''Bulgasari at the End of Songdo'', or simply ''Bulgasari'', is a lost 1962 South Korean ''

kaiju is a Japanese term that is commonly associated with media involving giant monsters. Its widespread contemporary use is credited to ''tokusatsu'' (special effects) director Eiji Tsuburaya and filmmaker Ishirō Honda, who popularized the ''kaiju'' ...

'' film directed and edited by Kim Myeong-je. Produced by Kwang Seong Films, it was the first

monster movie A monster movie, monster film, creature feature or giant monster film is a film that focuses on one or more characters struggling to survive attacks by one or more antagonistic monsters, often abnormally megafauna, large ones. The film may also ...

to be made in South Korea, as well as the first Korean film to use

special effect Special effects (often abbreviated as F/X or simply FX) are illusions or visual tricks used in the theatre, film, television, video game, amusement park and simulator industries to simulate the fictional events in a story or virtual world. ...

s. It stars

Choi Moo-ryong Choi Moo-ryong (; February 25, 1928 – November 11, 1999) was a South Korean actor, producer, and director. He was the father of Choi Min-soo. Biography Choi was born in Paju, Keiki Province, Korea, Empire of Japan (now in Gyeonggi Province, S ...

as Nam Hyeong, a martial artist who is resurrected as the iron-eating monster Bulgasari to have revenge on his murderers. ''Bulgasari'' was reported to have begun production on November 26, 1961. It was inspired by the legendary Korean monster of the same name and heavily influenced by ''

Godzilla is a fictional monster, or ''kaiju'', that debuted in the eponymous 1954 film, directed and co-written by Ishirō Honda. The character has since become an international pop culture icon, appearing in various media: 33 Japanese films p ...

'' (1954). On an approximately ₩3.5 million budget, ''Bulgasari'' began

principal photography Principal photography is the phase of producing a film or television show in which the bulk of shooting takes place, as distinct from the phases of pre-production and post-production. Personnel Besides the main film personnel, such as the ...

on February 28, 1962, and wrapped on March 24. ''Bulgasari'' was released theatrically in South Korea on December 1, 1962. The film received negative reviews from critics, especially because of its unconvincing special effects, direction, and acting. Believed to have disappeared shortly after its release, the film is considered a significant feature in the history of South Korean cinema and one of the most sought-after lost ''kaiju'' films.

Shin Sang-ok Shin Sang-ok (; 1925 or 1926 – April 11, 2006), anglicized as Simon Sheen, was a South Korean filmmaker who directed 74 films in a career spanning over five decades. He is best known in South Korea for his efforts during the 1950s and 1960s, ...

directed a 1985 remake of the film during his abduction in North Korea.

Plot

Songdo Songdo (), officially known as Songdo International Business District (Songdo IBD), is a smart city built on of reclaimed land along Incheon's waterfront, southwest of Seoul, South Korea. It is connected to Incheon International Airport by a r ...

, during the late

Goryeo dynasty Goryeo (; ) was a Korean state founded in 918, during a time of national division called the Later Three Kingdoms period, that unified and ruled the Korea, Korean Peninsula until the establishment of Joseon in 1392. Goryeo achieved what has b ...

, an experienced martial artist named Nam Hyeong is slaughtered by traitors. His hatred makes him resurrected as the iron-eating monster, known as the Bulgasari, to seek revenge.

Cast

as Nam Hyeong / Bulgasari *

Um Aing-ran Um Aing-ran (; born March 20, 1936) is a South Korean actress. She has starred in about 190 films, and gained a popularity with the image of "a cheerful female college student" in the 1960s. Her marriage with Shin Seong-il, a colleague actor and ...

as Nam Lee * Kang Mi-ae as Eunjeon Lee * Kim Dong-won as the Castellan * Lee Up-dong as Seonhye * Jo Hang as the division director * Choe Seong-ho as Do-Cheol * Ji Bang-yeol as the ambassador of Dohwa * Park Sun-bong as a gatekeeper * No Gang as a gatekeeper * Park Il as a strange man * Park Kwang-jin as a strange man * Park Gyeong-ju as Jeong Seung * Sin Dong-hun * Jeon Ye-chool * Gang Cheol Cast taken from the

Korean Movie Database The Korean Movie Database (KMDb; ) is a South Korean online database of information related to Korean movies, animation, actors, television shows, production crew personnel and other film-related information. Overview KMDb was first published ...

