He's on Duty

He's on Duty (Korean: 방가? 방가!; RR: Bangga? Bangga!; MR: Pangga? Pangga!) is a black comedy 2010 South Korean 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.[1][2]

He's on Duty
Directed byYook Sang-hyo
Produced byKim Bok-geun
Lee Se-young
Written byYook Sang-hyo
StarringKim In-kwon
Kim Jung-tae
Music byShin Hyung
CinematographyJeon Dae-sung
Edited byPark Gok-ji
Distributed byCinergy
Release date
  • September 30, 2010 (2010-09-30)
Running time
110 minutes
CountrySouth Korea
LanguageKorean

The Korean title is a pun on the lead character's name and is an abbreviated form of 반갑습니다 (bangabseumnida) or 반가워요 (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.[3]

Cast
  • Kim In-kwon - Bang Tae-sik / Bang-ga
  • Kim Jung-tae - Yong-cheol
  • Shin Hyun-bin - Jang-mi
  • Khan Mohammad Asaduzzman - Ali
  • Nazarudin - Rajah
  • Peter Holman - Charlie
  • Eshonkulov Parviz - Michael
  • Jeon Gook-hwan - Boss Hwang
  • Kim Kang-hee - Miss Hong
  • Kim Bo-min - Hye-young
  • Park Yeong-soo - Park Kwan-sang
  • Jung Tae-won - 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

2011 Buil Film Awards

  • Best Screenplay: Yook Sang-hyo

References
  1. "Now showing". The Korea Times. 14 October 2010. Retrieved 2012-11-19.
  2. "He's on Duty (2010)". Korean Film Biz Zone. Retrieved 2012-10-02.
  3. Lee, Hyo-won (14 October 2010). "Duty falters in satirizing social issues". The Korea Times. Retrieved 2012-11-19.
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