Taegukgi hwinalrimyeo (2004)

Director:

Je-gyu Kang

Writer:

Je-gyu Kang (writer)

Release Date:

6 February 2004 (South Korea)

Genre:

Action | Drama | War

Plot:

A drama about the fate of brothers forced to fight in the Korean War.

Plot Keywords:

Korean War | Korea | 1950s | Medal | North Korea

Awards:

9 wins & 1 nomination

Cast

Dong-Kun Jang	...	Jin-tae Lee
Bin Won	...	Jin-seok Lee
Eun-ju Lee	...	Young-shin Kim
Hyeong-jin Kong	...	Yong-man
Yeong-ran Lee	...	Mother
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Kil-Kang Ahn	...	Sergeant Huh
Joe Cappelletti	...	Additional Voices (voice: English version)
Min-sik Choi	...	North Korean commander
D.C. Douglas	...	Additional Voices (voice: English version)
Min-ho Jang	...	Old Jin-seok Lee
Dae-Hoon Jeong
Jae-hyeong Jeon	...	Yong-seok
Yun-hie Jo	...	Jin-seok Lee's grandaughter
Doo-hong Jung
Bo-kyeong Kim
Su-ro Kim	...	Anti-Communist Federation member
Adam Epstein	...	Additional Voices (uncredited)

Directed by
Je-gyu Kang

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Je-gyu Kang		writer

Produced by
Ha-na Lee	....	planning producer
Seong-hun Lee	....	producer

Original Music by
Dong-jun Lee

Cinematography by
Kyung-Pyo Hong

Film Editing by
Kyeong-hie Choi

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Doo-hong Jung	....	martial arts director

Visual Effects by
Danyo Donghyun Yoon	....	pre-visualization artist

Other crew
John Charles	....	software engineer: Sony DAC
Winston Emano	....	publicist
David Magdael	....	publicist

Production Companies

• Kang Je-Kyu Film Co. Ltd.

Distributors

• Showbox Entertainment (2004) (South Korea) (theatrical)
• Min Gyo Group (2004) (Australia) (theatrical)
• Samuel Goldwyn Films (2004) (USA) (theatrical) (subtitled)
• Warner Bros. (2004) (Singapore) (theatrical)
• 1More Film (2005) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Filmhouse (2005) (Mexico) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (2005) (France) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar Films de Argentina (2005) (Argentina) (all media)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (2005) (USA) (DVD)
• LK-TEL (2005) (Argentina) (DVD)
• LK-TEL (2005) (Argentina) (VHS)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2005) (Brazil) (all media)
• 3L Filmverleih (2006) (Germany) (theatrical)
• e-m-s the DVD-Company (2006) (Germany) (DVD)
• 3L Filmverleih (2006) (Austria) (theatrical)
• Contender Entertainment Group (2005) (UK) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (Japan) (theatrical)
• Contender Entertainment Group (2005) (UK) (DVD)

Other Companies

• HFR  dailies

Also Known As:

Brotherhood (International: English title) (UK)
Tae Guk Gi: The Brotherhood of War (International: English title) (USA)
Taegukgi (International: English title)
A Irmandade da Guerra (Brazil) [pt]
Frères de sang (France) [fr]
La hermandad de la guerra (Argentina) (video title) [es]
Lazos de guerra (Spain) [es]
Lazos de sangre (Spain) [es]

MPAA:

Rated R for strong graphic sequences of war violence.

Runtime:

140 min | 148 min (director's cut)

Country:

South Korea

Language:

Korean

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Brazil:18 | Sweden:15 | Australia:MA | Denmark:15 | Finland:K-18 | France:U | Germany:16 | Hong Kong:IIB (original rating) | Hong Kong:III (video rating) | Ireland:15A (cinema release) | Italy:VM14 | Japan:R-15 | Netherlands:16 | Norway:15 | Singapore:M18 (original rating) | Singapore:NC-16 (edited for re-rating) | South Korea:15 | Spain:13 | UK:15 (director's cut) | USA:R | Mexico:C | Argentina:16 | Indonesia:Dewasa

Company:

Kang Je-Kyu Film Co. Ltd.

Trivia:

To recreate the battle at Doo-Mil-Ryung, the scene required 15,000 bullets, 3,000 extras and 500 stunt experts. Instead of rifles being fired, fist fights were the main focus of the scene and all of the cast were specially trained. The shoot lasted 3 weeks with about 50 minor accidents a day on average, but the scene was finally wrapped without any major accidents.

Goofs:

Errors made by characters (possibly deliberate errors by the filmmakers): Near the end, when Jin-Seok spots Jin-Tae fighting as a North Korean, Jin-Tae is clearly seen with a helmet on but when Jin-Tae and Jin-Soek are fighting, Jin-Tae is wearing a military cap.

Quotes:

Jin-tae: [tears up the last will that Jin-seok was writing] Wills are for dying people. You've got to be strong.

Movie Connections:

References Saving Private Ryan (1998)

Harry's Top Ten Movies of 2004 - No.1

That's what this movie is. Pure hell. If you're that person that screamed in agony when Shakespeare IN LOVE beat SAVING PRIVATE RYAN – find this movie and realize just how much better TAE GUK GI: BROTHERHOOD OF WAR is than just about every war film ever made. A story of two brothers during the Korean War. The movie is spectacle larger than any film made this year, but as intimate as a tale of brothers could ever be. I grew up with Sam Fuller, Peckinpah, Spielberg and the war films of Hollywood. This thing… it's just amazing. I went to see it on "Can Day" here in Austin… where you donate 3 cans of food to the homeless and see any movie you want. I saw 4 films that day, this was the 3rd – and it just completely blew me away. I instantly got the Korean Box Set – and have seen it many times since… Unfortunately – the day I saw it in the theater was the last day it was showing in Austin. A BRILLIANT FILM. The film will just shake you to the core. The South Koreans are making brutally brilliant films. Amazing. Should be re-released with a major advertising campaign. The trailers you could cut of this thing… my god. Stunning film and my pick for the best film of 2004 ! Check the site - http://aintitcool.com/display.cgi?id=19054