▲ A promotional poster of Korean film "Ransomed" is seen in this photo provided by its distributor Showbox. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)
▲ Ha Jung-woo (R) and Ju Ji-hoon, lead actors of Korean film "Ransomed," pose for a photo during a promotional press conference in Seoul on July 4, 2023. (Yonhap)

(Movie Review) Ransomed

(Movie Review) 'Ransomed' recounts Lebanon hostage rescue operation in buddy action

By Kim Eun-jung

SEOUL, July 14 (Yonhap) -- The upcoming Korean film "Ransomed" sheds light on the true events of a 1986 hostage crisis in Lebanon through the story of an unlikely duo's perilous journey to rescue a South Korean diplomat. The movie features a compelling mix of action, comedy and thriller elements.

It opens with a scene in which Oh Jae-seok (alias for the real life person Do Chae-sung), a second secretary of the Korean embassy to the Lebanese capital city of Beirut, is taken hostage at gunpoint in January 1986.

A year and nine months later, a phone call from the Middle Eastern nation sends coded signals indicating he is still alive.

Without detailed knowledge of Oh's kidnappers, the Korean foreign ministry decides to dispatch a diplomat on an unofficial mission to rescue him. They plan to exchange a ransom for his release, using the connection of a foreign businessman.

Director Kim Seong-hoon, known for the Netflix zombie thriller series "Kingdom" (2019) and the Korean disaster movie "Tunnel" (2016), deals with the challenging subject matter by following the perilous task of a Seoul diplomat in Lebanon.

In the film, Ha Jung-woo plays the role of Lee Min-joon, a foreign ministry official at the Middle East department who volunteers for a secret rescue mission in the hope of getting a promotion to the United States.

Ju Ji-hoon portrays a fictional character named Kim Pan-soo, a Korean taxi driver in Lebanon who is unintentionally tangled up with Lee.

Lee's assignment of delivering $5 million cash to the kidnappers is not an easy task. Upon arrival in Beirut, he is chased by armed security guards who want the money, leading him to hastily hop into Kim's taxi to flee the ensuing shootout.

Kim, wearing sly smiles and a colorful floral T-shirt, at first drools over the cash bag and clashes with Lee but slowly forges a bond with the diplomat.

After an ordeal, Lee gets hold of his colleague after delivering $2.5 million to a militia leader, but they find themselves in peril as the rest of the payout is not sent by the Seoul government.

The fiasco was caused by the powerful spy agency chief under then President Chun Doo-hwan, who held a grudge over the covert operation that excluded his agents.

With desperate efforts by the foreign minister and pleas of Lee's colleagues in Seoul, the abductee is safely sent back to home.

When Do Chae-sung was released in October 1987, foreign media reported the Seoul government paid an unspecified amount of ransom to the kidnappers to rescue him. Details of the hostage negotiations haven't been verified as diplomatic documents still remain classified.

Despite the heavy subject matter, the film's dynamic action scenes, including shootouts, bomb explosions and car chases set against the backdrop of the exotic scenery, are highly entertaining to watch. In one particular scene, Lee hangs from a wire to jump off from a building to evade armed men.

The strong chemistry between actors Ha and Ju, who previously co-starred in 2017-18 hit film series "Along with the Gods," adds a comedic vibe and resonates with viewers.

"Ransomed" will open in local theaters on Aug. 2.

(END)

[ⓒ K-VIBE. 무단전재-재배포 금지]