(Korean Movie) Hero, 2020

A new film directed by Yun Je-kyun, the first director of Ssangcheon Man in Korea.
The last year of Ahn Jung-geun, a Korean hero
We finally meet on the screen in December 2022

On October 26, 1909, a gunshot rang out at Harbin Station. The bullet penetrated Hirobumi Ito, the mastermind behind the invasion of Joseon, and doctor Ahn Jung-geun shouted “Corea ura (Long live the Korean Empire)!” On February 14 of the following year, Dr. Ahn Jung-geun was sentenced to death by a Japanese court for killing Ito Hirobumi, and died on March 26, 1910 in Yeosun Prison. Thirty-five years later, on August 15, 1945, according to Ahn Jung-geun's wishes, the country welcomed independence, but his remains have yet to return to their homeland, contrary to his will, saying, "Please bury them in their homeland when national rights are restored." In December 2022, the movie <Hero>, which depicts the story of Ahn Jung-geun, a hero of Korea who is remembered in all of us, who did not bow his head in the face of death while shouting for his country's independence until the last moment, will be revived on the screen.

<Hero> depicts the unforgettable last year of Ahn Jung-geun, who was sentenced to death by a Japanese court after killing Ito Hirobumi in Harbin in October 1909, from the time he prepared for his death to the moment he met his death. It's a movie. <Haeundae> (11.32 million people, released in 2009) with fresh imagination that a super-large tsunami occurs in Haeundae, and <International Market> (14.26 million people, 2014 Released in 2009), director Yoon Je-gyun, who recorded a box office hit of 20 million won for the first time in Korea, will once again provide passionate emotions and thrills with <Hero>, a new film for the first time in eight years and a film adaptation of a creative musical of the same name premiered in 2009. “I would like to say thank you to Dr. Ahn Jung-geun and the independence activists who gave their lives for their country, and to say that I will never forget them. Director Yoon Je-gyun said, “I hope that this mindset will reach the audience even a little bit.” And a page of history that went against the time of 113 years was perfectly reproduced on the screen with a sense of scale, from location shooting and large-scale set production across Korea and Latvia. <Hero>, a story depicting the hot moments of Dr. Ahn Jung-geun and independence fighters who defended their country with one heart longing for independence, and attractions that will captivate the eyes and ears, provides excitement and fun that goes beyond a performance. It will arouse pride as a nation.

I am not a terrorist. He is the commander of the Independence Army of the Korean Empire.
14 years of original cast Jung Sung-hwa
Depicting the last passionate year of the hero Ahn Jung-geun

Original cast Jung Sung-hwa, who has led the stage as 'Ahn Jung-geun' for 14 years since the premiere of the musical [Hero] in 2009. Actor Jung Sung-hwa, who conquered the Korean musical scene by sweeping major musical awards ceremonies in Korea with unprecedented praise, returns to the screen as Ahn Jung-geun, commander of the Korean Empire's Independence Army in the movie <Hero>.

<Hero> vividly captures the life trajectory of doctor Ahn Jung-geun, a great man respected by all people, a son, husband, and father of two children. Jeong Seong-hwa, who said, "I was honored to be able to act in a movie as Dr. Ahn Jung-geun, whom I respect the most and must remember as a Korean citizen," said Jeong Seong-hwa, who left for Harbin following in the footsteps of Dr. Ahn Jung-geun from the premiere of the musical, recalling his noble spirit. In addition, the character was built with a more three-dimensional effect through various data investigations such as literature, photos, and videos. Jeong Seong-hwa begins with the Dandan alliance, which pledged to fight to save the nation, and from the determined and upright figure of Dr. Ahn Jung-geun, who longed for the independence of his country and peace in the East throughout his life from the time he killed Ito Hirobumi to the end of his life, to the independence movement leaving his beloved family behind. He perfectly portrayed the human figure of Ahn Jung-geun, who went through the painful experience of losing his comrades in the Battle of Hoeryong, with his deep and attractive acting. In particular, he lost 14 kg of weight to express the intention of Ahn Jung-geun, the captain of the Independence Army, who silently walked his way despite all kinds of adversity, and focused on reproducing his life by paying attention to each detail of his expression, eyes, beard, and hairstyle. Jeong Seong-hwa, who completely digested the original numbers that decorate the highlight of <Hero> live on the spot, conveys the sincerity of Dr. Ahn Jung-geun, who has many emotions such as trembling and anguish, with his unique and appealing voice, raising the level of immersion in the play to the peak. . Jeong Seong-hwa, who puts the safety of his country ahead of his own well-being, and portrays the vivid face of Ahn Jung-geun, a man who boldly stepped forward to protect his loved ones, will give the audience an unforgettable aftertaste.

