Korean Huppert

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I don't know about all the blisters and leprosy-bubbles in Park Chan-wook's Thirst (Focus Features, 7.31), which I saw last night, but I know about Kim Ok-bin, who plays the lead. In my opinion she's the true star of the film -- the reason you need to see it. She actually is the star in that this Korean-made vampire film is based on Emile Zola 's Therese Raquin, with Ok-bin playing the Therese role.

In my head I've begun calling her the Korean Isabelle Huppert -- the crazy Huppert, I mean, by way of My Mother and The Piano Teacher.

The actual lead -- the part of a priest who becomes infected with vampire blood -- is played by Song Kang-ho, who's described in a line in the press notes as "the Korean Tom Hanks." The story is about Song's vampiric nature leading him into an affair with Kim's character, who sees herself as trapped in a grotesque and confining relationship and dying for release.

To me, Kim (her first name is Ok-bin) is the stand-out because she completely gives herself over to the film's mood of erotic insanity. Boiled down, Thirst is a grotesque and bloody love story with a lot of slurping and toe-sucking and two or three very hot love scenes. It's not so much a vampire film as an "oh God, I can't help myself" drama.

If I were marketing Thirst I would emphasize that these scenes have some of the panting urgency of the sex scenes in Last Tango in Paris and In The Realm of the Senses. And that Kim Ok-bin's impish live-wire acting is something of a discovery in this context. In the early scenes her expressions of disgust (at her family situation) and hints of inner perversity are quite alluring. She ends up convincing you that her desire to escape on a wave of abandon has brought her to a state of ecstatic madness.

Kim Ok-bin

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Posted by Jeffrey Wells on July 9, 2009 at 11:41 AM

comment #1

p.Vice says ...

Speaking of Song Kang-ho, whatever happened to Secret Sunshine?

Posted by p.Vice at July 9, 2009 1:19 PM

comment #2

Studly Semite says ...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wx3m8p5YDHo
is how the director (and the rest of the country noticed her)

Posted by Studly Semite at July 9, 2009 4:11 PM

comment #3

frankbooth says ...

OK, maybe I'm not totally over it. (This only makes sense if you've read the Emma Watson thread.)

Posted by frankbooth at July 9, 2009 4:50 PM

comment #4

Bob Violence says ...

Speaking of Song Kang-ho, whatever happened to Secret Sunshine?

Not EXTREME enough for U.S. distribution

Posted by Bob Violence at July 9, 2009 9:49 PM

comment #5

JsJirn says ...

I'm glad you liked the film. Kim Ok-bin has always been an actress who takes risk. The film got mostly positive buzz when it played at Cannes where it earned a third-place prize. Park Chan Wook is definitely a world-class director, up there with Wong Kar-wai and many others. "Thirst" also happens to be the first Korean film co-produced by an American studio (Universal). I just hope Spielberg and company do not ruin Park's masterpiece, Oldboy.

Posted by JsJirn at July 10, 2009 12:45 AM

comment #6

Admiral82 says ...

I'm not sure how they can't ruin Oldboy, to be honest. Oldboy is a ballsy motion picture. When I heard that Spielberg and Will Smith were doing this, I gave a "What!?!?"

Don't get me wrong, I'm not as much as a Spielberg hater as some of you may believe. But, a remake of Oldboy! Seriously? That's reachin'.

I hope it's at least acceptable, I do....

Posted by Admiral82 at July 10, 2009 9:58 AM

comment #7

Admiral82 says ...

Frank:
Asian women are very sexy. The most alluring ones have a very mysterious quality about them.

In my experience, and I hate to be general, they're all flippin' sideways ass crazy.

Posted by Admiral82 at July 10, 2009 10:04 AM

comment #8

JsJirn says ...

Admiral82, you "hate to be general" about Asian women? Why your statement is most racist post I've seen in HE forum. I suppose you met everyone of the billions of Asian women living in the world

Posted by JsJirn at July 10, 2009 11:05 AM

comment #9

Admiral82 says ...

JsJirn
All I was saying, friend, is that most of the Asian women I've encountered are nuts. I wasn't being racist you facist! I was making a stereotypical generalization about a specific race of people. Which happens every single fucking day in EVERY forum of this world. I'm sorry if I offended, Boohoo....

Posted by Admiral82 at July 11, 2009 12:56 AM

comment #10

Cde. says ...

Jeff, I just saw the film, and your comments on Kim Ok-bin are completely true. She this film. I wasn't completely satisfied, narratively, with the way Park has her completely give in and descend into erotic madness, but she sure made it fun to watch.

Posted by Cde. at July 11, 2009 2:19 AM

comment #11

JsJirn says ...

Admiral82, who are you calling a fascist. Your comments are right out of any neo-nazi playbook. I don't know what your definition of racism is, but stereotypical generalizations like yours (as you yourself admit to) are at the core of what society defines as racism. Maybe the Asian women you know were "nuts" because you because they thought you were such a moron.

Posted by JsJirn at July 13, 2009 9:46 PM

comment #12