Mr. Go (2013 Film)
Mr. Go is a 2013 South Korean sports comedy film directed by Kim Yong-hwa. The film is based on the comic 7th Baseball Club by Heo Young-man, which was serialized in the monthly magazine Treasure Island between 1985 and 1987. It is notable for being the first fully shot stereographic 3D film produced in South Korea.
Plot
The story follows Weiwei, a 15-year-old girl who is left to manage a circus troupe in China following the death of her grandfather. Among the circus performers is a gorilla named Ling Ling, who has been trained to play baseball due to the grandfather's passion for the sport. A South Korean baseball agent, Sung Choong-soo, discovers Ling Ling's talent and recruits the gorilla to play in the professional South Korean baseball league. As Ling Ling rises to stardom, the team faces challenges and competition from rival organizations.
Production
Principal photography for Mr. Go commenced on February 20, 2012, in Ilsan, South Korea, with the initial scene focusing on Weiwei and the circus troupe. Production concluded on September 5, 2012, at a baseball stadium in Suwon, where the final scenes involving the gorilla's professional gameplay were filmed.
Cast
- Jiao Xu as Weiwei
- Sung Dong-il as Sung Choong-soo
- Kim Kang-woo as baseball team director
- Kim Jung-tae as rival baseball team director
- Joe Odagiri as Junichi Ito, owner of the baseball team
- Byun Hee-bong as Weiwei's grandfather
- Kim Hee-won as a loan shark
- Kim Eung-soo as the KBO Commissioner
- Jung In-gi as the KBO Secretary General
- Kim Heung-rae as Mr. Go (motion capture)
Reception and Awards
The film was screened at several international events, including the 33rd Hawaii International Film Festival and the 18th Fantasia Film Festival. It received recognition for its technical production, specifically winning the Best Technical Achievement award at the 33rd Korean Association of Film Critics Awards and the Best Technical Award at the 34th Blue Dragon Film Awards in 2013.
