Screening followed by a Q&A with film’s director, Kim Han-min.
First instalment in writer-director Kim Han-min’s historic epic trilogy, The Admiral: Roaring Currents is based on the historical Battle of Myeongnyang and its star naval admiral Yi Sun-sin (Choi Min-sik) who led a small fleet to improbable victory over a much larger Japanese fleet.
Imprisoned and tortured for failing to neutralise a Japanese double-agent in his ranks, Yi Sun-sin is recalled to his post when a second invasion from Japan appeared imminent in 1597. Dealing with a severely reduced naval force consisting of an estimated 12 warships following the fleet’s near-devastation during a major battle while he was imprisoned, Yi has scant time to rally his sailors, prepare his battleships and devise a defence against a Japanese fleet of more than 300.
The film recorded 10 million admissions only 12 days after its premiere and set a record in Korea for achieving such a high number of viewers in the shortest amount of time. The movie also surpassed Avatar’s record of 13 million viewers to become the most-watched and highest-grossing film of all time in Korea with 17.6 million admissions.