Q&A with Chanwook Park and Lee Young Ae on SYMPATHY FOR LADY VENGEANCE!!!
Published at: April 4, 2005, 3:41 a.m. CST by staff
Ahoy, squirts! Quint here with a teeny tiny taste of what Chanwook Park is up to at this moment, as his awesome OLDBOY is taking a large per theater haul in the few houses it's playing in the US. I love OLDBOY and I really, really like SYMPATHY FOR MR. VENGEANCE. Park has a style unmatched by ANYONE working in film today and I have nothing but high hopes for SYMPATHY FOR LADY VENGEANCE. The below Q&A was done at a press interview and is translated from Korean, so it is a little rough in spots. I can't wait for this flick!!!
Hello Harry,
Long time reader from Korea. There was a press interview of Sympathy
for lady vengence (SFLV) with the Director Park Chan Uk and the
actress Lee Young Ae. I thought you might be interested in the rough
translation of it, so enjoy.
Q. (to actress Lee) What is SFLV about and what kind of character do you play?
A. As some of you might know, the "Lady"(Gumja) has been sent to
prison for 13 years and the character is preparing for revenge. It is
difficult to catergorize the character as a single entity. The
character is complex and fun. This character has multiple feel to it.
Q (To Director Park) What is the scene you are shooting today and what
is the concept of the costume and the set?
A. This scene is set early in the movie. In the total of 150 scenes
this is the 11th scene. This is when the "Lady" is just released from
prison, and she is forced to ask a friend for help in finding a place
to stay. When she finds a place, she prays wearing a pajamas (laughs).
The pajama does not match with the character who just been released
from prison, it is decorative. the concept is even though she is
preparing for vengence. she still looks like an angel. This apartment
set could be said to be smallest set in Korea. This was a new attempt
with a clusterphobic atmosphere. The wall paper is not what an average
people would use and is full of decorative designs. I wanted to create
a set fancy hell like a flame.
Q. (To Lee) What difficulties did you counter with this character,
mentally and physically?
A. It was more difficult than expected. Compared to other vengence
series the physical aspect is weak because I am female. However since
this was my first time in an action movie it was more difficult.
Mentally, because of other actors in Parks movie were so good, I had
to try and learn more. As a result I have gained more for my hardship,
about 90% of shooting has been completed and I feel that I have made a
good choice in choosing this movie.
Q. In synopsis character that Lee plays is very beautiful character,
however the name of the character is very ugly, is there a reason? and
personally would you seek vengence if you were put in similar
situation?
A(Park) If the actress who was playing the "Lady" (Gumja) wasnt Lee, I
wouldnt have used that name (Laughs). I thought it would be fun with a
beautiful actress such as Lee having a name Gumja, that is why I chose
this name.
A. (Lee) There should never be situation such as in this movie
(laughs). But if I were to revenge someone I wouldnt do it like it in
the movie (laughs) You will know what i am talking about once you see
the movie.
Q. Is this the end of you vengence series? and please tell us about
your next project
A. Vengence series will end with this movie. I dont know maybe in few
years there might be a vengence story, however the next two movies
will not have vengence theme. I can tell you why I keep on telling a
story of vengence. In a society vengence is not permitted, but it is
something that everyone feels regularly. We feel it everyday but it is
not permitted so perhaps that is why I have worked with this theme.
Honestly 3 movies on vengence is enough.
Q. (To Park) If muder was legal who would you like to kill?
A. (Thinks for a long time) I had one before but not now. That kind of
people would automatically come to your head, but since none has come
to mine, I think I dont have any..
Q. Last comments please.
A. (Park) I would like to thank you all for coming. All my pervious
movies, the intervies were with alot more casts but with this movie if
feels empty because there is only me and Lee Young Ae. However this is
what you will feel in this movie, almost all scenes are with only Lee.
I would love to hear what you think of my movie once you see it..
A. (Lee) SFLV I think will be very special for me and to the Korean
cinema as a whole, Please be patient till the movies comes out.