Life is Cool

Director

Choi Ik-hwan(최익환)

Cast

Kim Soo-ro

Kang Seong-jin

Park Ye-jin

Kim Jin Soo

New technological step in Korean animation

After Ryoo Seung-wan's "The City of Violence" (Jjakpae) and Park Chan-wook's "I'm a Cyborg, But That's OK" (Cyborgjiman Gwaenjanha), "Life is Cool" (Geunyeoneun Yeppeotta, English translation: "She was beautiful") will be the next instalment of CJ Entertainment's HD Project, and the first Korean animation film using the technique rotoscoping. With this procedure, live-action film is being traced by animators frame by frame. Kim Soo-ro ("Vampire Cop Ricky"/Heuphyeol Hyeongsa Nadoyeol), and television actress Park Ye-jin are among the actors involved in the project. Choi Ik-hwan directs this tale about three distinct male friends who fall out with each other when they all fall for the same woman. Rotoscoping opens new doors in filmmaking. One of the benefits is that it makes facial expressions more realistic than other forms of animation. The animation technique was also used for A Scanner Darkly, starring Keanu Reeves, and the music video Take on Me by A-ha. Also, the procedure is easy on the budget as animators can creatively come up with the background instead of expensive sets or locations. CJ Entertainment's HD Project intends to explore cost-efficient and innovative new digital techniques, and also involves leading directors; its latest project, "Life is Cool", will be released on June 12.

Rotoscoped Film Shows Life in '4D'

Director Choe Ik-hwan (``Whispering Corridors 4: Voice'') brings ``Life Is Cool,'' South Korea's first rotoscoped film. In this HD film project by CJ Entertainment, local production company DNA, which whipped up animation and graphics for ``The Animatrix,'' creates hip visuals for a friendly love story. Rotoscoping is a process in which animators trace over a live action sequence, frame by frame. It goes beyond computer-generated imagery for larger than life effects. By utilizing what's only possible in animation, it gives 3D action added dimension ― it's tech savvy and digital but breathes life into the film. ``Life'' took only a month of actual shooting but almost two years and 140 artists for rotoscoping. One may wonder, why go through the trouble, as leading lady Park Ye-jin said. The director said he was inspired by ``Waking Life,'' a rotoscoped film that captures human life despite being digital. The movie takes advantage of the beauty of animation, which enables ``cameos'' like the recently burnt down national treasure Soongnyemun and Hollywood star Jennifer Aniston. ``Life'' is fresh. As an animation, the constrained palette and simple silhouettes are markedly distinct from American or Japanese animations. While the subject matter ― complicated affairs of the heart ― is nothing new, its narrative approach is novel as it takes a ``4D'' look into life and love by delving deep into the male psyche. In a press preview last week, Choe told reporters he was in trouble because the plot was inspired by a friend's actual story. It's basically about three best friends falling for the same woman and traces the respective dating styles of a goofy playboy, reckless Romeo and hopeless romantic. In the movie, casting is key in establishing believable and amiable characters. Funny man Kim Su-ro draws laughs with his lax demeanor and ad lib-ridden lines as Il-gwon, a womanizing Ph.D student searching for the perfect wife. Kang Seo-jin capitalizes on his gentleman image as Tae-yeong, a disheartened teacher who violently refuses to forget his first love. Comedian Kim Jin-su transforms his hearty laughter and beefy physique to play Seong-hun, the big guy with the sensitive heart who cooks like a veteran housewife while dreaming about the woman of his dreams. Il-gwon turns his suave playboy tactics into top gear as he contemplates between two perspective wives, a rich but silly young woman or a beautiful but poor and sickly one. Our conniving playboy slowly falls in love with the latter, Yeon-u. However, things get complicated when she turns out to be Tae-yeong's ex-girlfriend he never got over and the very manifestation of Seong-hun's dream girl. What could have stopped short of being a lighthearted romantic comedy gains added depth through sophisticated character development and layered narrative. The characters have flaws, tics and talents that are annoying and endearing, and they reflect different degrees of people we know. ``Life'' paints a portrait of urban life in Korea, as young men weep about careers, love, sex and friendships over a glass of soju or splash around like schoolboys in a public bath ― in the latter scene, ``overexposures'' were conveniently solved by rotoscoping. This is a seriously funny animation for adults that will make you crave a round of drinks with old buddies.

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.