Swing Kids (2018 Film)

Swing Kids is a 2018 South Korean musical drama film directed by Kang Hyung-Chul. The film is set during the Korean War at the Geoje prisoner-of-war camp, where ideological conflicts between pro-communist and anti-communist prisoners create a volatile environment. The narrative centers on the formation of a tap dancing troupe within the camp.

Plot

The story follows Rho Ki-Soo (played by Do Kyung-Soo), a young North Korean soldier held at the Geoje POW camp. Amidst the intense strife between prisoners, an American sergeant named Jackson (Jared Grimes) is ordered to form a tap dancing team. Jackson recruits a diverse group of prisoners, including the Chinese soldier Xiaofang (Kim Min-Ho), the South Korean Kang Byung-Sam (Oh Jung-Se), and a civilian named Yang Pan-Rae (Park Hye-Soo). Recognizing Rho Ki-Soo's natural talent, Jackson incorporates him into the group, leading to the formation of the "Swing Kids."

Production

The film is based on the Korean musical Rho Ki-Soo, originally written by Jang Woo-Sung and directed by Kim Tae-Hyung. Principal photography began on October 18, 2017, at a set in Samcheok, Gangwon Province, and concluded on February 20, 2018, at a set in Anseong, Gyeonggi Province.

Cast

Reception and Awards

The film received recognition at several major South Korean award ceremonies. At the 55th Baeksang Arts Awards in 2019, Kang Hyung-Chul won the award for Best Director. Additionally, at the 40th Blue Dragon Film Awards in 2019, the film was honored with awards for Best Cinematography & Lighting (Kim Ji-Yong and Jo Kyu-Young) and Best Film Editing (Nam Na-Young).