The Yellow Sea

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Movie: The Yellow Sea (English title)
Revised romanization: Hwang Hae
Hangul: 황해
Director: Na Hong-Jin
Writer: Na Hong-Jin, Hong Won-Chan
Producer: Han Sung-Goo, Kim Kyung-Hwan, Jung Dae-Hoon, Kim Ui-Suk
Cinematographer: Lee Sung-Jae
Release Date: December 22, 2010
Runtime: 156 min.
Genre: Thriller
Production Company: Popcorn Film, 20th Century Fox
Distributor: Showbox
Language: Korean
Country: South Korea

Plot Synopsis by AsianWiki Staff ©

On the Chinese side of the China-Russia-North Korea border, in the Yanbian, Korean Autonomous Prefecture, Ku-Nam (Ha Jung-Woo) toils his days away as a taxi driver. When he's not working he's often found in the gambling halls. Ku-Nam is now in serious debt. His wife left to work in South Korea and promised to send money back. He has yet to hear from her and he is tormented by nightmares of her having an extra-marital affair. Making matters worse, Ku-Nam is fired from his job and debt-collectors take most of his severence pay.

Dog seller and underworld crime boss Myung-Ga (Kim Yun-Seok) offers him a deal. If Ku-Nam goes to South Korea and successfully carries out a hit he will get paid ¥57,000 ($10,000 USD). Ku-Nam accepts the deal and leaves for Korea on a rickety fishing boat with $500 dollars for his expenses.

When Ku-Nam arrives in South Korea he carefully scopes out his target for days, while also searching for his wife. When the time arrives for Ku-Nam to take out his target, a string of unexpected events occurs leaving Ku-Nam desperately looking for a way out. Meanwhile, the cops, Korean mafia, and the Chinese mafia all frantically search for Ku-Nam ...

Notes

Filming begins early December, 2009 and sometime in March, 2010 shooting location will move to Yanbian, China.
According to distributor Showbox, Twentieth Century Fox has also invested in the "The Yellow Sea" and also signed a contract to invest in a potential sequel of "The Yellow Sea" as well as a potential U.S. remake of "The Yellow Sea". If the U.S. remake of "The Yellow Sea" happens, original director Hong-jin Na will also direct the U.S. remake.
Filming location in Korea took place largely in Pusan, South Korea & received grant rebates from the Busan Film Commission (BFC).
"The Yellow Sea" opened #1 at the South Korean box office during its opening Dec. 24-26, 2010 weekend. The movie sold 815,177 tickets over 726 screens and took in 25.2% of all tickets sold during its opening weekend.

Cast



Ha Jung-Woo	Kim Yun-Seok	Cho Seong-Ha
Ku-Nam	Myung-Ga	Tae-Won

Additional Cast Members:

Lee Cheol-Min - Choi Sung-Nam
Kwak Do-Won - Prof. Kim Seung-Hyun
Lim Yeo-Won - Prof. Kim's wife
Tak Sung-Eun - Ku-Nam' wife
Kim Ki-Hwan - Prof. Kim's driver
Ki Se-Hyung - Tae-Won's subordinate
Jeon Jin-Woo - Tae-Won's subordinate
Lee Kyu-Seop - Tae-Won's subordinate
Seo Wang-Suk - Tae-Won's subordinate
Lee Soo-Yong - Tae-Won's subordinate
Lee El - Joo-Young (Tae-Won's mistress)
Oh Yoon-Hong - Tae-Won's wife
Lee Yoo-Mi - Tae-Won's daughter
Choo Seung-Wook - Tae-Won's chauffeur
Jeong Man-Sik - Detective
Jung Min-Sung - Detective
Park Byeong-Eun - bank employee
Jang So-Yeon - employee at Do-Man Hotel
Yang Ki-Won - detective
Sung Byoung-Sook - Ku-Nam's mother
Kong Jung-Hwan - Jeon Phil-Kyoo
Baek Won-Kil - Korean-Chinese kidnapper 1
Kang Hyun-Joong - Pusan port sailor
Yoo Ha-Bok - Yanbian taxi boss
Lee Hee-Joon - policeman
Lee Joon-Hyuk - dog seller 2
Jo Ha-Suk - dog seller 3
Na Kwang-Hoon - mahjong parlor fighting man 2
Jung Dae-Yong - next door Chinese man
Son Kang-Kuk - police at Boeun Police Station
Lee Woo-Dong - man in basement 2
Jun In-Kul - Boeun conscripted policeman 1
Baek Seung-Chul - debt collector
Yoon Byung-Hee - Korean-Chinese waiter
Jung Ki-Sun - Myeonga group 5
Lee Geun-Hoo - Myeonga group 8
Chun Myung-Jae - Korean-Chinese 3 in Garibong

