[Upcoming Movie 2015] Battle of YeonPyeong 연평해전

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Northern Limit Line (연평해전) | Trailer

 

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May 12, 2015

The main trailer of movie 'Norther Limit Line' released

Source: STARN News

The main trailer of movie 'Northern Limit Line' was released.

On May 12th, the production team of movie 'Northern Limit Line' released the official trailer of the film.

The main trailer of 'Northern Limit Line' starts out with a scene that shows Korean soldiers peacefully getting ready for the departure of battleship PKM-357.

The trailer also shows the soldiers getting trained under the direction of captain Yoon Young Ha (played by actor Kim Moo Yeol), and head steerer Han Sang Guk (played by Jin Gu) having late night snack with Combat medic Park Dong Hyuk (played by Lee Hyun Woo), and a few other soldiers.

After showing the soldiers watching 2002 Korea-Japan World Cup together, the trailer moves on to the official battle scene. The film is going to portray the current happenings of the battle, and many movie fans' anticipation is now reaching the peak.

The film will also show touching family stories and friendship of the soldiers that had been involved in the battle, and 'Northern Limit Line' is now being talked about as one of the most anticipated Korean films of 2015.

The trailer finishes with a message that says, 'Thank you for safeguarding us. We will never forget you,' paying respect to those that were sacrificed in the battle.

Many people are showing particularly huge anticipation for the battle scene. Kim Moo Yeol played as captain Yoon Young Ha, who led the soldiers with very strict, but charismatic leadership, and Jin Gu played as a sergeant named Han Sang Guk, who was always very devoted to his duty. Lee Hyun Woo also played as a corporal named Park Dong Hyuk, and the three actors are going to hit many movie fans with the most phenomenal teamwork ever.

Meanwhile, 'Northern Limit Line' will be officially released on June 11th.

/Reporting by Lee Mi-Ji en@starnnews.com

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June 10, 2015

NORTHERN LIMIT LINE Pushed Back over MERS Concerns
NEW Delays Topical War Film Two Weeks

by Pierce Conran / KOBIZ

Viewers curious to see KIM Hak-soon’s Northern Limit Line will have to wait an additional fortnight before booking their tickets as the film’s distributor Next World Entertainment (NEW) has delayed the film’s release following rising concerns over the current MERS outbreak in Korea. The film, which was due to open June 10th, is now scheduled to open on the 24th.
 
In a released statement, NEW asked for the public’s understanding in light of “the recent public situation and national sentiment.” The distributor is far from the only organization to respond to the growing crisis, with some reported 900 schools having shut to date, fearing the possibility of contagion. Within the film industry, the Busan Film Commission has indefinitely postponed its Asian Film Policy Forum, which was due to start on the 19th, and Showbox have cancelled press events this week for their highly anticipated CHOI Dong-hoon action-thriller Assassination.
 
Northern Limit Line takes place during the 2002 World Cup, which saw co-hosts South Korea reach the semifinals, when a violent altercation arose between North and South Korean vessels. The film features Secretly Greatly’s (2012) LEE Hyun-woo, Eungyo’s (2012) GIM Mu-yeol and JIN Goo of Mother (2009).
 
So far, the disease, known as Middle Eastern Respiratory Syndrome, has claimed seven lives in South Korea, while some 85 have been diagnosed as infected and a further 2,500 people are currently under quarantine.

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June 23, 2015

Thousands Crowd Preview of Cross-Border Skirmish Flick

Source: The Chosun Ilbo

Thousands of people flocked to pre-screenings Monday of a movie about a bloody naval skirmish with North Korea 13 years ago. 

One preview of "Northern Limit Line" based on the second naval clash in the border island of Yeonpyeong in the West Sea in 2002 was held at the 2nd Fleet base in Pyeongtaek south of Seoul, where some 2,000 military staff gathered.

The film resonated particularly with sailors stationed at the 2nd Fleet. 

