Ju Jihun 주지훈 - [Upcoming Drama 2024] Dominant Species [Movie 2023] Project Silence [Movie 2023] Ransomed

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[Photos + Video] New Stills and Trailer Added for the Upcoming Korean Movie "Unofficial Operation"

 

 

 

 

 

https://btv.social/1353806_18996/#cp

 

 

 

 

 

 

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source : Hancinema

 

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Today's Photo: July 14, 2023

 

Ju Ji-hoon and Ha Jung-woo pose at a preview in Seoul on Thursday

 

 

 

 

 

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credit : Chosun Ilbo

https://english.chosun.com/site/data/html_dir/2023/07/14/2023071400405.html

 

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*** On the afternoon of July 13th, a press screening of the Korean film “Ransomed” was held at Megabox COEX in Samsung-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul. Here, the director alongside leading actors Ha Jung Woo and Joo Ji Hoon, attended the event and discussed the movie. Joo Ji Hoon disclosed his worries and burdens while filming the movie at a recent press screening event. His character in the film is known to involve more reactions than actions, and he expressed that he had a fun time filming as he played around with the director and Ha Jung Woo. He reminisced about the filming period, saying, “It was difficult, but it was more exciting than exhausting, so it felt like I had a picnic-like memory with my friend.”  Since he played the role of a taxi driver, he also mentioned the challenges of prioritizing safety. “As a taxi driver, I was responsible for driving, but there were many unpaved roads, and the traffic was heavy. Driving was not easy”, he revealed. He further shared his concerns and expressed, “It wasn’t as intense as ‘Fast & Furious,’ and everyone paid attention to safety, but I’m not an AI, and I can make mistakes. I felt a lot of pressure because I had to drive with Ha Jung Woo and the director on board.”  The film “Ransomed” will be released in Korea from August 2nd.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

source : https://www.wikitree.co.kr/articles/869796

 

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*** “Ransomed” is set in the Middle East. Looking forward for the bromance chemistry between Min-joon and Pan-soo since they are very good friends in real life. This isn’t the two actors’ first collaboration, which could explain the great chemistry that they have on screen. The two acted together in ”Along with the Gods: The Two Worlds” (2017) and its sequel “Along with the Gods: The Last 49 Days” (2018). That said, the movie does rely too heavily on the leads’ chemistry to execute the plot, comedy and the film's more important scenes.  

 

 

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Leads' chemistry entertains audiences in 'Ransomed'

 

Ju Ji-hoon, left, plays Kim Pan-soo, a taxi driver who gets involved in Lee Min-joon's mission to deliver a ransom and rescue a Korean diplomat in ″Ransomed.″ Ha Jung-woo, right, plays Min-joon. [SHOWBOX]

 

 
Buddy cop movies rarely go wrong. And with “Ransomed,” starring Ha Jung-woo and Ju Ji-hoon, the leads’ chemistry and their comedic scenes together manage to save an otherwise bland film about two very different men carrying out an unofficial mission to rescue a Korean diplomat being held hostage.

 
“Ransomed” is set in the Middle East, and opens with an official at the Korean embassy in Lebanon being taken hostage in 1986. After receiving indications that the official is alive, the Korean government sends another diplomat on a mission to rescue him — Lee Min-joon, played by Ha. Min-joon is tasked with delivering the ransom money for the kidnapped official's release.

 

On his journey, Min-joon meets Kim Pan-soo, a Korean taxi driver played by Ju, who ends up joining Min-joon on his mission. While the kidnapping incident and Min-joon are based on real-life events, Pan-soo is entirely fictional.
 

Main poster for ″Ransomed″ [SHOWBOX]

 
And it is all for the better that this fictional second character is created, because without the bromance chemistry between Min-joon and Pan-soo, “Ransomed” could have ended up very dull. The two leads’ performance saves the film from becoming a drab story with an exotic background.
 
The comedic scenes all come from exchanges between Min-joon and Pan-soo, and the pair’s lack of commonality at first and their mutual dislike of each other are endearing as they slowly start to find a middle ground and form an unlikely friendship. Ha’s and Ju’s performances as each of the characters make the audience wonder if they are not very good friends in real life.
 

