Park Chan-wook set to return to Korean cinema with Agasshi
by awcoconuts
Pretty much any new project with filmmaker Park Chan-wook (he of Oldboy and Joint Security Area fame) attached to it will be buzzed about, and Agasshi (or Young Lady), his first Korean-language feature-length film in six years, is no exception. The script, loosely based on Sarah Waters’ 2002 Dickensian novel, Fingersmith, will be about two men and two women, and is said to be in its final stages of adaptation by writer/director/producer Park.
While I haven’t read the original book, it is described by the New York Times as “Oliver Twist with a twist,” and it sounds like the type of dark and complex story Park would be drawn to. He’s dabbled in Hollywood the past few years, directing last year’s Stoker (which starred Nicole Kidman and Mia Wasikowska) and producing the Bong Joon-ho-directed Snowpiercer, but domestic and global fans alike have reacted enthusiastically to the news that his next project will be a movie in his mother tongue.
Agasshi will be co-produced between Park Chan-wook’s own Mojo Films and Lim Seung-Yong’s Dragon Films; the two have enjoyed a lasting relationship since they first collaborated on Oldboy over ten years ago. As soon as the script receives its final scrubbing, the leads will be cast, and Agasshi will begin filming in the first half of 2015.
Via Osen
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1 tura
September 7, 2014 at 12:25 PM
I would love to watch a lot of K-movies but that's really hard in my country (Nigeria) that's in Africa. That will have to wait till out of school cos I plan on coming to Korea one day
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Faye
September 7, 2014 at 12:29 PM
I do wish there were more sites for Korean movies, as there are for K dramas. It seems we're limited to the ones that Netflix or Amazon show, which are limited.
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Panda
September 7, 2014 at 1:24 PM
That's my pet peeve also. Some drama sites do have movies also though eg gooddrama.net
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Rachel
September 7, 2014 at 9:10 PM
Yeah but I find even gooddrama to be unreliable at times.
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tolu
September 7, 2014 at 2:22 PM
you are in Nigeria. i am Nigerian, but i don't live there anymore. well it's hard to get subbed Korean movies and dramas there ,but you should be able to buy some subbed ones around .
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Andrea
September 7, 2014 at 2:29 PM
You and I have the same problem. *sigh*
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Gizmo
September 8, 2014 at 5:50 AM
A great place for asian content, including k-dramas and movies is asia torrents. I'm not sure if this site is blocked in Nigeria, though.
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jamie
September 7, 2014 at 2:30 PM
If you can get youtube, the korean film archive on youtube is great! https://www.youtube.com/user/KoreanFilm
Most of them are older classics from 1960's, 70's and beyond, but its a good start and they have some great movies.
And viki.com also has some korean films, but I know a lot of countries have problems with it.
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maldita
September 7, 2014 at 11:49 PM
You can always download if streaming is a problem.
Or buy pirated DVD's. We in Southeast Asia are very resourceful. LMAO
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2 Faye
September 7, 2014 at 12:31 PM
I think he's actually a great choice for adapting the book, but I don't know if I'll be able to see it. No doubt he's a talented director, but he's just too hard core for me. I think "Lady Vengeance" was the only movie of his I could watch all the way through.
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zakin89
September 7, 2014 at 4:44 PM
Oh so you haven't seen 'I'm a cyborg but that's ok'?
It's completely different than his other movies and it has one of the most romantic scenes I've ever seen! Also Rain and especially Im Su Jeong are great in this movie!
And now that I'm writing this... I need to watch this one again soon!^^
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coffeenlucia
September 7, 2014 at 7:38 PM
I'm a cyborg but that's ok was such a strange yet charming movie. Has a great soundtrack as well. One of my favorite roles of Im Soo Jung.
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Tara
September 7, 2014 at 9:06 PM
Completely agree with you! I had no idea what to expect when I caught it on the Sundance movie channel a few years back, but tuned in for Im Soo-jung. She knocked it out of the park with her portrayal...and I was impressed with Rain too.
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Faye
September 8, 2014 at 6:25 AM
No, I have not seen it, but I will try to do so! Thanks for the recommendation.
