- Park Chan-wook
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Park Chan-wook 
Park Chan-wook at the 2009 Cannes Film FestivalBorn August 23, 1963
Seoul, South KoreaOther names Bakridamae (박리다매) Occupation Film director
Screenwriter
Producer
Former film criticYears active 1992–present Korean name Hangul 박찬욱 Hanja 朴贊郁 Revised Romanization Bak Chanuk McCune–Reischauer Pak Ch'anuk Park Chan-wook (Hangul: 박찬욱; born August 23, 1963) is a South Korean film director, screenwriter, producer, and former film critic. One of the most acclaimed and popular filmmakers in his native country, Park is most known for his films Joint Security Area, Thirst and what has become known as The Vengeance Trilogy, consisting of 2002's Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance, Oldboy in 2003 and Sympathy for Lady Vengeance in 2005. His films are noted for their immaculate framing and often brutal subject matter.
In a May 2004 interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Park listed Sophocles, Shakespeare, Kafka, Dostoevsky, Balzac, Kurt Vonnegut and others as being influences on his career.[1] In a later interview for Lady Vengeance, Park listed Alfred Hitchcock, Robert Aldrich, Ingmar Bergman, Sam Fuller, Roman Polanski and Kim Ki-young as cinematic influences.[2]
Contents
Biography
Park was born and raised in Seoul,[3] and studied philosophy at Sogang University, where he started a cinema-club called the "Sogang Film Community" and published a number of articles on contemporary cinema. Originally intending to be an art critic, upon seeing Vertigo he resolved to try to become a filmmaker.[1] After graduation, he wrote articles on film for journals, and soon became an assistant director of films like Kkamdong, directed by Yu Yeong-jin, and Watercolor painting in a Rainy Day, directed by Kwak Jae-yong (My Sassy Girl).
His debut feature film was The Moon Is... the Sun's Dream (1992), and after five years, he made his second film Trio. Park's early films were not successful, and he pursued a career as a film critic to make a living.[4]
In 2000, Park directed Joint Security Area, which was a great success both commercially and critically, even surpassing Kang Je-gyu's Shiri as the most-watched film ever made in South Korea.[5] This success made it possible for him to make his next film more independently - Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance is the result of this creative freedom.
After winning the Grand Prix at the 2004 Cannes Film Festival for the film Oldboy, a journalist asked, "in your film, why is the vengeance repeating?". According to Park, he decided to make three consecutive films with revenge as the central theme. Park said his films are about the utter futility of vengeance and how it wreaks havoc on the lives of everyone involved.[6]
The Vengeance Trilogy DVD box set.
His so-called Vengeance Trilogy consists of Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance, Oldboy and Sympathy for Lady Vengeance. It was not originally intended to be a trilogy. Sympathy for Lady Vengeance, shortened to Lady Vengeance, was distributed by Tartan Films for American theatrical release in April 2006.[7]
Despite extreme violence in his films, Park is regarded as one of the most popular film directors in Korea, with three of his last five feature films (Joint Security Area, Oldboy and Sympathy for Lady Vengeance) all drawing audiences of over 3 million. This makes Park the director of three films in the thirty all-time highest grossing films in South Korea. (9th, 29th, 26th respectively as of January 2007).[8]
In addition to being a film director and screenwriter, Park is also a film critic with several published editions to his name. None have been translated into English as yet.
American director Quentin Tarantino is an avowed fan of Park. As the head judge in 2004 Cannes Film Festival, he personally pushed for Park's Oldboy to be awarded the Palme d'Or (the honor eventually went to Michael Moore's Fahrenheit 9/11).[9] Oldboy garnered the Grand Prix, the second-highest honor in the competition. Tarantino also regards Park's Joint Security Area to be one of "the top twenty films made since 1992."
He was offered the chance to remake The Evil Dead but he turned it down.[10]
In 2006, he was the member of official section jury at the 63rd Venice International Film Festival.
In February 2007, Park won the Alfred Bauer prize at the 57th Berlin International Film Festival. The award, named after the festival's founder and in praise of movies opening up new perspectives, went to Park for his film, I'm a Cyborg, But That's OK.[11]
In 2009, Park directed his first vampire film, Thirst starring Song Kang-ho which won Prix du Jury along with Fish Tank, directed by Andrea Arnold at 2009 Cannes Film Festival.
