen exchanges between Sul and Ryu.

"It was impressive to see the two so completely immersed in their roles," she said.

"During break when we had grab some food, even then it was an uncomfortable environment to be in when the two were on set."

Prior to the press screening, rumors had been floating around regarding the film's violence and relentless pace. In reality, it is not nearly as bloody as the recent Hollywood turkey, "Ninja Assassin." But the difference is that the Wachowski's ninja romp is so detached from reality that no one raised a single brow.

Just as charges of excessive violence were hurled at Quentin Tarantino's earlier films, "No Mercy" may face criticism.

In Tarantino's "Reservoir Dogs" the scene that created the most buzz was an infamous torture sequence.

In response, Tarantino came out to challenge those charges demanding his critics watch the sequence again as all of the violence occurred off-screen, and was simply implied.

The treatment of violence is similar with "No Mercy."

The film's chaotic tone and its relentless pace is mostly held together by the scenes which involve Sul and Ryu's interrogation room exchange.

It is probably the highlight of the film.

As a matter of fact, the film could even be remade as a tandem stage act.

When the two share the screen, it is a riveting thing to watch - Sul and Ryu are in top form.

Throughout the interrogation scenes, the two are like hungry wolves - circling each other and waiting for the other to slip up.

They spend significant time in silence - assessing and sizing each other up through their cold stare.

And it is through these exchanges where the film becomes engrossing.

The film will most likely spark comparisons to the 1996 American film "Primal Fear" which was also a run-of-the-mill thriller boosted by the on screen chemistry between the two leads Richard Gere and Edward Norton as detective and suspected murderer.

Sul has played a law enforcement figure before in the hugely popular "Public Enemy" franchise as a bumbling simpleton.

Though Sul's character in that film, Kang Chul-joong, was very much one-dimensional, there was something about Sul's face and his performance that gave the character nuance and an endearing quality.

But here he does what he does best in portraying a man facing an ethical crossroads.

He is constantly at odds with himself - hounded by the choice of playing the killer's elaborate game and ensuring the safety of his missing daughter or acting within the guidelines of his role as an investigator.

The film does try to offer a glimpse into the intricate details of criminal pathology and forensic analysis - all of which were clearly inspired by the popular American television program C.S.I. - but ultimately, it becomes buried under the director's insistence that those sequences look stylish and glossy.

The film opens nationwide on Jan. 7.

(kws@heraldm.com)

By Song Woong-ki

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[The Korea Times 12-24-2009 17:02]

Actors Show 'No Mercy' for Vengeance

By Lee Hyo-won

Staff Reporter

Actors Sul Kyoung-gu, left, and Ryu Seung-bum star in “No Mercy,” a new crime thriller about a forensic specialist who is blackmailed into tampering with autopsy results in a dismemberment murder case. / Courtesy of Cinema Service

"No Mercy’’ opens the New Year box office with a slice of gruesome cadaver-cutting and a dash of heart-thumping chases. Obviously, this murder story is no firework event for families.

In the past, the normative formula for box office success had been period epics or action-packed stories highlighting the North-South Korean divide. But lately the focus has shifted to medium-budget, crafty crime thrillers featuring unexpected endings that slap you in the face.

Thrills once rooted in ruthless psychopathic terror lately began to take a more dramatic spin with sympathy-provoking homicides, throwing big moral questions into a murky gray zone. "No Mercy’’ takes the latter to extremes; this tale of revenge may not be as visionary as "Oldboy’’ but it certainly is a match in terms of shock factor.

Indeed, "it’s so violent, it’s tragic,’’ just as described by first-time director Kim Hyung-joon.

Moreover, the two lead actors, Sul Kyoung-gu and Ryu Seung-bum, harness their animalistic acting instincts to artistic ends, creating characters that feel intensely alive and even covering for glitches in the movie.

Sul casts off his usual disheveled image to play the cool, suave and adept forensic pathologist, Dr. Kang. He is about to wrap up his work in order to spend time with his daughter, who finally returns home after a long stint overseas. When a beautiful young woman is found butchered into six parts by a river, with an arm missing, Kang is beckoned for one last job.

Han Hye-jin makes her big screen debut as Min, a rookie detective whose keen wits and undying enthusiasm narrow down the investigation, which points to Lee Seong-ho (Ryu) as the primary suspect.

Lee, a respected environmental activist, confidently admits his guilt, saying that he committed the crime in order to oppose constructions that would divide a local river into six parts (hence the six body parts). But "No Mercy’’ does not stop short of being a spinoff of "Se7en.’’

The police become baffled as clues keep contradicting Lee’s guilt, however, while Kang’s beloved daughter is kidnapped. Kang realizes that the abduction is related to Lee; Lee offers to prevent his child from being killed in return for vindication. Kang starts tampering with autopsy results but senses that Lee has other intentions.

The movie is initially reminiscent of thrillers in which the protagonist stands at a crossroads between professional integrity and personal interest such as "Seven Days’’ or "Secret.’’ But subsequent climactic blows ― though including some rather unnecessary scenes of provocative violence ― prove to be but an appetizer to a mind-blowing finale.

"No Mercy’’ commands every ounce of one’s attention. The convoluted plotline and dragged out middle section fatigue the mind at times, but the leading men keep things edgy.

Sul’s emotions rollercoaster from panic to agony in a performance that is as memorable as "Peppermint Candy.’’ Ryu, on the other hand, makes an impressive rite of passage into his 30s with nothing more than a quizzical facial expression; he is neither the heartless psychopath nor a hysterical vengeance-ridden killer. Even before his dark secrets begin to surface he inspires goose bumps with a subtle eeriness.

However, the most haunting part begins after the story comes to an end, as the viewer is left alone to contemplate the line between retributive justice and vengeance that ironically stems from compassion.

