Gong Yoo 공유 | ★ Upcoming Drama: Squid Game season 2 (2024)★

[lkgy99]

[lkgy99]

stage greeting 24/7/2016

[lkgy99]

[Noor90]

6 hours ago, upila94 said:

I can see those sexy abs through the shirt Ive seen so many videos in instagram for today screen greeting, and they were all crazy over Gong Yoo, I am so happy that his movie super hit. He is definitely stole the spotlight this year. Hope his next movie Secret Agent will be huge like TTB! Please come out to variety show again, it will be good if you can show your cooking skill in Three Meals A Day, or like your pal Jo In Sung, 1N2D, please make it come true! Gong Yoo fighting!!

yes me too i always think GY is suitable in variety shows he's cute sexy funny and talkative all at the same time 

And about his movie Age of shadows absolutely 'll be hit, it has song kang ho , gong yoo ,han ji min and the great director Kim jee woon 

And don't forget his next drama in Nov "Goblin"

 

 

[Noor90]

Thriller star talks about fears

‘Train to Busan’ actor Gong Yoo opens up on fatherhood and zombies

 

Actor Gong Yoo has proved in his latest zombie film, “Train to Busan,” that even an unmarried man can act like a real father. 

Although the actor is single with no children in real life, he was able to show his audience how desperate a father can be to protect his daughter from a bunch of hungry zombies.

Before the release, many doubted whether the actor would be able to engage viewers in his acting as a father, and also how successful the first big-budget zombie movie could be in Korea since the celebrity is usually known for romance projects.

Despite concerns, however, the movie attracted some 1.43 million moviegoers on the first day of its release on July 20. 

To talk about the flick and how he felt about the movie, Gong Yoo sat down for an interview with Ilgan Sports, an affiliate of Korea JoongAng Daily.

The following are edited excerpts from the interview.



Q. How was the atmosphere of the studio?

A. Although the content of the movie can be a little dark, the studio on the other hand was very bright. I was able to get along well with co-actors and the production crew. However, I was a little concerned whether it was OK to shoot a somewhat heavy movie in such a bright atmosphere. Although I had some doubts at the beginning, I realized that I could fully trust the director once I saw the scenes he edited. 



There are several scenes where you run while holding your fictional daughter Su-an.

Even though she is an elementary student, it was not easy to run while holding her, especially in the narrow train aisle. I was also concerned that she may get hurt, so I had to continuously be careful in order not to fall over, especially forward. 



You and Su-an seem to look alike.

I heard that a lot. I think we have become more similar through the film. Su-an’s role was originally designed for a boy character. However, since she was able to nab the role, I definitely believe that she has something that makes people become drawn to her. Also, she made a lot of people laugh at the studio. Some even said that they were able to continue thanks to her.



“Train to Busan” is filmmaker Yeon Sang-ho’s first live-action film. Did you like his directing style?

Although he may have personally worried about the film, he never let the actors know that. It seemed like that he had a clear direction of how he wanted to make it. He also showed confidence to encourage the actors. As an actor, I felt less concerned thanks to his confidence and strong leadership. 



How was filming a movie with those people with zombie make-up on?

I’m usually faint-hearted, so even though I knew that those zombies put special make-up on, I was still scared. When they became too involved in acting, they sometimes continued running even when the director shouted ‘cut.’ So I was sometimes caught by the zombies, and was surprised every time. 

I was very impressed with those actors featured as zombies. They put on so much make-up that they were not easily recognized even by those who knew them, and more importantly, they did their best to act their roles. I realized once again that the weight of one’s role in a movie is not important. 



Did you have any concerns about shooting a zombie film?

It would be a lie if I didn’t worry at all. I asked the director how he is planning to portray zombies, and also about the parts using computer graphics. Although I felt anxious, I quickly made up my mind to take the role because I was very attracted to the story. It seemed meaningful enough for me to star in one of the first big-budget Korean zombie films. 



How did you feel about acting as a father despite being unmarried in real life?

I neither felt pressure nor worried. Actually, I should have at least two children by now, considering my age (laughs). In fact, I see many people my age with children in elementary school. I don’t think actors should be concerned about the image they would get after taking on a role. 



Do you have any plans for marriage?

I will someday have to get married and become a father. But the older I get, the more I become scared of marriage and having children. When I see people who got married, I realize how difficult it is to marry someone and to have a family, and also how mature they become through that experience. 



