‘JSA: Joint Security Area’ Trailer: Park Chan-Wook’s 2000 South Korean Mystery Thriller Is Getting A New Blu-Ray Release

Before “Oldboy,” before “The Handmaiden,” visionary South Korean filmmaker Park Chan-wook helmed, “Joint Security Area,” a gripping tale of deceit, misunderstanding, and the senselessness of war.

READ MORE: The Best & The Rest: The Films Of Park Chan-Wook Ranked

Released in 2000, “Joint Security Area,” occurs after a shooting incident at the North/South Korean border/DMZ leaves 2 North Korean soldiers dead. A neutral Swiss/Swedish team investigates, what actually happened.

READ MORE: Park Chan-wook’s ‘The Handmaiden’ Is Deliriously Fun & Terminally Silly [Review]

The film stars many South Korean stars and Chan-wook regulars like Lee Yeong-ae (“Lady Vengeance,” “One Fine Spring Day“), Lee Byung-Hun (“The Age of Shadow, “G.I. Joe: Retaliation“), and Song Kang-Ho, star of this year’s Oscar Best Picture winner “Parasite,” and many other South Korean classics. Moreover, it hasn’t been available on a quality Blu-Ray or DVD in years.

READ MORE: The Essentials: 10 Films Of The Korean New Wave [Primer]

Here’s the official synopsis:

READ MORE: Decision To Leave’: Park Chan-Wook To Begin Production On New Film Later This Month

Gunfire breaks out in the demilitarised zone between North and South Korea, leaving two North Korean soldiers dead while a wounded South Korean soldier (Lee Byung-hun, The Good, the Bad, the Weird) flees to safety. With the tenuous peace between the two warring nations on a knife-edge, a neutral team of investigators, headed by Swiss Army Major Sophie Jean (Lee Young-ae, Lady Vengeance), is dispatched to question both sides to determine what really happened under cover of darkness out in no-man’s land. The recipient of multiple accolades, including Best Film at South Korea’s 2001 Grand Bell Awards, JSA – Joint Security Area showcases Park’s iconic style in an embryonic form, and demonstrates that humanity and common purpose can be found in the most unlikely places.

Arrow Video is re-releasing the film on Blu-Ray/DVD in the U.S., the U.K., and Canada in January 2021, and has released a new trailer for the film which you can watch below. You can pre-order the disc now, but just be aware that Arrow’s website is down for maintenance during the holiday break. Chan-wook is currently shooting his new film, “Decision To Leave,” and it is one of our 100 Most Anticipated Films of 2021.