Kim Go-eun, Na Moon-hee, Cho Jae-yoon, Bae Jeong-nam, Lee Hyun-woo, Park Jin-joo
Talented actors who transcend generations
A warm synergy unfolds that touches the heart

Kim Go-eun, Na Moon-hee, Jo Jae-yoon, Bae Jeong-nam, Lee Hyun-woo, and Park Jin-joo, the strong acting of the actors of all generations adds a deep resonance to the story of <Hero>. Kim Go-eun, who swept the Rookie of the Year awards right after her debut and rose to the top spot on the screen and TV screen, ranging from <Chinatown>, [Goblin], [Yumi's Cells] and recently [Little Women]. Kim Go-eun, who proved her ability to digest characters with a wide spectrum in a variety of genres, delicately expressed the strong inner side of a character who was entrusted with a secret mission in <Hero> as an informant for the independence army, 'Seol-hee'. Na Moon-hee, who has supported the center of the play with her heavy presence in each of her works, such as <Miss Granny> and <I Can Speak>, gives an unforgettable lingering impression by playing the role of Joong-geun Ahn's mother, Joong-geun's mother, with her 62 years of experience. In particular, the strength of mother 'Maria Jo', who becomes a mental support whenever 'Ahn Jung-geun' is shaken, creates a higher impression with Na Moon-hee's restrained expressive power.

Cho Jae-yoon, who has been active in various works such as [SKY Castle] and <Hansan: The Rise of the Dragon>, took on the role of 'Woo Deok-soon', a long-time comrade of the independence army of 'Ahn Jung-geun' in 'Hero', and brought life to the character. Bae Jeong-nam, who showed off his unique acting in <The Sheriff> and [Mr. Lee Hyun-woo, who has shown unwavering acting skills in <Secretly, Greatly>, <Yeonpyeong Sea Battle>, and [The House of Paper: Common Economic Zone Part 1], plays the youngest member of the independence army, 'Yoo Dong-ha', and plays a fresh youth facing the pain of the era of disintegration. . And Park Jin-joo, who showed the charm of eight colors through works such as <Sunny>, [Incarnation of Jealousy], and <Honest Candidate 2>, plays the role of 'Ma Jin-ju', a helper who takes care of the independence fighters. He did an excellent job of acting with deep emotions. As such, the talented actors of the movie <Hero> will give a thrilling impression with their passionate acting that is integrated with the character.

Korean film's first challenge
The live performances of the actors were captured vividly.
The thrill and excitement of a live performance that can only be felt in the theater

<Hero>, based on the original musical of the same name that has been loved for a long time, did not hesitate to take on new challenges to maximize the thrill and emotion beyond the performance. To this end, director Jekyun Yoon adopted a live recording method in which actors sing directly on the set, which has never been attempted in Korean films. It could be included in the song version. To this end, the actors sang all the numbers in the movie directly after undergoing rigorous vocal training, such as pronunciation and vocalization, over a period of more than three months. . Director Yoon Je-gyun also took a long take method that does not divide cuts as much as possible in solo scenes to bring out the feeling of a live performance that leads to emotional acting and one breath. Music director Hwang Sang-joon rearranged 50% of the original number to fit the theater environment without damaging the original work, and added a special number by adding a new number that can only be found in the movie. Cho Sang-yoon, the cinematographer, tried to capture a lot of colorful scenes by shooting all the numbers in different ways.

The efforts of the staff to simultaneously record on-site were also fierce. In the indoor set shooting, we tried to block out even the smallest living noises, such as the sound of strong winds, footsteps, and the sound of coats clashing. tilted In post-production, I had to go through a considerable amount of CG work to erase the in-ears and microphones worn by the actors for live. Like this, the songs and music of <Hero>, which were completed by the production team and actors who made sincere efforts for a challenge unprecedented in Korean films, will decorate the highlight of the movie.

Meeting of Korean film technology and infinite challenge spirit
From costumes, make-up, art, to location
Well-made production born with passion

It was also an important task for <Hero> to perfectly embody the situation of the times in the 1900s, including doctor Ahn Jung-geun and the Harbin patriotic act. In order to express the appearance of Dr. Ahn Jung-geun during his lifetime, makeup director Cho Tae-hee referred to actual photos and meticulously expressed details from the hairline to the shape of the beard. Sim Hyeon-seop, costume director, tried to realistically reproduce the real appearance of Dr. Ahn Jung-geun through meticulous research on the costumes of various countries such as Korea, Russia, and Japan. In particular, in the scene of the Harbin uprising, the clothes of Ahn Jung-geun, from the texture of his coat to the length and color, were meticulously crafted so that his determined will could be revealed without focusing on fashion. Costume director Sim Hyeon-seop produced a variety of costumes, from Joseon court ladies' costumes to Japanese traditional costumes and Western-style dresses, for the role of Seol-hee, an informant who infiltrated Japan while hiding her identity. I put a lot of effort into revealing the inner side of a rough but solid character.

The vivid scenery of Vladivostok in 1909 could be realistically portrayed through the Latvian location, where buildings from the late 1800s and early 1900s are preserved intact. In particular, Harbin Station, the main space where Dr. Ahn Jung-geun killed Ito Hirobumi, recreated some of the sets and CG work to reproduce the realistic scale and delicate details of the era. In contrast to the first half of the film, which depicts the beginning of Ahn Jung-geun's independence movement and the struggle of the independence fighters, the second half of the film, from Harbin's patriotic uprising to Japan's court and Yeosun prison, uses no color throughout the art to focus on the emotions of Ahn Jung-geun as a human being. <Hero>, which was born with the hard work and passion of the production team, will overwhelm the audience by providing a strong sense of immersion with a high-quality production.