(Korean Movies) Anarchist from Colony, 2017

Through <Park Yeol>, regardless of the times
I wanted to talk about the pure beliefs that young people have.
Indeed, as much as we live in the present, as much as the 'Park Yeol' of the Japanese colonial period
I want to ask you if you live by looking at the world head-on.

– Director Jun-ik Lee –

[ ABOUT MOVIE ]

Director Jun-ik Lee, another ringing notice following <Sado> and <Dongju>!
The birth of an intense new period drama that breaks stereotypes!
The first meeting between director Lee Jun-ik and 'Park Yeol' dates back over 20 years. Director Lee Jun-ik, who was making the movie <Anarchist> (2000) at the time, was researching materials for the scenario work, and he noticed a character named 'Park Yeol' among the numerous independence fighters appearing in various books dealing with the history of the Korean independence movement. . Even though he was a high school student at the time of the March 1st Movement in 1919, he felt strong anger at the Japanese imperialism and went to Tokyo, the heart of Japanese imperialism, and was fascinated by 'Park Yeol', a young man who actively fought. In the 1920s, when Western ideas and ideologies were swarming, director Lee Joon-ik paid attention to the life of 'Park Yeol', who was caught up in anarchism influenced by the revolutionary spirit of Europe. It was. Because I was pursuing the values of human-to-human integrity, I did not want to draw a film with a simple dichotomy of 'bad Japanese' and 'unfortunate but good Korean'," he recalled when he started directing. Director Lee Jun-ik confessed, “I was ashamed of myself that we did not know about ‘Park Yeol’, who actively protested and questioned the Japanese cabinet for burying the horrific history. I wanted to let everyone know, and after 20 years of hard work, the movie <Park Yeol> was finally born.”
The movie <Park Yeol> contains the tumultuous life of 'Park Yeol', a character hidden in history that we were not aware of. <Sado>, an orthodox historical drama that re-examined the tragic family history of three generations, including Yeongjo, Crown Prince Sado, and King Jeongjo, and <Dongju>, which calmly depicts the youth of the poets Yun Dong-ju and Song Mong-gyu, who were lifelong friends and eternal rivals. Director Jun-ik Lee, who has captivated audiences with his insight into history while directing historical plays of Director Jun-ik Lee, who portrays the lives of 'Park Yeol' and 'Kaneko Fumiko', who followed their ideology without compromising with the world even in the midst of the gloomy Japanese colonial period, sometimes pleasantly and sometimes intensely. It will once again prove the absence of a directing spectrum and give a warm resonance to theaters in June.

An unbelievable true story at the heart of Japanese imperialism!
A powerful sound from a story based on thorough historical research!
Recently, a media report reported that the Japanese government had adopted a written response stating that it had no plans to express its regrets over the 1923 Kanto massacre. On May 12, 2017, Japan's Kyodo News reported that the Japanese government made this position through a cabinet meeting on the grounds that there were no records that could identify the facts within the government. The movie <Park Yeol> tells the story of a Joseon anarchist named Park Yeol who risked his life to inform the world of the atrocities of Japanese imperialism at the time of the Kanto Massacre in 1923, which has been completely ignored by the Japanese government even after 90 years have passed. ' and his comrade and lover 'Fumiko Kaneko' is a work depicting the unbelievable true story.
At the time of the Great Kanto Earthquake, the Japanese cabinet spread rumors that "Koreans poison wells and cause riots" and declared martial law to prevent any signs of rebellion in advance. This triggered the so-called Kanto Massacre, in which about 6,000 innocent Koreans were massacred. Japan, fearful of criticism from the international community, pointed out 'Park Yeol', a representative evil spirit who created the Buddhist temple as a suitable person to cover up the incident. do.
The real story of the movie <Park Yeol> begins here. 'Park Yeol', who noticed the Japanese cabinet's scheme, confesses to his plan to assassinate the Crown Prince himself so that the international community can focus on their horrific atrocities, becomes the first treason in Joseon, and begins a trial, risking the death penalty. These activities of 'Park Yeol' and 'Fumiko' were covered in detail in Japanese newspapers at the time, including the Asahi Shimbun. spared no effort Director Lee Jun-ik said, "If you watch the movie, many people will be surprised, how can a Korean do such a thing in a Japanese Supreme Court during the Japanese colonial period?" However, all the stories in the film are clear facts that have been verified through newspapers and records of 'Park Yeol' at the time.” did.
The movie <Park Yeol>, which depicts the flame-like life of 'Park Yeol' and 'Kaneko Fumiko', which was so dramatic that it was unbelievable that it actually happened, will give the audience not only exhilarating catharsis, but also a warm impression.

