The Foul King (2000)

A wimpy, incompetent bank clerk decides to become a pro wrestler.

Director:

Jee-woon Kim (as Kim Jee-woon)

Writers:

Dae-woo Kim (screenplay), Jee-woon Kim (screenplay) (as Kim Jee-woon)

Stars:

Park Sang-Myeon, Song Kang-Ho, Jin-young Jang

3 wins.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Song Kang-Ho	...	Im Dae-ho
Jin-young Jang	...	Jang Min-young
Hang-Seon Jang	...	Jang Gwan-jang
Park Sang-Myeon	...	Tae Baek-san
Won-jong Lee	...	Oh Dae-san
Goo Shin	...	Dae-Ho's father
Young-chang Song	...	Assistant Manager
Jeong Woong-in	...	Choi Doo-sik
Seung-wook Kim	...	Park Dae-ri
Ji-il Park	...	Lee Kye-jang
Ga-Yeon Kim	...	Ms. Jo
So-min Yang	...	Ms. Lee
Young-min Kang	...	Bank employee 1
Mi-kyeong Yoon	...	Bank employee 2
Nam-yeol Jang	...	Cheong-wong / Construction worker

Storyline

Dae-Ho is an unproductive bank clerk who is late to work every morning and the object of his manager's frustrations. He was a fan of TV wrestling as a child, but can't get out of a headlock. He finds a local wrestling trainer and through a series of events eventually starts to train. He is slowly transformed as he begins his second job as the cheating villain wrestler known as the Foul King. He starts to stand up for himself in odd ways that are not really in his own best interest. Events get out of hand as conflicting influences come together.

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Plot Keywords:

wrestling | 

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Genres:

Comedy | Sport

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Did You Know?

Connections

Spoofs King Kong (1933)

User Reviews

Ultra Tiger Mask

I watched this film in a park on my laptop, and ended up attracting crowds of people staring at the hysterically laughing foreigner. I figured after having already seen it once, it would be safe to try again as I was waiting on a bus, but the same unrestrained hysterics ensued. As soon as the bus stopped, I made a beeline for the first dvd shop and bought my own copy.

For a film about a masked wrestler, there is surprisingly little cheesiness to this film. We follow a downtrodden banker as he invests his self esteem in the sport, and first see it treated in a very realistic, everyday way, without dramatic music or camera angles and are allowed to see the inherent ridiculousness of it. As the film builds up, and becomes more stylized, it hasn't made a grand statement about wrestling, but allows it to be seen as reality.

With this, the fight sequences become one aspect, while the real heart of the movie are the Mr. Bean like physical comedy bits where the main character tries to get respect in his everyday life. While a few key scenes take place in the ring, the best bits are in the office, on the street or in the park. In tone, pacing and style of humor, I'd call this film the Office Space of Korean cinema.

Details

Official Sites:

CHATV (korean) [South Korea]

Country:

South Korea

Language:

Korean

Release Date:

29 January 2000 (South Korea)

Also Known As:

The Foul King

Company Credits

Production Co:

B.O.M. Film Productions Co.

Technical Specs

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1