Bumping and Grinding
A fearless director
Ryoo Seung-wan(December 15, 1973 – ) is a South Korean film director and film actor.
In 1996, he made his first short film, “Transmutated Head,” and later worked as a director under Park Chan-wook, and made his feature film debut in 2000 with “Dead or Bad”. In 2000, he won the Best New Director Award at the Cheongryong Film Festival and gained attention in the film industry.
Ryoo Seung-wan is known as Korea’s “Action Kid” for his unique style of capturing action and rough life, and has directed films such as 《Crying Fist》, 《The Unjust》, 《The Berlin Film》, 《Escape from Mogadishu》 and 《Smugglers》.
All that remains is for him to soar from the burden that weighs on his shoulders. Therefore, let us speak sparingly now. That he may be as light as a feather, and live his life with fun and joy. That he may perform the most rhythmic actions.
– Hwang Kyung-sin(Book/The True Colors of Ryoo Seung-wan p.367)
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DRAMA
Transmutated Head
– 1996 | Korea
– Running time : 19 minutes
– Director : Ryoo Seung-wan
– Starring : Shim Sang-wook, Lee Moo-young, Heo Jong-soo…
Seokhwan wakes up to another peaceful morning and heads to the watering hole.
Ominous eyes follow him as he runs to the quiet watering hole.
As expected, the peace is shattered, and Seok-hwan is confronted by a group of far-right conservatives and Christian fanatics who begin to commit senseless acts of violence.
How will Seok-hwan survive this fight with no sign of compromise? -
DRAMA
Gang Fight
– 1998 | South Korea
– Running time : 14 minutes
– Director : Ryoo Seung-wan
A pool hall in a neighborhood where notices and announcements are adjacent.
Two of the Gonggong students are playing pool in this pool hall dominated by the Yego gang.
Hyun-soo enters the pool hall and brags about how he beat up one of the gonggong students earlier, which makes the gonggong students boast.
Just then, the door to the pool hall opens and the gonggong student who was beaten by Hyun-soo enters, covered in blood, and a fight breaks out.
The owner of the billiard hall interrupts to explain the situation, and the fight, which started as a minor quarrel, escalates into a full-blown brawl. -
DRAMA
Modern Man
– 1999 | Korea
– Running time : 16 minutes
– Director : Ryoo Seung-wan
Tae-hoon, the middle boss of the gang, runs into Seok-hwan, an undercover cop. It’s just the two of them in the underground parking lot. They fight for their lives.
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DRAMA
Die Bad
Drama, Action | Korea | 98 minutes
Released : Jul 15, 2000
Director : Ryoo Seung-wan
Starring : Ryoo Seung-wan (Seok-hwan), Park Seong-bin (Seong-bin), Ryoo Seung-bum (Sang-hwan), Bae Joong-sik (Tae-hoon), Kim Su-hyun (Hyun-soo) …
Rating : [Domestic] NC-17
Part 1 – Gang Fight, Part 2 – Nightmare, Part 3 – Modern Man, Part 4 – Die Bad
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COMEDY, ACTION
Dachimawa Lee
– Action | Korea | 99 minutes
– Released : Aug 13, 2008
– Director : Ryoo Seung-wan
– Starring : Im Won-hee (Dachimawa Lee), Kong Hyo-jin (Keum Yeon-ja), Park Si-yeon (Ma-ri), Hwang Bo-ra (Girl), Kim Byung-ok (Wang Seobang), Kim Su-hyun (Damanegi) …
– Rating: [Domestic] PG
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DRAMA
No Blood No Tears
– Action, Noir, Drama | Korea | 120 minutes
– Released : Mar 1, 2002
– Director : Ryoo Seung-wan
– Starring : Jeon Do-yeon (Soo-jin), Lee Hye-young (Kyung-sun) …
– Rating : [Domestic] NC-17
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comedy / action / fantasy
Arahan
– Action, Comedy, Fantasy | Korea | 114 minutes
– Released : Apr 30, 2004
– Director : Ryoo Seung-wan
– Starring : Ryoo Seung-bum (Officer Sang-hwan), Yoon Soy (Wi-jin), Ahn Sung-ki (Ja-woon) …
– Rating : [Domestic] PG
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comedy / action
Crying Fist
– Action, Drama | Korea | 134 minutes
– Released : Apr 1, 2005
– Director : Ryoo Seung-wan
– Starring : Choi Min-sik (Kang Tae-sik), Ryoo Seung-bum (Sang-hwan) …
– Rating: [Domestic] PG-13
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DRAMA
Hey Man
– Omnibus Film | Korea | 21/119 minutes
– Released : Jan 12, 2006
– Director : Ryoo Seung-wan
– Starring : Kim Su-hyun (Woo-sik), Ahn Kil-kang (Jun-cheol), Lee Jung-heon (Chang-soo), Kwon Hyung-joon (Tae-oh), On Ju-wan (Employee) …
– Rating : [Domestic] PG
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DRAMA
The City of Violence
– Action | South Korea | 92 minutes
– Released : May 25, 2006
– Director : Ryoo Seung-wan
– Starring : Ryoo Seung-wan (Seok-hwan), Jung Doo-hong (Tae-soo), Lee Beom-soo (Pil-ho) …
– Rating : [Domestic] NC-17
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comedy / action
Dachimawa Lee
– Comedy, Action | Korea | Short Film 35 minutes
– Director : Ryoo Seung-wan
– Cast : Im Won-hee, Lee Yoon-seong, Han Seung-hee …
– Rating: [Domestic] PG-13
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DRAMA
Timeless
– Action | Korea | Short Film
– Released : 2009
– Director : Ryoo Seung-wan
– Starring : Kane Kosugi (Kane), Jung Doo-hong (Doo-hong) …
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CRIME / DRAMA
The Unjust
– Crime, Drama | Korea | 119 minutes
– Released : Oct 28, 2010
– Director : Ryoo Seung-wan
– Starring : Hwang Jung-min (Choi Cheol-gi), Ryoo Seung-bum (Joo Yang), Yoo Hai-jin (Jang Seok-gu), Chun Ho-jin (Chief Kang) …
– Rating : [Domestic] NC-17
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documentary
MBC 50th Anniversary Special Project [Time] - "In Search of a Spy"
– Documentary | MBC, 2011
Director Ryoo Seung-wan was preparing an espionage movie for his next project, and together with journalist Joo Jin-woo, a self-proclaimed expert in finding people, he set out to find a North Korean agent who could serve as a model for the movie.
