Poster for “The Gil” based on a g.o.d track of the same name / Courtesy of FrontRow Global
By Hong Hye-min
“The Gil,” a music documentary short film depicting the remake of the tracks “Road” and “One Candle” by iconic 1990s K-Pop group g.o.d, is set to be screened at two international film festivals.
The film, commemorating the 140th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Korea and the United Kingdom, has been invited to the Bright International Film Festival in the U.K. and the Scandinavian International Film Festival in Finland.
“The Gil” features four artists from the U.K. working on a remake of “Road” and “One Candle” by g.o.d, filmed entirely on location in London for a month, capturing the artists’ deep dive into the world of K-pop.
The film chronicles the transformative journey of musical prodigy Jonny Copley, Korean-British rapper Park Seung-woo and British indie singers Ruth Guillem Gomez and Nicole Hardisson Hernandez, as they embark on a quest of self-discovery and find a new direction in their musical careers.
The film marks the directorial debut of Korean-British filmmaker Jeon Saet-byeol, with former hip-hop artist Ko Bong-soo heading the cinematography. They said filming the documentary was a very personal experience and helped them reconnect with some of their favorite Korean music, which they listened to in their adolescent years.
FrontRow Global CEO Monica Hyerim Lee, whose company is distributing “The Gil,” said the film opens the door to new musical interpretations of old Korean classics and how their melodies with lyrics resonate with young musicians from the U.K.
The official soundtrack from “The Gil” is set to be released worldwide next month on major streaming platforms.
Hong Hye-min (hhm@hankookilbo.com) is a reporter at The Hankook Ilbo, a sister publication of The Korea Times. This article, previously published in The Hankook Ilbo, has been translated as part of a news-sharing program.
