Sea Fog () is a 2014 South Korean crime thriller film directed by Shim Sung-bo. The film is adapted from the 2007 stage play Haemoo, which in turn was based on the true story of 25 Korean-Chinese illegal immigrants who asphyxia in the storage tank of the fishing vessel Taechangho; their bodies were dumped by the ship's crew into the sea southwest of Yeosu on October 7, 2001. The original play, written by Kim Min Jeong and directed by Ahn Kyung-mo, was performed in 2007 as part of Yeonwoo Stage's 30th anniversary celebration.
It was selected as the South Korean entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 87th Academy Awards and the 72nd Golden Globe Awards, but was not nominated.
Kim Yoon-seok was first cast in the role of the ship's captain in June 2013. Song Joong-ki was originally offered to star opposite Kim, but had to turn down the role when he received his enlistment papers for mandatory military service. K-pop singer and actor Park Yoochun was cast instead in August 2013, in his big screen debut. Filming began on October 6, 2013, with locations in Masan, Goyang, Busan and Ulsan, and ended on March 6, 2014.
Budgeted at , the film was pitched for pre-sales at the American Film Market in November 2013. The first official press conference was held on July 1, 2014.
Variety wrote, "Turning a real-life human trafficking tragedy into a comment on social inequality and the cost of survival, Haemoo dramatizes a stark nautical ordeal fraught with tension. Produced and co-written by internationally recognized Korean auteur Bong Joon-ho ( Snowpiercer, The Host) this directing debut by helmer-scribe Shim Sung-bo echoes Bong's trademark cynical vision of human nature, but the characters lack dimensionality and psychological depth."
The film's rights were also pre-sold at the Cannes Film Market to Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore, Japan and France. Its Japanese release was scheduled for early 2015 while Taiwan and Singapore released the movie at the end of 2014.
2014 | Golden Orchid for Best Narrative Feature | Sea Fog | ||
Best New Actor | Park Yoochun | |||
Best Supporting Actress | Han Ye-ri | |||
Best New Director | Shim Sung-bo | |||
Best New Actor | Park Yoochun | |||
Best Cinematography | Hong Kyung-pyo | |||
Best Lighting | Kim Chang-ho | |||
15th Busan Film Critics Awards | Best New Director | Shim Sung-bo | ||
Best New Actor | Park Yoochun | |||
Best New Actor | Park Yoochun | |||
Best Supporting Actress | Han Ye-ri | |||
Best New Director | Shim Sung-bo | |||
Best New Actor | Park Yoochun | |||
Best Screenplay | Shim Sung-bo, Bong Joon-ho | |||
Best Cinematography | Hong Kyung-pyo | |||
Best Lighting | Kim Chang-ho | |||
Best Art Direction | Lee Ha-jun | |||
Popular Star Award | Park Yoochun | |||
Best Cinematography | Hong Kyung-pyo | |||
2015 | Best New Actor | Park Yoochun | ||
10th Max Movie Awards | Best Actor | Park Yoochun | ||
Best Supporting Actress | Han Ye-ri | |||
Best New Actor | Park Yoochun | |||
Best Trailer | Sea Fog | |||
Best Poster | Sea Fog | |||
Best Supporting Actress | Han Ye-ri | |||
Technical Award | ||||
Best Supporting Actress | Han Ye-ri | |||
Best Supporting Actress | Han Ye-ri | |||
Best New Actor | Park Yoochun | |||
Best Screenplay | Shim Sung-bo, Bong Joon-ho | |||
Best Supporting Actress | Han Ye-ri | |||
Best New Actor | Park Yoochun | |||
Best Cinematography | Hong Kyung-pyo | |||
Best Art Direction | Lee Ha-jun | |||
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