[Movie 2015] Gangnam1970 /강남 1970(New Trailer p17)

[irilight]

New Korean Films: At a Crossroads (2015 Week 3)

Gangnam Blues(강남 1970)




By Fabien Schneider

In the 1970s, all eyes were turned towards the underprivileged neighborhood known today as Gangnam in the southern part of ever-sprawling Seoul. The prospect of the redevelopment of that area stirred up a hornet’s nest between the corrupted political authorities, real estate agencies and low-life gangsters. Jong-dae and Yong-gi are two orphans who ran away from their children's home where they met and since then struggle every day to survive in their shanty home. When their house is destroyed by mobsters, they get separated and take different paths. Three years later, Jong-dae has now settled down, living a quiet life with the family of his former boss, Kil-su. But this tranquility is put at risk when Madame Min, a real estate investor who has connections in political and media circles, is taking action to get all the rights over Gangnam’s territories. Jong-dae joins her in an attempt to enhance his life. Yong-ki, along with the most powerful gang of Seoul in which he became a highly-ranked goon, is going to fight back, and in the process will meet again his old friend.

Let’s go straight to the point: this new thriller is very smart, at least in regards to the decisions taken during its production. If you want to reach the top of the box-office, you would try to appeal to the widest audience possible. You see, in South-Korea, thrillers traditionally target 20-something young men. So how did the producers of Gangnam Blues managed to make other groups of audiences find interest in it? First, by choosing a historical time that is quite controversial (during Park Chung-hee’s reign) but for which the older generations nonetheless have great nostalgia.
Secondly, by casting an actor who can raise interest among women of all ages all by himself. Lee Min-ho is such an actor, now having a lead role in a film for the first time. Coming from the TV dramas, he already played in Our School’s ET(2008) and Public Enemy Returns (2008), but that was before his impressive breakthrough. If by any chance you happened to be in South-Korea in 2009, chances are that you already know him. At that time, Boys Over Flowers, the drama in which he was starring, was so popular that you couldn’t escape the many ads in the streets. This drama having been aired in all of East Asia, Lee Min-ho’s popularity may also help the film to be sold in those countries. Kim Rae-won, the other lead, had slipped under the radar these last years, but is still remembered for its performances in …ing (2003) and Sunflower (2006). With this movie being rated mature, and the context being prone to criticism echoing today’s politics and economy, expectations are very high. Especially with Yoo Ha directing, since he’s made some of the most exciting films in the 2000s, his best work being A Dirty Carnival (2006), a movie that is often mentioned among the very best Korean thrillers. Showbox is the distributor, and there won’t be any city without a screening scheduled. With all these assets, I don’t see how this movie could sink at the box-office.

Source: ModernKoreanCinema

[yumenas]

# Gangnam 1970 ~ SHOWBOX Update [20150123]

cr : SHOWBOX

[irilight]

0123 reel talk by Arirang

After five weeks on the top of the charts, it looks like ODE TO MY FATHER will finally make way for a new film this weekend. 
Following a long line of Korean gangster films, GANGNAM BLUES, starring Lee Min-ho, opened this week in theaters.
Our film critic Pierce Conran is here to tell us about the film,.. and to fill us in on the history of the gangster genre in Korea.
Welcome Pierce.
So, what can you tell us about this new entry to the Korean gangster genre?

GANGNAM BLUES, called GANGNAM 1970 in Korean, is a return to gangster films for director Yoo Ha, who previously made A DIRTY CARNIVAL in 2006, considered one of the very best Korean gangster films. Set in the 1970s, this new work deals with two friends who become separated, each ending up in different gangs during a period when mobsters and politicians got into skirmishes as they were buying up farmland in the area which would later become today's world-famous Gangnam district.
It stars Lee Min-ho, an enormously popular star from TV shows such as CITY HUNTER and THE HEIRS. It's his first leading role in a film, and he's joined by KIM Rae-won of SUNFLOWER.

Quite an interesting premise 
Do you think it will do well in Korea?

It's off to a good start, after attracting 300,000 viewers in its first two days and I imagine that the presence of Lee Min-ho alone will send a lot of people its way, at least initially. Gangster films also have a history of success, particularly in the last few years, and with the period setting, rife with political context, it could also draw an older audience than usual. That said, the film is dark and quite ambitious and I'm not entirely sure how word of mouth will pan out. It'll surely do well but we'll have to see if it has what it takes to break out and become a real hit.

How you seen it yet? How did you feel about the film?

