4 Reasons Why You Should Watch The K-Movie “Harbin”

As a country that values public history education, Korea has many independence movement films that delve into the story of various national heroes who fought against the Japanese occupation during the early 20th century. One of the most recent ones is “Harbin”, which is a historical spy-thriller about An JungGeun and his comrades’ assassination of the then-Japanese Prime Minister and Resident-General of Korea, Ito Hirobumi, in 1909 at China’s Harbin Railway Station. 

After being released in Korea on December 24 last year, “Harbin” has achieved successful sales both inside and outside of Korea. Not only did it top the domestic box office, attracting over 3 million audiences in 9 days, but the movie has also been acquired for distribution by 117 countries globally. Here are 4 compelling reasons why “Harbin” is a must-watch, whether you are a history buff or not!

1. Hyun Bin As Korean National Hero 

One of the biggest highlights of “Harbin” is that Hyun Bin stars as An JungGeun, who is one of the most prominent independent activists in modern Korean history. Apart from being known for assassinating Ito Hirobumi, An was also a general who led the Korean resistance army to fight against the Japanese army in Manchuria and the Russian Far East. He even formed a Korean independence group “Danjihoe” with 11 of his comrades, where they cut off the tip of his left ring finger to declare their devotion to Korean independence. An’s patriotic actions made him a national hero highly respected in Korea. 

When the production team first approached Hyun Bin for the role, he was hesitant to take up the role as he felt so much pressure to portray such a significant national hero. However, after revisiting the script and understanding more about the story of An, Hyun Bin finally accepted the offer and put in great effort in bringing An to life. He read through An’s biography and even visited An JungGeun Memorial Hall in Harbin to understand the historical figure better and to portray his spirits and sacrifices authentically. In terms of appearance, Hyun Bin grew long hair and a scruffy beard, which was completely different from his image in previous works. “Harbin” truly showcases Hyun Bin’s diverse charm and professionalism as a renowned actor. 

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2. Top-Class Director And Cast Members

Other than having Hyun Bin starring as the movie’s protagonist, the director and cast members of “Harbin” are also of top quality. The movie is directed by Woo MinHo, who was best known for the political action thriller film “Inside Men” (2015) and another modern Korean historical film “The Man Standing Next” (2020), which both garnered tremendous commercial success globally. The latter one even won the “Best Film” category at the 41st Blue Dragon Film Awards. 

The cast also consisted of a lot of renowned veteran actors. Park JeongMin and Jo WooJin played the role of independence activists Woo DeokSun and Kim SangHyun respectively, who are both real historical figures. Same as Hyun Bin, Park revealed that he made reference to books containing records to portray the character. Also, Lee DongWook made a cameo appearance in the movie as a fictional independence fighter Lee ChangSeob. The skillful acting of these highly acclaimed actors took the overall quality and impact of the movie to the next level. 

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3. Unique And Delicate Storyline

Different from other independence movement films that put heavy emphasis on illustrating anti-Japanese sentiments, “Harbin” took a fresh angle in portraying the story of An JungGeun. The movie focuses on the leadership of An and his interactions with the members of the independence army, highlighting the changes in his thoughts and attitude in confronting the Japanese army.

“Harbin” also delicately illustrates the confrontation between the characters. At the beginning of the movie, An JungGeun is faced with a moral decision on how to deal with prisoners of war after the independence army won the Battle of Sinasan. An decides to adhere to international law and thus releases the Japanese prisoners of war. However, this decision arouses internal doubts about his leadership, which leads to an argument between An and Lee. Instead of feeling lucky to have escaped death, Mori Tadashi (played by Park Hoon), one of the prisoners of war released by An, feels humiliated for his release, which leads to his future revenge. Was An JungGeun’s decision to release the prisoners of war right? The movie not just simply glorifies An’s patriotic spirit, but also explores themes of comradeship and morality. 

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4. Stunning Visual Presentation

In order to present the best visual effect, “Harbin” was filmed in three countries: Latvia, Mongolia and Korea, and the crew completed the shooting in extreme weather conditions. After arriving at Mongolia, the production team traveled for three more days to reach the filming location under minus 40 degrees Celsius so as to capture the icy and snowy landscape in the wilderness. The team also shot part of the film in the unbearably hot Gobi Desert. Incorporating scenes in these remote locations also brings out the harshness and desolate feelings of the Japanese occupation era. Director Woo noted that the filming process was not comfortable to authentically portray the hardship independence activists went through and capture their enduring spirit. 

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Also, “Harbin” was shot using the digital film camera ARRI ALEXA 65, which gives it a film-like quality, and it is the first film in Korean history to be made to IMAX specifications. So if you are planning to watch the movie in the cinema, remember to go for the IMAX version to enjoy a more detailed picture on the big screen!

What do you think about “Harbin”, and are you looking forward to watching it? Let us know in the comments below!