[movie 2005/6] Wild Beast 야수

[rubie]

January 04, 2006

야수 (Running Wild) Press Screening Report

Although Film Noir has a long tradition in other film industries, people in Chungmuro never really felt comfortable with the genre. It's not that noir films were never made, but they had a hard time catching the public's attention, perhaps because the influences from Hollywood and Hong Kong were too strong to ignore. A lot of films used certain elements of the genre, like Lee Myung-Se's 인정사정 볼 것 없다 (Nowhere To Hide), or even Kwak Kyung-Taek's 친구 (Friend), to move their narrative or visuals forward; some just took the core of what made those Hong Kong or Hollywood films successful, and tried to adapt it to a Korean setting, mostly resulting in failure. Some of them, like Ryu Seung-Wan's early films, extrapolated certain elements of the genre to create something entirely new.

But full fledged Korean noir with a clear and distinctive identity were hard to find, like the rare gem 게임의 법칙 (Rules of The Game) by Jang Hyun-Soo, one of the few salvageable noirs from the 90s. But, in a way, Kim Ji-Woon's 달콤한 인생 (A Bittersweet Life) changed the cards, offering the kind of verve and style rarely found in Korean films of the genre, but most importantly combining all the elements which make a film noir work into a cohesive unit. Stylish down the smallest details, in love with its rhythm and flair, the film rejuvenated a moribund genre all in one shot. It wasn't a major commercial success, but its accolades showed the industry film noir could be made effectively in Korea.

Several noir films are under-production and/or planning at the moment: director Choi Ho's return to the big screen in 사생결단 (死生決”? Bloody Tie) will pair off Hwang Jung-Min and Ryu Seung-Beom in what looks like one of the most interesting films of the year; Lee Jung-Beom's 열혈남아 (Hot Blooded Boy) [ironically, the same Korean title as 熱血男兒 (As Tears Go By) by Wong Kar-Wai] starring Seol Kyung-Gu and Jo Han-Seon is another; and Yoo Ha's 비열한 거리 (Mean Streets), with idol star Jo In-Sung transforming into a third rate gangster, are just a few of the many noir films we'll see in 2006.

But the first of the season, Kim Sung-Soo's 야수 (Running Wild) is finally ready to meet audiences, after avoiding the big fight between blockbusters last Christmas (which was a smart move, all considered). Another tentative by Kwon Sang-Woo to distance himself from the image of pretty boy he has created over the years -- mostly with his syrupy TV Dramas, like the agonizingly bad 천국의 계단 (Stairways To Heaven) -- 'Running Wild' is the debut film of director Kim, not to be confused with the Kim Sung-Soo of 무사 (Musa: The Warrior) nor the actor of 분홍신 (The Red Shoes). He worked as assistant director for many films since the early 90s, most notable Park Chan-Wook's 1997 black comedy 3인조 (Trio).

The 10 Billion Won film had its press screening at the Megabox in Samsung-Dong. Present at the Premiere the director and stars Yoo Ji-Tae, Kwon Sang-Woo and Son Byung-Ho. 'Running Wild' debuts in theaters on January 13.

Press Reaction

Reaction was generally good, with a few exceptions. Most people said this is basically a rather 'safe' commercial film, but the ending is quite unconventional, the action is quite good, and especially the acting [with Son Byung-Ho on top, surprise surprise] adds several points to the film. On the other hand, the continued excess of sentiment as a whole might both become burdensome for the viewers, and give the film an 'old' feeling, reminding of the kind of Hong Kong noir films which were extremely popular in Korea during the 80s. But one thing's for sure, this is a very intense and powerful film, even if the story might be a little too simple. Lee Sang-Yong probably sums it best: the 2 hours running time won't bore you, but it's won't be a very fast ride either. As for box office, despite the 18 and Over rating, most seem to think the star power and the popularity of the genre should be enough to grant the film a good box office run. It debuts a week before Andrew Lau's 데이지 (Daisy), but we'll have to see which one commands the attention of the public, as both feature big stars.

