[Exclusive] Tom Cruise Breaks Through Pandemic to Visit Korea with 'Top Gun'

Special Promotion for the Movie 'Top Gun: Maverick'
Visit to Korea on the 19th & Red Carpet on the 20th
Tom Cruise Strongly Determined to Visit Korea, Event Confirmed

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Isul] Hollywood actor Tom Cruise (59) is coming to Korea for the first time since the pandemic.

According to Asia Economy's report on the 2nd, Tom Cruise will visit Korea on the 19th ahead of the release of the blockbuster movie "Top Gun: Maverick" (directed by Joseph Kosinski) and will meet domestic audiences starting from the 20th.

Tom Cruise plans to visit Korea for promotional activities around the time of the "Top Gun: Maverick" Japan promotion. In fact, he has been coordinating his visit to Korea for several months and even changed the domestic release schedule. However, due to COVID-19 related quarantine and prevention measures, it was initially difficult, and discussions leaned toward not visiting. Nevertheless, the actor's strong will to come to Korea and changes in domestic quarantine conditions led to the successful arrangement of his visit.

Nicknamed "Tom hyung" and "Tom ajeossi," Tom Cruise is known as a representative "pro-Korean actor" who loves Korea even more than Koreans. Over the past 20 years, he has consistently visited Korea to meet domestic audiences ahead of the release of movies such as the "Mission: Impossible" series and "Jack Reacher." Ahead of "Top Gun: Maverick," he is set to visit Korea and participate in special events.

"Top Gun: Maverick," which opens on the 22nd, is an aviation action blockbuster about the top pilot Maverick (Tom Cruise) returning as an instructor and the new team members who undertake life-threatening missions. After its world premiere in the U.S. last month, it was screened at the Cannes Film Festival, receiving critical acclaim worldwide. All tickets for the premiere screening and press preview were sold out, showing intense interest. The film, first seen at Cannes, is an entertaining movie perfect for theater viewing, and Tom Cruise's tireless action is impressive.

Known for his physical stunts, Tom Cruise showed great passion by performing all the action scenes himself in "Top Gun: Maverick." It is said that he personally persuaded the U.S. Navy aviation unit to board the F-18 fighter jet. Additionally, together with producer Jerry Bruckheimer, he developed cameras capable of filming inside the cockpit and made efforts to capture all flight scenes.

Tom Cruise showcased "Top Gun: Maverick" at the 75th Cannes Film Festival, which opened on the 17th of last month, successfully reigniting the festival's pre-pandemic enthusiasm. Local movie fans flocked to see him, causing traffic paralysis in the area. The Cannes Film Festival held a special event during the premiere screening red carpet by flying an Air Force fighter jet and screened a tribute video chronicling the life of the Hollywood action star, showing the highest respect.

Breaking through the pandemic, Tom Cruise's visit is expected to play a key role in boosting the theater atmosphere. On the 1st, a public holiday due to local elections, the daily audience number surpassed 1.45 million, setting a record. Expectations are high that Tom Cruise's visit and the release of "Top Gun: Maverick" will ignite box office success.