In 2011, Park said his new fantasy-horror film Paranmanjang (Night Fishing) was shot entirely on the iPhone.[12]
Filming for his first English-language film Stoker began in September 2011.[13]
Filmography
Director
- The Moon Is... the Sun's Dream (1992)
- Trio (1997)
- Judgment (1999) (short film)
- Joint Security Area (2000)
- Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance (2002)
- If You Were Me (2003) (segment "Never Ending Peace And Love")
- Oldboy (2003)
- Three... Extremes (2004) (segment "Cut")
- Sympathy for Lady Vengeance (2005)
- I'm a Cyborg, But That's OK (2006)
- Thirst (2009)
- Night Fishing (2011) (short film)
- Stoker (2012)
Writer
- The Moon Is... the Sun's Dream (1992)
- Trio (1997)
- Judgment (1999)
- Anarchists (2000)
- Joint Security Area (2000)
- The Humanist (2001)
- Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance (2002)
- A Bizarre Love Triangle (2002)
- If You Were Me (2003)
- Oldboy (2003) (screenplay)
- Three... Extremes (2004) (segment "Cut")
- Sympathy for Lady Vengeance (2005)
- Boy Goes To Heaven (2005)
- I'm a Cyborg, But That's OK (2006)
- Crush and Blush (2008)
- Thirst (2009)
Producer
- I'm a Cyborg, But That's OK (2006)
- Crush and Blush (2008)
- Thirst (2009)
Awards
Year Event Award Film 2001 Deauville Asian Film Festival Lotus Award for Best Film Joint Security Area Seattle International Film Festival New Director's Showcase Special Jury Prize Joint Security Area 2002 Blue Ribbon Awards, Japan Best Foreign Language Film Joint Security Area Seattle International Film Festival Emerging Masters Showcase Award 2003 Fantasia Festival, Montreal Best Asian Film Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance Philadelphia Film Festival Jury Award for Best Feature Film Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance 2004 Cannes Film Festival Grand Prix Oldboy Asia Pacific Film Festival Best Director Oldboy Bergen International Film Festival Audience Award Oldboy Grand Bell Awards, South Korea Best Director Oldboy Sitges Catalonian International Film Festival Best Film Oldboy Stockholm International Film Festival Audience Award Oldboy 2005 Bangkok International Film Festival Golden Kinnaree Award for Best Director Oldboy Venice Film Festival CinemAvvenire Award Sympathy for Lady Vengeance 2006 Bangkok International Film Festival Golden Kinnaree Award for Best Director Sympathy for Lady Vengeance Fantasporto, Portugal Orient Express Section Grand Prize for Best Film Sympathy for Lady Vengeance Sarasota Film Festival Audience Award for Best in World Cinema Sympathy for Lady Vengeance 2007 Berlin International Film Festival Alfred Bauer Award I'm a Cyborg, But That's OK Montréal Festival of New Cinema Z Tele Grand Prize Feature Film Award I'm a Cyborg, But That's OK Sitges Catalonian International Film Festival Best Screenplay I'm a Cyborg, But That's OK 2008 Fantasporto, Portugal International Fantasy Film Award - Special Mention I'm a Cyborg, But That's OK 2009 Cannes Film Festival Jury Prize Thirst 2011 Berlin Film Festival Golden Bear for Best Short Film Night Fishing Recurring cast in Park Chan-wook's films
Actor Joint Security Area Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance Oldboy Cut Sympathy for Lady Vengeance I'm a Cyborg, But That's OK Thirst Song Kang-ho 
Shin Ha-kyun Choi Min-sik Lee Young-ae Lee Byung Hun Kang Hye-jeong Kim Byeong-ok Oh Dal-su The films of Park Chan-wook and his close friend director Kim Ji-woon often share actors. Examples include:
- Lee Byung Hun, Oh Kwang-rok and Oh Dal-su appear in Kim's A Bittersweet Life.
- Yeom Jeong-ah plays the stepmom in Kim's A Tale of Two Sisters and plays the role of the vampire actress in Cut, Park's segment of Three... Extremes.
- Im Su-jeong plays the elder sister in Kim's A Tale of Two Sisters and plays the heroine in Park's I'm a Cyborg, But That's OK.
- Choi Min-sik plays the villain in Kim's I Saw the Devil and the protagonist in Park's Oldboy.
