[Movie 2019-2020] Ashfall / Baekdusan, 백두산 - No Option For Failure

[rubie]

July 26, 2019

 

Action Film Starring Ha Jung Woo, Lee Byung Hun, Suzy, And More Wraps Up Filming

Source: Soompi by L. Kim

 

Upcoming film “Mount Baekdu” (literal title) has wrapped up filming!

 

Featuring a star-studded cast of Lee Byung Hun, Ha Jung Woo, Ma Dong Seok, Jeon Hye Jin, and Suzy, the story revolves around people fighting to prevent the impending eruption of the Mount Baekdu volcano in North Korea.

 

Lee Byung Hun will play a North Korean agent named Ri Jun Pyeong who is trying to block the eruption. He was a top agent but was jailed for spying. Lee Byung Hun is expected to showcase his unique charisma and acting skills through the character.

 

On the other hand, Ha Jung Woo will take on the role of a member of South Korea’s EOD (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) team named Jo In Chang. He will lead the film with his masculine and down-to-earth charms as he portrays a character who was put into a risky operation where everyone’s fate is at stake.

 

Ma Dong Seok plays Kang Bong Rae, a geology professor who has predicted the eruption of Mount Baekdu and studied countermeasures for it. Jeon Yoo Kyung, the charismatic South Korean government official who proposes an operation to prevent the last eruption of Mount Baekdu, will be played by Jeon Hye Jin, and Jo In Chang’s wife Seo Ji Young, who remains alone in Seoul to face the massive disaster when her husband is deployed to the operation, will be portrayed by Suzy.

 

“Mount Baekdu” started filming on February 17, and after five months of acting with passionate energy, the movie finally finished filming on July 21. Lee Byung Hun said, “Although I always hope for good results because films are created by people who love them, I think the process is as important as the outcome. ‘Mount Baekdu’ was filmed very meaningfully, and I hope you will look forward to it as it is a movie with a lot of different stories.”

 

Ha Jung Woo commented, “We’re finally closing the curtain after about five months. There was some dangerous filming, but I am thankful that we finished safely. I will do my best until the end and also work hard on the post-production so we can greet you with an enjoyable film.”

 

“Mount Baekdu” will hit theaters this winter.

 

Source (1)

[rubie]

July 27, 2019

 

July Male Advertisement Model Brand Reputation Rankings Revealed

Source: Soompi by E. Cha

 

Spoiler

 

The Korean Business Research Institute has announced this month’s brand reputation rankings for male advertisement models!

 

The rankings were determined through an analysis of consumer behavior, using big data collected from June 25 to July 26. The Korean Business Research Institute evaluated the participation, communication, media, and social values of 50 male advertisement models in order to calculate each star’s total brand reputation index for July.

 

Soccer star Son Heung Min and celebrity chef Baek Jong Won topped the list for the second consecutive month, maintaining their positions at No. 1 and No. 2 respectively. Son Heung Min scored a total brand reputation index of 1,619,269 for July, while Baek Jong Won enjoyed a 39.37 percent increase in his score for a total index of 1,057,421.

 

Actor Ma Dong Seok took third place in the rankings with a brand reputation index of 783,190, marking an impressive 71.69 percent rise in his score since May (the last time the rankings were calculated).

 

Finally, Kang Daniel came in at a close fourth with a brand reputation index of 764,053, while Gong Yoo rose to fifth place with a score of 535,631 for July.

 

Check out this month’s top 30 below!