Ju Ji-hoon and Ha Jung-woo play two men who form an unlikely friendship in the buddy cop film ″Ransomed″ [SHOWBOX]

 
This isn’t the two actors’ first collaboration, which could explain the great chemistry that Ha and Ju have on screen. The two acted together in the 10-million-ticket-selling ”Along with the Gods: The Two Worlds” (2017) and its sequel “Along with the Gods: The Last 49 Days” (2018). In the press conference held for “Ransomed” on July 4, the film's director, Kim Seong-hun, said that he had cast the two because their collaboration would “amount to more than just one plus one.”
 
That said, “Ransomed” does rely too heavily on the leads’ chemistry to execute the plot, comedy and the film's more important scenes. There is one pivotal moment towards the end of the film where Pan-soo nearly breaks the friendship that he and Min-joon had built up, and another scene where Min-joon sacrifices himself for Pan-soo. Whereas “Ransomed” chalks up these scenes to the two men's characterization and the actors’ performances, it would have been more convincing if more explanation and plot devices were used to untangle these important points in the film.

 

Spoiler

 

A scene from ″Ransomed″ [SHOWBOX]

 
In the end, “Ransomed” is a buddy cop film that stays true to its genre in that two very different people come together for a mission and form a friendship that is believable and entertaining to the audience. While it could have benefited from some extra editing – the film is 132 minutes long, and not all of those minutes are worthy – Ha and Ju's strong chemistry make “Ransomed” a near-solid summer flick.  
 

BY LIM JEONG-WON [lim.jeongwon@joongang.co.kr]

 

 

credit : JoongAngDaily

https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/2023/07/14/entertainment/movies/Korea-Ransomed-Ha-Jungwoo/20230714161236337.html

 

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Top film distributors compete with summer blockbusters

NEW, Showbox, CJENM, Lotte Entertainment gear up for releases but there are risks to their success

 

Four new blockbusters are set to hit local cinemas this summer, complete with large production budgets and star-studded lineups. Film distributors hope to attract large audiences in the aftermath of the pandemic, but moviegoers' expectations remain low.

 

With the abundance of high quality content available on streaming platforms and soaring ticket prices, Korean audiences have shown a growing trend of consuming content at home, only venturing to cinemas if the ticket is truly worth the price.

 

It remains to be seen whether struggling film distributors will find success with their upcoming summer releases.

 

 

Next on the list is “Ransomed,” directed by Kim Seong-hoon, featuring Ha Jung-woo and Ju Ji-hoon, a familiar duo from “Along with the Gods.”

 

“Ransomed” revolves around the story of a diplomat, Min-jun (Ha), and a local taxi driver, Pan-su (Ju), in Lebanon. Their mission is to rescue a fellow diplomat. The film is Ha’s first silver screen work after he was fined 30 million won in 2021 for illegal use of propofol in 2019, violating South Korea's Narcotics Control Act.

 

Some 20 billion won has been injected into the project, which involved a 6 month-long shoot in Morocco and includes realistic car chasing scenes, according to the distributor Showbox. Chemistry between the actors and the director is somewhat guaranteed as director Kim worked with Ha on the 2016 thriller “Tunnel,” and with Ju for the Netflix hit series “Kingdom." However, negative public sentiment over the increasing incidence of celebrity drug scandals may hamper the success of Kim's work. The film is set to open on Aug. 2.

 

 

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credit : Korea Herald

https://www.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20230716000176&np=1&mp=1

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*** Looking forward to his upcoming drama "Dominant Species." Ju Ji Hoon's new drama is scheduled to premiere on Hulu sometime this year. In addition, he is also selected to star in the web-novel-based K-drama "The Trauma Code: Heroes on Call," as well as the thriller-horror series "Shop of the Lamp" with Kim Seol Hyun. So many blessings coming his way, happy for him. So many things to look forward to........  From upcoming K-dramas, Ju Ji Hoon is also busy with his big screen projects. After his guest appearance in "Hunt," and the crime-drama movie "Gentleman,"  he will have two upcoming films. First is "Project Silence," which was initially released at the Cannes Film Festival back in 2021 and is set to hit the big screen in the second half of 2023. Meanwhile, the political drama film "Unofficial Operation" with Ha Jung Woo is scheduled for August 2023. 

