[Movie 2015] Chronicles of a Blood Merchant 허삼관 매혈기 | Heading to Hawaii (HIFF Spring Showcase)

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Showbiz Korea: Ha JungWoo & Ha JiWon to Play couple

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some articles I dug up on the original writer of the story and his thoughts on the background and market on Blood buying and selling

Interview with Yu Hua

By Michael StandaertInterviewed August 30, 2003 – University of Iowa International Writing Program, Shambaugh House – Iowa City, Iowa.

 Chronicle of a Blood Merchant … what is the book about and what do you think readers in the English speaking world will derive from it?

Yu Hua—Chronicle of a Blood Merchant tells the story of a Chinese who sells his own blood for a living. In China there are countless stories of people who have sold or are selling their blood. I did a Google search on blood-selling and it came up with more than 10,000 hits. Selling blood has become a means of survival for the poor. Blood-selling villages pop up one after another. In the villages, almost every family sells blood. Blood-selling has resulted in cross-contamination and AIDS. Then the same blood-selling villages turn into AIDS villages. In Szechwan, Li Xiaoqing, a peasant who sold blood for thirty years, died in December last year after contracting AIDS. Li was the first AIDS victim to courageously face the media. Before his death he had already prepared his own shouyi, the outfit that he was to wear once dead. Li put on his shouyi four times and lay down on his bamboo bed four times. The first three times he escaped death, the fourth time he died for real. After his death, his impoverished sons still hired three local musicians at 350 (Chinese) a day to play in front of his dead body.

I’m not trying to tell a bizarre story to American readers. I believe that they will have eyes that see literature. They will see in the twist of fate and the shocking reality something even more deep and enduring. When they follow the fate of Li Xiaoqing, their eyes will dress him in his shouyi four times and they will shed tears for him four times. It is this subtlety of literature that distinguishes it from real life and historical facts. Literary works should be composed of such expressiveness and not drawn out with simple diagrams of life and events. This is why life and its events disappear into time while literature is polished by it.

Standaert—How rampant or widespread is this? How many people are actually doing this?

Yu Hua—I don’t know exactly because the government doesn’t release the statistics. I do know that it is more in the rural, poor villages. In my hometown they are doing this.

Standaert—Are people taking the blood out of themselves or do they go to a doctor to do this?

Yu Hua—People just go to a local hospital. Both of my parents were doctors, I practically grew up in the hospital. So I could see people going to the hospital to do this.

Standaert—Do people actually survive off this?

Yu Hua—In the hospital there was a person responsible for taking the blood and selling it. You had to have a good relationship with this person. There was bribing. There are women who sleep with this person in order to be able to sell their blood. In the 1970s the need for blood wasn’t that urgent so there was no great demand for selling blood, so you had to bribe this person in order to sell your blood. Now, it really doesn’t matter anymore so, there is so great a demand for blood that the bribing doesn’t go on as much. But there are other examples … one person who was responsible for taking blood in a hospital found out that in another province the price of blood was higher, so he took 1,000 people with him to sell their blood because they paid better.

Standaert—A functioning free-market economy.

Yu Hua—(Laughs). Yes.

Standaert—Has this book come out in China?

Yu Hua—First in 1995, and sold 20,000. Like To Live, it changed publishing houses and came out again. It comes out October 25th (2003) in the U.S.

