He's on Duty

He's on Duty
He's on Duty
Directed by	Yook Sang-hyo
Written by	Yook Sang-hyo
Produced by	Kim Bok-geun; Lee Se-young
Starring	Kim In-kwon; Kim Jung-tae
Cinematography	Jeon Dae-sung
Edited by	Park Gok-ji
Music by	Shin Hyung
Distributed by	Cinergy
Release date	September 30, 2010;
Running time	110 minutes
Country	South Korea
Language	Korean

He's on Duty (Korean: 방가? 방가!; RR: Bangga? Bangga!; MR: Pangga? Pangga!) is a 2010 South Korean 2010 black comedy film that comically yet incisively depicts racial issues in Korea. Tae-sik finds it difficult to get a job due to his odd appearance and impatient character. After failing repeatedly, he disguises himself as a foreigner and finally lands a job. Tae-sik, however, witnesses the cruel treatment migrant workers face in Korea.^[1]

The Korean title is a pun on the lead character's name and is an abbreviated form of 반갑습니다 (bangabseumnida) or 반가워요 (bangawoyo) which translates to "Delighted? Delighted!" or "Nice to meet you."

Plot edit

Bang Tae-sik is perennially unemployed as he drifts from one job to another, from manual labor to serving coffee. His appearance (dark skin and short height), being rather atypical for a Korean is to blame it seems, but best buddy Yong-cheol persuades Tae-sik to make better use of these disadvantages: Desperate and having nothing better to do, he adopts a strange accent and ethnic hat and is reborn as Bang-ga (a twist on his family name) from Bhutan, and immediately lands a job at a chair manufacturing factory.

Despite a shaky beginning ― due to his unredeemable clumsiness, rather than doubts about his alleged Bhutani roots that are all too convincing ― Tae-sik gets along with his co-workers, and even starts romancing the lovely Jang-mi from Vietnam. He is even voted to become president of a migrant workers labor union and competent Korean language instructor, and joins in a harmonious effort to win a local singing competition for foreigners.

Tae-sik begins to truly bond with his co-workers but his loyalties are put to the test when Yong-cheol finds a way to swindle their money.^[2]