(Korean Movies) The Himalayas, 2015

The roof of the world, the Himalayas
A great challenge we all accomplished together

The Himalayas include Mount Everest at 8,848 m.
It is a mountain range with 14 peaks of 8,000m high and is called the 'roof of the world'.
In the ancient Indian Sanskrit word, hima means 'snow' and
It is a compound word of alaya, which means 'dwelling', and has the meaning of 'a place where snow lives'.

From the 19th century, the challenge of explorers to the Himalayas began in earnest,
After World War II, Nepal opened its doors, and the Himalayas became more active.

Korea's representative mountaineer Um Hong-gil
He first climbed the Himalayas in 1985, and made 38 attempts in 22 years.
In 2005, to find the body of a colleague who died while climbing
Captain Um Hong-gil forms a human expedition and leaves for the Himalayas again.
The movie <The Himalayas> captured the great challenge that everyone achieved there.

[ HOT ISSUE ]

The meeting of national actor Hwang Jung-min and national pure man Jung-woo!
Draw the heart-warming friendship of a mountain man!
<International Market> <Veteran> National actor Hwang Jung-min, who made two 10 million films in 2015 alone, and Jung-woo Jung, an actor who captivated women's hearts with his sincere acting through [Reply 1994] and [Ce Si-Bong] met. The two actors, who had worked together as senior and junior detectives in 2006's <Life Decision>, met again as senior and junior climbers on the expedition in <The Himalayas> after 9 years.

The human-moving true story <The Himalayas> depicts the heart-warming challenge of Captain Um Hong-gil and the Human Expeditionary Team, who set out on a life-risking journey without records, honor, or rewards to find the body of a colleague who died while climbing the Himalayas. Hwang Jung-min, who transformed into the captain of Korea's representative mountaineer Eom Hong-gil in <The Himalayas>, said, "I wanted the character Um Hong-gil to feel like a big mountain in the movie. As an expedition leader, I tried to capture the tolerance, firm will, and strong mental power to embrace the crew.” Jung-woo, who played 'Park Mu-taek', a junior member who the captain of 'Um Hong-gil' tried to protect until the end, said about the 'Park Mu-taek' character, "'Park Moo-taek' is a person who genuinely loves mountains and is willing to sacrifice his life for his dream. . I was able to take time to look back on myself by acting as a character who always does his best for his colleagues.”

Captain 'Um Hong-gil' and junior mountaineer 'Park Mu-taek' shared friendship and friendship that was no less than a brother and a colleague who climbed the four Himalayas, from Kanchenjunga in 2000, K2, to Shishapangma in 2001, and Everest in 2002. In 2005, Captain Uhm Hong-gil formed a human expedition to collect the body of 'Park Mu-taek', who died in distress during the descent after ascending Everest in the Himalayas, and set out to climb the Everest Death Zone at an altitude of 8,750 m, which has never been attempted in mountain history.

Just like the relationship between Captain 'Um Hong-gil' and 'Park Moo-taek', who shared a passionate friendship with the living men, Hwang Jung-min and Jung-woo also showed off their strong collaboration as a 'loyalty couple' during the five-month filming period. Hwang Jung-min said, “Like the real ‘Um Hong-gil’ and ‘Park Moo-taek’, we relied on each other a lot during filming. I was really thankful that Jungwoo believed in me and followed me,” he said, expressing his feelings about working with Jungwoo. He always took care of me first, and he helped me a lot so that I could immerse myself in acting.” Director Lee Seok-hoon, who directed <The Himalayas>, said, “Even outside the camera, he showed a close friendship like a brother and boasted the best of breathing. We were able to truly capture the camaraderie and loyalty of the mountain climbers in <The Himalayas> through their sincere consideration for each other.”

