2009: Lost Memories (2002)

A failed assassination attempt in Harbin, China in 1909 changes the course of history. Now two JBI agents must find the connections between it and an ancient Korean artifact.

Director:

Si-myung Lee

Writers:

Sang-hak Lee, Si-myung Lee

Stars:

Dong-Gun Jang, Tôru Nakamura, Jin-ho Seo

5 wins & 2 nominations.

Cast

Credited cast:
Dong-Gun Jang	...	Sakamoto
Tôru Nakamura	...	Saigo
Jin-ho Seo	...	Haerin
Goo Shin	...	Takahashi
Ho-jin Chun	...	Elder
Kil-kang Ahn	...	Myunghak (as Kil-Kang Ahn)
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Rick Burford	...	Myunghak / CLA Goatee (voice)
Victor Carsrud	...	Surveillance (voice)
Luci Christian	...	Yuriko (voice)
Kaytha Coker	...	Haerin (voice)
Masaaki Daimon
Marty Fleck	...	Narrator (voice)
John Gremillion	...	Junhwan / Barkeep 1 (voice)
Jay Hickman	...	Hideyo / Young Council / Barkeep 2 (voice)
Shôhei Imamura

Storyline

There are breakpoints in the history, the result of a single event may change the whole course... In 1909, an assassination attempt of a Japanese governor fails - the assassin was shot by a soldier. Now, in 2009, Korea is just another state of the Japan Empire and Seoul has become a major city. A Korean resistance group called Hureisenjin is formed to fight for liberty and independence. Two cops, a Japanese and a Korean (who denies his heritage) are investigating the actions of this "terrorist" group. And their work lead them to an artifact of the ancient Korean religion of "Sun and Moon".

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Plot Keywords:

korean | assassination | japanese | artifact | korea | 

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Genres:

Action | Drama | Sci-Fi | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for pervasive strong violence

Details

Country:

South Korea

Language:

Korean Japanese

Release Date:

1 February 2002 (South Korea)

Also Known As:

2009: Lost Memories

Box Office

Budget:

$7,000,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

ADV Films, CJ E&M Film Financing & Investment Entertainment & Comics, CJ Entertainment

Technical Specs

Runtime:

136 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The film takes place in 2009.

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Goofs

After the intruder shoots Sakamoto's uncle and the fight ensues, Sakamoto grabs the gun and shoots one final shot as the intruder jumps out the window. When he fires, we hear a regular gunshot, even though that gun had a silencer.

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Connections

References Uisa Ahn Jung-geun (1972)

User Reviews

Unmissable!

One of the most imaginative and refreshing movies I have seen for a while. It has all the ingredients of a blockbuster movie + has brains.

Jang Dong-Gun plays a special forces agent who lives in the former Korea, in an alternate timeline where an assassination attempt on a Japanese general went wrong (which it didn't in real life) and lead to the continued colonisation of Korea by the Japanese empire. The year is 2009 and Koreans have taken up Japanese names while the rebels have descended into the filth of the nation. There are still acts of rebellion by a rogue group, but as time goes on hope is beginning to fade for the 5000 year culture. As Jang is assigned to the case of the rogue group, he begins to feel sympathy for them as he descended from Korean blood also. As his sympathy and mixed emotions start to express, his superiors and even his partner & best friend turn their back on him by setting him up. Thus begins an unforgettable adventure.

This is the closest thing Korean or Asian filmmaking has got to true Hollywood blockbuster material. Most of the movie is in Japanese, and the star of the film Jang Dong-Gun shows true versatility by acting in two languages brilliantly. Give this a try!