In theaters Jan. 7, 2010. Distributed by Cinema Service

hyowlee@koreatimes.co.kr

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[PREVIEW] Film "No Mercy"

Reporter : Wee Geun-woo | eight@10asia.co.kr

기사입력 2010.01.06 17:47 최종수정 2010.01.06 17:47

"No Mercy" - Can you have mercy on the film's ending?

Actors Sol Kyung-gu (left) and Ryoo Seung-bum in "No Mercy" [Cinema Service]

A chopped-up body of a young woman is found at the mouth of the Keum River. Korea's top forensic investigator Kang Min-ho (played by Sul Kyung-gu) is brought in to look into the cruel, horrendous crime method. His medical advice and detective Min Seo-young's (played by Han Hye-jin) deduction lead to the arrest of a prime suspect -- an environmental activist named Lee Sung-ho (played by Ryoo Seung-bum). Lee's confession wraps up the first part of the movie but this is where the real story of film "No Mercy" begins. Lee Sung-ho, who has kidnapped Kang Min-ho's daughter, demands that Kang prove his innocence. During the process of carrying out Lee's orders, Kang finds the connection between Lee and a criminal case for which he was a witness years ago. As the old, unfortunate link between the two men unfolds and by the time Kang realizes that Lee's murder and threat were all planned as part of his revenge, the audience is left with just one question: what is the ending that Lee Sung-ho wants from all that has happened? That is also the ending to the movie. Whether or not "No Mercy", the first Korean film to open in 2010, will be remembered as a well-made thriller film will depend on the viewers' response to the ending.

Movie Points (1-10 points)

Impossible to give a preview of the movie without spoilers - 5 points

Scenes from the film "No Mercy" [Cinema Service]

Korea's top actors Sul Kyung-gu and Ryoo Seung-bum play hostile enemies in the film, but the two rarely create much intensity in the actual film. Not to say that their acting is below par. It is just that since Lee Sung-ho is in possession of all the rules of the game, Kang can only run around within the boundaries set by Lee. That is why "No mercy" has a closer resemblance to "Seven Days" and "Oldboy" rather than "The Chaser". All the more so since the film has a very shocking ending in store for its viewers.

If "No Mercy" leaves a strong impression on you after you watch the film, it is most likely because of the last couple of minutes of the movie. This statement means two things. First, that the ending is as shocking and original as it was in "Oldboy". And second, that the movie has little else going for it. One can predict quite early into the movie that Lee Sung-ho's confession was a trap to bring in Kang Min-ho and that the two have bad history with each other. The details about their relationship gets revealed halfway into the film. And from that moment on, what maintains the intensity of the storyline is not the showdown between Kang Min-ho and Lee Sung-ho nor Kang's struggle to save his daughter's life. It is only the wait -- the waiting for the evident reversal of an ending, whatever it may be -- that makes viewers endure the remaining running time. Whether or not the film's ending will be worth the wait will be confirmed when the film opens in theaters on January 7.

Reporter : Wee Geun-woo eight@10asia.co.kr

Editor : Lynn Kim lynn2878@asiae.co.kr, Lee Ji-Hye seven@10asia.co.kr

<ⓒ10Asia All rights reserved>

[Guest kdramafanusa]

~

December 28, 20009 - VIP Premiere

director Ryu Seung-Wan

Ha Ji-Won, director Yoon Je-Gyun

Bae Soo-Bin

......

Source: Edaily

[Guest kdramafanusa]

http://10.asiae.co.kr/Articles/new_view.ht...010708073753780

PEOPLE > INTERVIEW 100

2010.01.07

No Mercy

Oasis

Peppermint Candy

Haeundae

[Guest kdramafanusa]

http://www.cine21.com/Article/article_view...rticle_id=59196

http://www.cine21.com/Article/article_view...rticle_id=59197

http://www.cine21.com/Article/article_view...rticle_id=59198

http://www.cine21.com/Article/article_view...rticle_id=59282

[Guest kdramafanusa]

Source: JoongAng Daily

'No Mercy' marked by dramatic plot twists

January 08, 2010

"No Mercy" director Kim Hyung-jun and actors Han Hye-jin, Ryoo Seung-bum and Sul Kyung-gu, from left to right, attend a press conference after a preview screening on Dec. 22. [YONHAP]

The new Korean thriller "No Mercy," which opened in local theaters yesterday, happens to have the same title as the 1987 action movie starring Richard Gere. There are other similarities between the two - both contain a lot of action scenes and center around a crime - but the Korean film is more closely tied to other Korean thrillers such as "Seven Days" (2007) and "Secret" (2009).

No Mercy began drawing attention before its release for its high-profile cast and suspenseful plot. The film's stars, Sul Kyung-gu and Ryoo Seung-bum, have both gained widespread respect for their acting skills and this is the first time they have appeared on screen together. The plot is reported to have a dramatic reversal that has been called the most shocking ending in Korean film since "Oldboy" (2003), the internationally acclaimed Korean film directed by Park Chan-wook.

The plot follows forensic pathologist Kang Min-ho (Sul) as he tries to track down Lee Seong-ho (Ryoo), an environmental activist who claims to have killed at least one woman in protest against a government river development project. As Kang investigates the case, his daughter is kidnapped and Lee is the primary suspect.

For Sul, the scene that has generated the most buzz is the one in which he points a gun at his head - a scenario he played to chilling effect in the 2000 film "Peppermint Candy" by Lee Chang-dong.

When asked how he felt about doing two such similar scenes, the actor seemed nonchalant.

"Peppermint Candy was the first film of the year 2000, as it was released on Jan. 1 of that year, and now here I am 10 years later with a new film that is the first film of 2010," Sul said at a press event in Seoul late last month. "It's filled me with emotion. But I don't want to give special meaning to that particular scene."

