On the night of Dec. 3, 2024, when a sudden declaration of martial law brought Korea to a halt, the cinematic documentary Ran 12.3 confirmed its release on April 22 and released its first poster.
The film Ran 12.3 is director Im Myung-se's cinematic documentary that records the breathless on-the-ground actions of those who rose to defend democracy against the sudden declaration of martial law by President Yoon Suk-yeol on Dec. 3, 2024. The direction is by filmmaker Im Myung-se, who has brought fresh visual style and grammar to Korean cinema with films such as No Mercy for the Rude, Duelist, and M. In this work, the typical documentary devices of narration and interviews are boldly omitted, and the narrative is driven solely by music while reconstructing events like a live-action film to deliver overwhelming tension and immersion. In particular, by weaving fragmented materials together with an emotionless gaze, it densely traces the rapidly unfolding situation at the time. Beyond simple reenactment, it will offer an immersive experience in which audiences deeply enter and experience the flow of events.
This project began with the goal of recording those who rose to defend democracy on the night martial law was declared. It leads audiences to the center of Dec. 3 through unprecedented archiving, including videos and photos directly provided by some 150 citizens, records from about 50 lawmakers' offices and staff, reporting by on-scene journalists, and materials from YouTubers. The determination of the citizens who rushed to the scene in Yeouido that night also extended to participation in the film's production. A postproduction support crowdfunding campaign run by Wak-the-Dog in Dec. 2025 achieved 110% of its goal, drawing heated interest even before release.
The released first poster draws attention with the hanja for ran filling the space and written large. The title Ran 12.3 is inspired by the first character of Admiral Yi Sun-sin's Nanjung Ilgi, adding weight to the work. The copy "the record of the night we protected" blends with an image of the plaza in front of the National Assembly filled with citizens holding light sticks and protesting, foreshadowing the crowd scale and unvarnished reality the film will show and raising anticipation. Ran 12.3, which records those who fought from their positions amid the crisis of the nation's stoppage, heightens curiosity about how it will unfold the tense moments of that day on screen.
The cinematic documentary Ran 12.3, which combines extensive records with director Im Myung-se's distinctive direction, is scheduled to open in theaters on April 22.
[Photo] Provided by Production Emu
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