Monster Island News: Won Shin-yeon

Showing posts with label Won Shin-yeon. Show all posts

New Concept Art For Won Shin-yeon's ROBOT TAEKWAN V

Written By: Ken Hulsey
Sources: Twitch / Avery Guerra

If your a giant robot fan, like me, than this really outta get ya all geeked up.

As I have often said, movie productions in other parts of the world work on a different timetable than they do here in America. Sometimes it literally takes years to get from the planning stages to the finished product.

Such is the case with Won Shin-yeon's giant robot epic, "Robot Taekwon V", a film that we first started talking about here at Monster Island News way back in 2008.

Since that time we have seen all kinds of production photos, test animations and even TV commercials coming out of Korea, but no real footage or images that will make it into the film.

Which means there has been a lot of thought and planning being put into this one that so far hasn't translated into any actual filming.

Well, I wish that I could report that there is some actual filming being done on "Robot Taekwon V", but all I have for you today is more conceptual stuff. This time in the form of a set of new Taekwon V designs by digital artist Josh Nizzi who also designed many of the bots in "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen".

Like his work in "Transformers", Nizzi has taken the classic, and I should point out, more refined look of the original Taekwon V, and added a lot more bells and whistles. Basically turning the robot into another Transformer as opposed to making look like the Japanese robot, Mazinger Z, which it was originally modeled after.

Now, I don't know about you, but I like the classic look better, today everyone seems to be making these robots look too complicated. I'll take any of the old Japanese robots over these new designs any day.

Hopefully production on "Robot Taekwon V" should begin very shortly. Tentatively the film now has a release date scheduled for sometime in 2011.

Brand New Photos From Won Shin-yeon's Taekwon V

Written By: Ken Hulsey
Source: Avery Guerra

Our tireless "Net Surfer", Avery Guerra, has done it again! This time, during his travels through cyberspace, he was able to dig up four brand new images from Won Shin-yeon's upcoming movie, "Taekwon V".

Now, many giant robot fans here in America may not be too familiar with "Taekwon V" and it's uber popularity in Korea. As the story goes, animator Kim Cheong-gi, created the robot after the Japanese series "Mazinger Z" became a smash hit in 1972. Kim wanted to design a Korean robot hero for the children of his native country. He took the basic "Mazinger" design and altered it somewhat, then he gave his creation the ability to do taekwondo as it's primary form of attack.

The rest is history. "Taekwon V" became the first animated movie to ever be produced in Korea way back in 1976, and the title character has become an icon.

Won Shin-yeon is giving the character a modern GGI makeover in his film, which is set to be released just in time to go head-to-head with "Transformers 2" at the Korean box office.

The special effects for "Robot Taekwon V" have been in the hands of several Korean VFX companies, including Macrograph , Mofac, Insight Visual, DTI (Digital Tetra Inc.) , and EON Digital Films.

Fine examples of their labor can be seen below:

Requested Video Post: Robot Taekwon V Causes Havoc At The Gas Station

Earlier this week I found a very humorous Korean TV commercial that featured Robot Taekwon V attempting to squeeze through a toll booth. After posting that video I was contacted by reader, Dai Raion, who mentioned that there was an even funnier commercial featuring the giant robot at a gas station. I took some time to look for the clip with no avail, until this morning I was contacted by Dai Raion again with the location of the video.

This time around a gas station patron begins filming a couple of hotties who are on location as part of a promotion. One of the models gets really angry at the man who was filming the pair and begins a verbal and physical argument with him. Suddenly Robot Taekwon V shows up and begins searching the gas station for something. An attendant tries to give the huge robot a fill-up, but that isn't what it wants. In a surprise move the mech uses its robot-punch to steal a small electronic device, which looks like a radar detector, from the car of the man who was filming the ladies earlier. Well at least that's what I think is going on.....my Korean is a bit rusty....okay, I don't know any Korean, so I guessed. It's a funny clip regardless.....enjoy!