Are you preparing for any new projects?

I have high expectations for “The Age of Shadows,” [which is scheduled for release in September]. I wonder how the audience would react to the flick.
 

http://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/news/article/article.aspx?aid=3021687

 

[lkgy99]

‘Train to Busan’ breathes new life into zombie horror

 

Just when you thought we’d reached peak zombie, along comes South Korea’s Train to Busan to send an electrifying jolt through the genre. Breathless and brutal, the film is akin to someone smashing together28 Days Later with Snowpiercer and then convincingMad Max’s George Miller to help out on some of the action scenes.

Gong Yoo is Seok Woo, a divorced fund-manager master of the universe with a cool Seoul pad who dismisses ordinary people as “lemmings.” He’s not completely inhuman, though, as he’s a single dad with an adorable young daughter, Soo-an (Soo-ahn Kim).

But then his comfortable, well-dressed world comes crashing down when civilization begins to unravel while he’s taking Soo-an on a train trip to see her mother.

At first, no one knows why outbursts of vicious violence are erupting in the populace, but the viral threat is spreading across the country quickly, even sneaking aboard a bullet train full of unsuspecting passengers and turning most of them into the undead.

There’s the baseball team (those bats are going to come in handy, boys), the doting, working-class husband and his pregnant wife, the conniving businessman, the elderly sisters, and, of course, Seok and Soo-an — all trapped in claustrophobic compartments on a speeding train full of ferocious, rampaging zombies.

Now, these aren’t your ordinary zombies. As imaginatively envisioned by anime director/writer Yeon Sang-ho in his live-action debut, they not only move fast enough to make Usain Bolt think twice about his career choice but can make flying leaps from top floors of buildings en masse, crashing to the ground in a field of broken limbs and still able to leap up and chase you down for dinner. It’s a spectacular effect.

The politics may be predictable — Woo is forced to confront his corporate soullessness and find out what’s really important — and having a child in danger may be cliche. But this kinetic, two-hour thrill ride, in which Sang-ho keeps turning the screws tighter and tighter, makes for suspenseful, bracing entertainment.

http://www.dfw.com/2016/07/21/1121668/train-to-busan-breathes-new-life.html

[upila94]

5 hours ago, princess nour90 said:

yes me too i always think GY is suitable in variety shows he's cute sexy funny and talkative all at the same time 

And about his movie Age of shadows absolutely 'll be hit, it has song kang ho , gong yoo ,han ji min and the great director Kim jee woon 

And don't forget his next drama in Nov "Goblin"

 

 

yaps!! Just like in Running Man, he was super attractive on that show, I lost my count on how many times I have seen the episode

Its truee! Song Kang Ho is a Legend, it will be nice if he attend the vip premiere of TTB. But he was not there hft

About that drama, is there any new news regarding it? Ugh I am so curious wether KGE did take the role or not. And yes, Ive been thinking this for while, did Lee Dong Wook come to premiere for GY? I mean GY invited him bcz they will star in a drama together. And if it was true,  I even make some own conclusion, since Lee Dong Wook comes to vip premiere of TTB maybe KGE was also there but she was not there. So its not true that KGE confirm? Or it just a silly conclusion of mine, I think I am super delusional

[tok-soompi]

While the Busan train is still in hot topic, another Gong Yoo movie is coming into light!

New Stills!

source from Hancinema.net

[lkgy99]

GONG YOO MAXIM KANU

[lkgy99]

'Train to Busan' beats records with its stellar box office performance

According to the Korean Film Council, zombie apocalypse flick 'Train to Busan' drew over 5 million moviegoers to theaters for its box office premiere!  

Around 3,214,425 eager film buffs seeking some zombie thrills visited the theaters this past weekend to watch 'Train to Busan' on the big screen. Currently, five days (in Korea time) after the film premiered in Korea on July 20, the total number of moviegoers who went to see the movie is recorded to be 5,325,065, surpassing all other movies currently showing at the box office. 

The film attracted 87,000 people on its first premiere date,128,738 people on the second day, and a whopping 1,194,850 people flocked to theaters on the third day to see what all the fuss was about. 