The moving true story of the Human Expedition is made into a movie!
<The Pirates: The Bandit Who Goes to the Sea> <Dancing Queen> Director Lee Seok-hoon,
Delivering pure friendship and loyalty rather than success!
Director Lee Seok-hoon, who has established himself as a box office director by giving a pleasant laugh with <The Pirates: The Bandit Who Went to the Sea> and <Dancing Queen>, returned with the human moving true story <The Himalayas> in the winter of 2015. Director Lee Seok-hoon, who said, “I was moved by the pure will of the mountaineers who naturally choose the journey to risk their lives for their colleagues who died in the Himalayas,” said for the first time hearing the true story of the Human Expedition, their climbing was not for the summit, but for people. I was strongly drawn to the fact that it was directed towards

Director Lee Seok-hoon, who has been recognized for his outstanding talent in the comedy genre by naturally drawing laughter and emotion in the situations the characters are in through his previous works, explains why he chose the moving true story <The Himalayas> as his next work, saying, “Internally and externally, the There was a sense of pressure to try new things, but through the heart-warming challenge of the expedition, I wanted to sincerely portray the value that is more important than the success that was forgotten in the harsh reality, the pure friendship and loyalty between people.” Director Lee Seok-hoon, who made a new film attempt to truly capture the journey of the Human Expedition, said, “For a more realistic sense of reality, the filming was reminiscent of the expedition by shooting locations in the Himalayas of Nepal and Mont Blanc in France. Through the movie, I hope that the audience will feel as if they are with the expedition team in the death zone of Mount Everest in the Himalayas at an altitude of 8,000 meters above sea level.”

In addition, director Lee Seok-hoon received the trust of the actors and staff by silently supporting the whole process with his quiet charisma during difficult filming. Hwang Jung-min, who was reunited with director Lee Seok-hoon three years after <Dancing Queen>, said, "Just being with director Lee Seok-hoon was enough to choose the film The Himalayas. I like his unique warm sense of humor.” In addition, Jung-woo, who plays 'Park Moo-taek', who worked with director Lee Seok-hoon for the first time on <The Himalayas>, said, "Director Lee Seok-hoon has an amazing directing style. While talking about the character's emotions, he held the center of the acting and always trusted and entrusted the actor completely.” am. He is a director who talks a lot with the actors on set and always respects the opinions of the staff,” said director Lee Seok-hoon.

Director Lee Seok-hoon, who has fascinated audiences with his delicate directing skills and warm sense of humor, will meet with audiences of all generations through <The Himalayas> in December this year.

Hwang Jung-min, Jung Woo, Jo Seong-ha, Kim In-kwon, Ra Mi-ran,
Kim Won-hae, Lee Hae-young, Jeon Bae-soo
Providing a stronger camaraderie than brothers who share blood
A delightful ensemble of actors from Chungmuro!
Hwang Jung-min as Captain 'Um Hong-gil', Jung-woo who played 'Park Mu-taek', Jo Sung-ha as 'Lee Dong-gyu', the expedition's top leader, Kim In-kwon as 'Park Jeong-bok', an action expedition member, Ra Mi-ran as 'Myeong-ae' as Hong Il-jeom of the expedition, and Romantic expedition Kim Won-hae, who played the role of 'Kim Mu-yeong', Lee Hae-yeong, who played the role of 'Jang Cheol-gu', a realist expedition member, and Jeon Bae-soo, the strong supporter of the expedition, played the role of Jeon Bae-soo. Director Lee Seok-hoon said, "The most important part when casting the expedition was the close relationship they had with each other and depended on each other in the mountains. In the work, there was already a relationship, such as working together. We filmed naturally without awkwardness like the people we have always been with from the beginning, and as a result, the teamwork of the expedition members was also captured with the best breathing.” did.

The actors of <The Himalayas> developed a special bond through the filming process reminiscent of an actual expedition. It took four days to get to the filming location on foot, and the actors who overcame every moment of the tense filming, taking the risk of the Nepal Himalayas suffering from altitude sickness and the Mont Blanc glacier in France, were considerate and depended on each other, and the solidarity like an expedition in the movie. chopped The strong trust between the actors accumulated through the difficult but meaningful filming was fully expressed in depicting the passionate camaraderie of the expedition in the movie.