"I think of this movie more as a drama [than a thriller] that just takes the shape of a thriller," Sul said. "It may be too heavy for some, but I believe that audiences will be able to empathize with the story because the movie makes you think about human beings in the end. It will be interesting to grasp the movie's story line, no matter which of the characters you focus on."

As the title suggests, the movie deals with mercy, forgiveness or the lack thereof.

"I thought about the meaning of 'mercy' and 'forgiveness' while participating in this movie," said actress Han Hye-jin, who plays Min Suh-young, an intelligent female detective who helps Kang with his daunting task.

"As the movie implies, to forgive someone, you need to put yourself in their shoes. It is something you have to face in your daily life and it is always difficult, no matter what the issue is."

Kim Hyung-jun, the first-time director who also wrote the script, agreed with Han, saying that the concept of empathy was something he was trying to express as he was developing the story line.

"It is impossible to forgive someone if you don't put yourself in that person's place," Kim said. "And when I wrote the script, I wanted to put audiences in the position of the two main characters."

No Mercy is currently playing in local theaters.

By Park Sun-young [spark0320@joongang.co.kr]

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Source: The Korea Herald 2010.01.01

[bOXOFFICE]

The Road (U.S.)

Opening Jan. 7

Drama. Directed by John Hillcoat. A father (Viggo Mortensen) and son make their way across a post-apocalyptic American heartland in hopes of finding civilization. Fending off the cold and hunger have become secondary to a new threat as they encounter gangs of marauding cannibals during their journey. It is director John Hillcoat's adaptation of Cormac McCarthy's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel of the same name.

No Mercy (Korea)

Opening Jan. 7

Thriller. Directed by Kim Hyung-joon. What do you do when a serial killer has enough power over you to compromise your role as a forensics pathologist? That is the quandary forensics investigator Kang Min-ho finds himself in in director Kim Hyung-joon's latest thriller, "No Mercy." Vaunted thespians Sul Kyoung-gu and Ryu Seung-beom star in the movie. Sul plays a forensics analyst investigating the murder of a woman whose mutilated remains are found scattered in a remote river. Ryu plays the suspected killer and respected ecologist who engage in a psychological game that involves the investigator's missing daughter.

Paranormal Activity (U.S.)

Opening Jan. 14

Horror. Directed by Oren Peli. A young couple in a new home experience paranormal activities. After several nights of loud noises and strange occurrences, the couple feels certain a malevolent ghost may have followed them into the new home. The husband decides to take control of the situation and sets up video cameras so any spirit that manifests itself can be captured on tape. Once the surveillance cameras are in place, the couple brings in a Ouija board to talk to the spirits -- a move that deeply offends the ghosts.

Astro Boy (U.S.)

Opening Jan. 14

Animation. Directed by David Bowers. In the distant future, a young robot with incredible powers discovers the joys of being human. Astro Boy is a young robot from futuristic Metro City, created by a brilliant scientist named Dr. Tenma. Powered by pure positive "blue" energy, his abilities include x-ray vision, inhuman speed and flight. The Pinocchio-inspired story takes the android on a quest to find his true place in the world. He sets out on an epic journey that brings him face to face with an underworld army of robots and some of the strangest creatures ever to walk the Earth

Jeon Woo Chi (Korea)

Opened Dec. 23

Action. Directed by CHoi Dong-hoon. Director Choi Dong-hoon is back with this super-hero flick about a Joseon-era wizard. Choi's previous films "The Big Swindle" and "Tazza: The High Rollers" were huge box-office hits and his latest film is also widely expected to perform well. The film has already been sold to distributors from 13 countries at the American Film Market. The film tells the story of a wizard named Jeon Woo-chi (Kang Dong-won) who is falsely accused of murder. He gets released into modern Korea after a 500-year sleep to fight goblins.

[Guest kdramafanusa]

http://www.movieweek.co.kr/article/article.html?aid=22086

http://www.movieweek.co.kr/article/article.html?aid=22087

http://www.movieweek.co.kr/article/article.html?aid=22088

[Guest kdramafanusa]

Daily Box Office - Thursday 2010/01/07

1. Avatar (US)

Release Date : 2009/12/17

Daily Admission / Total Admission / Screen / Share : 123,480 / 7,176,426 / 559 / 36.7%

2. Jeon Woo Chi (South Korea)

Release Date : 2009/12/23

Daily Admission / Total Admission / Screen / Share : 75,487 / 3,812,895 / 470 / 22.5%

3. No Mercy (South Korea)

Release Date : 2010/01/07

Daily Admission / Total Admission / Screen / Share : 50,799 / 57,992 / 321 / 15.1%

4. Sherlock Holmes (US, UK)

Release Date : 2009/12/23

Daily Admission / Total Admission / Screen / Share : 28,010 / 1,737,073 / 279 / 8.3%

~

Daily Box Office - Friday 2010/01/08

1. Avatar (US)

Release Date : 2009/12/17

Daily Admission / Total Admission / Screen / Share : 152,643 / 7,329,423 / 570 / 37.8%

2. Jeon Woo Chi (South Korea)

Release Date : 2009/12/23

Daily Admission / Total Admission / Screen / Share : 93,459 / 3,906,671 / 473 / 23.1%

3. No Mercy (South Korea)

Release Date : 2010/01/07

Daily Admission / Total Admission / Screen / Share : 58,583 / 116,781 / 312 / 14.5%

4. Sherlock Holmes (US, UK)

Release Date : 2009/12/23

Daily Admission / Total Admission / Screen / Share : 36,496 / 1,773,703 / 278 / 9%

Source: KOBIS

[Guest kdramafanusa]

english clip from Arirang world

Korean Movie No Mercy (용서는 없다)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m00WpznVMYE

[Guest kdramafanusa]

[iNTERVIEW] Actor Sul Kyung-gu (Part 1)

Editor in Chief : Beck Una | one@10asia.co.kr

기사입력 2010.01.12 01:14 최종수정 2010.01.12 01:15

Actor Sul Kyung-gu [beck Una/10Asia]

Sul Kyung-gu (Sul): Wow, it's been such a long time. I came here today with the thought of meeting an old friend, not to do an interview. Was the last time we met for an interview for "Rikidozan: A Hero Extraordinary"? At the trailer on set in Bucheon?