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[Photo] New Poster Added for the Upcoming Korean Movie "Unofficial Operation"

 

 

 

 

source : Hancinema

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[Photos] Behind-the-scene Stills Added for the Upcoming Korean Movie "Unofficial Operation"

 

 

 

 

Spoiler

 

 

 

source : Hancinema

 

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[Herald Interview] 'Ransomed' director trusts ‘familiar duo’ of Ha Jung-woo and Ju Ji-hoon

Director Kim Seung-hun, who returns to the big screen for the first time in seven years with “Ransomed,” said his pick for Ha Jung-woo and Ju Ji-hoon in the starring roles was based on his deep trust in the two actors, despite some concerns that this “familiar duo” is a bit cliche.

“When this film was first planned at around 2020, there were already mixed reactions about casting these two as the stars. Some said their chemistry is guaranteed, while others said the audience is fed up with that combination,” director Kim told The Korea Herald in an interview in Seoul on Wednesday.

“I don’t know how many more films I will make in the remainder of my life, but I always question myself when casting actors. Are they the actors that I would want to shoot for my very last project? I’m sure that Ha and Ju are the most suitable for the roles in this film,” Kim added.

“Ransomed” tells the story of a diplomat named Min-jun (Ha) and a local taxi driver named Pan-su (Ju) set in Lebanon whose mission is to rescue a fellow diplomat. The film was shot in Morocco.

Because of some moviegoers’ high expectations for guaranteed chemistry between the actors onscreen, Kim said he had to focus on the details during the editing process. He had worked with Ha on the 2016 thriller “Tunnel,” and with Ju for the Netflix hit series “Kingdom."

“I had to let go of my anxiety. Since I've also been a moviegoer at the cinema, I also had a deep trust and hope in Ha and Ju as a duo. I’m sure that at least some other audience members share my sentiments,” said Kim.

Regarding the film’s familiar plotline of a hostage crisis and rescue mission – as seen in films like “Escape from Mogadishu” (2021) and “The Point Men” (2023) -- Kim said the film is ultimately about humans saving another human's life.

 

“From long ago, I wanted to tell a story about a group of people who are connected by a bond of trust. It’s a story about humans saving another human. I’m sure that there are people who are saving others even at this moment, and they’re the true heroes,” said Kim, adding that he used his imagination after hearing a brief news report on how a diplomat who went missing in Lebanon two years ago was rescued during the 1980s.

Other than the dramatic storyline depicting the urgency of a diplomatic rescue operation, the film’s climax is a car chase through narrow street alleys. It’s a breathtaking sequence during which Ju desperately drives his broken taxi to get away from armed gangsters.

“About 250 staff members gathered from Korea and Morocco and prepared all we can do to shoot the best car chase scene. We prepared 10 backup taxis over a 14-day shoot just for this scene. I wanted to show the best version possible for this 2-minute car chase scene,” the director noted.

“Ransomed” opens in local cinemas on Aug. 2.

By Kim Da-sol (ddd@heraldcorp.com)

 

 

 

credit : Korea Herald

https://www.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20230720000547&np=1&mp=1

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Must-Watch: Top 6 Apocalyptic K-Dramas Koreans Can’t Stop Recommending

 

If you’re feeling the itch to watch something that will leave you at the edge of your seat, try apocalyptic K-Dramas! They explore what it would be like to live at the end of the world in a changed society, and it’s filled with thrilling stories that test characters’ survival, resilience, and what it means to be human.

 

In no particular order, here are 6 apocalypse-themed K-Dramas that you must watch next.

 

 

3. Kingdom

Zombie K-Drama Kingdom will leave you clicking “Next Episode” at the speed of light! It ingeniously blends a historical environment with a mysterious zombie invasion, treating viewers to epic battles along the way.

 

 

 

 

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source : https://www.koreaboo.com/lists/top-apocalyptic-k-drama-koreans-stop-recommending/

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*** Ha Jung Woo and Joo Ji Hoon for Vogue Korea. Two talented, charismatic men and actors who are excellent individually and collectively. 
 

