'Snowpiercer', futuristic world imagined by director Bong from French graphic novel

After the apocalypse, everything is frozen except for one thing; a train carrying the only survivors. What would humans look like in such an extreme situation?

Both domestically and globally known Korean directorBong Joon-hocame back with his new filmSnowpiercerto answer that question.

Korean actorSong Kang-hoplays security specialist Namgoong Minsu inSnowpiercer.

The whole idea of the world depicted by Bong inSnowpiercergoes back to 2004 in Hongik University. When the gifted Korean director passed by a bookstore in the neighborhood, something happened to catch his eyes. That was the French graphic novel Le Transperceneige written by Jean Marc Rochette. After immediately reading the whole story cover to cover, Bong decided to turn it into a movie.

In a new Ice Age created by human failures, where everything is frozen, a few thousand human survivors live out their days in a high-end, luxury train traveling on a massive loop across the continents in Bong'sSnowpiercer.

The weak and the have nots living in the tail section of the train who are on the verge of starvation break out in rebellion against the strong and the haves in the front section who live in luxury.

Bong's new filmSnowpiercerboasts a Hollywood star-studded cast includingChris Evans(from right),Octavia Spencer, andJohn Hurt.

This film boasts a headline-grabbing cast which includes two acclaimed Korean actorsSong Kang-hoandKo Ah-seong, both of whom starred in Bong's earlier hit The Host, and American actorChris Evans, well known for his starring role in Captain America: The First Avenger in 2011 and the 2012 blockbuster The Avengers, who plays the revolutionary leader Curtis in this new movie.

Other Hollywood stars includingEd Harrisof The Truman Show,John Hurtof Harry Potter, andJamie Bellof Billy Elliot also appear.

Director Bong (left) on set

"This work voices a universal issue facing all humankind; the endless conflict between the rich and the poor, the haves and the have nots", said director Bong Jun-hoo at a premiere screening held on July 22. "No matter which country you belong to, or what circumstances you are under, this matter stays around us all the time, and is something that will drive movie fans all over the world deep into this movie, at the least".

Comparing the train with a "giant time capsule", Bong also said, "What I tried to tell is that every place where we humans exist, even this train with the last survivors on board always has all the same top-down class distinctions".

On how he felt about working with Hollywood actors, Korean actorSong Kang-howho plays the lead role Namgoong Minsu replied, "They are all like a Korean actor. Although they speak different languages, they all are the same actors as us who want to show the best of themselves".

Bong'sSnowpiercer, the result from over ten years of production, is scheduled to be released in 167 countries around the world, first premiering here in Korea on August 1.

The cast starring inSnowpiercerincludes Hollywood stars as well as famous Korean actors.

By Sohn Ji-ae
Korea.net Staff Writer
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