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Cast:
Song
Kang Ho
Chang
Jin Young
Park
Sang Myun
Writer:
Kim
Ji Woon
Director:
Kim
Ji Woon
Score:
 
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THE
FOUL KING
AKA:
N/A
Year:
2000 Reviewer: Andrew
Saroch
Emerging
from the shadows of cinematic neighbours Japan and Hong Kong,
Korea's film industry is currently enjoying a bask in the
limelight with a series of very successful works. Well
produced hits such as 'Shiri'
and more recently 'Joint Security Area' have ensured that the
world has started to take notice of Korean cinema - even to
the point of suggested Hollywood remakes of the biggest hits.
Although I count myself primarily as a Hong Kong film fan, I
decided to try a recent offering from one of Asia's hottest
markets. Therefore the hugely successful 'The Foul King' was
to be one of my first dabblings.
'The
Foul King' tells the story of indifferent and fairly dim-witted
financial advisor Dae Ho. At odds with the pressured
environment and the general aggression of his regimented work,
Dae Ho floats through his day with little consequence. His
bullying ogre of a boss adds to his woes by applying a
formidable headlock to his Im when he's late for work -
something of a regular routine. Unable to escape this lock and
after happening upon a local wrestling school, Dae Ho
dedicates himself to physical training and asks to join the
regime. First impressions are not good though and the gangly,
awkward figure of the newcomer means that he is
unceremoniously thrown out. It is only when a wealthy promoter
offers the teacher a considerable sum to create a new
villainous wrestler that Dae Ho is called back and given the
chance to make his mark. Thus, the 'Foul King' is born and his
training then sees him learn all of the dirty tricks and
sneaky moves of the sport. Now lined up to provide the Korean
people's favourite wrestler with a despicable figure to hate,
Foul King prepares for his unique shot at fame. The effects of
this radical change in his private life also makes him a more
assertive figure at work and allows him to face the numerous
challenges of his life that he'd previously hidden from.
Despite
any criticisms that follow in this review, the first thing
that should be known about 'The Foul King' is that it is
excellent entertainment. It's far from perfect, but it is
infused with an infectious sense of humour and an abundant
supply of incident. In fact, 'The Foul King' is dominated by
such an engrossing air that it's easy to forget how much
better it could have been. Although shaping itself to be a
film with a probing look into Korean society, the truth is
that it never fully uses any of its sub-plots. There's an
initial look at the pressures and corruption of Im's
workplace, the toll it takes on one of his workmates, but this
is annoyingly wasted. Thrown away with it is a woefully
underdeveloped take on unrequited love and a few character
histories that would have provided the narrative with a bit
more bite. Therefore this is a classic example of a glossy
surface that, when scratched, reveals very little underneath
though it would like to think otherwise.
'The
Foul King' benefits from a nicely understated lead performance
and a winning blend of supporting players. When it focuses on
its strengths, the film manages to hit some notable heights
and remains worthy of praise. Despite its obvious
shortcomings, 'The Foul King' is an excellent advert for
Korean cinema and retains a strong entertainment value even
during its weaker moments.
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