HomeActor/ActressCha In-pyo
Cha In-pyo
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North Koreans depicted with rare realism
"Crossing," directed by Kim Tae-kyun, does not shoot for a box-office jackpot as other mainstream movies do. The production team, in fact, knows very well that the movie's serious theme - a realistic depiction of North Koreans - is unlikely to translate into big revenues. But the movie aims high when it comes to the plight of North Koreans. Ranging from perilous border crossings to horrifying gulags to arduous resettlement in the South, the movie's realistic details are sharpened to perfection. For North Korean defectors here, the movie means something more than a cinematic storytelling. At a special preview event in Seoul last Thursday, about 180 North Korean defectors watched the film, and many of them were crying during the screening. They seemed struck by the powerful images - scenes that inevitably bring back the dark memories of their life in the North. "I had some doubts about this event because my movie might reopen the painful wounds inflicted on those who have defected to the South," Kim told the audience following the screening. "But I made the film in my humble belief that if there were somebody else who could cry with you, your tears would dry faster." Kim said he felt deeply sorry about his belated attention to the dire situation of North Koreans. "I'm sorry to have made a movie that is painful to watch," he said. Painful as it may be, a realistic portrayal of North Korea is long overdue. No major movie project dared to tackle the thorny issue, not least because the matter in question is still regarded as politically sensitive. A growing number of North Koreans risk their lives to find asylum in South Korea and elsewhere, but the refugee issue rarely gets attention in the media here, much less on the silver screen. Scenes from "Crossing" In the film, Yong-su (played by Cha In-pyo), a North Korean in a mining town in northeastern Hamgyeong Province, leads a tough life with his wife, Yong-hwa (Seo Young-hwa) and his 11-year-old son Jun-i (Shin Myeong-cheol). Yong-su finds brief yet precious comfort when he plays soccer with his son in the backyard in the evening. Life is hard, but Yong-su does not have any intention of breaking out of his life in North Korea. Yet he sees no other choice but to cross the border to China to make extra money to buy medicine for his sick wife. His risky stay in China, however, means that he should always watch out for any sign of Chinese police because, if caught, he will be deported to North Korea and face dreadful consequences. He falsely believes that he can get more money in the form of special subsidies if he contacts South Korean officials in China, but this decision lands him in South Korean territory, turning his status into a North Korean defector. While Yong-su is transferred to Seoul, his wife dies of a chronic illness. His son, Jun-i, is now left alone in the North. The tragic turn of events pushes Jun-i to cross the border himself to reunite with his father, and from this point on, the movie devotes a fair share of the running time to show how Yong-su and Jun-i struggle in two different places that are separated by years of mixed feelings following the 1950-53 Korean War. Director Kim's camera constantly switches between Yong-su and Jun-i, accentuating the excruciating pain of the separation, and, yet, underlining an emotional bond that transcends geographical gap. The sheer dramatic power of "Crossing" comes from the stark reality facing North Koreans. Director Kim deserves special credit for embracing an objective angle rather than indulging in a preachy tone that is pervasive in politically charged movies. By rendering the suffering of North Koreans as it is, he succeeds in amplifying the movie's emotional impact that will prompt many viewers to realize their utter ignorance of what North Koreans really go through. North Korean defectors' organizations supported the film project by offering detailed descriptions of the situation in the North and lending photographs that were used as references for the film. The production team also interviewed more than 100 North Korean defectors. Enhancing the realism is the impassioned acting by Cha In-pyo and Shin Myeong-cheol, both of whom have perfect North Korean accents, another contribution from North Korean defectors who volunteered to help with the project. Despite the impressive acting, whether "Crossing" will fare well at the box office remains uncertain. But the movie leaves no doubt about its aim to raise public awareness of North Koreans - by crossing a tricky cinematic border, in a step that is painfully rare in Korean cinema.
