12.12: The Day
12.12: The Day (Korean: 서울의 봄) is a 2023 South Korean historical action drama film directed by Kim Sung-su, starring Hwang Jung-min, Jung Woo-sung, Lee Sung-min, Park Hae-joon and Kim Sung-kyun.[4] The film is set against the backdrop of the December 12, 1979, military coup from the late 1970s to early 1980s.[5] It was released theatrically on November 22, 2023, and became the highest-grossing Korean film of 2023,[4][6] earning over $97 million against a budget of ₩23 billion.[2][1]
| 12.12: The Day | |
|---|---|
Promotional poster | |
| Hangul | 서울의 봄 |
| Literal meaning | Spring in Seoul |
| Revised Romanization | Seoul-ui bom |
| Directed by | Kim Sung-su |
| Screenplay by |
|
| Produced by | Kim Won-kuk |
| Starring | |
| Cinematography | Lee Mo-gae |
| Edited by | Kim Sang-beom |
| Music by | Lee Jae-jin |
Production company | Hive Media Corp. |
| Distributed by | Megabox Plus M |
Release date |
|
Running time | 141 minutes |
| Country | South Korea |
| Language | Korean |
| Budget | ₩23 billion[1] |
| Box office | US$97.5 million[2][3] |
In the film, similar pseudonyms are used instead of the real persons' names and, although it is based on real events, there are also fictional elements.[7][8][9]
Synopsis edit
After President Park's assassination, martial law is declared. Security commander Chun Doo-gwang (Hwang Jung-min) and the officers who follow him stage a coup. Lee Tae-shin (Jung Woo-sung), a stubborn commander of the Capital Garrison Command who believes that soldiers should not take political action, fights against Chun Doo-gwang. As the conflict between the two men grows, the military leaders postpone their decisions, and the Minister of Defense disappears. In this chaos, spring in Seoul, which everyone longs for, heads in an unexpected direction.
Cast edit
Main edit
- Hwang Jung-min as Major General Chun Doo-gwang: based on Chun Doo-hwan, who later became the 5th President of South Korea
- Jung Woo-sung as Major General Lee Tae-shin: based on Jang Tae-wan, Commander of the Capital Garrison Command
- Lee Sung-min as General Jeong Sang-ho: based on Jeong Seung-hwa, Army Chief of Staff
- Park Hae-joon as Major General Noh Tae-geon: based on Roh Tae-woo, an ally of Chun Doo-hwan who later became the 6th President of South Korea
- Kim Sung-kyun as Brigadier General Kim Jun-yeop: based on Kim Jin-ki, the military police inspector at the Army Headquarters
Supporting edit
- Kim Eui-sung as Oh Guk-sang: based on Roh Jae-hyun, who served as the 21st Minister of National Defense
- Jung Dong-hwan as President Choi Han-gyu: based on Choi Kyu-hah, the 4th President of South Korea
- Ahn Nae-sang as Lieutenant General Han Young-gu: based on Hwang Young-si, 1st Corps Commander
- Choi Byung-mo as Brigadier General Do Hee-cheol: based on Park Hee-do, 1st Airborne Special Forces Brigade Commander
- Park Hoon as Colonel Moon Il-pyeong: based on Heo Hwa-pyeong, one of Chun Doo-hwan's closest associates
- Lee Jae-yoon as Lieutenant Colonel Lim Hak-ju: based on Lee Hak-bong, who investigated Jeong Seung-hwa during the revolt
- Kim Sung-oh as Brigadier General Kim Chang-se: based on Choi Se-chang, 3rd Airborne Special Forces Brigade Commander
- Park Won-sang as Lieutenant General Go Jae-young: based on Lee Kun-young, Commander of the 3rd Field Army
- Nam Yun-Ho as Colonel Kang Dong-Chan: subordinate to Major General Lee Tae-shin and Brigade Commander in the Capital Garrison Command
- Yoo Seong-joo as Lieutenant General Min Seong-bae[10]
- Vice Chief of Staff who takes command after Jeong Sang-ho is kidnapped.
