South Korea’s Oscar Entry ‘12.12: The Day’ Director Kim Sung-su on Military Coup Drama

Director Kim Sung-su‘s historical drama “12.12: The Day,” South Korea‘s entry for the 2024 international feature Oscar race, chronicles a pivotal moment in the country’s history. The film depicts the military coup of Dec. 12, 1979, which led to an eight-year military junta.

The tense action drama features an ensemble cast including Hwang Jung-min (“Deliver Us from Evil”), Jung Woo-sung (“Asura: The City of Madness”), Lee Sung-min (“The Spy Gone North”), Park Hae-joon (“Believer”), Kang Gil-woo (Netflix’s “The Glory”), and Jung Hae-in (Netflix’s “D.P.”).

For Kim, the events depicted in the film left an indelible mark on his teenage years. “That night left a very clear memory. I was getting ready to apply for colleges that winter night when I saw in my own neighborhood an armored military vehicle passing down the street,” Kim tells Variety. “I climbed to the rooftop of my friend’s house and watched the shootout happen for next 30 minutes. I remember listening to the sound of the gunshots running through the night sky. I could not shake the question of why this was happening in my town, in my neighborhood.”

The director explains that most Koreans are aware of the broader historical context but many remain unclear about the specific events of Dec. 12. This gap in historical understanding drove Kim’s decision to focus intensely on that single day.

While the 2005 television series “5th Republic” had previously tackled this historical period, Kim sought a different approach. “Their goal was re-creation,” he says. “I wanted to focus on making it more dramatic and very real to feel, as well as putting in my own perspective of what had happened that night.”

“I did not know what happened until 17 years later, when I was in my mid-30s and had already debuted as a film director,” Kim adds.

The film, produced by Hive Media Corp and distributed locally by Megabox Plus M, emerged as 2023’s biggest box office success in South Korea, offering a bright spot in a challenging theatrical landscape. Discussing the current state of Korean cinema, Kim points to broader industry challenges. “This spring, the box office situation was looking quite well, with two films being massive box office successes. From summertime onwards, until now, it hasn’t been great,” he notes, citing the impact of streaming platforms on the traditional film industry.

“12.12: The Day” found a theatrical release in North America via 815 Pictures, with Echelon Studios handling a subsequent digital release.

Two films from South Korea – Lee Chang-dong’s “Burning” in 2018 and Park Chan-wook’s “Decision to Leave” in 2022 – were shortlisted in the Oscars‘ international feature category, with Bong Joon-ho’s “Parasite” winning in 2019.

Kim is currently developing multiple projects, noting that the selection of his next film will depend on “the quality of each script.”