Since the success of “Two Cops” and “Friend,” “male buddy” movies led by two male actors have become almost essential for South Korean box office hits. Following the box office failures of last summer’s major films, theaters this summer have opted for safer choices, avoiding significant risks. From the end of June, several male buddy films have been released, aiming to create synergy with two contrastingly appealing leads. The first three films featuring “male duos” lead roles are Ha Jung-woo and Yeo Jin-goo in “Hijack 1971,” Lee Sung-min and Lee Hee-joon in “Handsome Guys,” and Lee Jae-hoon and Koo Kyo-hwan in “Escape.”
The most notable duo are Lee Sung-min and Lee Hee-joon in “Handsome Guys” (releasing on June 26). Jae-pil (Lee Sung-min) and Sang-gu (Lee Hee-joon), carpenters who move to the countryside, are mistaken for kidnappers due to their rugged appearances in this comic horror film. It’s a humorous comedy that showcases unique character transformations not seen in a while. Lee Sung-min remarked, “It was a role where I was particularly concerned about my appearance,” making it enjoyable to watch the transformation of the two actors into rugged characters in this B-grade comedy.
The over-the-top production is both its strength and weakness. As a remake of the American movie “Tucker & Dale vs. Evil,” it’s a blood-and-guts slasher flick with occult elements, making it a rare genre film in Korea. If you’re not familiar with the “sickness” code, you might find it off-putting, but it’s one of the freshest summer releases. The two actors play off each other like an old married couple, handling exaggerated slapstick comedy with ease.
“Hijack 1971″ (releasing on June 21) features a tense acting duel between Ha Jung-woo and Yeo Jin-goo, who plays his first villain role. The movie is about the attempted hijacking of a Korean Air F-27 in 1971, with Ha Jung-woo as pilot Tae-in and Yeo Jin-goo as hijacker Yong-dae. While Ha Jung-woo flies the plane, Yeo Jin-goo’s performance drives the movie. Ha Jung-woo commented, “There were many scenes where we clashed, and Yeo Jin-goo had a lot of energy. I felt like we were sprinting through each episode,” praising the acting.
The film adheres closely to the true story, offering a straightforward and emotional narrative, though it does not break out of the typical Korean movie mold. The sense of déjà vu, feeling like we’ve already seen the entire movie just from the trailer, is a hurdle. Additionally, it overlaps with Ha Jung-woo’s previous films, “Road to Boston” and “Ransomed,” released last year.
The visuals in “Escape” (releasing on July 3) are unmatched by the other films. Unlike most movies set in North Korea, which tend to be dark and dreary, this film captivates from the opening with its intense and sensuous visuals. The chase action drama follows North Korean People’s Army Sergeant Gyu Nam (Lee Jae-hoon), who plans to escape to South Korea for freedom, and Rhee Hyun-sang from the Ministry of State Security (Koo Kyo-hwan) who pursues him. The film effectively uses the strengths of dual-lead films, highlighting the conflict between Gyu Nam, who rejects fate and pursues ideals, and Hyun-sang, who accepts reality and suppresses desires.
Among the three films, the “bromance” is most pronounced. Despite being adversaries, their past as close childhood friends intertwine, creating melodramatic, intense gazes. Unfortunately, as the movie progresses, the People’s Army’s vigilance becomes increasingly lax, and the film stumbles in tense situations, which is disappointing.
The trend of male buddy films is likely to continue with “PROJECT SILENCE” (releasing on July 12) and “The Land of Happiness” (releasing in August), the last film of the late actor Lee Sun-kyun, featuring Ju Ji-hoon and Cho Jung-seok, respectively. There are concerns that the gender imbalance will worsen in the commercial movie market, where investment and production have slowed down since the pandemic. According to the Korean Film Gender Equality Report, the gender ratio of the lead roles in the top 30 box office films last year was 58.6% male-male, 20.7% male-female, 13.8% female-male, and 6.9% female-female.
Film market analyst Kim Hyung-ho stated, “The biggest problem now is that younger audiences have preconceived notions that Korean movies are predictable. Comedies that can break this stereotype seem to have an advantage, but for now, the success of summer releases will depend on the box office performance of ‘Inside Out 2′.”
