Han Suk-kyu
Encyclopedia
Han Suk-kyu (born November 3, 1964 in Seoul
) is a South Korea
n actor.
and hopes to join Ghibli voice cast one day as a Korean-speaking character. While a student at the Film and Theater department of Dongguk University
, he sang in an amateur folk rock band. He took a brief, year-long contract as voice actor at KBS, before moving on to TV and film acting.
After a debut in the 1990 MBC
campus drama Our Paradise, Han rose to stardom as "Hong-shik" in The Moon of Seoul (1994), a charming gigolo from the slums determined to attain wealth at all cost in the big city. "Choon-Seop", an old friend from hometown played by Choi Min-sik
, struggles hopelessly to stop "Hong-shik" from his self-ruin. The partnership of Han and Choi as uneasy allies or foes, parlayed into two flagship films of the 1990s: No. 3
and Shiri
. Both the series and "Hong-shik" character have since become beloved icons, as part of the Korean television's golden era before the advent of Korean wave
. The cast also features veterans who are now luminaries in Korean cinema: Na Moon-hee of The Quiet Family
, Kim Hae-sook of Park Chan-wook
's Thirst
, and Baek Yoon-sik
of Save the Green Planet!
.
Before the end of the 20th century, Han headlined films that were critically acclaimed (Green Fish
, No. 3
) and commercially successful (The Contact
, Christmas in August
, Shiri
-- the latter two making particular impact in Japan).
Han's experience in the early stages of Korean cinema renaissance in the 1990s, cemented his belief in a script-driven model for movie-making. Thus the founding of "Makdong Script Festival" (named after his role in Green Fish
), with co-sponsor film magazine Cine 21. Winners may claim two cash prizes funded by Han, with the potential to launch directing careers based from their own scripts. The annual contest is now extant over 10 years, with two titles produced so far: the comedy 2424 (2002) and Private Eye
(2009) starring Hwang Jung-min.
, Joint Security Area
, Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance
(as the father), and Fulltime Killer (as Andy Lau
's friend/foe.)
The break coincided with a surge in new talent, sophistication of technology, organization, and scale of production within the Korean film industry. Combined with other factors (such as his aloof and shy attitude towards the media, his over-exposure as a sensitive, bookish bourgeois typified by Maxim coffee commercials, and enduring actor's image as a cold intellectual incongruous with the rising vogue of populism
defined by explosive passions of red-blooded machismo
and sentimentalism, in a market of changing audience preference for a less measured, more corporeal
acting style) have attempted to explain the lukewarm reception to his comeback.
Double Agent had netted one million admission, seen as a failure for a star labeled by the media as "box office guarantee". This was followed by a sizable backlash from netizen
s and the press, who rushed to bury the co-self-produced spy thriller as the public disgrace of a former golden boy.
His press and image took further beating in the next two, even more polarizing films: the unforeseen tragedy surrounding The Scarlet Letter
, and the incendiary political content of The President's Last Bang
. Nonetheless, these controversial works screened at Cannes
, and were featured in a tribute to the actor at the Austrian FilmAsia festival.
In spite of this rocky return to feature films, Han remains well regarded by such major directors as Park Chan-wook
, Lee Jun-ik
, Kang Woo-suk
and Jang Jin
. Compared to his peak popularity in the 90s, his work may seem an acquired taste
for general audiences, although some cult following ensued for his ultra-sadistic turn in A Bloody Aria
.
He also remains well respected among major peers for his distinctive style (a cerebral and intricate minimalism driven by semantics
and implosive restraint): Kim Hye-su
, Song Kang-ho
, Oh Dal-su
(especially for their collaboration in Forbidden Quest
and A Bloody Aria), Sol Kyung-gu
, and Choi Min-sik
.
