Hwang Jung-Min 황정민 [Upcoming Movies: “12.12: The Day”, “Mission Cross”, “Veteran 2”, “Hope”]

[rubie]

All these top stars chose projects with not so good outlooks. Sigh...

Cha Seung-Won in 'Lovers' combo, Lee Byung-Hun in Choi Wan-Gyu's A Story... How come? Puzzled!

If Cha Seung-Won (his films are very successful at the box office; he's an even bigger draw than LBH & HJM) can return to the small screen, it's certainly possible for other stars to do too. This Ms Kim is at least better than the other Ms Kim. That's a positive way to look at this? The writers are worrisome though....

Well, I still like Ms. Kim Hye Soo.. no matter what.

It's not that I'm against HJM doing tv work .. it's just so sudden.. like.. when one top actor is doing it.. the rest follow suit. I know I shouldn't even say this because I raved (too much) to have LBH back on small screen.. still raving in desperation and suffering in silence of what's to come. Even YJT's first attempt seems to be highly well-received despite the dismal rating of Star's Lover. Small hope still floats.

It's hard to guarantee a win-win drama situation.. only like 1 out of every 10 new dramas (???) will hit the jackpot and usually those with bigger names are the ones that suffered the most. What we can hope and rightfully so.. is that the performance of this actors (CSW / YJT / LBH / HJM) will leave a lasting impression.. even if it's the only good thing coming out from the drama production in the end.

I don't think doing dramas is beneath HJM (I LOVE DRAMAS!!), but if he's going to lend his SUPER!FANTASTIC! self to the small screen, I'd want it to be in something like "White Tower" or "Resurrection" or "Alone in Love." Not something that sounds so...lightweight.

I'm not saying HJM doing a drama is bad. WAAAAAAAAAAAAA! :tears: Then I would be.. like the biggest hypocrite.. .. as I had wanted and waited for years to see LBH back on tv and these two actors are my most fave & respected thespians.. plus Song Kang Ho-ssi. Imagine SKH doing a tv series?!!! Not in a million years.. right.

It's just that HJM should be given something that equals what he's able to be on the screen.. big or small. Everything about this new drama sounds fishy. And yeah..

I still like Kim Hye Soo. She won't come back to the small screen.. will she?

[shirley]

I figured that's probably the reason all these film stars are migrating to TV. (man, that's depressing ) I really really hope the global economy picks up soon--for many obvious real-life-related reasons of course, but also to see an end to these random Serious-Actor-slumming-it scenarios. If they're gonna do dramas, I'd like to think they're passion projects, not just for a paycheck.

Is she? I dunno... Kim EunSook's writing gets on my nerves, but at least there are people who are huge "Lovers in ___" and "On Air" fans. But did anyone even truly love "Prince's First Love" or "Billie Jean"?

Well, anything's possible, I guess. I'll be the first to eat crow if "Six Months" turns out to be an expectation-defying pleasant surprise.

Still...Is it too late (and bad of me) to hope that this casting falls through?

ya i know . depressing right..if it just about paycheck , i use to dream it should be like we gather to make a drama that can last in history kind ~and show them this is HOW it should be done ! ! .

ah i miss that drama ..it was such a gem ..that Beating Heart

i thought kdramafanusa mean the miss Kim vs kim as Kim ah jung vs kim tae hee .. i will also take KAJ over KTH anytime , at least kim ah jung doesnt get on my nerves at sight...and i did fin that long drama of hers .for some werid reason lol .

Yeah, I'm aware it seems silly to be up in arms based on a vague synopsis, but it's hard not to be. I haven't seen "Star's Lover" but from what I hear, it's the execution of an unoriginal premise that the SL fans like. I doubt we would've found the plot 'refreshing' in the first place, even without SL's existence, but now contending with comparisons to the latter is unavoidable.

i didnt watch that one ..due to reasons that well i still cant get over my allergy to miss choi ..so i prefer to skip it

Well, anything's possible, I guess. I'll be the first to eat crow if "Six Months" turns out to be an expectation-defying pleasant surprise.

if that happens then i wont mind eating my words too lol .sigh i had too much disappointment with BV (Class A PD with decent writers and looked how it turned out . ) even with my beloved KMM in it who did such extraordinary work with such a script .gosh that one really had me in tears watching something with such high expectation crumbled down ..into something you really doesnt has any desire to see how it ends .