Korean movies leap into box-office fray
In late April, Iron Man arrived in the Korean cinema, smashing the box office into very profitable pieces. In mid-May, Prince Caspian took the baton and kept up the pressure on Korean competitors. Last weekend, whip-wielding Indy joined the Hollywood-only party, roped in plenty of movie tickets sales. The bombardment of Hollywood films dragged down the share of Korean films to a record low. But the bleak development was widely predicted since only a couple of new Korean releases were made. June might be slightly different, as eight Korean movies are set for release. "Girl Scout", directed by Kim Sang-man, will hit theaters on June 5, featuring well-known actors such as Kim Seon-ah, Nah Moon-hee, Lee Kyeong-sil. The film will test whether the audiences still have an appetite for a chase-the-money drama with fewer funny moments than publicized. Waiting in line for the June 12 release are four Korean films: "Life is Cool", "Beyond All Magic", "Spare" and "Like Father, Like Son". "Life is Cool", directed by Choi Ik-hwan, will introduce a love story where three men fall in love with the same woman. The film uses "anigraphics", putting together conventional shooting of real actors and animation. Kim Soo-ro, Kang Seong-jin, Kim Jin-soo play three close friends competing for the affection of a woman played by Park Ye-jin. While "Life is Cool" is about three men, "Beyond All Magic" (Heuksim-monyeo) is about three women falling for the same good-looking guy (played by Lee Sang-woo). Directed by Jo Nam-ho, this comic fantasy relies on the reputations of veteran actors, such as Shim Hye-jin and Kim Soo-mi. "Spare", first introduced at the Pusan International Film Festival last year, will feature well-organized action performances from the Korean and Japanese cast. Director Lee Seong-han, who started to work on the film in 2006, finally brings his debut feature to theaters, but the competition will be tough. "Like Father, Like Son", director Lee Moo-yeong's third film, portrays a rock musician who reunites with his son after a 15-year separation. A real drama begins to unfold when the two characters have to live together with a woman named 'Marie'. The film stars Kim Sang-joong as the father and Kim Heung-soo as his son, and Yoo In-yeong plays Marie. A bigger Korean film project will come out on June 19. "Public Enemy Returns", the third installment of the police action series helmed by director Kang Woo-seok, will bring back the foul-mouthed yet justice-obsessed police detective Gang Cheol-jung played by Seol Kyeong-gu. The original "Public Enemy" was a commercial hit in 2002, and the sequel "Another Public Enemy" ("Public Enemy 2" in 2005 fared relatively well. Expectations for the third one are building, not least because it has a solid supporting cast, including Jeong Jae-yeong, Lee Moon-sik and Yoo Hae-jin, and the screenplay is written by Jang Jin, a popular filmmaker. "Crossing", to be released on June 26, is one of the most notable Korean films this summer, largely due to its realistic depiction of North Korean defectors. Directed by Kim Tae-gyoon, the film stars Cha In-pyo as a North Korean who crosses the Chinese border to get food and medicine for his ailing wife, only to find himself on the run. His 11-year-old son (Sin Myeong-cheol) also risks his life to trace his father in China. Shot in Korea, Mongolia and China between July and September last year, "Crossing" portrays the plight of North Koreans desperate to survive in a way that raises the awareness about this serious issue. Set for release on the same day as "Crossing" but with a far brighter tone is "My Mighty Princess". Directed by kwak Jae-Yong, this romantic comedy stars Sin Min-ah as a female college student armed with unexpectedly good skills in martial arts, and the storyline revolves around her topsy-turvy quest for her Mr. Right. The eight Korean films will surely make some headway in their concerted efforts to fight off the attacks from their Hollywood counterparts, but the fight will be nothing if not tantalizing and cutthroat. The tantalizing aspect will come from "Sex and the City: The Movie", which makes its debut June 5. The big-screen adaptation of the hit HBO series will reunite Sarah Jessica Parker, Kim Cattrall, Cynthia Nixon and Kristin Davis, and given that Korea has a solid female fan base for the four fashionable New Yorkers, the R-rated film is expected to sashay the box-office runway with some confidence. The cutthroat front has two muscular players: "Kung Fu Panda" and "The Incredible Hulk". The most feared adversary of the two is a pot-bellied panda named Po. The podgy panda turns into an unlikely kung fu hero in a clever animated marital arts adventure by the DreamWorks Animation team known for its "Shrek" franchise. The beautifully rendered graphics and intricately organized animated sequences give the film enhanced dramatic effect, and it will strongly appeal to audiences of all age groups when it opens on June 5. "The Incredible Hulk", based on the classic Marvel Comics superhero, depicts Bruce Banner (Edward Norton), a mild-mannered scientist who has been traveling the world to find an antidote that will allow him to break free from his primal alter ego. For better or worse, Panda and the Hulk will not pay much attention to the eight Korean films opening in June. Their focus will be on Iron Man, Prince Caspian and Indy. The three movies took a combined 81 percent share of ticket sales last weekend, according to the Korean Film Council.
