The Spy Gone North

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Movie
German title The Spy Gone North
Original title Gongjak ( 공작 )
Country of production South Korea
original language Korean
Publishing year 2018
length 137 minutes
Rod
Director Yoon Jong-bin
script Kwon Sung-hwi
Yoon Jong-bin
production Kuk Su-ran
Han Jae-duk
Son Sang-bum
music Jo Yeong-wook
camera Choi Chan-min
cut Kim Sang-bum
Kim Jae-bum
occupation

The Spy Gone North (Original Title: 공작 Gongjak ) is a South Korean spy thriller by Yoon Jong-bin from the year 2018. The film is loosely based on the statements of the South Korean agent Park Chae-seo, the North Korea should infiltrate nuclear facilities. The film premiered at the 2018 Cannes International Film Festival and opened in South Korean cinemas on August 8, 2018.

action

Park Seok-young is an agent of the South Korean secret service . From a nuclear technician who teaches at a Chinese university, he learns that North Korea has been promoting nuclear research since 1989 and now, 4 years later, is already in possession of nuclear weapons. The head of the secret service, Choi Hak-seong, instructs him to infiltrate North Korea and find out everything about the nuclear facility in Yŏngbyŏn . For this he is sent to China under the guise of a trader . After a while he can get in touch with Ri Myong-un, who heads the North Korean economic unit.

Park suggests that South Korean companies could shoot commercials in North Korea. Ri is convinced of the idea. He is an admirer of the Chinese boom and thinks North Korea could do something similar through trade. The head of state security, Jong Moo-taek, is skeptical, however. However, Ri succeeds in getting the idea to reach General and State Leader Kim Jong-il . He invites Park over and agrees. While commercials will initially be shot on the Paektusan and Geumgangsan mountains , Park suggests that later videos could also be shot in Yŏngbyŏn . But here Ri knocks out. It is not possible. When Park suggested a river 5 km away, he agreed.

As Park gets closer to the nuclear facility, he suddenly finds himself in a political intrigue. In the polls for the 1998 presidential election , the left-wing liberal candidate Kim Dae-jung came out on top. This is known for its conciliatory North Korea policy. The South Korean secret service also fears that Kim Dae-jung could shut down her organization. Sections of the population accuse Kim of selling the country to North Korea in the event of a presidency. Therefore, the south plans that the north should provoke a skirmish . This would show North Korea's danger and ensure the choice of the Conservative candidate. Choi Hak-seong contacts Park to help.

First of all, the North agrees with the idea of ​​South Korea, as they offer money and both want to maintain a hostile relationship in order to maintain power. But Park and Ri oppose it. You see the danger of the project and want a friendly relationship between the states. They manage to convince Kim Jong-il not to perform the operation. There is no skirmish and Kim Dae-jung is elected president . The secret service has now withdrawn Park's anonymity and gives the press information about him. This also tells the North Korean side that he was a secret agent. Ri helps him escape. But after that he doesn't hear from him for years. All of the men around him were also withdrawn from Beijing. However, Park continues to campaign for television advertising agreements between the two countries.

In 2005 he succeeds in participating in the first South Korean advertisement with a North Korean woman in the lead role. He meets Ri again.

reception

The Spy Gone North drew almost 5 million viewers to South Korean cinemas.

Hollywood Reporter's Deborah Young has a rather positive review of the film and writes of a "timely, confusing, fascinating, lengthy true story."

Trivia

The advert at the end of the film actually existed. In 2005, South Korean singer Lee Hyori , who has a cameo in the film , and North Korean dancer Cho Myong-ae appeared in a Samsung Electronics commercial .

Awards

Daejong Film Award 2018
  • Award in the Best Actor category for Hwang Jung-min and Lee Sung-min
  • Award in the Best Art Direction category for Park Il-hyun
Blue Dragon Awards 2018
  • Award in the category Best Director for Yoon Jong-bin
  • Award in the Best Art Direction category for Park Il-hyun

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ^ The Spy Gone North (2018). In: Korean Film Biz Zone. KOFIC, accessed February 2, 2019 .
  2. ↑ Deborah Young: 'The Spy Gone North' ('Gongjak'): Film Review. In: The Hollywood Reporter . May 12, 2018, accessed February 9, 2019 .
  3. ↑ Lee Hyori Makes Special Appearance In “The Spy Gone North” As Herself. In: Soompi . August 13, 2018, accessed February 3, 2019 .