Hijack 1971 (하이재킹) is a thrilling drama based on the real-life hijacking incident in South Korea. This gripping tale offers a peek into the historical divide of South and North Korea.
The ongoing Korean conflict arises from the division of Korea into two separate entities: communist North Korea (Democratic People’s Republic of Korea) and capitalist South Korea (Republic of Korea). Both nations contend that they are the legitimate government representing all of Korea, so there is high tension between them.
“Hijack 1971” Narrates An Interesting Piece Of Korean Aviation History, As It Depicts The Harsh Political Realities
Trailer (Official): Hijack 1971 (2024/South Korea) Movie
Spoiler Free Review: Hijack 1971 (2024/South Korea) Movie
The synopsis/summary
Tae-In (Ha Jung-Woo) and Gyu-Sik (Sung Dong-Il) are the two pilots on duty on the flight heading to Gimpo. Meanwhile, the plane passengers board the aircraft under the guidance of flight attendant Ok-Soon (Chae Soo-Bin) of the said flight. Tragically, shortly after the flight departs, a homemade bomb goes off, resulting in chaos throughout the cabin. Thus, the movie narrates the harrowing experiences of those fighting for their lives during a hijacking that transpired in the airspace of Korea in 1971.
Inspired by a real-life Plane Hijacking incident in South Korea
We have watched a Korean movie and an Indian series inspired by real-life Hijacking incidents, recently. We are talking about “Hijack 1971” – a Korean film and the “IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack” – an Indian series. These historical plane-hijacking dramas offer us a peek into the past when the security at the airports and planes was not so tight. Then, this movie provided a glimpse into the divide between North Korea and South Korea whereas the series gave us a peek into the tension between India and Pakistan.
The makers of this movie have admirably recreated the 1971 aeroplane resembling the Fokker F27 Friendship. There are quite a few interesting aviation details from that era.
Firstly, the government authorities prepared to shoot down a passenger plane simply because hijackers had taken control of it and were attempting to defect to a hostile neighbouring nation.
Secondly, we liked the simple (and unimaginable) seat allotment process inside the plane shown in this Korean film, which worked on a first-come-first-serve basis. Nowadays, we cannot imagine a scene where passengers sprint towards a commercial plane to get a seat of their liking.
Those are scary and interesting pieces of modern aviation history. If you take a closer look, you will find many more examples.
The entire ensemble cast has done a wonderful job
The four cast members – Ha Jung-Woo (Tae-In), Chae Soo-Bin (Ok-Sun), Sung Dong-Il (Gyu-Sik), and Yeo Jin-Goo (Yong-Dae) kept us glued with their performances. We did not know about this incident beforehand, so the mystery of this plane hijacking story kept us interested to learn more about it. We could feel the palpable tension that gripped almost all the passengers travelling in that 1971 plane. No doubt, the ensemble cast did a wonderful job.
Rating: Hijack 1971 (2024/South Korea) Movie
| FM Rating | 3.50/5 |
The conclusion
It seems that the world has not learnt from History. Even now, there is so much political stress and ideological strain among the nations. Now and then, people might experience such tragic incidents. The societies and the political authorities of many nations are carrying baggage of excessive hate and hostility. In a way, this film reminds us of that.
Key Details: Hijack 1971 (2024/South Korea) Movie
| Genre | Action, Crime, Mystery, Thriller |
| Original Langauge | Korean |
| Duration | 1 hour 40 minutes |
| Writer | Kyung-Chan Kim |
| Director | Kim Sung-Han-I |
| Cast | Ha Jung-Woo (Tae-In), Chae Soo-Bin (Ok-Sun), Sung Dong-Il (Gyu-Sik), Yeo Jin-Goo (Yong-Dae), Jung Jun-Hwan (Constable Lee), Min-Ah Lee (Myeong-Joo), Im Se-Mi (Moon-Young), Kim Dong-Wook (Choi Dong-Cheol), Kim Sun-Young (Young-Sook), Kim Jong-Soo (Jang Young-Hwan), etc. |
| Taglines | One Passenger With A Different Destination |
| Distributor | Sony Pictures Entertainment / Sony Pictures International |
Poster: Hijack 1971 (2024/South Korea) Movie
Spoilers Alert: Real-Life Hijacking Incident & Bonus Information
Based on the real-life hijacking incident
Please note that the movie is inspired by the attempted hijacking of a Korean Air Lines F27 aircraft in 1971.
A Korean Air Fokker F27, with 55 passengers and 5 crew members aboard, was hijacked while flying from Sokcho Airport to Gimpo International Airport, over the region of Hongcheon, and was nearly diverted to North Korea. That plane hijacking incident took place on January 23, 1971.
Extra Information & Ending Explained
Extra information about the movie
The former police officer aboard the aircraft is the same individual who previously apprehended the hijacker and facilitated his incarceration years earlier.
Ending Explained
The crew of F27, including the lead pilot Lee Kang-Heun successfully managed an emergency landing, despite being significantly injured. All 58 passengers and crew survived, the only 2 fatalities were the 22-year-old hijacker and the co-pilot who threw himself at the bomb. Meanwhile, the 11 passengers and crew of the YS-11, who were abducted in 1969, have not returned home.
(Info. source: Hijack 1971 movie)
Bonus information about what happened in the real-life hijacking incident
The Pilots & The Other Crew Members
At 37 years old, Captain Lee Kang-Heun began his career with Korean Air after retiring from his position as an Air Force colonel. First officer Park Wan-Gyu, a veteran pilot, had volunteered for the Air Force during the Korean War, achieving 100 sorties and experiencing captivity.
Trainee pilot Jeon Myeong-Se, a former pilot in the Army Air Corps, joined Korean Air post-retirement as a lieutenant colonel and was receiving instruction from Captain Lee Kang-Heun. During the incident, he heroically threw himself to mitigate the impact of a grenade explosion.
Among the 14 air security officers trained in response to two earlier kidnapping incidents was Air Marshal Choi Cheon-Il.
Furthermore, cabin crew member Seokja Choi was also on board.
The Hero
The late trainee pilot Jeon Myeong-Se, who perished while heroically attempting to secure a bomb with his body, was posthumously awarded the rank of captain and buried at the Seoul National Cemetery. He was also honoured with the First Class Patriotic Service Medal and a pilot’s uniform. It was disclosed at his funeral that he was the younger brother of Jeon Myeong-Seop, the managing director of Korean Air at the time.
Featured Image – Tae-In (Ha Jung-Woo)
Poster & Featured Image of the Hijack 1971 (2024/South Korea) Movie | Pictures Credited to Sony Pictures.