Overall, his post-90s career is marked by less high-profile, "event" projects than personal interests, such as appearing in the quickie B-movie
"Mr. Housewife" as keepsake for his children. As in the late 90s, Han continues to favor novice directors over safer projects under seasoned directors, in hopes of bringing new talents into the industry. This, combined with aversion of the press (now playing a more critical and complex role to the entertainment circle), has earned him the image by turns of a taciturn loner, and a generous if loquacious intellectual.
He remained self-managed until as late as 2006, before joining KM Culture agency due to increased regimentation of the industry.
, Han has been a long-time mentor to Gam Wu-seong
, including coaching the latter's enunciation
for his film debut in Marriage is a Crazy Thing
. Actors of the younger generation also continue to cite him as an influence; among them: Hwang Jung-min, Ryu Seung-beom
, Kim Myung-min
, Kim Joo-hyuk
of Blue Swallow, Kim Ji-soo
of This Charming Girl
, Tsuyoshi Kusanagi
(who famously began a second career in Korea after seeing Han in Shiri
), Rain, Lee Seong-jae
of Barking Dogs Never Bite
, TV heartthrob Lee Jin-wook, and the current darling of independent films, Im Ji-gyu.
For his part, Han has cited influences by legendary Korean actor Kim Seung-ho, Al Pacino
, Ken Takakura
, The Godfather
trilogy, and Hayao Miyazaki
.
After the adaptation of Keigo Higashino
novel of White Night starring Son Ye Jin, Han has a long-awaited reunion with Choi Min-sik
slated to begin production in Autumn 2009.
Seoul
Seoul , officially the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea. A megacity with a population of over 10 million, it is the largest city proper in the OECD developed world...
) is a South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
n actor.
Biography
Han is known as a family man, avid golfer, fisherman and voracious reader. He collects animation by Studio GhibliStudio Ghibli
is a Japanese animation and film studio founded in June 1985. The company's logo features the character Totoro from Hayao Miyazaki's film My Neighbor Totoro...
and hopes to join Ghibli voice cast one day as a Korean-speaking character. While a student at the Film and Theater department of Dongguk University
Dongguk University
Dongguk University is a private, coeducational university in South Korea. It operates campuses in Seoul, in Gyeongju City, North Gyeongsang province and in Los Angeles, United States...
, he sang in an amateur folk rock band. He took a brief, year-long contract as voice actor at KBS, before moving on to TV and film acting.
After a debut in the 1990 MBC
Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation
Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation (MBC (Hangul : 문화방송주식회사, Munhwa Bangsong Jushikoesa) is one of four major national South Korean television and radio networks. Munhwa is the Korean word for "culture". Its flagship terrestrial television...
campus drama Our Paradise, Han rose to stardom as "Hong-shik" in The Moon of Seoul (1994), a charming gigolo from the slums determined to attain wealth at all cost in the big city. "Choon-Seop", an old friend from hometown played by Choi Min-sik
Choi Min-sik
Choi Min-sik is a South Korean actor. He is best known for his critically acclaimed roles in Oldboy and I Saw the Devil.-Movie career:...
, struggles hopelessly to stop "Hong-shik" from his self-ruin. The partnership of Han and Choi as uneasy allies or foes, parlayed into two flagship films of the 1990s: No. 3
No. 3
No. 3 is a South Korean gangster comedy film starring Han Suk-kyu as the titular no. 3 man of a gangster organization who's aspiring to rise up the ranks and become the leader of his own gang. It was writer-director Song Nung-han's debut film....
and Shiri
Shiri (film)
Shiri is a 1999 South Korean action film, written and directed by Kang Je-gyu.Swiri was the first Hollywood-style big-budget blockbuster to be produced in the "new" Korean film industry...
. Both the series and "Hong-shik" character have since become beloved icons, as part of the Korean television's golden era before the advent of Korean wave
Korean wave
The Korean Wave, also known as the Hallyu , refers to spread of South Korean culture around the world. The term was coined in China in mid-1999 by Beijing journalists surprised by the fast growing popularity of Korean entertainment and culture in China...