I had very high expectations as I love A DIRTY CARNIVAL, not to mention gangster films, and I'm glad to say I wasn't disappointed. It's ambitious and has a fascinating backdrop but it's also filled with all the fun that comes with the gangster genre. It's also one of the most beautifully made Korean films I've ever seen, with stunning period detail and luminous photography. I also have to mention the terrific soundtrack, filled with evocative 70s Korean music, which gives the movie a lot of character. It's certainly on the long side and not without its faults, but GANGNAM BLUES is top-drawer entertainment, epic and intimate in equal measure, matching it soaring ambition with impeccable craft and a poetic sensibility.

So what can you tell us about the history of gangster films in Korea?

Without going into any great detail, the country has a long history of gangster cinema, particularly from the 70s onwards. The legendary Im Kwon-taek made the GENERAL'S SON trilogy in the early 90s, two of which topped the yearly charts. 1997, just before the modern Korean film era kicked off, was also a big year, yielding BEAT, NO. 3 and GREEN FISH, each considered classics of the genre. In the new millennium, things changed for gangster cinema, as mob tropes were combined with comedy and romantic genre staples to create a new breed of enormously successful hybrids. This reached a peak in 2001, when half the top 10 Korean films of the year were gangster flicks, four of them comedies, and three of those romcoms to boot.

You seem like quite a fan of the genre Do you have some favorites you could share with us?

Too many perhaps My favorite would have to be Yoo's A DIRTY CARNIVAL. A straightforward up and down narrative of a young gangster, it's a brilliantly constructed and rich example of genre cinema. I also love Kim Jee-woon's gangster revenge tale A BITTERSWEET LIFE from 2005, starring Lee Byung-hun. Independent cinema has also yielded great gangster fare, such as Yang Ik-joon's BREATHLESS from 2010. 2009's ROUGH CUT, which cleverly smashes the gangster and film worlds, is another favorite. More recently, the films NAMELESS GANGSTER and NEW WORLD have also been very impressive. Of course, I think GANGNAM BLUES is quickly making its way up that list. I know I'll be watching it again soon and I hope others take a chance on it too.

Thank you for coming in today.

Source: Arirang

[irilight]

Lee Min-ho proves mettle on big screen

“Gangnam 1970” is showing signs of becoming a megahit in the local market bringing in nearly 300,000 moviegoers in two days.



According to industry data, nearly 130,000 people went to see Lee Min-ho’s new movie on Thursday -? the second day since its release -? to push up the total to 292,114.

The R-rated movie follows the lives of Lee Min-ho’s Kim Jong-dae and Kim Rae-won’s Baek Yong-ki.

The two are poor kids-turned-gangsters who hope to ride the waves of real estate development to the big time.

The movie, however, does not focus on the glamour of the rapid development of Korea in the 1970s but sheds light on the dark side of development driven by profit. 

The movie has been the focus of much media attention in the run up to its release fueled in part by Lee and Kim, and in part by the director’s gritty take on reality as well as his uniquely realistic action scenes.

Aided by the hype, the movie clinched first place in advance ticket sales on Tuesday morning, according to data from the Korea Film Council. 

On the day before the release, the movie carved up nearly 24 percent of the total ticket bookings in Korea, outpacing “Ode to My Father” (15.8 percent).

Source: KpopHerald

[Guest irwanti]

http://www.koreanfilm.or.kr/jsp/news/boxOffice_Daily.jsp?mode=BOXOFFICE_DAILY

box office again!!! Yey yey yey <:-P

[irilight]

I just added Gangnam 1970 to this vote...

Please vote for it daily.


http://100479.net/ranking/?code=vote12

[irilight]

itemprop="name" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Raleway; line-height: 1.25em; margin: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; font-size: 28.8px; color: rgb(45, 36, 36); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;"Gangnam Blues leads box office, Lee Min Ho gives love back



As the highly anticipated movie Gangnam Blues premiered on January 21 in South Korea and rose to be the box office leader, fans are pleased to learn that Lee Min Hois giving love back to his adoring fans and doing a good deed at the same time. Here are the details:

Initial reports cite the Korean Film Council's information that Gangnam Blues came in first at the box office. It rose to #1, beating out the previous leaders, includling Ode to My Father, Big Hero 6, and Love Forecast.

Gangnam Blues stars Lee Min Ho and Kim Rae Won, and it's Lee's first major lead role on the big screen.

With the good news in box office popularity and positive reviews pouring in, Lee Min Ho also made a heart-warming announcement on January 21. He is inviting 1,970 fans to a special screening for Gangnam Blues, with the number matching the Korean title,Gangnam 1970. Not only did Lee Min Ho came up with the idea himself, but he will also donate the proceeds to his charity platform, Promiz (pmz2014.com). According to a representative for the actor, Lee Min Ho stated that he wanted to make an unforgettable experience for his fans. The event will be held on January 24 and 25 for the lucky fans.

If you want to attend, apply through Lee Min Ho's fan site at MinozWorld.com.

