Martin Scorsese, the Coen brothers were fans: unique New York video rental shop recalled in documentary Kim’s Video
- Film buff Kim Yong-man launched his video store in 1985 in a section of his New York laundry. It drew leading directors such as Martin Scorsese and the Coen brothers
- He stocked only rare and eclectic titles, and his shop was a hub for indie cinema and underground music. Documentary Kim’s Video tells its story
By Park Jin-hai
Korean American Kim Yong-man and his video rental store, Kim’s Video and Music, served as a cultural cornerstone in New York’s East Village during the 1980s and 90s.
It was an iconic destination for cinephiles due to its extensive collection of rare and eclectic movies, and it became a favoured spot for Hollywood directors such as Martin Scorsese, Ang Lee, Todd Phillips, and the Coen brothers.
Kim’s store, which began as a small section of his laundry in 1985, expanded into a chain of 11 stores with 300 employees and 250,000 members at its peak.
Premiered in Korea in September 2023, the documentary Kim’s Video delves into the story of the legendary “video king” and the peculiar destiny of his collection of 55,000 video tapes. It is scheduled to debut in China on April 19 and in Japan on May 1.
An immigrant who settled in New York in 1979, Kim was immediately captivated by the city’s cultural openness, which led him to open a video rental shop.