Fan Club Goodies

Our utmost appreciation and gratitude to various movie sites, LBH fansites & PlanetBH0712 especially for the description and movie info.

I Come With The Rain (International debut 2008)

The latest project by renowned Vietnamese-French director Anh Hung Tran (44). "I Come With the Rain", Tran's first movie in eight years, stars Josh Hartnett (29) as former L.A. cop turned private eye, Kline. Hired to find Shitao (Kimura), the son of a Chinese billionaire, he travels to Hong Kong where he teams up with an old friend and local cop (Shawn Yue). His search leads him to the gangster Su Dongpo (Korean star Lee Byung Hun) and his druggie mistress (Tran's wife, actress Tran Nu Yen Khe). But he is haunted by memories of the serial killer Hasford (Elias Koteas) whose crimes almost drove him insane and made him quit the LAPD. The movie is scheduled to open in the autumn of 2008, with a possible screening at next year's Cannes Film Festival. Director Tran is best known for 1993's Academy Award nominee "The Scent of Green Papaya". -- japan-zone.com

The Good, The Bad and The Weird (2008)

The title, which the director borrowed in part from Segio Leone's 1966 spaghetti western "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly," makes the film accessible for non-Koreans as well. The star-studded cast includes Song Gang-ho, Lee Byeong-hun and Jung Woo-sung, forming a 'dream team' of actors. "Good Guy, Bad Guy, Strange Guy" is set during the 1930s when the Japanese occupied Manchuria. Conflict elements such as the West eying the land for occupancy will add to the tension of the plot. Visuals will also be strong "with Westerners and Asians riding horses. The three stars will play horse-riding thieves who embark on various adventures after discovering a treasure map. As to matching the three to their respective roles as the good, the bad and the strange, the director said: "The roles can change as the plot develops. On the outside, they can all be bad guys. They are basically three guys who, during the Japanese occupation, had to leave their homeland to go to Manchuria and struggle to adjust to living there." -- Dir. Kim Jee Woon; JoongAng Daily

HERO (2007 cameo)

Lee Byung-Hun makes a pro-bono cameo in the popular Japanese drama-made-for-movie, "HERO" starring Takuya Kimura. He plays the role of a Korean prosecutor, completely opposite in personality from the unconventional Kohei Kuryu (Kimura). The two meet when Kuryu travels to Busan, Korea in pursuit of a case. This is Lee's first appearance in a Japanese film. It is also the first time in the "HERO" series that filming has taken place overseas.Fuji Television Network that chose Lee Byung Hun in the casting said, "The South Korean public prosecutor post that is the rival of Takuya Kimura, is someone with a strong character and be able to make his presence felt. It’s none other than actor Lee Byung Hun.” It is expected to raise “HERO” to a higher level. --Sankei Sports, tokyograph, innolife.net

2007 - Once in a Summer recently won the Best Movie award at the 15th Chunsa Film Festival as well as the Best Director award, Best Music, Best Supporting Actor and Best Newcomer Actress, respectively.

A Bittersweet Life (2005)

Sun Woo (Lee Byung Hun) is an enforcer to one of Korea's crime families. Using his cover as a bar manager he is relentless in dishing out punishment for people who cross him or his boss, Chairman Kang. Kang is a predictably unpleasant fellow who is seeing a younger woman. Kang has to go away on business to Shanghai so asks Sun Woo to ‘keep an eye on’ his woman, Hee Soo. Being rather paranoid, Kang instructs Sun Woo if Hee Soo is ‘playing around’ to kill her. Whilst away, Sun Woo witnesses something and makes a decision that will change his life forever. Lee Byung Hun's performance as the bar manager/enforcer out for revenge is simply one of the best action performances I have seen in years. He is amazingly cool whilst wearing his snappy suits and when he goes into full 'revenge mode' he reminds me of a young Asian version of Charles Bronson in the Death Wish films. He coolly executes anyone who stands in his way and when a couple of yobs upset him on the freeway, he cuts them up in his car and beats the living daylights out of them on the hard shoulder. I have just mentioned Charles Bronson, but you could also compare his screen presence to Chow Yun Fat in The Killer or Hard Boiled. Yes, he is that good. --Craig Snell, avforums.com

A Bittersweet Life has won various awards at the local scene (including 3 Best Actor award recognition for Lee Byung Hun) as well as participating in the international film fests, most particularly at Cannes, Sitges and HIFF 2005.

