The struggles of South Korean soldiers in a battle during a North Korean invasion in the Northern Limit Line ached our hearts in sympathetic ways.
SPOILERS AHEAD
Based on the Second Battle of Yeonpyeong that happened in June 2002, Northern Limit Line tells of a tragedy that happened during the peak of the 2002 FIFA World Cup, where South Korea was swept in a FIFA fever.
The crew of patrol boat 357 was as excited as any of their countrymen to watch the third-place playoff between South Korea and Turkey after their day of duties. Unfortunately, their plans never came to be when it came under a surprise attack by a North Korean patrol boat, which crossed the Northern Limit Line (a maritime boundary). The attack left 6 crew members dead and the remaining 18 injured. Despite attempting to recover the craft, patrol boat 357 eventually sunk to the bottom of the ocean while being on tow.
SPOILERS AHEAD
Based on the Second Battle of Yeonpyeong that happened in June 2002, Northern Limit Line tells of a tragedy that happened during the peak of the 2002 FIFA World Cup, where South Korea was swept in a FIFA fever.
The crew of patrol boat 357 was as excited as any of their countrymen to watch the third-place playoff between South Korea and Turkey after their day of duties. Unfortunately, their plans never came to be when it came under a surprise attack by a North Korean patrol boat, which crossed the Northern Limit Line (a maritime boundary). The attack left 6 crew members dead and the remaining 18 injured. Despite attempting to recover the craft, patrol boat 357 eventually sunk to the bottom of the ocean while being on tow.
On board patrol boat 357, we have Kim Mu-yeol as the seemingly cold-hearted Lieutenant Commander Yoon Young-ha, Jin Goo as Sergeant Han Sang-gook, the kind-hearted yet troubled helmsman; and Lee Hyun Woo as Corporal Park Dong-hyuk, the innocent and childlike medic. Along with them were a band of brothers who bonded out at sea over late-night ramyun and soccer matches, and the movie tells their tales of brotherhood, camaraderie, and loyalty to the country.
The movie reminds us that the six deaths from boat 357 are more than just numbers to add to the soldiers who have lost their lives because of the North-South dispute. The soldiers left behind family members - a deaf and mute mother who lost her only son (Corporal Park Dong-hyuk), a wife widowed without telling her husband about their second child (Sergent Han Sang-gook), a one-year-old baby girl made fatherless (canon operator Jo Chun-hyung), and an old ex-Navy official who inspired his son to follow his footsteps ends up sending him off instead (Lieutenant Commander Yoon Young-ha).
In the days leading up to the war, we saw how the crew went through countless drills make sure they were able to get into battle positions within seconds; and how the same North Korean boat had cross the Northern Limit Line on two separate occasions with intent to gather intelligence before launching an attack on South Korea. It is a stark reminder of the tensions between the two Koreas, which are both still in a state of armistice agreement (ceasefire), and not a peace settlement (reunification).
The movie reminds us that the six deaths from boat 357 are more than just numbers to add to the soldiers who have lost their lives because of the North-South dispute. The soldiers left behind family members - a deaf and mute mother who lost her only son (Corporal Park Dong-hyuk), a wife widowed without telling her husband about their second child (Sergent Han Sang-gook), a one-year-old baby girl made fatherless (canon operator Jo Chun-hyung), and an old ex-Navy official who inspired his son to follow his footsteps ends up sending him off instead (Lieutenant Commander Yoon Young-ha).
In the days leading up to the war, we saw how the crew went through countless drills make sure they were able to get into battle positions within seconds; and how the same North Korean boat had cross the Northern Limit Line on two separate occasions with intent to gather intelligence before launching an attack on South Korea. It is a stark reminder of the tensions between the two Koreas, which are both still in a state of armistice agreement (ceasefire), and not a peace settlement (reunification).
On a heart-warming note, we saw how the crew were like any other when they returned to dry land, back to their loved ones: A father trying to make milk for his first born, the husband trying to cajole the wife who is unhappy with him at sea for so long and wanting him to apply for a land position - which he eventually did due to the tremors in his hand; and a filial son risking to send a happy birthday text to his mother, only to get caught by a senior that constantly picked on him.
But above being a cherished son, husband and father, they were all dedicated soldiers who fought on till the very end. We saw how they braved the pain of their initial shots to continue fighting on for their motherland. They willed their heart, soul and body to continue firing despite sustaining more and more gunshots from the North Korea boat, which was in close proximity.
Commander Yoon Young-ha continued to give orders right up to his last breath, where he ordered helmsman Sergent Han to steer everyone to safety. Sergent Han himself sustained shots to his back and waist and was bleeding profusely, but fought another battle against his mind to stay conscious despite being on the brink of death.
The strong will of the other crew members who tried to stand up and fight again after falling were no match for the North Korean rapid, non-stop fires - one saw his fingers amputated by a single bullet ripping through his hand; the second commander in line sat reeling in shock as he stared blankly at his dismembered leg, blood still oozing from his knee.
Our hero of the story, Corporal Park Dong-hyuk, who held the position of a medic, eventually took to continue operating the machine gun when all of his crew members have fallen, only to suffer from another shot that officially put him down as well - all in the matter of seconds.
The jarring, fast-paced shots pans quickly from one event to another draws parallels to the actual war, yet each short moment has an important story to tell. Unlike other movies where the storyline is predictable - scenes like shooting of firearms, deaths, and touching moments - Northern Limit Line presented us a tear-jerking end as we slowly see the crew of 357 lose their ability to fight, and their will to survive for their family members.
With 7 years in the making, and a $6 million budget to boot, Northern Limit Line is one movie that would give Hollywood a run for its money. The Asian film scene has always been outshone by Hollywood's bling and glamour that may easily fare better than painstakingly curated local movies - a trend faced by both Singapore and South Korea. But with 7,000 individuals throwing in their money to fund a third of the budget, and currently the most-watched Korean film in 2015 so far, Northern Limit Line has definitely become a must-watch for all.
A touching story, a reminder of the tense relationship between the North and South, and a great visual representation of the Second Battle of Yeonpyeong - in honour and in remembrance of the brave soldiers who had lost their lives protecting their country, this film is dedicated to them.
Catch Northern Limit Line again on November 1, 2015 at Korean Film Festival in Singapore (KFF) @ Shaw Theatres, Lido. Don’t miss out on other amazing films - Twenty, Ode to My Father, Detective K, etc. - brought to you by KFF as well! Kang Ha Neul will also be making his appearance at the screening of Twenty on October 31, 2015 at KFF! More details at koreanfilmfestivalsg.com