On June 29, 2002, two North Korean patrol boats crossed the Northern Limit Line in the West Sea and attacked two South Korean patrol boats that warned them to turn back. Six South Koreans and 13 North Koreans were killed.

Sailors shed tears at a pre-screening of the film  Sailors shed tears at a pre-screening of the film "Northern Limit Line" in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province on Monday.

The other screening in a movie theater in Seoul was attended by several luminaries including 2002 national football squad members Ahn Jung-hwan and Lee Woon-jae and the owner of shipbuilder Hyundai Heavy Industries, Chung Mong-joon, who was head of the Korean Football Association. 

They said they felt indebted to the fallen sailors who were killed when Korea was co-hosting the World Cup. 

Ahn said, "Those sailors were the ones who protected the lives of Koreans who cheered and supported us during the World Cup. It broke my heart to learn about their sacrifices and this is the first time Ive cried while watching a movie."  

Chung, who donated W100 million to the production, said, "I think the sacrifice of the six fallen sailors was depicted well in the movie (US$1=W1,101)." 

The end credits featured the names of the 23 members of the 2002 Korean national football squad who helped produce the film.

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June 23, 2015

Stars Come To Watch 'Northern Limit Line'

Source: BNTNews

[by Sora Ghim, photo by Kim Da Young] Movie 'Northern Limit Line' held its VIP premiere on June 22 at the COEX Megabox.

'Northern Limit Line' is about the soldiers who protected the country in June 2002 while the rest of the world was focused on the World Cup. This true story will be released in theaters on June 24. (photo by bntnews DB)

[rubie]

June 23, 2015

2002 World Cup stars view inter-Korean naval clash film

SEOUL, June 23 (Yonhap) -- A couple of Korean stars of the 2002 FIFA World Cup attended the preview of a film depicting a bloody inter-Korean naval clash overshadowed by the sporting event.

The movie titled "Battle of Yeonpyeong," to be released on Wednesday, is based on the naval skirmish between the two Koreas on June 29, 2002, in waters off the South Korean border island of Yeonpyeong in the Yellow Sea.

Six South Korean sailors were killed and 18 others were injured after a fierce exchange of fire, which was sparked when two North Korean patrol boats infiltrated the maritime border.

The naval battle is often called "a forgotten conflict" as it was overshadowed by the nationwide festive mood over the sporting event.

On the day of the skirmish, South Korea, which advanced to the semifinals, played against Turkey but failed to take third place.

"I felt sorry for the bereaved families at that time as if I owed something," Ahn Jung-hwan, who scored the famous golden goal against Italy that sent South Korea to the quarters during the 2002 World Cup, told reporters after the VIP preview on Monday night. "I was stunned and couldn't control my rage as I saw the movie."

   Lee Woon-jae, who helped South Korea advance to the semifinals as goalkeeper, said it was sad because the incident took place when the festivities came closer to an end and the North dashed cold water on a celebration hosted by the Korean people. "I feel deeply sorry for those killed in the battle," he said.

Chung Mong-joon, honorary chairman of the Korea Football Association, also attended the preview with the former football stars at a theater in southern Seoul.

Chung, who co-haired the Korean Organizing Committee for the 2002 FIFA South Korea-Japan World Cup, donated 100 million won (US$90,464) for the film's production in 2013.

Former South Korean World Cup stars Ahn Jung-hwan (L) and Lee Woon-jae (R) attend a preview at a Seoul theater on June 22, 2015, of the "Battle of Yeonpyeong," a Korean film depicting the naval skirmish between the two Koreas on June 29, 2002, in waters off the South Korean border island of Yeonpyeong in the Yellow Sea. (Yonhap) Former South Korean World Cup stars Ahn Jung-hwan (L) and Lee Woon-jae (R) attend a preview at a Seoul theater on June 22, 2015, of the "Battle of Yeonpyeong," a Korean film depicting the naval skirmish between the two Koreas on June 29, 2002, in waters off the South Korean border island of Yeonpyeong in the Yellow Sea. (Yonhap)

sshim@yna.co.kr

[Guest IguanaSoap]

"Northern Limit Line" comes in first at the box office

"Northern Limit Line" came in first on its first day.