Beck Una (Beck): Yes, you remember. That was the last time.

Sul: Ha... That's when I started going through rough times. "Rikidozan" flopped (laugh), I didn't have any work for eight months after that and then tried frantically to lose weight in a month to shoot "Another Public Enemy," going into a state of panic. You can guess how I was from the fact that I would ask the director, "Can we stop shooting today?"

Beck: Really? You're someone who would ask to do a re-shoot, not stop shoot.

Sul: Exactly.

Beck: To be frank, I think that's when it started. When, as an observer of the path you take as an actor, I started thinking 'What's this?' It seemed like you were going to another world.

Sul: Yes, that's right. I was living in another world. As of that point, the atmosphere of the film industry changed a lot, expert mediums in film disappeared one after another, there were less people I could talk to openly, a lot of things started becoming unfamiliar for me. Yes, "Rikidozan" was when it all began. A lot of things happened to me personally too and sometimes, I let myself be led to things which I didn't know the destination to. Not all the time but sometimes I would be led to things which weren't worth it.

Beck: So that may be why, but after "Rikidozan," the Sul I saw on screen was somehow not the Sul I had become familiar with.

Sul: I don't think I was myself. Should I say I was in an exhausted state? Or should I say devastated. There were some issues around me too.

Beck: Do you think you're doing a bit better now?

Sul: Yes, I think I'm doing much better now. I had been in shock after the opening of "Rikidozan," with the failure and all, but something was very weird. I might still be in that state... since I tend not to hang out with people who do movies anymore and actually don't go out at all.

Beck: It must've felt like people turned their back on you all of a sudden -- those people who had always complimented you and praised you since your debut. I think it must have felt like experiencing the hidden fangs the media and public had when they started talking about your personal life rather than your acting.

Sul: I think that's why I had closed up. Whatever I say, it would all come back in a similar nuance. That's why I ended up saying just the things I need to. People used to talk badly about me before but they don't even do that anymore. (laugh)

Beck: Your characters' identity as a father is the force behind your characters' actions in your films "Voice of a Murderer" and most recently "No Mercy." What thoughts do you have when it comes to your own dad?

Sul: I am such a bad son. (laugh) I'm not that close with him. But don't you think it's rare for fathers and sons to be close, especially Koreans in our generation? I talk with my mom at the least but (not with my dad) maybe because I know he is lonely and I don't want to become emotional about it.

Beck: Are you lonely too?

Sul: I'm lonely too. I don't express it but there are many times I feel like tearing apart my heart. And though I know how lonely my father is, I try not to get close to him even though I know. I also don't want him to be nagging at me since I'm over 40. (laugh) Some of my friends who have sons say they grow apart when they go to middle school. Dads are lonely people.

Beck: What sort of student were you when you were young?

Sul: What is this? Are you out to dig into my family's past today? (laugh) I was a kid who did not have much presence... average the whole way! I still remember the look on my homeroom teacher's face when I said I would major in acting. The completely dumbfounded look. I had actually meant to produce, not act, but it was an indefinite dream since I had never shot anything before because I didn't have a camcorder at home. When I occasionally see TV directors on shows, I would think, 'Wow, that is a real man's job.' They seemed like field commanders with their work clothes, dishevelled hair and the frowns on their foreheads. I became attracted to the pretentious aspect of the job of being a director. But when I actually got into college, I found out that everyone had prepared more specifically than I had. With French movies, cultural institutes. I was an ordinary person compared to them.

Beck: And that person ended up not producing films but becoming a stage actor.

Sul: Back in those days, we half-jokingly used to say that the annual income for a startup stage actor is 100,000 won. But I made 500,000 won the first time I started my job as a stage actor in my senior year of college. I really felt like I had become rich. I would have a pocket full of money when I fold up 50 of those 10,000 won bills into half and stick them into my pocket. Everyone used to say theater actors are hungry but I rather never was. And the next month I got paid 600,000 won. I received 800,000 by the time I was done. I pretty much received several years worth of other people's annual salary.

Editor in Chief : Beck Una one@10asia.co.kr

Editor : Jessica Kim jesskim@asiae.co.kr, Lee Ji-Hye seven@10asia.co.kr

<ⓒ10Asia All rights reserved>

~

[iNTERVIEW] Actor Sul Kyung-gu (Part 2)

Editor in Chief : Beck Una | one@10asia.co.kr

기사입력 2010.01.12 01:14 최종수정 2010.01.12 01:14

Actor Sul Kyung-gu [beck Una/10Asia]

Beck Una (Beck): And that is when you decided to take the civil service examination.

