[Movie] Concrete Utopia, 콘크리트 유토피아 - Lee Byung Hun, Park Seo Joon, Park Bo Young

[Ephoenix]

 

South Korea’s submission to the 96th Academy Awards’

Best International Feature Film category 2024

    C O N C R E T E   U T O P I A 

 콘 크 리 트  유 토 피 아 

09 AUGUST 2023 

 

 

AWARDS AND ACCOLADES: 

The 32nd Buil Film Awards (2023.10.05)

Best Picture: Concrete Utopia 

        Best Actor: Lee Byung Hun

            Best Cinematography: Cho Hyung Rae

            Female Star of the Year: Park Bo Young

8th London East Asia Film Festival (2023.10.29) 

Best Actor Award: Park Bo Young

The 59th Grand Bell Awards (2023.11. 15)

Best Picture: Concrete Utopia 

Best Actor: Lee Byung Hun 

Best Supporting Actress: Kim Sun Young 

Best Visual effects/VFX Award: Eun Jae Hyun 

Best Sound Effects: Kim Seok Won

Best Art Direction: Jo Hyun Sung & Choi Hyun Seok

The 44th Blue Dragon Film Awards (2023.11.25) 

Best Actor: Lee Byung Hun 

Best Director: Uhm Tae Hwa 

Popularity Star Award: Park Bo Young 

The 22nd Director’s Cut Awards (2024.03.07) 

Best Actor: Lee Byung Hun 

Best Actress: Kim Sun Young 

 

 

KOREAN BOX OFFICE:

 

August 9, 2023: CONCRETE UTOPIA opened No. 1 at the Box Office with an opening score of 231,015 (Cumulative audience of 248,65)

D-4: 1 Million Admissions [No.1 at the overall box office] 

D-7: 2 Million Admissions [No.1 domestic box office] 

D-17: 3 Million Admissions [No. 1 domestic box office] 
 D-40: 3.8 Million Admissions [Surpassed it’s Break Even Point]

Box office total: US $28.9 million. 

 

 

Movie: Concrete Utopia 

         Genre: Disaster Thriller, Dark comedy 

Hangul: 콘크리트 유토피아

Director: Uhm Tae-Hwa

Production: Climax Studios 

Co-Production: BH Entertainment 

Distributor: Lotte Entertainment

Language: Korean    

Crank In: April 2021 

Release Date: August 09, 2023

Website: Concreteutopia.kr 

 

SYNOPSIS 

Seoul is devastated by a powerful earthquake. Imperial Palace Apartment is the only place still standing after the earthquake. Survivors make their way to Imperial Palace Apartment.

 

It is a new adaptation based on the second part of Kim Sung Nyung’s webtoon "Joyful Outcast," which has gained popularity for it’s portrayal of a bare human nature changing in the face of an unexpected disaster through Lezhin Comics since 2014. It depicts the struggles of survivors inside and outside of the apartment against the backdrop of a devastated city where a huge earthquake swept away all concrete.

 

CASTS:  

 

Lee Byung Hun  as Young-tak, a temporary resident representative who leads the imperial palace apartment with firm determination and action in times of crisis. Lee Byung-hun, who has shown amazing transformation in each work from "Inside Men" to "The Man Standing Next," is expected to create another unforgettable and intense character through his role as leader Young-tak, who does not mind any risks to protect his apartment from outsiders.

Park Seo Joon as Min-Sung, who becomes his strong helper after being picked out by Young-tak as an ordinary salary man. Park Seo joon, who plays Min-sung, who was a sincere husband and civil servant but is gradually changing drastically in the face of a crisis, will show a wide spectrum of performances going to and from the extremes. Park Seo joon recently captivated viewers with his screen performances such as "midnight runners" and "Divine Fury”. 

Park Bo Young as Myung-hwa, Min-sung's wife, who is a warm and solid person, and is a former nurse who calmly takes care of the injured in extreme situations. Park Bo-young will introduce a new transformation into an attractive character with humanity and toughness. Park Bo young, whose movie "On Your Wedding," which drew 2.8 million people in 2018, will make a comeback on the screen through a masterpiece role in "Concrete Utopia."

Kim Seon Young as Geum-ae: Head of women's association, and someone who knows everything about Imperial Palace Apartment.

Park Ji Hoo as Hye-won: a high school student survivor who returned to the Imperial palace apartment from outside. 

Kim Do Yoon as Do Kyun, an uncooperative resident.

Uhm Tae Goo Cameo appearance. 