. The cast also features veterans who are now luminaries in Korean cinema: Na Moon-hee of The Quiet Family
The Quiet Family
The Quiet Family is a 1998 South Korean comedy horror film. It was director Kim Ji-woon's feature film debut. The story centers around a family who owns a hunting lodge in a remote area, whose customers always happen to end up dying...
, Kim Hae-sook of Park Chan-wook
Park Chan-wook
Park Chan-wook is a South Korean film director, screenwriter, producer, and former film critic. One of the most acclaimed and popular filmmakers in his native country, Park is most known for his films Joint Security Area, Thirst and what has become known as The Vengeance Trilogy, consisting of...
's Thirst
Thirst (2009 film)
Thirst is a 2009 horror/drama film, written, produced and directed by Park Chan-wook. It is loosely based on the novel Thérèse Raquin by Émile Zola. The film tells the story of a priest—who is in love with his friend’s wife—turning into a vampire through a failed medical experiment. Park has...
, and Baek Yoon-sik
Baek Yoon-sik
Baek Yoon-sik is a South Korean actor known for his characteristic acting with his near expressionless facial expression. Baek's son, Baek Do-bin is also an actor. Baek Yoon-sik was born in Seoul in 1947...
of Save the Green Planet!
Save the Green Planet!
Save the Green Planet! is a South Korean film, written and directed by Jang Jun-hwan, released on 4 April 2003 . The movie mixes elements of multiple genres, including comedy, science fiction, horror and thriller...
.
Before the end of the 20th century, Han headlined films that were critically acclaimed (Green Fish
Green Fish
Green Fish is a South Korean film. It was the first feature-length film directed by Lee Chang-dong, who also wrote the screenplay. Lee had previously been known as a novelist and high school teacher. The film stars Han Suk-kyu in one of his first major film roles...
, No. 3
No. 3
No. 3 is a South Korean gangster comedy film starring Han Suk-kyu as the titular no. 3 man of a gangster organization who's aspiring to rise up the ranks and become the leader of his own gang. It was writer-director Song Nung-han's debut film....
) and commercially successful (The Contact
The Contact
The Contact is a 1997 South Korean romantic film directed by Chang Yoon-Hyun. Starring Han Suk-gyu and Jeon Do-yeon, it was the second biggest-grossing Korean film of 1997, and was awarded the Grand Bell Award for best picture....
, Christmas in August
Christmas in August
Christmas in August is a 1998 South Korean romance/drama film. It was director Hur Jin-ho's debut and stars Han Suk-kyu and Shim Eun-ha....
, Shiri
Shiri (film)
Shiri is a 1999 South Korean action film, written and directed by Kang Je-gyu.Swiri was the first Hollywood-style big-budget blockbuster to be produced in the "new" Korean film industry...
-- the latter two making particular impact in Japan).
Han's experience in the early stages of Korean cinema renaissance in the 1990s, cemented his belief in a script-driven model for movie-making. Thus the founding of "Makdong Script Festival" (named after his role in Green Fish
Green Fish
Green Fish is a South Korean film. It was the first feature-length film directed by Lee Chang-dong, who also wrote the screenplay. Lee had previously been known as a novelist and high school teacher. The film stars Han Suk-kyu in one of his first major film roles...
), with co-sponsor film magazine Cine 21. Winners may claim two cash prizes funded by Han, with the potential to launch directing careers based from their own scripts. The annual contest is now extant over 10 years, with two titles produced so far: the comedy 2424 (2002) and Private Eye
Private Eye (film)
Private Eye is a 2009 South Korean film directed by Park Dae-min and its original title in Korean, Geurimja sarin literally means "Shadow Murder". Alternative titles Mr. Vertigo and Shadow Murder.- Plot :...
(2009) starring Hwang Jung-min.
Return
Han went into an extended hiatus in 1999, declining several lucrative opportunities with name directors. Among them: Peppermint CandyPeppermint Candy
Peppermint Candy is a 1999 film, the second film from South Korean director Lee Chang-dong. The movie starts with the suicide of the protagonist and uses reverse chronology to depict some of the key events of the past 20 years of his life that led to his death.The film was received well, especially...
