Kingmaker (2022 South Korean Film)

Kingmaker (Korean: 킹메이커) is a South Korean political drama film released on January 26, 2022. Directed by Byun Sung-Hyun, who also co-wrote the screenplay with Kim Min-Soo, the film explores the complex dynamics of political campaigning and the moral compromises made in the pursuit of power.

Promotional poster for the film Kingmaker

Plot

The story follows Kim Woon-Bum (played by Sul Kyung-Gu), an ambitious opposition politician with aspirations to become the president of South Korea. His path to power is significantly altered when he is joined by Seo Chang-Dae (played by Lee Sun-Kyun), a brilliant and unconventional election strategist. Under Seo's guidance, Kim achieves a series of electoral victories, eventually securing the nomination for the opposition party. However, their partnership is tested by the ethical dilemmas of their methods, culminating in a crisis when an explosion occurs at Kim's residence, leading to suspicions directed at Seo.

Historical Context

The film is inspired by the real-life relationship between the late South Korean president Kim Dae-Jung and his former election strategist, Eom Chang-Rok. Eom was known for his tactical ingenuity while working for Kim Dae-Jung's opposition campaigns. In a notable historical turn, Eom later worked for the campaign of military dictator Park Chung-Hee, who was Kim Dae-Jung's primary political rival.

Production

Principal photography for Kingmaker commenced on March 25, 2019, and concluded on July 30, 2019. The film was distributed by Megabox Plus M.

Cast

Sul Kyung-Gu as Kim Woon-Bum
Lee Sun-Kyun as Seo Chang-Dae
Yoo Jae-Myung as Kim Young-Ho
Jo Woo-Jin as General Manager Lee
Park In-Hwan as Kang In-San
Lee Hae-Young as Lee Han-Sang
Kim Sung-Oh as Secretary Park
Jeon Bae-Su as Aide Lee
Seo Eun-Su as Soo-Yeon
Kim Jong-Soo as the President
Yoon Kyung-Ho as Department Head Kim
Bae Jong-Ok as Lee Hee-Ran

Reception and Awards

Kingmaker received critical attention for its direction and performances. At the 58th Baeksang Arts Awards in 2022, the film won Best Director for Byun Sung-Hyun, Best Actor for Sul Kyung-Gu, and Best Supporting Actor for Jo Woo-Jin. Byun Sung-Hyun also received the Best Director award at the 58th Daejong Film Awards, while Han A-Reum was recognized with the Best Art Design award at the 43rd Blue Dragon Film Awards.