If you are a fan of zombie-related horrors/thrillers, then perhaps this movie might be worth your buck! 

http://www.allkpop.com/article/2016/07/train-to-busan-beats-records-with-its-stellar-box-office-performance

[lkgy99]

smile baby smile 

[lkgy99]

[lkgy99]

cute 

[lkgy99]

[Noor90]

8 hours ago, upila94 said:

yaps!! Just like in Running Man, he was super attractive on that show, I lost my count on how many times I have seen the episode

Its truee! Song Kang Ho is a Legend, it will be nice if he attend the vip premiere of TTB. But he was not there hft

About that drama, is there any new news regarding it? Ugh I am so curious wether KGE did take the role or not. And yes, Ive been thinking this for while, did Lee Dong Wook come to premiere for GY? I mean GY invited him bcz they will star in a drama together. And if it was true,  I even make some own conclusion, since Lee Dong Wook comes to vip premiere of TTB maybe KGE was also there but she was not there. So its not true that KGE confirm? Or it just a silly conclusion of mine, I think I am super delusional

At least Han ji min and director kim jee woon went to TTB

Han ji min went to watch train to busan again she's so lovely

unfortunately , there's no new news about his drama but all old korean news stated that KIM GO EUN confirmed

 

 

[lkgy99]

JULY 2016 – MARIE CLAIRE GONG YOO INTERVIEW


 

The photo shoot’s theme was the “Regular neighborhood’s hyung”. So it’s all about looking cool and relaxed.

DO NOT TAKE OUT.
DO NOT SCREENCAP.

“Busan Train” is a zombie movie. It’s not a usual theme in Korea.

It’s the first time that a blockbuster zombie movie is made after a short movie where these zombies were featured in. That’s why I thought this movie was a worthy challenge. I wanted to believe in the self-confidence of director Yeon Sang Ho. When you meet people who have self-confidence, it can make you feel uncomfortable, but it can also make you feel good. In Yeon Sang Ho’s case, it was the latter. His previous works were animated movies with strong messages against society, so although “Busan Train” was made in a film format, I thought it could be filled with a message a bit different.

Which kind of character is Suk Woo? It seems to be a character going through a range of changes as big incidents occur.

When I first read the script, Suk Woo was a typical cliché character. A father who must protect his young daughter from zombies. To be honest, when I chose to do “Busan Train”, I was more attracted to the project than to the character of Suk Woo itself. I wanted to give Suk Woo something to make it go beyond the cliché. Since it didn’t appear in the scenario, it was my part of the job to turn it into a character that had never been seen in a movie like this. I think I didn’t manage to do it. As an actor, there’s no way I could be fully satisfied with a project, but this aspect in “Busan Train” is something I’m sad and ashamed about. I wonder if it wouldn’t have been better if I had portrayed it as a character with a style a bit different even through a tiny difference.

You have a instant judgement on your acting. Is it because you’ve been an actor for 15 years which allow you to have a free spirit of mind about that?

No, I can’t have a free spirit of mind. I feel like I sway more toward a point I can’t imagine as I’m getting older. When I started acting, I cared about how people judged my acting and it hurt me a lot. However, as time went by, such opinions calmed down. I thought I shouldn’t care and just follow my path. I thought this mindset would get firmer as I’d get older, it didn’t happen. I get swayed by aspects I couldn’t imagine and I get swayed again after thinking about it. I feel like it’s an eternal going back and forth.

Have you ever experienced a slump?

I kept filming one project after the other, so I wouldn’t call it a slump, but I did think I was going through a hard time. To be honest, I kept acting without taking a break. If you look at the speed my projects came out, it was really fast. I didn’t want to slow down and take my time to look at projects, but I felt for the first time that the situation was too much for me to handle. I think it was because I felt that I was lacking energy and I lost some of my self-confidence. Instead of being excited and enthusiastic, I was careful and couldn’t watch my own movies with confidence. When the movie premiered at Cannes, I didn’t express it, but my heart was beating like crazy and I was afraid to face scenes I hadn’t pulled off well. My feelings reached this point, so that’s why I’m a bit ashamed. I don’t know what would have happened if I hadn’t revealed this honest thought of mine, but it’s just the truth.

You’re objective about yourself to the point of being even mean.

I make efforts to be this way. I’m not someone indulgent with myself. As I’m getting older, I even feel that I’m becoming obssessive about my job. I hate having to judge my own acting. It’s a torture, but I think it’s a torture you must be able to live in when you’re an actor. Acting gets harder as you get older.

What is the life of an actor? Is it very different when you’re in 30’s from when you were in your 20’s?