, Joint Security Area
Joint Security Area (film)
Joint Security Area is a 2000 South Korean film starring Lee Young Ae, Lee Byung-hun and Song Kang-ho. It was directed by Park Chan-wook and is based on the novel DMZ by Park Sang-yeon...
, Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance
Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance
Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance is a 2002 South Korean film directed by Park Chan-wook which follows the character Ryu trying to earn enough money for his sister's kidney transplant and the path of vengeance that follows. It is the first part of The Vengeance Trilogy and is followed by Oldboy and...
(as the father), and Fulltime Killer (as Andy Lau
Andy Lau
Andy Lau MH, JP is a Hong Kong Cantopop singer, actor, and film producer. Lau has been one of Hong Kong's most commercially successful film actors since the mid-1980s, performing in more than 160 films while maintaining a successful singing career at the same time...
's friend/foe.)
The break coincided with a surge in new talent, sophistication of technology, organization, and scale of production within the Korean film industry. Combined with other factors (such as his aloof and shy attitude towards the media, his over-exposure as a sensitive, bookish bourgeois typified by Maxim coffee commercials, and enduring actor's image as a cold intellectual incongruous with the rising vogue of populism
Populism
Populism can be defined as an ideology, political philosophy, or type of discourse. Generally, a common theme compares "the people" against "the elite", and urges social and political system changes. It can also be defined as a rhetorical style employed by members of various political or social...
defined by explosive passions of red-blooded machismo
Machismo
Machismo, or machoism, is a word of Spanish and Portuguese origin that describes prominently exhibited or excessive masculinity. As an attitude, machismo ranges from a personal sense of virility to a more extreme male chauvinism...
and sentimentalism, in a market of changing audience preference for a less measured, more corporeal
Corporeal
Corporeal may refer to:*Corporeal undead, See also: :Category:Corporeal undead*Matter *Body, of or relating to the body*Corporeal...
acting style) have attempted to explain the lukewarm reception to his comeback.
Double Agent had netted one million admission, seen as a failure for a star labeled by the media as "box office guarantee". This was followed by a sizable backlash from netizen
Netizen
The term Netizen is a portmanteau of the English words internet and citizen. It is defined as an entity or person actively involved in online communities and a user of the internet, especially an avid one. The term can also imply an interest in improving the internet, especially in regard to open...
s and the press, who rushed to bury the co-self-produced spy thriller as the public disgrace of a former golden boy.
His press and image took further beating in the next two, even more polarizing films: the unforeseen tragedy surrounding The Scarlet Letter
The Scarlet Letter (2004 film)
The Scarlet Letter is a 2004 South Korean film about a police detective who investigates a murder case while struggling to hang onto his relationships with his wife and mistress. The film debuted as the closing film of the Pusan International Film Festival in 2004...
, and the incendiary political content of The President's Last Bang
The President's Last Bang
The President's Last Bang The original title refers to a famous Korean song of a similar title – "That Man of those Days". According to official sources, this song was performed by Sim Soo-bong during the party the night of Park's assassination. In the movie, however, Sim Soo-bong is summoned to...
. Nonetheless, these controversial works screened at Cannes
Cannes Film Festival
The Cannes International Film Festival , is an annual film festival held in Cannes, France, which previews new films of all genres including documentaries from around the world. Founded in 1946, it is among the world's most prestigious and publicized film festivals...
, and were featured in a tribute to the actor at the Austrian FilmAsia festival.
In spite of this rocky return to feature films, Han remains well regarded by such major directors as Park Chan-wook
Park Chan-wook
Park Chan-wook is a South Korean film director, screenwriter, producer, and former film critic. One of the most acclaimed and popular filmmakers in his native country, Park is most known for his films Joint Security Area, Thirst and what has become known as The Vengeance Trilogy, consisting of...
