This 2022 Los Angeles Rams Super Bowl poster clearly mimicked the poster for the Hong Sang-soo film The Woman Who Ran
You may very well be someone who would bet on sports online, but it’s unlikely that anyone would have bet on an NFL Super Bowl champion drawing inspiration from Korean cinema.
Yet that was exactly the case when the Los Angeles Rams were beating the Cincinnati Bengals in the NFL’s big game in 2022. The poster the Rams put out promoting the lead up to the Super Bowl was eerily similar to the poster for the Hoo Sang-soo directed film The Woman Who Ran.
In the LA version of the poster, Rams star players like Matthew Stafford, Aaron Donald and Cooper Kupp are situated around a twisting yellow line. In the poster for the film, several images of the main character Gamhee, portrayed by actor Kim Minhee, are positioned moving around a twisting yellow line.
Even though she ran, this woman was running from her husband. This film clearly wasn’t a Korean sports movie. Yet sports-themed films are a significant part of the Korean film industry, accurately reflecting a culture in which sports plays a prominent role.
Let’s take a look at some of the best Korean films that feature a sporting theme.
Dreams Come True (2010)
Set during the time of soccer’s 2002 World Cup, which was played in South Korea, Dreams Come True focuses on a North Korean officer, portrayed by Lee Seong-Jae, who is stationed in the DMZ. On the one hand, he is a passionate soccer fan. However, both his station in life and in the military are preventing him from partaking in the world’s greatest soccer event, which is situated just across a border he cannot cross.
Frustrated, the officer memorizes the names of all the players in South Korea’s World Cup side. Then one night while leading a patrol on a search operation, they stumble across a number of South Korean soldiers. The beautiful game manages to break down barriers and they discover their shared passion for soccer. The soldiers on opposite sides set up radio communication links so that both groups can listen to the World Cup matches and ultimately, they decide to stage a soccer match of their own.
Mr. Go (2013)
Mr. Go movie poster.
You could call this film a cross between King Kong and Air Bud. Mr. Go is a gorilla who becomes a Korean baseball superstar. Circus animal trainer Zhao Wei Wei is in desperate financial straits. Her only marketable commodity is Ling Ling, aka Mr. Go, her bat-swinging gorilla, so she reluctantly opts to audition him for Korean baseball scouts.
Mr. Go is an instant hit, both literally and figuratively. His hitting exploits lead the Doosan Bears on an incredible winning streak. Adapted from a comic book, Mr. Go won several awards, including the honor for best visual effects at the 2014 Asian Film Awards.
Dream (2023)
A disgraced professional football player, played by Park Seo-joon, is given the task of coaching a Korean team that will be competing in the Homeless World Cup. He sees this as an avenue toward restoring his reputation in the eyes of the public.
Korean K-pop star IU is the co-lead. She portrays a cynical film producer seeking to make a documentary about the team. She’s more interested in ratings than winning and tries to get players on the team whose stories are more compelling than their ability to hit a half volley or connect on a diving header.
Split (2016)
It’s a little bit Kingpin, with a healthy measure of Rain Man mixed in for good measure. Split is a movie about a once-great bowler who is seeking to find redemption, as well as a purpose for his life. Yoo Ji-tae plays the lead role as the one-time kingpin of Korean 10-pin bowling who saw his successful career derailed by a leg injury suffered in a car accident.
He falls into an underworld of illegal gambling and looking to make a big score, befriends an autistic boy who is a passionate and talented bowler, even though his delivery of the ball down the lane toward the pins is completely unorthodox to the point of looking ridiculous. But it works. And the young boy’s generosity warms the heart of the ex-bowling star. A mission he set out on to fill his bank account turns into a bond of a different kind, as the young autistic boy wins over the man’s heart.
Rebound (2023)
Based on a true story, Rebound tells the story of the Jungang High School basketball team in Busan and their improbable run at the 2012 national championship. A once-proud basketball power, the school has fallen on hard times and is considering ending their famous basketball program. Alumnus Kang Yang-hyeon, who had been on the coaching staff of the U-16 boys’ national team, is brought to the school to try and rebuild the program. But several of the team’s players refuse to play under the new coach.
Ultimately, they go to the national championship with just six players on the roster, none of them considered to hold a high pedigree when it comes to basketball ability. Against all odds, the team wins the title.
Forever The Moment (2008)
Also based on a true story, this film centers around the sport of team handball. It’s believed to be the first film ever based on this sport and it’s a tale about the 2004 Korean Olympic women’s handball team. When the coach of the team suddenly quits, Kim Hye-kyeong, a retired handball player, is recruited from Japan to take over. What she discovers is a very undisciplined team. However, as the Olympics draw near, the team is coming together.
Korea ends up winning a silver medal, facing off with Denmark in a compelling gold-medal final. The film captures the essence of the majority of Olympic athletes – people from ordinary lives who rise up to achieve extraordinary feats in the field of play. The movie was named the best film at the Asian Film Awards.