The Match (2025 film)
| The Match | |
|---|---|
Theatrical release poster | |
| Hangul | 승부 |
| Hanja | 勝負 |
| Lit. | The Game |
| RR | Seungbu |
| MR | Sŭngbu |
| Directed by | Kim Hyung-joo |
| Written by |
|
| Produced by | Kim Tae-won |
| Starring | |
Production companies |
|
| Distributed by | By4M Studio |
Release date |
|
Running time | 115 minutes |
| Country | South Korea |
| Language | Korean |
| Box office | US$14.6 million[1][2] |
The Match (Korean: 승부) is a 2025 South Korean biographical sports drama film directed and written by Kim Hyung-joo, based on two real-life notable Go players Cho Hun-hyun and Lee Chang-ho. It stars Lee Byung-hun, Yoo Ah-in, Ko Chang-seok, Hyun Bong-sik, Moon Jeong-hee, and Kim Kang-hoon.[3][4] The film was released theatrically on March 26, 2025.[5]
Plot
Set in the 1980s-1990s and based on two real-life notable Go players, the film tells the story of Cho Hun-hyun, a Go champion who discovers a gifted but untrained young boy Lee Chang-ho in an amateur contest. He takes him under his wing to turn into a professional player. Conflicts arise when the protégé later turns against his teachings.
Cast
- Lee Byung-hun as Cho Hun-hyun
- Yoo Ah-in as Lee Chang-ho
- Kim Kang-hoon as young Lee Chang-ho
- Ko Chang-seok as Cheon Seung-pil
- Hyun Bong-sik as Lee Yong-gak
- Moon Jeong-hee as Jung Mi-hwa, Cho Hun-yun's wife
- Jo Woo-jin as Nam Ki-cheol[6]
- Jeon Moo-song as Lee Hwa-chun
- Jeong Suk-yong as Chang-ho's father
Production
Casting
In October 2020, Lee Byung-hun and Yoo Ah-in joined the cast of the film, followed by Moon Jeong-hee and child actor Kim Kang-hoon.[7][8][9][10]
Filming
Principal photography began on December 17, 2020.[11] Filming took place in Yeongnam, Gyeongsang Province and Gangwon Province, and wrapped up in July, 2021.[12][13][14][15]
Release
The Match was scheduled to be released on Netflix in 2023.[16][17] Prior to the release, the film launched international sales and was screened at the Busan International Film Festival's Asian Contents & Film Market in October 2021.[18] However, it was delayed following Yoo Ah-in's drug use charges.[19]
In February 2025, it was reported that The Match would to be released in theaters in the first half of 2025 after its Netflix release was delayed.[20] The film will finally be released on May 7, 2025 on the platform in selected regions.[21]
Accolades
| Award ceremony | Year | Category | Nominee / Work | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baeksang Arts Awards | 2025 | Best Actor | Lee Byung-hun | Nominated | [22] |
| Best Screenplay | Kim Hyung-joo, Yoon Jong-bin | Nominated | |||
| Director's Cut Awards | 2025 | Best Director (Film) | Kim Hyung-joo | Nominated | [23] |
| Best Screenplay (Film) | Kim Hyung-joo, Yoon Jong-bin | Nominated | |||
| Best Actor (Film) | Yoo Ah-in | Nominated | |||
| Lee Byung-hun | Won |
References
- ^ "The Match (2025)". Box Office Mojo. IMDb. Retrieved June 14, 2025.
- ^ "KOFIC, KOBIS (Korean Box Office Information System) The Box office: Korean films of 2025". KOFIC. Retrieved March 31, 2025.
- ^ Jo Hyun-na (January 13, 2022). 2022년 한국영화 신작 프로젝트: '승부' 김형주 감독 [A new Korean film project in 2022: 'Game of Thrones', directed by Kim Hyung-joo]. Cine21. Retrieved January 13, 2022.
- ^ Jeon Hyung-hwa (December 16, 2022). 이병헌x유아인 '승부' 넷플릭스 영화로 공개..공식 발표 [Lee Byung-hun x Yoo Ah-in's 'match' released as a Netflix movie... Official announcement] (in Korean). Star News. Retrieved December 16, 2022 – via Naver.
