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Bulsajo
Joined: 16 Jan 2003
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 Posted: Wed Feb 25, 2004 4:35 am Post subject: Korean director to film 'Expats' |
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Korean director to film 'Expats'
Asian film directors such as Ang Lee of "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" and action film guru, John Woo, the first Asian to direct a major motion picture, "Broken Arrow," (1996) have earned respect in Hollywood. This undercurrent of fascination for Asian culture is also shown in the success of Tom Cruise's "The Last Samurai" and Bill Murray's Tokyo-filmed comedy, "Lost in Translation."
"There are only so many buildings and cities that you can blow up or create crisis situations in America... everything's been done. Now the ideas and inspiration for motion pictures are directed east - it's a mystery out here for Americans," said Wonsuk Chin, Korean-American film director based in New York.
Chin, 36, was born in Seoul, and moved to New York to study filmmaking at the School of Visual Arts in 1989. An energetic and inventive person, Chin is currently working in Korea for his third movie, and action comedy called, "Expats". The film will make cinematic history: "Expats" is mainly a U.S. production with partnerships in Canada, Britain and Korea; and the movie is shot in Busan, featuring Hollywood stars. Pleiny Porter, formerly of Julia Robert's company, "Shoelace Productions," is the producer for the film.
The film will follow the comical adventures of a young, underachieving American man straight out of college who becomes an English teacher in Busan. The story will depict his culture shock experience and his discovery of Busan's seedy and infamous "Texas Street" meeting a cast of 'odd' foreigners. The main character and his unusual band of friends decide to rob Korean mobsters - renown for not carrying guns.
"Korea is a very obscure place to Americans; it's in between China and Japan, with no identity of its own for the world to recognize. I want to create a visual picture of Korea for Americans. When I visited Texas Street for the first time, I was totally amazed, because it was just perfect for film. Busan is unique because of the Russian sailors, Russian hostess bars, English teachers, and gangsters," Chin explained.
Chin began his research in Busan in 2001, meeting English teachers from the Internet who volunteered to show him around. Chin eventually met many Russians and other unique character-types for the film, though he had yet to meet a mobster.
"It was really funny because I told my English teacher friend that I needed to meet a gangster, and he knew one, and when I asked him how, he said that he taught him English!" Chin laughed.
"Expats" will be a neutral depiction of Korea, through the milieu of the English teacher's experience. The portrayal of Korean gangsters and Texas Street is risky for 'image-conscious' Korean audiences, who boycotted the 2002 James Bond film, "Die Another Day" for its allegedly 'negative' portrayal of North Korea.
"Many will say 'Expats' is negative because it's about some reckless Americans who come here. I have to make the best movie I can; I am not interested in making a public advertisement for Korea," Chin commented.
Like his idol, Ang Lee, Chin is making headway in Hollywood as an Asian director, having already released two films: "Too Tired to Die" (1998), starring Mira Sorvino, Takeshi Kaneshiro, Jeffrey Wright, Michael Imperioli, Kim Hyesoo, Ben Gazzara and Gretchen Mol. The film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival, and was released in over 30 countries.
Chin's second film, "E-DREAMS" (2001) was a documentary that followed the rise and fall of a dot.com company. Chin won the Best Documentary Award at AMMI, the aMagazine-sponsored Asian-American "Academy Awards" (Ang Lee won the award for Best Feature Film for "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" that same year). Chin was also awarded the special jury prize at the Hampton's International Film Festival. "E-DREAMS" will be released on DVD May 24.
As a note of amusement, The Korea Herald awarded Chin the first prize for the "Korea Herald English Speech Contest" in 1985 when he was 17. Chin won the nation-wide contest with his original and funny speech, "Do you like to dance?", a title that forces a smile.
"All the other speeches were pretty boring and really serious, so I came out, all zany and fun, and it worked," Chin said.
([email protected])
By Krista Kim
2004.02.26 |
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matko
Joined: 16 Jan 2003
Location: in a world of hurt!
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| Posted: Wed Feb 25, 2004 4:42 am Post subject: |
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That's hilarious!!
I wonder who they'll get to play me? 
I hear Brando is available to play you Bulsajo. |
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Imbroglio
Joined: 23 Jan 2003
Location: Behind the wheel of a large automobile
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| Posted: Wed Feb 25, 2004 4:54 am Post subject: |
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| Will this movie inspire the hordes and create a flood of adventure seeking, unqualified teachers? |
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Tiger Beer
Joined: 07 Feb 2003
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| Posted: Wed Feb 25, 2004 5:00 am Post subject: |
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I have often thought that Busan in particular would be great for movies. So much natural scenery, very congested Somyon, and all of the city neon lights. Nampodong and Texas Town and Pusan Tower as well.