Sul Kyung-gu (Sul): Haha. Let me explain that to you. I was dying to leave the Hanyang Repertory. I'd already graduated but that place was an extension of school while I wanted to meet a larger variety of people. I didn't think they'd let me go for no reason so I lied that I'm going to take the civil service exam. (laugh) But what's so spontaneous about me is that although I had left because I didn't like it, I didn't have anything to do right away. And I needed money but I didn't want to ask my parents for it so I ended up asking a senior of mine to give me a part-time job putting up posters. The interesting thing is that I ended up staying in the industry. Of course, if I had really taken off, I might have ended up becoming human trash. (laugh) Anyway, I had been at the job for about a month and a half? I was suddenly asked if I would want to take part in the musical "Line 1". Mr. Kim Min-ki had seen me about, putting up the posters and asked me if I would want to take part thinking that I'm hardworking. That had been my audition for it. Me and actors from all walks of life with all sorts of experience rehearsed for three months and wow, it was so much fun. That was the start of "Line 1." It also did very well. Before I took on film "Girls' Night Out," I was making two million won per month and drove a Sephia. (laugh) But after "Line 1," I had no work at all. That's when scenarist Lee Sun-mi, who used to do plays, recommended me to writer Jung Sung-joo. And that is how I got to become part of the cast for morning TV series "Sisters." I think I'm a very person when it comes to human relationships.

Beck: Did you not think of taking on dramas after "Sisters"?

Sul: Why wouldn't I have? I was also asked to quite a lot. Not official auditions but one-on-one. But you know how you get glanced at from head to toe? I really hated the look they gave me when they do that. So after "Girls' Night Out" and then "Rainbow Trout," a man called Lee Chang-dong called me.

Beck: After he watched "Girls' Night Out"?

Sul: Yes, he said he hadn't planned to but did because his friends said he must see me. When we met up, he said he had wanted to see me and handed me the scenario for "Peppermint Candy." But he also told me that he needs investment to make a movie but it would be difficult to get one with my name. So he said he had just really wanted to see me and that we should work together next time if we get the chance. I read his script on my way back home in the subway in one go and I had thought 'Wow, this is like a novel.' Then one night, I got a call asking if I could meet with him if they came to my house. Director Lee Chang-dong and CEO Myong Kye-nam came to see me and asked if I wanted to do the movie. I told them I want to but I'm not good enough. I thought I would end up being an inconvenience. But they told me to come into their office tomorrow for an audition and I showed up the next day, acting out a scene where I put a gun to someone else's head. I used a comb for the scene since I didn't have anything else. Then the next day, I got a call saying I got cast for the role of Kim Young-ho. It turned out that Lee Chang-dong's wife, who had been watching the audition video, had said "There's your Kim Young-ho." I got goosebumps hearing that. It also turned out that the montage the art director had drawn of Kim Young-ho looked like me. I actually wasn't able to accept the offer until ten days later because I got so scared from hearing all that. I was also scared I might screw things up for director Lee who had made a sound landing in the film industry with "Green Fish" and Myong Kye-nam who was not running his film company on an abundant budget. But I ended up deciding to take it on. I told myself, 'I've never done movies so I'll never do one again if I mess up. I'll go back to theater. This will be it. The end!"

Beck: That's already ten years ago.

Sul: A reporter recently asked me to which point in my life I would want to go back to and I answered "The day 'Peppermint Candy' opened." I desperately miss those days. The people and the mood of those times. I was so excited to do this interview too. I so missed the time when I cried during the interview with you. And I desperately miss the New Years Day in the year 2000 when I was had fun with fake snow in front of Piccadilly Theater. I also remember late actress Lee Eun-joo coming to my house with her mom and handing me a four leaf clover. "No Mercy" opens on January 7 but it's still on the first week of January. So it's been 10 years. Exactly 10 years. Back then, people who make movies, actors and reporters, it felt like we were all colleagues. We had a sense of solidarity as people doing similar work. But it doesn't exist anymore. I had thought ten years is very short but it's been very long. So much has happened.

Beck: And then it must've been sometime around the year 2002. I started thinking you're a real case after seeing you star in film "Oasis, "Public Enemy" and "Jail Breakers." It seemed weird how you could didn't just work with, but work well with directors Kang Woo-suk and Kim Sang-jin after having worked with Lee Chang-dong. Of course, it would be ridiculous for an actor to ponder on a director's taste and disposition but I thought there was just a huge gap between these directors. That's why I thought to myself: 1. Sul is surprisingly calculative when it comes to social life. 2. Maybe Sul goes for anything and doesn't have any taste whatsoever. I had suspected the former to be true but when I look back on it now, I realize it was the latter. You really did go for anything. (laugh)

Sul: Me? I am. If I like it, I go for it without calculating anything. Of course, I do have my own sterotype about some people but I'm not someone who follows other people's opinions. I wasn't that concerned with how some people were speaking of director Kang and I thought the scenario for "Public Enemy" was fun and extremely eccentric. That's why I told myself, "Heck, I'll do it." I actually had more problems after shooting "Rikidozan" because I started thinking with my head too much. I decided which role I would take on next before I was done filming it. Because I was pressured about receiving scenarios and so hard to turn them down. So I think I started controlling what I do, trying to balance out the roles I'm taking on for each film. I now know how stupid I was in doing that. People like me aren't meant to use their brains. (laugh) I took on "No Mercy" without calculating anything. It just hurt so much reading the last 30 minutes of the script... the loss you feel when you just can't seem to solve your life that seems infinitely screwed up. But of course, I did a bit of calculating in that I told myself that I should take on this film because director Kim Hyung-woo would take the reigns. (laugh)

Beck: I think communication between an actor and the cinematographer is even more important than how he communicates with the director.

Sul: Undoubtedly. Since the cinematographer is the last person who captures the acting. We had a great time working together and I trusted him while working on "Voice of a Murderer." You don't know how hard I tried to get him to work on "No Mercy." (laugh) I'd always be willing to work with Kim Woo-hyung. He's a man of few words but you have no idea how cute he can be. He sends cute text messages too. (laugh)

Beck: I think the pool of male actors has become large compared to times when we used to say Choi Min-sik, Song Kang-ho and Sul Kyung-gu lead on the Korean film industry. Of course, you must've also been pressured by the fact that you are always up for comparison but it still seemed that you all talked a lot and looked out for each other. Don't you think the actors are more individualistic now?

