Song Joong-ki, Hwang Jung-min, So Ji-sub escape Battleship Island

49 June 11, 2017June 11, 2017

Song Joong-ki, Hwang Jung-min, So Ji-sub escape Battleship Island

by tineybeanie

Director Ryu Seung-wan, who helmed Hwang Jung-min’s 2015 blockbuster Veteran, is returning this summer with a new film starring Hwang and two of the hottest stars in Korea: Song Joong-ki (Descended From the Sun) and So Ji-sub (Oh My Venus). This upcoming film, called Battleship Island, is set during the Japanese occupation and is based on a true story about a massive prison break from Hashima Island, a small island off the coast of Japan nicknamed Battleship Island for its shape, and the site of a forced labor camp.

The first trailer is entirely in Japanese, narrated by an officer who tells a group of Joseon laborers about their expected wages and living conditions as they go further and further underground. But the Korean copy that flashes in between the graphic scenes of forced labor in the mines several thousand feet below the ground reads: “We cannot escape or die. We called this place Hell Island.” As scenes of their harrowing attempt to escape the labor camp flash by, another officer says in voiceover, “We cannot let a single Joseon person remain who remembers what happened here.”

Hwang Jung-min plays a traveling musician who is a dedicated father to his young daughter. While attempting to get to Japan, they are transferred to Hashima Island instead, a place where the Japanese have oppressed both Joseon and Chinese people into slavery, working them without the freedom to leave or even the barest of necessities like clothing or food. So people die like flies under the harsh conditions, but no one comes to this far-off island to help them because they never hear about the human rights violations happening there.

However, even in the darkest places, hope can survive, and that occurs in the form of an idea amongst the prisoners: to stage a large-scale escape from the island. So Ji-sub plays a street fighter who becomes one of the leaders of the prison break operation, and Song Joong-ki plays a Korean independence fighter who initially goes undercover to Hashima Island to rescue a key figure in the movement.

The intertwining story of these three individuals as they work together to make their way to freedom will be told through Battleship Island, which premieres this July.

Via Osen

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1 Yanca

June 11, 2017 at 3:11 PM

This looks great I can't wait to watch it, seems like directors are making more japanese occupation era movies but I wish they could make a movie about comfort women. Their stories break my heart nd they deserve to be heard ...

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Diraito Teson

June 11, 2017 at 3:28 PM

There is a movie about it.
It's of 2015 and there plays the amazing actress of Mirror of The Witch. Kim Sae Ron, who was famous since year ago from playing in The Man from Nowhere with Eon Bin.
The movie title is Snowy Road.
http://asianwiki.com/Snowy_Road_(Korean_Movie)

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CL

June 11, 2017 at 3:45 PM

Snowy Road/눈길 is actually not a movie but a one-off drama on KBS, written by 유보라 (Secret) and directed by 이나정 (Fight For My Way, Nice Guy). Spirits' Homecoming/귀향 has been released in theaters and was a surprise indie hit last year. Battleship Island is the first time labor camps on Hashima have been addressed in any medium, except for the special episode on Infinity Challenge.

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dopefish

June 11, 2017 at 5:04 PM

I believe Snowy Road was a 2-episode drama special on KBS in 2015. However, the drama was re-edited into a movie and released on March 2017 in Korean theaters. It got pretty good reviews from what I've read. I don't think it did too well in the box office.

You are right about Spirits' Homecoming. I believe that movie had trouble getting financed and distributed because of the subject matter. It ended up being partially crowdfunded.

@Yanca
Some dramas dealt with the comfort women. "Eyes of Dawn," from what I've seen, was a very well done depiction of the process and the trauma. It's quite old so it's a bit hard to find, but it's out there and someone subbed it. I think MBCClassic has it up on YouTube raw and split in parts. It's under "Years of Upheaval."

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kiara

June 11, 2017 at 5:32 PM

"Eyes of Dawn" was raw and so real. Masterfully directed by the late Kim Jong-hak.
I don't think I'll ever watch it again but I will never forget it.

