`Silmido' Tops 25th Blue Dragon Awards

By Kim Tae-jong
Staff Reporter

The blockbuster "Silmido" garnered three prizes _ Best Picture, Best Director and Best Supporting Actor Award _ at the 25th Blue Dragon Awards ceremony, held in Seoul on Tuesday.

At the ceremony held at the Main Hall of the National Theater of Korea in Changchung-dong, Seoul, director Kang Woo-seok was on hand to receive the prizes for his film, a Cold War thriller based on a true story about a suicide commando unit created in the late 1960s to assassinate North Korean leader.

"I never asked actors in my movie to play their role best", said Kang in his acceptance speech on Monday. "All I told them was to take care since it was risky. And now I want to see them all".

Kang is currently filming his next movie "Konggongui Chok 2 (Public Enemy 2)", a sequel for his detective drama starring Seol Kyeong-gu, who also starred in both the original "Public Enemy" as well as "Silmido".

Jang Dong-gun won the best actor award for his role in "Taegukgi", while Lee Na-young received the best actress award for her role in "Anun Yoja (Someone Special)".

Jang said in his congratulatory speech: "This is what I really wanted to get, so I am really happy and I thank all of staff members who worked for the film". Jang was sporting long hair, which he grew to play a pirate in his new movie "Taepung (Typhoon)".

Lee was in tears and nearly unable to finish her acceptance speech, visibly overcome by emotion over winning the best actress award.

The Most Popular Actor Awards went to four actors: Kang Dong-won from "Nukdaeui Yuhok (Two Guys Meet a Girl - Temptation of Wolves)"; Kwon Sang-woo from "Maljukgori Chanhoksa (The Spirit of Jeekeundo _ Once Upon A Time In Highschool)"; Moon Geun-yeong from "Orin Sinbu (My Little Bride)"; and Kim Jeong-eun from "Nae Namja-ui Romance (How to Keep My Love)".

A total of 21 movies were nominated out of 68 works that opened between Nov. 26, 2003, and Oct. 31, 2004. The selection was made by Internet users and experts on movies. An 11-member jury decided the final winners in the 16 categories.

Other Blue Dragon recipients included Jeong Jae-yeong who received the Best Supporting Actor prize for "Silmido"; Yeom Jeong-ah the Best Supporting Actress prize for "Pomchoe-ui Chaegusong (The Big Swindle) "; Jae Hui the Best New Actor prize for "Pinjip (3-Iron)"; and Soo-Ae the Best New Actress prize for "Kajok (A Family)". Choi Dong-hoon received awards for best script and best new director for his movie "The Big Swindle".