Synopsis

Bong Dal-ho sings at a small town club with his rock band. Despite being not so popular, he never lets go of his dream of being a rock star. One day, Jang, a label executive offers a recording contract to Dal-ho. Abandoning his friends in hopes of making the big time, Dal-ho comes to Seoul but is disappointed to find out that Jang’s label only produces Trot music. Jang insists Dal-ho has an innate talent for Trot and although Dal-ho is reluctant to sing Trot songs, he has no other choice but to stay. As time goes on, he is drawn to the joys and sorrows of Trot singers and finally agrees to sings Trot music on national television. However, out of shame and embarrassment, he goes on stage wearing a mask under the name ‘Masked Bong-pil’. This performance brings him fame yet his mask brings many troubles. The film takes advantage of the youngsters'' prejudice that Trot music is old-fashioned. In the film, ‘dowdiness’ is considered ‘commonness’ and this develops into sincerity without vanity, through which the hero discovers devotion and love for one woman. The film pays homage to Trot music by cleverly capturing the essence of pop culture as something dowdy and common yet, for this very reason, sincere. As Jang says in the film; “Trot is the heart and the tears of common people.” (Lim Bum)

감독

김상찬, 김현수

김상찬 감독은 1997년 동국대 영화과 졸업작품 <착각>이 한국 Kodak Eastman 장학 프로그램 최종작으로 선정되며 본격적인 영화 일을 시작했다. <파이란>, <집으로>, <튜브>, <안녕 UFO>, <…ING>, <가족> 등의 작품에 참여하였다. 김현수 감독은 일본 호세이 대학을 졸업한 후 미국으로 건너가 뉴욕 대학에서 영화와 방송을 전공하였다. 이후 니혼TV 계열 프로덕션과 Brookline Access Television, NextNext Entertainment 등에서 다양한 프로그램들을 연출하며 작품 활동을 이어왔다. <복면달호>는 김현수와 김상찬의 첫 작품이다.