Home | Movies By Year | Movies from 2010
He's on Duty
Buy He's on Duty now from AmazonFirst, read the Wikipedia article. Then, scroll down to see what other TopShelfReviews readers thought about the movie. And once you've experienced the movie, tell everyone what you thought about it.
Wikipedia article
'He's on Duty' 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.
The Korean title is a pun on the lead character's name and is an abbreviated form of (bangabseumnida) or (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.
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
2011 Baeksang Arts Awards
*Best New Actress: Shin Hyun-bin
*Best Screenplay: Yook Sang-hyo
2011 Buil Film Awards
*Best Screenplay: Yook Sang-hyo
References
Buy He's on Duty now from Amazon
<-- Return to movies from 2010