WaSanGo (2001)

Violence in Korean High School, especially inside the WaSanGo (Volcano High). You won't be able to escape.

Director:

Tae-gyun Kim

Writers:

Tae-gyun Kim, Dong-heon Seo

Stars:

Hyuk Jang, Min-a Shin, Su-ro Kim

Cast

Credited cast:
Hyuk Jang	...	Kim, Kyeong-su
Min-a Shin	...	Yu, Chae-i
Su-ro Kim	...	Jang, Ryang
Sang-woo Kwon	...	Song Hak-Rim
Hyo-jin Kong	...	So, Yo-seon
Sang-hun Jeong	...	Golbangi
Hyeong-jong Kim	...	Shim, Ma
Shi-ah Chae	...	Yo-mi
Jun-ho Heo	...	Mr. Ma
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
André Benjamin	...	Kim Kyeong-su (MTV English Dub) (as André 3000)
Big Boi	...	(MTV English Dub)
Hie-bong Byeon
Snoop Dogg	...	Song Hak-lim (MTV English Dub)
Su-Jeong Eom
Mu-hyeon Lee

Storyline

This year is the 108th anniversary of the Korean high School "WaSanGo" (Volcano High). Principal hides himself with "Secret Manuscript" which every WaSanGo student wants to take from principal... Kyang-Soo Kim (Jang Hyuk) fell asleep in physics lessons when teacher writes X and turn to Kyang-Soo. Teacher threw chalk to Kyang-Soo but Kyang-Soo stop the chalk and push the chalk to trap teacher at blackboard, and was being expelled from his 8th high school. Kyang-Soo farewell with his friends and reach WaSanGo, his 9th high school. Kyang-Soo was shocked by the brilliant martial skills of the WSG students. Kyang-Soo first met "Dark Oxen" Jang-Rhang. Kyang-Soo also met the prettiest girl "Yoo Chae-I", "Icy Jade", in WaSanGo. Kyang-Soo get inside the school corridor and met "Tea Expert" Hak-Rim(Sang-Woo Kwone). Hak-Rim finish tea bottle and handed to vice-principal (principal is absent) to let principal to taste his made tea leaves. Lunch time, a WSG student was eating "Fujian ToFu". ...

---

Plot Keywords:

high school | blackboard | secret scroll | reluctant hero | teenager | 

---

Taglines:

The first film of Sang-Woo Kwon, every KSW fans can't even miss it

---

Genres:

Action | Fantasy

---

Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for martial arts violence, some partial nudity and language

Details

Country:

South Korea

Language:

Korean

Release Date:

5 December 2001 (South Korea)

Also Known As:

Volcano High

Box Office

Opening Weekend:

$56,837 (Japan) (20 December 2002)

Gross:

$182,401 (Japan) (20 December 2002)

Company Credits

Production Co:

SBS, Shin Seung-soo Productions, Sidus Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

121 min 99 min 95 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The Korean, Japanese and US versions have different soundtracks. First two have rock music, the US edition done by MTV has hip hop artists.

---

Connections

Referenced in Noksaek uija (2005)

User Reviews

School Of Hard Knocks ... and Harder Fights!

VOLCANO HIGH is cool in a way that surpasses cool.

Kyeong-su Kim (Hyuk Jang) is a bad student, one who's been shuffled from school to school eight times before as his rebellious nature has forced him to shun any attempt at conformity. However, his ninth school -- Volcano High -- presents a curious dilemma: the teachers have conspired in a pursuit against the principal and the students to acquire the school's Great Manuscript, a document which promises to give its owner the ultimate power in the universe. A scheming vice-principal manages to overpower the principal, but the secrets of the manuscript still elude him. Now, in order to glean the secrets from the pupils -- all of them equipped with their own special gifts -- who know it best, the man brings in a virtual hit squad of teachers: black-leather-trench-coating wearing thugs who'll stop at nothing to instill discipline even at the cost of death.

Yes ... Kyeong-su Kim is a bad student, but he's finally found the right school to call 'home.'

VOLCANO HIGH owes much to traditional anime as much as it owes to trend-setting films like THE MATRIX. While not completely derivative, it also functions like a kung-fu version of the X-MEN films, assuming that the story focused more on the academy and its students. The special effects -- Kim's unique ability to harness wave energy and manipulate water -- are absolutely top notch, and, arguably, are even better than what comes out of Hollywood for the average science fiction film.

Movies like VOLCANO HIGH -- martial arts, action, coming-of-age, supernatural -- are never really about the script. Rather, the story only serves as a vehicle to deliver some reasonably well-founded (or, at least, acceptable) characterizations along with dazzling visual effects. The wire-fu featured in the film (from the opening fight between Kyeong-su and other students all the way until the climactic showdown between right and wrong) is absolutely spectacular, often times encompassing an entire 360-degree effect. Mr. Ma (the most evil teacher) manipulates wave energy, utilizing it to hurl people and objects out of his way, in an entirely convincing fashion. Also, the aforementioned ability of Kyeong-su to capture and control water is nothing short of exceptional.

Also, VOLCANO HIGH is the type of motion picture that requires, to a certain extent, leaving your brain at the door. Suspend your disbelief throughout the film, and it's pure visceral fun ... harmless cotton-candy pictures for the young-at-heart. There isn't a deep, meaningful message to the script: this is a battle of good versus evil, and it's fought on terms that the average movie-goer (18 - 35 years old) should revel in.

Besides all of that, the last twenty minutes -- a spectacular showdown between Kyeong-su and Mr. Ma hurling energy balls from their fingertips at one another -- will blow your mind.