Four years on from the incredible success of , writer-director Yeon Sang-ho returns with Peninsula , a new chapter in his apocalyptic action franchise.
While set in the same universe as the 2016 hit, in which a zombie epidemic has ravaged South Korea, his new film follows a new set of characters with their own agendas and life-threatening problems.
Civilisation as we recognise it has collapsed on the peninsula, which has descended into an urban wasteland populated by disparate pockets of survivors who eke out a meagre living while doing their best to avoid not only the roaming undead, but also gangs of violent militia.
As Hong Kong awaits the release of the film, which has already drawn audiences en masse back to cinemas in its homeland and several Asian countries, we take a look at the new roster of heroes and villains, and the actors who have brought them to life.
Jung-seok (played by Gang Dong-won)
A former marine now living as a refugee in Hong Kong, Jung-seok is ’s central protagonist. In the film’s opening minutes we follow his desperate escape from South Korea, as the virus sweeps across the country, and witness the personal tragedy he suffers en route.
Jung-seok is approached by a cadre of shady international gangsters to return to the peninsula and retrieve a truckload of abandoned cash.
Actor Gang Dong-won has proven one of the most bankable young leading men in South Korea, following lead roles in blockbusters such as A Violent Prosecutor, , and Golden Slumber. He first came to prominence in 2004’s Romance of Their Own, as well as his collaborations with director Lee Myung-se in Duelist and M.
Comfortable portraying antagonists as well as traditional leading men, Gang is perfect in the role of Jung-seok, a fallen hero searching for a reason to keep on living.
Min-jung (Lee Jung-hyun)
One of the many survivors Jung-seok encounters on his return to Korea, Min-jung has managed to avoid capture or infection by transforming herself from a helpless mother into a gun-toting warrior. Her newly acquired skills are put to frequent use, not only protecting herself, but also her father (Kwon Hae-hyo), and two young daughters (Lee Re and Lee Ye-won).
This transformation is no great stretch for actress and singer Lee Jung-hyun, also known as Ava, who has been dubbed the “Queen of Transformation” for her chameleon appearance and musical versatility. As a musician, Lee is credited with bringing techno to Korean ears, and being at the forefront of the K-pop explosion in mainland China.
She began acting in 1996, earning rave reviews for her performance in hard-hitting drama A Petal. Lee has gone on to give notable performances in Kim Han-min’s naval blockbuster The Admiral: Roaring Currents; Split; and as the traumatised comfort woman in Ryoo Seung-wan’s 2017 prison drama .
Sergeant Hwang (Kim Min-jae)
The country may be teeming with ravenous zombies hankering for human flesh, but they are not the only threat in Peninsula. Sergeant Hwang and his team of vile mercenaries are also scouring the apocalyptic wastelands for survivors. Those that are found are rounded up and thrown into a ramshackle arena, to fight for their lives in gladiatorial face-offs against the undead.
Kim Min-jae has been a mainstay in Korean cinema for almost two decades. Having caught a break portraying the younger version of Cha Tae-hyun’s lovesick protagonist in My Sassy Girl, Kim has since carved out a career playing an assortment of police, suits and heavies in films such as Kim Ji-woon’s The Good, The Bad, The Weird, Ryoo Seung-wan’s The Unjust, and Lee Kyoung-mi’s The Truth Beneath.
Captain Seo (Koo Kyo-hwan)
Peninsula’s primary antagonist, Captain Seo is more than just another opportunistic gangster. As the architect behind the ThunderDome-style fortress where mercenaries reside and innocent survivors are forced to face off against the zombie hordes, Seo lives by his own rules, indulging himself on rationed and restricted alcohol and other sought-after luxuries.
Duplicitous to the last, the character’s perpetually fluctuating moral compass proves to be his defining characteristic, but also his ultimate undoing.
Koo Kyo-hwan is a relatively new face for mainstream audiences, having plied his trade for the most part in low-budget independent movies, such as the envelope-pushing 2016 transgender drama Jane; Koo was named best new actor at the Bae Sang Art Awards for his provocative performance.
Couple that with his slippery turn in Peninsula, and the future is looking bright for the talented performer.
Joon (Lee Re)
Wise and capable beyond her years, the pint-sized survivor Joon proves herself more than capable of holding her own, whether behind the wheel of a fast-moving automobile, or seeing off throngs of shuffling undead ghouls.
Together with her little sister Yu-jin (Lee Ye-won), Joon proves the film’s most memorable character, instigator of the most memorable action sequence, and responsible for saving Jung-seok’s skin on more than one occasion.
The 14-year-old Lee Re has chalked up more than a dozen roles on the big and small screens to date, and is fast becoming one of Korea’s most promising young stars. She began acting when she was six, and was named best supporting actress at the 2013 Beijing Film Festival for her heart-wrenching performance in the harrowing drama Hope.
Lee has since given award-winning performances in How to Steal a Dog, and TV series Witch at Court, and starred opposite Jung Woo-sung in last year’s .
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