Interview & Comments

DIRECTOR KIM SUNG-SOO

"I wanted to show how people change while being slowly torn apart by failure. You may call it an action noir, but 'Running Wild' is a film about violence, more than simple action. When your beliefs and principles are lost, all you're left with is violence, it's the only thing you can use to deal with things. That's what I wanted to convey, how all the characters, from Yoo Gang-Jin (Son Byung-Ho) and Jang Do-Hyung (Kwon Sang-Woo) to Oh Jin-Woo (Yoo Ji-Tae) show different sides of their personality depending on the situation, and the inevitably ambiguous nature of men. It might be a 'macho' film and make some female critics a little uncomfortable, but I wanted to show all the foolishness, ambiguity and contradictions buried within the characters' machismo. The character of Yoo Gang-Jin has actually a real life model, a gangster boss who made an u-turn in his life, doing missionary work and finding redemption. Frankly I was a little shocked the film was rated 18, I wanted to show it to all of Yoo Ji-Tae and Kwon Sang-Woo's young fans. It's not really about box office, it's just that I don't see the point in only showing the bright side of our society to minors, shouldn't they also see there's a darker side, and learn to avoid it? If anything positive comes out of this film, it's all because of the actors and the great staff. And, if anything went wrong, that's just my responsibility."

KWON SANG-WOO

"I choose this film just because of the last scene, when three characters become 'beasts' [Korean title means 'beast'] and everything falls apart, I could feel its beauty just reading the script. Viewers might feel a certain sense of nihilism in that last scene, but there's also a very deep feeling hidden behind their actions, and I'm confident they'll be able to sense it. I gave all I had to shoot this film, working as hard as I could. As for the 18 and Over rating, I'll give you a 'Kwon Sang-Woo style' reply: you kind of feel the need to rate a film like this 18, 친구 (Friend) was rated the same... (laughs)"

YOO JI-TAE

"I think everyone has a beast-like nature inside them, and especially actors carry that. Even doing a press screening like this is a chance to show that inner nature. Whether you're on stage or shooting a film, you always carry the desire and power of a beast, two things that walk hand in hand until you've finally made your dreams come true. I don't really think the rating the film received has any importance, and on the contrary I think the fact this film will now be evaluated simply on its quality [opposed to its box office potential, if the rating was lower] is even better."

SON BYUNG-HO

"Even if I might feel a little sad about certain things, as a whole I really liked the film, especially for showing in that last scene how people pushed to the limit by something or someone can react. I think everyone can become a beast, the difference is whether you can calm down and find another solution or not. Personally I think of myself as a beast, too (laughs)."

Quick Judgment

Cinetizen's Kim Geon-Woo

Film Quality: AVERAGE

Box Office Potential: GOOD

Movieweek's Kim Soo-Yeon

Film Quality: GOOD

Box Office Potential: GOOD

Screen's Park Hye-Eun

Film Quality: GOOD

Box Office Potential: GOOD

Premiere's Shim Soo-Jin

Film Quality: GOOD

Box Office Potential: GOOD

Hanguk Economy's Yoo Jae-Hyuk

Film Quality: AVERAGE

Box Office Potential: GOOD

Herald Economy's Lee Hyung-Seok

Film Quality: GOOD

Box Office Potential: GOOD

Sports World's Hong Dong-Hee

Film Quality: AVERAGE

Box Office Potential: GOOD

--

야수 (Running Wild)

Director: 김성수 (Kim Sung-Soo)

Cast: 권상우 (Kwon Sang-Woo), 유지태 (Yoo Ji-Tae), 엄지원 (Eom Ji-Won), 손병호 (Son Byung-Ho)

Official Website

Theatrical Trailer (Streaming, 700k, Windows Media)

mms://wms07.bcst.krn.yahoo.com/c/cine21.com/movie/trailer/2005/12/beast_tr_700k.wmv