[rubie]

i think kdramafanusa mean the miss Kim vs kim as Kim ah jung vs kim tae hee .which i absolutely agree. i will take KAJ over KTH anytime , at least i dun really dislike kim ah jung at sight (which is the reason why i skip star lover .) and i did fin that long drama of hers .for some werid reason lol .

Thanks Shirley.. I knew what kdramafanusa meant.. .. it's actually pretty obvious.. :blush: ..

just wanted to lighten up the tension (hope Helena won't take offence, I apologize to all).. because I had hoped Kim Hye Soo for IRIS before. Although we did get Kim So Yeon.. who seems to be quite the "back-up" for now.. still.. I can't rave too much about anything.. anymore.

[melusine]

I'm not saying HJM doing a drama is bad.

Of course not. I was just pre-empting the impression that we're being film snobs since we're all drama lovers here.^^ But precisely because we've seen what these versatile film actors can DO on the big screen, we expect so much more of them and don't want their talents wasted.

i thought kdramafanusa mean the miss Kim vs kim as Kim ah jung vs kim tae hee

Oh! My bad. In that case, I agree!! She's a tad overrated imo, but definitely KAJ > KTH.

i use to dream it should be like we gather to make a drama that can last in history kind ~and show them this is HOW it should be done ! ! .

LOL! If only.

[Guest kdramafanusa]

Of course not. I was just pre-empting the impression that we're being film snobs since we're all drama lovers here. But precisely because we've seen what these versatile film actors can DO on the big screen, we expect so much more of them and don't want their talents wasted.

Despite the current state of the film industry, I actually love the fact that many stars come back to the small screen. In addition to more screen times, I feel that movies often have limitations (certain things cannot be conveyed in a 2-hour film). I always hope for great scripts or at least something worthwhile that allow these extremely capable stars to show viewers their talents are not wasted. The numbers (ratings, production cost) are not everything; White Tower, Alone In Love, Resurrection didn't garner huge ratings, but they were very well received productions.

Speaking of White Tower, Cha Seung-Won was the original choice to play the villain doctor (later went to KMM b/c CSW's schedule didn't work out at the end); he worked with PD Ahn Pan-Seok in another movie before WT though. White Tower to City Hall....Fingers crossed...

if that happens then i wont mind eating my words too lol .sigh i had too much disappointment with BV (Class A PD with decent writers and looked how it turned out . ) even with my beloved KMM in it who did such extraordinary work with such a script .gosh that one really had me in tears watching something with such high expectation crumbled down ..into something you really doesnt has any desire to see how it ends .

Yup yup, completely agree on all counts.

Lesson learned: Must keep our expectation low, don't set the par too high.

just wanted to lighten up the tension (hope Helena won't take offence, I apologize to all)..

No offence taken at all.

[Guest kdramafanusa]

Source: Javabeans

Kim Ah-joong and Hwang Jung-min together for Six Months

March 20th, 2009 // by javabeans

This is pretty big casting news: Kim Ah-joong and Hwang Jung-min are being paired as romantic leads in the upcoming miniseries Six Months [식스먼스].

The KBS Wednesday-Thursday drama is described as sweet and happy, and the brief description tickles my interest in just the right way — Hwang Jung-min plays an honest and good-hearted postman who runs into Kim Ah-joong’s super-famous top-actress character in a working-class neighborhood where he delivers mail.

Through whatever plot maneuverings that ensue, the two end up in a contract marriage (which, I’d guess, is where the “six months” of the title comes in).

This news is something of a surprise, since we haven’t been hearing about this drama at all, and all of a sudden it’s premiering next month. On top of that, it’s unexpected to see these two movie stars together for a television show, particularly in Hwang’s case.

