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Swing Kids (Korean: 스윙키즈) is a 2018 South Korean musical drama film directed by Kang Hyeong-cheol and based on the Korean musical Roh Ki-soo. The film stars Doh Kyung-soo, Park Hye-su, Jared Grimes, Oh Jung-se and Kim Min-ho.[2][1][3][4][5] The film was released on December 19, 2018.[6]
| Swing Kids | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Theatrical release poster | |
| Hangul | 스윙키즈 |
| Revised Romanization | Seuwing kijeu |
| McCune–Reischauer | Sŭwing k'ijŭ |
| Directed by | Kang Hyeong-cheol |
| Screenplay by | Kang Hyeong-cheol |
| Based on | Rho Ki-soo (musical) by Jang Woo-sung |
| Produced by | Lee An-na Yoo Sung-kweon |
| Starring | Doh Kyung-soo Park Hye-su Jared Grimes Oh Jung-se Kim Min-ho |
| Cinematography | Kim Ji-yong |
| Edited by | Nam Na-yeong |
| Music by | Kim Jun-seok |
Production company | Annapurna Films |
| Distributed by | Next Entertainment World |
Release date |
|
Running time | 133 minutes |
| Country | South Korea |
| Languages | Korean English |
| Budget | ₩15 billion[1] (US$13.3 million) |
| Box office | US$10.9 million |
Swing Kids was screened at The 2019 1st PyeongChang International Peace Film Festival on August 18, 2019.[7]
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The story takes place in Geoje prison camp during the Korean War in 1951. Ro Ki-soo (Doh Kyung-soo), a rebellious North Korean soldier, falls in love with tap dancing after meeting Jackson (Jared Grimes), an American officer and former Broadway star who has been tasked with putting together a dance company. Kang Byung-sam (Oh Jung-se) auditions for the company in hopes of finding his wife, alongside Xiao Pang (Kim Min-ho), a Chinese soldier and born dancer who cannot dance for more than a minute due to angina, and Yang Pan-rae (Park Hye-su), who needs money but says there's no money through dancing.[8]
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Main
- Doh Kyung-soo as Roh Ki-soo[9]
- Park Hye-su as Yang Pan-rae
- Jared Grimes as Jackson
- Oh Jung-se as Kang Byung-sam
- Kim Min-ho as Xiao Pang
Others
- Ross Kettle as Brigadier General Roberts
- A.J. Simmons as Jamie
- Song Jae-ryong as Sam Sik
- Lee Kyu-sung as Man-cheol
- Lee David as Kwang-gook
- Joo Hae-eun as Mae-hwa
- Lee Yool-rim as Hwang Ki-dong
- Kim Dong-geon as Ro Gi-jin
- Park Jin-joo as Linda
- Joo Hae-eun as Mae-hwa (Japanese apricot flower)
- Park Hyung-soo as Interpreter
- Lee Dong-yong as Black marketeer
- Choi Eun-kyung as Nancy
- Lee Rang-seo as Stacy
- Lim Seo-yeong as Candy
- Kim Eun-joo as Wendy
- Park Ji-eun as Barbara
- Oh Kyeong-hwa as Julia
Cameo
- Kim Min-jae as Ro Gi-jin's voice dub
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Director Kang Hyeong-cheol is known for his hit films Scandal Makers, Sunny, and Swing Kids marks the director's return after three year from directing his hit film Tazza: The Hidden Card. Filming of Swing Kids started on October 18, 2017[1] and ended on February 20, 2018 in Anseong, South Korea.[10]
Swing Kids was released in 23 countries including America, Canada, Australia, Singapore, Malaysia, Japan, Indonesia. The film was released in Hong Kong and Macao in January 2019.[11]
The VIP premiere of Swing Kids was held On December 6.[12][13]
Promotion
On November 12, 2018, the director and main cast of Swing Kids held a press conference where they discussed the film and answered reporters' questions.[14][15] On the same day, a showcase for the film was held, where Doh Kyung-soo, Park Hye-su and Oh Jung-se performed a segment of Tap dancing along with other tap dancing professionals, and later talked about the film along with director Kang Hyeong-cheol.[16] On November 26, the director and the cast attended a movie talk on V Live.[17]
On December 4, the cast and director attended a media distribution preview event for the film.[18] On December 17, The cast and directory attended an event called "Chewing Chat" at Lotte Cinema World Tower, and also held a stage greeting in the same place. On December 18, Doh Kyung-soo, Park Hye-su and Oh Jung-se went on the radio show Cultwo Show were the talked about the movie,[19] and later held another stage greeting at CGV Yongsan I-Park Mall.
