The highly anticipated film Harbin, based on the true story of Korean independence activist An Jung Geun, is set to premiere during this year’s Chuseok holiday period in South Korea. With a production budget of approximately 30 billion KRW (approx. 22.5 million USD), the film will need to attract over 7.5 million theatergoers to break even.
According to industry insiders, CJ ENM is considering releasing Harbin during the Chuseok holiday (September 15th-18th). CJ ENM is the film’s main distributor and investor.
Harbin is an espionage action film that chronicles An Jung Geun’s mission in Harbin. The movie began filming in November 2022 and wrapped up in March the following year. To support marketing efforts, CJ ENM is raising additional funds from domestic venture capital firms. The company is also promoting the film at the 77th Cannes Film Festival and focusing on international marketing through film markets.
The production company behind Harbin is Hive Media Corp, known for last year’s blockbuster 12.12: The Day. The film is directed by Woo Min Ho, renowned for his hit films Inside Men (2015) and The Man Standing Next (2020). The star-studded cast includes Hyun Bin, Park Jung Min, Jo Woo Jin, Jeon Yeo Bin, Park Hoon, and Yoo Jae Myung. Hyun Bin plays Ahn Jung Geun, while Park Jung Min portrays Woo Deok Soon, another key figure in the Harbin mission.
The production cost for Harbin is around 30 billion KRW (approx. 22.5 million USD). To reach the break-even point (BEP), the film must attract over 7.5 million viewers in theaters. However, if pre-sale agreements with international distributors and online streaming services (OTT) are successful, the BEP could be lowered. The film features scenes shot in Latvia, Mongolia, and specially constructed sets in South Korea.
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