, Lee Jun-ik
Lee Jun-ik
Lee Jun-ik is a South Korean movie director, producer and actor specialising in commercial historic movies and responsible for The King and the Clown; the highest grossing Korean film of 2005.-Director:...
, Kang Woo-suk
Kang Woo-suk
Kang Woo-suk is a South Korean film producer and director. He has often been called the most powerful man in Korean cinema, topping Cine21 magazine's list of '50 Most Powerful Men in Korean Cinema' for seven consecutive years from 1998 to 2004.Kang started as a director of successful comedy films...
and Jang Jin
Jang Jin
Jang Jin was born on 28 November 1971 in Seoul, South Korea. He is a leading theatre director, playwright, movie director, screenwriter, and producer in South Korea.-Profile:...
. Compared to his peak popularity in the 90s, his work may seem an acquired taste
Acquired taste
An acquired taste often refers to an appreciation for a food or beverage that is unlikely to be enjoyed by a person who has not had substantial exposure to it, usually because of some unfamiliar aspect of the food or beverage, including a strong or strange odor An acquired taste often refers to an...
for general audiences, although some cult following ensued for his ultra-sadistic turn in A Bloody Aria
A Bloody Aria
A Bloody Aria is a 2006 South Korean film, written and directed by Won Shin-yeon. The Los Angeles Times described the movie as a "thriller about a fated convergence of people from different strata of Korean society who queasily slide between roles of tormentor and victim."- Plot :On a day trip...
.
He also remains well respected among major peers for his distinctive style (a cerebral and intricate minimalism driven by semantics
Semantics
Semantics is the study of meaning. It focuses on the relation between signifiers, such as words, phrases, signs and symbols, and what they stand for, their denotata....
and implosive restraint): Kim Hye-su
Kim Hye-su
-Career:Kim Hye-su debuted in the 1986 film Ggambo when she was a first year high school student. Over two decades she amassed a sizeable filmography of leading and supporting roles, notably in the TV dramas Did We Really Love? with Bae Yong Joon and Revenge and Passion with Ahn Jae Wook, as well...
, Song Kang-ho
Song Kang-ho
Song Kang-ho is a leading South Korean film actor.- Career:Song Kang-ho never professionally trained as an actor, beginning his career in social theater groups after graduating from Kimhae High School...
, Oh Dal-su
Oh Dal-su
Oh Dal-su is a South Korean actor. He has played many crime-related roles, such as Mr.Park the owner of the organized crime funded private jail in Oldboy and a former gang boss in Mapado . He plays a semi-comic part as a weapons smuggler in A Bittersweet Life...
(especially for their collaboration in Forbidden Quest
Forbidden Quest
Forbidden Quest is a 2006 South Korean drama. The story recounts part of the life of a scholar, during the Joseon Dynasty, who begins to write erotic novels, and becomes the lover of the King's favorite concubine...
and A Bloody Aria), Sol Kyung-gu
Sol Kyung-gu
Sol Kyung-gu is a Grand Bell Award, Golden Space Needle Award, and Bratislava International Film Festival Best Actor winning South Korean actor. He studied film and theater at Hanyang University and upon graduation took part in mostly theatrical productions...
, and Choi Min-sik
Choi Min-sik
Choi Min-sik is a South Korean actor. He is best known for his critically acclaimed roles in Oldboy and I Saw the Devil.-Movie career:...
.
Overall, his post-90s career is marked by less high-profile, "event" projects than personal interests, such as appearing in the quickie B-movie
B-movie
A B movie is a low-budget commercial motion picture that is not definitively an arthouse or pornographic film. In its original usage, during the Golden Age of Hollywood, the term more precisely identified a film intended for distribution as the less-publicized, bottom half of a double feature....
