World's 1st Global K-Pop & Couture Film
1st Global K-pop film
Facts about World's First Global K-Pop & Couture Film
From BTS & Blackpink to Squid Game and Parasite, the Korean Wave is dominating Global pop culture and with it opening doors for Asian talent like never before. "Destiny: A Star is Reborn" is the first international film set in the world of K-Pop, K-dance and K-fashion and filmed in 20 cities spanning 14 nations including Seoul, Tokyo, Kamakura, Toronto, NYC, London, Paris, Berlin, Shanghai, HK and Lisa's homeland Bangkok. It is also filmed in Korean and English to mirror the music video formats of Blackpink and BTS. Helmed by Canada-born filmmaker and Asia's first Director-Designer SØHØ who is presently based in Gangnam - the Beverly Hills of Korea and Harajuku, the fashion capital of Tokyo. Destiny is KPOP's answer to dance classics including the recent blockbuster Michael and fashion-based films like "Devil Wears Prada". It is also a unique twist on the Oscar-winning series "A Star is Born" but set in the world of K-pop, K-fashion and K-dance - where the protagonist uses Asian culture to launch a Rocky styled comeback instead of committing suicide.
King Charles and the UN called BTS the "Beatles of our time" and their success stems from their talent, the struggles they overcame and their penchant for serious themes and inspiring messages in their songs. In Destiny, we deal with serious issues including ableism, ageism, racism, alcoholism, mental and physical illness, gender and suicidal depression in a mature, subtle and nuanced way influenced by the Neorealism filmmaking techniques of Oscar-winner Satyajit Ray - the favourite filmmaker of Oscar-winners Martin Scorcese, Danny Boyle and Christopher Nolan among others. SØHØ 's lifelong connection to Satyajit Ray can be seen in the interview on the Press page. This film also throws light on the challenges of the music industry - echoing powerful themes also seen in Lady Gaga's Oscar-winning "A Star is Born", Eminem's Oscar-winning "8 Mile" , Tina Turner's Oscar-nominated "What's Love Got to Do With It and Natalie Portman's Oscar-winning "Black Swan".
This movie uniquely promotes paraplegic actors by presenting award-winning Korean MJ Baek in a powerful way devoid of any sympathy tropes. This is Baeks's comeback after becoming paralyzed on the set of his first movie "Another Front" co-starring Chun Jung-Myung. This film can thus open doors for other Actors with Disabilities worldwide. Please see MJ's exclusive interview here
As BTS and Blackpink record songs in both Korean and Japanese, the film is set in both Korea and Japan. It is also the first global film that pays homage to Korea's most important and beloved leader King Sejong the Great and also features the actual artworks of the Godfather of Manga -- Hokusai -- widely considered the first Asian artist to conquer the West and arguably the most influential artist in history (inspired and influenced Van Gogh, Monet, Degas the ultimate artist of dance and Claude Debussy Michael Jackson's favorite composer. The scenes filmed in Japan to channel the spirit of Hokusai mirror classics like "Memoirs of a Geisha" and "The Last Samurai" and the film is also shot across Korea's stunning landmarks from Gangnam to Itaewon to Dongdaemun to bring the viewer into the actual world of Kpop, Fashion and Asian mythos. Further, as BTS and Blackpink songs are in English and Korean, this film is bilingual and switches between both English and Korean to mirror the Kpop aesthetics with creative authenticity.
The dance scenes are unique and mirror the precision of Hollywood legends from Fred Astaire and Bob Fosse to the King of Pop Michael Jackson himself. It is shot on Hollywood movie sets used by such stars as Chris Brown, Bruce Willis, Mark Wahlberg, Morgan Freeman and Paul Greengrass. Inspired by Zhang Yimou, every scene of the movie looks like a painting by uniquely coordinating both the costume and set design with lavish colours of gold, black and red as the choreography advances the narrative and conveys the emotional arcs via the highest form of "Show, Don't Tell" filmmaking. Please click on the Dance page and Production Design page for more information.
While A Star is Born has been made 4 times in the West, and once in Bollywood, this is the first time its been made from a Korean perspective and far more inspiring than the original. Because instead of suicide, the protagonist makes a stunning comeback against all odds -- similar to the Oscar-winning "What's Love Got to Do With it" wherein Tina Turner used Eastern culture to overcome suicidal depression and become the biggest female rocker in history -- in her 40's and as a Black singer which was not as mainstream in those days. So Destiny: A Star is Reborn is a unique adaptation like Korea's answer to the inspirational Rocky movies but set in the world of K-Pop, K-dance and K-fashion.
This film has arguably more dance scenes than any other film and is KPOP's answer to Oscar-winning dance classics like Black Swan and Billy Elliott. Like Jaafar Jackson in the blockbuster Michael and Natalie Portman who won the Oscar for Best Actress after training for a year, SØHØ also trained for a year in many dance genres from Street Jazz to break dancing and studied the all-time greats from Fred Astaire and Bob Fosse to Michael Jackson and BTS in preparation for his role. SØHØ performs all of his own dancing in the film without using any body doubles and sculpted a dancer's physique with a full 6-pack set of abs.
Like Devil wears Prada, this film also has rare insights into the world of Fashion and is also shot in fashion capitals New York, Tokyo and Paris and presents Seoul in the same league as major fashion capitals of the world - especially as K-pop idols Lisa and Jennie made huge impacts at the Met Gala and K-pop idols represent Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Dior and Bottega - the world’s most recognized luxury brands. The fashion ensembles are unique and feature SØHØ Couture that merges East and West elements a la Issey Miyake. To see how Soho is revolutionizing men's fashion like his idols Pharell and the late Virgil, please visit SØHØ.jp and www.RoninSoho.net
Like "Kpop Demon Hunters" and Korea's all-time blockbuster "Along with the Gods", this is the first international feature film to honour Korean culture as icons from Korea's most beloved leader King Sejong the Great to Dalma to the Hwarang who are the historic predecessors of K-pop idols. Soho has been living in Gangnam and is the first Canadian invited to meet the President Lee-Jae Myung's closest advisers as he is very committed to promoting Korean culture worldwide. SØHØ is also the first Canadian invited to join the prestigious Rotary Club of Korea and to guest lecture at the prestigious Korean National Sport University as well as been invited to meet with many of Korea's most influential citizens. As an expert in Asian culture and a strong voice for the Asian Diaspora, SØHØ conveys genuine appreciation for Korean culture and heritage. It’s important for Koreans to have pride in their glorious past if they are to dominate the future of the world and this movie pays cinematic homage to both the cool and contemporary side of Korea as well as its historic and traditional side. Korean talent is also opening the doors to other Asians from Japan to Thailand and so this film is important for all Asians and POCs worldwide.
This film is as inspirational as the Oscar-winning Rocky series and embodies the Olympic spirit that permeated across Korea and established Korea as a cultural superpower on the world stage. As director, Soho has served as the Motivational Coach to over 100 Olympians - more than any other coach in history - and has even guest lectured on the Mindset of a Winner at the prestigious Korea National Sports University. Soho’s co-star MJ Baek became paralyzed on his first movie set and then went on to win over 100 medals as a Paralympic athlete and was even awarded Korea's highest national honour - the Order of Merit for Sports. So this film brings unprecedented realism to the popular film genre of inspirational cinema and can empower anyone who is pursuing a dream against all odds.
OUR ADDRESS
Gangnam, Seoul I Harajuku, Tokyo
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