- Hong Seo-jun as Ha Chang-soo[10]
- a personnel officer at the security agency.
- Ahn Se-ho as Jang Min-ki[10]
- Jeon Su-ji as Lee Tae-shin's wife
- Paul Battle as U.S. Ambassador to Korea
Special appearance edit
- Jung Man-sik as Major General Gong Soo-hyuk[11]
- based on Jeong Byeong-ju, Commander of the Army Special Forces Command
- Jung Hae-in as Major Oh Jin-ho[11]
- based on Kim Oh-rang, chief of staff to Jeong Byeong-ju
- Lee Joon-hyuk as Warrant Officer Kwon Hyung-jin, a security officer for Jeong Sang-ho[12]
Production edit
Principal photography began in February 2022 and ended in July 2022.[13]
Director Kim Sung-su revealed at the press conference that he was a senior in high school at the time of the Coup d'état of December Twelfth and was living in Hannam-dong, Seoul, where the incident occurred. He left his house and was walking around the neighborhood, and when he heard a gunshot from the Army Chief of Staff's official residence, he went there, but the soldiers controlled it. He was scared because he heard gunshots all night and he couldn't get close, but he was full of curiosity and questions at the time because he couldn't figure out what was going on,[14] which led him to make this film.[7]
The Headquarter of Korean Army is shot at Headquarter of Kyungpook National University in Daegu, North Gyeongsang Province.
Reception edit
Box office edit
As of December 3, 2023[update], 12.12: The Day has grossed $34.2 million with a running total of 4.66 million tickets sold so far.[15] It became the biggest film of 2023 in Korea, when it grossed $90.5 million by end of December 2023.[6] By the end of February 2024, the film grossed over $97 million.[2]
Public response edit
This work is set about 40 years ago, but surprisingly, it was watched more by young people (20s and 30s) than middle-aged people (40s and 50s).[16] There was even a heart rate challenge among them, where people would check their heart rate using their smartwatches while watching the movie, then take a picture of it and upload it on social media to express heightened stress or righteous anger while watching the film.[17][18]
As this film became popular, people became interested in other works, such as 5th Republic,[19] which dealt with the Coup d'état of December Twelfth.[20]
Accolades edit
| Award ceremony | Year | Category | Nominee / Work | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baeksang Arts Awards | 2024 | Best Actor | Hwang Jung-min | Pending | [21] |
| Jung Woo-sung | Pending | ||||
| Best Director | Kim Sung-su | Pending | |||
| Best Film | 12.12: The Day | Pending | |||
| Best Screenplay | Hong In-pyo, Hong Won-chan, Lee Young-jong, Kim Sung-su | Pending | |||
| Technical Award | Hwang Ho-kyun (SFX makeup) | Pending | |||
| Lee Mo-gae (Cinematography) | Pending |
Related history edit
References edit
- ^ a b Kim, Da-sol (December 15, 2023). "'12.12: The Day' lifts November ticket sales in cinemas overall: KOFIC". The Korea Herald. Retrieved February 25, 2024.
- ^ a b c "12.12: The Day". Box Office Mojo. IMDb. Retrieved January 15, 2023.
- ^ "KOFIC, KOBIS (Korean Box Office Information System) The Box office: 12.12: THE DAY (2023)". KOFIC. Retrieved January 23, 2024.
- ^ "[영화는실화다] 영화 '서울의 봄'_ 12·12 군사 반란" [[The movie is a true story] Movie '12.12: The Day'_ December 12 Military Uprising]. YTN (in Korean). November 24, 2023 – via Naver.
- ^ a b Shackleton, Liz (January 3, 2024). "Korean Action Drama '12.12: The Day' Grosses $90M At Local Box Office To Become Biggest Film Of 2023". Deadline. Retrieved January 3, 2024.
- ^ a b "Director Kim Sung-su blends fact with fiction to recreate 1979 coup d'état". Korea JoongAng Daily. November 13, 2023. Retrieved November 24, 2023 – via Naver.
- ^ "Korea Box Office: '12.12: The Day' Brings Crowds Back to Cinemas". Variety. November 27, 2023.