"Mr. Housewife" as keepsake for his children. As in the late 90s, Han continues to favor novice directors over safer projects under seasoned directors, in hopes of bringing new talents into the industry. This, combined with aversion of the press (now playing a more critical and complex role to the entertainment circle), has earned him the image by turns of a taciturn loner, and a generous if loquacious intellectual.
He remained self-managed until as late as 2006, before joining KM Culture agency due to increased regimentation of the industry.
Influences
Known for his distinctive voice and dictionDiction
Diction , in its original, primary meaning, refers to the writer's or the speaker's distinctive vocabulary choices and style of expression in a poem or story...
, Han has been a long-time mentor to Gam Wu-seong
Gam Wu-seong
Kam Wu-seong is a South Korean film actor. He achieved critical acclaim for his portrayal in The King and the Clown of a court acrobat serving a despotic king.He had a major in Oriental painting of Seoul National University....
, including coaching the latter's enunciation
Enunciation
In phonetics, enunciation is the act of speaking. Good enunciation is the act of speaking clearly and concisely. The opposite of good enunciation is mumbling or slurring. See also pronunciation which is a component of enunciation. Pronunciation is to pronounce sounds of words correctly....
for his film debut in Marriage is a Crazy Thing
Marriage Is a Crazy Thing
Marriage is a Crazy Thing, released 26 April 2002, is the second film by South Korean poet-turned-director Yoo Ha.- Story :Joon-yeong is a Korean professor of English literature and confirmed bachelor. But when he meets Yeon-hee on a blind date, his days of bachelorhood seem numbered...
. Actors of the younger generation also continue to cite him as an influence; among them: Hwang Jung-min, Ryu Seung-beom
Ryu Seung-beom
Ryu Seung-beom is a South Korean actor. His brother Ryu Seung-wan is a film director and they have worked together on the films Die Bad, No Blood No Tears, Arahan, Crying Fist, Dachimawa Lee and The Unjust.-Film:*2012 Perfect Love*2012 The Berlin File*2012 Return of the Corpse*2011 Suicide...
, Kim Myung-min
Kim Myung-min
Kim Myung-min is a South Korean actor most widely known for playing the title role in the KBS historical TV drama The Immortal Lee Soon Shin . In 2005 he was named best actor at the KBS Acting Awards for this role. Since that time his reputation as an actor of wide range and professional...
, Kim Joo-hyuk
Kim Joo-hyuk
Kim Joo-hyuk is a South Korean actor.- Filmography :-Awards:*2008 Blue Dragon Awards - Best Couple Award with Son Ye-jin *2006 Baeksang Arts Awards - Best Actor for TV...
of Blue Swallow, Kim Ji-soo
Kim Ji-soo
Kim Ji-soo is a South Korean actress.- Career :A graduate of Kaywon Art High School, Kim made her acting debut in 1992. She worked as a television actress for over a decade before branching out into film, saying in an interview that, "I was getting older by the second, and I hated becoming...
of This Charming Girl
This Charming Girl
This Charming Girl is an award-winning South Korean drama written and directed Lee Yoon-ki.-Plot:The story of Jeong-Hye , a 29 year-old woman who has retreated into the safety of a completely solitary and seemingly mundane lifestyle as the result of some trauma from her past...
, Tsuyoshi Kusanagi
Tsuyoshi Kusanagi
is a Japanese entertainer. Kusanagi is a member of the popular Japanese idol group SMAP and has also appeared in a number of television dramas, variety shows and movies.-Background:Kusanagi grew up in Kasukabe, Saitama, Japan....
(who famously began a second career in Korea after seeing Han in Shiri
Shiri (film)
Shiri is a 1999 South Korean action film, written and directed by Kang Je-gyu.Swiri was the first Hollywood-style big-budget blockbuster to be produced in the "new" Korean film industry...
