London Korean Links

Covering things Korean in London and beyond since 2006

Park Kwang-su month kicks off with Chilsu and Mansu, 8 March

The schedule for this month is as follows:

8th: Chilsu and Mansu (1988)
15th: The Uprising (1999)
22nd: A Single Spark (1995)
29th: Meet Mr Daddy (2007) (at the Apollo, with Q&A afterwards)

Chilsu and Mansu

For me, the film I’m most looking forward to out of all the films to be screened this year, at least for its historical importance, is Chilsu and Mansu. I’m going with an open mind (I find one or two of Park’s other films difficult to enjoy), but it’s one of those films which seem to crop up in the important books about Korean cinema, always highlighted as a seminal work. So anyone who’s serious about Korean film should try to see it.

Here’s the synopsis from the KCCUK website.

Chilsu, a talented young artist, makes his living painting theatrical posters. He quits his job to join Mansu painting billboards. Chilsu dreams of joining his sister in the United States, but loses contact with her. Mansu’s father has long been a political prisoner. The two men spend their free time at discos and drinking with their student friend Jin-A. After Mansu’s fathers is denied leave for his hwangab, or 60th birthday celebration, and they discover that Jin-A has entered an arranged marriage, the two climb onto a roof over a billboard they have painted and begin venting their frustrations at the crowd below.

Chilsu and Mansu

Some familiar stars, too: Ahn Sung-ki and Park Joong-hoon. Book on the KCC website here.