Gongjak

Gongjak, internationally known as The Spy Gone North, is a gripping mixture of a drama and a thriller based upon historic events. The movie follows a businessman who works as a South Korean secret agent and who is tasked to infiltrate influential North Korean circles by offering the opportunity to shoot commercials for South Korean products in the remote country. He befriends a North Korean economist who hopes to inspire change in his country. Their friendship is put to a test when South Korean politicians try to influence North Korean leader Kim Jong-Il to attack South Korean civilians in order to influence upcoming elections. The businessman and secret agent overhears the abominable conspiracy and must decide whether he lays low and lets an incredible crime happen or whether he risks his identity and life in order to try to make Kim Jong-Il change his mind.

The Spy Gone North convinces on numerous levels. First of all, the actors are absolutely outstanding and especially lead characters Hwang Jun-min as seemingly blunt but naive businessman and Lee Sung-min as intelligent and resilient economist deliver marvelous performances. The intriguing story gets more tense, dramatic and complex as the movie progresses and especially the last forty-five minutes will keep you on the edge of your seat. The settings are remarkable as the movie takes place in the People's Republic of China, Republic of Korea and Democratic People's Republic of Korea. The crew was obviously not allowed to shoot on location in North Korea and recreated those settings in Taiwan but they still look impressively realistic on screen. One has to applaud the fact that the movie avoids spreading propaganda. The South Koreans are depicted as negatively and at times even worse than North Koreans. Kim Jong-Il is shown as eccentric and socially awkward but also diplomatic and intelligent leader which is a rare perspective. Anyone interested in Korean culture, history and society will particularly admire this movie.

In the end, The Spy Gone North is a tense mixture of a drama and thriller partially based upon historic events. The film's perspective is surprisingly balanced and thought-provoking for anyone interested in Korean culture, history and society. The outstanding acting performances make an already great movie an excellent one which is highly recommended.

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

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.

Another excellent movie to discover today Strong characters, interesting plot, a movie based in good acting and not in bullets and fighting action

Gongjak or The Spy Gone North is a spy thriller that looks at the complex political world of North and South Korea and relations during the late 1990's. It is a mix of history and fiction in telling the story of a South Korean spy agent who goes to North Korea under the guise of a businessman through China in order to infiltrate North Korea in search of information about the nuclear program.

The movie's biggest strength is in the cinematography portraying the different locales of China, South Korea, and North Korea in its story telling and in the acting pulling in a cast of well established Korean actors. The camera work and soundtrack is also excellent which work together perfectly in creating high tension key points in the story and providing the movie with excellent pacing.

The story is for the most part is more straight forward than what I expected from a spy thriller. It gets more political after the second half of the movie which is expected due to the nature of story between North and South Korea and it adds a level of complexity. What the movie doesn't do well is explain the motivation that drives the actions of supporting characters. The main character's actions were easy to understand but it was a little bit frustrating not understanding the driving cause of some of the other key characters.

The movie ends with a clear message that will polarize viewers based on their political standing but it does so in an interesting way through the relationship between characters which does tie up the movie fairly well. My biggest critique of this film is that it's too predictable for a spy thriller but it does do a great job narrating the journey.