Im Sang-soo
Encyclopedia
Im Sang-soo is an award-winning South Korea
n film director
and screenwriter
.
. He studied sociology
at Seoul's Yonsei University
before making a move to The Korean Academy of Film Arts in 1989. He began working in film that same year, landing his first job as Park Jeong-won's assistant director on Kuro Arrirang (was coincidentally also the first film of Choi Min-sik
, who also acted in Shiri
and Oldboy
).
Following graduation from the Academy of Film Arts, Im worked as an assistant director
under Kim Young-bin
on Kim's War (1994). In 1995 Im wrote the screenplay for The Eternal Empire
, and also the screenplay A Noteworthy Film, which won him the Creation Prix at the Korean Motion Picture Promotion Scenario Competition.
In 1998 Im landed his first directorial gig. Girls' Night Out
, a drama about three women in Korea, caused a controversy upon release due to the frank and sexually driven dialogue and has received mixed, almost polarized, reviews.
Tears
, a hard drama about the lives of 4 runaway teenagers in Seoul, came next. Im spent five months in the Garibong-dong
district of Seoul amongst homeless runaway teens before writing the script for the film. This film was shot in 2000 on miniDV to save the budget. To achieve greater realism, Im opted to use non-actors.
2003's A Good Lawyer's Wife
was Im's first film to reach #1 at the South Korean box office, thanks in large part to the suggestive poster and trailer campaign and star Moon So-ri
(who was cast after Kim Hye-soo dropped out to pursue a TV career). This film was also screened in the main competition program at the 2003 Venice International Film Festival.
Next in Im's string of controversial films was 2005's The President's Last Bang
, about the night President Park Chung-hee
was assassinated by his CIA Director. The controversy started before it was released to the public (a press screening had already been held), with President Park's family suing MK Pictures over the films content. A Korean court ordered the removal of 3 minutes and 50 seconds worth of documentary footage from the film as it was thought the documentary footage might confuse the public into thinking the film was based on hard facts, which Im admits is not the case.
The Old Garden
, Im's fifth film, was released theatrically in Fall of 2006. It debuted at the 2006 San Sebastian Film Festival. His latest film, The Housemaid
, competed for the Palme d'Or
at the 2010 Cannes Film Festival
.
, centered on the assassination of Korean President Park Chung Hee, has been the most controversial due to its negative portrayal of the President Park Chung-hee. In 2005 a South Korean court ordered the removal of 3 minutes and 50 seconds of the film before it could be shown to the public. The offending scenes were made up of documentary footage, part of which showed President Park's funeral.
In August 2006 this ruling was overturned, with the court issuing the following statement: "We must broadly confirm the right of free expression concerning the depiction of public historical figures." The court has also ordered MK Pictures, the production company that financed the film, to pay President Park's family 100 million won (roughly $105,000 USD).
The film has been released in South Korea and America
on DVD in 2005. Both discs contain a plain black screen where the footage was removed. There has been no release date set for a DVD containing the cut footage. However, the British and French releases contain the fully uncut version.
Tears
(눈물)
A Good Lawyer's Wife
(바람난 가족)
The President's Last Bang
(그때 그사람들)
The Old Garden
(오래된 정원)
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 film director
Film director
A film director is a person who directs the actors and film crew in filmmaking. They control a film's artistic and dramatic nathan roach, while guiding the technical crew and actors.-Responsibilities:...
and screenwriter
Screenwriter
Screenwriters or scriptwriters or scenario writers are people who write/create the short or feature-length screenplays from which mass media such as films, television programs, Comics or video games are based.-Profession:...
.
Early life and film career
Im was born in SeoulSeoul
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...
. He studied sociology
Sociology
Sociology is the study of society. It is a social science—a term with which it is sometimes synonymous—which uses various methods of empirical investigation and critical analysis to develop a body of knowledge about human social activity...
at Seoul's Yonsei University
Yonsei University
Yonsei University is a Christian private research university, located in Seoul, South Korea. Established in 1885, it is one of the oldest universities in South Korea, the top private comprehensive universities in South Korea, and is widely regarded as one of the top three comprehensive...
before making a move to The Korean Academy of Film Arts in 1989. He began working in film that same year, landing his first job as Park Jeong-won's assistant director on Kuro Arrirang (was coincidentally also the first film of 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:...
, who also acted 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...
and Oldboy
Oldboy
Oldboy is a 2003 South Korean film directed by Park Chan-wook. It is based on the Japanese manga of the same name written by Nobuaki Minegishi and Garon Tsuchiya. Oldboy is the second installment of The Vengeance Trilogy, preceded by Sympathy for Mr...
