Title (Korean): <가비> (Ga-bi)
Year: 2012
Length: 115 min.
Format: 35mm/HD
Aspect: 2.35:1
Color/BW: Color
Audio: N/A
Director: CHANG Yoon-hyun
Cast: JOO Jin-mo, KIM So-yeun, PARK Hee-soon, YOO Sun, CHO Duck-hyun
Genre: Mystery, melodrama
Release Date: March 15, 2012
Toward the end of the 19th century, King Gojong (Park) of Korea’s Joseon Dynasty briefly sought refuge at the Russian consulate under the threat of foreign invasion. Here he fell in love with a drink that had yet to gain popularity in his homeland: coffee. Returning to the throne, he hires the beautiful Tanya (Kim) as his personal barista. Tanya becomes involved in a dangerous social circle that involves not only the Russian sniper Ilyich (Joo) but also the mysterious socialite known as both BAE Jeong-ja and Sadako (Yoo). With her intimate connection to the King, making a drink that could easily conceal poison, Tanya must decide if shewill become a pawn in the political battlefield of late 19th century Korea.
Director Chang Yoon-hyun was a pioneer of independent filmmaking in Korea with his 1990 <The Night Before the Strike>. He also was a major force in the late-1990’s Korean Wave with titles such as 1997’s cyber drama <The Contact> and 1999’s thriller <Tell Me Something>. Over the last decade he has directed action thriller <Some> (2004) and costume drama <Hwang Jin Yi> (2007). Partially based on historical fact, <Gabi> is adapted from a novel by KIM Tak-hwan, who also penned the original story behind <Detective K: Secret of Virtuous Widow>, one of the most successful Korean films of 2011.
