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CHOI In-ho, one of the most renowned novelists that had shaped the Korean literature since 1970s, passed away on September 25, 2013. In the history of Korean culture as well as Korean literature, if KIM Seung-ok was the iconic figure that represented the new sensitivity of 1960s, CHOI In-ho would be the one for 1970s. The two made sudden, yet grand entrances to Korean literature scene in their 20s and both were hailed as prodigies. Their works were widely read and admired among their contemporaries, and they became symbolic figures of their generation. Another thing that they had in common was their interests and involvement in films. KIM participated in some 15 films, and CHOI had more frequent and diverse experiences in filmmaking. Since 1970s, CHOI had been credited on almost 30 films as writer of original story, screenplay and adaptation. And he even directed a film based on his own novel, Don’t Walk but Run! (1976).

The value of KIM’s contribution to Korean cinema cannot be evaluated in terms of number of films he participated in, which also applies to CHOI’s line of films. CHOI wrote original stories and screenplays for the most influential films in 1970s and 1980s such as Heavenly Homecoming to Stars (1974, directed by LEE Jang-ho), The March of the Fools (1975, directed by HA Gil-jong), The Flower at the Equator (1983, directed by BAE Chang-ho), Whale Hunting (1984, directed by BAE Chang-ho), and Deep Blue Night (1985, directed by BAE Chang-ho). These films are considered as classics in Korean cinema history until this day. All of those five films are listed on the Korean Film Archive’s 100 Korean Films, and the two from the 1970s are among the top ten of that list. CHOI’s influence on Korean cinema is as crucial as the one on Korean literature, although the direct comparison between two might not be appropriate.

CHOI wrote his novel Heavenly Homecoming to Stars in 1972 at the age of 27. The story was first published as a series on a Korean major newspaper, Cho-sun Ilbo. Then the book sold over one million copies after it was published as a book. Filmmakers’ attempts to get the film rights of the book were highly competitive behind the curtains. However, the result was somewhat unexpected. The young LEE Jang-ho, then the second assistant director for SHIN Sang-ok, succeeded in helming the movie version of Heavenly Homecoming to Stars. In fact, LEE Jang-ho was a close friend to the author and LEE used to read the first drafts of the novel before it was published. LEE almost threatened his friend CHOI to acquire the film rights, and this was the beginning of the series of memorable events that no one could have expected in Korean cinema history. Heavenly Homecoming to Stars, directed by LEE, immediately became a smash hit and broke the box-office record previously held by Love Me Once Again (1968), and the film was considered as a progenitor that declared the arrival of a new generation and a new way of expressing sensitivity of the generation in Korean film history. After the remarkable success of Heavenly Homecoming to Stars, LEE Jang-ho subsequently directed It Rained Yesterday (1974) based on CHOI’s novel.   

 

In 1979, LEE had been banned from filmmaking due to his marijuana use. HA Gil-jong, another leading director who sculpted ‘Young Generation’s Cinema’ movement along with LEE, consequently took over LEE’s role and made CHOI’s novels into films. HA directed three films with CHOI’s original story and screenplays; The March of Fools (1975), The Home of the Stars Sequel (1978) and Byung-tae and Young-ja (1979). The relationship between HA and CHOI was not always harmonious. HA, as a 4.19 generation, had a strong voice on political issues and enjoyed cinematic experiments. But CHOI’s works were relatively adapted to popular taste. As a result, HA was not so enthusiastic for CHOI’s works, and CHOI considered HA as too arrogant. However, at the predicament of filmmaking career caused by the failures of his experimental yet ambitious earlier films, HA needed CHOI’s reputation as audience-drawing storyteller. Equally, CHOI was in need of the talented and ambitious filmmaker to transfer his novels to silver screen. Their collaboration produced a masterpiece of the era, The March of Fools, in which HA tinged his own social consciousness and cinematic experiment on CHOI’s original story and screenplay. It is skeptical whether their partnership in the following two films were as successful as in The March of Fools, but The Home of the Stars Sequel was certainly a remarkable work, despite it was often overshadowed by the huge success of its original film, Heavenly Homecoming to Stars. HA died in the prime of his life. LEE Jang-ho, who was temporarily banned from filmmaking due to using marijuana, changed his stance to more radical side and started strong social participation during his suspension period. As a result, LEE declared separation from CHOI. Their last project was Good Windy Day (1980).

Without BAE Chang-ho, another young filmmaker, CHOI’s participation in filmmaking would have ended in the 1970s. BAE was LEE Jang-ho’s assistant director and CHOI’s junior in high school at the same time. However, BAE’s approach to film was more psychological, commercial and romantic, rather than socially critical and realistic, thus BAE and CHOI made a good match. Their cooperation produced seven films spanning from 1983(The Flower at the Equator) to 1991(Stairways of Heaven). Those films vary in themes and styles and cannot be categorized under a single criterion. Whale Hunting series (1984, 1985) and Hello God (1987) reflected 1970s style romanticism and optimism toward the future. The Flower at the Equator and Deep Blue Night focused on darker side of human condition in a psychological perspective. Hwang Jin-ie (1986) was a prominent work in terms of director’s cinematic vision and experimentation in minimizing CHOI’s influence in screenplay.

Nevertheless, CHOI In-ho’s original stories and screenplays had led synergistic effect with the extraordinary aptitude of BAE. Undoubtedly, their continuous cooperation remained as one of the most important achievements in 1980s’ Korean cinema. However, their team work came to an end after Stairways of Heaven, which became CHOI’s last movie script. There were more films made from CHOI’s novels, but Stairways of Heaven was the last screenplay he wrote. Actor AHN Sung-ki appeared in all of the seven films by BAE and CHOI. It is interesting that AHN took leading roles in 6 films except Hwang Jin-ie. Hwang Jin-ie consisted of several short stories, and AHN made short appearances in the first story of the film. 

 

CHOI In-ho would have landed in film industry anyway even if he had not been a friend to LEE Jang-ho. CHOI once confessed that he had been a big fan of films since he was very young, and the movie theater was his second home. However, in retrospect of 1970s and 1980s Korean cinema, it is questionable whether his love for movies could have been such a rewarding experience with significant outcomes if he had not been able to work with brilliant cineastes such as LEE Jang-ho, HA Gil-jong and BAE Chang-ho, and vice versa. They were the young breadwinners that supported the poor and humble household of Korean cinema in 1970s and 1980s.

 

By CHO Jun-hyoung(Researcher, Korean Film Archive)