Everybody Has a Secret (2004)

Director: Jang Hyeon Soo
Starring: Lee Byunghun (as Soo-hyon), Choi Ji Woo (as Sun-young), Chu Sang-mi, Kim Hyo-jin
Screenplay: Kim Young ChanLee Byunghun is back this time starring with Choi Ji Woo to bring you this charming comedy, a remake of About Adam, the Irish comedy.

Synopsis: BH portrays Soo-hyon, a gorgeous guy that attracts all women (or even men) in the world. Mi-young (Kim Hyo-jin) is an attractive singer in a night club. When Mi-Young first sees Soo-hyon in the night club, she falls for Soo-hyon immediately. Originally preferring short passionate affairs rather than a long term-relationship, Mi-young believed that this time she has found Mr. Right. It's a shame that Mi-young's eldest sister and sexually frustrated homemaker Jin-yong (Chu Sang-mi) also looks at Su-hyon for the passion missing in her marriage. As if all of this didn't add up to enough misunderstandings, the confusion reaches its climax when middle sister Sun-young (Choi Ji Woo) falls in love with Soo-hyon and decides to claim Soo-hyon for herself. Who will get Soo-hyon finally? Broadminded play girl Mi-young, passionate married woman Jin-young or love amateur Sun-young? Find out for your self.

Three, Monsters aka Three, Extremes (2004)

Director: Park Chan Wook
Starring: Lee Byung-hun , Kang Hye-Jeong, Im Won-Hee

This is an Asian cross-cultural trilogy of horror films from accomplished directors. The idea of having Chan-wook Park, Takashi Miike and Fruit Chan as part of the same movie is worth enough to watch.

Part 1: Cut - Directed by Chan-wook Park

Synopsis: A man (Im Won-hee) kidnaps Yoo Ji-ho (Lee Byung-hun), a rich and handsome film director, and takes him, his wife (Kang Hye-jeong) and a random innocent child to a film studio that exactly resembles Yoo's luxurious house. The intruder demands that Yoo kill the child, and for every five minutes the director hesitates, he cuts off one of the fingers of Yoo's wife, a classical pianist. The intruder's motivation is simple. He thinks Yoo has never done anything bad so he wants to see him doing something really evil..

Review: Now this is one gruesome story, which revolves around a movie director (Lee) and a former extra of his that's gone completely insane and terrorizes the director and his wife at their home. Park's short story touches on adultery, relationships, regret, fame and childhood memories - as well as featuring amputation, torture, child abuse, and a crazy set - as Lee and his kidnapper spar until the shocking end. This is the most graphic of the three stories, and the most brutal. But the twists and turns that happen towards the end, tend to confuse the whole story. Nevertheless, this is a great little horror movie.

Part II: Box
Director: Takashi Miike (Japanese Language)
The director fills his surreal narrative about a young woman writer with such evocative images as a circus act starring twin teenage dancers, bleak walks through the snow and repeated dreams of being buried alive.

Part III: Dumplings
Director: Fruit Chan (Chinese Language)
This movie is about vanity and a women's need to enhance her physical appearance to try and win her husband back from his whoring around. This story has a lot of humor but it is very dark and totally black humor.