Two Great New Video Clips Of Robot Taekwon V

Written By: Ken Hulsey
Sources: Avery Guerra / Twitch / RobotTaekwonV (via Youtube)

Hold on to your butts giant robot fans around the world, because we have two, count em, two brand new videos for you featuring Korea's greatest defender, and Mazinger clone, "Robot Taekwon V". The first features some great test animation shots, for a live-action film adaptaion of the hugely popular series that first aired in Korea back in 1976 after fans went ga-ga for the Japanese animed robot feature, "Mazinger." This brand new movie is being directed by Won Shin-yeon of "Seven Days and A Bloody Aria" fame. The production is being handled by Shin Cine (My Sassy Girl), and the budget is estimated at 20 billion Korean Won (over 20 million USD). CGI and visual effects are done by a consortium of Korean VFX companies, including Macrograph , Mofac, Insight Visual, DTI (Digital Tetra Inc.) , and EON Digital Films.

I think its safe to say that this new version of "Taekwon V" will never be mistaken for the Japanese "Mazinger Z!"

Our second vid is of a great Korean TV spot featuring the giant robot walking down the highway, and for some reason, crawling under a set of signs and trying to squeeze through a toll station. I guess you really got yo know Korean to get the drift of this one, but it is a great clip none-the-less.

Production Has Begun On The Live-Action Robot Taekwon V Movie

Sources: Avery Guerra / Twitchfilm

Released in 1976, the original Robot Taekwon V (known as Voltar the Invincible in the U.S.) was the first Korean animated feature film. In 2005, it also became the first Korean film to undergo full digital restoration – a process that took three years to complete. The newly restored film premiered at the 10th Pusan International Film Festival, and enjoyed a successful theatrical release on 170 screens in 2007.

Now, this iconic, taekwondo-kicking robot is set for the live action/CGI update. Planned to be released in 2009 (and to go head-to-head with The Transformers 2 in the Korean market), Robot Taekwon V (2009) is directed by WON Shin-yeon of Seven Days and A Bloody Aria fame. Production is handled by Shin Cine (My Sassy Girl), and the budget is estimated at 20 billion Korean Won (over 20 million USD). CGI and visual effects are done by a consortium of Korean VFX companies, including Macrograph , Mofac, Insight Visual, DTI (Digital Tetra Inc.) , and EON Digital Films.

The Japanese giant-robot anime Mazinger Z (1972) was popular in South Korea at the time of Robot Taekwon V's creation, and Kim Cheong-gi freely discusses the influence of Mazinger Z on his cartoon, saying he wanted to create a Korean hero for Korean children. In order to emphasize the Korean ties of the film, he had leading characters perform the traditional martial art, taekwondo, and gave the robot the ability to do taekwondo kicks.[ While Korea has become the global hive for animation outsourcing (Korean studios now work on most Japanese anime feature films) 1970's Korea had a very different vibe to modern day South Korea. Bitter memories of the brutal occupation of Korea by Japan were still fresh in the minds of many. Chongi Kim's Taekwon V proudly bares the helmet the legendary Korean Admiral Yi Sunsin wore in his quests to fend off Japanese annexation. In a very real sense Taekwon V is a national hero representing the fight for freedom from Japan and independence

The sequel, "Super Taekwon V", had taken designs from "Gundam" and "Xabungle".

In the original film Dr. Kaff (or Dr. Cops in Korean), an evil scientist bent on world domination, creates an army of giant robots to kidnap world-class athletes and conquer the world. To fight off this attack, Dr. Kim creates Robot Taekwon V. Kim Hoon, the taekwon-do champion eldest son of Dr Kim, pilots Robot Taekwon V either mechanically or through his physical power by merging his taekwon-do movements with the robot. Comic relief is provided by Kim Hoon's younger brother, elementary school student Kim Cheol. He has fashioned himself as "Tin-Can Robot Cheol" by cutting eyeholes in a tea kettle and wearing it on his head. Kim Hoon's girlfriend, Yoon Yeong-hee, is a pilot and taekwon-do practitioner. She can also operate Robot Taekwon V with buttons and levers, and pilots Kim Hoon in and out of the robot.