Trailers

Image Gallery

Film Festivals

2011 (64th) Cannes Film Festival - May 11 - May 22, 2011 - Un Certain Regard *International Premiere
2011 (10th) New York Asian Film Festival - July 1-14, 2011 - Sea of Revenge: New Korean Thrillers *New York Premiere
2011 (15th) Puchon International Fantastic Film Festival - July 14-24, 2011 - Puchon Choice: Feature
2011 (24th) Singapore International Film Festival - September 15-25, 2011 - Wham! Bam! Pow!
2011 (7th) Fantastic Fest - September 22-29, 2011 *Regional Premiere
2011 (44th) Sitges Film Festival - October 6-16, 2011 - Official Fantastic in Compettition
2011 (47th) Chicago International Film Festival - October 6-20, 2011 - After Dark Competition
2011 (27th) Warsaw Film Festival - October 7-16, 2011 - Special Screenings
2011 (13th) Mumbai Film Festival - October 13-20, 2011 - World Cinema
2011 (8th) Hong Kong Asian Film Festival - October 18-November 18, 2011 - Midnight Craze
2011 (20th) Philadelphia Film Festival - October 20-November 3, 2011 - The Graveyard Shift
2011 (24th) Tokyo International Film Festival - October 22 - 30, 2011 - Film Panorama of Asia-Middle East
2011 (6th) The London Korean Film Festival - November 4-10, 2011 - Contemporary Korean Cinema
2011 (26th) Mar del Plata Film Festival - November 5-13, 2011 - Panorama - Midnight Screamings
2011 (22nd) Stockholm International Film Festival - November 9-20, 2011 - Asian Images *Swedish Premiere
2012 (4th) Beppu Hot Spring Japan Korea Next Generation Film Festival - March 2-4, 2012

Awards

2011 (5th) Asian Film Awards - March 21, 2011
- "Best Actor" (Ha Jung-Woo)
2011 (47th) BaekSang Arts Awards - May 26, 2011
- "Best Actor" (Ha Jung-Woo)
2011 (15th) Puchon International Fantastic Film Festival - July 14-24, 2011
- "Best Director" Na Hong-Jin
2011 (44th) Sitges Film Festival - October 6-16, 2011
- "Best Director" Na Hong-Jin
2011 (48th) Daejong Film Awards - October 17, 2011
- "Best Supporting Actor" (Jo Sung-Ha)
- "Best Costume Design"
2011 (31th) Critics Choice Awards - October 30, 2011
- "Best Actor" (Ha Jung-Woo)
2011 (32nd) Blue Dragon Film Awards - November 25, 2011
- "Best Lighting"

Comments

red Oct 18 2020 10:35 am ha jungwoo periodism

wayer Jan 08 2019 5:17 pm Watched The Yellow Sea without knowing it was from The Chaser director. The gore violence is sickening but suits the gangster-ism. The mystery behind who is the real culprit and the lost of Ku Nam's wife were well written too, the ending for him is justifiable although not wholly fine T_T. My respect for actor Ha Jung Woo is elevated even more hoho.. and Kim Yun Seok, his stability and macho aura just fills up the screen everytime he appears. During the chasing inside the pier, I wished that the Director just please let Ku Nam die and stop punishing him more..hahaa

Honey Nov 08 2016 6:55 am Omg TOK's comment below is super spot-on. I hate that we can't reply or thumb up comments here omg... You spoke my mind bro. Kudos to you. I agree that Korean acting somehow is deeper and has more layers (not to say US acting is shallow.) And even I was thinking about the possibility of this film being much greater if it was made with the cinematographic level of Mr. Vengeance.

Aj Sep 26 2015 8:18 pm Ha Jung Woo is excellent in this intricate action film, though it's a bit too bloody for my preference and has plot holes that stretch credibility. I liked him better as the romantic lead in Never Forever. Still, this one is very good of its genre.

Mattson Jan 02 2013 10:32 pm Great action scenes and nice storyline which was very easy to follow... at first.

See, everything about the movie was great. Action scenes, acting, the plot - at first, then it starts to fall apart in the 3rd and 4th. A whole slew of characters were introduced, and for a very long time, I kept going "who is that?". I'm not even sure who the lady was in the end.

And whats with the cards? He magically have cards with so many names on them, it just does not make sense. Especially towards the end when he and that guy behind the counter were having a face off. Who the hell was he?

Perhaps I didn't get to fully enjoy the movie because the sub were terrible. But I had no other choice as my freaking Netflix kept crashing on me, so I had to watch a poor-er version.

