Cha Seung-won’s Gosanja opens in second place at box office
by tineybeanie
Last weekend at the box office, crime-thriller Age of Shadows was the number one viewed movie in domestic theaters, but it was historical period film Gosanja (also known as The Map Against the World) that became the dark horse that surged in front of Hollywood blockbuster Alice Through the Looking Glass to place second. Set during the Joseon dynasty, Gosanja tells the hidden story of Kim Jeong-ho, the legendary man who traversed the entirety of the Korean Peninsula on foot.
In the movie, Cha Seung-won (Hwajeong) plays real-life historical figure Kim Jeong-ho, an explorer-cartographer who is most famous for creating the Map of the East. The movie Gosanja is based on a biographical novel by Park Beom-shin that captures the journey of the Kim Jeong-ho, as he walks his way across all of Joseon. After losing his father due to vague navigational charts that led him astray, Kim Jeong-ho makes it his life mission to complete the most accurate and comprehensive map of all time. In a time when conquest and famine were daily realities, and more land meant greater resources and wealth, territory maps were crucial tools of intelligence that could determine the outcome of a war. They were thought to be the exclusive property of the king, but Kim Jeong-ho wanted to create a map for the people.
Critics believe that one of the reasons the film is doing so well is that it showcases the beautiful scenery and majestic landscape of Korea. In addition, it appeals on a patriotic level to people of all ages in Korea because of Kim Jeong-ho’s forward-thinking democratic ideals. Despite all the political maneuverings to keep the map hidden, Kim Jeong-ho’s strong conviction that all the Joseon people should be able to use it stays firm. After all, the road doesn’t care who treads it, be it peasant or royalty. In one moving scene in the trailer, Kim Jeong-ho asks his prince, “If you don’t have faith in your people, who can you trust?”
Ultimately, Gosanja is a story about one extraordinary individual who lived for the people of his time and future generations to come. Other supporting actors that feature in this film include: Yoo Joon-sang (Working Mom, Parenting Daddy) as a Joseon prince seeking the map to gain power, Kim In-kwon (Come Back Ajusshi) as Kim Jeong-ho’s friend and supporter, Nam Ji-hyun (Tunnel, What’s Up With This Family) as his daughter, and Shin Dong-mi (The Hunt, She Was Pretty) as a member of the traveling group. It is currently playing in theaters in Korea.
Via MediaPen, XSports News
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Tags: Cha Seung-won, Nam Ji-hyun, Yoo Joon-sang
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1 ZappyR
September 15, 2016 at 3:33 AM
????
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2 Tissue
September 15, 2016 at 3:52 AM
The 4 season posters are so beautiful...
CSW, the ultimate ahjussi crush of all time. Even as Chajumma, he is still as hawt as ever.
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3 m3lon4
September 15, 2016 at 3:58 AM
Wow, the cinematography is so stunning, it looks almost CGish.
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4 redfox
September 15, 2016 at 3:58 AM
well, only Chajumma is allowed to rule over Tim Burton. this is a special grant certified by redfox.
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Flightey Gazelles
September 15, 2016 at 4:01 AM
Hear hear re: Tim Burton!
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PakalanaPikake
September 15, 2016 at 7:38 AM
Thanks, tineybeanie, for the update.
I vaguely remembered reading girlfriday's report from May 2015 that CSW had a sageuk film in the works. I thoroughly enjoyed his turn as Prince Gwanghae in HWAJUNG, and in MY SON, as well. Now he's playing a cross between George Washington (a surveyor and cartographer by profession) and Lewis and Clark. The story sounds fascinating -- and tragic.
It'll be interesting to see Yu Jun-Sang in a sageuk after his performance as the obnoxiously delusional chaebol pater familias in HEARD IT THROUGH THE GRAPVINE... in which he carried on as if he were a Joseon monarch.
What gorgeous landscapes and cinematography! I was totally enthralled with the gorgeous countryside of Korea while watching THE KING'S DAUGHTER, SU BAEK-HYANG. I'm really looking forward to seeing this film.
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PakalanaPikake
September 15, 2016 at 7:42 AM
Dang! How did this end up here?!?
Stage whisper to redfox: This won't upset Teacher, will it? He's stressed out in Goryeo at the moment. ;-)
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redfox
September 15, 2016 at 12:01 PM
I don´t think it will. Teacher doesnt have to compete and he doesnt need any permissions or stuff. He lives in w hole separate dimension. the only thing that can upset Teacher is when his mane of glory gets stuck in a tree.
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PakalanaPikake
September 15, 2016 at 1:37 PM
ROFL... How will I ever unsee that?!? It sounds utterly hair-raising.
"Pat Pat's Revenge"
"Time Between Ent and Dog Wolf"
5 Flightey Gazelles
September 15, 2016 at 3:59 AM
Wow, such lovely posters and beautiful scenery!!
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6 ck1Oz
September 15, 2016 at 4:03 AM
It looks painful and full of suffering. But I would watch it. Just to see those scenery. Raw and beautiful. Since modern civilization can't be shown on screen in a historical movie.
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7 fab
September 15, 2016 at 4:07 AM
Wów that sounds like an incredible man on an extraordinary journey. I'd love to get my hands on the book, especially if it contains copies of original maps.
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8 Sera The Ms Temper
September 15, 2016 at 4:27 AM
Cha Seung Won ahjusshi! I hope my country will show this movie at cinema too. Train to Busan was very well received and Appa in W & Ma Deong Seok are famous recently, more than Go Yoo honestly.
