Harbin (2024) is a South-Korean biographical period drama directed by Woo Min-ho—based on the true story of Ahn Jung-geun, a Korean independence activist who assassinated—Itō Hirobumi in 1909. The movie takes viewers on a deep journey through Ahn’s struggles and ultimate sacrifice for Korean independence during a very unstable time in history.
In 1909, the movie follows a resistance fighter named Ahn Jung-geun as he goes on a series of dangerous missions to free Korea from Japanese colonial rule. The story is mostly about his plans to kill Itō Hirobumi, the Japanese Prime Minister, who is seen as a symbol of oppression in Korea. The stakes rise as Ahn and his friends, Woo Deok-sun and Kim Sang-hyun, get closer to Harbin. There are betrayals, tense confrontations, and tragic deaths, which lead to Itō’s death.
Where was Harbin (2024) filmed?
Harbin was mostly filmed in Latvia in the early part of 2023, from January 27 to February 27. The movie was filmed in Latvia because of its historical sites, buildings, and natural scenery that look a lot like those in Korea, Manchuria, and Russia in the early 20th century. A lot of different Latvian towns are used in the movie to play important parts of the story.Here’s a closer look at the filming process and the stunning locations that brought the story to life.
1. Riga, Latvia
Riga, the capital city of Latvia—was the setting for many important scenes in Harbin. Riga’s old buildings, which look like they were influenced by Russia in the early 20th century, made it a great place to stand in for different places in Manchuria and Korea. The production team used the beautiful streets of Riga to capture the tense political climate of the time. They did this by combining accurate historical detail with stunning cinematic beauty.
2. Cesvaine, Latvia
Cesvaine, a town with a lot of history, was used to show places that represented Korea and other parts of the journey of the Korean independence movement. The dramatic scenery around —Cesvaine was perfect for the activists’ secret operations and for some of the most important scenes in the movie.
3. Renge, Latvia
This quiet town was turned into a safe place for people fighting for independence. The rural setting of Renge helped set the tone for the problems—Ahn and his friends had to deal with as they dealt with betrayals and failed assassination attempts. The chilling and unforgiving setting played a crucial role in amplifying the film’s atmosphere of urgency and peril…
4. Stende, Latvia
A lot of outdoor scenes were filmed in Stende’s big, open landscapes. The film’s visual design tried to emphasize how hard it was for the characters to live in such a big, harsh place and Stende’s landscapes were meant to represent how alone the resistance movement was.
5. Kuldiga, Latvia
Kuldiga is known for its beautiful streets and old buildings. This charm was added to Harbin to represent important scenes in the story, such as secret meetings and the trip to Harbin. The cinematographers of the movie captured the old-world look of the town, which gave the historical setting more depth.
6. Liepaja, Latvia
Liepaja’s coastal setting was used to portray scenes that involved key moments of tension and military strategy. That area’s long coastline helped show how long and dangerous Ahn and his friends’ journey was to get to Harbin for their mission.
7. Harbin, Heilongjiang, China
In spite of filming taking place in Latvia, the movie is mostly about the murder in Harbin, China, where Ahn Jung-geun successfully killed Ito Hirobumi. The movie wasn’t shot in the real city of Harbin, but it does a good job of showing what happened by using Latvian towns with similar landscapes. The contrast between snowy, open landscapes and small, cramped rooms creates tension and brings the audience closer to the characters’ feelings and problems.
Director Woo Min-ho and the cast talked about how the locations they chose made the project feel more real and immersive. The film’s cinematography, which was led by Hong Kyung-pyo (who also worked on Parasite and Snowpiercer), did a great job of capturing the rough and tumble mood of the time.
The actor Hyun Bin, who plays Ahn Jung-geun, talked about what it was like to film in Latvia. He liked how the natural beauty of Latvia’s landscapes showed how Ahn and the other activists were feeling and moving. “The vast, cold expanses of the landscape felt like they were part of the story itself, representing the isolation and harsh reality faced by these freedom fighters,” he said.
One thing that director Woo Min-ho said was, “The cold and rough landscapes of Latvia were an important visual tool that helped show how urgent the story was.” I thought it was important for the contrast between light and dark to show how our characters are struggling inside and outside of their relationships.
The actors also said that the places they worked helped them feel like they were really in the roles. Park Hoon, who plays one of Ahn’s friends, said, “These places made us feel like we were really living in that time.” It made the sad parts of the movie a lot stronger.
To sum up, the places where the movie was filmed in Harbin were very important to making the —historical drama come to life. From the cold, dramatic landscapes of Latvia to the careful attention to period detail, these places gave the movie a very real feel. The production’s dedication to realism and historical accuracy made sure that Harbin would emotionally and visually connect with viewers drawing them into the story of Ahn Jung-geun’s brave act of resistance.
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