According to the Korean Film Council, "Northern Limit Line" gathered 153,217 audiences and came in first at the box office. The accumulated number is approximately 162,440.

"Northern Limit Line" is about the sea battle that occurred on the 15th of June in 2002 in the seas on Yeonpyeong-do starring Kim Moo-yeol, Jin Goo, Lee Hyun-woo, Lee Wan and Lee Cheong-ah. The movie is directed by Kim Hak-soon.

However, "Northern Limit Line" can't always be sure. The reviews for "Minor Views" are quite outstanding while the reviews for "Northern Limit Line" are mixed. The part about the late President Kim Dae-joong visiting Yokohama, Japan to watch the 2002 Korea VS Brazil World Cup Games, has strong criticism about political intentions.

[Hancinema]

[Guest IguanaSoap]

Film on inter-Korean naval clash tops box-office

A film depicting a bloody inter-Korean naval clash 13 years ago landed at No. 1 on the local box-office chart, data showed Thursday.

The "Northern Limit Line" topped the daily box-office ranking on Wednesday drawing an audience of 153,404 on opening day, according to data from the computerized box-office system operated by the Korean Film Council.

Also known as the "Battle of Yeonpyeong," the new film is based on the naval skirmish between the two Koreas on June 29, 2002, in waters off the South Korean border island of Yeonpyeong in the Yellow Sea.

Six sailors were killed and 18 others were injured after a fierce exchange of fire, which was sparked when two North Korean patrol boats infiltrated the maritime border.

Directed by Kim Hak-soon and starring Gim Mu-yeol, Jin Goo and Lee Hyun-woo, the 8-billion-won (US$7.2 million) project has drawn media attention for raising part of the production cost through crowd-funding.

Another Korean film "The Classified File" by director Kwak Hyung-taek came second on the daily chart, attracting 137,396 viewers on the same day.

It was followed by the Hollywood blockbuster "Jurassic World" with 101,562 and "Minority Opinion" with 34,334.

"Jurassic World" currently sits at No. 1 on the box-office ranking for this month, drawing more than 3.7 million viewers in total. The U.S. disaster epic "San Andreas" ranked second with 1,705,878 and "The Classified File" third with 1,595,101. (Yonhap)

[Korea Herald]

[Guest IguanaSoap]

[Interview] Kim Moo-yeol is back in uniform for NLL film

Actor Kim Moo-yeol received the script for "Northern Limit Line", written and directed by Kim Hak-soon, last April.

He was serving in the Army at the time, as is required for all able-bodied South Korean men.

At the same time, the entire country was engulfed in deep sorrow after the deadly sinking of the Sewol ferry that claimed the lives of more than 300 people.

"Maybe it was the social mood back then, or the fact that I was in the Army", he reminisced. "But I felt it was a sense of grave responsibility to star in the film".

He was embarrassed to admit that he had completely forgotten about the Second Battle of Yeonpyeong, which occurred on June 29, 2002.

On that day, a North Korean guard ship raided one of Seoul's high-speed boats on the western coast of the peninsula near the Northern Limit Line, the de facto maritime sea border between the two nations, resulting in the deaths of six South Korean seamen.

But the fight was largely overshadowed by the 2002 FIFA World Cup, which was being co-hosted by South Korea at the time.

Whatever Kim's motivation for starring in the film, critics are impressed with his portrayal of Capt. Yoon Young-ha, the leader of the Chamsuri 357 boat that eventually sank into the sea's depths.

The character is based on a real person - one of the six South Koreans who died in the incident.

Q. You began filming "Northern Limit Line" almost immediately after you finished serving in the Army. It must have felt like reenlisting.