The protagonists of <The Himalayas>, who showed off a strong breath from the heart, said, "<The Himalayas> is a precious work to me. It was like a dream to act with all the actors in <Himalayan>” (Hwang Jung-min), “I felt like a family while living together throughout the filming. Without my seniors, I would not have been able to do all this” (Jungwoo), “I learned a lot while having fun while filming with my juniors. Teamwork on set was also excellent, so I think a beautiful film was made” (Jo Seong-ha), “Flesh to skin, moving together, and struggling together. I've done a lot of filming so far, but "The Himalayas" was the most special experience" (Kim In-kwon), "This is the first time I've been filming with so many people for a long time. It was like living in a group dormitory, spending time together and always discussing it together, and it became stronger. When the filming was over, all the actors and staff felt sorry for them.”

Chungmuro actors such as Hwang Jung-min, Jung Woo, Jo Seong-ha, Kim In-kwon, Ra Mi-ran, Kim Won-hae, Lee Hae-young, and Jeon Bae-su, who worked together as part of the expedition that was another family under the mountain, gave the audience a closer friendship than the brothers who shared blood in The Himalayas. It will give you a pleasant laugh and a heartwarming impression.

The production journey of <The Himalayas> is reminiscent of an actual expedition!
Pre-training with mountain experts, of course,
Filming on location in the Himalayas of Nepal & Mont Blanc, France!
The production process of <The Himalayas> required thorough preparation as it was the first challenge that had no precedent in Korea. It was not easy for all the actors and staff to climb the mountain and shoot, but there were many scenes that had to be shot while hanging from a slope or ice wall. The production team of <Himalaya> conducted dozens of pre-rehearsals and test shoots to check safety and reduce trial and error. The camera work of <Himalaya> was mainly used in the first person perspective to bring out a vivid sense of presence. It was a new attempt for a film, but it was perfect for creating dynamic scenes. Director of Photography Kim Tae-seong said, “We went through the process of continuously discussing and checking the filming process and method. Even though I took pictures of ice walls and cliffs, the joy of capturing the vast and wonderful sights on camera is indescribable. It was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to be able to participate in the work <The Himalayas>.”

At the Dobongsan Mountain Climbing School last fall, the protagonists underwent pre-training reminiscent of an actual expedition, such as how to fasten seat belts, how to descend, how to set up a climber, rock and ice training, as well as mountain climbing training at Baekdudaegan. For the safety of the actors and staff during the filming process, such as the actual climbing, mountain captains Mi-gon Kim and Eun-soo Ku were with them. Kim Mi-gon, a mountain leader who succeeded in successively climbing Everest and Lhotse for the first time in Korea, said, “It is not an easy challenge for many actors and staff to follow the expedition’s journey and shoot in the mountains without professional knowledge about the mountains. But they somehow managed to overcome their fear and tried to do it on their own. During the filming in the Himalayas, we ensured safety by receiving thorough self-condition checks and reports on behavioral patterns.”

Before selecting a filming location, the production team of <Himalayas> took into account the possibility of actual climbing and filming conditions, shooting on location in the Himalayas of Nepal, Mont Blanc, France, Yangju, Gyeonggi-do, and Yeongwol, Gangwon-do. Producer Joo Seung-hwan, who worked with director Lee Seok-hoon in <Dancing Queen>, said, "I think I went to all quarries across the country to hunt for filming locations. Scenes that were difficult to shoot in Korea were digested through local locations overseas. In Mont Blanc, France, we filmed in a real space that is difficult for the general public to access, such as crevasses and ice poles.” Director Lee Seok-hoon said, "All the staff climbed up to 3,800m in the Himalayas of Nepal and filmed, and climbed to Mont Blanc, France, and filmed with each other in the bitter cold. There were situations where we had to withdraw because of a blizzard storm, and we suffered from altitude sickness. By the time the filming was finished, both the actors and staff were reborn as semi-mountainous climbers who could wear any equipment themselves.”

