''Phantom'' () is a South Korean

spy Espionage, spying, or intelligence gathering is the act of obtaining secret or confidential information (intelligence) from non-disclosed sources or divulging of the same without the permission of the holder of the information for a tangibl ...

action Action may refer to: * Action (narrative), a literary mode * Action fiction, a type of genre fiction * Action game, a genre of video game Film * Action film, a genre of film * ''Action'' (1921 film), a film by John Ford * ''Action'' (1980 fil ...

film based on

Mai Jia Jiang Benhu (; born 1964), better known by his pen name Mai Jia, is a Chinese novelist. He also served as the president of Zhejiang Writers Association and vice president of the Zhejiang Literature and Art Association. Biography Jiang was born i ...

's 2007 novel, ''Feng Sheng''. It was directed by Lee Hae-young, starring

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Park Hae-soo Park Hae-soo (; born November 21, 1981) is a South Korean actor who is best known worldwide for portraying Cho Sang-woo in ''Squid Game'' (2021). He is also known for his starring roles in the television series ''Prison Playbook'' (2017–2018) ...

, and

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. It was released theatrically on January 18, 2023.

Synopsis

In 1933, during the

Japanese colonization of Korea Between 1910 and 1945, Korea was ruled as a part of the Empire of Japan. Joseon Korea had come into the Japanese sphere of influence with the Japan–Korea Treaty of 1876; a complex coalition of the Meiji government, military, and business offic ...

, the story begins with an underground anti-Japanese organization's failed attempt to assassinate the new Japanese resident-general on his first day in Seoul. The Japanese colonial government gathers five suspects in a remote hotel on a seaside cliff to hunt down "phantom," a spy planted by an anti-Japanese organization in

Gyeongseong Seoul has been known in the past by successive names, including Wiryeseong () and Hanseong (Baekje era), Bukhansangun (Goguryo era), Hanyang (North and South states period), Namgyeong (, Goryeo era), Hanyangbu (Goryeo under Mongol rule), Hanseong ...

, within a day. Caught up in the game of life and under close scrutiny by the Japanese authorities, the suspects snoop around the rooms and search others' belongings to clear their suspicions.

Cast

Main

as Junji Murayama : A Japanese police officer who used to be a soldier, but was deposed from the Police Department and dispatched as a communication officer and supervisor within the Government-General. *

as Park Cha-Kyung : An employee of the communication department that records cryptograms. *

as Yuriko : A powerful figure in the Joseon government-general, who became the direct secretary of the general political affairs chief even though she is a Korean. *

as Kaito : The captain who directs the entrapment investigation to find the spy within the Governor-General. *

as Cheong Gye-jang : A timid character with sharp deciphering skills as a communication and code cracker.

Supporting

* Kim Dong-hee as Baek-Ho : A young employee who works in the communication department with Park Cha-kyung. *

Esom Lee So-young (January 30, 1990), known by her stage name Esom, is a South Korean actress and model. Career She gained recognition for her leading role in the 2014 film '' Scarlet Innocence'', for which she was nominated for Best New Actress in ...

as Nan-yeong : Another spy who is active as a member of the anti-Japanese organization Black Corps.

Special appearance

* Kim Jong-soo as a projectionist at the Golden Hall theater * Lee Joo-young a ticket office worker * Kim Joong-hee as Tadashi *

Bibi Bibi is a given name, nickname and surname. Notable people with this name As a nickname or stage name * Bibi Andersson (1935-2019), Swedish actress * Bibi (artist) (born 1964), French visual artist Fabrice Cahoreau * Bibi Baskin (born 195 ...

as a new secretary of the Chief of Government Affairs

Production

Principal photography Principal photography is the phase of producing a film or television show in which the bulk of shooting takes place, as distinct from the phases of pre-production and post-production. Personnel Besides the main film personnel, such as a ...

began on January 4, 2021 and ended on May 21.

Release and reception

The film was released on January 18, 2023 on 1099 screens. The opening recorded 41,499 admissions. , with gross of US$5,199,476 and 648,652 admissions, it is the second highest-grossing Korean film of 2023.

References

External links

* * * * * {{Lee Hae-young 2020s South Korean films 2020s Korean-language films South Korean spy action films 4DX films IMAX films Films set in 1933 Films set in hotels Films set in Korea under Japanese rule Films based on Chinese novels