Pumhaeng zero (2002)

Director:

Geun-shik Jo

Writers:

Geun-shik Jo (writer)
Hye-joon Lee (writer)

Release Date:

14 November 2002 (South Korea)

Genre:

Comedy

Plot:

He's the only son of a mother who runs a hair salon while also being the "best fighter" of Moonduk High School...

Plot Keywords:

Tae Kwon Do

Cast

Seung-beom Ryu	...	Jung-pil
Hyo-jin Kong	...	Na-young
Eun-kyeong Lim	...	Min-hee
Ji-hye Shin	...	Seon-ju
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Kil-Kang Ahn	...	Taekwondo Master
Chris Ayres	...	Student Warning, Student Bow B, Judo Dude C, Student Chief B (voice: English version) (as Christopher Ayres)
Greg Ayres	...	Student Aqua Shirt, Skate Wimp A, Student Gamer A, Student Window Fight (voice: English version)
Rebecca Ayres	...	Small Kid, Kid B (voice: English version)
Clint Bickham	...	Student Black Glasses, Student Gamer B, Student Black Shirt (voice: English version)
Tae-gyu Bong	...	Soo-dong
David Born	...	Porn Dealer (voice: English version)
April Brem	...	Lady Pig Tales, Gangsta Bitch Brawlers B (voice: English version)
Kevin Brown	...	Young-mahn (voice: English version)
Shelley Calene-Black	...	Joong-pil's Mother (voice: English version)
Lee Chang-Hwan	...	Iron Mask
Woo-hyeok Choi	...	Young-mahn
Luci Christian	...	Band Nerdette, Min-hee Friend A, Lady Aqua Shirt, Dancer Unlucky, Gangsta Bitch Brawlers C (voice: English version)
Lee Chul-ho	...	Guitar School Owner
Yeom Chul-ho	...	Inha High's Big Foot
Kaytha Coker	...	Na-young (voice: English version)
Adam Conlon	...	Student Client A, Student Pink Comb, Student Gangbang (voice: English version)
Kevin Corn	...	Big Kid x2 (voice: English version)
Matthew Crawford	...	Additional Voices (voice: English version) (as Matt Crawford)
Lee Dong-ha	...	Book Seller
Lee Dong-Hyup	...	Dogmeat
Jason Douglas	...	Daemyung Master / Student Complexion (voice: English version)
Tommy Drake	...	Soo-dong (voice: English version)
Cynthia Ann Feaster	...	Gangsta Bitch Skinny (voice: English version) (as Cynthia Feaster)
Alice Fluker	...	Club Street Chick, Salon Customer (voice: English version)
Bo-ra Geum	...	Joong-pil's Mom
Patrick Givens	...	Music Teacher, Youong-mahn's Dad, Additional Voices (voice: English version)
Joey Goubeaud	...	Additional Voices (voice: English version)
Jacob A. Gragard	...	Student Chief A, Mr. Red Shirt, Student Gamble A, Student Yessir, Additional Voices (voice: English version)
Illich Guardiola	...	Rumor Mill #2 (voice: English version)
Quentin Haag	...	Daemyung Bully, Big Brother Intercom, Judo Dude B, Valedictorian, P.E. Boy A (voice: English version)
Richard Hasenmyer	...	Student Richard (voice: English version)
Steven Hasenmyer	...	Student Gray Shirt (voice: English version)
Kim Hee-Jung	...	Nurse Teacher
Adrian Heredia	...	Judo Dude D, Skate Wimp B, Student Gamble B (voice: English version)
Jay Hickman	...	Rumour Mill #4 (voice: English version)
Braden Hunt	...	Student Thin Rims (voice: English version)
Ahn Hyung-Joon	...	Dangoon Gang
Jeon Hyun-Sook	...	Princess Gang
Yang Ik-Joon	...	Sesaem 2
Park Il-hwa	...	Wild Rose Gang
Kim Jae-Hong	...	Video Tape Seller
Park Ji-Hyun	...	Wild Rose Gang
K.C. Jones	...	Hazing Victim, Bouncer, P.E. Boy B, Student Shoe Shiffer, Student Panzy B, Additional Voices (voice: English version)
Kim Jong-un	...	Sesaem 1
Kim Joon-Hong	...	Pimple
Jung Joo-ran	...	Princess Gang
Lee Joo-Seng	...	Supermarket Owner
Ha Jung-hwa	...	Wild Rose Gang
Yoo Jung-min	...	Princess Gang
Afshar Kharat	...	Student Info, Additional Voices (voice: English version)
Hie-jeong Kim
Jeong-gook Kim	...	Dangoon Gang
Ji-hye Kim	...	Wild Rose Gang
Kwang-il Kim	...	Sang-mahn
Mark Laskowski	...	Pimples, Student Bump Info, P.E. Boy Balls, Student Panzy A (voice: English version) (as Mark X. Laskowski)
Min-ho Lee	...	Sesaem 3
Paul Locklear	...	Rumour Mill #3 (voice: English version)
George Manley	...	Iron Mask (voice: English version)
Andy McAvin	...	Dog Meat (voice: English version)
Jim McClellan	...	P.E. Teacher, Judo Dude A (voice: English version)
Andrew Menzel	...	Student Client B, Roller Dweeb, Student Plaid Shirt, Student Bowl Cut (voice: English version)
Jason Miesse	...	Dan Goon C (voice: English version)
Vic Mignogna	...	Dan Goon Leader, Student Bow A, Adult Passerby (voice: English version)
Kil Min-joo	...	Wild Rose Gang
Lee Min-joo	...	Wild Rose Gang
Im Mi-Yeon	...	Wild Rose Gang
Mateo Mpinduzi-Mott	...	Kid A (voice: English version)
Amanda Nanawa	...	Min-hee Look-alike, Gangsta Bitch Brawlers A (voice: English version)
Chris Nelson	...	Guitar Store Owner (voice: English version)
Nancy Novotny	...	Gangsta Bitch Chin (voice: English version)
Paul Oddo	...	Seung-mahn (voice: English version)
Eric Opella	...	Dan Goon B (voice: English version)
Mariela Ortiz	...	Gangsta Bitch Alarm, Min-hee Friend B (voice: English version)
Neil O'Sullivan	...	Cotton Candy Man, Teacher (voice: English version)
Hyo-ju Park
Seong-bin Park	...	Taekwondo Chief
Chris Patton	...	Rumor Mill #1 (voice: English version)
Lidia Porto	...	Flower Lady, Salon Giggler A (voice: English version)
Chris Pruell	...	Market Owner, Concert Intercom (voice: English version)
Monica Rial	...	Gangsta Bitch Horny (voice: English version)
Santry Rush	...	Dan Goon D (voice: English version)
Seung-su Ryu
Yeon Sang-Yoon	...	Freckles
Myung-Seok Seo	...	Dangoon Gang
Ryu Seong-soo	...	Judo Chief
Yoon Seung-Hoon	...	Dangoon Gang
Wade Shemwell	...	Additional Voices (voice: English version)
Stacy Slanina	...	Min-hee Look-alike Friend, Dancer Disser, Gangsta Bitch Brawlers E, Additional Voices (voice: English version)
Jeon So-hee	...	Snack Corner Girl
Jenny Strader	...	Sun-joo, Lady Dodge Ball, Lady Pink Belt, Salon Giggler B, Gangsta Bitch Brawlers D (voice: English version) (as Jenni Strader)
Yoon Sun-ah	...	Min-hee's Friend
John Swasey	...	Joong-pil (voice: English version)
Lee Tae-il	...	Boy 1
Serena Varghese	...	Gangsta Bitch Mullet (voice: English version)
Anita Vasquez	...	Gangsta Bitch Bandana (voice: English version)
Kira Vincent-Davis	...	Min-hee (voice: English version)
Todd Waite	...	DJ Jazzy Awesome (voice: English version)
Carl Wormley	...	Student Tall, Additional Voices (voice: English version)
Cho Young-im	...	Princess Gang

