The Spy Gone North

Name: The Spy Gone North
Genre: Drama
Released: August 10, 2018
Duration: 137 min
Rating: 69
Cast: Bo-Kwang Choi, Byung Mo Choi, Jeong-min Hwang, Ji-Heon Cha, Ji-hun Ju

2018

METASCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 6 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 14 Ratings

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7.2

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7.2	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 14 Ratings

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The Spy Gone North (US Trailer 2)

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Movie Details & Credits

CJ Entertainment America | Release Date: August 10, 2018 | Not Rated

Starring: Bo-Kwang Choi, Byung Mo Choi, Jeong-min Hwang, Ji-Heon Cha, Ji-hun Ju, Jin-woong Jo, Ju-bong Gi, Seung-ik Baek, Sung-min Lee, Yong Chae

Summary: In 1993, former military officer Suk-young Park is recruited as a spy by South Korea's National Intelligence Service, and given the code name "Black Venus". He is then sent to infiltrate a group of high-ranking North Korean officials based in Beijing, with the ultimate goal of acquiring information on the North's nuclear program. AfterIn 1993, former military officer Suk-young Park is recruited as a spy by South Korea's National Intelligence Service, and given the code name "Black Venus". He is then sent to infiltrate a group of high-ranking North Korean officials based in Beijing, with the ultimate goal of acquiring information on the North's nuclear program. After becoming close to Myong-un Ri, a key power broker, Black Venus succeeds beyond his wildest dreams of gaining the trust of North Korea's leadership. But political machinations on both sides of the border threaten to derail his accomplishments. … Expand

Director: Jong-bin Yun

Genre(s): Drama

Rating: Not Rated

Runtime: 137 min

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Critic Reviews

Tim Grierson

Aug 9, 2018

A film about stellar spycraft that’s been made with comparable steely intelligence, The Spy Gone North (Gongjak) boasts little action but compensates with director Yoon Jong-bin’s considerable ability to weave suspense while depicting the subtle maneuverings of a fraught covert operation. Read full review

Maggie Lee

Aug 9, 2018

This well-crafted work deserves to be seen for its thorough account of intricate workings of secret service and political skullduggery. Read full review

Gary Goldstein

Aug 9, 2018

There are no spies who “dump” or “shag” anyone here, much less jump out of airplanes or buildings, but The Spy Gone North, based on the exploits of a true-life double agent code-named Black Venus, remains a taut, slowly engrossing, effectively old-fashioned Cold War thriller. Read full review

Deborah Young

Aug 9, 2018

The film succeeds at being both exciting and character-driven, but only after a confused first half that will leave international viewers frustrated over who’s who and what’s going on. Read full review

IndieWire David Ehrlich

Aug 9, 2018

Entertaining and exasperating in equal measure, it’s a nine-dimensional chess game in which the pawns think they’re working towards a better future, but the powers controlling them are only determined to maintain the status quo. Read full review

The Guardian Charles Bramesco

Aug 7, 2018

Yoon executes all the classic double-agent set pieces with finesse, and those enamoured of the genre will appreciate a change of setting. Read full review

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User Reviews

DawdlingPoet

Nov 24, 2021

This is a fairly slow moving film. It can somewhat tense scenes but its certainly not one for someone after a lot of quick action scene. I liked that there was some historical context provided at the start of the film and it gives you a feel for what people in authority in Korea may be like.This is a fairly slow moving film. It can somewhat tense scenes but its certainly not one for someone after a lot of quick action scene. I liked that there was some historical context provided at the start of the film and it gives you a feel for what people in authority in Korea may be like. I thought it was interesting seeing the typewriter with Korean letters - I suppopse I hadn't considered a non roman alphabet keyboard/typewriter but of course such things must exist. Its a fairly interesting film, in terms of seeing how more lowly figures judge those in higher authority and what happens in terms of the politics of things. I wouldn't say this is a particularly exciting or even an entirely fascinating film but it is pretty interesting and perhaps somewhat insightful..it has some witty dialogue too and not too many special effects (including battle/fights and the like). It's still interesting in terms of showing how people can try to read others motives and try to outwit the others. I suppose it's a 'who will blink first?' kind of a film.

I'd only watch this if your particularly interested in Koreans and the time this depicts, so overall I wouldn't especially recommend it, no.… Expand

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Broyax

Apr 26, 2020

C'est soit-disant inspiré de faits réels mais pour le reste, ça brode à n'en plus pouvoir (et à n'en plus finir) des complots hallucinés et fort peu crédibles entre les deux Corée... Et ça rajoute vers la fin un peu de guimauve pour faire "passer" même si pour un film coréen, la guimauveC'est soit-disant inspiré de faits réels mais pour le reste, ça brode à n'en plus pouvoir (et à n'en plus finir) des complots hallucinés et fort peu crédibles entre les deux Corée... Et ça rajoute vers la fin un peu de guimauve pour faire "passer" même si pour un film coréen, la guimauve reste bien entendu très discrète.

L'autre gros souci qui plombe le film est sans conteste sa longueur et sa langueur qui font souvent piquer du nez ; et pour cause puisque le machin dépasse les deux plombes et quart sans se gêner ! il fallait garder la version longue pour la sortie DVD (pour les amateurs de siestes) au lieu de nous la mettre d'office sans crier gare...

La mise en scène reste cela dit très appliquée (mais ce n'est pas un film d'action, loin de là.... ceci expliquant cela) et la narration tout-à-fait claire pour un film d'espionnage, aussi dingo soit-il. Trop lourd à digérer en tout cas ce merdier, tout ça pour des "élections" à la mords-moi-le-noeud... de là à ce qu'ils nous fassent gober que les cocos du nord sont super sympas et que les connards sont tous au sud... il n'y a qu'un pas, je suppose !… Expand

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