A. In a way, yes (laughs). It really felt like it when we were filming in the Navy base in Jinhae, South Gyeongsang, for a month. Due to security reasons, all of the production team had to get in there early in the morning at the same time and then come out in the evening at the same time. Just because my scene was done, it didn't mean I could get out of there early by myself. So we all ate and exercised together on the base. It was an environment where you couldn't help but develop a sense of camaraderie.

It's touching how Yoon is a soldier who values rules over anything else but becomes attached to his subordinates as time goes by.

Yes. Captain Yoon is someone who has a strong sense of duty and discipline. He trains his inferiors in a tough, merciless way so that they can react well in a crisis. I think that is, in a sense, his way of loving his people. I tried to show the human side of him here and there.

The real Captain Yoon was known to have been very quiet and calm. Did you take note of this?

No, but for his dying scene I took note of how he actually died based on people's testimonies. Lt. Lee Hee-wan, who survived the shooting, said that when Yoon was sitting on the deck defending the boat before he died he looked like a "large mountain". He attempted to withstand the shooting and not falter till the end.

As you finished serving in the military [last July] and got married [in April], it seems it's an important period in terms of your life as well as your career.

You could say that. In my teens, acting was a hobby, and at some point I got serious about it. In my 20s I got lucky and was able to interact with audiences [by working in theater]. Over the years I gained recognition and fans. But I think my lucky days are over (laughs) and it's time for me to really show my true colors as an actor.

What kind of characters are you drawn to?

Since my role as a dirty stock broker in the 2009 film "The Scam", I only get offers of roles as killers, psychopaths and villains. But I hope I can discover more diverse characters to portray. When I was young I think I just wanted to look cool as an actor. But I know now that's wrong. An actor is essentially a clown. It's nothing that great. I also think that when you let go - of your body and mind - you perform best and really move people's hearts.

What are some of the values you want to live by as an actor and as a man?

As an actor, I still have this wish inside to live as an artist. I don't want to make compromises or settle for mediocrity or what's available now. I guess in order to live like that, working hard is the only answer. As a man, I feel it's my duty to live happily with my beloved family.

BY KIM NA-HYEON [hkim@joongang.co.kr]

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June 25, 2015

Film on inter-Korean naval clash tops box-office

SEOUL, June 25 (Yonhap) -- A film depicting a bloody inter-Korean naval clash 13 years ago landed at No. 1 on the local box-office chart, data showed Thursday.

The "Northern Limit Line" topped the daily box-office ranking on Wednesday drawing an audience of 153,404 on opening day, according to data from the computerized box-office system operated by the Korean Film Council.

Also known as the "Battle of Yeonpyeong," the new film is based on the naval skirmish between the two Koreas on June 29, 2002, in waters off the South Korean border island of Yeonpyeong in the Yellow Sea.

Six sailors were killed and 18 others were injured after a fierce exchange of fire, which was sparked when two North Korean patrol boats infiltrated the maritime border.

Directed by Kim Hak-soon and starring Gim Mu-yeol, Jin Goo and Lee Hyun-woo, the 8-billion-won (US$7.2 million) project has drawn media attention for raising part of the production cost through crowd-funding.

Another Korean film "The Classified File" by director Kwak Hyung-taek came second on the daily chart, attracting 137,396 viewers on the same day.

It was followed by the Hollywood blockbuster "Jurassic World" with 101,562 and "Minority Opinion" with 34,334.

"Jurassic World" currently sits at No. 1 on the box-office ranking for this month, drawing more than 3.7 million viewers in total. The U.S. disaster epic "San Andreas" ranked second with 1,705,878 and "The Classified File" third with 1,595,101.

sshim@yna.co.kr

[Guest IguanaSoap]

Now Playing

"Northern Limit Line"

The war film "Northern Limit Line", directed by Kim Hak-soon, depicts the Second Battle of Yeongpyeong, which occurred during the 2002 Korea-Japan World Cup, as a memorial to the young soldiers who were killed in the battle.

