"Shiri": A masterpiece of Korean spy action, the issue of "division" that remains vivid even today

Summary of "Shiri"

South Korean intelligence agents Yoo Jun-won and Lee Jang-gil are investigating the assassination of a key figure. As they pursue a North Korean female agent suspected of being the culprit, they learn of the threat of a terrorist attack using a highly destructive liquid bomb. The targets are the leaders of both North and South Korea.

Index

• A turning point that changed the history of Korean cinema
• A monumental spy action film
• A serious portrayal of "death" and "division"

A turning point that changed the history of Korean cinema

The film "Shiri" (1999), which was a pioneer of Korean entertainment with global appeal that would later be called "Hallyu", is celebrating its 25th anniversary. Starring Han Suk-kyu and directed by Kang Je-gyu, it is a major entertainment film that combines spy suspense, action and a love story.

There is a big reason why this film is said to have "opened up the future of Korean cinema." Upon its release in Korea on February 13, 1999, it attracted 6.21 million Korean moviegoers, becoming a huge hit that surpassed Titanic (1997) starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet. It was released in Japan the following year in 2000, and grossed 1.8 billion yen, an unprecedented amount for a Korean film at the time.

These results established the image that "Korean films can compete on the world stage," which led to domestic film investment and a strategy to expand into the world, and Korean films established their current position on the world stage. Twenty years later, in 2019, director Bong Joon-ho's " Parasite " won four awards at the Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best International Feature Film, but this glory may not have been possible without "Shiri."

"Shiri Digitally Remastered" ©Samsung Entertainment

At the time, this was the most expensive film in Korean film history, and was funded by Samsung, a major technology company (the company's logo appears in the film). However, when Samsung later withdrew from the film business, the film's worldwide screening rights were left in limbo, and for a long time, "Shiri" was not available for general screening or distribution.

Ahead of the 25th anniversary of its production, the copyright issues have finally been resolved and the film will be remastered, with the digitally remastered version set to premiere in Japan at the Tokyo International Film Festival in October 2023. In 2024, the film will be released in theaters and streamed online for the general public, once again unleashing this turning point for Korean cinema.

A monumental spy action film