Maestro, Son to Hold Charity Concert

With a group of energetic boy musicians, maestro Chung Myung-whun will wield the baton for the Boystown Symphony Orchestra in a charity concert in August.

The fundraising concert is expected to strike an emotional cord with the audience as Chung’s youngest son Min, 23, will accompany his father and will also swing the baton for the orchestra while the 54-year-old musician appears on stage as a soloist.

Internationally acclaimed as a virtuoso, Chung has conducted the world’s most prestigious orchestras, including the Vienna Philharmonic and the Berlin Philharmonic. He will now guide a group of children from Boystown, a welfare center in Busan run by the Sisters of Mary who provide a loving home, education and medical care for boys aged between three and 18 years.

Concert to Strike an Emotional Cord

The Boystown Symphony Orchestra was founded in 1979 under poor conditions __ lacking a proper rehearsal space and even decent instruments. But propelled by the determination of the Sisters of Mary, the orchestra has since gone on to perform with world-class musicians such as violinist Sarah Chang.

``We wanted the children to develop lifelong talents, whether it be a sport, instrument or drawing,’’ Sister Kim Sophia, the head of Boystown in Busan and high school principal, told reporters during a private luncheon on Thursday at a restaurant in Insa-dong, northern Seoul.
``By participating in the orchestra, the children have developed concentration, cooperation and endurance,’’ Kim said. ``It also greatly helps the boys’ emotional growth.’’

Kim added that some 10 former members of the Boystown orchestra have continued on to join the country’s city orchestras, such as the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra. Others who were recruited to work at Samsung Group became part of the Samsung Philharmonic Orchestra.
The boys of Boystown were elated when Chung visited them in November 2005. Since then, the conductor and his son have guided the young musicians to play Beethoven’s Symphonies No. 1-4 in small concerts.

Classical music transcends aesthetics and possesses a depth that musicians must strive to fathom, explained Chung. In doing so, technique and talent are important, but fine-tuning the very spirit is crucial. In terms of spirit, Chung said at the luncheon that the children of Boystown are unmatched. ``They possess an incredible purity and balance.’’Furthermore it’s great, he said, if musicians try hard enough to demonstrate 50 to 60 percent of their fullest potential. It’s outstanding if they manage to get 70 percent.

``Of course you cannot compare these amateur musicians with students fully committed to studying music.’’ The musician expressed concern that many music students focus too much on the drive for success rather than searching for their own voice.

From Father to Son

The conductor is also famous for the Chung Trio with his sisters, celebrated cellist Myung-wha and violinist Kyung-wha. Now his youngest son has entered the classical music scene.

At the fundraising concert, Chung Min will conduct the Beethoven Triple Concerto, Op.56 with his father at the piano. Chung Myung-whun will then guide the boys to perform Beethoven’s 5th Symphony ``Destiny” in C minor, Op.67. Chung Min studied music and literature at the Lycee Internationale Racine in France and currently majors in instrumental music and violin at Seoul National University.

``It’s not (Min’s) `debut’ as a conductor per se,’’ Chung insisted about his son’s musical career. ``It’s more along the lines of volunteering and a part of his studies, so we’ll have to see. He’s not unfit (to become a conductor),’’ the father said rather humbly, but with much affection and even sharing anecdotes about his son’s early artistic ``signs’’ as a baby.

But the conductor also expressed concern about his fame eclipsing Min’s career.
Born in 1953 in Seoul, the pianist Chung debuted at age seven. After moving to the United States, he won second prize at the 1974 Tchaikovsky Piano Competition in Moscow and graduated from the Julliard School in New York.

The former music director of Opera Bastille in Paris (1989-1994), he now serves as music director and principal conductor of the Radio France Philharmonic Orchestra (since 2000), the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra (since 2005) and Asia Philharmonic Orchestra, as well as special artistic advisor to the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra.

Chung also revealed his hobby of making batons by hand, using olive trees that grow in his yard. Unable to find a baton with the perfect balance and grip, he decided to make his own and also gave one to his son.