Can this perfect man get any better? I wish I were in Korea right now. However, there is a second best option if you are in another country. Here are the film's release dates listed for North America (Canada and USA) and other Asian countries.

Source: Drama Fever News.


You can comment on Drama Fever news, and rate their article..
I think this is totally awesome

[irilight]

Now Playing

Gangnam Blues (19)

Action, drama/ 135/ Korean

Director Yoo Ha of “Spirit of Jeet Keun Do: Once Upon a Time in High School” and “A Dirty Carnival” is renowned for his interest in southern Seoul’s Gangnam District. 

“Gangnam Blues” is the finale of a trilogy set in the area that illustrates its history. 

Teen stars Zo In-sung and Kwon Sang-woo gained recognition as mature actors for their performances in Yoo’s former films. 

This time, Korean Wave celebrity Lee Min-ho and Kim Rae-won of “Insadong Scandal” (2009) take on the leading roles. 

This is Lee’s first time taking on a leading role on the silver screen.

Jong-dae (Lee Min-ho) and Yong-ki (Kim Rae-won) look out for one another and depend on each other while growing up together in an orphanage. 

However, they later become foes when they chose to work as gangsters in different crime rings to overcome poverty. For Jong-dae, living life as a gangster is game of survival that he feels he must play to live happily ever after with his loved ones. 

But Yong-ki’s desire for the wealth keeps growing.

The gangs they belong to opt to work for opposing politicians in order to skim higher profits from the South Seoul Development Program, a project at the time that focused on renovating the Gangnam area, and the war between the two crime rings becomes extremely heated.

The story of the two young men who are swallowed up by the rapid changes of the times arouses nostalgia of the 1970s and stirs up diverse emotions such as desire, love and friendship.

Source; Korea JoongAng Daily

[irilight]

'Gangnam Blues' blasts off being expected to surpass 700,000 viewers in four days

It is getting more excited with the film, 'Gangnam Blues'.

According to the statistics by the integrated electronic system for movie tickets of Korean Film Council, 'Gangnam Blues' ranked top for the daily box office result on January 23rd by brining 148,043 moviegoers to the total of 751 theaters. Its accumulated number of viewers reached 440,213.

As the movie, "Big Hero", which was released on the same day, brought 99,732 through 697 theaters with the accumulated number of viewers of 277,028, the gap between the movies became bigger.

Considering the fact 'Gangnam Blues' was rated "Restricted for minors", the figure is even more impressive. Taking it into account the typical trend that the number of viewers doubles during weekend, it will easily surpass the figure, 700,000 on January 24th, which is the first weekend since it was released.

'Gangnam Blues' is the last sequel of the trilogy by director Yoo Ha including 'A Dirty Carnival' and 'Once Upon A Time In Highschool', which depicts the desire, friendship and betrayal during the development of the Gangnam district in Seoul beginning in the 1970's.

The film has been drawing much attention with the expectation on the intense violent action scenes by the two actors, Kim Rae-won and Lee Min-ho.

Source: Hancinema

[Guest irwanti]

http://twitchfilm.com/2015/01/review-gangnam-blues-is-a-gorgeously-overwrought-gangster-classic-in-the-making.html

another positive review by Pierce Conran, Oh I love this guy. He got me when he said he didn't know LMH. LOL

[adamfever]

irwanti said: @Adamfever thanks for the insight. I have more faith on GB now.

[Guest irwanti]

@adamfever, ya I got what u mean. Probably as a movie critics he always has a tendency to compare movies as his reference. Let's not forget that he has his own preference. Pretty normal I guess.

[Guest irwanti]

http://www.koreanfilm.or.kr/jsp/news/boxOffice_Daily.jsp?mode=BOXOFFICE_DAILY

GB is top of the chart again on the 4th day. It really surpasses 700.000 viewers in four days, as predicted.

Hope it will continue, maybe over 1 million viewers tommorrow?? Dear God, please.. Chebal [-O<

[Kris Silva]

irwanti said: http://www.koreanfilm.or.kr/jsp/news/boxOffice_Daily.jsp?mode=BOXOFFICE_DAILY GB is top of the chart again on the 4th day. It really surpasses 700.000 viewers in four days, as predicted. Hope it will continue, maybe over 1 million viewers tommorrow?? Dear God, please.. Chebal [-O<

[Guest irwanti]

@KrisSilva, I think it refers to 5 million admissions. As you know, GB is a rated movie, so far, another rated movie that could record more than 5 million admissions was The Man from Nowhere (I read it somewhere, forget from which source though). Maybe GB is intended to break similar record. To achieve 10 million admissions would be too ambitious I guess, considering the nature of the movie.

