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Song Hye-gyo, Go Hyun-jung up for occupation-era film about comfort women

Song Hye-gyo (Descended From the Sun) and Song Joong-ki must’ve timed their wedding announcement with new casting offers or vice versa, because on the same day that news broke of their coupledom and October wedding, Song Joong-ki’s name came up for zombie apocalypse drama Kingdom, and Song Hye-gyo announced that she’s considering an offer for a new period film called Go Back Home.

The film is set during the Japanese occupation and tells the story of comfort women who were recruited under false promises of work or education, and forced into sexual slavery and stationed in brothels to serve the Japanese imperial army. The production is courting Song Hye-gyo and Go Hyun-jung (Dear My Friends) to headline, and both actresses have stated that they’re considering the project carefully. If they sign on, they’ll be playing sisters, and not much else has been released about their roles.

Director Ryu Seung-wan’s (Veteran) wife, film producer Kang Hye-jung, is behind the production (they’re also the team behind Song Joong-ki’s upcoming occupation-era prison break movie Battleship Island). It’s been three years since Song Hye-gyo’s last domestic film, the warm family drama My Brilliant Life, and five years since Go Hyun-jung’s action comedy Miss Go, though Go Hyun-jung has recently completed shoots for the low-budget indie film Winter Guest Scarier Than a Tiger, which will be released soon.

I’m so glad to know that more films are going to tackle the subject of comfort women, because it’s a truly tragic part of Korea’s history that should be talked about. Last year’s award-winning Spirits’ Homecoming was based on real-life women who had come forward to share their stories of being forced into slavery, and though it struggled to get funding and complete production, it ultimately topped the box office on opening weekend. I can only hope that a major film with A-list stars will do even more to bring these stories to light.

Go Back Home is still in the planning stages, but hopes to begin filming later this year.

Via Star News, Sports Chosun

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I'm really glad this topic is being addressed in entertainment, because that seems to be the way to engage people and make sure it's not forgotten. History books are great, but a lot of people won't read them, and a picture ends up being worth 1,000 words. I'm sure it will be difficult to watch, and it should be.

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The topic of comfort women is truly tragic. But its not exclusive to Korean history. Other nationalities like southeast asian women were also subjected to this horror during WW2.
So its good that there is another film that will tackle this bleak topic.

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Ido agree. Indonesian people also suffered greatly because they became sex slaves in that same era ?

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They have apparently timed everything together. They even share the same producers.

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Go Hyun Jung ❤

This movie has very interesting topic and with A-listers attached, I hope this movie will turn out great.

So Song Song couple announced wedding + their project news on the same day. I'm not very surprised with their news, but a little surprise to see they are already in marriage plan. But I'm happy for them. Another most beautiful actress in Korea is taken this year, and also another top star couple is born after Kim Tae Hee & Rain. ❤ Waiting for Lee Jun Ki - Jeon Hye Bin wedding news next ?

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I hope LJK-JHB and Jung Kyung Ho-Sooyoung tie the knot soon too.

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Jung Kyung Ho - Soo Young - I love that they are openly date ❤❤❤ And they are taking their relationship seriously. I hope next year we will hear the news! They remind me of Ji Sung- Lee Bo Young before these two got married.

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Have you seen there latest photos where both of them run to each other after showering hearts while saying goodbye? They are so adorable. So ideally kdrama couple but I guess Sooyoung won't get married till GG lives. But I adore these two couples, I hope they go till marriage too like Song-Song couple who I guess have dated for a lesser time than these two.

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I knowwwww!! That was so damn adorable! No black masks and couple hats for these two lovebirds!

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Yessss! I love them both. There's no better thing than to see celebrity to openly date and showing their affections.. ❤

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I'm hoping he'll propose soon like immediately after GG's August comeback & promotions

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I'm extremely happy for both SHK and SJK!! Ever since DOTS, I rooted for the Song-Song couple and my friend and I even talked about how it would be like if they actually became a couple. After hearing their news, I'm ecstatic.

I'm also really glad that this part of history isn't being overshadowed and is being shown in films. This part of history needs to be known and I hope that comfort women is addressed more in films or dramas or anything else.

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What a busy year they will have if ever! Fighting SongSong couple!!! Congrats again! ♥

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The concept of comfort women, the harrowing details that I've read in terms of both Korea and other parts of the world is truly heartbreaking and cruel. I hope it is well written and I hope the two ladies say yes.