- ^ Kim Kyung-hee (February 17, 2025). '승부' 극장에서 개봉 확정, 유아인 지우고 이병헌만 포스터에 등장 ['The Match' confirmed to be released in theaters, Yoo Ah-in erased, only Lee Byung-hun appears on the poster] (in Korean). MBC. Retrieved February 17, 2025.
- ^ Yoo Su-yeon (March 7, 2025). '승부' 이병헌, '내부자들' 이어 조우진과 호흡.."편하지만은 않아" [Oh!쎈 현장] ['Match' Lee Byung-hun, 'Insiders', and Jo Woo-jin's chemistry... "It's not comfortable" [Oh! Strong scene]]. The Chosun Ilbo (in Korean). Retrieved March 7, 2025.
- ^ Merican, Sara (October 27, 2020). "Yoo Ah-In In Talks To Join Lee Byung-Hun In New Film About Go Players". Forbes.
- ^ [단독] '써치' 문정희, '승부' 캐스팅…유아인x이병헌과 연기 호흡(종합). OSEN (in Korean). November 4, 2020.
- ^ "MOON Jung-hee Joins THE GAME". Korean Film Biz Zone. November 11, 2020.
- ^ [단독]이병헌의 조훈현 vs 유아인의 이창호, '승부' 연기대결 [종합]. Star News (in Korean). October 6, 2020.
- ^ "이병헌은 오늘도 '열일' 중 "'승부' 촬영 첫날" [SNS★컷]". Newsen (in Korean). December 17, 2020.
- ^ 이병헌, 부산행 기차도 화보 만드는 클래스 '강렬 남성미'. The Korea Herald (in Korean). March 28, 2021.
- ^ 이병헌, 유아인과 호흡 '승부' 크랭크업 "고마웠어요" [스타IN★]. Star News (in Korean). April 1, 2021.
- ^ "이병헌 vs 유아인 연기대결… 영화 '승부' 울산 촬영 마쳤다". Hankook Ilbo (in Korean). April 4, 2021.
- ^ 이병헌-유아인, 영화 '승부' 스틸 공개…개봉일 언제?. Top Star News (in Korean). September 30, 2021.
- ^ 승부 (The Match). Acemaker. 2021.
- ^ Kim, Eun-jung (December 16, 2022). "Star-studded 'The Match' skips theaters, goes straight to Netflix". Yonhap News Agency.
- ^ Noh, Jean (October 8, 2021). "Acemaker boards sales on 'The Match' starring Lee Byung-hun from 'Squid Game'". Screen Daily. Retrieved November 1, 2021.
- ^ Kang Hyo-jin (March 27, 2023). 넷플릭스 "유아인 출연 '승부'·'종말의 바보' 공개 잠정 보류 결정"[공식] [Netflix "Temporarily postponed release of Yoo Ah-in's 'Match' and 'The Last Fool'" [Official]]. SpoTV News (in Korean). Retrieved March 27, 2023 – via Naver.
- ^ Park Jung-hoon (December 14, 2024). [단독] 유아인 마약에 발목 '승부', 내년 상반기 '극장 개봉' 초읽기 [[Exclusive] Yoo Ah-in's Drug-related Ankle 'Competition', Countdown to 'Theatrical Release' in the First Half of Next Year]. MTN (in Korean). Retrieved February 16, 2025.
- ^ "Watch The Match - Netflix". Netflix. Retrieved April 20, 2025.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ Jeong, Han-Byeol (April 7, 2025). 다음 달 열리는 제61회 백상예술대상방송·영화·연극 부문 후보 발표. Hankook Ilbo (in Korean). Naver. Retrieved April 7, 2025.
- ^ Kim Mi-hwa (April 22, 2025). 유아인, 남자배우상 후보→여자배우상은 김고은vs김고은 [디렉터스컷 어워즈]. Star News (in Korean). Naver. Retrieved April 22, 2025.