Old Partner

Old Partner
Directed by	Lee Chung-ryoul
Written by	Lee Chung-ryoul
Produced by	Goh Young-jae
Starring	Choi Won-gyun Lee Sam-sun Kim Min-ja Choi So-du Choi Jong-man
Cinematography	Ji Jae-woo
Edited by	Lee Chung-ryoul
Music by	Heo Hoon Min So-yun
Production company	Studio Neurimbo
Distributed by	IndieStory
Release dates	October 4, 2008 (2008-10-04) (Pusan International Film Festival) January 15, 2009 (2009-01-15) (South Korea)
Running time	78 minutes
Country	South Korea
Language	Korean

Old Partner (Korean: 워낭 소리; RR: Wonang sori; lit. 'Cowbell Sound'¹) is a 2008 South Korean documentary film directed by Lee Chung-ryoul. Set in the small rural town of Hanul-ri in Sangun-myeon, Bonghwa County, North Gyeongsang Province, the film focuses on the relationship between a 40-year-old cow and an old farmer in his 80s.²

The film was a surprise success. It attracted over 2.93 million viewers, setting the record for the highest grossing independent film in Korean film history.¹³⁴ It won the PIFF Mecenat Award at the Pusan International Film Festival and the Audience Award at the Korean Independent Film Awards.⁵ Lee Chung-ryoul became the first independent film director to receive the Best New Director award at the Baeksang Arts Awards.³

• Won the PIFF Mecenat Award at the 2008 Pusan International Film Festival
• Won the Audience Award at the 2008 Seoul Independent Film Festival
• Nominated for the World Cinema Documentary at the 2009 Sundance Film Festival
• Won the Audience Award at the Korean Independent Film Awards
• Won Best New Director at the 2009 Baeksang Arts Awards
• Won Best International Documentary at the 2009 Italian Environmental Film Festival⁶