Taegukgi: The Brotherhood of War (original Korean title: Taegeukgi Hwinallimyeo) is a 2004 film directed by Je-gyu Kang (강제규, 姜帝圭) dealing with the Korean War, a bloody civil war where brothers turned to be enemies.

This film was the biggest success in Korean film history. It attracted over 10 Million people to the theater, which is about a quarter of the South Korean population.

Synopsis

The movie is about the bond between two innocent brothers who were unwillingly sent to battle. The elder, Yi Jin-tae, owned a shoeshine in Seoul before the war. His younger brother, Yi Jin-seok, was a student who wanted to go to university.

Not long after the North Korean invasion on June 25, 1950, the two brothers were drafted and sent to the frontline. Jin-tae, who wanted to save Yi Jin-seok, made a deal with his superior for his brother's sake. If he could earn a "Taegeuk Medal" -- the highest honor for a South Korean soldier, his younger brother will be free to go home.

To win the medal, Jin-tae was willing to take all the risks. He finally earned it by capturing a North Korean commander alive, at the cost of a good friend's life. Jin-seok, not fully aware of his brother's intention, started to question his morality. In the mean time, Jin-tae turned out to be cold-blooded due to the endless killing.

After a bloody hunt of communists, Jin-tae's fiancée was killed and Jin-seok was imprisoned. By mistake, Jin-tae believed that his brother was killed by the South Korean government too. He then joined the North side out of rage. Several months later, from a medal-wearing model soldier of the South, he turned into a star commander of the North. The two brothers, separated by war, will meet again on the battlefield.

Cast

• Jin-tae: Jang Dong-gun (장동건, 張東建)
• Jin-seok: Won Bin (원빈, 元斌)
• Young-shin: Lee Eun Ju (이은주, 李恩宙)

See also

• List of Korea-related topics

External links

• Official Korean Taegukgi website (with English-language section)
• North American Taegukgi website