The meeting of two hot actors who will shake the screen in 2017!
The most intense transformation Lee Je-hoon X The brightest discovery Choi Hee-seo
Complete the worst youth that burned like a flame by resisting relentlessly!
Lee Je-hoon, who challenged the most intense transformation since his debut, and Choi Hee-seo, the most notable rookie of the year, met as special comrades who dreamed of changing the world through director Lee Jun-ik's twelfth film <Park Yeol>.
Lee Je-hoon, who was reborn as a popular actor by showing off a wide acting spectrum regardless of genre, reproduced the real person 'Park Yeol' in a terribly realistic way. After a thorough examination using newspapers published in 1923 and group photos of anti-Japanese movement organizations, Lee Je-hoon was completely transformed from head to toe into Joseon's best rogue young man 'Park Yeol', and spared no effort to understand and assimilate his inner life. didn't “I had no doubts that <Park Yeol> would be a turning point in my acting career. Lee Je-hoon, who confessed that he tried to show a new side not only in his external appearance but also in his acting, voluntarily fasted throughout the filming to show the image of 'Park Yeol', who actually fought a hunger strike in prison. Even in the scene where he was tortured by the Japanese police, Jee-hoon Lee, who claimed to be baptized with a club because of his insistence that ‘you must not look like a fake’, is said to have shown a different passion than before to the point of fainting after filming was over. Lee Je-hoon's life acting, who was divided into 'Park Yeol', a Joseon youth who lived a tumultuous life by pouring everything emotionally and physically, is expected to leave a lasting impression on the audience.
On the other hand, Fumiko Kaneko, a Japanese woman who is a comrade and lover of 'Park Yeol', is played by a new actress, Choi Hee-seo, who made a mark through the role of 'Kumi', a Japanese who loved the poem of 'Dong-ju' in director Lee Jun-ik's previous film 'Dong-ju'. Choi Hee-seo, who exuded an extraordinary presence with her delicate emotional acting and perfect Japanese skills in a small amount, proudly took on the role of the lead actress, Fumiko Kaneko in <Park Yeol>, establishing herself as Lee Jun-ik's muse. Debuting in 2009 and appearing in more than 100 dramas, movies, and plays for 8 years, she is a prepared rookie actress who has built up solid skills. I wanted to express the wounds and pains hidden in the movie.” In order to express the poor Korean pronunciation of 'Kaneko Fumiko', who was actually a Japanese, he changed all Korean lines to hiragana and digested the perfect pronunciation, as well as staying on set even on days off when there is no filming, and self-proclaimed as the Japanese teacher of the actors. The attention is focused on whether Choi Hee-seo, who showed extraordinary affection for the movie <Park Yeol>, will be able to establish a solid position as an actress through this work.

The power of passionate empathy that transcends times and generations!
Are we living as hot as 'Park Yeol' in 2017?
Although it seems to be in line with historical dramas or movies dealing with the story of independence fighters during the Japanese colonial period, <Park Yeol> is a film that focuses on the daily lives of young people living in 1923. At that time, most of the people who took the lead in the independence movement during the Japanese colonial period were young people in their early or mid-20s. The same goes for 'Park Yeol' and 'Kaneko Fumiko'. In the movie, 'Park Yeol' was 22 years old, and 'Fumiko', who was a comrade and lover, was only 21 years old. In a dark time, 'Park Yeol' and 'Fumiko' were young people who actively expressed their dissatisfaction with the world dominated by unjust power and put their beliefs into action.
In an era when Western ideas were scattered like a field of ideology, 'Park Yeol' showed particular interest in anarchism. 'Park Yeol', captivated by the anarchist ideology of anger and struggle against the violence of imperialism based on the universal value of mankind as an ideology, went to Tokyo, the center of Japan, and launched a more active anti-Japanese movement. become and stand in court. Director Lee Jun-ik, who revived the hot youth 'Park Yeol', who played with the Japanese cabinet while immortal, questioning the immoral attitude of the Japanese Empire, on the screen, asks how passionately we are in 2017 through his life.
Regarding the movie <Park Yeol>, director Lee Jun-ik said, "Recently, young Koreans are passionate about hip-hop. If the voices of those who want to move toward a better life value by expressing their wounds and pain through music are hip-hop, the movie <Park Yeol> can also be said to be hip-hop in one word.” Although the words 'belief', 'resistance', 'strife', and 'anarchist' may be unfamiliar, it was noted that the spirit of resistance that is no different from 'Park Yeol' is still alive inside of us living in the present. Actor Lee Je-hoon, who actually played the role of 'Park Yeol', said, "In order to act, the character 'Park Yeol' has to be projected in me. Am I really a person who can be that proud in front of the world and history? It gave me an opportunity to think deeply about whether or not I had come.” Choi Hee-seo, who plays the role of 'Fumiko', also said, "'Fumiko' never has the desire to publicize her name or to be recognized by others. I was fascinated by her strong figure, who only explored her inner self and struggled with 'Park Yeol' as an anarchist."
In this way, the movie <Park Yeol> will send a message of sympathy to young people in Korea, which is struggling to live a better life today.

