The Man Standing Next
The Man Standing Next
| The Man Standing Next | |
|---|---|
 South Korean theatrical release poster | |
| 남산의 부장들 | |
| Directed by | Woo Min-ho |
| Starring | Lee Byung-hunKwak Do-won |
| Distributed by | Showbox |
Release date | 22 January 2020 |
Running time | 114 min |
| Language | Korean |
| Box office | $32,893,764[1] |
The Man Standing Next (Korean: 남산의 부장들; RR: Namsanui bujangdeul; literally Chiefs of Namsan) is a 2020 South Korean political drama film directed by Woo Min-ho. Based on an original novel of the same title, the film stars Lee Byung-hun, Lee Sung-min, Kwak Do-won, and Lee Hee-joon as the high ranking officials of the Korean government and the Korean Central Intelligence Agency (KCIA) during the presidency of Park Chung-hee 40 days before his assassination in 1979.[2]
The film premiered in South Korea on 22 January 2020, where it topped the box office until 4 February 2020.[3][4][5][6] It was released in the United States on 24 January 2020.[7] It was selected as the South Korean entry for the Best International Feature Film at the 93rd Academy Awards.[8] [9]
Plot
In the 1970s, Korea is under the absolute control of President Park who controls the KCIA, the organization with an edge over any branch of government. The director of the KCIA, Kim Gyu-pyeong, is a shoo-in for second-in-command. In the midst of a reign of fear, a former KCIA director, Park Yong-gak, who knows all about the government's obscure and illegal operations, is exiled to the U.S., where he opens the floodgates to the investigation of Koreagate. As tension escalates, stifling political maneuvers by those desiring power collide explosively.
Cast
- Lee Sung-min as President Park: based on Park Chung-hee, the 3rd President of South Korea[10] and father to Park Geun-hye, the 11th President of South Korea
- Lee Byung-hun as Kim Gyu-pyeong: the fictional lead character based on Kim Jae-gyu.
- Kwak Do-won as Park Yong-gak: former KCIA director based on Kim Hyong-uk
- Lee Hee-joon as the head of the president's security team, inspired by Park's loyal bodyguard Cha Ji-chul.
- Eric Bernard as The French Henchman
Reception
Critical reception
The Man Standing Next holds a 75% approval rating on review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, based on 8 reviews, with a weighted average of 7.88/10.[11]
Awards and nominations
| Year | Award | Category | Recipient | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 25th Chunsa Film Art Awards | Best Director | Woo Min-ho | Nominated | [12][13] |
| Best Actor | Lee Byung-hun | Won | |||
| Best Supporting Actor | Lee Sung-min | Won | |||
| Lee Hee-joon | Nominated | ||||
| Best Supporting Actress | Kim So-jin | Nominated | |||
| 56th Baeksang Arts Awards | Best Film | The Man Standing Next | Nominated | [14][15] | |
| Best Director | Woo Min-ho | Nominated | |||
| Best Actor | Lee Byung-hun | Won | |||
| Best Screenplay | Woo Min-ho & Lee Ji-min | Nominated | |||
| Technical Award | Kim Seo-hee (Makeup and Hair) | Won |
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