Korean filmmaker Kwak Kyung-taek has responded to calls to boycott his latest feature Firefighters, sparked by recent political unrest in the country.
The film has come under fire from an angry public as the director’s brother is Kwak Gyu-taek, a member of South Korea’s People Power Party (PPP), who failed to attend the parliamentary vote to impeach President Yoon Suk Yeol.
In a statement, director Kwak said: “Recently, my younger brother, representative Kwak Gyu-taek of the People Power Party, did not participate in the impeachment vote in accordance with the party’s stance, which has led some people to criticise the film Firefighters. I, too, was deeply disappointed and angered by the collective decision of the parliamentary members who abstained from the vote.”
“Honestly, I believe that the president, who has caused immense chaos and brought shame upon South Korea in front of the entire world, should step down. If he fails to do so, he should rightfully be impeached.”
It follows nearly two weeks of political chaos in Korea after President Yoon attempted to impose martial law December 3, sparking major protests across the country and was overturned by parliament in less than three hours through a unanimous vote.
Firefighters, an action drama released by By4m Studio on December 4, has faced a string of challenges.
Filmed in 2020, the film’s release was initially delayed due to the Covid-19 pandemic and for a second time in the wake of a drunk-driving scandal involving lead actor Kwak Do-won.
At a press conference last month, director Kwak said: “If I’m honest, I’m disillusioned. I feel resentful. I believe that he (Kwak Do-won) should take full responsibility for his actions, show remorse, and reflect deeply.”
Despite these setbacks, Firefighters took $6.6m from more than one million ticket sales within its first week of release, gaining unexpected momentum through word of mouth. Its sales have also been bolstered by the film’s pledge to donate KW119 (approximately $0.08) per ticket to the National Fire Hospital, which is set to open in Korea next year.
Starring Ju-won from TV’s Good Doctor, Kwak Do-won of The Wailing, and Yoo Jae-myung from Harbin and Land Of Happiness), the film honors the heroic efforts of first responders during the 2001 Hongje-dong arson fire, and six people who died in the incident.
Political impact
The sudden declaration of martial law impacted the Korean box office, which saw a 10% decline in revenue from the previous weekend according to Kobis, the Korean Film Council’s box office tracking service.
Promotional events for some films were cancelled in the wake of the declaration, and some smaller-budget films have had to delay their release. It’s Okay It’s Okay It’s Okay!, a family drama that had been scheduled for release on December 24, postponed its release earlier this week. “We have had to postpone the release in hopes of meeting our audiences in a better environment,” said a spokesperson for the film. “In accordance with this, all press conferences and interviews that had been previously scheduled have, unfortunately, been cancelled.”
Meanwhile, on December 8, more than 2,500 filmmakers, including globally renowned auteurs Bong Joon Ho and Park Chan-wook, united to issue a statement demanding the immediate resignation of the South Korean president.
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