Addiction (2002)

Director: Park Young-Hoon
Starring: Lee Byunghun , Lee Mi-Yeon, Lee Eol, Park Sun-young
Screenplay: Byon Yeon-Mee

Synopsis: Eun-su and Ho-jin are a happy married couple, after a few years of marriage still exchanging love letters. They live together with Ho-jin's brother Dae-jin, who is addicted to car races for his profession. One day, the happiness that seemed to last forever suddenly collapses. On the day Dae-jin went to the car race in spite of his brother's opposition, both brothers fall into a coma caused by accidents: Dae-jin has a car crash while racing and Ho-jin's taxi gets smacked by a truck. When Dae-jin wakes up out of the coma, it's not Dae-jin speaking, it's Ho-jin! This theme might sound familiar, but in this movie there are still some surprises waiting for you...

Review: The twisted and detail-conscious story line has made the film soar beyond a simple possession story or a stereotyped romance. The performance of the two leading actors, LEE Byung Hun and LEE Mi-yeon is splendid! Especially Byung-hun's eyes are great. They show purity and strong will at the same time. Without the eyes, the film might have not been a success.

My Beautiful Girl, Mari (animation 2002)

Director: Lee Sung-Gang
Starring: Lee Byunghun (as voice of Namoo)
Screenwriters: Kang Soo-Jung, Seo Mi-Ae, Lee Sung-Gang

<My Beautiful Girl, Mari> is an animated feature film by image-maker and director Lee Sung-Gang who was recognized by the world's most renowned Annecy Animation Film Festival.

Synopsis: Once in a lifetime, love becomes a fairytale. Namoo is a twelve-year-old boy who has lost his father and lives with his grandmother and mother. His only friends are Junho, who is the same age as he is, and Yeo, his cat. One day in the stationary store in front of his school, Namoo discovers a mysterious shining marble. He thinks about it all night, and the next day he runs to the store to buy it, but is disappointed to find that it is gone. Namoo and Yeo are playing near the old lighthouse when Yeo runs inside. Namoo follows the cat in and is wandering around when he discovers the mysterious marble on a shelf.
The instant a beautiful light shines through the marble, the interior of the lighthouse is suddenly transformed into a world of fantasy. Namoo is about to fall into nothingness when a girl covered in white takes hold of his hand and lifts him up. A world of beautiful light and fantasy opens up beneath them. While the boys continue their wonderful encounters with Mari, Namoo's grandmother collapses from illness and their village is engulfed by a storm and Junho's father falls in danger...

Review: Call this the not-so-WONDERFUL DAYS, if you will, a sentimental, perceptive tale of a young boy, Nam-woo, coping with the loss of his father (which probably has even greater resonance in a patriarchal society like Korea's), the illness of his grandmother, his mother's new boyfriend and the impending departure to the city of his best friend by retreating into a world of fantasy where he meets the title character, a mute girl who becomes the only character in his life with any sense of permanence: his mother is trying to move on, his grandmother has a very pragmatic sense of her own mortality, his best friend will be continuing at school in another city (something repeated in the present-day opening sequence, in which the friend announces again that he's off to study abroad, underscoring the sense of separation we all feel from even our closest friends with the passage of time).

It's ultimately a cautious, profound tale about letting go and moving on, something the main character deeply wishes he could avoid, and something that can stir-up similar childhood memories in even the most hardened cynic.

Bungee Jumping of Their Own (2001)

Director: Kim Dae-seung
Starring: Lee Byunghun (as In Woo), Lee Eun Ju (as Tae Hee)
Screenplay: Ko Eun-nim

Director Kim Dae-seung's debut feature, "Bungee Jumping of Their Own" , screenplay by Ko Eun-nim, is not just another teen romance story - it's THE love story defined. If you think "Romeo and Juliet" is the all-time greatest of love stories, wait till you finished watching this film. True love knows no bounds, irrespective of what others may perceive or say.

