In the mid-1990s, a loyal South Korean secret agent is caught in a political vortex plotted by the ruling classes of North and South Korea.In the mid-1990s, a loyal South Korean secret agent is caught in a political vortex plotted by the ruling classes of North and South Korea.In the mid-1990s, a loyal South Korean secret agent is caught in a political vortex plotted by the ruling classes of North and South Korea.
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Featured reviews
100U
If you're looking for fun and entertainment, then this isn't the movie you should be watching. It's not your ordinary spy movie packed with action, but rather lots of diplomacy, dialogues and relationship building between people with power carried by a classical 80s setting.
For much of the movie, The Spy Gone North unfolds as a competent espionage thriller. Then the final 30 minutes elevate it to something more a compelling tale of murky politics and unlikely friendship. The tension comes from the fraught atmosphere of mistrust and barely hostility between North and South Korea. Any moment, masks could be ripped off and a gun could go off.
Director Yoon decided to not stick to the typical Hollywood-style spy flick and the result is a new, tense and even darkly comical spy film.
In summary, "The Spy Gone North" is not just an exceptional film within its genre but stands as a formidable entry in the espionage genre. This film is a must-watch for aficionados of the genre and anyone who appreciates cinema that marries intelligence with emotional depth.
For much of the movie, The Spy Gone North unfolds as a competent espionage thriller. Then the final 30 minutes elevate it to something more a compelling tale of murky politics and unlikely friendship. The tension comes from the fraught atmosphere of mistrust and barely hostility between North and South Korea. Any moment, masks could be ripped off and a gun could go off.
Director Yoon decided to not stick to the typical Hollywood-style spy flick and the result is a new, tense and even darkly comical spy film.
In summary, "The Spy Gone North" is not just an exceptional film within its genre but stands as a formidable entry in the espionage genre. This film is a must-watch for aficionados of the genre and anyone who appreciates cinema that marries intelligence with emotional depth.
It's slow but if patience is applied, the movie come to life. It's captivating and intriguing to see.
Not your gun totting spy movie but brilliant on its own
I am a fan of intrigue/spy thrillers, and I noticed this in the TV schedule so recorded it, initially I thought it was a serial, I did not know anything about it or which country it was about or made by.
I was pleasantly surprised upon opening it, that it was a South Korean movie, having seen a couple from there before, and it turned out to be a lucky move to record it, as it turned out to be excellent.
It starts off as a spy scam, whereby the South Koreans send a spy to pretend to be a business man to infiltrate the north, but evolves into a political thriller, with a few twists and a bit of a opposite buddy's near the end, apparently it's a true story!
Hollywood used to make films like this, but can't seem to do it anymore, It is in the film noir style, and very well made, excellent direction and very good actors, the photography is good, but the best is the character interplay. 60 years ago this might have been a Humphrey Bogart film, like an oriental Maltese Falcon. Watch as soon as you can. Brilliant
I was pleasantly surprised upon opening it, that it was a South Korean movie, having seen a couple from there before, and it turned out to be a lucky move to record it, as it turned out to be excellent.
It starts off as a spy scam, whereby the South Koreans send a spy to pretend to be a business man to infiltrate the north, but evolves into a political thriller, with a few twists and a bit of a opposite buddy's near the end, apparently it's a true story!
Hollywood used to make films like this, but can't seem to do it anymore, It is in the film noir style, and very well made, excellent direction and very good actors, the photography is good, but the best is the character interplay. 60 years ago this might have been a Humphrey Bogart film, like an oriental Maltese Falcon. Watch as soon as you can. Brilliant
A treatment of the never ending problem between North and South Korea, Two economic systems. Two countries that act as proxies of the superpowers and coldly face off to maintain influence in the region. Action suspense plot with unexpected political consequences.
Another excellent movie to discover today
Strong characters, interesting plot, a movie based in good acting and not in bullets and fighting action
Did you know
- TriviaActor Jung-min Hwang, who plays the South Korean spy with the code-name 'Black Venus', said of the emphasis of playing his central spy character of Seok-young Park (aka Suk-young Park) in this film: "I spent a lot of time discussing his character with the director [Jong-bin Yoon], and we decided to approach it almost like two separate characters, so that the acting for Park Suk-young would be different for that of 'Black Venus'. For example, when operating in China or North Korea, he is 'Black Venus', not Park Suk-young. He has his own distinctive look, actions and speaking style. I tried to portray 'Black Venus' less as a spy, and more as a kind of businessman. In general, 'Black Venus' and Park Suk-young speak different dialects, the South-eastern Gyeongsang dialect and a standard dialect, so we can think of them as different people."
- GoofsWhen Suk-young Park arrives in Pyongyang for the first time and is driven around the city, he goes past the Mansudae Grand Monument which is large statues of Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il. At the time this scene is set it only the statue of Kim Il-sung was there. The statue of Kim Jong-il was erected after his death.
- ConnectionsReferences Pretty Woman (1990)
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Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Official sites
- Languages
- Also known as
- Black Venus
- Filming locations
- Taiwan(Beijing, North Korea)
- Production companies
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Budget
- ₩19,000,000,000 (estimated)
- Gross US & Canada
- $500,803
- Opening weekend US & Canada
- $43,348
- Aug 12, 2018
- Gross worldwide
- $38,844,509
- Runtime
- 2h 17m(137 min)
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 2.35 : 1
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