credit mclc.osu.edu

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HA JUNG WOO 
InterviewIntroduction:Coming from a family of actors, Ha Jung-woo studied theatre at Chung-Ang University and, following a short spell working in television drama, several small film parts eventually led to his first starring role in independent film ‘The Unforgiven’ (2005). The following year he starred in Kim Ki-duk's ‘Time’ as well as US/South Korea feature ‘Never Forever’ with Vera Farmiga. However, it was his performance in Na Hong-jin's ‘The Chaser’ (2008) that led to both critical acclaim and commercial success resulting in Ha Jung-woo soon becoming one of the leading actors of his generation, with memorable roles in ‘My Dear Enemy’ (2008), ‘The Yellow Sea’ (2010), ‘Nameless Gangster’ (2012), ‘The Berlin File’ (2013), and ‘The Terror Live’ (2013), to name but a few. Ha Jung-woo has since added directing to his many talents; his directorial debut coming with ‘Fasten Your Seatbelt’ in 2013.
The following group interview took place at BAFTA in London, on December 18th 2013, prior to the Korean Cultural Centre UK special screening of 'The Terror Live' and Q&A with actor Ha Jung-woo:
Interview:Mini Mini Movies: You’ve mentioned acting and directing. I believe you have a film coming up called ‘Chronicle of a Blood Merchant’, based on a Chinese novel, in which you act and direct at the same time. I wondered how that came about. Was it something you were a fan of or did someone else approach you?

Ha Jung-woo: Because it’s a very interesting, funny story is the main reason I chose to work on ‘Chronicle of a Blood Merchant’. About two years ago, I received a novel from a production company and the CEO of the production company is actually a friend of the writer. Initially I was offered a job as an actor in the production. The story, as I’ve said, was really interesting but I felt I was too young to play the character so at that time I refused. Two years later, the same CEO came to see me on the set of ‘The Terror Live’ and said there was no time to waste as the publication rights were close to running out, but I still refused because I’m in my 30s [Ha Jung-woo laughs] and I told him if the rights could be extended to when I turn 40 then I would be interested. Just a couple of days later, he came back and said he had asked the writer if he could wait but he was unable to as the film would soon be made in China, anyway. The CEO said how much he loved the story and how he really wanted to see the film made in Korea and he agreed that he would be happy as long as it was done by 2014. So, shooting will go ahead next May. As I said, up to that point I was only going to be an actor in the film but after I accepted the role we met up to discuss who would be the director. Around the same time, I was editing ‘Fasten Your Seatbelt’ and there were some good rumours going round the editing room and shortly after that I heard that I had been chosen as the director, too. That was a proposal that really made my heart leap and so I accepted the offer.


Omitted non Chronicles of a Blood Merchant partsTo read Full Interview, go HERE
Dec 18 2014 by hangul celluloid 

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Interview with HA Jung-woo, protagonist of the movie <The Terror Live>

Written by Oh Dong-jin (Movie critic: ohdjin@hanmail.net)

Actor Ha Jung-woo is like Ryu Hyun-jin, a left-handed pitcher in baseball. Mr. Ha must be a ‘monster’ as every movie he has appeared in has attracted countless viewers to theaters across the land in a way that brings to mind the huge popularity of Ryu Hyun-jin, who achieves scoreless innings over and over again by throwing fast balls.

We met up with him in a café in Samcheong-dong, Seoul around the time the movie was racking up some five million viewers. The movie producer rented the whole café for this interview to prevent the general public from getting too close.

I heard you are preparing to make a debut as a movie director.

I’ve already finished directing one movie. It’s called Roller Coaster, and will be released soon. I am somewhat nervous about what the critics will say. You may already know, but I am both the director and the main character in an adaptation of Yu Hua’s famous novel titled Chronicle of a Blood Merchant. I feel really honored. I feel proud to be recognized that much, and the movie, Chronicle of a Blood Merchant, will be quite different from the novel.

The novel describes the motivation behind the action of the main character, Xu Sanguan, that’s to say, his reason for selling his blood, as bad. I will include the subtext. I think that movies should attempt to portray or explain the main character in detail. Most of all, the movie describes our society during the period from immediately after the Korean War to the 1990s, so I need to construct the flow of time realistically. I plan to make this movie after much careful preparation.

I can already sense the director in you.

(Laughs) I want to do well - both in acting and directing. I feel that I am getting to know movies better.

credit Webzine of MMCA

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class="at_ttl" style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px; list-style: none; font-size: 30px; line-height: 35px; clear: both;"Ha Jung Woo To Go To Hollywood As Actor And Directoroctober 31 2013

Actor and movie director Ha Jung Woo revealed his plans to go to Hollywood.