Will they succeed in their ‘Project to Find the Spy’? In the form of a “making-of” documentary, this film revisits the meaning of spies and agents that have permeated our lives for the past 50 years.
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ACTION / DRAMA
The Berlin File
– Action, Drama | Korea | 120 minutes
– Released : Jan 31, 2013
– Director : Ryoo Seung-wan
– Produced by : Film R&K
– Starring : Ha Jung-woo (Pyo Jong-sung), Han Suk-kyu (Jung Jin-soo), Ryoo Seung-bum (Dong Myung-soo), Gianna Jun (Ryeon Jung-hee) …
– Rating : PG-13
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drama
Mad Sad Bad
– Drama | Korea | 44 minutes
– Released : May 15, 2014
– Director : Ryoo Seung-wan
– Starring : Lee Da-wit (Seung-Ho), Park Jeong-min (Bizen/Bo-Hyun), Sohn Su-hyun (Yeowoobi), Kim Dong-young (Yang-Ari), Ahn Kil-kang…
– Rating : NC-17
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ACTION / DRAMA
Veteran
– Action, Drama | Korea | 123 minutes
– Released : Aug 5, 2015
– Director : Ryoo Seung-wan
– Starring : Hwang Jung-min (Seo Do-cheol), Yoo Ah-in (Jo Tae-oh), Yoo Hai-jin (Choi Dae-woong) …
– Rating : PG-13
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DRAMA
The Battleship Island
– Action, Drama | Korea | 132 minutes
– Released : Jul 26, 2017
– Director : Ryoo Seung-wan
– Production : Film R&K
– Starring : Hwang Jung-min (Lee Kang-ok), So Ji-sub (Choi Chil-sung), Song Joong-ki (Park Moo-young) …
– Rating : PG-13 -
Action / Drama
Escape from Mogadishu
– Drama | Korea | 121 minutes
– Released : Jul 28, 2021
– Director : Ryoo Seung-wan
– Cast : Kim Yun-seok (Ambassador Han), Zo In-sung (Counsellor Kang), Huh Joon-ho (Ambassador Lim), Koo Kyo-hwan(Counsellor Tae) …
– Rating : PG-13
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crime
Smugglers
– Crime | Korea | 129 minutes
– Released : Jul 26, 2023
– Director : Ryoo Seung-wan
– Cast : Kim Hye-soo (Jo Choon-ja), Yum Jung-ah (Uhm Jin-sook), Zo In-sung (Kwon Pil-sam), Park Jeong-min (Hammer), Kim Jong-soo (Lee Jang-choon), Go Min-si (Go Ok-bun), Kim Jae-hwa (Pig Mom), Park Jun-myun (Yang Geum-ne)…
– Rating : PG-13
Music Video
Commercial Film
- 2000. JTEL CelVic
- 2009. Motorola Moto Classic
- 2010. Hite Beer Max
- 2010. CJ ONE Membership Card
documentary
- 2011.06.23 MBC 50th Anniversary Special Project [Time] - "In Search of a Spy"
essay
actor
- 1997 《Trio》 Minor Role – Music Store Clerk
- 2000 《Die Bad》 Lead Role – Seok-whan
- 2002 《Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance》 Minor Role – Chinese Restaurant Delivery Person
- 2002 《Oasis》 Supporting Role – Hong Jong-sae
- 2005 《Lady Vengeance》 Cameo – Passerby
- 2006 《The City of Violence》 Lead Role – Seok-hwan
- 2008 《Dachimawa Lee》 Voice Actor – Narrator's Voice
- 2009 《Timeless》 Supporting Role – Himself
- 2010 《Battlefield Heroes》 Cameo – Special Forces Officer 1
- 2011 《Mama》 Cameo – Musical Director
- 2013 《Rough Play》 Special Appearance – Jeonju Film Festival VIP
- 2014 《Gyeongju》Minor Role – Mr. Kang
“Just do something,
Living is learning.”
I have no regrets, although I’m disappointed when I finish each movie.
I made it the best I could, and I’m going to use it to the best of my ability.
If I had a dream, it would be to have two strong legs so that I can stay in the field even when I am old.. (도서/The True Colors of Ryoo Seung-wan 中)
The opening sequence is one of the best I've seen in years. A great blend of action and narrative, at the forefront of Korean cinema.
Creative, dynamic and captivating. It's a must-see in the cinema with top-notch action and plenty of charm.
Top-notch director Ryu Seung-wan nails the action sequences and interspersed humour.
Stunning set pieces, a well-crafted story, social issues at its centre and a few visual gags that pay homage to Buster Keaton
Movie awards
He won the Best Film Award at the 1998 Busan Short Film Festival for his short film “Fighting,” and the same film was selected as the next selection for the Indie Forum 99 Film Village in 1999. Since then, he has won numerous awards at major film festivals, including five Cheongryong Film Awards for his most recent film, “Smugglers” in 2023.