Emergency Act 19
Encyclopedia
Emergency Act 19 is a satirical
2002 South Korean film about a government act that prohibits popular music, passed in response to a number of musicians being elected to government elsewhere in the world. It is notable for the numerous K-pop
stars that make appearances in the film. The film's English title is sometimes given as Emergency Measure 19 or Emergency 19.
orders his Chief Secretary to invoke "Emergency Act 19". This new law criminalizes
all pop singers, and the army is deployed on the streets of Seoul
to round them up. One pop star, Hong Kyung-min, is arrested while performing a concert, but his angry fans mob the soldiers as they try to take him away. The Chief Secretary's teenage daughter, Min-ji, is amongst the fans, and leading her idol to safety gives him her phone number. Kyung-min finally makes a getaway with his friend and fellow pop star, Kim Jang-hoon.
Once Jang-hoon and Kyung-min become fully aware of the situation, they contact Min-ji who is able to hide the two singers in a secret location. The Chief Secretary finds out that his daughter is working against him, and when she refuses to give them up he has false news reports created, accusing the singers of sexually assaulting
minors
. Meanwhile, more pop stars are rounded up by the authorities who are now aided by another singer, Ju Yeong-hun, who decides to betray his friends in order to save himself.
Angered by their tarnished reputations, Jang-hoon and Kyung-min acquire a gun from a shady weapons dealer, and with Min-ji's help they are able to take the Chief Secretary and his staff hostage
. They take their captives to the park, where Min-ji has organized a mass demonstration
with her friends and other music fans. The army arrive on the scene and engage the demonstrators in conflict, finally capturing Jang-hoon and Kyung-min. The Chief Secretary is able to walk free in all the chaos, but he is appalled by the violence and orders the fighting to stop, convincing the President to repeal the emergency act and restoring peace.
in the film as themselves. They are:
on July 19, 2002, and received a total of 41,034 admissions in Seoul
.
Satire
Satire is primarily a literary genre or form, although in practice it can also be found in the graphic and performing arts. In satire, vices, follies, abuses, and shortcomings are held up to ridicule, ideally with the intent of shaming individuals, and society itself, into improvement...
2002 South Korean film about a government act that prohibits popular music, passed in response to a number of musicians being elected to government elsewhere in the world. It is notable for the numerous K-pop
K-pop
K-pop is a musical genre consisting of electropop, hip hop, pop, rock, and R&B music originating in South Korea...
stars that make appearances in the film. The film's English title is sometimes given as Emergency Measure 19 or Emergency 19.
Plot
Troubled by the growing worldwide trend of pop singers being elected as politicians, the President of South KoreaPresident of South Korea
The President of the Republic of Korea is, according to the Constitution of the Republic of Korea, chief executive of the government, commander-in-chief of the armed forces, and the head of state of the Republic of Korea...
orders his Chief Secretary to invoke "Emergency Act 19". This new law criminalizes
Criminalization
Criminalization or criminalisation, in criminology, is "the process by which behaviors and individuals are transformed into crime and criminals". Previously legal acts may be transformed into crimes by legislation or judicial decision...
all pop singers, and the army is deployed on the streets of Seoul
Seoul
Seoul , officially the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea. A megacity with a population of over 10 million, it is the largest city proper in the OECD developed world...
to round them up. One pop star, Hong Kyung-min, is arrested while performing a concert, but his angry fans mob the soldiers as they try to take him away. The Chief Secretary's teenage daughter, Min-ji, is amongst the fans, and leading her idol to safety gives him her phone number. Kyung-min finally makes a getaway with his friend and fellow pop star, Kim Jang-hoon.
Once Jang-hoon and Kyung-min become fully aware of the situation, they contact Min-ji who is able to hide the two singers in a secret location. The Chief Secretary finds out that his daughter is working against him, and when she refuses to give them up he has false news reports created, accusing the singers of sexually assaulting
Sexual assault
Sexual assault is an assault of a sexual nature on another person, or any sexual act committed without consent. Although sexual assaults most frequently are by a man on a woman, it may involve any combination of two or more men, women and children....
minors
Minor (law)
In law, a minor is a person under a certain age — the age of majority — which legally demarcates childhood from adulthood; the age depends upon jurisdiction and application, but is typically 18...
