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| ▲ This poster, provided by Wide Release and JNC Media Group, promotes Korean film "Taegukgi: The Brotherhood of War" (2004), starring actors Jang Dong-gun and Won Bin. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap) |
SEOUL, May 31 (Yonhap) -- The movie "Taegukgi: The Brotherhood of War" (2004), starring actors Jang Dong-gun (52) and Won Bin (47), is a significant film in Korean cinema, having become the second movie to surpass ten million admissions following "Silmido" (2003). This film, depicting the intense and brutal battles of the Korean War, was a blockbuster with a budget exceeding 10 billion won.
"Taegukgi" stands the test of time not only by vividly recreating the Korean War but also by portraying the contrasting humanism and familial love amidst the horrors of war. To mark its 20th anniversary, "Taegukgi" will be re-released on June 6, Memorial Day, in a remastered 4K version.
During a press conference held on the 30th at a cinema in Gwangjin-gu, Seoul, Jang Dong-gun expressed his plans to watch the re-released film with his son. He laughed, "There aren’t many movies I've made that are suitable for my children, but when 'Taegukgi' is re-released, I plan to watch it with my son in theaters." Jang mentioned that aside from "Love Wind, Love Song" (1999), which he starred in with his wife Go So-young, there are few films he's watched with his children. He added, "My son was the one who first suggested watching 'Taegukgi' in theaters together."
In "Taegukgi," Jang played Jin-tae, a young man drafted during the Korean War who risks everything to protect his younger brother Jin-seok (played by Won Bin) on the battlefield. Jang considers this film his representative work and describes Jin-tae as his favorite character among those he has portrayed.
Jang delivered an outstanding performance, showing Jin-tae's gradual transformation as he undertakes dangerous missions and achieves heroic feats. Reflecting on the intense action scenes, including bayonet fights in the trenches, Jang laughed and said, "I don’t think I could do those scenes again now."
He shared a behind-the-scenes story about accidentally injuring Choi Min-sik, who played a high-ranking North Korean officer, during a street fight scene in Pyongyang by mishandling a pistol's powder charge.
Director Kang Je-gyu, who also attended the press conference, shared his thoughts on the re-release, saying, "It feels like reuniting with a friend I haven’t seen for 20 years since high school." Kang emphasized the opportunity for younger audiences, who might have missed the chance to see the film in theaters, to learn about the Korean War's details through this re-release.
Kang further elaborated, "Taegukgi is fundamentally a story about family and sacrifice. It resonates with audiences because it deals with the universal theme of the significant sacrifices and pain behind our current peace and prosperity."
Although Won Bin did not attend the press conference, Director Kang hinted at future opportunities for fans to meet the cast, possibly during the Jecheon International Music & Film Festival later this year.
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