Kim Jee-woon returns as a guest of honor at Far East Film Festival, presenting his latest film The Good, the Bad, the Weird, a homage to Sergio Leone screened on the twentieth anniversary of the death of the great master.

Kim believes that Sergio Leone’s strength lay in his dialog, along with his capacity to show a cross-section of real life by analyzing the historical and social context, rather than just limiting himself to transposing pure heroism like the Americans. This is what he sought to show through this work, which handles the subject of Korean social injustice during the Japanese occupation.

Satisfied with his film, but conscious of the fact that he is not yet on the same level as Leone, Kim Jee-woon openly declares that he was influenced by his works both in the use of music and in the way he framed his shots (both outdoor and close-ups). He himself added that dynamic touch which is typical of Korean cinema. He also cites Tarantino as an influence, admitting to using music in the same way to underline the urgent rhythm of the narration.

Speaking of the difficulties encountered during the shoot, the director reveals that the horseback chase scene in the desert was the most tiring to film. Shot in the Chinese desert near Manchuria, it was made without the help of CGI - Kim thinks that CGI has a negative effect on the final result on films of this genre. The most complex scene, he says, was the opening scene filmed on a moving train, presenting him with a considerable technical challenge, as he was filming both inside and outside the train. Also, as this is a particularly important moment in the film in terms of plot development and characterization, converting it into a storyboard was especially problematic.

“The Good, the Bad, the Weird is a story about life: as the characters learn in the hard way at the end of the film, life is full of surprises and not always can we reach the goal that we set ourselves. The goal might not even end up being what you think it is,” says Kim Jee-woon, explaining that not one of the three protagonists actually succeed in obtaining what they set out to get, but this supposed failure becomes a lesson in life.

Admitting that all the film he has made so far have been inspired by directors that have impressed him, Kim hopes that in the future he will make a original film, surpassing the limit of genre film.

Giorgia Marchetta
Noemi Pierdica
Translated by Sharon Lee
Press Room - news production