Long Day's Journey into Night (2006) - 이대근, 이댁은 (Lee Dae-geun, I-daek-eun)

A film that requires patience to enjoy

2007/10/01 | Source | Permalink |

Everything goes well when you have a happy family, according to an old Korean saying. A happy family, however, can be quite a challenging goal, especially because you can't choose your parents and children.
Korean society has long seen the clash between longtime Confucian traditions and the evolution of new ways of thinking. That has given new material to Korean filmmakers. One recent notable current of the Korean film scene is a nouveau approach that breaks away from the traditional definition of a family, from "Family Ties" ("The Birth of a Family", 2006) directed by Kim Tae-yong to "Shim's Family", earlier this year by Jeong Yoon-cheol.
The latest in the queue, released recently as a DVD, is "Lee Dae-geun, Lee Daek-eun", directed by Shim Gwang-jin. The Korean title is a pun on the lead actor's name, Lee Dae-geun, which also sounds in Korean like "This family is ..". Its English title is "Mr. Lee vs. Mr. Lee" ("Long Day's Journey into Night").
The lead role features Lee, an aging ...| More

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A movie tough guy with a few regrets offers some advice

2007/05/10 | Source | Permalink |

He's back - Lee Dae-geun, the star who appeared in "Bet on My Disco" (2002) as "big brother", a supporting character, has returned as the leading actor in "Long Day's Journey into Night", which was released last week. The film is very loosely based on the 66-year-old actor's life but the family in question is not his own but a fictional version
"Entering the mid-60s of my life, I felt it was necessary to spend some time with my family. Looking back, I have starred in more than 300 movies over my 40-year career", said Lee. "Backstage, every object and person seemed to be living inside a drama".
Lee was once an iconic strong man. In "Kim Du-han" (1974), "Kim Chun-sam" (1975), "King of Beggars" (1975) and "Sirasoni" (1979), he appeared as a lawman. In "Mulberry Tree" (1985), and "Byeon Kang-soe" (1986), he played a macho sex symbol. Shim Kwang-jin, the director of "Long Day's Journey into Night" praised "Lee's macho image which transcends cliches. His character contains humorous and rhe...| More

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Week's New Movie Premieres

2007/05/04 | Source | Permalink |

Don't we all look forward to the weekend, especially those of you movie buffs out there?
So what's new this week?
There are two Korean productions, but it looks like the box office will be taken over by the latest "Spiderman" sequel.
Here's Son Heekyung.

First up this week is the Korean family drama, "A Day with My Son".
A father serving life in prison is released for one day.
He decides to meet his son for the first time in 15 years.
The reunion is awkward for both men, but they're unable to hide their sorrow over their long separation, a clear indication that they're family.
The director says he wanted to portray the universal and special bond between father and son.

"Long Day's Journey into Night" is another Korean drama starring popular 70s actor Lee Dae-geun .
The film is about a troubled family whose father has been unable to take care of his family all his life.
His sick wife dies after staying away from the hospital to save money.
His eldest son dishonors the fa...| More

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Korean filmmakers face a gloomy summer

2007/05/03 | Source | Permalink |

It was not long ago that Korean filmmakers appeared to be winning the game. A steady stream of well-made films and blockbusters crushed Hollywood flicks at the box office, signaling a new renaissance period for the local film industry.

The solid growth, however, has slowed down significantly in recent months amid a slew of worrying signs. The combined market share of Korean films is plunging. The number of new film projects is also dwindling. Investors remain wary about the commercial viability of Korean films. Worse, several Hollywood blockbusters are poised to dominate the Korean box office in the run-up to the crucial summer season.

Leading the Hollywood lineup is "Spider-Man 3", which was released on Tuesday. This blockbuster secured a whopping 617 theaters across the nation, selling 502,000 tickets on its release day alone.

Given that Korea's biggest hit film "The Host" got released in 620 theaters last year, "Spider-Man 3" is expected to pull off a solid box office perfo...| More

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Lee Dae-geun attempts to offer new image

2007/04/26 | Source | Permalink |

Lee Dae-geun, for most Korean moviegoers now in their 30s or older, is the very definition of a sex symbol. Since his debut in 1964, he has appeared in more than 300 films, many of which helped cultivate his association with sexual energy.

Lee's new role in "Long Day's Journey into Night" does not have any connection with his famous sex image. The film, based on a famous local drama, involves a weakened status of a father -- an old, powerless and lonely Korean father.

In the film, Lee leads a family that is now barely functioning. In his youth, he wandered around the country in the hope of becoming a real actor, but ended up running a small, shabby signature stamp-making shop in a rural area. He has two sons and one daughter, now all grown-ups, but they have not visited their father's house in the past three years.

Lee realizes that it is time to mend fences with his children, especially right before the anniversary of his wife's death. In the name of preparing for the memoria...| More

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