Inside Men (2015 Film)
Inside Men (Korean: 내부자들; RR: Naeboojadeul) is a 2015 South Korean crime drama film directed by Woo Min-Ho. The film is based on the webcomic of the same name by Yoon Tae-Ho, which began serialization in 2010 through The Hankyoreh. The narrative centers on the intersection of political corruption, media influence, and personal vendetta.
Plot
The story follows An Sang-Goo, a political fixer who performs illicit tasks for powerful figures. After being discarded by those he served, he seeks retribution. His path crosses with Woo Jang-Hoon, an ambitious prosecutor investigating corruption within the political establishment.
Production
Principal photography commenced on July 13, 2014, at a nightclub in Seoul. The first sequence filmed featured the meeting between the character An Sang-Goo, portrayed by Lee Byung-Hun, and the newspaper writer Lee Gang-Hee, played by Baek Yoon-Sik.
Release and Versions
The film was released in South Korean theaters on November 19, 2015. On December 31, 2015, an extended version titled Inside Men: The Original was released, featuring 50 minutes of additional footage, bringing the total runtime to approximately three hours.
Cast
- Lee Byung-Hun as An Sang-Goo
- Cho Seung-Woo as Woo Jang-Hoon
- Baek Yoon-Sik as Lee Gang-Hee
- Lee Kyoung-Young as Jang Pil-Woo
- Kim Hong-Fa as President Oh
- Jo Jae-Yun as Subsection Chief Bang
- Bae Sung-Woo as Park Jong-Pal
- Kim Dae-Myung as Reporter Goh
- Jo Woo-Jin as Director Jo
Reception and Awards
The film received significant recognition at major South Korean film awards in 2016. It won Best Film and Best Actor (Lee Byung-Hun) at the 37th Blue Dragon Film Awards. At the 53rd Daejong Film Awards, it received honors for Best Film, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Screenplay, and Best Planning.