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Korea Herald
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Korea Herald
(book top) [Off the Pages] Why these novels? Park Chan-wook's literary anchors
Celebrated filmmaker Park Chan-wook is widely known to be an avid reader. Many of his acclaimed films were adapted from novels, making his appearance at last week's Seoul International Book Fair all the more fitting. Park shared his 'literary anchors,' offering personal anecdotes and insights into the books that have inspired him. The following are some of the highlights from his talk. 'Joint Security Area' (2000) In a 2023 reissue of Park Sang-yeon's novel "DMZ," Park Chan-wook wrote, 'I don't even want to imagine what my life would look like if I hadn't encountered this novel.' "Joint Security Area" was his first literary adaptation and the breakout hit that changed everything. After two earlier films flopped, "JSA" was a box-office sensation, drawing over 5.8 million viewers and setting a record for Korean cinema. 'I've made many films since then,' Park reflected, 'but none have matched its box-office success. 'JSA' gave me the courage to make more daring films afterward.' Set in Korea's uniquely tense and symbolic space of the Demilitarized Zone, the crime mystery follows a fatal shooting involving North and South Korean soldiers, investigated by the Neutral Nations Supervisory Commission. The investigation gradually unravels an unexpected truth. Park credited the novel's humanizing portrayal of North Koreans. 'At the time, it was still shocking to show them not as villains, but as ordinary people,' he said. Among the changes he made, Park said he is particularly proud to gender-swap the investigator into a woman, which he described as "an additional layer." 'The investigation already confronts an ideological wall. By introducing a female officer who faces barrier from the male soldiers she questions, I was able to add another layer. That's an aspect I take great pride in,' he said 'Oldboy' (2003) A man is kidnapped without knowing who took him, or why. He is locked away with no explanation, and the worst part is, he doesn't know if, or when, he'll ever get out. This premise of "Oldboy," the noir thriller that won Park a Grand Prix at Cannes, is loosely based on a Japanese manga. 'To me, it felt like a perfect metaphor for life itself,' Park said. 'We don't know why we were born, how our future will unfold, or when we'll die. We know death is inevitable, but not when or how. We have to live with that uncertainty.' The film follows Oh Dae-su, imprisoned in a small hotel room for 15 years with no idea who his captor is, or why is kept imprisoned. When he's abruptly released, he sets on a brutal quest for revenge. Another element Park found especially compelling was Oh's only contact with the outside world was watching television. 'I found that idea fascinating. He starts off as a reckless, pitiful man — more so than in the original manga. Locked away, watching only TV, he has nothing but time to think," he said. "Over the years, that leads to painful self-reflection. Whether he wants it or not, he becomes more mature — just by watching TV." For "Thirst," another Cannes-winning film, Park drew inspiration from Emile Zola's "Therese Raquin," a novel about a young woman coerced by her overbearing aunt into a loveless marriage. Initially, there were separate plans to adapt the novel and to make a vampire film but the two ideas eventually merged, after co-producer Ahn Soo-hyun read Park's vampire synopsis and Zola's novel, spotting a thematic bridge. 'There are vivid descriptions focused on the neck in the book,' Park noted. 'The neck biting and the wounds worsening over time — the imagery is quite intense.' The original synopsis, just three or four pages long, had a priest as the protagonist and a detailed climactic blood-drinking scene. Park felt that as long as that scene remained, the story and characters could be adapted freely around it. 'If I ever had the ability to be a novelist, I think I would have written exactly like Zola," said Park. 'He has a merciless view of humanity. He's uncompromising and honest. There's no romanticizing, no intention to vilify. It's simply an observation. Because of that honesty, whether making films or anything else, I feel there's much to learn from him.' Literary critic Shin Hyoung-cheol described Park's approach to adaptation through metaphor thus: "Oldboy" replaced the spine of its source; "Thirst" gave it wings. And "The Handmaiden"? 'It's as if he gave it a new pair of legs — like in the scene where the two women run across the open field.' Adapted from Sarah Waters's "Fingersmith," a historical crime novel set in Victorian-era Britain, "The Handmaiden" transposes the setting to colonial-era Korea under Japanese rule. The story follows a young Korean woman hired as a maid to a Japanese heiress. In the original novel, each woman deceives the other, and only in the third part do they discover the full extent of the betrayal. Park's version reimagines this dynamic: The women build trust, form an alliance and ultimately turn the tables to take revenge on the 'Gentleman.' 'As I read the book, I found myself hoping it would turn out that way,' Park said. 'They meet under false pretenses, but what if they open up to each other, become allies, and pull off a clever scheme to punish the count and escape together. Such anticipation became the basis for my adaptation,' Park said. 'The Little Drummer Girl' (2019) Park has often named British espionage master John le Carre as his favorite novelist. He read "The Spy Who Came in from the Cold" as a teenager and he considers himself part of a rare minority of fans who 'dare say 'The Little Drummer Girl' is his best." Park reached out to le Carre directly, and the two met in person to discuss adapting the novel into a six-part television series — an "unforgettable memory" for Park. Le Carre made a cameo in the show, appearing as a waiter in the cafe where Charlie walks in. In fact, le Carre was fond of making cameo appearances in screen adaptations of his novels. Set in 1979, "The Little Drummer Girl" follows Charlie, a young English actress recruited to infiltrate a Palestinian group plotting a terrorist attack in Europe. But it was the novel's ending — particularly the protagonist's motivations — that troubled Park. 