Oh Ji Ho - Korea Times Article on "...Gangster 3"

'My Wife Is a Gangster 3' Takes New Direction With Hong Kong Actress

By Kim Tae-jong
Staff Reporter
The Korea Times


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Stars from “My Wife Is a Gangster 3” say that their film is totally different from the previous two films of the series during a news conference held in Namyangju, Kyonggi Province, Friday. From left are Cho Hee-bong, Shu Qi, Lee Bum-su, Hyun Young and Oh Ji-ho. /Reuters-Yonhap

NAMYANGJU, Kyonggi Province _ Local gangster comedy ``My Wife Is a Gangster (Chopok Manura)'' was a huge hit in 2001, drawing over 5 million moviegoers.

But as happens with many sequels, the 2003 sequel was disappointing and commercially unsuccessful attracting less than 2 million viewers due to its cliched storyline and jokes that did not distinguish it much from the original.

So what are the makers of its third installment to do, but attempt to infuse something totally new in the upcoming film. The first obvious change is Shu Qi, popular actress from Hong Kong, well known for such films as ``City of Glass'' (1998), ``The Transporter'' (2002) and ``Three Times'' (2005).

Shu replaces South Korean actress Shin Eun-kyung who played the leading character, a housewife and tough female boss of a gang. Shin starred as the gangster wife in the two previous serials.

Ziyi Zhang briefly appeared at the last stretch of ``My Wife Is a Gangster 2,'' sparking rumors that she would star in the third sequel. Unlike Zhang's brief appearance, Shu is a mainstay in the third sequel.

``When I first read the scenario, I didn't feel too stressed as it was a totally new movie (compared to its previous films),'' Shu Qi said during a news conference held at the Seoul Studio Complex in Namyangju, Kyonggi Province, where the film was being shot. ``You will experience something very exciting in the film.''

``Basically, as I can't speak Korean, my role in the film is totally different from Shin's roles,'' she answered laughing when asked about the differences between her and Shin's characters.

Directed by Cho Jin-kyu, ``My Wife Is a Gangster 3'' revolves around Aryong (played by Shu Qi), who flees to Seoul as her father's gang is engaged in a severe conflict with another gang in Hong Kong.

The scene she filmed that day involved Aryong having breakfast in an apartment with Korean gangsters whose mission was to act as her bodyguard, but they find themselves in an awkward situation, finding out another night that she is not just a pretty daughter of a boss of a Hong Kong-based gang but also is good at martial arts.

Director Cho, who made the original, said that the film will be like a comic action version of ``Roman Holiday,'' and he avoided using typical formulas often used in the genre of a gangster comedy.

``Personally, I really like `Roman Holiday.' This film will be like its comic action version,'' Cho said half-joking. ``I'd like to avoid such scenes as gangsters' fighting with scantlings in a warehouse. I'm trying to create my own styles in the film mixing hilarious jokes and seriousness.''

Along with Shu Qi, the film is full of interesting actors, and they are confident of portraying funny characters. Lee Byum-su, who played a cruel gangster in his latest action film ``City of Violence,'' is back as a ``faithful'' and ``kind'' gangster, and Hyun Young, popular for her cute voice, plays an ethnic Korean from Yanbian as the Korean translator of Aryong.

Different from the previous works where all male characters were portrayed as weak, Aryong's partner Ki-chul (by Lee) is a very manly character in the new sequel.

The two characters played by Lee and Shu Qi will also have romantic sequences, and their international love affairs will produce touching scenes as well as meeting funny moments.

The film has completed 70 percent of its production and is slated to open later this year.


e3dward@koreatimes.co.kr
07-17-2006 16:59

Note:
Reprinted material is copyrighted by its original publisher.

It is reprinted by A. Murray for the "Oh Ji Ho" blog without permission, solely for purposes of criticism, comment, and news reporting, in accordance with the Fair Use Guidelines of copyright material under § 107 of U.S.C. Title 17.

Oh Ji Ho - My Wife is a Gangster 3 (Set -1)

We must begin with the worst cast photo I have ever seen.

OJH looks as though he had bitten into an orange, then discovered it was a lemon.

I'm sorry, I don't know the names of any of the people in this photo aside from OJH, as I speak only English. If you know, please leave a comment.

To continue...the man on the far right is nearly asleep, while the man on the far left seems very skeptical about the whole thing. The woman seems confused as to why they're standing there with cameras pointed at them.

This is such a hilarious photograph, I will treasure it for as long as I live.

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Next, we have what appears to be a private conversation between OJH and the now awake previously sleeping man. OJH seems to have grown some black furry ears that are sprouting from the back of his head. I have not yet comfirmed this as fact. Stay tuned.


OJH being pugilistic. Seemingly enjoying it too. He looks wonderful and healthy again. I am relieved. The black furry ears are not visible here. Maybe they don't normally stand up straight.


Close-up of the above shot. He looks so happy in these pictures. It's great!


Here we have our two stars side by side, in a photo that is a composite. I LOVE their expressions! These are very amusing pictures. Such a refreshing relief from all the seriousness of the K-Dramas.

Oh Ji Ho - My Wife is a Gangster 3 (Set 2)

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Oh Ji Ho - A Study in Class

There is a capacity for class in this man that is rarely ever tapped into by the average person because there is all that beauty of the face to distract one. In the photo here, the lowering of the eyes is so beautiful, and the tattoo which could mark him as a certain type, actually adds a dimension of masculinity that is not being flaunted as sexuality. Is is as though he were captured in a private moment, and something from inside was inadvertantly tripped over. If you really study this photo, you'll see a contemplative person, not a movie star.