. Meanwhile, more pop stars are rounded up by the authorities who are now aided by another singer, Ju Yeong-hun, who decides to betray his friends in order to save himself.
Angered by their tarnished reputations, Jang-hoon and Kyung-min acquire a gun from a shady weapons dealer, and with Min-ji's help they are able to take the Chief Secretary and his staff hostage
Hostage
A hostage is a person or entity which is held by a captor. The original definition meant that this was handed over by one of two belligerent parties to the other or seized as security for the carrying out of an agreement, or as a preventive measure against certain acts of war...
. They take their captives to the park, where Min-ji has organized a mass demonstration
Demonstration (people)
A demonstration or street protest is action by a mass group or collection of groups of people in favor of a political or other cause; it normally consists of walking in a mass march formation and either beginning with or meeting at a designated endpoint, or rally, to hear speakers.Actions such as...
with her friends and other music fans. The army arrive on the scene and engage the demonstrators in conflict, finally capturing Jang-hoon and Kyung-min. The Chief Secretary is able to walk free in all the chaos, but he is appalled by the violence and orders the fighting to stop, convincing the President to repeal the emergency act and restoring peace.
Cast
- Kim Jang-hoonKim Jang-hoon- Biography :As Kim Janghoon was born weak, he spent his time singing. Although he was tone-deaf, singing was his only pleasure of life. He quit school and got a job as a DJ at cafes. After he finished his work, he always practiced singing. Long after keeping in touch with many musicians, finally...
as himself - Hong Kyung-min as himself
- Gong Hyo-jin as Min-ji
- No Ju-hyeon as the Chief Secretary and Min-ji's father
- Ju Yeong-hun as himself
List of cameos
Besides the main cast, there are a number of K-pop singers and groups who make cameosCameo appearance
A cameo role or cameo appearance is a brief appearance of a known person in a work of the performing arts, such as plays, films, video games and television...
in the film as themselves. They are:
- Baby V.O.X.Baby V.O.X.Baby V.O.X. was one of South Korea's girl groups, associated with record company DR Music. Although it initially had much internal turmoil, Baby V.O.X. eventually became a cohesive group from 1999 to 2005, releasing hit albums.However, after the failure of their last album Ride West, it began to...
- Brown Eyes
- Can
- Chakra
- Click-B
- Fin.K.LFin.K.LFin.K.L was a Korean pop girl group that debuted in 1998.Their name stands for Fin Killing Liberty, and was intended to mean that the group stood against "the oppression of all freedom" . The group's name was selected by a poll of young people by the record company before the group's inception...
- Harisu
- KangtaKangtaAhn Chil-Hyun , better known by his stage name Kangta is a South Korean pop, R&B singer, first known as the lead singer the boy band H.O.T. ....
- Koyote
- NRGNRG (group)NRG is a South Korean boyband. Their name is an acronym for New Radiancy Group. Originally a five-member group, they became a three-member group when the leader Lee Sungjin left to pursue a career in acting and as an announcer and Chun Myung Hoon left to produce music...
- ShinhwaShinhwaShinhwa is a popular South Korean boy band and hip hop group. The group has six members , and debuted on March 24, 1998. It has enjoyed massive success alongside the likes of Sechs Kies, g.o.d., Turbo , Fin. K.L., H.O.T. and S.E.S...
- UNUN (group)United N-generation was a Korean musical group from South Korea that consisted of two members: Choi Jung Won and Kim Jeong Hoon. They released 5 albums from 2000 to 2005...
Release
Emergncy Act 19 was released in South KoreaSouth Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
on July 19, 2002, and received a total of 41,034 admissions in Seoul
Seoul
Seoul , officially the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea. A megacity with a population of over 10 million, it is the largest city proper in the OECD developed world...
.
External links
- Emergency Act 19 at the Korean Movie Database
- Emergency Act 19 review at Cinespot