Escape (Korean: 탈주) is a 2024 South Korean action thriller film directed by Lee Jong-pil and starring Lee Je-hoon, Koo Kyo-hwan and Hong Xa-bin. The film depicts the life-threatening defection and chase of Lim Gyu-nam, a North Korean soldier who dreams of a life with a tomorrow on the other side of the barbed-wire fence, and Hyeon-sang, a North Korean State Security officer who must stop him. It was released on July 3, 2024.[3]
| Escape | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Hangul | 탈주 |
| Hanja | 脫走 |
| Revised Romanization | Talju |
| McCune–Reischauer | T'alju |
| Directed by | Lee Jong-pil |
| Written by |
|
| Produced by |
|
| Starring |
|
| Cinematography | Kim Sung-an |
| Edited by | Lee Kang-hee |
| Music by | Dalpalan |
Production companies |
|
| Distributed by | Plus M Entertainment |
Release date |
|
Running time | 94 minutes |
| Country | South Korea |
| Language | Korean |
| Box office | US$18.5 million[1][2] |
Plot
editNear the Korean Demilitarized Zone, Sergeant Lim Gyu-nam of the Korean People's Army, who is about to be discharged after 10 years of service, prepares to defect from North Korea to South Korea, due to disillusionment with the regime. However, lower-ranking soldier Kim Dong-hyuk, who discovers Gyu-nam's plan, attempts to escape first, and Gyu-nam, who tries to stop him, is suddenly arrested as a deserter.
Major Li Hyeon-sang of the State Security Ministry who came to the unit to investigate a deserter, transforms Gyu-nam, whom he had known since childhood, into a hero for his efforts to apprehend a deserter, and gives him a position as a direct assistant to the division commander, promoting his performance. He's trying to raise it.[clarification needed] However, when Gyu-nam makes a full-scale escape, Hyeon-sang begins a pursuit with no way to back down.As Gyu-nam and Dong-hyuk make their escape Dong-hyuk is killed by Major Li Hyeon, Dong-Hyuk hands hands his sister's necklace to Gyu-nam and scumbs to his injuries, Major Li then chases him. Still, he is stopped as Gyu-Nam crosses the mine field, as dawn breaks Gyu-Nam sees a squad of South Korean patrol troops realizing he is nearby South Korea, but as he approaches he gets stopped by Major Li at gunpoint who says that life in South Korea is a failure. Still, Gyu-Nam pushes him and beats him up he then ran towards a telephone and calls the South Korean soldiers of JSA about his wish to defect.
Gyu-nam then rushes inside a tunnel that heads towards the DMZ and to South Korea as runs he is shot by Major Li multiple times, determined to escape Gyu-nam crawls towards a white line that symbolises the North and South Korean border. As Major Li is about to kill Gyu-Nam the South Korean troops arrive on time, forcing Major Li to leave Gyu-Nam he also notices that his hands are on the White Line he is now officially in South Korea, Gyu Nam is then asked by a South Korean that did he radio, for defect in response he said yes after this he is rescued by South Korean Army to Safety.
One year later Gyu-Nam is sitting inside his apartment, writing a business proposal letter looks like he is planning to travel abroad, few days later he also meets he meets his Late Junior Dong-Hyuk's mother and sister where pass the family necklace and also shares some moments with Dong-hyuk while serving in north, in end we see Gyu-Nam now a free man listening to a podcast receives a mail regarding his Business proposal has been approved, seeing this he smiles and walks while watching the beautiful skyline.
Cast
edit- Lee Je-hoon as Sergeant first class Lim Gyu-nam, a North Korean soldier who dreams of a new life in the South, away from the North where the future is predetermined.[4]
- Koo Kyo-hwan as Major Lee Hyun-sang, an officer of North Korea's National Security Department, an intelligence department, who initially promoted Gyu-nam for apprehending a deserter but now leads a pursuit.[5][6]
- Hong Xa-bin as Kim Dong-hyuk, a low-ranking soldier who dreams of escaping like Gyu-nam, but was apprehended.
- Seo Hyun-woo as Major Cha, the head of the police department in charge of the 1st Division's battlefield area.
- Lee Sung-wook as First Lieutenant Hong, a military officer belonging to the Ministry of Police in charge of the battalion.
- Jung Joon-won as Second Lieutenant Park Jun-pyeong.
- Park Yoon-hee as Director of the General Political Bureau.
