Women in Film: A Look at Jeong Madam and Cho Chun-ja in 'Smugglers'

 

밀수

열길 물속은 알아도 한길 사람 속은 모른다!  평화롭던 바닷가 마을 군천에 화학 공장이 들어서면서 하루아침에 일자리를 잃은 해녀들.먹고 살기 위한 방법을 찾던 승부사 '춘자'(김혜수)는바다 속에 던진 물건을 건져 올리기만 하면 큰돈을 벌 수 있다는밀수의 세계를 알게 되고 해녀들의 리더 '진숙'(염정아)에게 솔깃한 제안을 한다.위험한 일임을 알면서도 생계를 위해 과감히 결단을 내린 해녀 '진숙'은전국구 밀수왕 '권 상사'를 만나게 되면서 확 커진 밀수판에 본격적으로 빠지게 된다.그러던 어느 날, 일확천금을 얻을 수 있는 일생일대의 기회가 찾아오고사람들은 서로를 속고 속이며 거대한 밀수판 속으로 휩쓸려 들어가기 시작하는데... 물길을 아는 자가 돈길의 주인이 된다!

평점

7.1 (2023.07.26 개봉)

감독

류승완

출연

김혜수, 염정아, 조인성, 박정민, 김종수, 고민시, 김재화, 박준면, 박경혜, 주보비, 곽진석, 정도원, 신민재, 김충길, 이정수, 안세호, 최종원, 김원해, 김경덕, 윤병희, 김기천, 진경, 윤경호, 윤종구, 신영옥, 홍성오, 김준식, 이상희, 신삼봉, 구본웅, 백주희, 전현숙, 이선희, 이진희, 신우희, 백승철, 윤대열, 이태형, 정재원, 장기하, 브라이언 M. 반 하이스, 백진욱, 전효진

 

 

 

 The plot of the movie 'Smugglers' is straightforward. Set in the peaceful port town of the 1970s, the story revolves around two women, Chun-ja and Jin-suk, who make a living through smuggling. As they get entangled in a massive smuggling organization while disguising their activities as fishing, they find themselves in increasingly dangerous situations. The film thrillingly depicts the dark realities of the smuggling world and the women's struggles for survival and friendship.

 

 

While watching the movie, I couldn't help but notice how the character played by Kim Hye-soo seemed different from her previous roles. I had always remembered her as a sexy and glamorous actress, thanks to her roles in films like 'Tazza' where she played Jeong Madam. However, in 'Smugglers,' I saw a different side of her, one that exuded charisma and gravitas. This made me reflect on her other strong female roles in films like 'Signal.'

 

 

Jeong Madam, a character from 'Tazza,' is not given a real name in the film. She's more of a nickname. In the movie, she is portrayed as an ambitious businesswoman with strong sexual appeal. While she is ambitious and intelligent, her character is reduced to a sexually attractive figure without a substantial identity.

 

 

Cho Chun-ja, on the other hand, is also an ambitious businesswoman but with a different nuance. She appears more personally driven and her intelligence is more pronounced than her feminine charm. Furthermore, her relationships with others are distinct.

 

 

Jeong Madam's role is more of a supporting one. Cho Chun-ja, however, actively pursues her own life and demonstrates a pragmatic approach to her relationships. While Jeong Madam assisted Goni for her own business interests, her relationship with Goni was more independent and on a level playing field.

 

 

Cho Chun-ja, however, has various types of partnerships. In the film, she is both a hometown friend and a business partner to Jin-suk. She also has a younger sister-like relationship with a character played by Go Min-si, who assists her in her business. Her relationship with the character played by Jo In-sung is more of a formal business partnership. Unlike in 'Tazza' where there were romantic or physical relationships with male characters, the focus here is on the mutual benefits of their partnership.

 

 

Looking at Kim Hye-soo's filmography, I've noticed a shift in the portrayal of female characters. The glamorous and femme fatale image of a beautiful actress seems to have become outdated. I found it refreshing to see a film where the relationships between female characters were emphasized more than the camaraderie among male characters. It was particularly gratifying to see an actress who had often portrayed sexually appealing characters take on such a nuanced and complex role.

 

 

While the story might seem familiar or even cliché, the fresh relationships between the characters made this action crime film quite enjoyable.