Na Woon-gyu (October 27, 1902 â€" August 9, 1937) was a Korean actor,
screenwriter and director. He is widely considered the most important
filmmaker in early Korean cinema, and possibly Korea's first true
movie star. Since he often wrote, directed and acted in his films, he
has even been said to have started the auteur film-making tradition in
Korea.Na Woon-gyu was the third son of Na Hyong-gwon, a military
officer during the final days of the Joseon Dynasty who had returned
to his hometown of Hoeryong, Hamgyongbuk-do to teach. As a high-school
student, Na was involved in theater and acting, but also in
anti-Japanese activities including the March 1, 1919 protest against
the occupation. To avoid imprisonment, he spent two years crossing and
re-crossing the Duman River, which separates Korea from Manchuria. He
traveled as far as Siberia, joining with Korean Liberation fighters in
anti-occupation work.In 1921, he returned to Seoul, and enrolled in
Yonhui (now Yonsei) University to study social science. It was at this
period that his fascination with the cinema began. He would fill
notebooks with jottings while watching films in theaters, and would
carry a hand mirror with him wherever he went to practice facial
expressions.However, like the main character in his first, and most
famous film, Arirang, he was caught by the Japanese and jailed for his
participation in The March 1st Movement. While in prison in Chongjin,
from 1921 until 1923, Na received his artistic pen-name, Chunsa, from
Lee Chun-song, another resistance fighter. When he was released in
1923, he joined the Yerimhoe Play Troupe in his hometown, Hoeryong.
screenwriter and director. He is widely considered the most important
filmmaker in early Korean cinema, and possibly Korea's first true
movie star. Since he often wrote, directed and acted in his films, he
has even been said to have started the auteur film-making tradition in
Korea.Na Woon-gyu was the third son of Na Hyong-gwon, a military
officer during the final days of the Joseon Dynasty who had returned
to his hometown of Hoeryong, Hamgyongbuk-do to teach. As a high-school
student, Na was involved in theater and acting, but also in
anti-Japanese activities including the March 1, 1919 protest against
the occupation. To avoid imprisonment, he spent two years crossing and
re-crossing the Duman River, which separates Korea from Manchuria. He
traveled as far as Siberia, joining with Korean Liberation fighters in
anti-occupation work.In 1921, he returned to Seoul, and enrolled in
Yonhui (now Yonsei) University to study social science. It was at this
period that his fascination with the cinema began. He would fill
notebooks with jottings while watching films in theaters, and would
carry a hand mirror with him wherever he went to practice facial
expressions.However, like the main character in his first, and most
famous film, Arirang, he was caught by the Japanese and jailed for his
participation in The March 1st Movement. While in prison in Chongjin,
from 1921 until 1923, Na received his artistic pen-name, Chunsa, from
Lee Chun-song, another resistance fighter. When he was released in
1923, he joined the Yerimhoe Play Troupe in his hometown, Hoeryong.
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