Theatrical Trailer (Streaming, 300k, ASF)

mms://movie.film2.co.kr/movie2/trailers/T0002899.asf

Theatrical Trailer (Streaming, Real Media)

http://www.film2.co.kr/realservice/trailers/T0002899.ram

Teaser Trailer (Streaming, 300k, Windows Media)

mms://vod.cine21.com/cine21.com/movie/trailer/2005/09/beast_teaser_tr_300k.wmv

Teaser Trailer (Streaming, Real Media)

http://www.film2.co.kr/realservice/trailers/T0002690.ram

TV Spot (Streaming, 300k, Windows Media)

mms://nhnext.hvod.nefficient.co.kr/nhnext/movie/movieclip/trailers/T0002983_300.wmv

Music Video (Streaming, 700k, Windows Media) [Hwisung]

mms://wms06.bcst.krn.yahoo.com/c/cine21.com/movie/mvideo/2005/12/beast_mv_700k.wmv

Movie Stills/Posters

http://movie.naver.com/movie/bi/mi/photo.nhn?code=40882&mb=c

Produced By: 팝콘필름 (Popcorn Films)

Distributed By: 쇼박스㈜미디어플렉스 (Showbox)

Rating: 18 and Over

RELEASE: January 13

[sources: Film2.0, nKino, Star News 1, Star News 2, Star News 3, Yahoo Korea]

Credit:

» Posted by X at January 4, 2006 01:42 AM

http://www.twitchfilm.net/archives/004688.html

[Guest Azura]

Press Conference Report

YTN

NaverNews

[Guest conduongmuathu]

Thanks all sharing.

Hope the successful of this movie.

And hope I can watch it soon.

[Guest June]

Thanx for all the pix and news...rubie and azura..

Wild Beasts Lurk in the Hearts of Men

JANUARY 05, 2006 03:00

Wolves in the wild don’t roar in anger like lions do. But if they are caged, they will ram themselves against the bars again and again until they are bloody. Confinement reveals a beast’s true nature.

The film “Running Wild,” directed by Kim Seong-su and produced by Popcorn Films, may give the audience the impression that they are watching beasts. This hard-boiled movie shows how two men, a fiery detective and an icy prosecutor, turn into wild beasts while fighting against social evils. The movie is visually sensuous and filled with intense action scenes.

Jang Do-hyung (performed by Kwon Sang-woo) is a police detective in charge of violent crimes. He does what his fists say. Oh Jin-woo (performed by Yoo Ji-tae) is a perfectionist prosecutor. This unlikely duo joins forces to bring Yoo Gang-jin (performed by Son Byung-ho), a boss of a gang called Guryongpa, to justice. But Yoo, who has enough power to allow him to flaunt the law, tells Jang and Oh to back off.

The investigation is called off due to external pressures, and the duo is falsely accused and put behind bars. Having seen justice defeated by injustice, the two abandon justice and turn into beasts filled with a rage to defeat Yoo at any cost. They try to destroy Yoo using violence.

If one feels wild while watching “Running Wild,” it is primarily because of one’s natural “reaction against suppression.” The dark power which lurks beneath society’s surface and is impersonated by Yoo in this movie, confuses people morally. People who learned in schools that “justice always prevails” feel frustration when watching this film. The movie’s end differs from other movies in that it is not a splendid victory of justice.

That is probably why only the “wilderness” can be found in the movie. A police detective who obsesses over revenge for one of his siblings acts like a bull in a china shop (Is there no intelligent detective in charge of violent crimes?). A cold-blooded prosecutor (Is there no prosecutor who doesn’t wear glasses and whose hair is not parted?). A boss of a gang who seems like a boss of evil. All the characters in the movie are very typical. It is the power of the actors’ performances that overcomes this standardization.

In the movie, Kwon Sang-woo’s performance is splendid. He speaks foul language with his hair unkempt and face tanned. The incorrect pronunciation that has been pointed out as his problem seems to make his performance in the movie more illustrious. It’s because the way he speaks conveys the impression that Jang is really a man who seems to have left his brain somewhere else. The consistently ignorant character of Jang performed by Kwon is the major factor that makes “Running Wild” what it is: wild.