The concert will be held at 7:30 p.m., August 20, at the National Museum of Korea. Two types of tickets are available: ``Hope’’ tickets cost 70,000 won and can be purchased online at www.ticketlink.co.kr and www.interpark.co.kr. Or by donating an amount of your choice, you can purchase ``Love’’ tickets by calling (02) 518-7343.

For more information about Boystown in Busan and ways to support the children, visit www.bsboystown.or.kr.

`Black House': Bloodbath Dilutes Suspense Factor

"The Black House"
(검은집; Geomeunjip)
Directed by Shin Tae-ra (신태라)
Starring Hwang Jung-min (황정민), Yu Sun (유선), Kang Shin-il (강신일)

Rusty, run down and remote except for the sporadic purr of a passing train, ``The Black House’’ is no haunted mansion but a sinister place where lies the darkest secret of a psychopath __ a monster devoid of any human feeling or conscience.

Featuring a dungeon with nooses hanging down from the ceiling and tainted tubs oozing with blood and dismantled limbs, and a psychopath nearing its next prey with a butcher’s knife while humming an eerie song, ``Black’’ offers chills and frill-free gore.

For portraying the ``truth’’ about psychopaths, the film touches upon some childhood trauma-related matters but gives a one-dimensional generalization. While ``Black’’ tries to strike your nerve by suggesting that there could be a psychopath living next door, it’s not so arresting.

As the thriller fathoms the depths of man’s ``fascination of the abomination,’’ the bloodbath dilutes some of the suspense factor. The film’s suspense factor is slightly drained as it relies more on gore to keep viewers aghast. Like ``master of suspense’’ Alfred Hitchcock famously said, ``there is no terror in a bang, only in the anticipation of it.’’

But the film is deeply disturbing as it unravels from the eyes of a protagonist who is almost as disquieting as the psychopath. Hwang Jung-min (``You Are My Sunshine,’’ 2005) gives an impressive performance that shines through the heavy blood shower.

On his first day of work at a life insurance company, consultant Jun-oh (Hwang) answers a phone call from a woman asking about compensation for suicide. Only after hanging up does he see the employee handbook warning against revealing personal information and expressing sympathy to such inquirers.

A few days later, Jun-oh is lead to a decrepit house sitting in the outskirt of a sleepy neighborhood, where he finds a seven-year-old dead, hanging by the neck. But even more disconcerting is the darting glance of the boy’s stepfather, Park (Kang Shin-il).

Though all evidence point to suicide, Jun-oh is convinced otherwise and postpones the insurance payment. Park stops at nothing to recover his money. Discovering that Park’s wife, Shin (Yu Sun), is covered by a 300 million won plan, Jun-oh tries to warn her before another murder ensues.

As Jun-oh ventures on a harrowing journey to unlock the truth underlying ``the black house,’’ he must protect not only his life but that of his lover.

Based on the best-selling novel of the same title by Yusuke Kishi, ``Black’’ received much attention from international buyers at Cannes in May for its strong script and acting. A Japanese version of the film was made in 1999, and Dimension Film of the United States also plans to film the story.

Popular horror novelist Yusuke Kishi wrote the creepy tale based on his own experience at an insurance company. The writer is said to have expressed great surprise at Hwang Jung-min’s portrayal of Jun-oh, for the actor brought to life the precise image the author had in mind.

Hwang’s role as the unlikely life insurance consultant is probably the most amiable one after Mr. Incredible from Walt Disney’s ``The Incredibles’’ (2004). But his abnormal degree of sympathy is troubling.

Haunted by the skeletons in his own closet, Jun-oh goes out of his way to help others, endangering not only himself but his loved ones. As he battles the stoic psychopath, he desperately tries to locate a trace of humanity in the monstrous being.

This is the third Korea-Japan joint venture following the Cannes award-winning ``Old Boy’’ (2003) by Park Chan-wook and Asian box-office hit ``200 Pounds Beauty’’ (2006) starring Kim A-jung, both inspired by Japanese comic books and brought to screen by the best Korean filmmakers and actors.

Korea-US Joint Film Speaks of Love

One of my all-time favorite films. Gina Kim rocks, and Vera Farmiga is amazing and Ha Jung-woo is just wickedly talented.

