The Foul King (Banchig-wang, 2000)

Kim Ji-Wun

Korea

116 min, color, Korean (English subtitles)

There is something unsettling when I go to a film festival, walk in on a wrestling movie, and go out two hours later with hurting stomach and still laughing. I would have never imagined that I can like something so much when it was billed as a "wrestling movie." Yet I did, and it was because The Foul King was smart, funny, and enormously entertaining. In the ridiculously paced world of money making, carrer making, life in the fast lane can be pretty unrewarding. On the other hand, it is really scary to take the plunge and do something else. One wonders what would happen if one quits the miserable and unsatisfying job to pursue some dream... like professional wrestling, for example. It does take guts, especially when you are not very good at it. In fact, when you positively suck. Still, there is something alluring in the idea that a loser like me (us?) can do it.

Take Im Dae-ho (Song Kang-Ho), a mild-mannered unremarkable bank teller, whose only "distinction" is being perpetually late for work and never scoring any clients. Of course, he can't concentrate on his job because he has a dream to be a professional wrestler. He makes a beeline to a rundown gym until he manages to weasel as a trainee only because the coach needs a fake wrestler (that is, one that plays dirty... a "foul king"). Dae-ho is talentless, but, like Rocky, he trains day and night, he trains with dedication, with single-minded abandon, sacrificing every free second that becomes available. Weeks later, his lack of talent is still awe-inspiring but at least he gets to sport a goofy wrestling suit. Even in his dream, he is still struggling to escape the head-locks of his boss, or gather enough courage to ask a co-worker out. The film is strangely realistic: there are no victories apart from conquering one's own fear, there are no triumphs in the new field (in fact, there are mostly failures), and there are no simple resolutions to life's problems. Even as the masked villain, who uses forks, itching powder, biting, and an assortment of illegal attributes, Dae-ho never rises above his objective mediocrity. The crowds may (somewhat) like him, but he is no real wrestler. Yet, for once in his life, the objective evaluation has no sting, for Dae-ho truly is the king of the ring, where everything seems possible. Defeat in the ring is not the same as scolding in front of coworkers.

Song Kang-ho has had great supporting roles (e.g. Shiri) but this film is his first vehicle where he is the lead, and he delivers a stunning performance. Not only is his acting superb, but his stunts are nothing to sneeze at (the director mentioned that Song did all his stunts except one, suffering injuries in the process). With his skillful performance, Song managed to convey the humor in Dae-ho's decisions and the moving quandary of his life. He deserves more than half the credit for the success of this film.

The other part of the credit should go to director Kim Ji-Wun, whose intelligent handling of the subject matter resulted in a great film that stated simple observations without devolving into the ludicrous and utterly unbelievable "motivational" feature, which I thought it would be. The director was at the film's premiere in New York and I have to say he is a great person too. He answered all questions, even the stupid ones, and, having written the script as well as directed, he seemed to have a good handle on what he wanted to say. Yours truly naturally mouthed a question, which was "How come the love story never went anywhere?" (referring to the beginnings of a love between Dae-ho and the coach's daughter). You gotta love the reply: "Nothing ever goes well for that guy!" There you have it, from the horse's mouth.

September 26, 2001.