Unlike action scenes from other movies where a hero wins fights even though he fights with 18 people, in the action scenes of this movie, heroes are beaten like dogs. That’s what makes the action scenes of this movie impressive. Yoo Ji-tae, with his rich voice and delicate facial expressions, exquisitely plays the role of Oh Jin-woo, who obsesses over victory. Son Byung-ho plays Yoo, a character modeled after a gang leader in the real world, well and manages to express Yoo’s wickedness wrapped in his ordinary demeanor.

However, the movie is missing something. The plot is subdued while the stylish characters stand out. The movie suggests no answer to why Jang says, “I want to be happy for just one day,” and why Oh is so obsessed with justice.

The movie opens January 12 and is rated for ages 18 years old and up.

from donga .om

[Guest Azura]

credit cyworld/eri4ever

[Guest Azura]

http://vod2.ytn.co.kr/ytnstar/general/mov/...748249012_s.wmv

[Guest Azura]

credit CSWS

[Guest conduongmuathu]

Tomorrow..................... in Korea

Hic, but when will show in Vietnam.

But hope it can success.

[rubie]

Thursday, January 12, 2006

New action flicks highlight unfair social system

Although their official subjects are different, the action flicks "Running Wild" (Yasu) and "Holiday" share many cinematic elements, some of which may intrigue Korean moviegoers yearning for a strong dose of refreshing action sequences.

"Running Wild," directed by Kim Seong-su, and "Holiday" by Yang Yun-ho feature the country's top actors as the main characters. For the former, Kwon Sang-woo takes the role of a tough, short-tempered cop, while for the latter Lee Seong-jae plays a thoughtful inmate who masterminds a high-profile kidnapping scheme.

Both characters are surprisingly similar. Kwon's Jang Do-young is a street-smart cop who knows how to fight and knows little about how to follow the rules. He frequently uses four-letter words and never stops to think about the consequences of his actions. Lee's Ji Kang-heon is rather reserved, yet has bursts of anger when he cannot control his temper. He's also vicious when he is intent on attacking his enemy.

Both are, in other words, like wild beasts that are hard to control. The beastly images are intensified when their younger brothers die, touching off additional anger and a sense of the unfairness of their situation.

In "Running Wild," the cop's younger brother served a prison term during which he came to know a big boss, who later emerges as the paragon of evil, and a character who directly squares off with Jang Do-young. The brother got away with a piece of evidence that could put the boss back in prison, but he was brutally killed by his minions on the street because of the very evidence.

In "Holiday," Ji Kang-heon is based on a real hostage-taking incident in October 1988. But the story of his younger brother is fictional (largely because the filmmakers could not get detailed documents about the real Ji Kang-hyeon from the prosecution).

The film shows how brutally the government officials and hired mobsters destroyed a shanty town in the name of building up new apartment complexes. In the process, Ji's younger brother is shot to death by a cop named Kim An-seok, played by Choi Min-su, known for his overwhelming and often extreme "charisma."

Both films revolve around a sort of revenge. Detective Jang wants to get even with the mafia boss who killed his younger brother, and Ji also wants to kill the evil-spirited cop Kim.

A factor that also interconnects the two films is the sheer power of the unjust authorities, be it political or social. In "Running Wild," Detective Jang teams up with a prosecutor, played by Yu Ji-tae, in order to catch the elusive boss. But their earnest attempts confront obstacles. Ironically, the duo falls into a trap set up by the boss, who knows how to pull political strings and take advantage of legal loopholes. The social justice system, in short, has collapsed in the eyes of Jang.

A similar thing is also taking place in "Holiday." Ji is not a bad person at heart, though he indeed steals money and hits an innocent citizen. The real bad guy, or corrupt system, as the movie suggests, is the notorious criminal act, a sort of three-strike-out system that puts petty pickpockets or other poor people to prison for decades. The act, set up during the military dictatorship era, was finally appealed last June, while the movie was being made.

Ji can't find anyone who believes that he is innocence. What he gets, unfortunately, is bad luck: the cruel cop Kim An-seok is appointed as a governor of the very prison where Ji is serving his term.

