He's on Duty
He's on Duty (Korean: 방가? 방가!; RR: Bangga? Bangga!; MR: Pangga? Pangga!) is a 2010 South Korean 2010 black comedy film that comically yet incisively depicts racial issues in Korea. Tae-sik finds it difficult to get a job due to his odd appearance and impatient character. After failing repeatedly, he disguises himself as a foreigner and finally lands a job. Tae-sik, however, witnesses the cruel treatment migrant workers face in Korea.[1]
| He's on Duty | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Directed by | Yook Sang-hyo |
| Written by | Yook Sang-hyo |
| Produced by | Kim Bok-geun Lee Se-young |
| Starring | Kim In-kwon Kim Jung-tae |
| Cinematography | Jeon Dae-sung |
| Edited by | Park Gok-ji |
| Music by | Shin Hyung |
| Distributed by | Cinergy |
Release date |
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Running time | 110 minutes |
| Country | South Korea |
| Language | Korean |
The Korean title is a pun on the lead character's name and is an abbreviated form of 반갑습니다 (bangabseumnida) or 반가워요 (bangawoyo) which translates to "Delighted? Delighted!" or "Nice to meet you."
Plot
Bang Tae-sik is perennially unemployed as he drifts from one job to another, from manual labor to serving coffee. His appearance (dark skin and short height), being rather atypical for a Korean is to blame it seems, but best buddy Yong-cheol persuades Tae-sik to make better use of these disadvantages: Desperate and having nothing better to do, he adopts a strange accent and ethnic hat and is reborn as Bang-ga (a twist on his family name) from Bhutan, and immediately lands a job at a chair manufacturing factory.
Despite a shaky beginning ― due to his unredeemable clumsiness, rather than doubts about his alleged Bhutani roots that are all too convincing ― Tae-sik gets along with his co-workers, and even starts romancing the lovely Jang-mi from Vietnam. He is even voted to become president of a migrant workers labor union and competent Korean language instructor, and joins in a harmonious effort to win a local singing competition for foreigners.
Tae-sik begins to truly bond with his co-workers but his loyalties are put to the test when Yong-cheol finds a way to swindle their money.[2]
Cast
- Kim In-kwon as Bang Tae-sik / Bang-ga
- Kim Jung-tae as Yong-cheol
- Shin Hyun-bin as Jang-mi
- Khan Mohammad Asaduzzman as Ali
- Nazarudin as Rajah
- Peter Holman as Charlie
- Eshonkulov Parviz as Michael
- Jeon Gook-hwan as Boss Hwang
- Kim Kang-hee as Miss Hong
- Kim Bo-min as Hye-young
- Park Yeong-soo as Park Kwan-sang
- Jung Tae-won as Dan-poong
Awards and nominations
2010 Korean Film Awards
- Nomination - Best Supporting Actor: Kim Jung-tae
- Nomination - Best New Actress: Shin Hyun-bin
- Nomination - Best Screenplay: Yook Sang-hyo
- Nomination - Best Music: Shin Hyung
- Best New Actress: Shin Hyun-bin
- Best Screenplay: Yook Sang-hyo
2011 Buil Film Awards
- Best Screenplay: Yook Sang-hyo
References
- "Duty falters in satirizing social issues". The Korea Times. 2010-10-14. Retrieved 2021-07-08.
- Lee, Hyo-won (2010-10-14). "Duty falters in satirizing social issues". The Korea Times. Retrieved 2021-07-08.
External links
- Official website (in Korean)
- He's on Duty at the Korean Movie Database
- He's on Duty at IMDb
- He's on Duty at HanCinema