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Along with the Gods: The Two Worlds (신과함께: 죄와 벌; Singwa Hamkke - Joe wa Beol; lit. Together with God - Sin and Punishment) is a 2017 South Korean fantasy action film directed by Kim Yong Hwa. It was based on the webtoon of the same name by Joo Ho Min and stars Ha Jung Woo, Cha Tae Hyun, Ju Ji Hoon, and Kim Hyang Gi.
The film was shot as one but presented in two parts. The first part, Along with the Gods: The Two Worlds, was released on December 20, 2017. The sequel, titled Along with the Gods: The Last 49 Days, was released on August 1, 2018.
In June 2018, it was announced that another two sequels are scheduled to be filmed in 2019.
As of May 2019, Along with the Gods: The Two Worlds is the third most viewed film in South Korean film history.
Synopsis[]
| “ | A firefighter dies and arrives in the afterlife, where Guardians take him through the seven trials and a perilous journey through different hells. | ” |
—Official Netflix Description[1] | ||
"Kim Ja Hong... Kim Ja Hong... Kim Ja Hong!"
After hearing someone call his name 3 times, Ja Hong (Cha Tae Hyun) feels his spirit lifted up in the sky and is transported to an invisible world where all human beings will eventually end up. Ja Hong, a humane and devoted firefighter, is killed on the job while trying to save a child's life. With the guidance of three afterlife guardians – Gang Rim (Ha Jung Woo), the leader, Haewonmak (Ju Ji Hoon), the security, and Deok Choon (Kim Hyang Gi), the assistant - Ja Hong is taken to the afterlife.
He must pass a series of 7 hells over the course of just 49 days to gain a chance for reincarnation. The guardians assist Ja Hong for one reason: if they help reincarnate 49 souls in 1,000 years, the king of the afterlife, Yeomra (Lee Jung Jae), will reincarnate them as well. Ja Hong is their 48th potential reincarnation. Ja Hong goes on a journey to pass all 7 hells, in which he is tried on 7 sins - murder, indolence, dishonesty, injustice, betrayal, violence, and filial impiety.
At every stage, Ja Hong's life is shown to be selfless, and he smoothly passes through most of them. Ja Hong soon learns that if he successfully passes all 7 hells, he will be given a chance to appear in anyone's dream before being reincarnated. He earnestly wishes that he can say one last goodbye to his aging mother, and is determined to pass all the trials to make this happen. During his journey, however, Su Hong (Kim Dong Wook), is accidentally killed while serving in the military. Angered and aggrieved, Su Hong becomes a vengeful spirit, a restless and evil spirit that wanders the living world. The appearance of the vengeful spirit also shakes up the afterlife, which consequently obstructs Ja Hong's journey. Gang Rim heads to the living world and chases after Su Hong to investigate his untimely death.
But as circumstances of Su Hong's death and Ja Hong's life are uncovered, it becomes more difficult to prove Ja Hong's innocence and his fate is all the more uncertain.[2]
Plot[]
Firefighter Kim Ja Hong (Cha Tae Hyun) dies in the line of duty and is escorted to the afterlife by 3 guardians, Haewonmak (Ju Ji Hoon), Lee Deok Choon (Kim Hyang Gi) and their leader Gang Rim (Ha Jung Woo). He finds out that they are to escort and defend him in 7 trials in 49 days. If he passes the trials, he will be reincarnated and his guardians will be given credit towards their own reincarnation.
In the first court, Hell of Murder, Ja Hong is tried for the indirect murder of his colleague, his superior, in a fire where Ja Hong allegedly left him to die. He is about to be sentenced when it is revealed that he had done so only on the orders of his superior, had saved the lives of 8 others in the incident, and had attempted to go back to rescue him only to be held back by other colleagues. The judge determines that the murder charge was groundless and Ja Hong is freed.
In the 2nd court, Hell of Indolence, where those who whiled away their life in laziness and inaction are punished. Ja Hong was presented by his guardians as someone who spent his free time helping others and working. Ja Hong blurts out that he only worked for the money and was about to be punished when Gang Rim interjects that the only reason Ja Hong did so was to earn money support his ailing mother and his brother. Ja Hong's actions are determined to be selfless and he is freed.