[ SPECIAL STORY ]

What is the difference between climbing and climbing?
From 'a' to 'h'! <The Himalayas> Encyclopedia of Knowledge!

# Altitude sickness: Acute reaction of the body that occurs when oxygen becomes scarce when moving to a high altitude of 2,000 to 3,000 m above sea level.
# Namaste: It means 'to you' in ancient Indian language, which means "my soul worships your soul".
# Death zone: collectively referred to as a point at an altitude of 8,000 m or higher. The low atmospheric pressure reduces the amount of oxygen in the atmosphere by one-third, and the sharp drop in temperature causes frostbite anywhere on the body exposed to the air. Strong winds are also a major threat to climbers.
# Climbing: A term used as a narrower concept than general mountaineering that can be climbed with only one foot. An act that requires professional and technical methods that cannot be climbed without hands.
# Climbing: Reaching the top of a mountain. However, in order to receive international recognition for records that will remain in the history of mountaineering, such as the first ascent, the climb must be published in an authoritative mountain journal.
# Ramaze: A prayer to pray for the safety of the crew to the Himalayas ahead of the climb.
# Rope: A climbing rope used for safety
# Monsoon: Winds with almost opposite directions in summer and winter blow over a wide area, also called monsoons. The hot wind from the Indian Ocean hits the Himalayas and causes a lot of snow, which is the biggest obstacle to climbing the Himalayas.
# Vivak: It refers to staying overnight using the terrain without using a tent. A term derived from 'bi (around) + wache (to watch)'
# Base Camp: A camp used as a base for climbing. There are cases where a lot of luggage, such as food, is stored and moved frequently, and in this case, a base is needed where the crew often or sometimes stays for a long time. The base camp is sometimes referred to as 'BC' as an abbreviation.
# Snow blindness: Inflammation of the eye caused by the reflection of ultraviolet rays. That is, conjunctivitis caused by ultraviolet radiation. Since UV rays are stronger at higher altitudes, the higher the altitude, the higher the possibility of snow blindness, and it can occur anywhere where there is snow.
# Snowflake: An item worn on the soles of the feet in winter by residents of snowy regions. It does not fall even when the snow is deep and does not slip on slopes.
# Sherpa (Selpa): In Tibetan, it means 'people of the East'. Today, it is more widely known as a mountaineering guide, or 'helper', which is indispensable for mountaineering in the Himalayas.
# Crampons: Metal equipment with the longest history among climbing equipment. It is attached to the sole of hiking boots to prevent slipping when climbing up and down steep ice or hard snow surfaces and glaciers.
# Anxylene: A method of climbing by connecting ropes with a certain distance between climbers. Its purpose is to prevent accidental accidents when passing through dangerous or difficult places.
# Abxylene: A method of descending using a fixed rope. An essential part of climbing skills. A technique used when descending from a rock or ice wall or retreating due to a change in weather while climbing
# Overhang: A portion of a rock that protrudes into the shape of a roof with a slope greater than or equal to vertical.
# Gilles: A rope used for mountaineering. It is used to connect and tie each other's bodies in case of danger when going up and down a rock or ice wall, or when acting on a glacier.
# Chomorangma: In Tibet, Everest has been called Chomorangma (meaning 'the mother goddess of the world') since ancient times.
# Crevasses: Clefts in the surface of a glacier. Crevasses occur where glaciers that used to flow in narrow valleys go out to wide places or where they bend.
# First Step / Second Step / Third Step: 3 huge rock walls near the top of Everest. Mount Everest is 8,500 m above sea level, 8,600 m and 8,750 m above sea level, respectively.
# Pickel: German for climbing ice ax. In the old days, the pickel was regarded as a symbol of the soul of an alpinist.
# Hold: A concave or convex point on the rock that can be used as a handle or a stepping stone.
# Whiteout: A phenomenon in which the perspective is lost due to snowfall and mountain fog causing the clock to turn white. When a white-out situation occurs during climbing, it is difficult to distinguish the boundary between the snow surface and the space, resulting in behavioral disturbances.