When I was in my 20’s, I wanted to get in my 30’s fast. I mean, even if getting older doesn’t mean you get everything figured out, I had this vague expectation that getting older would make me able to deal better with a situation than the way I deal with it in the moment. I thought getting older meant I would stand in front of a camera and feel emotions I couldn’t imagine. I was really in a positive mindset. (laughs) I think acting is an endless battle.

DO NOT TAKE OUT.
DO NOT SCREENCAP.

It’s surprising. I feel that your filmography is going deeper and wider. I mean you’re portraying characters with a range growing wider as you branch out into different genres. Isn’t it something satisfying and to be proud of?

I can’t say that I got rid of my greed about my filmography when I choose a movie, but it’s not everything. People will probably think that I’m building up a nice filmography, but I don’t actually see it as bringing something to completion. What people think and how I deal with their opinion are a questions that comes later. I don’t think my mindset in the moment changes according to which good judgement I will get. The outcome can’t change my satisfication. There are many things I’m not satisfied about, regrets I overcome, I can’t reach my objective standard. Even a movie being a box-office success doesn’t make me think “it wasn’t a role I couldn’t portray”. On a personal level, I think I will remember “Busan Train” and “The Age of Shadows” as projects that gave me such worries.

There’s no meaningless project to an actor, but how meaningful do you think “Busan Train” will be?

I wanted to do it because it’s a movie with a zombie theme. I wanted to defend myself in this movie. I wanted to fight. I don’t think I’m greedy about specific things. If I am, it would be about going down the path other people are reluctant to take. If a movie premieres and gets good results, good reviews will probably follow, right? It was a nice challenge, a brave challenge, well, stuff like this. I think I will see this movie as a meaningful challenge when I reflect on it in the future.

In the movie, you also fight to protect your daughter. Have you ever fought hard to protect someone or something in your life until now?

Acting occupies the biggest part of my life, so I never stop making efforts to maintain my values and convictions about acting. Living as an actor, as an entertainer got me worrying about how to get closer to the picture I want as I’m getting older. There is the picture the public wants to see and there’s the image that I want to see. I think I always care about how to find the balance between the two. Hm, the word “matching” would probably be misunderstood. I mean I tried to meet people’s expectations while still going for what I want to do. At some point in the far future, when people remember me, I hope they will see the full picture I would have completed.

I’m curious to hear about the picture you’re creating right now.

I read my previous interviews sometimes and I was much more arrogant in the way I spoke when I was young. When I read my past interview, I think to myself that I was really immature. Sometimes I find myself cute. Some answers really touch me. The way I express myself changed a little, but I think my mindset about acting and the way I enjoy it don’t change. I don’t want to run forward just for the sake of acting. Of course, acting is about earning a lot of money and enjoying fame which are things I’m very thankful for. However, I want to fill my acting life with sincerity more than commercial success.

So is that the reason? If it’s not in a movie or a drama, we can’t see you often. I mean, for instance, you don’t go to variety programs or events.

To be honest, I’m careful about my words. When I was young, I revealed my taste and thoughts strongly because I was passionate. However, words can be easily misinterpreted and create misunderstandings. Things I must do for something but don’t really know well are no fun and I don’t want to do them. However, I can’t speak for the future. For instance, I can end up filming a variety program after saying I don’t like variety programs. My job isn’t something a job you do on your own. I must compromise because it’s a job about working with others. I can’t be stubborn. I think it’s not about drawing the line between what’s good and what’s bad. I want to go down the path I like and is a match for me, but there might be compromises down that path, so I think I must keep going forward while persuading myself to do it. Now, I try to stay more open to changes, even if it’s not about the things I go for.

You will start filming the drama “Goblin” soon. A goblin in 2016…

Yeah, I don’t get it either. (laughs) The script isn’t out yet, so I can’t imagine how it will go. I don’t know what the writer will create. I thought about it so much that it even affected my daily life. Making the decision was exhausting. To be honest, I like realistic stories more than fantasy ones. My roles in “A Mand and a Woman”, “Busan Train” and “The Age of Shadows” made me lose my nerve and I felt tortured. I felt like I ran into a wall. I unconsciously became complacent and couldn’t live with intensity. I took time for introspection. I thought I should go a little bit harder and be more shameless. I needed an opportunity to feel completely free and run wild without being ashamed. Compared to movies, drama filming relies on a tight schedule and the time investment is big. I think this is the setting I need right now. SF fantasy genre is something I was scared of, but I decided to trust the writer. I wonder if not assessing the situation to have fun won’t allow me to demolish walls.

