The film "Take Off" (2009) is based on the true story of ski jumpers in Korea, a country once considered a barren land for the winter sport. Featuring powerful scenes of ski jumping and telling the story of the family affection surrounding each character, the film touched the hearts of many viewers. Kim Yong-hwa directed the film, and it stars actors Ha Jung-woo, Sung Dong-il, Kim Ji-suk and Kim Dong-wook.



A national ski jump team was quickly formed in Muju County, Jeollabuk-do (North Jeolla Province), in 1996 as Korea was bidding to host the Winter Olympics. Bang Jong-sam, played by Sung Dong-il, was a children's ski instructor suddenly appointed to coach the national team. Among the first batch of ski jumpers, Bob is a former alpine skier and a Korean adoptee who has come to Korea to search for his biological mother. Heung-cheol, played by Kim Dong-wook, used to be a night club waiter, while Chil-goo, played by Kim Ji-suk, is responsible for taking care of his family, including his grandmother and brother. Despite poor training facilities in the country, these young men, who do not have much to boast about, try to compete in the Winter Olympics, a feat considered by many to be impossible.

Despite unfamiliarity with ski jumping as a sport, the story of a bunch of young people with humble backgrounds who slowly overcome barriers and succeed in their sport moved the audience. Moreover, the ski jumping shots were realistically filmed using high-tech camera equipment. A Camcat, a speeding camera on a raised wire that is often used to film sporting events, showed the immense speed of ski jumpers and was used to make some great scenes in the movie. Some of the most popular ski jump scenes near the end of the film were created using computer graphics. The film attracted 8.48 million viewers to theaters and among Korean films, it ranked 16th in the number of tickets sold.


By Limb Jae-un
Korea.net Staff Writer
Photos: Korea Post
jun2@korea.kr




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