 

Disaster film “Concrete Utopia” is Uhm Tae Hwa’s first project in 7 years since “Vanishing time: A Boy who returned.” 
 

Director: Uhm Tae-Hwa 

 

NEWS: 

International Film Festivals Official Invitation: 

 

Òrbita Section of Competition

56th Sitges International Fantastic FIlm Festival [X] 

“Spotlight on Korea” section

43rd Hawaii International Film Festival [X] 

Gala Presentation 2023

Toronto International Film Festival 2023 [X] 

South Korea’s submissions to the 96th Academy Awards 

Best International Feature FIlm category [X] 

 2023 Strasbourg European Fantastic Film Festival’s Closing Film [X]

Fantastic Fest 2023 [X]

59th Chicago International Film Festival [X]

19th Zurich Film Festival [X] 

8th London East Asia Film Festival [X] 
 

RATINGS AND REVIEWS 

 

 

Screendaily:

“A slick, inventive blend of jeopardy, violence and black comedy.” [X]

 The Korea Times: 

“Concrete Utopia is a gripping, 130 minute extravaganza.”  [X]

Cine Review: 

“The end of human nature experienced with an overwhelming sense of immersion.”  [X]

Park Chan Wook: 

“A work with Imagination and Boldness, while making it according to an Orthodox attitude.”  [X] 

The Korea Herald: 

“Dystopian Black Comedy Concrete Utopia has questions instead of message.” [X] 

 

INTERNATIONAL TRAILER : 

 

 

OVERSEAS RELEASE SCHEDULE:

Taiwan - August 10, 2023 

Malaysia, Brunei, Hong Kong, Macau - August 17, 2023

Indonesia- August 23, 2023 

Singapore - August 24, 2023 

Thailand - August 31, 2023 

Vietnam - September 1, 2023

Philippines - September 13, 2023 

Japan- January 2024

New York and Los Angeles Exclusively In Theaters on Friday, December 8

Nationwide Starting December 15

 

Asianwiki // Naver // Wikipedia // Daum  // Namuwiki 

 

Forum rules 

 

[Anjalifairy]

Dropping by just to say thank you for creating this thread! @Ephoenix

So excited for the movie!

[Ephoenix]

9 hours ago, Anjalifairy said:

Dropping by just to say thank you for creating this thread! @Ephoenix

So excited for the movie!

 

You're welcome and I'm super excited as well to have these acting powerhouses in the same movie. Can't wait for Young-tak and Min-sung scenes.

[AsveriaPSJ]

I’m so excited, but it’s such a long journey to wait. They will started filming just in March...  

[Ephoenix]

12 hours ago, AsveriaPSJ said:

I’m so excited, but it’s such a long journey to wait. They will started filming just in March... 

 

I know!!  And the uncertainty of everything with this ongoing pandemic scares me so much. Just wishing for them to safely finish the projects they been working on at the moment and on time so they can start on CU at its scheduled time.

 

Meanwhile, I'm excited for the announcement of rest of the casts that will join this dream team.

[Helena]

http://www.ajudaily.com/view/20200810094731766
Actors Lee Byung-hun and Park Seo-jun to star in film adaptation of webcomic series

Park Sae-jin Reporter(swatchsjp@ajunews.com) | August 10, 2020

[Courtesy of BH Entertainment and Awesome Entertainment.]

 

SEOUL -- Popular South Korean actors Lee Byung-hun and Park Seo-jun and actress Park Bo-young will star in the film adaptation of "Happy Boy," a mystery science fiction webcomic series published by Lehzin Comics, a webcomics service operator.

 

Web cartoons, widely known as webtoons or webcomics, are digital comic books created to fit into web or mobile platforms. South Korea is the birthplace of webtoons, with its webtoon market valued at one trillion won ($841 million). South Korean digital comic books are popular in East Asia.

Lezhin Comics said in a statement that Lee Byung-hun, Park Se-jun and Park Bo-young will play the main roles in "Concrete Utopia" (working title) to be released in 2021. Director Uhm Tae-hwa will produce the sci-fi film. Happy Boy, the original story created by Kim Sung-nyung, depicts a story about a group of high school students that struggles to survive in a post-apocalyptic environment after an unknown event has devastated the world. 

"I'm looking forward to seeing how the movie depicts the change people go through when placed in extreme situations and the themes of preserving one's humanity in the process," Kim was quoted as saying.

Lezhin Comics provides online and mobile webcomics services in South Korea and other countries such as the United States, Japan and France. Being consumed anywhere using smartphones, digital cartoon content has become a daily necessity, especially among young people.