'Although I call it a masterpiece, I was disappointed at that moment,' he said. 'She risks her life as a spy because she 'fell in love' with one of the male agents, after pretending to be in love as part of her cover. I thought it made Charlie almost foolish,' Park said. Park knew he needed a new line — a moment that would redefine her choices. He learned that the character of Charlie had been inspired by a real person — le Carre's own sister, a theater actress active in the 1970s. Park said the line 'I'm an actress' came directly from a conversation with her. 'That line carries so much,' Park said. 'We had long discussions about it. Even during table reads, it was my favorite. We shot that scene with all of its weight in mind. I'd rather leave its meaning open to interpretation,' Park said. 'No Other Choice' (2025) and Park's reading list Park is currently in post-production on his upcoming film "No Other Choice," starring Lee Byung-hun and Son Ye-jin. Set for release in October, the film is adapted from Donald E. Westlake's horror thriller "The Ax." It follows Man-soo, who, after being laid off from a job, begins a desperate and dark hunt for new employment. Park has hinted that the film will veer into black comedy. Before the talk came to an end, the director offered a list of book recommendations. His recent favorites included Geoff Dyer's "The Ongoing Moment," a meditation on photography, and "But Beautiful," a philosophical exploration of beauty in jazz. Of Vladimir Nabokov's works, Park singled out "Pnin" as a personal favorite: 'It's filled with absurd humor, and the protagonist might come off as unlikeable at first -- but he becomes utterly lovable.' Park also expressed his recent admiration for W.G. Sebald, after reading "Austerlitz."
South China Morning Post
21-02-2025
- Entertainment
- South China Morning Post
Why 2000 movie Joint Security Area resonates still, and why that's ‘sad'
Published: 7:15am, 21 Feb 2025 Twenty-five years ago, director Park Chan-wook risked prison to make a film about friendship between North and South Korean soldiers, striking box office gold and beginning his actors' ascent to global stardom. Relations between the two Koreas have since plunged, with Pyongyang renouncing its long-held goal of unification and last week destroying a venue that traditionally hosted reunions of families separated by decades of division. Park's smash hit Joint Security Area still strikes a chord a quarter of a century later. 'It is a sad reality that this movie's themes still resonate with the younger generation,' he said in Seoul this month. 'I hope that by the 50th anniversary, we will be able to discuss it as just a story from the past.'
Express Tribune
20-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Express Tribune
South Korean hit film 'JSA' turns 25
The film is set in one of the most heavily fortified areas on the planet. Photo: File Twenty-five years ago, director Park Chan-wook risked jail to make a film about friendship between North and South Korean soldiers, striking box office gold and beginning his actors' ascent to global stardom. Relations between the two Koreas have since plunged, with Pyongyang renouncing its long-held goal of unification and last week destroying a venue that traditionally hosted reunions of families separated by decades of divisions. Park said his smash hit Joint Security Area still strikes a chord a quarter of a century later. "It is a sad reality that this movie's themes still resonate with the younger generation," he told reporters in Seoul this month. "I hope that by the 50th anniversary, we will be able to discuss it as just a story from the past." The film is widely regarded as a masterpiece of South Korean cinema and its cast members have gone on to wider success, including Squid Game actor Lee Byung-hun and Song Kang-ho from Oscar-winning Parasite. But when he set out to make it, Park – best known today for action thriller Oldboy and mystery romance Decision to Leave – was far from a prominent director. His first two feature films flopped. Desperate for success, Park delved into one of the most sensitive topics: the decades-long division of the Korean peninsula. At the time, Park feared that his tale of inter-Korean bonding could fall foul of laws banning the "glorification" of the communist-run North. "We prepared ourselves" for the prospect of being jailed, he told reporters. Smash hit But history was on his side. Three months before the film's September 2000 release, then-South Korean president Kim Dae-jung held a historic summit with his North Korean counterpart Kim Jong Il in Pyongyang. Against the backdrop of that reconciliation, Joint Security Area swept almost all domestic film awards that year. It was also nominated for best film at the Berlin Film Festival and became South Korea's highest-grossing movie up to then. Actor Lee, now one of South Korea's biggest stars, said he was so thrilled by its success that he watched it 40 times in the cinemas to see the audience reactions. Local media even reported that Kim Jong Il – a known film buff – had seen it. The film is set in the eponymous Joint Security Area, located inside the Demilitarised Zone, the 250-kilometre (155-mile)-long strip of land that divides the Korean peninsula. It is among the most heavily fortified areas on the planet – and the only place where soldiers from the North and South stand face to face. The tragic film tells the story of secret friendships that form after two North Korean troops assist a South Korean soldier who accidentally steps on a landmine, leading them to bond over South Korean pop music and chocolate desserts. Breaking barriers "Before Joint Security Area, portraying North Korean soldiers in South Korean cinema was somewhat considered taboo," Nam Dong-chul, a film critic and chief programmer at the Busan International Film Festival, told AFP. "This film broke that barrier by depicting ordinary and relatable North Korean soldiers," he said. "At the same time, it was a successful and well-crafted blockbuster, marking a significant advancement in the history of Korean cinema." South Korea has since established itself as a global cultural powerhouse. Some credit Joint Security Area with laying the groundwork. The film was a "driving force behind the creation of films in the Korean cinema industry that combine the director's artistic vision with commercial viability," said Jerry Kyoungboum Ko, head of film business for CJ ENM, the South Korean studio that distributed the movie. The real-life JSA has since been a site of both reconciliation and tragedy. