''Man on the Edge'' (

Korean Korean may refer to: People and culture * Koreans, people from the Korean peninsula or of Korean descent * Korean culture * Korean language **Korean alphabet, known as Hangul or Korean **Korean dialects **See also: North–South differences in t ...

: 박수건달; RR: Baksoogundal) is a 2013

South Korea South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia. It constitutes the southern half of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and borders North Korea along the Korean Demilitarized Zone, with the Yellow Sea to the west and t ...

n film directed by

Jo Jin-kyu Jo Jin-kyu (born 1960) is a South Korean film director. Jo's directorial debut was the hit gangster comedy genre, comedy ''My Wife Is a Gangster'' (2001). He returned to the series with ''My Wife Is a Gangster 3'' in 2006. In 2016, he directed a ...

. The story follows Gwang-ho (

Park Shin-yang Park Shin-yang (; born November 1, 1968) is a South Korean actor. He is known for starring in the films '' The Letter'' (1997), ''A Promise'' (1998), ''Hi! Dharma!'' (2001), '' The Big Swindle'' (2004), and '' Man on the Edge'' (2013), as well a ...

), the right-hand man of a powerful crime boss, as he struggles with the realization that he is destined to become a

shaman Shamanism is a spiritual practice that involves a practitioner (shaman) interacting with the spirit world through altered states of consciousness, such as trance. The goal of this is usually to direct spirits or spiritual energies into ...

. ''Man on the Edge'' is Jo's fifth film; his debut feature, ''

My Wife Is a Gangster ''My Wife Is a Gangster'' () is a 2001 South Korean action romantic comedy film directed by Jo Jin-kyu and written by Kang Hyo-jin and Kim Moon-sung. A sequel titled '' My Wife Is a Gangster 2'' was released in 2003, with a third film (''My Wife ...

'', is credited with sparking the popularity of gangster themes in Korean cinema. In a press conference for the film, lead actor

told the audience that among his other preparations, he went to a shaman to learn more about the traditional practices.

Plot

After a knife wound alters the fate line on his palm, high-class gangster Gwang-ho experiences a series of strange events, including voices beckoning him and objects inexplicably moving around him. One such event occurs when a newspaper, seemingly blown by the wind, persistently follows Gwang-ho as he tries to run away. The newspaper features a large ad for a fortune teller, whom Gwang-ho decides to visit. The fortune teller reveals that the strange events are being caused by a spirit. In order to accept the spirit and begin fulfilling his destiny as a shaman, he must perform a ritual. Unable to escape his fate, Gwang-ho begins a double life, working as a fortune teller by day and a criminal by evening—a life that is increasingly difficult to maintain. Meanwhile, Tae-joo (Kim Jung-tae), a rival member of the gang, is plotting to get rid of Gwang-ho and take his place. Tae-joo's henchmen spy on Gwang-ho, and as they begin to discover his secret, they use their discoveries to try to destroy him.

Cast

as Park Gwang-Ho *

Kim Jung-tae Kim Jung-tae (born Kim Tae-wook on December 13, 1972) is a South Korean actor. He is best known for his supporting roles on film and television. Career He made his acting debut in 1999 with the film ''The Uprising'' under his birth name Kim Tae ...

as Cha Tae-Joo *

Uhm Ji-won Uhm Ji-won (; born December 25, 1977) is a South Korean actress. She is best known for her leading roles in the films '' Tale of Cinema'' (2005), ''Hope'' (2013), ''The Silenced'' (2015), ''Missing'' (2016), and the television dramas '' Birthcar ...

as Fortune Teller Myung *

Jung Hye-young Jung Hye-young (; born December 14, 1973) is a South Korean actress. She is a part of the YG Entertainment group and is best known for her roles in Korean television dramas. She made her debut as a theater actor in 1992 and officially made her ...

as Dr. Choi Mi-Sook * Yoon Song-yi as Han Soo-Min *

Kim Sung-kyun Kim Sung-kyun (; born May 25, 1980) is a South Korean actor. He began his career in theatre, eventually making his on-screen debut as a gangster boss's faithful henchman, in '' Nameless Gangster: Rules of the Time'' (2012), followed by supporti ...

as Ko Choon-Bong *

Choi Ji-ho Choi Ji-ho (born November 25, 1980) is a South Korean actor and model. He began his entertainment career in 2003 as part of Model Line's stable, walking the runways for Gucci, Armani, Nike, EXR, Lacoste, Dolce & Gabbana, as well as Korean desig ...

as Wang Dae-Sik *

Choi Il-hwa Choi Il-hwa (; born May 9, 1959) is a South Korean actor. He joined the Madang Sesil Theatre Group in 1983, and has since continued acting in Korean theater, television and film. Filmography Film *'' No Tomorrow'' (2016) *'' Wonderful Nightma ...

as the boss * Park Jung-ja as the elder fortune teller * Kim Hyeong-beom as Cha Tae-Joo's henchman *

Cho Jin-woong Cho Jin-woong (; born March 3, 1976), born Jo Won-jun (), is a South Korean actor. He is best known for his roles in the films '' Nameless Gangster: Rules of the Time'' (2012), '' The Admiral: Roaring Currents'' (2014), ''Assassination'' (2015), ...

as the prosecutor

Release and reception

The film was released on January 9, 2013. It remained at #1 at the South Korean box office throughout the month, selling 3,897,969 tickets during its theatrical run. It received mixed reviews, with audiences generally rating it higher than film critics. Many reporters described it as a fun movie with compelling performances; some criticized the story's unrealistic circumstances, while others hailed the story as unique and interesting. When the film was released in Japan, Japanese production and distribution company SPO held a 'Park Shin-yang Festival 2014' at Toho Cinemas Roppongi Hills. The festival ran from February 1–14, screening other films featuring the actor in addition to the main feature.

Awards and nominations

References

External links

* *
''Baksoogundal''
at Movist * {{KMDb film, 13232, Man on the Edge (Baksugeondal)
''Man on the Edge''
at the

Korean Film Council The Korean Film Council (KOFIC; ) is a state-supported, self-administered organization under the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (South Korea), Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (MCST) of the Republic of Korea. History KOFIC was la ...

''Baksoogundal''
at

Daum Daum may refer to: People * Ahron Daum (1951–2018), Israeli-born Modern-Orthodox rabbi, educator, and author *Andreas Daum (active from 1995), German-American historian * Auguste Daum (1853–1909), French ceramist *Christoph Daum (1953–2024), ...

''Bak-su-geon-dal''
at

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2010s Korean-language films 2010s South Korean films 2013 comedy films 2013 films South Korean crime comedy-drama films