 

1. Son Heung Min
2. Baek Jong Won
3. Ma Dong Seok
4. Kang Daniel
5. Gong Yoo
6. Park Seo Joon
7. Yoo Jae Suk
8. Jung Hae In
9. Park Bo Gum
10. Lee Si Eon
11. ASTRO’s Cha Eun Woo
12. Jo Jung Suk
13. Hyun Bin
14. Kang Ho Dong
15. Yeo Jin Goo
16. Lee Jung Jae
17. Jo Se Ho
18. Ryu Jun Yeol
19. Ha Jung Woo
20. Lee Byung Hun
21. Kim Sang Joong
22. Jun Hyun Moo
23. Kim Jong Min
24. Kim Jong Kook
25. Bae Jung Nam
26. Shin Dong Yup
27. Lee Dong Wook
28. Won Bin
29. Yoo Hae Jin
30. Ji Jin Hee

Source (1)

[rubie]

MOUNT BAEKDU aerial image posted by Lee Byung Hun on his IG

 

[rubie]

Lee Byung Hun, Ma Dong Seok and Suzy with cast-mates at the Mount Baekdu wrap party, recently (around August 3/4?)

 

Photos: sowhat_sohwa // gwo_nn // shinyoungjin0102 // uh2e

 

 

Spoiler

 

 

[rubie]

August 8, 2019

 

LEE Byung-hun and HA Jung-woo Wrap MOUNT BAEKDU

Don LEE Co-Stars in Latest from Dexter Studios and CASTAWAY ON THE MOON Director

 

by Pierce Conran KOFIC

 

 

Superstars LEE Byung-hun and HA Jung-woo wrapped production on the star-studded action drama Mount Baekdu (translated title) on July 21 after five months of filming. The project, which co-stars Don LEE (aka MA Dong-seok), JEON Hye-jin and BAE Suzy, among others, is being co-directed by LEE Hae-jun and KIM Byeong-seo.

 

LEE Byung-hun (Inside Men, 2015) plays a former top North Korean agent who attempts to prevent the eruption of Mount Baekdu in North Korea. Also looking to put a stop to the disaster is a South Korean expert played by HA Jung-woo (The Handmaiden, 2016), while Don LEE (TRAIN TO BUSAN, 2016) plays a geologist who predicted the threats, JEON Hye-jin (Hit-and-Run Squad) incarnates the government official who puts together the task force to face the disaster, and K-pop star BAE Suzy (Architecture 101, 2012), portrays the wife of HA Jung-woo’s character.

 

Director LEE Hae-jun is known for the cult comedy favorite Castaway on the Moon (2009) and his comedy-drama My Dictator (2014). KIM Byeong-seo is a noted cinematographer, having worked on the Along with the Gods films, among others, and previously served as a co-director on Cold Eyes (2013).

 

Mount Baekdu is the latest project from Dexter Studios, the hit VFX and production house behind the Along with the Gods series. Dexter will also serve as a co-distributor for the very first time, along with CJ Entertainment. The film is scheduled to hit screens this winter.

[rubie]

This was highlighted by fans on twitter yesterday. Hope the Google gist is correct. Considering the movie genre of Baekdusan, involving visual effects,  the huge production cost & bep number seem quite credible. However, do let me know if the numbers are incorrect.

 

Acting-wise, it'll be no problem based on the 3 male leads' box office track record. Hopefully the movie plot, action and VFX & CGI will highly contribute in crossing the break-event point.

 

October 1, 2019

 

Film Talk: Baekdusan Break-even Point
 

Source: Naver via Extreme Movie

 

The estimated BEP (break-even point) audience number for Mount Baekdu which cost a total of 26 billion won, is about 6.8 million admission. (₩26 Billion =  USD 21 Million ??)

 

Although it is not official, such break even point is possible if the production cost is 26 billion won. CJE & M will be all out promoting the movie at the end of this year.

[peonie]

October 13, 2019

 

An excerpt from Marie Claire Special Edition:  Moments that Move Me. (A translation) 

 

 

 

After “Mr. Sunshine”  ended, you plunged into shooting “The Man Standing Next” and “Baekdusan”.   These two movies can be seen as early as this year. 