This’ll be Hwang’s first-ever drama series, after many years of building a respected body of film work (he debuted in a musical in 1995). By the way, his next movie Private Eye [그림자 살인] releases on April 2, and not long ago he announced his upcoming film, Like a Moon Escapes From Clouds [구름을 벗어난 달처럼] with actors Uhm Tae-woong and Ryu Seung-beom and King and the Clown director Lee Joon-ik.

As for Kim, after shooting to overnight stardom with the 2006 sleeper romantic comedy 200 Pound Beauty, she has taken her time choosing her follow-up project, and has mostly stuck to commercial endorsements. She did, however, take on a role in The Good, The Bad, The Weird director Kim Ji-woon’s short film Gift with Jung Woo-sung, and is set to star with Ryu Seung-beom in 29 Years. She was last on television in the 2006 daily drama Bizarre Bunch [별난남자 별난여자].

images

Yoon-ah, Kwon Sang-woo, Kim Sun-ah

Six Months will follow KBS’s current Wednesday-Thursday show, I Hate You But Let’s Try Again, and premieres at the end of April.

So based on flimsy pre-show information, here’s my initial ranking of the upcoming Wednesday-Thursday three-way standoff:

1. Six Months, KBS. It may have vague plot similarities with A Star’s Lover and Notting Hill, but as those two are vastly different from each other, that doesn’t bother me. Plus! Contract relationship! It is an overdone cliché, but one that gets me. Every. Single. Time. There’s very little information about the drama itself and perhaps it’ll end up a yawn, but I like both actors. At 38, Hwang has the kind of film career most serious actors would love to have. Kim Ah-joong is probably more famous than her resumé merits, but I thought she gave her 200 Pound Beauty role unexpected depth and played her plastic-beauty character with bubbly charm and sweet sincerity.

2. Cinderella Man, MBC. Kwon Sang-woo and Yoon-ah strike me as an odd pair and this role-switching storyline seems a little dated, but either it’ll be mindless fun or a hot mess. (Please let it be a hot mess!)

3. City Hall, SBS. Sorry, but Kim Sun-ah’s mayoral role sounds like a snooze. Perhaps a polished, sleekly directed snooze — and, as its PD and writer gave us the shrill and histrionic On Air, maybe an occasionally melodramatic snooze.

But, as with anything, that’s just my opinion. We don’t have long to wait, in any case.

Via OSEN, IB Times

[rubie]

Posted on 03.20.09 to Six Month by hanfever

Hwang Jung Min & Kim Ah Joong In ‘Six Month’

Film and musical actor Hwang Jung Min will collaborate with actress Kim Ah Joong in the new KBS drama “Six Month”, a maiden drama for Hwang Jung Min and also a comeback project for Kim Ah Joong after 3 years.

The plot of “Six Month” to a certain extent, seems to resemble that of SBS “Star’s Lover” which just ended a while ago, in which both revolves around the love between an ordinary person and a top Korean actress. Hwang Jung Min will play a postman whom by a chance encounter meets Kim Ah Joong, a top actress, and from there, they begin a romantic love story bound by a marriage contract.

Hwang Jung Min debut in 1994 through the play “Subway Line 1″ and subsequently acted in many movies such as “A Bittersweet Life” and “You Are My Sunshine”. Incidentally, I just watched his “A Man Who Was Superman” about a month ago and I was really impressed with his performance yet again. As for Kim Ah Joong, this drama will mark her return after 3 years hiatus since the 2006 hit movie “200 Pounds Beauty” (Not taking in account the short film “Present” which will be showing tomorrow 21st March).

As the drama which will takeover from “Hateful But Once Again”, “Six Month” faces strong competition with Kim Sun Ah’s “City Hall” (debuts 29th April) and Kwon Sang Woo’s “Cinderella Man” (debuts 15th April) in the same timeslot. I’m not sure if the TV ratings will follow the path of “Star’s Lover”, but with Hwang Jung Min and Kim Ah Joong, this will be a must-watch drama for me.

