Tough as Iron (Korean깡철이; RRGgangcheoli) is a 2013 South Korean action drama film written and directed by Ahn Gwon-tae, starring Yoo Ah-in and Kim Hae-sook in the title role.[1][2][3]

Tough as Iron
Theatrical poster
Directed byAhn Gwon-tae
Written byAhn Gwon-tae
Produced by
StarringYoo Ah-in
Kim Hae-sook
CinematographyLee Hyung-deok
Edited byKim Sun-min
Music byJo Yeong-wook
Production
companies
Distributed byCJ Entertainment
Release date
  • October 2, 2013 (2013-10-02)
Running time
108 minutes
CountrySouth Korea
LanguageKorean
Box officeUS$7.9 million

Plot

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Gang Cheol (whose name means "iron" in Korean[4]) was once a legendary street gangster in Busan,[5] but he put away his fists and cleaned up his act for the sake of his mother Soon-i, who has dementia. Things are going well for him; he now works as a stevedore at a loading dock and is pursuing a relationship with Soo-ji, a free-spirited woman from Seoul vacationing in the port city. But Soon-i is diagnosed with kidney failure and needs an expensive organ transplant that he cannot afford. Knowing that Cheol is desperate for money, local gang leader Sang-gon proposes that Cheol come work for him and his brother Hwi-gon. At first Cheol refuses, but when his debt-ridden best friend Jong-soo gives the deed to Cheol's house to Sang-gon as collateral for a private loan, he's left with no choice but to get dragged back into Busan's criminal underworld. Cheol is ordered to kill a visiting Japanese Yakuza boss whose death will enable Sang-gon's ascension within the Korean branch of the mob organization.

Cast

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Release

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Tough as Iron opened in South Korean theaters on October 2, 2013.[6] It grossed US$7,889,145 on 1,209,363 admissions.

It also received a limited theatrical release in the United States (October 11, 2013) and Japan (May 2014).[7][8][9]

References

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  1. ^ "Yu A-in to return to screen with new flick". 10Asia. 12 September 2012. Retrieved 17 May 2015.
  2. ^ "Yu A-in Gets Tough in New Flick". The Chosun Ilbo. 2 October 2013. Retrieved 17 May 2015.
  3. ^ Yun, Chloe (3 September 2013) [next day]. "Tough as Iron movie press conference to be held on September 2". BNTNews. Retrieved 17 May 2015.
  4. ^ Lowe, Justin (15 October 2013). "Tough as Iron: Film Review". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 17 May 2015.
  5. ^ Song, Soon-jin (20 January 2014). "Busan Films on the Rise". Korean Film Biz Zone. Retrieved 17 May 2015.
  6. ^ "Tough as Iron (2013)". The Chosun Ilbo. 4 October 2013. Retrieved 17 May 2015.
  7. ^ Conran, Pierce (5 October 2013). "TOUGH AS IRON Set for US Bow". Korean Film Biz Zone. Retrieved 17 May 2015.
  8. ^ Jin, Eun-soo (14 February 2014). "Tough as Iron to get Japan release". Korea JoongAng Daily. Retrieved 17 May 2015.
  9. ^ Conran, Pierce (19 February 2014). "TOUGH AS IRON Heading to Japan". Korean Film Biz Zone. Retrieved 17 May 2015.
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