DO NOT TAKE OUT.
DO NOT SCREENCAP.

Is acting a job that gives you more painful or happy moments?

It seems painful.

Have you ever had regrets of becoming an actor?

There was a time when I had regets. Right now, I have no regret. Living as an actor also gave me a lot of things. I wasn’t aware of it when I was young. I thought I should live according to my values and my goals, that it wasn’t necessary to live comparing myself to others. What’s clear is that acting is a lonely profession. This loneliness became sharper and I learned how to overcome it. I’m getting stronger. I don’t think of this loneliness only as a bad thing.

You’re acting without taking a break between projects, you must be exhausted.

I don’t like the expression “strike while the iron is hot”. Until now, I still found a way to rest at some point between two projects. When people talk about actors who work non-stop, my plate is still big as I manage to be moderate and rest a little between projects. If anything, this time around, I wanted to do this project because it was offered to me and I didn’t want to miss this opportunity, although it might be physically hard. I’m used to get some “me” time in order to recharge my batteries. It’s not that I must do something special to get my energy back on.

Like the “spacing out” we talked about briefly earlier during the photo shoot?

This is a busy world. Don’t we need a moment when we don’t think at all? However, I’m careful about talking like this because I can be called arrogant.

You’re careful about many things. (laughs)

As I get older, I become careful about everything. Public opinion became really scary, so many things get distorted in a short moment. It’s a world that isn’t easy to accept things the way they should be. I’ve become less talkative. I don’t use SNS. It’s embarrassing to upload a picture and ask people to check it out. And I think I’ll be concerned about stuff like my number of followers if I start. Using SNS to share my thoughts then my words being distorted by countless people I don’t even know, the fact that each person has a different interpretation is what scares me. Instead of using SNS, I’d rather have a drink and speak with people who know me, who believe in me, who don’t misinterpret what I say and hear things how they’re supposed to be heard.

I’m curious about what the complete image of you looks like, about how you are in your daily life.

I watch movies at home, I feed my cat. My entire time is spent like this. Although it looks boring and dull, I think these are the moments I need the most. When you keep doing the same thing over and over again, you release the stress, but that doesn’t work for me. I like exercising too. Sweating and working out is my daily life. I’ve always liked excercising and this job is a way to manage myself in a strict way. I think exercising is about being able to accomplish what you want based on the efforts you put in without taking luck into consideration. I don’t like using tricks. I prefer the direct approach. I think exercising is one of the things you can’t accomplish without efforts. Recently, I started playing basketball once a week with people from my agency. At some point, I started enjoying doing things like this more than having a drink. I wake up early in the morning like the ahjusshis my age and I watch major leagues games with great Korean players and I’m really into the NBA games these days. (laughs)

This year will probably be an intense year for you.

I think working is all I did last year and this year. Setting aside things I’m disappointed about in my acting, I actually want to give myself a round of applause for working hard. I accomplished things I was eager to do. Luck was on my side, so I was able to pull off nicely piled-up projects. I think this year will be a happy moment of my life just because I was able to keep working back-to-back on projects I wanted to do.

DO NOT TAKE OUT.
DO NOT SCREENCAP.

https://thesunnytown.wordpress.com/2016/06/25/july-2016-marie-claire-gong-yoo-interview/?platform=hootsuite#gongyoo

[Noor90]

Good review about Train to Busan and about our Gong Yoo

Review: Punch Yourself a Ticket for Train to Busan

While Comic Con was well underway in Downtown San Diego on Friday, a smaller crowd of Korean film fans packed a movie theater in San Diego’s Mission Valley to watch the opening day screenings of Train to Busan. Premiering at this year’s Cannes Film Festival, Train to Busan stars acclaimed Korean actor Gong Yoo as an absent workaholic father escorting his estranged daughter, Su-an (Kim Su-an), to visit her mother in Busan.  As their bullet train pulls away at Seoul Station, Su-an witnesses a man being attacked on the platform while her father sleeps in the seat beside her. The following one hundred minutes depict a desperate fight for survival from a zombie apocalypse both on the train and off.

