Movie: Roaring Currents (명량)

{Movie poster: Roaring Currents}

The movie Roaring Currents is a 2014 South Korean film written and directed by Kim Han-min. The film is based on the story of a 1597 historical event, Battle of Myeongnyang between Korea and Japan. In the film, Yi Sun-sin, one of the most esteemed admirals in Korea’s history, leads Chosun to a victory with only 12 ships against Japan’s 330 vessels. Before the battle actually begins, all the other admirals and generals vigorously persuade Yi Sun-sin and his navy to disband, as they believe there is no chance of victory with only 12 ships left. To add more distress to Chosun, Japan sends the head of a Chosun captive along with the message saying all the other Chosun soldiers are soon to be dead. Japan’s threat, however, does not falter Yi Sun-sin’s plan to fight against Japan. The day Myeongnyang battle begins, only the leading ship in which Yi Sun-sin is riding on, goes out to the sea, as the other 11 ships hesitated in fear. With spectacular strategies, Yi Sun-sin’s ship destroys the other vessels one by one. Using the strong water force typically developed in Uldulmok, where the battle occurred, about 100 Japanese ships are destroyed. Unable to withstand the fear of being killed as a whole, all the other Japanese ships flee, leading Chosun to victory. 

{Usuyoung Kookmin Kwankwangji}

This site was made to celebrate the victory of Myeongnyang battle in 1986. There are memorials and museums that holds histories and items from the battle.  

{Yi Sun-sin}

Since Yi Sun-sin was the head admiral of the battle, the museum contains many portraits of him. 

{Uldulmok}

This is the place where Yi Sun-sin used the strong water force to destroy the Japanese vessels, which led to the remaining vessels to flee in fear. Admiral Yi Sun-sin stands as the statue next to the infamous battle site.

{Myeongnyang battle festival}

From the year of 2005, the Myeongnyang battle festival has been held every September in Usuyoung Kookmin Kwankwangji to celebrate the victory of Myeonnyang battle. The festival is organized with diverse programs--such as reproducing the Myeongnyang battle, or showing clips of the movie-- to rekindle the spirit of victory against Japan. This festival usually lasts for three days; this year (2014), it is from October 9 to October 12. So if you have a chance to visit Korea, and you have watched Myeongnyang, I definitely suggest you to visit this place during the festival, and have a great memory in Korea!

Well this was a brief summary of the movie ”Myeongnyang” seen by over 10 million people in the shortest period in Korea, and places related to this movie! I’m looking forward to the next series of the other two battles between Korea and Japan, which Yi Sun-sin participated, Hansando battle, and Noryang battle.

Movie: Miryang (밀양)

{Movie Poster: Miryang}

Secret Sunshine is a 2007 South Korean drama film directed by acclaimed South Korean director, novelist, and former Minister of Culture Lee Chang-dong. The screenplay based on the short fiction "The Story of a Bug" by Lee Cheong-jun that focuses on a woman as she wrestles with the question of grief, madness, and faith. The Korean title Miryang (or Milyang) is named after the city that served as the film's setting and filming location, of which "Secret Sunshine" is the literal translation. For her performance in the film, Jeon Do-yeon won the Prix d'interpretation feminine du Festival de Cannes (Best Actress) at the 2007 Cannes Film Festival. The film also won the award for Best Film at the Asian Film Awards and at the Asia Pacific Screen Awards. 

Plot summary: 

Lee Shin-ae and her only child, June, move to the small town of Mirayng, South Geyongsang Province. Her husband has recently died and she has decided to start life anew back in the hometown of her deceased husband. While entering Miryang, Shin-ae's car breaks down along a rural highway. She is able to get the local mechanic in Miryang named Kim Jong-chan to come fix her car. Although they come from different social backgrounds, the pair hits it off and seems to find comfort in each other's presence. 

Tragedy soon strikes Shin-ae once again when her only son is abducted. As Shin-ae must deal with another devastating tragedy in her life, she attempts to find the answer and a light that can shine upon her dark life. 

{Miryang Church}

Miryang church comes out often throughout the movie. When Shin-ae first moves to her dead husband's hometown, Miryang, her new acquaintance asks her to come out to her church. For a while, she stops going; however, she comes to resent God when she finds out that the murderer of her son June receives forgiveness from God. After this phase in her life, she becomes corrupted and even harms herself, attempts to seduce a married man, and etc. 

{June Piano institute}

Shin-ae majored in music and taught piano for a living. She opens her own institute as soon as she comes to Miryang, which she names it after her son June.

Today, this place is not a real piano institute– just a movie set for visitors to tour around.

{Miryang train station}

Miryang station makes its occurrence as the background of many scenes throughout the movie.

Movie: Old Boy (올드보이)

Movie: Old Boy (올드보이)

 {Old Boy movie poster}

In 1988, businessman Oh Dae-su is kidnapped the night of his young daughter's birthday and placed in solitary confinement in a hotel-like prison. Confined with no human contact or explanation for his kidnapping, Dae-su soon learns through news reports his wife has been murdered, and he is the prime suspect. Dae-su passes the time shadowboxing, planning revenge, and secretly attempting to tunnel out of his cell.

After 15 years of captivation, he is finally freed. Soon after, he falls in love with an attractive lady working at a sushi restaurant. Later in the movie, a wealthy man, Woo-jin, approaches Dae-su and breaks the news that the 15 years of imprisonment prolonged so that Dae-su’s daughter can grow up to become a beautiful lady, whom Dae-su unknowingly falls in love with. What could be the motive behind this seemingly useless act of prolonged imprisonment? Dae-su, in his high school days, spied on Woo-jin and his sister’s incestuous relationship. Without knowing the familial ties, Dae-su inadvertently spread a rumor before moving to Seoul. As a result of the rumor, the sister suffered from false signs of pregnancy and eventually committed suicide. Woo-jin’s revenge was for Dae-su to feel the same pain he previously felt.

{Busan GyeongSang University} 

Busan GyeongSang University is where Dae-su receive help from someone after the first gang fight right after he gets out of the prison hotel. The university is located in Kyungsang namdo, Jinju city. It was built in the late 1940's and it is a public joint university with "pioneering" as the school's motto. Schools in Korea usually have trees that represent each school, for which GyeongSang is Zelkova tree (Elm-like tree). The school's mascot is a lion. 

{Old Boy Sushi House} 

Old Boy Sushi House, located near the Busan University, is the sushi place the two main characters in the movie first meet.

The store becomes crowded with many tourists as well as students who want to treat themselves out to nice dinners.

{Chang Sung Hyang Chinese restaurant}

China Town located in the city of Busan got its name for its vast population of China-origin people from the beginning. It is known to have one of the best chinese restaurants in the area. For this blog, specifically, I would like to introduce a restaurant that is very significant in the movie Old Boy. 

This hot place is the restaurant Woo-Jin got his dumplings for Dae-Su for fifteen years. When Dae-Su gets freed from the prison, he goes around to look for clues as to who planned his unreasonable imprisonment. He decides to look for the chinese restaurant that sells the dumplings he ate for fifteen years and finally finds this place in China town. 

This is the infamous fried dumplings the restaurant has. Everyone should definitely try their dumplings to vicariously experience Dae-Su's life of eating the same kind of dumplings for fifteen years.