Source: hanfever.com

[Guest ashleesimpson]

this ep will be aired tomorrow

it looks so fun.

hwang jung min has worked with hyori before that's why they are close and look comfortable with each other

[preview] Hwang Jung Min on family outing

[rubie]

^ Hi Hi ashleesimpson!

Thanks so much for the preview link to watch, really appreciate it.. also for the message previously. It's really a wonderful HJM highlight.

Definitely looking forward to watch the clip later.

An awesome sharing indeed!

[Guest ashleesimpson]

rubie

you're welcome

I couldnt believe that he came, cause I never saw him on variety show

last week's ep was Lee Bum soo's ep. he's funny too

Hwang Jung Min's ep looks very fun, can't wait for this Sunday to watch it.

I didn't notice that Hyori(i'm hyori's fan) and hwang jung min had so many projects together.

they had starred together in those anycall's CFs with Eric

this was on Happy together, I heard they were really close.

this was at the premiere of the movie'' mr perfect'' hyori sat next to Gong Hyo Jin and Hwang Jung Min.

[rubie]

rubie

you're welcome

I couldnt believe that he came, cause I never saw him on variety show

last week's ep was Lee Bum soo's ep. he's funny too

Hwang Jung Min's ep looks very fun, can't wait for this Sunday to watch it.

I didn't notice that Hyori(i'm hyori's fan) and hwang jung min had so many projects together.

they had starred together in those anycall's CFs with Eric

this was on Happy together, I heard they were really close.

this was at the premiere of the movie'' mr perfect'' hyori sat next to Gong Hyo Jin and Hwang Jung Min.

http://img5.imageshack.us/img5/578/hyorii1403.jpg

Ooohh.. I've never seen HJM in a variety show either and I actually don't have any of his CFs either. :blush: For sure he had done quite a number of them, huh. Please share with the thread the Anycall CF clips if you have the links, would love to see them. *thanks in advance!*

And that pic of of LHR, GHJ and HJM is awesome, thanks for sharing!

Love hearing about LBS' funny guesting in the variety show.. rubie here is a bit more than clueless when it comes to variety shows but they really sound like a lot of fun. Gotta check out LBS (starting to get sooo hooked on this actor, too ^^) and HJM's segment.

[Guest ashleesimpson]

rubie, I only found these, cant find the othe ones, the 2nd video is from that happy together.LOL hyori joked in the beginning that she had a nose surgery, but it's not true, LOL,( she's very funny) cause she did that piggy nose in the end,hehe, you will know how funny she is when you watch Family outing Hwang Jung Min's ep.haha

last week with lee bum soo,( hyori is like a sister to lee bum soo, they have known each other for like 10 years)

OMG you have to see their acts,haha lee bum soo and hyori acted a scene from his drama'' surgeon..something'' don't remember that drama, OMG they were so funny.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qChC6ugdHx4http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qChC6ugdHx4http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qChC6ugdHx4

Hwang jung min on happy together cut

edit**

Gong hyo jin and hwang jung min seem close though

**edit**

I'm going to post Family outing's in Lee bum soo's thread, if you like you can find the links there

[Guest kdramafanusa]

Still...Is it too late (and bad of me) to hope that this casting falls through?

I think it's mostly likely set, the news was announced by this drama's production company Lemonrain.

I heard that Lee Bum-Soo was linked to this drama a while ago.

Imagine SKH doing a tv series?!!! Not in a million years.. right.

It's just that HJM should be given something that equals what he's able to be on the screen.. big or small. Everything about this new drama sounds fishy. And yeah..

Unfortunately, things don't always turn out well.

Hwang Jung-Min's linked to several movies in a row (A Man Who Was Superman -> Private Eye -> Like Moon Escaping From Clouds), I would think that he's not of those stars not having scripts sent to their doors; he must see something appealing about this one..perhaps. Trying to make sense out of things. lol. Hopefully, the final product will be good.

As for Song Kang-Ho, never say never; I would say anything is possible.