On June 29, 2002, the tragic incident was triggered when the North Korean navy opened fire on the Northern Limit Line (NLL), the disputed maritime demarcation line in the Yellow Sea between North and South Korea.

During the ruthless 30-minute attack, the soldiers of South Korean battleship Chamsuri 357 including Capt. Yoon Young-ha (Kim Moo-yeol), Sgt. Han Sang-gook (Jin Goo) and Cpl. Park Dong-hyuk (Lee Hyun-woo) desperately fought against the enemy.

The film has provoked political controversy among liberal parties, which say it is too nationalistic.

However, director Kim emphasized that what he was trying to portray in the film was the sacrifice of young Korean men and the sorrow of their families.

[Hancinema]

[Guest IguanaSoap]

'Northern Limit Line' Director Talks About Promoting Peace With North Korea

• The film centers on the bloody 2002 battle between North and South Korean patrol boats, stems from his wish for reunification of the two Koreas.

Northern Limit Line debuted at No. 1 at the South Korean box office on Wednesday, toppling Jurassic World as it took 31.5 percent of the market share.

The 3D actioner by Next Entertainment World (NEW) may seem like your typical summer tentpole. But the film has made headlines in South Korea not so much for featuring the country's first maritime battle in 3D that lasts a whole 30 minutes, as it did for tackling a politically sensitive inter-Korean issue. The film is expected to continue attracting more attention, as admissions has gone up on Thursday, the 65th anniversary of the outbreak of the Korean War (1950-53).

In the summer of 2002, South Korea was feverishly cheering for the World Cup games that it was co-hosting with Japan. On June 29, the soccer-crazy country was up against Turkey for the third-place playoff — the first time Korea had made it so far — when a bloody battle broke out between North and South Korean patrol boats along the titular Northern Limit Line along the Yellow Sea. The North had attacked first in what has since become known as the Second Battle of Yeonpyeong, resulting in six deaths and 19 injuries for the South and some 30 casualties for the North.

Director Kim Hak-soon, however, says he wanted to be free from ideological issues for his project. "Korea remains the world's last divided country, and my film is really about the importance of peace," he said about what kept him going during the seven years utilizing crowd-funding by some 7,000 supporters.

The following is a compilation of Q&As with the filmmaker, during a one-on-one interview with The Hollywood Reporter as well as during promotional events for the film.

The film has been subject to much political debate, but this shouldn't be surprising. How did you approach these issues?

I was concerned from the start because [the battle] is politically sensitive. But I focused on the family drama, to show the pain and sadness of the six men killed in battle and the 19 wounded as well as their bereaved families. I wanted to be as objective as possible and focus on the facts rather than make ideological implications.

Most South Korean filmmakers shy away from demonizing North Korea, and focus on friendships or family ties across the division. In your film, North Korea plays the typical villain.

I am someone who prays for the reunification of the Koreas. I wanted to focus on the facts, and the fact is that North Korea attacked first. Korea has a history of irony. Even when there is something to celebrate [like the World Cup], we can't be completely happy because there is always an underlying sadness. Similarly, even when we're discussing peace and unification with North Korea we are constantly in a position to have to fight them.

This movie depicts the reality of Korea, and I hope to stress the importance of peace even if the film is about warfare. I truly hope that South Koreans can look past ideological differences between left and right to think of ways to achieve unification. This is important for global peace in the bigger picture because Korea is the only divided country in the world.

Why did you choose to create the film in 3D? You received a $1 million grant from the Korean Film Council for the 3D effects by Korean 3D production company Dnext Media, whose credits include Transformers: Dark of the Moon.

Many people asked me why I had to depict this battle in 3D. But I believe that 3D visuals would enable viewers to feel the pain and fear felt by the [men] in a more effective and immersive way. I focused on the drama more than the visual effects, however. I hadn't planned on creating the film in 3D from the beginning, but doing so allowed me to apply to the Korean Film Council for 3D production funding and thereby secure a larger budget.