Lezhin Studios, the video content-making wing of Lezhin Comics, will produce the film adaptation of Happy Boy. It is currently working on the remake version of D.P Dog's Day, one of Lezhin Comics' most-read webtoon series, that will be released through Netflix in 2021. Lezhin Studios is also producing three webtoon-based films including "Hell" (working title), a Netflix Original film scheduled for release in 2021.

[serenilmauve]

I guess it will be not direct, but mostly loose adaptation that keeps just some elements and story points. I also wonder if they will touch on the theme what actually caused devastation. Because they said it’s “dark sci-fi”. 

[Ephoenix]

14 hours ago, serenilmauve said:

I guess it will be not direct, but mostly loose adaptation that keeps just some elements and story points. I also wonder if they will touch on the theme what actually caused devastation. Because they said it’s “dark sci-fi”. 

  

I guess mostly the surviving in a post apocalyptic environment is similar. Our main characters so far are all adults. About the cause of devastation, I think they will and it doesn't sound like an ordinary earthquake. Also, the mention of protecting the residents of the apartment from "Outsiders" feels like the invaders are extraterrestrial beings. 

[serenilmauve]

On 8/12/2020 at 12:45 AM, Ephoenix said:

  

I guess mostly the surviving in a post apocalyptic environment is similar. Our main characters so far are all adults. About the cause of devastation, I think they will and it doesn't sound like an ordinary earthquake. Also, the mention of protecting the residents of the apartment from "Outsiders" feels like the invaders are extraterrestrial beings. 

I think you maybe right. I mean if they all survivors, why they would need to defend apartment from each other. I wonder if there is any way to find original webtoon? 
 

Also Lee Byung Hyun played one earthquake disaster type of movie as I know, so he probably not someone who would play twice in the similar movie. 
 

Also I’m still not sure how apartments where they locate suppose to look like. 

[Ephoenix]

On 8/14/2020 at 8:30 AM, serenilmauve said:

 I wonder if there is any way to find original webtoon? 
 

Also Lee Byung Hyun played one earthquake disaster type of movie as I know, so he probably not someone who would play twice in the similar movie. 
 

Also I’m still not sure how apartments where they locate suppose to look like. 

I tried looking for the webtoon but there's little to nothing about it and the only link we have of it is in Korean, and you can only go through one chapter which looked completely different from the scenario of this movie. 

 

About LBH, yes, he doesn't repeat the same roles but I was surprised when they mentioned about the earthquake. His movie Ashfall last year was about volcanic disaster+ earthquakes. So trusting his choices, there might be something else that intrigued him the most from this movie.

 

You're not alone.  I've googled images of concrete worlds to just imagine the possible look often, but it's way too early when they only have just announced its production. I'm afraid we'll only see it when they release the trailer and that's probably 2022 (I know!)

[serenilmauve]

3 hours ago, Ephoenix said:

I tried looking for the webtoon but there's little to nothing about it and the only link we have of it is in Korean, and you can only go through one chapter which looked completely different from the scenario of this movie. 

 

About LBH, yes, he doesn't repeat the same roles but I was surprised when they mentioned about the earthquake. His movie Ashfall last year was about volcanic disaster+ earthquakes. So trusting his choices, there might be something else that intrigued him the most from this movie.

 

You're not alone.  I've googled images of concrete worlds to just imagine the possible look often, but it's way too early when they only have just announced its production. I'm afraid we'll only see it when they release the trailer and that's probably 2022 (I know!)

Yeah, I saw that link provided by AsianWiki and it confused me even more. So I think we should expect very, I mean very, loose adaptation lmfao But there must be something unique in that webtoon, that they decided to call it an adaptation, instead of claiming it’s an original work.

 

 Ashfall more a disaster movie, while I feel like Concrete Utopia has more of “post-apocalypse” genre in it based on synopsis. Plus earthquake (if it was one) appears to be have more mysterious origins. If Concrete Utopia is not afraid to go and touch some dark stuff I can already see how Ashfall and Concerte Utopia can have two extremely different tones. 
 

@Anjalifairy said Hwanggun means palace, so they probably located somewhere in historical building... But then webtoon has simple modern apartment images...

 

If they start filming in March I wonder if they could aim to December 2021 release lol I’m so greedy xD

[Ephoenix]

On 8/16/2020 at 2:26 AM, serenilmauve said:

If Concrete Utopia is not afraid to go and touch some dark stuff I can already see how Ashfall and Concerte Utopia can have two extremely different tones. 