From left, producer Lee Chang-dong, actor Ha Jung-woo and director Gina Kim

``Never Forever'' translates onto screen the language of love, through which Korean-American director Gina Kim hopes to connect with the audience. ``I wish my film will be a means of establishing mutual understanding with the public,'' she said during a press conference last Thursday at a Seoul theater.

Before the film's release on June 21, Kim and actor Ha Jung-woo enthusiastically discussed their work, along with co-producer Lee Chang-dong, the celebrated director of ``Secret Sunshine'' (2007).

Kim, a noted rookie filmmaker, also wrote the love story, and explained that ``Never'' is about mutual understanding.

``Two individuals sharing affection is in the end mutual understanding,'' she said. ``It's not just a simple form of communication. Love equals passion plus compassion, and I believe mutual understanding is the plus sign that joins the two elements together,'' Kim said.

Jointly produced by Korea and the United States, the film traces the emotional journey of Sophie, an American woman (Vera Farmiga), who, believing that only a child will save her shaky marriage with her Korean-American husband, begins an illicit sexual relationship with Jihah, an illegal immigrant (Ha Jung-woo).


Kim explained that it was difficult to cast Vera Farmiga, who made a breakthrough in ``The Departed'' (2006) opposite Leonardo Dicaprio and Matt Damon and is often praised as the next Meryl Streep.

``It was difficult to find an actress for the role, but I fell in love with Vera Farmiga after seeing her in `Down to the Bone' (2004). But she had grown to become a highly demanded actress sought after by Martin Scorsese, Anthony Mingella and others.

``But I heard she was an intellectual, so I sent her the screenplay and got an okay. Vera said she liked the strong script, and the fact that I was a woman made her feel at ease,'' said the director.

``Vera called me this morning and was deeply sorry she could not be here,'' Kim said on the actress' behalf. Farmiga is currently in Budapest, Hungary shooting another film.

As for choosing Ha for the male leading role of Jihah, Kim explained that producers Lee Joon-dong and Andrew Fierberg had previously met at the Pusan (Busan) International Film Festival. ``The one film we saw was `The Unforgiven' (starring Ha, 2005), and the three of us thought `What a charismatic actor,' '' she said.

``After casting Vera, we were searching for an actor who would complement her. We suddenly thought of Ha Jung-woo. It's usually not easy to agree, but the two producers and I unanimously decided to cast him.''

Ha said he accepted the offer because the script moved him. Though he admitted feeling uneasy about acting opposite Farmiga, he explained that their first encounter extinguished his fears.

``We met at a coffee shop. She was reshooting and promoting `The Departed' at the time, and showed up carrying her costumes and make-up box herself,'' Ha said.

``She came across as being very open, humane and warm, and maintained this first impression throughout the whole of the filming. Vera is a big actress who encompasses an equal amount of absorption (with her work) and is very considerate of her co-stars.''

Though Ha worked in a foreign environment, much like his character in the film, he learned how to ``act using all the five senses'' by intensely concentrating on his co-star and reacting to her every move.

Lee Chang-dong co-produced the film with Now Film representative Lee Joon-dong and New York-based producer Andrew Fierberg (``Keane,'' 2006).

Lee praised Ha's performance: ``It's very difficult for a young actor to possess such powerful presence and depth. I believe he's a very special actor, and look forward to what he has to offer in the future. He is an actor who will mature along with the Korean film industry.''

Lee decided to take part in the film project after reading the screenplay.

``Despite being a Korean film with Korean characteristics, the film takes place in the United States and embraces the American culture and system,'' said Lee. ``I wanted to see what we (Korean and American filmmakers) could offer each other, and I learned a lot about the American independent film industry.''

Lee complimented Kim's ability to put the film together with enormous speed, concentration and calculation. ``She created a good film full of intensity that also manages to loosen up when it needs to,'' he said.

It is also noteworthy that composer Michael Nyman, renowned in Korea for his soundtracks for films such as ``The Piano'' (2003), created the beautiful piano score for ``Never.''``I had met Michael as a fan of his when he performed in Korea,'' Kim said. ``I immediately thought of him for the music, and got a `yes' two hours after e-mailing him. It was a great honor for a rookie like me to work with such a great artist.''