Ha Jung Woo in his recent interview with a monthly movie magazine "Max Movie" said, "While watching a Korean director film 'Snow piercer' employing Hollywood staff members, I thought there is no reason to wait any longer. So I plan to go to Hollywood with my own work, although it wouldn't be as big-scale as 'Snow piercer,' with my own style."

Ha Jung Woo added, "I'm already collaborating with a production company in Hollywood. A script writer is working on a script with me as the main character of a movie."

He said, "Instead of a rushed collaboration, I plan to make an independent American movie using American staff and actors. My plan is to make a movie that would sell in the United States," picking Juno (2007) and District 9 (2009) as successful models.

The interview featuring Ha Jung Woo's plans to go to Hollywood can be found in the first issue of monthly movie magazine, "Max Movie," which published its first issue on October 18, 2013.

Copyright ⓒ 2012 KDramaStars.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.

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class="at_ttl" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 35px; font-size: 30px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; list-style: none; clear: both;"Ha Ji Won, “I Want To Act With Ha Jung Woo” class="at_ttl" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 35px; font-size: 30px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; list-style: none; clear: both;"July 16 2012 class="at_ttl" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 35px; font-size: 30px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; list-style: none; clear: both;" class="at_ttl" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 35px; font-size: 30px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; list-style: none; clear: both;"Actress Ha Ji Won wants to work with actor Ha Jung Woo.

On KBS 2TV "Entertainment Relay" aired on July 14th, a reporter asked "You have luck with male partner actors, who would you want to work with?" She responded, "Ha Jung Woo."

They requested her to send a video message to him and she said "Don't do this." Then after, she stated "I'm politely requesting from you" and she greeted the camera and smiled.

Out of all of the nicknames that she has been given, she selected "Leg line goddess" as her favorite one. "It's unfortunate that you can't show off your legs because you are wearing pants" and she confidently responded "even though I wore pants, can't you see my leg line? Don't think that you only have to wear skirts to show it off."

The reporter continued, "Does your boyfriend fit your ideal guy type?" She responded, "I don't have a boyfriend." The reporter asked, "Since your debut, did you say you never had a boyfriend during an interview when you did?" She answered, "I never did." He then stated, "I guess you avoided questions like this" and she replied, "yes" with laughter. 

Copyright ⓒ 2012 KDramaStars.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.

[NEWS] Ha Ji Won wants to work with Ha Jung Woo

Actress Ha Ji Won has her eyes set on Ha Jung Woo as her next acting partner. 

“I want to act with Ha Jung Woo at least once,” Ha Ji Won said during the interview with KBS ‘Entertainment Report’ on July 14th.

Ha Ji Won, a 34-year-old actress who won the 2010 Top Excellence Award from SBS, has starred in movies and dramas with many of Korea’s heartthrob actors including So Ji Sub, Hyun Bin, Lee Seung Gi and Lee Seo Jin. 

Ha Jung Woo, 34, made another impressive performance as a gangster in “Nameless Gangster: Rules of the Time,” one of the biggest box-office hits this year. 

The two are scheduled to attend the opening ceremony of the Puchon International Fantastic Film Festival, slated to be held in Bucheon Gymnasium, west of Seoul, on Thursday. Both were named to receive Pifan producers’ choice awards last week. 

“They are equipped with both perfect acting and box-office values and are on the path of completing impressive filmographies under their names,” the Korean Film Producers’ Association said.

Credit dkpopnews

Actress has eyes set on Ha Jung-woo

하지원, 주저없이 "하정우와 연기하고 싶어"

July 16,2012

	Ha Ji-won

Actress Ha Ji-won has her eyes set on Ha Jung-woo as her next acting partner. 

“I want to act with Ha Jung-woo at least once,” Ha Ji-won said at a KBS celebrity report show televised on Saturday. “He is attractive as an actor.” 

Ha, a 34-year-old actress who won the 2010 Top Excellence Award from SBS, has starred in movies and dramas with many of Korea’s heartthrob actors including So Ji-sub, Hyun Bin, Lee Seung-gi and Lee Seo-jin. 