WishfulToki

June 11, 2017 at 4:26 PM

Have you seen Gaksital?

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kiara

June 11, 2017 at 4:38 PM

"Eyes of Dawn" if you can handle it. One of the 2 masterpieces written by Song Ji-na.

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pogo

June 11, 2017 at 7:46 PM

There's Spirits' Homecoming (2016) - http://www.koreanfilm.or.kr/jsp/films/index/filmsView.jsp?movieCd=20161364

everything I've heard about it is excellent but even the trailer is harrowing.

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Aevah

June 12, 2017 at 10:16 PM

Yeah, I suggesting if any of you want to watch this movie have a few box of tissues ready. I knew it would be sad, but I didn't expect to cry as much as I did and the worst part was that I watched it late at night so I had to stop half-way through and prepare myself to watch the second half the next day. Just watch it all in one sitting because I think it will easier to handle.

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2 tesshan

June 11, 2017 at 3:50 PM

Looks very good. Really looking forward to see this movie.

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3 Lunabird

June 11, 2017 at 4:03 PM

It's Song Joong Ki AND So Ji Sub. What could go wrong?
I'm very very very excited!

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madlily

June 12, 2017 at 3:50 AM

So Ji Sub is one of my favourite Korean actors.. I am BEYOND excited to see this movie!! Song Joong Ki is just bonus!!

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4 RaOnAh loves Jay B 💚

June 11, 2017 at 4:14 PM

This sounds really interesting but where do you watch it? Are there sites like Viki but for movies or do you have to hope it comes to a theater near you?

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kiara

June 11, 2017 at 4:34 PM

It has been sold to a 113 countries so hope it comes to a theatre near you.

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missjb

June 11, 2017 at 5:21 PM

amen. I can't wait to watch it in my big screen

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RaOnAh loves Jay B 💚

June 12, 2017 at 6:38 PM

Thanks, I'll keep an eye out for it.

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5 lezah

June 11, 2017 at 4:16 PM

Not my type of genre at all, I'll admit... But it's SJK and SJS. I'm very, very tempted... I miss seeing joongki on my screen! ?

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6 kiara

June 11, 2017 at 4:29 PM

I've been waiting for "Battleship" for a long time. It's too big of a movie not to have a worldwide release.
It's going to be difficult to beat "Veteran" when it comes to profits but it'd be up there.

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7 WishfulToki

June 11, 2017 at 4:33 PM

OK, this trailer sent shivers down my spine. *epic feels* As a big fan of The Great Escape and classic American WWII films (Sands of Iwo Jima etc), I'd be really excited to see this Korean take.

My local cinema showed Age of Shadows recently but I missed it *sobs for slow-mo missing Gong Yoo*. Fingers crossed they'll bring this one too!

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8 💜🍍☠ Sicarius The Queen of Melonia ☠🍍💜

June 11, 2017 at 4:37 PM

*puts on Movie to-watch list* July you say... do we know what date?

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CL

June 11, 2017 at 4:51 PM

All bets on July 26.

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9 undrama

June 11, 2017 at 4:50 PM

The movie has been presold in 113 countries including France and is already considered one the highest priced Korean movie sold in Asia. It's not everyday you get the chance to watch a Korean movie in France let alone watch So Ji Sub and Song Joong Ki on a large screen.

I'm particularly curious about the story as I have a special interest for movies and dramas set during the Japanese occupation. (I still watch Gaksital on a regular basis). Looking at the trailer it is going to be a tough but needed story to tell.

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Shindy

June 12, 2017 at 2:35 AM

Really? It will be released in France?
That's a great news! I'm really looking forward it, I hope I will be able to watch it on the big screen!
Like you, I like movies and dramas set during the Japanese occupation, I wish there were much more about that.

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10 kayedrama

June 11, 2017 at 5:07 PM

Tackling Japanese-era looks hella of fun.

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11 michykdrama

June 11, 2017 at 5:15 PM

Definitively watching this. Song Joong Ki Oppa I've missed you! Feels like it's been ages since he made this movie and cut his hair short.