).
Following graduation from the Academy of Film Arts, Im worked as an assistant director
Assistant director
The role of an Assistant director include tracking daily progress against the filming production schedule, arranging logistics, preparing daily call sheets, checking cast and crew, maintaining order on the set. They also have to take care of health and safety of the crew...
under Kim Young-bin
Kim Young-Bin
Kim Young-Bin is a South Korean footballer who plays as defender for Daejeon Citizen.-References:...
on Kim's War (1994). In 1995 Im wrote the screenplay for The Eternal Empire
The Eternal Empire (film)
The Eternal Empire is a 1994 South Korean film directed by Park Jong-won. It was chosen as Best Film at the Grand Bell Awards.-Synopsis:...
, and also the screenplay A Noteworthy Film, which won him the Creation Prix at the Korean Motion Picture Promotion Scenario Competition.
In 1998 Im landed his first directorial gig. Girls' Night Out
Girls' Night Out (film)
Girls' Night Out is a South Korean film, released in 1998 and directed by Im Sang-soo. It centers around three women, whose overt sexual dialogue caused a stir when the film was released....
, a drama about three women in Korea, caused a controversy upon release due to the frank and sexually driven dialogue and has received mixed, almost polarized, reviews.
Tears
Tears (film)
Tears is a 2000 South Korean film directed by Im Sang-soo. It tells the story of 4 runaway teens in the Garibong-dong district of Seoul and their struggles to survive the tough streets....
, a hard drama about the lives of 4 runaway teenagers in Seoul, came next. Im spent five months in the Garibong-dong
Garibong-dong
Garibong-dong is a dong, neighbourhood of Guro-gu in Seoul, South Korea.-External links:* at the Guro-gu official website at the Guro-gu official website...
district of Seoul amongst homeless runaway teens before writing the script for the film. This film was shot in 2000 on miniDV to save the budget. To achieve greater realism, Im opted to use non-actors.
2003's A Good Lawyer's Wife
A Good Lawyer's Wife
A Good Lawyer's Wife is a 2003 South Korean film written and directed by Im Sang-soo. The film is about the various affairs of members of a dysfunctional South Korean family.-Plot:...
was Im's first film to reach #1 at the South Korean box office, thanks in large part to the suggestive poster and trailer campaign and star Moon So-ri
Moon So-ri
- Career :Moon So-ri appeared in plays and short films such as Black Cut and To the Spring Mountain before finding fame as a leading actress. Her first film role was in Lee Chang-dong's acclaimed Peppermint Candy, however her acting skills were not really showcased until she appeared in her second...
(who was cast after Kim Hye-soo dropped out to pursue a TV career). This film was also screened in the main competition program at the 2003 Venice International Film Festival.
Next in Im's string of controversial films was 2005's 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...
, about the night President Park Chung-hee
Park Chung-hee
Park Chung-hee was a Republic of Korea Army general and the leader of South Korea from 1961 to 1979. He seized power in a military coup and ruled until his assassination in 1979. He has been credited with the industrialization of the Republic of Korea through export-led growth...
was assassinated by his CIA Director. The controversy started before it was released to the public (a press screening had already been held), with President Park's family suing MK Pictures over the films content. A Korean court ordered the removal of 3 minutes and 50 seconds worth of documentary footage from the film as it was thought the documentary footage might confuse the public into thinking the film was based on hard facts, which Im admits is not the case.
The Old Garden
The Old Garden
The Old Garden is a 2006 South Korean film, based on the novel by the same name, by the author Hwang Sok-yong. It is directed by Im Sang-soo and stars Yeom Jeong-ah, Ji Jin-Hee and Yoon Yeo-jeong. It is adapted from a best-selling novel by Hwang Suk-young...
, Im's fifth film, was released theatrically in Fall of 2006. It debuted at the 2006 San Sebastian Film Festival. His latest film, The Housemaid
The Housemaid (2010 film)
The Housemaid is a 2010 South Korean melodramatic thriller film directed by Im Sang-soo. The story focuses on Eun-yi, played by Jeon Do-yeon, who becomes involved in a destructive love triangle while working as a housemaid for an upper-class family. Other cast members include Lee Jung-jae, Seo...
, competed for the Palme d'Or
Palme d'Or
The Palme d'Or is the highest prize awarded at the Cannes Film Festival and is presented to the director of the best feature film of the official competition. It was introduced in 1955 by the organising committee. From 1939 to 1954, the highest prize was the Grand Prix du Festival International du...
at the 2010 Cannes Film Festival
2010 Cannes Film Festival
The 63rd annual Cannes Film Festival was held from May 12 to May 23, 2010, in Cannes, France. The Cannes Film Festival, hailed as being one of the most recognized and prestigious film festivals worldwide, was founded in 1946. It consists of having films screened in and out of competition during the...
