Historical drama “Uprising” is now available on Netflix after debuting at the Busan Film Festival

SEOUL, Oct 11 (AJP) – Netflix’s latest South Korean film “Uprising” is causing excitement among film fans as it became available on the US video streaming platform on Friday.


The historical drama set in the Joseon Dynasty caused a stir thanks to the involvement of renowned filmmaker Park Chan-wook, who contributed to both the production and the screenplay. It gained further attention as the opener of this year’s Busan International Film Festival (BIFF), which ended this week.


The acclaimed film, starring actors Gang Dong-won and Park Jeong-min, revolves around two men from different social backgrounds who develop a close friendship while growing up together. However, in times of war they become isolated and become enemies.


At a press event in Seoul on Thursday, just a day before its release, the film’s director Kim Sang-man expressed his expectation that the film would appeal not only to South Koreans but also to a global audience.


“A foreigner who saw the film at BIFF told me that he could easily sympathize with the story and that many others would feel the same way since wars and uprisings are universal themes in many films,” Kim said.


“The story of the two main protagonists, who were not free from social ties, and the era in which they lived are also understandable for everyone,” he added.


But what many viewers will be most fascinated by is the vivid depictions of Hanyang, the dynasty’s capital now called Seoul, and the spectacular sword fights.


Kim said he wanted to depict the shattered ruins of the capital after the war to evoke a “post-apocalypse atmosphere” in the maelstrom of history.


Gang and Park, who also attended the event, said they found it difficult to prepare for their action scenes. “A long time ago, I spent about eight months learning how to use swords when I appeared in ‘Duelist’ in 2015, which helped me a lot this time,” Gang recalls.


Park also said that he practiced sword fighting whenever he had free time, adding that filming these action-packed scenes with gang was a great experience.


The director and actors expressed their expectations as the film was simultaneously released in over 190 countries. “I’m very excited to see how audiences will react to the film,” said Gang.

“This global release is something filmmakers rarely experience, so I’m very grateful. I hope it gets a great response,” Kim said.