Sul: Nah, that's not true. When were we ever not lonely? In the end, actors stand alone. That is why we are all sort of mentally ill. It's a bit different with the actors from "Haeundae" though. We keep coming up with some excuse or another to meet up often. We're a queer team. I don't know whether it's because we were all stuck shooting together in a provincial location or because the film did well. But we throw birthday parties for each other and will all go to hang out on set at some actor's shoot. We somehow keep meeting up.

Editor in Chief : Beck Una one@10asia.co.kr

Editor : Jessica Kim jesskim@asiae.co.kr, Lee Ji-Hye seven@10asia.co.kr

<ⓒ10Asia All rights reserved>

~

[iNTERVIEW] Actor Sul Kyung-gu (Part 3)

Editor in Chief : Beck Una | one@10asia.co.kr

기사입력 2010.01.12 01:14 최종수정 2010.01.12 01:14

Actor Sul Kyung-gu [beck Una/10Asia]

Beck Una (Beck): "Haeundae" is actually on weird coordinates in terms of your filmography. In comparison to your past films which had a single main character, "Haeundae" was a film which didn't necessarily need you to be part of. On top of that, director Yoon JK is known for creating commercial films. So I've been curious to know how you got to work on this film.

Sul: I was once asked which director I work best with. To that I answered, "None of them." I make things work. "Haeundae" seemed like a movie calling for trouble. Like it would become a massive hit or flop horribly. Director Yoon may seem smart and clever on the outside but he seemed innocent in my eyes. I didn't see any murkiness in his eyes. And I am great with directors. Ryoo Seung-beom was surprised at me while shooting "No Mercy." He said I listen to well to the director. But what would I do? I'm not the director. The actor should listen. Of course, it gets annoying when my actions become limited. It's tough when the director limits my actions within the camera's angle. As long as I'm not trapped inside an angle, I can listen to what the director wants.

Beck: I felt from interviews that you were a hard time especially while shooting "Voice of a Murderer" -- that you were feeling lonely.

Sul: I was having a hard time personally. And it peaked during the times I shot "Cruel Winter Blues" and "Venus and Mars." To an extent I felt bad for my manager. I'm usually not the type that lets my personal life interfere with my work. But I felt that I failed to cut off my emotions in front of the camera during those days. Couldn't hide it in the expression -- it would all show. I feel very bad for director Han Ji-seung and actress Kim Tae-hee. I really was at my worst during "Venus and Mars"! The phrase I used often back then was that I had hit rock bottom. But I feel much more at ease after hitting rock bottom. The phrase I use most often nowadays is to 'go with the flow.' In a way, I might be even more bold than I used to be. (laugh)

Beck: Do you ever feel your energy is draining out now that you're 43-years-old and act more with your body and instinct rather than by using your brain?

Sul: I think I'm the healthy type, I don't get sick easily and I'm still spry. We started shooting the autopsy scene for "No Mercy" in the morning and stayed up all night. And I still wanted to keep shooting. I liked the fact that the dark circles under my eyes were showing, that my eyes were losing focus and my face becoming more haggard because it seemed to fit the scene so well. So I said, "Let's finish up this scene today! Regardless of the time." And we had been shooting till seven in the morning when I noticed that I was the only person who was still lively and that everyone else was sleeping in some corner. I couldn't ask to keep shooting in that situation so we stopped. I don't get sleepy when I'm on set. Never. I think my willpower makes me forget about sleep.

Beck: By the way, I can't help noticing that your hands are large and thick, everytime I see them.

Sul: We went all the way to Paju while shooting "Public Enemy" because of my hands. We suddenly needed a double for my hands but we hadn't been able to find a pair that look like mine. (laugh) My hands looked like pig feet which had been drained of blood after shooting a fighting scene with Jung Jun-ho at the pool in "Another Public Enemy" because my hands had swollen up so much.

Beck: Well because of your hands and your character Kang Chul-jung, people easily related you to the image of being a 'rough guy.'

Sul: A lot of people who don't know me well really do seem to think I'm a very rough person. And violent. But they'll say they're taken by surprise after they get to know me. What's there to be so surprised about, this is me, right? I'm just some person who is very shy.

Beck: It seems that young male actors these think taking on a romantic movie is stepping down a step as an actor. And that is why they keep going for more masculine roles where they can look tough and rough. On the other hand, you, who keeps insisting that all your films have been romantic ones since "Peppermint Dream" (laugh). Would you still be interested in taking on a proper romantic film?

Sul: Well, romantic films... I don't know when it will be but I think you can only start doing real romantic movies after you turn 40. Not about events or dating. But stories about the essence of love.

Beck: Do you still cry well? I still so clearly remember you telling me how you sobbed alone in a motel room while reading the scenario for "Rikidozan."

Sul: Well, there's been a lot of changes to my personal life and the environment around me but I don't think I have changed that much. I still cry easily and choke up. Of course, I try to hold back the tears now. Rather, there have been times recently where my eyes tear up for no reason. And I'm not suffering from depression. (laugh)

Beck: Well we've somehow reached the year 2010.

Sul: Yes, and it'll be the start to another ten years... I think the remaining ten years will be quite interesting. A decade is such a long time. Of course I might die before that (laugh) so let's meet up often and for a long time.