Directed by Yeon Sang-ho, Train to Busan was preceded by Yeon’s animated zombie film, Seoul Station, that premiered in North America last month at New York’s Asian Film Festival. The live action thriller was meant to pick up where the animated film left off as the invasion of zombies in South Korea spread to surrounding regions. Released in South Korea less than a week ago, Train to Busan has broken numerous box office records, drawing 75% of all box office receipts in the country in its first weekend.

As with many horror films, the majority of characters fall victim to the undead. For the sake of not spoiling the film, the fate of each character won’t be divulged. The train passengers are a diverse mix of Koreans: inseparable elderly sisters; a high school baseball team and one of the player’s love interests; a pregnant woman and her brusque husband; the train’s conductor and stewards; and of course, the “bad guy”, a wealthier middle aged business executive willing to sacrifice anyone to save himself–transportation executive Yong-suk (Kim Ui-Seong),

The train’s conductor, played by Jeong Seok-Yong, rarely interacts directly with the train’s passengers, yet heroically attempts to save as many of them as possible and deliver them to the last safe haven in the country, Busan. Throughout the film, the spread of “infection” changes leaving passengers running for their lives in a number of the country’s train stations. Yoo’s character, Seok-woo, begins the journey willing to sacrifice anyone, including Jung Yu-Mi’s pregnant character Sung-kyung, in order to save himself and his child. This creates an obvious rift between Seok-Woo and Sung-kyung’s husband, Sang-hwa, played by Korean American actor Ma Dong-seok. As the film progresses and the passengers’ survival hinges on their teamwork, the change in Seok-woo’s demeanor towards his child and the other passengers softens. He develops a connection with Su-an’s surrogate mother on the train, Sung-Kyung, as she spends much of the film building a relationship with the child and protecting her from danger.

Following a disastrous attempt at finding shelter in what was thought to be a safe city, the passengers become separated. Paranoia among some lead to a deep division among the passengers.

Not nearly as gory as the other Asian zombie film I’ve seen in the last year, Japan’s Deadman Inferno, Train to Busan does what many Korean action films do. The film is a larger criticism of the struggle between the powerful and the powerless, the rich and the working class. The main character always has a fatal flaw, and there rarely is redemption for the protagonist who is anything but a “good guy”. The character development of the lead follows other Korean action films relatively closely, like those found in The Terror Live, Coin Locker Girl, Man From Nowhere, and another action film starring Yoo, The Suspect. What differs is that South Korea’s film industry doesn’t produce many zombie films as covered in Variety’s review of Train to Busan. The article’s writer, Maggie Lee, also did a wonderful job of breaking down the film’s larger critique of Korean society.

While the film exhibited many commonalities with other Korean films I’ve seen over the years, the acting was superb. Kim Su-an may be one of South Korea’s most talented child actors. At ten years old, she balanced her character masterfully as if she had been acting for decades. Gong Yoo over the past fifteen years has established himself as one of the most talented actors in the country. Yoo’s versatility and ability to measure the level of intensity a scene needs have made him one of the industry’s most in demand talents since his career-making portrayal of a rich and lazy heir in the television series, The 1st Shop of Coffee Prince, a show so popular that an actual coffee shop by the same name exists today. Ma’s portrayal of a burly, working class man wasn’t overshadowed by the other characters, and despite a less illustrious resume than many of his co-stars, he is an actor to watch. With his upbringing in the U.S., it is not outside the realm of possibility that he might appear in Hollywood someday.

Train to Busan is showing in many U.S. cities this week. Critics’ from The New York Times, The Hollywood Reporter, and The Los Angeles Times all gave the film positive reviews. As with many Asian films, their screenings are usually limited to one week and extended depending on ticket sales. You can find more information on screening locations at Well Go USA Entertainment.

http://www.asamnews.com/2016/07/25/review-punch-yourself-a-ticket-for-train-to-busan/

 

[Noor90]

Film Review: ‘Train To Busan’

Synopsis: While a zombie-virus breaks out in South Korea, passengers struggle to survive on a train going from Seoul to Busan. (Source)

Fight or flight, us or them. Who are at our wit’s end, when we’re stuck between impossible choices and our own personal well being? Herein lies the struggle that anchors Yeon Sang-ho’s Train to Busan. With its inventive spin on the zombie apocalypse, Yeon’s film is an express train to hell, a perfectly calibrated thrill ride that never lets up and never looks back. Like Snowpiercer before it, Yeon uses his closed setting to explore class, entitlement and a motley crew of unlikely heroes, but this time puts an emphasis on the split-second decisions which determine self-preservation and self-sacrifice. Telling his intimate story amidst an epic backdrop, the film is suitable for veteran gorehounds, but replete with a rare kind of depth, blending massive blockbuster scale with moral complexity.