- Song Kang as Seon Woo-min[7][8]
- Esom as nomad leader[9]
- Lee Ho-jung as wandering rifle girl
- Hyun Ji Shin as nomad
- Jang Young-nam as Dong-hyuk's mother
- Bae Cheol-soo as himself
Soundtrack
editIn the film, Major Li Hyeon-sang turns out to have won international piano competitions, but chooses the military career because he is the son of a general trying to survive in the regime. According to the closing credits accompanied by Zion.T's 2014 digital single "Yanghwa Bridge", these are the classical music that have appeared in the movie:
- Johann Strauss II's Wener Blut Op. 354
- Dmitri Shostakovich's Dances of the Dolls - 1. Lyric Waltz
- Sergei Rachmaninoff's Prelude in G minor Op. 23 No. 5 & Piano Concerto No. 2 Op 18
- Frédéric Chopin's Waltz in B minor, Op. 69, No. 2
References
edit- ^ "Escape". Box Office Mojo. IMDb. Retrieved September 6, 2024.
- ^ "KOFIC, KOBIS (Korean Box Office Information System) The Box office: Korean films of 2024". KOFIC. Archived from the original on July 8, 2024. Retrieved August 19, 2024.
- ^ Park Sang- hoo (May 24, 2024). 이제훈·구교환 '탈주' 7월 3일 개봉 확정 [Lee Je-hoon and Koo Kyo-hwan's 'Escape' confirmed to be released on July 3] (in Korean). JTBC. Archived from the original on June 22, 2024. Retrieved June 22, 2024 – via Naver.
- ^ Kim Bo-ra (January 10, 2024). "함께 연기하는 게 꿈"…'탈주' 이제훈x구교환, 올 7월 개봉 확정 [공식] ["It's my dream to act together"… 'Escape' Lee Je-hoon x Koo Kyo-hwan confirmed to be released in July this year [Official]] (in Korean). OSEN. Archived from the original on January 10, 2024. Retrieved January 10, 2024.&rft.date=2024-01-10&rft.au=Kim Bo-ra&rft_id=https://entertain.naver.com/read?oid=109&aid=0004996318&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:Escape (2024 South Korean film)" class="Z3988">
- ^ Shim Eon-kyung (December 28, 2021). 구교환, '탈주' 출연 확정...이제훈 러브콜 성사됐다[공식] [Gu Gwan-hwa confirmed to appear in 'Escape'... Lee Je-hoon's love call was successful [Official]] (in Korean). Sports TV News. Archived from the original on December 28, 2021. Retrieved December 28, 2021 – via Naver.
- ^ Kim Bo-ra (January 10, 2024). "함께 연기하는 게 꿈"...'탈주' 이제훈x구교환, 올 7월 개봉 확정 [공식] ["It's my dream to act together"... 'Escape' Lee Je-hoon x Koo Kyo-hwan confirmed to be released in July this year [Official]] (in Korean). OSEN. Archived from the original on January 10, 2024. Retrieved January 10, 2024.&rft.date=2024-01-10&rft.au=Kim Bo-ra&rft_id=https://entertain.naver.com/read?oid=109&aid=0004996318&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:Escape (2024 South Korean film)" class="Z3988">
- ^ Ha Ha-jeong (June 18, 2024). '탈주' 송강→이솜, 주연배우 못지 않은 화려한 특별출연 ['Escape' Song Kang → Lee Som, special appearance as spectacular as the main actors] (in Korean). OSEN. Retrieved June 22, 2024 – via Naver. [ko]&rft.date=2024-06-18&rft.au=Ha Ha-jeong&rft_id=https://m.entertain.naver.com/article/109/0005099801&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:Escape (2024 South Korean film)" class="Z3988">
- ^ Opie, David (July 4, 2024). "Inside the Queerbaiting Controversy Behind 'Escape,' South Korea's Latest Action Blockbuster". IndieWire. Retrieved July 6, 2024.
- ^ Ha Ha-jeong (June 18, 2024). '탈주' 송강→이솜, 주연배우 못지 않은 화려한 특별출연 ['Escape' Song Kang → Lee Som, special appearance as spectacular as the main actors] (in Korean). OSEN. Archived from the original on June 22, 2024. Retrieved June 22, 2024 – via Naver. [ko]&rft.date=2024-06-18&rft.au=Ha Ha-jeong&rft_id=https://m.entertain.naver.com/article/109/0005099801&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:Escape (2024 South Korean film)" class="Z3988">