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I think these two amazing talents would do justice in a film of such importance. As long as the writing is good, I hope they confirm.

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Thank you.

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I add some real historical stories of tragedy in Korea. These sad stories were reported in Korean newspaper in wartime.
These are historical newspaper clip images. "REAL" stories of tragedy. If you are interested in this topic, you should see this.
http://scholarsinenglish.blogspot.jp/

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I remember this subject covered in Gaksital, it broke me so hard.
I might not be able to watch a whole movie on this subject, weak heart.

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Both Song Hye-Kyo and Go Hyun-Jung are two of my favorite korean actresses. If both of them sign into this project I'd be extremely happy because I know that they will do their work well.

It's such a surprise news for me that both Song Joong Ki and Song Hye-Kyo are getting married! I know that their chemistry is really good in DOTS and know that there have been many shippers of these two stars.. but this news, for me, just comes out of nowhere so I was pretty surprised, in a good way ofc. Congratulations so much!

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This is a painful part of history for many countries in Asia that had once been occupied by the Japanese. It was truly, truly horrific, even girls as young as 9 y.o. were taken from their parents' houses and made into sex slaves (I had read accounts of a few survivors in my country). This movie won't be an easy watch, but I'm glad the topic is being addressed as part of history, and not hushed-up.

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Interesting...good that this part of Korean history is addressed.

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If this is sort of the grown up version of very nuanced Snowy Road, sign them (and me) up.

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ah, I haven't watch Snowy Road yet!

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I'm sure this will be a hit in Korea and deservedly so. I watch NHK news from Tokyo regularly and the subject is very sensitive there. I think the previous Korean administration badly misjudged the negotiations to exact a settlement and "compensation". Ordinary Koreans are clearly at odds with their government and unfortunately the Japanese government is so acutely embarrassed they are not prepared to acknowledge the depth of hurt and need to make a commensurate act of atonement.

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I live in Japan and this is always a hot and sensitive subject, kind of tired of it. This is definitely not a forgotten part in history between Japan and Korea, so lets move on.

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Move on to where? Forgetfulness?

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Ok. Can you face the victims and still say the exact same phrase?
"we are tired hearing this over and over, we're not forgetting that you have been raped repeatedly by our ancestors but let's just move on....."

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When there are still living victims that were forced to be comfort women and they feel as if a genuine apology was never given there is no moving on. These women deserve to have their stories told. This is an issue that makes people uncomfortable because what happened was atrocious. No country is innocent; Germany has the Holocaust and the U.S. has the Japanese internment camps but the point is we don't wipe these events from our history books and pretend all is dandy

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Ko Hyun-Jung!
I'm good even tho I need her more in dramas.

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what rock was i under? why didnt i know they were together?!

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I think we were both under the same rock! ;)

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Pfff me too! I couldn't read beyond the first line for a moment. WHAT.

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I agree that this topic needs to be addressed and Hyekyo has been offered a role. Congrats to our SongSong couple!

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It reminds me of SILENCED / CRUCIBLE, which I still haven't gotten up the guts to watch yet.

Here's hoping that GO BACK HOME succeeds as a consciousness-raising film. Lest we forget.

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Go Hyun-jung. Enough said.

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This is for Song Song Couple: https://teespring.com/songsongcouple

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What a hoot, quick capitalism at its best (?)

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she has improved alot since her that winter the wind blows.

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She was great in That Winter The Wind Blows

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What an amazing looking sisters!!!

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What when did this happen???? Song joong ki marrying SHK..

darn..there goes another bachelor

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Im not quite sure if its a film that i would watch cause it would be a painful watch n too sad. And in actually portraying these roles it would take out a lot from the actresses emotionally too. They have to inhabit their character for a few months, maybe half a year and its not a role for the weak hearted. Im glad the film chose this subject, to shine a light n remember of one of history's darker moments. So i hope its done well in terms of script n acting.
With regards to Song-Song couple, Congratulations to them.

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Whaaat?! They are a couple!

Cool!

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Much love to Director Ryu Seung-wan for digging deep into forgotten, controversial and painful sensitive issues in history. I do hope it's being handle with care.
More important than good storytelling is respecting the people who lived in it.

I love Go Hyun-jung to pieces in period dramas so this is going to be right up her alley. The only thing that is different would be the big screen. She hasn't made a successful transition from dramas to films yet (by choice) so hopefully this would be the film to do it.
Being well loved and respected in dramaland doesn't translate to being a respectable actor in Chungmuro. They all have to earn it.

