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

A monumental spy action film

The story is set in Seoul in September 1998. South Korean intelligence chief Yoo Jun-won (Han Suk-kyu) and his partner Lee Jang-gil (Song Kang-ho) are investigating a series of assassinations of important figures that have been occurring for several years. The suspect is a North Korean spy, Lee Bang-hee. However, despite diligent investigations, Bang-hee's whereabouts remain unknown.

Meanwhile, North Korean spy Park Moo-young (Choi Min-sik) and his men have secretly infiltrated South Korea to accomplish a top-secret mission called "Operation Shiri." Moo-young's target is a new liquid bomb, CTX, developed by the Korean Institute for Defense Science. Jun-won and Jang-gil, who are pursuing Bang-hee, rush to the laboratory, but a key researcher in CTX is killed and the CTX, which was being transported, is seized by Moo-young and his men.

Why was the intelligence agency's movement detected, and why was the culprit able to get ahead of the investigation? Jun-won and Jang-gil begin to suspect that there is a spy inside who is leaking information. Sensing danger in a situation where he cannot even trust his partner, Jun-won decides to hide his fiancée Lee Myung-hun (Kim Yun-jin), with whom he is dating while hiding his occupation, in a hotel.

"Shiri Digitally Remastered" ©Samsung Entertainment

At the same time, it was just decided in Seoul that a unified North and South Korean team would be formed for the 2002 Japan-Korea World Cup, and that a North-South friendly match would be held to select the players. As the mood of reconciliation between North and South Korea grows, Moo-young and his men set up CTXs throughout the city, planning to plunge people into the depths of fear. Moo-young and his men threaten the Intelligence Department with a ruthless crime, as they are unable to find a solution.

What's particularly noteworthy about Shiri is how thrilling it is, and how it barely feels dated even 25 years after its production. The storytelling, which combines genres while moving the tale along with fast-paced direction and editing, is reminiscent of a Hollywood film. The scale of the action, from the location shooting in downtown Seoul where Jun-won and the others race around, to the intense gunfights and explosions on the highway, is so vivid that even when viewed today, one is left thinking, "Wow, they managed to pull it off!" The indoor fights and gunfights are influenced by Hong Kong action films, and the film's perfection as an entertaining film is impressive once again.

A serious portrayal of "death" and "division"