The newly appointed prison chief frequently tortures Ji, but there's nothing Ji can do about it. But there is one thing he can do: plot a scheme to escape with the other inmates. However, even the plan is not that smart. Ji's main reason for breaking out of the prison is to speak about the injustice, but nobody is interested about the claims by the criminal and hostage-taker.

Acting-wise, Kwon Sang-woo has gone out of his way to play the tough cop and risk many injuries. His funny hairstyle and dark skin is somewhat over-the-top, but his earnest performance deserve credit. Yu Ji-tae, who is widely known for a role in Park Chang-wook's "Oldboy" also shines - only when he postures as a cool-looking prosecutor.

Lee Seong-jae's performance as the notorious criminal is impressive, though he's too handsome and muscular to pass for the character. Choi Min-su, one of Korea's most well-known "tough guys," acts too tough too often, and his exaggerated voice is simply annoying, undermining the film's realism.

In fairness, the two movies create strong impacts on the screen thanks to the peculiar storylines and high-profile actors. But excessively violent and gory images in both films may be unpleasant, making some viewers turn and twitch in their seats. Though the way the two films present their arguments is didactic and condescending, their stylish ending scenes may provide some thought-provoking ideas.

(insight@heraldm.com)

By Yang Sung-jin

2006.01.12

Source: The Korea Herald

http://www.koreaherald.co.kr/SITE/data/htm...00601120029.asp

[rubie]

01-12-2006

Star-Filled 'Running Wild' Tamed by Conventions

By Kim Tae-jong

Staff Reporter

Kwon Sang-woo stars as a detective who teams up with a

prosecutor to take on a gang boss in the crime thriller "Running

Wild."

The formula for ``buddy movies’’ is quite familiar here: Two good-looking actors who at first don’t get along come together as they tackle some kind of problem or project. But whatever the problems, you can be sure of a ``feel good’’ ending that ties things up.

The new crime thriller ``Running Wild (Yasu),’’ which deals with the relationship between a tough detective and cool-headed prosecutor, could have stayed within these conventions, but towards the end its director takes a sudden unexpected turn in a darker direction.

Because of the rush to a stylish yet tragic conclusion, the dark turn causes moviegoers confusion and gives them a sense of emptiness rather than taking the film to a higher level than the average buddy movie.

Starring the nation’s top heartthrobs Kwon Sang-woo and Yoo Ji-tae, the movie depicts how men’s violence and ruthlessness can turn into weapons of self-destruction.

The movie teams up detective Jang Do-young (played by Kwon) and a bright prosecutor named Oh Jin-woo (Yoo), to take on crime boss Yu Kang-jin (Sohn Byung-ho).

Jang prefers fists to logic when handling criminals while Oh is meticulous to catch bad guys, emphasizing the importance of data and evidence.

But one thing that Jang and Oh share is a strong desire to pay back Yu. Jang’s younger brother is killed by a hit man from the gang because he tried to blackmail Yu, and Oh was once pushed aside while investigating Yu who has numerous connections with politicians.

However, despite their teamwork, they slip into trouble as Yu’s connections help him set a trap for the two.

The film’s Korean title ``Yasu'' means beast, in reference to the two characters becoming beasts when forced to the edge, and there is an implication that violence can be the only solution to defeat their enemy.

Before taking a sudden turn, the movie gradually builds up tension and offers action-packed scenes that are enjoyable moments for action movie fans.

The two actors also perform well. Kwon, especially emerges successfully from his typical roles that appeal mostly to teenage female fans.

If the movie had developed such elements, the film would have been much more enjoyable as an ``OK’’ action buddy movie if it hadn’t finished with such a vague ending.

e3dward@koreatimes.co.kr

01-12-2006 20:46

Source: The Korea Times

http://times.hankooki.com/lpage/culture/20...20465510970.htm

[Guest Azura]

Yasu Stage Greeting 13 Jan 2006

[Guest inez]

Babe..have u called your frens ?..What are their impressions of 'Yasu'?..

Was the fans meeting good??...