There were news of Seol Kyung-Gu (a top actor for sure) starring with Son Ye-Jin a drama (Agent Zero i think) a while ago too, it just didn't work out at the end.

[rubie]

Of course not. I was just pre-empting the impression that we're being film snobs since we're all drama lovers here.^^ But precisely because we've seen what these versatile film actors can DO on the big screen, we expect so much more of them and don't want their talents wasted.

Yupyup! I'm one hopelessly guilty party .. definitely expecting more from them because they can. ^^

As for Song Kang-Ho, never say never; I would say anything is possible.

Must admit that, too.. sigh.

Stranger things can and have happened. But it does happen re: SKH.. rubes will not know what to say.

Thanks Helena, Shirley, yeohweping and melusine for the latest update. Appreciate all the wonderful sharing, please keep posting & discussing HJM. :blush:

[melusine]

[...] and I actually don't have any of his CFs either. :blush: For sure he had done quite a number of them, huh.

Hwang Jung-Min CFs

Yahoo Korea (2004) - w/ future "Happiness" leading lady Im Soo-Jung

(15 sec) mms://media.adic.co.kr/tv/wmv300/200407/RV0008606.wmv

(30 sec) mms://media.adic.co.kr/tv/wmv300/200406/RV0506048.wmv

[Streaming + Making]

Anystyle <Anycall> (2005)

CF 1 - Prologue

[MediaFire] [Streaming]

CF 2 - w/ Lee Hyori

[MediaFire] [Streaming]

CF 3 - w/ Eric

[MediaFire] [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ysMpj2NAT_8]

CF 4 - w/ Kwon Sang-Woo

[MediaFire] [Streaming]

CF 5 - Conclusion

[MediaFire] [Streaming]

Woori Investment & Securities Co. (2006) CF 1

(30 sec) mms://media.adic.co.kr/tv/wmv300/200604/RV0009986.wmv

(20 sec) mms://media.adic.co.kr/tv/wmv300/200605/RV0010181.wmv

[Streaming|Streaming]

Woori Investment & Securities Co. (2006) CF 2

mms://media.adic.co.kr/tv/wmv300/200605/RV0010151.wmv

[Streaming]

Namyang GT <Good Taste> Milk (2006)

mms://media.namyangi.com/media/company/cf/nycf_gt_060616_15.wmv

mms://media.namyangi.com/media/company/cf/nycf_gt_060711_20.wmv

mms://media.adic.co.kr/tv/wmv300/200607/RV0705204.wmv

[Streaming]

Hankook Tires 'Driving Emotion' (2006)

(20 sec + 15 sec) mms://media.adic.co.kr/tv/wmv300/200607/RV0705176.wmv

(20 sec + 15 sec) mms://media.adic.co.kr/tv/wmv300/200607/RV0705177.wmv

(20 sec) mms://media.adic.co.kr/tv/wmv300/200607/RV0010454.wmv

(15 sec) mms://media.adic.co.kr/tv/wmv300/200608/RV0010540.wmv

[Streaming]

Millenium Promise rice wine (2006)

mms://media.adic.co.kr/tv/wmv300/200607/RV0705196.wmv

[Streaming]

Namyang GT <Good Taste> Milk (2008)

mms://media.namyangi.com/media/company/cf/nycf_gt_080321_15.wmv

mms://media.namyangi.com/media/company/cf/nycf_gt_080321_20.wmv

mms://media.adic.co.kr/tv/wmv300/200803/RV0013200.wmv

mms://media.adic.co.kr/tv/wmv300/200803/RV0013215.wmv

[Streaming]

Y City <Yojin Construction> (2008) CF 1

mms://media.adic.co.kr/tv/wmv300/200806/RV0013862.wmv

[Streaming]

Y City <Yojin Construction> (2008) CF 2

[Streaming]

SK Telecom 'Thinking in T' (2008) - w/ Playboys baseball teammates Jang Dong-Gun, Kim Seung-Woo, Gong Hyung-Jin, Lee Jong-Hyuk

mms://media.adic.co.kr/tv/wmv300/200807/RV0014128.wmv

[Streaming|

+ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kV6B3qDHy3Y|http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eiv2ZQV1rjA&NR=1|http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EoFbysg_rCM]

All CFs zipped (33.71 MB): [MegaUpload]

credit:

http://www.adic.co.kr & Naver

[rubie]

^ WAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!! What a warm sharing of cool clips!

rubie runs to melusine for a big mWAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

This is an awesome & fabulous sharing, the zipped file is simply Love!

melusine-ssi.. Merci beaucoup!

