Laying the foundation for Korean cinematography
The 15th Pusan International Film Festival kicked off on October 7 for a nine-day run. This year, 307 films from 67 countries will be presented at the festival, attesting to the festival’s globally recognized status. Aside from the PIFF, Korea hosts several other international film festivals every year, the result of the international spotlight on Korean films about a decade ago. This year as well, several Korean movies were invited to film festivals in Cannes, Berlin, Venice, Toronto and San Sebastian in recognition of their outstanding quality. The Korean actor, screenwriter and director Na Woon-gyu laid the foundation for the dazzling growth of Korean cinematography.

Debuting in filmmaking
Born in Hamgyeong Province, North Korea in October 1902, Na Woon-gyu went to study in China but had to escape to Siberia after Japan colonized Korea. Later he joined a group of independence activists to fight against Japanese colonization, but was arrested by the Japanese and imprisoned until 1923. Na received his artistic pen name “Chunsa” from another resistance fighter Lee Chun-shik.

After returning to his hometown, Na reached a turning point in his life. He was mesmerized by a performance of the theater company “Yerimhoe” (예림회), which inspired him to join a theater group. But because of his stocky build, twisted legs and a strong Hamgyeong Province accent he received only sinister roles or the roles of madmen and laborers. Na continuously strived to overcome his physical shortcomings by honing his acting skills. In 1925, Na finally debuted as an actor in the movie “Unyeongjeon,” which was produced by Korea’s first film production company. He received recognition for his acting talent by perfectly portraying a palanquin carrier. The same year, Na received a leading role in the movie “Simcheongjeon,” where he played a blind man. Na even visited blind people to learn how to mimic the visually impaired. His appearance in many other movies earned him the title of the best actor in Joseon, but Na continued to set his goals higher.


The hero of “Arirang”
Na was never satisfied with his life as an actor only. In 1926, he decided to try his hand at filmmaking. He personally wrote the scripts for his movies “Arirang” and “Punguna,” which portrayed Korea’s independence movement. He also personally directed his films and appeared as the lead actor. Na’s movie “Arirang” created a sensation in Korea for depicting the harsh reality and absurdities of the 1920s. The final scene of “Arirang,” in which the main character Yeong-jin is arrested by police for killing the vicious pro-Japanese character Oh Ki-ho, who tried to rape his sisters, made audiences cry. The scene perfectly conveyed the pain of the Korean people during Japanese rule. After its opening in October 1926, “Arirang” was sold out for many days in a row and was screened nationwide for more than a year. In 1927, Na founded his own production company and two years later announced the movie “Deaf Samryeong,” which was the first film in Korea based on a famous novel.


Life like in a movie...
In 1931, Na Woon-gyu went to Japan to learn about Tokyo films. The following year, he played a leading role in director Lee Kyu-hwan’s movie “Abandoned Boat,” where his acting skills deeply impressed viewers, but his following films were unsuccessful. Refusing to give up, Na produced the sound film “Arirang 3” in 1936, and the following year created a movie based on Lee Tae-jun’s novel “Omongnyeo” (오몽녀), which was a huge success. In August 1937, Na’s health deteriorated suddenly and he died of tuberculosis at age 36. He was awarded posthumously for his contribution to the development of Korean cinematography. Korean filmmakers hold the Chunsa Film Festival every year to commemorate Na’s achievements. During his 15-year career as a filmmaker, Na produced 29 movies that depicted the pain of his nation and paved the way for the development of domestic cinematography. Thanks to him, Korean movies continue to impress and entertain viewers worldwide.