Synopsis: In-woo and Tae-hee are two college freshmen who didn’t believe in love at first sight, but later find themselves wrapped in a deep relationship that would last forever. One day they vow to make their love eternal by sealing it with a bungee jump. But their promise is never fulfilled when Tae-hee suddenly disappears out of In-woo’s life for what seems like eternity. Seventeen years later, In-woo is still unable to get Tae-hee out of his mind even though he’s married and has a loving family. While giving a lecture to his students, In-woo is reminded of the memorable times he spent with Tae-hee when one of the students asks about his first love experience. From this point on, In-woo thinks nothing of it until the student rehashes habits and sayings that are so reminiscent of Tae-hee. Clinging onto his hope that he will meet Tae-hee once more, a strange mystery unfolds as In-woo tries to discover who this student really is…

Review: For viewing appreciation, it's best not to read/know much about the film and simply let the story develop and unfold before your eyes. Have patience with the pair of young love getting upset and making up, apart and together. Those rainy scenes of walking, drenching, standing, with or without umbrella, are heartbreaking, cold and warm all at once. In-woo (the young man who became the teacher years later) and Tae-hee (the young lady he helplessly loves) are clearly inseparable lovebirds. Director Kim presented the situations in the most natural way. Little details are revealed as the story progresses, and as we see In-woo teaching a class of high school boys, cut to at home he's talking to a little girl - so he's married with a daughter. Is it Tae-hee? Gradually, more periodic flashes of memory occur, and little observations like student Hyun-bin's drinking with little finger up, or asking a familiar question déjà vu.

The acting is sensitive and convincing; the cinematography is skilful and impressive (the beginning aerial sequence gives one a breezy feel); and the music has a calmness to it; also editing and sound (like the brief playing of "When I fall in love" just loud enough crooning in the background) - all fittingly complemented the script. It is refreshing to believe what happened or could happen to the central characters (three, essentially two) in "Bungee Jumping of Their Own."

Joint Security Area - JSA (2000)

Director: Park Chan Wook
Starring: Lee Byunghun (as Su-Hyeok) , Song Kang-Ho, Lee Young-Ae, Kim Tae-woo, Shin Ha-Kyeun
Screenplay: Kim Hyun-Seok, Lee Moo-Young, and Park Chan-Wook

Synopsis: When North Korean soldier Jung Woo-jin is found dead in a North Korean guard post, and Lee Soo-hyuk, a South Korean soldier, is found wounded on the middle of the Bridge of No Return, an investigation is immediately launched into the affair by the Neutral Nations Supervisory Committee, comprised of Swiss and Swedish delegates. The investigation is conducted by Sophie, an ethnic Korean-Swiss lieutenant in charge of the murder investigation.

Sophie begins the investigation by interrogating the prime suspect, South Korean sergeant Lee Soo-hyuk and his North Korean counterpart Oh Kyung-pil. Suspense heightens when both soldiers present completely disparate accounts of the incident in question. Deeply puzzled by the enigmatic testimony of the two soldiers, Sophie's suspicions are aroused following her interview with the eyewitness of the incident, Pvt. Nam Sung-shik. Terrified that he might reveal the truth under interrogation, Sung-shik attempts suicide, confirming Sophie's suspicion that the soldiers have something to hide.

Review: "Joint Security Area" takes place entirely at the Panmunjom, Korea DMZ peace village at the 38th parallel border crossing where North and South Koreans face off with a military presence by a 50 year old treaty. The film tells of the shooting to death of a North and a South Korean soldier which is investigated by a Korean-Swiss military woman. The story is about a current investigation into the killings of two N. Korean border watchers by a S. Korean officer. If you were aware of the politics in today's Koreas, than you would know how easy a little spark could cause the two Koreas into war. But instead of dwelling on the aspect of politics of military, the writer chose to emphasize on the humane aspect and thus has managed to give us, the audience, a profound message in a world that is ever-more divided by race, religions, idealogies, etc.

The movie doesn't choose sides and instead create a 'neutral' character, Major Sophie, as the investigator of the 'truth' behind the killings. The film also intelligently unravels the real story behind the incident, through cuts of flashbacks between the survivors involved in it. The only lies were constructed by the government and military of both Koreas for the sake of division and war, instead of peace and union.