), Rain, Lee Seong-jae
Lee Seong-jae
Lee Seong-jae is a South Korean actor.- Biography :A theater and film graduate from Dongguk University, Lee Seong-jae rose to prominence in 1999 in Kim Sang-Jin's comedy film Attack the Gas Station. His portrayal of a dog-hating lecturer who desperately wants to become a professor in Bong...
of Barking Dogs Never Bite
Barking Dogs Never Bite
Barking Dogs Never Bite is a South Korean dark comedy film released in 2000. The films original Korean title is a satirical take on A Dog of Flanders, a European pet story that is very popular in parts of Asia...
, TV heartthrob Lee Jin-wook, and the current darling of independent films, Im Ji-gyu.
For his part, Han has cited influences by legendary Korean actor Kim Seung-ho, Al Pacino
Al Pacino
Alfredo James "Al" Pacino is an American film and stage actor and director. He is famous for playing mobsters, including Michael Corleone in The Godfather trilogy, Tony Montana in Scarface, Alphonse "Big Boy" Caprice in Dick Tracy and Carlito Brigante in Carlito's Way, though he has also appeared...
, Ken Takakura
Ken Takakura
, born , is a Japanese actor best known for his brooding style and the stoic presence he brings to his roles.Takakura gained his streetwise swagger and tough-guy persona watching yakuza turf battles over the lucrative black market and racketeering in postwar Fukuoka...
, The Godfather
The Godfather
The Godfather is a 1972 American epic crime film directed by Francis Ford Coppola, based on the 1969 novel by Mario Puzo. With a screenplay by Puzo, Coppola and an uncredited Robert Towne, the film stars Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, James Caan, Robert Duvall, Sterling Hayden, John Marley, Richard...
trilogy, and Hayao Miyazaki
Hayao Miyazaki
is a Japanese manga artist and prominent film director and animator of many popular anime feature films. Through a career that has spanned nearly fifty years, Miyazaki has attained international acclaim as a maker of animated feature films and, along with Isao Takahata, co-founded Studio Ghibli,...
.
After the adaptation of Keigo Higashino
Keigo Higashino
is a Japanese author chiefly known for his mystery novels.-Biography:Born in Osaka, he started writing novels while still working as an engineer at Nippon Denso Co. . He won the Edogawa Rampo Award, which is awarded annually to the finest mystery work, in 1985 for the novel Hōkago at age 27...
novel of White Night starring Son Ye Jin, Han has a long-awaited reunion with Choi Min-sik
Choi Min-sik
Choi Min-sik is a South Korean actor. He is best known for his critically acclaimed roles in Oldboy and I Saw the Devil.-Movie career:...
slated to begin production in Autumn 2009.
Film
- Sea Anemone (cameo, 1995)
- Dr. Bong (1995)
- The Gingko Bed (1996)
- Green FishGreen FishGreen Fish is a South Korean film. It was the first feature-length film directed by Lee Chang-dong, who also wrote the screenplay. Lee had previously been known as a novelist and high school teacher. The film stars Han Suk-kyu in one of his first major film roles...
(1997) - No. 3No. 3No. 3 is a South Korean gangster comedy film starring Han Suk-kyu as the titular no. 3 man of a gangster organization who's aspiring to rise up the ranks and become the leader of his own gang. It was writer-director Song Nung-han's debut film....
(1997) - The ContactThe ContactThe Contact is a 1997 South Korean romantic film directed by Chang Yoon-Hyun. Starring Han Suk-gyu and Jeon Do-yeon, it was the second biggest-grossing Korean film of 1997, and was awarded the Grand Bell Award for best picture....
(1997) - Christmas in AugustChristmas in AugustChristmas in August is a 1998 South Korean romance/drama film. It was director Hur Jin-ho's debut and stars Han Suk-kyu and Shim Eun-ha....
(1998) - ShiriShiri (film)Shiri is a 1999 South Korean action film, written and directed by Kang Je-gyu.Swiri was the first Hollywood-style big-budget blockbuster to be produced in the "new" Korean film industry...
