Samjin Company English Class
Theatrical release poster
Hangul
삼진그룹 영어토익반
Revised RomanizationSamjingeurup Yeongeotoikban
Directed byLee Jong-pil
Screenplay byLee Jong-pil
Produced byPark Eun-kyung
Starring
CinematographyPark Se-seung
Edited by
  • Heo Sun-mi
  • Jo Han-ul
Music byDalpalan
Production
company
The LAMP
Distributed byLotte Entertainment
Release date
  • October 21, 2020 (2020-10-21)
Running time
110 minutes
CountrySouth Korea
LanguagesKorean
English
Box officeUS$12.8 million[1]

Samjin Company English Class (Korean: 삼진그룹 영어토익반; RR: Samjingeurup Yeongeotoikban; lit. Samjin Group English TOEIC Class) is a 2020 South Korean comedy-drama film written and directed by Lee Jong-pil, starring Go Ah-sung, Esom and Park Hye-su.[2] It was released on October 21, 2020.[3][4]

Plot

In 1995, three female employees at Samjin Company, who are given the opportunity to be promoted if they score at least 600 points at the TOEIC test, enroll in English classes. Lee Ja-young from the production management department, Jung Yu-na from the marketing department and Shim Bo-ram from the accounting department had joined the company straight out of high school and are still low-level employees despite being with the company for eight years and possessing necessary practical "street smarts". One day, Ja-young notices polluted waste water leaking from a factory where she had been sent to. Being a lover of mystery novels, she decides to investigate and Yu-na and Bo-ram join her quest to find out what illegal activities their company might be involved in. The challenge remains for them to find and expose the truth without losing their jobs.[5]

Cast

Production

Principal photography began in late October 2019.[6]

Release

The film was theatrically released on October 21, 2020.

It was invited at the 20th New York Asian Film Festival. It was featured in 'Standouts’ strand and screened at Lincoln Center and SVA Theatre in the two-week festival held from August 6 to 22, 2021 in New York.[7]

Reception

Box office

The film topped the South Korean box office for six days following its release.[8]

Accolades

Year Award Category Recipient(s) Result Ref.
2020 Women in Film Korea Festival Technical Award Bae Jung-yoon Won
2021 41st Blue Dragon Film Awards Best Supporting Actress Park Hye-su Nominated [9]
Esom Won
Best Art Direction Bae Jung-yoon Won
Best Music Dalpalan Won
Technical Award Yoon Jeong-hee (Costume Design) Nominated
57th Baeksang Arts Awards Best Film Samjin Company English Class Won
Best Director Lee Jong-pil Nominated
Best Screenplay Nominated
Best Actress Go Ah-sung Nominated
Best Supporting Actress Esom Nominated
26th Chunsa Film Art Awards Best Director Lee Jong-pil Nominated [10]
Best Screenplay Won
Best Actress Go Ah-sung Nominated
Best Supporting Actress Esom Nominated
30th Buil Film Awards Best Actress Go Ah-sung Nominated [11][12]
Best Supporting Actress Esom Nominated
Popular Star Award Esom Won [13]
Best Screenplay Lee Jong-pil Nominated [12]
Best Music Award Dalpalan Nominated
Best Art/Technical Award Bae Jeong-yoon Nominated

References

  1. ^ "South Korea Box Office SAMJIN COMPANY ENGLISH CLASS (2020)". KOFIC. Retrieved November 16, 2020.
  2. ^ Lee, Seung-mi (September 10, 2019). "Go Ah-sung, Esom, Park Hye-soo to star in "Samjin Company English Class"". HanCinema. Retrieved October 20, 2020.
  3. ^ Song, Seung-hyun (September 28, 2020). "'Samjin Company English Class' brings back '90s vibe". The Korea Herald. Retrieved October 20, 2020.
  4. ^ Kwak, Yeon-soo (September 28, 2020). "Mystery flick depicts 3 young, ambitious women in 1990s". The Korea Times. Retrieved October 20, 2020.
  5. ^ Jung, Ji-eun(정지은) (October 13, 2020). "[리뷰] '삼진그룹 영어토익반' 작은 여성들이 쏘아올린 용기라는 공" [[Review] ‘Samjin Group’s English TOEIC Class’ The Ball of Courage Launched by Small Women]. KBS.
  6. ^ Conran, Pierce (October 2, 2019). "Ko Asung, E Som and Park Hye-su Sign up for Samjin Group's English TOEIC Class". Korean Film Council. Retrieved October 20, 2020.
  7. ^ MacDonald, Joan (July 20, 2021). "20th New York Asian Film Festival Screens Several South Korean Films". Forbes. Retrieved July 25, 2021.
  8. ^ Lee, Gyu-lee (October 27, 2020). "Comedy film 'Samjin Company' floats to top of box office". The Korea Times. Retrieved October 28, 2020.
  9. ^ "[공식]제41회 청룡영화상 후보 발표…'남산의부장들' 10개 부문 최다 노미" (in Korean). November 11, 2020.
  10. ^ Yang So-young (November 19, 2021). "[춘사영화제] '승리호' 최우수 감독상 영예…전도연 송중기 주연상[종합]" [[Chunsa Film Festival] 'Seungriho' Best Director Award... Jeon Do-yeon, Song Joong-ki, Best Leading Actor [Comprehensive]]. Maeil Business (in Korean). Naver. Retrieved November 19, 2021.
  11. ^ 정달식 선임기자, 최학림 선임기자, 박혜랑 기자, 조경건 부산닷컴 기자. "[2021부일영화상] 열기 뜨거웠던 레드카펫… 뜨거운 박수 쏟아진 소감…(영상)". 부산일보 (in Korean). Retrieved October 7, 2021.((cite web)): CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  12. ^ a b "부문별 후보 소개" [Introduction of Candidates by Category]. builfilm.com. Retrieved October 7, 2021.
  13. ^ "조인성·이솜 올해의 스타상 쾌거 "코로나에도 극장 찾아준 관객 감사"[2021 부일영화상]". entertain.naver.com (in Korean). Retrieved October 7, 2021.

External links

Baeksang Arts Award for Best Film
Categories