The performances by the lead actors were excellent. Their total immersion into their roles leaves you fixated and emotionally involved with their on-screen fate. By the end of the film, you would feel like you have been through a dark long tunnel and came out on a very bright and beautiful side. The last scene of the movie is one of the best visual conclusions to the essence of a story in decades. This film is not only a Korean blockbuster, but highly recommend in every aspect. See it, See it, SEE IT!!

Harmonium in My Memory (1999)

Director: Lee Young Jae
Starring: Lee Byung-Hun, Jeon Do Yeon, Lee Mi Yeon
Screen Play: Lee Young Jae

Teen girl loves her teacher in late 1950's -Sweet, simple, efficiently directed tale of a naive country girl (Hong Yeon by Jeon Do Yeon ) who gets a crush on her newly-arrived teacher (Lee Byung-hun).

Synopsis: Sanri, a town in Kang Won Province. Hong-Yeon, 17-year-old, is a student in an elementary school. She meets Kang Su-Ha, 21-year-old teacher, in the street by chance. He starts for his new position in Sanri elementary school. After that, she who loves him, goes around him after school to see him. She writes about him in her diary, but he does not care about it. Su-Ha likes beautiful Yang Eun-Hi, his colleague, and they come to love each other. When Hong-Yeon sees that Su-Ha and Yang Eun-Hi were together, she is exposed to rain. After a while, Yang Eun-Hi goes abroad to study with her fiancee in Seoul. While Su-Ha is disappointed in love, Hong-Yeon fills with happiness. One year after, there is fire in auditorium due to the children's mischief during the rehearsal for class day. Su-Ha runs into the auditorium to rescue the children, and Hong-Yeon follows him...

Review: The romance between the two leads is not contrived or forced in any way. It develops naturally between two people who meet together daily. Anyone who has ever experienced a crush can identify with Hong-yeon. She searches for hidden meaning in her teacher's every action which she happily interprets to suit her fantasy. This movie is filled with warmth towards all of its characters. There is no enemy per se, just every day people. The scenery is memorable and matches the emotions of the film well. Watch the ending carefully as the credits begin to roll. It is there you can find the true conclusion to the film. Excellent use of rural Korean backdrop and music, with a wonderfully believable performance by Jeon Do-yeon as a rural beauty coping with a seemingly hopeless crush and by Lee Byunghun as a new, pure-spirited young teacher.

Elergy of the Earth (1997)

Starring: Lee Byunghun (as Jong Man), Shin Hyen Jun (as Kwang Soo), Chung Sun Kyoeng (as Seh Hee)
Drector: Kim Hee Chul
Starring: Lee Byunghun, Shin Hyen-Joon, Chung Sun-Kyung
Screen Play: Kang Je-Kyu

This movie is about two desperate men’s friendship, their dreams and tragic ending of their lives. It is noticible that Kang Je-Kyu, the famous director for Shi-Ri, a Korean blockbuster, did the screenplay. When he wrote the script, he was not as famous as these days. This movie has an interesting scene for BH’s fan since BH received an OSCAR award in this movie.

Synopsis: Kwang-Su who doesn't get out of the shadow of miserable family history and wriggles in a punishment called despair. Jong-Man who grows his dream to be an international star sending his synopsis to film production in Hollywood by fax. Se-Hee who is a withdrawn student majoring in violin and falls in devoted love to Kwang-Su after encountering him at a musical instruments shop where she works. They sing hymns of hope that will be echoed at the end of desperation holding each other. As he leads a life with his family history that is too miserable to remember, Kwang-Su gets to go to a pub -where Jong Man works as a waiter- in despair after his only brother commits suicide. Jang Hyeon, a corrupted police officer, charges his murder on Kwang-Su as he finds him in miserable state.
After Jong Man found a music score in KS’s bag which left in the bar, JM thinks KW is the genius composer one who will make a film score for his movie. Meanwhile, KS escaped from the police and he got a serious injury during escape. KS remembered and went to the musical instrument shop where Se-Hee works. Jong Man also helped him to escape and to refugee since he would like to keep a KS as his composer. The accidental encounter in the bar gives an opportunity for two different men to become friends…

