THE FACE READER and Period Film Craze
The period film in Korean cinema has been an unpopular and outdated genre until only recently. Back in the 1960s, during Korean cinema’s golden age, the genre was very active, featuring diverse personas and settings from the past. However, the recycling of similar narratives and endless remakes eventually burned out the genre, resulting in a loss of audience. Along with the burnout of the genre, another factor for its downfall was a budgetary issue. To produce a well-made period film, a huge budget is a must, which became one of the reasons for movie studios to turn their back on the genre. To meet historical details, the basic producing cost of building sets and making costumes could easily reach KRW 10 billon (USD 10 million). Controversial perspectives on historical facts and events could also bring risk to commercial films, resulting in another important reason why this genre was avoided.
Things have clearly changed today. With an average viewing rate of 42.4%, The Moon Embracing the Sun, one of the last year’s TV series, became a huge hit, announcing that the period drama has now become a rising star both in TV and cinema in terms of viewer ratings and box office profits. The prosperity of this genre can be proved by numbers. The PARK Hae-il starring action movie War of the Arrows, released in August 2011, reached 7.45 million accumulated viewers, and KIM Dai-seung’s (Bungee Jumping of Their Own, 2001; Traces of Love, 2006) low budget period film The Concubine sold 2.6 million tickets, turning out to be a veritable sleeper that hardly anybody saw coming. The Grand Heist, a period film featuring CHA Tae-hyun, almost topped five million viewers. Most outstandingly, the LEE Byung-hun film Masquerade became the biggest hit ever among period films in Korean cinema. Directed by CHOO Chang-min of Mapado (2005) and Lost in Love (2006), Masquerade attracted 12.3 million spectators, ranking at the third place in the all time Korean box office chart between The Thieves and Miracle in Cell No. 7.
There are certain keywords to explain this unprecedented prosperity of period films in Korean cinema today. They are “fusion” and “faction.” While, in the past, period films were limited within a traditional generic framework, the 21st century version of this genre cleverly blends with other genres such as the thriller, medical drama, comedy, fantasy and so on. Furthermore, historical events and personas are freely adjusted and updated, resulting in totally new stories and characters. Moreover, projection of modern issues and modern perspectives in the narrative avoid the stereotype of the boring period film.
Dealing with Seobinggo, the traditional freezer of Joseon Dynasty, The Grand Heist successfully appealed to the 21st century’s viewership thanks to the narrative of modern class struggle which eventually punishes the ruling class, and the ‘multi-casting’ of diverse characters. In addition, featuring a controversial historical figure Kwang-hae-gun, Masquerade questioned the virtues of a leader and blended into the real life political agendas of the presidential and parliamentary elections, resulting in big issues outside of the movie house as well. In the meantime, The Concubine appealed to audiences with its unclear narrative background. While the audience accepts the background setting in a period film as a fact, fusion and faction in the drama stretched audience’s imagination even further.
The period film craze marches on. With
The Face Reader, to be released on September 11th, a number of KRW 10 billion budget period films are lined up for the coming seasons.
The Face Reader is among the most awaited films in the second half of this year. Its scenario won the grand-prix at the KOFIC scenario awards in 2010. Directed by HAN Jae-rim, seven years since his last film, whose previous works include
Rules of Dating (2005) and
The Show Must Go On (2007),
The Face Reader is a drama set in the 15th century, featuring a genius physiognomist trying to change the destiny of Joseon, his motherland. This film deals with the dramatic ups and downs of this face reading specialist, who found himself in the middle of a historical bouleversement, and his fatherly love, along with diverse personas and their different desires.
To be sure, the high anticipation towards this film has certainly to do with the casting, presenting a wonderful ensemble of greatly celebrated actors. Nae-gyong, the main character, is played by none other than SONG Kang-ho, known to be the most reliable actor in Korean cinema today, who starred in Memories of Murder (2003), The Host (2006), Secret Reunion (2010) and most recently in Snowpiercer. Also, LEE Jung-jae and KIM Hye-soo from The Thieves (2012), the second most profitable Korean film ever with almost 13 million viewers, now again co-star in The Face Reader, as the ambitious Suyang Daegun aiming at the throne and Yeon-hong the geisha. Furthermore, BAEK Yoon-shik from Tazza: the High Rollers (2006) and The Taste of Money plays the historical figure Kim Jong-seo, adding to the dramatic impact of the film. Two promising rookies, JO Jung-suk (Architecture 101, Almost Che) and LEE Jong-suk (As One, Soar into the Sun) play Nae-gyong’s brother in law ‘Pang-hun’ and Nae-gyong’s son ‘Jin-hyung’, respectively.
The list of promising period films in progress looks endless. It seems as if the big players in Korean cinema are all exclusively working on the period film genre. Showbox Mediaplex Ltd, The Face Reader’s producer and distributor, is planning on two additional period films with The Huntresses and Kundo: Age of the Rampant through this year and the next. The Huntresses, featuring HA Ji-won and KANG Ye-won, aims to be a “character comedy period film.” With director YOON Jong-bin (Nameless Gangster) and star HA Jung-woo collaborating again, Kundo: Age of the Rampant has already become a newsmaker during its pre-production stage, as it is also GANG Dong-won’s (Woochi, 2009; Haunters, 2010) first work since his army dismissal. It takes place in the 10th year of King Chul-jong of Joseon when corruption in the government and abject poverty in the people reached their peaks, featuring a group of thieves who were on the people’s side and struggled to help them get by.
CJ Entertainment, behind The Berlin File and Snowpiercer, is working on Battle Of Myeongryang, featuring CHOI Min-shik, RYU Seung-ryong. It is the fourth film of KIM Han-min (whose filmography includes 2007’s Paradise Murdered and War of Arrows). It is a blockbuster presenting the great battle of Myeongryang with Admiral YI Soon-shin, who defeated Japanese invaders in 1597 with only 13 vessels, which was merely one tenth of his opponents’ fleet.
Lotte Shopping Lotte Entertainment Ltd. of The Terror, LIVE is getting as many as three KRW 10 billion won budget costume dramas ready for 2014. Memories of the Sword has already become a newsmaker by featuring LEE Byung-hun and JEON Do-yeon. It is a martial arts movie presenting the best swordwoman in Goryeo Dynasty, Seol-lang (played by JEON Do-yeon), and Duk-gi (LEE Byung-hun) from the lowest class, who is nonetheless aiming at the throne. It is to be directed by PARK Heung-sik of My Mother, the Mermaid (2004) and Bravo, My Life (2005).
Pirates (working title), which can be easily referenced as a Korean version of Pirates of the Caribbean, features KIM Nam-gil and SON Ye-jin and presents a story of a woman pirate and a bandit, going after a whale which has swallowed the royal seal of Ming. It is the fourth film of LEE Seok-hoon, whose filmography includes Dancing Queen and Two Faces of My Girlfriend (2007). TV mini-series director LEE Jae-kyu, whose TV works include Damo (The Undercover Lady Detective) and The King 2 Hearts, will attempt a screen debut with King’s Wrath, a thriller costume drama taking place around the assassin of King Jeong-jo in Joseon. The film will feature HYUN Bin, JUNG Jae-young and JO Jung-suk.
By TAE Sang-joon