Kyung-chul is a dangerous psychopath who kills for pleasure. Soo-hyeon, a top-secret agent, decides to track down the murderer himself. He promises himself that he will do everything in his power to take vengeance against the killer, even if it means that he must become a monster himself.
Acting
Choi Min-sik's unhinged ferocity vs. Lee Byung-hun's glacial descent.
Direction
Kim Jee-woon turns violence into brutal choreography.
Editing
144 minutes that feel like being slowly suffocated.
Director
Kim Jee-woon
Lee Byung-hun
Kim Soo-hyeon
Choi Min-sik
Kyung-chul
Jeon Kuk-hwan
Squad Chief Jang
Cheon Ho-jin
Section Chief Oh
Oh San-ha
Joo-yeon
Kim Yoon-seo
Se-yeon
Nam Bo-ra
Section Chief's Daughter
Lee Jun-hyuk
NIS Agent
Yoon Chae-yeong
Nurse Han Song-i
Choi Moo-seong
Tae-joo
Kim In-seo
Se-jung
Kim Kap-soo
Planning Team Deputy Head
Um Tae-goo
Detective
Choi Jin-ho
Planning Director
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
The Korean Media Rating Board initially banned the film for its extreme violence; 90 seconds were cut for theatrical release. Director Kim Jee-woon called the uncut version his true vision.
Choi Min-sik, who played Kyung-chul, previously starred in 'Oldboy' (2003)—making him Korean cinema's patron saint of vengeance-soaked brutality. Lee Byung-hun later became the first Korean actor to present at the Oscars.
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