Bibliography
- 2005. Park's Montage (박찬욱의 몽타주). 마음 산책. 299 pages. ISBN 89-89351-81-2.[14][15]
- 2005. Park's Hommage (박찬욱의 오마주). 마음 산책. 528 pages. ISBN 89-89351-82-0.[16][17]
See also
- List of Korea-related topics
- List of Korean language films
- Contemporary culture of South Korea
References
- ^ a b "Dialogue: Park Chan-wook". May 14, 2004. http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/h/search/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1000511737. Retrieved 2007-07-14.
- ^ Tasker, Yvonne. Fifty Contemporary Film Directors. London: Routledge, 2010. Print.
- ^ Chan-wook, Park. (2005-12-10). Park's Montage (essay). 마음 산책. "Introduction about the author, and the prologue". ISBN 89-89351-81-2.
- ^ "A.V. Club interview with Park Chan-wook". http://www.avclub.com/articles/park-chanwook,31394. Retrieved 2009-08-28.
- ^ "Yellow Sea Rising: The Resurrection of South Korean Cinema". http://www.blockmuseum.northwestern.edu/block-cinema/day-for-night-magazine/spring08/yellowsea.html. Retrieved 2009-08-30.
- ^ McConkey, Rachael. "Contemporary South Korean Auteurs". www.traumafilm.com. http://www.traumafilm.com/korean.htm. Retrieved 2008-05-07.
- ^ Palisades Tartan unleashes the 8-Disc VENGEANCE TRILOGY Box
- ^ (Wiki-internal link) Korean cinema box office
- ^ "The New Cult Canon: Oldboy". October 1, 2008. http://www.avclub.com/articles/the-new-cult-canon-oldboy,2484. Retrieved 2009-08-28.
- ^ "Sam Raimi Talks Evil Dead Remake AND Sequel". March 2, 2005. http://www.empireonline.com/news/story.asp?NID=16599.
- ^ "China's Tuya's Marriage wins Berlin film festival". rawstory.com. February 17, 2007. http://rawstory.com/news/dpa/China_s_Tuya_s_Marriage_wins_Berlin_02172007.html. Retrieved 2008-05-07.
- ^ "'Oldboy' director shoots new horror film on iPhone 4". CNN. January 11, 2011. http://edition.cnn.com/2011/TECH/mobile/01/11/horror.film.iphone.mashable/index.html. Retrieved 2011-01-11.
- ^ Kay, Jeremy (September 1, 2011). "Shooting begins on Stoker for Scott Free, Searchlight, Indian Paintbrush". Screen Daily. http://www.screendaily.com/news/distribution/shooting-begins-on-stoker-for-scott-free-searchlight-indian-paintbrush/5031460.article. Retrieved September 2, 2011.
- ^ http://book.naver.com/bookdb/book_detail.nhn?bid=1990820 (Korean)
- ^ http://book.daum.net/detail/book.do?bookid=KOR9788989351818 (Korean)
- ^ http://book.naver.com/bookdb/book_detail.nhn?bid=1990821 (Korean)
- ^ http://book.daum.net/detail/book.do?bookid=KOR9788989351825 (Korean)
External links
- Park Chan-wook at the Internet Movie Database
- Park Chan-wook at Rotten Tomatoes
- Park Chan-wook at the Korean Movie Database
- Park Chan-wook at AllRovi
- Park Chan-Wook to make korean horror Movie using only iPhone at Korean Horror Movies
- Park Chan-wook: monographic website (Italian & English)
- Cineseoul profile (Korean)
- HanCinema Director Page
- Park Chan-wook at FEARnet
- SuicideGirls interview with Park Chan-wook by Daniel Robert Epstein
- July 2009 Interview with Park Chan-wook at the Korea Society (Audio)
Films directed by Park Chan-wook 1990s The Moon Is... the Sun's Dream (1992) · Saminjo (1997)2000s JSA: Joint Security Area (2000) · Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance (2002) · Oldboy (2003) · Sympathy for Lady Vengeance (2005) · I'm a Cyborg, But That's OK (2006) · Thirst (2009)2010s Stoker (2012)Shorts Judgement (Simpan) (1999) · Never Ending Peace and Love (2003) · Cut (2004) · Night Fishing (2011)Topics Categories:- South Korean film producers
- South Korean film directors
- South Korean screenwriters
- South Korean film critics
- People from Seoul
- 1963 births
- Living people
- Sogang University alumni
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