by STEVE HAN
After becoming South Korea’s most watched film of all time, historical film The Admiral: Roaring Currents appears poised to ride a wave of success in U.S. theaters. Since opening this past weekend in 32 theaters, The Admiral already eclipsed filmmaker Kim Ki-duk’s Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter … and Spring from 2004 as the most successful Korean film in the U.S.
It’s worth noting that in 2004, over 160 theaters showed Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter… and Spring in comparison to The Admiral, only shown in 32 so far. While Kim Ki-duk’s highly acclaimed film posted a U.S. box office earning of $357,495, director Kim Han-min’s breakthrough film has already surpassed that record by earning $687,000 and entering the top 20 at the box office, according to distributor CJ Entertainment.
Back in South Korea, The Admiral tallied over 14.2 million in admissions in less than three weeks, after its July 30 opening, breaking the previous record held by Avatar at 13.6 million.
The film is based on a 16th-century naval battle led by Joseon Dynasty’s legendary Admiral Yi Sun-shin, who serves as a national hero in South Korea to this day. In what seemed like a completely imbalanced battle for the Koreans, Admiral Yi (played by Choi Min-sik of Oldboy fame), with just 12 ships to defend his country, managed to defeat Japan’s 300 battleships.
Some say that the heroics of Admiral Yi in the film has struck a chord with the Korean people, many of whom are still grieving from the ferry disaster that killed 304 people. The Korean government has been criticized for its inadequate emergency response to the disaster and reluctance to launch an independent investigation to identify the cause of the maritime accident.
“With many people still upset about the Sewol, South Koreans right now desperately want to see something with a morally upright character,” Kang Yoo-jung, a professor of film studies at Kangnam University, told the L.A. Times. “In the movie, Adm. Yi displays brave leadership in a difficult situation, which is really appealing to audiences right now.”
The Admiral: Roaring Currents is currently playing at 32 theaters across the nation, and will open in additional theaters on August 22. For information on where to see the film, visit www.CJ-Entertainment.com or the official Facebook page at www.facebook.com/AsianMoviesNMore.
