My Wife Is a Gangster (2001)

[One Armed Boxer]

I watched this for the first time last night, and was surprised to find there's no dedicated thread on the forum about this movie already.

Made in 2001, 'My Wife Is a Gangster' stars Sin Eun-kyeong (who permanently lost eye sight in one eye during filming) as the head of a 50+ strong gang, who decides to grant her sisters dying wish to see her married with kids.

Comedy hi-jinks should ensue, which they do, however director Jo Jin-kyoo goes for some truly jarring changes in tone. As a movie it attempts to combine three elements of Korean cinema which always tend to be taken to the extreme - 'Sassy Girl' style comedy, gangster violence, and family melodrama.

While the three usually make for great single movies, when they're thrown together the shifts tend to come off as uncomfortable more than anything else. One minute you're supposed to be laughing at a gangster giving mouth to mouth resuscitation to a dead cat, while the next you're witnessing a pregnant woman get repeatedly kicked in the chest, you have to wonder what it was they were actually going for.

It seems to me the movie was supposed to be a comedy, and all the ingredients are there for it to be a great one, with some drama thrown in to give it some depth. But in the end it comes across as more of a drama, with some awkward comedic elements thrown in which, while they do indeed raise a laugh at times, too often the violence and melodrama drowns them out.

As an action movie it does a decent job, it's a Korean production so we get the satisfyingly bone crunching gang brawls, as well as some decent knife fights. It's worth noting that the action is choreographed by Kim Won-jin from the Hong Kong classic 'Operation Scorpio / Scorpion King'.

Overall 'My Wife Is a Gangster' is still a good movie despite it's flaws. It was made in 2001 which was a time when Korean cinema was still finding it's feet in developing it's distinctly recognizable style, and as such it's interesting to see the elements that fans have come to know and love thrown together in such a chaotic way.

I haven't seen the sequels but based on the first one I'll definitely track them down at some point.

ROjTx8emSIY

[daisho2004]

@OAB: I had seen one of these movies I think it was #2 and I thought I had written a review on it a while ago. But that might have been before the site changed up. I really did enjoy the movie overall I still want to get the whole trilogy.

[Keung]

Part two is just as good, if not better than this one.

[CatNap]

How did the lead actress lose an eye? I assume there would be a lawsuit against the studio, was there? How horrible really, no one should have to get hurt on a film.

Laura

[One Armed Boxer]

I pulled this info off the net, but details seem pretty scarce, at least in English language -

Shin Eun-kyung recently revealed that she has lost her eyesight in one eye!

This is due to an accident that occurred three years ago during the filming of the movie, 'My Wife is a Gangster.'

A splinter of wood entered the actress' eye when a wooden stick was wielded against her in an action scene. The accident fueled media speculation over the possibility of sight loss at that time.

Unfortunately, eyesight in the wounded eye began to fail dramatically after the accident.

However, Shin Eun-kyung, who has been starring in the drama, 'Perfect Match,' recently said during a media interview, that although she can no longer see with her wounded eye, it will never discourage her from delivering a good performance. We hope to continue seeing Shin Eun-kyung's great performances.

[CatNap]

Wow...Lord that's just sad. I hope the studio awarded her money in compensation. That never should have happened and wouldn't have if they used something safer. No one should get hurt doing a film.

Laura

[blue_skies]

did this get a US release? All I seem to find is the overpriced UK and HK.that curiosity does anyone have the HK region three and is it anamorphic widescreen?

Wow...Lord that's just sad. I hope the studio awarded her money in compensation. That never should have happened and wouldn't have if they used something safer. No one should get hurt doing a film.

Laura

I hope you're right that she got compensation but how do you put a price on losing an eye!

[yojimbo]

I don't recall ever seeing a US release of My Wife is a Gangster 1. The movie was different during a time when the Korean gangster movies took off in popularity and there were plenty of gangster movies.

Also, I don't remember with 100% accuracy but she didn't loose an eye or her sight. I recall her being injured during the rooftop fight in the beginning of the 2nd movie. She had a scratched cornea but she can see just fine now.

There were rumors that Zang Ziyi would be the Gangster wife in the 3rd movie of the series. So she makes a cameo at the end of 2. However, Hsu Chi was cast for My Wife is a Gangster 3. At the end of 1 the guy with the knife she fights is Choi Min Soo. He is a well know actor for the Korean soap/series - More Ae Shigeh (The Hourglass/Sandglass) Detailing the early days of Korean's democracy movement during the 70's and 80's. He is always looked at as a tough guy and known for his bad behavior.

One of the big things that people might not get is when all her subordinates refer to her as Hyung nim. Which is a terms when addressing older males as older brother.