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9 mary
September 15, 2016 at 5:05 AM
Kim Jeong-ho's story sounds familiar, was it featured or mentioned in one of the sageuks in recent years? That part about a man diligently mapping the whole country and politicians trying to stop it...
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SBC
September 15, 2016 at 7:37 AM
Six Flying Dragons?
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Kiara
September 15, 2016 at 8:00 AM
Six Flying Dragon was later Goryeo early Joseon. Kim Jeong-ho wasn't even born yet :p. He was around during late Joseon.
He would've been alive during "Moonlight Drawn by Clouds", timeline.
@Mary
I don't recall any sageuks based on his life or close. You are probably talking about earlier articles on this same movie.
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mary
September 15, 2016 at 11:31 AM
Oh, dangit... haha I was thinking 6FD too. Or maybe it's not KJH's storyline exactly but they used a similar issue about someone mapping lands and wanting to distribute it to the poor?
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bbstl
September 15, 2016 at 2:44 PM
Mary, this immediately made me think of 6FD with the SSK-peasant group farming on strips of land that were sort of unclaimed, I thought that related to a mapping issue (way at the beginning). Is that what you're thinking of? I can't recall more than that, though.
Kiara
September 15, 2016 at 4:47 PM
Oh it's been a while but I think I know who you are talking about. I think it was around the halfway point of SFD.
You are probably talking about Jung Do-Jeon's friend and Sadebu scholar Jo Joon's (Woojae) land reform.
He surveyed the land and came up with a plan to reset the system and take away the power of the corrupt nobles and rich landowners.
That was a major contribution that lead to the establishment of Joseon.
Lol I kind a miss the historical discussions during SFD.
mary
September 16, 2016 at 10:36 AM
@bbstl, I think that's it! Thanks! And thanks to Kiara too for the details. :D
10 angieya
September 15, 2016 at 5:14 AM
The cinematography is stunning, sigh, again another K-movie where I wished it was a drama.
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11 Kiara
September 15, 2016 at 5:46 AM
Nam Ji-hyun is always great in sageuks. I've been wanting to see her in this. It's been a long time since her last sageuk.
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12 feignedreality
September 15, 2016 at 7:11 AM
As expected of Mama Cha, a.k.a. Chajumma a.k.a. Jason Cha. ☺
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13 MJP
September 15, 2016 at 8:03 AM
Thanks "tineybeanie"!
I wondered what CSW has been up to. I hope it does well and can't wait to see it.
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14 TrinPie
September 15, 2016 at 8:47 AM
I must say, I am always blown away by how beautiful Korea is. It is definitely a beautiful country.
I really wish I had more access to Korean movies. There are so many wonderful sounding movies but I'm not sure where I can watch them if they aren't on Netflix, DramaFever and Viki.
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15 Diana Hansen
September 15, 2016 at 8:56 AM
he's one of my very most fave actors. the scenery is fantastic-enough to watch just for that. i will have to wait a long time since i have to watch for the subbed version to come out on dramafever etc. but i really want to see this so i will look for it. i love historical type movies such as this. heck, i love CSW in anything! thanks for the update. thanks for DB! i would forever be lost and alone without it.
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16 justwaytooboss
September 15, 2016 at 9:16 AM
Those pictures are so beautiful they almost hurt.
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17 SuziQ
September 15, 2016 at 10:01 AM
Awesome movie poster of Chajumma pasting together the map of Korea.
Been to Korea and it's a beautiful country.
Amazing story. Can't wait to see this movie!
Love CSW .. One of my favorite actor and I love him in sageuks.
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18 kent
September 15, 2016 at 10:46 AM
I am traveling to South Korea next month and trying to find locations to visit. Does anyone know the location of the picture of his back looking over the big sea.
Thank you!
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raye
September 15, 2016 at 1:44 PM
If you mean the one above the 4 posters,
that is Heaven Lake in Mt. Changbaishan, which is in China. The other side of this lake is in North Korea, which unfortunately is inaccessible to tourists.
October is good for catching the autumn foliage in various parts of Korea. See the forecast for autumn foliage if you're interested
http://english.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/AKR/FU_EN_15.jsp?cid=2416433
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19 bbstl
September 15, 2016 at 2:53 PM
>>Critics believe that one of the reasons the film is doing so well is that it showcases the beautiful scenery and majestic landscape of Korea. In addition, it appeals on a patriotic level to people of all ages in Korea because of Kim Jeong-ho’s forward-thinking democratic ideals. Despite all the political maneuverings to keep the map hidden, Kim Jeong-ho’s strong conviction that all the Joseon people should be able to use it stays firm. After all, the road doesn’t care who treads it, be it peasant or royalty. In one moving scene in the trailer, Kim Jeong-ho asks his prince, “If you don’t have faith in your people, who can you trust?”
Ultimately, Gosanja is a story about one extraordinary individual who lived for the people of his time and future generations to come. <<
This makes me think that all around the world right now, we are all so hungry to see and hear things that make us feel hope and a sense of being part of something big and good (even if it's history).
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Kiara
September 15, 2016 at 5:26 PM
True and that was the case with the latest conventional sageuk Jeong Do-jeon.
http://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/news/article/article.aspx?aid=2984372
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bbstl
September 15, 2016 at 6:03 PM
Thanks, Kiara, do you know where we can see that drama? I've only gotten the story from the standpoint of 6FD and TWDR.
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Kiara
September 15, 2016 at 6:46 PM
It's at Dramacool.
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20 all4movies
September 15, 2016 at 8:35 PM
This looks good. What a courageous man.
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