'Crossing' depicts the plight of North Korean defectors
In recent years, Korean producers have been spending more on marketing, issuing all sorts of promotional material at every possible occasion to lift their movies' chances at the box-office. Strangely though, "Crossing," a film project started about four years ago, did not announce its progress. At a news conference held on Tuesday in downtown Seoul, "Crossing" director Kim Tae-kyun and lead actor Cha In-pyo finally disclosed the plot and some details of the film based around the politically sensitive issue of North Korean defectors. In the film, Yong-su (played by Cha In-pyo), a North Korean living in a mining village in Hamgyeong Province, crosses the northern border with China to get food and medicine for his ailing wife, only to find himself on the run. His 11-year-old son (Shin Myeong-cheol) also risks his life to trace his father in China. Shot in Korea, Mongolia and China between July and September last year, "Crossing" portrays the plight of North Koreans who are desperate to survive. It does so in a realistic manner aiming to raise awareness of the issue. "This movie is about a man who faces poverty, violence and extreme control just because he happens to be born in North Korea," Cha said. "In the movie, my son is 11 years old, and I have a real son who is now 11 years old. When I was playing the role for the movie, I thought about the possibility that what I would do if my own child were sick and starving?" Asked about a potential run for the forthcoming election, Cha said he did not have any intention to jump into politics, and the primary motive for joining the film project was his desire to help the starving North Korean children. Director Kim Tae-kyun said: "I hope there should be no misunderstanding about this movie in terms of politics, and the key issue is concerned with the essential human nature." Kim said the production staff members had so far met more than 100 North Korean defectors, and that careful preparations have been made to reflect the reality concerning defectors without provoking unnecessary controversy. Director Kim said North Korean defectors' organizations helped the project in many ways, offering detailed views about the situation in North Korea and lending photographs that were later used as references for the film. Cha said he initially rejected the offer from director Kim. "At first, I just declined his offer partly because a film about North Korean defectors would not be welcome in the market. But afterward I happened to see a photo showing a starving North Korean child, and I cried a lot because I didn't do anything for so many compatriots who are suffering." Cha, who is also widely recognized in China for his television dramas, is also serving as an honorary ambassador for a campaign against child abuse.
[Talk of the town]Stork brings baby No. 3 to actors Two celebrity lovebirds have added another chick to their nest.
![[Talk of the town]Stork brings baby No. 3 to actors Two celebrity lovebirds have added another chick to their nest.](/kmovie_news/thumbnail/080130_cha_thumb.jpg){kind=small}
Married actors Cha In-pyo, 41, and actress Shin Ae-ra, 39, adopted a 3-month-old girl as their third child. The couple has named the baby girl Cha Ye-jin. “Through adoption, a child learns love and so does her new family,” Shin said. The couple was inspired to adopt Ye-jin while volunteering at the Social Welfare Society, a government-funded organization. Cha and Shin are regular volunteers. Ye-jin is the couple’s second adopted child. In 2005, Cha and Shin adopted a baby girl and named her Ye-eun. She is now four years old. Shin also has a biological son, Jung-min, 11. Hollywood gobbles up movie audiences in Korea Korea could use a little movie magic these days. Only one out of every 10 Korean films netted profits last year, according to a Korean Film Council report released Monday. The report, titled “2007 Korean Film Industry Settlement,” showed that of the 112 films released last year, only 13 (11.6 percent) surpassed the break-even point. Only three of the 10 top-grossing films in Korea were of domestic origin ―“D-War,” “May 18” and “200 Pounds Beauty.” Instead, Hollywood films appeared to dominate. Top-ranking films included “Transformers,” “Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End” and “Spider-Man 3.” ‘Lost’ actress finds stardom in the U.S. Kim Yun-jin embodies happiness these days. Best known for her role as Sun-hwa Kwon on the American television drama series “Lost,” Kim was the center of one American newspaper’s spotlight in a recent interview. An interview with Kim made the front page of national newspaper USA Today. Titled “Back to the island for ‘Lost,’ ” the interview provided an in-depth look at Kim, who will resume her role in season four on ABC’s Lost. Jazzing up Seoul, Japanese style Korean music fans should prepare to enter a new dimension. Japanese fusion jazz group Dimension comes to Korea Feb. 29. The concert will be at Baekam Art Hall in southern Seoul. The group released “Newish,” its 15-year anniversary album, last year. Dimension first played in Korea in 2004, but this concert marks the Japanese jazz guys’ first headline performance in Korea. By Lee Eun-joo
Cha In-pyo, Shin Ae-ra Adopt Another Child
Celebrity couple Cha In-pyo and Shin Ae-ra have adopted another child following their first adoption of a baby girl. The couple adopted a 100-day-old baby girl earlier this month. Cha said he and his wife didn't publicize their adoption bec....
[Talk of the town]Hair raising refusal causes loss of face
![[Talk of the town]Hair raising refusal causes loss of face](/kmovie_news/thumbnail/070808_kim_thumb.jpg){kind=small}
The chance of a lead role in a promising soap opera or movie is unquestionably a golden opportunity for actors to demonstrate their potential. Thus Kim Ah-joong and Cha In-pyo must have felt awful for declining such offers on account of their hai....
