park hae il

NYAFF 2022 Review: Kim Han-Min’s HANSAN: RISING DRAGON, Epic Period War Strategy Well-Played

Hansan: Rising Dragon screens on Thursday, July 28 as part of this year’s festivities at the New York Asian Film Festival. The film will release theatrically on July 29 from Well Go USA Entertainment. Setting the stage for future events, Kim Han-min’s Roaring Currents prequel, Hansan: Rising Dragon, brings us to the year 1592, during the Imjin War in which the naval fleets of Admiral Yi Sun-shin (Park Hae-il), and Japan’s Wakizaka (Byun Yo-han), engage in battles of warships and wits near the shores of Korea during the Joseon Dynasty. The latest standstill sees the Japanese army strategizing around Yi’s latest implementation of turtle warships with dragonheads affixed at the bow that can shoot cannons. Wakizaka, slow-brewing his plans of attack, is quietly eager to seize momentum now that he is in the Lord Chancellor’s favor after two successful incursions with Japan’s army, with an eye to pave a way […]

HANSAN: RISING DRAGON Official Trailer Sets Ashore

Lee B. Golden III

The official trailer is now up for Kim Han-min’s forthcoming prequel, Hansan: Emergence Of Dragon; Hansan: Rising Dragon is the affirmed title for what is expected to roll out from Well Go USA, as one of five Korean titles acquired by the company for North America as of last week’s Deadline report. Lotte Cultureworks is releasing the movie in South Korean theaters on July 27 with a cast led by Park Hae-il (Park Chan-wook’s Best Director-winning Cannes 2022 premiere, Decision To Leave) who takes the reigns in a younger iteration of the role played by Choi Min-sik in Kim’s first film, The Admiral: Roaring Currents. In 1592, admiral Yi Sun-sin falls into a crisis but rises again with his last secret weapon, the Turtle Ship. The legend of the invincible fleet begins ? Hansan, Emergence of Dragon! The film also stars Byun Yo-han (The Book Of Fish, “Mr. Sunshine”) and Ahn Sung-ki (Arahan, upcoming Cassiopeia), along […]

HANSAN: EMERGENCE OF DRAGON Debuts First Trailer For Kim Han-Min’s ‘Roaring Currents’ Prequel

Lee B. Golden III

Eight years after inaugurating his Yi Sun-shin trilogy with The Admiral: Roaring Currents, director Kim Han-min is back once more with its equally ambitious successor, Hansan: Emergence Of Dragon, which opens in Korea this July from Lotte Cultureworks. Choi Min-sik portrayed the lead in the previous film which became South Korea’s highest all-time earner of the box office during its 2014 run. The new prequel now hands the mantle to actor Park Hae-il (Park Chan-wook’s Best Director-winning Cannes 2022 premiere, Decision To Leave), with a story set five years earlier against the backdrop of the Battle Of Hansan between Korean and Japanese fleets. In 1592, admiral Yi Sun-sin falls into a crisis but rises again with his last secret weapon, the Turtle Ship. The legend of the invincible fleet begins ? Hansan, Emergence of Dragon! The film also stars Byun Yo-han (The Book Of Fish, “Mr. Sunshine”) and Ahn Sung-ki […]

Battle Erupts Within THE FORTRESS In The Newest Trailer

Lee B. Golden III

At some point earlier on, an international trailer was unveiled for Hwang Dong-Hyuk’s new period war drama, Namhansangseon. Of course it helps now that its new title is The Fortress for said internarional appeal and while a date is still yet to be set, the latest trailer has arrived – Korean subbed, but plenty of excellent footage to delve into with Hwang’s fourth movie. The film is based on author Kim Hoon’s 2007 Hakgojae novel publication, set amid the warring 17th century Joseon era. Actor Park Hae-Il leads the cast as a King now under siege by Qing forces and forced into hiding in his moutain fortress where his two retainers, played bg Lee Byung-Hun and Kim Yun-Seok, both butt heads in their philosophies and ideals on how to deal with the Qing soliders; One wants to negotiate while the other wishes to fight head on. An epic deadlock ensues and […]

NAMHANSANSEONG: 17th Century War And Politics Collide In The Official Teaser Trailer

Lee B. Golden III

I’m almost certain director Hwang Dong-Hyuk’s new period drama, Namhansangseon, will be re-titled with a more international appeal by its September theatrical release. Until then, that’s the name of the film as it so reads on author Kim Hoon’s 2007 Hakgojae novel publication, set amid the warring 17th century Joseon era. Actor Park Hae-Il leads the cast as a King now under siege by Qing forces and forced into hiding in his moutain fortress where his two retainers, played bg Lee Byung-Hun and Kim Yun-Seok, both butt heads in their philosophies and ideals on how to deal with the Qing soliders; One wants to negotiate while the other wishes to fight head on. It’s pretty much an epic deadlock and the latest teaser trailer illustrates that in sweeping fashion. Check it out!