Program Note
The most popular Korean film fantasy blockbuster in history, selling to more than 100 countries and achieving more than $100 million in box office results, Along With the Gods: The Two Worlds drew more than 14 million viewers in Korea, being ranked second in Korea’s box office record. Kim Ja-hong, a firefighter who died during a rescue mission, goes on his after-life journey within the seven hells along with a death angle. Despite his devotion to his mother and his righteous death, he faces many crises during the trial as he reveals the hidden aspects of his life. The sudden death of the firefighter’s brother becomes the axis of the drama and the scene adds a lot of tension by using intense work of computer graphics. Korea’s view on our afterlife was highly appealing in the global market based on the universality of it. In particular, in East Asia, where Buddhism and Taoism are shared, the movie was highly successful in Hong Kong and Taiwan, but it was not released in countries with materialistic censorship. Based on a Webtoon of the same title by Joo Ho-min, the film is planned to be a 2-part series. The two films that have already been completed and the second part will be released in August this year. (PARK Sung-ho)