Pacemaker (2012 South Korean Film)

Pacemaker (Korean: 페이스메이커; RR: Peiseu Meikeo) is a 2012 South Korean sports drama film directed by Kim Dal-jung. The narrative centers on the life of Joo Man-ho, a former promising marathon runner whose career was derailed by a severe leg injury. To support his younger brother, he works as a delivery person at a fried chicken restaurant while continuing to participate in track and field as a pacemaker—a runner tasked with setting the pace for a team during the initial stages of a marathon before withdrawing.

The plot develops when his former coach, Park Sung-il, recruits him to serve as a pacemaker for the South Korean national team in preparation for the 2012 Olympic Games. This opportunity forces Man-ho to confront his past physical limitations and his long-held ambition of completing a full marathon as a champion. The production was filmed between April 11, 2011, and August 28, 2011, and the film was released in South Korea on January 18, 2012.