In the aftermath of a failed marriage, Seok-woo (Yoo Gong) is a workaholic fund manager in Seoul, ruthlessly thriving in business but a terrible father. He continually brushes his daughter Su-an (Kim Su-an) aside, ignoring her and her mother to remain in a perpetual state of distraction. That changes when Su-an’s only birthday wish is to visit her mother in Busan. Hesitant at first, Seok-woo decides to accompany Su-an on the trip, deciding that it may be time for him to confront the family he’s failed for so long. What should’ve been a quick, one hour jaunt, however, turns into a fight for survival, after a viral outbreak rips through the city and onto their train, turning unsuspecting victims into rabid creatures who thirst on human flesh. It’s here where Seok-woo, Su-an and a motley crew of survivors will use every resource to stay alive, each finding out what it really takes to survive. 

After briefly taking time to introduce us to the train’s disparate passengers, its layout and the overarching threat, the film reaches maximum speed and never lets up. From here on out, nothing is wasted, with action spilling from car to car, overhead compartments and vestibules, as makeshift weapons (like a baseball team’s bats) and whatever can be found turn in to savage devices of self defense. The trick of it all, however, is that each bloody encounter is also a morality test that progressively raises the stakes. Amidst the spectacle and pandemonium, the focus remains on the humanity that hangs in the balance. Yeon’s biggest asset turns out to be how he uses our intrinsic survival instincts as the film’s biggest challenge, presenting our compassion or selfish nature as a force more powerful than the film’s undead. 

Despite the focus on humanity, Yeon doesn’t skimp when it comes to his zombies. The carnage and mayhem here is huge, with the undead making their moves mostly as a horde, coming together to snake through their opposition, break through glass and overwhelm their prey. Lee Hyung-deok’s camera work whips in and out of the action, as bodies pile on top of each other, blood sprays and limbs are torn apart. The action is similar to what we saw in World War Z, but much more aggressive and smarter. This technique propels an overall rhythm that splits Yeon’s symphony of chaos into movements, allowing each train car to present its own unique challenge and making for a claustrophobic battlefield that continually transforms.

The performances are given just as much love as the mayhem. As the film’s pivot point, Yoo Gong’s Seok-woo’s immerses us into the film’s unforgiving quandary. Though we initially despise what he stands for, he’s undeniably relatable, underlying the film’s madness with an emotional authenticity. As his daughter, Su-an, Kim Su-an is the heart of the film, unafraid to put her father in check for his selfishness and giving the story a graceful presence. She has a maturity that grounds the film with some of its most intense moments, and together, the duo are the key to everything, with her innocence calling out the the dog-eat-dog nature of our society. Ma Dong-seok’s Sang-hwa and Jung Yu-mi’s Sung-kyung play a kind couple expecting a child, a nice contrast to Yoo and Su-an who are from a lower end of the economic ladder, yet carry with them a hope and integrity that shines through the darkness. Ma in particular, a man driven to protect his future child and wife is incredible to watch, with an unassuming nature that gives way to an aggressive, physical presence. He’s also pretty funny at times. Choi Woo-sik and An So-hee add more texture to the unwitting heroes, while Kim Eui-sung plays a corrupt corporate executive who only cares about himself. If there’s a through line within these performances, it’s that we truly care about these characters, most of whom are trying to do right. 

Zombies may be ubiquitous, but every once in a while we get a film like Train to Busan. Yeon understands the metaphorical heft behind his story and its global threat, using the undead as a dark mirror to our humanity and framing them within a savage story that chooses to believe in hope. Exploring the extremes of human nature, the film eventually leaves us with the idea that ignorance and apathy are not bliss, especially when it comes to the distant problems left for our children to inherit. Blending horror, action, humor and social sensitivity, Yeon’s latest is high concept entertainment with soul and a purpose, a trip that, indeed, you can’t and shouldn’t miss.

http://cromeyellow.com/film-review-train-to-busan/?platform=hootsuite

[lkgy99]

4 Male Actors Who Fell In Love With Jung Yoo Mi’s Charm

Recently gaining attention for her performance in “Train to Busan,” actress Jung Yoo Mi is known for her lovable acting. She debuted in 2004 with “How to Operate a Polaroid Camera” and has since appeared in a variety of movies and dramas such as “I Need Romance 2,” “Discovery of Love,” and “Tough as Iron.” Most of her works fit in the romance genre, allowing her to interact with many male actors. Here is a list of four male actors who noticed Jung Yoo Mi’s charms.