Speaking of securing the budget, the film took seven years in the making as the initial investors backed out. What kept you going?

There have been a lot of difficulties ever since I began working on this movie, but I never once did I consider giving up. It's been a long dream of mine to make a movie on inter-Korean relations. As for budgeting, I've made indie films so it wasn't a problem. I think it's the state of mind that is important. Delivering the story was my top priority, not so much the format. If the budget was smaller I was going to go for a documentary-style film but I was able to make something more mainstream. My goal is not to earn money through this film but to tell the story to as many people as possible.

The credits show thousands of supporters from crowd-funding. What percentage of the budget came from individual donors?

The end credits list about 7,000 names but if you count things more at large I would say about 60,000 people supported the film. About a third of the $6-million budget came from crowd-funding. I am truly grateful for this.

[The Hollywood Reporter]

[Guest IguanaSoap]

'Northern Limit Line': Window into Korean patriotism

“Northern Limit Line” is a film with a very clear purpose. It seeks to assuage the pain of bereaved families who lost their sons during a North Korean naval attack, reveal the systematic failures of the South Korean Navy that facilitated this loss, and draw attention to the society’s misplaced priorities. Every minute is dripping with this sense of mission and self-consciousness.

The film revolves around the story of three young soldiers -- Lieutenant Yoon Young-ha (Kim Mu-yeol), commanding officer of the ship; staff sergeant Han Sang-gook (Jin Goo), helmsman; and Corporal Park Dong-hyuk (Lee Hyun-woo), medic -- who fought aboard naval vessel PKM 357 when it came under an ambushed North Korean attack. Known as the second battle of Yeonpyeong, the conflict occurred near the Northern Limit Line, a disputed boundary between South and North Korea in the Yellow Sea, on June 29, 2002.

This happened to be the same day Korea went up against Turkey in the semifinals of the Korea-Japan World Cup, and the film consistently highlights the contrast between the fierce national support shown for the soccer team and the quiet, much less-broadcast combat of the soldiers.

Director Kim Hak-soon’s vision was to pay homage to these men and recreate the events as accurately as possible. With insufficient funds, he started a crowdfunding campaign to raise money via public participation.

“Small and large sums donated by people across the country came together to make this movie,” Kim explained at a news conference for the film. “My hope is that viewers will be able to watch it and remember the six soldiers that sacrificed their lives when the rest of the country was celebrating.”

“Northern Limit Line” stirs emotion step by step, first by depicting the soldiers’ everyday joys and struggles, then exposing them to unexpected warfare. The result is not unsuccessful, and the sacrifice of a country’s hardworking young men does not fail to provide a moving story. The characters are three-dimensional and engaging, with reasonable emotional pull. Kim delivers a notable performance as the reserved but warm-hearted leader, and the young Lee excels as the good, honest Korean son and soldier.

Despite a direction that is less than nuanced, the director’s earnestness and the wish to preserve the youth and courage of the soldiers shine through, largely due to the cast’s skillful acting and a realistic backdrop, courtesy of the South Korean Navy.

The film, from the beginning, clearly delineates its goals: To appease the grief of the bereaved families and remember their sons as heroes, to inform the public on the Navy’s systematic shortcomings and how they were improved upon after the battle, and to draw attention to the fact that our society is swept away too easily by less important issues. By its own standards, then, the film is a success.

Otherwise, at its best, “Northern Limit Line” is a window into the current sense of patriotism in Korea, torn between the frenzy of the rapidly evolving economy and the distant yet omnipresent awareness that we are, despite our well-off everyday lives, a country in the midst of war.

“Northern Limit Line” opened in local theaters on June 24.

[korea herald]

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June 29, 2015

Film on inter-Korean naval clash tops weekly box office

SEOUL, June 29 (Yonhap) -- A film depicting a bloody inter-Korean naval clash 13 years ago topped the weekly box office last weekend, dropping the Hollywood sci-fi film "Jurassic World" to a distant second place, data showed Monday.