On the way to the Hell of Deceit, Ja Hong learns that one of the perks of being reincarnated would be that he would be given the ability to communicate to anyone living through their dreams once. Along the way, they are attacked by ghouls and notice the physics of Hell beginning to operate differently. This change indicates that a member of Ja Hong's family had died with a grudge and has become a vengeful spirit. Gang Rim leaves the party to investigate and the rest make their way to the court. In the Hell of Deceit, Ja Hong is accused of writing fake letters to the family of those who had died, one of whom is Ji Yeon, the daughter of his fallen superior, making him a liar. Gang Rim manages to use a connection he has with Deok Choon to defend his actions, stating that Ja Hong had also written fake letters to his mom to cheer her up, allowing her to focus on her health. His letters to Ji Yeon, despite her actually understanding that her father was dead, also helped her to cope with her loss. The evidence is thrown out and the charges are dismissed.
Gang Rim determines that it is Ja Hong's brother Soo-Hong who has become a vengeful spirit. He travels to Soo Hong's military camp, where the buzz is that Soo Hong, who was about to be discharged, had deserted and was nowhere to be found. He finds that Soo Hong has been accidentally killed while on guard duty by his partner Dong Yeon, and his death was covered up by his superior Lieutenant Park. Gang Rim foils an attempt by Soo Hong to kill Dong Yeon and learns that the reason for Soo Hong becoming a vengeful spirit wasn't Ja Hong leaving and not coming home till he was a dead body, but his anger and sense of betrayal towards Dong Yeong and Lt Park.
Dong Yeon tips off the Soo Hong's mother on the location of his body and attempts suicide. He is saved by Gang Rim on Soo Hong's request after the latter agreed to cooperate.
Ja Hong, Haewonmak, and Deok Choon, pass through the Hells of Injustice and Betrayal without trial. In the Hell of Violence, Ja Hong is tried for beating up Soo Hong when they were younger and the latter was suffering from malnutrition. As Ja Hong was not forgiven, he is convicted and is about to be punished when Gang Rim instructs Deok Choon to request for a combined trial at the next court, the Hell of Filial Impiety, as the situation is linked. The request is granted.
Ja Hong reveals that the motivation for him beating up Soo Hong was that; at that time, the family was poor and their mother was ailing. Ja Hong has intended to suffocate his sleeping mother then kill Soo Hong and himself from a drug overdose but was discovered. In a fit, he beat up Soo Hong and fled the family home in shame and guilt, opting not to be a burden and dedicate his life to supporting them.
Gang Rim, Soo Hong, and his mother arrive at the army base only to witness her shabby treatment at the hands of Lt Park. Enraged, Soo Hong transforms back into his vengeful spirit form and lashes out, damaging the army base in an attempt to harm Lt Park and only stopping when he realizes how his actions are affecting Ja Hong in the afterlife.
At the Hell of Filial Impiety Ja Hong is immediately judged by Yeomra to be guilty. He learns that on the night of his attempted murder-suicide, he had assumed that his mother was sleeping when he was about to suffocate her, when in reality she was awake and aware and had decided to allow it, knowing that she was a burden on her family; with his sins also compounded by him being away from his family for 15 years and not seeking forgiveness. Soo Hong, with the help of Gang Rim and Haewonmak, enters his mother's dream and learns that she had already forgiven Ja Hong for that night. Since sins that have been forgiven in the living world are not allowed to be judged in the afterlife, Ja Hong is allowed to be reincarnated.
Gang Rim realizes that Yeomra had been meddling with his investigation in the living world. He decides to confront Yeomra directly and chooses Soo Hong to be the next and last soul that the guardians need to attain their own reincarnation.
Cast[]
- Ha Jung Woo as Kang Rim
- Cha Tae Hyun as Kim Ja Hong
- Sung Yoo Bin as Young Kim Ja Hong
- Ju Ji Hoon as Hae Won Maek
- Kim Hyang Gi as Lee Deok Choon
- Gu Seung Hyun as Young Kim So Hong
Soundtrack[]
Production[]
Along with the Gods took ₩40 billion (around US$36.6 million) to produce. Both parts of the film were shot simultaneously. Dexter Studios, one of Asia's largest film production and visual effects studios, who was also behind director Kim Yong Hwa's previous film Mr. Go (2013), created the visual effects for the film. It was reported that around 300 artists and technicians took part in the film's production.
Chinese production company Alpha Pictures invested $2.2 million.
Filming began on May 26, 2016 and ended on March 22, 2017. Actor Kim Woo Bin was offered the lead role but he declined.
Release[]
Along with the Gods: The Two Worlds was released in the Korean cinemas on December 20, 2017. The film was pre-sold to 12 countries and regions including Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macau, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Brunei, the Philippines, Cambodia, Laos, the U.S and Canada at the Asian Film Market in Busan. Further to that, the film was pre-sold to another 90 countries at the American Film Market (AFM) in Santa Monica, California, U.S.A, increasing the number of countries released to 103 in total.
