Friend (2001 South Korean Film)

Friend (Korean: 친구; RR: Chingoo) is a 2001 South Korean action-drama film written and directed by Kwak Kyung-taek. The film explores the complex dynamics of friendship, loyalty, and the diverging paths taken by four men who grew up together in Busan.

Friend movie poster — Promotional poster for the film Friend (2001).

Plot

The narrative follows four childhood friends who navigate their youth in Busan. Joon-seok is the son of a prominent gang leader, while Dong-soo is the son of an undertaker. Alongside them are Sang-taek and Joong-ho. As they transition into adulthood, their lives take drastically different directions. Joon-seok eventually becomes a high-ranking member of his father's criminal organization, while Dong-soo finds himself working for a rival gang. The film depicts the tragic erosion of their bond as their professional affiliations force them into direct conflict.

Cast

The film features an ensemble cast portraying the four central friends and supporting characters:

Yu Oh-seong as Joon-seok
Jang Dong-gun as Dong-soo
Seo Tae-hwa as Sang-taek
Jung Woon-taek as Joong-ho
Kim Bo-kyung as Jin-sook
Joo Hyun as Joon-seok's father

Ki Joo-bong as the character known as mustache.

Lee Jae-yong as the character known as blade scar.

Scene from the film — A scene from the production.

Related Works

The success of the 2001 film led to subsequent projects within the same franchise:

Friend, Our Legend (2009): A television series adaptation broadcast on MBC.
Friend, The Great Legacy (2013): A sequel film titled Chingoo 2.