Small Town Rivals (2007 Film)

Small Town Rivals (Korean: 이장과 군수; RR: Yijanggwa Gunsu) is a 2007 South Korean comedy film directed and written by Jang Gyu-sung. The film explores the rekindled rivalry between two former elementary school classmates who find themselves in positions of local authority.

Promotional poster for Small Town Rivals — Promotional poster for the 2007 film Small Town Rivals.

Plot

The story follows Jo Choon-sam (Cha Seung-won), a farmer living in a rural village who cares for his elderly father. Following the death of the incumbent village chief, Choon-sam is elected to the position. His life takes an unexpected turn when he discovers that his former elementary school classmate, Noh Dae-kyu (Yu Hae-jin), has become the local magistrate. Tensions rise when Dae-kyu proposes the construction of a nuclear waste disposal facility in the area, leading to a series of confrontations between the two men.

Cast

The film features a prominent ensemble cast of South Korean actors:

Cha Seung-won as Jo Choon-sam
Yu Hae-jin as Noh Dae-kyu
Byun Hee-bong as CEO Baek
Choi Jung-won as Nam-ok
Jun Won-joo as Noh Dae-kyu's mother
Lee Hyun-kyung as Hyang-soon

Cha Seung-won portrays the lead character, Jo Choon-sam.

Yu Hae-jin portrays the local magistrate, Noh Dae-kyu.

Production

Small Town Rivals was produced by Sidus Pictures and distributed by CJ Entertainment. It was released in South Korean theaters on March 29, 2007, with a total runtime of 113 minutes.

Scene from the film — A scene featuring the cast of Small Town Rivals.