<I-eoh Island>

Director : Kim Ki-young
Starring : Lee Hwa-si, Kim Jeong-cheol, Choi Yun-seok
Location Sites : Chagui Island, Bukjejugun, Jeju Province

Film Information

<I-eoh Island>(Iedo), renowned as one of the masterpieces of acclaimed director Kim Giyeong in the 1970s, the film reveals many characteristics of his works, such as contrasts between strong primary colors (Blue/Red), inclination toward the twisted and macabre (maniacal corpses played roles in some of his movies), and dark, lurid explorations of violence and sexuality. Kim Giyeong who produced most of his movies with his own screenplays, dramatized and directed Lee Cheongjun's novel, <I-eoh Island>(Iedo), following the trend of literary film productions after the unification of movie production companies in the 1970s.

In <I-eoh Island>(Iedo), director Kim levels sharp criticism regarding 'environmental concerns,' an issue he took up very seriously late in his career. Shamanistic sorcery, the primitive living conditions on the isolated Parang Island and the collision of instinctive desires in this movie are regarded as a rebuke against the post-war modernization of President Park Chung-hee in the late '70's.

Contrary to the existing Korean movie field that is focused on realism and is controlled by realist film artists, Kim Giyeong established his unique position exploring the 'instinctive desires' of human being in the style of expressionism. He began his career toward commercial-full-length movies by releasing <Yangsando> (Yangsando) in 1955. Critics usually interpret Kim's recurrent central theme of 'instinctive desires' as resisting and criticizing modernization and society.



Synopsis

Seonwu Hyeon, project manager of a travel agency, arranges a tour to Ieo Island as a part of his marketing campaing for the construction of a hotel on Jeju Island. While Seonwu embarks by ship to explore Ieo Island, a reporter named Cheon Namseok mysteriously dies in an accident, so Seonwu Hyeon visits Parang Island, the hometown of Cheon, feeling some responsibility for Cheon's death.

Son Minja, a waitress at the local bar, tells Seonwu that Cheon had a secret lover, and says that she totally believes the mysterious phenomenon that Seonwu experienced after being told how Cheon disappeared. She then suggests praying for Cheon's soul, telling Seonwu about the existence of a shrine for people who have vanished on Ieo Island.

Location of Shooting

Most of the scenes in <I-eoh Island>(Iedo) were shot on Parang Island where most of inhabitants are female. Legend has it that Ieo Island is an area that collects drowned fishermen and lures their grieving families; Parang Island is the place that is said to actualize the legend into reality.

Parang Island stands in stark contrast to the city, the site of the hotel where Seonwu Hyeon works and the bar where Minja used to work. The island is a radical space where birth and death cross each other and where the people still turn to shamanistic rituals in order to understand for meaning of life. However, modernization's impact reaches this island, and "Finding Ieo Island", the hotel promotion event that is organized by Seonwu and his colleagues, is seen as one of the examples of modernization's influences.

The death of Cheon Namseok, whose abalone farm fails due to the contamination of the sea area around Parang Island, implies his willingness to protect Parang Island where the instinctive will of life and desire rule. Resistance against modernization is also said to be expressed through Cheon's death.

Most of the scenes in this movie were shot on Chagui Island and Gagunae port. According to director Jeong Ilseong, most of the shooting took place in a studio built on Chagui Island. No one can enter Chagui Island except fishermen so it is not possible to look around the island. However, when traveling near the island by boat, one can locate the hill where the villagers flocked together, the seashore where Cheon Namseok lamented about the contaminated sea and the rocks that the lovers used on dates that are all relatively the same as they appeared in the movie. Jagunae port, located right in front of Chagui Island, still has the narrow path where Son Minja peeps at Seonwu Hyeon's face as she pretends to read a newspaper. The port is a typical, tiny fishing port where dried squid and cuttlefish are visible everywhere.

General Information

Chagwi-do is an island located in front of Jagunae Harbor in North Jeju, Jeju Island. Chagwi-do has four large islands: Juk-do, Jishili Island, Saengi Island, Wa-do and smaller annex islands. Shaped like an eagle, the name of the island is related to a legend about the gods of Mt. Halla. Located 10 minutes from Jagunae Harbor, Chagwi-do is the largest uninhabited island in the Jeju area. Chagwi-do is well-known for its fishing, especially sea bream including rock bream, red sea bream and black sea bream.




Directions

Jeju City-Seobu Ilju Road (Hagwi-Aewol-Hallim)-Gosan-Jagunae Harbor-Chagwi-do

Nearby Attractions

Hyeopjae Beach, Jeolbuam Rock, Biyang-do, Jeju Bonsai Artpia Park and other tourist spots are reachable within 20 minutes by car. Tourist information is easily available. Compared to other attractions on Jeju Island, Chagwi-do is relatively quiet, making it a perfect stop for a rest.