This photo stands alone.

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Oh Ji Ho - As Cool...Two more shots.

As I mentioned before, these are not new photographs. I like the idea though that they are a partial map of his work. In the following photos, you will see his emergence during 2006, in what I hope will be the turning-point film of his career at last. I'm holding my breath, waiting to hear some good comments when the movie finally opens.
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Oh Ji Ho - What A Great Navel!

Another of the series in "Cool". There are several photos taken during this session that have been repeatedly published at message boards. This and the preceeding have been over-used, however, because they are now classic Oh Ji Ho fashion shots, they deserve a place here.
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Oh Ji Ho - Decidedly Something Cool

Interesting what a few drops of moisture on a lens can do....
This was never a favorite of mine until I found a large version of it. I love the cool expression of appraisal on his face.
DEFINITELY CLICK ON IMAGE TO ENLARGE!

Oh Ji Ho - New Movie Still Pics

Now don't get all bent out of shape...it's make-up. Added note 07/15/06 after putting second shot up. He looks happier in these pics than in any I've seen lately, except at the basketball game.
I won't mention enlarging the pics, but if you want to, Click On Image...

Oh Ji Ho - More Early Pix

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Oh Ji Ho - From The Early Days

This is a very large photo. I do not know what year it was taken in, but I assume it was one of a series for the fashion industry. It's possibly from around 2000-2001. The expression on his face seems to be full of longing. He was probably just hungry.

I realize that remark seems to be shallow, but I see him in these studies as a man working for a living in a very competitive demanding field, where the self is buried in the images produced by a photographer. It's highly unlikely that Oh Ji Ho didn't laugh and cut up no matter how serious he looks on film. He's humorous after all. That's part of what makes him so beautiful.
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Beautiful Words Re Oh Ji Ho

A couple of days ago I received this letter. It came from someone I didn't know, and I was thrilled by it because the writer is very articulate, and expresses a lot of what I feel and believe to be true about Oh Ji Ho.

I hope you'll enjoy this letter as much as I do.

"The man is lovely to look at with tremendous charisma and sex appeal. He took away the hearts of the women of Hawaii.

What impressed me was his very sweet nature. He has this innocent, gentle expression that is very natural. He didn’t go about acting like he thought himself better than others. Not once did he try to steal attention from anyone. Really a team player, he just looked as if he was having a great time being in Hawaii with his friends.

He stopped and allowed everyone to take a picture with him. He graciously gave his autograph. Never did he act as if he was too tired (which he was), or too overwhelmed with the crowd of women (which he must have been), nor did he ever stop smiling.

I thought that even if he wasn’t drop dead gorgeous, he still would have the aura of charm that makes him exude down to earth authenticity.

When he played the basketball game in Hawaii,(and named most valuable player of the Phoenix team that night) there was a focus of concentration and outpouring of his best efforts. It was evident that he has the gift of being fully present in the moment so that his ability to concentrate is razor sharp. Am sure that ability is used well in his work as an artist and actor. It is this ability, more than his good looks that will allow him to achieve his dreams.

I know I am speaking only about Oh Ji Ho, after all, your website seems dedicated to him.

But I have to say these same words go to every person on the Phoenix team. Every single one of them were wonderful and friendly.

Thanks for the site!"

Aloha,
C. Chun

And thanks to you C. Chun. Your presence here is a gift to me.

Input like yours, is the sort of thing that makes the difference between a site full of photographs that don't give much of a clue about the person pictured, and a gratifying personal portrait we can all relate to, and come away from with a sense of understanding and satisfaction.


You're The Tops!

Published with the author's permission.

Oh Ji Ho - On Arrival For The Shooting Stars Event

Here are two versions of the same portrait. One is in color, and one in black and white (grayscale). I kept weighing and measuring their potential effect on the viewer, concluded that it should be a matter of your personal preference as to color versus b & w, and realized it would be unfair to limit the selection to one or the other.

Enjoy both!
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Oh Ji Ho - That Fabulous Face - Hawaii 2006

This photo was posted in haste, and I regrettably failed to give credit to the source. I'm uncertain of the identity of the photographer. However, it was sent to me as a large photo, and was cropped to try to get the most out of the portrait.

It comes via the courtesy of Gerrie Nakamura of the Hawaii K-Drama Fan Club, where she dedicatedly works very hard to make possible events such as the recent Shooting Stars K-Drama actors basketball game.

It is to Gerrie that I owe a debt of gratitude for setting my mind at ease regarding Oh Ji Ho's health. And while I'm at it, also many thanks to Michelle Smith for assuring me that although OJH is rail thin, "...he eats like a horse".

Thanks ladies!

Oh Ji Ho - Agonizing...

as Choi Yoon-jae, over the sad condition of his wife Lee Gyu-eun, to Park Yeon-seo. From the drama, Autumn Shower.
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Oh Ji Ho - The Real McCoy

This is a postcard from the Shooting Stars Basketball Game in Hawaii. The entire team Phoenix is visible This is the picture used as a postcard from the event. It certainly is an improvement over the earlier post of a version of this pic.

Photo courtesy of Gerrie Nakamura of :

The Hawaii K-Drama Fan Club

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