Mulberry (film)

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Mulberry / Ppong

Theatrical poster to Mulberry / Ppong
Directed by Lee Doo-yong
Produced by Lee Tae-won
Written by Na Do-hyang (original story)
Yoon Sam-yuk
Starring Lee Mi-suk
Lee Dae-kun
Lee Mu-jeong
Music by Choi Chang-kwon
Cinematography Son Hyun-chae
Editing by Son Hyun-chae
Distributed by Taehung Pictures (South Korea)
Release date(s) Flag of South Korea February 8, 1986
Running time 76 min.
Country South Korea
Language Korean
Followed by Mulberry 2 / Ppong 2
Allmovie profile
IMDb profile

Mulberry (뽕 - Ppong/Bbong/Pong) (1986) is an award-winning, popular South Korean film. Based on a classic story by Na Do-hyang, the film became known for its erotic subject matter,[1] made possible by the government's gradual relaxation of censorship and control over the film industry during the 1980s. It was part of the wave of "Folk erotic" films that had become popular in South Korea at this time.[2]

Contents

[edit] Synopsis

An-hyeop, a beautiful young woman, lives in a small village in Korea during the Japanese occupation. Her husband, Sam-bo, is a traveling gambler who returns home for short periods after months away. During his long absences, An-hyeop earns food, money and other goods by picking mulberry leaves (ppong in Korean) for a neighbor who raises silk-worms, and also by having sex with nearly every male in the village. Angered by Any-heop's influence over their husbands, the village women conspire to drive her away, first by beating her, and then by convincing the village elder expel her. When the elder visits An-hyeop's home to convince her to leave, she instead wins him over to her side by seducing him. The only man An-hyeop refuses to have sex with is Sam-dol, the village servant. Frustrated and infuriated, Sam-dol retaliates by telling An-hyeop's husband about her sexual promiscuity when he returns to the village. Sam-bo, An-hyeop's husband, reacts by beating Sam-dol for his verbal abuse of his wife. As Sam-bo again leaves to gamble, An-hyeop is again left to fend for herself, gathering mulberry leaves. The film closes with a lively, humorous ode to Spring (봄 - bom) and mulberry (뽕 - ppong/bbong).[3]

[edit] Background

Essentially a melodramic sex-farce, Lee Young-il, in his History of Korean Cinema (1988) points out that the film "depicts the agony of life under Japanese rule through sexual jests."[4] Mulberry was shot on location at Bossam Village, a small, traditional site in Samdong, Ulsan, which was also used in director Im Kwon-taek's Surrogate Womb (씨받이 - Ssibaji) (1986), a film which helped to bring international attention to the South Korean cinema.[2] The Korean cinematic "tough guy" of the era, Lee Dae-geun played the role of the servant, Sam-dol, who is the one man in the village with whom An-hyeop will not have sex. Lee became a sex symbol through his role in the film, which caused the actor some consternation. He states that he had appeared in the film for its literary qualities. Because the erotic elements of the film upstaged the literary aspects in the public eye, he refused to appear in the first sequel, Mulberry 2 (뽕 2 - Ppong 2, 1988).[1]

[edit] Awards

  • Best Film, Best Actress (Lee Mi-suk), Best Actor (Lee Dae-keun) at 6th Korean Film Critics Association (Yongpyong) Awards
  • Best Director at 22nd Korea Drama and Film Art Awards
  • Best Adaptation at 24th Dae Jong Awards
  • Best Actress (Lee Mi-suk) at 31st Asian Pacific Film Festival
  • Presented at 10th Montreal World Film Festival[5]

[edit] Availability

Mulberry was released on Region 3 DVD in South Korea in 2005 with English subtitles. As of December 2007, it is currently still in print.[6]

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ a b A movie tough guy with a few regrets offers some advice (English). http://www.hancinema.net (2007-05-10). Retrieved on 2007-10-25.
  2. ^ a b Discovery of Hometown Films (English). Korean Film Archive. Retrieved on 2007-10-25.
  3. ^ Synopsis based on Mannikka, Eleanor. Pong (English). All Movie Guide. Retrieved on 2007-10-25., Mulberry, 'Ppong' (1986) (2005) (English). seoulselection.com. Retrieved on 2007-10-25. and Mulberry, 'Ppong' (1986) (2005) DVD, viewed October 23, 2007.
  4. ^ Lee, Young-il; Richard Lynn Greever (translator) (1988). The History of Korean Cinema. Seoul: Motion Picture Promotion Corporation, p.237.. ISBN 89-88095-12-X. 
  5. ^ Awards based on Awards for Pong (1986) (English). Internet Movie Database. Retrieved on 2007-10-25., Mulberry, 'Ppong' (1986) (2005) (English). seoulselection.com. Retrieved on 2007-10-25. and Lee, p.280-281.
  6. ^ Mulberry, 'Ppong' (1986) (2005) (English). seoulselection.com. Retrieved on 2007-10-25.

[edit] Sources

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