Ashfall, also known as Mount Paektu, is a South Korean Disaster Movie released in 2019. It was directed by Lee Hae-jun and Kim Byung-seo.
After the eruption of Mt. Paektu (a volcano on the China-North Korea border) causes massive earthquakes and ashfall across the Korean peninsula, government official Jeon Yoo-kyung (Jeon Hye-jin) initiates an operation based on the research of geologist Kang Bong-rae (Ma Dong-seok). A special forces captain, Jo In-chang (Ha Jung-woo), leaves behind his pregnant wife Choi Ji-young (Bae Suzy) in Seoul in order to lead the mission. Recruiting a North Korean spy with his own agenda, Lee Joon-pyeong (Lee Byung Hun), In-chang and his team must somehow stop the volcanic eruptions and earthquakes.
No relation to the Ashfall books made by Mike Mullin, besides the fact that their titles are a reference to volcanic ashfalls.
Tropes in this film:
- Babies Ever After: One year after the film's events, Ji-young has given birth to her and In-chang's son.
- Bittersweet Ending: The earthquakes have caused significant damage across the peninsula and Joon-pyeong gave his life to stop them. Some time later later In-chang has his daughter as his own and has also had a healthy son with Ji-young, while the Korean peninsula begins to rebuild.
- Born During a Storm: Variation, Ji-young gives birth during a devastating earthquake, with the shaky camera, her husband's daring escape, and the shots of the devastation accompanying the pain of childbirth.
- Climactic Volcano Backdrop: During the climax, In-chang has to deliver a uranium bomb deep into a mine in hopes of stopping the volcanic eruptions and their accompanying earthquakes.
- Disaster Movie: The film is about volcanic eruptions and their accompanying earthquakes that threaten to destroy the entire Korean peninsula.
- Heroic Sacrifice: Already bleeding out from a wound, Joon-pyeong leaves his daughter in In-chang's care and brings the uranium bomb into the mines himself. The explosion kills him but also stops the earthquakes.
- Imperiled in Pregnancy: The pregnant Ji-young at one point is stuck in her car as a tsunami bears down on her.
- Maternity Crisis: Ji-yeong's labor starts just as the hospital she makes it to starts crumbling due to an earthquake.
- Naturalized Name: Kang Bong-rae goes by "Robert" abroad. When he decides to move back to Korea at the end he and Yoo-kyung agree to refer to him by his Korean name instead.
- Odd Couple: The film relies on the rapport between proper South Korean captain In-chang and wily North Korean spy/killer Joon-pyeong.
- The Only One I Trust: Joon-pyeong tells In-chang he's the only person he trusts to take care of his daughter.
- Phlebotinum Bomb: Kang Bong-rae's plan is to trigger a massive explosion under Mt. Paektu in order to stop the earthquakes. The problem is that South Korea does not have nukes, so In-chang has to figure out how to obtain some uranium then turn it into an explosive that will work.
- The Place: The film is also titled Mount Paektu after the volcano at the center of the story.
- Rule of Symbolism: Fittingly for a movie that has a North and South Korean working together, Mt. Paektu holds great significance for both countries.
- Scenery Gorn: A lot of shots of places in both South and North Korea devastated by the earthquakes.
- Take Care of the Kids: In-chang adopts Joon-pyeong's daughter before the latter man's Heroic Sacrifice.
