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| Movie director Kim Ki-duk / Courtesy of KIM KI DUK FILM |
Kim Ki-duk seeks universality of human beings
By Kim Jae-heun
Kim Ki-duk is a Korean filmmaker though his movies are perhaps more popular abroad. His recently released the film "Stop"deals with the Fukushima nuclear accident of 2011. It was only seen by 241 viewers according to the Korean Film Commission as of Tuesday.
"Pandora," another Korean film based on a fictional scenario of a nuclear power plant explosion in Korea was seen by 1.78 million viewers as of the same day – running No. 1 at the local box office.
It is unfair to compare the tickets sold between the two movies as Kim's work is a low-budget film made with only 10 million won ($8,541) while 10 billion won ($8.5 million) has been invested in production of Pandora. Also, Stop is only available at one indie film house and online plus IPTV at homes when Pandora is screened nationwide.
However, Kim points out his philosophy in his movies as the major reason why his work receives more attention in other countries.
"Many foreign journalists ask me why my work is loved more abroad than it is in Korea," said Kim during his interview with The Korea Times at a cafe in Jongno, central Seoul, Tuesday. "I have to say maybe because my stories are based on the universality of human beings. I mean every nation revolves around its people, but we Koreans have stronger pride in ourselves as we are taught that we are superior to others. But if you travel around and see the world, every nation has its own uniqueness and I like putting that in my films.
"Most of the films that are popular in Korea are full of pride and reveal that we believe we are the best. But I am curious if we can maintain this as a real subjective value. My films are watched worldwide, in South America, Russia and China and I think it is because I delve into the universality of human beings in my stories," said Kim
During the last 20 years, Kim has directed 22 films, including "Pieta" that won the Golden Lion at the 69th Venice International Film Festival (VIFF) and "3-Iron," the Silver Lion for Best Director at the 61st VIFF. Kim's movies contain creepy and uncomfortable scenes unhesitatingly and try to be as realistic as possible to deliver his message.
The director says he planshis'- life in France, New York, Los Angeles and even in Almaty in Kazakhstan where he finds interesting materials for his next project.
Q. There is much material to choose from when you direct a disaster film. Why did you particularly choose Fukushima?
A. There are many disasters currently threatening us such as hurricanes, massive earth quakes and heavy snow storms. But the size of damage and the number of victims in the explosion of a nuclear power plant is something different. Radiation leaks are seen in our eyes as side effects and are not caught immediately. At the same time, some countries such as Korea and China are increasing the number of their nuclear power plants and many countries such as the United States depend on nuclear power. I wanted to stop this.
My movie does not limit its audience to Koreans but furthermore to global audience. That's why my story takes place in Japan and features Japanese actors.
Q. There are some unconvincing scenes in your movie Stop like the Japanese actor eating Korean cup noodles and his computer set in the Korean language.
A. Stop is a low-budget movie and there are mistakes as I had no art team to take care of the glitches. My previous films have some errors too but people say it's fine because they are works of Kim Ki-duk. Instead of focusing on small details and artwork, I concentrate on delivering the main message.
Q. What were the strengths in shooting a disaster movie alone?
A. Honestly, it was very difficult. I feel embarrassed to say it is a disaster movie. I first used computer graphics in the scene of the steel tower collapsing in Tokyo, but took it out later because it looked so unprofessional. So I decided to make this movie a drama. Instead of showing economic loss and nationwide damages visually, I had to show psychological change in person's mind as side effects of the radiation leaks from the explosion of a nuclear power plant. Perhaps changes in genre to go deep.
Q. What kind of feedbacks do you want to hear from the audience?
A. I was invited to a Japanese film festival in Yubari with Stop and talked to the local audience. They knew my film is low-budget and it has some improvement points but they barely talked about it. Instead, they were positive in that Korean director made movies about a disaster that happened in Japan, which Japanese directors did not make, and they hope it could be screened in their homeland.
Q. Your movies mainly focus on the psychology of the main characters. Why?
A. I have been filming for the last 20 years but it is all about human stories in the end. Also as I am investing in my own movies and I could not expand the size. I cannot spend much on special effects or art, which limits my work to appeal as a drama or focus on characters. Money makes the film scale big. But how you constitute the emotions of characters meaningfully is probably the only way to expand the movie apart from getting a big investment. If the movie has no drama or story, it has no value as a film. So, if you watch my film, you have to receive my message.
Q. Your movies often contain creepy and uncomfortable scenes. Why do you persistently show them?
A. I do not want to lie in my movie. I improve every time I release a new film and I think it is right for me to express these scenes freely. There are many comfortable movies in this society. If my films are only seen by small audiences, I want to make films that people can emphasize with. I have my own world in my movies and it has be the center of the story. People can also perceive my stories differently as time passes on and when they come back to them.
Q. What is most important for you when you make a film?
A. Truth. I said it a little while ago. Kim Ki-duk is Kim Ki-duk. It is about making an honest film. As soon as I approach my film according to the taste of the audience and market and cast popular actors, I disappear and my truth disappears from the movie. I want to say that I only hear my heartbeat in my own movies.
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