''Land of Happiness'' () is a 2024 South Korean

legal drama Legal drama, also called courtroom drama, is a genre of film and television that generally focuses on narratives regarding legal practice and the justice system. The American Film Institute (AFI) defines "courtroom drama" as a genre of film in wh ...

film directed by

Choo Chang-min Choo Chang-min (; born 1966) is a South Korean film director and screenwriter. His 2012 period film '' Masquerade'' became one of the top-grossing Korean films of all time. Career Choo Chang-min began his career as an assistant director on suc ...

, starring

Jo Jung-suk Jo Jung-suk (; born December 26, 1980) is a South Korean actor. He began his career in theater, starring in ''Spring Awakening (musical), Spring Awakening'', ''Hedwig and the Angry Inch (musical), Hedwig and the Angry Inch'', ''Grease (musical ...

Lee Sun-kyun Lee Sun-kyun (; March 2, 1975 – December 27, 2023) was a South Korean actor. Internationally, he was best known for his role in Bong Joon-ho's Academy Award–winning film ''Parasite'' (2019), for which he won a Screen Actors Guild Award alo ...

, and

Yoo Jae-myung Yoo Jae-myung (; born June 3, 1973) is a South Korean actor. He is best known for his roles in the series ''Reply 1988'' (2015), ''Stranger'' (2017), ''Life'' (2018), ''Itaewon Class'' (2020) and '' Voice of Silence'' (2020). He won Best Suppo ...

. The film is inspired by the real-life figure , who served as the defense attorney for Army colonel in the aftermath of the

assassination of Park Chung Hee On October 26, 1979, Park Chung Hee, the third president of South Korea, was assassinated during a dinner at the Korean Central Intelligence Agency (KCIA) safe house near the Blue House presidential compound in Jongno District, Seoul, South ...

. It was released theatrically on August 14, 2024.

Plot

Jung In-hoo, a master of legal battles, takes on one of the most challenging political trials in South Korean history by defending Park Tae-ju, the chief secretary of the intelligence agency implicated in the assassination of the president. Despite the overwhelming odds, with Tae-ju's sentence seemingly predetermined due to his military status, In-hoo fights relentlessly to ensure a fair trial. However, his frustration boils over as he faces an increasingly unjust legal process. Thirty minutes before the assassination, Tae-ju receives an order from the chief of the intelligence agency to subdue the bodyguards if necessary. The central issue in court becomes whether his actions were a "premeditated act of rebellion" or "obedience to orders under duress". Although In-hoo advises Tae-ju to testify in a way that could save him, Tae-ju remains steadfast, refusing to betray the trust placed in him. Meanwhile, Jeon Sang-doo, the ambitious leader of the joint investigation team, harbors dangerous ambitions following the events of October 26. He manipulates the trial from the shadows, eavesdropping on proceedings and subtly steering the outcome by sending real-time notes to the court, all while mocking the determined In-hoo.

Cast

Production

Principal photography Principal photography is the phase of producing a film or television show in which the bulk of shooting takes place, as distinct from the phases of pre-production and post-production. Personnel Besides the main film personnel, such as the ...

began in October 2021 and ended in January 2022.

Release

The film was screened as one of the films in the Special program in focus 'In Memory of

' at the

29th Busan International Film Festival The 29th Busan International Film Festival () opened on October 2 at the Busan Cinema Center in Busan, with South Korean film ''Uprising (2024 film), Uprising'' by Kim Sang-man, and screened 278 films from 63 countries, including 224 officially ...

to be held from October 2 to 11, 2024.

Reception

Box office

, ''Land of Happiness'' has grossed $4.6 million with a running total of 670,487 tickets sold.

Accolades

References

External links

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Land of Happiness 2024 films 2020s Korean-language films 2020s South Korean films South Korean courtroom films South Korean historical drama films South Korean political drama films Films about assassinations Films about coups d'état Films about intelligence agencies Films about lawyers Films set in 1979 Films set in Seoul Films about the Republic of Korea Armed Forces Drama films based on actual events Political films based on actual events Next Entertainment World films