Editor in Chief : Beck Una one@10asia.co.kr

Editor : Jessica Kim jesskim@asiae.co.kr, Lee Ji-Hye seven@10asia.co.kr

<ⓒ10Asia All rights reserved>

[Guest kdramafanusa]

Daily Box Office - Monday 2010/01/11

1. Avatar (US)

Release Date : 2009/12/17

128,192 / 8,144,709 / 566 / 41.9

2. Jeon Woo Chi (South Korea)

Release Date : 2009/12/23

Daily Admission / Total Admission / Screen / Share : 69,245 / 4,422,585 / 465 / 22.6%

3. No Mercy (South Korea)

Release Date : 2010/01/07

Daily Admission / Total Admission / Screen / Share : 43,793 / 404,022 / 305 / 14.3%

4 셜록 홈즈 미국,영국 2009/12/23 22,544 1,942,270 158,310,500 14,155,394,500 282 7.4

Source: KOBIS

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Song Hye-kyo, Gang Dong-won to star in Asian omnibus pic

Jessica Kim | jesskim@asiae.co.kr

기사입력 2010.01.12 15:15 최종수정 2010.01.12 15:15

Actress Song Hye-kyo (right) and actor Gang Dong-won, who have been cast to star in Korean director Jang Joon-hwan's "Love for Sale." [bAL CON]

Several of South Korea's top actors including actress Song Hye-kyo and actor Gang Dong-won have been cast in a multinational omnibus film by directors from Korea, Japan and Thailand, according to the film's production company on Tuesday.

BAL CON announced in a statement that the film, tentatively titled "Busan Project," will be composed of three episodes each set in the past, present and future of the city of Busan in Korea.

Based in Korea during the 1970s, the first segment, titled "Iron lion king," will be directed by Thailand's Wisit Sasanatieng and star Korean actor Kim Min-jun and Thai-American actor Michael Shaowanasai. Shawananasai will play the role of a male secret agent from Thailand in disguise of a woman who later falls in love with an unidentifiable Korean man, played by Kim.

Korean actor Sul Kyung-gu and Japan's Yositaka Yuriko will appear in the second segment set in modern day Korea. A film director and a young woman who fall into a love that transcends time and space in the pic named "Kamome" by Japanese director Yukisada Isao.

The final episode, set in the near future, will be helmed by Korean director Jang Joon-hwan. In the film titled "Love for Sale," Song and Gang will play lovers who forget their memories about each other which later leads them to a fatal destiny.

Filming for the episodes will take place for about a month starting mid-January starting with "Love for Sale." Creators of the film plan to submit the pic to the Cannes film festival this year.

Kim has been a popular actor in Korea since his debut in 2003. He has appeared in several TV series and films including his most recent drama "Friend, Our Legend" alongside Hallyu star Hyun Bin.

Sul is a critically-acclaimed actor who has numerous awards under his belt including the title for best actor at the Grand Bell Awards, Golden Needle Space Awards and Bratislava International Film Festival. He made headlines last year after marrying top Korean actress Song Yuna.

Actress Song shot to fame in hit KBS TV series "Autumn Fairy Tale" co-starring Hallyu stars Won Bin and Song Seung-hun, gaining increasing popularity throughout Asia with her roles in several successful TV shows thereafter including "All In" opposite Lee Byung-hun and "Full House" alongside Asian pop sensation Rain.

Gang has been considered one of Korea's top heartthrobs since his appearance in film "Romance of their Own" in 2004. He most recently starred in "WOOCHI" which has been faring well on the currently Hollywood-dominated domestic box office. The film set a record for attracting the most number of viewers on its opening day and has maintained its position at No.2 after "Avatar" since its release in late December.

Actors Sul Kyung-gu (right), who has been cast to star in Japanese director Yukisada Isao's film "Kamome" and actor Kim Min-jun, who has been cast to star in Thai director Wisit Sasanatieng's "Iron lion king." [bAL CON]

Jessica Kim jesskim@asiae.co.kr

<ⓒ10Asia All rights reserved>

[Guest kdramafanusa]

Daily Box Office - Saturday 2010/01/16 (preliminary figures)

1. Avatar (US)

Release Date : 2009/12/17

Daily Admission / Total Admission / Screen / Share : 300,491 / 8,971,059 / 530 / 34.5%

2. Jeon Woo Chi (South Korea)

Release Date : 2009/12/23

Daily Admission / Total Admission / Screen / Share : 187,409 / 4,887,623 / 417 / 21.5%

Director : Choi Dong-Hoon

Cast : Kang Dong-Won, Kim Yoon-Seok, Im Soo-Jung, Yoo Hae-Jin, Baek Yoon-Shik, ...

3. No Mercy (South Korea)

Release Date : 2010/01/07

Daily Admission / Total Admission / Screen / Share : 92,586 / 659,619 / 319 / 10.6%

Director : Kim Hyung-Joon

Cast : Seol Kyung-Gu, Ryu Seung-Beom, Han Hye-Jin

4. Astro Boy (US)

Release Date : 2010/01/13

Daily Admission / Total Admission / Screen / Share : 66,052 / 136,634 / 288 / 7.6%

5. Paranormal Activity (US)

Release Date : 2010/01/13

Daily Admission / Total Admission / Screen / Share :58,565 / 137,398 / 188 / 6.7%

6. Dad Likes Women (South Korea)

Release Date : 2010/01/14

Daily Admission / Total Admission / Screen / Share : 39,347 / 80,284 / 287 / 4.5%

Director : Lee Kwang-Jae

Cast : Lee Na-Young, Kim Ji-Seok, Kim Hee-Soon

7. Sherlock Holmes (US, UK)

Release Date : 2009/12/23

Daily Admission / Total Admission / Screen / Share : 36,585 / 2,061,311 / 213 / 4.2%

8. Wedding Dress (South Korea)

Release Date : 2010/01/14

Daily Admission / Total Admission / Screen / Share : 26,381 / 52,775 / 181 / 3%

Director : Kwon Hyung-Jin

Cast : Song Yoon-Ah

Source: KOBIS

[Guest kdramafanusa]

Daily Box Office - Sunday 2010/01/17 (preliminary figures)

1. Avatar (US)

Release Date : 2009/12/17

Daily Admission / Total Admission / Screen / Share : 281,146 / 9,252,363 / 527 / 35.1%

2. Jeon Woo Chi (South Korea)

Release Date : 2009/12/23

Daily Admission / Total Admission / Screen / Share : 171,163 / 5,058,852 / 405 / 21.4%

Director : Choi Dong-Hoon

Cast : Kang Dong-Won, Kim Yoon-Seok, Im Soo-Jung, Yoo Hae-Jin, Baek Yoon-Shik, ...