(1999) - Tell Me SomethingTell Me SomethingTell Me Something is a 1999 South Korean film, promoted as a "hard-core" thriller, about a serial killer. It was an early South Korean film to find success abroad as part of the Korean Wave, and was selected to appear in the 2001 New York Korean Film Festival.-Synopsis:Tell Me Something is a...
(1999) - Double AgentDouble Agent (2003 film)Double Agent is a 2003 South Korean espionage/thriller film directed by Kim Hyeon-jeong about a North Korean intelligence officer who defects to South Korea.-Synopsis:...
(2003) - Salt Doll (2003): a thriller aborted after 30% completion; co-starring Lee Eun-juLee Eun-juLee Eun-ju was a South Korean actress. She died by suicide at the age of 24.-Life and career:Born in Gunsan, Jeollabuk-do, South Korea, Lee moved to Seoul after graduating high school to study acting. She was first noticed in the mid-1990s as a model for school uniforms, and after a number of...
- The Scarlet LetterThe Scarlet Letter (2004 film)The Scarlet Letter is a 2004 South Korean film about a police detective who investigates a murder case while struggling to hang onto his relationships with his wife and mistress. The film debuted as the closing film of the Pusan International Film Festival in 2004...
(2004) - The President's Last BangThe President's Last BangThe President's Last Bang The original title refers to a famous Korean song of a similar title – "That Man of those Days". According to official sources, this song was performed by Sim Soo-bong during the party the night of Park's assassination. In the movie, however, Sim Soo-bong is summoned to...
(2005) - Mr. Housewife (Quiz King) (2005)
- Forbidden QuestForbidden QuestForbidden Quest is a 2006 South Korean drama. The story recounts part of the life of a scholar, during the Joseon Dynasty, who begins to write erotic novels, and becomes the lover of the King's favorite concubine...
(2006) - A Bloody AriaA Bloody AriaA Bloody Aria is a 2006 South Korean film, written and directed by Won Shin-yeon. The Los Angeles Times described the movie as a "thriller about a fated convergence of people from different strata of Korean society who queasily slide between roles of tormentor and victim."- Plot :On a day trip...
(2006) - SolaceSolace (film)Solace is a 2006 South Korean film, and the directorial debut of Byeon Seung-wook. It stars Han Suk-kyu as a pharmacist who cares for his mentally disabled brother, and the relationship he builds with a debt-saddled woman who sells fake designer clothes...
(2006) - Eye for an EyeEye for an Eye (2008 film)Eye for an Eye is a 2008 South Korean film.- Plot :Veteran police detective Baek Seong-chan is on the verge of retiring to set up his own business. But he is forced to put his plans on hold when ₩1.8 billion is stolen from a bank truck, and then 600 kg of gold from an airport, with the thief...
(2008) - White Night (2009)
- Villain & Widow (Villain on the Second Floor) (2010)
Drama
- Han Ji-Bong's Three Families (한지붕 세 가족, MBC 1986-1994)
- Our Paradise (우리들의 천국, MBC 1990)
- Eyes of Dawn (여명의 눈동자 or 黎明의 눈동자, MBC 1991-2)
- Sons and Daughters (아들과 딸, MBC 1992-3)
- Pilot (파일럿, MBC 1993)
- The Moon of Seoul (서울의 달, MBC 1/8-10/16/1994)
- Three Families Under a Roof (한지붕 세가족, MBC 1994)
- The Only Room for Them (그들만의 방, MBC "Best Theater" 1994)
- Challenge (도전, MBC 1994)
- Kareisky (까레이스키, MBC 1994)
- Love and War (전쟁과 사랑, MBC 1995)
- Hotel (호텔, MBC, 1995)
- Tree With Deep RootsDeep Rooted TreeTree With Deep Roots is a 24-episode television series currently airing on SBS. It is based on the novel by Lee Jeong-myeong . The drama stars Jang Hyuk, Shin Se-kyung and Han Suk-kyu...
(뿌리깊은 나무, SBS, 2011)
External links
- Profile in French: http://www.dvdrama.com/news.php?12859