Jung Doo-hong Movies
Based on the controversial writings of Russian historian Lev Gumilyov, director Sergei Bodrov's look at the early years in the life of the Mongol conqueror stars Japanese actor Tadanobu Asano as Temudgin (as he was then known), Honglei Sun as Mongol chieftain Jamukha, who was both Temudgin's close friend and mortal enemy, and newcomer Khulan Chuluun as his wife, Borte. Born in the year 1162, Temudgen's childhood was marred by tragedy and peril. But a great battle would seal Temudgen's fate forever, and though history often paints him as a brute, the truth is much more complex. Few historians make mention of the role Temudgen's wife, Borte, played in advising her husband and elevating him to greatness. With Borte by his side, Temudgen would rise to become a fearless visionary whose legacy would still prove potent enough to stir controversy centuries after his death. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tadanobu Asano, Sun Hong-Lei, (more)
South Korean director Ryu Seung-wan's second feature, No Blood No Tears, features an unlikely friendship between two women. Gyeong-seon (Lee Hye-Eun), a physically tough cab driver, and Su-jin (Jeon Do-yeon), a moll to a gangster named Bulldog (Jeong Jae-eun), meet when the latter hits the former's taxi. Gyeong is in debt to local mobsters because of her deadbeat former husband, and Su, who dreams of fame as a singer, is tired of being assaulted by Bulldog. Together, they plot to make away with the money from Bulldog's dog-fighting operation. The only question is if they can trust each other. The film was screened at the 2002 Cannes Film Festival. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide
Martial-arts pro Jeong Du-hong stars as Jeong Tae-su in notorious Korean action director Ryoo Seung-wan's The City of Violence (aka Jakpae). A former punk and brawler-turned-police detective, Tae-su returns to his hometown for the funeral of a buddy, Wang-jae (Ahn Gil-gang). Once there, he reconnects with members of the "old gang," including the tough but loyal fighter Ryoo Seok-hwan (played by the director) and the gang leader, Jang Pil-ho. Tae-su suspects foul play in Wang-jae's death, and instinctively ties it to Pil-ho, now a scuzzy slimeball with a massive inferiority complex and hordes of armed men. His instincts, it seems, are correct -- Pil-ho indeed had Wang-jae rubbed out. Thus, Tae-su and Seok-hwan ultimately take on Pil-ho at an abandoned Korean restaurant, fighting myriads of his henchmen with bare knuckles, blades, and Korean martial arts, and accompanied by a rousing Leone-style score. ~ Nathan Southern, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jeong Du-hong, Lee Beom-su, (more)
The year is AD 924 and the United Shilla Dynasty is on the road to ruin. Riots are sweeping through the land and a corrupt government is on the verge of collapse. As murderous demons roam the land in search of helpless souls to devour, a brave hero named Yl Kwak rises to fight for the forces of light. As a child Yl Kwak realized that he had the power to see spirits. Now Yl Kwak's fiancée has been taken from him by the hell-spawn that threaten humanity, and the time has come to confront the darkness by venturing to its very point of origin. Upon arriving at the mysterious shrine that bridges the worlds of Heaven and Earth, a place where love transforms into legend, Yl Kwak boldly steps into another dimension - a frightening realm of fantasy from which he may never return. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Heo Jun-ho, Kim Tae-Hee, (more)