- ^ "The harrowing real-life stories of the Korean military coup depicted in "12.12: The Day"". English Edition: The Hankyoreh. November 29, 2023. Retrieved November 30, 2023.
- ^ a b c 고, 승아. "'서울의 봄' 김의성→안내상, 긴박했던 12.12 호연으로 완성". Naver (in Korean). Retrieved December 14, 2023.
- ^ a b Kang, Hyo-jin (November 6, 2023). "서울의 봄' 정해인, 초고속 진급...일병→소령 변신 '찰떡같은 군복 핏" [Spring in Seoul's Jung Hae-in gets promoted super-fast...from private to major, 'military uniform fits perfectly] (in Korean). SPOTV News. Retrieved November 6, 2023 – via Naver.
- ^ Choi, Ji-ye (November 11, 2023). "특별출연 빛난다...'대세' 이준혁·정해인, '서울의 봄' 존재감甲 신스틸러 [TEN피플]" [Special Appearance Shines...'Dae Se' Lee Jun Hyuk-Jung Hae In, 'Seoul Spring' Presence Kwon Shin Stiller [TEN People]] (in Korean). Ten Asia. Retrieved November 13, 2023 – via Naver.
- ^ "'서울의 봄' 김성수 감독 "연출 제안받고 '이게 나한테? 운명이다' 싶었다" [인터뷰①]" ['12.12: The Day' Director Kim Seong-soo "When I received the offer to direct, I thought, 'This is for me? It's fate.'" [Interview ①]]. Chosun Biz (in Korean). November 15, 2023. Retrieved November 30, 2023.
- ^ "[이원 기자의 영화 人 a view] '서울의 봄' 김성수 감독" [[Reporter Won Lee's film People a View] '12.12: The Day' Director Kim Seong-soo]. Kookje Shinmun (in Korean). November 22, 2023. Retrieved November 30, 2023 – via Naver.
- ^ Frater, Patrick (2023). "Korea Box Office: Political Thriller '12.12: The Day' Enjoys $13 Million Second Weekend Haul". Variety. Retrieved December 5, 2023.
- ^ "[파고들기]MZ는 왜 '서울의 봄' 전두광에 분노할까" [[Dig into] Why is MZ angry at Jeon Doo-gwang for '12.12: The Day'?]. No Cut News (in Korean). November 30, 2023 – via Naver.
- ^ "'12.12: The Day' hits 4M moviegoers in 12 days". Korea JoongAng Daily. December 4, 2023. Retrieved December 5, 2023.
- ^ ""내 심박수 봄?" ...영화 서울의봄 SNS 챌린지 열풍" ["Do you see my heart rate?" ...Film 12.12: The Day SNS Challenge Craze]. Kookmin Ilbo (in Korean). November 28, 2023. Retrieved November 30, 2023 – via Naver.
- ^ "12·12 다룬 '서울의 봄'과 '제5공화국' ...뭐가 같고 뭐가 다른가" ['12.12: The Day' and '5th Republic', both of which were covered on Coup d'état of December Twelfth... What's the same and what's different?]. Ilyo Shinmun (in Korean). November 29, 2023. Retrieved November 30, 2023.
- ^ "'남산의부장' OTT순위 재진입... '서울의봄' 인기에 근현대사 콘텐츠 열풍" ['The Man Standing Next' re-enters OTT rankings... Modern and contemporary history content craze due to popularity of '12.12: The Day']. Sports DongA (in Korean). November 30, 2023 – via Naver.
- ^ Hwang, So-young (April 8, 2024). 60회 맞은 '백상예술대상' TV·영화·연극 후보 공개 [60th 'Baeksang Arts Awards' TV, Film and Theater Candidates Revealed] (in Korean). JTBC News. from the original on April 8, 2024. Retrieved April 9, 2024 – via Naver.
External links edit
- 12.12: The Day at the Korean Movie Database
- 12.12: The Day at IMDb
- 12.12: The Day at HanCinema
- 12.12: The Day at Daum (in Korean)