The Classified File

The Classified File
Theatrical poster
Directed byKwak Kyung-taek
Written byHan Dae-deok
Kwak Kyung-taek
Story byGong Gil-yong
Produced byYoo Joo-young
Park Young-jin
StarringKim Yoon-seok
Yoo Hae-jin
CinematographyKi Se-hoon
Edited byKim Chang-ju
Music byKim Hyeong-seok
Production
company
JCon Company
Distributed byShowbox
Release date
  • June 18, 2015 (2015-06-18)
Running time
108 minutes
CountrySouth Korea
LanguageKorean
BudgetUS$8 million
Box officeUS$20 million[1]

The Classified File (Korean: 극비수사; RR: Geukbisusa; lit: A Secret Investigation) is a 2015 South Korean crime drama film directed by Kwak Kyung-taek based on a real-life 33-day kidnapping case in Busan in 1978.[2][3][4][5] It stars Kim Yoon-seok and Yoo Hae-jin in the lead roles.[6]

Plot

A young girl named Eun-joo has gone missing in Busan in 1978. Without any contact from the kidnapper in the past two weeks and no further leads or clues, the police assume that she's dead. Eun-joo's desperate mother turns to renowned fortune-teller Kim Joong-san, who tells her that her daughter is still alive and that she can be saved if they enlist the help of veteran detective Gong Gil-yong. Despite his skepticism, Gil-yong accepts the case. When one of Joong-san's premonitions about the investigation comes true, Gil-yong begins to believe in his psychic abilities, and the two men team up in an unlikely partnership to find Eun-joo and bring her home.

Cast

  • Kim Yoon-seok as Gong Gil-yong
  • Yoo Hae-jin as Kim Joong-san
  • Song Young-chang as Eun-joo's father
  • Lee Jung-eun as Eun-joo's mother
  • Jang Young-nam as Eun-joo's aunt
  • Jang Myeong-gap as Chief Inspector Yoo, head of Busan investigation team
  • Jung Ho-bin as Seo Jeong-hak
  • Jin Sun-mi as Joong-san's wife
  • Nam Moon-chul as Chief of police office
  • Lee Jun-hyeok as Mae Seok-hwan
  • Yoon Jin-ha as Driver Cheon
  • Kim Kwak-kyung-hee as Aunt Park
  • Lee Jae-yong as Fortuneteller Baek
  • Park Hyo-joo as Gil-yong's wife

Box office

The Classified File was released on June 18, 2015. It opened at second place in the box office, grossing ₩9.46 billion (US$8.58 million) from 1.17 million admissions in its first four days.[7] By the end of its run, it had grossed ₩22,389,535,897 (US$19,284,778) from 2,860,786 admissions.[8][9]

Awards and nominations

Year Award Category Recipient Result
2015 24th Buil Film Awards Best Film The Classified File Nominated
Best Director Kwak Kyung-taek Won
Best Actor Kim Yoon-seok Nominated
Best Supporting Actor Yoo Hae-jin Nominated
Best Screenplay Kwak Kyung-taek Nominated
Best Art Direction Kim Yu-jeong Nominated
36th Blue Dragon Film Awards Best Film Classified File Nominated
Best Director Kwak Kyung-taek Nominated
Best Supporting Actress Jang Young-nam Nominated
2016 52nd Baeksang Arts Awards Nominated
Best Screenplay (Film) Kwak Kyung-taek Nominated
Han Dae-deok Nominated

References

  1. ^ "The Classified File (2014)". Archived from the original on 2015-02-05. Retrieved 2017-08-28.
  2. ^ Won, Ho-jung (15 June 2015). "Herald Review: Two unsung heroes remembered in Classified File". The Korea Herald. Retrieved 15 June 2015.
  3. ^ Jin, Eun-soo (12 June 2015). "True crime story unravels in Classified File". Korea JoongAng Daily. Retrieved 14 June 2015.
  4. ^ Baek, Byung-yeul (5 June 2015). "A-listers flock back to big screen in June". The Korea Times. Retrieved 14 June 2015.
  5. ^ [동아일보] 범인 매석환 검거되다. 1978.10.18
  6. ^ Yoon, Ji-won (5 June 2015). "Kim Yun-seok shows a softer side in Classified". Korea JoongAng Daily. Retrieved 14 June 2015.
  7. ^ Ma, Kevin (23 June 2015). "Classified File opens second-placed in South Korea". Film Business Asia. Retrieved 26 June 2015.
  8. ^ Jin, Eun-soo (30 June 2015). "Northern Limit Line breaks domestic records". Korea JoongAng Daily. Retrieved 2 July 2015.
  9. ^ Baek, Byung-yeul (29 June 2015). "Classified File lacks kick of crime thrillers". The Korea Times. Retrieved 2 July 2015.