The Case of Itaewon Homicide (2009 Film)
The Case of Itaewon Homicide (Korean: 이태원 살인사건; RR: Itaewon Salinsageon) is a 2009 South Korean crime film directed by Hong Ki-Seon. The film is a dramatization of the 1997 murder of a college student in the Itaewon district of Seoul, South Korea. During its development, the project was known by the working title Burger King Murder.
Background
The film is based on the real-life murder of college student Jung-pil Jo, which occurred on April 3, 1997, in the restroom of a Burger King restaurant in Itaewon. The victim was stabbed nine times in the neck and chest. The investigation focused on two primary suspects: Arthur Patterson, the son of a U.S. military service member, and Edward Lee, a Korean-American civilian. Due to the inability of authorities to definitively identify the perpetrator between the two, both suspects were eventually released from their initial prison sentences. Edward Lee was later cleared of all charges by the South Korean Supreme Court, while Arthur Patterson fled to the United States after a lapse in his travel ban.
Production
The film was produced on an estimated budget of 1.2 million USD (approximately 1.5 billion South Korean Won), with roughly 20% of the funding provided by the Korean Film Council (KOFIC). The screenplay was written by Lee Maeng-Yu.
Cast
The film features a central cast portraying the legal and investigative figures involved in the case, as well as the suspects:
- Jung Jin-Young as Prosecutor Park
- Jang Keun-Suk as Pearson (based on Arthur Patterson)
- Shin Seung-Hwan as Alex (based on Edward Lee)
- Oh Gwang-Rok as Attorney Kim Byeon
- Ko Chang-Seok as Alex's father
- Song Joong-Ki as Jo Jong-Pil (the murder victim)
Reception
The Case of Itaewon Homicide was released in South Korea on September 10, 2009. During its opening weekend (September 11–13), the film ranked third at the box office, recording 214,799 viewers across 294 screens. By the end of its theatrical run, the film had sold a total of 534,950 tickets and remained in the South Korean weekend top ten list for two weeks.
