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The Admiral: Roaring Currents or simply The Admiral, is a 2014 South Korean epic action-war film, which is based on a true story.
Directed and co-written by Kim Han-min, the movie was inspired by the historical Battle of Myeongnyang, regarded as a key national triumph by many South Koreans.
It tells the story of the 1597 battle which took place during the Joseon Dynasty, when under the reign of King Seonjo and during the Japanese invasions of Korea, one man led 12 ships to victory against a Japanese fleet of more than 300 vessels!
Yi Sun Shin was a military official who showed great prowess, grit and success from a young age.
Being a man of principle had made his life difficult - he had been falsely accused of desertion, stripped of his rank, tortured and imprisoned, but had quickly risen through the ranks upon being released.
The film shows Choi Min-sik, who plays the role of the admiral, dealing with a severely-reduced naval force following the fleet’s near-devastation during a major battle while he was still in prison.
While he barely has any time to rally his troops who are afraid of the Japanese forces and do not think they have a chance, he also has to devise a plan to beat the enemy and build the famous turtle ship.
He sends spies to determine the state of the Japanese fleet led by his former opponent admiral Wakizaka (Cho Jin-Woong), only to find out that he had been sidelined by the arrival of Kurushima (Ryu Seung-Ryong), a pirate appointed by the Japanese ruler to fight against him.
His troops want to know what his plan of action is, but he gives them nothing, simply urging them to do everything they can, even die for the safety of their land.
Although uncertain about his success, the admiral is determined to engage with the Japanese in Myeongnyang, a strait located off the southwest coast of the Korean peninsula, a region familiar to him and known for its changeable weather and treacherous currents.
The turtle ship is loaded with cannons and other ammunition and they sail out to face the Japanese in the waters, where they eventually win the battle, with help from the currents and the villagers who manage to pull them out of it.
The movie’s blockbuster production value, its historic setting and the fact that it’s based on a true story added to its appeal for viewers.
The battle scene, which lasts more than an hour, is no small feat for the SFX department, which has done a fantastic job, bringing up the film’s production value.
This movie is not for the faint-hearted though, with multiple scenes of severed heads, bloodied men and of course violent deaths, which make it a great one for fans of epic battle scenes.
It is no surprise that the 2014 film achieved a record 10 million viewers within 12 days of its release in theatres.
It’s, in fact, one of the highest grossing films of all time in South Korea.
You can watch The Admiral for free on Tuesday (November 22) along with other movies at the cinema in Seef Mall, in Seef District, courtesy of the Korean Embassy’s 2022 Korea Movie Nights Festival.
On November 23, Miracle: Letters to the President, a South Korean drama film that is also based on a true story will be screened.
Set in the 1980s, the film follows Jun Kyung, a high school student and math prodigy, who creates a train station in the roadless countryside that he lives in, with the help of his girlfriend and the people of the village.
Crime-drama The Classified File will be showcased on November 24 and is based on a real-life 33-day kidnapping case in Busan in 1978.
It brings together a detective and a fortune teller who join forces to find a kidnapped child, whom no one expects to be alive.
All movies will begin screening at 7pm and admission is on a first-come, first-served basis.
For details, contact 17531120, email korembbah@mofa.go.kr or follow koreanembassy.bahrain on Instagram.
