Who is your childhood hero? Many adults grew up admiring the amazing strength of Robot Taekwon V. Now you can relive the history on Jan. 18. when "Robot Taekwon V: The Movie" is released in theaters across Korea.
Robot Taekwon V, a widely popular cartoon character, was first created by Kim Chung-Ki in 1976.
Robot Taekwon V used "rotoscoping techniques" – techniques used to create realistic movement on animation by adapting the movement from real life action. The technique allowed complete, natural and charismatic taekwondo performance for the robot hero on screen. The popularity of the first film led to sequels which were also very successful.
The conflict in the first Robot Taekwon V movie starts with Dr. Caff, an evil scientist, who was not confident about the way he looked. Dr. Caff wants to take over the world and it is up to Hoon – the main hero – and Taekwon V to restore peace.
In 1981, the original film of Robot Taekwon V was unfortunately lost in the process of being exported to the United States.
In 2003, the Korean Film Council miraculously discovered a copy of the film. Soon after, a restoration project of the film was undertaken. More than 5,000 dedicated people were involved in the project, which took over two years to complete.
The promotion of the digitally-enhanced Robot Taekwon V started off by displaying the large statue of the childhood hero in front of Seoul City Hall in time for Taekwon V's 30th anniversary. The statue's appearance was an important event to signify its position in Korean animation.
The statue is 3.5 meters high and weighs 2.5 tons.
Robot Taekwon V's re-screening is not simply just about rediscovering a lost film for Koreans. It is a wonderful way to renew family ties as elders are able to share their childhood hero with the younger generation. Furthermore, it is a chance to appreciate a part of the Korean culture expressed through taekwondo – often considered to be the national sport.
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