Code Name: Jackal

Code Name: Jackal

Promotional poster for Code Name: Jackal
Directed by Bae Hyoung-jun
Produced by Jo Han-joo
Screenplay by Oh Sang-ho
Starring Song Ji-hyo
Kim Jae-joong
Oh Dal-su
Music by Kim Jun-seok
Lee Hyo-jeong
Cinematography Moon Wan-hee
Edited by Shin Min-kyung
Production
company
Nomad Films
Distributed by Lotte Entertainment
Release dates
  • November 15, 2012 (2012-11-15)
Running time
107 minutes
Country South Korea
Language Korean
Box office US$1,261,947[1]
Korean name
Hangul 자칼이 온다
Revised Romanization Jakal-i Onda
McCune–Reischauer Chakali Onda

Code Name: Jackal (Hangul: 자칼이 온다; lit. "The Jackal Is Coming" or "Here Comes the Jackal") is a 2012 South Korean action comedy film, starring Song Ji-hyo, Kim Jae-joong of JYJ, and Oh Dal-su. The film was directed by Bae Hyoung-jun, whose works included Too Beautiful to Lie and Once Upon a Time. It was produced by Nomad Films and distributed by Lotte Entertainment.[2] It was released on 15 November 2012 and ran for 105 minutes.[3]

Summary

Clumsy and off-the-wall hit man Bong Min-jung (Song Ji-hyo) is hired to kill top Hallyu star Choi Hyun (Kim Jae-joong). The mission starts by abducting him at Paradise Hotel in Seong-ju, the place where Hyun checked in to rest and stay away from stress, and also where the cops are on a stakeout for serial killer "Jackal". Later on, Hyun finds out that the person who hired Min-jung to kill him is his ex-girlfriend. He then tries to convince Min-jung that he isn't the 'top Hallyu star Choi Hyun' she is looking for so that she would let him escape, one by purposely singing out of tune. Conversations and several attempts to escape happens, until a fan of Hyun (the same one who sneaked into his car at the beginning of the story which caused him to switch cars with his manager) follows him to the hotel and goes inside his room through the window. The girl unties the ropes and takes him to her own suite. Hope vanishes, however, as the girl starts torturing him. Min-jung on the other hand arrived and saved him by using a stun gun on the sasaeng fan. Angela arrives later on and meets Hyun, who is a boy toy of hers, but is stabbed to death during her encounter with Min-jung.

"Jackal" arrives after and starts assaulting Hyun until he and Min-jung reaches the rooftop. Min-jung says that she loves hearing the words "I'll protect you" from Hyun, forcefully kissing him. Min-jung kicks him after, making him to fall down a roof nearby and lose consciousness. "Jackal" reaches the rooftop and engages on a fight against Min-jung, and the truth unravels—Min-jung is the true "Jackal" and the man behind the killing spree is only using her alias. It was also revealed that Min-jung's real target is Angela, and that Choi Hyun is only used as a bait for "Jackal". Flashback also shows that his ex-girlfriend doesn't want Hyun to die, but only wants him to experience betrayal. Min-jung sprays some sort of chemical towards her face to make herself faint and avoid suspicion.

The scene after shows Min-jung talking to Angela's husband Kim Yong-gun, who was actually the one who hired her, telling him that she died instantly despite of the instruction to kill her slowly, showing a flashback on how she managed to stab her. She then leaves the place after getting the salary.

The story ends with Min-jung booking a flight to Buenos Aires to start a new life. While she's waiting for the plane, Hyun calls and asks her to work with him, and after telling him to deposit money, he threatens her by saying he could expose the secret, having Min-jung tell him: "Just wait, I'll kill you".

Cast

Original soundtrack

Production

The film marks the first collaboration between Kim and Song, as well as Kim's first starring role in a big screen debut. A press conference was attended by the cast: Kim Jae-joong, Song Ji-hyo, Han Sang-jin and Oh Dal-su, held on 9 November 2012 at the Lotte Cinema at Konkuk University.[7]

The film ranked fourth and grossed ₩966,147,307 on its first week of release,[8] and grossed a total of ₩1,351,848,104 domestically after two weeks of screening.[9]

International release

Ahead of the film's release, it was announced by its distributor Lotte Entertainment that the film has been pre-sold to six Asian countries: Japan, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore,Indonesia and Brunei.[10][11]

References

  1. "Jackalyi Onda (Here Comes the Jackal) (2012)". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 2013-01-12.
  2. Shackleton, Liz (8 May 2012). "Lotte picks up worldwide rights to Code Name: Jackal". Screen Daily. Retrieved 15 November 2012.
  3. Ho, Stewart (19 October 2012). "The Jackal Is Coming, Starring Song Ji Hyo and JYJ’s Kim Jae Joong, Sets Premiere Date". enewsWorld. CJ E&M. Retrieved 15 November 2012.
  4. "JYJ's Kim Jae-joong Garners 1 Million Twitter Followers". Chosun Ilbo. 12 October 2012. Retrieved 15 November 2012.
  5. Sunwoo, Carla (21 September 2012). "Kim Jae-joong to hold Asia fan meets". Joongang Daily. Retrieved 15 November 2012.
  6. 1 2 3 Ho, Stewart (15 November 2012). "Kim Jae Joong's Self-Written Song Included in The Jackal is Coming OST". enewsWorld. CJ E&M. Retrieved 15 November 2012.
  7. Lee, Nancy (10 November 2012). "JYJ′s Kim Jae Joong and Song Ji Hyo Lighten Up for The Jackal is Coming". enewsWorld. CJ E&M. Retrieved 15 November 2012.
  8. "South Korea Box Office: November 16–18, 2012". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 2013-01-12.
  9. "South Korea Box Office: November 23–25, 2012". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 2013-01-12.
  10. Jang, Sung-ran (13 November 2012). "CODE NAME: JACKAL Gets the Spotlight of Asia". Korean Film Biz Zone. Korean Film Council. Retrieved 15 November 2012.
  11. Ho, Stewart (8 November 2012). "Song Ji Hyo, Kim Jae Joong’s ‘The Jackal is Coming’ Sold to Six Countries". enewsWorld. CJ E&M. Retrieved 15 November 2012.
  12. Ho, Stewart (25 January 2013). "Kim Jae Joong′s ‘The Jackal is Coming’ Reveals Official Japanese Poster". enewsWorld. CJ E&M. Retrieved 26 January 2013.

External links

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