I've never been into Song Hye-gyo's acting so I have no expectation.

A back to back historical from Ryu is going to be a real treat. I'm so excited!

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hmm...didn't go hyun jung tackle something similiar with eyes of dawn? Its honestly been years since I watched that drama, but it was the first thing I thought of when I read this news...

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Yes, they did in "Eyes of Dawn." That was 4 years before "Sandglass" and Go Hyun-jung was in both. Chae Si-ra who is fantastic in anything was the lead.

EoD tackled the issue of comfort women right at the beginning of the show.
So raw and real! I cried a river for the memories of these women and the horror they had to endure.

"Eyes of Dawn" is arguably one of or the best drama ever made among Korean critics.
Thanks to EoD and Sandglass I learnt a lot about Korean history. I had to stop watching at some point and do some research because I felt like some of it went over my head and I'm glad I did.

I have still have fond memories of Chae Si-ra, Go Hyun-jung, Choi Min-soo, Park Geun-hyung from the golden era and also writer Song Ji-na and director Kim Jong-hak.
They are still among the best in the industry.

I had no idea K-drama existed when "Eyes of Dawn" and "Sandglass" came out but I'm glad I got to watch them even much later and learn to appreciate good historical dramas because they have more to offer than just entertainment.

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Reading the last paragraph sent shivers down my spine because I read an article about the comfort women from BBC and how Japan doesn't still want to take responsibility for it did.
Its indeed tragic. I hope this gets the stories of these women much more attention

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Interesting, I'll check it out. I miss Miss Go on my screen. I didn't know she was starring in an indie movie... yay! Damn she's paired wih Lee Jin Wook... !

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The Korean word for this movie "환향", literally meaning "returning home," has a special added significance to Koreans because this word plus "녀" (woman) was used to refer to some Joseon women who got kidnapped by the invading Manchu army and dragged to China during the Qing invasion of Joseon (1636-1637) and later released or escaped to return home. After all they had suffered, they were not welcomed home because they were considered defiled by the Manchus and thus unchaste and dirty. A lot of these women ended up committing suicide or becoming prostitutes. To this day, "환향녀" in Korean is a bad word referring to a sexually loose woman when the historical 환향녀들 were victims not only of a foreign invasion and brutality but also of the hypocritical patriarchal Joseon society that gave them no power whatsoever to participate in the country's politics, military, diplomacy or economy or even education but blamed them when they were too weak to protect themselves when in fact it was the men in power that failed to protect them. I hope this movie also goes into the responsibility the incompetent, hypocritical Joseon society must bear and share for these women's personal tragedies.

And the incompetent, hypocritical Joseon at the turn of the 19th century was the end result of all incompetent, stupid actions of such kings as Yeonsangun and Joongjong piling up century after century. Yes, the misdeeds and misjudgment of those in power have real consequences in the lives of the ordinary people.

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Ties between Korea and Japan in general are always tense, and a HUGE part of that comes from the issue of comfort women and how Korea refuses to forget how heinous the kidnappings/rape/abuse were regarding their women. I think it's great they're making a film about it (and even greater they're choosing Song Hye-kyo who is an ambassador/donor regarding victims who were once comfort women), because people in my generation and younger might have the facts all wrong or have a faint idea about the topic but need to see it fleshed out in a historical film like this.

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If negotiations go well I'm pretty sure Song Hye Kyo would want to take this offer as she (and Song Joong Ki, too) is a big advocate of charities benefiting comfort women. I've read a couple of articles discussing her partnership with a historian in raising awareness about Korea's struggles and sacrifices during the Japanese occupation. If she does take the project, I hope we'll see an unrestrained rawness to her acting that we haven't seen in the past. As much as I love her, I agree that she tends to hold back in her acting. Go Hyun Jung is an excellent choice, as well. I'm sure she'll do her role justice.

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So happy for Song Hye Kyo Song Joong Ki couple, the best news all year!

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I hope this project pushes through. And I hope SHG will be a part of this. It seems to be a good acting vehicle and if the story is solid. Then it may have a good chance. I want to see her in a movie again.

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It's DescenDANTs of the sun, not descended of the sun (that would probably be an alien movie).

Sorry can't help but noticing (because it appears in the rest of your articles too so many times).

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