"Northern Limit Line" ranked No. 1 on the weekly box-office ranking, drawing 1,105,000 viewers over the weekend, according to the official box-office data from the Korean Film Council.

The movie depicts the naval skirmish off South Korea's border island of Yeonpyeong on June 29, 2002, which left six South Korean sailors dead and 18 others injured.

Released in local theaters Wednesday, the movie was seen by 1,438,345 people through Sunday.

"It set a record as the most-viewed Korean film on its opening week this year," its distributor NEW said in a release.

Since landing at No. 1 on the daily box-office ranking on the opening day, "Northern Limit Line" has kept the spot for five days in a row.

"If this trend continues, the film is expected to easily pass the break-even point of 2.4 million viewers," a NEW official said.

The fourth installment of the "Jurassic Park" series failed to hold the top spot for the third weekend in a row due to the strength of the Korean film, drawing 641,595 moviegoers last weekend.

The Universal Pictures film, however, is still No. 1 on the monthly box-office ranking, selling about 4.45 million tickets.

"The Classified File," another Korean film, came in third with 505,925 viewers. The movie, based on a true abduction case in 1978, was the first Korean film this year to attract 1 million viewers, doing so in the shortest period of time of four days.

It was followed by "Minority Opinion," also a domestic film, with 139,223 viewers.

Shown is a poster of "Northern Limit Line," a Korean film depicting the naval skirmish off South Korea's border island of Yeonpyeong on June 29, 2002, which left six South Korean sailors dead and 18 others injured. (Yonhap) Shown is a poster of "Northern Limit Line," a Korean film depicting the naval skirmish off South Korea's border island of Yeonpyeong on June 29, 2002, which left six South Korean sailors dead and 18 others injured. (Yonhap)

sshim@yna.co.kr

 

[rubie]

June 29, 2015

'Northern Limit Line' Draws More Than 1 Million Viewers

Source: The Chosun Ilbo

The movie "Northern Limit Line," which depicts a bloody naval skirmish with North Korea 13 years ago, has drawn more than 1 million viewers in the first four days of its release. 

The movie took the No. 1 spot at the box office on Saturday with over 437,000 viewers. On Sunday it drew another 400,000, surpassing a total of 1 million.

High school students enter a cinema to watch High school students enter a cinema to watch "Northern Limit Line" in Incheon on Sunday.

A spokesman for distributors NEW said the feat was particularly striking since this is a slow season in the movie industry.

The spokesman added "Northern Limit Line" is pulling crowds at the same rate as previous box office hits "Masquerade" (2012) and "Ode to My Father" (2014), both of which attracted more than 10 million viewers.

Many people are going to see the movie in groups. CGV movie theaters said the chain is getting inquiries about group reservations for parties ranging in size from 20 to 80."

"I was surprised to see the move raise W30 million in funding from supporters just a few days after we launched a crowd funding effort to produce it. And now I'm surprised again," said director Kim Hak-soon (US$1=W1,120).

[Guest IguanaSoap]

 'Northern Limit Line' breaks domestic records

"Northern Limit Line" delivered the largest-ever local opening of a domestic film, bringing in 8.7 billion won ($7.8 million) over the weekend, according to the state-run Korean Film Council on Monday.

Directed by Kim Hak-soon, the film sheds a new light on the Second Battle of Yeonpyeong that killed six South Korean naval staff on June 29, 2002. In the battle, a North Korean guard ship raided one of the South's high-speed boats (Chamsuri 357) near the Northern Limit Line (NLL), the de facto maritime border between the two nations.

However, the deadly naval attack couldn't receive much media and public attention at the time because it happened during the Japan-Korea World Cup, and on the day of the battle, the third-place playoff match with Turkey was scheduled to be held.

The film focuses on three of the fallen soldiers - Capt. Yoon Young-ha, Sgt. Han Sang-gook and Cpl. Park Dong-hyuk - played by Kim Moo-yeol, Jin Goo and Lee Hyun-woo, respectively.

