Spain Hails Theatrical Release for A TAXI DRIVER

NEWS & REPORTS
News
Korean Film News

Korean Film News

NEWS & REPORTS

Spain Hails Theatrical Release for A TAXI DRIVER

May 25, 2018

Writer by Pierce Conran
View4423

Gwangju Drama with SONG Kang-ho Continues Global Ride

JANG Hun’s smash hit political drama A Taxi Driver (2017) is revving up for a theatrical release in Spain next month. Featuring SONG Kang-ho, the critically-acclaimed work will screen in Iberian theaters from June 8 under the local title A Taxi Driver: Los héroes de Gwangju, which translates to ‘A Taxi Driver: The Heroes of Gwangju’ in English.

Originally released in Korea by Showbox in the high summer season on August 2 last year, the film became one of only two films in 2017 to breach the ten million viewer threshold (the other being the fantasy epic Along with the Gods: The Two Worlds, released in December). JANG’s film ended its theatrical run with 12.19 million admissions (USD 88.32 million).

SONG Kang-ho stars as a real-life taxi driver who drove a German reporter, played by German actor Thomas Kretschmann of The Pianist, from Seoul to Gwangju in May 1980 in order to cover the student protests taking place there. The film co-stars YOO Hae-jin as a taxi driver in Gwangju and rising star RYU Jun-yeol as a student protester.

A Taxi Driver has received awards around the world after screening at dozens of events, including the Best Actor Prize at the Fantasia International Film Festival. It was also selected as Korea’s submission to the foreign language category of this year’s Academy Awards, though it ultimately did not secure a nomination. The drama has screened theatrically in several markets, including North America, where it grossed USD 1.53 million, and Australia, where it generated ticket sales in excess of USD 200,000.

Any copying, republication or redistribution of KOFIC's content is prohibited without prior consent of KOFIC.

Related People