The Fortress (2017 Film)

The Fortress (Korean: 남한산성; RR: Namhansanseong) is a 2017 South Korean historical drama film directed by Hwang Dong-Hyuk. The film is based on the 2007 novel Namhansanseong by author Kim Hoon. It depicts the events of the 1636 Qing invasion of Joseon, focusing on the period when King Injo and his court were besieged within the mountain fortress of Namhansanseong.

The Fortress promotional poster — Promotional artwork for the 2017 film The Fortress.

Plot

In 1636, the Qing dynasty invades the Joseon Kingdom. King Injo (played by Park Hae-Il) and his royal court are forced to retreat to the isolated mountain fortress of Namhansanseong. As the Qing army surrounds the fortress, the court is divided by conflicting strategies. Choi Myung-Kil (Lee Byung-Hun) advocates for diplomatic negotiations to ensure the survival of the people, while Kim Sang-Hun (Kim Yun-Seok) insists on continued resistance against the invaders.

Production

The film was directed by Hwang Dong-Hyuk, who also co-wrote the screenplay. Principal photography commenced on November 21, 2016, and concluded on April 25, 2017. The project was preceded by a script reading session held on November 11, 2016.

Lee Byung-Hun as Choi Myung-Kil — Lee Byung-Hun portrays the diplomat Choi Myung-Kil.

Kim Yun-Seok as Kim Sang-Hun — Kim Yun-Seok portrays the official Kim Sang-Hun.

Park Hae-Il as King Injo — Park Hae-Il portrays King Injo.

Cast

Lee Byung-Hun as Choi Myung-Kil
Kim Yun-Seok as Kim Sang-Hun
Park Hae-Il as King Injo
Ko Soo as Seo Nal-Shwe
Park Hee-Soon as Lee Shi-Baek
Jo Woo-Jin as Jung Myung-Soo
Song Young-Chang as Kim Ryu
David Lee as Chil-Bok
Heo Sung-Tae as Ingguldai
Kim Pub-Lae as Khan
Jo A-In as Na-Ru

Ko Soo as Seo Nal-Shwe — Ko Soo portrays the character Seo Nal-Shwe.

Park Hee-Soon as Lee Shi-Baek — Park Hee-Soon portrays Lee Shi-Baek.

Jo Woo-Jin as Jung Myung-Soo — Jo Woo-Jin portrays Jung Myung-Soo.

Song Young-Chang as Kim Ryu — Song Young-Chang portrays Kim Ryu.

David Lee as Chil-Bok — David Lee portrays Chil-Bok.

Heo Sung-Tae as Ingguldai — Heo Sung-Tae portrays Ingguldai.

Kim Pub-Lae as Khan — Kim Pub-Lae portrays the Khan.

Jo A-In as Na-Ru — Jo A-In portrays Na-Ru.

Reception and Awards

The film received critical recognition for its production values and screenplay. At the 2018 Daejong Film Awards, it won Best Music (Ryuichi Sakamoto), Best Lighting (Jo Kyu-Young), and Best Cinematography (Kim Ji-Yong). It was named Best Film at the 54th Baeksang Arts Awards in 2018, and Hwang Dong-Hyuk received the award for Best Screenplay at the 38th Blue Dragon Film Awards in 2017.