Crew

* Kim Myeong-je – director, editor * Gang Sin-tak – planner * Yang Jeong-chun – lighting * Won Je-rae – art director * Lee Seung-tae – costume designer * Lee Kyeong-sun – sound recording * Kwon Jinkyu – miniature artist Personnel taken from the

Production

''Bulgasari'' was reported to have begun production on November 26, 1961. The film was inspired by the legendary Korean monster of the same name and heavily influenced by the 1954 ''

'' film ''

''.

Principal photography Principal photography is the phase of producing a film or television show in which the bulk of shooting takes place, as distinct from the phases of pre-production and post-production. Personnel Besides the main film personnel, such as the ...

began on February 28, 1962, and wrapped on March 24, on a budget of roughly ₩3.5 million. ''Bulgasari'' was the first South Korean film to use special effects. Two noteworthy special effects sequences caught viewers' attention: a witchcraft performance by the "White Lady" and her ascension into heaven.

Release

''Bulgasari'' was promoted as Korea's first film to use special effects in its "40 year history". It was screened at the in

Seoul Seoul, officially Seoul Special Metropolitan City, is the capital city, capital and largest city of South Korea. The broader Seoul Metropolitan Area, encompassing Seoul, Gyeonggi Province and Incheon, emerged as the world's List of cities b ...

on December 1, 1962. The

indicates the

Korean Film Archive The Korean Film Archive (KOFA; ), or the Korean Federation of Film Archives, is the sole film archive in South Korea with nationwide coverage. It was founded in Seoul in 1974 as a non-profit organization. In 1976 KOFA joined the International Fe ...

owns a document printed on March 26, 1963, suggesting a print of the film was made for North Korean screenings, but it is unclear whether it was ever used.

Critical response

''Bulgasari'' was widely panned upon its release due to ineffective special effects and antiquated direction by Kim Myeong-je. At the time, historical films were the only spectacles worth watching in Korea, and this film was dubbed "third-rate entertainment". A reviewer for ''

The Chosun Ilbo ''The Chosun Ilbo'' (, ), also known as ''The Chosun Daily,'' is a Korean-language newspaper of record for South Korea and among the oldest active newspapers in the country. With a daily circulation of more than 1,800,000, ''The'' ''Chosun Ilbo ...

'' felt Kim's directing method was outdated, and stated

and

's acting was "not very good", adding: "it adds boredom to the chorus of breathing in every line through the first part." The reviewer also noted that they could see "the strings hanging from the dragon's head" in one scene.

Legacy

''Bulgasari'' is believed to have vanished shortly after its release, leaving only contemporary news articles and posters as evidence of its existence. It has become one of the most sought-after lost films in the ''kaiju'' genre, along with '' Wasei Kingu Kongu'', '' The Great Buddha Arrival'', and ''

The King Kong That Appeared in Edo , commonly erroneously translated as ''King Kong Appears in Edo'', is a 1938 Japanese two-part silent ''jidaigeki'' film produced by Zenshō Cinema. It is now considered to be a lost film. Plot One night, Chinami (Reiko Mishima), the daughter of ...

''. While the film itself is considered lost, the original screenplay is preserved at the

. However, the screenplay is not accessible by the public.

Remake

Kim Jong Il Kim Jong Il (born Yuri Kim; 16 February 1941 or 1942 – 17 December 2011) was a North Korean politician who was the second Supreme Leader (North Korean title), supreme leader of North Korea from Death and state funeral of Kim Il Sung, the de ...

assigned South Korean filmmaker

to direct a remake of the film in 1985, titled ''

Pulgasari ''Pulgasari'' is an epic monster film directed and produced by Shin Sang-ok in 1985 during his North Korean abduction. A co-production between North Korea, Japan, and China, it is supposedly a remake of '' Bulgasari'', a 1962 South Korean f ...

''.

Notes

References

External links