The talented team behind the Korean period drama Uprising examine warring class consciousness in their thrilling film.
The filmmaking team who crafted the Korean drama Uprising sought to tell a story of class division set against the backdrop of war and conflict during the Joseon era, which spanned the fourteenth to twentieth centuries. The film centers on the relationship between two men: slave-turned-warrior Cheon-yeong (Gang Dong-won, Peninsula) and nobleman and king’s guard Jong-ryeo (Park Jeong-min, Decision to Leave). After growing up together, with Cheon-yeong serving as a slave to Jong-ryeo’s military elite family, the duo find themselves on opposite sides in the aftermath of war.
“[Cheon-yeong] embodies both the classical hero who refuses to conform to his fate and a fighter in the modern sense,” say the film’s writers Shin Chul and Park Chan-wook (The Handmaiden, Decision to Leave). “[He] transcends the limitations of pursuing his own freedom and advances towards the path of solidarity and revolution.” Director Kim Sang-man (Midnight FM) delighted in the parallels to modern society that are at play in Uprising. “As economic inequality forms new classes in the twenty-first century, the present appears no different from the societal landscape of four hundred years ago,” says Kim. “Through this film, I sought to vividly capture the clashes, violence, and absurdity of class consciousness.”
Here, lead actors Gang and Park discuss the project that had them wielding swords as they depicted a tale of societal upheaval.
An edited version of the conversation follows.
Jong-ryeo (Park Jeong-min)
Queue: What was your first impression when you read the script?
Gang Dong-won: First off, it was a period drama but still modern at the same time. It had some new aspects compared to conventional film scripts. The story is based on history but reads very much like a novel. All these aspects were very fascinating; it is a legitimate action piece and a legitimate period drama, yet still very modern.
Park Jeong-min: At that time, I was thinking I wanted to see a good period piece be made, and the script was a perfect embodiment of what I envisioned. The story is set in the Joseon dynasty, of course, but it still gives food for thought to contemporary audiences. I also thought the script would make a very stylish film.
How did you prepare for the action scenes?
PJM: I attended an action school diligently. I went there whenever I had time over the course of about two to three months. It was my first experience with sword fighting, so it was very challenging, and I might have given my colleagues and the staff a hard time. Nevertheless, I did my best.
GDW: This was my third action film involving sword fighting. In this project, I moved the sword and my body more freely, with less form, to convey Cheon-yeong’s free-spirited personality. When I discussed action sequences with the director, we thought about what Cheon-yeong’s strong suits would be. After several discussions, the martial arts director and I decided that he would be a fast learner, able to quickly copy what he sees. So he uses everyone else’s weapons. He also mimics enemies’ skills after fighting them in battle, so I had to train in a diverse set of swordsmanship styles.
Cheon-yeong (Gang Dong-won)
What was it like working together?
GDW: This is my first time working in depth with Park Jeong-min. There was one occasion in the past when he made a cameo appearance in a project I was in, and it was such great fun. I was excited to work with him again on this project. Throughout the shooting, I was eagerly anticipating what he would bring to the set each day. He always came prepared, making it an enjoyable and inspiring experience working with him.
PJM: [Gang] is someone I have always liked and admired as an actor, someone I wanted to work with. Just the mere fact that I acted alongside him was a huge delight. I had many scenes with him in the earlier phase of shooting. The memories of working together in that early phase, and his occasional advice and compliments, all came together and supported me significantly when I had to portray a rush of emotions towards the end. When I was with [his character] Cheon-yeong, I didn’t have to try to conjure up feelings; they just came naturally. I am very grateful for that. It was almost like an opportunity to discover a part of myself that was unknown to me. It was a gratifying and enjoyable experience in many ways.
What was it like working with director Kim Sang-man?
GDW: All I knew was his previous works. Since he hadn’t done any period drama before, I was very curious about how he would direct one. All in all, I had a wonderful time. I have an interesting anecdote: Kim has experience as an art director, a music director, and even in poster design. One day, I saw him hunched over by the monitor, writing something, so I came over and had a look. He was writing in a prop book in traditional Chinese characters.
I was utterly surprised and thought this guy could do literally anything. It was such an intriguing moment. I’ve never seen a director write Chinese characters for a prop before. I found it fascinating.
What should the audience expect from Uprising?
PJM: This film can be understood in a variety of ways. Some may watch this film to enjoy the action sequences, some will feel the tragedy of the time, and others will delve into the inner conflict of the characters. There are many layers to the film, so viewers will be able to choose what they want to focus on.
