'Joint Security Area' to Open Soon

Not many movies receive such strong critical acclaim as the upcoming film 'Joint Security Area,' by director Park Chan-wook. This high budget movie, which cost in excess of 3,000,000,000 won to produce, is winning audience praise for showing the human sides of South and North Koreans.

At the premier of 'Joint Security Area JSA,' which deals with the division of the Korean peninsula, more spectators and critics than expected attended. When the movie ended, people applauded and cheered, "The movie is both entertaining and artistic. It's a masterpiece!"

The movie features a South Korean soldier, Lee Soo-hyuk, who is left behind in the demilitarized zone. A North Korean first class soldier, Oh Kyung-pil, comes to his rescue by dismanteling a land mine that nearly kills Lee. However, in reality, they cannot be friends, they are enemies. A Korean-Swiss female agent is sent to the demilitarized zone to investigate the unexpected friendship. She quickly realizes the reality of having one people divided into two nations. The movie successfully portrays the process of South and North Korean soldiers coming to understand each other regardless of their differing ideologies. The cathartic final scene is expectionally moving in that it brings the otherwise political situation of the two Koreas to a human level.

The movie is scheduled to open on September 9.

by Shin Yong-ho