Also Known As:

Conduct Zero
No Manners (International: English title)

MPAA:

Rated R for language, some sexual content and violence.

Runtime:

South Korea:99 min

Country:

South Korea

Language:

Korean

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Certification:

Singapore:NC-16 | South Korea:15 | UK:15 | USA:R

Company:

KM Culture Co.

Movie Connections:

References Highlander (1986)

Surprisingly entertaining Corean high school period comedy.

Conduct Zero is a Corean high school period comedy. When you stick "high school" with "Corean" and focus on boys, you're very likely going to see a lot of violence, due to the rather violent masculine culture prevalent in Corean boys' high schools in the past. It's important to understand this, as the social hierarchy in Corean boys' high schools in the past was largely built around fighting prowess, with the best fighter being a sort of "king" at the high school. In Conduct Zero, Joong Pil is the king of his high school. He's also vain, slovenly and perhaps a bit stupid, played to excellence by Ryu Seung Wan. Fortunately, rather than being all fighting and drama like the 70's set Once Upon a Time in High School, Conduct Zero is a comedy and a surprisingly entertaining one.

As king of his school, Joong Pil spends much of his time bullying the other students (more annoyingly then maliciously) and extorting money out of them via his and his buddy's "porn drawings" business. The plot begins as Joong Pil encounters the nerdy, but confident, good girl Choi Min Hee and finds himself instantly smitten. Of course, the local tough guy falling for a nice girl only leads to trouble amongst the wolf pack that is high school.

One thing that Conduct Zero does surprisingly well is balance its comedy and drama elements. The comedy veers from totally wacky (especially in the hyperbolic storytelling of the badassery of Joong Pil and, later, his rival) to amusing character-based comedy, primarily centered on Joong Pil's shenanigans and awkward attempts of courtship. The more dramatic elements appear more towards the climax and while the tone is different, the transition is quite smooth. The rest of the well paced running time is filled with enjoyable side characters. In addition to Joong Pil's scheming buddy, the cast includes rather good-natured by guileless nerd as well as the infatuated "queen" of the girl's school and her posse.

The story moves well from one point to the next, thanks to a good script. The period elements, setting in 1980's Corea aren't obtrusive, but they add a certain charm to the film and the art, sets and costumes are solid. The acting is very good and the direction manages to keep its focus well, appropriately and almost invisibly shifting mood and tone to fit the comic or dramatic aspects of the plot. Not every joke works well, though, and there is some culturally specific comedy involved (including a very amusing music reference to the popular animation "Robot Taekwon V"). Speaking of which, the soundtrack is a blend of period music and a surprisingly catchy sampling of 90's era Corean hip-pop. It was largely successful although the score wasn't as memorable.

All in all, Conduct Zero is actually an excellent teen/high school comedy and while it's rougher and dirtier than the average American entry into the genre, its charms are notable and flaws are limited enough to make watching it a surprising treat. Conduct Zero is by no means an end all and be all to the high school comedy, but it's a rather solid entry that deserves to be seen. 8/10.

DVD Note: I watched the US release, distributed by ADV Films, which primarily does anime releases (as you can tell by the long advertisement when you pop in the DVD). The video transfer is fine, but the dubbing, like much of the dubbing by companies in this business is not exactly inspiring. Unfortunately, the Corean language soundtrack only gets a Dolby 2.0 mix, instead of the 5.1 and DTS mixes that are available in its native DVD release. I recommend steering away from the wooden (and poorly mixed) dubbed track and watching it in its original Corean with subtitles.