It seemed  “Baekdusan” will be is released sooner than expected.  This movie used a lot of Computer Graphics (CG).  Even if the post-production work is very large, it does not affect the speed of film production. If I do not count “G.I. Joe, The Rise of Cobra” which used a lot of CG, this is the first time I participated in filming that involved so much CG.  This is also the first attempt by a Korean movie. Since I cannot see the actual scene while shooting, it is important to know clearly where I am and how it will appear in the future. More imagination is needed.  Also, as most of the shooting is done indoors without being affected by the natural enviroment, one can relax.  Unexpected NG usually comes from unexpected places,  but most of the situation is manageable;  so as long as the actors perform well, it will be OK.

 

As the movie is based on the theme of the volcanic eruption of
Baekdusan, will you be playing a hero? 
It is not the kind of hero that we perceive.  As the heroes are looking at the catastrophe on the Korean Peninsula and taking great risks to solve the problem, they can be called heroes.  In In  “Baekdusan”,  Lee Jun  Pyeong  is a North Korean who travels between the two

countries to engage in espionage. But for the money, he also provide information to the South.  He does not act with clear ideas or beliefs, but he acts for money. A spy who always puts self-interest first. Coincidentally, after filming began, news broke out that Baekdusan was actually at risk of exploding.

 

Source:  Marie Claire

[rubie]

There have been various mention that a preview clip of Mount Baekdu have been shown at a screening event (for another CJEnM movie) recently and a trailer will be available soon. However .. it's still hasn't been shown so far. 

 

Even in this clip featuring 4 new year-end movies.. three other trailers are shown but none for Mount Baekdu just that one photo of LBH & HJW. If the movie is really coming out end of 2019, they should have released the trailer already! 

 

Published on November 1, 2019 by 뉴스TVCHOSUN 

 

Lee Young-ae vs Kwon Sang-woo vs Lee Byung-hun Year-end Korean Films Clash
 

[rubie]

Source: Insight Korea

[rubie]

November 6, 2019

 

MOUNT BAEKDU Reveals Poster and Confirms December Release Date

 

Source: NEWSIS

 

[rubie]

The movie is now called ASHFALL.. the new title for Mount Baekdu.

 

Release date 

 

Main Poster 

 

Official name 

 

Teaser 

 

Source: Jason Bechervaise @Jasebechervaise

 

[rubie]

The Baekdusan TRAILER is finally here!!    #Ashfall

 

Published on November 6, 2019 by K-Movie

 

 

[rubie]

Another photof of LBH-HJW released today

 

November 7, 2019

 

Lee Byung Hun - Ha Jung Woo, first collaboration since acting debut

 

Source: Naver

 

[rubie]

Source: Jason Bechervaise @Jasebechervaise

 

Poster for Lee Hye-jun & Kim Byung-suh's disaster film ASHFALL featuring A-list cast: Lee Byung-hun, Ha Jung-woo, Ma Dong-seok & Suzy. Seismologist, bomb squad agent and N.Korean elite officer come together to stop devastation as Baekdu Mountain (#백두산) erupts. Released in Dec.

 

 

When HJW meets LBH..  Before and After 

 

[rubie]

Thanks to SindyKao for the highlight on twitter, ASHFALL will be released in Hong Kong on the first day of 2020. Here's the trailer with Chinese and English subs.

 

 

[rubie]

 

November 8, 2019

 

AFM 2019: the buzz titles from South Korea

With international hit Parasite gaining momentum into awards season, South Korean sales agents come to AFM full of confidence.

BY JEAN NOH ScreenDaily

 

South Korean cinema has had a watershed year, with Bong Joon Ho’s Parasite picking up the Palme d’Or in Cannes and jumping past 10 million admissions at home soon after its local release. Opening internationally, the film has also been breaking records and picking up buzz as an Oscar contender for more than just the international feature category.

 

South Korea had other local hits such as Extreme Job, which clocked up more than 16.2 million admissions and sits atop the Korean box-office chart for the year. Behind it in second place is Avengers: Endgame, which opened on April 24 and has taken 13.9 million admissions.