Kill the Love (1996)

Director: Im Jong-Jae
Starring: Lee Byunghun (as Love), Chung Sun-Kyung (as Choon Hyang), Yu Oh-Seong

Synopsis: Love was forced to go to America as a runaway student abroad by her father who keens on power. He joins in a gang and comes back to Korea in secret according to the organization's order. After he puts the bag which is supposed to be delivered to others in a locker at the airport, Love wanders around night streets and gets in a nightclub where Chun-Hyang dances. Love is given Chun-Hyang as a present for client of the club. It is their first meeting. Chun-Hyang, who attaches to love, injures herself because she is afraid whether Love goes back to the States. Baek Jun, who comes to see Love from America to accept the bag, allures Chun-Hyang to run awa telling her that Love is going to be removed by the organization and the bag contains a huge amount of money. Baek Jun dies in an accident while Love and Chun-Hyang go to the locker at the airport. However Baek Jun who is thought to be dead appears. Love and Chun-Hyang engage in a life-and-death fight with Baek Jun to deprive the bag. Then they open the bag expecting money but there are only a gun and a piece of paper which bears a phrase: Kill the Love.

Runaway (1995)

Director: Kim Seong-Soo
Starring: Lee Byunghun , Kim Eun Jeong, Lee Kyong-Young
Screenplay: Kim Seong-Soo

Synopsis: August in Seoul, the huge metropolitan where a great number of people incognito. Lee Dong-Ho, a 3D game producer who loves his career and his own life and wants to be the best in his field, and Choi Mi-Ran, a freelance illustrator who enjoys her own time alone thoroughly and wants to be acknowledged her world through her works, happened to meet one day and they make short but passionate love for one night. At the moment they are about to go back to daily life, however, they get to witness a shocking murder. Since then mysterious happenings that destroy the most valuable part of their lives take place. The police office who visits them suddenly changes to a kidnapper while killers rush in a family house in broad daylight. The reality that the most important people are dying before their eyes makes them feel every corner of Seoul is a maize in the nightmare and the people who fill the downtown are just anonymous others. Wherever they go, there comes the criminal organization without exception. In the end they came to encounter with real face of the criminal organization under the last situation they fall in.

Armageddon (animation 1995)

Starring: Lee Byunghun (voice)
Director: Lee Hyune Se
Genre: Animation

Synopsis: In the year of 2157. 'Id' an external space organization which has high developed science power invades the earth. As the earth faces a crisis of fall, Elka, the descendant of Atalntis who has hidden under the Antarctic Ocean until then, looks for the last man who can save the earth with help of a superego computer Delta 8988. The man is Oh Hye-Seong of 1996. Marie, Elka's special agent, comes to Hye-Seong (Lee Byunghun’s voice) with a mission to take him to the future. Id, too, sends a killer to the earth as he came to know Hye-Seong's existence.

Who Drives Me Mad (1995)

Director: Ku Im-Seo
Starring: Lee Byunghun , Choi Jin-Sil

Synopsis: Lee Jong-Du, a sales man, is spending days of his twentieth, thinking the chance of life already passed and only crisis are remained. He gives up to apply the literary contest in spring that he challenged 7 times and chooses his job following his girl friend Ju-Young for the reason that he doesn't want to lose her. As if to marry to Ju-Young is his only target of life, he calls upon every single way to decorate his house for newly wedded life. And the harder he tries to take her, the more he is driven to the corner. When Ju-Young is promoted to the team leader of a branch office where Jong-Du works due to personnel changes, his stress goes on top of extremity. Ju-Young's outstanding working abilities impress workers while Jong-Du is branded as the first unable sales man. He is in danger of losing love, money and honor. Finally he rushes into a beer hall from training ground of reserved army with a gun that he got accidentally. There is a party to congratulate Ju-Young's excellent working result. Those who gave him stress kneel down in front of Jong-Du and hold a party of confession. Thanks' to Ju-Young's intervention, they remove misunderstanding and the gun is used to give salute for the future of two persons.