Brotherhood of War Taegukgi

Original title: Taegukgi hwinalrimyeo

20042004
K-18K-18
2h 20min

When two brothers are forced to fight in the Korean War, the elder decides to take the riskiest missions if it will help shield the younger from battle.When two brothers are forced to fight in the Korean War, the elder decides to take the riskiest missions if it will help shield the younger from battle.When two brothers are forced to fight in the Korean War, the elder decides to take the riskiest missions if it will help shield the younger from battle.

8.0/10

39K

Director
- Je-kyu Kang
Writers
- Richard Epcar(dubbed version)
- Ji-hoon Han
- Je-kyu Kang
Stars

Top credits

See production, box office & company info

See more at IMDbPro

Awards
- 13 wins & 13 nominations

Videos1

Trailer 2:04

Tae Guk Gi: The Brotherhood of War

Jang Dong-Gun, Eun-ju Lee, and Won Bin in Taegukgi hwinalrimyeo (2004)

Jang Dong-Gun and Won Bin in Taegukgi hwinalrimyeo (2004)

In 1950, in South Korea, shoe-shiner Jin-tae Lee and his 18-year-old old student brother, Jin-seok Lee, form a poor but happy family with their mother, Jin-tae's fiancé Young-shin Kim, and her young sisters. Jin-tae and his mother are tough workers, who sacrifice themselves to send Jin-seok to the university. When North Korea invades the South, the family escapes to a relative's house in the country, but along their journey, Jin-seok is forced to join the army to fight in the front, and Jin-tae enlists too to protect his young brother. The commander promises Jin-tae that if he gets a medal he would release his brother, and Jin-tae becomes the braver soldier in the company. Along the bloody war between brothers, the relationship of Jin-seok with his older brother deteriorates leading to a dramatic and tragic end. —Claudio Carvalho, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

korean war 1950s frontline firearm south korean soldier 104 more

Trivia
To recreate the battle at Doo-Mil-Ryung, the scene required 15,000 bullets, 3,000 extras and 500 stunt experts. Instead of rifles being fired, fist fights were the main focus of the scene and all of the cast were specially trained. The shoot lasted three weeks with about 50 minor accidents a day on average, but the scene was finally wrapped without any major accidents.

Goofs
In a couple of shots the flags of the UN countries that were involved in the South Korea side during the war are displayed. The Canadian "Maple Leaf" is visible and also the current South African flag. The Canadian flag was changed in 1965 from the Canadian Red Ensign to the present design and South Africa changed its flag from the tricolor (orange, white and blue) to the present design after 1994, so both flags displayed are incorrect.

Quotes
Jin-seok: I wish this was all just a dream. I want to wake up in my bed, and over breakfast, I'd tell you that I had a strange dream. Then I would go to school, and you and mom would go to work.

Alternate versions
Also released in a directors cut running 148min.8min longer than the US and original version

Connections
References Pelastakaa sotamies Ryan (1998)

Soundtracks
Oppaneun punggakjaengi
Written by Kim Song Kyu and Park Yeong Ho
Sung by Park Hyang Rim.

Top review

9/10

Wonderful

This 2.5 hour long movie was wonderful! As a Korean, this movie was very emotionally moving and touching. Some people (mainly Westerners) think this movie was "over-dramatic", but it's actually a part of korean custom, culture and history. If you do not speak or understand Korean, a lot of the "meaning" is lost and cannot be portrayed in subtitles. That is a true shame. The story-line between the two brothers was heart-felt and emotional. Korea has remained divided for decades since and is subject to the possibility of a new war at any time. It was considered one of the most destructive and bloodiest wars of the 20th century with over 4 million koreans dead (2/3 of them were civilian). The Korean War will always be remembered as the "Forgotten War" since it came on the heels of World War II and was overshadowed by the Vietnam War.

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