Lee Dae-geun (이대근)

Ko's cartoons still a big draw

2008/07/10 | Source | Permalink |

Many mourned when cartoonist Ko Woo-young passed away three years ago at the age of 67.

His works, however, remain in many people's hearts.

The Arco Art Center in Daehangno, central Seoul, is holding a retrospective on the works of Ko, a representative comic artist of 1970s and 1980s Korea. "Ko Woo-young Comics: Never Ending Story", opens next Wednesday.

"His works still have so much to reveal", said Kwon Jin, the center's communications manager.

The retrospective displays original works preserved by the family.

Artsists from other generations also offer new perspectives on Ko's work.

For example, Kim Hong-jun, the director of "La Vie en Rose" (1994), remade Ko's comedy film "Garujigi" (1988), which originally starred Lee Dae-geun and Kim Moon-hee. Garujigi is a story of commoners' life and their pursuit of social reforms. It revolves around Byeon Kang-soe (Lee Dae-geum), the tough, macho sex symbol.

Collections of contemporary cartoon artists Joo Jae-hwan, Kang Ky...| More

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[MOVIE REVIEW] 'Legendary Libido' twists Korean sex folklore

2008/04/28 | Source | Permalink |

"A Tale of Legendary Libido" (Garoojigi), directed by Sin Han-sol, is loosely based on "Byeon Gang-soe Tale", one of the most notoriously decadent and sexually provocative theatrical songs which took its current form in the late 19th century.

Byeon Gang-soe is a Joseon-era version of Austen Powers, as he has an amazing sexual energy. The original tale, transmitted by word of mouth, was documented and extensively edited by Shin Jae-hyo (1812-1884). Many of the explicit sexual descriptions were cut out in the process; nevertheless, the extant version contains imagery and expressions that are shockingly frank about sexuality, even by today's relatively liberal standards.

The challenges facing director Shin were obvious. First, the highly inflated and exaggerated metaphors throughout the risque story could not be easily revised for mainstream moviegoers, including some adults who are not familiar with the sex comedy genre. Second, the theme has been adapted for the big screen several...| More

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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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