94 movie films of the 1950s, 1960s rediscovered

Film of 94 movies that remained missing including the debut work of director Jeong Jin-woo, and flagship works of director Kim Soo-yong have been rediscovered.

At a press conference at the Korea Press Center in central Seoul on Tuesday, the Korea Film Archive said, “We have received on March 11 a donation of 450 movies, including those produced from the 1940s to the 1980s, such as 94 movies whose films could not been checked.”

The donor is Han Gyu-ho, president of the Joint Movie Corp., who has been operating mobile movie screening business through tours to local community since his father’s era.

“Since works from directors in the 1950s and the 1960s have been rediscovered en mass, the films will serve as revolutionary resources to fill the vacuum in the Korea movie industry," said Lee Byeong-hoon, chairman of the Korea Film Archive.

The works that have been newly discovered include major works produced by famed directors, including "Pilot Ahn Chang-nam (1949)," director Roh Pil’s debut movie, "Female Judge (1962)," the debut movie of Korea’s first female director Hong Eun-won; "Single Son (1963)," the debut movie of director Jeong Jin-woo, and "Unforgettable woman (1966)," the first melodrama movie by director Lee Man-hee; "Full Load of Fish (1967)," and "Trees Standing on Slant (1968)," the debut work by director Choi Ha-won. The movie "Battlefield and Female Teacher" by director Lim Kwon-taek in 1965, which had been kept at the archive with a certain portion of the work missing, has been discovered in entirety.

At the press conference, director Jeong said, “No director would forget his or her debut work,” adding, “I feel deeply impressed because we have come to find the work that made director Jeong Jin-woo what he is today.” Actress Kim Ji-mi, who appeared in the movie "Single Son" at age 23 said, "I feel excited to see the films that I starred in as rookie when I was 23. I would like to thank the donor for providing us with an opportunity to shed historical light on movies of the time again.”

Director Lim said, “I think the films have high value as historical records, because it will allow us to check the signature of the time and trend, and to inspect the site of filming. I wished that people would not find these movies because back then, more than 50 videos were filmed in 10 years."

The movie "Unforgettable Love" produced by director Lee Man-hee, among the newly found films, will be screened for the first time through the "Lee Man-hee Collection" at the Korea Film Archive in Sangam-dong, Seoul to commemorate the 40th anniversary of Lee’s passing. Lee directed the movie in person before filming his flagship work "Manchu."

“As many of the films` storage conditions are bad, it will take some time before restoring them,” said Jang Gwang-heon, chief of the materials department of the Korea Film Archive. “The movies’ ‘Single son,’ ‘Full Load of Fish’, ‘Trees Standing on Slant,’ and ‘Battlefield and Female Doctor’ will be open to the public by the end of the year."