[Guest redevilica]

available in CB

http://clubbox.co.kr/cashewmania

[HQ] New Good Sunday - Family Outing (2009-03-21).avi [857.8 MB]

Hwang Jung Min, Dae Sung, Kim Jong Kook, Lee Hyori, Kim Soo Ro, Lee Chun Hee, Park Ye Jin, Yoo Jae Suk, Yoon Jong Shin

File renamed in clubbox to Excursion to Rural Areas in SHOW // Old Bad Weekend folder

Visit Cashewmania blog for direct CB links

[rubie]

March 24, 2009

Movie Review

Epic film noir rich in period detail

By Shin Hae-in

SEOUL, March 24 (Yonhap) -- The last thing a murder mystery is expected to do is give away the culprit in its title: a rule "Private Eye (Geulimjasalin)" chooses to completely ignore.

With the Korean title meaning "shadow killing," the film gives much away from the very beginning. Yet it is a gripping epic even if the mystery is less than well-concealed, and the story remains captivating throughout.

Set in the late Joseon Dynasty period of 1910 just before the Japanese colonization of the Korean Peninsula, the film is rich in period detail, with a solid scenario and skillful acting more than compensating for any lack of suspense of the culprit's identity.

Gwang-su (Ryu Deok-hwan), an ambitious physician in training under a Japanese mentor, discovers a corpse in the woods and takes it home to conduct an autopsy. Discovering that the body is the son of one of the Dynasty's most powerful men, the young doctor-to-be is worried that he may be wrongly charged with murder and entreats Jin-ho (Hwang Jeong-min), a police-turned-private detective, to solve the murder case.

Superbly paired and matching intuition with reasoning, Jin-ho and Gwang-su launch a dangerous investigation, stumbling upon another murder, and authorities who seem strangely reluctant to find the real killer. However instead of building up the suspense around the culprit, "Private Eye" chooses to reveal the killer's face early in the film. It remains highly compelling, however, to watch the flamboyant detective and the timid trainee physician build up a sense of responsibility in solving the case, which exposes the twisted desires of high-ranking officials and young girls victimized by them.

"The last thing I wanted was a brain-racking plot," director and playwright of the film Park Dae-min told audiences at the preview Monday. "I wanted to create something simple and easy enough for audiences to follow, while being captivated by it all the while."

With the scenario winning the Makdongi Scenario Contest in 2005 -- one of the most acclaimed scenario contests in Korea -- "Private Eye" received attention from movie critics long before its crank-up.

The film undeniably benefits from seasoned acting by award-winning actor Hwang Jeong-min of "You're My Sunshine" and Ryu Deok-hwan, who brilliantly supports Hwang's staunch character in a refined, boyish kind of way. "The two paired off excellently," director Park said. "The movie became more lively and fun because there were two, not one, solving the case."

The movie takes advantage of the period it's set in, as it fuses noir thriller tropes with contemporary action styles in a potent brew. The streets of Gyeongseong, the ancient capital of Korea, are fresh to the viewers' eyes as the film ignores historical factors and creates sets mixing gothic, baroque and renaissance architectural styles.

To tag this film simply as a "Korean film noir" doesn't seem to do it justice; audiences will discover not only dead bodies, gangsters and suspense, but comical twists and a historical quest in it.

The movie, with a running time of 111 minutes, will hit local theaters April 2.

Credits: hayney@yna.co.kr

http://english.yonhapnews.co.kr/culturespo...001300315F.HTML

[rubie]

March 24, 2009

Hwang Jung-min, Kim A-joong to Appear in KBS2 Drama

Hwang Jung-min appears in a TV drama for the first time since his debut 14 years ago.

