The Foul King (반칙왕, Banchikwang) is a 2000 South Korean comedy film written and directed by Kim Ji-woon. It was Kim's second feature-length film after The Quiet Family. Like the director's debut film, The Foul King also stars Song Kang-ho, this time as an incompetent bank clerk who takes up a career in professional wrestling, adopting the moniker "The Foul King" in the ring.
Shy banker Im Dae-Ho (played by Song Kang-Ho) perfectly embodies the average adult suffering from pre mid-life crisis. His boss is a maniacal control freak who uses the "law of the jungle" to deal with employees. The survival of the fittest, the others are welcome to crumble at the hands of his devastating headlock. Dae-Ho's performance rating is the lowest in the company, and he's constantly late to work. His personal life is not much different: Dae-Ho is in his late twenties and without a partner. Dae-Ho doesn't want to grow up, as he still has the naiveté and spontaneity of his teenage years. But he's also suffering the pressure of his job's highly competitive nature - and by extension the pressure of modern society.
The Foul King is a simple black comedy with plenty of laughs and silly situations. But, at the heart of the film lies an intelligent recreation of everyday real life problems. The maturity and realism used by director Kim Ji-woon in depicting Dae-Ho's hurdles is impressive. The film's ending seems to imply that it doesn't take itself too seriously. However, the film still conveys a serious statement with honesty and without its usual cliches, that determination is what will make you achieve your goals.
Kim Ji-Woon has proven himself as arguably the finest black comedy director in Korea. He intelligently mixes slapstick comedy with excellent character development, and he creates an enchanting pace that lets his films flow smoothly. The Foul King is unpredictably funny, possesses realistic themes, and features interesting and affecting characters.
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