.
Controversy
All of Im's films have been controversial, but his film The President's Last BangThe 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...
, centered on the assassination of Korean President Park Chung Hee, has been the most controversial due to its negative portrayal of the President Park Chung-hee. In 2005 a South Korean court ordered the removal of 3 minutes and 50 seconds of the film before it could be shown to the public. The offending scenes were made up of documentary footage, part of which showed President Park's funeral.
In August 2006 this ruling was overturned, with the court issuing the following statement: "We must broadly confirm the right of free expression concerning the depiction of public historical figures." The court has also ordered MK Pictures, the production company that financed the film, to pay President Park's family 100 million won (roughly $105,000 USD).
The film has been released in South Korea and America
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
on DVD in 2005. Both discs contain a plain black screen where the footage was removed. There has been no release date set for a DVD containing the cut footage. However, the British and French releases contain the fully uncut version.
Filmography
- Girls' Night OutGirls' Night Out (film)Girls' Night Out is a South Korean film, released in 1998 and directed by Im Sang-soo. It centers around three women, whose overt sexual dialogue caused a stir when the film was released....
(처녀들의 저녁식사) (1998) - TearsTears (film)Tears is a 2000 South Korean film directed by Im Sang-soo. It tells the story of 4 runaway teens in the Garibong-dong district of Seoul and their struggles to survive the tough streets....
(눈물) (2000) - A Good Lawyer's WifeA Good Lawyer's WifeA Good Lawyer's Wife is a 2003 South Korean film written and directed by Im Sang-soo. The film is about the various affairs of members of a dysfunctional South Korean family.-Plot:...
(바람난 가족) (2003) - 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...
(그때 그사람들) (2005) - The Old GardenThe Old GardenThe Old Garden is a 2006 South Korean film, based on the novel by the same name, by the author Hwang Sok-yong. It is directed by Im Sang-soo and stars Yeom Jeong-ah, Ji Jin-Hee and Yoon Yeo-jeong. It is adapted from a best-selling novel by Hwang Suk-young...
(오래된 정원) (2006) - The HousemaidThe Housemaid (2010 film)The Housemaid is a 2010 South Korean melodramatic thriller film directed by Im Sang-soo. The story focuses on Eun-yi, played by Jeon Do-yeon, who becomes involved in a destructive love triangle while working as a housemaid for an upper-class family. Other cast members include Lee Jung-jae, Seo...
(하녀) (2010)
Awards
A Noteworthy Film- 1995, Creation Prix at the Korean Motion Picture Promotion Scenario Competition
Tears
Tears (film)
Tears is a 2000 South Korean film directed by Im Sang-soo. It tells the story of 4 runaway teens in the Garibong-dong district of Seoul and their struggles to survive the tough streets....
(눈물)
- 2000, FIPRESCI Prize – Special Mention (For its ability to put real life on screen, and its extraordinary performances) at the Pusan International Film Festival
- 2001, Best International Feature Film (Nominated, did not win) at the Torino International Festival of Young Cinema
- 2001, Bronze Horse (Nominated, did not win) at the Stockholm Film Festival
A Good Lawyer's Wife
A Good Lawyer's Wife
A Good Lawyer's Wife is a 2003 South Korean film written and directed by Im Sang-soo. The film is about the various affairs of members of a dysfunctional South Korean family.-Plot:...
(바람난 가족)
- 2003, Best Actress (Moon So-ri) at the Stockholm Film Festival
- 2003, Best Cinematography (Kim Woo-hyeong) at the Stockholm Film Festival
- 2003, Silver Spur Prize at the Flanders International Film Festival
- 2003, Golden Lion (Nominated, did not win) at the Venice International Film Festival
- 2004, Lotus Prize at the Deauville Asian Film Festival
- 2004, Grand Bell Award at the Grand Bell Awards, South Korea
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...
(그때 그사람들)
- 2005, Lino Brocka Award at the Cinemanila International Film Festival
The Old Garden
The Old Garden
The Old Garden is a 2006 South Korean film, based on the novel by the same name, by the author Hwang Sok-yong. It is directed by Im Sang-soo and stars Yeom Jeong-ah, Ji Jin-Hee and Yoon Yeo-jeong. It is adapted from a best-selling novel by Hwang Suk-young...
(오래된 정원)
- 2008, Best Screenwriter (Im Sang-soo. Nominated, did not win) at the Asian Film Awards