The ticket sales of "The Good, the Bad, the Weird" surpassed the 6-million mark at the domestic box office on Aug. 10, emerging as the most successful Korean film in the first quarter of this year.
Director Kim Ji-woon is behind the strong performance from the star-studded cast and $17 million budget.
Born in 1964, Kim studied dramatics at the Seoul Institute of the Art. But he quit the school early and learned theater acting following his older sister Kim Ji-sook, who is a veteran actress. He appeared on stage and also directed some plays, experiencing the real theatrical world.
In 1998, he made his debut as a filmmaker after his scenario for the film "The Quiet Family" won a prize. In the same year, the black comedy about a strange family involved in serial killings was invited to three leading international fantastic film festivals including Portugal's FantasPorto, Spain's Sitges Film Festival and Brussels International Fantastic Festival.
Then he directed "The Foul King" (1999), a drama featuring a salary man dreaming to be a professional wrestler, and participated in a Korea-Hong Kong-Thailand joint project producing an omnibus film titled "Memories" in 2002.
In 2003, he succeeded in satisfying both movie fans and critics with the horror movie "A Tale of Two Sisters". The movie sold over 3 million tickets at the domestic box office. The Hollywood remake of the movie, whose English title is "The Uninvited - A Tale of Two Sisters", is scheduled to be released in the United States next year.
In 2005, the Cannes Film Festival finally invited him and his film "A Bittersweet Life", which is considered to be the greatest honor given to a talented filmmaker.
"Director Kim has a unique art world. He makes his own version in whatever genres he takes. Because he always makes me expect something different, I have wanted to work with him again", Song said at a news conference for the latest "The Good, the Bad, the Weird".
By Lee Ji-yoon
KOREA, September 2008
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