 

 

 

 

 

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source : https://breathlesssurvival.wordpress.com/2023/07/23/rain-men/

 

 

 

 

 

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Korean Movie of the Week "Asura: The City of Madness"

 

 

Directed by Kim Seong-su

With Jung Woo-sung, Hwang Jung-min, Ju Ji-hoon, Kwak Do-won, Jung Man-sik, Yoon Ji-hye,...

Crank in : 2015/09/22
Crank up : 2015/06/01
Synopsis
Detective Han (Jung Woo-sung), who for years has been secretly doing dirty work for the corrupt mayor Park Seong-bae (Hwang Jung-min), is now pressured by a ruthless prosecutor Kim Cha-in (Kwak Do-won) to cooperate in an investigation against the mayor. Feeling trapped, Han persuades his young partner Seon-mo (Ju Ji-hoon) to take over his work for the mayor, but things start to get tangled in unpredictable ways. As things are getting worse, only the most evil survives in this dog-eat-dog.

Release date in Korea : 2016/09/28

Read William's review

 

 

 

source : Hancinema

 

 

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[Photos] New Posters Added for the Upcoming Korean Movie "Ransomed"

 

 

 

 

 

source : Hancinema

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*** The K-Film "Along With The Gods: The Two Worlds," which premiered some years ago is gaining popularity on HBO Max recently. The movie is available for worldwide viewers on HBO Max (Note: The movie is yet to be available for a number of countries). Based on the data from FlixPatrol, the movie is the 8th most popular film on the OTT platform on July 30, 2023. The film started trending on HBO Max from July 29. "Along With The Gods: The Two Worlds" is part of the top 10 most popular movies for HBO Max for countries such as Argentina, Belize, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Guatemala, Haiti, and more.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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*** This summer, the competition among Korean films is more intense than ever. Four blockbuster movies and three mid-scale films are set to hit theaters in July and August, embarking on a fierce battle of promotions. The first to step into the arena was the movie "Smugglers," which premiered on July 26th. However, the releases of The Moon and Ransomed on August 2nd are expected to add a twist to the competition. "Ransomed"  production cost is 25 billion won ($19.4 million), and the film will break even once it registers more than 5 million viewers.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

source : https://ent.sbs.co.kr/news/article.do?article_id=E10010274651&plink=ORI&cooper=DAUM

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[Photos] New Behind-the-scene Stills Added for the Upcoming Korean Movie "Ransomed"

 

 

 

 

Spoiler

 

 

 

 

source : Hancinema

 

 

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Korean Movie  "Ransomed" Opening Today 2023/08/02

 

 

"Ransomed" (2022)

Directed by Kim Seong-hun

With Ha Jung-woo, Ju Ji-hoon, Im Hyeong-gook, Kim Eung-soo, Kim Jong-soo, Park Hyuk-kwon,...

Also known as "Unofficial Operation" and "Kidnap" (피랍, pi-rab)
Synopsis
In Beirut 1986, during the Lebanese civil war a Korean diplomat is taken hostage without a trace. Two years pass and long forgotten, a young diplomat Min-joon receives a phone call proving that the hostage is still alive. With the given mission, Min-joon is sent to Beirut to save the hostage with a bag of ransom money. However, Min-joon gets into trouble as soon as he sets foot in Beirut. As luck would have it, Min-joon manages to flee from the airport with help from a local taxi driver Pan-soo who he stumbles across. Despite the distrust toward Pan-soo of his obvious mischievousness, the two unlikely allies must navigate the demolished, war-raging streets of Beirut to bring the long-awaited hostage back home.

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Ju Ji-hoon learned a language and put on a few pounds for 'Ransomed'

 

Ju Ji-hoon stars as Pan-soo, a Korean taxi driver who has lived in Lebanon for years and helps Ha Jung-woo's character Min-joon deliver a ransom to save a kidnapped diplomat [SHOWBOX]

 

 
It's a matter of course that actors learn new skills and adjust their appearance as needed for new roles, but actor Ju Ji-hoon says it was especially difficult to prepare for his new role in the buddy cop film “Ransomed," which hit local theaters on Wednesday. Ju said he had to acquire two new skills — speaking Arabic and car racing — and bulk up his physique at the same time.
 
