Days are long in Cannes. The sun does not set till after nine in the evening. On the day “The Target” had its first official screening, the sunny weather suddenly broke out into a heavy shower. It was a perfect match for the opening scene of “The Target” that captures the panorama of Myeongjin Building in rain. Selected for the Midnight Screening at the 67th Cannes Film Festival, “The Target” was unveiled to the public at midnight on the 22nd (local time). Inside the Theatre Lumiere where the “The Target” was set to begin, the audience was as tense as Ryu Seung-ryong was when he hid underneath a truck, waiting for his enemies to pass. For the next 1 hour and 39 minutes, that tension in the theater was filled with the presence of actor Ryu Seung-ryong.

When the movie was released in Korea, Ryu Seung-ryong stood at the center of accolades. Appearing as a “beastly character” in “The Target,” Ryu was praised for completing his character with an actor’s primitive instincts. Now in his forties, he jumped into the action scenes not with sleek, sophisticated skills, but with desperation and loneliness that left a lingering impression on the audience. Cannes praised Ryu Seung-ryong as the Robert De Niro of Korea and was intrigued by the remake of the French movie “Point Blank.” Thanks to the spotlight, Ryu Seung-ryong could enjoy the attention of the film people from around the world. 

During the screening, “The Target” drew out laughter and applause from the audience. The more emotional scenes, such as the bloody fight scene between Ryu Seung-ryong and Yoo Jun-sang and when Ryu weeps for his lost brother whom he could not save, also deeply moved the people gathered at the theater. Ovation rang throughout the theater for more than three minutes after the movie ended. Unfortunately, Ryu Seung-ryong could not attend the festival due to his filming schedule in Korea.

“The Target” was sold to Germany, Turkey, Switzerland, and the Middle East and South America at the film market. According to the distributor CJ Entertainment, the Middle East and South American distributors who bought the movie are major companies in their respective regions. Back in Korea, “The Target” has recorded 2.6 million admissions since its release on April 30. Although a month has passed since its release, it is still ranked at the top end of the box office chart thanks to its success at the Cannes Film Festival. Director Chang is thinking of releasing the uncut version that was screened at the Cannes Festival if the movie surpasses the 3 million admission mark.