'The Land of Happiness' brings lesser-known historical figures to life

By Woo Jae-yeon

SEOUL, July 22 (Yonhap) -- The political drama "The Land of Happiness" examines the lives caught in the crossfire of two pivotal events in South Korean history, the film's director said Monday.

They are the assassination of then President Park Chung-hee in October 1979 and the subsequent military coup led by Army Gen. Chun Doo-hwan in December. The latter event gained widespread public attention after being depicted in the 2023 box office sensation "12.12: The Day."

"Many people are aware of the Oct. 26 and Dec. 12 incidents. However, many have forgotten about the stories that unfolded between these events," director Choo Chang-min said at a press event for his new film in Seoul.

The new Korean movie seeks to illuminate these lesser-known stories connected to the assassination, an event that significantly altered the course of modern South Korean history, he added.

"When I looked into the trials and incidents that occurred in between, I found some interesting cases. This movie was created with the idea of cinematically reconstructing those trials," said the director, whose works include the smash-hit historic drama "Masquerade" (2012) and the thriller "Seven Years of Night" (2018).

Cast members and director Choo Chang-min (3rd from L) of "The Land of Happiness" pose for photos during a press event in Seoul on July 22, 2024. (Yonhap)

Based on a true story, the film centers on Army Col. Park Tae-joo, played by late actor Lee Sun-kyun, who becomes involved in the assassination case under orders from his superior. It also follows his attorney Jung In-hoo, portrayed by Cho Jung-seok, who is determined to seek a fair trial for Park.

The director said the film's central aim is to illuminate the life of Park Heung-joo, the real-life figure whose story inspired the creation of the movie's protagonist, Park Tae-joo.

"Upon investigating him, it became clear that he was widely praised for his human qualities and his military professionalism, regardless of political affiliations," the director said.

"I wanted to portray how such a person acted when caught up in historical events, and how we might view his actions," he said. He added he and the late actor Lee, who portrayed the colonel, had extensive discussions about the character's personal virtues, his choices and the complex circumstances he faced.

Actor Cho Jung-seok poses for photos at a press event for "The Land of Happiness" in Seoul on July 22, 2024. (Yonhap)

"The stories about the characters (in the film) were very new to me," actor Cho said. "Upon reading the script, I felt this sudden rush of desire to defend him (Park Tae-joo), so I naturally ended up participating in it."

The actor noted that his role "might be the only entirely fictional character" in the film, and said, "It was fascinating to portray Jung's change in attitude as he becomes increasingly frustrated with the deteriorating trial."

"He is the character through whom the audience can witness all these situations, perhaps serving as an observer who watches and judges the events alongside the viewers," he added.

As the film revisits a real-life event, the director focused on adhering as closely to the historical records as possible.

"Many of the scenes and dialogues in the film were based on actual courtroom scenes, records or documentaries," he said. "I tried to maintain a balanced perspective without leaning too much to one side."

The movie's title, "The Land of Happiness," was chosen with the hope that the country would become a land of happiness in the future by learning from past mistakes, Choo said.

The movie is set for release on Aug. 14.