Escape (2024 South Korean Film)

Escape (Korean: 탈주; RR: Talju) is a 2024 South Korean action-drama film directed by Lee Jong-pil. The narrative focuses on the high-stakes defection of a North Korean soldier attempting to cross the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) to reach South Korea.

Plot

Im Kyu-nam (Lee Je-hoon) is a soldier serving in the North Korean military who harbors a long-standing desire to escape his country and build a new life in the South. His plan to cross the DMZ is complicated by the intervention of Ri Hyun-sang (Koo Kyo-hwan), an officer with the State Security Department, who is tasked with tracking him down and preventing his defection.

Cast

The film features an ensemble cast portraying various figures involved in the pursuit and the journey toward the border.

• Lee Je-hoon as Im Kyu-nam
• Koo Kyo-hwan as Ri Hyun-sang
• Hong Sa-bin as Kim Dong-hyeok
• Song Kang as Sun Woo-min
• Esom as the leader of nomadic people
• Lee Ho-jung as a gun woman
• Shin Hyun-ji as Sang-koo's sister

Production and Release

Escape was directed by Lee Jong-pil, with a screenplay written by Kwon Sung-whee and Kim Woo-geun. The film was produced by Kang Dae-wook and Kim Woo-sung, with cinematography by Kim Sung-an. It was released in South Korea on July 3, 2024, and distributed by Megabox Plus M. The film has a runtime of 94 minutes.