[Guest Azura]

VOD - ALL ABOUT YASU

source: CSWS

Babe..have u called your frens ?..What are their impressions of 'Yasu'?..

Was the fans meeting good??...

Yup....they had a great time there.

can see both of them close up....

[Guest Azura]

YTN NEWS ON YASU

[Guest Azura]

3asian

[Guest Azura]

credit CSWS

[Guest June]

thanx rubie for posting the new and azura for ever macho hot KSW and YJT pix!!!

[Guest June]

January 19, 2006

Kim Sung-Soo Talks 야수 (Running Wild)

(Posted In Action Asia Drama Film News Interviews Trailer Alert )

The cop (형사), the prosecutor (검사), and the gang leader (조폭): a match made in heaven. The cop is rough, swears a storm, has become good friends with the same pair of socks for the last two weeks, sleeps at the police station and oozes 사람냄새 (smell of real people); the prosecutor wears designer clothes and parades around like a model, driving imported cars, dining at expensive restaurants, enjoying the company of luxurious women. He's the law, the by-the-book guy. Then there's the gang leader, a mixture of his two predators, depending on the situation. It's the perfect 삼각관계 (menage a trois), a setup Kang Woo-Suk exploited throughout his 공공의 적 (Public Enemy) series, with Seol Kyung-Gu playing a tough-as-nails cop first, then a righteous, 'I take no i can't read from you corrupt rich folks' prosecutor. Although the nation still doesn't trust the police too much, cops are portrayed almost as martyrs in Korean Cinema and TV Dramas, as the hard working buddies who forget about their personal lives for the thrill of catching the criminal, because that's all they live for.

Take the recent mid-sized hit 강력3반 (Never To Lose), seemingly lightweight and unambitious with its predictable and rather trite set-up, becoming quite powerful in the second half. Take the underrated 와일드 카드 (Wild Card), showing the camaraderie building between the two detectives (Jung Jin-Young and Yang Dong-Geun), exploding with intensity in the second half. How Kim Sung-Soo's 야수 (Running Wild) copes with this stigma is another story. The film seems to say we're all animals after all, maybe 'higher animals', but still prey of our instincts. When things get serious and hit us where it counts, we forget about proper etiquette, about what we strove for in the past, and go for it, running like wild beasts. With a strong cast (Yoo Ji-Tae, Kwon Sang-Woo, Son Byung-Ho, Kang Sung-Jin and Eom Ji-Won), a top notch technical staff -- including Oshii Mamoru regular Kawai Kenji scoring the film -- and a big budget, 'Running Wild' didn't receive a very warm reception from the press, but many praised the director for not falling into the pitfalls of first timers, and for wrapping up things with tremendous intensity (perhaps too much). Kim, not to be confused with the Kim Sung-Soo of 무사 (Musa: The Warrior) and 비트 (Beat), made his debut with this film, after working as assistant director for a variety of directors (including Park Chan-Wook) in the last decade.

Director Kim Sung-Soo recently sat down with Film2.0, discussing his debut film, his career, and much more. Here's a few highlights:

Some of the characters in 'Running Wild' are inspired from real figures. Especially Oh Jin-Woo, played by Yoo Ji-Tae, was based on a famous prosecutor.

Director Kim Sung-Soo: When we were in the planning stages of the film, we became interested in Prosecutor Hong Kyung-Young's case, and decided to focus our attention on that. One of the suspects in a case Hong was investigating died, and after that he was suspected of assault. Then Human Rights and Citizen organizations protested against him, stigmatizing him and giving prosecutors a bad name, and It's something which still continues today. I had no intention to make all the people involved with the case suffer again by using it in the film. But what left a strong impression on me is that here we had someone you could possibly never forgive, yet couldn't punish either, because of the situation he was in. At the tribunal, Oh Jin-Woo might say '깡패들도 자기 식구를 거두는데 왜 나를 버리냐 (Even gangs protect their fellow members, why are you abandoning me?)', but it's something Prosecutor Hong said when summoned to court in real life. Giving punishment to people who have to pay a price for their crimes, and the reality of certain situations not allowing that to happen, that's exactly where 'Running Wild' and its story started.