Ha Jung-woo, 34, made another impressive performance as a gangster in “Nameless Gangster: Rules of the Time,” one of the biggest box-office hits this year. 

The two Has are scheduled to attend the opening ceremony of the Puchon International Fantastic Film Festival, slated to be held in Bucheon Gymnasium, west of Seoul, on Thursday. Both were named to receive Pifan producers’ choice awards last week. 

“They are equipped with both perfect acting and box-office values and are on the path of completing impressive filmographies under their names,” the Korean Film Producers’ Association said.

By Moon Gwang-lip

Her wish is coming true with this movie!
and I feel like this is gonna be good!
i think many are expecting this, ever since they won Baeksang award for best actor and actress on 2011. and also because She is responsible for ha jung woo's 577km road trip in the Movie Project 577 but she was not technically in it!

So happy for this!

[aliceinjiwonderland1023]

Currently waiting for this gripping movie in anticipation~! Ha Ji Won and Chronicle of a Blood Merchant Daebak~!

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aliceinjiwonderland1023

said:

Currently waiting for this gripping movie in anticipation~! Ha Ji Won and Chronicle of a Blood Merchant Daebak~!

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FanMade of Ha JungWoo and Ha JiWon
posted by @Moonbathe from ha ji won thread

[Guest bashful]

Ha Jung-woo must be so happy to have HJW costar in his film. She is indeed the best choice. Her acting and personality is beyond great!!! I love HJW

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Finecut Sets Cannes Market Lineupby Pierce Conran /  Apr 30, 2014Will Bring BLOOD MERCHANT, FASHION KING and THE TUNNEL

Korean film sales company Finecut Inc. has finalized its lineup for the upcoming Cannes Film Market. In addition to other titles it has already begun sales on, the outfit has added a trio of new titles for their trip to the South of France next month. The new titles are Chronicle of a Blood Merchant, Fashion King and The Tunnel 3D.
 Chronicle of a Blood Merchant is the second film that will be directed by star HA Jung-woo, following his well-received debut Fasten Your Seatbelt, which premiered at the Busan International Film Festival last year. Chronicle of a Blood Merchant, which will commence shooting in May, is a USD 5.5 million production that will be set in the 1950s and is based on a book by the Chinese novelist YU Hua. Director HA will also star alongside HA Ji-won. OH Ki-hwan, following his successful Chinese language foray A Wedding Invitation, returns with Fashion King, a new romcom with JOO Won and f(x) member Sulli. Meanwhile, Tunnel 3D is a new mystery-horror film that takes place in a luxury resort by an abandoned coal mine. The Cannes Film Market will take place from May 14th to 23rd this year.
Any copying, republication or redistribution of Kofic's content is prohibited without prior consent of Kofic.

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Ha Jung Woo's Chronicles of a Blood Merchat Will Begin shooting in Mid May 

credit cine21

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Ha Ji Won: "Ha Jung woo's film, Only took 30 minutes to read scenario"credit star.mk.co.kr | May 4 2014

[ChelseaS]

Hi! Just found this thread. Excited for this!!!!! Fighting!

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ChelseaS said: Hi! Just found this thread. Excited for this!!!!! Fighting!

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The young actor will be play as Heo Ok Ran’s First Son (Ha Ji Won’s Character in the movie)***

cr: Ha Ji Won Baidu | Via ladykate1023

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Chronicle of a Blood Merchant Filming Location

***The filming starts on early May until August 2014

cr: Ha Ji Won Baidu | Via ladykate1023

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Cannes: Korea’s Ha Jung-woo to Direct, Star in ‘Blood Merchant’

