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May 18 (film)

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May 18
File:May18 Poster.jpg
Theatrical poster
Directed byKim Ji-hun
Written byPark Sang-yeon
Produced byYoo In-taek
StarringAhn Sung-ki
Lee Jun Ki
Kim Sang Gyeong
Lee Yo Won
Distributed byCJ Entertainment
Release date
27 July 2007
Running time
120 min.
CountrySouth Korea
LanguageKorean
Budget$9,000,000 US est.

May 18 (화려한 휴가 - Hwaryeohan hyuga lit. Elaborate Holiday) is a South Korean film released in 2007.

Synopsis

The film is based on the massacre at Gwangju on May 18. It occurred when President Chun Doo-hwan tried to eliminate any rebels by using military force .

Min Woo leads a relatively peaceful life with his younger brother Jin Woo – until the day the soldiers go on the rampage against the citizens. The citizens form a militia determined to protect their loved ones, and Min-woo finds himself in the middle of it all.

Timeline of the Gwangju Massacree

May 17, 1980

After the Coup d'état of December Twelfth (1979) in Seoul, ROK Army Lieutenant General Chun Doo-hwan, commander of Security Command, declared martial law on May 17, 1980 to suppress student demonstrations around the country. The next day, students in Gwangju protested at the gate of Chonnam National University against the closing of the university, when armed forces blocking the university responded with violent means. After the incident, students moved into the downtown area, where they were joined by the citizens of the city. The growing crowd was met by the use of force, including gunfire, that caused some fatalities.

May 20, 1980

As the news of the fatalities spread, on May 20, protesters burned down the Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation local station which, under effective government control, portrayed the protests as hooligans led by Communist agents. By May 21, some 300,000 people had joined the protest against the General's power; weapons depots and police stations were looted of their weapons and the civil militias, known as the Citizen Army, beat back the armed forces, killing several soldiers.

With all routes and communications leading in and out of the city blocked by armed forces, a civilian body was formed to maintain order and conduct negotiations with the government. Although order was well maintained, a number of negotiations to resolve the situation failed to achieve any results.

May 27, 1980

On May 27, airborne and army troops from five divisions were inserted and defeated the civil militias in the downtown area in only 90 minutes.

Cast

Trivia

  1. Filming took place over 12 acres at the High-tech Science Industrial Park in northern Gwangju. Over 600 extras were used for the protest scenes.
  2. Other titles depicting the Gwangju Uprising: Song of Resurrection, Buhwaleui nolae (1991)