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un met with then-South Korean president Moon Jae-in there in 2018. The following year, Kim also shook hands with US President Donald Trump across the division line. But it also saw North Korean soldiers open fire during a defection by one of their comrades in 2017. And in 2023, troops were re-armed on both sides of the JSA, breaking an inter-Korean military pact signed during more optimistic times. Park said he is often asked when the film is shown abroad if it was shot at the real-life JSA, also known as Panmunjom. "I would always respond by saying that if we could have filmed at the actual location, this film might not have been necessary at all." afp
Japan Times
18-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Japan Times
South Korean blockbuster 'Joint Security Area' strikes a chord 25 years on
Seoul – Twenty-five years ago, director Park Chan-wook risked jail to make a movie about friendship between North and South Korean soldiers, striking box-office gold and beginning his actors' ascent to global stardom. Relations between the two Koreas have since plunged, with Pyongyang renouncing its long-held goal of unification and last week destroying a venue that traditionally hosted reunions of families separated by decades of divisions. However, Park says his smash hit "Joint Security Area" still strikes a chord a quarter of a century later. "It is a sad reality that this movie's themes still resonate with the younger generation," he says. "I hope that by the 50th anniversary, we will be able to discuss it as just a story from the past."
Khaleej Times
18-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Khaleej Times
South Korean blockbuster 'JSA' strikes a chord 25 years on
Twenty-five years ago, director Park Chan-wook risked jail to make a movie about friendship between North and South Korean soldiers, striking box-office gold and beginning his actors' ascent to global stardom. Relations between the two Koreas have since plunged, with Pyongyang renouncing its long-held goal of unification and last week destroying a venue that traditionally hosted reunions of families separated by decades of divisions. Park said his smash hit Joint Security Area still strikes a chord a quarter of a century later. "It is a sad reality that this movie's themes still resonate with the younger generation," he told reporters in Seoul this month. "I hope that by the 50th anniversary, we will be able to discuss it as just a story from the past." The film is widely regarded as a masterpiece of South Korean cinema and its cast members have gone on to wider success, including Squid Game actor Lee Byung-hun and Song Kang-ho from Oscar-winning Parasite. But when he set out to make it, Park — best known today for action thriller Oldboy and mystery romance Decision to Leave — was far from a prominent director. His first two feature films flopped. Desperate for success, Park delved into one of the most sensitive topics: the decades-long division of the Korean peninsula. "We prepared ourselves" for the prospect of being jailed, he told reporters. Smash hit But history was on his side. Three months before the film's September 2000 release, then-South Korean president, Kim Dae-jung, held a historic summit with his North Korean counterpart, Kim Jong Il, in Pyongyang. Against the backdrop of that reconciliation, Joint Security Area swept almost all domestic film awards that year. It was also nominated for best film at the Berlin film festival and became South Korea's highest-grossing movie up to then. Actor Lee, now one of South Korea's biggest stars, said he was so thrilled by its success that he watched it 40 times in the cinemas to see the audience reactions. Local media even reported that Kim Jong Il — a known film buff — had seen it. The film is set in the eponymous Joint Security Area, located inside the Demilitarized Zone, the 250-kilometre strip of land that divides the Korean peninsula. It is among the most heavily fortified areas on the planet — and the only place where soldiers from the North and South stand face to face. The tragic film tells the story of secret friendships that form after two North Korean troops assist a South Korean soldier who accidentally steps on a landmine, leading them to bond over South Korean pop music and chocolate desserts. Breaking barriers "Before Joint Security Area, portraying North Korean soldiers in South Korean cinema was somewhat considered taboo," Nam Dong-chul, a film critic and chief programmer at the Busan International Film Festival, told AFP. "This film broke that barrier by depicting ordinary and relatable North Korean soldiers," he said. "At the same time, it was a successful and well-crafted blockbuster, marking a significant advancement in the history of Korean cinema." South Korea has since established itself as a global cultural powerhouse. Some credit Joint Security Area with laying the groundwork. The film was a "driving force behind the creation of films in the Korean cinema industry that combine the director's artistic vision with commercial viability," said Jerry Kyoungboum Ko, head of film business for CJ ENM, the South Korean studio that distributed the movie. Park said he is often asked when the film is shown abroad if it was shot at the real-life JSA, also known as Panmunjom. "I would always respond by saying that if we could have filmed at the actual location, this film might not have been necessary at all."