“Learning these things was very challenging for me, especially the Arabic language,” Ju said during an interview with local reporters in Jung District, central Seoul, on Tuesday. “I found that the Arab language does not seem like a sequence of words, but a sequence of unreadable letters, at least to me. It was very hard.”
 
It was necessary that Ju master those skills and look masculine enough to play Pan-soo, who has lived for a long time in the Middle East and North Africa. He is also a taxi driver who has immersed himself in the local culture and ends up helping diplomat Min-joon, Ha Jung-woo’s character, deliver a ransom to rescue another diplomat from being kidnapped.

 

 

Actor Ju Ji-hoon [SHOWBOX]

 

 
“For the car chasing scenes, I can say that I put everything I had into those scenes and am very proud of the results,” Ju said. “With the exception of just a few scenes that we couldn’t do due to safety reasons, we filmed everything ourselves. I welcome the comparisons we have been getting between the ‘Mission: Impossible’ and ‘Fast & Furious’ films on the car chasing part.”
 
For buddy cop films, the chemistry between the two leads is essential, and Ju attributed his and Ha’s chemistry to the fact that the two are actually good friends in real life. The pair has acted together in the hit film ”Along with the Gods: The Two Worlds” (2017) and its sequel “Along with the Gods: The Last 49 Days” (2018).
 
“Ha is someone I trust a lot, and we have traveled privately together before filming,” Ju said. “I can freely express myself and talk about deep concerns with him, and I feel lucky to have worked with a colleague like that in ‘Ransomed.’”

 

Main poster for ″Ransomed″ [SHOWBOX]

 

 
Although there have been comparisons drawn between this film and other Korean films such as “The Point Men” (2022) and “Escape from Mogadishu” (2021), both of which have similar plotlines of rescuing someone in an exotic setting, “Ransomed” is different from these films in terms of genre, according to Ju.
 
“'Ransomed’ has comedic elements and is different from ‘The Point Men’ or ‘Escape from Mogadishu,’” Ju said. “I think some people have the misconception that ‘Ransomed’ would be heavy and serious, but it's not. I hope I can help clarify this.”

 

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A scene from ″Ransomed″ featuring Ju Ji-hoon [SHOWBOX]

 

 
Regarding the possibility of “Ransomed” ranking first out of the four summer blockbusters soon opening or having opened recently — the others being “Smugglers,” “The Moon” and “Concrete Utopia” — Ju said that though the box office results of a film are not within his control, he does feel a lot of pressure regarding the film’s success.
 
“I know that the Korean film industry is doing poorly these days, so it would be great if any film of the four could help revive that,” Ju said. “Of course, it would be great if ‘Ransomed’ is the one that hits it big. But I think also that this is a time for competition to be put behind us and for all of us to root for whoever does well.”
 

 

BY LIM JEONG-WON [lim.jeongwon@joongang.co.kr]

 

 

 

credit : JoongAngDaily

https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/2023/08/03/entertainment/movies/Korea-Ju-Jihoon-Ransomed/20230803161116242.html

 

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*** Ju Ji Hoon candidly shared his thoughts on his appearance during his guest appearance on KBS Cool FM’s Park Myung Soo’s Radio Show on August 3rd. The show included a segment titled Legendary Master, and Ju Ji Hoon was the featured guest. During the show, Park Myung Soo asked Ju Ji Hoon, “Do you face any disadvantages for being handsome?” Ju Ji Hoon answered honestly, saying, “Well, yes. While Woo Sung has a soft and gentle look, I have dark skin and elongated eyes. Some people find me intimidating because of that.” Moreover, Ju Ji Hoon revealed that his personality is notthing like what he looks like. He shared a story about the time he went for a walk with Ha Jung Woo during the filming of Ransomed. Ju Ji Hoon said, “Ha Jung Woo, he’s like a professor. Always on top of the schedule. But I’m more laid-back and free-spirited. If my legs start hurting, I won’t hesitate to take a break. And we spared the world from witnessing two grown men holding hands while walking. Imagine how awkward that would’ve been.”  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

source : https://entertain.naver.com/now/read?oid=609&aid=0000755457