Should be interesting to see how his film goes, but we should all kick ourselves for not getting into indy filmmaking beforehand, I'm sure we've all thought of the exact same film many times in the past! |
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Joe Thanks
Joined: 01 Oct 2003
Location: Dudleyville
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| Posted: Wed Feb 25, 2004 5:50 am Post subject: |
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Break out the negative stereotypes for English teachers. Thanks, Chin.
Teachers, w hores and crime.
Another Korean lays dirt on non-Koreans in Korea.
Lovely.
I hope the film bombs and the dirctor bites it hard.
Joe |
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Hank Scorpio
Joined: 18 Jan 2003
Location: Ann Arbor, MI
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| Posted: Wed Feb 25, 2004 6:13 am Post subject: |
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| Joe Thanks wrote: |
Break out the negative stereotypes for English teachers. Thanks, Chin.
Teachers, w hores and crime.
Another Korean lays dirt on non-Koreans in Korea.
Lovely.
I hope the film bombs and the dirctor bites it hard.
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Why don't you wait until it comes out first? You'd probably be one of the first people to ridicule Koreans protesting the James Bond movie, and yet you've pretty much got the same kind of reaction to this movie.
Still, after looking up this director on IMDB, he's pretty much a nobody. This'll be low budget and limited release, most definitely. |
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VanIslander
Joined: 18 Aug 2003
Location: Geoje, Hadong, Tongyeong,... now in a small coastal island town outside Gyeongsangnamdo!
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| Posted: Wed Feb 25, 2004 6:33 am Post subject: |
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Imbroglio, if the film's a hit in the English-speaking world then, for sure, there's be an increase in the number of wannabe teachers, even if only by the more adventurous, thereby allowing the hogwans to raise their standards and stop grabbing at any riff-raff, or maybe directors will just get pickier about superficial considerations like looks and start offering less perks like accommodation. BUT, I think the display of Busan is a boon for those of us still around as well as for Korean tourism in general.
As for the shooting of the film, Tigerbeer forgot to also mention the ideal setting of Haeundae, Haeundae, Haeundae Beach!
And this just in: Matko, I hear they're considering casting Adam Sandler for your part,  and Kevin Spacey for Homer's.  They were considering John Cusack for mine but are going to go with Liam Neeson.  Benicio Del Toro has a supporting role playing Kiwiboy on vacation Jim Carrey and Jeff Daniels play the smalltime gangsters Kiddirts and Rapier in a reprise of prior roles  and, in a cameo appearance, Marisa Tomei is Osangirl.  Dennis Hopper will play a yet to be determined longtimer in the ESL industry.  And finally, Steve Buscemi was going to play a freaky foreigner with multiple personalty disorder, but he backed out when he saw the characters he had to portray.  |
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itaewonguy
Joined: 25 Mar 2003
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| Posted: Wed Feb 25, 2004 6:36 am Post subject: |
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This film wont get cinema played! it will go straight to video...
it wont even get seen!!
unless leonardo dicaprio is going to star in it..
great concept for us.. but really.. you think koreans are going to see it?
unless their is KIM HEE SUN who is the K girl who bangs the white boy!!
and then daddy, played by AHN SUNG GI tries to get you deported.
then the brother played by JUNG OH SUNG tries to get you beaten up..
blar blar blar..
FLOP written all over it...
unless!!!!!
famous actor..
great characters that people can relate to in the movie..
indie style shooting and photography.. Dark, kind of like the BEACH first half... |
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The Lemon
Joined: 11 Jan 2003
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| Posted: Wed Feb 25, 2004 6:38 am Post subject: |
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| "Expats" will be a neutral depiction of Korea |
Not sure how this is possible, given the intense range of emotions about Korea felt by both the locals and the "expats".
But as Hank says, let's wait and see. |
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Tiger Beer
Joined: 07 Feb 2003
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| Posted: Wed Feb 25, 2004 6:49 am Post subject: |
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It wouldn't be a hit in the English-speaking world.. its not that exciting more than anywhere else. If it were to be a big budget movie, they'd do one in Japan first I'd think..
Plus its just some local Korean guy whose doing it.. no way he's going to get famous American movie stars to go on set over here with a Korean movie crew..
So basically I doubt if it would attract a 'back-home' crowd flocking here.. even Leo DiCaprio's "the Beach" didn't get the Americans to Thailand.. |
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kangnamdragon
Joined: 17 Jan 2003
Location: Kangnam, Seoul, Korea
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| Posted: Wed Feb 25, 2004 6:52 am Post subject: |
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| It sounds like a good idea, but I hope he does his research and not make you all look like idiots. |
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VanIslander
Joined: 18 Aug 2003
Location: Geoje, Hadong, Tongyeong,... now in a small coastal island town outside Gyeongsangnamdo!