Finecut to begin sales at upcoming market
Patrick FraterAsia Bureau ChiefHONG KONG – Top South Korean actor, Ha Jung-woo (pictured) will direct and star in “Chronicle of a Blood Merchant,” a 1950s drama based on a Chinese-best-selling novel
Production gets under way in May on a $5.5 million budget. Production is by Dhuta and Dasepo Club with distribution and finance through powerful indie distributor Next Entertainment World. International sales are handled by Finecut.
The 1996 novel is by Yu Hua, whose previous “To Live” was adapted as a film by Zhang Yimou that won the Grand Jury Prize at Cannes in 1994. It tells the story of a man who sells his blood over many years in an attempt to better himself and his family Ha (“The Berlin File,” “Yellow Sea,” “The Chaser”) will star opposite Ha Ji-won (“Haeundae”, “Sector 7”.)
Finecut is preparing a Cannes sales launch and will also unveil “Fashion King,” and stereoscopic 3Dhorror “The Tunnel.”
Now in production, “Fashion King” is a romantic comedy based on a hit web comic about a fashion terrorist who becomes a fashion leader. Directed by Oh Hi-kwan (“A Wedding Invitation”), it stars Korean TV drama stars Joo Won, Park Se-young and K-pop band member Sulli. N.E.W. will also distribute in Korea.
“The Tunnel” is a horror pic about teenagers in a soon-to-open theme park who are tormented by the denizens of an abandoned coal mine nearby. Production is by Filma Pictures, previously responsible for Critics Week entry “Bedevilled.”
APRIL 24, 2014 | 03:24AM PT | variety.com

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Ha Jung Woo's Interview talks about Ha Ji Won(February 28th 2012)

 这篇长访问的节选段落是谈小河如何从外国经典电影中找寻灵感的：

“高中三年级的时候看到迈克·菲吉斯导演的<离开拉斯维加斯>,第一次开始思考评判一个表演好与坏的基准是什么。作为演员这应该是一个危险的角色。现在想起来会觉得尼古拉斯凯奇的那种表演是不是有些夸张。。。。（很长，略了）（电影中）(带着墨镜拿着酒瓶进入游泳池底部的尼古拉斯凯奇与伊丽莎白·苏亲吻的场面)看到这里我就在想一定要带着墨镜洗一次澡。(笑)在这个场景中,穿着泳装的伊丽莎白·苏非常迷人。看到她的时候不会觉得她是演员,而是像生活中的人一样有魅力,很河智苑。(笑)我认为河智苑小姐的魅力就是那样的吧。

"On 3rd Grade in High School,I ever watched a movie <Leaving Las Vegas>, Mike Figgis Director,First time to start thinking and judging standards of good and bad perfomance. As an actor whose roles may be at risk. Now thought about Nicholas Cage’s acting in there seemed little excessive …. (very long, shorten it) (in the movie) (Nicholas Cage’s scene wearing sunglasses and carrying wine, go to the surface of the swimming pool kissing with Elizabeth Sue) When I watched this scene, I think (one day) definitely should (try) wear sunglasses bath. (laughs) in this scene, Elizabeth Sue wore bathing suit was very charming.When I looked at her I didn’t feel she was an actress, but look like an ordinary person,who has a charm, same like Ha Ji Won. (laughs) I feel Miss Ha Ji Won’s charm is like that.

Source Ha Jung Woo Baidu Bar

Credit ladykate1023| tumblr

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2014 COTTON DAY ambassador Ha Ji-won

Hello everyone I am Ha Ji-won

Q.What is your impression when appointed as ambassador?

A. First, congratulations COTTON USA,I feel very honored,I have always wanted to show my work to everyone in a healthy pure side,to become an ambassador for COTTON Day.Thank you very much , I feel very honored

Q.What is COTTON for Ha Ji Won?

A.I really like COTTON. I like Cotton fragrance that also being used for bed (cotton stuff ) Mentioned about COTTON ,I would first think about happiness Recently, I also hope after work for shooting and wants with good friend to travel. COTTON for me is that kind of type and good friend to travel to comfort happiness. Often wear the most recent is COTTON. Compared to some of the clothes and it seems to have a greater sense of fiber. Therefore i really liked it

Q.Future activity plan ?

A. I start shooting new movie,Called Chronicle of Blood Merchant,Cooperate with Ha Jung Woo.

Will try to capture interesting film to meet with everyone.

Thanks to Jrschang | ladykate1023