Ha Jung-woo to star in Park Chan-wook’s Agasshi
by girlfriday
Buzz is in the air with the announcement of the first collaboration between Chungmuro heavyweights Ha Jung-woo (Kundo, The Terror Live) and Park Chan-wook (Oldboy, Joint Security Area). Director Park is returning to Korean film after a six-year break with a new movie called Agasshi (Young Lady), an adaptation of the Sarah Waters novel Fingersmith, and Ha Jung-woo has signed on to star.
Fingersmith (meaning petty thief) is a Victorian crime novel that was also adapted for a 2-episode BBC miniseries in 2005. It’s about a young woman who’s a pickpocket, and a con artist who poses as a gentleman to seduce wealthy women. Together they plot to seduce a young heiress out of her fortune, and the story is about what unfolds as the three of them get entangled in the dangerous scheme.
Park Chan-wook’s adaptation will take the setup out of Dickensian London and into Occupation-era Korea, which I find really intriguing. I can see how setting it during the Japanese occupation creates a similar developing-urban, back-alleyway feel, while adding another layer of cultural and social conflict.
Ha Jung-woo will star as a man who begins the story as a man of conviction. But he eventually falls prey to his own ambition and chooses a different path, and he’ll end up being the con artist who seduces women for their money. The two leading ladies — the pickpocket and the heiress — have yet to be cast, and because the roles call for nudity, it’s unlikely that they’ll be casting big names. Auditions are currently being held, and the film hopes to complete casting and begin filming shortly, for a 2015 release.
Via Munhwa
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Tags: Ha Jung-woo, Park Chan-wook
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1 danna
November 5, 2014 at 7:34 AM
They should cast Han Ye Ri
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2 piggybackrider
November 5, 2014 at 7:38 AM
Because of the nudity it's probably an impossible dream, but I have long felt Ha Ji Won really needs to work with either Park Chan Wook or Kim Ki Duk. In many ways she's already done every type of commercial role available, from scream queen, over girly girl to bad ass action hero. But her resumé could still do with a "gritty" role in an auteur movie as well.
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karecity
November 5, 2014 at 8:01 AM
Ha Ji Won did Sex is Zero but she requested for all her nude scenes to be taken out so yes..impossible dream. I'm wishing for the same as you though. it's time she works with these critically acclaimed directors!
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Rachel
November 5, 2014 at 9:30 AM
Another way they work around the nude scenes is to use a body double? I heard it's quite common in American shows.
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Muenchabench
November 5, 2014 at 9:33 AM
As someone who likes Ha Ji Won in general I must say that I'm not sure she quite has the acting chops for an auteur like Park Chan Wook.
Ha Ji Won has a lot of skills thus being in many genres but it always seems like HJW acting apposed to fully losing yourself in a character, which one would have to do for a PCW film
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piggybackrider
November 5, 2014 at 10:24 AM
I am not sure I think HJW is a much worse actor than, say, Rain, Lee Young Ae, or Hong Hyo Jin, all of who have starred in PCW's movies. (And I certainly rate her higher than Chris Evans and Mia Wasikowska, two of the stars in his latest English-language films.)
However, I agree that she hasn't sought out many roles with a real psychological depth. I do think, though, that there evidence in some of her projects - Damo, Closer to Heaven, Hwang Jini to name a few - that she can manage roles like that.
In any case, her next movie - Chronicle of a Blood Mechant - as it happens with Ha Jung Woo as a co-star, will probably give us an idea if she's up to the task. On paper, it sounds like her most serious film since Closer to Heaven.
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Gabby
November 6, 2014 at 12:38 PM
"And I certainly rate her higher than Chris Evans and Mia Wasikowska,"
I don't know, you should watch the season with Mia Wasikowska's character of In Treatment before writing her off as a bland blockbuster actress - I actually don't think Ha Ji-won could handle a role of that complexity. She's also starred and held her own in a lot of nuanced, interesting and/or ambitious films like Map to the Stars, Jane Eyre, and The Double.
And hasn't Chris Evans only worked with Bong Joon-ho?
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3 yoadrian
November 5, 2014 at 7:52 AM
Oh Ha Jung-woo. My heart, it races.
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Rachel
November 5, 2014 at 9:31 AM
Ha Jung-woo, the man every man wants to be, the man every woman wants to be with.
*SWOON*
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mary
November 6, 2014 at 5:15 AM
> "the man every woman wants to be with"
Except me. :P
(But I respect your HJW love!)
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4 Bex
November 5, 2014 at 8:03 AM
ohhhhh yessssss so they're going to keep the lesbian love line in too? I'm really looking forward to this
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5 PeepsLeAwesomePotato
November 5, 2014 at 8:04 AM
Eh? Why does the film need nudity? Are they sure it's necessary to the plot?
Sometimes I feel that nudity in some films reek of self indulgence and I cannot see what sets that apart from glorified porn...
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6 pogo - sailing HMS Queen of Tears and HMS Sailboat Lovely Runner🍉
November 5, 2014 at 8:05 AM
Ha Jung-woo <3333
He's possibly the only Korean actor whose films have never ever let me down, he has a good eye for scripts so I really hope they cast well. (and Sarah Waters too - good taste!)
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7 Miyamoto
November 5, 2014 at 8:09 AM
Is nudity still that much of a dealbreaker?