 

@Anjalifairy said Hwanggun means palace, so they probably located somewhere in historical building... But then webtoon has simple modern apartment images...

 

If they start filming in March I wonder if they could aim to December 2021 release lol I’m so greedy xD

Yes I think you’re right about this movie featuring more of a post apocalyptic world like what we had in Peninsula this year, and how these character evolve both physically and mentally while trying to survive in the new environment. 
 

yes, it does mean palace and something Royal, but somehow I imagined it to be like skyscrapers and giving it a name. Lol but anything is possible. 
 

About their filming schedules, I’m really starting to worry because South Korea has issued Level 3 social distancing and many of the production for both dramas and movies are getting postponed. Celebrities getting tested positive for Rona, it’s scary. I’m just keeping my fingers crossed these days and praying no such news comes of the two movies they been working on and they all stay safe and healthy. So hopefully, *please* things will be calmer n much safer when it’s time for CU. 

[Anjalifairy]

 

Concrete Utopia will begin production on April 2021 - August 2021.

 

Source :

https://m.dcinside.com/board/parkseojun/117036

 

Anyone has read the webtoon? I've read it, but only part 2, the "Pleasant Bullying" or "Joyful Outcast", since they said they're gonna adapt it from part 2.

Umm.. Overall, the story is surprisingly simpler than what i imagined based on the synopsis. It's too obvious and predictable for me 

But since we have 3 big names as main leads here, there must be something special about the movie that attracts them to take this project. 

 

Hopefully, the whole production process goes smoothly and everyone is healthy and safe until the end 

[Ephoenix]

@Anjalifairy Thank you so much for sharing the good news.  I’m super excited. I haven’t read any part of the webtoon so I do not have any idea what to expect but I agree with you and I trust their script choices, which has always been diverse and interesting. 
 

5 more months. Really looking forward to see them start working together and praying for the whole team’s safety. 

[Anjalifairy]

Btw, i guess Hwanggung is the name of the apartment for the movie, while in webtoon it's Wookyung Apartment 

[serenilmauve]

@Anjalifairy I guess that’s why it’s not presented as “adaptation”, but rather “based on”. Because idea is there, but storyline is different. Maybe 

[Ephoenix]

January 31, 2021

 

https://theqoo.net/dyb/1828780404 

 

Here’s some insight to the webtoon that Concrete Utopia is based on. To my surprise, it was a lot better than I expected in terms of story and characters development. Also makes a lot of sense with the descriptions of the characters that we are given. It’s so long and google translations are crazy sometimes but you get the general idea about the plot and it’s super interesting how complex the story sounds and will have multifaceted characters. I really can’t wait to watch them all together! 

 

[Anjalifairy]

@Ephoenix Wow.. I felt like i was reading the webtoon again by reading that synopsis. Very detailed, compared to what i wrote here hehehe.

 

We're 2 months away to movie crank in, anyway. I can't wait to watch their collaboration in this project. That's gonna be epic

[Ephoenix]

February 27, 2021 

 

An excerpt from an article featured in magazine Korean Cinema Today Vol. 37, under the headline 

 

 

This August, Lotte announced the creation of

a new franchise, starting with the production of Concrete Utopia (working title), which will be directed by UM Tae-hwa (Vanishing Time: A Boy who Returned ) and star LEE Byung- hun, PARK Seo-jun and PARK Bo-young. In collaboration with Lezhin Studio, the film investment and production subsidiary of Lezhin Entertainment which also operates the international webtoon platform Lezhin Comics, Lotte plans to “develop the story of the survivors of a giant earthquake and the world they live in across a variety of media including films and TV series, starting with Concrete Utopia”. The film is a disaster thriller that follows survivors gathered around the Royal Palace Apartment complex, the only building still standing after a massive earthquake hits Seoul, and is an adaptation of Pleasant Neighbors, the second story in KIM Sung-nyung’s webtoon series Happy Boy, which has been serially published on Lezhin Comics since 2014. The idea is to adapt the wide range of episodes from the webtoon in a fittingly diverse selection of genres and media.

 

Spoiler

Spoiler

Spoiler

 

Source: Korean Cinema Today Vol 37

[serenilmauve]

While shared korean sci-fi and horror universe is an interesting idea, isn’t it a bit risky? 

Curious to see what they planning  and if we can except some bonus stuff about Concrete Utopia after the movie (and hopefully successful one) with same actors;))