# The Fortress (2017 film)

The Fortress is a 2017 South Korean epic historical drama film directed by Hwang Dong-hyuk, starring Lee Byung-hun and Kim Yoon-seok. It is based on the novel Namhansanseong by Kim Hoon.

## Plot

The film is set during the Qing invasion of Joseon in 1636, when King Injo and his retainers sought refuge in the fortress located in Namhansanseong.

## Cast
### Main

* Lee Byung-hun as Choi Myung-kil
A leader of one of the two ideological cliques that battles in the fortress trying to decide whether to make peace or fight against the Qing dynasty.
* Kim Yoon-seok as Kim Sang-hun
The other leader of the ideological clique who battles with Choi's opinion and firmly believes in defending the nation's dignity by fighting against the Qing dynasty.
* Park Hae-il as King Injo
The king who is in agony in the tense conflicts between his men over the fate of the nation.
* Go Soo as Seo Nal-soe
A blacksmith sent out with a king's letter to recruit loyal forces.
* Park Hee-soon as Lee Shi-baek
The commander of the Namhansanseong garrison, silently defending the mountain fortress in the extreme cold weather conditions.

### Supporting

* Song Young-chang as Kim Ryoo
* Jo Woo-jin as Jung Myung-soo
* Lee David as Chil-bok
* Heo Sung-tae as Yong Gol-dae
* Kim Beop-rae as Hong Taiji
* Jo Ah-in as Na-roo
* Jin Seon-kyu as Lee Doo-gap
* Yoo Soon-woong as Chief Scholar
* Park Ji-il as Deputy Chief Scholar
* Choi Jong-ryul as Eunuch
* Kim Joong-ki as First Secretary
* Shin Ki-joon as Crown Prince

## Release and reception

The film was released in South Korean cinemas on October 3, 2017. It topped the box office on its opening day with 444,527 viewers. According to the film's distributor CJ Entertainment, by the second day of its release, the film had accumulated more than one million admissions, the fastest film released during the Chuseok holidays to surpass the mark.
The Fortress was sold to 28 countries worldwide including U.S.A, Japan, Taiwan and Singapore. It was the opening film at the 2nd London East Asia Film Festival. In South Korea, the film attracted a total of 3.8 million moviegoers.
On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 63% of 8 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 6.30/10.

## Awards and nominations

| Award | Category | Recipient | Result |
| 37th Korean Association of Film Critics Awards | Best Film | The Fortress | Won |
| 37th Korean Association of Film Critics Awards | Best Director | Hwang Dong-hyuk | Won |
| 37th Korean Association of Film Critics Awards | Best Cinematography | Kim Jee-yong | Won |
| 37th Korean Association of Film Critics Awards | Best Music | Ryuichi Sakamoto | Won |
| 37th Korean Association of Film Critics Awards | Top 10 Films | The Fortress | Won |
| 38th Blue Dragon Film Awards | Best Film | The Fortress | Nominated |
| 38th Blue Dragon Film Awards | Best Director | Hwang Dong-hyuk | Nominated |
| 38th Blue Dragon Film Awards | Best Actor | Kim Yoon-seok | Nominated |
| 38th Blue Dragon Film Awards | Best Actor | Lee Byung-hun | Nominated |
| 38th Blue Dragon Film Awards | Best Screenplay | Hwang Dong-hyuk | Won |
| 38th Blue Dragon Film Awards | Best Cinematography and Lighting | Kim Jee-yong & Jo Gyu-young | Nominated |
| 38th Blue Dragon Film Awards | Best Music | Ryuichi Sakamoto | Nominated |
| 38th Blue Dragon Film Awards | Best Art Direction | Chae Kyung-seon | Nominated |
| 4th Korean Film Producers Association Awards | Best Film | The Fortress | Won |
| 4th Korean Film Producers Association Awards | Best Editing | Nam Na-yeong | Won |
| 4th Korean Film Producers Association Awards | Best Sound | Choi Tae-young | Won |
| 12th Asian Film Awards | Best Cinematography | Kim Jee-yong | Won |
| 12th Asian Film Awards | Best Sound | Choi Tae-young | Nominated |
| 54th Baeksang Arts Awards | Grand Prize (Film) | Kim Yoon-seok | Nominated |
| 54th Baeksang Arts Awards | Best Film | The Fortress | Won |
| 54th Baeksang Arts Awards | Best Director | Hwang Dong-hyuk | Nominated |
| 23rd Chunsa Film Art Awards | Best Director | Hwang Dong-hyuk | Won |
| 23rd Chunsa Film Art Awards | Best Actor | Lee Byung-hun | Nominated |
| 23rd Chunsa Film Art Awards | Technical Award | Kim Jee-yong | Won |
| 27th Buil Film Awards | Best Film | The Fortress | Nominated |
| 27th Buil Film Awards | Best Director | Hwang Dong-hyuk | Nominated |
| 27th Buil Film Awards | Best Screenplay | Hwang Dong-hyuk | Nominated |
| 27th Buil Film Awards | Best Cinematography | Kim Jee-yong | Nominated |
| 27th Buil Film Awards | Best Music | Ryuichi Sakamoto | Nominated |
| 27th Buil Film Awards | Best Art Direction | Chae Kyung-seon | Nominated |
| 55th Grand Bell Awards | Best Film | The Fortress | Nominated |
| 55th Grand Bell Awards | Best Director | Hwang Dong-hyuk | Nominated |
| 55th Grand Bell Awards | Best Actor | Lee Byung-hun | Nominated |
| 55th Grand Bell Awards | Best Screenplay | Hwang Dong-hyuk | Nominated |
| 55th Grand Bell Awards | Best Cinematography | Kim Jee-yong | Won |
| 55th Grand Bell Awards | Best Editing | Nam Na-young | Nominated |
| 55th Grand Bell Awards | Best Art Direction | Chae Kyung-seon | Nominated |
| 55th Grand Bell Awards | Best Lightning | Jo Kyu-young | Won |
| 55th Grand Bell Awards | Best Costume Design | Jo Sang-kyung | Nominated |
| 55th Grand Bell Awards | Best Music | Ryuichi Sakamoto | Won |
| 2nd The Seoul Awards | Best Film | The Fortress | Nominated |
| 2nd The Seoul Awards | Best Actor | Lee Byung-hun | Nominated |
| Camerimage | Golden Frog | Kim Jee-yong | Won |