[Reviews . Photos ] GoJiJeon is #1 at S.Korean Box Office [ 20110731]

Charming actors ShinHaKyun (left) & Ko Soo - 

brightly smiles for their fans during the autographing session held 

at WangShimRi's CGV on August 4th .

photo : hankyung

S.KOREAN BOX OFFICE (as at 2011.07.31)

July 29–31, 2011

#2

#1

source KOFIC | hancinema | Mojo


-Excerpts-


It was a close race for the top spot but Jang Hoon's "The Front Line" came through with the honours. The war drama saw some 474,439 tickets sold bringing its total to 1,635,877. Jang Hoon involves himself in a number of technical arenas in the industry and is probably best known for two previous films "Rough Cut" and the 2010 hit "Secret Reunion".

Review (excerpts) : hancinema








War Drama ' The Front Line' Dominates South Korean Box Office

Drawing more than 800,000 admissions in its opening week, South Korean war blockbuster The Front Line looks like one to watch out for. The film is currently second only to the final Harry Potter at the South Korean box office, and its opening is the largest of the year so far for any domestic film (although that record will likely be shattered when the hotly anticipated 3D blockbuster Sector 7 opens next week).

Set during the final days of the Korean War, The Front Line stars Ha-kyun Shin who 10 years ago featured in the similarly themed JSA (the two films share a screenwriter). Shin plays a military investigator charged with solving the murder of a South Korean commander that was killed by a bullet belonging to the South Korean army. The mystery plays out before the backdrop of the Korean War ceasefire, when both North and South were still skirmishing for strategic territory holdings that would benefit their countries when borders were eventually set down.

During his investigation, Shin eventually meets an old friend he believed to be dead. Played by up-and-coming star Soo Ko (Haunters), Shin’s long lost friend has gone from a mild-mannered student to a dangerous leader of men. The dead commander and the resurrected pal aren’t the only oddities awaiting Shin on the frontline, where soldiers have taken to wearing North Korean unifor

ms to keep warm and one of the platoon leaders is a morphine-addicted teenager


The film looks visually stunning, with every penny of the estimated $10 million budget (a lavish figure for a South Korean film) on display in those sprawling battle scenes. While some early reviews have complained that the film is a little on-the-nose with its pacifist/antiwar message, the combination of a promising cast, gritty combat action, and a twisted Heart of Darkness style mystery make The Front Line an intriguing prospect for any Asian cinephile

Full Review by Jeff Hart

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