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| Posted: Wed Feb 25, 2004 7:06 am Post subject: |
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I can't believe you guys think it will be a foreigner-bashing film from a korean's perspective made to be shown to Koreans and without stars or production values and on a limited budget for limited release.
Where do you get that impression?? I don't think some of you read the article. You guys seem to be reacting to your own preconceived notions rather than the facts of the particular project. Look at the details, and assemble an impression accordingly. (Darn deductive thinkers y'all)
TEN FACTS THAT UNDERMINE THE FEARS EXPRESSED BY RECENT POSTS:
(1) Wonsuk Chin, Korean-American film director based in New York.
(2) Chin moved to New York to study filmmaking at the School of Visual Arts in 1989.
(3) "Expats" is mainly a U.S. production with partnerships in Canada, Britain and Korea;
(4) the movie features Hollywood stars
(5) Pleiny Porter, formerly of Julia Robert's company, "Shoelace Productions," is the producer for the film.
(6) The film will follow the comical adventures of a young, underachieving American man straight out of college who becomes an English teacher in Busan. The story will depict his culture shock experience and his discovery of Busan's seedy and infamous "Texas Street" meeting a cast of 'odd' foreigners. ("through the milieu of the English teacher's experience" - FROM THE FOREIGNERs PERSPECTIVE, therefore funny and sympathetic) The main character and his unusual band of friends decide to rob Korean mobsters - renown for not carrying guns. (very funny premise)
(7) Chin wants to create a visual picture of Korea for Americans. "When I visited Texas Street for the first time, I was totally amazed, because it was just perfect for film. Busan is unique because of the Russian sailors, Russian hostess bars, English teachers, and gangsters," Chin explained.
( 8 ) The portrayal of Korean gangsters and Texas Street is risky for 'image-conscious' Korean audiences, who boycotted the 2002 James Bond film, "Die Another Day" for its allegedly 'negative' portrayal of North Korea. "Many will say 'Expats' is negative because it's about some reckless Americans who come here. I have to make the best movie I can"
(9) Chin is not interested in making a public advertisement for Korea.
(10) Chin already released two films: "Too Tired to Die" (1998), starring Mira Sorvino, (ACADEMY AWARD-WINNING MIRO SORVINO) Takeshi Kaneshiro, Jeffrey Wright, Michael Imperioli, Kim Hyesoo, Ben Gazzara and Gretchen Mol (FAMOUS BEAUTY GRETCHEN MOL). The film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival, and was released in over 30 countries. |
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Hank Scorpio
Joined: 18 Jan 2003
Location: Ann Arbor, MI
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| Posted: Wed Feb 25, 2004 7:11 am Post subject: |
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| VanIslander wrote: |
(10) Chin already released two films: "Too Tired to Die" (1998), starring Mira Sorvino, (ACADEMY AWARD-WINNING MIRO SORVINO) Takeshi Kaneshiro, Jeffrey Wright, Michael Imperioli, Kim Hyesoo, Ben Gazzara and Gretchen Mol (FAMOUS BEAUTY GRETCHEN MOL). The film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival, and was released in over 30 countries. |
I repeat, low budget, and with no-name actors. So he pulled Mira Sorvino for one of his movies, yeah, her stock's really on the rise.
As far as premiering at Sundance goes, I could film myself on the can for two hours and premiere it at Sundance. |
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VanIslander
Joined: 18 Aug 2003
Location: Geoje, Hadong, Tongyeong,... now in a small coastal island town outside Gyeongsangnamdo!
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| Posted: Wed Feb 25, 2004 7:16 am Post subject: |
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Thank you Hank Scorpio, your myopic look at 1 of 10 proves my pointed observation.
Combine that one fact you address with the others you don't, with the film having a British producer and a largely American production company, and the other facts, and your characterization of low-budget with no-name actors becomes a groundless fear of a jaded cynic.
What you say is nothing more than a less than obvious possibility. |
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Tiger Beer
Joined: 07 Feb 2003
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| Posted: Wed Feb 25, 2004 7:36 am Post subject: |
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| VanIslander wrote: |
Thank you Hank Scorpio, your myopic look at 1 of 10 proves my pointed observation.
Combine that one fact you address with the others you don't, with the film having a British producer and a largely American production company, and the other facts, and your characterization of low-budget with no-name actors becomes a groundless fear of a jaded cynic.
What you say is nothing more than a less than obvious possibility. |
Yeah, but there are an enormous amount of American producers, production companies, actors, film students, indy movies, and all the rest. They really are a dime a dozen in cities like New York and LA.
Having lived in NYC, its overwhelming the amount of people you meet who are doing something or another like this on a seemingly daily basis.
Regardless, it looks like it'll be pretty cool.. but I have little expectations for it being much more than submitted to a few Sundance and other places.. and if its not #1 or #2 for that year.. I doubt the international world community will be aware of it much. |
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