[2006 KOREAN CINEMA PREVIEWS] Ryu Seung-Wan's 짝패 (The City of Violence)

The beauty of violence within the film stratosphere, removed from the everyday reality of violence in the media, on the streets, everywhere. Just like his old idols, like Jackie Chan and Bruce Lee, using violence as film action. It seems then a paradox that a few of Ryu Seung-Wan's films, strong on the outside but with a warm, soft power inside, were produced by this 'soft outside, strong inside' company, 외유내강. To be precise, only two: his debut 'Die Bad', and his upcoming low-budget action noir 짝패 (The City of Violence). While 'Crying Fist' showed his maturation as a filmmaker finally removing himself from his 'cult' roots, few people expected him to abandon the genre he loved so much, which is why the news that he was preparing a sort of 'new age Die Bad' didn't surprise anyone. What's a little more surprising is the fact Ryu will return to the big screen not only as the director of 'The City of Violence', but also as the main star (even better, he'll play TWO roles). Although Ryu has been doing cameos in a few Park Chan-Wook and Lee Chang-Dong films, this is the first time since 'Die Bad' the young director has a big role in a film.

And again something new for a Ryu film, his younger brother Seung-Beom is absent this time. There's many reasons for that, including the two brothers' intention to find their own voice without always needing to be paired together, and the younger Ryu's other projects like 사생결단 (Bloody Tie). But the cast is nonetheless very interesting: Lee Beom-Soo works with the director for the first time, just like talented Kim Seo-Hyung of 여고괴담 4: 목소리 (Voice); we'll also see familiar Ryu regulars, like Ahn Gil-Gang, and last but not least action-director Jung Doo-Hong, who is shooting this film in between projects -- the latest being his directing debut in the US, Bouncer -- and will play the other leading role.

Tae-Soo (Ryu in the adult version, Kim Dong-Young as a teenager) returns to his hometown in Chungcheong Province after years, his reason being one of his best friends' funeral. Back in town, the detective meets again some good old friends he hadn't seen in ages, even though getting together after over a decade for something like a friend's funeral is not exactly the happiest of occasions. Yet in trying to find out why and how his friend died, he finds he was betrayed by a cold hearted group of gangsters (who keep committing crimes, obviously), and starts searching the whole town for the culprits. To make them pay, whatever it takes.

Now, anyone remotely acquainted with recent Korean Cinema should know a little about gangsters, and the treatment they get in Chungmuro. Often associated with 사투리 (saturi, dialect) - mostly from Jeolla or Gyungsang Province -- and stupidity for comic relief, the reality is obviously quite different. And Ryu, who confessed on various interviews he's not a big fan of gangsters, will focus on a more realistic gangster, parasites roaming the streets of little towns, just like in Tae-Soo's hometown. And the action will have a very strong element of realism too, in what looks to be the most traditional action film in Ryu's career. In a recent interview, Director Ryu was asked to describe the style of 'The City of Violence' compared to his other films. And although some joked it would be a 'Chungcheong Ong Bak', Ryu revealed the film will have a very 80s feeling, like some of Sammo Hung's films -- 龍的心 (Heart of Dragon) and 飛龍猛將 (Dragons Forever) on top. It will also be Ryu's most personal film to date, if we exclude the brilliant parody 다찌마와 리 (Dajjimawa Lee) which was an ode to all the films Ryu grew up with, and that's not only because he and Tae-Soo were born in Chungcheong Province.

Ryu, who escaped from genre tropes in most of his films, while at the same blending the various elements which made up genre films he grew up with, will make his first real 'genre' film. A pure, 100% action film. 'The City of Violence' is part of the new HD Project by CJ Entertainment, involving seven other directors. We're talking big names here: Choi Dong-Hoon of 범죄의 재수성 (The Big Swindle), Yoo Ha of 말죽거리 잔혹사 (Once Upon a Time in High School), Hur Jin-Ho of 외출 (April Snow), and even Park Chan-Wook, whose 싸이보그지만 괜찮아 (Cyborg Girl) was the first of these low-budget project to be announced. Each director gets between 1.5 and 2.5 Billion Won, in an effort to show the potential of Digital film in reducing costs. The script of Ryu's film was written by Lee Won-Jae, who did such a great job last year adapting 혈의 누 (Blood Rain) for the big screen, and shooting started on February 1 in Chungcheong Province. Ryu's next project after 'The City of Violence' will be a 'zombie flick', tentatively entitled 야차 (Demon). And here's another good news: this Summer's most interesting release might still be Bong Joon-Ho's 괴물 (The Host), but CJ Entertainment plans to release 'The City of Violence' this June, so maybe we have another contender for 'must see' film of the Summer.

[Sources: Naver News 1, Naver News 2, Seoul Shinmun, Soribada News, Yahoo Korea]