Today, I am going to talk about the K-movie “New World” Review and Backstories.
K-movie “New World” Review
K-movie “New World” is truly an entertaining movie. The film is often compared to the Hong Kong movie “Mugando,” and many people assert that “New World” holds its ground and even surpasses “Mugando.”
The fantastic performances of Hwang Jung-min and Lee Jung-jae, along with the restrained acting, contribute to the film’s success. The well-coordinated performances of various supporting actors add multiple elements to the movie, making “New World” a well-received success.
Choi Min-sik, who usually takes on villainous roles, has assumed the role of a police officer this time. Despite not accepting money from gangsters, Choi Min-sik’s character is an upright cop with little mercy. Choi Min-sik plants an undercover agent within the Gold Moon Group for his own purposes. Later on, he elevates this undercover agent to the boss of the organization, envisioning a new world where he can ultimately control everything.
The undercover police officer planted by Choi Min-sik is Lee Ja-sung, portrayed by Lee Jung-jae. Choi Min-sik approaches Lee Ja-sung, a former police officer of Chinese descent who left the force eight years ago, to assign him undercover duties.
What is the new world that Hwang Jung-min’s character, Jung Chung, envisions? Jung Chung doesn’t seem particularly interested in the chairman’s position at Gold Moon. He simply follows the principle that, as the second-in-command, he should now prepare for the first-in-command. When the third-in-command, Lee Jung-gu (Park Sung-woong), attempts to take the first-in-command seat, a power struggle ensues, and Jung Chung aims to defend his position.
Despite Director Kang’s offer to support him, Jung Chung declines, stating, “We’ll take care of it ourselves, so don’t interfere.” It appears that Jung Chung’s dream of a new world aligns with maintaining his position within Gold Moon alongside his brothers, following the principles and hierarchy.
Lee Ja-sung’s envisioned new world unfolds as follows: Exhausted from undercover police work, Lee Ja-sung expresses a desire to wrap up everything and leave for a foreign country. However, despite following orders from his superior, who declares, “This is the last time!”, it turns out to be a lie, and the orders keep coming.
Struggling due to unkept promises from Director Kim, Lee Ja-sung longs to escape. His wife, planted by Director Kim, and his right-hand man, also a police officer, add to his torment. The harsh reality of having to kill Shin-woo (Song Ji-hyo) with his own hands further complicates his situation. All he seems to want is a peaceful, ordinary life amidst these challenges.
Although not featured prominently on the main poster, Park Sung-woong also plays a significant role. Unlike Jung Chung, he portrayed a weighty and intimidating gangster who resorts to coercion. What kind of new world does Lee Jung-gu dream of? He aspires to become the leader, the chairman of Gold Moon.
Song Ji-hyo appears as Lee Jung-jae’s Go teacher in the film, also serving as an undercover police officer. Although her role may not have had substantial screen time, it left viewers wanting more. There were opinions in the movie about why she was specifically portrayed as a Go teacher. It seems that her role as a Go teacher symbolizes the need for Lee Ja-sung to make choices, much like a black-and-white Go board where good and evil are distinguished.
In the movie “New World,” the standout character amidst the dazzling cast was undoubtedly Hwang Jung-min in the role of Jung Chung!
Despite being a gangster, Jung Chung is portrayed as a uniquely humane character. Although he ruthlessly kills the informants planted around him, he refrains from turning his knife on Lee Ja-sung, who has been with him for eight years, even after discovering his true identity. Instead, he embraces him. In the end, he presents Lee Ja-sung with a Rolex watch featuring a fake Pororo drawing. While it may be a counterfeit watch (representing a counterfeit life), the message seems to be: “Wear it proudly! Live confidently!” The exact significance of this gift might require a competition of interpretations with the director.
After watching “New World,” I felt that the relationships were somewhat complex. I also questioned whether the undercover police officers had to die without any power, and the mysterious handling of their deaths after the fact left me puzzled.
Their secretive status as undercover police officers known only to Director Kim and Chief feels plausible, but it adds to the enigma of their world. While their world might indeed be as unknowable as portrayed, it’s essential to remember that movies are a form of fiction, and the complexity adds to the intrigue.
K-movie “New World” Backstories
One of Three Episodes:
In the trilogy of the movie “New World,” director Park Hoon-jung initially planned for three parts, and this story is considered the second. The director mentioned that he crafted the central narrative of the trilogy first, with the detailed stories of how Jung Chung (Hwang Jung-min) and Lee Ja-sung (Lee Jung-jae) entered Gold Moon and became the second-in-command not explored in the first and third parts.
Regarding the names of Jung Chung and Lee Ja-sung:
Director Park Hoon-jung explained in an interview that the names were chosen with consideration for their personalities, aligning with historical figures. “Jung Chung” is derived from Kang Cheong, the wife of the central figure in the Chinese Cultural Revolution and Mao Tse-tung’s wife. “Lee Ja-sung” is taken from a figure involved in a peasant uprising during the late Ming Dynasty.
Lee Jung-jae between senior actors:
When the lead roles were announced, there were doubts about how well Lee Jung-jae could perform among esteemed actors like Choi Min-sik and Hwang Jung-min. However, Lee Jung-jae received positive reviews for his performance. The casting of Park Sung-woong also has an interesting backstory. Initially, the director intended not to cast Park Sung-woong, and senior actor Choi Min-sik subtly hinted at this during a drinking session. Park Sung-woong then requested a week to prepare and thoroughly studied the character of Lee Jung-gu. His dedication led to him eventually being cast after a successful audition.
Elevator Scene:
One of the most memorable scenes in the movie is the knife fight in the elevator where Jung Chung takes on multiple opponents. Despite its raw and intense nature, the scene is praised for its stylish execution, showcasing the director’s skill in framing and editing. The catchphrase “Come in, come in” originated from this scene.
Daejeon World Cup Stadium:
In the movie, the actual location where Jung Chung hands over the monthly envelope to Kang Hyung-chul is the spectator seats of Daejeon World Cup Stadium. Interestingly, the banner in front of the stands promotes a match between “Seoul vs. Sangju.” Since Kang Hyung-chul is associated with the National Police Agency, the setting suggests a meeting at a stadium in Seoul. However, the team names written on the lower tier of the second-floor stands belong to Seoul United, a team in the fourth-tier league. The scene where Kang Hyung-chul and the detectives have a brief conversation with Jung Chung at the airport is not shot at an actual airport but in one of the offices within Daejeon World Cup Stadium. The preference for this location could be due to the cost of renting Seoul World Cup Stadium or the desire for a more intimate setting.
K-movie “New World” Movie Poster:
The movie poster was photographed on the rooftop of Lotte Department Store Centum City. The department store cooperated actively with the filming. Interestingly, right next to Lotte Department Store Centum City is another department store with the same name as the movie.
Female Audience Response:
While the movie’s theme and content might appeal more to male audiences, it has received significant attention from female viewers. In October 2013, an event called “Gold Moon Shareholders’ Meeting,” themed after the movie, was held. It became a prominent work in the fan community in 2013. When released in Japan in February 2014, it also gained explosive interest from Japanese women. The gender breakdown on Naver Movie shows that female viewers outnumber male viewers by three times, and women also give slightly higher ratings.