Reception[]
Box office[]
South Korea[]
Upon its release in the theaters, the film attracted 422,339 viewers on its first day and topped the box office with nearly US$2.9 million gross. By December 22, 2017, the film surpassed the 1 million viewer mark and grossed a total of US$9.3 million.
As of December 31, 2017, the film has attracted 8,523,149 viewers with a total earning of US$63.9 million. As of January 3, 2018, the film attracted 10 million viewers in just 15 days.
By February 10, 2018, Along with the Gods: The Two Worlds grossed more than US$105 million and became the second highest-grossing film in South Korea.
Taiwan[]
Upon its release in the theaters in Taiwan on December 22, 2017, the film grossed NT$5 million. In the first week of its release, the film grossed NT$30 million, topping the weekend box office, and became the second-highest-grossing Korean film of all time in Taiwan. After a week of its release, the film grossed NT$50 million. On the 10th day of its release, the film grossed NT$100 million. On January 16, 2018, the film overtook Train to Busan to become the highest-grossing Korean film in Taiwan, after grossing near to NT$350 million. A month after its release in Taiwan, the film grossed NT$404 million.
Hong Kong[]
Prior to the official release of the film, the film grossed HK$2.4 million from preview tickets sales. On the first day of its official release, the film grossed HK$5 million. As of January 14, the film attracted more than 280,000 viewers and grossed HK$12.5 million. As of January 16, the film grossed more than HK$16 million, surpassing The Battleship Island to become the second highest-grossing Korean film in Hong Kong. As of January 28, the film grossed more than HK$40 million.
Adaption[]
On December 28, 2017, Realies Pictures, the production company of Along with the Gods: The Two Worlds, announced a television adaptation of the film. According to the company, the script will be written in 2018, and the drama would be produced in 2019.
Awards and nominations[]
| Award | Category | Nominee | Results |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9th KOFRA Film Awards | Film Person of the Year | Kim Yong Hwa | Won |
| 12th Asian Film Awards | Best Action Film | Along with the Gods: The Two Worlds | Nominated |
| Best Production Design | Lee Mok Won | ||
| Best Visual Effects | Jin Jong Hyun | ||
| 54th Baeksang Arts Awards | Best Film | Along with the Gods: The Two Worlds | |
| Best Director | Kim Yong Hwa | Won | |
| Technical Award | Jin Jong Hyun | ||
| Best Supporting Actor | Kim Dong Wook | Nominated | |
| 23rd Chunsa Film Art Awards | Special Audience Award for Best Film | Along with the Gods: The Two Worlds | Won |
| Best Supporting Actor | Kim Dong Wook | ||
| Best Supporting Actress | Kim Hyang Gi | Nominated | |
| Technical Award | N/A | ||
| 27th Buil Film Awards | Best Director | Kim Yong Hwa | |
| Best Art Direction | Lee Mok Won | ||
| 2nd The Seoul Awards | Best Film | Along with the Gods: The Two Worlds | |
| Best Actor | Ha Jung Woo | Won | |
| Best Supporting Actor | Ju Ji Hoon | ||
| Best Supporting Actress | Ye Soo Jung | ||
| 38th Korean Association of Film Critics Awards | Best Technology (Visual Effects) | Jin Jong Hyun | |
| 39th Blue Dragon Film Awards | Best Film | Along with the Gods: The Two Worlds | Nominated |
| Audience Choice | Won | ||
| Best Director | Kim Yong Hwa | Nominated | |
| Best Actor | Ha Jung Woo | ||
| Best Supporting Actor | Kim Dong Wook | ||
| Best Supporting Actress | Kim Hyang Gi | Won | |
| Best Cinematography and Lightning | Kim Byung Seo & Shin Kyung Man | Nominated | |
| Best Editing | Kim Jin Oh & Kim Hye Jin | ||
| Best Art Direction | Lee Mok Won | ||
| Technical Award (Visual Effects) | Along with the Gods: The Two Worlds | Won | |
| Popular Star Award | Kim Hyang Gi | ||
| Audience Choice Award for Most Popular Film | Along with the Gods: The Two Worlds (1st) | ||
| 5th Korean Film Producers | Technical Award | Jin Jong Hyun |
Trivia[]
- The drama was based on the webtoon "Along with the Gods" by Joo Ho Min.
- The movie only adapts the "Afterlife" arc of the original webcomic. The webcomic is separated into three arcs: "Afterlife", "Life", and "Myth".
Gallery[]
Videos[]