Hearing that, It almost sounds like one of those patriotic films stressing justice and public interests above everything else. The film is not like that at all (laughs).

Kim: Of course that's not the way I made it, so you can't call it like that (laughs). I just wanted to show all those different sides of the coin using Oh Jin-Woo's story, the things we won't talk about easily, just to give people some food for thought, you know? Why did that person have to be punished that way? No matter which society you live in, there's always laws and justice, so why resort to violence, and only that, to deal with things? Violence is something people squeeze out of their souls, and at the end it ruins them.

The film might start with Oh Jin-Woo, but in just about every striking, intense scene it's Jang Do-Young (Kwon Sang-Woo) who leaves a more lasting impression.

Kim: As a whole, I have no reason to deny that. It's just that the kind of story I wanted to tell needed to be told from Oh Jin-Woo's point of view. No matter how you look at Jang Do-Young, he's a very 'genre-like' character. Some critic said Kwon's character shares similar psychological traits with the characters of older HK noir films, almost making him obsolete. But I disagree: Jang is the kind of anti-hero who can only feature in a film like this. Based on my experience and on the charms of the genre, delivering the message through Oh Jin-Woo's story, and using Jang Do-Young to make the viewers feel something was the right way to go. In substance, Jang Do-Young is something who intervenes in the fight between Oh Jin-Woo and Yoo Gang-Jin (the gang boss, played by Son Byung-Ho). Still, you could feel bad for him, for the situations he ends up in.

You said the kind of circumstances the characters have to deal with are similar to what you experienced. Really?

Kim: When I was young, I wanted to be a director so much, I'd sneak out and go to theaters in secret. Just like Oh Jin-Woo, back then I had that desire to find success quickly, and even when I started working as assistant director in 삼인조 (Trio) and 카라 (Calla) I was a workaholic. But the situation at home was getting worse, with my mother falling ill, and without knowing anything about it, I ended up losing her. That's when I started to feel doubts about life, very strongly. While I was doing what I always wanted, I left the person I cared about the most alone. After that situation, the only thing left in me was anger. I wanted to abandon everything and find vengeance. When I kept focusing on my work, without ever looking at what was happening at home, I looked like Oh Jin-Woo; and you could also say when I lost my mother, from that moment on I started looking at life like Jang Do-Young. That's why in life sometimes you're put in situations when you can't help but let that instinct explode, like a beast.

'Running Wild' is all about men, but there are no fathers in the film. That's something your film has in common with many recent Korean films.

Kim: It's not something I did consciously, but I agree. It's something I can't escape from, being a Korean person making films. That of standing by the kind of society heroes pursue in traditional Cinema, and depicting their heroic feats might be a very predictable way of telling a story. But more than focusing on heroes who sacrifice for the people like in other Korean films, I wanted to focus on something different. The 'heroes' in this film live to satisfy their own personal desire, stripping themselves from the rules of community life, finding someone like them and forming a sort of 'family', which at the end destroys them. I think it carries all those elements 게임의 법칙 (The Rules of the Game) made famous. That's a common point which surprised me a lot. But isn't that because of paternal love and the powerful and negative figure fathers have in our culture? In that sense, I feel like a sort of father to Jang Do-Young, Oh Jin-Woo and Yoo Gang-Jin. The father figures in our country show their authority through violence, and after all collapse through the use of violence. Then it's just inevitable that their sons will learn that violent instinct experiencing it from them. After all, all the suffering Oh Jin-Woo goes through in the film comes from his own desire. The things he does to find a way to fulfill all his dreams, to soothe his ambitious thirst. That moment when all that happens makes him look like Yoo Gang-Jin, in all likelihood. When I talked about the character with Yoo Ji-Tae, I once told him: "The only difference between Yoo Gang-Jin and Oh Jin-Woo is one page."

