Choi Min-Sik @ New York Asian Film Festival 2012: In Summation

When the Violent Eye last peered out, it surveyed several of Choi Min-Sik’s films, reacting to them quickly after.  The proceedings went, chronologically, as follows: Quiet Family & Shiri, Happy End & Chi-Hwa-Seon: Painted Fire, Lady Vengeance & I Saw The Devil.  This was in preparation for his appearance at The New York Asian FilmFestival. During that time, some of his other most significant and personal favorite movies were shown in the theater, preceded by insightful introductions and followed by revealing question and answer sessions with the esteemed actor.

The days and nights of the festival during which Min-Sik was present were reported on at Unseen Films at the links listed below:
Channeling Mad Sentiment Toward Choi Min-Sik
(Mentions of Oldboy and Nameless Gangster screenings + q & a's)

Missed Connections, Landed Fists

(Mentions of Failan and Crying Fist screenings)

Choi Min-Sik Talks
(Details of introductions and q & a's that followed Failan and Crying Fist, video clips for introductions of both movies)

A major part of the q & a sessions on Monday involved discussing Choi’s lengthy self-ban on film industry activity in protest of the South Korean government’s bending stance on its film quota system.  
The first talk, following a screening of FAILAN, focused on the details of the quota system and why Choi felt so strongly about the issue, from the point of view of a member of South Korea’s artist community.

During the second talk, which came after the festival showed CRYING FIST, he spoke out the issue, more on the subject of his decision to abstain from working in the industry and how it connected to his craft.  His words on this, captured below, revealed a very philosophical outlook on the part of the iconic actor.

Now is the time to delve back into the master actor’s past films, and look forward to what he has in store for the future.

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