After love for Pachinko 2, Harbin receives standing ovation at TIFF: All you need to know about Hyun-bin and Lee Dong-wook's period drama

Lee Dong-wook and Hyun-bin took their period drama Harbin to Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) and got lauded for the same. Fans have been showering love for the movie ever since they saw it at the festival. The love for a period-drama film comes at a time when another period-drama series, Pachinko 2, is loved and accepted by all once again. Harbin also received a standing ovation at TIFF 2024.

Harbin lauded at TIFF 2024

Lee Dong-wook and Hyun-bin's Harbin premiered at TIFF last night. The two gave brief interviews at the festival, but when they presented the film on stage, everybody present stood up to laud the Woo Min-ho directorial.

All you need to know about Harbin

Harbin is a biographical period drama. It is based on the Korean Independence activist Ahn Jung-geun, who assisinated the first PM of Japan, Ito Hirobumi. Hyun-bin plays the lead role of Jung-geun in the drama set in 1909. Jung-geun led an attack on Japanese forces in Harbin, China (thus the title). Jung-geun had led the attack despite a concern that one of his associates could be a Japanese informant.

Talking to Deadline, Hyun-bin said that it was not easy to portray Ahn wouldn't be easy because Koreans have their own thoughts and ideas about the martyr. It was after talking to Min-ho (who was also overwhelmed upon receiving the script) that Hyun-bin realized this could be a great opportunity as an actor.

Lee Dong-wook plays the role of Lee Chang-seop. More details about his role are currently under the wraps. Moreover, it is still uncertain who plays the role of Hirobumi in the film.

The movie commences in the early 1900s when Japan forced Korea to sign the Eulsa treaty. Owing to that, Korea becomes a Japanese colony. It is where the story takes off. Both Hyun-bin and Min-ho confessed that The Revenant played a major inspiration for the movie, at least in terms of filming it. About the film, Woo describes it as the story of a man who went through a lot of failures but overcame them and achieved the goals he had.

There is currently no confirmed release date or OTT platform for Harbin.

Pachinko 2 is receiving as much love

Kim Min-ha and Lee Min-ho's Pachinko 2 has been receiving as much love over the past few weeks. Every episode of the show drops on Apple TV+ on Thursdays. The series is the story of a Korean woman who experienced life in Korea under Japanese rule and worked in Japan during World War II. The show also goes back-and-forth but, in particular, portrays her response to the situation around her.