Happy 53rd Birthday, Kim Sang-jin! Born today in 1967, this South Korean screenwriter, producer and film director is seen as one of the defining filmmakers of the early days of the Korean film renaissance.
After graduating Hanyang University, Kim, got his start in the Korean film industry in the early 1990s.
He worked as an assistant 'director on films such as 'Nuga yongui baltobeul boassneunga' ('Who Saw the Dragon's Claws?')(1991)
Later that same year, he worked as assistant director again for 'Yeolahob jeolmanggeute buleuneun hanaui salangnolae' ('Teenage Love Song') (1991).
These two films were before working on the South Korean film producer and director Kang Woo-suk's film 'Tukabseu' ('Two Cops'), (1993) and 'Manura jugigi' ('How to Top My Wife') (1994).
The following year, Kim kicked off his directing career with the genre title 'Doneul Gatgo Twieora' ('Millions in My Account') (1995), which he quickly followed with 'Kkangpaesueop' ('The Rules of a Gangster') (1996).
In 1998, Kim directed 'Tukabseu' ('Two Cops 3') (1998), the final film in Kang's franchise.
The following year, Kim's time to truly shine came with the release of the film of which he is best known for directing. This was the 1999 South Korean crime comedy/action film 'Juyuso seubgyuksageun' ('Attack the Gas Station!').
The film tells the story of a quartet of thugs who rob a gas station out of sheer boredom, having robbed it only a few days previously.
Unable to get any money from the register, they take everyone hostage and start dispensing gas and keeping the money.
The film becomes progressively more and more farcical as the characters find different ways of amusing themselves, mostly through the mixed cast of characters that come in through the gas station.
However, it's only a matter of time before they start upsetting the wrong people.
The young cast of then-little-known actors would go on to bigger careers: You Oh-seong, Lee Sung-jae, Yoo Ji-tae, and Lee Yo-won.
'Attack the Gas Station!" was released around a time of economic turmoil in South Korea in the mid-to-late 1990s called the "IMF crisis" culminating with many Korean car manufacturers laying off thousands of employees.
There are many allusions to this throughout the film, mostly when Paint (Yoo Ji-tae) discovers framed pieces of paper with slogans promoting a productive work force (which he subsequently destroys in a fit of rage).
The film also makes a comment on American economic imperialism during a scene where Ddan Dda-Ra (Kang Sung-jin) drinks from a can of Pepsi®.
A police officer chides him for his choice, chastising him for "giving money to the Yankees".
The young punk defends his choice, saying that Pepsi® is a Korean product, referring to the Pepsi® logo's resemblance of the Taeguk symbol on the South Korean flag.
During the question and answer session at a screening during the 42nd Vancouver International Film Festival in 2000, Kim indicated that the film inspired real-life copycats in South Korea.
Establishing his own brand of frenzied comedy and storming the charts at the same time, Kim afterwards embarked on a series of hit comedies.
A belated sequel follows with the 2010 South Korean crime comedy/action film 'Juyuso seubgyuksageun 2' ('Attack the Gas Station 2'), also directed by Kim.
Establishing his own brand of frenzied comedy and storming the charts at the same time, Kim has embarked on a series of hit comedies.
Kim is also known for directing the 2001 South Korean drama/comedy film 'Silla ui dalbam' ('Kick the Moon') and the 2002 South Korean comedy film 'Gwangbokjeol teuksa' ('Jail Breakers').
Kim has been active from 1995–present
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