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A Shoeshine Boy poster
7.0 / 10(1 votes)IMDb19611h 27mSouth Korea

A Shoeshine Boy

구두닦이

Synopsis

Following the death of his parents, Yeong-cheol shines shoes in the streets, struggling to care for his sick younger sister Yeong-hui and make ends meet. Despite the persuasive efforts of low-life criminal boss Wang-cho, pickpocket Jjang-gu, and prostitute Mi-hwa, Yeong-cheol vows to lead an honest life by looking after Yeong-hui with cigarette salesgirl Myeong-sun and helping newly arrived shoeshine boy Dong-seok settle in. However, a tragic accident forces Yeong-cheol to make an important decision that may change his life. ※ Sharing the same Korean title with Vittorio De Sica’s classic Shoeshine (1946), this film was noted at the time of release for its strong neorealistic approach. All of the picture elements have been lost and only 4 original sound negative reels (around 40 minutes) survive today. The plot summary and scene descriptions have been added in the form of title cards as well as a selection of production stills to aid the viewing experience.

Key Information & Fast Facts

Director
Hyeon Sang-yeol
Screenplay & Story
Suk Lee
Original Score
Park Chun-suk
Original Title
구두닦이
Country of Origin
South Korea
Spoken Languages
Korean
Runtime
1h 27m
Production Studios
Dae Yeong Production

Creative Leadership & Key Crew

Director

Hyeon Sang-yeol

Screenplay & Story

Suk Lee

Original Score & Music

Park Chun-suk

Director of Photography

Tae Kil-seong

Film Editing

Hui-yeong Park

Producers

Lee Yeol, Jeong Hwa-se

Department Leadership Roster

Lee Yeol

Producer

Jeong Hwa-se

Producer

Hui-yeong Park

Editor

Tae Kil-seong

Director of Photography

Hyeon Sang-yeol

Hyeon Sang-yeol

Director

Suk Lee

Screenplay

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Frequently Asked Questions About A Shoeshine Boy

Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.

What is A Shoeshine Boy about?

Following the death of his parents, Yeong-cheol shines shoes in the streets, struggling to care for his sick younger sister Yeong-hui and make ends meet. Despite the persuasive efforts of low-life criminal boss Wang-cho, pickpocket Jjang-gu, and prostitute Mi-hwa, Yeong-cheol vows to lead an honest life by looking after Yeong-hui with cigarette salesgirl Myeong-sun and helping newly arrived shoeshine boy Dong-seok settle in. However, a tragic accident forces Yeong-cheol to make an important decision that may change his life. ※ Sharing the same Korean title with Vittorio De Sica’s classic Shoeshine (1946), this film was noted at the time of release for its strong neorealistic approach. All of the picture elements have been lost and only 4 original sound negative reels (around 40 minutes) survive today. The plot summary and scene descriptions have been added in the form of title cards as well as a selection of production stills to aid the viewing experience.

Who directed A Shoeshine Boy?

A Shoeshine Boy was directed by Hyeon Sang-yeol.

Who stars in A Shoeshine Boy?

The principal cast of A Shoeshine Boy includes Park Gwang-su, Park Geum-hui, Kim Yeong-ok, Nam Chun-yeok, Chu Seok-yang.

When was A Shoeshine Boy released and how long is it?

A Shoeshine Boy was released in 1961 with a total runtime of 1h 27m.

Who composed the musical score for A Shoeshine Boy?

The original motion picture soundtrack for A Shoeshine Boy was composed by Park Chun-suk.