But even with that said, there weren't a lot of dialogues to distinguished who is who in the very last two parts. So maybe it doesn't even really matter on how good or how poor the subs are.

Overall, I really liked this movie for the first half, but it lost me completely after that. Quit disappointed that that had to happened towards the end when the movie opened so strong and so good.

7.8/10

domain registration yahoo Jun 28 2012 4:20 pm Great post. I was checking constantly this blog and I'm inspired! Extremely useful info specifically the remaining part :) I take care of such information much. I was looking for this particular information for a very lengthy time. Thanks and good luck.

TOK Sep 30 2011 6:08 pm the plot and the acting - Great!

what really bad about this movie are these things below: (No Spoilers)

- People expected a lot (because of 'the chaser' team and also after they have watched 'i saw the devil') - Bad Editing - Confusion over the name of the characters (who is who and such) - Not much details about some important minor characters (they just come from nowhere) - 2nd Half (rushes too quickly to the conclusion making it complex situation and on confusion) - Camera Shaking too much (Esp. Car Chase Scene.....How could the director who made the Great movie 'the Chaser' made such a terrible chasing scene in this movie?....i just can't believe it) - the basement scene (they should have made more violence there because before this scene, there was). - Escpae scene (too close and can't catch at all? there should have some gap between them) - Violence (it's too much for some people) - the ending (hardly satisyfying)

Nonethelesss, this movie is worth a watch if you don't expect and if you focus on the characters and go with the plot. 1st half is pure awesome, then 2nd half lacks details and rushes quickly at which people get (Freaking) confuse and therefore, dissatisfies with the movie.

If this movie were made like 'Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance' in terms of cinematography and in slow intense in the 2nd half as well, this movie would have been really really Great movie, would have been a Masterpiece, for sure. Forget the 'Old Boy' & 'Lady Vengeance' for now as both are modern art fantasy films, but 'Mr. Vengeance' is pure plain classic cinematic slow style film. Most People can't touch this vengeance for second time once they have watched, because they fear this Vengeance. and the other two vengeance aren't much disturbing as this one even though they still are.

Anyway, the director should not make US remake. korean Movies fans like me can't feel the US remake because the Hollywood actings aren't powerful like the Korean actings. I can feel the korean actings through my heart, mind and my whole body emotionally like i am inside him/her or around him/her....But Hollywood actings is like...I'm just looking at him/her acting or doing things this and that and the movie finishes like that. No feelings or emotions at all.

Okay, so if the director wants to remake, then there is nothing wrong with the Korean remake Again, with the same Great cast but as almost completely as a 'Mister Vengeance' style.

Ben C. Jun 01 2011 10:39 am The movie was very slow and it showed Ha, the taxi driver, was being hit and picked on by the debt-collectors. The movie went from slow to a fast phase and showed Ha as savage killer now--the director jumped to a quatom leap to develop Ha as a killer. Myung-Ga who hired Ha to pay off his debt could have done the killing himself--he killed the two guys in his hotel room and kidnapped Tae-Won's man. The movie is unrealistic with so many injuries sustained by Ha (got shot in the left upper arm, axed and stabbed in the port) but yet managed to evade dozens of killers--oh Ha swam too and lift himself out of the water too and ran hubbling and got in the truck. Myung-Ga got stabbed in the side and in the back, and axed in the back too but yet managed to kill a dozen more mafias--also good killers. The movie is not convincing and unrealistiic. I could not understand why Myung-Ga would hire him but wants to kill him now after accomplishing his mission. I gave it 10 for violence but overall it's a 3 out of 10.

Ki Dec 29 2010 3:00 am "The Yellow Sea" is a grim, tension-filled, thrill ride that will leave viewers exhausted (in a good way). As you can tell I loved "The Yellow Sea" and it actually does well to cement Na Hong-Jin as one of the top young directors in South Korea. The movie is long (156 minutes), but I didn't notice the longer than normal run time. As most knows, Na Hong-Jin brings back Ha Jung-Woo & Kim Yun-Seok who all worked together in the epic thriller "The Chaser". This time around, Ha Jung-Woo delivers his most demanding and nuanced performance to date. He's pretty much the sympathetic (and somewhat pathetic) "hero" - a man caught in the wrong place at the wrong time. The action scenes in here are also superb with the much talked about car chase scene in Busan just wrecking havoc everywhere on the screen. 2010 has been a great year for Korean cinema if you can stomach all the grimer & more violent films put out this year. "The Yellow Sea" caps off the year with one of the best films (can't wait to watch it again whenever it hits DVD) ....

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The Yellow Sea

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Plot Synopsis by AsianWiki Staff ©

Notes

Cast

Trailers

Image Gallery

Film Festivals

Awards

Comments

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