Please be available to watch on the big screen here so I can support you!

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12 elvira

June 11, 2017 at 5:27 PM

Anything related to war is not my kind of movie. I watched Ghibli's Field of Fireflies once, and it's scarred me until now. War devastates everyone. But damn, look at what they offer here; SJS, SJK and HJM.
The adorable little girl is Gong Yoo's daughter in Train to Busan, right?

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13 wabisabi

June 11, 2017 at 5:42 PM

This will be one of those good, but hard, movies to watch. I have been waiting for it since last summer.

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14 dee

June 11, 2017 at 5:55 PM

so ji sub so freaking hawt in that pictures

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15 inna

June 11, 2017 at 5:58 PM

Oh, I saw Big Boss over there..

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16 jillian

June 11, 2017 at 6:21 PM

I have been looking forward to this movie. SJS is enough reason for me to watch it.

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17 azleenaa

June 11, 2017 at 7:03 PM

Looks cool. I like war movies (if they are executed well & if it's about the untold/buried history). They touched my heart and I will cry a river.

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18 Playstore, Okay Or Not Okay

June 11, 2017 at 7:48 PM

Give our man Joong Ki a drama ASAP. The captain needs to save lives by a 20 ep drama now that he ain't got no enlistment like some *chokes on the names of the oppas* do. HAEBAAA *screams in hangeul*

And yes I shall watch Battleship Island even without subs when it shall be released :) somethings can't be put on hold.

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19 Tazzo

June 11, 2017 at 8:27 PM

The stills look spectacular! Hope the movie lives up to these and our expectations!

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20 Nessa (Bebe) 🌹

June 11, 2017 at 9:12 PM

Oh man (no pun intended), 3 powerhouse names of Chungmuro and the small screen coming not only coming together, but coming together to for such a grand, and quite hopeful and inspiring (the part where they even find the hope to consider escaping) tale of such epic proportions??? Count me in!!

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21 cheekbones

June 11, 2017 at 10:23 PM

I bet it's gonna be a big hit at the box office.

And, you simply can't dampen Song Joong-ki's handsomeness with mere mud and blood, or being in an underground labor camp.

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22 djyoopies

June 11, 2017 at 11:33 PM

Hwang Jung Min is the living legend?❤️ Nothing could go wrong with one of the best chungmuro actor

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23 Blazingflame

June 11, 2017 at 11:44 PM

Movie stars 3 of the biggest names in korean. The movie is sure shot hit. Looking forward to it.

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Rudy

June 12, 2017 at 9:17 AM

There has been movies with big name and still considered 'flops' at the box office. This one however, looks to have everything going for it, including the big names, so your prediction is safe.

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24 dooleygongshil

June 12, 2017 at 1:11 AM

Sounds interesting and the imagery here is stunning. I don't know much about cinematography or photography but the use of light and shadows really makes it pop.

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25 maaaki

June 12, 2017 at 6:02 AM

Diable.
This movie looks absolutly amazing. I don't often go to the theater i'd rather have my little confort in my home, but i think i'm going to make an exception for this one. And I can even go to watch it alone.
I want to have SJK & SJS's handsomness for me and myself only....
Apart from that, i look forward the japanese occupation era theme. It's always painfully interesting to learn about troubled history time. This happenned only 80 years ago...

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26 sungjong

June 12, 2017 at 6:34 AM

What an impactful trailer! Also, its great that the focus is on the people rather than just the stars. Korean historical films are really good in this regard. In my country, its all about the hero. Anyhow, Japanese deeds never fail to horrify me.

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27 modestgoddess

June 12, 2017 at 8:17 AM

looks amazing

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28 yoobitna

June 12, 2017 at 8:21 AM

heol, this is gonna be a great movie

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29 Jane Eyre

June 12, 2017 at 10:13 AM

I really hope it comes to Seattle area since I am so sick and tired of the same hollywood garbage and filth that they call movies and would love to see this one instead.