Actor Hwang Jung-min and actress Kim A-joong have been cast for the leading roles of a new KBS2 drama with the working title of “Six Months,” according to its production company on Friday.

Scheduled to be aired on April 29 after “Hateful but Once Again” ends, the 16-episode drama is a romantic comedy about an ordinary man working at a post office and a top actress who sign a contract to be married to each other for six months. Hwang plays the man, Gu Dong-baek, who is so humble that he makes everyone around him happy, and Kim plays the star, Han Ji-su, who has an angelic smile.

It is the first time that Hwang is appearing in a TV drama since he debuted as an actor 14 years ago, while Kim returns to TV three years after she appeared in the KBS1 daily drama “Strange Woman, Strange Man” in 2006.

“People will feel happy to watch ‘Six Months,’” the production company said. “The appearance of the two stars will not only make it interesting to watch but also increase its artistic quality.”

Source: KBS Global

[rubie]

March 24, 2009

[movie REVIEW] Hwang convincing in detective role

"Private Eye," written and directed by Park Dae-min, tackles a genre not particularly favored by Korean audiences, but achieves dramatic tension thanks largely to a well-crafted lead role.

The film -- based on debut director Park's script which won the 2005 Makdoongyi Screenplay Contest -- centers on Jin-ho (Hwang Jung-min), a private eye who deals mostly with trivial cases. It is set in Seoul in 1910, while Korea is under Japanese colonial rule.

Jin-ho's routine is disrupted when he gets dragged into a high-profile murder case. The case comes from a budding physician Gwang-soo (Ryu Deok-hwan), who stumbles upon an abandoned corpse in a field. The corpse turns out to be the son of a powerful Joseon politician, and the duo set out to find out the mysterious murderer.

'Private Eye'

Once the whodunit gets going, two intriguing characters are thrown in. First is female inventor Sun-deok (Um Ji-won), whose identity remains largely cloaked behind the countless gadgets she produces in her secret laboratory. Following the conventions of a typical detective film, she supplies a handful of gizmos to private eye Jin-ho.

Another supporting character to note is Young-dal (Oh Dal-su), a Jongno police chief who follows the same murder case, seeking fame and wealth. Young-dal's gentle smile, however, cannot be taken at face value. For the first half of the film, the plot progresses slowly. Instead, director Park focuses on building up a cinematic chemistry between Jin-ho and Gwang-soo -- and rightly so.

Award-winning actor Hwang Jung-min puts in a smooth performance as Jin-ho, as if he were born to be a private detective yearning for a way out of his gloomy reality. His overall body language is also fairly natural, demonstrating his talent in embracing his role to the full.

Ryu Deok-hwan's Gwang-soo is fleshed out equally faithfully. Ryu, an up-and-coming actor, brings to life a likable and bubbly sidekick, who often accentuates the detective character's stylish posturing. The duo's lighthearted moments, however, are not frequent enough to compensate the dark mood that underlies the main plot. The film is for 15-year-olds or older but the subject matter seems to go beyond the rating. Moreover, some audiences are likely to find a couple of climatic scenes unpleasant.

Luckily, "Private Eye" relies heavily on the charm of Hwang Jung-min to get the story rolling and hide the key puzzle until the last moment -- a decision by the director that pays off eventually.

But the question remains. Given Hwang's undisputed talent, he might have pulled off an attractive postmodern detective character if the story was set in modern-day Seoul. "Private Eye" is part of a series of Korean films that taps into the country's early 20th century, when today's Seoul was called Gyeongseong. Last year, saw several period films, including "Once Upon a Time," "Radio Days," "Modern Boy" and "The Good, The Bad, The Weird," with limited success.

"Private Eye," produced and distributed by CJ Entertainment, will open in local theaters on April 2.

By Yang Sung-jin (insight@heraldm.com)

http://www.koreaherald.co.kr/NEWKHSITE/dat...00903250006.asp