Gong Yoo



During a press conference for “Train to Busan,” her co-star said “Jung Yoo Mi is so lovable. Though it might sound like something that’s said all the time, I really like Jung Yoo Mi.”

http://www.soompi.com/2016/07/26/four-male-actors-who-fell-in-love-with-jung-yoo-mi-charm/

[chakita babe]

On 20/07/2016 at 8:33 PM, lkgy99 said:

Film Review: Train to Busan

Seok-woo Suh (Gong Yoo), a busy Seoul-based fund manager whose job demands a broad streak of ruthlessness, is in the middle of a contentious divorce. He has primary custody of his young daughter Su-an (Su-an Kim), though most of the actual work of childcare is being done by his own mother. But Seok-woo agrees to take her to the port city of Busan, where his soon-to-be-ex lives, as a birthday treat, mostly because he made the spectacular gift-giving flub of buying Su-an a Wii, which she already has. In fact, he gave it to her. Recently. Plus, he missed her school recital. The only other thing she wants is to see her mommy on her birthday, even if she has to take the train alone. Rock, meet hard place.

So at the crack of dawn, largely oblivious to the steady stream of emergency vehicles they pass en route to the station, they're on the KTX 101 train to Busan. Their fellow passengers include an excitable pregnant woman and her husband; a pair of middle-aged sisters; assorted businessmen; a high-school baseball team, their coach and perky head cheerleader, and miscellaneous students, families and couples.

The last to board is a scruffy teenage girl, clearly sick but unnoticed because everyone is half-asleep, busy settling in or attending to passengers. So no one but the wide-eyed Su-an notices that chaos is breaking out in the station, though an officious passengerdoes draw a steward's attention to an apparently crazy man who's cowering in a bathroom muttering about everybody being dead. Meanwhile, the onboard TVs are abuzz with news of rioting in the streets ("In the old days they'd be re-educated," sniffs one of the sisters) and the scruffy teen, who has died and reanimated, goes on the rampage.

It doesn't take a hardcore horror fan to know what's coming next, though such fans will have seen it before, notably in the 1972 Peter Cushing-Christopher Lee film Horror Express. That said, the beauty of using a train as the main location is that it's simultaneously claustrophobic and in constant motion, and writer-director Sang-ho Yeonmakes effective use of the space, which has both plusses and minuses for the trapped potential victims. On the one hand, individual cars are relatively defensible; on the other, once the doors are breached at one end, the only option is to run down a narrow corridor to the next car and whatever awaits there. But the real drama, as is always the case in siege movies, lies in how the besieged behave. Do they freak out or stay cool, look out for number one or try to help others, react to the immediate crisis or come up with a big-picture plan?

There's plenty of all of the above to go around in Train to Busan, and the sheer volume of gnashing-jawed zombie action doesn't leave a great deal of room for character development. That Seok-woo gets the lion's share is hardly a surprise, but a handful of others have moments that keep the film from settling into a tedious series of bloody set-pieces, though there is plenty of blood to go around. The bone-cracking, convulsive contortions of the newly revived—who are new-school running zombies, rather than old-school shufflers—are seriously creepy, as is one throwaway shot of a zombie crawling through a compartment via the overhead luggage rack. Yeon's social commentary, which includes the by-now obligatory government assurances that these pesky outbreaks are under control juxtaposed with handheld news footage of snarling zombies wreaking havoc—doesn't stray far from the beaten path, but Train to Busan is good fun for those who like their fun seasoned with gory mayhem.

http://www.filmjournal.com/reviews/film-review-train-busan

 

You know what's amazing. ...when I was in Korea, I caught the KTX from Seoul to Busan....such a beautiful ride....and Im thinking,  what if there really were such things as zombies.......OMG!!!......Just the thought of it right.......YAH!!!

Another smash hit right there.......lovelovelove it. ....FIGHTING!