Song Ok-suk Movies
- 2003
The feature debut of South Korean filmmaker Song Gyeong-shik, this satirical comedy tells the tale of an extremely unlikely senatorial candidate. When the death of a leading politician leaves the two predominant political parties with 136 seats each in the senate, everyone turns to the town of Surak, where the deciding votes will be cast. Prompted to run against ruling party candidate Oh Man-bong when he promises to rid the town of prostitution, outspoken prostitute Go Eun-bi (Ye Ji-weon) takes her fellow streetwalkers' advice and begins campaigning against the prudish politician. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Ye Ji-weon, Im Seong-min, (more)
A penniless man discovers insurance fraud can be the road back to the good life in this black comedy from South Korea. Byeong-hwan (Ahn Seok-hwan) is a hapless entrepreneur who has just seen yet another of his business schemes fall apart, leaving him broke and with no way to support his family. Depressed, Byeong-hwan goes on a bender and is drunkenly emptying his bladder in the street when he's hit by a truck. Injured but not killed, Byeong-hwan discovers his insurance company is willing to pay him a hefty settlement after the accident, and soon he, his wife, and his children are all thinking of creative (but not crippling) ways to hurt themselves in order to hop on the gravy train. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- Song Ok-suk, Park Sang-myeon, (more)
Set in 1963, Nae Maeumeui Pungguem/The Harmonium in My Memory tells the tale of Kang Su-ha (Lee Byung-heon), a 21-year-old novice schoolteacher who lands a job in the very small town of Sanri, mostly populated by illiterate families stuck in poverty, and with little interest in education. Add to this the fact that Kang is very nervous and clumsy in the extreme, and it's no wonder he has a hard time keeping his class in order. Kang makes the acquaintance of Yang Eun-hee (Lee Mi-yeon), a lovely young woman who is also on the school's faculty, and, though it takes a while, Kang eventually works up the courage to actually talk to her. However, Kang has an unexpected obstacle in this potential romance. One of his students, 17-year-old Yun Hong-yeon (Jeon Do-yeon), has a furious crush on Kang, and she isn't about to make it easy for him to him to pursue the woman of his dreams. The film was cited in the press for the fine performances of the three leads and the accurate recreation of Korea on the cusp of modernization. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- Lee Byung-hun, Jeon Do-yeon, (more)