[ PRODUCTION NOTE ]

Director Lee Jun-ik & Chungmuro Representative Veteran Producer
The history of resistance that burned like a flame was captured on the screen!
In the process of preparing the movie <Park Yeol>, the most important thing was to sincerely capture the life and values of 'Park Yeol' and 'Kaneko Fumiko'. With director Lee Jun-ik in the lead, art director Lee Jae-seong (<Dong-ju>, <The Prosecutor's Gaiden>, <Regression> and many more), Cho Tae-hee, head of makeup (<The Apostle>, <Gwanghae, The Man Who Became King>, <Like a Moon Born Against Clouds> and many more), Bang Jun-seok The best veteran producers in Chungmuro, including the music director (“The Apostle”, “Veteran”, “The Thieves” and many others), did their best to bring the lives of youth that burned like flames during the Japanese colonial period to the screen.

1923, unfolding before your eyes _ Art that breathes life into cinema
The most important thing in the movie <Park Yeol> was to capture the attitudes of 'Park Yeol' and 'Fumiko' facing the times. It could be the ideology of their social view, national view, world view, etc., or life itself. “If you wanted to make an entertainment movie with a touch of fiction, you would need a spectacle and variety of things to see, but <Park Fever> was different. As director Lee Jun-ik said, “I think it is not polite to a real person to lose the authenticity of ‘Park Yeol’ and ‘Fumiko’ by focusing on entertainment. did. For the perfect historical investigation, the film <Park Yeol> was able to be completed as a more realistic film thanks to the effort of the art team who spared no effort to find the originals of all newspapers in the 1920s when 'Park Yeol' and 'Fumiko' were active. In fact, one of the props that best reveal the times in the movie is a newspaper, except for the fact that the photos of 'Park Yeol' and 'Fumiko' were changed to the pictures of 'Lee Je-hoon' and 'Choi Hee-seo', who wore the same makeup, one small article. Newspapers that have perfectly reproduced even the present day will play a role in making the audience realize how great Park Yeol's performance was at the time.
An important material as important as newspapers was Fumiko's autobiography. All the production crew of <Park Yeol> read and re-read Fumiko's autobiography, and did not waste a single sentence. The house of 'Park Yeol' and 'Fumiko' and the hideout of 'Bullyeongsa Temple' was set up as the second floor of the shoe store, and the words 'Treason' on the red heart pattern outside the window all appear in Fumiko's autobiography. It is reproduced as it is. The production team also gave meaning to each book that fills the room in the scene where 'Park Yeol' and 'Fumiko' start living together for the first time. He produced about 100 books of thought from that era, which may have been influenced by 'Park Yeol', who was active as an anarchist. Most of the books at that time were already unavailable in Korea, but the production team was able to reproduce the actual image of the book by scouring Japan's National Assembly Library and second-hand book sites. Art director Lee Jae-seong said, “I thought it was appropriate for <Park Yeol> to focus on details and small details rather than showing the historical evidence of the times on an excessive scale. Through dense art that conveys the emotions of the times, the audience will be able to feel the life and growth background of the characters 'Park Yeol' and 'Fumiko' without much explanation."

1923 Falling in the melody _ 'International Street' and 'Italian Garden'
Among the music in the movie, 'International' and 'Italian Garden' play a very important role in capturing the beliefs of the times and people. First of all, 'International Song' is a very important song that shows that the members of 'Bullyeongsa', including 'Park Yeol' and 'Fumiko', are anarchists who are active based on anarchism, not independence activists based on nationalism. 'International Song', whose original lyrics are in French, is a song that symbolizes socialist tradition. The lyrics were written by a railroad worker named 'Eugène Pottier' in 1871, and 'Pierre Degeyter', a furnituremaker in 1888. is one of the most translated songs in the world. In <Park Yeol>, the members of the 'Bullyeongsa Temple', who walked into the prison on their own feet to avoid the indiscriminate massacre of the vigilantes, sang the Japanese translated version of 'International Song' to the Japanese police and police officers who pointed out 'Park Yeol' as the instigator. It shows the firm will of young people to resist unjust power and leaves a strong impression. If 'international song' reveals the thought of immortal death, dancer Choi Seung-hee's 'Italian Garden', a song that appears in the movie's OST, contains an important theme that runs through the movie. 'Italian Garden', a song recorded by Colombia Records in Japan in 1936 by Choi Seung-hee, who was famous as an artist who dominated the times enough to be praised by Picasso and Hemingway, reflects the hedonistic urban sentiment of the time, and is very popular with the public. A song that was loved. Director Lee Joon-ik paid attention to the irony created by harmonizing the emotions of the movie "Park Yeol" and the background of the song "Italian Garden". During the Japanese colonial period, 'Park Yeol' and 'Choi Seung-hee', who lived their lives passionately in the mainland of Japan, transcending national limits and ideologies, found commonalities. Director Lee Jun-ik said, "It would seem very ironic to include Choi Seung-hee's music. However, if you look at the people and events that are intricately intertwined in the confines of history, the original history is ironic.”

