Jang Dong Gun Defends His New Film

In an interview with the JoongAng Ilbo, Jang Dong Gun answered charges that his film "No Tears For The Dead" was too similar to another thriller.

The film, which debuted this week, prompted comments that it bore a close resemblance to the 2010 film "The Man From Nowhere," starring Won Bin.

"While Won Bin's 2010 story focuses on action throughout the film, my movie deals with how a person redeems himself after going through so many tragic events in his life," he told the JoongAng Ilbo. "My character in "No Tears" is more desperate than Won's role."

Jang, 42, also said that his film had a totally different style even though Lee Jung Bum directed both films. If "No Tears for the Dead" is as successful as "The Man From Nowhere" that would be good for the actor. "The Man From Nowhere" was South Korea's highest grossing film in 2010 and the violent thriller received positive reviews.

In "No Tears For The Dead," the actor plays Gon, a professional hit man who accidentally kills a young girl. After that he no longer wants to be a hit man but agrees to one last mission. However that mission proves difficult to carry out. His boss wants him to murder the child's mother, Mo Gyung. Kim Min Hee plays the grieving mother. After her child dies, she lives in a fog of despair, fueled by drugs and alcohol.

According to Jang, last seen on the small screen in the drama "Gentleman's Dignity," one of the film's most important themes is motherhood. The character's mother died when he was young so he grew up without any maternal love. The mafia raised him and turned him into a killer.

"When he falls for Mo Gyung, something inside him changes," said Jang. "I think the feeling is greater than just a typical romance between a man and a woman."

If Gon does not kill his target he risks being killed himself.

Besides its themes of conscience, the film also has plenty of action scenes and the actor acknowledges that he is a fan of noir action films. Some of his favorite films include "The Godfather" series and "Once Upon A Time In America."  But for his next film he would like to try something a little different.

Lately, he has been reading a manga adaptation of the Annals of the Joseon Dynasty, which are the royal records of that dynasty.

"I've been thinking of combining historical facts and noir," he said.