''Hijack 1971'' () is a 2024 South Korean

action thriller film The action film is a film genre that predominantly features chase sequences, fights, shootouts, explosions, and stunt work. The specifics of what constitutes an action film has been in scholarly debate since the 1980s. While some scholars such as D ...

written by Kim Kyeong-chan and directed by Kim Seong-han, starring

Ha Jung-woo Kim Sung-hoon (; born March 11, 1978), better known as Ha Jung-woo (), is a South Korean actor and filmmaker. One of the highest grossing actors in South Korea, Ha's starring films have accumulated more than 100 million tickets. Only 3 other acto ...

Yeo Jin-goo Yeo Jin-goo (, born August 13, 1997) is a South Korean actor. Yeo began his career as a child actor, debuting in the film ''Sad Movie'' (2005). Nicknamed "Nation's Little Sister, Nation's Little Brother", he went on to play the younger characte ...

Sung Dong-il Sung Dong-il (; born April 27, 1967) is a South Korean actor. Sung made his acting debut in theater in 1987, then was recruited at the 1991 Seoul Broadcasting System, SBS open talent auditions. He rose to fame as the comic, Jeolla dialect-speak ...

and Chae Soo-bin. The film is based on the hijack attempt of a Korean Air F27 airliner in 1971. It was released theatrically on June 21, 2024.

Plot

In December 1969, South Korean fighter pilot Tae-in intercepts an airliner hijacked by a North Korean agent. He refuses to fire on the plane before it reaches North Korean airspace, fearing for the passengers' safety and recognizing the pilot to be his friend and former mentor Young-sook. The plane reaches North Korea and Tae-in is kicked out of the air force for disobeying orders. Later 39 of the plane's 46 passengers are repatriated back to South Korea but the other seven passengers and the plane's four crew, including Young-sook, end up remaining in North Korea indefinitely. Tae-in later finds a job as a pilot with

Korean Air Korean Air Lines Co., Ltd. (KAL; ) is the flag carrier of South Korea and its largest airline based on fleet size, international destinations, and international flights. It is owned by the Hanjin, Hanjin Group. The present-day Korean Air tra ...

. In January 1971, Tae-in and captain Gyu-Sik command a

Fokker F27 The Fokker F27 Friendship is a turboprop airliner developed and manufactured by the Dutch aircraft manufacturer Fokker. It is the most numerous post-war aircraft manufactured in the Netherlands; the F27 was also one of the most successful Europe ...

flight from

Sokcho Airport Sokcho Air Base is an air base in Sokcho, Gangwon Province, South Korea, Gangwon Province, South Korea. The airport had a single 1,560 meter runway (05/23). It used to serve people who went to Seoraksan for hiking. The airport was closed prior ...

Gimpo International Airport Gimpo International Airport , sometimes referred to as Seoul–Gimpo International Airport but formerly rendered in English as Kimpo International Airport, is located in the far western end of Seoul, some west of the Jung District, Seoul, cen ...

Seoul Seoul, officially Seoul Special Metropolitan City, is the capital city, capital and largest city of South Korea. The broader Seoul Metropolitan Area, encompassing Seoul, Gyeonggi Province and Incheon, emerged as the world's List of cities b ...

. After take off, passenger Yong-dae detonates two improvised explosive devices, one which blows a hole in the cabin floor, injuring several passengers and a sky marshal, and the other destroying the lock on the cockpit door, partially blinding Gyu-Sik and forcing Tae-in to take over. Yong-dae takes control of the cockpit and demands the pilots take the plane to North Korea, threatening them with a knife and another improvised explosive device. During turbulence, several passengers attempt to attack Yong-dae but he manages to get hold of the air marshal's gun. Tae-in tries to land at a remote airstrip but Yong-dae threatens to blow up the plane; in retaliation Yong-dae shoots Tae-in in the leg. Yong-dae explains that he and his family were ostracized for having a North Korean brother and believes that he would be treated better there. The plane is intercepted by South Korean fighter jets, led by Tae-in's former comrade Dong-cheol, who warns Tae-in that North Korean fighters are also approaching to intercept. Tae-in outmanoeuvres the fighters' attempts to shoot his engines and Yong-dae loses his gun in the chaos. Faced with worsening odds, Tae-in and Gyu-Sik decide to crash land the plane on a beach; Yong-dae attempts to wrest control back but Tae-in fights him before Yong-dae is shot and killed by the sky marshal. When Yong-dae's remaining explosive device detonates after he dies, Tae-in uses his body to shield the passengers from the blast, mortally wounding himself. Gyu-Sik successfully lands the plane on the beach with the help of a flight attendant and a dying Tae-in. All the passengers are evacuated safely but Tae-in dies of his wounds while still sitting in the cockpit.

Cast

as Tae-in, the first officer of a civilian airliner. He is based on Park Wan-gyu, who was the first officer at the time of the actual incident. *

as Yong-dae, a civilian airliner hijacker. He is based on Kim Sang-tae, the terrorist who caused the actual incident. *

as Gyu-sik, captain of a civilian airliner. He is based on Lee Kang-heun, the captain at the time of the actual incident. * Chae Soo-bin as Lee Ok-soon, a flight attendant on a civilian airliner. * Kim Dong-wook as Choi Dong-cheol, an Air Force F-5 fighter pilot and Tae-in's junior. * Choi Kwang-il as Seo Min-soo, the co-pilot of the YS-11 and Tae-in's senior during his time in the Air Force. * Kim Jong-soo as Jang Young-hwan, Air Force Flight Commander stationed at Gangneung Air Base. * Moon Yoo-kang as Chang-bae, a Korean Air flight security officer. * Jeong Ye-jin as Lee Soo-hee, an English teacher on board the airplane who takes care of Han-bong. *

Moon Woo-jin Moon Woo-jin (; born February 19, 2009) is a South Korean actor. He made his acting debut in 2016 and since then, he has appeared in a lot of television series. His first best-known work was in ''What's Wrong with Secretary Kim'' (2018). He als ...

as Lee Han-bong, a student from Woochang Middle School who boarded the plane. * Im Se-mi as Moon-young, Tae-in's wife. * Kim Sun-young as Young-sook, Tae-in's senior from the Air Force and Min-soo's wife who was kidnapped. * Kim Chul-yoon as Nam-il, a husband who boarded the plane to go on a honeymoon. * Park Ji-hwan as an airport agent *

Park Soo-young Park Soo-young is a South Korean actor. He is known for his roles in dramas such as '' My Beautiful Bride'' (2015), '' Listen to Love'' (2016), ''Hi Bye, Mama! ''Hi Bye, Mama!'' () is a 2020 Korean drama, South Korean television series starr ...

as Police Officer

References

External links

* * * {{Authority control 2024 films 2020s Korean-language films South Korean aviation films South Korean action thriller films South Korean crime action films South Korean crime thriller films South Korean films based on actual events 2024 action thriller films Films about aircraft hijackings Films about aviators Films about North Korea–South Korea relations Films about terrorism in Asia Films set in Gangwon Province, South Korea Films set on airplanes Films set in 1969 Films set in 1970 Films set in 1971 Action films based on actual events Crime thriller films based on actual events Korean Air 4DX films