The film criticizes violence, but you can also feel a certain criticism of powerful figures and politicians.Kim: On the surface it might be a 'macho' film, but I don't think it's one of those films which glamourize machismo. I think the most intensive display of how empty machismo is in Korean society comes from the Parliament. When I was writing the script, it was just around the time when the President was being impeached. Those Assemblymen fighting each other might have been doing it for their own reasons, but to people watching TV, it just seemed vain and ridiculous. I hope people feel that when watching those scenes in 'Running Wild'. Those people are fighting very intensely and painfully for their own good, but if you take a step back from all that, you'd think it was just 'because of a damn piece of paper' that we enter a game where nobody can win, and all of us have to sacrifice and become guilty of something.

The film might bask in noir elements of the past, but in terms of visual style it's the opposite, and very spectacular.

Kim: There were even more of those 'tricky' scenes, but we cut off many during the editing process. It just looked a little childish, leaving all that in the film, a bit too lightweight. Ever since my childhood, the films which influenced me the most were 70s Hollywood films. I liked William Friedkin and Sidney Lumet's work, and not just the films, I just loved the 70s' culture as a whole. I wanted to convey that reactionary sense I saw on those films in making mine.

It also reminds of Hong Kong noir films of the past. Did those films influence you as well?

Kim: Of course they did... because it was right after watching 英雄本色 (A Better Tomorrow) that I decided to become a film director (laughs). More than their style, I was more influenced by the kind of antiheroes Chow Yun-Fat was playing on those films, I related a lot to the outcast image he built there. Be it someone throwing everything away and waiting for his friend, to eventually die because of him in 'A Better Tomorrow'; or feeling sympathy for the man you have to prosecute, as he shares the same kind of precarious life as you do in 龍虎風雲 (City on Fire). That kind of character just felt like a dinosaur living in the wrong period, and I related to that feeling a lot. I think I developed a kind of interest for all those people who were forced to fail, either by situations or by their destiny. In the future I don't know what kind of films I'll make, but even if I do a romantic film, I don't think I'd be able to end it happily (laughs). I don't know if it's because of the way I lived my life, but I feel for all those people whose lives get destroyed. The biggest reason why I liked Wong Kar-Wai because he kept writing those characters his own way, even if he didn't really need to. In 'Running Wild', Oh Jin-Woo and Jang Do-Young could act differently, that's not the only card they have to play. But they end up picking the wrong one. Be it Do-Young's girlfriend or Jin-Woo's wife, or even Gang-Jin's friend... they just keep giving them that card. They never think of staying close to their mother, never regretting it later. or think of something else to do and find another way. No, even faced with a more intelligent way out, they keep using that card, thinking only of themselves. Their greed, and nothing else.

Do you feel bad about deleting any of the scenes?

Kim: Well, there's nothing I can do now, but the more I see the film, there's many other scenes I wanted to show. They promised they'd let me do a Director's Cut for the DVD release of the film [!!!!], the way I wanted to. I think it'll be a little longer than the film that's screening now, perhaps around 2 hours and 10 Minutes. There's like 20 versions of the final scene, so I'm thinking about different ways of ending the film.

야수 (Running Wild)

Director: 김성수 (Kim Sung-Soo)

Cast: 권상우 (Kwon Sang-Woo), 유지태 (Yoo Ji-Tae), 엄지원 (Eom Ji-Won), 손병호 (Son Byung-Ho)Press Screening Report

Official Website

Theatrical Trailer(Streaming, 700k, Windows Media)

Theatrical trailer(Streaming, 300k, ASF)

Theatrical Trailer(Streaming, Real Media)

Teaser Trailer(Streaming, 300k, Windows Media)

Teaser Trailer(Streaming, Real Media)

TV Spot(Streaming, 300k, Windows Media)

Music Video(Streaming, 700k, Windows Media) [Hwisung]

Movie Still/Poster

Produced By: 팝콘필름 (Popcorn Films)

Distributed By: 쇼박스㈜미디어플렉스 (Showbox)

Rating: 18 and Over

[source: Film2.0Film2.0]

Taken from Twitchfilm.net

[Guest Azura]

3asian

[Guest Azura]

"YASU" Japanese press conference