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Box Office Weapon Launches Sept. 4

Although its official release date is Sept. 4, Korea's latest blockbuster, "The Divine Weapon", took second place on last weekend's box office charts, after 2 days of paid-preview screenings organized by distributor CJ Entertainment. The Chosun-set epic targeted 405 screens, capturing US$ 1.4 million, coming in a close second behind Hollywood heavyweight, The Dark Knight.

Weapon is expected to reign over the upcoming Chuseok (Korean thanksgiving) holiday season (Sept. 13 – 15). The big budget $10 million production dramatizes the politics surrounding the world's first multi-launch rocket system, invented under Chosun-era king Sejong (reign 1418-1450) in an effort to face China with greater autonomy.

The film is directed by Kim Yoo-jin, who is best known for his 1998 melodrama "A Promise" starring Jeon Do-yeon. It stars Ahn Sung-ki as king Sejong, Jung Jae-young as a sleazy merchant, and Han Da-gam as the daughter of a weapon's scientist. The film intertwines high stakes politics and adventure with romance, bawdy humor and a vivid re-creation of period details lending an entertaining sweep to the 2 hours plus feature.

This KnJ Entertainment production was over five years in the making. The location shooting in Jecheon, North Chungcheong province, is already drawing bands of tourists. With preview screenings generally positive, "The Divine Weapon" presents an entertaining historical primer for Koreans during the traditional Chuseok holidays.

Nigel D'Sa (KOFIC)

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