3. No Mercy (South Korea)

Release Date : 2010/01/07

Daily Admission / Total Admission / Screen / Share : 83,578 / 743,291 / 313 / 10.4%

Director : Kim Hyung-Joon

Cast : Seol Kyung-Gu, Ryu Seung-Beom, Han Hye-Jin

4. Astro Boy (US)

Release Date : 2010/01/13

Daily Admission / Total Admission / Screen / Share : 66,286 / 202,917 / 281 / 8.3%

5. Paranormal Activity (US)

Release Date : 2010/01/13

Daily Admission / Total Admission / Screen / Share : 53,787 / 191,250 / 184 / 6.7%

6. Dad Likes Women (South Korea)

Release Date : 2010/01/14

Daily Admission / Total Admission / Screen / Share : 34,192 / 114,485 / 282 / 4.3%

Director : Lee Kwang-Jae

Cast : Lee Na-Young, Kim Ji-Seok, Kim Hee-Soon

7. Sherlock Holmes (US, UK)

Release Date : 2009/12/23

Daily Admission / Total Admission / Screen / Share : 30,474 / 2,091,785 / 214 / 3.8%

8. Wedding Dress (South Korea)

Release Date : 2010/01/14

Daily Admission / Total Admission / Screen / Share : 23,330 / 76,110 / 181 / 2.9%

Director : Kwon Hyung-Jin

Cast : Song Yoon-Ah

Source: KOBIS

[Guest kdramafanusa]

listing Korean films only.....

Daily Box Office - Monday 2010/01/18 (preliminary figures)

2. Jeon Woo Chi

Release Date : 2009/12/23

Daily Admission / Total Admission / Screen / Share : 51,873 / 5,113,255 / 386 / 19.1%

Director : Choi Dong-Hoon

Cast : Kang Dong-Won, Kim Yoon-Seok, Im Soo-Jung, Yoo Hae-Jin, Baek Yoon-Shik, ...

3. No Mercy

Release Date : 2010/01/07

Daily Admission / Total Admission / Screen / Share : 29,710 / 775,065 / 285 / 11%

Director : Kim Hyung-Joon

Cast : Seol Kyung-Gu, Ryu Seung-Beom, Han Hye-Jin

5. Dad Likes Women / Lady Daddy

Release Date : 2010/01/14

Daily Admission / Total Admission / Screen / Share : 11,456 / 126,652 / 266 / 4.2%

Director : Lee Kwang-Jae

Cast : Lee Na-Young, Kim Ji-Seok, Kim Hee-Seon

8. Wedding Dress

Release Date : 2010/01/14

Daily Admission / Total Admission / Screen / Share : 8,973 / 85,651 / 174 / 3.3%

Director : Kwon Hyung-Jin

Cast : Song Yoon-Ah

11. Joo Moon Jin

http://joomoonjin.co.kr/

Release Date : 2010/01/21

Daily Admission / Total Admission / Screen / Share : 1,807 / 2,784 / 7 / 0.7%

Director : Ha Myung-Joong

Cast : Kim Ki-Beom, Hwang Bo-Ra

12. Fair Love

Release Date : 2010/01/14

Daily Admission / Total Admission / Screen / Share : 1,735 / 15,779 / 44 / 0.6%

Director : Shin Yeon-Shik

Cast : Ahn Sung-Ki, Lee Ha-Na

17. Attack The Gas Station 2

Release Date : 2010/01/21

Daily Admission / Total Admission / Screen / Share : 984 / 2,872 / 4 / 0.4%

Director : Kim Sang-Jin

Cast : Ji Hyun-Woo, Jo Han-Seon, Moon Won-Joo, Jung Jae-Hoon

Source: KOBIS

[Guest kdramafanusa]

No Mercy (2010)

MOVIE OVERVIEW

PROLOGUE

English Trailer:

http://www.cjent.co.kr/upload/eng/eng_text...y_TR0115_re.wmv

Presented by Cinema Service

Produced by Cinema Service and The Dream Pictures

Distributed by CJ Entertainment

SUL Kyung-gu, RYOO Seung-bum, HAN Hye-jin

Director KIM Hyoung-jun

January 7, 2010

Thriller, 35mm, 2.35:1, Color, Dolby SRD

SYNOPSIS

Hidden in the bushes along the river bank, a woman’s body is found severed into six parts. Homicide forensics expert KANG is called into investigation, eventually arresting environmentalist fanatic LEE as the main suspect.

Meanwhile, KANG heads to the airport to pick up his daughter who hasn’t been back in Korea for 10 years. A stranger, supposedly ordered by LEE, gives KANG an envelope filled with pictures of his petrified daughter held captive. KANG goes to meet LEE believing the river bank murder case is involved with his daughter’s kidnapping. In order to save his daughter, LEE tells KANG to release him within 3 days, pushing KANG into an impossible fork in the road.

PRODUCTION NOTE

CAST & CHARACTERS

DIRECTOR

STILL

FILM FESTIVAL

Copyright @ 2007 CJ Entertainment All rights reserved.

[Guest Badboyz]

THIS MOVIE IS KILLER GOOD!!

It has a kind of Old Boy feeling to it...

Impressive twist at the end..........wow

[c.y.]

i just watched it..blew my mind. extremely good thriller right here with a crazy twist in the end.