Aside from Bong Joon-ho's proposed science-fiction film based on the French comic book "La Transperceneige", no other big-budget Korean film interests me quite as much as does Kim Ji-woon's Sergio Leone-inspired The Good, the Bad and the Weird [좋은 놈, 나쁜 놈, 이상한 놈]. Shooting had hardly begun on the $11 million "Korean spaghetti western", which stars Lee Byeong-heon, Jeong Woo-seong, and Song Kang-ho, when news broke that Showbox was pulling out of the deal. CJ Entertainment will take over the financing and distribution. There is speculation that the soft market for Korean films, particularly in Japan, is the reason for Showbox's last-minute withdrawal. The picture pre-sold to French outfit ARP Selection for a six-figure sum at the Cannes market in May.
[Source: Variety]
I have a feeling they're going to be kicking themselves over this at Showbox sooner or later. A spaghetti western from the director of A BITTERSWEET LIFE? That movie had its fair share of spaghetti elements and style to it; I noticed references to DJANGO directly followed by references to DJANGO KILL! IF YOU LIVE, SHOOT!, and I wasn't even particularly looking for them, they jumped right out at me. That his next movie is in that genre makes sense. Anybody can drop the familiar Sergio Leone homages into their movie, but DJANGO KILL!? That reference delves deeper into the genre, a very encouraging sign.
Showbox blinked. I can't wait for this thing to come out.
Aren't you interested in Park's LIVE EVIL?
I wasn't aware that "Live Evil" was a big-budget film. But to answer your question, no, I lost interest in Park after "Lady Vengeance". As Park's films became darker and more violent, his characters increasingly one-dimensional and the camerawork more dazzling, his cynicism, heavy-handedness and love of showmanship became intolerable for me. But "Sympathy for Mr Vengeance" still remains one of the greatest Korean films ever made.