Fans will have to wait a little longer to see Lee Min Ho's first film "Gangnam 1970," also known as "Gangnam Blues." The film was originally set for release in November. But the producers have now confirmed that the film will be released in January 2015 instead. The rationale is that this is the peak season for films.
"Gangnam 1970" began production in April of 2014 and had its last day of filming on Aug. 31.
When the filming wrapped up, Lee Min Ho described the film as providing his most significant role.
In an interview with enewsworld, he said. "The journey lasting about four months and a half is finally over and I think it was the most meaningful project. It is my first time taking the lead role in a film and I faced a new character named Jong Dae. I was happy working with a good cast and staff members."
The film is set in a time when the area was rapidly developing and gangs fought over the real estate profits. In 1970, living in Gangnam did not mean you were rich or a celebrity. When the film starts Lee Min Ho's character Jong Dae and his childhood friend Yong Ki are struggling to get by until thugs destroy their shanties. The two men are desperate for cash. The two friends get involved in violent fights and are separated. Three years later Jong Dae is living an honest life, while Yong Ki has joined a gang that is involved in the battle for the potentially profitable Gangnam real estate. And the money these gangs is used to influence politics, persuading politicians to pass legislation that is favorable to the gangs' goals. When a rival gang kidnaps Yong Ki it tests the men's friendship and loyalty.
Not only is the subject matter of "Gangnam 1970" a shade darker than most of the dramas Lee Min Ho appears in, but his role also calls on him to film plenty of challenging action scenes.
"The film is a new challenge, definitely," Lee Min Ho told The Korea Times when he was first cast. "It's not that I have adhered to dramas but I had just been looking for the right script. I don't want to limit myself to one genre and want to broaden it, more so in my 30s and 40s."
Fans eagerly await the chance to see this new side of him.
Yoo Ha, who directed "Once Upon A Time In High School" and "A Dirty Carnival," wrote the screenplay for "Gangnam 1970."