1923, Facing the Times_ The Japanese colonial period revived on the screen
In order to capture the life of the struggle between 'Park Fever' and 'Fumiko', which burned like a flame, it was as important as perfectly reproducing the historical background such as the Great Kanto Earthquake and the Kanto Massacre, the reality of Japanese imperialism that the two fiercely resisted. It was to draw the face vividly. According to actual historical records, the Japanese cabinet was replaced a total of three times from 1923 to 1926 due to the turbulent times. Director Lee Jun-ik thought that the change of the Japanese cabinet was a very important event in Park Yeol's life, but casting a Japanese actor in a movie that uncovers and interrogates the history that Japan wants to hide has never been easy. The historical background could be reproduced by finding photographic materials such as buildings, costumes, and props at the time, but in order to realistically show the aspect of the Japanese cabinet, the casting of Japanese actors was absolutely necessary.
Actor Kim In-woo, who performed impressively in the role of a Japanese high police officer interrogating Yun Dong-ju in <Dong-ju>, joined the role of 'Mizuno', the Minister of Home Affairs who led the Kanto Massacre. It was a desperate situation for various actors who could do it naturally. The production team, who inquired about actors who could play Japanese roles in various ways, found a Korean-Japanese theater troupe called 'Shinjuku Yangsan Park'. CEO Kim Su-jin, who leads the 'Shinjuku Yangsan Park', a theater troupe composed of Koreans and Japanese, willingly accepted the role of the Japanese cabinet chief along with the actors of the troupe. unfolded As a result, <Park Yeol> was able to more clearly reconstruct the reality of the Japanese government leaders during the Japanese colonial period in a way that is rare in Korean films.

[ SPECIAL STORY ]

1. The birth and transition of anarchism
'Anarchism', derived from the root of the ancient Greek word 'an archos', which means power or absence of government or government, refers to ideas and movements that deny all institutionalized political organizations, powers, and social authority. It is a social philosophy and political ideology that puts individual freedom as the highest value and denies any oppressive power against it.

It began to be established by W. Godwin of England, a leader of modern anarchism who was active before and after the French Revolution in 1789, and PJ Proudhon of France, who criticized nationalism and formed an ideology, led to anarchism. Afterwards, anarchism, which changed the character of the Russian MA Bakunin (Михаил Александрович Бакунин) by combining a new element of the nation, influenced the revolutionary movement in Europe in the 19th century and spread to industrialized areas such as southern Europe and North America. And anarchism, further systematized by the theory of Pyotr Alekseevich Kropotkin, had a great influence on the revolutionary movements in East Asia such as Korea, China, and Japan.

Although modern anarchism is politically dispersed, it is still attracting new attention as an attractive idea in the bureaucratic and organized modern industrial society, and as a result, it is developing in connection with ecology and NGO activities.

2. Anarchism and the Anti-Japanese Struggle Movement during Japanese Occupation
The anarchism movement, along with the nationalist struggle, began to draw attention among Korean students during the Japanese colonial period and the March 1st Movement, when Western ideas were scattered like a field of ideology. The youth of Joseon, who were angry at the injustice and violence of Japanese imperialism, started the anti-Japanese movement in earnest based on anarchism based on the universal values of mankind, equality of the people and the injustice of power and violence, without being bound by nationalism. In Tokyo, the heart of Japanese imperialism, the young Koreans who criticized the immoral and violent power of the emperor and the imperialist cabinet head-on, started the anti-Japanese struggle movement with more direct action, and these were the Joseon anarchists.

3. Joseon Anarchists
Korean anarchism under Japanese colonial rule developed more actively in Japan and China due to the special environment of the colonial era. Park Yeol, Shin Chae-ho, Kim Won-bong, Yu-rim, Lee Hoe-young, Baek Jeong-gi, and Yu Ja-myung, who were engaged in anti-Japanese movements in Japan and China at that time, are representative Joseon anarchists. They were also humanists who believed in freedom as independent subjects who rejected oppression and coercion, the attributes of power, and made equality their ideology. In addition, based on the ideas and ideology of anarchism, he was actively engaged in literary activities such as the creation of poetry and novels, as well as art that leads to music and painting, expressing the young people's spirit of resistance and their passionate desire for independence.