Another excellent performer at the box office was crime flick "The Classified File", based on actual events, which ranked third with 505,925 tickets sold. Now in its second week, the film has sold a total of 2.2 million tickets, bringing in 17 billion won.

Directed by Kwak Gyeong-taek, the film stars established actor Kim Yoon-seok as Detective Gong Gil-yong, who partners with fortune teller Kim Joong-san, played by Yoon Hae-jin to save an abducted girl.

In fourth place was "Minority Opinion" with 139,223 tickets. The movie is loosely based on what's called a "Yongsan tragedy" in which a fierce confrontation between residents, who felt unfairly compensated after losing their homes and businesses to a neighborhood redevelopment plan, and police officers lead to the death of five civilians and one police officer. The film traces a fictional legal war where a public defender, Jin-won (Yoon Kye-sang), asks for compensation of 100 won from the state government for killing a teenager at the rally.

Meanwhile, the fourth installment of the "Jurassic Park" franchise remained strong at the domestic box office, staying in second place with 641,595 moviegoers. Its three-week total is now 4.4 million ticket admissions or 39 billion won.

BY JIN EUN-SOO [jin.eunsoo@joongang.co.kr]

[Guest adikkeluangman]

Actress #Kimyewon posing at the VIP Premiere of the movie 'Northern Limit Line'! 

http://entertain.naver.com/read?oid=421&aid=0001484171

[Prof_Talk]

Northern Limit Line / 연평해전 (2015) ‪#‎KoreanMovie‬ Review
‪#‎KimMooYul‬ ‪#‎JinGoo‬ ‪#‎LeeHyunWoo‬ ‪#‎LeeChungAh‬ ‪#‎연평해전‬
‪#‎Kmovie‬

 

Not as good as the event the movie is based on deserves! 

http://www.kmovietalk.com/2015/07/northern-limit-line-korean-movie-review.html

 

[Guest IguanaSoap]

Film on inter-Korean naval clash tops 2 mln in attendance

A film depicting a bloody inter-Korean naval clash 13 years ago has exceeded 2 million in attendance in the shortest period of time for any Korean film this year, data showed Thursday.

"Northern Limit Line" hit the milestone Wednesday, seven days after it opened, according to the computerized box-office tally from the Korean Film Council. It has been seen by 2,068,395 people through that day, the data showed.

It took the same period of time for "Masquerade" (2012) and "Ode to My Father" (2014) to surpass the 2 million mark. The two films went on to draw 12.3 million viewers and 14 million viewers nationwide, respectively.

"Unlike other hit movies that opened on traditional holidays or at year-ends, the 'Northern Limit Line' is having exceptional success," its distributor, NEW, said in a release.

The movie depicts the naval skirmish off South Korea's border island of Yeonpyeong on June 29, 2002, which left six South Korean sailors dead and 18 others injured. (Yonhap)

[Korea Herald]

[rubie]

July 2, 2015

Film on inter-Korean naval clash surpasses 2 million in attendance

SEOUL, July 2 (Yonhap) -- A film depicting a bloody inter-Korean naval clash 13 years ago has exceeded 2 million in attendance in the shortest period of time for any Korean film this year, data showed Thursday.

"Northern Limit Line" hit the milestone Wednesday, seven days after it opened, according to the computerized box-office tally from the Korean Film Council. It has been seen by 2,068,395 people through that day, the data showed.

It took the same period of time for "Masquerade" (2012) and "Ode to My Father" (2014) to surpass the 2 million mark. The two films went on to draw 12.3 million viewers and 14 million viewers nationwide, respectively.

"Unlike other hit movies that opened on traditional holidays or at year-ends, the 'Northern Limit Line' is having exceptional success," its distributor, NEW, said in a release.

The movie depicts the naval skirmish off South Korea's border island of Yeonpyeong on June 29, 2002, which left six South Korean sailors dead and 18 others injured.