I thought in the last couple of years, the situation got a little bit more relaxed.
Besides, an actress like Jeon Do-Yeon did nude and sex scenes and she still belongs to the best actresses in Korea.
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pogo - sailing HMS Queen of Tears and HMS Sailboat Lovely Runner🍉
November 5, 2014 at 9:50 AM
The actress in question would have to be a real gem to get past it though, and (possibly more importantly) not give two hoots about losing out on potential cf deals because of having done sex scenes/nudity in a film.
Jeon Do-yeon and Kim Go-eun are the only ones I can think of who are just as respected by the public and critics afterwards, and they were incredible.
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Nessa (Bebe) 🌹
November 5, 2014 at 10:09 AM
Another name that comes to mind is Song Ji Hyo... she did "A Frozen Flower" right before starting on "Running Man" and has since been so, so loved by everyone and has moved on from her role in that movie =)
I think one of the actresses that has gotten quite heavy backlash from doing nude scenes in movies then shifting on to have a more "clean" image in moving back to tv dramas is Jang Mi-in Ae; she went from doing nude/sex scenes with Joo Sang Wook in the movie "90 Minutes" to being cast in the MBC drama "Missing You" (2012) alongside JYJ's Yoochun and received a lot of hate for that =(
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klir
November 5, 2014 at 10:23 AM
Exactly , if Song Ji Hyo can still be so loved and praised by Korean public after doing those heavy sex scenes in Frozen Flower i don`t see why other can`t.
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piggybackrider
November 5, 2014 at 10:27 AM
Another example is someone like Uhm Jung Hwa who, despite the rather risque scenes in Marriage Is A Crazy Thing, has enjoyed quite a successful career.
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sososo
November 5, 2014 at 5:23 PM
Not because of that only, Jeon is not a drama actress, ahjummas/ahjushi, teenagers don't care, media also don't care about it.
Song Ji Ho, was still unknown actress during Frozen Flower, so public doesn't care too.
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8 confusedturtle
November 5, 2014 at 8:55 AM
If I remember fingersmith correctly, it was a lesbian love story and there was a side plot involving pornography. I don't know if they plan to keep all that, but if it does, the nudity makes sense.
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9 Mala
November 5, 2014 at 9:06 AM
The best Korean actor around. He's probably doing Rupert Evans' role.
Fingersmith was pretty good but it's getting the actresses right that is key to it. Is nudity and lesbianism a deal breaker if the parts are really good? The actress in A Muse would be great for example.
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Mala
November 5, 2014 at 9:59 AM
I like the idea of Seo Woo too.
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10 KimchiKo
November 5, 2014 at 10:02 AM
Great news for sure! I'm an absolute fan of both :)
that's true that the two ladies have to be perfectly casted for this story...I'll definitely stay tuned for this!
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11 klir
November 5, 2014 at 10:30 AM
I don`t think the nudity is the problem here, i think the problem is that two leading actresses have to be very young cause in the story i think they are around 18-21 years old.
If the two leading roles were in their 30s i don`t think many actresses would have problem doing it, it`s Park Chan Wook for Gods sake, most famous Korean director. Anybody would get on the chance to work with him.
But i don`t see any` big name` young actress doing nudity, especially these days when public image is everything. They can find body doubles i guess but it`s still risky ,especially with the lesbian storyline involved.
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12 Jenny
November 5, 2014 at 12:06 PM
Will they keep the fact that the women are in love with each other in the Korean version or?
I'd think someone like Park chan wook would not be afraid to keep the lesbian factor in the film.
I haven't read fingersmith (I have read her other works) but I've seen the bbc adaptation.
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13 ana
November 5, 2014 at 12:39 PM
Not only nudity, but the two actresses have to be pretty young as well. I think they can go as high as 25-28 if the actresses look young enough. Going with unknowns is a good option. Look what it did for Kim Go-eun's career after A Muse.
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ana
November 5, 2014 at 12:40 PM
or they could just cast Kim Go-eun.
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MapleSilver
November 5, 2014 at 11:05 PM
She is currently filming Angry Lawyer opposite Lee Seon Kyun. But if she is now a well-known actor after the Muse, I don't see her doing this kind of risque role anymore.
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14 k-La
November 5, 2014 at 4:23 PM
i hope my gf will go to this auditions..Ha Jung Woo and Park Chan Wook is a Must Join n Watch.
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15 Rachel
November 5, 2014 at 8:51 PM
What about Esom and Kim Go Eun?
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16 Ray
November 5, 2014 at 9:45 PM
Some of this reminds me of Cruel Intentions. But with the older actors, I`m sure it`ll be a new type of movie. Maybe noir? :D Anyways looking forward to it.
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17 Fatima Kas
November 6, 2014 at 3:30 AM
It's been long since l hopes for a collaboration between Park Chan Wook & Ha Jung Woo. Mostly because to they both are the epitome in terms of directing & acting respectively. A PCW project is a bi deal internatinally & this is like hearing David Fincher is doing a movie with Daniel Day Lewis
As for Ha Ji Won l agree she doesn't have the serious actor aura. Yes she's a huge movie star but we all know the difference between a star & an actor & rarety fall in both categories. HJW. Song Kang Ho & Shin Ha Kyun to name a few
l find the case of Ha Ji Won similar to the likes of Tom Cruise. Who is a big box office draw but would never convince in a challenging role.
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