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Critical response
On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 63% based on eight reviews, with an average rating of 6.3/10.[20]
The film received mixed reviews from critics. Praise was given to the film's production design and music,[21] with criticisms directing towards the long running time and the structure of the film.[22] Guy Lodge from Variety, wrote about the film: "Too often, it simply feels like two films wrestling in one roomy framework, sometimes overlapping to awkward effect".[23]
Park Boram from Yonhap News Agency , wrote: "The film's booming tapping sounds set against the film's throwback soundtrack -- which includes David Bowie's "Modern Love," Benny Goodman's "Sing Sing Sing," The Beatles' "Free as a Bird," as well as Korean veteran singer Jung Su-ra's popular 1988 song "Joy"—drive colorful vibrancy into the film, making the audience twitch with amusement throughout the film's 133-minute running time.", Park also added that the "musicality and a Christmas scene close to the end make the production a perfect film choice for the holiday season."[21]
The film was ranked No.3 by Pierce Conran from Modern Korean Cinema in Top 15 Korean Films of 2018. Conran wrote: "Swing Kids was without a doubt the best theatrical experience I had all year. Infectiously rhythmic, this Korean War POW camp tap dance extravaganza will have you yearning for old-school Hollywood showmanship and begging for more when the curtain falls."[24]
Box office
Prior to its release, Swing Kids ranked first in the pre-sales, with 70,256 viewers and 21.6% reservation rate.[25] The film ranked second place on Korean theaters among Korean movies, since its release.[26] On December 25, Swing Kids began its seat sales and ranked first in the box office, surpassing Aquaman and The Drug King by 32% and 56% respectively.[27] On December 27, Swing Kids attracted more than 1 million viewers.[26]
In the United States it made $222,001, South Korea $10,672,098, Australia $17,141, and in New Zealand $2,157.[28]
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| No. | Title | Artist | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Caldonia" | Louis Jordan | 2:40 |
| 2. | "If I Knew You Were Comin' I'd've Baked a Cake" | Eileen Barton | 2:37 |
| 3. | "Shout" | The Isley Brothers | 2:15 |
| 4. | "Hava Nagila" (하바나길라) | Rita Kim | 3:26 |
| 5. | "Joy" (환희) | Jung Su-ra | 4:43 |
| No. | Title | Artist | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Prelude and Fugue in C major, BWV 846" (평균율 1권 1번 다장조) | Bach | |
| 2. | "Modern Love" | David Bowie | 3:56 |
| 3. | "The Christmas Song" | European Jazz Trio | 4:02 |
| 4. | "Sing Sing Sing" | Benny Goodman | 5:23 |
| 5. | "Free as a Bird" | The Beatles | 4:58 |
| Year | Award | Category | Recipient | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 19th Golden Trailer Awards | Best Foreign Holiday Trailer Award | Swing Kids | Won | [30] |
| 2019 | 55th Baeksang Arts Awards | Best Director | Kang Hyeong-cheol | Won | [31] |
| Best New Actor | Kim Min-ho | Nominated | |||
| Technical Award | Kim Jun-seok (Music) | Nominated | |||
| 39th Golden Cinema Film Festival | Best New Actress | Park Hye-su | Won | [32][unreliable source?] | |
| 28th Buil Film Awards | Best New Actress | Park Hye-su | Nominated | [33] | |
| Popular Star Award | Doh Kyung-soo | Won | |||
| 39th Korean Association of Film Critics Awards | Best Soundtrack | Kim Jun-seok | Won | [34] | |
| 40th Blue Dragon Film Awards | Best New Actress | Park Hye-su | Nominated | [35][36] | |
| Best Film | Swing Kids |
Nominated | |||
| Best Director | Kang Hyeong-cheol |
Nominated | |||
| Best Cinematography-Lighting | Kim Ji-young, Jo Gyu-young |
Won | |||
| Best Editing | Nam Na-yeong |
Won | |||
| Best Art Direction | Park Il-hyun |
Nominated | |||
| Technical Award | Im Seung-hui, Gwon Yu-jin (Costumes) |
Nominated | |||
| Best Music | Kim Jun-seok |
Nominated | |||
| 2020 | 56th Grand Bell Awards | Best Music | Kim Jun-seok | Nominated | |
| Best costume Design | Kwon Yujin | Nominated |
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