[Kris Silva]

irwanti

said: @KrisSilva, I think it refers to 5 million admissions. As you know, GB is a rated movie, so far, another rated movie that could record more than 5 million admissions was The Man from Nowhere (I read it somewhere, forget from which source though). Maybe GB is intended to break similar record. To achieve 10 million admissions would be too ambitious I guess, considering the nature of the movie.

[Guest guadi]

Woohoo!!! Yay!!! I think the number is still coming from midnight viewing. Congrats Gangnam Blues Team :x
(Source: KOBIS). 

[irilight]

Not sure if it had been posted before.

Viki just uploaded the Shobiz Korea segment of Lee Min-Ho and Kim Rae-Won.

http://www.viki.com/videos/1059572v?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social-media-post&utm_content=pressconference&utm_campaign=2015_01_24

[irilight]

GANGNAM BLUES tops weekend at Korean box office with 700k admissions for 1 million viewers in 5 days. A solid start for the gangster epic.

Meanwhile BIG HERO 6 opens at no.2 with 660k while ODE TO MY FATHER crosses 12 mil with 510k and is now all time 7th biggest Korean film.


Source: MKC FB

[irilight]

class="titleNews" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 10px; font-family: arial, dotum, Helvetica, AppleGothic, tahoma, verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 23px; line-height: 28px; border-bottom-width: 3px; border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-color: rgb(80, 80, 80); color: rgb(68, 68, 68); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: rgb(255, 255, 255);"Lee Min Ho and Kim Rae Won Talk 1970s Fashion in ‘Gangnam 1970’ Cross Interview

Lee Min Ho and Kim Rae Won’s cross interview video for Gangnam 1970 has been released.

In the cross interview video for Gangnam 1970 released on January 19, Lee Min Ho first asked Kim Rae Won, “I saw your bare skin for the first time through this project. What does shaping up the body mean for Kim Rae Won?”

Kim Rae Won answered, “Eating cold porridge? (Korean expression to say ‘It’s a piece of cake’) But eating cold porridge is not that easy. You have to warm it up first.”

About his sunglasses in the film, Kim Rae Won said, “It completed Baek Yong Gi’s fashion in the movie. It was an important item.”

Kim Rae Won asked Lee Min Ho, “How was the mustache you grew for the first time in the film?” 

Lee Min Ho answered, “I looked better than I thought” to which Kim Rae Won agreed.

On the other hand, about the 70s fashion style, Lee Min Ho commented, “It’s a style I never want to wear again,” and Kim Rae Won also said, “It’s a style of outfits you want to avoid. That is, if you’re a young actor living in today’s society,” bringing out laughter.


Lee Min Ho revealed, “Director Yoo Ha actually scared me by suggesting that I just wear a leather jacket throughout the first half of the film.”

The two actors hinted at their teamwork and friendship during the interview as well.

Lee Min Ho said, “I could concentrate without much effort in the scenes I acted with Kim Rae Won. He is someone who made me think that I should work hard. Thanks, hyung.”

Kim Rae Won also responded, “Working together with Lee Min Ho, I could tell from his attitude that he has so much sense of responsibility. I was able to show blood boiling acting and fantastic teamwork thanks to his concentration and passion.”




Then how was working with director Yoo Ha, who directed Once Upon A Time in High School and Dirty Carnival?

Kim Rae Won shared, “I learned and felt many things. I think that I may be able to show deeper acting in the future.”

Lee Min Ho said, “I think the director thinks only about the project for about 23 hours a day. Even if we start a conversation about something else, we end up talking about the project. If I were to carry on a conversation with him, I can’t help but to think a lot about the project,” revealing director Yoo Ha’s love for the film.

Lastly, Lee Min Ho said about Gangnam 1970, “I was happy since on top of experiencing deep emotions, it was the project that I approached as an actor more than any other times.”

Kim Rae Won concluded, “I hope that the film will remain in my memory for a long time as I carry out my acting career and I believe that it will.”

As the final piece of director Yoo Ha’s street trilogy following Once Upon A Time in High School andDirty Carnival, Gangnam 1970 will depict the desire, royalty and betrayal of two men surrounding the land in Gangnam district when Seoul was going through rapid development in 1970’s. It will tell the story of the skillful fighter Kim Jong Dae (Lee Min Ho), who grew up as an orphan, and Baek Yong Gi (Kim Rae Won) who, after parting with Jong Dae in the orphanage, quickly rises as the second most powerful gangster in the Myungdong district due to his intense passion for success. It will star Lee Min Ho, Kim Rae Won, Jung Jin Young, AOA’s Seolhyun, Kim Ji Soo, Yoo Sung Mok, Jung Ho Bin and more.

Photo credit: Screen capture of Gangnam 1970 cross interview


Source: MWave