 

Also notable this year, Train To Busan actor Ma Dong-seok (aka Don Lee) has joined the Marvel cinematic universe after being cast in The Eternals. The prolific actor features in two of the Korean projects profiled here and hitting AFM: disaster thriller Ashfall and coming-of-age drama Start-Up.

 

South Korean sales agents will be showcasing other hot new features such as Ryoo Seung-wan’s Mogadishu, Chung Ji-young’s Black Money and a pair of comedies starring Na Moon-hee, the irrepressible old lady from hits such as Miss Granny and I Can Speak.

 

Ashfall
Dirs Lee Hae-jun, Kim Byung-suh

This disaster action drama stars Lee Byung-hun, Ha Jung-woo, Ma Dong-seok (aka Don Lee), Jeon Hye-jin and Bae Suzy. When Korea’s tallest volcano — which is situated on the border between China and North Korea — erupts unexpectedly, the peninsula is left in chaos. A seismologist (Ma) suggests a way that could potentially stop a further explosion, while the help of a rogue North Korean officer (Lee Byung-hun) is sought to stop the imminent devastation. Currently in post-production, the film is set for local release later this year.
Contact CJ Entertainment

 

Source: @WhiteBunny9410

 

Lee Byung Hun, Ha Jung Woo, Jeon Hye Jin, Bae Suzy will attend Baekdu mountain presscon at CGV apgujeong-deong on 19th November at 11 a.m kst.

 

[rubie]

Published on November 8, 2019 by CJ ENTERTAINMENT

 

ASHFALL Official International Teaser Trailer

 

 

[cadymcbronzie]

The individual character posters are out!  Can't wait to meet them on 19 Nov 

 

Poster of the cast of the film 'Mount Baekdu'

 

The Action Adventure genre film tells the story of people who are struggling to prevent the eruption of the Baekdu volcano in North Korea.

 

Bae Suzy as Seo Ji-young: Cho In-chang's wife who is struggling in Seoul to survive in the midst of a disaster.

 

Lee Byung Hun as Lee Joon-pyeong: Secret agent of the North Korean armed forces who have important information to prevent the last explosion of Mount Baekdu.

 

Ha Jung Woo as Cho In-chang: South Korean EOD member included in a secret explosion prevention operation.

 

Ma Dong Seok as Kang Bong Rae: A geology professor who has studied preventive measures and anticipated explosions.

 

Jeon Hye Jin as Jeon Yoo Kyung: South Korean government official.

 

 

[rubie]

November 11, 2019

 

Lee Byung Hun, Ha Jung Woo, Suzy, And More Try To Avert Disaster In Posters For New Film

Source: Soompi by J. Lim

 

The upcoming film “Baekdusan” (literal title) has released new character posters showing the main cast as they undergo a transformation for the film.

 

“Baekdusan” will tell the story of people who must do their best to stop the final eruption of Mount Baekdu, which has enough force to swallow up both North and South Korea.

 

The new character posters show the five main cast members who will lead the story. From Ri Jun Pyeong (Lee Byung Hun), a North Korean armed forces personnel who holds key information that can help stop the eruption. This will be the first time the actor takes on a North Korean role. Jo In Chang (Ha Jung Woo) is staring at the fire and smoke surrounding Mount Baekdu in the poster, and is a captain who has been brought in on the secret project. Their tagline reads, “We have to stop the last eruption.”

 

 

 

Along with them is Kang Bong Rae (Ma Dong Seok), a geology professor who has been researching eruptions in Mount Baekdu, as well as Jeon Yoo Kyung (Jeon Hye Jin), who comes up with the plans to stop the eruption. Their posters raise anticipation as the tagline reads, “An impossible plan, it has to work.” Choi Soo Young (Suzy) is trying to survive in a city thrown into chaos, with her tagline reading, “I have to survive.”

 

Spoiler

 

Spoiler

 

Spoiler

 

The new film is set to premiere in December.

 

Source (1)

[rubie]

The positive reaction & feedback to ASHFALL teaser trailer 

 

Source: CJ Entertainment