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jhu
September 7, 2014 at 9:09 PM
Faye, Joint Security Area is hands down my favourite Park Chan-wook film. It's got none of the gore and complexity of his other films. It's so simple, a glaring anomaly in Park's repertoire. And yet, it's so nuanced, so layered with meaning, so capable of arousing a multitude of emotions in a way that only Park knows best.
In fact, JSA is one of my favourite films of all time. Its portrayal of the human condition was beyond moving.
Please do give it a try if you haven't already.
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Faye
September 8, 2014 at 6:25 AM
Will do! Thanks for the recommendation.
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3 annnsow
September 7, 2014 at 2:01 PM
It sounds awesome.
I will follow closely its process. I can't wait to hear about the cast.
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4 squishycatyuki
September 7, 2014 at 4:58 PM
I'm excited about this. It's very rare to see LGBT cinema in S.Korea and since PCW is such a talented director/writer, I'm sure he'll do the story justice.
I haven't read the novel, but I've seen the BBC adaption and was really impressed with the storyline. I'm curious to see who will play the two leading ladies.
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5 sososo
September 7, 2014 at 6:11 PM
To me K-drama still long way to go in term of depth in exploring human interaction. Some still superficial like their drama.
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6 Enz
September 7, 2014 at 6:11 PM
Just up his alley, i would think. I have seen the bbc adaptation too and it should be interesting to see the korean take on it!
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7 woooo123
September 7, 2014 at 7:28 PM
can someone kindly name all the movies of the posters? some arent in english so i cant look it up :[[
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Tara
September 7, 2014 at 9:04 PM
Oldboy, Thirst
Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance, Joint Security Area
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woooo123
September 7, 2014 at 9:07 PM
thank you tara!!!
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8 Ennayra
September 7, 2014 at 8:16 PM
Hmm, this make me want to read the book. I read Sarah Waters' novel The Little Stranger a couple years ago and it was worth it.
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9 Jenny
September 7, 2014 at 11:43 PM
Sarah Waters is a great author and Park chan wook a great directo rbut I wonder will he keep the women's relationship the same (as they fall in love with each other) as Sarah Waters is known for having gay characters in her novels.
There is a television adaptation of fingersmith with Sally Hawkins.
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10 nokcha
September 8, 2014 at 2:45 AM
PCW, IMHO, is hands down one of the best directors in film. He is a master at storytelling and can set a mood and tone of a film flawlessly. His artistic vision and story development and execution are woven so well together. I can't watch his films all the way through as they're too violent for me (Old Boy, the Vengeance films, and Thirst), but if you can just watch a little of these films, you'll appreciate the art direction, for sure. Cyborg and JSA shouldn't be missed if you don't like the violence of the other films.
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11 sunlit
September 8, 2014 at 5:44 AM
I read the book, didn't like it so guess I will be giving this a miss
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12 klir
September 8, 2014 at 6:27 AM
My favorite Korean director , so happy he is going back to his mother language.
I just looked at the original story and if we go by the book he will have to cast two younger female leads, one older woman, one middle age guy and one younger guy. And two younger girls will be lovers. So i wonder if he is gonna leave that part in the book.
I`m already suggesting Kim So Eun and Lee Yu Bi for younger girls and Hyun Bin as the villain.
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13 piggybackrider
September 8, 2014 at 6:33 AM
Awesome news. Together with Kim Ki Duk PCW is, by a mile, Korea's most interesting director.
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14 Rovi
September 9, 2014 at 8:02 AM
When I first read the headline, I thought "Agasshi" would be the female version of "Ajhusshi / Man From Nowhere".
(on second thought, it would be mostly like "Ahjumma")
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15 merlyunho
September 9, 2014 at 7:55 PM
SO. EXCITED. FOR. THIS.
Been a huge fan of Park Chan Wook thanks to Oldboy.
Have watched all of his movies since then. I thought his Korea days are over since he just moved to a bigger plate. (He did a great job on Stoker, IMO).
BUT THIS NEWS JUST MADE MY DAY! All you have to do right now is to cast some great actors. (I guess the six year hiatus did him -or us?- good since now he has sooo many great actors and actresses to pick from). If you haven't noticed Park likes to recycle his actors so much, not that I'm complaining since their acting are always top notch. But recycling has its perks and down sides.
I am soo looking forward for this!
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